Showing posts with label James Bond. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James Bond. Show all posts
James Bond is back and he's out for revenge. It's no secret that I'm a big 007 fan. I've watched every movie, I have some of the songs on my iPod playlist, and I even (occasionally) do a feature here on the blog about the book series. It's hard not to be a fan since growing up with the films. However, I do judge the sequels with a critical eye as each film is different and offers something new. If the film isn't amazing, I will tell you why with no bias. The latest James Bond film to be reviewed is the inter-conspiracy film: SPECTRE.
The Premise: MI6 is dealing with the backlash after another one of James Bond's (Daniel Craig) misadventures to take down a criminal. As the 00 program hangs in the balance, Bond is on the hunt to stop the menacing SPECTRE organization that has been causing him hell since Casino Royale.
The Results: 3/5!
SPECTRE tried to accomplish an ambitious goal - it tried to connect the three previous movies together for one satisfying conclusion. And while it successfully created a web that seem connected, it failed to deliver a powerful payoff. The villain, while nefarious and dangerous, never came off as terrifying; he was merely a bad guy in a business suit. James Bond, as well as other characters like Q, M, Moneypenny and Madeline Snow to name a few, delivered a stellar job as part of the growing ensemble cast. The stunts were great, especially the first opening sequence. However, one of SPECTRE's biggest faults is that the action, the drama and the anticipation never built up to a climatic finish. The ending felt too mellow and calm. (This is a 007 film after all!) If you're a fan of James Bond movies, I would recommend checking out the next flick in the series.
With James Bond's latest adventure heading to the big screen next with SPECTRE, I decided to dust off an old favourite feature of mine for my next piece on the blog. I will skip over the formality of mentioning how long it has been since the last post. Suffice it to say: I'm terrible! (We all know it, but you love me for it.)
This will be a short edition of The Big Bong Book Club. I finished this novel awhile ago and I watched the movie shortly after then, but I'm currently writing the piece now. For those of you unfamiliar with this feature, I read the 007 books in chronological order (those who have a movie counterpart) and then I watch the film shortly afterwards to do a comparison between the two. You can check out the previous features on this blog (Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds are Forever, and From Russia with Love).
For this edition of the book club, I will be taking a look at James Bond's first adventure, according to the movie franchise: Dr. No.
The Story (novel): After recovering from poisoning, James Bond is set on a simple assignment to Jamaica to learn about the disappearance of an MI6 agent.
The Story (movie): James Bond is sent to Jamaica to investigate a British Intelligence Station Chief's disappearance.
THE COMPARISON
Since Dr. No is the "first" James Bond movie adventure we're introduced to as viewers, a few details are changed to accommodate this new timeline. References to past characters and actions from the book series are omitted and the history of certain characters with 007 are changed to be new introductions instead. It's nothing major that alters the main theme of the story (Dr. No is still menacing and he is a member of SPECTRE), but it is a noticeable difference after reading the first few books and connecting these characters to past scenes in the previous novels.
My Favourite: The Movie! (...barely)
Similar to my conclusion from Diamonds are Forever, I wasn't particularly fond of either pieces. Be it that Dr. No was the first film from the '60s and the series was still finding its way OR the book coming off as James Bond's "relaxed" adventure, Dr. No didn't captivate me as a story. The certain aspect which could have pulled the movie ahead compared to the book is potentially the iconic scenes from the movie. Honey Rider rising from the sea, James Bond driving his car for the first time, Dr. No wearing the suit - there are many moments any 007 would love to see on film. These are all small cosmetic points, but they did help lean toward my ultimate decision.
Final scores:
Dr. No (the book) - 3/10
Dr. No (the movie) - 4/10
NEXT: The next blog piece will be tackling the (arguably) best James Bond story. I'm not going to confirm if it is my favourite, but many fans love this story compared to the others. If you're craving gold then be on the lookout for the next post: Goldfinger!
I am a big James Bond fan. I love the action, the gadgets, the conspiracies and, of course, the opening theme songs. Many of the tracks are currently on my playlist for repeat listens. Who could not love tunes like "Skyfall" or "Live and Let Die"? The right song can tie the whole movie together and excite fans for the adventure to come.
For Bond's latest adventure, British superstar and crooner Sam Smith was tapped to sing the next track. His contribution would be the next tune to join other James Bond history singers, like Adele, Madonna and Carly Simon. His song, "Writing's On The Wall", was released earlier on Spotify and iTunes. However, the accompanying video for the track is now available to be viewed today.
Check out the video below to see Sam Smith's official music video for the James Bond track. SPECTRE is hitting theatres worldwide on November 6, 2015.
James Bond is ready to head out on his next death-defying adventure and finally the mission has a name. Revealed on Thursday at Pinewood Studios in London, Bond 24 will officially be known as 'Spectre'.
The official synopsis for the film is as follows: "A cryptic message from Bond’s past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organisation. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE." (via Independent UK)
Spectre will feature many of the returning cast members from Skyfall, like Daniel Craig (James Bond), Ralph Fiennes (M), Naomie Harris (Moneypenny) and Ben Whishaw (Q). Joining the cast this time around will feature a few new characters like Andrew Scott (Denbigh), David Bautista (Mr. Hinx), Christoph Waltz (Oberhauser), and upcoming Bond Girls Léa Seydoux and Monica Belucci as Madeleine Swann and Lucia Sciarra, respectively. Bond is nothing without his automobile, which will be the Aston Martin DB10.
Many details are still being kept under wraps but rumours are swirling that longtime iconic 007 supervillain, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, will make his reintroduction to the series with this film. Spectre is set to be released on November 6, 2015.
Are ready for James Bond's next mission? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
I'm bad. I don't just mean bad in a mean way but bad in an "I'm sorry!" way. I've stopped counting the time since the last moment I "promised" to write the next edition of The Big Bond Book Club. I've probably written that I would write the next post more times than actually completing the blog post. Weeks? Months? Maybe a year? Years even?! I could check back into the archives but even then I wouldn't be surprised at the date. Suffice it to say...it has been a LONG time. With that being said...I'm sorry.
The last time I left off the series was with the fourth book - Diamonds Are Forever. It reached a medium thrill but for full details of the comparison, you can check out my article with the link above. For those unfamiliar with this series (I wouldn't be surprised - it has been a long time), I read a James Bond book chronologically from its release date and watch the corresponding film from the MGM series. I critique both against each other based on what I like and don't like. The scales don't always fall on the side of the movie series so I wouldn't prejudge just yet for all you naysayers and movie-only fans out there. The story I'll be reading today is the fifth book in the series: From Russia with Love.
The Story (novel): SMERSH, the menacing Soviet counterintelligence agency, plots to assassinate James Bond in the hopes of discrediting not only him but his agency as well.
The Story (movie): SPECTRE, a secret organization, plots to assassinate James Bond.
THE COMPARISON
Time has passed since the last time I read the book and watched the movie. It took a while to remember everything so I will keep this post short and brief. I'll probably expand this section further in future posts when the updates are more timely. (Seriously people, I'm really sorry!) With the exception of a few details - such as the name of the organization and updating the time period - I didn't notice much of a difference from the source material to the big screen. An organization still seeks to eliminate Bond, a beautiful woman manipulates him for the motives of said organization, and a slightly deranged woman tries to kill Bond with a blade...in her shoe. If this were any other series, I might laugh at writing that line but with all the unique gadgets and weapons, it feels right at home. Almost playful and giddy in a way.
My Favourite: The Movie!
From Russia with Love is not my favourite story in the James Bond universe. Woah...wait...lower your pitchforks and drop the flaming torches now, 007 fans! Hear me out. I understand that this story is a favourite by fans of the series; it has a lot of iconic moments and characters that resonate with fans (i.e. Tatiana Romanova, the shoe, SPECTRE/SMERSH). Unfortunately, I wasn't really pulled into the story. Blame it on the plot, the time period difference or the source material but I felt it was an average adventure in the Bond legacy. I mean in the stories before this book, he had to stop a space exploration or a voodoo drug kingpin with the help of his psychic ally. I couldn't quite get into the story. I've watched the movie and read the book a few times - it's good but not great.
Final scores:
From Russia, with Love (the book) - 4/10
From Russia with Love (the movie) - 5/10
NEXT: The sixth addition in this blog series is bringing it all back to the beginning. That's right! Slip on your cabana wear, grab your seashells and head to a tropical destination, I'm going to be reading "Dr. No!" It's funny to think that the first film in the movie series is actually the sixth entry in the book series. Comparisons will be on the lookout for my next post.
Update time!!!
It's been a couple of months since the last book club post that I was doing for my 007 novels. Time has gotten away from me and I've been focused on other books that were currently on my reading list. I don't want to give up on this section which means I'm going to continue with the next book in a week or so. From Russia With Love has been read and I need to create its post.
Stay tuned for more details...
Back from an almost indefinite financial hiatus, MGM is ready to premiere the latest international adventure of 007. Set to mark the series' 23rd installment, James Bond is back for another tale of action, fights and saving the world one villain at a time. Currently, the latest movie is set for an October 26, 2012 release date and has been titled: Skyfall.
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| (Photo courtesy of MGM and 007) |
Ever since I was a kid and watched GoldenEye for the first time (which also happened to be my first 007 film), I've been fascinated with the films. Gadgets, international destinations, action and one man going up against a nefarious villain have kept audiences (including myself) interested the adventures of 007 for over 50 years. Skyfall is the newest entry into the film series and will be Daniel Craig's third installment in the role. While the actual plot of the film has yet to be revealed, rumours have been circulating around the net of introductions of key Bond landmarks: introduction Q (Ben Whishaw), possibly also Moneypenny (as the role of Eve played by Naomie Harris) and even Bond's gadgets.
I've never been able to watch a Bond film in theatres before - I was too young to watch without parental guidance from GoldenEye to Casino Royale. This year will mark the first time and I'm excited to check it out in theatres. MGM currently has released the first teaser trailer for the film which has been linked below for you all to enjoy.
Hey Bloggers,
I know that it's been a while since the last Book Club review but I just needed a break to not write about James Bond for awhile. Sometimes it's nice to take a healthy break between features and now I'm ready to submit the latest review in the collection. Today's review will be on the diamond smuggling adventure: Diamonds Are Forever!
The Story (novel): Set months after the events of Moonraker, agent 007 James Bond is informed by M of a new smuggling ring that spans from Africa to the United States. His adventures take him deep undercover as a diamond smuggler Peter Franks to uncover the head of the conspiracy and to see how far this operation truly goes with The Spangled Mob. At Bond's side is ex-CIA operative Felix Leiter, Bond's superior M and the alluring yet witty diamond smuggler Tiffany Case.
The Story (movie): James Bond continues on his search for revenge against the nefarious Blofeld for murdering Bond's wife in the previous film. Believing Blofeld to have met his end in the opening film sequence, Bond is brought to Las Vegas to go undercover in a diamond smuggling operation. Taking the identity of smuggler Peter Franks, Bond meets his contact Tiffany Case and is soon brought into the smuggling operation but all is not what it seems. The diamonds are merely a ruse to an even more calculating plot that involves a satellite, lasers and the return of a familiar foe. Aiding Bond in his adventure in Sin City is Bond's superior M, the intellectual Q, quick-witted Moneypenny, CIA agent Felix Leiter, Sultry Plenty O'Toole and the unconventional yet sarcastic diamond smuggler Tiffany Case.
THE COMPARISON
When looking at the plotlines for both the film and the novel, they more-or-less follow the same story arc. Bond takes on a fake identity to deceive Tiffany and be brought into the fold of the smuggling ring. While the novel has a stand-alone plot with new foes that are affiliated with SMERSH, the premise is its own motivation with a different end goal. The movie, however, is still associated with the Blofeld storyline as the premise weaves itself with a conclusion relating to a Bond vs. Blofeld confrontation. They both sound good in comparison but I'll explain my thoughts on this later on in the review.
The character of Tiffany Case is one of the biggest contrasts between both pieces. In the movie, Tiffany is more confrontational and outspoken in her dialogue with Bond. She takes no prisoners and expresses her thoughts with assertion and sarcasm making her easily a fan favourite. In the novel, she still is outspoken and witty but her demeanor exudes seduction and sultriness with each retort. It all depends on your point-of-view: Tiffany is more sultry in the novel depicting a blonde bombshell but in the movie, she's sarcastic and assertive as a fiery red-head.
Another comparison is the difference in the dynamics of how the story is set up. What I mean by this is, in actuality, this story is the fourth Bond adventure to have taken place according the Fleming timeline but it's completely different in the film series. This film story is now a Blofeld addition when, in retrospect, Blofeld doesn't appear till MUCH later on in the novels so it was interesting to see how drastic the change can be by adding one character to the conception of the story.
My Favourite: The movie! (...barely)
I don't ever want to leave the final decision as a tie even if I wasn't particularly fond of either pieces. Before I had read the book, I liked the movie and there were some interesting portions such as the characters (i.e., Tiffany, Plenty O'Toole, Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd), the action and it being a good end to Sean Connery's tenure as James Bond. My biggest problem with these two pieces is that (with the exception of the diamond smuggling aspect) I had no idea what was going on. The pages didn't come alive for me this time around and I just wanted to finish the novel. The storyline took a lot of turns to a conclusion that was anticlimactic and the same could somewhat be said for the movie as well. The diamonds I understood but the portion with the laser came from left-field as an add-on to Blofeld's tactic; the entire "villain plot" reminded me so much of Die Another Day. Without having read the novelization for that movie yet (I'll respond back to this point once I've completed that review), I think that Die Another Day used the plot device and laser better.
Final scores:
Diamonds Are Forever (the book) - 3/10
Diamonds Are Forever (the movie) - 6/10
NEXT: The next book on the list has been regarded by fans as one of the favourite stories in the series. It's going to be the espionage-filled tale: "From Russia, With Love!" Truthfully, I have actually finished reading the story and have currently moved on to a separate book outside from the series to give people time to catch up or to give me some time to draft the next review.
I know it feels like forever since I've done a book and movie review for a 007 film but I just needed some time to relax and give some time between each post. Originally, I was holding off on this story because it's my least favourite in the series and really needed to read another book between intervals. I've started on the next book in the series but I'm slowly reading it to coincide with this review so now I can read it at my regular pace. So to pull us back from my sidetrack, today's blog post will be reviewing the high-flying aerospace 007 adventure: Moonraker!
If you need to catch up with the previous reviews, they're located on the site: Casino Royale and Live and Let Die.
The Story (novel): James Bond is sent in to take down card cheat and industrialist Hugo Drax. The plot focuses on Drax's new secretive outer-space aircraft the "Moonraker" and the nefarious motive for launching the aircraft. At Bond's side is his superior M (who now takes on a bigger role being involved in completing the mission) and undercover Special Branch agent Gala Brand.
The Story (movie): 007 agent James Bond is brought in from Africa to find out the cause of a hijacking of a Drax industries aircraft. The plot soon focuses on Drax and his plan to destroy human life to rule with his own creed. On the villain side along with Drax is steel-mouthed assassin Jaws and Drax's bodyguard Chang. Helping Bond complete his mission throughout the film is undercover CIA Agent Holly Goodhead, Drax's personal pilot Corinne Dufour, MI6 superior M, quirky inventor Q, and Brazilian contact Manuela.
THE COMPARISON
Being one of my least favourite entries in the Bond series, I will admit that my hopes and expectations when reading this novel were extremely low. In fact, Moonraker was the last Bond movie I watched when I purchased the entire collection because the idea of Bond in space really seemed laughable. Definitely someone tried to bandwagon on the popularity of Star Wars when this movie was created.
The biggest difference is very noticeably the story and plot. Moonraker the film focused on bringing Bond to space to stop Drax from releasing a toxin that would end human life while Moonraker the book involved an an aircraft that will go into space; difference is that Bond wasn't going to go into space in the book. The more appealing of the two is, surprisingly, the book. It felt more grounded in a Bond adventure because there was a key devious plot to destroy the city of London using this aircraft while in the movie there were guns that shot lasers and space ships; all we needed was Captain Kirk and we'd have Bond meets Star Trek.
Another big difference between the movie and the book is the choice of Bond Girls. In the book, the prominent Bond Girl is Gala Brand. She's a quick-witted Special Branch operative who goes undercover at Drax's secretary who proves to be one of the few Bond Girls who doesn't fall for the charm of 007 and doesn't sleep with him. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the prominent Bond Girl is Holly Goodhead. She's a cold yet sultry undercover CIA agent who works as an astronaut and researcher for Drax's Moonraker project. They're both good characters but I felt more emotionally connected to Gala because you could tell that she's trying to push Bond away and complete her mission but Bond is continually getting under her skin while you don't really sense the same with Holly. It's more of an ally presence to their "relationship" and it really was not the same.
One glaring fact that continues to pop up whenever I read these books is the lack of involvement from Q. In the series, Q is a physical person that shows up to give Bond his gadgets while in the novel, Q is just a branch and there is no gadgets that Bond uses. It's a different feeling because the gadgets were an aspect of the series that made it unique and different but without, it's like something important was missing and I kinda really want it back in the story.
My Favourite: The Book!
It's shocking to say the least due to the fact that the movies have proven to be the favourites for the last two review but this one was a clear winner when I put both in perspective. While neither really helped to improve the favour of Moonraker out of all the Bond films, it did help to shed some light to how I felt regarding the concept. I liked the novel's storyline and the association with Gala compared to his relationship with Holly. The thought of Bond in space using laser guns and the whole toxin idea sounds like a good and interesting idea but it really didn't resonate with me. There are some great scenes and moments in the film that I liked and I would watch the movie again in the near future but wouldn't top as my favourite.
Final Scores:
Moonraker (the book) - 7/10
Moonraker (the book) - 7/10
Moonraker (the movie) - 4.5/10
NEXT: The next book on the reading list is one that I actually started reading days ago. I've taken my time to get through it and I haven't reached the halfway point so that I could write this review but now I start again. The next book is going to be the Las Vegas luxury adventure, it's "Diamonds Are Forever!"
I made a promise to start writing the segment after I finished each of the books and I'm only one day off for this post but I'm ready to begin with the first book in the series: Casino Royale.
For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, I'm going to read every Bond book that has a corresponding movie in publication order then write a post comparing how I felt watching the movie after reading the book. It's great to know both points-of-view from the character in the story so let's begin with the first book.
The Story (novel): James Bond and his allies, Felix Leiter, Mathis and Vesper Lynd are brought to the casino at Royale to play a high-rollers game of baccarat to make certain that SMERSH operative Le Chiffre doesn't regain the funds he stole from the evil organization.
The Story (movie): Newly appointed double-o MI6 operative James Bond is on the hunt to uncover the inner-workings of a network of bomb makers and profiteers. His main mission is to play in the millionaire poker match in Montenegro and win the tournament so that the sinister Le Chiffre would not be able to repay his debts. Also by Bond's side is crime-adviser Mathis, CIA operative Felix Leiter and "the money" Vesper Lynd.
THE COMPARISON
I prepared myself for reading this book by realizing that the time era that each story took place is vastly different. The movie is more closely linked to our life right now so it's easier to fall into that setting compared to the book. I understand....different time, different mentality. However, sometimes it took me out of the scene and thought that "nobody would every say this nowadays."
The personality of the characters were different. I felt Mathis and Felix were timeless and easy to relate between both the movie and the book but Bond and Vesper were the biggest surprises; Vesper in general. In the movie, Vesper is sarcastic, sly and holds her own against Bond while in the book, she's docile and silent a couple of times throughout the beginning and middle portions. Bond was different. He had the suave nature that defined his character yet the biggest shocker was how quick in the book he wanted to marry Vesper. For only knowing someone barely under a month, Bond was ready to make the commitment which felt weird and out-of-character but two excuses can explain this: 1) the times and 2) it was the first book.
I'm familiar with the rules of baccarat so it didn't cause any confusion when Fleming tried to explain the game in the novel. Adapting it to modern times with poker in the movie, I think, was a way more viewers to be captivated in the story and create the familiarity with possible experiences playing a poker game.
One thing that I did love about the book is the the character development and providing the reader with more information regarding the other players in the tournament. I felt like I got an understanding of who else was in the scene when Bond was trying to beat Le Chiffre while in the movie, I only new who three of the players were while the others remained anonymous.
My Favourite: The Movie!
The book was good. It had its moments and I really enjoyed reading about Bond's adventures through the entire card game climax. In terms of story, the movie gave more in terms of character dialogue, scenes, a defined plot and presentation. Both pieces of work are very beautifully done and each have their pros and cons. I just felt that after reading the book and then re-watching the movie, I was more absorbed in Vesper's betrayal and Bond's mission in the movie than the book. The novel wanted the reader to be sympathetic and feel for the characters but the movie created the atmosphere to bring the viewer along in this romance that self-imploded in a cataclysmic finale. Overall, both are definitely worth the time to watch and read but if I had to choose one then my preference would be towards the movie.
Final Scores:
Casino Royale (the book) - 7/10
Casino Royale (the movie) - 8.5/10
NEXT: It's time for the next book on the list and according to the time line, it should "Live and Let Die" next. Have any thoughts to share? Post your comments below or share your own feelings/review about reading the book and/or watching the movie. I would love to read what you have to say!
I've always wanted to be a part of a book club but a couple of things have always worked against this. I'm a fast reader and prefer to read books that are part of my preferred reading list instead of trying to work through something that doesn't interest me. This time, there is a solution that could help all these little habits. This new feature on the blog will be called "The Big Bond Book Club".
I'm a huge James Bond fan. Currently have all the official movies on DVD and recently purchased a couple of Ian Fleming novels. That's why I've decided to start a reading list through all the books that have currently been made into a movie. After I have finished a book, I will re-watch the movie and make a comparison based on the storyline and my thoughts reflecting on the differences between reading the book and watching the story unfold on screen.
I have made a note that some of the stories are actually short stories or novelizations of the film. It won't deter me from continuing the reading list but I won't let it become a bias from judging it compared to other "full" novels on the list or the ones that were written by Fleming himself. I will make an exception, however, on one book (License to Kill) because it's really hard to find the book in Canada due to it being out of print. If I am able to find it then I will write a review but until I can find it, I will have to move over it.
Here are the guidelines:
- This is going to be a very casual book club for all you bloggers out there because I won't make you read all the books; books are expensive and we've all got our own things to do.
- Even if I've finished a book and have moved on to another, continue reading the one you're on. It's not my fault I'm a fast reader on the subway. Whenever you're done, feel free to share your thoughts on that book/movie on that post. This is not a one-book per month list so work it at your own time!
- I'm going to follow the publication list of the Fleming series (to the best I can). It's a different storyline compared to the movie so I want to read it from that perspective.
- If you can't find the novelizations from the Pierce films then that's alright; enjoy the movies!
- Read the short stories that aren't movies. I'll make an overall post talking about them; don't waste great stories without reading them.
- If you don't feel like reading, then don't. Don't feel like watching the movie, then don't. Feel free to just sit back and follow the posts.
Once again, this is going to be casual so start when you want and get involved at whichever point you want. Here is the full book list according to the order of when I'll be reading them:
1. Casino Royale2. Live and Let Die
3. Moonraker
4. Diamonds Are Forever
5. From Russia, With Love
6. Dr.No
7. Goldfinger
8. From A View To Kill (Short Story)
9. For Your Eyes Only (Short Story)
10. Quantum of Solace (Short Story)
11. Thunderball
12. The Spy Who Loved Me
13. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
14. You Only Live Twice
15. The Man With The Golden Gun
16. Octopussy (Short Story)
17. The Living Daylights (Short Story)
18. License To Kill (If I can actually find the book!)
19. Goldeneye
20. Tomorrow Never Dies
21. The World Is Not Enough
22. Die Another Day
NOTE: I will read the other short stories as well then will create an overall post regarding them following the completion of the list.
I will try my best to read each book after the other but sometimes, I may need to change things up and read another book as an interval. I don't want to make it a chore having to read the next book so I'll make it a good pace working through the list.
Well I guess it's time to start with the first title on the list. The first book to read is Casino Royale so pick your place when you want to join in and I can't wait to hear your thoughts as well. Happy reading!