241 replies to this topic

[dodge]

R.I.P. PEDRO... Oh, man, what a drag. I was sorry to learn today that Pedro Armendariz--FRWL's wonderful charmer--committed suicide the same year the film was released. Here's hoping he had some idea,at the end, of the enduring beauty of his last performance.

[MHazard]

[quote name='ACE' post='724730' date='9 April 2007 - 16:41'][quote name='plankattack' post='724676' date='9 April 2007 - 19:46'][quote name='dodge' post='724666' date='9 April 2007 - 14:32'][quote name='plankattack' post='724645' date='9 April 2007 - 18:25']OHMSS as Abbey Road.......mmmmm

I wonder what ACE's machine would make of the other eras? TD as Oasis doing the Beatles?[/quote]

Oh, I'm waiting happily for Ace's acid wit to kick in on the Psychedelic angle. No doubt his puns will mushroom.
[/quote]
I fear ACE and his machine have gone. I saw him, on a train in a station, with plasticene porters. Or it fell down a hole in Blackburn, Lancashire.
[/quote]

There ain't, ahem, mushroom for psychedelia in Barnd!

I think ACE blew his brains out in a car...while he was turning you on!

Hey man, geddaloadathis guy!

Being for the benefit of Messrs plankattack and dodge, my lovely assistant Ms Terious aided by our humble manservant, Hawkings (hurry up man before I get the genital clamp) shall insert more amazing morsels into the barrel of the Bondatron for your edification and amusement thusly...

The Beatles
Cubby Broccoli
United Artists
Harry Saltzman

------dOWEOEEEOWOEOWEOEOOWEOW ========
!

[dodge]

I'm sure he meant ace IN THE hole.STOP IT! ALL OF YOU! JUST STOP IT!!

If he did, there'll be loud cries of "Get out of Dodge!!!"


THE GREAT SPACE GOOF IN MR: (Source: Wikipedia)

"The sounds of the battle in outer space would not have been audible. Space has no air or gas molecules to vibrate and transmit sounds."

That one slipped right by me. Should have remembered the Alien ad: 'In space no one can hear you scream.'

[dodge]

BITCH-SLAPPING SEAN TO MAKE OHMSS! (Source: Playboy Interview, 11/1965)


I went back to the infamous interview after reading a recent story of Connery's rudeness to a female reporter. (She'd made the mistake of asking him how it felt to host the Dressed to Kilt event.) In the Playboy interview you'll see that, for all the downplaying he's done about certain remarks there, he's revoltingly specific there. Bitches deserve, need and want powerful open-hand slaps, Con says. It's clear enough that he approves of the time-honored tradition of knocking the worst of the lot to the floor, then draggging them by the hair to walls to pound their bitchy heads on.

Two other little tidbits that might be of interest:

Connery claims to have earned $16,800 for his role in DN.

And at interview time (surely three to six months before publication), he was looking forward to his final two Bond films: OHMSS, then YOLT. Producers were hoping to start shooting OHMSS in January 1966. But he said he'd reached the point--at now a half million a pic--where he wouldn't rush for anyone.

Still love his Bond. Like the man less and less.

[Santa]

That's pretty much how I feel. I'd like to see him try to slap me...

[dodge]

That's pretty much how I feel. I'd like to see him try to slap me...

You're safe. According to Diane Cilento, Sean's ex, his preferred mode of attack was in the dark. She'd displeased him one night at a party. When she went back to their room, he was waiting--IN THE DARK--and smashed her in the face so hard she fell and lost consciousness for an instant. When she tried to get up he bashed her again. The next morning, he was gone and she looked at her face the mirror. She feared she'd been disfigured for life. (All that from an open hand slap, eh?) A few years later, their seven-year old son Jason was assaulted in a park by a man. She begged Con to come to the boy's aid. But the tough guy was too busy filming and playing golf to straighten out a grown man who'd wailed on his kid.

Check out Cilento's My Nine Lives for more.

[Santa]

I know what Diane says but have my doubts. That said, he didn't get a name for it from that single incident so my doubts aren't all that grave. There are some men that are like that. I find a swift lob to the nuts can work wonders on that kind of attitude.

[Judo chop]

This is awful.

I'm going to go hug my wife...

[Santa]

It is awful. I always quite uncomfortable about this one.

[dodge]

MORE HORRIFYING CONNERY NEWS: PRICK UP YOUR EARS!

Connery was spared, by a linguistic hair, from a revolting fate.

In his weightlifting days, Sean went by the nickname Big Tam. Tam, of course, is Scottish--and only by the grace of God did the word begin with a T and not B.

Big Bam might have sounded sexy. But sooner or later someone just like me--with a passion for word games--would have come and seen:

While no obvious anagrams come to mind for Big Tam, a dreadful one does come to mind for Big Bam:

A BIG B.M.

That's sure something to think about isn't it? Could Con's career have survived that?

[ACE]

In his weightlifting days, Sean went by the nickname Big Tam.

LOL,dodge.

Tam being a version of Thomas, his full given name being Thomas Sean Connery.

Any rumours the birth certificate included the words "Big John" prior to his given name are entirely spurious and belong in a bad Carry On Movie (is there such a thing? )

[dodge]

FLEMING'S SELF-ASSESSMENT: (Source Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang! 'Bond and the Pulps' by David Morefield):

"Whatever private hopes he may have harbored for his works, outwardly he dismissed them as 'adolescent' distractions, aimed not at the reader's head but rather 'somewhere between the upper thigh and the solar plexus.'"

[MHazard]

I don't recall the source, but I'm fairly sure that I read somewhere that Fleming once said that he didn't think Spy novels were literature but that they could be written like literature. On another topic, I am still in pain from all the unpleasant info regarding Sean. I have to keep repeating to myself "Sean Connery is not James Bond, Sean Connery just played James Bond". Please tell me that at least Daniel Craig doesn't have any vile habits that we know of.

[dodge]

I don't recall the source, but I'm fairly sure that I read somewhere that Fleming once said that he didn't think Spy novels were literature but that they could be written like literature. On another topic, I am still in pain from all the unpleasant info regarding Sean. I have to keep repeating to myself "Sean Connery is not James Bond, Sean Connery just played James Bond". Please tell me that at least Daniel Craig doesn't have any vile habits that we know of.

Thanks for contributing MHazard. I think Fleming's public statements about his writing need to be taken--no, not with a grain of salt, but with a little perspective. Some writers make light of their work either to ward off criticism or to keep from jinxing their luck. (Byron referred to his writing as 'scribbling', meant 'to giggle and make giggle'. And he claimed that he never revised. I've seen copies of some of his manuscripts--and he revised all right. Not as thoroughly as other writers, perhaps, but carefully and thoughtfully. He also wanted to preserve his man of action image, which writing didn't square with.)

Graeme Greene carefully referred to his more popular fiction as "entertainments", not lit.

Anyway, whatever Fleming really thought, we readers know better, right? The books rock!

[00Twelve]

While rereading DAF, I just noticed that one of Fleming's dedications read, "to the memory of W.W., Jr., at Saratoga, 1954 and 1955."

W.W.

Thought it was an amusing coincidence.

[dodge]

MS. BLACKMAN, WHERE'S YOUR HONOR! (Sources: BBC News 9/12/02 and IMDb)

Honor Blackman's still going strong, it's reported. In an article about older women and sex, Honor's shown with her new boy toy, a handsome young man, barely in his fifties. Connery was three years her junior in GF. Bond's first older woman--any other instances?

[plankattack]

Yes! (I just went to IMDB) Mrs Bond herself, the great Diana Rigg was a year older than George. It's something about those Avengers! Maybe after their father-figure relationship with Patrick Macnee (whether he was older or not is irrelevant - he wore a bowler and carried an umbrella), they decided they wanted a younger civil servant.

[dodge]

Yes! (I just went to IMDB) Mrs Bond herself, the great Diana Rigg was a year older than George. It's something about those Avengers! Maybe after their father-figure relationship with Patrick Macnee (whether he was older or not is irrelevant - he wore a bowler and carried an umbrella), they decided they wanted a younger civil servant.

Well done, Plank. Right on target, with something to add! Your posts may be low in numbers, as Judo pointed out. But I think of you as a surgeon who may keep irregular hours--but when he's in, he operates!

While rereading DAF, I just noticed that one of Fleming's dedications read, "to the memory of W.W., Jr., at Saratoga, 1954 and 1955."

W.W. Thought it was an amusing coincidence.

Aha, you've bandywagged me--if there is such a word (as 'bandywagged', of course, not 'me').

Who might WW be...and why is that amusing?

[plankattack]

[

Well done, Plank. Right on target, with something to add! Your posts may be low in numbers, as Judo pointed out. But I think of you as a surgeon who may keep irregular hours--but when he's in, he operates!

Well, thank you for the compliment. My numbers are low because I'm not very good at quizzes, and for the life of me, I can't remember how old I was when I read Role of Honour.

[00Twelve]

While rereading DAF, I just noticed that one of Fleming's dedications read, "to the memory of W.W., Jr., at Saratoga, 1954 and 1955."
W.W. Thought it was an amusing coincidence.

Aha, you've bandywagged me--if there is such a word (as 'bandywagged', of course, not 'me').

Who might WW be...and why is that amusing?

Nobody, just the initials of Willard Whyte in the DAF film, and his initials were frequently seen or heard.

[Head of S]

While rereading DAF, I just noticed that one of Fleming's dedications read, "to the memory of W.W., Jr., at Saratoga, 1954 and 1955."
W.W. Thought it was an amusing coincidence.

Aha, you've bandywagged me--if there is such a word (as 'bandywagged', of course, not 'me').

Who might WW be...and why is that amusing?

Nobody, just the initials of Willard Whyte in the DAF film, and his initials were frequently seen or heard.

'W W Jr' is William Woodward Jr, an American friend of Ian Fleming's. Left a fortune by his father, a banker from New York, Woodward owned a Studebaker with a Cadillac engine - the 'Studillac' - which Fleming appropriated for 'Diamonds Are Forever'. Woodward was also a stakeholder in the Belair stud. Woodward raced his horse at Saratoga, providing further material for 'Diamonds'. Woodward was shot dead by his wife, hence the dedication at the beginning of the book. Woodward's marriage had been deteriorating, but his wife was cleared of murder claiming she mistook him for a prowler. The killing of Woodward became the subject Truman Capote's 'Answered Prayer' and Dominick Dunne's 'The Two Mrs Grenvilles'.

For the film version of 'Diamonds Are Forever' the villain was originally written as the twin brother of Auric Goldfinger (with the initials 'GG') - some of Ken Adams sketches of the casino show these initials where, in the film, we see 'WW'. The idea was inspired by Cubby Broccoli's dream of 'HH' - Howard Hughes. So 'HH' became 'GG' then changed to 'WW'. Of course, 'GG' eventually made it into 'Die Another Day'.

[00Twelve]

Wow. Thank you very much, S. Didn't know all that (Except the brother of Goldfinger portion).

[plankattack]

For the film version of 'Diamonds Are Forever' the villain was originally written as the twin brother of Auric Goldfinger (with the initials 'GG') - some of Ken Adams sketches of the casino show these initials where, in the film, we see 'WW'. The idea was inspired by Cubby Broccoli's dream of 'HH' - Howard Hughes. So 'HH' became 'GG' then changed to 'WW'. Of course, 'GG' eventually made it into 'Die Another Day'.

Goldfinger's twin brother.....so taken were they by the laser beam in GF that it reappeared as the central theme of DAF's climax. Which, was originally supposed to have featured a boat chase on Lake Mead. The idea to re-mine GF for inspiration proving that EON were becoming repetitive much earlier in the series than is usually acknowledged.

[Head of S]

I have borrowed ACE's Bondatron and fed in the following information (along with silver dollar) with instructions to remove obvious correlations such as 'The Spy Who Loved Me' and 'Nobody Does It Better' from the computations.

Ian Fleming
Carly Simon

Here goes.......!

Woah...

"This is the synopsis of a book to be published in May 2007, titled 'In Secret Service' by Mitch Silver -

'In 1964, James Bond's creator sealed a package containing a manuscript he thought no one would read until fifty years after his death. As an officer in Britain's Naval Intelligence during World War II, Ian Fleming had his own adventures to recount, and a conscience to unburden. His family ties and his career had taken him to the upper echelons of British and American society and espionage, the world of danger, betrayal, and deceit that he replicated in his famous James Bond novels. But this hidden manuscript contained a real spy story...with secrets that could explode history if revealed.

In 2005, Amy Greenberg -- a young American academic with a glittering future -- is summoned to Ireland to claim the contents of her grandfather's safe deposit box, in which she finds a manuscript by Ian Fleming. The pages contain confidential information so potentially explosive that Amy soon discovers that people on both sides of the Atlantic are willing to kill to maintain its secrecy. In a race against time, Amy must unlock the manuscript's secrets and outwit unknown assailants who will do anything to bury the truth. In Secret Service is a historical mystery inside a contemporary thriller, a brand-new take on espionage suspense.'

Whilst the hardback is published by Touchstone Books, the audiobook is released by Simon and Schuster Audio. The publishing house of Simon and Schuster was founded in New York in 1924 by Richard L Simon and M Lincoln 'Max' Schuster. Richard L Simon was Carly Simon's father."

Edited by Head of S, 17 April 2007 - 09:26 PM.

[Santa]

Wow. You're good.

[plankattack]

S, baby, you're the best.

[dodge]

FIRST VIRGIN AWARD: TO '5'. For an inspired entry.

[ACE]

Good doesn't cover it for Head of S.

Believe me, he should be called "Head of 'est"

Best
Brightest
Cleverest
Sharpest

and, finally,

Pest - give us back the Bondatron! Ms Terious and Hawkings were fearing for their jobs there!

Nice find, Head of S! 'In Secret Service' by Mitch Silver sounds like one of those Quinn Fawcett books.

[dodge]

MISS CIGGY WOULD LIKE A WORD...

Eon was paid $350,000 for Timothy Dalton's Bond to smoke Lark cigarettes. The film went on to feature an anti-cancer warning.

Brosnan was a model for Japanese Larks before he switched to cigars.

Fleming and Bond both smoked specially made cigs from Morlands of Grosvenor St--a Macedonian blend. Fleming reportedly smoked 70 per day until the day he died. Bond begins with the same number but at some point, I seem to remember cut down. Anyone know in which book? And how many did he now smoke?

[00Twelve]

Well, he definitely cut down in Thunderball! Sorry, dodge, old boy, but I can't remember any other novel's specific mention of his cutting down, but I don't doubt it was there. I'm sure I'll be able to tell you in time...I'm nearly always reading one of the Flemings.