23 Tuesday May 2017
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It is with sadness that I do this tribute to Roger Moore, who has died at the age of 89. As a big Bond fan, Moore is a big icon of mine who essayed the part of 007 for the longest time and most films. His slightly lighter and suave touch was charming throughout. He was in countless other great movies, but for me he’ll always be Bond. May he rest in peace as a stylish and cultured gentleman.
09 Tuesday Aug 2016
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As anyone who visits my blog a lot will know, James Bond is something of a cinematic hero of mine. There is something special about the Bond movies and watching them change over a now fifty year mark. From the action to the ladies, the style and the villains, there’s simply nothing quite like Bond. So I thought it was high time I did a personal ranking of all 24 movies in the series, from weakest to strongest. Before I begin, I would like to say that this list is my own opinion and not stone cold fact. Many may disagree with my choices, but I am more than happy to discuss Bond movies with all of you as I welcome healthy debate and conversations with fellow bloggers. So now I’ll begin my ranking.
24. Die Another Day
Kicking off my list is Die Another Day, my choice for the worst Bond movie. 
The Bond movies are known for being outlandish and outrageous, but with this abysmal entry they do a leap-frog over that and stretch credibility until there’s nothing left( I shudder to think of that invisible car). There is action, like in any Bond movie but a lot of it just feels like padding as the film has nothing else to offer. The theme song as provided by Madonna is shocking and wholly out-of-place in a Bond movie. Halle Berry and Rosamund Pike are both gorgeous and talented ladies who do their best, but Toby Stephens as the main villain is nothing particularly memorable. Pierce Brosnan in his final outing as 007 is sadly given a dud of a swan song that is best left forgotten.
23. A View to a Kill
Roger Moore completed his last outing as everyone’s favourite spy in the overly campy and largely forgettable A View to a Kill. By this time, Roger Moore was too old for the role of Bond and it really showed in this entry of the long-running franchise. 
Don’t get me wrong, I really liked Roger Moore’s tenure as 007 but he really should have hung up the gun instead of doing this film. Tanya Roberts as the Bond girl Stacey Sutton is an annoyance with her constant screaming. On the plus side, Christopher Walken and Grace Jones make for a bizarre but arresting duo of crazed villains, enlivening a tired film. And John Barry supplies a superlative score. Yet even with these positives, A View to a Kill is a decidedly weak Bond adventure. What is it with weak final outings in the Bond films?
Sean Connery returned after a one film absence to star as Bond, unluckily it wasn’t a very intriguing or fun affair in the less than glowing form of Diamonds Are Forever. 
A film that alternates between slapstick to dull, it’s not Bond’s finest hour. The last thing you want with a Bond movie is an uninteresting story and boy does Diamonds let the side down with a story that memory fails to remember because of its huge flaws. Charles Grey is an amusing Blofeld, though some of the things he does are utterly absurd. Jill St John is saddled with a role that has attitude at the start but then descends into silliness thanks to unclear writing. The direction of this film is what makes it rank so low as it can’t make its mind up of what kind of movie it wants to be. Some good can be gleaned through the sexy title song, sung by Shirley Bassey and the Las Vegas location.
Following on from the success of Casino Royale was going to be hard, which was discovered in the follow-up movie Quantum of Solace. 
Now don’t get me wrong, I like the whole serious Bond who is wounded after betrayal and wants revenge angle. But the fact of the matter is, it isn’t in a film that can provide that. Instead we get a movie that tries way too hard to make the Bond formula super serious, yet comes off as confused and muddled. The main gripe I have is the shaky cam effect that seems to run through the film and produces a major headache. I didn’t go into this film expecting to see James Bourne, I went in to see Bond. A poor villain with a yawn-inducing scheme is drab to say the very least. Some respite can be taken as Daniel Craig gives it his all in the film and Olga Kurylenko is equally as strong, despite the boredom that sets in.
20. Moonraker
I know I’m going to get some flack for putting Moonraker higher than most, but it has a kitsch quality that allows it to be a guilty pleasure even if it’s ludicrous. 
You can see that Moonraker got on the band wagon of the Stars Wars craze that was booming at the time. Goofy is probably the best choice of word to describe this film as it really plays up the overt humour. It’s a bloated exercise, but I can’t help but enjoy parts of it,despite knowing that it takes Roger Moore’s Bond into the realm of near cartoon. Michael Lonsdale is a cultured and well-spoken villain with a strange plot, while Lois Chiles provides some attitude to her underwritten Bond girl. A Bond guilty pleasure is the order of the day with Moonraker, which doesn’t add up to the sum of its parts as it blasts 007 literally into space, but is entertaining anyway.
19. The Man with the Golden Gun
Roger Moore strapped on the tuxedo for a second time as 007 in the largely underwhelming The Man with the Golden Gun. 
This film has something of a tired feeling to it, which shows broadly throughout the film with the overuse of comedy and repetition. Britt Ekland is one gorgeous girl, but her character is a bumbling agent who is incompetent and clueless at almost every task put her way. Weaknesses aside, Golden Gun delivers on some levels thankfully. Roger Moore has the suaveness and that classic eyebrow raise for the part, yet this isn’t his best performance as Bond. Christopher Lee makes for a formidable adversary in Scaramanga and is perfect casting, applause must go to the casting as Lee is inspired. Thailand provides a beautiful backdrop for the villain’s lair and is as exotic as they come. Shame then that the film goes overboard on the comedy then.
18. Thunderball
My relationship with Thunderball has been a complicated one. On the one hand, it does have some gorgeous locations and thrills, but then it quite often overblown in the extreme. 
I’ll settle at saying that it is a mixed offering. Thunderball is mainly dragged down, despite the high action quota by a lagging pace that uses too many underwater scenes that last for what seems like an eternity. Sean Connery still rocks it as 007 with his rugged looks and urban charm that could impress any lady who passes by. Emilio Largo as a villain is somewhat underrated despite the good portrayal from Adolfo Celi and I believe he deserves a bit more credit. He’s not going to rival Blofeld, but then again, can anyone? The vixen Fiona Volpe is sexy and deliciously evil as probably the first bad to the bone Bond girl and charged with killing Bond, whereas on the other end of the spectrum is the morose and caged Domino. Not vintage Bond, but explosive enough.
In Pierce Brosnan’s second outing as Bond, Tomorrow Never Dies juggles action and something of a topical story line with the theme of media manipulation. Some of this technological edge is very accomplished along with an electronic score. 
Yet the villain, as well as Jonathan Pryce plays him, is not really that memorable as his scheme is a bit much(even for a Bond movie). Still, there is the martial arts and kick ass specialties of Michelle Yeoh as agent Wai Lin to be witnessed. She’s one of the most independent and strong women in the franchise and a high point of this film as she clearly doesn’t need any protection from anyone, least of all Bond. The action quota is very high and a motorbike chase through Saigon is a fast-paced delight. And some of the nifty gadgets from Q are cool as hell, especially the car that you can control from a key pad. As strong Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies hits the required spots.
A well mounted and more character driven Bond film that marked the third appearance of Pierce Brosnan, The World Is Not Enough is impressively made, though occasional wrinkles set in. The addition of more character development is impressively drawn, particularly in regards to the complex character of Elektra King. 
She is one of the most intriguing Bond girls in the series and her many deceptive facets are played perfectly by Sophie Marceau. It was also refreshing to see M get more to do and stretch her legs more in the world of espionage. And it would be a sin to not mention the boat chase along the Thames that kicks the film off in classic style. This film is somewhat underrated in many quarters though it gets the job done efficiently, yet with a few missteps. While the drama of the piece is good, it gets a bit muddled at various stages. A big flaw comes in the casting of Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist. Not only is it ludicrous but it just gets very hard to swallow that her character is at all bright or really useful within the scope of things. Not a classic Bond film, The World Is Not Enough is definitely still an intriguing and sometimes undervalued entry into the large series. And I am partial to the slinky title song from Garbage.
15. Spectre
The latest Bond movie and Daniel Craig’s fourth, Spectre was a very enjoyable affair that had an old-fashioned feeling to it. The opening sequence amid the carnivals of Mexico was audacious and dazzling. I enjoyed the bringing back of older elements of the series and got a major kick out of it. 
The continuing into Bond’s past was a very good stroke that added more layers to the character. Léa Seydoux made for a cool and intelligent Bond girl, who was quite the match for 007. Villainy was supplied by the talented Christoph Waltz who was very cool casting and someone I’d thought for a long time should be a villain in the Bond universe. I found some parts of this one a bit corny and overly jokey, but the rest of the story was adventurous and thrilling enough. I would have preferred if Monica Bellucci had a bigger role, but she was glamorous enough as the mafia widow. It doesn’t live up to the phenomenal Skyfall, but Spectre gets the job done with panache and some cool set pieces.
A strong Roger Moore entry, For Your Eyes Only brought Bond back to earth after the extravagance of Moonraker. This was a wise move that allowed a superb spy story rooted in the real world play out for Bond. The focus on seriousness paid off well here. The villain was subdued but cultured, setting him apart from over top maniacs that came before. 
Carole Bouquet is electrifying and moving as the vengeful Melina, out for revenge on those who killed her parents and armed to the hilt with a crossbow. She has a striking maturity and classic beauty about her as well as considerable acting ability in the well-written role. Stellar support comes from Topol as a roguish ally for Bond. A misstep is in the casting of Lynn-Holly Johnson as a naive ice skater smitten with Bond. Her character is ridiculous and completely pointless within the scope of the movie. Some lovely locations such as Greece and Cortina, Italy provided stunning views against which the plot unfolded. A largely smaller scale Bond than most are used to, the return to genuine espionage and danger greatly benefited this film.
It has its share of cartoonish moments in it, but the sheer outrageousness of You Only Live Twice is what makes a lot of it watchable. Sean Connery, despite lagging interest in continuing to play Bond, still displays the devilish and dapper charm that the part needs. An exotic nature hangs over this film, through locations and beautiful music from the unbeatable John Barry. 
We finally glimpse the previously unseen Blofeld and he is played by the wonderful Donald Pleasence( who is still my favourite actor to take the part of the arch-villain). His appearance would become an iconic one for the franchise and spoofed in many parodies. His lair of the hollowed out volcano is a triumph of production design that sets the scene for the climactic battle. Nancy Sinatra’s haunting theme song is sublimely orchestrated and filled with mystery. The Japanese locations are awe-inspiring and majestic, some of the best for a Bond movie. One major flaw is when Bond is made to look Japanese as part of a cover. Not only is it ridiculous, it’s very offensive too. With that flaw aside, You Only Live Twice boasts enough striking moments of greatness to warrant may viewings.
12. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
George Lazenby’s solo outing as Bond is one that often divides the 007 community, but over time it has gathered much deserved recognition. Lazenby is credible enough if a little stiff in the role of Bond. The biggest strength of this film is the relationship between him and Tracy( played wonderfully and formidably by Diana Rigg). 
It’s the first time that Bond genuinely falls in love with a woman and the tragic end of the film really rips your heart out. The lovely Diana Rigg carves Tracy into a layered Bond girl who lingers in the memory. Blofeld is portrayed well by Telly Savalas, who shows a Blofeld that really isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and take Bond on himself. The gorgeous mountains of Switzerland provide the wintry feel of the film and are used for some exciting chases. Louis Armstrong and his trademark gravelly voice imbue ‘We Have All The Time in The World’ with deep romanticism and smoothness that cause it to stand out as a gorgeous song. John Barry’s score is an accomplished achievement and his contribution to the sound of Bond is incomparable. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service successfully incorporates clarity and emotion into the series allowing for some touching moments.
Timothy Dalton’s first Bond movie had him bringing out a grittier side to 007 that many felt was needed after the campy and tongue-in-cheek Roger Moore. He provides Bond with a ruthless wit and capable fighting ability, while nailing the required charm. The Living Daylights takes it cues from a more old-fashioned style of spy film and is all the better for it. 
The feeling of the Cold War is very much present throughout The Living Daylights, concocting a gripping spy yarn that continues Bond’s globetrotting to gorgeous locales. Balancing the intrigue with action, the film boasts some spectacular scenes: my personal favourite being an attack on a base in Afghanistan against the treacherous villains. Speaking of the villains, the main two are passable enough but the real menace is generated from the imposing Necros. Maryam d’Abo competently plays the sweet Kara, who doesn’t realise what she’s been put into but shows her mettle later on. John Barry signed off as main Bond composer with this film and boy was a good one to do so with.
10. Dr. No
The movie that started it all, Dr. No holds up remarkably well even today thanks to it setting the excitement and adventure bar high and introducing us to the staples of the series. 
Sean Connery(my favourite James Bond) announced himself as a suave yet cunning incarnation of the role and set a big task for those who followed. The film practically overflows with iconic moments, such as the classic “Bond.. James Bond” , the gun barrel sequence and the rising of Honey Ryder from the sea in that white bikini. I still get a kick out of hearing the Bond theme in this film, blasting through the screen and into my ears. It has it’s share of dated parts but putting them aside, Dr. No is still a good ride and a cracking starting off point.
Licence to Kill is without a doubt the most savage and violent Bond film in the canon. Timothy Dalton’s last outing as Bond was a good one, but I would have liked to have seen him play the character more than just in two films. Thankfully his delivery of Bond as brooding and angry brought a jolt of seriousness to the franchise and it especially shows in the dark Licence to Kill. 
Instead of a world domination plot, we have a much more realistic scenario of revenge as Bond takes down the vicious drug lord Sanchez( played with chilling menace and charisma by Robert Davi). Violence plays a large part in this Bond movie and whereas before violence was there, here it’s presented in a much more savage and bruising way. Carey Lowell supplies proceedings with sex appeal and hard as nails attitude, while Talisa Soto is credible as the much abused girlfriend of Sanchez. Also look for a young Benicio Del Toro as a psychopathic henchman. A hugely underrated Bond, Licence to Kill brings the action but a welcome brutality to the series that seemed needed to establish the agent as something different.
The second Bond movie is a largely down to Earth thriller with a real sense of dangerous atmosphere and international intrigue. We see Bond as a flesh and blood spy using his wits and smarts to survive rather than later gadget laden entries( which I love,but it’s interesting to see Bond without a reliance on them). Sean Connery continued to grow as Bond with his mix of assurance and virility making him a cool spy and hero. From Russia with Love is a definite Cold War thriller with a feel of Hitchcock to it. 
This was before Bond became a global phenomena and the often realistic plot which feels old school is a delightfully concocted web of deceit and diabolical plans. Robert Shaw is chillingly effective as the well-built homicidal Red Grant who dukes it out with Bond aboard the Orient Express in a vicious fight scene that continues to be a remembered moment throughout the Bond universe. There’s also Rosa Klebb, the evil colonel with a poison tipped shoe to contend with. A seductive beauty who is used as a pawn in a game of cat and mouse, Daniela Bianchi is suitably gorgeous and despite at the time having no real acting experience acquits herself well in the part of Tatiana. Kerim Bey is one of Bond’s best allies in the series and his wolfish demeanor is a definite delight as he plays off Bond wonderfully and provides a lot of support to the agent. A gloriously old-school Bond film, From Russia with Love proudly takes its place in my top 10.
7. Octopussy
Possibly the most exotic of the Bond films, Octopussy is in my view one of Roger Moore’s best. An intriguing and convoluted plot is played out against the lush beauty of India, which makes for a dream location of palaces and splendour. 
Genuine suspense is generated in many scenes, and the action is quick and packed to the rafters with danger. Maud Adams as the eponymous character has sublime chemistry with Moore and adds maturity and independence to the powerful woman. Louis Jourdan has oiliness to burn as the silken-voiced villain of the piece. The humour is dialed down a bit, only allowing a few embarrassing parts to make their way in. John Barry’s score is simply gorgeous and matches the opulence and unusualness of the film with romantic panache. Silliness and complexity aside, Octopussy stands as a breathtaking spy adventure yarn.
As the first Bond movie I ever saw, I had to include Live and Let Die in my top 10. Roger Moore’s debut is an action packed thriller that takes cues from the blaxploitation genre and incorporates voodoo into the proceedings. 
Moore is a dapper 007 who while never shying away from a fight, is more silver-tongued and tongue in cheek than Sean Connery. The glamour emits from beautiful Jane Seymour playing the card reader Solitaire, who Bond snatches from the clutches of the main villain. The boat chase through the bayous of New Orleans is a cracker of a set piece along with the creepy shadow of the mystical Baron Samedi who supposedly can not die and Bond’s daring escape on an alligator farm. And not forgetting the barnstorming title song that kicks things into high gear.
The best of the Roger Moore era, The Spy Who Loved Me brims with wit, stellar action and interesting characters. Roger Moore seems very at ease with the role of Bond and his charming sophistication stands him in good stead. 
The Bond Girl of Anya is a credible match for 007 in almost every department. Added depth and tension is given to the character as she has her own personal vendetta with Bond to settle, despite being assigned to help him on his latest mission. Then we have the menacing giant Jaws, who has steel teeth that he utilizes when killing others and also his brute strength. This movie also contains one of my favourite scenes. In it, Bond escapes from a band of goons in the snowy mountains and jumps off a nearby cliff. As he falls further and nail-biting suspense sets in, he opens up a Union Jack parachute as the theme music blares. It is a moment of genius in the franchise that still impresses. A disco flavoured score is just the ticket as well as the stunning ‘Nobody Does It Better” which perfectly describes the durable hero and his irresistible ways. The Spy Who Loved Me thrills from beginning to end.
4. GoldenEye
Bond came back after a long absence with a corker of a film in the wonderous shape of GoldenEye. The first and best of the Brosnan era, GoldenEye stormed into people’s thoughts by announcing that Bond was just as relevant as ever before and stylish as hell. 007 is now in a changed world, best shown by the backdrop of the Soviet Union falling and the fact that the new M is played by the excellent Judi Dench. 
Brosnan slips into the shoes of Bond and combines effortless charm, masculinity and physicality to the part in considerable fashion. Sean Bean makes a mark as the baddie Alec Trevelyan, who is an agent gone rogue and once good friends with Bond. This underlying estrangement and feelings of betrayal give another layer of depth to GoldenEye as they face off violently and memorably. The two Bond girls are both excellently played in different ways by Izabella Scorupco and Famke Janssen: who provide both help and danger for Bond. Scorupco as the talented computer programmer and survivor Natalya is a good heroine for this kind of Bond film, while Famke Janssen is seductively perverse and lethally evil as Xenia Onatopp, who likes to crush victims between her steely thighs. Then there is the talented Judi Dench making her first appearance as M, who is adept at putting Bond in his place when needed. Action set pieces and fiery showdowns colour GoldenEye with adventure and adrenaline. from the start to the finish. GoldenEye showed everyone’s favourite secret agent had lost none of his ability to charm and thrill.
3. Skyfall
Daniel Craig’s third Bond movie was released in the year that the series passed the fifty years mark and every stop was pulled out to make this a cracking anniversary Bond. Skyfall ticks all the required boxes and then some, by delving into more drama of the character’s backstories but never short-changing the audience when it comes to audacious action and glamour.
The direction from Sam Mendes is exquisite and he really takes the franchise to excellent heights while honoring the hallmarks of the canon. He pervaded the movie with some deep emotion that highly suited this kind of entry and the cinematography from Roger Deakins was some of the best seen in a Bond flick. Daniel Craig still had the serious edge to the character, but managed to inject some of the quick-witted traits from older Bond. Javier Bardem was perfect casting as the revenge obsessed baddie Silva, playing the guy with flamboyance and eccentricity. Naomie Harris and Berenice Marlohe add sophisticated glamour, but the woman who really stands out is Judi Dench in her best performance as M. The whole plot of the film largely hinges on her character and Dench provides intelligence, authority and emotion in every scene. Adele contributed a soulful throwback song that had tons of power. An intelligent as well as gripping Bond film, this was the anniversary present of a lifetime.
Daniel Craig’s debut as 007 took Bond back to the beginning of his career with an emotion driven reboot that was just what the doctor ordered. Craig imbued Bond with a taciturn approach that is also capable of feeling deep emotions, but later learns to trust absolutely no one in the spy game. Possibly my favourite Bond Girl is Vesper Lynd, who is embodied with pathos and mystery by Eva Green. Tension positively drips from Casino Royale. 
Take the opening scenes where Bond acquires the kills to make him 007, shot in noir like black and white. Or the card playing that takes up a large chunk of the film, who knew cards could be such a dangerous and nail-biting activity? These things help up the sense of creeping danger as Bond is on his first real mission and still has quite a bit to learn. The violence is higher here, including a wince-inducing torture scene that hark back to the original Ian Fleming blue print for the character. I appreciated the showing of Bond as sometimes vulnerable while also brutal, performed by Daniel Craig. Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre was ideal casting; he managed to be both creepy and strangely sympathetic as he was under command from a higher power of deceit. Casino Royale proved that going back to basics can do wonders for a long-running franchise. Stripped back and physical, Casino Royale is an absolute must for Bond fans.
Finally we reach my favourite Bond film and I knew it had to be Goldfinger. It’s the movie where all the formula that the public loves came together seamlessly and turned 007 into a pop culture as well as cinematic icon. I simply can’t wax lyrical enough about the greatness and iconic status of Goldfinger, but I’ll try to pick out why the film is so great. Boasting an array of gadgets and stylish cars, which would become hallmarks of later ventures, Goldfinger sets an exciting template that cemented the series as something to be reckoned with. 
Sean Connery does his best work as 007; witty, dashing and a capable match in a battle. Goldfinger is an outstanding and bizarre villain, complimented by loyal henchman Oddjob and his neck-breaking bowler hat. Honor Blackman emerges as one of the best Bond girls in the series with one of the most memorably naughty names, Pussy Galore. Everything in the film looks so sharp and slick and there is no shortage of outstanding moments that burn into the memory, particularly the girl painted gold. A bombastic score, heavy on the brass and under the command of John Barry gets across the signature sound of 007. And of course there is the belter of a title song, from the incomparable Shirley Bassey. This movie fills me with such enthusiasm due to the constant moments of greatness within the plot, style and overall production. All I have left to say is, Goldfinger is an undisputed classic of the Bond franchise and my top pick.
So that ladies and gentlemen is my completed personal ranking of the many James Bond movies. I hope you all enjoyed reading my take on the iconic franchise that for me never gets old and remains evergreen.
08 Sunday Nov 2015
My love of Bond is unending. Till the day I die the man will always be my favourite cinematic character and the movies will be burned into my memory. Anyway after waxing lyrical there, I’m getting to the crux of this post. The title sequences of the Bond movies are parts that I always look forward to because of their visuals and seductive images. Today I’m going to be discussing my opinions on the five title sequences that have made an impact on me, along with the music that accompanies them. Also this post is a tribute to the stellar work of Maurice Binder, Robert Brownjohn and Daniel Kleinman.
Goldfinger:
The third film of the series and my personal favourite, Goldfinger has some really iconic images in the title sequence. Set to the seductive sound of Shirley Bassey belting out the stunning title track, the sequences features women painted with gold as footage from the movie is projected onto them. There is something sinister but also very sexy about this sequence, and lovely ladies would feature heavily in almost every title sequence that followed. Maurice Binder, who created the sequence to the first movie, was unavailable and so this sequence was done by Robert Brownjohn, who does a commendable job at it.
You Only Live Twice:
Maurice Binder was the king of the title sequences because of his innovative work and spellbinding imagery. A lovely example is his work for You Only Live Twice. Taking cues from the oriental setting of the film and important plot points involving a volcanic air base, Binder fashions a haunting sequence complete with geishas, spider like parasols and overflowing lava. Twinned with the beautiful title song, the sequence has a distinct dreamlike quality of lush romanticism with orange and red forming a passionate but dangerous core.
Live and Let Die:
Along with the tempo changing song that ranks as an absolute classic, the dark title sequence of Live and Let Die made its mark on me as a child and it has been hard to forget. A changing colour scheme,fire,body paint on curvaceous ladies and voodoo paraphernalia bring out the dark side of the Bond movies in an exciting format that sizzles with excitement. Maurice Binder crafted a winner with this sequence.
GoldenEye:
Daniel Kleinman stepped into the shoes of Binder with his first effort for the movies as Bond was making a comeback to. He reinvigorated the sequences once more with modern technology and CGI. GoldenEye is a delightfully tongue in cheek sequence with lingerie wearing women destroying Soviet monuments, a two-headed women to reference duplicity and gold a plenty. Kleinman really began to incorporate the main themes of the story into the sequences which is something that impressed me. And all these elements are topped off by a powerful Tina Turner song.
The World Is Not Enough:
Kleinman creates an unusual and psychedelic sequence that is both slightly disturbing and weirdly erotic. Globes spin, oil derricks pump in unison and women are formed, covered or falling into oil. Once again Kleinman chooses to really dig into the themes of the film for visual references. It’s all very peculiar and arresting, and the languidness suits the slinky title song from Garbage.
All of the title sequences have merit to them, but the ones I have discussed are the ones I hold dear. I hope it had made for interesting reading.
06 Friday Nov 2015
Tags
With 007 doing well at the box office once more with Spectre, I thought I should do another question post revolving around Bond. Today, it is the locations that I want to discuss. Over more that 50 years, Bond has ventured to many exotic and breathtaking locations to do battle with evil. So today I want to ask, which location sticks in your mind? Whatever your opinion, feel free to leave it.
02 Monday Nov 2015
Posted in 007 thoughts and reviews, Movie Reviews
Tags
007, 2010's, Andrew Scott, Ben Whishaw, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Craig, Dave Bautista, James Bond, Jesper Christensen, Léa Seydoux, Monica Bellucci, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Sam Mendes, Spectre, Spy
Film Title
Spectre
Director
Sam Mendes
Starring
It was going to be a hard act to follow the phenomenal success and acclaim that Skyfall experienced, but I’m happy to report that Spectre, the 24th Bond movie is excellently done and hugely entertaining on almost every level. Bringing back some of the classic formula that makes the series so enjoyable in the first place, Spectre scores high points.
We begin in Mexico during the Day of the Dead, where Bond is on an unofficial mission as ordered by the former M before her death. 
He is tracking an international criminal named Marco Sciarra who is planning to blow up a prominent stadium. Before he can do this Bond intervenes in typically bombastic fashion and gives chase to the mafia boss, ending up with the two of them battling it out in a helicopter slowly spinning out of control. Bond overpowers him and manages to claim his ring, which bears a curious octopus symbol. Meanwhile, back in London, the current M is under pressure when Bond returns because his actions play into the hands of ambitious Security Chief Max Denbigh. The cocky upstart has plans to rid MI6 of the 00 section, seeing it as old and outdated. Though disciplined by M to stay and not doing anything rash, Bond, enlisting the covert services of loyal Moneypenny and gadget man Q, travels to Rome to uncover more about the syndicate the Sciarra was part of. Through contact with the forbidden Lucia, who is the widow of Sciarra, he finds the meeting place. It transpires that the organisation is the nefarious SPECTRE, who are behind worldwide acts of chaos and evil. Most alarming of all is the fact that the head of it is someone from Bond’s past known as Franz Oberhauser. Travelling to Austria, where he encounters former enemy Mr White, who is dying and in his last moments gives Bond precious information, Bond is set for a globetrotting adventure that also takes him to Tangier. 
He is further aided by Mr White’s intelligent daughter Dr Madeleine Swann, as he unearths the full nature of the crime group and confronts his own past in a mission that gets personal and very dangerous.
Sam Mendes successfully returns to the director seat again and works marvels with Spectre. Sprinkling proceedings with humour, action and dangerous elegance, he captures the world of Bond with excitement and panache. I enjoyed seeing Mendes tipping his hat to some of the older movies in the series, specifically From Russia with Love and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Style oozes from the frames of this movie and special mention must go to the dazzling opening sequence. 
The sweeping nature of the tracking shot that begins the film is stunning and it burns itself deep into the mind for its skill, as well as the rest of the action-packed sequence that begins things with one hell of a bang. And I must give credit to the lovely cinematography that gives each new location on Bond’s journey a sense of dangerous atmosphere and international intrigue. 
Whether it be the burned oranges of shadowy Rome to the exotic golden sheen of Morocco, Spectre never fails to engage on a visual level. For all the visual grandeur, at least Spectre has a good script and story to go along with too. I liked the reintroduction of humour again and the way it was balanced with suspense. There really are some cracking one liners in here that will raise a chuckle or so within the audience, but there is still a grittiness within that is typical of Craig’s tenure as 007. Spectre feels very much like a Bond movie of old in style and content, though mixed with up to date agendas and technology. Thomas Newman provides a stirring and sweeping score that acts as a an excellent accompaniment to the adventure on screen and is not afraid to break out the outrageous bombast of old. Though the Sam Smith song for the movie has caused an ambivalent response, the orchestra heavy ‘Writing’s On the Wall’ fits stunningly into an unusual title sequence of octopus tentacles crawling over lovely ladies, fiery elementals caressing Bond and flickers of the past in shattered glass.
In his fourth outing as 007, Daniel Craig is excellent and really looks comfortable with the part. He still brings a level of seriousness to the screen, but it’s fun to see him be quick-witted and ruthless with style. 
In other words, Craig brings a new lease of life to Bond by combining both of these qualities and emerging successful. Largely seen in the shadows for the first half but once unveiled a slimy presence, a superb Christoph Waltz imbues the villain Oberhauser with a sinister charm and quiet sense of being the one pulling a whole lot of strings. Portraying the primary Bond girl Madeleine Swann, Léa Seydoux is sultry, intuitive and well-rounded as we witness her being able to handle dangerous situations and be able to analyse Bond. There is something very layered about the character and through the talents of Seydoux, they shine through. Ben Whishaw is a hoot as Q, given more material and working wonders with some splendidly written scenes with Bond as he risks his job to help him on his mission. Naomie Harris shines as Moneypenny, who also risks her job to help Bond and has a natural sense of humour about her. The hulking and silent credentials of Dave Bautista make for a suitably menacing henchman who tangles with Bond on more than one occasion. 
In a small but well-played part, the lovely Monica Bellucci plays a mob widow with a sense of melancholy and sexiness to her, who gives Bond some very important information regarding the eponymous group. Ralph Fiennes is great as M, who is not backing down from battling the forces that want to take away what he has worked for all this time. As the slick and brash Denbigh who has big plans and is thoroughly smug and condescending, Andrew Scott does a good job at making him really unlikable. And making a pivotal cameo is Jesper Christensen as former enemy Mr White who while dying after betraying SPECTRE, confides in Bond.
A well-shot, stylish and exciting Bond adventure, Spectre provides thrills and action that will leave you astonished and engrossed. I think it’s fair to say Spectre is a more than worthy follow-up to the amazing Skyfall.
22 Thursday Oct 2015
Posted in 007 thoughts and reviews
Tags
As most of my followers know, James Bond is an icon to me and the franchise is ultra special. So I thought I’d post links to my Bond reviews of last year for those who may have not seen them, as Spectre is coming to cinemas very soon and I want to refresh everyone with my thoughts on 007. I hope you enjoy plowing through my takes on them.
06 Tuesday Oct 2015
With Spectre being released at the end of the month and my excitement going into overdrive, I thought it was time I found out what people made of the song for it. Sam Smith’s “Writing’s On The Wall” seems to have divided opinion a lot but has proved a big success on the charts. I must admit I wasn’t sure about the song at first, but it is slowly growing on me. So what do you think of the song? Does it have the right Bond flavour? Whatever you make of it, let me know.
12 Thursday Mar 2015
Posted in 007 thoughts and reviews, Movie Reviews
Tags
007, 2000's, Daniel Craig, Gemma Arterton, Giancarlo Giannini, James Bond, Jeffrey Wright, Jesper Christensen, Judi Dench, Marc Forster, Mathieu Amalric, Olga Kurylenko, Quantum of Solace, Spy
Film Title
Quantum of Solace
Director
Marc Forster
Starring
Coming after the revamped success of Casino Royale, Quantum feels like a step down or two. I think that any film to follow a predecessor as good as Casino Royale would struggle, but whereas that film brought something new and exciting to the series, Quantum tries too hard to change parts of the formula that should be left alone.
With the death of Vesper and the full extent of her betrayal now known to Bond, he is a broken man, out purely for revenge at the death of her. The film opens with Bond, with Mr White in the boot of his car, being chased by the enemy along a mountain range of Italy. 
After successfully fending off the potential assassins, Bond brings the nefarious Mr White into custody, where M is waiting for him. White sneers at Bond and the secret service as he informs them that the organisation that he works for has people everywhere. Unfortunately, M’s bodyguard is actually a double agent and frees Mr White, before Bond chases him to his death. Enraged by the lack of knowledge of this organisation and at the end of her tether with Bond and his personal vendetta, M doesn’t know what to do to rectify this dangerous situation. Bond has different ideas and after hearing of a link to the organisation and motivated by revenge, he travels to Haiti. It is here that he meets Dominic Greene, a leading member of the Quantum organisation and environmentalist with evil ideas of power. 
Also in toe is Camille Montes, a vengeful young woman infiltrating Greene’s inner circle to come into contact with a corrupt Bolivian general. Camille wants revenge for her family’s murder and when she meets Bond, the two both realize that they are both on the same mission to avenge loved ones. The two of them travel from Austria to Bolivia in an attempt to bring Greene’s plan to seize the water supply of Bolivia to a stop. But with distrust at every corner and revenge on his mind, can Bond really get it together to pull through and stop the plan before it is too late?
What immediately gives Quantum of Solace an underwhelming quality is the kind of editing used. With quick cuts and shaky cam a plenty, it’s like the director thought that they should try to emulate the Bourne series. I’m all for some of the frenetic editing, but it truly becomes a drag on the film and detracts from many effective scenes. Marc Forster tries to bring more grit to this movie, but instead makes it uncomfortable and way too bleak. I get that the revenge arc is in play here, but it takes a backseat as the film jumps from place to place without any real certainty to speak of. 
The whole scheme of Greene stealing the water supply is supposed to bring in a sense of growing paranoia but quickly becomes a bore. And the locations of the Bond film are usually a highlight but because of the drab nature of the film, there is no glamour or stunning locales to admire. Thankfully, David Arnold brings a touch of the old style to the musical score and gives Quantum of Solace a much-needed sense of purpose and panache. The same can’t be said of the main song, ‘Another Way To Die’ sung by Jack White and Alicia Keys. Putting the two musically opposite stars together seemed like a good idea at the time, but the end result is a forgettable song that doesn’t impress at all.
Daniel Craig brings intensity and darkness to Bond, showcasing the breaking of his heart and the severing of his morals. It’s a shame the overall film isn’t that memorable, as Craig puts in a great second performance as this bruised 007. Olga Kurylenko gives wounded strength and deep vulnerability to the role of Camille, who sees Bond as something of a kindred spirit as they are both out for revenge. 
What is refreshing in Quantum of Solace and a rare bonus is that there isn’t a romantic tie between the two that gets in the way of their personal mission; they are both clearly on the same track down the path of vendetta to rid themselves of the emotional ghosts haunting them. Mathieu Amalric definitely hits the right notes with the slimy and reptilian nature he brings to Dominic Greene, but as a villain he isn’t really that great and his scheme isn’t one that will linger in the memory. Giancarlo Giannini reappears as old contact Mathis but is criminally underused, which in turn undermines his tragic fate in this movie. 
Gemma Arterton gives appropriately terse and businesslike assurance to her role as a consulate agent tasked with returning the avenging Bond to England who plays by the rules of her job description but is persuaded otherwise by Bond. Judi Dench brings stern authority and power to the part of M, who this time worries that Bond is purely motivated by revenge, and not thinking straight in his mission. Jeffrey Wright once again plays Felix Leiter, who this time helps Bond but is cynical about the business he is mixed up in. Jesper Christensen, although only seen sparingly, brings that sense of intelligent menace to his role as the sneaky Mr White.
Underwhelming and not really involving, Quantum of Solace is a Bond film in desperate need of that extra something to bring it to life.
11 Wednesday Mar 2015
Posted in 007 thoughts and reviews, Movie Reviews
Tags
007, 2000's, Casino Royale, Caterina Murino, Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Giancarlo Giannini, James Bond, Jeffrey Wright, Jesper Christensen, Judi Dench, Mads Mikkelsen, Martin Campbell, Spy
Film Title
Casino Royale
Director
Martin Campbell
Starring
With Pierce Brosnan retiring from the role of 007 in the disappointing Die Another Day, the Bond producers had to recast the role for Casino Royale, which served as something of a reboot to the series. Daniel Craig was chosen to play the part and he brought to it a gritty and more vulnerable quality for his debut as Bond. Casino Royale presents a return to classic espionage and intrigue, which makes it one of my favourite films in the 007 franchise.
For the first time in the series, Bond is shown before he acquires 00 status. This makes him more of an interesting character who can be hurt and does suffer from certain weaknesses. 
After quickly receiving his 00 status by killing two targets, Bond is assigned his first mission by his boss M. Travelling from the sweltering humidity of Madagascar to Miami, Bond is on the tail of an unseen terrorist organisation. The key to the organisation is one Le Chiffre, a financier who supplies them with what they need. Le Chiffre is merely the middle man, who is just as much under pressure as Bond is to discover the plan. Having thwarted a bomb attack on a Miami airport, Bond begins to unearth the nefarious scheme. The aversion of the attack has caused Le Chiffre to lose a lot of money and his superiors have him marked for death if he can’t recover the money. 
Desperate, Le Chiffre sets up a high stakes poker game at Casino Royale in Montenegro. Bond is assigned to watch him and play the game. Aiding him is Vesper Lynd, a British Treasury Agent with a tough exterior, the rogue informer René Mathis and CIA agent Felix Leiter . As the games go on and the limit is raised, loyalties begin to shift and the concept of trust begins to wither. Despite trying to keep a professional distance, Bond falls deeply in love with the beautiful Vesper, but with his dangerous job and distrust all around him, Bond learns that in this world no one can be trusted, not even those who you are closest to.
Casino Royale immediately grabs you with the classic feel to it, as the atmosphere of exotic mystery and deception take a hold of the characters. Having helped usher in Pierce Brosnan as Bond in GoldenEye, Martin Campbell successfully completes this with his stunning direction that breathes new life into the franchise and establishes Daniel Craig as a more brutal but damaged Bond.
It is refreshing to see Bond as not invincible and how despite his strength, still has issues with trust and pain. There is a definite emotional undercurrent to Casino Royale, which is highlighted by the love between Bond and Vesper. We can see that Bond genuinely cares for this woman and would do anything for her, but how this is the relationship that breaks Bond and changes him into the character we know today. Suspense is kept in tact, especially during the poker sequences in which Bond and Le Chiffre lock horns and try to call each others bluff. While there is very much a dramatic and sensitive undercurrent to this Bond film, Casino Royale doesn’t shortchange the audience on action. From Bond chasing a skilled free runner enemy to a brutal staircase battle, Casino Royale delivers a harsher and bleaker sense of violence that had been missing from some of the predecessors and not seen since Timothy Dalton’s dark turn in Licence to Kill. David Arnold delivers some of his best work with a doom-laden, thrilling yet also tenderly romantic score that epitomizes the film down to the ground. Chris Cornell’s song “You Know My Name” is a successful revamping of a Bond title song, with rocking guitars and slashing strings adding both a classy and hard-edged sound.
Stepping into the shoes of Bond and putting his own stamp on the character, Daniel Craig certainly delivers. He brings a brooding, taciturn side to the character as well as a sense of deep vulnerability and wounded ego. Whatever questions people had about Craig in the role before, he proved them all wrong with his stellar performance. The gorgeous Eva Green makes a deep impression as Vesper Lynd, one of the best Bond girls in my opinion. 
Green gives passion, sadness and mystery to this ever-changing changing character and invests her with outer strength and inner pain. She truly stands out as an intelligent match for Bond and one of the only women to really get close to the more vulnerable side of Bond. Mads Mikkelsen gives slimy, cornered fear and withering menace to the character of Le Chiffre. Unusually for a villain, there are times when we feel for him as he is stuck in the middle of a dangerous situation and trying to break out. Judi Dench once again gives authoritative command and hardened strength to the role of M, who is often exasperated by Bond’s unorthodox methods but can’t hide the fact she trusts him with what he is doing. Jeffrey Wright makes for an opportunistic and charming new Felix Leiter, while Giancarlo Giannini is superb as the informer with shifting loyalties. Caterina Murino is suitably sexy but doomed as one of the ladies who gives Bond information but pays the price with her life. Jesper Christensen brings a creeping sense of danger as a man in the shadows on Le Chiffre’s track.
Intriguing and emotionally gripping, Casino Royale brings the Bond series back to life with a defiant and effective kick that restores the gold-plated status of the series.
And as I’m feeling generous today and I know that many ladies follow my blog, here’s a picture of Daniel Craig in those famous trunks. Please don’t fight over Daniel ladies as he is needed for the new movie in one piece.
11 Wednesday Mar 2015
Posted in 007 thoughts and reviews, Movie Reviews
Tags
007, 2000's, Colin Salmon, Die Another Day, Halle Berry, James Bond, John Cleese, Judi Dench, Lee Tamahori, Pierce Brosnan, Rick Yune, Rosamund Pike, Samantha Bond, Spy, Toby Stephens
Film Title
Die Another Day
Director
Lee Tamahori
Starring
Just like Roger Moore did in A View to a Kill, Pierce Brosnan signed off as 007 in a film that wasn’t his best. That film is Die Another Day, which ranks as my least favourite Bond film. It is a shame that Brosnan should sign off in such a bad way, especially after the brilliance of GoldenEye and his other ventures as Bond. People may say that Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough are nothing special, but in comparison to the barely tolerable Die Another Day, they’re masterpieces. Anyway, back to my eventful review.
We start out with Bond in North Korea, infiltrating a military base run by the renegade Colonel Moon and his loyal friend Zao, who has been trading mass arms for conflict diamonds. Unfortunately for Bond, his cover is blown by someone in the West and he has to engage in an explosive battle with Colonel Moon, which presumably leads to his death. Bond is then captured and tortured for fourteen months. After his time in captivity, Bond is eventually swapped in a prison exchange for Zao. 
Bond knows that someone within his government betrayed him and is determined to find out. M, on the other hand, revokes his licence to kill for fear of political ramifications and that Bond has cracked and given away potentially dangerous information. 007 has different ideas and escapes from MI6 custody on a mission to track down the enemy and Zao, who has also escaped his imprisonment. Travelling to Cuba, he meets the seductive Jinx, an American agent who can ably handle herself and is also after the escaped Zao. Their trail leads to a nefarious gene therapy clinic, that can alter a person’s entire DNA. Bond surmises that Colonel Moon is in fact not dead and has taken on a new identity. That identity is one Gustav Graves, a playboy, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Supposedly a respectable businessman, his real plans are far from good as Bond soon discovers. Always with Graves is his aloof publicist Miranda Frost, who is an undercover British agent. From sunny Cuba to the cold of Iceland, Bond uncovers the full extent of Graves and his plan. With a specially designed satellite, he will cut through the border between North and South Korea, so that the North can invade. 
Yet Graves isn’t alone in his plan as the mysterious Miranda is in fact on his side and double-crossing Bond at every turn. With the sultry Jinx in toe, Bond must derail this plan before full on war erupts.
Now the main problem with Die Another Day is that it is far too focused on the action and not enough on the story. The opening is promising, but the rest of the film descends into mindless chaos and shoot them up action that is really out-of-place within the Bond formula. 
Yes, some of the action is good, with a fencing duel that soon turns nasty quite thrilling, but non-stop becomes too much and just not that enjoyable in the end. Lee Tamahori in the directing seat doesn’t help as he can’t bring anything new to the film and give the story anything of worth. He relies on too much slow motion and rapid cuts that start out as alright, but become monotonous in the long run. There is not sense of balance to the story and no amount of endless action can make up for that. Also, I don’t mind it when Bond films have references to the older films of the series, but Die Another Day goes overboard with this tactic and the end result is needless. There are some positives, albeit only some that give Die Another Day some value. The locations are pretty spectacular, with the Ice Palace owned by Graves a particular highlight of production design. David Arnold once again provides a classy score that gives Die Another Day some sophistication, interspersed with the non-stop action and some dodgy CGI( need I mention that wretched invisible car)? The less said about Madonna’s title song the better. Anyone who follows this blog will know I’m a fan of Madonna, but her contribution the series is one of the worst. It detracts from the brutal title sequence of fire and ice girls inter cut with Bond’s torture in North Korea and for that alone it is unforgivable.
It is such a shame that Pierce Brosnan signed off from the franchise with Die Another Day as his swan song. He really brought something good to the role and managed to balance the physical challenge and the wit. His performance here may not be his best, but we still buy him as Bond and still watch as he attempts to save the world again during his mission. 
Halle Berry is sexy and feisty as fellow agent Jinx, who is nifty in a fight and more than a match for Bond in terms of the innuendo stakes. She has great chemistry with Brosnan and their passionate as well as thrillingly dangerous encounters are well-executed to say the least. Toby Stephens may nail the smarmy and power-crazed personality of Gustav Graves, but as a villain he just isn’t that interesting to watch and he doesn’t join the gallery of iconic foes for 007. 
Thankfully the talented and stunning Rosamund Pike is on hand to give the role of the icy Miranda some dimension, as we watch her play Bond effortlessly because of her glacial beauty, icy demeanor and taciturn deception. Rick Yune is not used well enough as henchman Zao, who has diamonds embedded in his face after the opening encounter with Bond. He may have an interesting look as Zao, but he just doesn’t cut it because of the poor development of his character. At least we have Judi Dench who magnificently portrays M with authority, grave knowledge and a hint of pride for her top agent. John Cleese on the other hand is not that convincing as gadget master Q. No one was ever going to replicate the success of the late Desmond Llewelyn, but I just can’t take Cleese seriously in the role of Q. Samantha Bond and Colin Salmon are seen too infrequently to really register this time around as Moneypenny and Robinson.
Too much action and not enough plot scupper Die Another Day and this makes it one of the worst movies in the Bond series, my least favourite as well as a poor final outing for Pierce Brosnan after the potential of his previous movies.
