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I’ve already seen AVTK in 85, but it was the 25th Anniversary what turned me completely crazy. I remembered the documentary hosted by Roger Moore was on Spanish television and a-ha was on the radio everytime. So, when I saw TLD it was instant love as it was, and still is, one of the best Bonds ever.
I started collecting photos from magazines or buying anything Bond related published here in Spain. As you can imagine, very few things. A parody from previous years:
“Don’t run that it’s worse!” “And my pulse is shaking!”
Or this great jewel was also available in Spain:
My solace was to create my own comic book adaptations! Only the teasers, but they were really accurate :D
Then, I visited Ireland in 1990 and in a free cinema magazine I discovered an ad from The James Bond British Fan Club. In a way, Graham Rye devotion changed my life. The magazines, the presents, the identity cards! Thank you, Mr. Rye. (Is he around?)
With Brosnan and the new century a new Bondmania brought to Spain records, books, figures... and, well, even internet to buy everything you wanted (almost).
Years passed but my Bondmania remained. I became a teacher and film critic and my first book was this:
http://naullibres.com/libro/guia-para-ver-y-analizar-james-bond-contra-goldfinger-guy-hamilton-1964
One of my last Bond-related critic...
With the 50th Anniversary I decided to give a step forward and become a member of some of the most interesting and crowded Bond-fans forums. So, here I am! MI6 member since 2011, 1500 messages and great friendships with fans around the World!
Nowadays I’m a proud member and administrator of Archivo 007, the Spanish James Bond Club and web. Here we are in our last Convention held in Madrid last summer (with well known international fans like Benjamin Lind, Wolfgang Thürauf or Alan More). You are all invited to the 5th !!
And a Christmas card from my friend @Jaime_Lazo
I want to add a personal note. My daughter's presents. With 5 years: Her first gunbarrel...
8 years old:
9 years old:
And, today, with 10 years old:
I have to end with this photo, that is a personal favourite. Thank you very much to these men (and many others, of course, like John Barry, Ken Adam, Richard Maibaum...). Without them I don’t know how my life could be, but probably it would be much more boring...
You need to select a date. I chose the 19th December but some of the other dates are free.
:) 15th and 18th plus 27th to 31st
Calendar days chosen by members:
December 1st: @BondJasonBond006
December 2nd: @ToTheRight
December 3rd: @Thunderfinger
December 4th: @4EverBonded
December 5th: @PropertyOfALady
December 6th: @TR007
December 7th: @ggl007
December 8th: @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7
December 9th: @Major_Boothroyd
December 10th: @Murdock
December 11th: @4EverBonded
December 12th: @jake24
December 13th: @fire_and_ice
December 14th: @Shark_0f_Largo
December 15th:
December 16th: @Major_Boothroyd
December 17th: @ggl007
December 18th: @Gustav_Graves
December 19th: @Dragonpol
December 20th: @PropertyOfALady
December 21st: @Shark_0f_Largo
December 22nd: @CraigMooreOHMSS
December 23rd: @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7
December 24th: @BondJasonBond006
December 25th: @TR007
December 26th: @BeatlesSansEarmuffs
December 27th:
December 28th:
December 29th:
December 30th:
New Year's Eve:
Excellent post! Seeing those James Bond British Fan Club badges and pins really takes me back. I had those as well and would renew after 4 issues of 007 Magazine. I had the Timothy Dalton key ring. Sadly some of my favorite issues of the 007 Magazine were lost in a recent move.
thanks for the great post!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!!
And thank you to @BondJasonBond006 for creating this very special Advent Calendar.
;)
Also great to get a look into your collection, and I agree that without the sixties team of Young, Maibaum, Hunt, Adam, Barry, Norman, Hamilton, Simmons and all the rest, so much of the energy and passion I've invested into Bond would have no home. And just as importantly, I'd never have met all you lovely people and in effect, would have lost out on some of the greatest discussions I've had with anyone ever. Truly something to be thankful for.
I can’t say I attach any Bond-related memories or experiences with Christmas-I don’t even have the habit of watching On Her Majesty’s Secret Service every Eve-but this year I do very much have Bond on the mind for a different reason than usual.
I think most people would agree that 2016 has been a bogus year in many ways, from those we’ve lost in the form of icons and world-changers to the fundamental global changes in politics and government taking place that collectively make 2017 and future years feel like the bad kind of mystery and unknown. I also know that in the past few years many of us-myself included-have experienced significant personal losses that we’re all still trying to deal with, and the mourning of our dearly departed, whether they’re mothers and fathers, grandfathers and grandmothers, or friends and more remote relations is made further difficult by the world we live in that seems to be crying in a corner at the moment, quite divisive in identity. I also know of some whose loved ones died years ago, but are only now mourning those they’ve lost while trying to move on as healthily and optimistically as they are able.
Because 2016 has been such a definitive year of loss and change above all descriptors, I think it’s important to hold to the idea that when we do lose something or someone, it becomes crucial to appreciate all that still remains in our lives in the wake of that loss. Holding to this tenet, I wanted to use the first of my two days contributing to this lead-up to Christmas to give thanks for what remains to us as Bond fans.
I think it is astounding, beautiful and wholly blessed that over fifty years after the Bond series had its birth, all six of our fantastic Bond actors are still with us. This is a truly special thing, especially in light of all the amazing icons 2016 has silenced. It’s become increasingly important to me through my own personal losses and in the losses I’ve seen in the arts world in the past few years to appreciate the veterans, our shining heroes that are getting older and older. It’s impossible to fathom a world without Clint Eastwood or Robert De Niro or Sean Connery in it, but unfortunately one day we will have to face the news of their passing, as we all must take that ride into a quieting of the spirit some day.
One of the reasons why I was so adamant to help @Creasy47 to get a community-wide Bondathon off the ground this year was because I wanted to run through the films again and do in-depth analysis of them and their stars to appreciate everything about them anew while so members of the Bond casts and crews are still alive, especially the 60s films that are so special to so many of us, so that I can celebrate and love them all while they remain with us in this world. In our Bondathon we are moving on from the Connery era and heading to Moore, and in my time revisiting the earliest Bond films I’ve felt such overwhelming love for them all over again and the teams that brought them to life. It’s become so immensely crucial for me to appreciate these movies more than any others while we still have so many of the old guard alive, including our Bond actors and the vast majority of our Bond girls, which is again a staggering and wonderful thing to imagine. It gives me great joy that those faces and figures of history are still as present as ever, accessible and tangible to us all as Bond fanatics.
Because of all these Bond related reflections, I thought I’d spend this day talking about our phenomenal six Bond actors. One thing that makes the Bond films so special is how six vastly different men were each able to play Bond a vastly different way, and all remain a crucial part of the Bond mythos because of it.
Sean was the blueprint who balanced his predatory, sexy and suave characterization of Bond with the right elements of wit, escapism, adventure and exoticism, becoming incomparable.
George had the hardest act imaginable to follow, but even with his lack of experience contributed a performance that was both human and raw as Bond’s most tragic hour was depicted, while also providing a brilliant physical energy to the part visible in his stunts.
Roger is the lovable rogue Bond who meets danger with the raise of an eyebrow, reflecting a more vibrant and escapist take on the character that was vital to a time of such unrest in the 70s when escapism was necessary for sanity.
Timothy is the performance-drive thespian whose take on Bond represented one of the most fundamental changes in the series as he tried to capture the essence of Fleming’s novels while the producers were still holding on to the formula of the past, resulting in an interesting mixture of parts.
Pierce is the greatest hits Bond act whose respect for the actors of the past made him aware of what elements worked best in each era, elements which he molded into his own interpretation of the character with a loving respect to who came before that gave us vintage Bond set in modern blockbusters.
And finally, Daniel is the rough and tumble, punch-me-I-bleed Bond that has reinvigorated the series with a return to more character focused adventures, providing a take on the spy that has garnered massive appeal in films that have represented true art with a renewed attention to drama, character, cinematography and theme.
Though we all have our favorites of the six, each wonderful man has their place, and I wanted to take today to celebrate all of them with a few videos each, in which they discuss their time on Bond and what it has meant to them individually. I think it’s a great way to chart the Bond legacy and the lives and impressions of the actors the series has impacted, and that they have impacted in return throughout their immeasurable part in it.
Sean:
This first video of Sean is a rare interview filmed around the time of Goldfinger where Mr. Handsome exchanges thoughts on why Bond was successful, what Fleming brought as a writer and the effect of the character on his own life and work:
Here, on the set of Thunderball in 1965 Sean talks about his life and a recent production of Macbeth he led before reluctantly slipping into Bond when the interviewer presses him to it, an eventuality you can see he is less than enthused by. His reflections are still quite eloquent and his awareness of what is happening to his name because of the character and fame is certain:
Here is some great B-roll footage of Thunderball where Sean, Adolfo Celi and Claudine Auger all rehearse the casino scene as production prepares to shoot, offering a look at some of the lighter moments behind the scenes:
And finally in an interview done alongside the release of Diamonds Are Forever Sean is quite frank about his reasons for returning to the role one last time and his pride in his native land of Scotland come through as he looks to a future without Bond in it, reflecting on his childhood and career as he does it.
George:
For George I’ve selected two videos, the first from a 1970 documentary Q&A with him shot just after departing the role of James Bond where he talks about his experiences on set, and then a piece done on him over thirty years later touching base with what his life had been like post-Bond as he reflects on the role and its impact on him. Both are very human portraits of the man where he strips himself of bravado and answers questions up front with a lot of genuine emotion, showing a wise nature that has grown inside him since his brief moment of fame. The second video is very striking for this reason, especially when he goes on to explain how a near death experience woke him up to how badly he was living his life, providing him with a certain rebirth that allowed him to move on with himself.
Roger:
In the first video for Sir Roger, I’ve selected a compilation of responses he gave for interviewers while he was shooting The Spy Who Loved Me, during which he exudes the charm and wit he has now become a definitive icon for:
In these next two videos an older Roger looks back on his career as Bond to reflect on the good old days, throws in the endearing self-deprecating humor we adore him for and quite poignantly remembers the good friends who’ve passed on before him as he states his stake in faith:
Timothy:
These first two videos featuring Timothy were interviews done while he was shooting and promoting The Living Daylights respectively, where he gives his insight on being Bond and on Fleming’s character.
This next video is probably my favorite one I’ve ever seen of Timothy discussing Bond, because in it he is promoting Licence to Kill and goes off on an eloquent and brilliant deconstruction of Ian Fleming’s Bond and how he had strived to inject the literary character’s spirit into his own interpretation. His love for the books, Fleming’s style and the man’s character is on full display here:
This last video for Timothy is from a BAFTA Bond celebration done for the 40th anniversary of James Bond on the big screen and the release of Die Another Day in tandem, where all the Bonds from George to Pierce were present to speak on the character. Here Timothy is quite lovely in his speech, and near the end of the video he quite movingly comments that he can’t miss Bond because the character and his world has always been a part of him and always will:
Pierce:
This first video for Pierce charts his involvement and development in the series from the very first press conference he gave with a disheveled look for GoldenEye up to his time doing press for Die Another Day, relating impressions on the character and his work throughout:
During the 40th Bond anniversary celebration at the BAFTA awards Pierce reflects on his take on the character, why he thinks Bond is a success and how he brought something to it to continue the legacy of the series:
Lastly, while promoting the 2014 spy film The November Man Pierce looks back on the blessings of Bond and thanks the series for allowing him to do passion projects post-007:
Daniel:
These first two videos featuring Dan are from a feature the British South Bank Show did on the Bond series that was made right along with the release of Quantum of Solace. I like these videos in particular for three reasons. One, we get to hear Daniel share some beautiful thoughts on James Bond and what his feelings were to be a part of it; two, we get to see up-close and personal footage of him doing crazy stunts that I didn’t know he actually did before I watched this the first time, and three, the second video ends with Dan sharing some eloquent and insightful impressions on Ian Fleming in reaction to rereading the novels for the role, offering a final quote about the author and his tempestuous relationship with Bond that I adore.
This next video is from the 2012 Britannia Awards during which Daniel was awarded the title of British Artist of the Year. I enjoy this video because we get to see the kind of person Daniel is, very self-deprecating and humble, as well as full of gratitude and thanks for all that Bond has and continues to give him:
And lastly I wanted to share a video from the Ellen DeGeneres Show here in the states where Daniel quite sweetly entertains a young James Bond fan when she sets the pair up to meet as the actor teaches the lad how to be 007 with wit and frivolity:
I hope you all enjoy these videos and throughout the day relax and enjoy a few of them as we celebrate the spectacular six during this holiday season of remembrance and celebration. They are all a fundamental part of the reason we’re here, stalwart mavericks of a small company who’ve collectively imprinted the world of cinema and world culture forever, while giving indescribable and rich meaning to our own lives. Here’s to them all, with a round of shaken not stirred martinis all around.
XOXOXOXO
Excellent post!
Contributions like these really help me getting through the day.
Thank you.
I don't know the statistics or probability of the odds Bond has faced, but when you consider the massive casting shake-ups, the changing of directors and producers, the legal mishaps and changing ages Bond has had to adapt to for decades to keep alive, it's truly amazing to be anticipating a 25th film in a movie series over fifty years from the first. No other movies will ever do this, ever, for a fact.
Bond is event cinema, the rare character and series next only to maybe Star Wars that can cause this much of a fever, raucous and excitement in the populace, and even Star Wars lacks the style of Bond with its glamour, style, danger, thrills, intrigue, mythos and all the rest that has made it a cultural touchstone. In a modern movie age where films are paced so rapidly with big explosions and CGI they're over before you know it and nearly give you epilepsy as you watch them, Bond still strives to do things for real (sometimes to its detriment budget-wise!) and we still get to anticipate hearing a fresh main Bond song and view a stunning opening title design for each new film, just as in the old days. I don't know of any series that has remained so faithful to its original conception of style and structure the way Bond has with its formula, titles, pre-titles and all the rest, and none with its lasting impact.
Older ages had the Greek gods as their heroes, just as the Vikings had Odin and Thor, the Irish Cú Chulainn and Christians Jesus. We have James Bond.
I really hope that Bond goes for as long as I live. James Bond, fictional though he may be, is one of my heroes.
I believe that is true for James Bond, Batman/Superman Universe and Star Trek.
Maybe for Star Wars too, but in a very limited way.
Seconded.
Great work, and excellent clips. I could listen to Dalton talk about Bond all day.