Bondathon Podcast Part 5: The Dalton Years

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Here's our reviews of Timothy Dalton's all to short tenure as 007 - enjoy !!

Licence To Kill (1989)

On his wedding day, Felix Leiter (aided by James Bond as his best man) brings in Colombian drug lord Franz Sanchez. However, Sanchez escapes and exacts a terrible revenge on Leiter and his new bride Della. Frustrated that nobody will do anything, Bond vows revenge- but has to step outside the bounds of his license to kill to do so.

There’s no messing around here, from the very beginning we have balls-to-the-wall action. We are in a different world to the usual Bond film; this is grittier, much more real. Gone are the grandiloquent plans of world domination and exotically-named villains, we are in a very real and very violent world of drug dealers- Sanchez is a man who would cut out a love rival’s heart as soon as look at him so murdering Della and feeding Felix to a shark is par for the course. Robert Davi’s performance is chilling and full of quiet menace. He’s yet another Bond villain with a penchant for sharks. The drugs network is hidden via televangelism messages done by Professor Joe Butcher, played with silky charm by former Vegas showman Wayne Newton.

Dalton is an absolute revelation here, a bundle of rage and determination. There are several subtle nods to Bond’s previous marriage and there’s a lovely moment when Della offers her garter, as the next one to catch it will wed, and Bond gently refuses. He is unrepentant in his disposal of Killifer, callously throwing the suitcase of blood money to weight him down. The scene where Bond is stripped of his licence to kill is just amazing (incidentally, Robert Brown gets his finest hour as M in that scene).. Bond uses a combination of brawn and brains in his vendetta- not only physically punishing people but also casting the seeds of doubt in Sanchez’s mind as who to trust. The physical and mental strain of the mission is writ large over Bond by the end of it. There are some amazing action sequences, especially with the tankers at the end.

David Hedison returns to the role of Felix Leiter for the first time since Live And Let Die (he is one of only two actors to play the role of Leiter more than once) and his easy camaraderie with Dalton is a pleasure to watch. Such is that relationship that, when Felix is attacked, you are absolutely on Bond’s side with his desire for revenge. Q ends up going to Isthmus City (on Moneypenny’s behest) to help equip Bond in his fight against Sanchez. It’s great to see Desmond Llewelyn get an extended role and his relationship with Dalton is slightly different to that of other Bonds- there’s an avuncular concern for 007 (which may be due to the age difference between the two men)

The two Bond girls are on opposite ends of the scale. Talisa Soto gives a great performance as Lupe, Sanchez’s girlfriend. Well, girlfriend may be a very generous term; she’s more his possession. She is desperate to leave him and forms an attachment with James hoping to get out. Carey Lowell is also great as Pam Bouvier, a former army pilot. Bond meets up with her in s scuzzy bar where she’s packing a sawn-off shotgun; she can certainly handle herself. The chemistry between her and Dalton is positively electric which adds another dimension.  She won’t take any nonsense at all which is just brilliant.

Make no mistake, this is a grown-up revenge thriller totally deserving of its 15 certificate. It’s also one of the most intelligent, gripping and engrossing films made in the 1980s and one of the best Bond films.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Tez

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

Video Countdown: Top Ten Bond Stunts

When you think about Bond films, there are certain elements which spring to mind. One we'd like to focus on today is the action sequences and stunts. There have been some truly amazing stunts throughout the Bond franchise and we've put together our Top Ten. Click the video below to find out what we rated as the best stunt in a Bond movie:

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!