R.I.P. James Bond...

[twowheeladdict]

I’m reminded of the line uttered by Bryan Brown..
Actors are just people who are good at pretending that they’re something they’re not..

“The United States has become a place where entertainers and professional athletes ate mistaken for people of importance.” —Robert A. Heinlein

[LowRyter]

I read about his Playboy interview but I never read that he actually was a wife beater. 

I did see this about doing a love scene in a movie.

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/sean-connery-never-say-never-again-james-bond-valerie-leon

[Lannis]

"The Hill" was rather dark...but he was GREAT (IMHO) in "The Wind and the Lion"

He was pretty good in that movie, although I'm not sure what a North African Berber or Tuareg chieftan would have looked like at the time.

Steve Kanaly as Capt. Jerome had the best line, though.  "Hostiles to the LEFT ... left FACE!"   

Lannis

[berniebee]

My favorite Bond and the one truest to the book character. And that car!

Watch John Huston's "The man who would be king". One of S.C's best non Bond films.

[Lannis]

My favorite Bond and the one truest to the book character. And that car!

Watch John Huston's "The man who would be king". One of S.C's best non Bond films.

I've always resisted watching "The Man Who Would Be King".

I'm a BIG Kipling fan, and have many of his stories down by heart.   The Man Who Would Be King is a particularly good one, and I've always enjoyed reading it over and over because the descriptions are so evocative and the language so expressive.

But I keep in mind that filmmakers will often completely screw up, eviscerate, simplify, and twist books when they make them into movies.   I understand the limitations of the screen relative to a book, and the problems that a screenwriter has in fitting a long book into a 2-hour movie.   It's NOT that that I worry about.

It's that a moviemaker will say "Oh, Kipling did this wrong; I'm better, I can fix it" or "Oh, we can't have the character saying THAT!  Modern audiences wouldn't like that" or "Society has changed, this isn't acceptable any more" or (the worst) "There's no WOMAN in this!   Where's the love interest?   Where's the sexual tension?   There HAS to be a woman in the expedition!"

I know that Connery and Caine are two of the best actors I've ever seen, and my particular favorites, but a producer can screw up even the best.   Maybe someone who's into the book AND has seen the movie can quell my unreasonable concerns .... ?

Lannis

[Aaron D.]

I can quell them-the movie is not the book on ANY book-to-film project.

Just assume it is BASED ON the book, INSPIRED by the book, just as most historical films are based on actual events.

The movie is enjoyable. 2 hours or so. You can imagine how much had to be compressed, never mind told in a comprehensible fashion.

[JJ]

That Aston Martin DB5 is a $1M car today...





Of course, the movie version went for $6.4M!!!

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-Lkry-SF3&hsimp=yhs-SF3&hspart=Lkry&p=1965+Aston+Martin+DB5+for+sale#id=4&vid=0c09463e6360cc3ec8eb64d7bfd4a13b&action=click

[Lannis]

I can quell them-the movie is not the book on ANY book-to-film project.

Just assume it is BASED ON the book, INSPIRED by the book, just as most historical films are based on actual events.

The movie is enjoyable. 2 hours or so. You can imagine how much had to be compressed, never mind told in a comprehensible fashion.

All right, I'll get it.   You've taken on an awesome responsibility, though ... I'll probably throw $4.95 for this DVD, so I'd better like it (GC)! 

Lannis

[LowRyter]

Good movie.  Won't forget the ending.  I could make a quip about it, "losing your........    

[bobbyfromnc]

"One Ping Only"

[cee2cee]

“The United States has become a place where entertainers and professional athletes ate mistaken for people of importance.” —Robert A. Heinlein

AMEN!!!!   

[stubbie]

Thunderball was the first movie I saw at the local drive in, in 1965.  I was 8. At the time I thought it was fantastic. The under water sequence at the end of the movie was incredible. Well, I watched it again last night and I just thought, Ughhh. It's obviously lost some luster over the years. Great movies for their time though. God speed Sean Connery you've entertained us for a lifetime

[SIR REAL ED]

Never understood the fascination with Connery , not much of an actor , and kind of a jackass in real life .

 Dusty

In my experience, the real life jaackasses are usually interesting people.

[oldbike54]

In my experience, the real life jaackasses are usually interesting people.

 We have had a different experience .

 

[fotoguzzi]

My older brother worked as an usher in the local theatre. He would sneak me in the exit to watch movies. I'll never forget my first 007 film. I was blown away by the great locations, the cars, the bright colors, and the soundtrack. Look at those lovely girls! It was during the "British Invasion," and we kids were enchanted by anything we imagined was English. I thought 007 was the baddest MOFO on the planet. Thanks, Sir Sean!

what does Steve McQueen have to do with this thread?

[LowRyter]

Thunderball was the first movie I saw at the local drive in, in 1965.  I was 8. At the time I thought it was fantastic. The under water sequence at the end of the movie was incredible. Well, I watched it again last night and I just thought, Ughhh. It's obviously lost some luster over the years. Great movies for their time though. God speed Sean Connery you've entertained us for a lifetime

I have to agree that none of the movies were particularly great.  Most were so unrealistic to being silly.  Like a mad scientist could build a space program bigger than Russia and the US combined.  Or a crazy business man could blow up Ft Knox.  The Roger Moore films were largely silly and I never watched them.

The two best ones that come to mind are "From Russia with Love" and Daniel Craig's "Casino Royale".   And then the Craig films got increasingly silly.

[Lannis]

Most were so unrealistic to being silly.  Like a mad scientist could build a space program bigger than Russia and the US combined. 

Well, on the other hand .... 

[Lannis]

In my experience, the real life jaackasses are usually interesting people.

Often true.

Matter of fact, there will be LOTS of opportunities in the next few years, as our era of rock stars and movie heroes pass on, some naturally and some as a result of many years of SD&R&R, to comment on the sins of their past life. 

We'll investigate their lives, and if they ever did anything that we wouldn't do, we'll go "Meh.  He wasn't much of a dad/guy/husband/etc really, I didn't think much of him."

Like the guy who sang

"Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharin' all the world ....."

who died sitting on $300,000,000 that was HIS, all his, that he never shared with anyone ...

OH yeah, I'm lookin' forward to THIS ....

Lannis

[twowheeladdict]

I have to agree that none of the movies were particularly great.  Most were so unrealistic to being silly.  Like a mad scientist could build a space program bigger than Russia and the US combined.  Or a crazy business man could blow up Ft Knox.  The Roger Moore films were largely silly and I never watched them.

The two best ones that come to mind are "From Russia with Love" and Daniel Craig's "Casino Royale".   And then the Craig films got increasingly silly.

I believe that was the point.  Over the top.  Campy at times.  "Entertainment!"  For me entertainment should be an escape from reality.  I am not entertained by movies that are too realistic.  I come away with a different feeling when watching serious and dark films.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

what does Steve McQueen have to do with this thread?

Nothing. It's part of Shorty's signature line.

[Lannis]

I Over the top.  Campy at times. 

Well, there was "Live and Let Die" which was nothing BUT campy and over the top.   Watching that thing today you have to either laugh or cringe ....  And by the time of "View to a Kill", they were even making fun of themselves .... "Shame you couldn't find one that fit ...."

Lannis

[fotoguzzi]

Nothing. It's part of Shorty's signature line.

oh... was McQueen short?
Maybe I need a sig line,

[twowheeladdict]

Well, there was "Live and Let Die" which was nothing BUT campy and over the top.   Watching that thing today you have to either laugh or cringe ....  And by the time of "View to a Kill", they were even making fun of themselves .... "Shame you couldn't find one that fit ...."

Lannis

I laugh, but I am a huge Mel Brooks fan, and Get Smart is one of my favorite spy shows followed by “Chuck”. 

[LowRyter]

I believe that was the point.  Over the top.  Campy at times.  "Entertainment!"  For me entertainment should be an escape from reality.  I am not entertained by movies that are too realistic.  I come away with a different feeling when watching serious and dark films.

Yeah, it's just they weren't really funny, engaging, dramatic or exciting.  But I've seen all the Daniel Craig movies.   I suppose the Dalton movies were a little more realistic but not particularly good. 

[twowheeladdict]

Yeah, it's just they weren't really funny, engaging, dramatic or exciting.  But I've seen all the Daniel Craig movies.   I suppose the Dalton movies were a little more realistic but not particularly good.

Very few movies reach the mark of really funny, engaging, dramatic and exciting.  Very few movies reached the point where I wanted to watch them more than once, and the one that reached the level where I wanted to watch them once a year can be counted on one hand.

[LowRyter]

Very few movies reach the mark of really funny, engaging, dramatic and exciting.  Very few movies reached the point where I wanted to watch them more than once, and the one that reached the level where I wanted to watch them once a year can be counted on one hand.

"The Big Lebowski"?   Dude.

[hzbloke]

'Robin and Marion' 1976. Beaut film. An aging Robin (Connery) returns from the crusades and re-connects Marion (Audrey Hepburn). The Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw) is still a nasty piece of work. Lots to like about the film: looks great, Connery and Hepburn work really well together and an excellent supporting cast. And it plays with the fact that they are all getting old. Highly recommended.

[Shorty]

oh... was McQueen short?
Maybe I need a sig line,

No problem for a lensman like yourself...    

[antmanbee]

Very few movies reach the mark of really funny, engaging, dramatic and exciting.  Very few movies reached the point where I wanted to watch them more than once, and the one that reached the level where I wanted to watch them once a year can be counted on one hand.

What are they?
My only xmas tradition, watch Bad Santa.
I will watch The Big Lebowski every few years, and North by Northwest and Apocalypse Now and a few others.

[Aaron D.]

Someone on a thread somewhere mentioned "The Spy Who Loved Me".  I wonder how many have read that story?