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EON Productions has done a "retcon" on "For Your Eyes Only"!
A "retcon"?? Bill Koenig from the beloved Spy Command Blog explains it here: https://hmssweblog.wordpress.com/2015/07/15/retcon-for-your-eyes-only-now-official-spectre-movie/
A "retcon" is short for "retroactive change in continuity". Marvel and DC Comics do that frequently with their comic book adaptations. But apparently, continuity has become very important for our beloved producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson as well. They did a "retcon" on "For Your Eyes Only", on July 15th to be precise, when this press statement was announced on 007.com:
Indeed, according to EON Production "For Your Eyes Only" now officially features the fictuous crime syndicate S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Back in 1981 things were quite different though. Adding the famous bald headed villain to the PTS of "For Your Eyes Only" was, according to "Cubby", only a funny joke to get rid of everything related to S.P.E.C.T.R.E. and Ernst Stavro Blofeld. A message saying: James Bond can survive without S.P.E.C.T.R.E. and Blofeld.
That message has been changed completely. And frankly, it also makes sense. Just watch FYEO as a sequel after OHMSS and suddenly the film can be seen as a good sequel to OHMSS.
A "retcon" is short for "retroactive change in continuity". Marvel and DC Comics do that frequently with their comic book adaptations. But apparently, continuity has become very important for our beloved producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson as well. They did a "retcon" on "For Your Eyes Only", on July 15th to be precise, when this press statement was announced on 007.com:
As fans prepare for the November 6th release of SPECTRE, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release an all-new line-up of special edition Blu-rays, DVDs and box-sets on September 15th.
Two never-before-seen featurettes are included with interviews from Bond writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. “The Shadow of S.P.E.C.T.R.E.” will recount the fictional history of the global criminal syndicate and terrorist organization, “The Story So Far” will provide an overview of Daniel Craig’s first three Bond movies.
Six films featuring the S.P.E.C.T.R.E. organization (FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, THUNDERBALL, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE, DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY) and the three recent Daniel Craig titles (CASINO ROYALE, QUANTUM OF SOLACE, SKYFALL) will each get a limited edition Blu-ray Steelbook release, their cover designs inspired by each film’s opening title sequence.
Indeed, according to EON Production "For Your Eyes Only" now officially features the fictuous crime syndicate S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Back in 1981 things were quite different though. Adding the famous bald headed villain to the PTS of "For Your Eyes Only" was, according to "Cubby", only a funny joke to get rid of everything related to S.P.E.C.T.R.E. and Ernst Stavro Blofeld. A message saying: James Bond can survive without S.P.E.C.T.R.E. and Blofeld.
That message has been changed completely. And frankly, it also makes sense. Just watch FYEO as a sequel after OHMSS and suddenly the film can be seen as a good sequel to OHMSS.
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Comments
Yeah, if you put it like thát? Off course it doesn't matter. But I thought it's a nice bit of continuity.
"SPECTRE" is mentioned in OHMSS, but not in DAF and FYEO.
Yes, just realised after I posted that Lazenby makes a single reference to SPECTRE operating worldwide (as opposed to Draco's syndicate).
That is the last reference to the organisation SPECTRE until 2015.
In DAF it is debatable whether the organization still exists or if Blofeld now works alone. But since he's head and founder of SPECTRE...
"SPECTRE" is never mentioned by name, but we do get to see the S.P.E.C.T.R.E.-logo on Blofeld's batosub. Still, it's said that after TB they basically threw away S.P.E.C.T.R.E..
Anyway, whatever the story tells us, EON has decided to name "FYEO" officially a "SPECTRE-film". I find that a nice detail :-).
That was a really neat submarine. That they used it for comedic effect was downright criminal.
And a janitor whistles Goldfinger.
That shows how shortsighted this retcon really is. It's more about referring to all these as 'guy with a cat' films (assuming he has one in this, that is.)
If they are 'serious' about FYEO, they can put their official George Lucas rethink stamp on it by doing a CG monogram of ESB (no, not EMPIRE STRIKES BACK) on the back of Baldy's wheelchair.
Precisely. It's not even really retconning. Retconning would be something along the lines of them suggesting Silva was a member of SPECTRE. There's no narrative continuity surrounding Blofeld in FYEO. It's just a gag.
So Bond visiting Tracy's grave in FYEO is just a gag too? Sorry, I think it's a bit short-sighted to write it off as a reason-example.
Blofeld is not just in a wheelchair. Bond did that to him during the bobsled chase in OHMSS.
Yes, I suppose that one could say that Eon are taking it all a bit too seriously with the continuity. The omission of Dr. No as a SPECTRE film is baffling indeed though.
Tracy's grave is continuity, not retcon and the 'character with the bald head' was clearly Blofeld, sans name. Retconning would be suggesting Kristatos was actually Blofeld. The whole thing is wishy washy anyhow and they undermine any wish to establish continuity by omitting DN as a SPECTRE film.
Secondly, the omission of Dr.No in that "collection" disqualifies their motive to give us the "Spectre" films, they obviously don't know their own franchise or they are just incompetent or it is simply to double-dip once again.
Be it as it may, as I said, I'm glad they release those 9 movies with that beautiful art work on the steelbooks.
Having said that, and taking into account certain continuity flaws, I usually like to rewatch these Bond films in order of continuity:
--> "Doctor No" (Dr. No is the main villain, and is the first ever known operative of S.P.E.C.T.R.E.)
--> "From Russia With Love" (S.P.E.C.T.R.E. wants to avenge the death of their operative Dr. Julius No)
--> "Thunderball" (S.P.E.C.T.R.E. becomes bigger and bigger, Blofeld still isn't revealed yet)
--> "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (In this film it's as if 007 meets Blofeld for the first time, so I skip YOLT)
--> "For Your Eyes Only" (Bond visits Tracy's grave, killed in OHMSS, and finally gets to kill off Blofeld)
--> "Licence To Kill" (Bond gets confronted with the loss of his wife Tracy once more, as this time Leiter's wife gets killed)
If you rewatch them this way, you also include the 'creme-de-la-creme' of the Bond films. The best of the best IMO. Ah, well, it's how I would do it ;-).
I do agree with Bill Koenig from Spy Command though. No matter how you twist and turn it, EON officially announced that "For Your Eyes Only" is a S.P.E.C.T.R.E.-film, if you like it or not. Retcon or no retcon.
I personally like the idea that EON actually is more interested again in bringing back continuity. Because after "SPECTRE" has premiered, you basically have a very good quadrilogy of Bond films, continuity-wise, that better should be watch in the right order.
Personally, I am quite certain "SPECTRE" will be released as steelbook too. Well, then I look in great pride to my steelbook quadrilogy collection of Daniel Craig:
--> "Casino Royale" (Bond falls in love with Vesper Lynd, but tragically she commits suicide)
--> "Quantum Of Solace" (Bond is emotionally a complete wreck, and goes out on revenge....facing Vesper's boyfriend at the end)
--> "Skyfall" (Bond said "I never left" at the end of QOS", and four years later he's the 007 we know in the PTS...doing his job. "M" used to be arranging things in Hongkong, handing over Silva to the Chinese, got six 00-agents in return, and a 7th during "Casino Royale". Moneypenny and "Q" are introduced. And we have some background on Bond's parents. Bond "knows when a woman is afraid and pretends not to be".)
--> "SPECTRE" (This film re-introduces us to Mr White and ties all the knots from the previous three films)
Dr. Julius No to James Bond: "I am a member of S.P.E.C.T.R.E."
STILL, I've been praying for YEARS that Sony/MGM/EON would think a bit more about the fans, by doing something special with the covers of DVD and BluRay casings. Fans are complaining a lot about the new front covers that are being released in the US. But sjee, we finally get NINE wonderful looking steelbooks! I always wanted that to happen, and now it happens. I can't be more happy. Sometimes, we can also show a bit gratitude....that they are thinking about us fans.
See my above post.... Yes.