Bond, James Bond

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knitwit45
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by knitwit45 »

Lynn, when I watched DAF last week, I kept thinking of you, hoping you were watching, also. When Bond literally drove out of city, I started laughing, wondering how far you have to go now to do the same thing.
Nancy
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knitwit45
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by knitwit45 »

I just watched Casino Royale with Daniel Craig for the first time last night. Even though it was on USA network with innumerable commercials, I was hooked. Mr. Craig brings an earthiness to the role that was always missing. I missed the first 5 minutes or so, caught up as the credits were rolling, and there is always a "setup" scene at the beginning, so I missed a big part of the story. I will record it tonight when it is shown again, but I do have a question. Wasn't this story set at the very beginning of 007's career?
It would explain a lot. His vulnerability with Vesper, his rashness and lack of calculation in the embassy, even breaking into M's home. I will watch it more closely the next time, although I may have to fast forward through the torture scene..too graphic for this woman! I would imagine most of the guys in the audience were squirming :shock: :shock:
Sean Connery's Bond wouldn't have allowed this to happen,don't you think? His Bond was much more seasoned. I guess that's why I think this must have been one of the very first installments of the books.
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movieman1957
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by movieman1957 »

Nancy, this is a prequel, if you will. One thing that Craig carries is the athleticism that was not that prevalent probably until Brosnan. The others had some, Connery and Dalton primarily but Craig is another level.

The torture scene is brutal and a little unbelievable. Most men, having been struck there, would have been unable to breathe, never mind move and be a bit arrogant about it.
Chris

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stuart.uk
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by stuart.uk »

If you include tv and radio, 2 actors played Bond before Connery. Bob Holness, a tv presenter, who played Bond on radio, in the 50s, died last week
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intothenitrate
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by intothenitrate »

Sean Connery's Bond wouldn't have allowed this to happen,don't you think? His Bond was much more seasoned. I guess that's why I think this must have been one of the very first installments of the books.
My 13 year old had a little spate of Bond fever recently, and we started watching the films in order, starting with Dr. No and From Russia with Love. It's odd going back and watching the first ones after already seeing the character as a fully-realized super-spy. In these first two, he's kind of a gum shoe detective with very little "tech."

If there is a "learning curve" throughout the (early) arc of the series, it certainly went hand in hand with the growth of popularity of the series and increasingly bigger budgets. There were a few good documentaries on some of the discs we rented. It sounded like when the filmmakers hit their stride, they would map out the stories by going from one action set piece to the next, saving the most thrilling for the end.

The documentaries also credit director Terence Young as being instrumental in developing the on-screen Bond persona in the early films. Working with Connery (and having a big say in script development), he crafted the character we know today--always composed, well-informed, a few steps ahead of the bad guys, etc.

I've not seen Craig's Bond yet, but I'd like to.
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Mr. Arkadin
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by Mr. Arkadin »

I thought that I had weighed in on my Bond preferences, but I guess that was another thread. I'll keep it short & sweet:

Best Bond Overall: From Russia with Love

Honorable Runners Up:
Goldfinger
Thunderball
Her Majesty's Secret Service
You Only Live Twice
Live and Let Die
The Spy Who Loved Me
The Living Daylights
License to Kill


Best James Bond: Timothy Dalton

Best Storyline/Cinematography: Her Majesty's Secret Service

Best Theme Music: Difficult call here. Debut Dr. No defined the themes that would be used on subsquent flicks, but I also love Goldfinger, Thunderball (Tom Jones rips it up), You Only Live Twice (my favorite Nancy S. tune). Prize goes to Armstrong's devastating interpetation of We Have All the Time in the World (Her Majesty's Secret Service).

Best Bond Villian: I like a lot of them, but I guess I'd go with Charles Gray (Diamonds are Forever), Joseph Wiseman (Dr. No), & Lotte Lenya (From Russia with Love), who delivers a nasty kick.

Best Bond Girl: Do I have to choose?!
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movieman1957
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by movieman1957 »

How interesting you chose Dalton. I liked him also. I thought he was just what it needed after Moore finished. He was rough and could carry off the humor but he was darker too.

In fact I thought Brosnan was much the same way in "Goldeneye" but had lost the edge by the time "Die Another Day" came along. Craig seems more like Dalton's mode and then some. The sensibilities have changed since 1988.

Never cared for "Live and Let Die." It does have a fine boat chase.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by Mr. Arkadin »

movieman1957 wrote:How interesting you chose Dalton. I liked him also. I thought he was just what it needed after Moore finished. He was rough and could carry off the humor but he was darker too.

In fact I thought Brosnan was much the same way in "Goldeneye" but had lost the edge by the time "Die Another Day" came along. Craig seems more like Dalton's mode and then some. The sensibilities have changed since 1988.

Never cared for "Live and Let Die." It does have a fine boat chase.

Connery was great, but Dalton has that wounded desperation that best matches Fleming's character in my opinion.

I was never a fan of Moore--my favorite of his movies would be The Spy Who loved Me, but Live and Let Die was the first Bond film I ever saw (I was probably 7 or 8 years old), and while I found Moore and Bond girl Jane Seymour uninspiring, I loved the character actors, particularly Yaphet Kotto (whose work I would grow to love), Geoffrey Holder, and Gloria Hendry, who had recently made two of my future favorites: Across 110th Street (1972) (Kotto plays lead in this one as well) and Black Caesar (1973). It also had a decent rocking theme that a young kid could relate to and how can you go wrong with Paul McCartney singing that lead?
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by charliechaplinfan »

My husband hates Dalton's Bond and I love him, he's my favourite too because he's dark, serious and dangerous, I think he had Bond right from what I can gather about the character from the books, he's more of what I'd imagine a spy to be like. Other than that I like Connery and the whole style that came with his movies and Daniel Craig to me is doing what Dalton did and getting credit for it.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
RedRiver
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by RedRiver »

In these first two, he's kind of a gum shoe detective with very little "tech."

Amen! That's why they're by far the best. Two of the best adventures I've ever seen. GOLDFINGER established the formula for the many spy films to follow. The opening teaser. The super henchman. LIVE AND LET DIE took the series to self parody. But DR. NO is a tight, serious, exceptionally well crafted thriller.

P.S.
Sean Connery's favorite is FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE!
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by Rita Hayworth »

Kingme - Best Bond Actor in Order

1. Sean Connery, 6 Movies – the best, simply the best!
2. Pierce Brosnan, 4 Movies, my personal favorite as 007

3. Roger Moore, 7 Movies, the most as 007 & George Lazenby, only one movie – I wished he did more. I like his style. Moore/Lazenby – tied for 3rd.

4a. Timothy Dalton, 2 Movies, most boring of all 007
4b. Daniel Craig, 2 Movies so far. I just can't stand him; but I will watch Casino Royale.

I'm in total agreement with Allison's Husband here in regarding Dalton. In Craig ... I will not accept a dark blonde actor as 007 because I felt it was completely out of place.

To me, Connery is the best of all time; Brosnan is number two ... followed by Moore and Lazenby.
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by charliechaplinfan »

I'd rank Roger Moore as my least favourite Bond but the Bond I grew up with, I remember when his Bond's came on the TV 'the movie premiere' it was almost an event and not to be missed, I loved the ones with Jaws on as a youngster, it didn't take me that much time to discover as a young adult that I didn't like Moore's portrayal, it seems to be played with his tongue firmly in his cheek, not that I blame Moore he was following how the character was going. I just don't see a secret agent to be so sardonic and smooth. No my Bond is a dangerouss guy, that count's Daniel Craig in but he's blonde and I'm not sure that Bond is. I haven't seen George Lazenby's Bond but I can imagine that it's a poor comparison to Connery. This leaves me with Connery and Dalton, I think Dalton suffered from the producers not being quite sure what to do with him but if he'd have had Craig's scripts and danger added to it I think he'd have been almost perfect. Connery though is Bond, I don't think he'll ever be budged from this position is popular consciousness.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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intothenitrate
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by intothenitrate »

In one of the documentaries on a Bond DVD I've looked at, they say that Ian Fleming pictured Bond as being like David Niven. Niven played the role in the 60's psychedelic spoof Casino Royale, but that film is so silly, you can't say that the vision was realized.
"Immorality may be fun, but it isn't fun enough to take the place of one hundred percent virtue and three square meals a day."
Goodnight Basington
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movieman1957
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by movieman1957 »

If anyone gets the Encore network this month is Bond month. Everything through "Tomorrow Never Dies" shows up. On Comcast they are all on On Demand and in HD.

Have fun.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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MissGoddess
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Re: Bond, James Bond

Post by MissGoddess »

I am hoping to catch as many as I can. Unfortunately, I scaled back on my cable package and no longer have the "on demand" option (though I still get the Encore channels). Maybe it's just as well, I've never watched anything "on demand" so I probably wouldn't even know how to make my "demands"! :D
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