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You're not a real Bond fan unless...

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Comments

  • TigerTiger
    Posts: 8
    You're a fan of something/someone when you admit you are a fan of such. It doesn't take owning first editions of the books, nor being the first in line to see the new film. You are what you are when you want to be.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Tiger wrote:
    You're a fan of something/someone when you admit you are a fan of such. It doesn't take owning first editions of the books, nor being the first in line to see the new film. You are what you are when you want to be.

    Yeah but when something is so far removed from what it was originally conceived of in the first place then just what are you a fan of precisely?
  • VeryBondVeryBond
    Posts: 306
    Unless two of the films in the series piss you off.
  • TheBondFanTheBondFan
    Posts: 822
    VeryBond wrote:
    Unless two of the films in the series piss you off.

    FRWL and GF

    Just kidding.

    I actually kind of do not agree with that one. I for one know several Die-Hard Bond fans that love QOS and DAD for the good parts they had. I do not, but I do not think that this is a good criteria.

    007
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    You're not a Bond fan until you've bought a real Aston Martin DB5…and tricked it up, of course!
    Or maybe you just like the films, and the books, and the games, and buy anything Bond related…
  • identigraphidentigraph
    Posts: 1,052
    Surely if someone is in to Bond in anyway, books, films, whatever, that makes thema fan, and if someone thinks Die Another Day is the greatest Bond film ever that doesn't make them less of a fan, no need for fandom snobbery.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    There are two types of fan I tend to recognise. The bandwagon, and the long-haul. Pretty self explanatory really. The bandwagon books tickets for the opening night so they can tell everyone, the long-haul does it because they simply cannot wait a second longer. The bandwagon's love wanes between movies and they flirt with other fads, the long-haul is still watching or reading Bond throughout the year and still appreciating it like the first time. The difference isn't how much you spend or how much you know, it's the time you invest. If you find you are consistently immersed in the world of Bond out of personal choice then you're probably more than just a 'fan'. However, this has to be something that satisfies you, not as a tool to prove you're status. Only you know in your heart what you think about Bond and that's all that really matters.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    A fan is a fan is a fan. A fan by any other name would smell as sweet.

    You're not a real Bond fan unless ... you know his first name.

    You're not a real Bond fan unless ... at least once in your life you order a martini, shaken not stirred.

    You're not a real Bond fan unless ... you can talk about Pussy Galore with a straight face.
  • thelordflasheartthelordflasheart
    Posts: 1,370
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    This whole argument is pointless. If you like any media with Bond apart of it, whether it is the novels, the films, or the games, who cares? You are a fan then, and are no lesser one than anyone else, no matter how die hard they are.

    Agreed completely. To me, the whole point of the "real fan" discussion is for people to reassure themselves that they are the "real" fans and that other people are not. It's a way of trying to claim ownership over something or prove superiority. We used to get into arguments about this when I was a kid - me and my friend said that we were the "real" Bond fans because we loved Connery and hated Moore, other kids said that they were the "real" Bond fans because they liked the current films (starring Moore) and hated the "old" films because they were dated and out-of-style.

    Really, if you like the character of Bond and any of the media that he appears in then of course you're a "Bond fan". I was actually embarrassed to see someone going off on a rant in another thread about how someone who didn't agree with him wasn't a Bond fan but was only a fan of "Craig, your wannabe lover". Seriously? I say this in all honesty, and having learned the lesson myself - if these are the kind of things that you need to say and believe to make yourself feel important or special then your life is extremely...limited. Let's all be friends and support each other in our difference of opinion. Fifty years of films, 6 different actors, different novelists, video games...there's no way that we'll ever all agree on what is "real" or not so let's all agree that we enjoy James Bond.

  • MartinBondMartinBond Trying not to muck it up again
    Posts: 860
    I have to admit that I haven't read all the novels yet. The only ones I have are the old pan books and the dutch translations from the 50's using 50's vocabulary, so you get the picture ;) As I just had my wisdom teeth removed I plan on watching a few movies and start reading again, picking up where I left Casino Royale.
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    I feel that you're not a real Bond fan unless you've read at least one Fleming book and seen at least one Connery movie.
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    edited July 2012 Posts: 12,837
    Agent007391 wrote:
    I feel that you're not a real Bond fan unless you've read at least one Fleming book and seen at least one Connery movie.

    By that logic though, I wasn't a fan until 2006 (when I read CR, and I probably wouldn't have done if it wasn't for the film being released at that time), even though I got into Bond when TLD came out and I saw it at the cinema.

    Thinking about it now, I'm with Brady on this one.
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    This whole argument is pointless. If you like any media with Bond apart of it, whether it is the novels, the films, or the games, who cares? You are a fan then, and are no lesser one than anyone else, no matter how die hard they are.
  • MartinBondMartinBond Trying not to muck it up again
    Posts: 860
    Come to think of it, you sort-of have 2 categories, the fans, like my dad, who knows the make and model of every main bond-car, ant the bond-nuts, the walking encyclopedia's, the people who know the licence plate of those cars as well.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    MartinBond wrote:
    the people who know the licence plate of those cars as well.

    I lost a girl once because of this.
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    You're not a real Bond fan until you have seen all 22 movies, and come November, all 23 movies. I think this alone can basically sum up the entire thread. If you haven't read any of the novels, I say who cares! The world of 007 is more well-known and popular with the movies anyway, so don't concern yourself with the books if you don't want to. Also, and even though I myself am probably the biggest fan of the Bond games around here, I'll say that you don't have to have played one of the games either. Strictly the whole movie series will do, I think, as far as determining one's Bond fanship.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    00Beast wrote:
    If you haven't read any of the novels, I say who cares!

    I'm guessing you're quite young. Without them there is no Bond, simple. You don't have to read them but show some respect.

  • SirHenryLeeChaChingSirHenryLeeChaChing
    edited July 2012 Posts: 3,494
    MartinBond wrote:
    Come to think of it, you sort-of have 2 categories, the fans, like my dad, who knows the make and model of every main bond-car, and the bond-nuts, the walking encyclopedia's, the people who know the licence plate of those cars as well.

    I would definitely be the bolded.
    RC7 wrote:
    00Beast wrote:
    If you haven't read any of the novels, I say who cares!

    I'm guessing you're quite young. Without them there is no Bond, simple. You don't have to read them but show some respect.

    I'm used to it. He's 15 or so, one year older than my daughter. She has lots of left field thoughts like that too. All we can try to do is keep teaching him. Who knows, one day, he might actually like GF and OHMSS better than #21 and #22 ;)
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    RC7 wrote:
    00Beast wrote:
    If you haven't read any of the novels, I say who cares!

    I'm guessing you're quite young. Without them there is no Bond, simple. You don't have to read them but show some respect.

    I'm not sure just quite how young you're thinking, but I am 16. I have read Moonraker and am in the process of reading Goldfinger, so I do show that respect, haha. I'm just saying that I don't think it is of utmost importance as a Bond fan to read the books. I find the movies to be of more necessary priority.
  • SirHenryLeeChaChingSirHenryLeeChaChing
    Posts: 3,494
    Hey now, happy 16th Beast, whenever that was.

    The books are very important. Glad to see you're reading them. You should see some good similarities between novel Moonraker and your fave movie GE.
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    SirHenryLeeChaChing wrote:
    Hey now, happy 16th Beast, whenever that was.

    The books are very important. Glad to see you're reading them. You should see some good similarities between novel Moonraker and your fave movie GE.

    That I did, what with Drax's plan of vengeance against the people of London and all. And thank you, it was in March! Haha.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    00Beast wrote:
    You're not a real Bond fan until you have seen all 22 movies, and come November, all 23 movies. I think this alone can basically sum up the entire thread. If you haven't read any of the novels, I say who cares! The world of 007 is more well-known and popular with the movies anyway, so don't concern yourself with the books if you don't want to. Also, and even though I myself am probably the biggest fan of the Bond games around here, I'll say that you don't have to have played one of the games either. Strictly the whole movie series will do, I think, as far as determining one's Bond fanship.

    There's the issue. If you forget the novels you lose the semblance of who the character was before the movies in part twisted his characteristics through all the iterations by our 6 actors. The novels should never be forgotten, one because they are great, but more importantly because without them we wouldn't have the films, especially the small few that actually adapt the character of Bond well on to the screen.
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    Agent007391 wrote:
    I feel that you're not a real Bond fan unless you've read at least one Fleming book and seen at least one Connery movie.

    By that logic though, I wasn't a fan until 2006 (when I read CR, and I probably wouldn't have done if it wasn't for the film being released at that time), even though I got into Bond when TLD came out and I saw it at the cinema.

    I'm in a similar boat. I hadn't read any of Fleming's novels until 2008, even though I was introduced to Bond in 1997.
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    00Beast wrote:
    You're not a real Bond fan until you have seen all 22 movies, and come November, all 23 movies. I think this alone can basically sum up the entire thread. If you haven't read any of the novels, I say who cares! The world of 007 is more well-known and popular with the movies anyway, so don't concern yourself with the books if you don't want to. Also, and even though I myself am probably the biggest fan of the Bond games around here, I'll say that you don't have to have played one of the games either. Strictly the whole movie series will do, I think, as far as determining one's Bond fanship.

    There's the issue. If you forget the novels you lose the semblance of who the character was before the movies in part twisted his characteristics through all the iterations by our 6 actors. The novels should never be forgotten, one because they are great, but more importantly because without them we wouldn't have the films, especially the small few that actually adapt the character of Bond well on to the screen.

    I do understand the importance of the novels and how they have shaped the character of 007 onto the movies we now know. I certainly appreciate what has been done with the novels, of course. In short, I guess I'm not much of a reader, haha. I find myself getting very impatient trying to trudge through the pages of a novel.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    00Beast wrote:
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    00Beast wrote:
    You're not a real Bond fan until you have seen all 22 movies, and come November, all 23 movies. I think this alone can basically sum up the entire thread. If you haven't read any of the novels, I say who cares! The world of 007 is more well-known and popular with the movies anyway, so don't concern yourself with the books if you don't want to. Also, and even though I myself am probably the biggest fan of the Bond games around here, I'll say that you don't have to have played one of the games either. Strictly the whole movie series will do, I think, as far as determining one's Bond fanship.

    There's the issue. If you forget the novels you lose the semblance of who the character was before the movies in part twisted his characteristics through all the iterations by our 6 actors. The novels should never be forgotten, one because they are great, but more importantly because without them we wouldn't have the films, especially the small few that actually adapt the character of Bond well on to the screen.

    I do understand the importance of the novels and how they have shaped the character of 007 onto the movies we now know. I certainly appreciate what has been done with the novels, of course. In short, I guess I'm not much of a reader, haha. I find myself getting very impatient trying to trudge through the pages of a novel.
    You just need to find your literary niche. I hated reading too when I was growing up, but now that I have found what interests me as far as genres in books, I find it enjoyable when I have the time and care for it.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    RC7 wrote:
    00Beast wrote:
    If you haven't read any of the novels, I say who cares!

    I'm guessing you're quite young. Without them there is no Bond, simple. You don't have to read them but show some respect.

    Absolutely. Hardly a surprise as 00Beast has some 'controversial' views on a range of subjects but this takes the cake. To completely dismiss the books like that, the little whippersnapper needs a clip round the ear and teaching some respect before he starts issuing his proclamations on what makes a real Bond fan. Thats what happens when you let kids on these forums I guess. I suppose I should be more mature than to let myself rise to his bait but Jesus Christ.

    If you havent read a Fleming novel then you are on extremely shaky ground claiming to be a 'real' Bond fan no matter how many times you have seen the films or played through the games (cant believe we've even reached a point where we are talking about the books and games as if they are equally valid).

    Shaky ground of San Andreas fault proportions actually. After project Mainstrike without May Days intervention.
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    TheWizardOfIce wrote:
    If you havent read a Fleming novel then you are on extremely shaky ground claiming to be a 'real' Bond fan no matter how many times you have seen the films or played through the games

    Like I said before though, that means I wasn't a Bond fan until 2006, and I've loved Bond since TLD came out. And I think @00Beast said he'd read MR or GF now.
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    TheWizardOfIce wrote:
    RC7 wrote:
    00Beast wrote:
    If you haven't read any of the novels, I say who cares!

    I'm guessing you're quite young. Without them there is no Bond, simple. You don't have to read them but show some respect.

    Absolutely. Hardly a surprise as 00Beast has some 'controversial' views on a range of subjects but this takes the cake. To completely dismiss the books like that, the little whippersnapper needs a clip round the ear and teaching some respect before he starts issuing his proclamations on what makes a real Bond fan. Thats what happens when you let kids on these forums I guess. I suppose I should be more mature than to let myself rise to his bait but Jesus Christ.

    If you havent read a Fleming novel then you are on extremely shaky ground claiming to be a 'real' Bond fan no matter how many times you have seen the films or played through the games (cant believe we've even reached a point where we are talking about the books and games as if they are equally valid).

    Shaky ground of San Andreas fault proportions actually. After project Mainstrike without May Days intervention.

    I have read Moonraker all the way through and am working on Goldfinger right now, as a matter of fact. I don't understand where it came to be that in order to be a Bond fan you absolutely must have read a novel or two, like it's rule #1 in the Bond Handbook or something. I would believe that the movies are of more importance, since they've had more of an impact. As for the games, I think they are better than the novels on the sheer basis of enjoyment, but I'm sure you'll find fault with my statements on this particular point, so I'll go no further than that. I did not "dismiss" the books as you said, I just stated that it doesn't matter to me whether or not one has read the novels; I know their importance to the series, and of course I do have respect for them (even though they're just books, I don't know why I should have to have respect) but in my opinion the movies are what really got things going. Also, I thought the forum was for all people of all ages?
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    00Beast wrote:
    I don't understand where it came to be that in order to be a Bond fan you absolutely must have read a novel or two, like it's rule #1 in the Bond Handbook or something......
    .....As for the games, I think they are better than the novels on the sheer basis of enjoyment

    Ah, the folly of youth.

    Dont worry 00Beast we are all allowed to make fools of ourselves in our formative years. When you look back on yourself as a kid in 20 years you will both laugh and cringe at these comments.

    Go out and enjoy yourself while you can - shag loads of birds, get drunk with your mates etc. etc for it will all soon be over and the only thing that compensates you for your lost youth is the wisdom and experience of age.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,959
    I really don't see the point of this thread. Nobody should be the one to tell someone else if they are or aren't a fan of something.

    Granted, take the 'Twilight' series, for instance: I hate it. Now, if I was a self-proclaimed 'fan' after you read that first sentence, I would obviously be lying and you could call me out on it. But, I'm not going to flaunt being a fan of something that I hate. If someone who had never heard of the world of James Bond rented a Bond film, watched it, loved it, and considered his/herself a fan, then that's what they are: a fan. There's no checklist.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    edited July 2012 Posts: 9,117
    Creasy47 wrote:
    If someone who had never heard of the world of James Bond rented a Bond film, watched it, loved it, and considered his/herself a fan, then that's what they are: a fan. There's no checklist.

    Well the thread is titled 'real fan' not just 'fan'.

    A person who watches the odd Bond film when its on telly can call themselves a 'fan' but they are a casual fan in my book not a real fan. My gran will watch a Bond film when its on and likes Rog best but thats where her knowledge ends. Does that make her a 'real' fan?

    I agree with you that this whole concept is largely down to one upmanship and people trying to say 'my dick is bigger than yours' but its also about respect both for the character and material and for other people for whom something is very important.

    I like Batman, both the new films and a bit of Adam West, but I have never read a Batman comic book. I would never dream to be so presumptuous as to say I am on the same level as fans who have read all the comics and know Batman lore inside out. These people have invested much more of their time and effort in the character than me so their point of view is more valid than mine. For all I know, saying you like Adam West in the role might be heresy in the Batman community, hence although I would class myself as a 'casual' fan I would never claim that I am a 'real' fan or that all fans are on an equal footing.

    To disregard Flemings books as flippantly as 00Beast does seem to me to betray a lack of interest in the character.

    Its a bit like karate or judo in terms or reaching certain belt colours. You could reach a certain level of competence to call yourself a karate expert and get say a red belt (sorry not a fan (even casual) of karate so have no idea what this colour signifies) but to reach black belt you would need to take it to that extra level of dedication.

    For me, in order for someone to rise to be a Bond black belt a thorough knowledge of Fleming is mandatory.
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