179 replies to this topic

[thecasinoroyale]

I hope not - he doesn't seem the type and has made it clear that when he has to go, he has to go and will just do the best he can with what he's given for the franchise. He's made a satisfying mark on the franchise and gained a whole new career path because of it so he could leave head held high at anypoint. I feel he'll be a great ambassador for the films, as Sir Roger is now and will carry on into the future.

[marktmurphy]

So, having watched it I must say it is a very nice and surprisingly touching documentary on how Ian Fleming´s creation was made into the most enduring franchise in film history. 

 

 

I wouldn't say it's that, no; but it is a chronicle of the various bits of bitching between a few rich people. To be the story of Bond it would have to actually mention a few more of the creative decisions rather than just the financial ones.

[SecretAgentFan]

I´d say that´s too harsh an assessment. 

 

Granted, it is not about the creative choices - but those are dealt with in the documentaries on the DVDs. And how long would "Everything or Nothing" had been if every creative decision for 23 films had been discussed. 

 

Impossible.

 

This film focuses on the people behind those films: Fleming, Broccoli, Saltzman, McClory, and BB and MGW. People, by the way, who weren´t rich before they made pretty courageous choices to bring Bond to the screen. That they indeed became rich is because they were taking risks, going all in. This is what the film gets across pretty well.

Edited by SecretAgentFan, 04 February 2013 - 04:55 PM.

[marktmurphy]

And I'd call that too gentle a judegment, to be honest. This film relishes raking the muck rather than celebrating Bond and the people who brought it to the screen, and the work and cleverness they showed. Why else spend so much time on McClory? Why else barely mention Roger Moore? He just didn't wind anyone up enough or have enough arguments to interest the director.

 

As for taking risks and going all in, that doesn't really sound like anything Connery really did. But he did have a big bust up with Cubby, so let's spend lots of time on that.

 

Oh yeah, they made some movies about a spy too.

[JLaidlaw]

How long would "Everything or Nothing" had been if every creative decision for 23 films had been discussed. 

 

This is actually one of my bugbears with the film - a fiftieth anniversary documentary for the most successful movie series of all time is a mere 90 minute single movie. Two other creative groups I am passionate about - The Beatles and Monty Python - made in house celebrational documentaries. Though both had cut down TV broadcasts the full Home Video version of The Beatles Anthology was eight over-an-hour each episodes long. Admittedly The Beatles are just about the most successful cultural institution ever, but even Monty Python's Almost The Truth was six one hour episodes with extra features on DVD. For both these features we had new music, interviews with all the surviving key players, unseen behind the scenes footage. James Bond should have had a documentary series the equal of that, and I am surprised it didn't.

[nickjb007]

True.

 

Although one could read here and there that SIr Roger was not too thrilled either when he was told his service would no longer be needed. But he somehow made his peace with it in a more dignified way. Maybe because he really had a long and satisfying tenure, while Lazenby was throwing it all away, Dalton just had bad luck and Brosnan considered himself untouchable when he wasn´t. I guess Craig will go much more quietly since he always said that he would only do it as long as he felt like it. When it´s time for him to go he will not throw a tantrum, I suppose.

As for the part about Brosnan I believe he had every right to think he was untouchable, DAD was a large box office success even in the U.S. Grossing 30 million more than TWINE and grossing about an extra $70 million worldwide.  

 

As for special features on the DVD I would have like to seen more interviews with the actors, since the interviews were hour long type interviews then cut down to certain snippets. 

Edited by nickjb007, 05 February 2013 - 01:52 AM.

[thecasinoroyale]

Just checked TV listings and for UK SKY viewers, it seems Sky Movies Premier is to show the documentary on channel 301 and Virgin 401 on Saturday 16th February at 12.10pm, and other alloted times and every day until Thursday 20th Feb.

 

So save some pennies and tune in to watch this great documentary!

 

[QLink]

I caught this one on Netflix and thought they did a good job. I too would have liked a bit more discussion about the films themselves, but for what it was (a movie about the guys who made the movies), it was well done.

[thecasinoroyale]

Welcome to CBn QLink! Enjoy your time here!

 

And I know what you mean, for what it is, it's brilliant but I'd love that style just about the films, the BTS stories and the actors themselves...like a big, huge behind-the-scenes documentary just for the films!

[scaramunga]

Saw that the doc is now out on DVD in the UK. In the US we have it on Netflix streaming, but no DVD?

 

Why is the title not being issued on DVD or blu ray here in the US? 

 

I may import the region 2 DVD, but thought I would check to see if anyone had further information.

[Guy Haines]

I bought it today. I've watched it this evening. Very interesting documentary, which really deserved a release on terrestrial TV as well. I liked the way the film wove in scenes - and music, very much so - from the Bond films to illustrate particular episodes in the transition from Bond on print to Bond on screen, and the progression from one Bond actor to the next. Plus the various traumas - the Salzman/Broccoli break up, the McClory episodes, the various periods in the 1990s and 2000s when it seemed the series had had it.

 

Also, I never knew a certain former US President is a Bond fan. And he contributes to the documentary more than once.

[S K Y F A L L]

Shouldn't come as a surprise that Clinton is a Bond fan.

[QLink]

It makes sense that Bond would be a favorite of many US presidents. Having someone like Bond around (with his super human like competence) would certainly make the job easier. Being able to solve even the stickiest of problems with a phone call must be the ultimate fantasy for such people.

[Guy Haines]

It makes sense that Bond would be a favorite of many US presidents. Having someone like Bond around (with his super human like competence) would certainly make the job easier. Being able to solve even the stickiest of problems with a phone call must be the ultimate fantasy for such people.

Indeed. I'm sure there must be occasions when the man in the Oval Office must wish he could sort out the problems of global terror, economic collapse and the like by just sending off the likes of 007 into battle. He'd get the job done in under two hours! With Dame Shirley or Adele doing the theme tune!

[Dan Gale]

To those saying EoN isn't indepth enough and that there should be 20+ hour-long episodic documentaries covering the films themselves rather than the people who made them... take a look on the DVDs/blu-rays. It's been done, ten years ago! Rather than repeat all that, Everythinf or Nothing looks at something different, the (yes, frankly) tabloid-like dramas and spats that occurred during the film's productions. That hasn't been covered before and so it's a welcome addition to the hundreds of hours of already existing celebrations of the moves themselves (list shows, 25 years of, 30 years of, The Story of... etc) and the sub catagories like music, girls, cars, locations, gadgets etc which they nearly all cover and, in the music and car's cases, are covered by exclusive documentaries about those subjects alone (Top Gear, James Bond's Greatest Hits).
For this reason, EoN hit the mark. If Sean had had his say personally instead of 2nd hand through others, it would have been definitive, instead it's merely incredible.

Edited by Dan Gale, 18 February 2013 - 01:09 PM.

[Dan Gale]

It makes sense that Bond would be a favorite of many US presidents. Having someone like Bond around (with his super human like competence) would certainly make the job easier. Being able to solve even the stickiest of problems with a phone call must be the ultimate fantasy for such people.

I've never fully understood why a few under cover chaps weren't sent after Bin Laden within a few days of September 2001 to silently remove/collect him rather than the steam roller approach ultimately used which took ten years to hit the target.
But then my knowledge of such things is pretty limited - I'm sure there's a very good reason. I know for a fact Bond himself was in a prison in North Korea at the time growing a beard...

[Dan Gale]

Any news of a blu-ray for this doc?

[quantumofsolace]

guardian 17 feb

 

A lively romp through Bond history boasting a surprisingly self-aware Roger Moore, a
terrifically entertaining George Lazenby and even a shadowy adversary in
the shape of Kevin McClory, whose long-running ownership dispute lured
Connery to the double agent dark side for Never Say Never Again, the film that thankfully failed to kill the franchise.

[scaramunga]

Any news of a blu-ray for this doc?

 

+1

 

Any news? 

Also for a US release? It's only on Netflix here. 

I may just import the UK DVD. 

[scaramunga]

I gave up on a US DVD release and ordered the UK DVD. Looking forward to seeing it.

[Solex Agitator]

Where is the Blu Ray? Why no physical release in the U.S.? It is also no longer on Netflix!

[scaramunga]

Where is the Blu Ray? Why no physical release in the U.S.? It is also no longer on Netflix!

 

Hard to say. I gave up and imported the UK Region 2 DVD. I have a region free DVD player so this option worked for me.

 

I waited a while hoping for a US release, but gave up waiting.

[billy007]

It ran on BBC America this week.   I've been a 007 fan all my life and I thought this was fantastic! Information that I had never heard of, Sir Sean making peace with Cubby towards his end, Fantastic interview with George, fresh interviews with Sir Roger,Timothy,and Pierce and Daniel once again proving he deserves what he has earned.

[Double Naught spy]

Dan Gale,

 

I apologize in advance - I can't seem to paste Dan Gale's post from 18 Feb 2013 onto this, but my post is a response to his.

 

Some would say that a variation (a small team instead of a lone super-cool secret agent) of this did in fact happen roughly around the Battle of Tora Bora, but that his death was covered up to keep the flames of public support burning.  Given the fact that al-Qaeda, unlike SPECTRE, is a largely decentralized group, publically announcing that the "head" has been chopped off would be counterproductive to gearing up the public for a decade(s) long war.  The theory goes that, the American public, weaned on Hollywood-style endings where the villain is killed and the film ends, would not grasp nor accept the concept of continuing a war (this long) after "the main villain" had been killed, so the Bush administration purposefully kept Bin Laden's death a secret.

 

I realize I'm drifting into "wacko conspiracy theory" waters (but, when you think about it, no more than the (now widely accepted) theory that FDR was aware of the impending attack of Pearl Harbor), but consider this - when the current Obama administration wanted to wind-down the wars, suddenly, a real-life superhero team suddenly took out Bin Laden.  Talk about an event that was made-for-Hollywood (literally!)  And consider this as well - now that Bin Laden is dead, look at the (lack of support) the American public is showing for continuing operations in Afghanistan.  I dare say that the same sentiment would've been exhibited back in December 2001 if it were announced that he had been killed. 

 

Personally, I don't know what to believe; nor do I give it as much thought as this post would suggest.  And I'm certainly not advocating any particular theory, one way or the other. 

 

However, getting back to "spy stuff", if I were writing a Hollywood version of Bin Laden's death, I wouldn't cast 007, but rather Dean Martin's Matt Helm as the hero instead.  I'd have him (wearing a blazer and turtleneck) swagger into Bin Laden's cave asking, "Now, where are all these virgins I keep hearin' about?"  And then, after letting Bin Laden capture him, Matt would allow the villain to aim his own pistol at him.  Matt would say something like, "Aw, now Ben, that's no way to treat a house guest.  You haven't even offered me a drink."  As Bin Laden pulls the trigger, he'd find out too late that it's Matt's ICE reverse-gun and end up shooting himself instead.  Then, a bunch of hot women from Bin Laden's harem would swarm around Matt, he'd say something witty/lame like, "Oh, I sure do 'adora' Tora Bora!", the 1960's style music would begin, and the credits would role.   

Edited by Double Naught spy, 08 January 2014 - 03:58 PM.

[Solex Agitator]

I so wish this was available on Blu Ray!

[Turn]

Is there any good reason why this is still unavailable on DVD or Blu-ray in the U.S.?

 

In the wishful thinking department, maybe they are just holding it back until next year when Bond 24 comes out or to put as part of the Skyfall super 3-disc edition.

[Simon]

There is yet to be a QoS anything edition; so not sure why we think Skyfall will be treated to anything.

 

I mentioned this in another thread asking if DVD SEs were now a thing of the past.  Is this the new reality and I just forgot to pick up on it?  Has streaming killed extras of any worth?

[Turn]

Considering QoS is the redheaded stepchild of the current series, that's not a surprise, despite the rumors of there being such a special edition five or so years ago. It probably also didn't help there was a 4-year gap between it and SF.

 

Skyfall was the polar opposite as far as acclaim and attention, so it would make more sense to have a special edition for that. There's still a chance when Bond 24 comes out we may see something, but believe me I'm not holding my breath.

 

But more to the point, there are fewer and fewer single-film special editions these days, sadly. Even when they did put on things nearly a decade ago like podcasts it smacked of laziness. Newly produced features seem to be a thing of the past. I look no further than the Bond 50 Blu-ray set with its half-arsed (if that) extra features. Saw they are doing something similar with an upcoming Stanley Kubrick collection rerelease with some pointless extra that would make it moot to rebuy, save for the completest. About the only thing they put any effort into these days is steelbooks. 

 

Think back to how many editions there were of things like the Alien series and LOTR trilogy. I believe streaming may have something to do with it, which sucks for me because I have no interest in streaming. I still prefer my shiny discs and everything they can offer.

[New Digs]

I still think Skyfall is overrated and QoS underrated. In light of that I very much hope some kind of new version of QoS is released with directors commentary and deleted scenes.
I agree about the points made above re streaming. If it does reduce the marketability of the physical format this can only be to the detriment of the loyal fans, who could well be deprived of alternate versions and extras etc. Maybe if/when Bond goes 4K this will engender some kind of unseen extra material, though I won't hold my breath!

[Turn]

What could also happen is all the extra stuff could be at a premium cost, so we would be going in reverse back to the laserdisc days when VHS was the consumer-friendly concept available at an affordable price and laser was a niche market item commanding top dollar. You can have just the movie on VHS and if you wanted the top quality you had to pay more. Stream for a cheap price for just the film and if you want to own then pay us this price and we'll throw these things in.