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 3

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So here we are Day Two and here's Podcast Part 3 - the first 4 Roger More films!!! Onwards we go......

Live And Let Die (1973)

Investigating the mysterious deaths of three agents, Bond investigates the murky world of drugs and black magic. But what links Mr Big, a feared crime boss, and Dr. Kananga, diplomat for a small Caribbean island?

There’s a very atmospheric opening to the film: the New Orleans funeral procession and the San Monique voodoo ceremony are especially chilling. There’s a heavy influence of the supernatural to the film with the aspects of voodoo and tarot and the sinister Baron Samedi (Geoffrey Holder). Rosie is scared by signs and portents- including, bizarrely, a very small hat- and there are creepy scarecrows in the cemetery. The second voodoo ceremony is also very well done. It’s telling that this is, to date, the only Bond movie which mixes in the supernatural with the traditional spy action. It’s very much a standalone, unique film in that respect.

Moore gives a decent performance in his first outing as Bond, the tongue-in-cheek quips and one-liners coming thick and fast. He doesn’t display the same killer instinct as Connery although he is quite handy with an improvised flamethrower. All in all, there’s the basis of a good character. This is also the fifth film to feature Felix Leiter and the fifth actor to portray the character (David Hedison, who will return to the role in License To Kill). Hedison’s performance is very decent (which might be why he was asked back to the role, albeit after sixteen years).

Yaphet Kotto makes for a powerful villain- his mask of philanthropy hides heroin growing and distribution. His obsession with Solitaire and his desire for control over her is unnerving. Jane Seymour gives a luminous performance as tarot reader Solitaire. Her powers are linked to her purity and, when seduced by Bond (in a clever little sequence involving fixing the tarot deck), she is unable to read the cards.  She does then become very much a damsel-in-distress, reliant on Bond to rescue her, which slightly lessens the impact.

The sequence where Bond outmanoeuvres the San Monique police in a rickety old double-decker bus is still impressive. The stunt at the farm, where Bond runs across the ravenous alligators and crocodiles, is still impressive (all the more so for being done by a stuntman for real)

We then get to one of the big missteps of the film: Sheriff JW Pepper (Clifton James). A stereotypical racist redneck sheriff and about as funny as trapping your fingers in a car door.  The boat chase then lapses into cheap slapstick which skews from the original macabre tone. This was the age of the blaxpoitation movie which is writ large all over this film: Mr Big (and several others) refer to Bond as a ‘honky’ and he’s criticised for being ‘a white face in Harlem’. It’s unlikely that a film this consciously racist- in all its forms- would be made in these more politically correct times.

There are several effects that haven’t stood the test of time- TeeHee’s prosthesis, some of the rubber snakes for the voodoo ceremonies and the inflated Kananga at the end- but on the whole it’s a decent film, well-acted (for the most part) and a heady mix of sorcery and spydom.

Rating: 4 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 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

Ian Fleming: The Father Of Bond

There are several people without whom we would not be taking on the Bondathon challenge. We will highlight some of them in the upcoming weeks, but it seems only right to start with the creator of Bond: Ian Fleming

Fleming was born in London on 28 May 1908 and was educated at Eton College, editing a school magazine whilst there. After a failed attempt to join the Foreign Office, Fleming started working for Reuters News Agency in 1931 as a sub-editor and journalist, spending time in Moscow during 1933. He worked as a banker and stockbroker before becoming personal assistant to Rear Admiral John Godfrey, Director of Naval Intelligence in May 1939. He was commissioned into the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in July of 1939, initially as a lieutenant and then as a commander.

During the Second World War, Fleming worked out of Room 39 at The Admiralty, excelling in administration as Godfrey’s personal assistant and writing memoranda that would have an impact on the course of the war. In 1941-42, Godfrey placed Fleming in charge of Operation Golden Eye which would maintain an intelligence framework in Spain in the event of a German takeover. In 1942, Fleming formed a unit of commandos known as No. 30 Commando, 30 Assault Unit or (more informally) his ‘Red Indians’. The unit would be near the front line of advance in order to seize enemy documents from previously targeted headquarters.

Also in 1942, Fleming attended an Anglo-American intelligence summit in Jamaica and liked the place so much, he decided to live there once the war was over. For a sum of £2000, Fleming purchased land on the north shore at Oracabessa and a house was built, which he named… Goldeneye. Upon his demobilisation in May 1945, Fleming became the Foreign Manager in the Kemsley newspaper group, which at the time owned The Sunday Times. His contract allowed him to take three months holiday every winter in Jamaica. He worked full-time for the paper until December 1959, but continued to write articles until at least 1961

Fleming had mentioned to friends during the war that he wished to write a spy novel, and- in 1952- he achieved this, writing Casino Royale within two months in Jamaica. The main character of Casino Royale was an officer in the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and a commander of the Royal Naval Reserve. His name? Bond. James Bond. 

Taking the character’s name from a real-life ornithologist (the author of Birds Of The West Indies), Fleming explained that ‘I wanted the simplest, dullest, plainest-sounding name I could find… Exotic things would happen to and around him but he would be a neutral figure - an anonymous blunt instrument wielded by a Government Department.’ Published by Jonathan Cape in 1953, such was the popularity of Casino Royale that three print runs were needed to cope with the demand.

After Casino Royale, Fleming used his annual three-month sabbatical at Goldeneye to complete another Bond novel. The next novels published were Live And Let Die (1954), Moonraker (1955), Diamonds Are Forever (1956), From Russia With Love (1957), Dr. No (1958) and Goldfinger (1959). For Your Eyes Only (1960) is a collection of five short stories- ‘From A View To A Kill’, ‘For Your Eyes Only’, ‘Quantum Of Solace’, ‘Risico’ and ‘The Hildebrand Rarity’- whilst Thunderball (1961) is a novelisation of a film script written by Fleming along with Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham. 

Further Bond novels included The Spy Who Loved Me (1962), On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1963) and You Only Live Twice (1964). The Man With The Golden Gun was published posthumously, along with a collection of stories: 'Octopussy' and 'The Living Daylights'. Originally comprising these two stories, further paperback editions have also included the short stories ‘The Property Of A Lady’ and ‘007 In New York’.

Aside from the Bond novels and stories, Fleming published two pieces of non-fiction- The Diamond Smugglers (1957) and Thrilling Cities (1963)- and the children’s novel Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang, which was also published posthumously. Fleming died on 12 August 1964 at the age of 56 from a heart attack; his final recorded words were an apology to the ambulance drivers for inconveniencing them.

Fleming was ranked fourteenth in The Times' 2008 poll of 'The 50 Greatest British Writers Since 1945' and his Bond novels are amongst the best-selling book series in the world. John F. Kennedy revealed that From Russia With Love was one of his ten favourite books. Whatever you may think of his writing style or manner, his literary achievements are undeniable.