Tell us all about your BONDATHON

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  • edited February 2016 Posts: 12,270
    I think I'll be doing a new Bond-a-thon probably next month or so, but I want to make the order interesting. I've always done it first to last, so (other than last to first) does anyone have any interesting suggestions for me to try?
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Start in the middle: FYEO; OP; MR; AVTAK; TSWLM; TLD and so on, finishing with DN and finally SP.
  • JohnHammond73JohnHammond73 Lancashire, UK
    edited February 2016 Posts: 4,151
    Last night I watched the second movie of my latest Bondathon (watching in reverse order of my ranking) - Diamonds Are Forever. Gotta say that, while I don't think of it as a great Bond movie, it is a bit of fun. I enjoyed it enough but, I think, I enjoyed DAD more the night before. I'll have to have a think of this before putting together my next ranking but it looks like DAD could leapfrog DAF. Didn't think I'd be saying that. Next one I'll be watching is For Your Eyes Only, which I am still surprised to see so low on my ranking.

    Bondathon 2016 #1

    Die Another Day - Viewed 15th February 2016
    Diamonds Are Forever - Viewed 16th February 2016
    For Your Eyes Only
    The World Is Not Enough
    Quantum Of Solace
    Tomorrow Never Dies
    Moonraker
    The Man With The Golden Gun
    The Living Daylights
    You Only Live Twice
    Thunderball
    A View To A Kill
    Live And Let Die
    Goldeneye
    Skyfall
    Licence To Kill
    Octopussy
    Goldfinger
    Dr No
    Spectre
    Casino Royale
    On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    From Russia With Love
    The Spy Who Loved Me
  • ForYourEyesOnlyForYourEyesOnly In the untained cradle of the heavens
    edited February 2016 Posts: 1,984
    I just reread the For Your Eyes Only short story collection. Only AVTAK, FYEO and QoS have had films made in their name, so I'll watch those (in that order). Strange order/collection of films, I know, but I'm thinking that watching strange, disjointed groupings of films will be more interesting.

    I'm halfway through the Thunderball novel too, so I'll watch that one next.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    Against my principles to have at least 18-24 months between Bondathon years I feel like doing another this year.
    It has mostly to do with the fact, that last year was the first time I was able to watch all of the Bond movies on Blu-ray on a big new tv set (65" 4K).
    I really want to re-watch all of them like that again. It is a whole new viewing experience.

    For the first time ever, I did my last Bondathon in a "random" order. That was very helpful in getting new experiences with many films.

    I'm not sure which order I will do it this year, just that the first and the last one will be Spectre, as bookends so to speak.

    Tonight it will be Spectre as the first one, also for the first time on Blu-ray and the 12th time overall. Yes crazy me went eleven times to the cinema!

    I can only advice people to not view them in order. It doesn't have to be totally random.
    There are plenty of possibilities. Try to find likely double features for example.
    OHMSS-FYEO, GE-CR, MR-DAD, TWINE-SF comes to mind for instance.

    Personally my final ranking for 2015 won't change much if at all with this new Bondathon but it will be great fun to re-watch them all in an order I've never done before.
  • JohnHammond73JohnHammond73 Lancashire, UK
    edited March 2016 Posts: 4,151
    Ok, watched the next part of my Bondathon last night - For Your Eyes Only. Now, after my previous Bondathon, I watched this and really didn't enjoy it at all. I don't know why but I think it may have been because of the frame of mind I was in at the time (not the greatest of times for me), but last night I thoroughly enjoyed it so much more and have no doubt that once my next ranking is in, that this will move considerably up from the third from bottom place it currently occupies. Next up - The World Is Not Enough.

    Bondathon 2016 #1

    Die Another Day - Viewed 15th February 2016
    Diamonds Are Forever - Viewed 16th February 2016
    For Your Eyes Only - Viewed 29th February 2016
    The World Is Not Enough
    Quantum Of Solace
    Tomorrow Never Dies
    Moonraker
    The Man With The Golden Gun
    The Living Daylights
    You Only Live Twice
    Thunderball
    A View To A Kill
    Live And Let Die
    Goldeneye
    Skyfall
    Licence To Kill
    Octopussy
    Goldfinger
    Dr No
    Spectre
    Casino Royale
    On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    From Russia With Love
    The Spy Who Loved Me
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    edited March 2016 Posts: 9,020
    Jason Bond's Bondathon 2016

    2016, February:
    SPECTRE
    2016, March:
    DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
    THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
    A VIEW TO A KILL


    I'm not going to write endless essays about the Bond movies.
    This time I will do it like this:

    Spectre:
    10/10 Re-watchability
    10/10 Bond-feeling

    10/10 Craig's performance
    10/10 Ensemble cast performance

    10/10 Cinematography
    09/10 Direction
    06/10 Score
    10/10 Production Design/Sets

    10/10 PTS
    10/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    Diamonds Are Forever:
    10/10 Re-watchability
    07/10 Bond-feeling

    05/10 Connery's performance
    06/10 Ensemble cast performance

    05/10 Cinematography
    06/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    05/10 Production Design/Sets

    06/10 PTS
    08/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    The Living Daylights:
    09/10 Re-watchability
    10/10 Bond-feeling

    10/10 Dalton's performance
    08/10 Ensemble cast performance

    08/10 Cinematography
    09/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    07/10 Production Design/Sets

    10/10 PTS
    09/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    A View To A Kill:
    08/10 Re-watchability
    08/10 Bond-feeling

    07/10 Moore's performance
    05/10 Ensemble cast performance

    06/10 Cinematography
    07/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    07/10 Production Design/Sets

    10/10 PTS
    10/10 Title sequence/Bond theme


    RANKING:
    1 SP
    2 TLD
    3 AVTAK
    4 DAF

    Next ones to come: TND, YOLT, QOS
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    I'm the only one currently on a Bondathon, c'mon people :)]
  • Posts: 4,325
    I'm the only one currently on a Bondathon, c'mon people :)]

    I'm going to start a Star Warsathon :)
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    tanaka123 wrote: »
    I'm the only one currently on a Bondathon, c'mon people :)]

    I'm going to start a Star Warsathon :)

    I've done that already. Before TFA hit the cinemas.

    Still it seems I'm the only one doing a Bondathon, respectively people here are really lazy lately, be it in the games or threads like this. [-(
    A bit more participation would not hurt.

    Well here is my update:

    Jason Bond's Bondathon 2016

    2016, February:
    SPECTRE
    2016, March:
    DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
    THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
    A VIEW TO A KILL
    YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE


    I'm not going to write endless essays about the Bond movies.
    This time I will do it like this:

    Spectre:
    10/10 Re-watchability
    10/10 Bond-feeling
    10/10 Craig's performance
    10/10 Ensemble cast performance
    10/10 Cinematography
    09/10 Direction
    06/10 Score
    10/10 Production Design/Sets
    10/10 PTS
    10/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    Diamonds Are Forever:
    10/10 Re-watchability
    07/10 Bond-feeling
    05/10 Connery's performance
    06/10 Ensemble cast performance
    05/10 Cinematography
    06/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    05/10 Production Design/Sets
    06/10 PTS
    08/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    The Living Daylights:
    09/10 Re-watchability
    10/10 Bond-feeling
    10/10 Dalton's performance
    08/10 Ensemble cast performance
    08/10 Cinematography
    09/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    07/10 Production Design/Sets
    10/10 PTS
    09/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    A View To A Kill:
    08/10 Re-watchability
    08/10 Bond-feeling
    07/10 Moore's performance
    05/10 Ensemble cast performance
    06/10 Cinematography
    07/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    07/10 Production Design/Sets
    10/10 PTS
    10/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    You Only Live Twice:
    06/10 Re-watchability
    08/10 Bond-feeling
    09/10 Connery's performance
    06/10 Ensemble cast performance
    08/10 Cinematography
    09/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    10/10 Production Design/Sets
    08/10 PTS
    09/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    RANKING:
    1 SP
    2 TLD
    3 AVTAK
    4 YOLT
    5 DAF

    Next ones to come: TND, QOS[/quote]

  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    edited March 2016 Posts: 7,570
    As my Bond watching this year has turned in to a Bondathon I'm moving my list (and those all important quotes taken from the dialogue between Bond and his various ladies) into this thread

    Dr No ( "Are you looking for shells?" "No. I'm just looking" )

    You Only Live Twice ( "He wouldn't touch that horrible woman, would you?" "Heaven forbid")

    Octopussy ("Moneypenny, you become more beautiful every day" "I'm over here" "But of course you are")

    The World Is Not Enough ( "I've got to get it back, or someone's gonna have my ass" "First things first")

    Moonraker ("Can you think of a reason why we can't go for a drink after?" "Not immediately, but I'm sure I shall")

    For Your Eyes Only ( "He thinks I'm still a virgin" " Yes well, get your clothes on..and I'll buy you an ice-cream")

    The Living Daylights ("We're free" "Kara, we're in a Russian airbase in the middle of Afghanistan" "Well, at least we're together")

    Goldfinger ("My name is Pussy Galore" "I must be dreaming")

    Licence To Kill ( "Felix is still in the study and we've got to cut the cake" "I'll do anything for a woman with a knife")

    Live And Let Die ("Is there time for lesson number 3?" "Absolsutely darling, there's no sense going off half cocked")

    The Man With The Golden Gun ("I approve" "You do?" " Oh not the wine; the frock! Tight in all the right places and not too many buttons" )

    Spectre ("You shouldn't stare like that" "Well, you shouldn't look like that")

    Tomorrow Never Dies ("Every now and then, you get to work with a decadent agent of a corrupt Western power" "And they say Communists don't know how to have fun")

    From Russia With Love ("Will you make love to me when we are back in England?" "Day and night..now go on about the mechanism")
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    Priceless @NicNac
    :))
    Great quotes and what a cool way to comment on the movies :)
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,570
    Priceless @NicNac
    :))
    Great quotes and what a cool way to comment on the movies :)

    Thanks BJB. I always think Bond is at his best when he's squaring up to the ladies. His over powering smugness knows no bounds
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    Jason Bond's Bondathon 2016

    2016, February:
    SPECTRE
    2016, March:
    DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
    THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
    A VIEW TO A KILL
    YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE
    THE SPY WHO LOVED ME


    I'm not going to write endless essays about the Bond movies.
    This time I will do it like this:

    Spectre:
    10/10 Re-watchability
    10/10 Bond-feeling
    10/10 Craig's performance
    10/10 Ensemble cast performance
    10/10 Cinematography
    09/10 Direction
    06/10 Score
    10/10 Production Design/Sets
    10/10 PTS
    10/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    Diamonds Are Forever:
    10/10 Re-watchability
    07/10 Bond-feeling
    05/10 Connery's performance
    06/10 Ensemble cast performance
    05/10 Cinematography
    06/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    05/10 Production Design/Sets
    06/10 PTS
    08/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    The Living Daylights:
    09/10 Re-watchability
    10/10 Bond-feeling
    10/10 Dalton's performance
    08/10 Ensemble cast performance
    08/10 Cinematography
    09/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    07/10 Production Design/Sets
    10/10 PTS
    09/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    A View To A Kill:
    08/10 Re-watchability
    08/10 Bond-feeling
    07/10 Moore's performance
    05/10 Ensemble cast performance
    06/10 Cinematography
    07/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    07/10 Production Design/Sets
    10/10 PTS
    10/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    You Only Live Twice:
    06/10 Re-watchability
    08/10 Bond-feeling
    09/10 Connery's performance
    06/10 Ensemble cast performance
    08/10 Cinematography
    09/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    10/10 Production Design/Sets
    08/10 PTS
    09/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    The Spy Who Loved Me:
    09/10 Re-watchability
    10/10 Bond-feeling
    10/10 Moore's performance
    09/10 Ensemble cast performance
    09/10 Cinematography
    09/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    10/10 Production Design/Sets
    10/10 PTS
    09/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    RANKING:
    1 SP
    2 TLD
    3 TSWLM
    4 AVTAK
    5 YOLT
    6 DAF

    Next ones to come: TND, QOS[/quote]

    [/quote]
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    Posts: 7,314
    Wow, did my Bondathon get off track. Life happened. However, starting today and through next week, I will have ample time to get caught up. I can't wait.
  • Posts: 14
    Wow I feel I've been watching Bond films since November and have not completed watching them all yet. This week I watched 4(TLD, LTK,OHMSS,YOLT) because I was home sick. TLD still stands up to me as one of my favorites. I've updated my library with blu rays from Amazon. I don't own OHMSS as this is my second least Bond film but it is on Amazon prime currently. The action is better than I remember but I don't care for the plot and the direction is average at best.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    edited March 2016 Posts: 9,020
    Jason Bond's Bondathon 2016

    2016, February:
    SPECTRE
    2016, March:
    DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
    THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
    A VIEW TO A KILL
    YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE
    THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
    QUANTUM OF SOLACE
    TOMORROW NEVER DIES


    I'm not going to write endless essays about the Bond movies.
    This time I will do it like this:

    Spectre:
    10/10 Re-watchability
    10/10 Bond-feeling
    10/10 Craig's performance
    10/10 Ensemble cast performance
    10/10 Cinematography
    09/10 Direction
    06/10 Score
    10/10 Production Design/Sets
    10/10 PTS
    10/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    Diamonds Are Forever:
    10/10 Re-watchability
    07/10 Bond-feeling
    05/10 Connery's performance
    06/10 Ensemble cast performance
    05/10 Cinematography
    06/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    05/10 Production Design/Sets
    06/10 PTS
    08/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    The Living Daylights:
    09/10 Re-watchability
    10/10 Bond-feeling
    10/10 Dalton's performance
    08/10 Ensemble cast performance
    08/10 Cinematography
    09/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    07/10 Production Design/Sets
    10/10 PTS
    09/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    A View To A Kill:
    08/10 Re-watchability
    08/10 Bond-feeling
    07/10 Moore's performance
    05/10 Ensemble cast performance
    06/10 Cinematography
    07/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    07/10 Production Design/Sets
    10/10 PTS
    10/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    You Only Live Twice:
    06/10 Re-watchability
    08/10 Bond-feeling
    09/10 Connery's performance
    06/10 Ensemble cast performance
    08/10 Cinematography
    09/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    10/10 Production Design/Sets
    08/10 PTS
    09/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    The Spy Who Loved Me:
    09/10 Re-watchability
    10/10 Bond-feeling
    10/10 Moore's performance
    09/10 Ensemble cast performance
    08/10 Cinematography
    07/10 Direction
    09/10 Score
    10/10 Production Design/Sets
    10/10 PTS
    08/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    Quantum Of Solace:
    10/10 Re-watchability
    05/10 Bond-feeling
    09/10 Craig's performance
    09/10 Ensemble cast performance
    10/10 Cinematography
    02/10 Direction (due to the editing, otherwise 07/10)
    07/10 Score
    09/10 Production Design/Sets
    01/10 PTS (a disgrace)
    05/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    Tomorrow Never Dies:
    09/10 Re-watchability
    10/10 Bond-feeling
    10/10 Brosnan's performance
    08/10 Ensemble cast performance
    08/10 Cinematography
    08/10 Direction
    10/10 Score
    09/10 Production Design/Sets
    10/10 PTS
    06/10 Title sequence/Bond theme

    RANKING:

    1 SP
    2 TLD
    3 TND
    4 TSWLM
    5 QOS
    6 AVTAK
    7 YOLT
    8 DAF
  • JohnHammond73JohnHammond73 Lancashire, UK
    Posts: 4,151
    I've been slacking on mine, think I'll pop the next one in my list on tonight.
  • JohnHammond73JohnHammond73 Lancashire, UK
    edited March 2016 Posts: 4,151
    Finally got back on to my first Bondathon of 2016 last night; it’s been a while since I watched FYEO. Anyway, last night, it was the turn of The World Is Not Enough. Don’t know if it was my mood at the time but I didn’t really enjoy it. Only a few things stood out for me last night; the PTS and Bond’s killing of Elektra. The Elektra death scene is quite strong and shows Bonds ruthless side. Other than that it just wasn’t great. As I said, it may have been my mood at the time of watching but I didn’t enjoy watching it in this Bondathon. Because of this, I think it’s going to sit below DAD, which came bottom of my last ranking.

    Next up - Quantum Of Solace


    Bondathon 2016 #1

    Die Another Day - Viewed 15th February 2016
    Diamonds Are Forever – Viewed 18th February 2016
    For Your Eyes Only – Viewed 29th February 2016
    The World Is Not Enough – Viewed 23rd March 2016
    Quantum Of Solace
    Tomorrow Never Dies
    Moonraker
    The Man With The Golden Gun
    The Living Daylights
    You Only Live Twice
    Thunderball
    A View To A Kill
    Live And Let Die
    Goldeneye
    Skyfall
    Licence To Kill
    Octopussy
    Goldfinger
    Dr No
    Spectre
    Casino Royale
    On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    From Russia With Love
    The Spy Who Loved Me
  • edited March 2016 Posts: 1,386
    I'm going to start my Bondathon this weekend. These are the films & the order I have slated at the moment. I don't usually watch them all & typically do these over the weekends, watching some as double features and others as stand alones. In case it's not obvious, Connery was my first.

    Fri: DN & FRWL (sets up SPECTRE)
    Sat: GF & TB (Return of SPECTRE)
    Sun: YOLT & DAF *

    Fri: LALD & TMWTGG
    Sat: OHMSS
    Sun: ** FYEO & TLD

    Fri: TSWLM & MR
    Sat: LTK & GE ***
    Sun: TND

    Fri: CR ****
    Sat: SF
    Sun: SP

    * DAF opens in Japan where Connery left off, Moneypenny hints around about Bond bringing her a ring, there is no direct mention of the events of OHMSS, & FYEO seems to omit DAF, so I treat DAF as a sequel to YOLT.

    ** Roger is re-introduced as Bond in the PTS w/a nod to OHMSS

    *** There are nods to the events of LTK in GE so it just feels like a natural follow-up to me and I like ending with a film that feels like a more traditional Bond outing to me anytime I watch LTK. I also like to watch something more serious after MR. I like to switch it up.

    **** As for QOS,
    I just choose to remember that Mr. White gets away, that there was a villain named Dominic Green, and to pretend Mathis is still alive.

    I am very eager to see what direction Bond 25 takes.
  • JohnHammond73JohnHammond73 Lancashire, UK
    Posts: 4,151
    Next up in my first Bondathon of 2016 was Quantum Of Solace. As you may be aware I'm watching the movies in reverse order of my last ranking, so QOS was pretty low. I measure my rankings on how much I enjoy the movie at the time, but last night, I found myself enjoying this so much more; in fact I enjoyed it nearly as much as I did when I first saw it at the cinema on release. Ok, so it feels a little rushed and Mathieu Almaric could be seen as a weak villain (although he did put up a decent fight vs Bond towards the end) but some of the action is excellent, Craig is great and Kurylenko is a whole new type of Bond girl. Wow, my ranking is going to be so much different at this rate as I'm finding myself enjoying, pretty much, them all.

    James Bond will return in Tomorrow Never Dies.

    Bondathon 2016 #1

    Die Another Day - Viewed 15th February 2016
    Diamonds Are Forever – Viewed 18th February 2016
    For Your Eyes Only – Viewed 29th February 2016
    The World Is Not Enough – Viewed 23rd March 2016
    Quantum Of Solace - Viewed 24th March 2016
    Tomorrow Never Dies
    Moonraker
    The Man With The Golden Gun
    The Living Daylights
    You Only Live Twice
    Thunderball
    A View To A Kill
    Live And Let Die
    Goldeneye
    Skyfall
    Licence To Kill
    Octopussy
    Goldfinger
    Dr No
    Spectre
    Casino Royale
    On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    From Russia With Love
    The Spy Who Loved Me
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    QofS was rushed and the script unfinished whilst shooting, so your observations are spot on.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,480
    When you say Amalric is weak, do you mean in physicality or his overall take as a Bond villain is weak? If so, what makes him weak, and what're the issues with the script (or things being "rushed") that you have? It's a legitimate question, as most of the time I see people tear QoS apart for its editing, so I wonder what it is about the villain and the story/plot that people have such a bad time with. Or, perhaps there are some plot holes I don't see that they feel hinders the script.
  • JohnHammond73JohnHammond73 Lancashire, UK
    edited March 2016 Posts: 4,151
    I just didn't find Almaric to have the menace that other villains have had before, I just thought he was nothing more than a little weasel who has to have those around him to do his dirty work. I'm not saying I'm right, it's just the feeling I get when watching him. He's a perfectly fine actor though. Can't say he was weak physically as he gave Bond a good scrap near then end :D

    I had no problems with the script at all and find the story fine; in fact I enjoyed as much as I did when I first saw it. As for it being rushed, it just feels like that, whizzed through at break neck speed. Being 40 minutes, or so, shorter than CR don't help matters either I don't think.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,480
    I found him to be incredibly menacing and psychotic. That buggy-eyed look he gives Beam and Leiter as he leaves the airport is terrifying.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Mathieu Almanac is an underrated villain. As creepy goes, he is up there.
  • Posts: 11,189
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    When you say Amalric is weak, do you mean in physicality or his overall take as a Bond villain is weak? If so, what makes him weak, and what're the issues with the script (or things being "rushed") that you have? It's a legitimate question, as most of the time I see people tear QoS apart for its editing, so I wonder what it is about the villain and the story/plot that people have such a bad time with. Or, perhaps there are some plot holes I don't see that they feel hinders the script.

    After a couple of viewing my opinion of his character changed. Now I think of him as a strong and interesting villain.

    My problem with Greene is that he's somewhat inconsequential as a character. I don't think he leaves much of an impression by the end of the film and as a result comes off as forgettable. He's a pawn in a larger scheme but lacks a sense of dominance. Le Chiffre was a pawn but we spent enough time with him to realise he was a direct threat to Bond.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited March 2016 Posts: 15,690
    I'll need to do a proper Bondathon sometimes this year! But I've been watching random outings on a frequent basis so far in 2016.
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,422
    @Birdleson - Now then, I've changed the order of my latest Bondathon. I was bored today, can't you tell?

    Whilst reading The Living Daylights outside in the sun – it's actually warm! - M says, “into 1961” in the course of the story. So, in the timeline of the Bondian novels, I guess it fits in between FYEO short story collection and Thunderball. I've decided to slot it in before TB.

    I was going to have Licence To Kill (replacing The Hildebrand Rarity) conclude the FYEO short story, but naturally, I didn't want the two Dalton films back to back. It would be silly to have all that Daltony goodness condensed in such a small space of time!

    So, I switched FYEO and LTK around. Makes sense, as LTK has Leiter's maiming as the driving force of it's story. Instead FYEO will be in lieu of the story Risico.

    Right on to The Property of a Lady, represented by the film, Octopussy. In the story Maria Freudenstein, a double agent, receives payment of a Fabergé Egg from the Russians. Fleming also mentioned Mary Goodnight, which he introduced to us in OHMSS, as Bond's new secretary. I didn't want to break up the segue between OHMSS and YOLT, so I instead put TpoaL ahead of OHMSS. (TpoaL had to be before Golden Gun, as she is dead by the time that novel came out, as referenced by Bond and his “soft” handler.)

    And onto Fleming's story Octopussy, represented by the film Spectre. For this one, there is no clue when it was set, so I just bunged it in after Golden Gun, as per the posthumous release of it, in 1966.

    I've left TND where it is – unless someone has any bright ideas – after Spy, due to their similar plots. The three films between TB and OHMSS is a bit bloated, I'm afraid. I'll put this down to Blofeld being hard to track down. Also, in the filmic OHMSS Bond is on Operation Bedlam for about two years. Bond could be working on Bedlam, while also doing other assignments, i.e. TLD, Spy and TND. Makes sense, right? :D


    1. CR
    2. LALD
    3. MR
    4. DAD
    5. DAF
    6. FRWL
    7. DN
    8. GF
    9. AVTAK
    10. LTK (changed from FYEO – re. Leiter's maiming)
    11. QoS
    12. GE
    13. FYEO (changed from LTK – in place of Risico)
    14. TLD
    15. TB
    16. Spy
    17. TND
    18. OP (in place of TPoaL)
    19. OHMSS
    20. YOLT
    21. TMWTGG
    22. SP (in place of OP)
    23. TWINE
    24. SF


    I spent an inordinate amount of time doing this list, while lazing in the sun and reading Fleming. Hey ho!

  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,422
    M, in TLD when he's briefing Bond mentioned "for 1961" in reference to the Russians foreign policy, the old "hard" "soft" routine I guess. "To put heat on the West", in reference to the Russians atomic tests.

    Yes, same here. I forgot about Maria in TMWTGG too. M mentioned that he was going to try out some higher class false information on Maria, as the Russians bought the hoax so completely in TPoaL. Fast forward to TMWTGG. After Bond has been brain washed, he encounters a Major Townsend, in dealing with his re introduction to MI6. Townsend asked Bond who Maria was. Townsend had been primed with this secret answer, which clinched Bond as Bond.

    "Was?" asked Bond.
    "Yes, she's dead"
    "Thought she wouldn't last long.."

    Hang on! Whilst researching this answer to you, it appears that I've got it wrong -

    in TMWTGG Fleming said "Miss Maria Freudenstadt"

    yet in his TPoaL Fleming said "Miss Maria Freudenstein"

    Hmm. One can forgive my mistake, surely, as both of these ladies are double agents, and have very similar names. Or maybe Fleming got her name wrong? While reading TPoaL I noticed a call back to Golden Gun, re. Maria, so I assumed it was her. Apparently not.

    What do you think @Birdleson?



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