Showing posts with label Casino Royale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Casino Royale. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 17, 2021
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
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.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Your Favorite Bond Is.....
Your Favorite Bond Is.....
The votes have been cast and tabulated in The World of Bond's Which Bond Is Your Favorite contest. For some this may be one of the most significant elections of the 21st Century (For James Bond Fans that is). Our readers were asked to choose their favorite actor, who played James Bond, from among the Eon Productions' film Bonds; from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig. Our readers have, overwhelmingly, selected Daniel Craig as their favorite Bond Actor. What does Craig's selection tell us about the modern Bond audience? It may reveal that the modern Bond fan appreciates the dramatic, gritty, course that the series has embarked upon since Craig's elevation to the role with 2006's Casino Royale. It may be evidence that the current crop of Bond fans are traditionalists that harken for the three dimensional, flawed character of the Ian Fleming novels and short stories founded on a bedrock of strong spy stories, rather than the the two dimensional Roger Moorish character films that degenerated into formula films relying too heavily on one liners, gadgets, and gimmickry. Craig, in only three film installments, delivers this traditional Bond for the new age.
This selection of Daniel Craig is not a huge surprise when one looks at the financial and critical success garnered by Skyfall, the 23rd installment in the James Bond movie series, and the most successful by any standards used to measure success. It is also not a surprise when one looks at the current actor and winner who, to some, not only plays Bond but is Bond. Despite the early skepticism over the selection of Craig as Pierce Brosnan's replacement, he quickly won the attention of fans, film critics and the broader movie audience by playing the role with believable grit, intelligence, and masculine sex appeal. Perhaps it was Craig's training on the British stage, television, and films that prepared him to fill the role so adeptly. Regardless, as we approach the 24th installment of the franchise and rumors of the return of Sam Mendes as the film's Director and the casting of the beautiful, Penelope Cruz as the latest "Bond Girl" circulate, one thing is for certain, Daniel Craig will return as James Bond.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Casino Royale-LEGO STYLE
Casino Royale-LEGO STYLE
In preparing to write this column every week I do a good amount of research, reading articles, listening to interviews and features, and watching clips. In my travels I came across the featurette Lego Casino Royale at http://www.bricktease.com. This really is a stop motion, Lego masterpiece. The creators used the actual film dialogue from the 2006 Casino Royale Blockbuster and recreated the opening scene using Lego characters and a Lego background. It is artfully, and precisely done and I am pleased to share it here.
After watching the clip I suggest watching the side by side comparison to get an even fonder appreciation of the precision involved in the filmmaking.
You can see more of these great Lego retreads at YouTube or at the filmmakers website www.bricktease.com.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Fighting Style of James Bond
Anyone who is familiar with the novels or films featuring the James Bond character knows that although 007 is an unmatched sharpshooter with his Beretta and later, his famed Walter PPK, he is also very capable of defending himself in an unarmed, hand to hand situation. Virtually every work has him, at some point, squaring off with an opponent, or henchman without the aid of a firearm. So what fighting style is Britain's favorite fictional son skilled in? Kung Fu? Jui-Jitsu? Taekwondo perhaps? Even as a Bond fanatic over the years, I never really, seriously contemplated this question until now. While the answer may vary slightly from Bond persona to Bond persona, it seems 007 may have been a real frontrunner in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) arena before it was even called MMA, and he is certainly a man whose hands are to be feared.
Going back to the source material, as I always do, Ian Fleming's Bond references our hero training in British Naval Intelligence. This training would, likely, be a form of what has been referred to as Close Quarters Battle Combat, an unorthodox, little documented fighting style that involves deadly blows and the use of economic, crippling strikes which can be executed in close proximity to an opponent when locked in close combat, hence its name. There is also some reference to boxing in his youth and, later in the military which is evidenced throughout all the Bond personas with his striking blows. Fleming's Bond also references some Combat Judo training. Eastern style Martial Arts training is very common today in the West. Varied styles, from Karate to Taekwondo to Competitive MMA, are taught throughout Europe and the United States; however, this was not the case in Fleming's day. Martial Arts study was a closely guarded secret of the East and many Asian countries had strict prohibitions on teaching their secret arts to Westerners. It is no surprise, with Fleming's background, that Bond was a well versed combatant with his hands and in the Asian martial arts. He adeptly kills his arch-nemesis, Blofeld, in the epic novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service, not with an assassin's bullet but with his bare hands. Fleming's Bond is a dangerous secret agent with, or without, a weapon.
Sean Connery is heralded, in the pre-Daniel Craig era, as a tough guy without question. Connery even did many of his own Bond stunts. Connery, himself, was a student of Karate, and his swagger, confidence, and skill are evident in his portrayal of Bond. His Bond persona was good with his hands, whether it was defending himself against Red Grant in From Russian With Love (1963), or his prowess in the deadly elevator fight in Diamonds Are Forever (1971). In You Only Live Twice (1967) Bond's Judo skills are evidenced in many of the fight sequences in Japan and, later, he is trained in the art of Ninjitsu, under the supervision of Tiger Tanaka, in preparation of his infiltration of Blofeld's Volanic hideaway. One of the widely and wildly circulated story's emanating from Connery's return to Bond in the non-Eon Productions Thunderball (1965) remake, Never Say Never Again (1983), is that Connery is alleged to have had his wrist broken while undergoing martial arts instruction, and a possible disagreement with, non other than Steven Seagal. In true Connery "tough guy" fashion he ignored the pain until well after the production was wrapped on the film, only to discover that lingering pain was a broken wrist.
While Roger Moore always appeared to be more concerned about his hair and appearance to get his hands dirty, he was, in fact, an adept Karate student of Aaron Banks. There are numbers of hand to hand sequences in the Moore films, many include "karate chops" and some low kicks and many campy uses of props but his fight scenes never reach the intensity and grit of Connery's, or later, Craig's, fight scenes. Moore understood his limitations in this area, and opted for cunning rather than grit in gaining the upper hand on his opponents in hand to hand combat scenes. The series aided this paradigm by introducing characters such as Tee-Hee of Live and Let Die (1973) and Jaws from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)and Moonraker (1979) to make Moore's mortal fighting deficit seem less personal in light of these super-villains extraordinary strength and size.
Like many other aspects of the film series neither Timothy Dalton nor Pierce Brosnan made very memorable contributions in the perpetuation of Bond's reputation as a skilled hand to hand combat expert. Dalton is a grittier in his portrayal and more believable as a hand to hand tactician. Brosnan is clearly the most debonair of the Bond actors, but he is the least believable in the "mano-a-mano" arena unless you consider George Lazenby's fighting style, which I choose not to ever consider. Both Bonds hold their own with their hands when appropriate but neither performance had audiences hankering to learn to fight like Bond.
After these lackluster years for lovers of good, manly combat scenes along came Daniel Craig, a gritty, brawler who is skilled in the lethal art of Krav Maga, the martial art of choice of the Israeli Defense Forces. This lethal art combines kickboxing, karate, wrestling, street fighting and Close Quarter Combat. Craig was trained by Darren Levine, founder of Krav Maga Worldwide. The emphasis in Krav Maga is "continuous motion" and this emphasis is exhibited in dynamic form in the amazingly memorable and riveting scenes in Casino Royale (2006) as the one were Bond does mortal combat with Obanno and his Ugandan mercenaries who are are seeking a return of their funds from Le Chiffre one way or another. Craig is believable in the role and believable in the fight scenes. These fight scenes have moved beyond the formula, and sometimes gimmicky, fight sequences audiences had become used to in Bond films and, like the film, into a new grittier, dramatic World of James Bond. These fight sequences are engaging, brutal good film making and remind us that, while Bond is far from a super hero, he is a dangerous and skilled combatant.
Jeffrey Deaver's outstanding James Bond treatment Carte Blanche delivers us a gritty, Craig-like Bond who is skilled in the art of Systema, a Russian fighting style that is designed for close quarters and defense against guns and knives. The key in Systema is the use of an opponent's own energy against them and the focus on key pressure point areas of the elbows, neck, knees, waist, ankles and shoulders to control them. Systema fighters exert little energy and move very efficiently, often giving them the ability to outlast their opponents before crippling them with their effective striking points. Deaver graphically depicts several fight scenes in his novel with such color that one can envision them taking place. In fact, his depiction was so colorful it immediately drove me to seek out and observe the work of Martin Wheeler, one of the foremost Systema practitioners and teachers in the world in the hopes of learning more. For true Bond Traditionalists they would rather see Bond fight an opponent with his hands than with his exploding pen, and Deaver gets it.
James Bond, at his core, is a government assassin. Whether it is under Fleming's "License to Kill" or Deaver's "Protect the Realm...by any means necessary" Bond is is a deadly force to be reckoned with. When most people think of James Bond, they envision the iconic opening sequences of so many of the Eon Production films where Bond turns, fires a single shot, and blood runs down the frame. While there is no question that Bond's skills with a gun are unmatched, he is equally deadly in a close contact combat situation with his hands. Given a choice, which Bond would you stand the best chance of holding your own against in a fight?
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Going back to the source material, as I always do, Ian Fleming's Bond references our hero training in British Naval Intelligence. This training would, likely, be a form of what has been referred to as Close Quarters Battle Combat, an unorthodox, little documented fighting style that involves deadly blows and the use of economic, crippling strikes which can be executed in close proximity to an opponent when locked in close combat, hence its name. There is also some reference to boxing in his youth and, later in the military which is evidenced throughout all the Bond personas with his striking blows. Fleming's Bond also references some Combat Judo training. Eastern style Martial Arts training is very common today in the West. Varied styles, from Karate to Taekwondo to Competitive MMA, are taught throughout Europe and the United States; however, this was not the case in Fleming's day. Martial Arts study was a closely guarded secret of the East and many Asian countries had strict prohibitions on teaching their secret arts to Westerners. It is no surprise, with Fleming's background, that Bond was a well versed combatant with his hands and in the Asian martial arts. He adeptly kills his arch-nemesis, Blofeld, in the epic novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service, not with an assassin's bullet but with his bare hands. Fleming's Bond is a dangerous secret agent with, or without, a weapon.
Sean Connery is heralded, in the pre-Daniel Craig era, as a tough guy without question. Connery even did many of his own Bond stunts. Connery, himself, was a student of Karate, and his swagger, confidence, and skill are evident in his portrayal of Bond. His Bond persona was good with his hands, whether it was defending himself against Red Grant in From Russian With Love (1963), or his prowess in the deadly elevator fight in Diamonds Are Forever (1971). In You Only Live Twice (1967) Bond's Judo skills are evidenced in many of the fight sequences in Japan and, later, he is trained in the art of Ninjitsu, under the supervision of Tiger Tanaka, in preparation of his infiltration of Blofeld's Volanic hideaway. One of the widely and wildly circulated story's emanating from Connery's return to Bond in the non-Eon Productions Thunderball (1965) remake, Never Say Never Again (1983), is that Connery is alleged to have had his wrist broken while undergoing martial arts instruction, and a possible disagreement with, non other than Steven Seagal. In true Connery "tough guy" fashion he ignored the pain until well after the production was wrapped on the film, only to discover that lingering pain was a broken wrist.While Roger Moore always appeared to be more concerned about his hair and appearance to get his hands dirty, he was, in fact, an adept Karate student of Aaron Banks. There are numbers of hand to hand sequences in the Moore films, many include "karate chops" and some low kicks and many campy uses of props but his fight scenes never reach the intensity and grit of Connery's, or later, Craig's, fight scenes. Moore understood his limitations in this area, and opted for cunning rather than grit in gaining the upper hand on his opponents in hand to hand combat scenes. The series aided this paradigm by introducing characters such as Tee-Hee of Live and Let Die (1973) and Jaws from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)and Moonraker (1979) to make Moore's mortal fighting deficit seem less personal in light of these super-villains extraordinary strength and size.
Like many other aspects of the film series neither Timothy Dalton nor Pierce Brosnan made very memorable contributions in the perpetuation of Bond's reputation as a skilled hand to hand combat expert. Dalton is a grittier in his portrayal and more believable as a hand to hand tactician. Brosnan is clearly the most debonair of the Bond actors, but he is the least believable in the "mano-a-mano" arena unless you consider George Lazenby's fighting style, which I choose not to ever consider. Both Bonds hold their own with their hands when appropriate but neither performance had audiences hankering to learn to fight like Bond.
After these lackluster years for lovers of good, manly combat scenes along came Daniel Craig, a gritty, brawler who is skilled in the lethal art of Krav Maga, the martial art of choice of the Israeli Defense Forces. This lethal art combines kickboxing, karate, wrestling, street fighting and Close Quarter Combat. Craig was trained by Darren Levine, founder of Krav Maga Worldwide. The emphasis in Krav Maga is "continuous motion" and this emphasis is exhibited in dynamic form in the amazingly memorable and riveting scenes in Casino Royale (2006) as the one were Bond does mortal combat with Obanno and his Ugandan mercenaries who are are seeking a return of their funds from Le Chiffre one way or another. Craig is believable in the role and believable in the fight scenes. These fight scenes have moved beyond the formula, and sometimes gimmicky, fight sequences audiences had become used to in Bond films and, like the film, into a new grittier, dramatic World of James Bond. These fight sequences are engaging, brutal good film making and remind us that, while Bond is far from a super hero, he is a dangerous and skilled combatant.Jeffrey Deaver's outstanding James Bond treatment Carte Blanche delivers us a gritty, Craig-like Bond who is skilled in the art of Systema, a Russian fighting style that is designed for close quarters and defense against guns and knives. The key in Systema is the use of an opponent's own energy against them and the focus on key pressure point areas of the elbows, neck, knees, waist, ankles and shoulders to control them. Systema fighters exert little energy and move very efficiently, often giving them the ability to outlast their opponents before crippling them with their effective striking points. Deaver graphically depicts several fight scenes in his novel with such color that one can envision them taking place. In fact, his depiction was so colorful it immediately drove me to seek out and observe the work of Martin Wheeler, one of the foremost Systema practitioners and teachers in the world in the hopes of learning more. For true Bond Traditionalists they would rather see Bond fight an opponent with his hands than with his exploding pen, and Deaver gets it.
James Bond, at his core, is a government assassin. Whether it is under Fleming's "License to Kill" or Deaver's "Protect the Realm...by any means necessary" Bond is is a deadly force to be reckoned with. When most people think of James Bond, they envision the iconic opening sequences of so many of the Eon Production films where Bond turns, fires a single shot, and blood runs down the frame. While there is no question that Bond's skills with a gun are unmatched, he is equally deadly in a close contact combat situation with his hands. Given a choice, which Bond would you stand the best chance of holding your own against in a fight?
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Friday, May 3, 2013
Random News From The World Of James Bond
Random News From The World Of James Bond
It seems like only yesterday that George Lazenby's agent advised him that the heyday of James Bond popularity was past. Now, just a mere 43 years later, every single day is filled with interesting news and happenings about the world and phenomenon known as James Bond. Here are just a few noteworthy items:
1. Subscribers to Netflix were outraged to learn that they were losing access to all of the James Bond Film Collection, plus many more titles owned by MGM Studios, effective May 1, 2013 as a result of an attempt to foster parent company, Warner Bros.'s, competing service by making these products exclusive. This decision was bad for Netflix fans but it demonstrates that the Bond Films are still a valuable asset to any film collection.
2. Wanna drive around town like 007? Well the opportunity to live the secret agent's lifestyle may be at hand in not just one, but two, separate sales of famous Bond Aston Martins. Sean Connery's iconic car of Goldfinger and Thunderball is yours to own for a mere $4.7 million dollars "fully loaded". If the classic is a little beyond your budget, there is still a shot at the rare, Aston Martin V8 Volante driven by Timothy Dalton in 1987's The Living Daylights for sale by Classic Driver for considerably less.
3. Sir Roger Moore is lending his star power to celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the founding of STARS (Syncope Trust and Reflex Anoxic Seizures). This charity, an international organization, has assisted 50,000 people since it's inception who suffer from unexplained blackouts. Sir Roger suffered one such blackout in 2003 due to a later diagnosed, low heart rate. The installation of a pacemaker helped him to address this problem and he has committed himself to spreading the word about the foundation's good work. That is up there with the most heroic of Bond's deeds.4. Pierce Brosnan, in a recent interview surrounding the opening of his new film "Love Is All You Need", had high praise for Daniel Craig's portrayal of the world's most famous secret agent. "..I loved it. I did. I really did. I've covered a lot of ground since playing James Bond. I knew Daniel. We passed in the night..and we spoke about life and how wonderful it was for him to do 007." As for his time playing Bond, "Bond was a glorious time for me. I have nothing but gratitude for having played such a role...and Daniel is magnificent."
Brosnan really gets it. His perspective on playing Bond in a difficult transitional time, where so much of the source material was experimental and where the public and the producers were unsure of what Bond-type they were looking to associate the series, with is terrific. "My era of playing Bond was still a cross-pollination of Sean Connery and Roger Moore. They hadn't made the leap into the next phase: the huge action, and more Brutal Bond." In retrospect, I think this open minded, embracing perspective is one of the reasons why, although the source materials for his Bond films were not all that memorable, his portrayal of the character was infinitely more likable than his immediate predecessor.
5. George Lazenby really doesn't seem to get it at all. In a recent interview for Entertainment Tonight he talks about his decision not to return to the role of James Bond, not because he was lackluster in the role, but because the days of Bond were winding down. That was 43 three years ago, and here we are with the series making a robust comeback. In fairness to Lazenby he succeeded the iconic Sean Connery, who was inextricably linked to the character itself. He also was faced with a time period which he referred to as "the hippie era" and it was hard for him to see the clean cut Bond character competing in the movie world alongside an "Easy Rider" movie audience. Falling in step with the other Bonds, however, Lazenby did praise Craig's acting in the lead role, although he longs for license to kill who "could still shed a tear over someone dying". Maybe that is the major difference between Craig and Lazenby's portrayal of Bond; Lazenby longs for a 007 who sheds a tear with every killing and Craig, to quote Casino Royale "...wouldn't be very good at my job if I did." I am with Craig.More news for the World Of James Bond to follow....
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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