16 replies to this topic

[Xenobia]

I was looking forward to "Bond Girls Are Forever" hoping that this documentary might finally give some of the looked over, but important women, their due. Alas, that did not happen.

I knew I would not be satisfied with BGAF when Daniela Bianchi, let alone Tatiana Romanova, were overlooked. Instead, Maryam D'Abo and her collaborators simply went with the usual "iconic" images and really did not get into why these images were still revered today, let alone looking at some of the women that the hard core fans like us really appreciate.

And of course, some major iconic figures were overlooked. I can understand if Dame Diana Rigg declined to be interviewed, but you simply can not brush over Tracy Bond and the effect she continues to have over the series. Also, where was the discussion of Sylvia Trench? She is the woman who inspired 007 to introduce himself as "Bond, James Bond," and yet except for one brief clip, she was not mentioned at all.

I also thought it was pretty tactless of Carey Lowell and Maryam D'Abo to get catty about the way Timothy Dalton treated them. Of course they were quick to say that they "adored" him, but how much can you adore someone who treats you like you know nothing (D'Abo's complaint) and instructs on how to kiss while smoking (Lowell's issue, and it is clear she didn't care for the fact Dalton smoked). Ungracious behaviour all around.

The programmers at American Movie Classics should have handed Tim Greaves a camera and a microphone and let him create this documentary. He would have done a much, much, better job.

-- Xenobia

[Mourning Becomes Electra]

Actually I thought the D'Abo / Lowell exchange was the most real moment of the documentary. I was LOL over it! Ditto Ursula saying she read the script for Dr. No with Kirk Douglas (!), laughed over it and decided to take the role b/c if the film bombed it wouldn't be her fault. I'd have liked snippets more like those instead of a lot of the usual fluff, or the segment on whether it they'd rather be called a Bond girl or woman. (does it matter?) Oh another kudos to Jill St John though who was wonderful responding to the compalints about being a Bond girl, saying if you don't want what comes with the role then don't take it. Good for her! D'Abo said she shot a lot more information but it didn't make it into the 45 min format, I'd like to see more of it.

[Bryce (003)]

*Bryce sighs..."Once more into the breech dear friends..." *

Ladies....

I quite liked it.

Xen - I appreciate your take on it. It is what it is, but (while lacking in both the ladies and some of the depth - MIND YOU - NOT the ladies who appeared....I'm just talking numbers) it was both entertaining and fun.

Both dear Jill and Honor set the record straight MBE! Damn good show ladies;)

My favorite Honor Blackman quote is from the GF SE-DVD where she refers to Connery as "a saucy monkey"

All in all, I enjoyed it and Halle did some positive realistic PR. Judi Dench's moments were grand too. That, and Ms. Pike is just terribly GORGEOUS!

[License To Kill]

Originally posted by Bryce (003)
That, and Ms. Pike is just terribly GORGEOUS!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......... You said it Bryce. *cleans the left over saliva off the screen*.. Sorry I got caught up in the moment!


~LTK~

[Honey Rider]

Originally posted by License To Kill




Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......... You said it Bryce. *cleans the left over saliva off the screen*.. Sorry I got caught up in the moment!


~LTK~

In fact...I do NOT agree. Maybe it's just because I'm
the (complete) opposite sex...

[mccartney007]

I think it's well known but I, personally, don't find Rosamund very attractive either.

[Xenobia]

I agree that Jill St. John gave a great answer to those who complain about being Bond girls. And I also think Honor did a great job in her parts. And yes, Carey and Maryam were real, but that does not excuse the fact that they did not need to take digs at Timothy. And yes, I think Maryam should have tried to reach out to some other girls.

-- Xenobia

[Honey Rider]

Originally posted by mccartney007
I think it's well known but I, personally, don't find Rosamund very attractive either.

There are much prettier Bond-girls, am I right?!

[Roebuck]

Originally posted by Xenobia
they did not need to take digs at Timothy.

Was it a dig? I thought it was very good natured. Bond# 4 is inclined to be very protective about his off screen persona and it was nice it get a glimpse of the 'real' Tim Dalton from to actresses who'd worked with him. On the whole he came out of it rather well.

Methinks Xenobia is developing a soft spot for Dalton.

[mccartney007]

Originally posted by Honey Rider


There are much prettier Bond-girls, am I right?!

Absolutely.

The thing about Rosamund is that she isn't very photogenic (my opinion of course). She's much better looking in person than she is in most of the photos I've seen of her. I think a lot of it has to do with the outfits she's wearing in the photos. That ugly one she's wearing in her character poster reminds me of something an overweight whore would wear on a show like Jerry Springer, Maury, or Sally.

[Honey Rider]

Originally posted by mccartney007


Absolutely.  

The thing about Rosamund is that she isn't very photogenic (my opinion of course).  She's much better looking in person than she is in most of the photos I've seen of her.  I think a lot of it has to do with the outfits she's wearing in the photos.  That ugly one she's wearing in her character poster reminds me of something an overweight whore would wear on a show like Jerry Springer, Maury, or Sally.

You said it mccartney..! You are very right about
that she isn't photogenic...and some of her outfits...

Well, let's just say it IS something I'd wear if I were
60 pounds heavier and had to drop by Sally Jr
after I just found out I married my brother not knowing
we were related...

Oh Boy, I'm going to get a lot of ***** for writing that...

[Bryce (003)]

LOL! Honey - Yes, our great US talk-shows.

"Next time - Lesbian Nazi Hookers abducted by UFO's and forced into weight loss programs."

Whenever someone I know is having a bad day, or is depressed about some aspect of their world, I tell them to watch 10 minutes of Jerry/Sally/Montel/Dr. Phil etc. Always manages to convince them they're better off than they thought.

As to Ms. Pike, points taken from all;)

I'm just a sucker for long slender English girls....actually, it's the accent...Ever since Emma Peel;)

[Blue Eyes]

I've never found Rosamund particularily photo-genic. But I tell ya what, check her out in Bond on Set for THE BEST photos of her bar none.

[Xenobia]

Originally posted by Roebuck
Methinks Xenobia is developing a soft spot for Dalton.

Me thinks Mr. Roebuck has been hitting the ganja again. ;-)

Seriously, I think telling the audience that Timothy Dalton treated you like your character...and saying that that meant treating you like you knew nothing, sounds like a passive-agressive insult. (He treated me like I knew nothing! The nerve of him!)

Anyhoo...that's the vibe I got. I could be completely wrong. And for the record...I think Rosamund Pike is gorgeous in that classic 19040's film star way.

-- Xenobia

[Honey Rider]

Originally posted by Bryce (003)
LOL! Honey - Yes, our great US talk-shows.

"Next time - Lesbian Nazi Hookers abducted by UFO's and forced into weight loss programs."

Whenever someone I know is having a bad day, or is depressed about some aspect of their world, I tell them to watch 10 minutes of Jerry/Sally/Montel/Dr. Phil etc. Always manages to convince them they're better off than they thought.

As to Ms. Pike, points taken from all;)

I'm just a sucker for long slender English girls....actually, it's the accent...Ever since Emma Peel;)

Thank You for not giving me any **** for what I wrote
about Rosamund.

About the Nazi Hookers- sometimes the shows are
a bit like that...But this is SO Stupid:
Here in Sweden they've started a talk-show called Hannah...

Well...If someone is the exact copy of Ricki-
It's Hannah. They have the same subjects, the same
"audience-stand-up-and-talk-thing" the same haircut, haircolour,
body, type of clothes, way of talking...now that's stupid!

As for Rosamund. She's not ugly at all...I'd
be very happy if I looked the slightest bit like her...
Unfortunantley I don't...We've seen worse, right?!
She just doesn't rank my top-list...

[Kara Milovy]

I liked the show but it could have been better. If she had so much more material, she should have cut WAAAAAY back on the movie clips; we've all seen those.

I, too, liked the candid behind-the-scenes moment about Dalton; I live for that sort of stuff.

I think we all need to know that we're never going to see Dame Diana or Mrs. Starr doing one of these interviews and just get over it. Daniella Bianchi doesn't speak English much, does she? They used a translator on the FRWL documentary, and maybe D'abo didn't have that option.

A show like this should emphasize the available women, because we want to see the actresses, not the film clips. A show about how women have had an impact on Bond and on the series is a different show, THAT show must include Tracy and Sylvia.

[Xenobia]

The problem I had with this documentary was I got the impression -- and I doubt that I am alone in this -- that this documentary would in fact discuss how women have had an impact on Bond and his series. That is why expected more of Trench...more of Tracy....more of others...and didn't get it.

If I misunderstood, I misunderstood...but several times MD mentioned how the women were linked to their era, and ignoring Trench in the early sixities and then Tracy in the later sixities...and then Anya in the seventies and so on....that was just silly.

-- Xenobia