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The Daniel Craig era of James Bond changed up the many decades-long film series in a number of different ways. Most notably was its tonal shift, steering further away from the goofier and campier elements of the series that the "Austin Powers" trilogy had so much fun lampooning. After all, once you make "Die Another Day," the only direction you can go is a more grounded one. But there had been serious James Bond films before, such as the earliest Sean Connery films or the Timothy Dalton era. The bigger change the Craig films made was taking a page out of the modern franchise booklet, and that was serialization.
The first 20 James Bond films may have brought actors and filmmakers over from one film to another, but the plots of those films rarely carried over. Part of the pleasure of...
The Daniel Craig era of James Bond changed up the many decades-long film series in a number of different ways. Most notably was its tonal shift, steering further away from the goofier and campier elements of the series that the "Austin Powers" trilogy had so much fun lampooning. After all, once you make "Die Another Day," the only direction you can go is a more grounded one. But there had been serious James Bond films before, such as the earliest Sean Connery films or the Timothy Dalton era. The bigger change the Craig films made was taking a page out of the modern franchise booklet, and that was serialization.
The first 20 James Bond films may have brought actors and filmmakers over from one film to another, but the plots of those films rarely carried over. Part of the pleasure of...
- 10/29/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
Terence Young's 1963 triumph "From Russia with Love" was the James Bond series' first sequel, and, 60 years later, it's still considered by many 007 aficionados to be one of franchise's finest installments. It's a brisk, surprisingly brutal film. The gadgetry popularized by 1964's "Goldfinger" (and launched well over the top by 1965's "Thunderball") is kept to a sensible minimum; for the most part, this is a revenge film in which our licensed-to-kill protagonist is lured into an elaborate defection plot designed to knock him off for having killed Spectre's Dr. No in the first movie. Narratively, it's as small potatoes as the mostly maligned "Casino Royale" follow-up "Quantum of Solace" (a revenge film in the other direction), but, at the time, it had the advantage of working within an unformed universe.
"From Russia with Love" has two of the Bond series' oddest highlights: the sexualized Turkish settlement brawl between Martine Beswick and Aliza Gur,...
"From Russia with Love" has two of the Bond series' oddest highlights: the sexualized Turkish settlement brawl between Martine Beswick and Aliza Gur,...
- 10/8/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
In many ways, Timothy Dalton's James Bond was before his time. Following the more tongue-in-cheek approach taken by Roger Moore, Dalton debuted as Bond in 1987's "The Living Daylights" as a more hard-edged 007 that wasn't a far cry from what Daniel Craig would bring to the role some 16 years later. Dalton would continue that more character-focused portrayal with 1989's "Licence to Kill," but at the time, not all critics were convinced.
Among all the James Bond movies, Dalton's two outings are by no means viewed as blunders. But they aren't necessarily seen as all-time classics, either. Dalton never really got the scripts he deserved, and it seems longtime Bond producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli may have seen it similarly. After "Licence to Kill," Broccoli decided to part ways with Richard Maibaum, though the writer claims he left "by mutual consent." Maibaum had co-written the movie that kicked off the Bond franchise,...
Among all the James Bond movies, Dalton's two outings are by no means viewed as blunders. But they aren't necessarily seen as all-time classics, either. Dalton never really got the scripts he deserved, and it seems longtime Bond producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli may have seen it similarly. After "Licence to Kill," Broccoli decided to part ways with Richard Maibaum, though the writer claims he left "by mutual consent." Maibaum had co-written the movie that kicked off the Bond franchise,...
- 9/24/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Of all the James Bond movies, "The Man with the Golden Gun" isn't the most beloved. Debuting to lackluster reviews in 1974, following the success that was '73's "Live and Let Die," Roger Moore's sophomore outing as Bond failed to dazzle audiences who were growing weary of the franchise.
The producers had a rough time replacing Sean Connery, who'd come to define the character with his run as England's greatest spy, before departing the series and being replaced by Aussie actor George Lazenby. While Lazenby did a solid job in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," he too left the role after his one and only appearance, after which Connery returned for the less than stellar "Diamonds Are Forever."
Unfortunately, Connery would once again leave the role that helped launch his career following this brief return, clearing the way for Roger Moore to take on the mantle with "Live and Let Die.
The producers had a rough time replacing Sean Connery, who'd come to define the character with his run as England's greatest spy, before departing the series and being replaced by Aussie actor George Lazenby. While Lazenby did a solid job in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," he too left the role after his one and only appearance, after which Connery returned for the less than stellar "Diamonds Are Forever."
Unfortunately, Connery would once again leave the role that helped launch his career following this brief return, clearing the way for Roger Moore to take on the mantle with "Live and Let Die.
- 9/3/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
One of the many James Bond franchise staples introduced in 1964's "Goldfinger" was 007's Aston Martin DB5. Throughout his 60-year cinematic run, Bond has had the pleasure of driving some of the finest vehicles in the world, but none have become as synonymous with England's greatest spy as the DB5. Which is why, to this day, Aston Martin's 1963 luxury grand tourer remains the best James Bond car.
Prior to "Goldfinger," there had been two Bond movies: 1962's "Dr. No" and 1963's "From Russia With Love." In the former, 007 was seen riding in a Sunbeam Alpine, and in the latter a Bentley Mark IV — an odd choice considering the car had been around for a good 30 years prior to Sean Connery's Bond making use of it. And in Ian Fleming's first Bond novel, "Casino Royale," the MI6 agent drove a 1930 Blower Bentley, a racing version of the Bentley 4½ Litre.
Prior to "Goldfinger," there had been two Bond movies: 1962's "Dr. No" and 1963's "From Russia With Love." In the former, 007 was seen riding in a Sunbeam Alpine, and in the latter a Bentley Mark IV — an odd choice considering the car had been around for a good 30 years prior to Sean Connery's Bond making use of it. And in Ian Fleming's first Bond novel, "Casino Royale," the MI6 agent drove a 1930 Blower Bentley, a racing version of the Bentley 4½ Litre.
- 8/21/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Among James Bond movies, "Goldfinger" stands as the film that cemented 007's status as a global icon. Guy Hamilton's 1964 effort has since become known as the blueprint for all future Bond films, establishing longstanding tropes that still define the franchise today. A globe-spanning adventure, "Goldfinger" introduced that gadget-filled Aston Martin DB5 alongside legendary Bond girl Pussy Galore, played by the late Honor Blackman. Then there was that famous laser beam scene, in which Sean Connery's Bond is strapped to a table and forced to await an inexplicably slow death.
But it wasn't just gadgets and Bond girls with dodgy names that "Goldfinger" brought to the table. Richard Maibaum and Paul Dehn's script also introduced more subtle staples to the 007 saga, including an opening sequence seemingly unrelated to the film's main plot and a testy relationship between the titular spy and Desmond Llewelyn's Q that established the pair's dynamic going forward.
But it wasn't just gadgets and Bond girls with dodgy names that "Goldfinger" brought to the table. Richard Maibaum and Paul Dehn's script also introduced more subtle staples to the 007 saga, including an opening sequence seemingly unrelated to the film's main plot and a testy relationship between the titular spy and Desmond Llewelyn's Q that established the pair's dynamic going forward.
- 8/14/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Even from the first few minutes of "Diamonds Are Forever," it's pretty clear that the writing is a little different than past James Bond films. The introduction races along at a breakneck pace with a new one-two-punch dynamism. Sure, it's no "this never happened to the other fellow," a top-tier opening gag from George Lazenby's stint as Bond, but the beginning of "Diamonds Are Forever" is full of promise.
Unfortunately, by the time that body doubles and murderous duos get thrown into the mix, the movie starts to fall apart — there's a reason that "Diamonds Are Forever" ranked #20 out of 24 in our list of Bond films. Nevertheless, the movie's writing keeps a spunky attitude, constantly cracking jokes and unapologetically tossing in ridiculous elements. As it turns out, there might be a good explanation for the unique writing style: the producers made it a point to hire a screenwriter that would let Vegas shine.
Unfortunately, by the time that body doubles and murderous duos get thrown into the mix, the movie starts to fall apart — there's a reason that "Diamonds Are Forever" ranked #20 out of 24 in our list of Bond films. Nevertheless, the movie's writing keeps a spunky attitude, constantly cracking jokes and unapologetically tossing in ridiculous elements. As it turns out, there might be a good explanation for the unique writing style: the producers made it a point to hire a screenwriter that would let Vegas shine.
- 10/29/2022
- by Demetra Nikolakakis
- Slash Film
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise.
The British Film Institute (BFI) is honouring James Bond producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli with BFI Fellowships – the highest honour bestowed by the BFI – as the film franchise celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.
US-born Wilson and Broccoli have overseen the Bond franchise for nearly 30 years. The half-siblings head Eon Productions, and have together produced nine of the total 25 Bond films, starting with Goldeneye in 1995. Wilson was screenwriter on five films in the 1980s (with Richard Maibaum) and producer of three Bonds with his stepfather and...
The British Film Institute (BFI) is honouring James Bond producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli with BFI Fellowships – the highest honour bestowed by the BFI – as the film franchise celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.
US-born Wilson and Broccoli have overseen the Bond franchise for nearly 30 years. The half-siblings head Eon Productions, and have together produced nine of the total 25 Bond films, starting with Goldeneye in 1995. Wilson was screenwriter on five films in the 1980s (with Richard Maibaum) and producer of three Bonds with his stepfather and...
- 6/17/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are being accorded BFI Fellowships, the highest honor bestowed by the British Film Institute.
The fellowships will be presented at the BFI chair’s dinner, hosted by BFI chair Tim Richards, on June 28.
For Eon Productions, Broccoli and Wilson have overseen the Bond franchise for nearly 30 years and together produced nine of the 25 Bond films, the first of which was “Goldeneye” (1995) and includes “Skyfall” (2012), which went on to win the BAFTA for outstanding British Film. Wilson was screenwriter on five films in the 1980s (with Richard Maibaum) and producer of three Bonds with his stepfather and original Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli. The franchise turns 60 this year and the BFI will be marking this anniversary with James Bond 60th celebration weekend of screenings and events in London at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX on Oct. 1 and 2.
Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said:...
The fellowships will be presented at the BFI chair’s dinner, hosted by BFI chair Tim Richards, on June 28.
For Eon Productions, Broccoli and Wilson have overseen the Bond franchise for nearly 30 years and together produced nine of the 25 Bond films, the first of which was “Goldeneye” (1995) and includes “Skyfall” (2012), which went on to win the BAFTA for outstanding British Film. Wilson was screenwriter on five films in the 1980s (with Richard Maibaum) and producer of three Bonds with his stepfather and original Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli. The franchise turns 60 this year and the BFI will be marking this anniversary with James Bond 60th celebration weekend of screenings and events in London at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX on Oct. 1 and 2.
Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said:...
- 6/17/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Hollywood acknowledges the existence of America’s proto- C.I.A. intelligence agency with this espionage tale of Yanks working with the resistance in occupied France. It’s basic cloak ‘n’ dagger action, with intrepid Alan Ladd and the daring Geraldine Fitzgerald risking life and limb to plant plastic explosive bombs. The details are fairly interesting: Ladd outwits the Gestapo by working with a turncoat inside their ranks. The outcome is grimly realistic, even if that old Paramount glamour is part of the package. The writer-producer is Richard Maibaum, who would later write almost thirty years’ worth of franchise James Bond 007 adventures.
O.S.S.
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1946 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 108 min. / Street Date August 10, 2021 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Alan Ladd, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Patric Knowles, John Hoyt, Gloria Saunders, Richard Webb, Richard Benedict, Harold Vermilyea, Don Beddoe, Onslow Stevens, Gavin Muir, Egon Brecher, Joseph Crehan, Bobby Driscoll, Julia Dean,...
O.S.S.
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1946 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 108 min. / Street Date August 10, 2021 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Alan Ladd, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Patric Knowles, John Hoyt, Gloria Saunders, Richard Webb, Richard Benedict, Harold Vermilyea, Don Beddoe, Onslow Stevens, Gavin Muir, Egon Brecher, Joseph Crehan, Bobby Driscoll, Julia Dean,...
- 7/13/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The Lost Adventures of James Bond
By Mark Edlitz
315 pages, $29.95 (print)/$9.99, (eBook)
It sometimes feels like that for every James Bond film made, there are several others that never get before the cameras. We hear of actors, writers, and directors coming and going, which sometimes explains the long gap between films. And with an unexpected delay for No Time to Die (please open in 2021), we could use a dose of 007.
Mark Edlitz delivers with his latest deep dive into pop culture. His self-published The Lost Adventures of James Bond covers the films, novels, comic books, and other media complete with fresh interviews with many who were actively developing stories we’ll never see.
While I knew comics writer Cary Bates wrote an unsolicited treatment, which he sold, I had no idea John Landis, fresh off Schlock, was invited by Bond impresario Cubby Broccoli to write a screenplay for Roger Moore.
By Mark Edlitz
315 pages, $29.95 (print)/$9.99, (eBook)
It sometimes feels like that for every James Bond film made, there are several others that never get before the cameras. We hear of actors, writers, and directors coming and going, which sometimes explains the long gap between films. And with an unexpected delay for No Time to Die (please open in 2021), we could use a dose of 007.
Mark Edlitz delivers with his latest deep dive into pop culture. His self-published The Lost Adventures of James Bond covers the films, novels, comic books, and other media complete with fresh interviews with many who were actively developing stories we’ll never see.
While I knew comics writer Cary Bates wrote an unsolicited treatment, which he sold, I had no idea John Landis, fresh off Schlock, was invited by Bond impresario Cubby Broccoli to write a screenplay for Roger Moore.
- 11/30/2020
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Clever plotting goes into overdrive for this light-comedy proto-paranoid film noir about a magazine publishing empire so organized that it seems a sci-fi invention from the future. Ray Milland’s charismatic fall guy finds himself embroiled in a murder plot filled with false identities, and a manhunt that he must supervise… to catch himself. Maybe Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale watched this from their cribs, and applied its chaotic symmetry to their pretzel-plotted comedies!
The Big Clock
Blu-ray
Arrow Academy
1948 / B&W / 1:37 flat full frame / 95 min. / Street Date May 14, 2019 / Available from Arrow Video / 39.95
Starring: Ray Milland, Charles Laughton, Maureen O’Sullivan, George Macready, Rita Johnson, Elsa Lanchester, Harry (Henry) Morgan.
Cinematography: Daniel L. Fapp, John Seitz
Film Editor: LeRoy Stone
Original Music: Victor Young
Written by Jonathan Latimer from a novel by Kenneth Fearing
Produced by John Farrow, Richard Maibaum
Directed by John Farrow
The thriller The Big Clock...
The Big Clock
Blu-ray
Arrow Academy
1948 / B&W / 1:37 flat full frame / 95 min. / Street Date May 14, 2019 / Available from Arrow Video / 39.95
Starring: Ray Milland, Charles Laughton, Maureen O’Sullivan, George Macready, Rita Johnson, Elsa Lanchester, Harry (Henry) Morgan.
Cinematography: Daniel L. Fapp, John Seitz
Film Editor: LeRoy Stone
Original Music: Victor Young
Written by Jonathan Latimer from a novel by Kenneth Fearing
Produced by John Farrow, Richard Maibaum
Directed by John Farrow
The thriller The Big Clock...
- 5/11/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Mark Harrison Sep 25, 2018
With Matt Reeves' The Batman still underway, these are the Batman movies we almost saw.
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Near the beginning of the hilarious Teen Titans Go! To The Movies, there’s a scene set at the premiere of a new movie called Batman Again. Before the main feature starts, there are trailers for Bat-spinoff movies called Alfred (“Coming broom”), Batmobile (“Coming vroom”), and Utility Belt (“It’s a belt that you put things in”). While these films don’t exist, that’s not to say Warner Bros wouldn’t have seriously considered developing them during the various peaks of cinematic Bat-mania.
While it's taken until the 2010s to develop Wonder Woman and other characters from the Justice League, Batman and Superman have always been big business for Warners. The stories of the various attempts to reboot Superman in the 1990s...
With Matt Reeves' The Batman still underway, these are the Batman movies we almost saw.
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Near the beginning of the hilarious Teen Titans Go! To The Movies, there’s a scene set at the premiere of a new movie called Batman Again. Before the main feature starts, there are trailers for Bat-spinoff movies called Alfred (“Coming broom”), Batmobile (“Coming vroom”), and Utility Belt (“It’s a belt that you put things in”). While these films don’t exist, that’s not to say Warner Bros wouldn’t have seriously considered developing them during the various peaks of cinematic Bat-mania.
While it's taken until the 2010s to develop Wonder Woman and other characters from the Justice League, Batman and Superman have always been big business for Warners. The stories of the various attempts to reboot Superman in the 1990s...
- 9/25/2018
- Den of Geek
A look at 5 movies that you might not have known were written by famous authors. Sometimes they worked out, sometimes they did not.
Writing a movie can be a lot different from writing a book. Unlike a movie script, a novel is freeform. The author can take any style or format they would like to convey their ideas. A script, on the other hand, has to be able to be interpreted by the actors, filmmakers, and the audience. Therefore, it is typically structured in a certain way to help people working on the movie do their job and people watching the movie comprehend what is happening. Furthermore, a major difference between writing novels and movies is that movies are (mostly) restricted to the visual realm. It’s not easy to show audiences what characters are thinking, which severely limits plot and character development techniques. Overall, there are unique challenges to...
Writing a movie can be a lot different from writing a book. Unlike a movie script, a novel is freeform. The author can take any style or format they would like to convey their ideas. A script, on the other hand, has to be able to be interpreted by the actors, filmmakers, and the audience. Therefore, it is typically structured in a certain way to help people working on the movie do their job and people watching the movie comprehend what is happening. Furthermore, a major difference between writing novels and movies is that movies are (mostly) restricted to the visual realm. It’s not easy to show audiences what characters are thinking, which severely limits plot and character development techniques. Overall, there are unique challenges to...
- 8/30/2017
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (G.S. Perno)
- Cinelinx
Simon Brew Brendon Connelly Feb 14, 2017
Michael Uslan and Benjamin Melniker have producer credits on nearly 40 Batman films – but they only really worked on one, it seems…
If you stick around for the end credits of The Lego Batman Movie, you might notice the names of two people credited as executive producers on the picture. They are Michael Uslan and Benjamin Melniker. Nothing odd there, apart from the small matter of them having absolutely nothing to do with the film. To the best of our knowledge, they had no conversation with director Chris McKay and his team at any time before, during or after the production. But they did pick up a cheque and a credit for their troubles.
Having people listed as executive producers who are ‘hands off’ is nothing particularly fresh, and we looked at just what an executive producer does in this article here.
But what’s interesting...
Michael Uslan and Benjamin Melniker have producer credits on nearly 40 Batman films – but they only really worked on one, it seems…
If you stick around for the end credits of The Lego Batman Movie, you might notice the names of two people credited as executive producers on the picture. They are Michael Uslan and Benjamin Melniker. Nothing odd there, apart from the small matter of them having absolutely nothing to do with the film. To the best of our knowledge, they had no conversation with director Chris McKay and his team at any time before, during or after the production. But they did pick up a cheque and a credit for their troubles.
Having people listed as executive producers who are ‘hands off’ is nothing particularly fresh, and we looked at just what an executive producer does in this article here.
But what’s interesting...
- 2/13/2017
- Den of Geek
Turner Classic Movies has released three Alan Ladd titles in a set titled "Alan Ladd: The 1940s Collection". Here is the official press release:
Handsome leading man Alan Ladd found success in the 1940s and ‘50s, first as the tough guy in several films noir co-starring Veronica Lake and then as the stoic hero in Westerns such as Shane (1953). Turner Classic Movies and Universal are proud to present this three-film collection that showcases Ladd’s talents in a range of genres from thriller to adventure, as well as the work of such directors as Irving Pichel and Frank Tuttle, and writers the likes of Richard Maibaum and Seton I. Miller. Lucky Jordan (1942) Directed by Frank Tuttle (who also directed Ladd’s breakthrough film This Gun for Hire the same year), Lucky Jordan stars Ladd as a racketeer who gets drafted into the Us Army and will do anything to...
Handsome leading man Alan Ladd found success in the 1940s and ‘50s, first as the tough guy in several films noir co-starring Veronica Lake and then as the stoic hero in Westerns such as Shane (1953). Turner Classic Movies and Universal are proud to present this three-film collection that showcases Ladd’s talents in a range of genres from thriller to adventure, as well as the work of such directors as Irving Pichel and Frank Tuttle, and writers the likes of Richard Maibaum and Seton I. Miller. Lucky Jordan (1942) Directed by Frank Tuttle (who also directed Ladd’s breakthrough film This Gun for Hire the same year), Lucky Jordan stars Ladd as a racketeer who gets drafted into the Us Army and will do anything to...
- 6/26/2016
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Back in 2012, our staff decided to group together and come up with a list of the best films in the 007, James Bond franchise. With Spectre rolling out this weekend, we decided to republish the article. Let us know which is your favourite, and be sure to check out our review of Spectre here.
#1: From Russia With Love
Directed by Terence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood
1963, UK
50 years later, and with twenty three “official” entries, From Russia With Love represents the very best of the Bond franchise. Skyfall is the closest to be considered, at best – almost equal to what was achieved in ’64 – but From Russia With Love is still unparalleled. Although it is the second in the series, and although it feels like no Bond film that followed, it is the film that solidifies all the Bond elements into a formula – a template that carries on,...
#1: From Russia With Love
Directed by Terence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood
1963, UK
50 years later, and with twenty three “official” entries, From Russia With Love represents the very best of the Bond franchise. Skyfall is the closest to be considered, at best – almost equal to what was achieved in ’64 – but From Russia With Love is still unparalleled. Although it is the second in the series, and although it feels like no Bond film that followed, it is the film that solidifies all the Bond elements into a formula – a template that carries on,...
- 11/6/2015
- by Ricky da Conceição
- SoundOnSight
Licence to Kill
Directed by John Glen
Screenplay by Michael G. Wilson and Richard Maibaum
UK, 1989
With the release of Skyfall this month, critics have cited the major departures from the Bond formula taken by that film. They credit Daniel Craig for bringing a modern edge to a character that had become ridiculous in the Brosnan years. It’s easy to forget that similar claims were made about Timothy Dalton back in the late ‘80s. The classically trained actor brought grace to the role with his first appearance in 1987’s The Living Daylights. That film retained the look and feeling of the Roger Moore films while starting the shift towards a more realistic hero. The change became a lot more dramatic in Dalton’s second outing two years later. Licence to Kill pared down the excesses of the typical Bond film and crafted a more personal tale of revenge. While...
Directed by John Glen
Screenplay by Michael G. Wilson and Richard Maibaum
UK, 1989
With the release of Skyfall this month, critics have cited the major departures from the Bond formula taken by that film. They credit Daniel Craig for bringing a modern edge to a character that had become ridiculous in the Brosnan years. It’s easy to forget that similar claims were made about Timothy Dalton back in the late ‘80s. The classically trained actor brought grace to the role with his first appearance in 1987’s The Living Daylights. That film retained the look and feeling of the Roger Moore films while starting the shift towards a more realistic hero. The change became a lot more dramatic in Dalton’s second outing two years later. Licence to Kill pared down the excesses of the typical Bond film and crafted a more personal tale of revenge. While...
- 11/5/2015
- by Dan Heaton
- SoundOnSight
The Living Daylights
Directed by John Glen
Written by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson
1987, USA
It wasn’t guaranteed that the Daniel Craig films would successfully reboot James Bond, in part because such a restart had already been tried before. After 1985’s A View To a Kill, in which age had begun to
show on both Roger Moore as Bond and Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny, the first real reboot was attempted. Timothy Dalton – who had turned down On Her Majesty’s Secret Service because he felt that at 24 he was too young to replace Sean Connery – was brought on and a script was commissioned to return Bond to his Cold War roots. The result was The Living Daylights, which doesn’t quite work as a reboot but makes for deeply enjoyable viewing.
Too many of the old Bond conventions remained for The Living Daylights to be a true...
Directed by John Glen
Written by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson
1987, USA
It wasn’t guaranteed that the Daniel Craig films would successfully reboot James Bond, in part because such a restart had already been tried before. After 1985’s A View To a Kill, in which age had begun to
show on both Roger Moore as Bond and Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny, the first real reboot was attempted. Timothy Dalton – who had turned down On Her Majesty’s Secret Service because he felt that at 24 he was too young to replace Sean Connery – was brought on and a script was commissioned to return Bond to his Cold War roots. The result was The Living Daylights, which doesn’t quite work as a reboot but makes for deeply enjoyable viewing.
Too many of the old Bond conventions remained for The Living Daylights to be a true...
- 11/5/2015
- by Mark Young
- SoundOnSight
A View To Kill
Directed by John Glen
Screenplay by Michael G. Wilson and Richard Maibaum
1985, USA
As soon as Roger Moore took over the role of James Bond, the franchise quickly devolved into a state of ridiculousness that rendered the entire series beyond parody. A View To a Kill, Moore’s final film as Ian Fleming’s influential character, could easily be seen as a franchise grasping for relevancy with the younger generation of its day. It tries to tone down the kitsch elements whilst still retaining a core sense of the Bond series for the millions of returning viewers not yet bored by the increasing stupidity of the onscreen antics. Younger audiences were to be greeted with a plot about microchips, because the younger generation have a burgeoning obsession with technology, as well as a supporting turn from offbeat pop sensation Grace Jones and a Duran Duran theme...
Directed by John Glen
Screenplay by Michael G. Wilson and Richard Maibaum
1985, USA
As soon as Roger Moore took over the role of James Bond, the franchise quickly devolved into a state of ridiculousness that rendered the entire series beyond parody. A View To a Kill, Moore’s final film as Ian Fleming’s influential character, could easily be seen as a franchise grasping for relevancy with the younger generation of its day. It tries to tone down the kitsch elements whilst still retaining a core sense of the Bond series for the millions of returning viewers not yet bored by the increasing stupidity of the onscreen antics. Younger audiences were to be greeted with a plot about microchips, because the younger generation have a burgeoning obsession with technology, as well as a supporting turn from offbeat pop sensation Grace Jones and a Duran Duran theme...
- 11/5/2015
- by Alistair Ryder
- SoundOnSight
Octopussy
Directed by John Glen
Written by George Macdonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum, and Michael G. Wilson
United Kingdom, 1983
1983 presented a unique challenge for the Bond franchise. For the first time since Ursula Andress strolled out of the water, there were going to be two Bond films in theatres in the same year. As if that wasn’t enough, Never Say Never Again was also going to see Sean Connery, the first man to ever play Bond and who had handed the reigns off to the current incarnation, reprise the role once again, pitting the two men most known for playing Bond, Connery and Roger Moore (George Lazenby’s one-time outing as the agent notwithstanding) against each other. It is against these conditions that Octopussy was made, with the necessity of having to prove itself anew. Fortunately, the movie delivers on several fronts, making for a thrilling film, albeit one with a curious third act.
Directed by John Glen
Written by George Macdonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum, and Michael G. Wilson
United Kingdom, 1983
1983 presented a unique challenge for the Bond franchise. For the first time since Ursula Andress strolled out of the water, there were going to be two Bond films in theatres in the same year. As if that wasn’t enough, Never Say Never Again was also going to see Sean Connery, the first man to ever play Bond and who had handed the reigns off to the current incarnation, reprise the role once again, pitting the two men most known for playing Bond, Connery and Roger Moore (George Lazenby’s one-time outing as the agent notwithstanding) against each other. It is against these conditions that Octopussy was made, with the necessity of having to prove itself anew. Fortunately, the movie delivers on several fronts, making for a thrilling film, albeit one with a curious third act.
- 11/5/2015
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
For Your Eyes Only
Written by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson, based on Ian Fleming’s short stories “For Your Eyes only” and “Risico”
Directed by John Glen
UK, 1981,
You probably have never heard this before, but my favourite James Bond film of all time, For Your Eyes Only, was the first 007 film I ever saw. (Spookily, this is exactly the same reason that my Huffington Post doppelgänger likes the film.)
But I don’t love Roger Moore’s fourth Bond film for nostalgic reasons, or at least not completely. Every so often, the 007 franchise strips Bond of his gadgets and gives us a back to basics story where a more ruthless secret agent has only his wits to fall back on: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, The Living Daylights, Casino Royale and For Your Eyes Only are the best examples. Of these, For Your Eyes Only stands...
Written by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson, based on Ian Fleming’s short stories “For Your Eyes only” and “Risico”
Directed by John Glen
UK, 1981,
You probably have never heard this before, but my favourite James Bond film of all time, For Your Eyes Only, was the first 007 film I ever saw. (Spookily, this is exactly the same reason that my Huffington Post doppelgänger likes the film.)
But I don’t love Roger Moore’s fourth Bond film for nostalgic reasons, or at least not completely. Every so often, the 007 franchise strips Bond of his gadgets and gives us a back to basics story where a more ruthless secret agent has only his wits to fall back on: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, The Living Daylights, Casino Royale and For Your Eyes Only are the best examples. Of these, For Your Eyes Only stands...
- 11/3/2015
- by Michael Ryan
- SoundOnSight
The Spy Who Loved Me
Directed by Lewis Gilbert
Screenplay by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum
UK, 1977
There’s an undeniable lasting appeal to Bond. Lasting 50 years is certainly proof of that, but there’s something deeper. After all, one can point to Star Trek and Doctor Who as cultural icons that have stood the test of time, but there’s something different about Bond. Trekkies or Whovians faced ostracization for many years, the fans relegated to dark corners and hushed tones of conversation. Ordering a vodka martini, shaken not stirred, however, paints someone as the very opposite of a nerd, something that has never changed throughout the run of Bond. So what stands Bond apart? It can’t be the saving the world aspect of things; after all, there are many heroes and heroines who’ve saved the world on a regular basis, perhaps with more frequency than Bond,...
Directed by Lewis Gilbert
Screenplay by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum
UK, 1977
There’s an undeniable lasting appeal to Bond. Lasting 50 years is certainly proof of that, but there’s something deeper. After all, one can point to Star Trek and Doctor Who as cultural icons that have stood the test of time, but there’s something different about Bond. Trekkies or Whovians faced ostracization for many years, the fans relegated to dark corners and hushed tones of conversation. Ordering a vodka martini, shaken not stirred, however, paints someone as the very opposite of a nerd, something that has never changed throughout the run of Bond. So what stands Bond apart? It can’t be the saving the world aspect of things; after all, there are many heroes and heroines who’ve saved the world on a regular basis, perhaps with more frequency than Bond,...
- 11/3/2015
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
The Man with the Golden Gun
Written by Richard Maibaum & Tom Mankiewicz
Directed by Guy Hamilton
UK, 1974
One hallmark of the venerable Bond franchise is its willingness to change with the times. Sometimes the changes feel organic, like the shift to a more brutish Daniel Craig after international terrorism took center stage in the early 2000’s. Other times, however, you can smell Bond’s desperation to stay relevant. Such is the case with 1974’s middling entry, The Man with the Golden Gun.
Guy Hamilton’s fourth turn as Bond director (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die) is a study in uncertainty. As Bond, Roger Moore is still searching for the debonair persona he would find in the upcoming classic, The Spy Who Loved Me. Surrounding Moore’s tentative performance are a collection of unfocused action set pieces, a less-than-formidable duo of Bond girls, and the most repugnant character in the series’ history.
Written by Richard Maibaum & Tom Mankiewicz
Directed by Guy Hamilton
UK, 1974
One hallmark of the venerable Bond franchise is its willingness to change with the times. Sometimes the changes feel organic, like the shift to a more brutish Daniel Craig after international terrorism took center stage in the early 2000’s. Other times, however, you can smell Bond’s desperation to stay relevant. Such is the case with 1974’s middling entry, The Man with the Golden Gun.
Guy Hamilton’s fourth turn as Bond director (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die) is a study in uncertainty. As Bond, Roger Moore is still searching for the debonair persona he would find in the upcoming classic, The Spy Who Loved Me. Surrounding Moore’s tentative performance are a collection of unfocused action set pieces, a less-than-formidable duo of Bond girls, and the most repugnant character in the series’ history.
- 11/3/2015
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
Live and Let Die
Written by Tom Mankiewicz
Directed by Guy Hamilton
UK, 1973
1973’s Live and Let Die unleashed a new kind of Bond upon the world, a Bond whose bland propriety and vacuous quips would dominate the screen for another twelve years. Roger Moore, taking over for Sean Connery, the third different Bond in three films, had enjoyed popular success as a television star on mystery series “The Saint.” He had originally tested for the role prior to inaugural series entry Dr. No, but was deemed “too pretty” by Bond producers Harry Salzman and Albert “Cubby” Broccoli. Sean Connery had only grudgingly agreed to return for 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever, and had no interest in continuing further due to tension with the producers. Salzman was not a fan of the choice of Moore, but was overruled by Broccoli, who saw in the TV star the opportunity to create an...
Written by Tom Mankiewicz
Directed by Guy Hamilton
UK, 1973
1973’s Live and Let Die unleashed a new kind of Bond upon the world, a Bond whose bland propriety and vacuous quips would dominate the screen for another twelve years. Roger Moore, taking over for Sean Connery, the third different Bond in three films, had enjoyed popular success as a television star on mystery series “The Saint.” He had originally tested for the role prior to inaugural series entry Dr. No, but was deemed “too pretty” by Bond producers Harry Salzman and Albert “Cubby” Broccoli. Sean Connery had only grudgingly agreed to return for 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever, and had no interest in continuing further due to tension with the producers. Salzman was not a fan of the choice of Moore, but was overruled by Broccoli, who saw in the TV star the opportunity to create an...
- 11/3/2015
- by Gabriel Bucsko
- SoundOnSight
Diamonds are Forever
Directed by Guy Hamilton
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum & Tom Mankiewicz
UK, 1971
Following up On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, widely considered by most fans to be the best Bond incarnation pre-reboot, here the series takes a step back to recast the iconic Sean Connery in the role of mischievous misogynist Jimmy B, and promptly trips over itself in a strangely crass and dull outing. Replacing the wooden George Lazenby with the series’ original super spy proves to be mere consolation rather than icing on the cake bomb.
Diamonds are Forever surprisingly starts with direct continuity, with Bond leading a ruthless and fisticuffs laden hunt across the world for wife killer Ernst Stavros Blofelt (played here by Charles Gray). He eventually tracks down the evil mastermind and gives him a searing exit to proceedings, or so it seems. Getting back to the small matter of his day job...
Directed by Guy Hamilton
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum & Tom Mankiewicz
UK, 1971
Following up On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, widely considered by most fans to be the best Bond incarnation pre-reboot, here the series takes a step back to recast the iconic Sean Connery in the role of mischievous misogynist Jimmy B, and promptly trips over itself in a strangely crass and dull outing. Replacing the wooden George Lazenby with the series’ original super spy proves to be mere consolation rather than icing on the cake bomb.
Diamonds are Forever surprisingly starts with direct continuity, with Bond leading a ruthless and fisticuffs laden hunt across the world for wife killer Ernst Stavros Blofelt (played here by Charles Gray). He eventually tracks down the evil mastermind and gives him a searing exit to proceedings, or so it seems. Getting back to the small matter of his day job...
- 11/3/2015
- by Scott Patterson
- SoundOnSight
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Written by Richard Maibaum
Directed by Peter Hunt
UK, 1969
To call On Her Majesty’s Secret Service underappreciated is to call the sky blue. Only in the years since the release of Daniel Craig’s introduction to the series, Casino Royale, has Ohmss begun to be reappraised as a realistic, character-driven approach to the Bond series. Its failure at the box office compared to the Connery entries that preceded it led to the producers, Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and Harry Salzman, returning to the Goldfinger formula of larger than life villains, iconic henchmen, ludicrously elaborate take-over-the-world schemes, and a generally heightened sense to the proceedings, all of which are noticeably absent from Ohmss.
Sean Connery had a rough experience during filming of 1967’s You Only Live Twice. The media scrutiny, long filming periods, and promotional duties caused him to leave the role that had made his career.
Written by Richard Maibaum
Directed by Peter Hunt
UK, 1969
To call On Her Majesty’s Secret Service underappreciated is to call the sky blue. Only in the years since the release of Daniel Craig’s introduction to the series, Casino Royale, has Ohmss begun to be reappraised as a realistic, character-driven approach to the Bond series. Its failure at the box office compared to the Connery entries that preceded it led to the producers, Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and Harry Salzman, returning to the Goldfinger formula of larger than life villains, iconic henchmen, ludicrously elaborate take-over-the-world schemes, and a generally heightened sense to the proceedings, all of which are noticeably absent from Ohmss.
Sean Connery had a rough experience during filming of 1967’s You Only Live Twice. The media scrutiny, long filming periods, and promotional duties caused him to leave the role that had made his career.
- 11/2/2015
- by Gabriel Bucsko
- SoundOnSight
From Russia With Love
Directed by Terrence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood
1963, UK
50 years later, and with twenty-three “official” entries, From Russia With Love represents the very best of the Bond franchise. Skyfall is the closest to be considered, at best – almost equal to what was achieved in ’64 – but From Russia With Love is still unparalleled. Although it is the second in the series, and although it feels like no Bond film that followed, it is the film that solidifies all the Bond elements into a formula – a template that carries on, even today.
Spectre’s Persian-stroking nemesis/mastermind Ernest Blofeld makes his first appearance and so does Desmond Llewelyn’s gadget-friendly Q (starting a run that continued until his death in 1999). Screenwriters Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood return, as does director and editor Terence Young and Peter Hunt. John Barry supplies the fine score by utilizing Monte Norman’s theme,...
Directed by Terrence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood
1963, UK
50 years later, and with twenty-three “official” entries, From Russia With Love represents the very best of the Bond franchise. Skyfall is the closest to be considered, at best – almost equal to what was achieved in ’64 – but From Russia With Love is still unparalleled. Although it is the second in the series, and although it feels like no Bond film that followed, it is the film that solidifies all the Bond elements into a formula – a template that carries on, even today.
Spectre’s Persian-stroking nemesis/mastermind Ernest Blofeld makes his first appearance and so does Desmond Llewelyn’s gadget-friendly Q (starting a run that continued until his death in 1999). Screenwriters Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood return, as does director and editor Terence Young and Peter Hunt. John Barry supplies the fine score by utilizing Monte Norman’s theme,...
- 11/2/2015
- by Ricky da Conceição
- SoundOnSight
The most commercially successful Bond film to date is Thunderball. The pic earned over $141 million worldwide, of which more than half was generated domestically in the U.S. The film was such a success, it was remade some 18 years later as Never Say Never Again. This is without a doubt my favourite Bond film (although not the best), and the film that perfected the ‘Bond Formula”. Every key player is back: lead actor Sen Connery, director Terence Young, longtime Bond screenwriter Richard Maibaum, cinematographer Ted Moore, title sequence designer Maurice Binder, and composer John Barry.
11: Thunderball – Opening Title Sequence
Maurice Binder returns to the fold after two films away and creates the quintessential Bond title sequence. The titles of Thunderball are visually striking, showing silhouettes of naked women swimming around against coloured backgrounds. Binder hired two dancers who actually swam about in tanks in disco clubs and convinced them...
11: Thunderball – Opening Title Sequence
Maurice Binder returns to the fold after two films away and creates the quintessential Bond title sequence. The titles of Thunderball are visually striking, showing silhouettes of naked women swimming around against coloured backgrounds. Binder hired two dancers who actually swam about in tanks in disco clubs and convinced them...
- 11/2/2015
- by Ricky da Conceição
- SoundOnSight
Thunderball
Directed by Terrence Young
Written by John Hopkins and Richard Maibaum
1965, UK
Being a relative novice to the James Bond canon, I have never grown accustomed to the many colorful details that have leaked from the Bond films into popular culture. Thunderball, as I discovered, is the home to many of the Bond clichés, as they’ve more or less become. It is, from what I can understand, the mold that which every Bond film is created.
There are the clever puns delivered with a wink, daring escapes using proto-gadgets that bend the boundaries of belief, the beautiful women, seemingly hypnotized by the smooth debonair Bond, and of course, the cartoonish villain and his cartoonish plot to conquer, or destroy the world.
These are all clear marks of every Bond film, past, present, and future. And though there were films that used these ideas before, and even Bond films that used the same formula,...
Directed by Terrence Young
Written by John Hopkins and Richard Maibaum
1965, UK
Being a relative novice to the James Bond canon, I have never grown accustomed to the many colorful details that have leaked from the Bond films into popular culture. Thunderball, as I discovered, is the home to many of the Bond clichés, as they’ve more or less become. It is, from what I can understand, the mold that which every Bond film is created.
There are the clever puns delivered with a wink, daring escapes using proto-gadgets that bend the boundaries of belief, the beautiful women, seemingly hypnotized by the smooth debonair Bond, and of course, the cartoonish villain and his cartoonish plot to conquer, or destroy the world.
These are all clear marks of every Bond film, past, present, and future. And though there were films that used these ideas before, and even Bond films that used the same formula,...
- 11/1/2015
- by James Merolla
- SoundOnSight
Goldfinger
Directed by Guy Hamilton
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum and Paul Dehn
Starred: Sean Connery, Honor Blackman
Released September 1964 by United Artists
Even if you had never seen this film, just as with Ursula Andress rising from the waves like a bikini-clad version of Botticelli’s Venus in Dr. No, you’d recognize the iconic image. The girl, the bed, the gold paint. The sight of gilded Shirley Eaton spread out on the sheets is so evocative that – like Ursula – it was subjected to an ironic nod in a later Bond film. If Halle Berry wore the updated bikini in Die Another Day, instead of gold Gemma Arterton did sheet-duty wearing nothing but a coat of oil for Quantum of Solace.
Gold was the symbol of wealth in 1964, but in today’s world of global warming and fuel station queues, hydrocarbons have taken its place in the cultural lexicon. And...
Directed by Guy Hamilton
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum and Paul Dehn
Starred: Sean Connery, Honor Blackman
Released September 1964 by United Artists
Even if you had never seen this film, just as with Ursula Andress rising from the waves like a bikini-clad version of Botticelli’s Venus in Dr. No, you’d recognize the iconic image. The girl, the bed, the gold paint. The sight of gilded Shirley Eaton spread out on the sheets is so evocative that – like Ursula – it was subjected to an ironic nod in a later Bond film. If Halle Berry wore the updated bikini in Die Another Day, instead of gold Gemma Arterton did sheet-duty wearing nothing but a coat of oil for Quantum of Solace.
Gold was the symbol of wealth in 1964, but in today’s world of global warming and fuel station queues, hydrocarbons have taken its place in the cultural lexicon. And...
- 11/1/2015
- by Cath Murphy
- SoundOnSight
Dr. No
Directed by Terence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum & Johanna Harwood
1962, UK
Author, Ian Fleming had been seeking out a movie deal for nearly a decade until the rights for his novels were finally bought by producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli. Little did they know they would change the landscape of spy-action cinema forever with the release of Dr. No.
Dr. No was the first James Bond novel turned into a film, though it was the sixth novel in the book series The film was adapted by Wolf Mankowitz (who went uncredited by request, fearing the film would bomb), Johanna Harwood (the first and only women screenwriter of the franchise), Berkeley Mather, and long time contributor Richard Maibaum. Arguably Dr. No is one of the closest cinematic interpretations of any Bond novel in tone and plot. The changes they made were mostly cosmetic save for some minor...
Directed by Terence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum & Johanna Harwood
1962, UK
Author, Ian Fleming had been seeking out a movie deal for nearly a decade until the rights for his novels were finally bought by producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli. Little did they know they would change the landscape of spy-action cinema forever with the release of Dr. No.
Dr. No was the first James Bond novel turned into a film, though it was the sixth novel in the book series The film was adapted by Wolf Mankowitz (who went uncredited by request, fearing the film would bomb), Johanna Harwood (the first and only women screenwriter of the franchise), Berkeley Mather, and long time contributor Richard Maibaum. Arguably Dr. No is one of the closest cinematic interpretations of any Bond novel in tone and plot. The changes they made were mostly cosmetic save for some minor...
- 11/1/2015
- by Ricky da Conceição
- SoundOnSight
It took 44 years and 20 big screen outings before the Bond films even began to acknowledge its protagonist's origins, but if anything's going to define Daniel Craig's tenure as 007 it's the echoes from the character's past.
In the years between Roger Moore's departure and Timothy Dalton's arrival with The Living Daylights, screenwriters Richard Maibaum and Michael G Wilson explored the idea of taking Bond back to his roots with the Royal Navy and his induction into MI6.
Producer Cubby Broccoli, the man who masterminded Bond's cinematic success, dismissed this notion, arguing that audiences loved Ian Fleming's hero because he was bullet proof and fully formed.
How times change.
Since Daniel Craig's dramatic entrance in Casino Royale, Bond has been a vulnerable tortured soul, carrying this through in Quantum of Solace and Skyfall. The latter turned back the clock as 007 returned to his family home in Scotland, giving...
In the years between Roger Moore's departure and Timothy Dalton's arrival with The Living Daylights, screenwriters Richard Maibaum and Michael G Wilson explored the idea of taking Bond back to his roots with the Royal Navy and his induction into MI6.
Producer Cubby Broccoli, the man who masterminded Bond's cinematic success, dismissed this notion, arguing that audiences loved Ian Fleming's hero because he was bullet proof and fully formed.
How times change.
Since Daniel Craig's dramatic entrance in Casino Royale, Bond has been a vulnerable tortured soul, carrying this through in Quantum of Solace and Skyfall. The latter turned back the clock as 007 returned to his family home in Scotland, giving...
- 3/28/2015
- Digital Spy
Back in 1991, the Criterion Collection released the three earliest James Bond movies on laserdisc: Dr. No, From Russia with Love, and Goldfinger. Like any Criterion release, these laserdiscs were flush with special features, including an assembled commentary track for each film hosted by Bruce Eder. However, shortly after the release, Eon Productions requested that the company recall all the unsold product. The discs were re-released without the special features, including those commentary tracks. Once MGM released their own DVDs of the Bond films, they had installed their own commentaries. There has been a lot of speculation as to why these commentaries were banned from the marketplace (including possible inflammatory language used, unsavory stories that might be considered offensive to parties involved and releasing sensitive production information). However, now thanks to the magic of the Internet, you don’t have to pay hundreds of dollars and secure an old laserdisc player to listen to the commentaries. They...
- 11/6/2014
- by Kevin Carr
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Mel Gibson took on a big movie star role with Ransom. We take a look back at Ron Howard's 1996 thriller...
If you were a regular cinemagoer around 1996, then you can't help but have seen the trailer for Ron Howard's Ransom. Inevitably, time has dampened its impact a little but it was a promo that quite superbly sold the film (which would go on to take more than $300m at the box office worldwide). At first glance a tale of a rich man whose son is kidnapped, the trailer showed how the tables were to be turned: instead of the ransom money being handed over to the kidnappers, Gibson's character offered it as a bounty on the kidnappers' heads instead. The hunt is then turned around, quite cleverly.
Watching Ransom at the time, I always thought that the film, whilst not without merit, never fully delivered on that idea.
If you were a regular cinemagoer around 1996, then you can't help but have seen the trailer for Ron Howard's Ransom. Inevitably, time has dampened its impact a little but it was a promo that quite superbly sold the film (which would go on to take more than $300m at the box office worldwide). At first glance a tale of a rich man whose son is kidnapped, the trailer showed how the tables were to be turned: instead of the ransom money being handed over to the kidnappers, Gibson's character offered it as a bounty on the kidnappers' heads instead. The hunt is then turned around, quite cleverly.
Watching Ransom at the time, I always thought that the film, whilst not without merit, never fully delivered on that idea.
- 8/29/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Exclusive: In a pre-emptive deal worth multiple seven-figures for the package, Warner Bros has acquired the Don Pendleton anti-terrorist operative Mack Bolan novel series and will develop it as a star vehicle for Bradley Cooper to potentially play Bolan, and Todd Phillips to potentially direct him. Avatar 4 co-writer Shane Salerno – who acquired the rights to the franchise from Pendleton’s estate — will write the script and produce along with Cooper and Phillips, who earlier this year joined forces and formed a Warner Bros-based producing label. It potentially could be the first action franchise for Cooper, who bulked up to play Navy Seal Chris Kyle in American Sniper, directed by Clint Eastwood for Warner Bros. Phillips is next directing Arms And The Dudes, about hapless guys who become arms dealers.
Related: After 40 Years Of Trying With McQueen, Stallone, Eastwood, Reynolds And Vin Diesel, Mack Bolan Pic Is Back
Considering how...
Related: After 40 Years Of Trying With McQueen, Stallone, Eastwood, Reynolds And Vin Diesel, Mack Bolan Pic Is Back
Considering how...
- 8/19/2014
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline
By Lee Pfeiffer
The Warner Archive has released the classic 1956 film noir Ransom! as a burn-to-order title. The film is a textbook example of minimalist production values being overshadowed by a strong, intelligent script (co-written by future 007 scribe Richard Maibaum) and excellent direction, courtesy of Alex Segal. Glenn Ford plays Dave Stannard, a highly successful owner of a major vacuum cleaner company. He lives an idyllic home life with his devoted wife Edith (Donna Reed) and their 8 year-old son Andy (Bobby Clark). Suddenly their peaceful, quiet life is sent into a tragic spin when Andy is kidnapped by persons unknown. Stannard alerts the local police chief and soon his house is swarming with cops while outside a circus-like atmosphere develops as ghoulish neighbors gather to sniff out any updates in the case. For long agonizing hours Stannard doesn't receive any word until the inevitable phone call comes in demanding that he get a $500,000 ransom together.
The Warner Archive has released the classic 1956 film noir Ransom! as a burn-to-order title. The film is a textbook example of minimalist production values being overshadowed by a strong, intelligent script (co-written by future 007 scribe Richard Maibaum) and excellent direction, courtesy of Alex Segal. Glenn Ford plays Dave Stannard, a highly successful owner of a major vacuum cleaner company. He lives an idyllic home life with his devoted wife Edith (Donna Reed) and their 8 year-old son Andy (Bobby Clark). Suddenly their peaceful, quiet life is sent into a tragic spin when Andy is kidnapped by persons unknown. Stannard alerts the local police chief and soon his house is swarming with cops while outside a circus-like atmosphere develops as ghoulish neighbors gather to sniff out any updates in the case. For long agonizing hours Stannard doesn't receive any word until the inevitable phone call comes in demanding that he get a $500,000 ransom together.
- 8/16/2014
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Exclusive: Over the course of his 900-volume novel series launched by Don Pendleton in 1969, elite anti-terrorist operative Mack Bolan has cracked every conceivable case except one–making it to a movie screen. Bolan, who at one time or another was going to be played by Steve McQueen, Sly Stallone, Clint Eastwood and Vin Diesel, is getting another movie shot. Avatar 4 co-writer Shane Salerno has closed a deal with the author’s estate and Gold Eagle Books giving him the rights to develop the Bolan character for a feature film series.
Salerno will write and produce, getting underway after finishing co-writing the Avatar sequel with James Cameron. He said his goal is to make a “relevant, grounded and gritty, real-world PG-13 action-drama film series.” He’ll package it with a filmmaker and actor, and then set it up at a studio quickly with the intention to get underway with a trilogy.
Salerno will write and produce, getting underway after finishing co-writing the Avatar sequel with James Cameron. He said his goal is to make a “relevant, grounded and gritty, real-world PG-13 action-drama film series.” He’ll package it with a filmmaker and actor, and then set it up at a studio quickly with the intention to get underway with a trilogy.
- 8/12/2014
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline
Bond 24 confirmed for 2015 release with Sam Mendes returning
James Bond: A history from Ian Fleming to Daniel Craig
On Her Majesty's Secret Service might be the sixth instalment in Eon's James Bond series, but for a long time it had the feel of one of the franchise's rogue entries Casino Royale and Never Say Never Again. Two years after Sean Connery signed off his initial 007 run with You Only Live Twice, producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman undertook an exhaustive casting search with director Peter Hunt to find a replacement. They believed, rightly, that the role of James Bond was bigger than anyone who played him, and in 1968 George Lazenby - an Australian model with no prior acting experience - was unveiled as the new James Bond at the Dorchester Hotel.
Lazenby, of course, would only play Bond once and Ohmss's failure to set the box office alight meant...
James Bond: A history from Ian Fleming to Daniel Craig
On Her Majesty's Secret Service might be the sixth instalment in Eon's James Bond series, but for a long time it had the feel of one of the franchise's rogue entries Casino Royale and Never Say Never Again. Two years after Sean Connery signed off his initial 007 run with You Only Live Twice, producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman undertook an exhaustive casting search with director Peter Hunt to find a replacement. They believed, rightly, that the role of James Bond was bigger than anyone who played him, and in 1968 George Lazenby - an Australian model with no prior acting experience - was unveiled as the new James Bond at the Dorchester Hotel.
Lazenby, of course, would only play Bond once and Ohmss's failure to set the box office alight meant...
- 2/23/2014
- Digital Spy
Ah, the Cold War. Growing up as I did in the Eighties, there was no greater Bad Guy in film or print as evil or subversive or insidious as the Russians. They were the eternal enemy, lurking across the ocean at the business end of a fleet of ICBMs. It was a time of uncertainty, of mistrust, of a vague feeling that global nuclear catastrophe could happen at any time. Not just that you might die, or your brother in the service might die, but that everyone might die. That the culmination of human endeavors to this point might just end after the hasty push of a big red button.
The Cold War was not a war of armies or military strategy, but one of ideology and secrecy. We were we and they were they. They thought differently from us, they structured their economy and their politics differently from us.
The Cold War was not a war of armies or military strategy, but one of ideology and secrecy. We were we and they were they. They thought differently from us, they structured their economy and their politics differently from us.
- 3/18/2013
- by Eric Schlelein
- Boomtron
So, um, as you probably already know, Skyfall—the acclaimed 23rd James Bond film, which has already raked in more than $1 billion worldwide—wasn't nominated for Best Picture as some of us 007 die-hards had not-so-secretly hoped and/or pipe-dreamed it might. It was, however, nominated in five other categories (Best Original Song, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing and Best Cinematography), which is more than you can say of any previous Bond adventure: over the course of a half century, the Bond series has only garnered 7 total nominations, with just 2 wins in technical categories.
Previously… The Oscars To Feature A 50th Anniversary James Bond Tribute
Why no love for the world's greatest secret agent? I'm guessing The Academy has been secretly infiltrated by the dastardly criminal masterminds of Spectre and that, as we speak, Ernst Stavro Blofeld is evilly petting his white cat, cackling over this year's nominees.
Previously… The Oscars To Feature A 50th Anniversary James Bond Tribute
Why no love for the world's greatest secret agent? I'm guessing The Academy has been secretly infiltrated by the dastardly criminal masterminds of Spectre and that, as we speak, Ernst Stavro Blofeld is evilly petting his white cat, cackling over this year's nominees.
- 1/11/2013
- by Brett Warner
- Filmology
Concluding a very successful James bond marathon, comes our list of the very best 007 films, as chosen by the Sound On Sight staff. In just 30 days, we managed to publish over 40 articles and reviews, making it our most successful monthly movie club to date. I’d like to once again thank everyone who participated and furthermore, thank everyone who voted for having good taste. I cannot argue with the final results. These are indeed the best Bond films. Enjoy!
#1: From Russia With Love
Directed by Terence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood
1963, UK
50 years later, and with twenty three “official” entries, From Russia With Love represents the very best of the Bond franchise. Skyfall is the closest to be considered, at best – almost equal to what was achieved in ’64 – but From Russia With Love is still unparalleled. Although it is the second in the series, and although...
#1: From Russia With Love
Directed by Terence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood
1963, UK
50 years later, and with twenty three “official” entries, From Russia With Love represents the very best of the Bond franchise. Skyfall is the closest to be considered, at best – almost equal to what was achieved in ’64 – but From Russia With Love is still unparalleled. Although it is the second in the series, and although...
- 12/3/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
From Russia With Love
Directed by Terrence Stamp
Written by Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood
1963, UK
50 years later, and with twenty three “official” entries, From Russia With Love represents the very best of the Bond franchise. Skyfall is the closest to be considered, at best – almost equal to what was achieved in ’64 – but From Russia With Love is still unparalleled. Although it is the second in the series, and although it feels like no Bond film that followed, it is the film that solidifies all the Bond elements into a formula – a template that carries on, even today.
Spectre’s Persian-stroking nemesis/mastermind Ernest Blofeld makes his first appearance (even if he’s not referred to by that name), and so does Desmond Llewelyn’s gadget-friendly Q (starting a run that continued until his death in 1999). Screenwriters Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood return as does director and editor Terence Young and Peter Hunt.
Directed by Terrence Stamp
Written by Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood
1963, UK
50 years later, and with twenty three “official” entries, From Russia With Love represents the very best of the Bond franchise. Skyfall is the closest to be considered, at best – almost equal to what was achieved in ’64 – but From Russia With Love is still unparalleled. Although it is the second in the series, and although it feels like no Bond film that followed, it is the film that solidifies all the Bond elements into a formula – a template that carries on, even today.
Spectre’s Persian-stroking nemesis/mastermind Ernest Blofeld makes his first appearance (even if he’s not referred to by that name), and so does Desmond Llewelyn’s gadget-friendly Q (starting a run that continued until his death in 1999). Screenwriters Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood return as does director and editor Terence Young and Peter Hunt.
- 11/29/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Octopussy
Directed by John Glen
Written by George Macdonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum, and Michael G. Wilson
United Kingdom, 1983
1983 presented a unique challenge for the Bond franchise. For the first time since Ursula Andress strolled out of the water, there were going to be two Bond films in theatres in the same year. As if that wasn’t enough, Never Say Never Again was also going to see Sean Connery, the first man to ever play Bond and who had handed the reigns off to the current incarnation, reprise the role once again, pitting the two men most known for playing Bond, Connery and Roger Moore (George Lazenby’s one-time outing as the agent notwithstanding) against each other. It is against these conditions that Octopussy was made, with the necessity of having to prove itself anew. Fortunately, the movie delivers on several fronts, making for a thrilling film, albeit one with a curious third act.
Directed by John Glen
Written by George Macdonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum, and Michael G. Wilson
United Kingdom, 1983
1983 presented a unique challenge for the Bond franchise. For the first time since Ursula Andress strolled out of the water, there were going to be two Bond films in theatres in the same year. As if that wasn’t enough, Never Say Never Again was also going to see Sean Connery, the first man to ever play Bond and who had handed the reigns off to the current incarnation, reprise the role once again, pitting the two men most known for playing Bond, Connery and Roger Moore (George Lazenby’s one-time outing as the agent notwithstanding) against each other. It is against these conditions that Octopussy was made, with the necessity of having to prove itself anew. Fortunately, the movie delivers on several fronts, making for a thrilling film, albeit one with a curious third act.
- 11/27/2012
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
The Living Daylights
Directed by John Glen
Written by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson
1987, USA
It wasn’t guaranteed that the Daniel Craig films would successfully reboot James Bond, in part because such a restart had already been tried before. After 1985′s A View To a Kill, in which age had begun to
show on both Roger Moore as Bond and Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny, the first real reboot was attempted. Timothy Dalton – who had turned down On Her Majesty’s Secret Service because he felt that at 24 he was too young to replace Sean Connery – was brought on and a script was commissioned to return Bond to his Cold War roots. The result was The Living Daylights, which doesn’t quite work as a reboot but makes for deeply enjoyable viewing.
Too many of the old Bond conventions remained for The Living Daylights to be a true...
Directed by John Glen
Written by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson
1987, USA
It wasn’t guaranteed that the Daniel Craig films would successfully reboot James Bond, in part because such a restart had already been tried before. After 1985′s A View To a Kill, in which age had begun to
show on both Roger Moore as Bond and Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny, the first real reboot was attempted. Timothy Dalton – who had turned down On Her Majesty’s Secret Service because he felt that at 24 he was too young to replace Sean Connery – was brought on and a script was commissioned to return Bond to his Cold War roots. The result was The Living Daylights, which doesn’t quite work as a reboot but makes for deeply enjoyable viewing.
Too many of the old Bond conventions remained for The Living Daylights to be a true...
- 11/18/2012
- by Mark Young
- SoundOnSight
For Your Eyes Only
Written by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson, based on Ian Fleming’s short stories “For Your Eyes only” and “Risico”
Directed by John Glen
UK, 1981, imdb
You probably have never heard this before, but my favourite James Bond film of all time, For Your Eyes Only, was the first 007 film I ever saw. (Spookily, this is exactly the same reason that my Huffington Post doppelgänger likes the film.)
But I don’t love Roger Moore’s fourth Bond film for nostalgic reasons, or at least not completely. Every so often, the 007 franchise strips Bond of his gadgets and gives us a back to basics story where a more ruthless secret agent has only his wits to fall back on: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, The Living Daylights, Casino Royale and For Your Eyes Only are the best examples. Of these, For Your Eyes Only...
Written by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson, based on Ian Fleming’s short stories “For Your Eyes only” and “Risico”
Directed by John Glen
UK, 1981, imdb
You probably have never heard this before, but my favourite James Bond film of all time, For Your Eyes Only, was the first 007 film I ever saw. (Spookily, this is exactly the same reason that my Huffington Post doppelgänger likes the film.)
But I don’t love Roger Moore’s fourth Bond film for nostalgic reasons, or at least not completely. Every so often, the 007 franchise strips Bond of his gadgets and gives us a back to basics story where a more ruthless secret agent has only his wits to fall back on: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, The Living Daylights, Casino Royale and For Your Eyes Only are the best examples. Of these, For Your Eyes Only...
- 11/16/2012
- by Michael Ryan
- SoundOnSight
Licence to Kill
Directed by John Glen
Screenplay by Michael G. Wilson and Richard Maibaum
UK, 1989
With the release of Skyfall this month, critics have cited the major departures from the Bond formula taken by that film. They credit Daniel Craig for bringing a modern edge to a character that had become ridiculous in the Brosnan years. It’s easy to forget that similar claims were made about Timothy Dalton back in the late ‘80s. The classically trained actor brought grace to the role with his first appearance in 1987’s The Living Daylights. That film retained the look and feeling of the Roger Moore films while starting the shift towards a more realistic hero. The change became a lot more dramatic in Dalton’s second outing two years later. Licence to Kill pared down the excesses of the typical Bond film and crafted a more personal tale of revenge. While...
Directed by John Glen
Screenplay by Michael G. Wilson and Richard Maibaum
UK, 1989
With the release of Skyfall this month, critics have cited the major departures from the Bond formula taken by that film. They credit Daniel Craig for bringing a modern edge to a character that had become ridiculous in the Brosnan years. It’s easy to forget that similar claims were made about Timothy Dalton back in the late ‘80s. The classically trained actor brought grace to the role with his first appearance in 1987’s The Living Daylights. That film retained the look and feeling of the Roger Moore films while starting the shift towards a more realistic hero. The change became a lot more dramatic in Dalton’s second outing two years later. Licence to Kill pared down the excesses of the typical Bond film and crafted a more personal tale of revenge. While...
- 11/15/2012
- by Dan Heaton
- SoundOnSight
The Spy Who Loved Me
Directed by Lewis Gilbert
Screenplay by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum
UK, 1977
There’s an undeniable lasting appeal to Bond. Lasting 50 years is certainly proof of that, but there’s something deeper. After all, one can point to Star Trek and Doctor Who as cultural icons that have stood the test of time, but there’s something different about Bond. Trekkies or Whovians faced ostracization for many years, the fans relegated to dark corners and hushed tones of conversation. Ordering a vodka martini, shaken not stirred, however, paints someone as the very opposite of a nerd, something that has never changed throughout the run of Bond. So what stands Bond apart? It can’t be the saving the world aspect of things; after all, there are many heroes and heroines who’ve saved the world on a regular basis, perhaps with more frequency than Bond,...
Directed by Lewis Gilbert
Screenplay by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum
UK, 1977
There’s an undeniable lasting appeal to Bond. Lasting 50 years is certainly proof of that, but there’s something deeper. After all, one can point to Star Trek and Doctor Who as cultural icons that have stood the test of time, but there’s something different about Bond. Trekkies or Whovians faced ostracization for many years, the fans relegated to dark corners and hushed tones of conversation. Ordering a vodka martini, shaken not stirred, however, paints someone as the very opposite of a nerd, something that has never changed throughout the run of Bond. So what stands Bond apart? It can’t be the saving the world aspect of things; after all, there are many heroes and heroines who’ve saved the world on a regular basis, perhaps with more frequency than Bond,...
- 11/14/2012
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
The most commercially successful Bond film to date is Thunderball. The pic earned over $141 million worldwide, of which more than half was generated domestically in the U.S. The film was such a success, it was remade some 18 years later as Never Say Never Again. This is without a doubt my favourite Bond film (although not the best), and the film that perfected the ‘Bond Formula”. Every key player is back: lead actor Sen Connery, director Terence Young, longtime Bond screenwriter Richard Maibaum, cinematographer Ted Moore, title sequence designer Maurice Binder, and composer John Barry.
11: Thunderball - Opening Title Sequence
Maurice Binder returns to the fold after two films away, and creates the quintessential Bond title sequence. The titles of Thunderball are visually striking, showing silhouettes of naked women swimming around against coloured backgrounds. Binder hired two dancers who actually swam about in tanks in disco clubs and convinced...
11: Thunderball - Opening Title Sequence
Maurice Binder returns to the fold after two films away, and creates the quintessential Bond title sequence. The titles of Thunderball are visually striking, showing silhouettes of naked women swimming around against coloured backgrounds. Binder hired two dancers who actually swam about in tanks in disco clubs and convinced...
- 11/9/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Diamonds are Forever
Directed by Guy Hamilton
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum & Tom Mankiewicz
UK, 1971
Following up On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, widely considered by most fans to be the best Bond incarnation pre-reboot, here the series takes a step back to recast the iconic Sean Connery in the role of mischievous misogynist Jimmy B, and promptly trips over itself in a strangely crass and dull outing. Replacing the wooden George Lazenby with the series’ original super spy proves to be mere consolation rather than icing on the cake bomb.
Diamonds are Forever surprisingly starts with direct continuity, with Bond leading a ruthless and fisticuffs laden hunt across the world for wife killer Ernst Stavros Blofelt (played here by Charles Gray). He eventually tracks down the evil mastermind and gives him a searing exit to proceedings, or so it seems. Getting back to the small matter of his day job...
Directed by Guy Hamilton
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum & Tom Mankiewicz
UK, 1971
Following up On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, widely considered by most fans to be the best Bond incarnation pre-reboot, here the series takes a step back to recast the iconic Sean Connery in the role of mischievous misogynist Jimmy B, and promptly trips over itself in a strangely crass and dull outing. Replacing the wooden George Lazenby with the series’ original super spy proves to be mere consolation rather than icing on the cake bomb.
Diamonds are Forever surprisingly starts with direct continuity, with Bond leading a ruthless and fisticuffs laden hunt across the world for wife killer Ernst Stavros Blofelt (played here by Charles Gray). He eventually tracks down the evil mastermind and gives him a searing exit to proceedings, or so it seems. Getting back to the small matter of his day job...
- 11/9/2012
- by Scott Patterson
- SoundOnSight
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