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It may have something to do with when we were brought up and where Bond was at the time. There was a time when the know it all Bond was where it was at, and audiences liked their Bond that way. But even Moore's Bond got angry, killed in cold blood and lashed out at the occasional woman. He may have been a superman, but he still had a heart and a soul. As Fleming intended.
Sadly though I see no real point in hankering too much after Fleming's Bond because the guy isn't all that relevant to cinema Bond. He's just a reference point, a place to start from.
I read that Dalton is great because he is Fleming's Bond from the slight build to the sincere attitude. But what's the point if women don't fancy him because of his build? Where's the box office in that?
Besides which when I re-read Goldfinger and Casino Royale recently with a polite Bond calling the ladies 'darling', and having a cool demeanour around the villains I couldn't detect much of Dalton, but plenty of Connery and Moore.
The importance of cinematic Bond vs. Fleming Bond is relevant depending on who you talk to, but there must be a connection in the fact that a good number of the films looked upon favorably by fans and casuals alike are those that reflect Fleming exponentially more than they do the cinematic Bond, while the films you'd expect to see at the bottom of lists are very reflective of cinematic Bond and where EON took things too far in that caricature and/or parody.
I don't really get the point about Dalton and his build (we're talking the svelte frame?) as a blockade to box office draw. Every Bond actor has a different thing about them that would attract a crowd, but I don't think it's quite fair to discount a man for how he looks, or claim that it cost the films money or appeal because of it. Brosnan was just as meek in build, and at times out of shape looking, but we don't harp on that, nor do we with Roger's mounting wrinkles or how Sean got progressively pudgy through YOLT and DAF until he looked about two decades older than he was at the start of the 70s.
More important factors can explain a lack of box office draw, and they're usually creative moves and the tone of the eras. There's not much box office draw in repeating the plot of Goldfinger over and over, but EON did that, in addition to not reinventing enough at crucial points, so we could discuss the shortcomings all day. We could even argue why the draw wasn't as there for Dalton, and a likely hypothesis is in dealing with the cinematic Bond: EON got so in the motions of making the films to formula that when a new guy came around who wanted to play a man instead of an icon or symbol, they didn't take to it because they had over a decade of the same thing to morph their perceptions about Bond. Dalton was jarring, as was how the films tried to move away from Moore's tone (not enough for me, though) and I think that lent to a bad perception of it; it certainly wasn't Dalton's body.
As for Sean and Moore reflecting parts of Fleming's Bond that Dalton didn't, that wasn't what I was arguing (I don't think anyone was?). That being said, I've been quite vocal about how I don't think Dalton own's the title of Fleming's Bond, and for everything that he is given credit for bringing out from the original, I could point to an ample amount for Sean or Dan as well. But again, I don't think that's a relevant point. This all started with me simply making the assumption that Bond's flat in SP was just being moved back into, and how it got here I'm not too sure.
And, apologies for going off on a tangent ;)
Yeh right, we should really forget about that bloke Fleming! I mean what did he really do after all?
Exactly @Mathis1, the very point I was clearly making.
Dunno why. Maybe it was the distraction of that burly guy sprinting as fast as he can just to perform the menial task of tethering Domino's boat.
Sean looks like he's having a lot of fun in TB.
Who wouldn't! Connery having fun, Domino, Volpe, SPECTRE at it's best. Thunderball is the best ;-)
+1
Was surprised by his frowny grittiness in what is very much known as a "popcorn" Bond film.
His performances just get better and better IMO.
Of course there is still the well known humour and perfectly placed (and delivered) lines but it's done with a more serious tone & approach than in later outings. The Lotus chase is a perfect example. "I know, don't tell me" coexists beautifully with "ever get the feeling somebody doesn't like you" & "all those feathers and he still can't fly".
Moore is a Bond 'on a mission' in this film, fully aware of the seriousness of the threat.
Well Bollinger are credited during the credits. Stands to reason that their Champagne be featured at appropriate times throughout the movie. Product placement is a massive deal for these companies
Plane. https://gfx.aftonbladet-cdn.se/image/10679459/438/normal/658ea92542ebd/skumpabond438
Hotel room. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TGV3S0zoDgo/VXf2_tbDDgI/AAAAAAAA2Dc/n5AvcQbEYLk/s1600/Moonraker%2B1979%2B25.jpg
Already a staple, sure. https://i2.wp.com/www.007museum.com/Live_Champagne.JPG
to me it seems there's three different ones tbh.
Bond of the books had a fairly neat apartment, and even his own Housekeeper, a Scottish treasure name May. With his fussy habits and wishing to have things to his liking, wether it be food, drink, women or weapons (he is a bit of snob) then I can't see him living in a messy apartment. Just doesn't fit the (literary) character. IMO.
True, but I also think this translates not too good to modern-day living. As far as i knowm few civil servants can afford a housekeeper, and just a cleaning lady at home wouldn't work. I do agree however that he would take care of his appartment. I don't think his answer to Moneypenny is sincere, it's more of a joke.
Agreed,i think it's tongue-in-cheek.
You can see by the slight smirk on his face if you look quick enough.
Yes, I'm familiar with all that (going through the books now), but I haven't ever read a detailed description of Bond's apartment yet. Certainly in that day a cleaner house was the style, whereas in the current age I don't think that matters much. But if Craig's Bond had a housekeeper, his home would be clean regardless, so it's hard to tell how the literary Bond's house would be kept without May around.
I love it. I think it's a great snapshot of this Bond's personality, and how his home would really be. Whether or not what we see is Bond moving back into his old place post-SF, I think we can all agree that Craig Bond wouldn't be the type to be into decoration or anything like that. He'd have the necessities, but not care for all the other trinkets and superfluous things others do.
One of the reasons I like SP is that it uses visuals or setting to convey things about the characters we have sensed before. An interesting character building technique. The apartment in SP tells me more about this Bond than the one in DN or LALD tells me, let's say, and it backs up what we already know about Craig Bond's personality. He's take his time getting his things set up and he wouldn't care about what people thought about his "messy" flat. To quote him in CR, you imagine him saying, "Does it look like I give a damn?"
@peter, outside of the poor shark getting hit, I really love that about the ending. It feels like real men are dying, and the blood effects really make an impact and add so much consequence to it all. A top 10 finale, easily.
Bond likes cars...
...And Bond likes his coffee – making a great deal of effort in making it, as well. :D
I just treat a lot of Sean's Bond's personality as Fleming's character. I think he conveys the original's sensibilities well, and reflects his traits and interests.