If Dynamite Comics adapts Fleming’s books, then IFP should adapt at least one of Dynamite’s storylines: Felix Leiter. James Robinson could write it, adapting his original story, and some of the ideas he had for his possible trilogy, had he been able to write one.
John Gardener should have been told to quit after Nobody Lives Forever. He would have a better legacy in the fans. Have another author bridge the gap between him and Raymond Benson.
Everything or Nothing, Bloodstone and Skyfall deserved novelizations. They could have been written by Bruce Feirstein.
IFP should start a modern day villain spinoff series, starting with Blofeld. I could see only Blofeld getting more than one book, with Irma Bunt. The only period piece would be Hugo Drax. The only film villain character that could work is Alec Trevelyan. Not every villain needs a story though.
IFP needs to move away from Fleming’s timeline. The more books they connect to it, the more desperate they seem to reconnect to it.
Devil May Care should have taken place after Colonel Sun. Continuity would have made more sense if Faulks had done it this way.
The Q Boat is underrated and should be considered with the likes of Little Nellie.
Certain films from the Craig era are technically better but 1995-2002 was a better time to be a fan.
Readers of the books have a deeper appreciation/knowledge of the character and his world.
If it weren’t for The Spy Who Loved Me, Lazenby’s decision would have been vindicated.
Craig does introspection and darkness better than Dalton.
All Bond songs are great with the exception of TMWTGG, AWTD and WOTW.
Tomorrow Never Dies is still the most relevant modern film in terms of plot.
Stamper was the last great henchman.
Silva was the last great villain.
Safin’s lair is the best since Ken Adam’s work on Moonraker.
Much to agree with here: I’d maybe just question re Stamper out of loyalty for my namesake! The work on Safin’s lair was exemplary and typifies a major part about what I love about the Bond world.
I prefer the Craig era but he has been somewhat hamstrung by the huge breaks between films. With Brosnan we nearly got a full schedule of films every 2 years, which really was something to enjoy! These barren periods are testing even for the most devoted fans!
I would even argue that a constant or at least reliably appearing stream of content keeps a fanbase, especially a younger one, more loyal and interested.
I’m sure EON and Amazon will look at the data how old the audiences for the Craig era were.
The films were released more frequently, along with EA games and books by Raymond Benson. Add in the fact I was much younger. That makes the world seem like a more magical place.
Most Bond songs are nothing special. By and large, they’re forgotten by the next film and you can count the ones with enduring appeal on the fingers of one hand. And maybe have enough fingers left to lift your martini glass.
Bond songs exist in their own category. They appear in mainstream films but they’re not mainstream general listening. You’re not really going to hear them on the radio, but only in the films when you’re watching at home. But when I think of all the songs we’ve had I generally like them and think they compliment their movies, with only a number sticking out as poor. Individual mileage may vary but we’re inclined to believe the number is far greater.
Goldfinger.
Thunderball.
You only live twice.
We have all the time in the world.
Diamonds are forever.
Live and let die.
Nobody does it better.
For your eyes only.
Well, at least until then those songs were cultural milestones, with lasting relevance and in fact radio play.
These days, radio only plays what is pre-formatted by the marketing department.
We did get some good songs after FYEO, but they could not get the long lasting and wide audience the marketplace of the 60‘s, 70‘s and 80‘s had.
Then again, which artist afterwards managed to release songs which captured audiences beyond their target demographics for decades?
Haven’t Bond songs moved into their own category? There’s a sound the Bond themes NEED to sound like, regardless of who is singing. It’s a big thing to unveil the next Bond theme, no-one seems to actually care on chart positions when it’s a Bond theme
You Know My Name was Chris Cornell’s best selling song by quite some distance. Take that as you will.
I’m surprised that the these three games didn’t get a Nintendo 64 adaptation in the console’s lifetime: Tomorrow Never Dies (like or not like the PS1 version), James Bond 007 for the GameBoy, it calls for a bigger story on a bigger console. Most controversially, 007 Racing, considering how many racing games were on the N64. Based on the success of Goldeneye 007, I’m surprised that Nintendo didn’t try for more Bond other than The World is Not Enough. Maybe it was legal issues, or GE’s surprise success.
The Judi Dench version of M could be read as more of a villain than people realize. She’s always criticizing Bond (and others) for her mistakes. She’d throw anyone away based on the power of her job, when it’s really her ego wanting to be saved. See TWINE and SF for the biggest proof of this. The main villains are a result of her actions, and putting her job first so she wouldn’t get the blame. She was willing to drop Bond in both movies (plus especially DAD and QOS). GE and CR were ok as she and Bond were both new in their jobs. The biggest offender of her M is when she criticized Bond. Then she would ALWAYS say he was the best in MI6 and that she always believed in him. No sympathy from me when she died in SF. Bad writing. The Ralph Fiennes M had this to a degree happen to him in NTTD. Enough from me.
The Bond-M she should have had was best shown in TND. She openly supported Bond doings his job, even saying don’t launch the missile while Bond was on the ground. Then, in their car briefing, she says here’s your job, do it your way (mostly, without her criticizing him), just get it done. And to think, this all happened while she was being criticized by her superiors. If Purvis and Wade were writing, this would be a subplot. Once they started writing and Judi Dench won her Oscar, the character became almost unbearably hypocritical. Thanks for rigging the Oscars that year, Harvey Weinstein. It seemed that the Gareth Mallory M almost had this happen in NTTD. It’s getting as tiresome as Bond leaving MI6. Hopefully, Ralph Fiennes can become Sir Miles as M, and the relationship between Bond and M can become one of mutual respect. Kingsley Amis would be criticizing EON nonstop for this Bond-M relationship. He hated M, that’s why he was kidnapped in Colonel Sun. Judi Dench’s M was the Grandpa Joe (from Willy Wonka 1971) of the Bond series. In some ways, Judi Dench was just as bad of being spoiled by Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli as Daniel Craig was.
If having zero affection for Dame Judi’s M qualifies as a “shocking confession,” then it’s mine as well. She’s far and away the least likable or interesting character in the Craig era, which for my money is full of characters doing their damnedest to be unlikable. I agree finally getting rid of her was a relief, and also alas that ultimately Fiennes’ version just comes across as the same character with “Judi” scratched out on the call sheets in favor of “Ralph.”
Among my hopes for the next iteration of Bond is that the entire “office crew” shows up just long enough to hand Bond a mission file and a box of gadgets before disappearing from the film entirely. Of course there’s not much chance of that happening, but on the up side at the pace EON moves, I’ll be far enough into age-induced dementia by then that I’ll have forgotten I wanted it.
They mean no harm. They just want to give us (those of us who do this kind of stuff) enough time to save some money, because else we won’t be able to afford the ticket price for the B26 premiere (and the need to stay in London for a few days) – heck, it costs an awful lot of money each time, but it was always well worth it. It’s what I miss most when it comes to not having a new Bond movie for a few years. Going to London for a few days, getting to meet some of you guys, and some old friends, with the new Bond being the talk of town. Going to the Hippodrome after just having seen the new Bond and discuss it over Vespers (seven of them) until five in the morning.
I digress…
We may have a case of Bond drifting too much into real life here. Because I don’t think that in real life, on gets to be into the position of “M” (whatever the equivalent may be) just because you’re a nice guy.
You Only Live Twice is often referred to as the lesser of the 1960s Bond films, and while I agree (only because I like the others more), I still like it, plot illogicalities and all.
The cinematography and soundtrack are obvious positives, but in terms of following up Thunderball I think it was the natural way to go. Blofeld’s scheme was foiled, and undeterred, he raises the stakes with something even more demented - hijacking space shuttles in orbit to start war.
Little Nellie and the volcano base are two big iconic legacies to come from the film, and I don’t think they were matched until Gilbert came back for TSWLM and MR.
I kind wish Roald Dahl would have written another Bond screenplay or even a continuation novel. I actually prefer YOLT over TB, it’s more witty and more to the point. Donald Pleasence did more better acting in 10 minutes of screentime (and being cast at the last minute) than Largo in TB.
If Wai Lin and Jinx got spin-offs, I’d rather have them be working together, rather than them be working separately.
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