Bondathon Podcast Part 1

So here we go our first Podcast from us the Watchers - we are off and running four films in and heres our thoughts so far!!! enjoy

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From Russia With Love (1963)

In this adventure, Bond is on the search for a Russian decoding machine, known as LEKTOR. He needs to find the machine before the evil SPECTRE organisation discovers it forst. Whilst romantically linked to a Russian cipher agent, Tatiana, Bond sneaks through Istanbul whilst SPECTRE agents- including Donald Grant and ex-KGB agent Rosa Klebb.

Whilst Dr. No felt quite patchy- quite experimental in places- From Russia With Love is much more consistent; it feels much more like you expect a Bond film to feel. There’s obviously been a bit of tinkering with the formula as it were.

There are a number of firsts here. It’s the first time we see Blofeld (although the actor’s face is not seen); it’s also the first time we see Q (the great Desmond Llewelyn) who gives Bond one of my favourite gadgets of the entire franchise- the multi-purpose attaché case.

There are some great performances in the film – Lotte Lenya is brilliant as ex-SMERSH now SPECTRE agent Rosa Klebb, an absolutely fearsome woman; I especially like the scene where she declares Grant fit for action by punching him in the stomach with a knuckleduster and there are some distinctly Sapphic overtones in her recruitment scene with Tatiana. Her showdown with Bond- with the infamous poison-tipped steel shoes- looks a bit laughable now but it’s fun.

Pedro Armendariz is great as Bond’s Istanbul contact Kerim Bey and there’s an easy camaraderie between Bond and Bey which is nice to see. Robert Shaw is chilling as Donald ‘Red’ Grant – a psychopath recruited by Klebb . His credentials are shown in a tense pre-credits sequence which shows him killing Bond (it’s a training exercise with a fake).. He’s seen skulking menacingly on the train and the final fight between him and Bond is well choreographed and quite thrilling, not to mention a little brutal.

In some ways, From Russia With Love could be seen as a sequel of sorts to Dr. No- SPECTRE’s role is extended and Kronsteen’s plan incorporates revenge for No’s death (as MI6 would obviously send Bond). .

Unlike Dr No, there is no waiting to meet any of the main characters- Klebb, SPECTRE and Grant are all introduced very quickly, as is Tatiana (although it takes a while for Tatiana and Bond to actually meet). Tatiana is a very passive character- used as a pawn on all sides (first by Klebb, then by Bond and finally Grant)- which is a little frustrating, coming after Honey Ryder but Daniela Bianchi does well with what she’s given. It is very satisfying when the worm turns.

There are some decent set-pieces of action: the raid on the Russian embassy in order to steal the LEKTOR device is nicely staged. The scene in the gypsy camp- from belly-dancing through to full-scale invasion- is also impressive. The boat chase- where Bond detonates the old drums- also looks good and (more impressively) stands up.

All said, the Bond formula is still a work in progress at this point but there’s a lot going right in this.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Tez

From The Files Of Q Branch: The Gadgets Of James Bond

Tez has written about the legend that was Desmond Llewelyn and his alter ego Q, the MI6 Quartermaster and the head of Q Branch (the section of MI6 that creates and makes equipment for field agents). It takes a special person to work in Q Branch- you need technical skills and an amount of superhuman powers; the ability to see the future, in fact. Q always has just the gadgets that Bond will need on his next mission. It’s uncanny!

I could fill this blog and write for a few weeks if I was going to try and inform you of every gadget that there ever was- instead, I thought I would highlight the most memorable and some of my favourites.

Agent: Sean Connery

Active Service: 1962 - 1967 and 1971

Missions: From Russia With Love and Goldfinger

Gadget: Attaché Case

A black leather attaché case that contains: .25 calibre ammunition hidden beneath the feet studs; a throwing knife can be detached after pressing the right top latch; the case contains a folding AR-7 sniper rifle, with inferred telescopic sight; a tear gas cartridge disguised as a tin of talcum powder (if you don’t open the case in a precise manner, the tear gas explodes) and in the base of the case are fifty gold sovereigns, for emergencies.

Mission: Goldfinger (first appearance)

Gadget: Aston Martin DB5

Probably the best known Bond gadget. The first video sees Q briefing Bond on the car:

The second video shows the DB5 in action:



Mission: Thunderball

Gadget: Jet Pack

Bond uses this high tech gadget to great effect- a quick get away, in style!

Mission: Thunderball

Gadget: Mini-Rebreather

A mini scuba tank which gives the user four minutes of air under water. Very handy when trying to escape from sharks!

Mission: You Only Live Twice

Gadget: Little Nellie

Q’s masterpiece – a small combat-ready helicopter. Click here to see her in action.

Agent: George Lazenby

Active Service: 1969

‘Casino Royale started a new era for Bond…’ No, no, it didn’t. During the franchise’s fifty year history, the films have included gadgets and removed the use of gadgets on every occasion to ‘re-establish the character’ or to ‘get away from camp theatrics’. This was done in some respects in the 1980's with Dalton and also with Craig. But On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was the first time they made it about Bond taking on the villains as an agent, not relying heavily on gadgets or cheap tricks. So with only one film to his name, I fail to bring a highlight for him. Anyone?

Agent: Roger Moore

Active Service: 1972 – 1985

Mission: Live and Let Die

Gadget: Rolex Watch

The coolest 007 watch comes from the most gadget-heavy of the Bond films, back when he still sported the Rolex Submariner. Equipped with an electromagnet and a rotating saw, this gift from Moneypenny saved our hero from a pool of sharks.

Mission: The Man With The Golden Gun

Gadget: Fake Third Nipple

Just needed to remind you all of this one!

Mission: The Spy Who Loved Me

Gadget: Lotus Esprit

This version comes with an extra – submarine mode!

Mission: Octopussy

Gadget: Folding Jet

Just what you need for a quick get away, especially when it’s hidden behind a horse’s rear end!

Agent: Timothy Dalton

Active Service: 1987 - 1989

Mission: The Living Daylights

Gadget: Aston Martin V8

Mission: Licence To Kill

Gadget: Dentonite Toothpaste

Bond uses this harmless looking toothpaste, which is actually a strong plastic explosive.

Agent: Pierce Brosnan

Active Service: 1995 - 2002

Mission: Goldeneye

Gadget: Parker Pen Grenade

Handy when it ends up in the hands of your enemies!

Mission: Tomorrow Never Dies

Gadget: Ericsson Mobile Phone

It can make phone calls, it also comes with a handy attachment that can pick any lock in the world, has two metal prongs that slide out and fire electric shocks from them. But, the best part – the phone can be used to remote control Bonds BMW 750iL.

Mission: The World Is Not Enough

Gadget: Ski Suit Escape Pod

You never know when an avalanche will happen, do you, Mr Bond?

Agent: Daniel Craig

Active Service: 2006 - present day

Mission: Casino Royale

Gadget: Medipac

This new age of realism still brings gadgets with it– but more technological aids. This one came in very useful when Bond was poisoned and had to re-start his heart!

So there we are, a few highlights of some of the gadgets from fifty years of Bond. Have I missed any you love? Let me know.

Rhys

'Now, Pay Attention, 007...': A Tribute To Desmond Llewelyn

For the first time since Daniel Craig has donned the legendary tux, the character Q is to appear in a Bond film. In Skyfall, Q will be played by Ben Whishaw.

Whilst there have been several actors to take the role of Q but, to me, there is only one man worthy of that initial: the late, great Desmond Llewelyn.

Llewelyn played Q, MI6's gadget-master, in no less than seventeen Bond films (starting with From Russia With Love and ending with The World Is Not Enough; Q is only absent from Live And Let Die as producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman felt the films were getting too reliant on the gadgets and decided to play them down). Very little is known about Q beyond his work for MI6 although he is referred to as ‘Major Boothroyd’ by Anya in The Spy Who Loved Me.

The gadgets are as integral a part to a Bond film as the villains and the Bond girls. Each film has a scene where Q equips Bond with whatever he may need for that particular mission. Rhys has written a brilliantpiece about the gadgets, so I won't mention too many, but some of my favourites include Bond's attaché case in From Russia With Love, the tooled-up Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger and the gyrocopter Little Nellie in You Only Live Twice.

The relationship between Bond and Q is an interesting one. Q seems to view Bond as an eternal adolescent, unable to take things seriously or appreciate the tech he's being given. Q frequently has to ask Bond to 'pay attention' whilst he explains how the gadgets work. Q seems to be generally exasperated with Bond's playboy lifestyle- in Octopussy, he jokes ‘007 on an island populated exclusively by women? We won't see him till dawn!' Q can often be irascible and a bit grouchy but he always takes pride in his gadgets, frequently pointing out a feature he's particularly proud of, and- as he says in Goldfinger- 'I never joke about my work'.

Despite this seeming antagonism, there are hints that Bond and Q have a depth of mutual respect. When Bond gets married at the end of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, he offers Bond a helping hand should he need it outside of MI6 and he poses as Bond's uncle in License To Kill to get some needed kit to him once he's had his 00 status rescinded. Bond tries to dismiss him, but Q rightly states: ‘Oh, don't be an idiot, 007. I know exactly what you're up to, and quite frankly, you're going to need my help. Remember, if it hadn't been for Q Branch, you'd have been dead long ago’

Perhaps the best example of their mutual respect is in The World Is Not Enough. Bond seems genuinely moved at the news of Q's retirement and Q gives him a last piece of advice:

As final exits go, that's a pretty good one. This was Llewelyn’s last Bond film, with John Cleese taking over the role of Q for Die Another Day.

What about the man behind the role?

Llewelyn was born in Newport, South Wales on 12 September 1914. He originally wanted to become a minister but caught the acting bug during his time at Radley College. He has accepted to RADA in the mid 1930s but his acting ambitions were put on hold due to the start of the Second World War. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers but was captured by the German army in France in 1940 and was held as a prisoner-of-war in Colditz for five years. After the war, he resumed his acting career, working with longtime Bond director Terence Young on war movie They Were Not Divided (1950) and was eventually cast as Q. Ironically, despite playing a gadget master on film, Llewelyn was ‘hopeless’ with them in real life.

Outside the Bond franchise, he appeared in uncredited roles in Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet (1948) and Ealing comedy The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), as well as playing George Coggins in Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang (1968) and The Colonel in television series Follyfoot.

Llewelyn sadly passed away in December 1999, at the age of eighty-five, in a car accident, a few weeks after the premiere of The World Is Not Enough. His contribution to the Bond franchise is immeasurable and he is sadly missed.

Ben Whishaw's got some pretty big shoes to fill.

Tez

Countdown: The Watchers' Top 10 Bond Henchmen

As we said last week, even the best Bond villain can't try to take 007 down him (or her)self; they usually need some form of help in the form of a henchman or henchwoman. They're as integral to Bond villainy as the outlandish base and delusions of grandeur. So after some deliberation, here we present The Watchers' Top 10 Bond Henchmen


1. ODDJOB
(played by Harold Sakata in Goldfinger)

A dab hand with a razor-sharp bowler hat, Oddjob has become- like Pleasence's Blofeld with the villains- a shorthand for what a 'Bond henchman' is. It's a solid performance by former Olympic gold medal winning wrestler Sakata, full of silent menace.






2. DONALD 'RED' GRANT
(played by Robert Shaw in From Russia With Love)

A solid man-mountain, Grant is one of the most dangerous men Bond has been up against. Trained by SPECTRE to revenge the death of Dr. No, his only mission is to kill Bond. Shaw's performance is excellent as the stone-cold killer

3. JAWS
(played by Richard Kiel in The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker)

When you mention Bond films to most people, it doesn't take them long to get round to Jaws. A towering giant with large metal teeth, first an out-and-out bad guy in The Spy Who Loved Me then moving into a slightly more neutral position in Moonraker, Jaws is an iconic a part of the Bond franchise.

4. XENIA ONATOPP
(played by Famke Janssen in GoldenEye)

The most fatale of femmes, Xenia's ample charms and killer thighs make for an entertaining and very sensual combination; Janssen plays the role to the hilt, making a real impact on screen in one of her first film roles.

5. MR KIDD & MR WINT
(played by Putter Smith and Bruce Glover in Diamonds Are Forever)

Are Mr Kidd and Mr Wint a gay couple? Maybe. There are certainly a couple of subtle and not-so-subtle hints that they may be, but the performances of Smith and Glover mean they are an entertaining double-act and very much in fitting with the campy tone of the film.



6. NICK-NACK
(played by Herve Villechaize in The Man With The Golden Gun)

Scaramanga's manservant, aiding his master in his schemes, even going so far as smuggling himself aboard the train at the end of the film to take Bond out. His slightly perverse relationship with Scaramanga- trying to use others to take his employer out- is an interesting take on the usual villain/henchman dynamic.

7. ROSA KLEBB
(played by Lotte Lenya in From Russia With Love)

Klebb is a former SMERSH agent defected to SPECTRE. Strict and slightly terrifying, Klebb is miles away from the real Lenya who was, by all accounts, a gentle and friendly person. We count her as a henchman rather than a villain as the true villain of From Russia With Love is the unidentified Blofeld.

8. MR WHITE

(played by Jesper Christensen in Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace)

The mysterious Mr. White acts as Le Chiffre's superior in Casino Royale but is actually an underling in a much larger criminal organization- Quantum. He is trying to regain money lost by Le Chiffre and maintain Quantum's integrity- and will go to any lengths to do that.

9. DR. KAUFMANN
(played by Vincent Schiavelli in Tomorrow Never Dies)

A fun little cameo from superlative character actor Schiavelli as Paris Carver's assassin, also sent to finish Bond off in his hotel room in Hamburg. Deadly, sinister yet impeccably polite, there's a lot of humour in his short but very memorable scene.





10. BORIS GRISHENKO
(played by Alan Cumming in GoldenEye)

Boris is a cunning little runt, a software programmer at the Severnaya site allied with Trevelyan and Ouromov, helping to capture Natalya. Cumming gives a very fun performance of nerdy charm, coupled with his 'I'm invincible' catchphrase.






So those are our favourites - how about yours? Let us know in the comments below.

For every yin, there must be a yang - so for each of our favourites, there is a least favourite. Next week, we will reveal our choices for the worst/most ineffectual/weakest Bond villains.

Bond At The Oscars: Part One - The Actors

Skyfall's main antagonist, Raoul Silva, is played by Spanish actor Javier Bardem. Bardem won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in No Country For Old Men (and has also been nominated for his performances in Before Night Falls and Biutiful). 

However, Bardem is not the first Oscar-winning actor to appear in a Bond film.

Sean Connery

OK, so his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for The Untouchables was years after he hung up the tux (even if you include Never Say Never Again), but the fact still remains that- to date- Connery is the only actor to play Bond to have been nominated or has won a competitive acting Oscar.

Christopher Walken

Walken had already walked away with his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in The Deer Hunter before he took on the role of Max Zorin in A View To A Kill. He was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Catch Me If You Can.

Benicio Del Toro

Del Toro played Dario, one of Sanchez's henchmen, in License To Kill. It was one of his first film roles and he would go on to have a very successful career, winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in Traffic (and being further nominated for his role in 21 Grams).

Judi Dench

The third incarnation of M, Dench won her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Shakespeare In Love in 1999 after she had already appeared in GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies. She has also been nominated for Best Actress for Mrs. Brown, Iris, Mrs. Henderson Presents and Notes On A Scandal, and for Best Supporting Actress for Chocolat.

Halle Berry

Berry made history when she became the first African-American actress to win a Best Actress Oscar (on her first nomination) for her role in Monster's Ball. She then went on to play Jinx in Die Another Day.

Other Oscar nominees that have appeared in Bond films are:

• Lotte Lenya (Rosa Klebb in From Russia With Love; nominated for Best Supporting Actress for The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone)

• Robert Shaw (Donald ‘Red’ Grant in From Russia With Love; nominated for Best Supporting Actor for A Man For All Seasons)

• Telly Savalas (Blofeld in On Her Majesty's Secret Service; nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Birdman Of Alcatraz)

• Topol (Columbo in For Your Eyes Only; nominated for Best Actor for Fiddler On The Roof)

• Minnie Driver (Irina in GoldenEye; nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Good Will Hunting)

• Giancarlo Giannini (Rene Mathis in Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace; nominated for Best Actor for Pasqualino Settebellezze [Pasqualino: Seven Beauties])

• Ralph Fiennes (Mallory in Skyfall; nominated for Best Actor for The English Patient, and Best Supporting Actor for Schindler’s List)

• Albert Finney (Kincade in Skyfall; nominated for Best Actor for Tom Jones, Murder On The Orient Express, The Dresser and Under The Volcano, and Best Supporting Actor for Erin Brockovich)

In the next post, we look at which Bond films have been nominated for an Oscar... and which films have won!

'Cubby' Broccoli: The Godfather Of Bond

This year sees the 50^th anniversary of the James Bond movie franchise. Of course, Ian Fleming created the character and wrote the original novels, but without Cubby Broccoli we wouldn't have a franchise celebrating its 50^th year.

Albert Romolo Broccoli was born in Astoria, Queens (New York City) on April 5th, 1909. His parents, Cristina and Giovanni Broccoli, raised Albert in New York on the family farm. The family was in the greengrocer business, and Albert claimed one of his uncles brought the first broccoli seeds into the United States in the 1870's. Albert's cousin Pat DiCicco gave him the nickname "Cubby" after a comic strip character named Kabibble.

Cubby worked in a pharmacy and then as a coffin-maker, but a trip to see his cousin in Los Angeles gave him an ambition for a career in Hollywood. His cousin was a talent agent, and introduced Cubby to such stars as Cary Grant and Bob Hope.  In 1946, with his cousin Pat organising the budget, Cubby served as production manager on a project called Avalanche. The film began a partnership between Cubby and director Irving Allen. After Avalanche flopped, Broccoli worked various odd jobs, including selling Christmas trees in California, and eventually took a job as a talent agent, where he represented, amongst others, Robert Wagner. Broccoli and Allen went on to form Warwick Productions, which became a successful production company based in London.

In 1951 Cubby married Nedra Clark. That same year he left the talent agency and, together with his partner Allen, made The Red Beret (1953). The film, released in the US as Paratrooper, was very successful. Broccoli and Allen become the most successful independent producers in England, turning out such hits as Safari (1956) and Zarak (1956). Cubby and Nedra wanted to start a family but, according to the doctor, Nedra was unable to become pregnant. They instead adopted a young baby boy named Tony. Shortly afterwards, Nedra became pregnant after all, and gave birth to a girl whom they named Tina. Unfortunately, Nedra died in New York shortly afterwards. Cubby was now a widower with two children to raise. He spent months trying to get new film projects off the ground and support his family.

Cubby met Dana Wilson at a New Year's Eve party and there was an instant attraction. The two fell in love and, after five weeks, Cubby proposed marriage. Dana flew to London and started a new life with Cubby. However, after producing The Trials Of Oscar Wilde (1960) (which was financed out of his and Allen's own pockets), the two went bankrupt due to the poor box-office returns because of adverse reaction to the subject matter - Oscar Wilde's homosexuality. The film wasn't allowed to be advertised in the US and never made back its production costs during initial release. Cubby and Allen ended their partnership after the failure of the film. On June 18, 1960, Dana gave birth to a baby girl, Barbara Broccoli. One night Dana asked Cubby if there was something he really wanted to do. Cubby replied. "I always wanted to film the James Bond books." This became his new goal!

Cubby met with Harry Saltzman, the man who held the film rights to the books. Together they formed Eon Productions Ltd. and Danjaq S.A. to make the first James Bond film, Dr. No in 1962. The film was financed by United Artists, with a small budget of $1 million, the producers insisted on filming on location in Jamaica and using the then virtually unknown Sean Connery in the title role. The film was a hit, together with Saltzman, Broccoli produced From Russia With Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969),  Diamonds Are Forever (1971), Live and Let Die (1973) and The Man With The Golden Gun (1974).

           

After nine years as partners, Saltzman sold his share of Eon/Danjaq to United Artists and Cubby became the sole producer of the James Bond films. He later brought in his stepson, Michael G. Wilson and his daughter Barbara, making it a true family business. Broccoli's last non-Bond film was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). He had purchased the rights to this Ian Fleming story when he got the 007 film rights.

Cubby's last years were spent at his home in Beverly Hills, surrounded by his children and grandchildren. Despite awards, honors and an amazing film career, the most important thing in his life was his family. Broccoli's last film was Licence to Kill in 1989. He had heart problems throughout the early 1990s; after undergoing a triple-bypass in 1995 he was unable to go to the set of GoldenEye. 

Cubby Broccoli passed away on Thursday, June 27, 1996, surrounded by loved ones. He was 87 and was one of the best-loved and most respected producers in Hollywood. No one ever had anything bad to say about Cubby and, according to many, he was a gentleman who cared about every one of his cast and crew and was the last true film producer.

Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli's legacy lives on thanks to his daughter and stepson. Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson have carried on the tradition of making the James Bond films. Bond is the most successful film series in history and it is because of Cubby Broccoli. Was he frustrated at having to confine himself to 007? His daughter and stepson insist not. "He was happy to make the Bond films. He loved it. He said that he had a tiger by the tail and that he couldn't let it go."

Rhys