Even before the final moments of No Time to Die made abundantly clear that a James Bond of the Daniel Craig variety would not return, people began wondering about the identity of the next 007. Eon Productions has not yet answered that question, despite rumors that Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been offered the part. Whoever ends up getting the honor to be the face of a new era of Bond, expectations are very high.
It’s a time honored tradition, one that goes all the way back before the first Eon Bond movie Dr. No released in 1962. While that movie, and especially its two follow-ups From Russia With Love (1963) and Goldfinger (1964), established Sean Connery as the Bond by which every other actor is now judged, the character’s creator, the novelist Ian Fleming, had something different in mind for his super spy. In fact, Fleming didn’t want Connery at all.
It’s a time honored tradition, one that goes all the way back before the first Eon Bond movie Dr. No released in 1962. While that movie, and especially its two follow-ups From Russia With Love (1963) and Goldfinger (1964), established Sean Connery as the Bond by which every other actor is now judged, the character’s creator, the novelist Ian Fleming, had something different in mind for his super spy. In fact, Fleming didn’t want Connery at all.
- 4/9/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Clockwise from top left: Vera Drew in The People’s Joker, Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again, and Jay Underwood in Fantastic FourPhoto: Altered Innocence, Screenshot: YouTube, YouTube
We live in a world dominated by intellectual property. Save for Oppenheimer and The Sound Of Freedom, last year’s 10 highest-grossing...
We live in a world dominated by intellectual property. Save for Oppenheimer and The Sound Of Freedom, last year’s 10 highest-grossing...
- 4/9/2024
- by Matt Schimkowitz
- avclub.com
Three years after the first James Bond film, "Dr. No," a handful of folks who were working on the existing James Bond movies temporarily splintered off to make a completely different kind of spy film. 1965's "The Ipcress File" stars Michael Caine as Harry Palmer, a British secret agent who is much more interested in cooking a high quality meal than skiing off a cliff or dropping quippy one-liners after creatively killing his enemies. There are no scantily clad women, no suggestive double entendres, and no laser beams or gadgets -- in many ways, it's the anti-James Bond movie.
All the more interesting, then, that a handful of key Bond players helped bring this story to the big screen. "The Ipcress File" was scored by John Barry, who was responsible for that iconic James Bond theme song and composed the score for several early Bond pictures, including "Goldfinger" (coincidentally, Michael...
All the more interesting, then, that a handful of key Bond players helped bring this story to the big screen. "The Ipcress File" was scored by John Barry, who was responsible for that iconic James Bond theme song and composed the score for several early Bond pictures, including "Goldfinger" (coincidentally, Michael...
- 3/27/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
The James Bond film series has never been known for its fealty to the original Ian Fleming source material, which comprise 12 novels and two short story collections. There have since been other books too, more than two dozen, in fact, all written by different authors. But the movies have only glancingly touched on them. Although some of the initial 007 films stayed fairly faithful to the source novels, the franchise began to veer away from the Fleming tales by the mid-1960s, only intermittently returning to them.
Intriguingly, recent (if dubious) rumors have suggested that Eon Productions has reached out to Christopher Nolan about directing the next two films in the series, which would also introduce a new Bond, but there’s no official word on what direction the property will take. There has been speculation that Nolan himself would like to go back to the books, period setting and all,...
Intriguingly, recent (if dubious) rumors have suggested that Eon Productions has reached out to Christopher Nolan about directing the next two films in the series, which would also introduce a new Bond, but there’s no official word on what direction the property will take. There has been speculation that Nolan himself would like to go back to the books, period setting and all,...
- 10/14/2023
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Throughout the 60 years James Bond has been on the big screen, there's been no shortage of casting controversies associated with the franchise. For 1974's "The Man with the Golden Gun," producers cast Christopher Lee in the role of villain Francisco Scaramanga, much to the chagrin of some behind the scenes. Writer Tom Mankiewicz even claimed to have "begged and pleaded" for them to find anyone else, mainly because he'd originally envisioned Jack Palance in the role.
Even Bond himself caused casting issues. When writer Ian Fleming and producers Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman were casting 007 for "Dr. No," they all had a sense that Sean Connery was the man for the job. But before he was offered the part, he would have to screen test, which he ultimately agreed to do despite pushing back initially. As recounted in Matthew Field and Ajay Chowdhury's 2015 book, "Some Kind of Hero: The...
Even Bond himself caused casting issues. When writer Ian Fleming and producers Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman were casting 007 for "Dr. No," they all had a sense that Sean Connery was the man for the job. But before he was offered the part, he would have to screen test, which he ultimately agreed to do despite pushing back initially. As recounted in Matthew Field and Ajay Chowdhury's 2015 book, "Some Kind of Hero: The...
- 9/24/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
In many ways, Timothy Dalton's James Bond was before his time. Following the more tongue-in-cheek approach taken by Roger Moore, Dalton debuted as Bond in 1987's "The Living Daylights" as a more hard-edged 007 that wasn't a far cry from what Daniel Craig would bring to the role some 16 years later. Dalton would continue that more character-focused portrayal with 1989's "Licence to Kill," but at the time, not all critics were convinced.
Among all the James Bond movies, Dalton's two outings are by no means viewed as blunders. But they aren't necessarily seen as all-time classics, either. Dalton never really got the scripts he deserved, and it seems longtime Bond producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli may have seen it similarly. After "Licence to Kill," Broccoli decided to part ways with Richard Maibaum, though the writer claims he left "by mutual consent." Maibaum had co-written the movie that kicked off the Bond franchise,...
Among all the James Bond movies, Dalton's two outings are by no means viewed as blunders. But they aren't necessarily seen as all-time classics, either. Dalton never really got the scripts he deserved, and it seems longtime Bond producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli may have seen it similarly. After "Licence to Kill," Broccoli decided to part ways with Richard Maibaum, though the writer claims he left "by mutual consent." Maibaum had co-written the movie that kicked off the Bond franchise,...
- 9/24/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
To clarify right away, James Bond, Jr. (Corey Burton), the title character from a barely-remembered 007-adjacent 1991 animated series, is not the son of James Bond. More confusingly, James Bond, Jr. is actually the nephew of James Bond. "He learned the game from his uncle James," the theme song makes very clear. This means that James Bond did indeed have a brother, but also that his brother was named James as well ...?
As of this writing, "James Bond Jr." is the only TV adaptation to date of Ian Fleming's ultra-popular James Bond book series. It came at a fascinating time in the history of the James Bond franchise, as Timothy Dalton's two-film run had come to an end, and a messy rights dispute behind the scenes kept Bond off the big screen for years. It also likely didn't help that the Berlin Wall fell in November of 1989, calling...
As of this writing, "James Bond Jr." is the only TV adaptation to date of Ian Fleming's ultra-popular James Bond book series. It came at a fascinating time in the history of the James Bond franchise, as Timothy Dalton's two-film run had come to an end, and a messy rights dispute behind the scenes kept Bond off the big screen for years. It also likely didn't help that the Berlin Wall fell in November of 1989, calling...
- 9/18/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the shocking climax to 2021's "No Time to Die," James Bond finally shuffled off this mortal coil. I say "shuffled" as if it were a humble and dignified affair, but what I really mean is, went out in a blaze of... well, glory isn't the right word. Perhaps "entirely unnecessary and gratuitous grandiosity" would be a better phrase? Either way, Bond died for the first time on-screen since 1962's "Dr. No," the film that kicked off cinema's most enduring franchise. Pummeled by a barrage of ballistics, Daniel Craig's version of 007 is well and truly gone, and the hunt for the next Bond actor has begun.
All we know so far is that the new Bond definitely won't be Taron Egerton, but an official announcement regarding who will wield the famous Walther Ppk next is surely imminent. Otherwise, the future of the character is as uncertain as it's ever...
All we know so far is that the new Bond definitely won't be Taron Egerton, but an official announcement regarding who will wield the famous Walther Ppk next is surely imminent. Otherwise, the future of the character is as uncertain as it's ever...
- 9/18/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Of all the James Bond movies, "The Man with the Golden Gun" isn't the most beloved. Debuting to lackluster reviews in 1974, following the success that was '73's "Live and Let Die," Roger Moore's sophomore outing as Bond failed to dazzle audiences who were growing weary of the franchise.
The producers had a rough time replacing Sean Connery, who'd come to define the character with his run as England's greatest spy, before departing the series and being replaced by Aussie actor George Lazenby. While Lazenby did a solid job in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," he too left the role after his one and only appearance, after which Connery returned for the less than stellar "Diamonds Are Forever."
Unfortunately, Connery would once again leave the role that helped launch his career following this brief return, clearing the way for Roger Moore to take on the mantle with "Live and Let Die.
The producers had a rough time replacing Sean Connery, who'd come to define the character with his run as England's greatest spy, before departing the series and being replaced by Aussie actor George Lazenby. While Lazenby did a solid job in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," he too left the role after his one and only appearance, after which Connery returned for the less than stellar "Diamonds Are Forever."
Unfortunately, Connery would once again leave the role that helped launch his career following this brief return, clearing the way for Roger Moore to take on the mantle with "Live and Let Die.
- 9/3/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
There are few casting decisions in cinema history as important or impactful than that of Sean Connery as James Bond in "Dr. No." Ian Fleming's novels introduced us to the now-iconic MI6 spy 007, but it wasn't until 1962, when the first cinematic adaptation of those texts arrived, that the world at large came to know Bond, James Bond. Connery's casting is, perhaps, more than any other part of Terrence Young's seminal film, credited for its success. And even though Connery was a not terribly well-known actor at the time, he had a couple of demands that needed to be met before agreeing to take the part.
Published in 2015, Matthew Field and Ajay Chowdhury's book "Some Kind of Hero" chronicles the history of the "James Bond" films in great detail. In covering "Dr. No," the book contains an excerpt from an interview with Connery, who recalled how his journey as 007 began.
Published in 2015, Matthew Field and Ajay Chowdhury's book "Some Kind of Hero" chronicles the history of the "James Bond" films in great detail. In covering "Dr. No," the book contains an excerpt from an interview with Connery, who recalled how his journey as 007 began.
- 8/21/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
One of the many James Bond franchise staples introduced in 1964's "Goldfinger" was 007's Aston Martin DB5. Throughout his 60-year cinematic run, Bond has had the pleasure of driving some of the finest vehicles in the world, but none have become as synonymous with England's greatest spy as the DB5. Which is why, to this day, Aston Martin's 1963 luxury grand tourer remains the best James Bond car.
Prior to "Goldfinger," there had been two Bond movies: 1962's "Dr. No" and 1963's "From Russia With Love." In the former, 007 was seen riding in a Sunbeam Alpine, and in the latter a Bentley Mark IV — an odd choice considering the car had been around for a good 30 years prior to Sean Connery's Bond making use of it. And in Ian Fleming's first Bond novel, "Casino Royale," the MI6 agent drove a 1930 Blower Bentley, a racing version of the Bentley 4½ Litre.
Prior to "Goldfinger," there had been two Bond movies: 1962's "Dr. No" and 1963's "From Russia With Love." In the former, 007 was seen riding in a Sunbeam Alpine, and in the latter a Bentley Mark IV — an odd choice considering the car had been around for a good 30 years prior to Sean Connery's Bond making use of it. And in Ian Fleming's first Bond novel, "Casino Royale," the MI6 agent drove a 1930 Blower Bentley, a racing version of the Bentley 4½ Litre.
- 8/21/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
It was 40 years ago this month when the biggest battle on movie screens took place not between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, but improbably enough, between James Bond and… James Bond.
In 1983, audiences got to choose between two films starring Ian Fleming’s famous secret agent: Octopussy, the sixth film to feature the debonair Roger Moore as British spy 007, and Never Say Never Again, the first movie in 12 years to star the original James Bond, Sean Connery. This was following his second departure from the wildly successful film franchise in 1971.
How did this come to pass? Why would two movie studios go head-to-head with competing films about the same character, and how was that legally possible in the first place? The answer is found in a complicated series of events that stretch back to the 1950s and the very origins of James Bond, even continuing well past 1983 and into the 2000s,...
In 1983, audiences got to choose between two films starring Ian Fleming’s famous secret agent: Octopussy, the sixth film to feature the debonair Roger Moore as British spy 007, and Never Say Never Again, the first movie in 12 years to star the original James Bond, Sean Connery. This was following his second departure from the wildly successful film franchise in 1971.
How did this come to pass? Why would two movie studios go head-to-head with competing films about the same character, and how was that legally possible in the first place? The answer is found in a complicated series of events that stretch back to the 1950s and the very origins of James Bond, even continuing well past 1983 and into the 2000s,...
- 6/13/2023
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Exclusive: Back in 2009, Quentin Tarantino began dropping hints that he’d be outta the movie-making business by the time he reached 60.
He turned his self-appointed retirement age on March 27. Today, during a conversation on the Carlton Hotel terrace, he reiterated the retirement mantra stating that The Movie Critic will be his “last thing.”
I sit up straight, look him in the eye and say this: “I don’t think anyone in their right mind believed that Quentin Tarantino is going to retire from making motion pictures at the age of 60.
“I don’t f*cking believe it. Forgive my language.”
He smiles: “That’s Ok.”
I continue: “Forgive me, the Nigerian side of me does not believe it, Ok? The English side of me might believe it. I don’t know if the Nigerian side of me believes it for one minute.”
Looking askance at my forthrightness, Tarantino laughs: “Well said.
He turned his self-appointed retirement age on March 27. Today, during a conversation on the Carlton Hotel terrace, he reiterated the retirement mantra stating that The Movie Critic will be his “last thing.”
I sit up straight, look him in the eye and say this: “I don’t think anyone in their right mind believed that Quentin Tarantino is going to retire from making motion pictures at the age of 60.
“I don’t f*cking believe it. Forgive my language.”
He smiles: “That’s Ok.”
I continue: “Forgive me, the Nigerian side of me does not believe it, Ok? The English side of me might believe it. I don’t know if the Nigerian side of me believes it for one minute.”
Looking askance at my forthrightness, Tarantino laughs: “Well said.
- 5/25/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
British luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin celebrates its 110th anniversary this year, but its eyes are firmly on the road ahead, not the rear-view mirror. On May 24, at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, in Antibes, France, near Cannes, the company unveils the first of its next generation of sports cars and the following evening the new model will go to the highest bidder at the AmfAR Charity Gala at the hotel. Then, on May 28, a short dash along the Riviera, the brand’s Formula 1 team races at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Commenting on the choice of the Cannes Film Festival as the venue to launch the new model, Aston Martin’s global chief brand and commercial officer, Marco Mattiacci, says: “The movie business is where we belong.”
Cary Joji Fukunaga, Daniel Craig and Léa Seydoux on the set of “No Time to Die”
Aston Martin is perhaps best-known for its association with James Bond,...
Commenting on the choice of the Cannes Film Festival as the venue to launch the new model, Aston Martin’s global chief brand and commercial officer, Marco Mattiacci, says: “The movie business is where we belong.”
Cary Joji Fukunaga, Daniel Craig and Léa Seydoux on the set of “No Time to Die”
Aston Martin is perhaps best-known for its association with James Bond,...
- 5/16/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Michael G. Wilson, the longtime producer of the James Bond movie franchise and co-steward of the 007 brand (alongside his half-sister Barbara Broccoli), always had a clear vision for the film that would follow Casino Royale. Kind of. While audiences only realized how great Daniel Craig was in the tuxedo after that ambitious reboot landed in cinemas in November 2006, the filmmakers long recognized they were making something special. So even as Casino Royale was still in pre-production, Wilson took longtime Bond scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade aside to make sure that the next Bond movie would spring smoothly out of Casino Royale’s ending.
If you don’t recall, Craig’s debut as 007 recreated the bitter denouement from Ian Fleming’s 1953 novel, with Bond realizing the woman he loved, Vesper Lynd was dead, and that she had betrayed him due to blackmail by a hidden enemy. “The job’s done,...
If you don’t recall, Craig’s debut as 007 recreated the bitter denouement from Ian Fleming’s 1953 novel, with Bond realizing the woman he loved, Vesper Lynd was dead, and that she had betrayed him due to blackmail by a hidden enemy. “The job’s done,...
- 5/3/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
With Daniel Craig bowing out as 007, we're all awaiting the announcement of a new James Bond. Taron Egerton might be out of the running, but there are still plenty of names doing the rounds as potential Craig replacements. Thus far, longtime Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have revealed little about their plans beyond confirming they're looking for a 10 to 12 year commitment from the new Bond actor. But by this point, whoever does take on the super-spy's mantle will have the pressure of trying to put a new spin on a character who's been a cultural mainstay for 60 years.
Back in 1962, however, when the first Bond movie, "Dr. No" debuted, audiences hadn't seen anything like Bond before. Neither had they seen an actor combine classic movie star sophistication with a more rough-edged demeanor in the way Sean Connery did. The leading man had taken the long road to acting,...
Back in 1962, however, when the first Bond movie, "Dr. No" debuted, audiences hadn't seen anything like Bond before. Neither had they seen an actor combine classic movie star sophistication with a more rough-edged demeanor in the way Sean Connery did. The leading man had taken the long road to acting,...
- 3/12/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
For a long time, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was the “lost” James Bond film. The sixth in the series, released in 1969, it came out at a time when tastes were changing and the initial Bond-mania of the mid-1960s had arguably peaked. It also didn’t help matters that Sean Connery had left the role following the previous movie, You Only Live Twice, and that producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman decided to go with an inexperienced unknown from Australia, George Lazenby, as the new 007.
Although the film did reasonably well at the box office, with 82 million in total receipts, that was still a drop-off from You Only Live Twice and a fairly steep fall from the heights of Goldfinger and Thunderball. Add to that the fact that Lazenby left the series after finishing his one picture—despite being offered a long-term contract—and you have a...
Although the film did reasonably well at the box office, with 82 million in total receipts, that was still a drop-off from You Only Live Twice and a fairly steep fall from the heights of Goldfinger and Thunderball. Add to that the fact that Lazenby left the series after finishing his one picture—despite being offered a long-term contract—and you have a...
- 1/16/2023
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
The role of James Bond has been officially and canonically played to date by just six actors: Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig (David Niven and Barry Nelson don’t count as part of the canon). It’s traditionally been one of the most sought-after parts in all of cinema history, so it makes sense that while only those half-dozen stars have filled 007’s shoes over the 60-year course of the franchise, dozens more have tried out for the part and didn’t make the cut.
Although original producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman of Eon Productions (still run to this day by Broccoli’s descendants) always insisted that the character of Bond be English, the role has only been played by three Englishmen to date: Moore, Dalton, and Craig. The other Bonds have hailed from Scotland (Connery), Australia (Lazenby), and Ireland...
Although original producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman of Eon Productions (still run to this day by Broccoli’s descendants) always insisted that the character of Bond be English, the role has only been played by three Englishmen to date: Moore, Dalton, and Craig. The other Bonds have hailed from Scotland (Connery), Australia (Lazenby), and Ireland...
- 11/17/2022
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Cary Grant was James Bond before James Bond. Sixty years since the release of Dr. No and Sean Connery’s era-defining performance as 007, it sounds crazy that Grant almost beat him to the role, but as late as 1962 it made perfect sense—including to the men who produced the James Bond movies. As the Hollywood leading man who perfected the Hollywood ideal of debonair sophistication and unflappable suaveness, Grant was a class act that couldn’t be beaten, and for the better part of 30 years all of Hollywood agreed.
This included one of the two godfathers of the James Bond franchise and Eon Productions, Albert “Cubby” Broccoli. Along with his partner Harry Saltzman, Broccoli saw the long-term viability of the James Bond character as a genre unto himself. Broccoli also wasn’t a delusional producer who just wanted to cast one of the biggest stars of his heyday as 007—he...
This included one of the two godfathers of the James Bond franchise and Eon Productions, Albert “Cubby” Broccoli. Along with his partner Harry Saltzman, Broccoli saw the long-term viability of the James Bond character as a genre unto himself. Broccoli also wasn’t a delusional producer who just wanted to cast one of the biggest stars of his heyday as 007—he...
- 11/10/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Sean Connery in the role of James Bond is the very definition of a tough act to follow. Most actors who have the good fortune to portray a character on screen for the first time become associated with that character by default, but Connery did more than perfectly portray novelist and creator Ian Fleming's British spy — he defined the character completely, turning Bond into an icon.
Connery was rakishly handsome, effortlessly charming, and devilishly witty while also being able to tap into 007's coldness. His performance did the heavy lifting in explaining how a man with a license to kill is able to operate on a daily basis, and slyly offset the kitschy tone of the films by giving a grounded darkness to the character. When Connery briefly exited the role, Eon Productions recast Bond with George Lazenby, who was only afforded one at-bat in 1969's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Connery was rakishly handsome, effortlessly charming, and devilishly witty while also being able to tap into 007's coldness. His performance did the heavy lifting in explaining how a man with a license to kill is able to operate on a daily basis, and slyly offset the kitschy tone of the films by giving a grounded darkness to the character. When Connery briefly exited the role, Eon Productions recast Bond with George Lazenby, who was only afforded one at-bat in 1969's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
- 10/16/2022
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)
It is extremely difficult to make a movie of any kind. Talk to any director or read any interview with anyone who has made a motion picture before. Nobody ever paints the process as a breeze. Harder still is to make a good movie, and one that goes on to find its audience. The seemingly impossible? Making a franchise that endures for multiple generations and through multiple incarnations. Yet, that's precisely what the "James Bond" franchise has done, having endured for a full six decades in the public consciousness of moviegoers around the world.
While the journey started with author Ian Fleming who was himself in the British Secret Service and wrote something of a fantasy spy thriller in the form of "Casino Royale,...
It is extremely difficult to make a movie of any kind. Talk to any director or read any interview with anyone who has made a motion picture before. Nobody ever paints the process as a breeze. Harder still is to make a good movie, and one that goes on to find its audience. The seemingly impossible? Making a franchise that endures for multiple generations and through multiple incarnations. Yet, that's precisely what the "James Bond" franchise has done, having endured for a full six decades in the public consciousness of moviegoers around the world.
While the journey started with author Ian Fleming who was himself in the British Secret Service and wrote something of a fantasy spy thriller in the form of "Casino Royale,...
- 10/8/2022
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Plot: A look behind the scenes at the music of 007, from the crafting of theme songs to the scores themselves.
Review: I think the first time I ever noticed film music was in a James Bond film. My love of the James Bond film series has been well-documented here on JoBlo. After all, Nick Bosworth, our director of YouTube Operations, and I did a whole series about the 007 franchise – James Bond Revisited. But, one of the areas he and I always wanted to explore was the “James Bond sound,” most notably the music and work of John Barry. Indeed, the franchise as it exists today would not have survived were it not for the Barry sound. Everyone credits Monty Norman as the composer of the James Bond theme, and there’s some truth to that. Still, the orchestration by John Barry with the distinctive guitar playing by Vic Flick...
Review: I think the first time I ever noticed film music was in a James Bond film. My love of the James Bond film series has been well-documented here on JoBlo. After all, Nick Bosworth, our director of YouTube Operations, and I did a whole series about the 007 franchise – James Bond Revisited. But, one of the areas he and I always wanted to explore was the “James Bond sound,” most notably the music and work of John Barry. Indeed, the franchise as it exists today would not have survived were it not for the Barry sound. Everyone credits Monty Norman as the composer of the James Bond theme, and there’s some truth to that. Still, the orchestration by John Barry with the distinctive guitar playing by Vic Flick...
- 10/5/2022
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Click here to read the full article.
There was plenty of bonding Wednesday night as producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli received the 2022 Pioneer of the Year Award from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. It is the first time since the pandemic began that the gala celebration was able to resume.
For nearly three decades, Broccoli and Wilson, her half brother, have controlled the blockbuster James Bond franchise. The most recent installment, No Time to Die, was one of the most successful films of the pandemic, earning north of 774 million globally. The pic marked Craig’s fifth and final turn as the iconic spy. In 2012, his film Skyfall became the first title in the series to cross 1 billion at the global box office.
Craig made a surprise appearance at the dinner, where he and Michelle Yeoh — who starred in Tomorrow Never Dies, starring Pierce Brosnan as 007 — were...
There was plenty of bonding Wednesday night as producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli received the 2022 Pioneer of the Year Award from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. It is the first time since the pandemic began that the gala celebration was able to resume.
For nearly three decades, Broccoli and Wilson, her half brother, have controlled the blockbuster James Bond franchise. The most recent installment, No Time to Die, was one of the most successful films of the pandemic, earning north of 774 million globally. The pic marked Craig’s fifth and final turn as the iconic spy. In 2012, his film Skyfall became the first title in the series to cross 1 billion at the global box office.
Craig made a surprise appearance at the dinner, where he and Michelle Yeoh — who starred in Tomorrow Never Dies, starring Pierce Brosnan as 007 — were...
- 9/22/2022
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Monty Norman, the composer responsible for the iconic theme of the James Bond film franchise, died Monday, July 11. He was 94.
Norman’s family confirmed his death to the BBC, while a note on his website said that he died “after a short illness.” No other details were given.
Though most famous for composing the Bond theme, Norman enjoyed a lengthy, multi-faceted career in music. Born in London in 1928, he began playing guitar at 16 and even studied with Bert Weedon, whose popular tutorials on the instrument were used by everyone from Paul McCartney to Brian May.
Norman’s family confirmed his death to the BBC, while a note on his website said that he died “after a short illness.” No other details were given.
Though most famous for composing the Bond theme, Norman enjoyed a lengthy, multi-faceted career in music. Born in London in 1928, he began playing guitar at 16 and even studied with Bert Weedon, whose popular tutorials on the instrument were used by everyone from Paul McCartney to Brian May.
- 7/11/2022
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Click here to read the full article.
Monty Norman, the British composer who wrote the propulsive theme for the James Bond films, died Monday after a short illness, according to a post on his official website. He was 94.
Producer Cubby Broccoli, who had worked with Norman by backing the stage musical Belle, about murderer Hawley Crippen, asked the composer to come up with the score for the first Bond film, Dr. No (1962), after he and Harry Saltzman had acquired the rights to Ian Fleming’s spy.
The deal was sealed when the producers offered to fly Norman and his then-wife, actress-singer Diana Coupland, to Jamaica, where the movie was being filmed, all expenses paid. “Well, that was the clincher for me!” Norman said in a story posted on his website. “I thought, even if Dr. No turns out to be a stinker, at least we’d have sun, sea and sand to show for it!
Monty Norman, the British composer who wrote the propulsive theme for the James Bond films, died Monday after a short illness, according to a post on his official website. He was 94.
Producer Cubby Broccoli, who had worked with Norman by backing the stage musical Belle, about murderer Hawley Crippen, asked the composer to come up with the score for the first Bond film, Dr. No (1962), after he and Harry Saltzman had acquired the rights to Ian Fleming’s spy.
The deal was sealed when the producers offered to fly Norman and his then-wife, actress-singer Diana Coupland, to Jamaica, where the movie was being filmed, all expenses paid. “Well, that was the clincher for me!” Norman said in a story posted on his website. “I thought, even if Dr. No turns out to be a stinker, at least we’d have sun, sea and sand to show for it!
- 7/11/2022
- by Mike Barnes and Associated Press
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Monty Norman, the composer behind the iconic James Bond theme, has died at the age of 94.
A statement posted on his official website said, “It is with sadness we share the news that Monty Norman died on 11th July 2022 after a short illness.”
Norman most famously composed the score for “Dr. No,” the 1962 James Bond film starring Sean Connery. His theme for James Bond, as arranged by fellow Englishman John Barry, would go on to become the theme for the entire franchise.
As Norman said on his site, “We recognized we needed a fresh, contemporary sound for the main theme, and in the up-and-coming young John Barry we found a wonderful arranger, so the whole thing worked very well.”
But controversy erupted decades later when Barry claimed authorship of the theme, resulting in Norman suing the Times of London for libel over a 1997 story (“Theme Tune Wrangle Has 007 Shaken and...
A statement posted on his official website said, “It is with sadness we share the news that Monty Norman died on 11th July 2022 after a short illness.”
Norman most famously composed the score for “Dr. No,” the 1962 James Bond film starring Sean Connery. His theme for James Bond, as arranged by fellow Englishman John Barry, would go on to become the theme for the entire franchise.
As Norman said on his site, “We recognized we needed a fresh, contemporary sound for the main theme, and in the up-and-coming young John Barry we found a wonderful arranger, so the whole thing worked very well.”
But controversy erupted decades later when Barry claimed authorship of the theme, resulting in Norman suing the Times of London for libel over a 1997 story (“Theme Tune Wrangle Has 007 Shaken and...
- 7/11/2022
- by Jon Burlingame and Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Production Designer Ken Adam, Producer Albert R. Broccoli and Director Lewis Gilbert on the original "007 Stage" at Pinewood Studios.
It was the biggest James Bond film to date. Released in 1977, Roger Moore's third 007 film, "The Spy Who Loved Me", restored the series to its former grandeur, following the anemic reaction to the previous film "The Man with the Golden Gun". Producer Albert R. Broccoli was making his first Bond movie without his former partner, Harry Saltzman, who ended their partnership after "Golden Gun". Broccoli was determined to go all-out and backed his plans by getting United Artists to provide the biggest budget the franchise had ever enjoyed. Broccoli made sure every penny was on the screen and constructed the largest sound stage in the world at Pinewood Studios. American Cinematographer magazine has long provided detailed behind-the-scenes coverage of the making of the Bond films. They have reprinted their on-set visit...
It was the biggest James Bond film to date. Released in 1977, Roger Moore's third 007 film, "The Spy Who Loved Me", restored the series to its former grandeur, following the anemic reaction to the previous film "The Man with the Golden Gun". Producer Albert R. Broccoli was making his first Bond movie without his former partner, Harry Saltzman, who ended their partnership after "Golden Gun". Broccoli was determined to go all-out and backed his plans by getting United Artists to provide the biggest budget the franchise had ever enjoyed. Broccoli made sure every penny was on the screen and constructed the largest sound stage in the world at Pinewood Studios. American Cinematographer magazine has long provided detailed behind-the-scenes coverage of the making of the Bond films. They have reprinted their on-set visit...
- 2/24/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Director Sidney J. Furie discusses his favorite films he’s watched and re-watched during quarantine with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Dr. Blood’s Coffin (1961)
The Ipcress File (1965) – Howard Rodman’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Appaloosa (1966)
The Naked Runner (1967)
Lady Sings The Blues (1972)
The Entity (1982) – Luca Gaudagnino’s trailer commentary
The Boys in Company C (1978)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s review
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
The Apartment (1960) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)
Twelve O’Clock High (1949)
A Place In The Sun (1951) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Out Of Africa (1985)
The Last Picture Show (1971) – Mark Pellington’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Annie Hall (1977)
The Bad And The Beautiful (1952)
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
The Tender Bar...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Dr. Blood’s Coffin (1961)
The Ipcress File (1965) – Howard Rodman’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Appaloosa (1966)
The Naked Runner (1967)
Lady Sings The Blues (1972)
The Entity (1982) – Luca Gaudagnino’s trailer commentary
The Boys in Company C (1978)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s review
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
The Apartment (1960) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)
Twelve O’Clock High (1949)
A Place In The Sun (1951) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Out Of Africa (1985)
The Last Picture Show (1971) – Mark Pellington’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Annie Hall (1977)
The Bad And The Beautiful (1952)
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
The Tender Bar...
- 2/15/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
As a movie character, James Bond is coming up on his diamond anniversary next year. 2022 will mark 60 years since "Dr. No," the first of 25 Bond films from Eon Productions. Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman co-founded Eon in 1962, and now it's overseen by Broccoli's daughter and stepson, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. /Film's own Jack Giroux interviewed both producers for "No Time to Die" back in October, and this week, the movie became available for purchase on digital platforms like iTunes.
Keeping the Bond franchise all in the family may be one secret to its longevity. Another may be Bond's ability...
The post Why James Bond Has Endured For So Long, According to the Franchise Producer appeared first on /Film.
Keeping the Bond franchise all in the family may be one secret to its longevity. Another may be Bond's ability...
The post Why James Bond Has Endured For So Long, According to the Franchise Producer appeared first on /Film.
- 12/8/2021
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
This article contains No Time to Die spoilers.
When Queen Elizabeth II attended the world premiere of You Only Live Twice, the fifth James Bond picture produced by Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, and the fifth to star the then one and only James Bond, Sean Connery, the monarch allegedly asked the actor if the rumors were true: was this really his last 007 adventure? Connery is reported to have replied back, “Yes, Your Majesty, I’m done.”
It seemed unfathomable at the time that Connery would walk away from such a beloved and internationally renowned role at the height of the character’s popularity. After all, just two years earlier Thunderball had become the biggest movie ever, and Broccoli and Saltzman capitalized on the character’s increasingly global appeal by immediately putting into production the latest published Ian Fleming novel, 1964’s You Only Live Twice. It’s the story...
When Queen Elizabeth II attended the world premiere of You Only Live Twice, the fifth James Bond picture produced by Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, and the fifth to star the then one and only James Bond, Sean Connery, the monarch allegedly asked the actor if the rumors were true: was this really his last 007 adventure? Connery is reported to have replied back, “Yes, Your Majesty, I’m done.”
It seemed unfathomable at the time that Connery would walk away from such a beloved and internationally renowned role at the height of the character’s popularity. After all, just two years earlier Thunderball had become the biggest movie ever, and Broccoli and Saltzman capitalized on the character’s increasingly global appeal by immediately putting into production the latest published Ian Fleming novel, 1964’s You Only Live Twice. It’s the story...
- 12/6/2021
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Anybody who knows anything about the James Bond franchise knows that nothing happens without the approval of the Broccoli family. It was Albert “Cubby” Broccoli who, with collaborator Harry Saltzman, first started producing Bond movies back in the 1960s. Since his death in 1996, control of the Bond franchise has been in the hands of […]
The post Daniel Craig: Forever Grateful To The 007 Producers appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
The post Daniel Craig: Forever Grateful To The 007 Producers appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 11/30/2021
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
We loved James Bond but diehard ’60s spy fans hold a special admiration for Len Deighton’s ‘thinking man’s secret agent’ Harry Palmer. Viavision pulls off a slick trick by assembling the three top Michael Caine Harry Palmer pictures, each from a different studio, in a single deluxe gift box. Harry fights the Brain Drain, encounters criss-crossing conspiracies at the Berlin Wall, and witnesses a privatized invasion of the U.S.S.R., in The Ipcress File, Funeral in Berlin and Billion Dollar Brain, three great pictures by three very different directors. The presentations come with a glut of special edition extras.
The Harry Palmer Collection
All-Region Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] 75, 76, 77
1965-67 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / Street Date October 20, 2021 / Available from Amazon / 109.99
Starring: Michael Caine
From the novels by Len Deighton
Produced by Harry Saltzman
Directed by Sidney J. Furie, Guy Hamilton, Ken Russell
It didn’t seem possible that there...
The Harry Palmer Collection
All-Region Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] 75, 76, 77
1965-67 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / Street Date October 20, 2021 / Available from Amazon / 109.99
Starring: Michael Caine
From the novels by Len Deighton
Produced by Harry Saltzman
Directed by Sidney J. Furie, Guy Hamilton, Ken Russell
It didn’t seem possible that there...
- 11/13/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
When No Time to Die debuts in the U.S. at last on Oct. 8, after several years of creative and pandemic-related delays, it will mark the 27th film in the James Bond franchise. It also marks the final appearance of Daniel Craig in the starring role of 007, the debonair superspy originated by Sean Connery in the very first Bond film, 1962’s Dr. No.
Believe it or not, that one had trouble getting a green light. American producer Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli and his Canadian counterpart Harry Saltzman had joined forces, rather uneasily, to bring Ian Fleming’s best-selling creation to life....
Believe it or not, that one had trouble getting a green light. American producer Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli and his Canadian counterpart Harry Saltzman had joined forces, rather uneasily, to bring Ian Fleming’s best-selling creation to life....
- 10/9/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When No Time to Die debuts in the U.S. at last on Oct. 8, after several years of creative and pandemic-related delays, it will mark the 27th film in the James Bond franchise. It also marks the final appearance of Daniel Craig in the starring role of 007, the debonair superspy originated by Sean Connery in the very first Bond film, 1962’s Dr. No.
Believe it or not, that one had trouble getting a green light. American producer Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli and his Canadian counterpart Harry Saltzman had joined forces, rather uneasily, to bring Ian Fleming’s best-selling creation to life....
Believe it or not, that one had trouble getting a green light. American producer Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli and his Canadian counterpart Harry Saltzman had joined forces, rather uneasily, to bring Ian Fleming’s best-selling creation to life....
- 10/9/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
When Ian Fleming first created the character of 007, he settled on calling him James Bond because it was the “dullest name I’ve ever heard.” How ironic that nearly 70 years after that decision, and almost 60 years since the first James Bond movie, Dr. No (1962), that moniker is still associated around the world with thrilling action and exotic danger.
Beginning with the first Bond film from producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, and which starred Sean Connery as the international man of mystery, 007 has burrowed into the global zeitgeist. And he’s never left. There have been 24 canonical Bond films produced by either Broccoli and Saltzman, or their successors Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, and six actors who’ve donned the tuxedo during that run. Over the years, the debate has been endless over who is the Best Bond, and which is the best Bond movie. Well, we’re here...
Beginning with the first Bond film from producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, and which starred Sean Connery as the international man of mystery, 007 has burrowed into the global zeitgeist. And he’s never left. There have been 24 canonical Bond films produced by either Broccoli and Saltzman, or their successors Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, and six actors who’ve donned the tuxedo during that run. Over the years, the debate has been endless over who is the Best Bond, and which is the best Bond movie. Well, we’re here...
- 9/28/2021
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Daniel Craig stirred up international headlines back in 2005 when the press was horrified that we were about to get a blonde James Bond. Or “James Blond” as The Daily Mail (among many others) cracked. But now Craig is making headlines of his own about who should and shouldn’t be the next 007, as he revealed why despite some social media support to the contrary, he doesn’t think the next Bond should be played by a woman.
“The answer to that is very simple,” Craig told Radio Times when asked if he thinks a woman should next sit behind the Aston Martin’s steering wheel. “There should simply be better parts for women and actors of color. Why should a woman play James Bond when there should be a part just as good as James Bond, but for a woman?”
The answer was unexpectedly emphatic, but his strong insistence that...
“The answer to that is very simple,” Craig told Radio Times when asked if he thinks a woman should next sit behind the Aston Martin’s steering wheel. “There should simply be better parts for women and actors of color. Why should a woman play James Bond when there should be a part just as good as James Bond, but for a woman?”
The answer was unexpectedly emphatic, but his strong insistence that...
- 9/21/2021
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond is coming to an end. This truth has been known ever since it was announced that Craig would reprise the role in No Time to Die, his fifth outing as 007. And yet, given the litany of delays that movie has endured largely due to the pandemic—remember when No Time to Die was slated for November 2019?—the reality of his leaving feels like it’s been almost taken for granted.
The curtain really is coming down this month for UK fans, and the No Time to Die marketing team is now making folks aware of that again with the recent viral clip of Craig’s teary eyed farewell speech from the day production wrapped on the Bond movie. After wearing Bond’s tuxedo for 15 years, Craig closes the book on a run that’s lasted longer than any other Bond actor’s,...
The curtain really is coming down this month for UK fans, and the No Time to Die marketing team is now making folks aware of that again with the recent viral clip of Craig’s teary eyed farewell speech from the day production wrapped on the Bond movie. After wearing Bond’s tuxedo for 15 years, Craig closes the book on a run that’s lasted longer than any other Bond actor’s,...
- 9/18/2021
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Despite what Marvel might have you believe, not all film franchises are perfectly serialized.
Take, for example, another kind of cinematic superhero: James Bond a.k.a. 007. The MI6 spy created by Ian Fleming and brought to screen by Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli is timeless in the most literal sense of the world. Since Sean Connery passed the role of James Bond to Roger Moore for good in 1973’s Live and Let Die (Connery previously gave way to George Lazenby in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service before returning in Diamonds Are Forever), James Bond has become unstuck in time.
As played in subsequent films over several decades by actors like Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig, Bond remains the same while the world around him changes. Some fans like to theorize that “Agent 007” and “James Bond” are aliases used by different MI6 spies throughout the years. But...
Take, for example, another kind of cinematic superhero: James Bond a.k.a. 007. The MI6 spy created by Ian Fleming and brought to screen by Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli is timeless in the most literal sense of the world. Since Sean Connery passed the role of James Bond to Roger Moore for good in 1973’s Live and Let Die (Connery previously gave way to George Lazenby in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service before returning in Diamonds Are Forever), James Bond has become unstuck in time.
As played in subsequent films over several decades by actors like Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig, Bond remains the same while the world around him changes. Some fans like to theorize that “Agent 007” and “James Bond” are aliases used by different MI6 spies throughout the years. But...
- 5/31/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Welcome back to another episode of "James Bond Revisited"! This time, we're taking a look at Roger Moore's second outing as 007, The Man With the Golden Gun, which was actually something of a fiasco for the series, resulting in a soft reboot behind the scenes in the next film, the Bond classic The Spy Who Loved Me. On this one, the relationship between Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli finally reached its breaking point, and Roger Moore struggled with a poorly…...
- 12/2/2020
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Well, it’s been a week now and I still haven’t got over it. Even the most chaotic Presidential Election in living memory hasn’t managed to distract me from the pressing melancholy – as absurd as it feels to say it out loud…we are no longer living on the same planet as Sean Connery.
It’s not that he was suddenly struck down in the prime of life (90 years of age is a good haul for anyone), it’s just that Connery, along with the rarified likes of Michael Caine and Clint Eastwood, carried an air of genuine immortality. He even played an immortal in Highlander and the fact that he was wearing a coat made of peacock feathers at the time, didn’t make it feel any less plausible.
Perhaps, like his aforementioned peers, it’s the fact that his vitality never withered away like so many...
It’s not that he was suddenly struck down in the prime of life (90 years of age is a good haul for anyone), it’s just that Connery, along with the rarified likes of Michael Caine and Clint Eastwood, carried an air of genuine immortality. He even played an immortal in Highlander and the fact that he was wearing a coat made of peacock feathers at the time, didn’t make it feel any less plausible.
Perhaps, like his aforementioned peers, it’s the fact that his vitality never withered away like so many...
- 11/9/2020
- by Cai Ross
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
It’s an unusual sight for James Bond fans. Standing in a gloriously green Technicolor field by a California stream intended to pass for Ireland, Sean Connery cuts a more rugged approximation of Walt Disney masculinity, taking breaks between a swing of his scythe to sing, “She’s my dear, my darling one, my smilin’ and beguilin’ one, I love the ground she walks upon my darling Irish girl.”
To be charitable, Connery’s attempt at an Irish lilt was no more convincing in 1959’s Darby O’Gill and the Little People than it would be three decades later for his Oscar winning turn in The Untouchables. Nevertheless, there was something charming, beguiling even, about both performances, with the musical one proving strangely important to Connery getting the role of Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007.
That might be in large part because Dr. No producer Cubby Broccoli anticipated Fleming,...
To be charitable, Connery’s attempt at an Irish lilt was no more convincing in 1959’s Darby O’Gill and the Little People than it would be three decades later for his Oscar winning turn in The Untouchables. Nevertheless, there was something charming, beguiling even, about both performances, with the musical one proving strangely important to Connery getting the role of Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007.
That might be in large part because Dr. No producer Cubby Broccoli anticipated Fleming,...
- 11/2/2020
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
“He moved like a panther.” This was the observation which convinced producers Albert R “Cubby” Broccoli and Harry Saltzman to cast Sean Connery, a relatively unknown young actor from Edinburgh, in the lead role of the first James Bond picture, 1962’s Dr No. It was this decision which was to forever change the face of movie stardom and blockbuster film-making. The choice was not, initially, a popular one with 007 author Ian Fleming; where his books had imagined Bond as the archetypal upper-class English gentleman, the gruff Scottish Connery brought a transatlantic insouciance and a palpably working-class edge to the role. In the process, he had invented the modern action hero.
Within a few short years, Connery had been cemented as an international sex symbol and propelled to unprecedented heights of celebrity. He later said of the relentless pursuit by fans and the press, “the only comparison would be The Beatles,...
Within a few short years, Connery had been cemented as an international sex symbol and propelled to unprecedented heights of celebrity. He later said of the relentless pursuit by fans and the press, “the only comparison would be The Beatles,...
- 11/2/2020
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
With only a couple of months left, 2020 cruelly claimed yet another silver screen icon. Reuters broke the news this past Sunday:
Scottish movie legend Sean Connery, who shot to international stardom as the suave, sexy and sophisticated British agent James Bond and went on to grace the silver screen for four decades, has died aged 90.
“Father Time” seemingly took our first (and for many the favorite) incarnation of the ultimate super spy (tough break you Spectre creeps and megalomaniacs). For much of the 1960s, he was the most popular movie star on the planet. We Movie Geeks respectfully raise a martini glass to his long career.
That’s Sean in the middle, number 24.
His journey to movie stardom started fairly humbly across “the pond”. After stints as a coffin-polisher (really), milk delivery man, and bodybuilder (he competed in the 1950 Mr. Universe contest), Connery took up acting, first on stage in...
Scottish movie legend Sean Connery, who shot to international stardom as the suave, sexy and sophisticated British agent James Bond and went on to grace the silver screen for four decades, has died aged 90.
“Father Time” seemingly took our first (and for many the favorite) incarnation of the ultimate super spy (tough break you Spectre creeps and megalomaniacs). For much of the 1960s, he was the most popular movie star on the planet. We Movie Geeks respectfully raise a martini glass to his long career.
That’s Sean in the middle, number 24.
His journey to movie stardom started fairly humbly across “the pond”. After stints as a coffin-polisher (really), milk delivery man, and bodybuilder (he competed in the 1950 Mr. Universe contest), Connery took up acting, first on stage in...
- 11/2/2020
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
I’ve always loved one detail in the story of how Sean Connery, in 1961, nabbed the role of James Bond. A number of other actors were being considered for the part, like Roger Moore and James Mason. Ian Fleming, who had written 10 Bond novels, had his heart set on the elegant and slightly fussy David Niven. That tells you a lot about how the Bond series might have turned out had Connery not nailed the role.
At the time, Connery wasn’t a well-known actor; his most prominent film was the Disney musical leprechaun fable “Darby O’Gill and the Little People” (1959). When he met with the producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman at a pub in London, he wasn’t at the top of their short list. They spoke for a while, and then, when it was time to go, instead of making a big show of it, Connery simply got up,...
At the time, Connery wasn’t a well-known actor; his most prominent film was the Disney musical leprechaun fable “Darby O’Gill and the Little People” (1959). When he met with the producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman at a pub in London, he wasn’t at the top of their short list. They spoke for a while, and then, when it was time to go, instead of making a big show of it, Connery simply got up,...
- 10/31/2020
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Sean Connery, one of the truly iconic actors of Hollywood, died overnight in the Bahamas at the age of 90. No cause of death was announced.
The Scottish actor’s career spanned five-decades in which he played a wide range of unforgettable characters, many of them iconic on their own. But he will always be known as the first, best and most recognizable actor to play the British Spy with the license to kill, James Bond. He played Agent 007 in seven movies, beginning with the first James Bond movie Dr. No in 1962.
But Connery was no mere espionage agent, and he certainly wasn’t secret. Connery starred opposite Tippi Hedren in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1964 film Marnie. He stood out in a crowded all-star cast in Murder on the Orient Express from 1974. He escaped Alcatraz in The Rock (1996), defected to the United States in The Hunt for Red October, saved the day...
The Scottish actor’s career spanned five-decades in which he played a wide range of unforgettable characters, many of them iconic on their own. But he will always be known as the first, best and most recognizable actor to play the British Spy with the license to kill, James Bond. He played Agent 007 in seven movies, beginning with the first James Bond movie Dr. No in 1962.
But Connery was no mere espionage agent, and he certainly wasn’t secret. Connery starred opposite Tippi Hedren in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1964 film Marnie. He stood out in a crowded all-star cast in Murder on the Orient Express from 1974. He escaped Alcatraz in The Rock (1996), defected to the United States in The Hunt for Red October, saved the day...
- 10/31/2020
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
By Lee Pfeiffer
Sir Sean Connery has passed away at age 90. One of the few remaining genuine legends of the film industry, Connery's passing will seem surrealistic to his legions of international fans, as he somehow seemed immortal. Connery overcame a humble upbringing in Edinburgh, Scotland to emerge as a cinematic icon. As young man, he entered the Royal Navy but his stint was short-lived, as he was released from service due to health issues. He later dabbled in weight lifting and was Scotland's candidate in the Mr. Universe contest. Connery drifted into acting quite by chance after someone suggested he audition for a chorus role in a London stage production of "South Pacific". He got the part and the acting bug got the better of him and he became determined to make it his profession. Connery secured bit roles in low-budget British films without making much of an impact,...
Sir Sean Connery has passed away at age 90. One of the few remaining genuine legends of the film industry, Connery's passing will seem surrealistic to his legions of international fans, as he somehow seemed immortal. Connery overcame a humble upbringing in Edinburgh, Scotland to emerge as a cinematic icon. As young man, he entered the Royal Navy but his stint was short-lived, as he was released from service due to health issues. He later dabbled in weight lifting and was Scotland's candidate in the Mr. Universe contest. Connery drifted into acting quite by chance after someone suggested he audition for a chorus role in a London stage production of "South Pacific". He got the part and the acting bug got the better of him and he became determined to make it his profession. Connery secured bit roles in low-budget British films without making much of an impact,...
- 10/31/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Sean Connery, the Scottish-born actor who rocketed to fame as James Bond and became one of the franchise’s most popular and enduring international stars, has died. He was 90.
Connery, long regarded as one of the best actors to have portrayed the iconic spy, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 and marked his 90th birthday in August. His death was confirmed by his family, who said that the actor “died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family” in the Bahamas. It’s believed he had been unwell for some time. His last acting role had been in Stephen Norrington’s “The League of Extraordinary Gentleman” (2003).
Connery was an audience favorite for more than 40 years and one of the screen’s most reliable and distinctive leading men. The actor was recently voted the best James Bond actor in an August Radio Times poll in the U.K. More than 14,000 voted...
Connery, long regarded as one of the best actors to have portrayed the iconic spy, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 and marked his 90th birthday in August. His death was confirmed by his family, who said that the actor “died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family” in the Bahamas. It’s believed he had been unwell for some time. His last acting role had been in Stephen Norrington’s “The League of Extraordinary Gentleman” (2003).
Connery was an audience favorite for more than 40 years and one of the screen’s most reliable and distinctive leading men. The actor was recently voted the best James Bond actor in an August Radio Times poll in the U.K. More than 14,000 voted...
- 10/31/2020
- by Richard Natale and Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
It’s finally back on Blu in Region 1, the ‘sixties spy movie beloved by enthusiasts that yearned for something a bit more substantial & nutritious than James Bond. This first Harry Palmer adventure seems even more perfect than when it was thanks to a great espionage recipe and quality ingredients. Michael Caine is sensational as the anti-007, the feel of London streets is intoxicating, and John Barry’s music score is beyond praise. Are Sidney Furie’s directorial mannerisms too show-offy, too fussy? I only raise the question to defend him.
The Ipcress File
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1965 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 109 min. / Street Date October 27, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Michael Caine, Nigel Green, Guy Doleman, Sue Lloyd, Gordon Jackson, Aubrey Richards, Frank Gatliff, Thomas Baptiste, Oliver MacGreevy, Freda Bamford, David Glover, Mike Murray, Anthony Baird.
Cinematography: Otto Heller
Film Editor: Peter Hunt
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Original Music: John Barry
Written by W.H. Canaway,...
The Ipcress File
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1965 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 109 min. / Street Date October 27, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Michael Caine, Nigel Green, Guy Doleman, Sue Lloyd, Gordon Jackson, Aubrey Richards, Frank Gatliff, Thomas Baptiste, Oliver MacGreevy, Freda Bamford, David Glover, Mike Murray, Anthony Baird.
Cinematography: Otto Heller
Film Editor: Peter Hunt
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Original Music: John Barry
Written by W.H. Canaway,...
- 10/13/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
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By Hank Reineke
Val Guest’s The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) is one of the better science-fiction films to come out of the Cold War decades of the 1950’s and 1960s. While it’s no metaphorical masterpiece as Don Siegel’s more celebrated Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), the screenplay for this British production was co-penned by Guest and the novelist/playwright/screenwriter Wolf Mankowitz. The two would collaborate on other projects as well, but it’s the thoughtful, literate script co-written for The Day the Earth Caught Fire that would justifiably garner them the award for the Best British Screenplay from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. This superb new Blu-ray from Kino Lorber is absolutely beautiful, having been digitally re-mastered from a print held in the National Archive of British Film Institute in association with StudioCanal.
Partly inspired...
By Hank Reineke
Val Guest’s The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) is one of the better science-fiction films to come out of the Cold War decades of the 1950’s and 1960s. While it’s no metaphorical masterpiece as Don Siegel’s more celebrated Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), the screenplay for this British production was co-penned by Guest and the novelist/playwright/screenwriter Wolf Mankowitz. The two would collaborate on other projects as well, but it’s the thoughtful, literate script co-written for The Day the Earth Caught Fire that would justifiably garner them the award for the Best British Screenplay from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. This superb new Blu-ray from Kino Lorber is absolutely beautiful, having been digitally re-mastered from a print held in the National Archive of British Film Institute in association with StudioCanal.
Partly inspired...
- 8/8/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Myopic Harry Palmer, the great cook, lover and reluctant spy, returns to where his trouble with the British Army began. This time he’s tangled up in a political snarl that might have dire consequences: not only are the Russians involved, ex-Nazis are on the payroll. Israel may have an agent in the field, and not necessarily working in Her Majesty’s interest. Michael Caine’s star quality shines through in this second Harry Palmer spy yarn, filmed on German locations in high style by Guy Hamilton.
Funeral in Berlin
Blu-ray Disc
Paramount Pictures
1966 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 102 min. / Street Date May 26, 2020 / 20.49
Starring: Michael Caine, Oskar Homolka, Paul Hubschmid, Eva Renzi, Guy Doleman.
Cinematography: Otto Heller
Film Editor: John Bloom
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Original Music: Konrad Elfers
Written by Evan Jones from the novel by Len Deighton
Produced by Charles D. Kasher & Harry Saltzman
Directed by Guy Hamilton
All three...
Funeral in Berlin
Blu-ray Disc
Paramount Pictures
1966 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 102 min. / Street Date May 26, 2020 / 20.49
Starring: Michael Caine, Oskar Homolka, Paul Hubschmid, Eva Renzi, Guy Doleman.
Cinematography: Otto Heller
Film Editor: John Bloom
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Original Music: Konrad Elfers
Written by Evan Jones from the novel by Len Deighton
Produced by Charles D. Kasher & Harry Saltzman
Directed by Guy Hamilton
All three...
- 5/30/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
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