A Cool Goldfinger Video Tribute
Showing posts with label Goldfinger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goldfinger. Show all posts
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Saturday, March 29, 2014
James Bond AudioBooks Re-Released
March 29, 2014-
AUDIOBOOKS
I can’t think of a bad time or place for listening to any of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels… Any of them will have you driving in circles rather than arrive at your destination.
- The Times
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Top 10 James Bond Theme Songs
January 24, 2014- WatchMojo.com published its List of the Top 10 James Bond Theme Songs. In June, 2013 we gave World of Bond readers a chance to vote on this very same topic. Check out that post to see how they compared:
WatchMojo Top 10:
10: You Only Live Twice-Nancy Sinatra
9: For Your Eyes Only-Sheena Easton
8: Die Another Day- Madonna
7: Diamonds Are Forever-Shirley Bassey
6: Nobody Does It Better-Carly Simon
5: Skyfall-Adele
4: A View To A Kill-Duran Duran
3: Thunderball-Tom Jones
2: Live & Let Die-Paul McCartney
1: Goldfinger-Shirley Bassey
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Original Japanese Movie Poster For Goldfinger
Original Japanese Movie Poster For Goldfinger
November 30, 2013-
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Book Review: Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks
Book Review: Devil May Care
August 3, 2013- The rumor mill has been abuzz, in the last month, over the working title and basis for the Eon Productions' Bond 24 film. Many sources have reported that the title of the latest installment in the franchise will be Devil May Care and the film may be based upon the 2008 Sebastian Faulks "writing as Ian Fleming" James Bond novel of the same title; however, neither the Ian Fleming Estate nor Eon Productions has confirmed this. On the possibility that there may be some truth to the rumor I have decided to provide an updated review of the book.
Devil May Care was released for the posthumous 100th birthday celebration of Ian Fleming, and on the heals of the debut of Daniel Craig as James Bond in Casino Royale (2006). Faulks was not previously known for writing in this genre and he was viewed as an unusual choice for the assignment by the Fleming Estate, yet he managed to do justice to the Fleming legacy and the Bond character. The book is both a good edition to the James Bond novel series, and as a stand alone thriller. I highly recommend it, especially, as a summer read because it is an easy to read, well written, and engaging thriller.
Faulk weaves a continuation tale which overtly relies on, and references, the prior assignments, villains, and Bond girls of James Bond fame. The work is a Vietnam War era story of an aging, emotionally and physically battered James Bond, torn between retirement and getting back into the game as a 007, License to Kill. Faulks uses a formula not unfamiliar to Bond film goers and, at times, the novel reads more like a screenplay than a novel.
The work relies on the appearance of classic Bond characters as well as a new Bond villain in Dr Julius Gorner, who is forged in the image and likeness of Dr. Julius No, Auric Goldfinger, with a touch of Ernst Starvros Blofeld. He is accompanied by a henchman who is a cross between Red Grant and Odd-Job. Bond, together with Scarlett Papava, a Bond girl to match all prior Bond Girls, brings us to France, Iran, and Russia as he fleshes out a story of revenge, Cold War espionage, and adventure. 
One of the great strength's of the novel is that the Bond persona in Faulks' novel is deeply rooted in the character, as written by Fleming and as played by Sean Connery and by Daniel Craig. It is for this reason, although the script would need to be updated to a post Cold War world, that it lends itself to the possibility of being a decent choice for the follow up to Skyfall (2012), the most successful James Bond film in the 50 year franchise.
Regardless of whether the next Bond film borrows anything from the Faulks novel, in name or storyline, it is still a worthwhile read for James Bond fans. I am sorry it took me 5 years to pick it up.
Friday, July 26, 2013
8 Fun Facts About James Bond-Vol. 2
8 Fun Facts About James Bond-Vol. 2
July 26, 2013- Here is our second installment in the 8 Fun Facts About James Bond series. Enjoy.
1. Ian Fleming's novel, The Spy Who Loved Me, (1962) has the distinction of being one of the least popular and most critically despised novels in the James Bond series. This experimental tale is told from the perspective of the lead character, Viv Michele, a Canadian woman. 007 does not even appear in the story until the final third of the novel. The 1977 Roger Moore film of the same name has no plot or character elements from the novel whatsoever.
2. Christopher Lee, British film actor who began his career in the 1940's, and has starred as such great film characters as Dracula, Saramun the White, Count Dooku and 100's more, played James Bond villain, Francisco Scaramanga in 1974's The Man With The Golden Gun. Lee was the first cousin to James Bond novelist, Ian Fleming, who never lived to see Lee play the part.
2. Christopher Lee, British film actor who began his career in the 1940's, and has starred as such great film characters as Dracula, Saramun the White, Count Dooku and 100's more, played James Bond villain, Francisco Scaramanga in 1974's The Man With The Golden Gun. Lee was the first cousin to James Bond novelist, Ian Fleming, who never lived to see Lee play the part.
3. The voices of the actors playing Bond villains, Auric Goldfinger and Emilio Largo, played by Gert Frobe and Aldolfo Celi, respectively, in the films Goldfinger (1964) and Thunderball (1965), were dubbed for the films due to the belief that audiences would find their think accents difficult to understand.4. Here is some insight into the universal impact that one movie series can have on the world. It is estimated that more than one half of the entire world's population has seen, at least, one of the James Bond films. This statistic may make James Bond the single most recognizable fictional character in the history of the world.
5. Two universally recognized associations of the James Bond character are that his drink of choice is a martini, "shaken, not stirred" and that he drives an Aston Martin, yet neither appears in any of the Sir Roger Moore films. Moore felt distancing himself with certain associations of Sean Connery's version of the character would allow him to carve out his own, distinct persona as Bond.
6. Sean Connery faces the issuance of an arrest warrant in Spain if he fails to appear to testify, before the end of the year, in a corruption investigation involving the sale of a home in Marbella, Spain to developers several years ago. The property was later demolished and a scandal over zoning laws, money laundering, and political corruption ensued. To date, Connery has refused to appear.7. George Lazenby, star of 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service, was a Used Car salesman prior to being selected to fill Sean Connery's shoes in the role of the world's most famous secret agent.
8. Skyfall (2012), the 23rd installment in the James Bond film series just surpassed Avatar (2009) as the highest grossing film ever in the history of Great Britain.
I'd love to hear from you with any Fun Facts, or story ideas....
Thursday, April 18, 2013
The Top 5 Bond Films of All Time
The Top 5 Bond Films of All Time
In 1977 my parents took me to the, now demolished, Westbury Drive-In Movie Theater in their Country Squire Station Wagon to see my first James Bond Film, The Spy Who Loved Me, with Roger Moore. It was a transformative experience for me that commenced a 35 year relationship with the character and culture of James Bond. Along the way, aside from becoming a huge fan of the written works of Ian Fleming and his Estate's hand picked successors, I reveled in viewing each and every one of the films several times over the years and, whether, in theaters, on television, VHS Tape, DVD, or Blu-Ray, I must confess, that I enjoyed them all.
Now, in contemplation of the 50th Anniversary of the movie franchise, I went back and watched them all over again. I must confess, that while they all have merits, I was truly surprised at how many of the films I was critical of in their portrayal of the characters and their execution of the storyline. I think this is partly a product of maturity, and partly a result of becoming so much more familiar with the source material of Ian Fleming. As I have come to appreciate the writing of Fleming, it has colored by bias towards the films that are closer to this source material.
With that foundation being laid out, and considering only the Eon Productions Films, here is my breakdown of the top five (5) James Bond films of all time:
5. Goldfinger (1964): Goldfinger finds itself highly ranked on virtually everyone's list of Best Bond Films. Sean Connery, by this third film, is completely comfortable in the Bond persona and it shows. Gert Frobe shines as the lead villain, Honor Blackman steals her scenes as Pussy Galore, and Harold Sakata sets the standard for henchmen that will become the archetype in and out of the Bond genre. It features the classic Shirley Bassey theme song, which all subsequent Bond theme songs are compared to. The film is well paced, has a good sense of humor, and retains some key aspects of the source material. Everyone seems to love this film, including me.
4. Dr. No (1962): This film masterfully sets the stage for the longest running movie franchise in the history of the world. Sean Connery's balance of humor, intellect and masculinity captured the essence of the Fleming character and won the affections of movie-goers around the world. While much of the Fleming novel was modified to accomplish the goals of making the film more "family friendly" than its racy source material it insured subsequent installments of the film series. While the storyline varies from the original work in ways that are negative, the limitations of the times, the budget, and film making of the era make them understandable.
3. Skyfall (2012): To call Skyfall a well made Bond movie is a disservice to everyone involved in its production. Skyfall is a well made movie. The acting of the Daniel Craig, Judi Densch, and the supporting cast transcend the genre. The direction of Sam Mendes is flawless. The theme song by Adele is among the best in the franchise's history. Javier Bardiem plays the part of, a most memorable, sinister villain without making a mockery of the role. Finally, the plot is original and engaging but stays true to the foundational roots of the source work. This is Bond at his best.
2. From Russia With Love (1963): Before the Daniel Craig era, I believed no Bond film could ever top From Russia With Love. This film weaves all of the best elements of the Bond films and novels. It is Connery's grittiest, most masculine performance as Bond. The Cold War, espionage, sexual seduction, violence, exotic location, and SPECTRE are all interwoven into a top notch spy movie that holds it's own against any others of any series. Daniela Bianchi, as Tatiana Romanova, is the most underrated Bond girl in the history of the franchise. Lotta Lenya plays the part of Rosa Klebb masterfully and Robert Shaw is perfection as Red Grant. Shaw's execution, without camp, and without being "over the top" as the antagonist is truly terrifying. This is the best of the Connery Era.
1. Casino Royale(2006)/Quantum of Solace (2008): I understand that many people list Quantum of Solace very low on their rankings of favorite Bond films. The film is completely unrelated to the Fleming short story of the same name; however, I think it is a great movie. I do believe that in order to really appreciate it you must view it in connection with Casino Royale-as, essentially, one film. On that basis I have listed these two films as the Best of the Best. If I was forced to separate them, Casino would still be #1, without hesitation. Casino Royale marked the beginning of the Daniel Craig era in the Bond series by doing something bold and intelligent-going back to the first Bond novel penned by Ian Fleming of the same title. Many people were a little Bond weary by the time the film was released, having believed the franchise was past its prime. The critics also questioned the choice of Craig, a blond 007, to play the role. They were so used to Bonds in the Roger Moore likeness that this complete departure seemed doomed to disappoint. Craig shocked everyone by not only being a good actor, but by being a great Bond; for some, he is even considered the best (even Roger Moore says so). His dramatic, engaging, earthy performance in the film captures the true essence of the character and the film. This film is, by far, the closest film adaptation of any of the Fleming novels-it varies ever so insignificantly from the written source. It is low on gimmicks and gadgets, strong on action, violence, drama, and real acting. Most importantly, Craig's Bond is a three dimensional character. Craig's Bond is imperfect, human, but still the best hope for Queen and Country. This film gets better every time I see it. One doesn't need to be a Bond fan to appreciate this as a winner.
The Five (5) Most Disappointing Bond Films Coming Soon!
5. Goldfinger (1964): Goldfinger finds itself highly ranked on virtually everyone's list of Best Bond Films. Sean Connery, by this third film, is completely comfortable in the Bond persona and it shows. Gert Frobe shines as the lead villain, Honor Blackman steals her scenes as Pussy Galore, and Harold Sakata sets the standard for henchmen that will become the archetype in and out of the Bond genre. It features the classic Shirley Bassey theme song, which all subsequent Bond theme songs are compared to. The film is well paced, has a good sense of humor, and retains some key aspects of the source material. Everyone seems to love this film, including me.
4. Dr. No (1962): This film masterfully sets the stage for the longest running movie franchise in the history of the world. Sean Connery's balance of humor, intellect and masculinity captured the essence of the Fleming character and won the affections of movie-goers around the world. While much of the Fleming novel was modified to accomplish the goals of making the film more "family friendly" than its racy source material it insured subsequent installments of the film series. While the storyline varies from the original work in ways that are negative, the limitations of the times, the budget, and film making of the era make them understandable.
3. Skyfall (2012): To call Skyfall a well made Bond movie is a disservice to everyone involved in its production. Skyfall is a well made movie. The acting of the Daniel Craig, Judi Densch, and the supporting cast transcend the genre. The direction of Sam Mendes is flawless. The theme song by Adele is among the best in the franchise's history. Javier Bardiem plays the part of, a most memorable, sinister villain without making a mockery of the role. Finally, the plot is original and engaging but stays true to the foundational roots of the source work. This is Bond at his best.
2. From Russia With Love (1963): Before the Daniel Craig era, I believed no Bond film could ever top From Russia With Love. This film weaves all of the best elements of the Bond films and novels. It is Connery's grittiest, most masculine performance as Bond. The Cold War, espionage, sexual seduction, violence, exotic location, and SPECTRE are all interwoven into a top notch spy movie that holds it's own against any others of any series. Daniela Bianchi, as Tatiana Romanova, is the most underrated Bond girl in the history of the franchise. Lotta Lenya plays the part of Rosa Klebb masterfully and Robert Shaw is perfection as Red Grant. Shaw's execution, without camp, and without being "over the top" as the antagonist is truly terrifying. This is the best of the Connery Era.
1. Casino Royale(2006)/Quantum of Solace (2008): I understand that many people list Quantum of Solace very low on their rankings of favorite Bond films. The film is completely unrelated to the Fleming short story of the same name; however, I think it is a great movie. I do believe that in order to really appreciate it you must view it in connection with Casino Royale-as, essentially, one film. On that basis I have listed these two films as the Best of the Best. If I was forced to separate them, Casino would still be #1, without hesitation. Casino Royale marked the beginning of the Daniel Craig era in the Bond series by doing something bold and intelligent-going back to the first Bond novel penned by Ian Fleming of the same title. Many people were a little Bond weary by the time the film was released, having believed the franchise was past its prime. The critics also questioned the choice of Craig, a blond 007, to play the role. They were so used to Bonds in the Roger Moore likeness that this complete departure seemed doomed to disappoint. Craig shocked everyone by not only being a good actor, but by being a great Bond; for some, he is even considered the best (even Roger Moore says so). His dramatic, engaging, earthy performance in the film captures the true essence of the character and the film. This film is, by far, the closest film adaptation of any of the Fleming novels-it varies ever so insignificantly from the written source. It is low on gimmicks and gadgets, strong on action, violence, drama, and real acting. Most importantly, Craig's Bond is a three dimensional character. Craig's Bond is imperfect, human, but still the best hope for Queen and Country. This film gets better every time I see it. One doesn't need to be a Bond fan to appreciate this as a winner.
The Five (5) Most Disappointing Bond Films Coming Soon!
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