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MI6 Community Bondathon

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  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,512
    @BeatlesSansEarmuffs, that's actually a solid idea, I don't think I've ever done a marathon of the films based on my ranking. Would be quite entertaining.
  • BeatlesSansEarmuffsBeatlesSansEarmuffs
    Posts: 3,564
    Actually, FRWL has always been my #1 and GF my #2. For the purposes of this marathon, GF edged out FRWL slightly....probably because GF has so many iconic moments, from the Shirley Bassey theme song to the Golden Girl; from Q getting huffy with Bond for the first time to Auric GF's great line while Bond is menaced by the laser; from the Aston Martin to Oddjob and his bowler....on and on and on until I was simply overwhelmed. But taking the movies out of sequence and judging each on its own merits I have to admit that all the straightforward spy stuff in FRWL generally has a tendency to outscore the borderline camp elements of GF in my own personal rankings.
  • BeatlesSansEarmuffsBeatlesSansEarmuffs
    Posts: 3,564
    TMWTGG has some very fine elements and some really appalling ones. Christopher Lee is a top ranked villain, no two ways about it. I don't really mind the astonishing car stunt with accompanying slide whistle (a point that some will never forgive) ...but Bond having to be rescued by the kung fu schoolgirls -- only to have their getaway car leave him in the dust! -- is a nonsensical point that I may never be able to overlook.
  • JamesBondKenyaJamesBondKenya Danny Boyle laughs to himself
    Posts: 2,730
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote: »
    Birdleson wrote: »
    JamesBondKenya wrote: »
    Nah they arnt real bond films


    I disagree with that sentiment. They are films about James Bond based (more than several EON productions) on the works of Ian Fleming. They certainly aren't part of them series, and one can question the quality (I enjoy them regardless), but they are real Bond films.

    If someone is suing for wanting two independently made and entirely unconnected Bond films included in a release that compiles all EON and MGM made Bond films (hence "official"), then yes, they're idiots.

    Especially when one movie is panned in a "so bad it's good way" and the other was made by a long-time enemy of the Bond family who was a professional dick until death to them and the rest of Fleming's memory. Those films don't belong, nor would they ever be included amidst a collection that celebrated the very films at least one of them strategically tried to trash and the other parodied. We might as well include all the Austin Powers films if we ever allowed that to pass.

    Agreed if the shit that is known as casino Royale (67) is supposed to be a bond film then Austin powers should too
  • BeatlesSansEarmuffsBeatlesSansEarmuffs
    edited April 2017 Posts: 3,564
    JamesBondKenya wrote: »
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote: »
    Birdleson wrote: »
    JamesBondKenya wrote: »
    Nah they arnt real bond films


    I disagree with that sentiment. They are films about James Bond based (more than several EON productions) on the works of Ian Fleming. They certainly aren't part of them series, and one can question the quality (I enjoy them regardless), but they are real Bond films.

    If someone is suing for wanting two independently made and entirely unconnected Bond films included in a release that compiles all EON and MGM made Bond films (hence "official"), then yes, they're idiots.

    Especially when one movie is panned in a "so bad it's good way" and the other was made by a long-time enemy of the Bond family who was a professional dick until death to them and the rest of Fleming's memory. Those films don't belong, nor would they ever be included amidst a collection that celebrated the very films at least one of them strategically tried to trash and the other parodied. We might as well include all the Austin Powers films if we ever allowed that to pass.

    Agreed if the shit that is known as casino Royale (67) is supposed to be a bond film then Austin powers should too

    The Look of Love is (not) in your post......
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    I do hope I get the chance to see this one day.
  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    Birdleson wrote: »
    We had talked about doing the novels next. Anyone up for it?

    A resounding YES from me. Been meaning to get around to any number of them again for some time. I actually started going through them again about a year ago and made it through the first four before turning to other things. But hell, I love all four of them and wouldn't mind starting over again.
  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    I likely would just be providing fresh observations rather than comprehensive reviews myself, so sounds good to me.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,512
    I'm in, have been waiting for this to kick off.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,112
    IN.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,512
    Whenever everyone else is ready to begin, I'd love to. Been in the mood to get back into reading lately, and this would be a perfect kick-off point for me.
  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    Thursday kicks off June. Sounds as good a time to start as any. Should we come up with a reading schedule that sounds reasonable to everyone?
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,512
    I can start this at any time, so whatever works best for everyone else. We can hash out the details in here, I'll probably open up a separate thread when the time comes for the book marathon, to avoid stacking all the discussion together in this thread.
  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    Short stories by their publish dates? Works for me.

    Would anyone object to two weeks per book? I have other things I'm reading alongside and like to take my time reading. But I might be able to stick to one per week.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,512
    Two weeks sounds perfect to me. We'll go with the order @Birdleson has mentioned.
  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    Sounds good. Maybe combine the first eight short stories into their own timeslot, and then pair "007 in New York" with either Thunderball or The Spy Who Loved Me.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,512
    It'll be my first time sitting down and going through them all in order/in one marathon.

    I'll just go ahead and fire up the thread for this now, so it gives people a couple of days to prep.
  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    I think once I read through all of them consecutively, but they were really spread out. This will be my first time taking them all in together in a relatively brief timeframe.
  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    I've noticed the continuity in Bond's psychological state throughout the later novels, but it'll be interesting seeing how Bond's state carries through the earlier ones.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,512
    'Becoming Bond'

    Terrific stuff, immediately jumped my list to being one of my favorite documentaries. Incredibly insightful, intriguing, and both hilarious and highly emotional, all at the same time. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about his backstory being acted out, but I loved it (especially the actors involved), gave the whole project a unique feel. Highly recommended to all Bond fans, this was truly wonderful stuff. Loved learning so much about Lazenby's upbringing, particularly just how many hurdles he had when it came to the inevitable casting of him in OHMSS.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    @Creasy47

    Could you consider this:

    Doing a Sir Roger Moore Community Bondathon in honour of the great man.
    You could use this thread for sure I guess.

    It's seven films and it would be a nice two month long hommage I'd say.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,512
    BondJasonBond006 wrote: »
    @Creasy47

    Could you consider this:

    Doing a Sir Roger Moore Community Bondathon in honour of the great man.
    You could use this thread for sure I guess.

    It's seven films and it would be a nice two month long hommage I'd say.

    Would be easier for everyone to contribute to, as well, to honor him. Would love to do something like that, and yes, I could just tweak this thread to accommodate the discussion. Anyone else interested in participating?
  • JohnHammond73JohnHammond73 Lancashire, UK
    Posts: 4,151
    Count me in for that. My favourite Bond so I'll definitely enjoy it.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,512
    Would allow us to get pretty in-depth and appreciative with each of Moore's takes on the character throughout his era. Hopefully those of us participating would do it in good taste and not take the opportunity to wholeheartedly bash his work in the series.
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,422
    @Birdleson – good review on the “YOLT Review Thread", which I'm going to discuss here.
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I have decided that Akiko Wakabayashi's Aki is my favorite Bond girl. How can anyone not fall in love with her? Her look, her demeanor, her role as written. I am taken with every aspect of her. I find her death to be the most touching and unsettling in the franchise 

    Although not my favourite Bond girl, I do like Aki an enormous lot. Aki has this purity that makes her so eminently likeable. I do agree with Aki’s death scene. Rather unsettling and Connery’s reaction to it is perfect. A lesson in the economy of drama.
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I like Mie Hama as Kissy, as well, despite her dubbed voice. Maybe I just lay the background and personality of Kissy from the novel over her, which was a much richer character.

    Before reading the novel, I would describe my feelings towards Miss Hama as decidedly “meh”. But after reading, which to my mind is Fleming’s best work, I suddenly got her. I transplanted Fleming’s superb heroine onto Hama. But, Mie herself is delectable and tough, and cute as button to boot. Plus Kissy saved the world. Not many Bond girls can say that!

    I like the Japanese one-two of Aki and Kissy. Both very sexiful and competent. Way before Barbara Bach or Naomie Harris started to bang the drums for “women’s equality” on Bond.
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Of course Ken Adam's sets are beyond reproach here.

    The production values on You Only Live Twice are just uniformly magnificent. I find I can forgive a lot when Ken Adam and John Barry are amongst the crew.
    Birdleson wrote: »
     I don't care for the whole Little Nelly section. Gadget-Bond is of little interest to me,

    Ah! Like you I’m not fond of Gadget-Bond, but this sequence is a real treat.
    Birdleson wrote: »
     I take Roald Dahl's script as I would a Roald Dahl story, filled with quirks and oddities,

    I find Dahl’s script to be severely underrated. Dahl’s script is wonderfully clever and macabre, channelling Fleming’s writing on You Only Live Twice. The screenplay however is a bit dodgy, to say the least.
    Birdleson wrote: »
    My major complaint is Blofeld himself. This is the weakest aspect of the film, by far, and the one thing that keeps it from greatness. After the magnificent build-up through the first four films (the combination of Anthony Dawson-body and Eric Pohlmann-voice, still my favorite Bofeld) is thrown away from this measly, non-threatening elf. 

    Quite. Such a waste. Imagine Pleasence’s Blowers popping to the post office, as the literary Blofeld had a habit of doing, to get some stamps. Utterly ridiculous.

    Apart from the unseen Blofeld of From Russia With Love and Thunderball, they have never really nailed the character of Blofeld. Telly is good but not spectacular. (Blofeld has a full head of hair in the literary On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, a right old silver fox! Yeah, that the only discrepancy between the filming of You Only Live Twice and Majesty’s..)

    This should be the climax to the Bond/SPECTRE clash. Alas its all wasted for a “non-threatening elf”. Pleasence is certainly iconic, but hardly menacing.

    For pure entertainment purposes, nothing can beat the wonderful Charles Grey and his “come hither Sailor” eyes.

    I’m still plagued by the question is You You Only Live Twice an epic conclusion to the Sean Connery saga, or an overblown spectacular mess?

    I loved You Only Live Twice as a nipper (Ninjas, Volcanos, Bond, Japan!), grew disenfranchised with it during my teenage years (if it’s not Fleming I don’t want to know!) to having a certain fondness for it in my twilight years.

    A sprinkling of the ineffable 60's magic, and one gets an iconic entry into the Bond series. Hugely enjoyable, if rather daft.


  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I also enjoy Charles Gray's Blofeld.

    Me too. So smug, a face you'd like to hit. A different, but not altogether bad Blofeld. DAF nailed the outline of what a Bond vs. Blofeld battle should be, where the hero and villain share a respect for each other, despite being grave enemies. And of course the film ends with Gray being the Blofeld that all the others are revealed to be in the end, cowards who escape when all things go to hell.
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,422
    One of the highlights to DAF is the dialogue between Connery and Gray. Wonderful stuff.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    royale65 wrote: »
    One of the highlights to DAF is the dialogue between Connery and Gray. Wonderful stuff.

    Absolutely. That scene in the Whyte House is a top scene in the franchise for me. Wonderfully crafted, with little moments where both characters are strategizing on the fly while acting coy and gentlemanly.
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,422
    Birdleson wrote: »
    At some point I need t reread this whole thread.


    This is my only bookmarked thread. At first I thought it was @NicNac's Bondathon thread. I've forgot about this thread until I clicked on it today. Then I spent the afternoon just reading the amazing posts, from you, @BeatlesSansEarmuffs, @NicNac, @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 etc. What a treat.

  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,422
    Wasn't it? Great to read the reviews. Some snarky, but never hostile. All meant with great love to Jimmy Bond.

    Certainly, after this thread, I was burnt out by all things Bondian. I'd lived and dreamt Bond like never before. It was exhausting. But well worth it.
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