241 replies to this topic

[dodge]

Let's be fair to the Guardian (not that I worry about its feelings).

Just for the record, I never meant to be unfair to anybody (though I also have no concern for the Guardian's feelings to speak of.) I wasn't suggesting that the ex-President's domestic blunder was on the same level of shame as the Guardian's death knell for Bond.

The skepticism in that article is completely justified, but then for the same reason a humorous look at the pre and post CR articles would be equally justified. You, Dodge and the Guardian I'm sure we're not the only folks hearing the Taps theme slowly take the place of the Barry Bond theme. Had I been as "Bond aware" then as I am now, I probably would have agreed. But as the case was, I never thought that far ahead. I suppose my stance then was that as long as Bond had a pulse (= movies continue to be made) that eventually he'd come around again. What's more, my distaste for the Brosnan era has festered since TWINE. Up to that time I had no particular quarrel with him or his films, and since then it's been a slow decay. (Pretty well rotting off the bones now.)

That was a long ramble to say very little. Sorry...

Judo, no apology's required. It's easy and natural to look at past predictions that have been proven false, and smile. The infamous Harry Truman is defeated headline now seems total lunacy. But to a newspaper running on a deadline, and forced to play the odds, the gamble was sensible. Impish Luck gave them the dunce cap, as it did the Guardian. So, let's smile at the Guardian while we understand.

new post on Craig's stunts has been moved below. Placed here in error. Sorry.

[00Twelve]

Of course Daniel Craig bleeds. And thus we have Red Bull.

[Judo chop]

Of course Daniel Craig bleeds. And thus we have Red Bull...

...if caught before it spills to the ground. Otherwise we have giant scorpions.

[dodge]

Craig's stunts compared to other Bonds. (source M16, 11/20/06)

Note: moved misplaced posting aboveGary Powell, Stunt Coordinator:

"I brought in some SAS chums to give Daniel some extra training. And even they were impressed. One said to me, 'That boy's a natural'. "

"And he's right. Daniel is the only Bond who in real life could pass SAS selection. He's fit, he looks like a killer and he's smart.

"I could never imagine Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan doing any real damage to anything stronger than a vodka martini. But Daniel could really hurt you - with or without a gun."


"Someone told me recently: 'Sean Connery sweated, Roger Moore perspired and Pierce Brosnan glowed.' I don't agree but I'll add one thing - Daniel Craig bleeds. He did everything we asked of him and more."

[dodge]

Halle Berry sets all Bond fans straight!
(source: http://www.collegein...rity/bond.html: article "The Women of Bond by Dave Magarity_


"Recently, Halle Berry said that she was the sexiest Bond woman of all-time. There is no question that Ms. Berry is very attractive, but that is quite a bold statement."

I just thought you'd like to know.

[Judo chop]

"Recently, Halle Berry said that she was the sexiest Bond woman of all-time.

Did she cry herself into a blubbering mess when she presented this award to herself?

[dodge]

Major announcement: Craig raises the dead! (source:http://www.wayodd.com/german-artist-to-use-corpse-to-play-james-bond/v/5614/)


The article is dated 10/29/2006:

A Protestant Church in Germany is protesting the plan of German corpse artist Gunther von Hagens to use corpses to recreate a scene from the latest "James Bond" movie.

Von Hagens uses a process called plastination to preserve the bodies and body parts. During the plastination process body fluids, water and fats are replaced by plastics. Completed specimens can be touched, do not smell or decay.

Local priest Michael Domke said he is against the plan of the artist. He complains, "Human bodies are being turned into commodities, prepared on a factory line."

Von Hagens is planning to use dead bodies to resemble Daniel Craig and other character from "Casino Royale." A particular scene the artist will recreate is poker-playing scene.

An estimated 5,000 people are expected visit the four-storey Guben "Plastinarium" every day when it opens in three weeks.

Of how many actors can it be said They were willing to die for their parts?

[00Twelve]

"Recently, Halle Berry said that she was the sexiest Bond woman of all-time.

Thank God she was able to settle that dispute. Been going on too long anyway. I know I'm relieved.

Von Hagens uses a process called plastination to preserve the bodies and body parts. During the plastination process body fluids, water and fats are replaced by plastics. Completed specimens can be touched, do not smell or decay.

That's just disturbing.

[dodge]

Haalle Berry speaks to men!
(source: http://www.brainyquo...lle_berry.html)



"The man for me is the cherry on the pie. But I'm the pie and my pie is good all by itself. Even if I don't have a cherry."

"The worst thing a man can ever do is kiss me on the first date."

"In the X-Men the women are so strong and sexy! We really kick some male butt!"

"I wish all men were like dogs."

[dodge]

Roger Ebert on the importance of gadgets to the Bond formula.
source: http://www.geocities...lumns/essay.htm

"Film critic Roger Ebert once made a list of critical elements for a James Bond movie. Included in this list is the need for gadgets (Lisa and Pfeiffer 28). It seems that the gadgets are essential to each movie but not to the success of Bond as a person."

Not sure I've found The List exactly, but the following excerpt from Ebert seems close and you can read the whole review (of Goldfinger) at:

http://rogerebert.su.../401010322/1023

"The Broccoli-Saltzman formula found its lasting form in the making of "Goldfinger." The outline was emerging in the first two films, and here it is complete. First, the title sequence, establishing Bond as a sex hound while linking him with a stunt sequence or a spectacular death. Then the summons by M, head of British Secret Service, and the briefing on a villain obsessed by global domination. The flirtation with Moneypenny. The demonstration by Q of new gimmicks invented especially for his next case. Then the introduction of the villain, his murderous and bizarre sidekick, and his female assistant/accomplice/mistress. Bond's discovery of the nature of the villain's evil scheme. Bond's capture and the certainty of death. Bond's seduction of the villain's woman. And so on, leading always to a final scene in which Bond is about to enjoy his victory reward: the sensuous fruits of his latest conquest.

"About to enjoy." An essential phrase. There are no extended sex scenes in the Bond pictures, only preludes and epilogues. "Bond sex is a special movie style," observes the critic Steve Rhodes. "It consists of a quick but intense kiss followed by a cutaway to later. The sex is hinted at with cute puns and sexual innuendo, but never discussed explicitly." Starting with the Venus-like appearance of Ursula Andress from the sea in "Dr. No," all of the Bond movies have featured beautiful women, but in a publicity tradition, they appear nude not in the movies, but in an issue of Playboy that hits the stands right before the premiere.

"Goldfinger" contains a classic example of the Talking Killer Syndrome, one of the entries in my Little Movie Glossary. Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) has captured Bond and has him under his complete control. Indeed, all he has to do is remain silent and the laser will slice Bond from stem to sternum. But Bond dissuades him with some quick thinking, and is released to become Goldfinger's prisoner.

[dodge]

Which actor would James Bond himself have picked to play him?(source:http://www.smh.com.au/news/film/will-the-real-james-bond-please-stand-up/2006/11/23/1163871531360.html?page=4)
"Will the real James Bond stand up?" by Dan Kaufman


Craig or Con, or none at all, judging by this quote:

"Nonetheless, what makes the Bond of Fleming's books so likeable is that he was the type of man who would have despised his cinematic double. In From Russia With Love, for example, a girl tries to flatter him by saying he's like a movie star.

Bond, naturally, is horrified. 'For God's sake! That's the worst insult you can pay a man!' he exclaims."

[dodge]

Test your Bond error-finding skills. Here's an excerpt from an amusing (unsigned) piece called Understanding 007: the Women, the Cars and the Motivation.)


How many howlers can you find? For more still, check out the complete piece at:
http://www.lilith-ez...tanding007.html

But thats Ian Fleming. The guy was a complete .

And what does that say about James Bond?

Well, if you watch the earliest movies with Sean Connery, 007 is practically a rapist and a wife-beater.

The more recent movies with Pierce Brosnan portray Bond as the "reluctant seducer/widower/expert agent".

From rapist to widower, 007 has changed quite a bit over the years. And we are about to see some more changes: In 2006 United Artists is coming out with "Casino Royale", which will show James Bond when he was younger, show how he became 007, and possibly even a remake of how Teresa Bond dies. The movie uses the same title as the farce/parody "Casino Royale" from the 1960s, but thats where the similarities end. In the original Casino Royale 007 dies at the end of the movie. In this new version, it will be just the beginning of his career. Furthermore, we will get to see, more so than any previous movie, just what makes James Bond tick.

The new James Bond will be played by Daniel Craig.

After Casino Royale is finished, United Artists says it plans to resume making movies with Pierce Brosnan, who is eager to keep making 007 movies. They couldn't cast Brosnan in this latest movie simply because he's too old to play a young James Bond.

[dodge]

ConBond's first great 'reveal' revealed.(source: http://www.imdb.com/...0055928/trivia)


According to Inside 'Dr. No' (2000) (V), the introduction of the James Bond character utilizes a technique which is a homage to the 1939 William Dieterle film, Juarez (1939) starring Paul Muni. This technique is performed using a series of close-ups of the character without revealing the face, cross-cutting with the other characters in the scene and the gambling table. Finally, the face of the person is revealed, stating his name, "Bond, James Bond." This classic introduction of the James Bond character to cinema audiences of the world was filmed on 2 March 1962.

[dodge]

The James Bond watch you wish you had.

Got a sec for a half-decent Bond joke? Or a half-indecent one?
source:
http://www.jokesgall...?joke=1456&id=1

James Bond's Special Watch

James Bond walks into a bar and takes a seat next to a very attractive woman. He gives her a quick glance, and then casually looks at his watch for a moment. The woman notices this and asks, "Is your date running late?" "No," he replies, "Q has just given me this state-of-the-art watch. I was just testing it." The intrigued woman says, "A state-of-the-art watch? What's so special about it?" Bond explains, "It uses alpha waves to talk to me telepathically." The lady says, "What's it telling you now?" "Well, it says you're not wearing any panties." The woman giggles and replies, "Well it must be broken because I'm wearing panties!" Bond smirks, taps his watch and says, "Bloody thing's an hour fast."

[Milovy]

Hey, remember the long-lost SMERSH spy car I posted here some weeks/months back? (you can see it here - http://englishrussia.com/?p=1034)

Well, here's the theme song to the SMERSH spy movie it would have been in...

Edited by Milovy, 20 August 2007 - 10:56 PM.

[dodge]

How Bond helped give us Ridley Scott. (Source: A review of The Art of Bond:
http://www.nytimes.c.../...62&ei=5070)


"Mr. Bouzereau

[dodge]

Positively shocking: Rag outs ConBond and CraigBond. (source: Out Magazine Nov 2006: http://www.marksimps...ond-comes-out/)


"Ever since English actor Daniel Craig was cast last year as the U.K.

[Judo chop]

Con's full, glossy, pink lips?

Good grief, I'll start working out at home...

That

[dodge]

The award for the Most Extreme Response to Any James Bond Title has just been claimed.
Source: http://www.hecklersp...s/200812115.php

Daniel Craig Tries To Explain What A Quantum Of Solace Is
January 28th, 2008 at 19:00 by Stuart Heritage

Still trying to work out why anyone on Earth would want to call anything - let alone a movie costing hundreds of millions of dollars - A Quantum Of Solace?

Us too. It's been almost a week since the new James Bond movie was officially given the title A Quantum Of Solace, and it hasn't got any less rubbish in the interim.

But fear not, because Daniel Craig has started to do interviews about A Quantum Of Solace in the hope that people will start saying "A Quantum Of Solace" so much soon that it'll lose all meaning and everyone will forget how godawful it actually is.

Since Bond 22 became A Quantum Of Solace last week, there's been an awful lot of head-scratching and knuckle-biting going on. Aside from the impenetrably crap name, we've had to deal with rumours that cacky 1980s dullards The Police are going to perform the theme-tune. And it was written by the writer of Million Dollar Baby! And it's got a serious director!
At this rate, James Bond wont even get to have sex with a woman whose name is a slightly Russian-sounding euphemism for anal sex in A Quantum Of Solace. And that'd be a disaster.

But mainly there's that title. A Quantum Of Solace. That sounds like something you'd ask a chemist for, not a two-hour blockbuster about a suave man shooting eastern Europeans in the forehead.

"Oh, but it's based on the title of an original Ian Fleming short story," the traditionalists cry, "That means it's keeping with the original artistic vision." Rubbish - if A Quantum Of Solace was anywhere close to being based on Fleming's vision of Bond then it'd feature Daniel Craig strutting round kicking pregnant women in the stomach and fantasising about rape and the exotic avocado fruit in equal measure."
For the full rant, visit the site. For now...who's the character with the anal-sounding name?????

[dodge]

New Bonds: Who've been the busiest between films?
(Source: IMDb)

All Bonds--except Lazenby, omitted from this summary--had extensive acting experience before their first assignments. But not all Bonds were equally busy between the first and second. As far as I can tell, no Bond had a monster hit in between the two.

Connery: no films were released between DN in 1962 and FRWL in 1963.

Moore: Only Gold was released between LALD in 1973 and TMWTGG in 1974. (I don't know the box office figures, but this may be the only first-class film released between any actor's first and second Bond films. Open to correction.)

Dalton: Only Hawks was released between TLD in 1987 and LTK in 1989. (Film seems to be a precursor of The Bucket List and seems to have bombed.)

Brosnan: busy boy between GE in 1995 and TMD in 1997: supporting roles in The Mirror Has Two Faces and Mars Attacks, plus starring roles in Dante's Peak and Robinson Crusoe. Were any of these hits?

Craig: may rival Brozza for business between Bonds. Before release of Q of S, we should have seen Invasion (filmed before CR), Infamous, Golden Compass, Flashbacks of a Fool and Defiance.

[Turn]

New Bonds: Who've been the busiest between films?
(Source: IMDb)

All Bonds--except Lazenby, omitted from this summary--had extensive acting experience before their first assignments. But not all Bonds were equally busy between the first and second. As far as I can tell, no Bond had a monster hit in between the two.

Brosnan: busy boy between GE in 1995 and TMD in 1997: supporting roles in The Mirror Has Two Faces and Mars Attacks, plus starring roles in Dante's Peak and Robinson Crusoe. Were any of these hits?

I think Brosnan was filming Robinson Crusoe in '94 when he was introduced as Bond at the summer press conference, hence the beard in the publicity shots. That may have been a straight-to-video release.

Dante’s Peak was a minor hit. I think it topped the box office for the weekend it came out, if that counts for anything. I also believe it grossed more at the box office than the other big-budget volcano movie that year starring Tommy Lee Jones, can't recall the name. Obviously that was the big trend in movies that year.

[Santa]

The award for the Most Extreme Response to Any James Bond Title has just been claimed.
Source: http://www.hecklersp...s/200812115.php

Daniel Craig Tries To Explain What A Quantum Of Solace Is
January 28th, 2008 at 19:00 by Stuart Heritage

Still trying to work out why anyone on Earth would want to call anything - let alone a movie costing hundreds of millions of dollars - A Quantum Of Solace?

They didn't. They didn't put an indefinite article before it, cretin. At least get the title right if you're going to rant about it.

[dodge]

[quote name='santajosep' post='834377' date='7 February 2008 - 08:19'][quote name='dodge' post='834214' date='6 February 2008 - 20:25']The award for the Most Extreme Response to Any James Bond Title has just been claimed.
Source: http://www.hecklersp...s/200812115.php

Daniel Craig Tries To Explain What A Quantum Of Solace Is
January 28th, 2008 at 19:00 by Stuart Heritage

Still trying to work out why anyone on Earth would want to call anything - let alone a movie costing hundreds of millions of dollars - A Quantum Of Solace?

[/quote]
They didn't. They didn't put an indefinite article before it, cretin. At least get the title right if you're going to rant about it.
[/quote]

Hey, who're you calling a Croesus? I only quoted the dude!

[quote name='Turn' post='834309' date='7 February 2008 - 03:03'][quote name='dodge' post='834222' date='6 February 2008 - 19:58']New Bonds: Who've been the busiest between films?
(Source: IMDb)

All Bonds--except Lazenby, omitted from this summary--had extensive acting experience before their first assignments. But not all Bonds were equally busy between the first and second. As far as I can tell, no Bond had a monster hit in between the two.

Brosnan: busy boy between GE in 1995 and TMD in 1997: supporting roles in The Mirror Has Two Faces and Mars Attacks, plus starring roles in Dante's Peak and Robinson Crusoe. Were any of these hits?[/quote]
I think Brosnan was filming Robinson Crusoe in '94 when he was introduced as Bond at the summer press conference, hence the beard in the publicity shots. That may have been a straight-to-video release.

Dante

[Santa]

Hey, who're you calling a Croesus? I only quoted the dude!

I know. I was talking about him, not you. You're a touchy little fella.

[dodge]

Hey, who're you calling a Croesus? I only quoted the dude!

I know. I was talking about him, not you. You're a touchy little fella.

I'm always touchy after working on a novel for nearly fourteen years. But thanks for not calling me a touchy little member!

[dodge]

Max Von Sydow's New Rival as Blofeld.

Source:http://ultimatejamesbond.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/max-von-sydow-drops-a-bomb-on-bond-22/

Here's an interesting bit of news from a former Blofeld who may reappear as a new Big Boss:


"The Film Experience has an interview up with Max von Sydow, who is promoting his new movie, The Diving Bell and Butterfly. Starring as von Sydow

[00Twelve]

We had a long, tiring chat about the possibility of Amalric playing Blofeld, or Blofeld appearing in general, during your sabbatical. It's tripe. The general consensus is that Sydow just used "Blofeld" as a pronoun of sorts for "main villain" because that's the main villain he played.

[dodge]

We had a long, tiring chat about the possibility of Amalric playing Blofeld, or Blofeld appearing in general, during your sabbatical. It's tripe. The general consensus is that Sydow just used "Blofeld" as a pronoun of sorts for "main villain" because that's the main villain he played.

That's precisely the impression I got. Von Sydow's a brilliant artist and highly intelligent man...but Blofeld was one of the very many roles he took strictly for the paycheck and I doubt he could answer a first-grade Bond questionnaire. As far as he's concerned, every heroine's a Pussy and every assistant an Odd Job...and every Bond a Sean? I wonder if he uses the Bond titles as verbs--in which case he might wonder whether 22 will be DADding?

[00Twelve]

As this is the most appropriate thread for little neat things in the Bond universe (and I'm always happy to bring one of Dodges threads back to the top of the pack), I just noticed this little nugget:

Virginia Hey, who portrays Pushkin's lady in TLD, is actually credited on IMDB as Rubavitch! That would be the same Soviet version of Moneypenny featured in the Moore movies! Seems Moneypenny isn't the only secretary played by multiple actresses.

[Double-Oh Agent]

As this is the most appropriate thread for little neat things in the Bond universe (and I'm always happy to bring one of Dodges threads back to the top of the pack), I just noticed this little nugget:

Virginia Hey, who portrays Pushkin's lady in TLD, is actually credited on IMDB as Rubavitch! That would be the same Soviet version of Moneypenny featured in the Moore movies! Seems Moneypenny isn't the only secretary played by multiple actresses.

Not quite. The one in the Roger Moore movies was called RUBLEvitch. The character in The Living Daylights was originally supposed to be called Rublevitch who worked alongside her boss Gen. Alexis Gogol. But when Walter Gotell was too ill to play a large part in the film, his character was changed to Gen. Leonid Pushkin and Gogol was promoted to ambassador for Gotell's cameo appearance at the end of the film. (Hence the part between M and Bond in M's office about both of them knowing and working with Pushkin several times in the past. It would have carried more weight had the exchange been about Gogol as intended.) With the change from Gogol to Pushkin, the writers/producers opted to change the name of the Russian secretary as well, this time to the rather unimaginative name of Rubavitch.