Ian Fleming: The Man Who Created James Bond
James Bond as a Duke for Christmas?
Sir Roger George Moore, who is better known as James Bond to 007 fans, is set to play in a Christmas movie that’s debuting on the Hallmark channel this Saturday night, December 3. The film, “A Princess for Christmas,” will be shown on the network this holiday season. In the film, Moore plays the role of Edward, Duke of Castlebury, a character that seems tailor-made for the sophisticated actor.
Reasons Why Cars 2 is Better Than Any James Bond Movie
I absolutely hated Cars 2. I thought it was stupid, not funny, unoriginal, predictable, and worst of all, way too violent for the children it was intended for. In short, it was anti-Pixar. But I despise James Bond so much that I think that Cars 2 is still better. Here’s why. Read more about Reasons Why Cars 2 is Better Than Any James Bond Movie
Biggest Exhibition of Bond Cars Planned for 2012
For the two of you James Bond fans out there (just kidding!), there is some exciting news about your favorite Bondmobiles: beginning in January, the largest display of Bond vehicles in history will be on display at the UK’s National Motor Museum. Of course, general car aficionados would probably enjoy the exhibition, too. Read more about Biggest Exhibition of Bond Cars Planned for 2012
Secret Lover: James Bond (Daniel Craig)
I honestly don't mind that you have a problem with alcohol and violence - in fact, I bet I can change you! Give us a chance, will yah?
I guess I have a thing for big guns and even bigger personality! Read more about Secret Lover: James Bond (Daniel Craig)
James Bond > Darth Vader?
I would give this answer a wholehearted no, along with a derisive chuckle, myself. Not only is Vader so much more layered and interesting and, though admittedly flawed, just more cool than Bond, he’s also more meaningful—more important to history and a much, much deeper character. Yes, he had some annoying angst-ridden years and yes, he murdered a bunch of poor Jedi children in one of the most chilling massacres ever, but he did it all in the name of love—and not just after a pretty face and loose pair of panties, but real, true love, however misguided and cruel the actions turned out to be. Read more about James Bond > Darth Vader?
The Bond Girl: Culture, Feminism and Storytelling
As long as there has been a James Bond, there has been the Bond Girl, that rare category of action star vixen that has been at the center of everything from adoration to outrage. Just like so much of the Bond mythos, the Bond Girls follow a formula that has only been broken for a postmodern effect on the story. The classic setup involves two girls, one an agent of the antagonist and the other an unlikely ally to Bond. In the first film Dr. No those two roles went to Miss Taro and Honey Ryder, respectively. It wasn't until the famed reboot with Daniel Craig that this equation got jumbled.
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The Changing Face of Felix Leiter
James Bond is the quintessential British spy. He harks back to the days when Britain had an empire and a hefty political influence on the world. Even if the colonies were gone the British were still present in every country, peeking in and meddling in every plot and foiling the bad guys time and time again. The idea of friendship between the UK and the US is always handled carefully in the Bond movies. The relationship is clearly one based on expediency than any real affection. The only American character to repeatedly appear in the franchise is Felix Leiter.
Felix is actually a friend of James Bond, perhaps partly because both men are willing to flout the orders of their superiors in order to get the job done. He appears throughout the novel and film series but he pops up in various guises and is played by a host of different actors. Read more about The Changing Face of Felix Leiter
Villains: Max Zorin
There have been a lot of memorable Bond villains over the years although many of them have been played by average actors. One of the exceptions is Max Zorin, the baddie from A View to a Kill who was played by the excellent Christopher Walken. This psychotic German is a big businessman and a rogue KGB agent who branches out on his own and causes all sorts of problems for Bond.
A View to a Kill is a Roger Moore outing and although the title was borrowed from a Fleming short story the screenplay was actually entirely new. It was a pretty poor film and an aging Roger Moore was singled out for the tired performance he gave in his seventh and last appearance as Bond. It still raked in over $300 million at the worldwide box office and one of the big draws was the quality villain portrayed by Walken. Read more about Villains: Max Zorin
Villains: Largo
Thunderball featured the Italian villain Emilio Largo. In the film he was a white haired SPECTRE operative with an eye patch. In fact he was No. 2 in the organisation and described as the head of extortion operations. He was played by the Italian actor Adolfo Celli. Largo also appears in the 1983 remake of Thunderball, Never Say Never Again, but his forename is changed to Maximillian and he is played by the Austrian actor Klaus Maria Brandauer.
Largo plays out a classic baddie plot which has been reused several times over the years in numerous productions. He has stolen two nuclear bombs from the careless chaps at NATO and now he is blackmailing the world. If they don’t stump up £100 million in diamonds then he is going to destroy an undisclosed city. It later turns out to be Miami that he is targeting. Read more about Villains: Largo