Monday, December 26, 2016
Deleted Entry
Apparently my most recent post was deleted for some odd reason. I didn't get a warning, a message, or anything of the sort. It just disappeared as it were. So, in case you didn't get a chance to read it, it was essentially the debate on if James Bond is indeed one man or just a code name for all those that follow. I put in two arguments there with evidence on each side to support them. Perhaps EON got a hold of it and took it down, but if that were the case you would think they would have shut down my entire blog entry. It took quite a while to type that up and I was determined to get every detail down. I also gave credit to the people that posted the pictures along with the links to them, so something is up here.
In any case, stay tuned for more blogs as the weeks go on and have a fantastic new year.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Is James Bond a Codename or One Man?
There has been an ongoing debate on whether James Bond is one man or a title that is passed down to each new heir to the throne of 007. I'm going to give two sides of this theory and provide evidence why both points are accurate.
IT JUST A TITLE PASSED ON?
This, I can totally understand. People get old, it's time to hang up the suit when you've moved on and pass it to the next eager agent ready to take the reins. This happens in reality as well. One steps down and the other takes over. It's a lot like getting a new Pope or President of the United States. The position is always there but the entity taking over differs from generation to generation, or term to term if you will. We all age, it's just the way of life. Having the name of James Bond is the highest of the high in the British Secret Service. Agent 007 has proved time and time again why the person in the shoes is the right man for the most dangerous of missions. He's timeless.
Another interesting note is that each time a new actor comes on the screen (with the exception of Roger Moore, as we see him bedding someone), there is a sense of suspense and intrigue leading up to when his face is first revealed in their debut film. In Connery's case, he was playing a game of chermaine defur when revealed; George Lazenby has a zoom-in on his lower face as he lights a cigarette. In Timothy Dalton's case there is a dramatic zoom-in as he looks upon a fellow agent falling to his death. With Pierce Brosnan you see his face revealed while infiltrating someone in a restroom stall...okay it sounds ridiculous but it works. With Craig, you don't get a dramatic zoom in or a lead-up to his appearance. You just see him in a room quietly waiting until his target arrives in an office when the lights go on. Not dramatic, but quite a startle. In any case, it's far better than Roger Moore's introduction. In short, if they are all supposed to be James Bond, why do they all look so different?
As I mentioned, before there are those that see him as being a different person and the name Bond is just a codename.
IT HE ONE MAN?
On the other side of the coin, there is something that ties this all together which helps prove he's one man: his mention of past adventures and his late wife Tracey di Vincenzo.
GEORGE LAZENBY
It starts with On Her Majesty's Secret Service and George Lazenby takes over the role of 007 from Sean Connery. In a rare scene in his office at MI6 headquarters-which we won't see again until Die Another Day-he takes out several souvenirs from his previous missions including Honey Rider's knife 9Dr. No; Red Grant's assassination wrist watch 9From Russia With Love; and. All the previous films starred Connery. Now, some may see this as the productions way of reassuring the audience that this is indeed the same James Bond we've come to know even though played by a different actor, I personally see this as being the same man that we've seen in his previous five adventures.
Perhaps most importantly, James Bond gets married in this film. After a wedding with new wife Tracey, Bond stops the car in order to rid it of all the wedding decorations and whatnot. Before realizing it, Blofeld comes screaming down the street and has Tracey murdered in cold blood. This depresses Bond to which he tells a police officer, "We have all the time in the world."
Two years later, Sean Connery returns as 007 in Diamonds Are Forever. The films starts with him on a rampage traveling the world looking for Blofeld. Why on Earth for? Simple...he killed his wife! Granted, even though the previous film starred George Lazenby, the producers wanted to tell the audience that this man is James Bond...but just the face we all know.
In the films with Roger Moore, there are two moments where his wife is mentioned. With The Spy Who Loved Me, Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach) proves to Bond that she knows his personal history as an agent. She mentions that he is only married once that his wife was killed before she is cut off by Bond, "Alright, you've made your point." As Bond brushes it off his shoulder, you can tell this is a vulnerable topic. A few films later, in For Your Eyes Only, Roger's Bond brings flowers to her grave. The grave even has the years on it: TRACEY BOND 1943-1969 "WIFE OF JAMES BOND. WE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD". So, this clearly acknowledges that this was Bond's wife. This is indeed the same man because why would someone bring flowers to someone else's wife with the exact same name? You wouldn't...
In Licence to Kill, Timothy Dalton's Bond has a sense of remorse when he is indirectly reminded of his wife. Della Churchill, the new wife of DEA agent Felix Leiter, tosses Bond a part of her dress and explains,
For Brosnan's Bond, we finally hear how his parents die and that he's an orphan. In GoldenEye, Alec Trevelyan, former Agent 006, compares the differences between Bond's parents demise and his: " We're both orphans, James. But while your parents had the luxury of dying in a climbing accident, mine survived the British betrayal and Stalin's execution squads." Mind you, not much time is taken to focus on this, but it's still stated nonetheless. When it comes to wife Tracy, Bond has a pause when asked by Elektra King if "He's ever lost a loved one, Mr. Bond?" In response, Bond staggers for a moment but then brushes it off.
In Die Another Day, Bond is in Q's workshop in London's Underground and you can see all past gadgets and items throughout his journey. He even notices the jetpack used in Thunderball and before turning it on asks, Does this still work/
For Daniel Craig's Bond, he's also mentioned to be an orphan and that both his parents died in a climbing accident. The film Skyfall explains this and thus this ties in to the fact that he is indeed the same man. There is no mention of Tracy due to the fact that this is before he's been married, however he is still the same man as Brosnan, who thus is the same man as all who came before.
IT JUST A TITLE PASSED ON?
This, I can totally understand. People get old, it's time to hang up the suit when you've moved on and pass it to the next eager agent ready to take the reins. This happens in reality as well. One steps down and the other takes over. It's a lot like getting a new Pope or President of the United States. The position is always there but the entity taking over differs from generation to generation, or term to term if you will. We all age, it's just the way of life. Having the name of James Bond is the highest of the high in the British Secret Service. Agent 007 has proved time and time again why the person in the shoes is the right man for the most dangerous of missions. He's timeless.
Another interesting note is that each time a new actor comes on the screen (with the exception of Roger Moore, as we see him bedding someone), there is a sense of suspense and intrigue leading up to when his face is first revealed in their debut film. In Connery's case, he was playing a game of chermaine defur when revealed; George Lazenby has a zoom-in on his lower face as he lights a cigarette. In Timothy Dalton's case there is a dramatic zoom-in as he looks upon a fellow agent falling to his death. With Pierce Brosnan you see his face revealed while infiltrating someone in a restroom stall...okay it sounds ridiculous but it works. With Craig, you don't get a dramatic zoom in or a lead-up to his appearance. You just see him in a room quietly waiting until his target arrives in an office when the lights go on. Not dramatic, but quite a startle. In any case, it's far better than Roger Moore's introduction. In short, if they are all supposed to be James Bond, why do they all look so different?
As I mentioned, before there are those that see him as being a different person and the name Bond is just a codename.
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| Think this theory is ridiculous? Let's look at the other side of the coin, shall we? |
IT HE ONE MAN?
On the other side of the coin, there is something that ties this all together which helps prove he's one man: his mention of past adventures and his late wife Tracey di Vincenzo.
GEORGE LAZENBY
It starts with On Her Majesty's Secret Service and George Lazenby takes over the role of 007 from Sean Connery. In a rare scene in his office at MI6 headquarters-which we won't see again until Die Another Day-he takes out several souvenirs from his previous missions including Honey Rider's knife 9Dr. No; Red Grant's assassination wrist watch 9From Russia With Love; and. All the previous films starred Connery. Now, some may see this as the productions way of reassuring the audience that this is indeed the same James Bond we've come to know even though played by a different actor, I personally see this as being the same man that we've seen in his previous five adventures.
Perhaps most importantly, James Bond gets married in this film. After a wedding with new wife Tracey, Bond stops the car in order to rid it of all the wedding decorations and whatnot. Before realizing it, Blofeld comes screaming down the street and has Tracey murdered in cold blood. This depresses Bond to which he tells a police officer, "We have all the time in the world."
Two years later, Sean Connery returns as 007 in Diamonds Are Forever. The films starts with him on a rampage traveling the world looking for Blofeld. Why on Earth for? Simple...he killed his wife! Granted, even though the previous film starred George Lazenby, the producers wanted to tell the audience that this man is James Bond...but just the face we all know.
In the films with Roger Moore, there are two moments where his wife is mentioned. With The Spy Who Loved Me, Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach) proves to Bond that she knows his personal history as an agent. She mentions that he is only married once that his wife was killed before she is cut off by Bond, "Alright, you've made your point." As Bond brushes it off his shoulder, you can tell this is a vulnerable topic. A few films later, in For Your Eyes Only, Roger's Bond brings flowers to her grave. The grave even has the years on it: TRACEY BOND 1943-1969 "WIFE OF JAMES BOND. WE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD". So, this clearly acknowledges that this was Bond's wife. This is indeed the same man because why would someone bring flowers to someone else's wife with the exact same name? You wouldn't...
In Licence to Kill, Timothy Dalton's Bond has a sense of remorse when he is indirectly reminded of his wife. Della Churchill, the new wife of DEA agent Felix Leiter, tosses Bond a part of her dress and explains,
For Brosnan's Bond, we finally hear how his parents die and that he's an orphan. In GoldenEye, Alec Trevelyan, former Agent 006, compares the differences between Bond's parents demise and his: " We're both orphans, James. But while your parents had the luxury of dying in a climbing accident, mine survived the British betrayal and Stalin's execution squads." Mind you, not much time is taken to focus on this, but it's still stated nonetheless. When it comes to wife Tracy, Bond has a pause when asked by Elektra King if "He's ever lost a loved one, Mr. Bond?" In response, Bond staggers for a moment but then brushes it off.
In Die Another Day, Bond is in Q's workshop in London's Underground and you can see all past gadgets and items throughout his journey. He even notices the jetpack used in Thunderball and before turning it on asks, Does this still work/
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| James Bond 9Pierce Brosnan9 spots an old relic from his past. |
For Daniel Craig's Bond, he's also mentioned to be an orphan and that both his parents died in a climbing accident. The film Skyfall explains this and thus this ties in to the fact that he is indeed the same man. There is no mention of Tracy due to the fact that this is before he's been married, however he is still the same man as Brosnan, who thus is the same man as all who came before.
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Never Say "Never" Again
It's 1983 and Roger Moore is James Bond. It's 1983 and Sean Connery is James Bond. Is this right? How can this be? How did this even happen?
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| ROGER MOORE and SEAN CONNERY both 007 |
McClory, Kevin McClory
Ian Fleming, Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham come up with a story about the capture of two nuclear warheads and it's up to 007 to stop it. Long story short, the screenplay never came into fruition as there were many obstacles in the way to get it made into a film. So, Ian Fleming decides to turn it into a novel. The problem is he doesn't give his co-writers any credit to the story. This naturally infuriates Mr. McClory and he vows that even though Fleming did indeed create the character of 007, the story and characters featured there-in were his creation and he basically fights the rest of his life to ensure this up until his death in November, 2006.
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| Thunderball is the 4th James Bond film. Note McClory as producer. |
Once Thunderball is completed, EON Productions makes a deal with McClory that they can use the Blofeld character the following 10 years and after that, all the rights go solely back to Kevin. In addition, Kevin wanted to make his own James Bond film series himself as a way to step up to the studio that used his character. He wouldn't be able to do so until 1975, which was part of the agreement. So, since 1965 up until 1983, he focused his entire life on protecting and vowing that the premise of Thunderball is indeed his.
___________________
___________________
It's 1983 and Sean Connery is 53 years old. With the role of 007 well behind him, his career has its ups and downs. Thinking it over, Connery decides to come back when he gets a call from Kevin McClory on the idea of doing another 007 picture. It wouldn't be a part of the EON series, but in fact a Warner Bros. remake of Thunderball with some minor changes to the story dealing with his age and leaving the Secret Service for good. Seeing as this is not part of the main 007 series of films, none of the crew worked on this picture. So, McClory gets the help of businessman Jack Schwartzman to fund the production with company Taliafilm, named after wife Talia Shire. With production trouble happening in and out and Connery not having a good time either, the film soon loses funds and it's up to Schwartzman to continue bankrolling the production out of his own pocket. You can see that near the end of the film, it starts to lose it's wow factor and becomes a bit bland.
Now, as some consider this to be unworthy as a Bond film, it still is in my mind and no collection would be complete without it. Sure it doesn't include the classic Gun Barrel in the beginning, or the James Bond Theme, but it does have similar elements of action, entertainment and what most see as the best James Bond ever: Sean Connery. Even in his prime he looks sharper, snazzier and more effective as the secret agent than his last appearance in 1971's Diamonds are Forever. Be on the lookout for a young Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean; Johnny English) in a supporting role as Nigel Smallfaucet.
Theatrical Trailer
Now, as some consider this to be unworthy as a Bond film, it still is in my mind and no collection would be complete without it. Sure it doesn't include the classic Gun Barrel in the beginning, or the James Bond Theme, but it does have similar elements of action, entertainment and what most see as the best James Bond ever: Sean Connery. Even in his prime he looks sharper, snazzier and more effective as the secret agent than his last appearance in 1971's Diamonds are Forever. Be on the lookout for a young Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean; Johnny English) in a supporting role as Nigel Smallfaucet.
The villain in Never Say Never Again is also Largo, but rather than his name being Emilio Largo, it's Maximillian. These are the various little changes that were able to be made to an already existing story. I've got to say, I find this version of Largo to be far superior than Adolfo Celli's version in Thunderball. This time around, he's played by French actor Klaus Maria Brandauer and although he may not have any deformities on his face, he's just as evil if not more so and he tries to undermine Bond's mission no matter how the cost. There is a scene when 007 walks into a casino and ends up in a room with arcades. This is when he meets Bond Girl Domino Petacchi played by Kim Bassinger; not a very memorable role but it still gives her recognition for her large career to follow.
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| An interesting way to compete with a villain wouldn't you say? But I love it! |
The music, however is not the best. The soundtrack throughout the picture is of a jazzy almost soft rock like tone and it does take a bit away from the action. With what little action music there is, it doesn't compete what is seen on the screen and for that, I can see the movie falling a bit flat. But, McClory does what he can with this production.
Meanwhile, EON Productions and the crew of the James Bond motion pictures are pressed with a dilemma. Wanting to get a new 007 and even asking Timothy Dalton as a successor to the part, the producers change their mind and stick with 5-time 007 Roger Moore. What better way to compete with Sean Connery's rival film than have a Bond the world has already known. So, Moore is on board for his sixth film, Octopussy. Now, while I personally prefer to watch Never Say Never Again over this movie, I can understand why EON continue to make the films. This has been a series since 1962 and with the way it's going, they will not let a rival unofficial Bond film take over the focus.
Yet, the world over loves Sean Connery and many consider him to be the best 007, so Kevin McClory made the right choice to get Connery back. The film was a financial success and thought not making as much as Octopussy, Never Say Never Again is a worthy entry in the
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Why Blofeld is Weak in SPECTRE
With the recent release of SPECTRE, there have been a total of four major villains in the films featuring Daniel Craig. While some are more memorable than others, the most recent villain is my least favorite due to his lack of originality and malevolence. Here's my look at the villains.
Casino Royale has intrigue, beautiful environments and a very malevolent villain in Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen). We don't know what his motives are right away and the scar on his eye just keeps you on edge knowing that this guy is in some risky business...and no not the Tom Cruise kind. We do know he has asthma and a bunch of goons working for him. Le Chiffre is the first villain 007 faces in Ian Fleming's debut book of the same name, as well as the first villain Daniel Craig faces as James Bond. Since the films were rebooted in 2006, the producers felt it only smart to introduce a new Bond to the game. With the seriousness of Daniel Craig (thanks to Timothy Dalton) and the plot, this is not just another Bond film entry, but rather something more. Sneaky, and yet vulnerable to the people he borrows money from, makes Le Chiffre someone that is mainly just a lonely, hidden conman in the mask of evil. The chemistry with Bond and Le Chiffre is flawless because you can tell they both want to defeat each other yet both try and restrain their elegance up until the end.
What I love about this villain, is that you really get into his shoes. He comes off as a mastermind who doesn't answer to anyone, but as you see him evolve throughout the film, but as I said earlier, he's really just a conman that gambles in the stocks with clients' money on the line. After losing a game of poker to 007, Le Chiffre gets desperate and kidnaps Bond, torturing him and losing his cool as he is still not given the information he needs. Then, as Le Chiffre meets his fate, he's revealed to be a scared little man with empty promises.
Care to see the read more?
In Quantum of Solace, which is a direct sequel to Casino Royale, Dominic Greene is not bent on taking over the world, but rather something more striped from the headlines of reality. Funding for his "Greene Planet", a way to provide clean water to many countries. It's obviously a personal ploy to make deals with investors to take over governments under the Quantum organization. Lying to corporations and leaving Bolivia depleted of water in order to give power to a horrible dictator is more of a reality check in how important water is to the world around us, and doesn't really sink in with being a Bond villain. Played by Mathew Amalric (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), Greene is more of a business conman who tries to keep his cool but utterly fails as Bond gets under his skin more and more.
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| Dominic Greene: The Mastermind of Preperation |
Greene is not a physically threatening villain either, and is not nearly as interesting or entertaining as Le Chiffre. At the same time, there's something about the way Almaric portrays the character that makes you want to "love" to hate him. For example, there's a scene with him in the beginning of the film where he yells at Camilla and says, "Don't talk to me like I'm STUPID!....It's unattractive." The way he yells at her and then adds that little bit of elegance really makes me crack up. But, I find him entertaining nonetheless. He is by far not my favorite villain, but not my least favorite.
Skyfall introduces Raul Silva (Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men) in the mix as a Bond villain. Having previously worked for the British government, Raul Silva is out for personal revenge after the head of the service left him for dead. Coming back to act revenge, Raul sends a virus e-mail that destroys . When Silva sends a bomb to MI6 headquarters and detonates it in the office of M, he makes his presence known and it's up to 007 to stop him. A psychotic with no means of stopping until his "mission" is complete, Silva has a sense of humor one minute and transforms that energy into a psychopathic murder. You can't get enough of his character in this film and it almost steals the show from Craig. This is what a Bond villain should be like, which is why I also enjoy watching Le Chiffre. His introduction is one long pan of him walking over to 007 and it's quite terrifying but once you watch this character, he's awesome!
After capture, Raul is sent to MI6 and finally comes face to face with M. Revealing that he has survived with cyanid behind his molar, a horrid scene occurs in which to prove why he has exacted revenge on M for so long. This isn't about killing Bond, it's not about taking over the world, it's about exacting revenge on the one person that orders the missions.. He is perhaps the most menacing of all villains in the Craig films and will certainly go down in history as one of the best!
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| The way he throws that bomb in there...classic! haha |
We now come to the "mastermind" behind all of the three previous villains. Ernst Stavro Blofeld played by the great Christoph Waltz. Revealing that all the previous villains out to kill Bond have worked for his organization, there is nothing threatening or memorable about the way he portrays the character. I personally found Raul Silva to be far more threatening and menacing than this guy. It's discovered that the reason for his actions is because he wants to get back at Bond for being neglected as a child. James was adopted into Blofeld's family after his parents died in a climbing accident. When discovering his father paid more attention to Bond, he's always had an agonizing hate for the secret agent.
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| Bond and Blofeld |
Organizing an evil group known as SPECTRE, Blofeld has the ability to topple governments, threaten public officials and even have enough firepower to run a small war. Seeing that Quantum is a subsidiary of SPECTRE, which is why everything is revealed in the film, it just doesn't work to have this man behind "all your pain." I would have rather had this be a direct sequel to Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace and to have left Skyfall as a standalone film. But for this to be the ultimate mastermind behind Le Chiffre, Greene and Silva, it's a bit disappointing because I do not feel threatened by this guy in the least.
There seems to be a patter here, the weaker villains are in the weaker films while the better villains are in the better films.
Which villain is your favorite in the Daniel Craig films? Le Chiffre, Greene, Silva or Blofeld? Let me know in the comments below and as always, thanks for reading!
Sources:
GIF of Le Chiffre courtesy of: rebloggy.com
Image of Dominic Greene courtesy of: Vinnieh.wordpress.com
Images of Raul Silva courtesy of: yourfuckedupotp.tumblr.com
GIF of Blofeld and 007 courtesy of : TUMBLR
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