Craig is Back...But What Then?

Okay, good news is we have Daniel Craig back as 007 in 2019. The bad news, there may be a possibility that the franchise will start in a totally new direction afterwards. This I am a tad worried about. Yes, the franchise rebooted in 2006 with the introduction of Craig as Bond; however there were some connections as it still had Judi Dench as M. We finally get Moneypenny and Q after  a two film absence in Skyfall; everything is finally starting. We don't need another reboot. Please just continue the same roles with the same actors and just get a new James Bond. It's what they've done in the past. When Connery left the part, M Q and Moneypenny were the same actors. Why change it around yet again.

That being said, I understand the direction movies are changing and it's more about television shows or live streaming. You can't just have 007 pop up every 2 or 4 years. During the 60s, the spy craze was in. You had shows like Get Smart and I, Spy. It was popular and would keep you entertained while you'd wait to go to the cinema to see the new Bond film. Now, things are so in the now, if something isn't really talked about, then it's just forgotten outside of the fan base.

End of rant.

I did, however realize that the new film is currently looking for a distributor as Sony's contract ended with Spectre in 2015. As of recently, the runners up are Apple, Amazon and Warner Bros. I had read that Warner. Bros is in a closer lead to getting it, but this was a while ago.

DO YOU THINK THE FRANCHISE SHOULD REBOOT AGAIN AFTER CRAIG LEAVES?

Casino Reboot

When Casino Royale was announced in 2005, I was curious how they were going to pull off an origin story while at the same time keeping it modern with the times. As you know, Casino Royale is Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel and also introduces the world to 007 in his first adventure. Published in 1953, the novel takes place in the 1950s of a British agent earning his 00 license and sent on his first mission to confront an international arms dealer by the name of Le Chiffre. If Bond beats him to a game of poker, he will defeat the man the CIA will take him into custody. This takes a wrong turn.

1953 cover of Fleming's novel

Poster for the 2006 film

Now, I'm not going to focus on the story, as you can look that up yourself here. The main point I wanted to bring up is the fact that the 2006 movie takes place in the current day rather than 1953. Quite a gap, I know...The Cold War is long over, James Bond as a character on the screen no longer smokes cigarettes or cigars, and many events have changed the world such as 9/11 and the Iraq War. So, you can understand that not only did I have a problem with the producers rebooting a series that has been on-going since 1962 and getting Daniel Craig while Pierce Brosnan was basically fired from the job; I also had a problem with them starting a series that should have been set in the 50s instead of the 21st century. What was the point? Sure, it's nice to see that EON finally got the rights to the novel and made their own official version; it's just hard to believe that the man who is James Bond is starting in the early 21st century and we are supposed to see him become the man that goes through all those countless adventures through the decades to follow. Perhaps the most obvious conclusion is that it would have been too expensive to set up a world taking place in the 50s and still maintain the level of action set pieces and stunts all the while shooting in different locations throughout the world. I just found that to be a bit confusing, as I'm sure others did as well.

We still have Judi Dench as M from the previous films, and we see Bond get a new Aston Martin so in a way this continues the adventures left from Pierce Brosnan. It also takes place in 2006 which also acknowledges the passage of time from 2002's Die Another Day. At the same time, this is a younger James Bond before he becomes the man we all know him to be. So, it's a bit of a mess. People tell me to just let it go and ignore all that came before, but if I do that...there would be nothing to reference to in terms of the character played by so many other actors and even the films based on the books Fleming wrote, no matter how different they are on the screen. Until EON says different and announces themselves that we are to forget all that came before and just hit the slate clean, I will continue debating this and not just accept the the fact that this is indeed a clean slate but just a bit of a jumble.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the film a great deal-even though I like Skyfall more-but this is just a point that has been boiling up inside of me for a while and wanted to let it out.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? WAS IT WISE NOT TO HAVE THE DANIEL CRAIG VERSION IN THE 50s? IS IT FINE THE WAY IT IS? SHOULD THEY REBOOT ALL THE FILMS THAT CAME BEFORE IT? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW AND AS ALWAYS...

Bond and his Aston Martin PART II

With 2002 marking the 40th anniversary of 007 on the big screen, a new Aston Martin arrives for Pierce Brosnan's fourth and final outing as Bond in Die Another Day. With BMW's three-picture deal ending with The World Is Not Enough, the car that made James Bond what he is in pop-culture makes a long-awaited return since last seeing it in 1987. 

ASTON MARTIN V12 VANQUISH

When 007 arrives back in London after his trip to Cuba, Bond meets up with Q in the Underground and is thus given his new car.

BOND PUTTING HIS GADGETS TO USE 

Perhaps the most lavish and equipped car ever issued to 007, this V12 comes with an adaptive camouflage feature, which makes the car as good as invisible to the naked eye. Now, I know what most of you are going to say: Lame! That is so unrealistic! No way! Well, to be honest with you, it's not all that far off from reality as scientists are working on such a thing right now...or at least they were...In addition to this feature, the car is also equipped with target seeking machine guns; rockets behind the front grille; an updated GPS system; ejector seat; tire tracking spikes; bulletproof glass; rear grenade launchers and finally a keychain remote for getting Bond out of pretty tough spots.

Easy access for all the features makes it easier on 007 to maneuver. Now, only 007 could think of something so ridiculous as driving someone up the wall...or someTHING in this case. 

This car has it all and I must say I would love to get my hands on one if given the chance.


DANIEL CRAIG:

James Bond is given a new Aston Martin yet again, the 2007 DBS V12. Sleeker, and more smooth than the V12 Vanquish, this car-like George Lazenby's car mentioned earlier (see Part I)-is barely equipped with any gadgets. But what the car lacks in gadgets it makes up for in design and handling. MI6 provides 007 with this new car as he arrives in Montenegro on his mission to stop Le Chiffre. 

JAMES BOND APPROACHING HIS ASTON MARTIN DBS V12.

Coming in handy, the car does feature two gadgets in the glove compartment as well. There are two layers to store things. The top, is equipped with a defibrillator in case some harm comes to 007 and the bottom is where he can store his standard issue Walther P99 and extra accessories. Purring like a panther, Bond uses it to get his way about in the city when not playing Texas Hold 'Em. 

Useful equipment for 007

After his car is destroyed in the middle of the film after an accident in order to avoid Vesper as a decoy, Bond is equipped with another Aston from England. It's identical to the one issued, but it's much darker. Clearly it's another car because if you've seen the film, you'll know that it was destroyed after multiple flips. In Siena, Italy 007 has his second car destroyed after being attacked by several gunmen working for Quantum all the while Mr. White is in the trunk of the car. The car is still drivable, but not in the best of shape with a missing door. 


Bond is issued a new Aston Martin DB10. Well, I take that back...he wasn't exactly issued the car but he ends up with it as he sneaks off with it behind Q's back. The car is sleek and it looks totally mean, cold and almost like a liquid metal design. It is almost unrecognizable from what's come before and there really is something awesome about this new look. It's not my favorite design, especially with the front of the car, but hell, if someone where to give me one I would take it. 

2015 ASTON MARTIN DB10

The gadgets aren't perfected yet as the functions don't exactly do what they are supposed to. Bond needs to take a few steps in order to rely on a car rather than on his own instincts. 

BACKFIRE BADASS

Sadly, after this great chase, Bond has to eject from his car and it sinks in a river. The car is not talked about again.


THANKS FOR READING! WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASTON MARTIN USED BY 007? DO YOU THINK IT'S HIS BEST CAR TO DRIVE? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW AND AS ALWAYS....

JAMES BOND WILL RETURN

Licence to Kill: A James Bond Retrospective

 

A James Bond Retrospective

So, you think Daniel Craig is the world's first bad ass, ruthless and hard edged Bond? Think again. This trend was started 20 years before Casino Royale with 1989's Licence to Kill. The movie is more violent, personal and out of the ordinary than any other James Bond film before or after. With extreme violence, revenge and determination, this is the ultimate and most underrated movie of them all!

Released in the summer of 1989, Licence to Kill was Timothy Dalton's second and final performance as Agent 007. Having one film under his belt, the producers made a movie focusing on Dalton's strengths. In this movie, Bond isn't just on another assignment for the good of England. He's on his own and is on a personal vendetta to avenge his best friend. This is a no non-sense kind of Bond and something most fans of the series have long been waiting for. Where Roger Moore's seven films had an emphasis on humor and gags and even a mission in outer space, Timothy's films had an emphasis on realism, espionage and vulnerability. This is the Bond that bleeds, cries, stresses and at times grows stubble. This is the Bond straight from the character that Ian Fleming books. Licence to Kill is not for the faint of heart. It is a movie filled with action and best of all, Timothy is the James Bond that is a killer and ruthless agent who just happens to be on the side called "good".

As I mentioned earlier, James Bond is on his own and uses his skills and ingenuity to get himself out of danger. When Felix Leiter, ex CIA agent now working for the DEA, is informed that Franz Sanchez has entered the U.S., it is up to him and an off-duty 007 to apprehend him. Catching Sanchez just in time before he manages to escape to Cuban airspace, Bond and Felix proceed to Felix's wedding. They literally drop in to wed. Once on route to Quantico, a crooked cop aids Sanchez in his escape for a reward of $2,000,000. After Bond departs Felix's house, Sanchez's goons kidnap Felix, rape and murder his new wife, and maul him with a shark. The authorities are informed, along with James Bond, cancelling his flight back to London, and the search is on to find Sanchez. When Bond arrives at Felix's house, he discovers that Felix is not in fact dead, but seriously injured with a note reading: "He disagreed with something that ate him." Furious, Bond informs the Americans but nothing is done. It is as if no one wants to take care of the situation and overlooks it. Well, Felix is Bond's best friend and he will do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this. What are friends for?

While tracing clues throughout Florida, Bond discovers that Sanchez is no longer in the States but in his home country of Isthmus City (fictional South American Country) that he is in complete and utter control over, even with a fixed president and rigged elections. Soon, M goes to Florida to find Bond, telling him that he needs to let this situation go and leave the Americans to "clear it up." Bond refuses and tells M that he is resigning from the Service. To this, M denies Bond's resigning and instead revokes his license to kill. Escaping, Bond is now on the run from his own boss. This is something we've never seen before in a Bond movie: people on his own side trying to kill him.  Bond arrives to Isthmus and attempts to meet Sanchez.

Robert Davi as Franz Sanchez

When 007 reaches Sanchez's casino, he meets with him and they have a pleasant conversation while Bond can think of nothing else but to kill him for what he did to his friend. Looking for work--which isn't all that far from the truth since he is no longer part of MI6--Sanchez allows Bond to join his organization and trusts him enough to allow him to stay in his large mansion. James Bond is in! If this was an official mission he hit the jackpot! He now has the perfect chance to kill Sanchez. How does he do it? He does it by framing those loyal to Sanchez by making it look like they were indeed ripping him off, while all Bond has to do is watch while the pins fall one by one. You see, Sanchez isn't just a textbook Bond villain who wants to take over the world. What makes Sanchez so unique is that "loyalty is more important to [him] than money." If you double cross Franz Sanchez, you're done. So, as long as you do what he says, he will repay you greatly, but if you do something wrong, you're out of the picture permanently. He also has a henchman, Dario, played by a 22 year old Benicio del Toro. Keep an eye out for him throughout the picture! 

Q comes all the way from England to help 007

Now, this movie is not without humor or fun. When Miss Moneypenny discovers that James is missing, she sends out Q while he's on leave. Q arrives, has some gadgets for 007 and sticks around. This film marks Desmond Llewelyn's longest performance in the role. There are some great gags here and there and even though this isn't like previous Bond films, that does not mean it is void of elements that make a Bond film a Bond film.

Dario discovers 007

One of the men that Sanchez has hired for a cover operation is Milton Krest played by American actor Anthony Zerbe. His death is the ultimate death of all involving his head imploding in a decompression chamber. In order to keep the film from an R rating in America, the scene where you actually see his head implode with blood splattered all over the glass was cut. You need to get the original edition for the movie to see such a horrible scene. And to be honest, Dalton is the only Bond that could pull it off. It is not pretty and every time I watch that scene my heart pounds. It is intense. 

A grinder...what a way to die.

The climactic scene in this movie is just amazing! It involves tanker trucks used to transport drugs without detection. Bond is finally discovered when Dario recognizes him from an earlier encounter. Listening to a tour of how the drugs are concealed  in gasoline, Dario puts a gun to 007's back and tells him to be quiet. After a small quip from Sanchez, "You keep the gas, as a bonus. And if there's a problem with customs, no evidence." Bond starts a fire and sends people screaming. His cover blown, even though he still goes by James Bond, Sanchez realizes that Bond is trying to kill him and demands to know who has sent him. Punching him and putting him in a conveyor, Dario hangs over Bond and spits on him while cutting the rope used to tie him to the end of the belt, leading to a grinder right below. Pam Bouvier (Carey Lowell) shows up and shoots Dario and Bond pulls him from underneath him and another gross scene occurs. He is crushed alive! Catching up with Sanchez, Bond, with the help of the beautiful Pam, flies a plane over and manages to steal a tanker. Bond is now in control of one of the tankers and catches up with Sanchez for a fight to the death. When the final truck is knocked down a hill, Sanchez is about to kill Bond for his betrayal. "You could have had everything." Bond re

James Bond after burning drug lord Sanchez alive.

plies, "Don't you want to know why?" Showing him a cigarette lighter that Felix had given him during the wedding, Sanchez puts two and two together and realizes that Felix was Bond's friend and before he can say anything, Bond sets him on fire and a huge explosion occurs with a mix of the gas from the fallen tanker and Bond's lighter. Now, here is where we see James Bond cry for the first time. He is torn up, bloody, and totally stressed. Having killed Sanchez, his revenge is over and he can now go back to his life as an agent. What a great story! This is Fleming's Bond!

Now, the advertising campaign for this film is quite a let down and perhaps one of the reasons why not as many people saw this compared to Dalton's previous outing as 007. During production, the title was changed at the last minute from Licence Revoked to Licence to Kill. Now, there is a lot of different speculation as to the real reason it was changed, but the most common and reported reason is because when MGM did a survey, most Americans thought it was referring to a revoked drivers license as opposed to James Bond losing his license to kill. In addition, another speculation is that most Americans didn't know what "revoked" meant. Now, I'm assuming it was the first reason. I could see how people could assume it would refer to a drivers license. But...come on now. You should just look it up and find the meaning for yourself. There have been other James Bond titles such as Thunderball or Octopussy that to the casual viewer must sound ridiculous. I supposed the reasoning for that is because they were titles from the Fleming novels. In this case, both titles Licence Revoked and Licence to Kill are original titles and the first not to be used in a Fleming book.

Renowned artist Bob Peak who did artwork for the first six Star Trek films, Apocalypse Now, and even The Spy Who Loved Me, did amazing new and original illustrations for Licence Revoked. Again, it would have been something never seen before in a Bond film. Check these out:

 Rejected artwork by Bob Peak for Licence Revoked

 

Now, why they felt they needed to change the artwork and total campaign due to a last-minute title change I will never understand. The artwork is the artwork. The text and letters come in later. Studios need to realize, that illustrated movie posters are still artwork. They only become a poster when fonts are added to them along with the cast and crew. Other than that, it is just a piece of art like any other. At the same time, once you are an artist working for such a large corporation like Disney, or MGM, it is now in the hands of the studio and they basically own your work. That being said...it was a shame to do a half-assed job on Photoshop such as this:

Now, if this doesn't say half-assed, I honestly don't know what does. This is the British poster used for the film. Note the title change from "Revoked" to "To Kill" and the lack of originality used. These images are just cut and pasted and this does not bring the viewer into the film. The color scheme is unimpressive and it looks very tacky. Not the smartest choice to cut down costs for the production.

That being said, Licence to Kill is one of my all-time favorite James Bond films because it is the most quotable, violent and action-packed film in the series. It's hard to believe that people consider this to be one of the worst movies. It has action, suspense, beautiful locales, gorgeous women, subtle humor and gadgets while still containing an element of grandiose. It is realistic, believable and leaves you on the edge of your seat waiting to find out what will happen next. Will James Bond survive on his own? Has he met his match? It leaves you wanting more. Now, some feel that the locations in the film are bland and not exotic enough or that it feels like James Bond meets Miami Vice. I can certainly see that point of view. You need to remember though that at the time this movie came out, it had much competition with films such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Lethal Weapon 2, Die Hard (1988), Batman, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Ghostbusters II; all summer blockbusters and Bond had to compete with that. So, by making Bond a bit more down to earth and not a Roger Moore every-hair-in-place-coming-out-unscathed, something more was needed. It was time for James Bond to be up in the big leagues with American action movies and make it more current and to the times (according to the producers). In addition, it was getting more and more expensive to film in England so for the first time this Bond film was produced in Churubusco Studios in Mexico City and filmed in Mexico along with Florida. So, it felt like more of an American film with a British actor in the role. At the same time, over looking this, it is a Bond film and I think it captures the spirit of James Bond. I highly recommend this film.

As mentioned before, this is Timothy Dalton's second and final turn as Agent 007. In this short amount of time, Dalton certainly made the character his own. Serious at times, deadly and of course suave, Dalton read all of the James Bond books written by Ian Fleming and really wanted to depict that onto the big screen. In the long run, James Bond is an assassin and a killer and his license to kill status is what allows him to do so without getting into trouble with the law. Not as much time for the ladies as Roger Moore had, it was all about the mission with Dalton. In this case, it was all about revenge and friendship and how far people will go until a debt is settled, even if it isn't authorized. Now, some say that Timothy takes the fun out of the character, but you have to remember, Roger Moore was such a drastic change from the original character, it became almost ridiculous and totally out of context where the only relation to the books was the title. That's not who James Bond is. James Bond is something that every man wants to be and at the same time know that it can take a toll on you. Bond is not a superman, he's not an alien, he's human and yes, he does have time for the girls, but it is for the good of the mission. That does sound a bit harsh, but that is what the character was originally written to be. Just as Roger Moore didn't want to copy Sean Connery, Timothy Dalton sure as hell had no intention of copying Moore. I'm glad that Timothy was Bond and his films still live on to this day! The only reason why people prefer Craig now, is that Dalton came way before his time. The audience wasn't ready for a ruthless and dark Bond. Now that it's all about action movies and dark stories, people are now ready for this image of 007 that HAS been seen before and in a more classic and sophisticated way. Timothy Dalton is "son of Connery, father of Craig."

James Bond will return in SPECTRE this November! 

*Today, the 12th of September would have been Desmond Llewelyn's 101st birthday! I honestly had no idea until a friend of mine informed me of the news! We lost Desmond a few days after the release of his final 007 film in 1999 and I just wanted to give thanks for his wonderful performance in the role and all his other roles! We miss you, Q! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Die Another Day Review/Retrospective

An invisible car? A ring that can cut through glass? A palace made of ice? These are one of the many aspects that made the James Bond film Die Another Day a disaster for so many fans. Well, I'm going to talk about my personal aspect on this film and how I think there are some good and some bad aspects to the final film starring Pierce Brosnan as James Bond.

It all started when I was in 10th grade. My fandom for James Bond was at it's peak, and I was finally going to see a Bond film in the theater for the first time! It was going to be with my favorite actor to play the role, and my friend James and I were constantly checking up on what the title was going to be and who was going to sing the main song. Low and behold, it came out and the title for the film was Die Another Day. A pretty straight forward title, catchy, nothing special really. But we were still excited. Since the song was released a few months before the movie came out, I remember hating it with a passion. I have no problem with Madonna, but the song was just full of distortions and pauses and it was a lot of electronica that I couldn't stand. Over time, however, it grew on me and I began to enjoy it.

Now, for those of you who have not seen the movie, I suggest you stop reading now or continue at your own risk. Here we go...

James Bond escaping in a hovercraft in North Korea

James Bond is on a secret mission to North Korea to infiltrate an arms dealer who has enough weapons and tanks to run a small war. It is up to Bond to stop him and complete his mission. When Bond arrives, he captures and steels the identity of a man sent to ship African conflict diamonds to the dealer, Colonel Tan Sun Moon. Bond hijacks the helicopter, puts a package of C4 under the tray of diamonds, and then heads over to make the trade. Hoping that Moon would open the case, Moon's assistant Zao takes the case from 007 and then has someone inspect it. After doing so, Zao get's a message from an unknown sender that has Bond's cover blown and outs his entire mission. With nothing left to do, James Bond then triggers the diamonds to blow with Zao caught the middle of it and a major chase ensues. This is a spectacular chase and how the makers were able to use hovercraft

was amazing! Those things are hard to steer and are exactly made for their ability to float over minefields, rather than escape and getaway. Anyway, by the end of the chase, James Bond manages to fight Colonel Moon and then has him fall to his death...or so we think. After the battle is over, Bond, with his cover blown, is captured and tortured in North Korea for a year and a half! Brilliant story-telling! We've never seen Bond captured let alone tortured brutally ever in the series! He always manages to get away in the skin of his teeth and hurry back to jolly old England. But not this time.

Now, this opening of the movie is utterly entertaining. I loved it! After James Bond is freed in a prisoner exchange with Zao-who was captured in England during Bond's imprisonment-he is taken back to his superiors but not welcomed back. Injected with a sedate he passes out and is then on a ship for an analysis on the condition of his body. M comes in and asks that Bond's status as a secret agent is revoked (nod to Licence to Kill) and that James Bond no longer has his freedom and was only taken out so no more secrets or leaks would be revealed to the Koreans, believing him to have cracked under torture. The way Brosnan portrays the character is so dark and serious and you believe that he is a man who has gone through a lot. This being the forth movie, Pierce has mastered the character and has made it his own. Bond, being Bond of course, managers to slow down his heart rate, which is possible for some people to do, though not entirely sure if that's accurate, and then manages to escape the ship he's on. Not in England, Bond is actually in Hong Kong and he swims to get to the main land. Now, mind you, James Bond has been tortured for quite some time and has a full beard, so when he checks in to his usual Hotel in Hong Kong, he is not recognized at first. But right away, Mr. Chang, the manager of the hotel, knows who he is. Chang comments, "Mr. Bond! It's been a long time!" Now, after this, Bond shaves and is back to his usual self. Now, some say this is when the story begins to slow down, and I can agree with that aspect.

Tracking Zao, Bond discovers he is in a clinic in Havana, Cuba. When he arrives, somehow Zao is undergoing gene therapy to alter his appearance to look like a German. Bond interrupts this procedure and has a fight with him, who still has diamonds stuck to his face after the case exploded back in Korea. Now, Bond meets up with CIA agent Jinx Johnson played by Halle Berry. Her character is very generic and does not bring anything new to this movie. After Zao manages to escape, Jinx then jumps off a cliff in a very poorly done CGI shot to her contact waiting for her on a boat. James Bond then managers to grab one of the diamonds that Zao has onto his face. What was Zao doing in a gene therapy center? Now, there's an awesome character here by the name of Raoul that Bond meets up with and it's a shame we don't see much of him. He tells 007 where those diamonds and upon closer inspection, tells Bond they belong to the Graves Corporation in Iceland.

One of the best fight scenes in the entire series

Bond arrives in England, and eventually tracks down Gustav Graves: a man who has just discovered diamonds in Iceland a year or so ago and has become a major millionaire. Hidden behind the cameras of a press conference at Buckingham Palace, Gustave graves arrives after him in a ridiculous publicity stunt in a parachute and says, "What a wonderful day to be come a knight." Which is quite clever and you can tell that his persona and look upon life is pompous and careless. Now, this is where the story gets me thrown off a little. This man, Gustav Graves, whom nobody's heard of until a year ago, manages to get knighted by the queen? Come on! I can understand he discovered the diamonds in Iceland, but shouldn't 007 be knighted if anyone should be? Let's continue. Now, here we go with the cameo of Madonna as a lesbian fencing instructor. Now, I see how people think her acting is lame, but I didn't have much of a problem with it. She has a student by the name of Miranda Frost (Rosemon Pike), who acts cold, and sometimes rude to 007. There's a line where James meets Gustav and they ask if she wants to place a bet on the winner, to which she replies, "No thanks. I don't like cock fights." Classic Bond. Anyway, this innocent fencing fight begins to escalate to the most memorable and awesome scene again never before seen in a James Bond movie. Bond is having a sword fight! It is so cool! I loved this fight and Bond and Graves literally tare this club apart and then it escalates to outside. Now, this is one of the most overlooked scenes in the entire movie and it should be recognized for that. After Bond wins, naturally, Gustav asks him to join him to Iceland over the weekend for a celebration of something. Something called Icarus...

James Bond's new ride equipped with all the usual refinements

Arriving in Iceland, James Bond is equipped with his new Aston Martin V12 Vanquish, that is invisible...but it is explained and the idea is not all that far fetched. Tiny cameras on all sides of the car act as a reflection that is bounced back on the opposite side rendering the car practically invisible to the casual eye. Long story short, it's a cool car and I love it. But, it does take away some of the realism in this film from earlier. The car is also well-equipped and just like with the previous Aston Martin used by Sean Connery, it has an ejector seat! The car is also gorgeous and probably is my favorite Aston Martin used in the entire series of films. A close second would be the one used by Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights.

Gustav Graves' Ice Palace in Iceland

The Ice Palace...yes...a ridiculously spectacular mansion that is made solely for the demonstration. James Bond then meets up again with Jinx, and they both watch together as Gustav Graves enters the podium to demonstrate his new satellite, Icarus. Icarus is made from diamonds and the official reason for this invention is to help solve the world's crop and global warming issues. Why would a man who found a diamond mine all of a sudden get knighted, in addition to having the ability to create his own satellite?

After the demonstration, 007 takes a look around and bumps into Miranda Frost, and discovers that she is an MI6 agent after all. Bond comments, "Ah, that's why you tried so hard not to be interested in me." Ensuring that 007 is not screwing up with the mission at hand, Miranda and James go into a bedroom to "keep up the facade of being lovers." Good one, James! After Bond and Frost get it on, he then gets ready to do some more spying and check out the nuts and bolts of this palace and what Graves really has up his sleeve. Returning to a location he was in earlier, Bond is waiting for Graves and discovers that he is indeed Colonel Moon! Bond says, "So you live to die another day, Colonel?" "At last, I was beginning to think you'd never guess." As 007 is about to alert Miranda that Graves is indeed the man he thought he killed a year and a half ago, a twist of events occur. Miranda is not only working for Graves, she was the one that blew Bond's cover a year ago! Now it all makes sense why Zao was getting a gene change and Moon invited Bond for this demonstration.

Bond escaping in Grave's ice-dragster

CRINGE TIME

Now, sad to say this is probably the worst scene in 007 history. Stealing an ice-dragster, 007 escapes the wrath of the outed Graves and his henchmen. When Graves uses the Icarus satellite to pin point Bond's location, there is a beam of light that melts the ice and nearly reaches 007. When Bond's snow vehicle gets to the end of the cliff and a tsunami is about to hit, what more is James Bond to do? Has he finally met his match? No...he uses the parachutes as sails and the hood of the vehicle as a surf board. The scene is very poorly executed and just is in no way plausible. I remember watching this with my dad and hearing him say, "Oh, come on!" I mean, it's one thing to suspense disbelief...but it's a totally other thing to go too far. The producers did the latter. The James Bond films are known for their stunts being done for-real. This was just a major factor of poor CGI and one of the main reasons why the majority of people hate this film.

When Bond returns to the Ice Palace to get Jinx, an awesome chase ensues with his Aston and Zao's Jaguar XKR. This is a pretty neat sequence and my second-favorite of the movie. Now, the stunts here are done for real and there really is racing on ice. The producers had several models of the Aston Martin just in case it should sink or fall under the ice. In one case, it almost did and they managed to get it out. The ice had to be just right in order for them to have cars driving on it. It worked and the result for the movie good! Christian Wagner, the editor for the film, chopped it up here and there to make it more "hip" and it really didn't need to be. He sped up some parts of the movie and slowed down others. It was a bit distracting like with the Madonna theme song for this film. Anyway, afterward, Bond and Zao enter the palace and a pretty good death scene happens when Bond shoots one of the chandeliers, killing Zao instantly.

Ice Chase!

Then, after leaving Iceland, James and Jinx go to a military bunker to meet up with M and the rest of MI6, while she deals with her superior Damien Falco of the NSA. They infiltrate Grave's plane, and find out that the real reason for Icarus is to clear a mine path for his troops in North Korea. It's a bit convoluted but you get the idea. James Bond then manages to kill Graves and then the plane is destroyed, along with Miranda Frost. The films ends with Jinx and James enjoying some vacation time in Korea until they go back to their lives. The End.

Pierce Brosnan's forth and final outing as Agent 007

Now, I enjoyed this film for the most part. It is in no way my favorite James Bond film, nor my favorite film starring Pierce Brosnan. I don't despise it as much as other people do, but I can see their reasoning as to why they dislike it. I'd watch it over Octopussy or For Your Eyes Only, but that is just my opinion and I'm sure many of you will disagree with me on that. It is, just as worthy of being a Bond film as any other and even though it could have been better, it certainly could have been a lot worse. The first half of the film was brilliant, as I said countless times. It just took a turn for the worst and got very far fetched in the end. The movie was made in 2002 and was in the #1 spot in America for quite some time. It was also a hit financially, if not critically. After this film was released, James Bond was out of the picture until 2006 when Daniel Craig stepped in and started making his mark on the series. After the first Jason Bourne film came out in 2002, the producers wanted to take a more realistic approach and bring James Bond back to his routes as a spy. Daniel Craig is certainly a good actor to play the part, however not so much as a spy. But that's a whole other discussion for another time. Thanks for reading!!!

JINX WAS GOING TO HAVE HER OWN SPIN-OFF SERIES BUT LUCKILY THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN...

 

THE MAN...THE LEGEND...THE UNDERRATED...TIMOTHY DALTON as 007

For most people, the name Timothy Dalton is foreign to fans of James Bond, or just people in general. Dalton, whom had just made two James Bond film, was sadly short lived between Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan but the mark he left behind was a unique one. In 1987, Tim made his debut as the new James Bond. His immediate predecessor was Sir Roger Moore, who had made a total of seven films as 007 from 1973 through 1985. During Moore's tenure, the Bond character turned into a slapstick, pretty boy, play-it-safe kind of Bond. Gone was the sense of danger, espionage and suspense of what Ian Fleming's original idea of Bond was. James Bond films turned into family entertainment for all. This was a 12 year experience. Now, Timothy Dalton's 1987 film, The Living Daylights took all this away and brought Bond back to his roots as a ruthless British agent with a license to kill. Now, mind you audiences were not expecting such a drastic 360 degree turn after Moore. Gone was the pretty boy style and the jokes and back was the ruthlessness that Connery brought to the role, and more! Timothy Dalton gave the world his own interpretation of Bond and brought the character from the written page of Fleming's books. A Shakespearean trained actor, Dalton took the role of 007 most seriously. His first film didn't show Bond as a ladies man, but rather a "one lady" man. He was badass and you would totally buy him as a killer. He wasn't one to mess around. Even his tagline for a teaser poster for The Living Daylights read, "The most dangerous Bond. Ever." It was true! Daylights was an instant hit and made $191 million at the box office beating the last two previous Roger Moore outings. It also beat out Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. Dalton was the new Bond and despite what some of the critics and fans said, he brought Bond back to his roots.

Dalton as James Bond in his motion picture debut The Living Daylights (1987).

TWO FILMS STARRING TIMOTHY DALTON AS JAMES BOND AGENT 007

The Living Daylights (1987) saw the awaited return of James Bond's darker side after 12 years and seven years of slapstick humor and silliness with Roger Moore. Timothy Dalton brought the seriousness and toughness that Sean had 25 years earlier.

And the return of our Aston Martin in the form of a Voltane and Vantage.

Timothy Dalton's second and final turn as James Bond in Licence to Kill (1989). This film not only marked the final appearance of Tim as Bond, but also of Robert Brown as M, Caroline Bliss as Miss Moneypenny, John Glen as director (after five films in a row), Richard Maibaum, Maurice Binder (title designer) and Albert R. Broccoli as producer. Albert Broccoli was a consultant producer for GoldenEye, however, before his death. It will be 6 years until the next Bond was to hit theaters starring Pierce Brosnan.

Two years later, in 1989, Dalton returned as 007. This time, it was a mission for Her Majesty's Secret Service, but rather, a revenge story. The new movie Licence to Kill really brought out Dalton's strong side as James Bond. Bond was on his own and out to avenge he maiming of his best friend and death of his wife. Bond this time would anything and everything to kill the man responsible. Roger Moore, or any other actor that played Bond would not have been able to sell that film the way Tim did. This was meant for Timothy Dalton in mind. Any weak spots Dalton had in The Living Daylights would be eliminated and all his strength would come to play. The reception for Licence to Kill was unfortunately quite poor. The violence factor in this film was so dark it became the first ever James Bond filmed with a PG-13 rating. The Bond series was no longer a family event and the drastic change came too soon for some. Dalton was and is the most badass 007 in terms of how he portrayed the character and his style. I think he even out beats Daniel Craig. Dalton had originally been signed on for three films, but after Licence to Kill, there was a lawsuit between distributor MGM and 007 production company EON which lead to a six year hiatus before there next film would come out. During this long gap (1989 to 1995), Dalton decided to step down from the character and the role was given to Pierce Brosnan who continued on the legacy of 007. The film GoldenEye--which was Brosnan's first role as Bond--previously known as The Propery of a Lady, was written with Timothy in mind since he was still signed onto play Bond at the time. Timothy Dalton stands out as the more ruthless James Bond ever, and he is a precursor to the current James Bond, Daniel Craig. The world today accepts Craig as an action killer and less of a spy, because it is much more accepted...well highly praised for that matter these days; especially after the influence of the Jason Bourne films. Dalton certainly came before his time and if he were James Bond today, odds are he would be far more accepted. Long live 007 #4! 

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog, and please join my blog on Facebook dedicated to Timothy Dalton's portrayal of James Bond, aptly named, Timothy Dalton 007 Appreciation Group. It's an open group and as of now we have 400+ members! Join great discussions, posted pictures, and a fun time! New pictures are posted by me everyday! Please join! 

"I thought I saw a SPECTRE on your shoulder."

The next James Bond has finally been announced a few days ago! The forth film starring Daniel Craig is to be called SPECTRE. Starring as the main baddie will be Christophe Waltz, whom, like Javier Bardem did before him, is sure to blow us all away in his performance. Joining the cast will of course be the regulars from the previous films: Naomi Harris as Miss Moneypenny; Rory Kinnear as Tanner; Ralph Fiennes as M and Ben Wishaw as Q. The new Bond Girls will be Monica Bellucci--who has been trying to be a Bond Girl as far back as 1997--and Lea Seydoux. This will be the first James Bond in a few years to start production exactly two years after the last one. Skyfall, came out four years after Quantum of Solace due to a legal issues with MGM. Director Sam Mendes will be returning to direct the film after Skyfall.

LETS TAKE A LITTLE TURN NOW DEALING WITH WHY THIS IS CALLED SPECTRE...

Now, for all of those Bond fans out there, you guys know the whole controversy with the name SPECTRE and Ernst Stavro Blofeld and the character. Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, wrote a screenplay by the name of Thunderball with Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham in around 1958. Now, a few years later, Ian Fleming decided to turn the screenplay into a novel and when he did, he published it without the permission of his two co-writers. In other words, he took the credit for himself. Now, this naturally upset McClory, who sued Fleming after what he did. McClory won the case, and what was originally to be the first James Bond film, became the forth James Bond film with McClory as producer. The aftermath of these events still allowed Kevin to make his own James Bond movie 10 years later. The only setback was that it had to be based off of Thunderball and nothing else. During those 10 years, the Bond producers were able to use the character and organization of Blofeld for the next three movies. By the end of Sean Connery's run as James Bond, SPECTRE and Blofeld were not to be seen again, as the rights to the character were still owned and controlled by Kevin McClory.

Finally, in 1983, McClory was able to make his rival 007 movie by the name of Never Say Never Again. The title was in recognition to Sean Connery swearing he would "never again" play James Bond after filming Diamonds Are Forever in 1971. Now, the film Never Say Never Again was not allowed to use any elements already established by Eon Productions/MGM. In other words, this film would not be able to have the opening gun barrel scene, the James Bond theme, or any other element. The fact that Sean Connery returned to the role that made him big was really the only selling factor that they had. And boy...did they take it! The film was a massive success.

1983 marked the return of Sean Connery as James Bond.

It would not be until 2013, that James Bond producers (MGM, Eon Productions, Danjaq L.L.C.) would be allowed to use SPECTRE or Blofeld again. But now that they now have the rights to the chracter, they are now able to use the character. In all honesty, I hope they modernize the chracter. You shouldn't have a villain from the 60s that was parodied in the 90s with those Austin Power movies. They should make him dark, contemporary and please...no bald head with a white cat. Maybe have a...I dunno....pet tiger? Haha!  He are all the actors that played Blofeld in the past.

 The Many Faces of Blofeld

Anthony Dawson played Blofeld in From Russia with Love (1963) and Thunderball (1965). Both appearances of the character did not have their face seen. The voice of the character was performed by Eric Pohlmann.

Donald Pleasence played Blofeld in You Only Live Twice (1967). This film features the first time his face is revealed.

Telly Savalas played our favorite Bond villian here in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969). Blofeld is bald, but what happened to the scar?

Blofeld in the form of Charles Grey in Diamonds Are Forever (1971). This would be his last appearance in the role until 1983.

Max von Sydow played Blofeld in Sean Connery's last outing as 007 in Never Say Never Again (1983). As you can see, there's the kitty and his portrayal of the role was back to the days of Blofeld in his first appearance.

 And there you have it folks! Here are all the Blofelds throughout the years. Oh, I almost forgot...Roger Moore had his brief ordeal with "bald man with cat" in For Your Eyes Only. Since it was past the 10 year mark and Eon Productions were unable to use the Blofeld character, this appearance was a final "f*ck you" to Kevin McClory telling the audience that the James Bond films would go forward with or without his character that he deprived for so long.

John Hollis played Bl--"man with white cat" villain in For Your Eyes Only (1981) alongside Roger Moore. Voiced by Robert Rietty. 

So, there you have it. All of the Blofelds in the series. Now that we have SPECTRE set to hit theaters next year, we can only guess if he will indeed be Christoph or not. We will just have to wait and see. 

                                                                               Blofeld 2015?

Daniel Craig (James Bond) and new baddy Christoph Waltz star in next year's SPECTRE. I highly doubt they will be this close in the film. Only the total opposite.

During an interview for the film, Daniel Craig said, "I think we've got a better script this time around." We will just have to wait and find out next year! SPECTRE, the forth film starring Daniel Craig, is set to hit movie screens next November next year! Are you excited?!!!

50 Years of James Bond 007!

Gosh, can you believe it? Who would have thought a film with a minimum budget of just $1 million in 1962 would have started an ongoing phenomenon that is alive and well to this day?! Bond, James Bond. The world's most famous fictional British secret agent is celebrating it's 50th anniversary! With 23 features in all (plus 2 independent films which I still consider legitimate Bond films), seven very different actors, and decades of adventures, the Bond films are here to say and very much a part of our modern culture.

Now, the first James Bond, played by Sir Sean Connery, is the one to compare all the following Bonds to. Mr. Connery did seven films in all during a span of 21 years. Starting with his first film in 1962, Dr. No, Connery brought charm, charisma, action and sly wit with his portrayal of 007. He was humorous when he needed to be and said all the right lines that only he could deliver. But being the first, he had no one to compare to. Remember, up to that point, the James Bond character had not been seen outside Ian Fleming's novels and what was portrayed in the novels was a cold killer assassin and less charm. Well, there is one exception. In 1953, Fleming's first novel, "Casino Royale" was on a special on CBS called Climax! It was just an hour and the character of James Bond was played by American actor Barry Nelson. Due to his character being American, he was known as Jimmy Bond. The episode did not do the book justice in that it changed many things. Anyway, back to Sean Connery. The way he played the role made him one of the most popular men the world over! His next film, From Russia With Love, hit theaters a year later. This would be Ian Fleming's last Bond film before his death in 1964. Connery was fresh in the part during his second time as 007 and it would not be until the next film, Goldfinger, when the Bond films would finally take off and be a worldwide hit the world over. The third Bond movie is really what made it and after that success, more and more people the world over loved the Bond movies and thus would continue onto today.

After the success of Goldfinger, Thunderball came out a year later and it was hyped as "The Biggest Bond of All!" This indeed was the case as the budget certainly went up with each picture and now anyone in show business would kill to be in a Bond film, no pun intended. Now, during this time, as the films got more and more unrealistic in terms of plot and circumstances, and with the wide popularity of the character portrayed by Conney, rather than Connery himself, he got a bit bored of the job. So, two years after Thunderball, Connery played Bond one last time in 1967 for You Only Live Twice. Now, this Bond film was to be shot entirely in Japan. Now, the Bond films were just as popular in Japan as they were in Britain and the United States. One day, while walking the streets of Japan, Connery was seen in sandals and baggy pants with an unbuttoned shirt. A fan walked up to him and said in surprise, "Mr. Bond?" Connery replied, "I'm Sean Connery. Fuck off!" This in turn not only turned away a fan but also made Connery respect the role of James Bond even less. Toys and merchandise hit the stores full blast with Connery's face on it and each item on the packaging said, "This man IS James Bond." Now, Connery felt typecast and said he wanted to focus on other things. Connery also seemed to start getting out of shape but we will go into all that later. Following Connery's last Bond film, another film was in the works but the producers were without a James Bond! So, now that he was unwilling to play the part again, the producers found a little known Australian model/commercial actor called George Lazenby. He was going to be the new James Bond. Lazenby had no acting experience and is considered by many to be the worst James Bond...ever. In 1969, at the heyday of the spy genre, this spy would be replaced by another. Now, once Lazenby was cast, the crew did all that was possible to give him similar looks to Connery. His hair was cut the same way, he used a few suits that were tailored for Connery and even said some of the things Connery would say. Since Lazenby did only one Bond film, he did not have the chance to make the character his own. And remember, there were only five Bond films that came before this one and Sean was in all of them. So, not only did they want to make him seem like another Sean, he also had no acting experience which made it twice as hard for them. Now, Lazenby was not bad as Bond, however on the set he was a pain to work with and after production, his agent recommend that he never do another Bond film again. Feeling that he was big stuff, and that once he was Bond his career would soar, Lazenby agreed and left the role as James Bond. The man was even originally signed on for a seven picture deal, but declined. And not only did his career end after that, he would never do anything except adult entertainment movies and children videos. Poor George...

Now, Bond entered the 1970s...Now, you ask, How could a spy still exist in the 70s? What was the point? The 60's were over and the spy scene was done. Who needs a gentleman agent in this decade? Well, none other but the return of Sean Connery made it possible. He was the man that really revised this view and the producers knew that once he was lured back, people would be flushing to the cinemas all over the world to see the made who made Bond what it was. The year is 1971. George Lazenby had done On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969 and left the part. The producers had no James Bond. Looking for some Americans to play the part of Bond, they had their eye on many including Adam West and Burt Reynolds. I am so glad that did not happen. James Bond is meant to be played by one who is British. That is what makes the character so unique! In any case, when the producers contacted Connery, they bribed him into playing the part one last time for a large sum of money to be donated to the Scottish Educational Trust. Connery agreed to play the part and Bond was Back! Sadly, the film wasn't a hit in terms of reviews but financially the movie was a big success!!! This time...Connery was gone for good...Right?

In 1973, the man who claimed to have been offered the part of James Bond back in 1962 but could not get it due to a contract, finally got the part: Sir Roger Moore. Now, he was certainly a different James Bond 007. In no way was he planning on mimicking Connery or Lazenby. He was going to make the part of 007 his own. And that he did. Roger Moore, a British actor who had been famous in television with The Saint and The Persuaders, took the reigns from Connery's last film, and took on a 12 year ride as James Bond. Now, in 1973, when he did his first movie, Moore would enter the world of Blaxploitation films. This film did not deal with a European madman trying to take over the world, or Blofeld and his white cat, no, this film entered the world of drugs and African American villains. In order to bring a spy in the current times, Bond was brought into the world of Shaft and Coffey. Now, Moore was the best to play the part at the time because the world needed humor in it. And Moore is certainly the man with the charm. Less action, suspense and seriousness that Sean brought to the part, and more wit, charm and sly humor. During Moore's run as Bond, he always kept his cool and was for the ladies first and the mission second. Yes, of course he was still Bond, but the way Moore made the part, it seemed like it wasn't even Bond anymore but more episodes of The Saint. Now, I respect Moore, even though he is my least favorite James Bond. But again, each Bond is different. Finally leaving the part in 1985, at the age of 58, it was time for Moore to hang up his gun. Now, believe it or not...during the run of Moore's Bond, Sean Connery made yet ANOTHER comeback 12 years after his last appearance in Diamond Are Forever in 1971. This 1983 rival Bond film was known as Never Say Never Again. In fact, the title itself was indirectly created by his wife at the time, in response to Sean Connery saying that he would never play the role of James Bond again. I suppose it's poetic justice. In any even, the return of Connery was a great sigh of relief to the fans who were tired of Moore. Now, this WAS Sean Connery's last portrayal of the part. Now that he is 83, I sincerely doubt he is going to come back. But hey, it would be nice to see him in a tux and do a photo shoot as Bond! But it was nice to see Sean Connery complete seven films. The year is now 1986, and Sir Roger Moore stepped down from the role a year ago. Now, a classically trained Shakespearean British actor is taking over the role as the new James Bond. Timothy Dalton. By far probably the most underrated James Bond, Dalton stepped in with his new film The Living Daylights in 1987. Dalton read all the Ian Fleming books and loved all of the Sean Connery pictures, especially the first three films. He really based his portrayal of the character from what he read in the books and wanted to bring the written James Bond to the big screen.

Perhaps the reason as to why Dalton taking over the reigns wasn't a good idea for some or most people, is because there was too much of a contrast between himself and Moore in the way they portrayed the characters. As mentioned before, Moore was the charmer and put the romance and witticisms first, while Dalton's Bond had far less time for the ladies and more time for the mission and taking care of his own problems and instincts before losing himself to the girl. The humor was Dalton's shortcomings if he had a fault at anything. But again, where Moore's Bond chilled and sat behind the scenes, this Bond was all up in the action. Timothy Dalton wanted the audience to see a character you could relate to. Someone you could believe existed yet at the same time keep the fantasy alive. Most of the actions sequences were done by Dalton himself in his movies. He wanted it to be flawless so the audience wouldn't know if it was a double or Timothy doing the stunts. Sadly, Dalton would do just one more 007 film before the Bond series took a 6 year hiatus in order to settle a long and daunting dispute with MGM and another company distributing the Bond films without the permission of the Bond family. Anyway, I don't want to bore you with this. You can find the information regarding the delay between Bond films here: In any case, with this last Bond film that Dalton did, it was in 1989 and again, as Roger Moore's first Bond film dealt with Blaxploitation, this also dealt with the way most movies were heading in the 1980s, drug smuggling in South America. This film was written perfectly for Dalton in that it highlighted all his strong suits for his interpretation as 007. After six years since the last James Bond film, Timothy Dalton finally hung up his Walther PPK due to the constant delay in production of the next film. There is a misconception that Dalton's last Bond film killed the franchise. That is not at all the case. This lawsuit took so long that Dalton just wanted to move on. Who took is place? None other than the great Pierce Brosnan! Now, this is the Bond I grew up with so I am naturally biased towards this 007. Even to this day, he is my favorite.

Now, here is a Bond who was not only his own, but was also a mix between the charm of Roger Moore and the danger and strength of Sean Connery. In addition, there were also hints of Timothy Dalton as well. But what made Pierce Brosnan so great was his sophistication. He had it all. He had a little bit of everything and then some. The cool thing about him was that he could kick ass without even looking it. The first time I saw James Bond was a commercial for GoldenEye back in 1995. I was thinking to myself, Whoa, who is this guy? I never ended up seeing it in theaters but Brosnan was still Bond when I saw my first 007 film, Die Another Day. Brosnan's first film really brought James Bond into the 90s and it was the Bond that most enjoyed. Heck, he was the Bond I grew up with, as I said before so of course there is going to be some bias. Although Brosnan was signed on for three films with an option for a fourth, he was still quite popular among fans even though he was approaching his 50s. In either case, he wasn't too old to play Bond, unlike Moore who started aging after his third film. After four feature films as Bond, the producers felt they wanted to reboot the franchise and give the reigns to my second least favorite 007: Daniel Craig.

In 2006, Craig's first film Casino Royale hit theaters. It was an instant hit despite what people felt about the choice of him as 007. To be honest, the new film he did was quite enjoyable. I remember seeing it opening day and not only did it bring Bond back to it's routes, but it also focused more on the plot and less on the gadgets. The one thing I felt was wrong with Brosnan's last film, was the excessive use of gadgets and CGI. Now, this has nothing to do with Brosnan as Bond, but it has to do with the director. I felt that Brosnan's films were all wonder in terms of how he portrayed the character, but the last one he did seemed to push it to the limit in terms of what they could and could not do. So bringing Bond back to basics was cool. The difference with Daniel Craig as James Bond, is that he is far more psychical than any of the other James Bond actors. These films don't really feel all that much like Bond films of the past, but again, things change of course and so do the movies. Craig played Bond more like a Jason Bourne-like character. He's the kind of man that would kill first then ask questions second. Craig is a real paranoid kind of Bond and doesn't trust anyone; which is like an agent should be, but remember, this is James Bond. Even Dalton trusted people. But, like Dalton, he has far less time for the ladies even though he does form a romantic relationship in one of the films, just as Dalton did in The Living Daylights. Craig is essentially the Dalton of the 21st century. With the release of Skyfall, Craig's third film, the James Bond films will certainly getting back to basics and take us on adventures in the next few years. Well, to wrap this up, whichever direction the James Bond films go, here's to 50 years and may the future bring more adventure and excitement with each new film to come! JAMES BOND WILL RETURN

*Credit for James Bond artwork titles goes to my friend  SWFan1977on deviantART.com. Enjoy!