THE WATCHERS on GTFM's James Bond Special Last Sunday!!

We were guests on the local radio stations 007 special last sunday, the interview was recorded the Friday night, while doing our Bondathon. Take a listen & you can still donate? Thanks

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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Goldfinger (1964)

Bond is back! This time he has to stop Auric Goldfinger from contaminating all the gold at Fort Knox, so his own gold stocks will rise in value.

The film opens with what is now recognised as the Bond pre-title sequence where we find Bond on his last mission – here he blows things up and escapes in a wet suit, only for a white (completely dry) tuxedo to be reviled under it! We are now in the Bondian world. After Dr No and From Russia With Love (both are good espionage thrillers – more so with From Russia With Love) you’re taken into a larger scale adventure, larger stakes, larger sets, and larger henchmen! This film is with no doubt the blueprint for what comes for next few decades. This is the real first ‘Bond Movie’.

This film is just iconic, Jill Masterson killed by being covered in nothing but gold paint, Aston Martin DB5 and now Connery himself. Talking of icons - “Pay attention 007”. The first real Q scene is in this film, the DB5 being the first real gadget – radar, machine guns, revolving number plates, smoke screen, oil slick and of course the ejector seat! “…You’re joking!” “I never joke about my work 007.”. Llewellyn’s Q is a fantastic character, showing Bond contempt for not only how he treats the gadgets he makes, but also for how Bond conducts himself. A beautiful relationship is born.

Of course this blueprint sets up many more Bondian items upon the now checklist. Action scenes with bite, like the car chase around Goldfinger's factory. Characters are now…well, colourful is the best way to put it! Pussy Galore for one, a feisty femme fatale, a match for Bond. She can easily match him in cunning, guile and in may ways strength. The silent henchman was born in this film, Oddjob. A Korean bulk of a figure, who has a tendency to kill people by using his hat as a Frisbee! Goldfinger is the first really interesting villain, he’s not working for SPECTRE – he’s out for himself, his motivation is one of greed and the power that comes with wealth.

 

With the end of the film, the raid on Fort Knox, we see for the first time a large scale ending in the series. Here it doesn’t get much larger – a daylight raid on one of the most secure facilities, seemingly killing tens of thousands of soldiers, a nuclear dirty bomb and hundreds of extras fighting it out. This is just outstanding and even now nearly fifty years on it stands the test of time. Classic has never been used in a better context – this is an all time classic and is indeed the blueprint for what is to come.

This film doesn’t set a foot wrong from start to finish, perfectly directed and acted. The music score adds so much to the scale and is a character in its own right. Connery is just superb – you can tell he’s comfortable in the role by here, but more importantly he’s not lazy portraying Bond. It’s a clever, well-balanced performance. This film is James Bond perfection.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Rhys

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

Favourite And Least Favourite Bond Themes - Rhys' Choices

Happy James Bond Day!

Today (5 October 2012) is the fiftieth anniversary of the premiere of Dr. No, kickstarting one of the world's best and most successful movie franchises.

It's also the day that Adele has chosen to release her Bond song- 'Skyfall' (which fittingly premiered at seven minutes past midnight, or 0.07 if you like). It's epic, beautiful and downright tingly and deserves to do well. It could even be the first Bond theme to get a Number 1 in the UK charts. Check it out here.

So, to celebrate, Rhys has chosen his five favourite and least favourite Bond themes. Here they are in chronological order:

FAVOURITE SONGS

• 'Goldfinger' (Shirley Bassey)

Bassey's diva vocals and the use of Bond theme music throughout the theme – to me makes it the archetype (like the film it's from) and sets the tone for all others. 

• 'Thunderball' (Tom Jones)

TOM JONES! What more can be said? Maybe - If only Tom returned for a Dalton adventure, we would have had even more Welsh perfection! 

• 'Live And Let Die' (Paul McCartney & Wings)

How can this not be in anyone's top 5 Bond Themes? Just different, but shows the rest how to be different and keep it Bond!

• 'Licence To Kill' (Gladys Knight)

Storming, powerful, strong– just like the film. This song signalled a retun to the classic diva vocal and is also a powerful song, while the film saw the return of Bond's edgy side!

• 'The World Is Not Enough' (Garbage)

This is a great example of taking the classic sound of a Bond theme and giving it a current (90s at the time) feel to it. Just sets you up for a Bond film – just great!



LEAST FAVOURITE SONGS

• 'From Russia With Love' (Matt Monro)

Such a drab, clunky song- it just irritates me every time I hear it and, if it wasn't for the use of the title in the lyrics, you would never be able to tell it's a Bond theme!

• 'Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' (Dionne Warwick, recorded as an alternative to 'Thunderball' [also recorded by Shirley Bassey])

Words fail me – just so bad!

• 'All Time High' (Rita Coolidge)

This just makes me want to fall to sleep and I'm so glad that, when watching my Bond DVD, I can fast forward this and just get to the action!

• 'You Know My Name' (Chris Cornell)

This just sounded second class. It sounds like something produced for a video game adventure of 007 – it belongs on a PS3 not a cinema screen.

• 'Another Way To Die' (Jack White & Alicia Keys)

This should have had the vocal power that many others had – especially because Alicia Keys was involved. But what you end up with is just one hell of an overproduced mash of sounds trying to be a Bond theme. The whole thing just doesn't work – between Keys' voice squashed with weird vocal effects and the annoying Piano. NO! Just NO. …. yeah I hate this one!

Rhys

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.

Countdown: The Watchers' Top 10 Bond Villains

The villain is one of the core elements within a Bond film. The threat that Bond has to face can make or break the movie. So, after some deliberation, we came up with The Watchers' Top 10 Bond Villains. 

1. ERNST STAVRO BLOFELD
(played by Donald Pleasence in You Only Live Twice) 

The most iconic and most parodied of Bond villains, the facial scar and bald head (along with the volcano base and deadly fish) is instantly recognisable the world over- and Pleasance's truly brilliant performance has cemented the legend. The original and best Blofeld. 





2. FRANCISCO SCARAMANGA 
(played by Christopher Lee in The Man With The Golden Gun)

Suave, debonair and deadly, Scaramanga is the dark side of Bond, the flip-side to 007's coin. The fact that this most gentlemanly of assassins is played by the legend that is Christopher Lee is probably one of the best casting choices ever made in the entire Bond franchise. 

3. FRANZ SANCHEZ
(played by Robert Davi in License To Kill)

A thoroughly nasty piece of work, Sanchez is a ruthless and vicious drug lord responsible for the attack on Felix Leiter. Gone are the exotically-named megalomaniacs with convoluted plans of world domination, here we have an all-too-real villain played with a steely edge by Davi. 

4. MAX ZORIN

(played by Christopher Walken in A View To A Kill)

Walken brings his trademark intensity to the role of Zorin, an ex-KGB psychopath who plans to destroy Silicon Valley through a tremendous earthquake and thus monopolise the microchip market (a timely suggestion by the writers, as computers were starting to break big in the mid-80s) 

5. ELEKTRA KING
(played by Sophie Marceau in The World Is Not Enough)

It's a masterly stroke of misdirection; Renard looks like the master villain, Elektra the poor abused kidnap victim. The moment when it's revealed that it's actually Elektra pulling the strings is a total gut-punch, helped in no small part by a strong performance by Marceau. 





6. AURIC GOLDFINGER
(played by Gert Frobe in Goldfinger)

The archetypal Bond villain, his grandiose plan to devalue the gold reserves of Fort Knox by detonating a nuclear bomb there sets the bar for those that follow. Even though his lines are all dubbed, he still gets one of the most famous movie lines of all time. What more can you ask for? 

7. HUGO DRAX
(played by Michael Lonsdale in Moonraker) 

Drax's plan to create the 'super-race' in space (by gassing the inhabitants of Earth with nerve gas) is quite insane, but Lonsdale's performance is strong and he resists the cliche of the ranting megalomaniac- his quiet aside of 'Look after Mr. Bond. See that some harm comes to him' is particularly chilling. 





8. ALEC TREVELYAN (006)
(played by Sean Bean in GoldenEye)

A battle-scarred former 00 gone rogue proves a brilliant foil for Pierce Brosnan's first Bond film (much like Scaramanga against Moore's Bond) with the ever-dependable Bean turning in a performance full of simmering rage. 





9. DR. KANANGA (A.K.A. MR. BIG)
(played by Yaphet Kotto in Live And Let Die) 

Kananga is the two-faced Caribbean criminal who plans to flood the American heroin market. The use of voodoo as a cover for these business enterprises is an interesting twist and Kotto makes for a convincing and occasionally unnerving villain.





10. ELLIOT CARVER
(played by Jonathan Pryce in Tomorrow Never Dies)

There's a prescience to the character of Carver- an amoral, manipulative and deceitful media baron willing to start a war for ratings- and Pryce's performance is just top-notch, none more so than the scene where he gleefully dispatches his 'golden retrievers' to destroy a politician's reputation and release bug-filled software.





These are our picks for the best of the Bond villains - what about you? Do you agree with our choices or are we missing someone vital? Let us know in the comments below. Of course, the villains can't take Bond down on their own- they often need help in the form of henchmen (and henchwomen). Next week, we reveal our countdown of our Top 10 Henchmen.

Bond At The Oscars: Part Two - The Movies

Yesterday, we looked at the various Oscar-winning (and Oscar-nominated) actors and actresses that have appeared in the Bond films. Today, we look at which Bond films have been nominated for an Academy Award- and which ones have actually won.

It may surprise you to learn that seven official EON Productions Bond films have been nominated for at least one Academy Award, often giving the lie to the assumption that the Oscars are elitist and only go for worthy dramas. True, none of the films have been nominated for Best Picture but there has been recognition of the technical and musical achievements of the following films:

Goldfinger

Widely seen as the best Bond film, it is entirely fitting that Goldfinger is not only the first Bond film to be nominated for an Oscar, but the first to win: Norman Wanstall picked up the Oscar for Best Sound Effects.

Thunderball

Yep, you read that right. Thunderball was nominated for an Oscar. Not only was it nominated; it also won! John Stears picked up the award for Best Visual Effects.

Diamonds Are Forever

Gordon K. McCallum, John W. Mitchell and Al Overton were nominated for Best Sound for their work on Diamonds Are Forever; McCallum did walk away with a Golden Baldy on the night, however, as he shared Best Sound with David Hildyard for Fiddler On The Roof

Live And Let Die

This was the first time a Bond theme was nominated for Best Original Song but ‘Live And Let Die’ didn't win; that honour went to 'The Way We Were' (I personally think 'Live And Let Die' is twenty times the some 'The Way We Were' is, but there's no accounting for taste)

The Spy Who Loved Me

To date, this is the Bond film with the most Oscar nominations: three nods, for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (for Ken Adam, Peter Lamont and Hugh Scaife). Best Original Song (the epic ‘Nobody Does It Better’) and Best Original Score (Marvin Hamlisch). Unfortunately, nominations would have to be enough- the Oscars were won by Star Wars Episode IV (Best Art Direction-Set Decoration and Best Original Score) and You Light Up My Life (Best Original Song)

Moonraker

This film was recognised for Best Visual Effects (the team of Derek Meddings, Paul Wilson and John Evans) but lost out to Alien. 

For Your Eyes Only

The last Bond film to be nominated for an Oscar so far, and another nomination for Best Original Song (‘For Your Eyes Only’) but another loss: the Academy Award went to Arthur

Incidentally, the unofficial 1967 version of Casino Royale was nominated for Best Original Song for 'The Look Of Love' but lost to 'Talk To The Animals' from Doctor Dolittle. As you can see, Bond has had an interesting relationship with the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Could Skyfall break a thirty-one year hiatus and get an Oscar nod? We'll have to wait til next January to find out. 

'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