Thursday 5 December 2013

James Bond p.3 (1995-2012)












Caroline: James, is it really necessary to drive quite so fast?
James Bond: More often than you'd think. 

It had been six years since the last James Bond movie, the poor reception and performance of Licence to Kill (1989) plus various legal disputes contributed to the delay. Timothy Dalton decided too many years had passed and on 11 April 1994 officially resigned from her Majesty’s Secret Service. The search was on for a new 007.

Actors considered for the role of Bond included Mel Gibson, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, and Sam Neill before it was decided Pierce Brosnan (1953-) was the man for the job.

Goldeneye (1995) was directed by Martin Campbell and starred Pierce Brosnan as Jimmy Bond, Sean Bean as Alec Trevelyan, Izabella Scorupco as Natalya Siminova, Famke Janssen as Xenia Onatopp, Alan Cumming as Boris Grishenko, Robbie Coltrane as Valentin Zukovsky and Joe Don Baker as Jack Wade.

Dame Judi Dench was the new 'M', she would play the role in 6 more Bond films.












Q: Here's your cell phone 007. You talk here and listen here.
Bond: So that's what I've been doing wrong all these years?

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) ends with the words “In Loving Memory of Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli” Cubby had died of heart failure in 1996, he was 87. He had produced 16 Bond films, the first 9 with co-producer Harry Saltzman (1915-1994). Cubby’s daughter Barbara Broccoli and his stepson Michael G. Wilson were now in charge of the Bond franchise.

The 18th Bond film was directed by Roger Spottiswoode and starred Pierce Brosnan as 007,  Jonathan Pryce as Elliott Carver, Teri Hatcher as Paris Carver, Michelle Yeoh as Wai Lin and Gotz Otto as Mr. Stamper.










Bond: “I thought Christmas comes only once a year?”

The World is Not Enough (1999) was directed by Michael Apted and starred James Bond as Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau as Elektra King, Robert Carlyle as Viktor Zokas alias Renard, Denise Richards as Christmas Jones and Robbie Coltrane as Valentin Zukovsky.

John Cleese makes an appearance as Q's replacement. Desmond Llewelyn had played ‘Q’ in every Bond film except Dr. No (1962) and Live and Let Die (1973). he died in a tragic car accident a few days after TWINE premiered, he was 85.











James Bond: You know, you're cleverer than you look.
Q: Still, better than looking cleverer than you are.

Die Another Day (2002) was directed by Lee Tamahori and starred Pierce Brosnan as Bond, Halle Berry as Jacinta Johnson aka Jinx, Toby Stephens as Gustav Graves, Rosamund Pike as Miranda Frost, Will Yun Lee as Colonel Moon, Rick Yune as Zao, Michael Madsen as Damian Falco and John Cleese as Q.

The working titles for the 20th Bond film were Beyond the Ice and Black Sun before it was changed to the just as bad Die Another Day. They should have borrowed the title from one of John Gardner’s Bond novels – Icebreaker.












Vesper Lynd: It doesn't bother you? Killing all those people?
James Bond: Well I wouldn't be very good at my job if it did.

Despite the success of Die Another Day (2002) it was to be Pierce Brosnan's last Bond movie, the producers decided to reboot the series with a younger Bond who is promoted to Double-0 status after two kills. 

Bond: Vodka-martini.
Bartender: Shaken or stirred?
Bond: Do I look like I give a damn? 

Daniel Craig (1968-) was born in Cheshire, England and is the 6th actor to play Bond in the official series, other actors considered for the role of 007 include Clive Owen, Julian McMahon, Gerard Butler, Goran Visnjic, Dominic West and Sam Worthington.

Casino Royale (2005) was directed by Martin Campbell and also starred Eva Green as Vesper Lynd, Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre, Giancarlo Giannini as Rene Mathis and Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter.

The first Bond movie in the series not to start with the famous gun barrel intro.
The first Bond movie where James Bond dies… briefly, his heart stops beating after being poisoned by Le Chiffre… he is revived by Vesper.
The first Bond movie not to end with a scene featuring Bond together with his leading lady, Quantum of Solace was the second.
The first Bond movie not to feature Miss Moneypenny, and Q is absent too. Moneypenny does get a mention of sorts, Vesper tells Bond “I’m the money.” and he replies “every penny of it”.












M: Bond, I need you back.
Bond: I never left.

Quantum of Solace (2008) was directed by Marc Forster and starred Daniel Craig as 007, Mathieu Amalric as Dominic Greene, Olga Kurylenko as Camille Montes, Gemma Arterton as Strawberry Field, Giancarlo Giannini as Rene Mathis and Joaquin Cosio as General Medrano.

While Casino Royale (2006) was the longest Bond film to date at 144mins, Quantum of Solace is the shortest at 106mins.












M: Where the hell have you been?
Bond: Enjoying death. 007 reporting for duty.  

Skyfall (2012) was directed by Sam Mendes and starred Daniel Craig as Bond, Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva, Ralph Fiennes as Gareth Mallory, Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny, Ben Whishaw as Q, Berenice Marlohe as Severine, Albert Finney as Kincaid and Judi Dench in her 7th and last Bond movie as 'M'.

Skyfall has grossed an incredible $1,108,164,760 worldwide, the biggest Bond film of them all, only The Avengers has been more successful in 2012. It was nominated for 5 Oscars winning 2 - Best Song and Best Sound Editing.

2012 was the 50th Anniversary of the first Bond movie - Dr. No (1962).

The only Ian Fleming Bond titles not used for the films are - The Property of a Lady, Risico and The Hildebrand Rarity - all are James Bond short stories.

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