Whenever we have a guest on the podcast we always begin by asking them our list of 007 Quickfire Questions. Whether they’re a Lazenby lover or a Daniel devotee, whether they’re a Goldfinger groupie or they’re Moonraker mad, these questions are a great way to get a solid snapshot of everybody’s tastes in Bond. Now that we’ve been around discussing the world of Bond for a while we thought it was about time we took our own test.
Feel free to leave a comment below and let us know your answers too!
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CHRIS
Favourite Bond Film?
For me there have been five Bond films that have stood on this hallowed pinnacle of Bond stardom. The original, and still a firm favourite, is Thunderball. This is the Bond film I have undoubtedly watched more than any of the others. In fact, I really couldn’t estimate how many times I’ve seen it. It has always been my Dad’s favourite Bond film after he went to see it in the cinema in ’65 and I guess I appreciated it’s glossy, exotic and adventurous feel in equal measure. I remember countless times going to the local swimming pool and re-enacting any number of underwater scenes from the film and it still holds a dear place in my heart. I even went dressed as Bond from Thunderball in primary school when I was 6 years old and did a talk in front of everyone in assembly… if only I could find the photo!! (P.S. It was fancy dress day, I wasn’t the only one dressed up!)
I believe Goldfinger was my next number one Bond. A film that has absolutely everything in a Bond that you want and without doubt scores the highest number of iconic scenes in any one film in the series ~ Goldfinger, OddJob, Pussy Galore, glittering Jill Masterson, DB5, Golf game, laser scene, Fort Knox… the list is endless. It quite clearly set the standard and continues to do so.
Hot on the heels of Goldfinger came From Russia with Love. In my younger years I didn’t have as much respect for this film as I do today. The script is complex but infallible and holds some extremely classy moments which Connery throws down with his usual effortless swagger. In Grant and Klebb we have two of the best psychotic villains in the series and the Bond vs Grant train fight is simply breathtaking. For me this film is right up there.
My next choice was probably the fifth film that held the title of my favourite Bond and has, in recent years, often swapped places with the fourth film to gain the hotspot which also happens to be my current number one title holder. It is, of course, Casino Royale. This film got so many things right on so many levels and literally just writing about it is giving me a tingly feeling all over. The characterisation in this film is expertly portrayed and it seems to have such a perfect balance between action, drama, humour, emotion and intelligence. It was a reboot that actually worked and not just worked but excelled beyond expectation. Already I can’t wait until the next time I watch it!
However, my current number one James Bond film is so brilliant it’s a wonder I don’t have it playing on eternal loop whenever I’m in the house. It’s one of the few that I didn’t have on VHS when I was younger and I’d love to think what a 6 year version of me would’ve thought about watching it for the first time. Currently, the best James Bond film for me is the utterly enthralling On Her Majesties Secret Service. The respect I’ve got for that film is immense! It is the most hard-hitting of all the Bonds, has the best action sequences, the best soundtrack, the best Bond girl in Tracey Di Vicenzo, a classy villain in Telly Savalas’s Blofeld, great humour, my favourite Bond location, a bevy of Bond beauties, an Aston Martin, a great ally in Draco and a fabulous portrayal of Bond by Lazenby. (If only he’d made more!) It is also supremely close to the Fleming novel which helps to elevate it to another level. Not to mention the fact that it holds the mantle as the best Christmas film ever made, closely followed by Die Hard, Home Alone and It’s a Wonderful Life!
As for the future, who knows? But right at this moment OHMSS gets me more excited than any other Bond film and ultimately gets my vote! J
Favourite Bond Book?
This is an interesting question as I’m soon to embark on a Fleming Bond-athon over the coming months so it will be interesting to see if my decision changes at all after going through them again. For now though, I’d have to go with From Russia with Love. I loved the fact that so much attention was paid to the character of Grant and how the inevitable matchup between Bond and Grant turned into one hell of a showdown. I thought this was one of Fleming’s cleverest Bond novels. Tatiana Romanova was a fantastic Bond girl and the ending of Bond possibly dead from Klebb’s poisoned shoe was inspired.
Other notable mentions go to Casino Royale, Moonraker and On Her Majesties Secret Service. All three of the above are first class thrillers and Fleming’s writing seems to shine while reading them.
Favourite Bond Girl?
Wow this is a tricky question! I guess you could come at it from a couple of angles. Are we asking who is our favourite Bond Girl based entirely on who we find attractive or who is our favourite Bond Girl based solely on their actual character in the film? If we go for the former I’m a big fan of: Honey Ryder, Tanya Romanova, Pussy Galore, Domino, Fiona Volpe, Solitaire, Naomi, Corrine Dufour, Lupe Lamora, Xenia Onatopp, Elektra King, Miranda Frost, Vesper Lynd, Camille and Severine… which is quite a few really!!
And if we’re talking about the latter I’d have to say my top choices would be Pussy Galore, Tracey Di Vicenzo and Vesper Lynd.
Hmm, I’m aware this is far from a straight answer so more specifically I will try to narrow it down to two (or possibly three or maybe four), which is a supremely difficult job!
My favourite Bond Girl for being the best match for Bond and ultimately the best Bond Girl character in the series is, without doubt, Tracey Di Vicenzo from OHMSS. The fact she is an equal for Bond and can fight, drive, ski, skate, handle a gun, is intelligent, independent, complex, strong, and loving leaves her head and shoulders above the rest and Diana Rigg is superb in the role.
Based purely on who gets my blood flowing the most, I’m going to have to opt for a triple hitter of Fiona Volpe, whose honey trap claws could have tempted me any time!! (Without a doubt one of the best villainesses in the series), her fellow onscreen Bond Girl, Claudine Auger, who had one of the sexiest smiles in the series and Pussy Galore for whom I would keep playing it easy all day long!!
Favourite James Bond Actor?
For me, my favourite Bond actor has never changed throughout my life as a Bond fan. Although I grew up in the 80s the Bond I saw most, who in my eyes will never be surpassed, was Sean Connery. That man was, and possibly still is, the coolest man on the planet. “He was the original and the best” is a quote often used but in this case it’s 100% accurate.
Sean installed in the character of Bond an animal-like menace, the likes of which has not been seen since. His Bond was a sadistic brute who moved incredibly well, always looked self assured and exuded the epitome of suave coolness. He could pull off every aspect of the character that we’ve come to know and love… he was extremely solid in a fight, had his way with the ladies, was effortlessly sophisticated, and humourous and witty when required. Of all the actors who have played Bond, Connery had ‘it’ more than any other… the type of charisma that very few people in the world come close to.
In joint second place comes each of the other actors to have played James Bond. Depending on my mood on any given day I will always be up for watching George, Roger, Tim, Pearce and Danny Boy and love them all in their own right. Each of them has their strengths which help to keep the series varied and entertaining, but for me, Connery just had everything in the right amount!
Earliest Memory of Bond?
I guess I don’t have any one particular memory, rather a blur of memories from my Bond youth. I happened upon the Bond films thanks to my Dad at a young age of perhaps four or five and remember watching them frequently on the sofa with a big smile on my face. Thunderball is the strongest in my memory but I also remember the flying car while watching TMWTGG at my Gran’s when I was about 7 or 8 but by then I was already well into my Bond.
It is a bit of a shame that I can’t remember a particular moment in time when I got hooked on Bond. A lot of people seem to have that trigger moment but for me I guess I always have been a fan and can’t remember otherwise. Although I do remember lying in bed on frequent occasions in my youth re-enacting Bond’s Acrostar manoeuvres to a T from Octopussy… hmm, perhaps it’s time for another go!
Location you’d love to visit?
This is a very easy question to answer. By far the Bond location I’d most like to visit is Piz Gloria! There are numerous reasons why, including: the fact that the location is pretty much still the same as it is in the film, that it is seen extensively in the film, that OHMSS is currently my favourite bond film and that I’m a huge fan of snow and snowboarding and would love to ride down from the summit with John Barry’s killer tune playing in my ears!
I’ve managed to visit quite a few locations myself including Guincho beach from the OHMSS pretitles and the Karnak Temple in Egypt from TSWLM, both of which were immense, but the location that I got the biggest buzz from so far was Istanbul and its various locations in FRWL especially, TWINE and SF!
Favourite scene in the series?
I could easily write for hours upon hours about all the amazing scenes that have been depicted throughout the series and trying to scale those down to one in every film or even to a top ten would be a mighty challenge. Some of the ones that spring to mind are the cliff parachute jump from Spy, the laser scene from Goldfinger, the death of Tracey in OHMSS, the shooting of Mr White and follow up remark in CR, the shooting of Professor Dent in DN and the KGB attack on the Blayden Safehouse in TLD, to name a few.
There is one scene, however, which I think epitomises the sheer coolness of Bond that will never be topped. It could be said to be the most important scene in film history and undoubtedly holds the most famous line in film history. It is, of course, Bond’s introduction in Dr No. Bond has never looked better in the series than in this moment and they way he is introduced at the casino is the same way Fleming introduced Bond when he first put pen to paper. Whenever I watch that scene I feel an electric shiver which makes my hairs stand on end and reminds me why I love Bond so much!
Most Bondian thing you’ve ever done?
Hmm… this is an interesting question. From an action point of view I guess the closest I’ve come is snowboarding across a mini lake/pond like Bond in AVTAK.
I’ve also walked back-to-back into a pretty female counterpart around the pillars of Karnak temple a la TSWLM which was pretty cool.
One that I’d love to do is to re-enact Bond’s offer of a pair of shoes to Fiona while she’s in the bath… one day maybe! J
More about Chris…
On the rare occasions when Chris is on downtime from doing something Bond-related he likes to be in the outdoors, preferably jumping around like a madman or finding whatever patch of snow he can to slide down. His other hobbies include writing, working on films and crafting To Do lists!
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TOM
Favourite Bond Film?
Before starting this podcast my answer would have been Casino Royale. After going deep on the Bond series so far, my firm favourite is On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. I think George makes a great Bond and would have been even better had he come back for more.
Diana Rigg makes an awesome Bond Girl who isn’t there purely to provide walking cleavage. Compared to all the other Bond girls of the era, she’s the only one by a country mile who had the strength of character to truly make Bond fall for her.
I almost feel like Tracy was the true female counterpart to Bond. Had he not joined the navy and ended up in the secret service, part of me wonders whether he’d have spent his time bored wandering the casinos of the world and getting into mischief.
The score is an absolute work of genius. It’s my all time favourite from the opening theme, to the raid on Piz Gloria, to the most romantic song ever made, We Have All The Time In The World.
I find the majority of casual Bond fans just don’t give George a chance. There’s a common misconception that he only did one film because it flopped and they fired him. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The film was a success, though admittedly not matching up to Connery’s peak. The producers repeatedly offered him deals to come back but he refused them all. What I’d give to see Diamonds Are Forever starring George!
The more I think about this film, the more I learn about it and the more I watch it, the more I love it. If you’ve doubted George in the past, put all your preconceptions aside and give it another try…preferably after reading Charles Helfenstein’s awesome book ‘The Making of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.’
Favourite Bond Book?
I would have to say Casino Royale with Majesty’s following closely behind. For some reason, when it feels like it’s time to read some Fleming, I usually gravitate towards Casino. I think it’s amazing how Fleming makes something as potentially dry and boring as a card game truly gripping throughout. The super dark ending really sets the scene for what comes later too. I feel if you only ever read one Bond book, it should be this one.
If I had to choose a least favourite, my vote would have to go with Diamonds Are Forever. Despite how great the first book is, I feel like Fleming was still finding his feet a little over the first few books. The plot doesn’t really stand out and (with the exception of Wint & Kidd), there aren’t many memorable characters, least of all the villains. I’m guessing that’s why we’ve never seen a Spang in any of the movies. Once Diamonds is out of the way, it’s classic after classic all the way home!
Favourite Bond Girl?
Oh my goodness me…this is an extremely difficult question. I would have to create 2 categories here. The first would be based on strength of character and the second…would be based purely on looks.
The strength of character award goes to:
Tracy Di Vicenzo
While being the only Bond girl capable of getting Bond to settle down, she also stands up on her own two feet pretty well. Not only does she rescue Bond after his escape from Piz Gloria showing off some pretty awesome driving skills while she does it, she also packs a pretty mean punch. Instead of sitting back and waiting for Bond to come rescue her from Blofeld, she takes on Gunther in hand to hand combat and beats him! There aren’t too many Bond girls capable of that.
The runner up prize goes to Vesper Lynd, the Bond girl who ALMOST got Bond to settle down.
Moving on to the second category, the stunningly beautiful awards go to:
Honey Ryder
Domino
Solitaire
Elektra King
Camile
Severine
I think I better leave it there before this descends into a mess of primal grunting and dribbling.
Favourite James Bond Actor?
There is no competition with The Connery. As we’ve mentioned in the podcast before, Sean ticks every single box needed to play the perfect Bond. He’s got the looks, he’s got the charisma, he’s got that ladies man smoothness, he’s got the physicality and he’s got the commanding presence. While the other actors are all truly great, they each tend to leave one or two of those boxes unticked.
In truth, I love every single Bond actor like they were my own family. I love how chauvinistic and witty Roger is, even if I’m more of a fan of the darker, grittier Bonds. I love George even though he’d never acted before and only stuck around for one film. I love Timothy for being quite possibly the deadliest Bond, despite having the worst haircut in the whole series in Licence to Kill. I adore Pierce because he was MY Bond. At 13 years old Goldeneye came along at just the right moment to catapult me from Bond fan, to super-fan and I love Daniel because he took Bond to new places it so desperately needed to go. I salute each and every one of them.
Earliest Memory of Bond?
With my older brother being a hardcore fan, Bond was always a part of my life from the word go. I can’t possibly remember my first exposure to Bond because it feels like he was always there. What I do remember, however is my fandom going into overdrive with the release of Goldeneye. I went to see that film 7 times at the cinema, sadly most of those were on my own, but I loved every minute of it. I simply couldn’t get enough. I started combing my hair like The Brosnan and doing everything in my power to come off as smooth and suave…though in reality I probably ended up just looking like a dickhead.
Location you’d love to visit?
I’ve been lucky enough to visit a fair few Bond locations in my time, including James Bond Island, in Thailand, The Ocean Club in The Bahamas, most of the London spots and even Pinewood Studios itself but the main one on my list is Piz Gloria. With my undying love and devotion for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, making it up the Schilthorn would be an absolute dream come true.
Ideally, I’d learn to ski first, so I could don my blue ski suit with white goggles and pretend I was escaping Blofeld and his goons on the way home.
Favourite scene in the series?
Believe it or not, this question is easy for me. No matter how many classic, iconic scenes there are throughout Bond history there is one scene that gives me chills down my spine whenever it comes to mind. What is that scene?
“Mr. White? We need to talk.”
THHHWWWWACK!
*Bond theme creeps out of the background and we see Bond’s feet step into shot*
“The name’s Bond…James Bond.”
I think it’s amazing how after so many films they made the ultimate line so fresh and exciting. Over the series you could be forgiven for thinking the “Bond…James Bond’s” were just shoe horned in for the sake of it. Casino Royale turned that on it’s head and made it the climax to the entire film. Excellent work, Mr. Campbell!
Most Bondian thing you’ve ever done?
Hmmm…I would have to say travelling to James Bond Island in Thailand. Rather than overcoming the world’s greatest assassin I spent my time running around with a camera doing my best to reproduce the camera angles from TMWTGG. Not quite as cool, eh?
More about Tom…
When Tom’s not spending all day in front of the mirror saying “The name’s Bond, James Bond” to himself over and over, he can be found making dirty, filthy, blues music at
Tom Sears Music.
You can also follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
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So JBR listeners, let’s hear your answers to the 007 Quickfire Questions in the comments below…
60 Responses
Ah yes – OHMSS. Not wanting to be ( too ) pedantic, but the pre-titles were shot on Guincho beach were they not ?
Indeed they were 😉
I went there last year – stayed in Cascais, also visited the casino at Esyoril and the Palacio Hotel. Smashing.
1. Favorite Bond film? Have to go with From Russia, With Love. Of all the Bond films, this is the one I’ve probably watched the most. There’s a great blend of Fleming’s original material and Cubby and Saltzman’s theatricality. Even though the Bond formula doesn’t get perfected till Goldfinger, FRWL is really Bond at his best.
2. Favorite Bond Book? For book, I’m going with On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. You can sense Fleming has really matured as a writer. The book is perfectly balanced with action sequences and a much deeper exploration of Bond as a character. When the story gets to Piz Gloria, there is always a constant underlying tension that Bond’s cover is going to be blown while trapped at the top of a mountain. Some of Fleming’s best work as a storyteller.
3. Favorite Bond Girl? Diana Rigg as Tracy. Of all the Bond Girls, Tracy has the most interesting back story and probably the most complex and emotionally deep relationship with Bond. They challenge each other in their relationship. She is not there simply to be a love interest, or give Bond some convenient help, and be discarded. She also has the most interesting of dramatic arcs of the Bond girls. A troubled girl, who is challenged by Bond, develops true feelings for him, finds herself and happiness only to lose her life. For these same reasons, Eva Green as Vesper Lynd comes in a very close second on my favorite Bond Girl’s list.
4. Favorite James Bond Actor? Sean Connery, of course. There’s a quote in the TV show Archer, “Do you not see me rocking this chiseled slab of hard man body? I mean, come on. Are you gay or not?” Yeah, that about sums up Connery for me.
5. Earliest Memory of Bond? My earliest memory of Bond is not the films or the books, but a Saturday morning cartoon show called “James Bond, Jr.” For those of you who have never seen it, “James Bond, Jr.” was a spinoff where the main character was 007’s nephew, also named James Bond. In fact, his catchphrase was, “The name’s Bond. James Bond…junior.” I remember watching this show every Saturday morning as a kid. I’ve rewatched some of those shows now as an adult, and I have to admit it is goofy and corny as all hell. Even the main voice actor’s attempt at a British accent is pretty cringeworthy.
6. Location you’d live to visit? Of course, Pinewood. But if I have to pick a foreign location, Monte Carlo. I just want to stroll into the casino there in a black tuxedo and play some high stakes baccarat as if it’s just another day at the office.
7. Favorite scene in the series? Favorite scene is, hands down, the train fight between Bond and Grant in From Russia, With Love. No music, no obvious choreographed punches or special martial arts moves. Just two men in an all out grapple and brawl trying to kill each other. The background sound of the train wheels and air whooshing past only add to the realism. Gives me goosebumps every time. Perfectly filmed.
8. Most Bondian thing you’ve ever done? I have a Bond moment and Bond villain moment. For my Bond moment, I was driving home after a pretty heavy rainstorm when I hit patch of water and started aquaplaning. The car drifted. The passenger sitting next to me screamed. I don’t know how I did it, but I kept my cool, came out of the drift, and kept on driving at the same speed as if I had been a car stuntman my whole life. I just looked over to my passenger and said, “I love a drive in the country, don’t you?”
My villain moment came during rehearsals for a play I was directing. I was already having issues with one of my actors acting like a prima donna, but this day he was at his worst. It was all jokes and no work and I was getting fed up. Finally, the actor made a joke at my expense, gathering some laughter from the rest of the cast. I just dropped my voice and said as menacingly as I could, “Choose your next witticism carefully. It may be your last.” Everyone stopped talking, including our prima donna. We finished the rehearsal without incident, albeit everyone was struck with a new sense of fear. People in the theater still talk about “the night Jeff got really pissed off,” but I don’t think anyone had picked up the reference.
Loving those Bond moments!
1) I love the classic ones. I watched them pretty much in order and they kept getting better and better. Dr No is just an awesome hard boiled and exotic spy thriller. From Russia With Love was the perfect second one and then there was Goldfinger, that’s the one that really captured my imagination. Thunderball is also a masterpiece. And than You Only Live Twice was up and that was the one that cemented my fandom. Loved the mystique of Japan and the fact that Roald Dahl wrote the screenplay is just awesome. The work of Ken Adam made quite an impression. And things even got better with On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. All the films have their charm, but there’s just something magical about the first 6.
2) probably On Her Majesty’s Secret Service as it is the strongest Bond story. But also Casino Royale, Live And Let Die and Moonraker are among my favorites. The Living Daylights is my favorite short story. I also love the John Gardner continuation novels, the first Bond novels I read. They’re good and clever sequels. Win, Lose or Die is probably my favorite. Also have to mention John Pearson’s Authorized Biography, because that’s where I really ‘got’ the appeal of James Bond as a literary character. I also recommend Samantha Weinberg’s Moneypenny Diaries. A really compelling spinoff trilogy.
3) Tracy comes up immediately. Both the literary character and the movie version. But there are so many memorable heroines in the Bond canon. It’s hard to pick one as a favorite.
4) I love them all, but Sean Connery was just the perfect incarnation of Fleming’s hero. There’s a physicality and a coolness there that’s never quite replicated. Daniel Craig comes close. But my second favorite is Roger Moore, because he’s (well) Roger Moore.
5) I remember that my mom asked me if I wanted to see a Bond film. I must have been 8 or 9, then in the late 80s. I vaguely heard of James Bond, but really didn’t know anything about him. The first one was Goldfinger and I felt right in with the amazing opening sequence. loved it. The weeks after I watched Thunderball and with You Only Live Twice my faith was sealed. I was a bona fide Bond fan from then on. And it even got better when I saw On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
6) I went to see all the Bond locations in Istanbul. And I remember that I HAD to go to the Prater Park when I was in Vienna, as I loved that location in The Living Daylights. A couple of months ago I was in Rome where I just had to find the locations from Ian Fleming’s Risico. The Via Veneto is amazingly beautiful. Piz Gloria is high on the list for the next one.
7) there are so many but probably Bonds escape from Piz Gloria. That was an awesome moment.
8) hmmm, have to think about that one…
1, in no particular order as it changes daily. Casino (my usual number one). The Living daylights. Goldfinger and The spy who loved me.
2, Casino and the spy who loved me (as its a bit different).
3, Vespa by miles and miles. STUNNING!! Notable mentions go to Stacy Sutton, Camile, Pam Bouvier and Natalia Smonova. Not an Ursula fan and can’t stand Rigg
4, Dalton. As he was my first. Love how he is just nails. Danny boy and Sean obviously come close second.
5, earliest memory was going to watch The Living daylights at the flicks. I was hooked instantly. The cargo net fight is one of my favourites in the series.
6, as a skier I would love to visit Piz Gloria. one day soon! Will be going to James bond island in Thailand when I go in November.
7, the opening sequence to Spy who loved me is just amazing. Also love the Alan partridge version of it!
8, skiing on one leg with the bond theme on my iPod. I look stupid but feel cool doing this. I say ‘everything except for the interruption’ every time a waiter asks if my food is ok. I once lit a woman’s cigarette as I walked past her as she was looking for her lighter. Could imagine Sean doing that!
That’s my short and sweet effort. Cheers guys. Love the show!
Phill
1. As of right now I would have to say Goldfinger because it has all of the aspects you want in a Bond film. Although I watched Moonraker a lot because I was a huge fan of Jaws (RIP Richard Kiel) and there was something about that movie that made me want to watch it over and over again. I would also put Goldeneye as a close second because I think that is one of the most underrated Bond films. I love Pierce’s Bond and that movie has a lot of great action sequences and a lot of quality lines. I am also a fan of seeing Bond interact with the other 00’s which is something I hope they bring back in future Bond films.
2. I have not gotten too much into the books as much as I want to. I am currently reading the 4th Young Bond book and I am hoping to finish those then move on to the Ian Fleming novels. At this moment if I had to pick one to be my favorite I would have to say Silverfin.
3. Like you guys said I will have to put these into two different categories. The most attractive Bond girl would be a tough pick but my top 5 would be Ursula Andress, Jane Seymour, Kristina Wayborn, Denise Richards, and Eva Green. For my favorite Bond girl as far as character I think Diana Rigg as Tracy easily takes the cake. She is a perfect match for Bond because she is smart, attractive, and has driving and skiing skills!
4. Love them all but you have to go with Sir Sean Connery. He brought Bond to the movies and he had everything you want in a Bond. He had the looks, the voice, the power of walking into any room and being the badass of that room, the charm with the ladies (although it was sometimes almost rape), the humor, and the ability to look good in action sequences. There won’t be another one like him but I still love the others.
5. Probably watching Bond on TV with my dad. He is the reason I got into it, I remember my best Christmas gift ever was when I got the James Bond Collection on DVD. The first James Bond movie that I owned was Die Another Day (Tom I’m sure you’re jealous about that), the first Bond I watched in the theaters was Casino Royale when I was 11. I remember going to the movie theater and the ticket guy asked me how old I was because it was a PG-13 movie and I lied and told him I was 13 and I remember feeling like such a badass at the time for it. Needless to say I saw Casino Royale multiple times and that really kick started my love for Bond.
6. It would depend on the time of year. Since it is cold as balls here in Iowa this time of year I would love to visit someplace warm like the Bahamas or Venice. My friend has been to Venice and has told me about all the Bond locations there and it made me very jealous and it is a very nice place besides the Bond locations so I’m sure it would do good for a nice vacation. If it was summer then I would have to say some place cold like Piz Gloria so I could enjoy a nice Ski!
7. So many to choose from! I always get chills during every scene which they say Bond, James Bond so those would have to be my favorite.
8. Growing up I use to have air soft gun wars versus my friends we then eventually moved up to going paintballing so there were many Bond moments during those wars where I would be sneaking around in a forest with the Bond theme playing in my head as I was hunting down somebody to shoot.
Hey guys, first I just wanted to say that I love your podcasts and I am truly impressed with the knowledge and passion you each possess on everything Bond. Now on with the quiz.
1. Casino Royale very narrowly beating out OHMSS and Goldfinger. The main reason is that everything I have wanted to happen in a Bond film (but hasn’t yet) actually occurred in this film. To be more specific, these are my reasons for picking Casino over the others.
(1) Bond was truly human and displayed vulnerability
(2) Bond was in true danger (Being poisoned and being tortured)
(3) It had one of the best Bond girls ever in Vesper Lynd (absolutely loved the banter in their initial scene on the train and the scene in which Bond comforts her in the shower is one of the best dramatic scenes in the series – great track by David Arnold)
(4) The opening scene with the Parkour showdown is easily one of the best in the entire series,
(5) The scene where Craig first puts on the tux Vesper got for him and the Bond motif is queued,
(6) I liked the changed dynamic in which M now becomes a mother figure to Bond (which is later explored in Skyfall).
(7) The final scene in which he shoots Mr. White and first says “The name is Bond…” (with the Bond theme playing) is truly a joy to watch.
2. I’m just starting the books now (with Casino Royale of course) so I can’t comment too much yet on this. I gotta agree with you guys in that Flemming really knows how to turn up the suspense within the constraints of a simple card game.
3. This is an easy one for me. It ultimately boils down to three of these lovely ladies for me (combining both beauty and their overall character) which include (1) Vesper Lynd, (2) Traci Di Vicenzo, and (3) Pussy Galore. Runner ups go to Honey Ryder and Solitaire.
4. Sean Connery isn’t just my favorite Bond actor, but he is one of my favorite actors of all-time. Coming in a pretty close second is Daniel Craig. Sean set the gold standard of what Bond should be and Daniel has put his mark on redefining the Bond character for the 21st century. I absolutely loved the class, charm, humor, and physicality that Sean brought to the role. As you guys mentioned, Sean just checked the most boxes, so that’s why you gotta give it to him. However, Daniel is a close second because he is the most physical of all the Bonds and ultimately he is one of the most human.
5. My earliest memory of Bond is watching the opening sequence in GoldenEye in which Bond bungee jumps from the top of a dam.
6. I would love to visit Venice, Italy. I believe it’s been the backdrop for multiple Bond films and it would be great to visit this beautiful city.
7. This is a REALLY tough one but I narrowed it down to these ones:
(1) Tracy killed by Blofeld in OHMSS
(2) Opening parkour scene in Casino Royale
(3) Opening scene in Dr. No where Connery is introduced (first “Bond, James Bond”)
(4) Bond comforts Vesper in the shower w/ David Arnold’s “Vesper” theme in the background
(5) Scene in Skyfall in which M reads a passage from “Tennyson” with shots of Bond running to the hearing with Thomas Newman’s excellent track in the background (one of the most suspenseful in the entire series)
(6) Scene in Skyfall in which M dies in Bond’s arms. Loved the brass horns of Newman’s track (really haunting but yet beautiful) for this along with Albert Finney removing his hat out of respect and Bond showing the most emotion we have ever seen out of the character. It was a really emotional scene and was really difficult for me to actually process what had happened. This was also probably one of the only times that Bond actually fails the mission since Silva actually carried out what he sought out to do despite him not surviving.
8. Hmm I suppose the most Bondian thing I have ever done is ski down the slopes while wearing a snowsuit. Not quite Piz Gloria, but close enough I suppose lol.
Hi chaps, just wanted to say how much I love the podcasts, there getting better & better, and your enthusiasm for all things 007 is infectious.
I thought I’d answer the questions below:
1) Tough one this. I’m going to plump for OHMSS, as quite simply it’s the purest bond film of the all. Lazenby was excellent in my opinion, and I really wish he had taken better advice and done DAF as well as many more.
I can however offer my favourite bond for each actor: Connery: FRWL, Lazenby: OHMSS (Obviously), Moore: TSWLM, Dalton: TLD, Brosnan: GE, Craig: CR
2) Ultimately, my favourite Bond Book is Casino Royale. It’s pure Fleming, and is a cracking opener for the series. I also have a soft spot for YOLT. Dr Shatterhand, and some of the elements in this novel have yet to be utilised by EON, and I think it’s perhaps time this was looked at.
3) Another tough one. Vesper I think. Honourable mentions go to Pussy, Fiona Volpe, Xenia, and of course Tracy.
4) For me, Dalton. The most dangerous Bond…Ever!
5) As a kid, I have vague recollections of watching of couple of old Connery films, probably when they were first shown by ITV. The real turning point came for me in July 1977, where as an impressionable 8 year old, my father took me to see, The Spy Who Loved Me. I was completely blown away. I’d never seen anything like it. From that moment on my world changed and I wanted to be 007.
continued….
6) Piz Gloria. Perhaps a future JBR convention venue?
7) Bond….James Bond. Connery’s intro in 1962. Never been bettered.
8) Scuba Diving in Nassau, followed by cocktails in the Never Say Never Again bar, at the Royal Colonial Hotel, followed by evening meal at Cafe Martinique as featured in Thunderball. That was a day to savour!
Here are my thoughts on the questions above:
1. Favourite Bond film = this is really difficult; sometimes it’s From Russia with Love, sometimes it’s Licence to Kill. It’s between those two for me.
2. My favourite Fleming Bond novel is Live and Let Die I think. I have to admit that I haven’t quite finished reading all of the Bond novels but I remember getting to the end of Live and Let Die feeling impressed with the flow and excitement of the story.
3. One of the best Bond girls in my opinion is Honey Ryder. She perfectly epitomises the innocnence and voluptuousness of the ideal Bond girl.
4. Years ago I would never have said this but now it’s 100% Tim Dalton; the closest in my opinion to Fleming’s descriptions of his protagonist.
5. My earliest Bond memory is starting to watch the series chronologically on British TV station ITV. I even remember the date – 2 June 1999. It was a Wednesday night and Dr No started on the screen. I was hooked from there!
6. There are so many Bond locations I’d love to visit. I had the pleasure of visiting James Bond Island in Thailand with my wife on our honeymoon last summer but I would love to visit Jamaica (Dr No) and Sardinia (TSWLM).
7. Aside from Connery’s unforgettable introduction in Dr No at the Chemin de Fer table, it’s got to be Dalton’s interrogation of Pushkin in The Living Daylights; a fantastic scene. That or perhaps a distraught Lazenby holding Diana Rigg in his arms at the end of OHMSS.
8. I’ve watched all the Bonds back to back over about 40 hours – no sleep! That’s dedication to Bond if I say so myself – especially when you’re watching Diamonds are Forever at 4am and making endless cups of coffee to try and stay awake!
Just started commenting so you’ll notice my rapid outburst of comments! Love the podcasts, keep it up!
1.My favourite bond film is Thunderball! Sean Connery on top form, some of the greatest scenes such as the underwater battle and the death of Volpe!
2I have to admit that I have never read one of the Fleming novels but I definitely intend to!
3.My favourite bond girl is Vesper. The modern version of Tracy. Sexy, powerfull and intelligent! The perfect bond girl!
4.I know everyone says it but it has to be Connery. The cunning, danger and charm all opitimised in one mans performance!
5. The earliest memory is being at my nans as a young lad watching the Connery ones on ITV- Especially Thunderball and You only live twice!
6. I have never visited a bond location, but I would love to visit Naseu, as Thunderball is my absalute favourite bond film!
7.There are so many amazing scenes. However it has to be the train fight between bond and red grant! The use of the briefcase and the grittiness and brutality of the fight equals a great scene.
8. I casually and smoothley ordered a vodka martini in a bar as cool as possible. only to realise I hated the taste of martini and couldnt drink another sip:/
Really great podcast, lads. Been meaning to get in touch for a while. I’ve been listening since November having stumbled across you on iTunes. I’m not into social media (a relic of the cold war), and with that I know I’m missing out on plenty (named after her father) with the JBR community.
I was pretty happy to get 55 on the ultimate quiz. ‘Jaws’ level will do me fine.
Anyway, here’s the answers to the key Bond questions for me:
1. FAVOURITE BOND FILM – I’m happy to say that since the age of 9 when I saw Majesty’s, it’s been my favourite. As a youngster, I used to like in spite of the guy who was wearing the tux in that film. I’d read about this useless guy who played Bond for one movie before getting fired. A few years later (when I was 12/13) when I found that there was much more to the story of George’s departure and became more confident in my own opinions, then I knew the film was fantastic, George was really good and had he done another Bond movie he almost certainly would have been stupendous.
Majesty’s is the best story, one of the very best pre-title sequences, the best fist fights, undoubtedly the best score, is the most beautifully shot. George, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas and Ilsa Steppat are all tremendous.
I would have loved to have been in the cinema in 1969 when after 5 minutes of solid action George delivers the “…other fella” line, which I LOVE the chutzpah of. I’d have been standing and cheering, even I was the only one (with the other fuckwits thinking ‘he’s not as good as Sean’ even after Sean’s phoned-in performance in YOLT).
I spent a lot of time with my grandparents when I was young and as a result, I think, was very much into ‘elegance’ and I think the casino sequence (from the moment ‘ONISAC’ is reflected in the pool, John Barry’s ‘Try’ kicks in and then George descends the stairs to the casino floor) is real elegance.
I agree with Chris – I can’t go through a Christmas without watching Majesty’s, the two first two Die Hard films and Where Eagles Dare.
Running Majesty’s closest for me would be From Russia…, Licence To Kill, Goldeneye, and Casino Royale.
2. FAVOURITE BOOK – I wish I could be more imaginative with this, but it has to be Casino Royale for laying all the foundations. Just wanted to mention here – not that they are in the running in any way for the best book – but the Christopher Wood novelisations of his Spy.. and Moonraker screenplays are surprisingly good. Very pastiche Fleming. The Wood Spy.. novel has nice bit of back-story for Jaws.
3. FAVOURITE BOND GIRL – probably the most difficult choice. I thin I’ll say Claudine Auger’s Domino. The first of the haunted kept women in the Bond film series and probably the best (whereas Kim Basinger’s Domino was of course the first in the shorter line of female characters to give us blatant nipples under skin-tight dancewear). Auger absolutely stunning, the character’s very well written and props to Nikki Van De Zyl again for the dubbing. (Disgraceful treatment of her by EoN with the 50th anniversary celebrations.)
Triple X/ Barbara Bach, Melina/Carole Bouquet, and Pam Bouvier/Carey Lowell close for me.
Least favourite (although I like the actress and love the character name) I think is Goodhead from Moonraker, just for being such a total re-tread of what they’d done in the previous movie.
4. FAVOURITE BOND ACTOR – favourite and best of course can be very different. Connery is clearly the definitive screen Bond but I think just for over-familiarity he’s my least favourite (in the same way that The Beatles’ music is unequivocally good music, but I’ve just heard it too much and heard too many cover versions that now I can’t really listen to any Beatles albums). I genuinely love all the actors who’ve played Bond. Roger just isn’t James Bond, but I wouldn’t be without his Bond movies or him in them. I like to root for the underdog and can be quite the contrarian, and so I think I’ll give my vote to Pierce. As you’ve rightly said on JBR, Pierce was hampered by bad scripts (three out of four terrible scripts in my opinion). We see what he can really do in Goldeneye. He’s the one you take in the most directions I think – ruthless, smooth, funny, vulnerable, physical. Would love to see his 1986 screen tests. I really like Tim as well, but I guess with Tim (and with Daniel too, to an extent) you’re stuck with Bond in brooding mode – which is fine in the context of the right stories.
5. EARLIEST MEMORY OF BOND – summer 1987. I was coming up for 7 years old. Of course, there was a new Bond in Tim AND it was the 25th anniversary of the films so there was obviously plenty of Bond coverage at the time. ITV (the main commercial TV channel in the UK) showed a season of the films which I watched. I remember the first three being Octopussy, The Man With The Golden Gun and You Only Live Twice. I loved them – despite my parents both hating the films – and a fascination was born. So Roger was the first guy I saw playing Bond, but at the same time knowing that another guy was playing the part in a film I wouldn’t see for another year until it was available on VHS rental. My parents bought me A View To A Kill on VHS for my 7th birthday later that summer, and then over the next few years I built up the complete VHS collection.
Also when The Living Daylights was released there was a short novelisation of the screenplay and an audiobook (about 30 minutes long as far as I remember, read by Martin Jarvis) on cassette released, aimed at kids – possibly it was free with a newspaper. I got that too in ’87 so I couldn’t wait to see the film and in 1988 I wasn’t disappointed.
6 LOCATION I’D LIKE TO VISIT – Piz Gloria of course is the heavy betting, especially for me as I’m fond of cold weather but again to avoid the obvious, I’ll go for the Di Portanivo estate in Mexico from Licence To Kill. Looks stunning – and I’m a huge Frank Sinatra fan who, like Cubby, was a friend of the owners so there may be a bit of Sinatra as well as Bond memorabilia around the place – and, if it hasn’t changed much in the interim, is very 80s in a good way.
7. FAVOURITE SCENE – more of a sequence than a scene, but from the moment that Grant (as Nash) alights the train in From Russia.. through to the fight. Brilliantly acted and directed. Close calls for me would be:
– Casino scene with Largo in Thunderball
– Ski chase in Majesty’s
– Crocodile farm in Live & Let Die
-Ski jump in Spy…
– Train fight with Jaws in Spy…
– Truck chase in Licence To Kill
– Opera scene in Quantum
8. MOST BONDIAN THING I’VE DONE – absolutely nothing I’m afraid, I can’t even drive. So what I can offer here is promoting Bond the to the next generation. A friend of mine has a 7 year old son who from a young age was obsessed with DVDs (just the look of them in their boxes, etc.) He saw my Bond DVDs among my DVD collection and now he’s obsessed with Bond, can’t wait to just see some snippets of SPECTRE. Doesn’t in any way substitute for electrocuting a steel-toothed giant with a smashed table lamp or saving the life of an idiot on top of the Golden Gate bridge but it’s some kind of contribution I suppose.
Can’t wait for the reviews of the Roger movies still to come, guys. With the exception of FYEO, I think the Roger films are more entertainment packages than good films and so there’s plenty to discuss with those. Thanks so much for the podcasts, and congratulations on getting it all together.
I love you guys and your fabulous podcast, of which I am now a regular listener. When I was much younger back in the 1970s and 80s, long before the advent of the internet, It felt very lonely to be a rabid James Bond fan in my area in that dark age of Bondage. I was probably the only person in Boulder, Colorado to see Moonraker 10 times during its first run and to stand in line to see Thunderball all three night night at a retro festival at the University of Colorado. The young woman selling tickets even questioned my sanity, and perhaps she was right. Once, in 1973 I believe it was, when I was without a car, I walked five miles in the middle of a snow storm to see a double feature of Diamonds Are Forever and You Only Live Twice at a strip mall suburban theater in Denver. It was well worth the risk of frost bite and mugging. I was desperate in those days to get any kind of information on future Bond films, scouring film and gossip magazines each month for a scrap of information on the upcoming film. Naturally, I was an early subscriber to Bondage, the magazine of the U.S.James Bond fan Club. which published an issue a year if your were fortunate.Today, it is a new world and I am connected to Bond enthusiasts the world over, able to watch any of the 25 films, including NSNA and the 1967 Casino Royale, anytime I have the urge to do so..
Anyway, here are my answers.
FAVORITE BOND FILM: Although it was years after its release before I actually was able to see the film, ONE HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE is my favorite film. It is just about perfect with the best screenplay (Richard Maibaum’s masterpiece), the best story from Ian Fleming’s great thriller, the most Bondian atmosphere with stunning location photography, the best direction by Peter Hunt, and an underrated performance by George Lazenby. The great what-if of the series is not what would have been with Sean Connery in OHMSS, but George Lazenby in the originally planned direct sequel to OHMSS that might have been DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. The Bonds would probably still would have taken a lighter direction in the 1970s, resembling the Matt Helm movies more than DR NO, but Lazenby’s presence might have kept that camp and slapstick from going as far as did. Paradoxically, my second favorite Bond film, or perhaps guilty pleasure, is DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, simply because the 1971 film has so many great scenes with Sean Connery and the supporting cast of Jill St John as Tiffany, Charles Gray as Blofeld and Jimmy Dean as Willard White. Any Bond film with Shane Rimmer and Bruce Cabot is irresistible to me. I was, however, even in 1971, embarrassed by the campy depictions of Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, which even then seemed very low brow humor for a James Bond movie, obviously intended for the casual fans who were bored by OHMSS. Tying with DIAMONDS for second place is FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, the most Bondian James Bond film since OHMSS and the first of John Glen’s five Fleming-style classics. Too bad that John Glen did not get to direct the third Timothy Dalton film PROPERTY OF A LADY.
FAVORITE BOOK; It has to be YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, a dark Cold War thriller that takes 007 to a world outside his comfort zone. I love the Japanese travelogue, the father and son scene with M, the seemingly mundane diplomatic assignment that turns into a tale of revenge that brings Bond and Blofeld into a final confrontation in a Japanese castle amidst a garden of death and guarded by the minions of the Black Dragon Society. Memorable characters from Kissy Suzuki to Tiger Tanaka to Dikko Henderson and an ending that makes this book a classic of 20th Century literature as well as being a bestselling thriller. Regrettably, this books has never been properly filmed, although with the acquisition of the rights to Blofeld and SPECTRE by Eon, it may still come to pass with Daniel Craig, who is the perfect actor to portray Bond in a film using the plot of the YOLT novel.
Second favorite novel is the much maligned THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, which may indeed have a slightly unfinished feel to it, but the brainwashing and assassination attempt on M is the best start of any of the novels, The return to Jamaica as a location brings back a sense of nostalgia for earlier novels, Mary Goodnight is an appealing heroine, the first appearance of Felix Leiter since THUNDERBALL is welcome, Francisco Scaramanga is a new style of Bond villain contrasting with the aristocratic Blofeld, a real world Mob-connected hit man working as a Caribbean enforcer for the Cubans and Soviets. As an old Cold Warrior, this was something I could appreciate. I just love everything about Fleming’s last novel.
Honorable mentions of which I have a particular affection are LIVE AND LET DIE, a novel with the real Fleming sweep and enough exotic elements to make it one of the great adventures of the series, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, the best Cold War story of the Fleming books with a dazzling trip on the orient Express, ICEBREAKER, John Gardner’s thriller filled with iconic scenes and a great plot that would have made this book, if filmed in the 1980s, the greatest Roger Moore Bond film that could ever have been made, DOUBLESHOT, Raymond Benson’s fourth novel and second in the Union trilogy that shows James Bond at his most ruthless and on the run across North Africa and Spain to stop a war between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar, and the most recent Bond continuation novel SOLO, a great period spy novel by William Boyd that takes Bond from the heart of darkness in an African civil war to Washington in 1969 when it was one of the most dangerous cities in North America, not that it is much safer today. Boyd succeeded in writing a low key James Bond story that has the kind of atmosphere found to the Ian Fleming short stories and novelettes.
FAVORITE BOND GIRL: This is a difficult choice. So many to choose from and many of them stand out. I suppose Daniella Bianchi as Tatiana Romanova still is the top of the list, the most erotic of the actresses and a woman you would really want to be traveling with as your wife on a train. Also very fond of Jill St John as Tiffany Case, Jane Seymour as Solitaire, Shirley Eaton as Jill Masterson, Caroline Bouquet as Melina Havelock, and the still highly desirable Maud Adams as Octopussy and Andrea Anders.
Tired of Bond girls who are supposed to be equals of Bond and non-bimbos and tired of Bond girls who are fellow secret agents like Jinx Johnson, Wai Lin, Anya Amasova, Pam Bouvier, Holly Goodhead, Eve Moneypenny and all the other so-called equals.
FAVORITE BOND ACTOR: Depend entirely on the screenplay and how it fits the actor. Sean Connery n the first three films is the best by this criteria, but Roger Moore in FYEO and OCTOPUSSY is a better Bond than Sean Connery in YOLT and NSNA. The Bond actor who most embodies Fleming’s creation is still Timothy Dalton, who would have been magnificent in CASINO ROYALE or OHMSS.
EARLIEST MEMORY OF BOND: James Bond is Back to Back in a 1964 double feature of DR NO and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE at the Ritz Theater in Tiffin, Ohio as an eleven-year-old. It was one of the influential cinema experiences of my life, turning me into a passionate Bond fan, searching the drug store book racks for the Signet paperbacks and waiting, sometimes for years, to see the next film. I also became a huge fan of THE MAN FROM UNCLE, MATT HELM and other spy films and books from that era and still am.
LOCATION WOULD LOVE TO VISIT: James Bond island in Thailand.
FAVORITE SCENE IN THE SERIES: So many from the hundreds of great scenes to choose from, but if I had to pick one it would be the entire gypsy camp sequence in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE from the belly dancer to the battle with the Bulgars and Bond asking the chief to end the girl fight.
Honorable mentions include the Junkanoo chase in THUNDERBALL, the pre-title sequence of DIAMOND ARE FOREVER, the first cinematic meeting with Blofeld in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, Bond’s first meeting with Blofeld at the Piz Gloria in OHMSS, Scaramanga’s duels with Rodney and Bond in the fun house, and Bond and Melina being dragged over the coral reefs by Kristatos in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY.
MOST BONDIAN THING I HAVE EVER DONE: Once, back in the mid-1980s, I was going back to my hotel late at night in a taxi that was stopped at a road block by Mexican soldiers who were in full panic over a bandit/ guerrilla attack on a bank in Puerto Vallarta. The taxi driver’s girl friend, sitting next to him in the front seat, started crying when she saw the angry soldatos. Having a FN assault rifle pointed through the window at you felt very Bondian, although he would have been much more courageous than I was. The U.S. passport convinced them to let us through without being roughed up.
1. OHMSS
2. You only live twice
3. Domino Derval
4. Connery’s swagger/Lazenby’s body/Dalton’s anger/Craig’s voice
5. The Living Daylights poster in a magazine summer ’87
6. Piz Gloria
7. All the Bond-Kara scenes in TLD
8. Drive an Aston Martin
1. Dr. No
2. OHMSS
3. Domino
4. Sean Connery
5. Going to see The Living Daylights at the cinema
6. Dunns River Falls in Jamaica
7. “That’s a Smith and Wesson, and you’ve had your six” from Dr. No
8. Corresponded with former SIS and FSB officers
1. The Living Daylights
2. Casino Royale
3. Vesper Lynd
4. Sean Connery
5. You only live twice on tv, aged 3, always remember Little Nellie
6. Bolivia of all places
7. The climbing scene from FYEO
8. Played Bond in a short film during School, jumping off my balcony onto an old mattress, I felt it all.
Great podcast guys. It’s the first thing I listen to every other Friday, in the car, on the commute to work. It’s like being in a conversation with some mates in a pub about something you all love. An absolute joy to listen to.
I fear for Tom’s underwear though when Spectre is finally released, given his comments recently. Maybe tip us off which cinema you’re going to, eh? Then we can avoid it, and the inevitable excitement-induced bowel movement.
Anyhow, my Quickfire Questions responses:
1. OHMSS
2. From Russia With Love
3. Fiona Volpe
4. Timothy Dalton – who I picture when I’m reading the books, particularly the John Gardner novels.
5. Watching The Spy Who Loved Me on TV in the mid-80s as a kid.
6. Piz Gloria or Pinewood. I can’t decide.
7. The bridge jump in The Man With The Golden Gun. No tricks. No CGI. Just wow! Shame about the sound-effect though. It sounds like The Clangers were the sound editors there.
8. A few. I wear my granddad’s old Omega Seamaster every day. I’ve driven a Lotus Esprit – though not into the sea. Oh, and a Boss Mustang – though only on four wheels. And a 2CV – without being shot at. And a, erm, Renault 11 – which stayed intact.
I’d also like to answer a ninth question which you sometimes ask guests on the podcast, about if you could make any Bond film you wanted, who you’d have involved?
I’d love to have seen Spielberg direct Timothy Dalton in a Bond film during the hiatus after Licence To Kill. That way it wouldn’t replace any existing film (though I wouldn’t be averse to Die Another Day being a what-if?, rather than a what-were-they-thinking?). Maybe a proper adaptation of Moonraker? – or even one of the John Gardner books? Failing that, I’d be intrigued as to how OHMSS would have turned out with Sir Roger in the role. There would maybe have been a lot more work for the stunt doubles than George left them with at the time, but Roger showed flashes of the sort of toughness George showed, particularly in FYEO. Maybe he could have done OK in OHMSS too?
1. From Russia With Love
2. Role of Honor
3. Tatiana Romanov a (Daniela Bianchi)
4. Can’t break the tie – Daniel Craig & Sean Connery
5. The first James Bond movie I ever saw – For Your Eyes Only
6. It goes without out saying – England, particularly MI
7. The torture scene in Casino Royale, particularly when Bond has an itch he needs scratched.
8. Flying down a back highway in my car while playing the James Bond theme, on my CD player.
Bonus Question: Favorite Movie Theme Song – From Russia With Love
1. OHMSS
2. OHMSS
3. All of them, I know a cop out but there all good
4. Sean Connery (but close with George L, Daniel Craig)
5. Watching You Only Live Twice in the 60’s
6. James Bond island from TMWTGG
7. Assembling little Nellie
8. Flown a Hercules, oh alright only a simulator without motion or a little straight and level flight on the way to the Falkland Islands (well it was supposed to be)
Chris & Tom, the Mr Wint & Mr Kidd of podcast radio!
1. Casino Royale
2. Solo
3. Vesper Lynd
4. Sir Sean
5. Moonraker on TV
6. MI6 bunker HQ
7. Poker game from Casino Royale
8. If I told you, I’d have to kill you…….
1. Moonraker, yes somebody loves it!
2. OHMSS
3. Solitaire
4. Roger Moore
5. Watching AVTAK at the cinema
6. Still yet to visit James Bond island, so I’d like to go there.
7. Connery’s introduction in Dr. No
8. Running over the backs of crocodiles… Ok they were soft cuddlily toy, I was 6, but it still counts!
1) Diamonds Are Forever. (Don’t judge me!) I know DAF is nowhere near the best Bond movie, but it came out the week before I was born, so there’s a huge nostalgia factor, and it’s by far the go-to film in the series for one-liners. I’ve seen it so many times, if you gave me a couple of weeks to rehearse, I could almost act out the entire movie myself. 🙂
2) From Russia With Love … By the time Bond shows up, you know all too well what he’s up against.
3) Fiona Volpe (“Do you like wild things, Mr. Bond, James Bond?” Swoon!) with Tracy a very close second.
4) Sean Connery, but they’re all awesome.
5) When I was very young, I had a Matchbox-sized version of a Lotus Esprit from the Moore years. The very first Bond scene I remember seeing was from Dr. No, when Bond escaped from his cell. The first full movie I saw was when For Your Eyes Only debuted on TV. Goldfinger was next, and I was completely caught up by the time I saw A View to a Kill on opening night in 1985.
6) I’d love to see the dawn at Piz Gloria … so poetic a pleasure.
7) The whole chase scene from OHMSS — more than one scene, obviously, but it includes two ski chases, a car chase that ends with a demolition derby, a marriage proposal, a dude being ground up in an enormous snowblower AND an avalanche. Good times.
8) The only person I’ve met who appeared in a Bond film? Wayne Newton. During a press conference years ago, I got to ask him how he got cast in Licence to Kill. The short answer: Cubby Broccoli apparently knew everybody.
1) Thunderball. Hands down the best, always and forever.
2) You Only Live Twice. Awesome novel! Honourable mentions go to Casino Royale, OHMSS and actually John Gardner’s Death Is Forever which I recommend everyone to get.
3) Domino Derval. Clear number 1 at the top. Way behind, but far above the others; Corinne Dufour, Solitaire, Vesper Lynd and Naomi.
4) Sean Connery. Timothy Dalton was also extremely good.
5) Believe it or not, my earliest Bond memory was watching Never Say Never Again on VHS at my buddy’s 8th birthday party. Didn’t have that much of an impression on me, but a few years later I saw Diamonds Are Forever on a train(!) through Spain, and that actually got me hooked.
6) I’d love to go Thunderball location scouting in the Bahamas.
7) There’s a few: Bond trying to convince the General at the circus in Octopussy that there’s “a bomb in there”; Drax replacing the lab and making M and Frederick Gray look like fools; Anya realising Bond was in Berngarten and that he killed her lover; the scene when Kara Milovy gives Bond a dirty martini and shit gets real; a lot of classic scenes in Casino Royale; and of course, THAT “Bond, James Bond” line in Dr. No that started it all way back when…
8) Not really Bondian, just plain Bond-nerdy: I’ve made nearly 200 Bond film characters in Hama fuse beads (pixel art style), and I’ve only just got to The Spy Who Love Me characters yet… Yep, I told you it was nerdy.
1. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
2. 3 way tie between Casino Royale, OHMSS and YOLT
3. Vesper and Domino
4. Connery
5. Sadly it was James Bond Jr before it was Bond
6. Already saw several locations from Thunderball and Casino Royale. I planned my honeymoon around it! If I had the chance I’d love to go to Honey Ryder’s beach from Dr. No
7. Bond and Grant on the train in FRWL
8. Obviously any of the location visits in the Bahamas. Tried to offer the security guard at the Ocean Club $50 to let me stand in the parking lot. He sadly turned me down
1) Goldfinger / Skyfall / Casino Royale / The Spy who loved me / FRWL.
2) Casino Royale
3) Ms. Galore.
4) Sean Connery, though Daniel Craig is creeping dangerously close.
5) When I was 9 my brother got one of the Corgi Aston Martin DB5s. We went to see a Goldfinger reissue shortly afterwards. I still one of the Corgi Astons from the time.
6) Piz Gloria for sure,though I’ve been to quiet a few so far (London, Vienna) and SPECTRE will give my hometown (Mexico City) quiet a few memorable ones.
7) TSWLM, Bond skiing off the mountain.
8) Rode the Prater wheel in Vienna with my wife on a slow night so we got a compartment all to ourselves (no, we did not “want another ride”).
Love your podcasts. You guys remind me of Wayne and Garth (Wayne’s World) except that you always deal with my favorite subject
1. The Spy Who Loved Me.
2. Role Of Honour.
3. Domino.
4. Sir Roger Moore.
5. ITV advert for Diamonds Are Forever, showing the car going into the alley!
6. The Monsoon Palace.
7. Running across crocodiles, mad, mad, mad.
8. Walked through the gates of St Giles Church in Stoke Poges, ( For Your Eyes Only pre-title church), while dressed in a dark three piece suit while working near by on day.
1. Goldfinger, OHMSS, Spy Who/Live and Let, Living Day, Tomorrow Never, Casino/Skyfall
2. You Only Live Twice
3. Honey Ryder
4. Connery/Craig, I’m bald so maybe Connery
5. Dr. No at Camp Pathfinder. Actual Reel-to-Reel on a white sheet
6. Already did- Snuck into Goldeneye near Oracabessa. Jamaica. Not a movie Location but I think you’ll give me a pass.
7. Do You Expect Me To Talk?, Tie Adjustment (Pierce), Cufflink Adjustment (Danny Boy)
8. Saved a group of girls from a serious set of Rapids. Drove my wife away from my wedding in a grey Rolls.
1. For this one I will have to cheat a bit.
DR. NO, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE. LIVE AND LET DIE, THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY.
THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
CASINO ROYALE, QUANTUM OF SOLACE
2. Favorite Book:
Moonraker
3. Favorite Bond Girl:
Bad Girl– Fiona Volpe (I could make her turn against S.P.E.C.T.R.E.)
Good Girl– Tatiana Romanova/Solitaire
4. Favorite JB Actor:
TIE:
Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Craig.
5, Earliest Memory of Bond:
I was maybe a couple of two years and my parents (who along with myself and two of my older brothers raised us on James Bond and our English heritage, since my family is half-English) were watching THE SPY WHO LOVED ME on tv, I do not recall starting the film with my parents, the only part I do recall is when are Bond and Agent XXX are on the train. Bond goes against Jaws, Ultimately breaking a lamp and using the exposed wires on Jaws’.
The first Bond film that I saw in theater was OCTOPUSSY. It was great, though I feel as though FOR YOUR EYES ONLY should have been the Bond film my folks took me to.
6. Location you’d love to visit:
Piz Gloria (I love skiing and there are ski-bunnies all around).
Rome.
7. Favorite scene in the series?
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY– Bond kicking the car of the cliff.
(runner up) ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE–Bond and Drago’s helicopter assault on Piz Gloria.
8. I was at a wedding and met a girl. We talked momentarily, walked to the elevator, I pushed the button to my floor and on the way up we started making out.
1) CASINO ROYALE just edges out GOLDENEYE as my favorite Bond film of all-time. SPECTRE, SKYFALL & FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE round out my Top 5.
2) I’m cheating on my favorite book because, as of yet, I’m only a fan of the films. However, the JAMES BOND ENCYCLOPEDIA (2014) & JAMES BOND: THE LEGACY (2002) are both brilliant books & terrific resources for any 007 fan.
3) Halle Berry was my favorite Bond Girl as she emerged from the water in DIE ANOTHER DAY, however once she began “acting” it all went to shit real quick. So I give the nod here to Xenia Onatopp (Famke Janssen) with an honorable mention to Paris Carver (Teri Hatcher) as my most beloved Bond Girl.
4) Pierce Brosnan is my sentimental favorite Bond actor as I came into the series with him back in 1995, but Sean is still probably the ‘best’ overall. However, 1 or 2 more films from Daniel like his last 4 might very well catapult him into the #1 spot!!!
5) Earliest Bond memory is watching A VIEW TO A KILL with my Dad on cable television in the 80s when I was in my mid teens.
6) I’d just love to get to London & visit that tremendous city someday.
7) Love the scene in Zukovsky’s club in GOLDENEYE (“Who’s strangling the cat?”), any of the poker scenes in CASINO ROYALE or Bond & M getting his Aston Martin DB5 out of storage in SKYFALL. They’re all terrific & iconic to me, but after seeing SPECTRE I have to put the fight scene on the train between Bond & Mr. Hinx firmly as my all-time favorite. It was brutal, exciting, fun & entertaining as all f*ck ……… I loved it!!!
8) Most Bond-like thing I’ve ever done? Nothing really, but in December of 2012 I entered a magazine contest celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bond films & won the newly released (and extremely beautiful) blu-ray boxed set of all 22 movies up to that point by writing a 100 word essay on my favorite Bond film. That was a very cool prize & that case sits prominently on my entertainment center as would any trophy! =)
Where’s can we read this essay, Brian?
I will be sure to dig it out of the archives & share it here in the very near future. 😉
1. Moonraker, Goldfinger, TSWLM, DAF
2. Goldfinger
3. Holly Goodhead
4. Roger Moore
5. Watching AVTAK and NSNA on vhs with my dad.
6. The Pyramids because I’ve already been to The Whyte House.
7. Pre-title sequence from Octopussy, or boat chase from Live and Let Die.
8. Having whoopee with my wife while listening to John Barry music.
1) The Living Daylights, it rides the lines so well between Book Bond and Film Bond and Dangerous Bond and Outré Bond. The humour is perfect, the score is amazing.
2) I really like Moonraker. It’s so understated, it’s like a police thriller sent entirely in Kent! And Camille’s finale relationship with Bond in Quantum of Solace is clearly based on Gala Brand’s which is really refreshing. Bond got no nookie in 1955.
3) Character – I like Kara, she’s the most realistic human female character in a Bond film yet. Not particularly strong willed but she evolves to become more headstrong later in the film. I’d panic too if asked to fly a plane.
Eye candy – Aki. Every time. Ms Wakabayashi is just super super stunning. I’m aghast she doesn’t top everyone’s list. You must all be blind. I’d enjoy very much serving under her.
4) Timothy Dalton is a bad ass. Chilled, chiselled, cool as ice, Byronic, tortured by some unseen regret, dangerous as fuck, human, unafraid to laugh out loud or cry openly or run in terror from Whitaker’s cannon, clearly smokes too much and suffers for it so isn’t a superman, glints when the girls come along and has a voice like thick, Welsh treacle that gives the 5.1 subwoofer a good workout. The day he retired from Bond, a little bit of my childhood died.
5) Hard to say, might be watching Goldfinger on ITV in the mid 80s and noticing that the poster of the film stayed visible onscreen through the rest of the movie after a commercial break because some idiot at ITV obviously hadn’t fully pulled the dissolve lever on the vision mixer down. I also remember watching the end of The Spy Who Loved Me and asking my Dad if the “Jaws” named in the end credits was the name of the shark in the tank at the end and was it played by the same shark as the creature in the film Jaws.
I was probably about 7.
I’m sure he was very proud of me.
6) Vienna.
7) Bond goes to the phone box in silence, picks up the receiver in silence…then the top of the phone box explodes, the music kicks in, Tracy shouts “James!” and the skin on my arms goes all bumpy.
8) A few.
– I’ve been to Pinewood a few times which is always amazing.
– I drove an Aston V8 but stalled it (it was an automatic, it was beautiful but horrid to drive).
– A bit of snowboarding, a bit of shooting on a rifle range, scuba diving in the Red Sea (Bond Finds the Disco Volante plays in your head continuously).
– Hot tub seduction of a beautiful girl (albeit a forgone conclusion).
– A lot of scrabbled eggs and bacon.
– The photo below, perhaps?
Lol the next James Bond is Gale Dan Gale. How would you earn your double 00 status?
How do you know I haven’t already?
I don’t condone murdering people but if I had to give out hefty spanked botties, let’s just say Mugabe would need some ice packs and that giant baby that runs North Korea wouldn’t be using nuclear weapons as penis extensions for much longer.
You would probably get life in prison if u did. Awesome, no idea what you are on about.
1) GoldenEye. It just has all the elements that a Bond movie, which is a different entity from the book or even original character, should have. It’s a joy.
2) Casino Royale. The first and the best.
3) Fiona Volpe. She just leaves me exhausted with lust every single time.
4) Roger Moore. Though Pierce was my boy at the cinema, I grew up watching 80’s Rog Bond and he’ll always be my favourite.
5) A View to a Kill on TV in the late 80’s. Fell in love with it then, and still love it now.
6) Top of the list I think would be Mr. White’s house on Lake Como from Casino Royale. Every time I see that, my jaw just drops.
7) Man this is tough… probably Pierce Brosnan defying physics to get inside the plane & escape in GoldenEye. It’s truly insane but good God it makes me punch the air every time.
8) Replicate the gun barrel sequence in my living room in front of a long mirror. I may do that often.
Have u played the Goldeneye video game? I think the Goldeneye video game has a multiplayer game in the game. I loved the goldeneye multiplayer games Dk or bk mode where the characters get really big heads
1] FRWL – Luv this above all, but OHMSS & Casino are at the photo finish.
2] Casino Royale
3] Fiona Volpe ”Since you’re here, would you mind giving me something to put on?”…Nuff Said!
4] Sean Connery…Dalton a close 2nd
5] Watching Dr. No on the Tele as a kid
6] Venice
7] Connery’s Casino Intro in Dr. No…Classic
8] Surviving my first viewing of DAD, lol
9] Guilty Pleasure Bond? MWTGG
1. Goldfinger
2.Do not read fiction books
3.Tracy
4.Sean Connery
5.Seeing Moonraker at the Movies
6.Venice
7.Air fight with Jaws (opning of Moonraker)
8.Not much. Ha ha. I guess, go to a Casino
That is a great scene.
I would go to Venice before Bond sends the rest of the city to meet Altantis.
How is everyone? Tom and Chris who do people say u both look like? Tom and CHris do people tell both of u that your appearance does not your voice? What question(s) do you want people to ask you that no one has ever asked you?
(does, not dose memories from English class)
1. Favourite Bond Film? A. Casino Royale:the spoof if Mel Brooks Directed Casino Royale: the spoof what part would Mel play and how would Mel shoot the movie?
B. Never Say Never again.
While watching, for the second time, bond vs count Lippe the part where bond opens a door in a hallway, in the health clinic, looks round to see if anyone is following him:(I paraphrased a bit) I couldn’t help but think that Kevin McClorry did a great job with that scene. Also how Kevn got shafted from being part of the Eon bond series. If the Broccoli bunch had included Kevin in the bunch with an agreement Kevin and the broccoli bunch could have agreed on there might not have been lawsuit. Kevin could have been a great contribution to the eon bond series with in a mutual understanding that satisfied The broccoli bunch and Kevin.
2. Favourite Bond Book?
3. Favorite Bond Girl?
4. Favorite James Bond Actor?
5. Earliest Memory of Bond?
6. Location you’d love to visit?
7. Favourite scene in the series?
8. Most Bondian thing you’ve ever done?
To all on JBR. How are you? How would u earn your 00 status?
1) A View to a Kill, From Russia With Love, The Living Daylights
2) From Russia with Love
3) Vesper
4) Moore, Connery is a close 2nd
5) not perfectly sure whether it was FRWL or YOLT on TV
6) I have always loved to go to San Francisco, Not only because of AVTAK
7) Car chase in FYEO with the funny Bill Conti Music (Moore at his best).
8) Had won on card games, unsfortunately not that much as Daniel in Casino Royal.
1. My favourite Bond film is and always will be For your Eyes Only. It wasn’t my first Bond film, but it was the first Bond DVD I owned. I guess it’s a mixture of so many things which I love about it. Moore is refined and gentleman like in this one. The characters and sequences create a world of its own, and just take me me every time. I will admit that it’s not the best made movie, OHMSS and CR take that cake, but it just always makes me so happy. Blind love? Sure, but I will defend this movie as my favourite Bond film and Film in general, until I die.
The rest are always changing. But Die Another Day is the worst.
LTK and OHMSS are usually in the top five. As is OP and TSWLM.
2. I’ve read all the Fleming Novels, and I love Doctor No the most. It’s fast, brutal and bloody. FRWL was a fantastic, slow burning thriller, but I’m glad Fleming decided to increase the pace and making this one just so violent and interesting. Honey Ryder is described so well, and I love the fact that a lot of the novel is him away from Casino’s, Gadgets and civilisation, but using his wits on Crab Key.
3. My favourite Bond Girl is… Gee this is incredibly tough!!
I think I will do a Chris And Tom and split it into two categories.
Overall looks and wits I’d probably choose Carole Bouquet’s Melina. Face it. She’s a stunner.I love her character arc with the revenge plot and maybe it’s because she reminds me of someone…
In the other section, (apart from Melina),
Solitaire
Madeleine Swann
Vesper
Mary Goodnight
Domino
Always get my Blood Boiling!!
4. I love all of them, but it has to be Sir Roger Moore!
He’s just so cool, charming and never breaks too much of a sweat. Dalton and Craig next. Got to love Brosnan as well!! George did a good job, and as much as I feel like Sean is overrated… He’s still bloody good!
5. YOLT when I was like seven. All I remember is the opening and the volcano title sequence.
6. James Bond Island! (Yes, I’m envious Tom)
7. So many! But I do love.
“You missed Mister Bond”
“Did I?”
8. Well. I saved a girl’s life once? On top of a mountain. That was interesting. It’s a long story you will have to ask me… (Trust me, it’s a good one).
1. Favourite Bond Film?
Very difficult to say one, top three I’d say Thunderball, TSWLM and Casino.
2. Favourite Bond Book?
Casino Royale
3. Favourite Bond Girl?
Domino
4. Favourite James Bond Actor?
Roger Moore
5. Earliest Memory of Bond?
Ski scene from the beginning of Spy, honestly can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched this film!
6. Location you’d love to visit?
Arecibo Observatory, located in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Guess the film?
7. Favourite scene in the series?
Has to be beginning of Spy, the ski chase with Bond 77, really can’t be beaten!
8. Most Bondian thing you’ve ever done?
Visited James Bond island in Thailand
1.Favorite bond film I love them all so all my favorite is all
2. Moonracker since its the only one I have read all the way through
3. Favorite Bond girl I love them all
4.Roger Moore and Sean Connery
5.Playing Goldeneye
6.California
7. I like them all to many to pick one
8.Visited the safe house in Milwaukee Wisconsin
1. Favourite Bond Film?
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is definitely the most underrated Bond film, but is my favorite. I was glad to see that you guys appreciate just as much as I do. The reasons are simple: Blofeld, Tracy, Lazenby Bond, action, and music. By far, Tracy and Bond have the most developed relationship and obviously the only marriage in the series. Lazenby brought the role to life, even as he filled the huge expectations created by Connery’s portrayal. Lastly, Blofeld is my favorite villain in the series. I believe his long history with Bond, including the women that Bond has loved (Tracy and Vesper), makes him the most important Bond villain.
2. Favourite Bond Book?
I haven’t read the books, yet.
3. Favourite Bond Girl?
This comes with the territory, Tracy obviously. Her introduction, attempting to commit suicide in the ocean, shows that she has a complicated past. Bond was able to relate to her complex character, who as you both mentioned in many ways is his equal. I also appreciate how, unlike Vesper, she never betrayed him. This is one of many reasons I value her the most as a Bond girl. Not to mention, she is smokin’ hot.
4. Favourite James Bond Actor?
I wrestled with this idea for a while, but came to the solid decision that Connery has always been and always will be my favorite Bond. He is Bond. He created the character on screen and I think that we will always compare all other Bonds to him.
5. Earliest Memory of Bond?
Believe it or not, I remember watching Diamonds are Forever with my family when I was just three years old. Since then, it has always been a part of my life. I have grown into a Bond super fan.
6. Location you’d love to visit?
Piz Gloria, hands down. I would visit any location from OHMSS. I can’t get enough of this movie and so many of the scenes are just visually stunning.
7. Favourite scene in the series?
The most intense scene in the series for me is Tracy’s death. Not many other scenes in the series have moved me the way that one did. It also solidified Blofeld and Bond’s lifelong conflict.
8. Most Bondian thing you’ve ever done?
I’d have to say I embrace my inner bond when it comes to my confidence with the ladies… or at least I try to.
1. Favourite Bond Film? I don’t really have one, I love them all too much. I will say that my favourite Connery film is From Russia W/Love, while my fave Lazenby is, of course, Majesty’s – which is actually 1 of the best in the whole series. My fave Moore film is Man W/the Golden Gun, my fave Dalton is Licence to Kill, my fave Brosnan is Tomorrow Never Dies, & my fave Craig is Casino Royale. How’s that for diplomacy!
2. Favourite Bond Book? Moonraker, the one where he doesn’t get the girl at the end. . .
3. Favourite Bond Girl? Tough one, mostly because I haven’t seen the films in yrs. At this point, I’ll say Wai Lin, but that may change.
4. Favourite James Bond Actor? Connery, of course.
5. Earliest Memory of Bond? Earliest clear memory is of watching Diamonds are Forever on television as a little kid, though I had some awareness of Bond at the time. I know I watched Thunderball on tv, too, soon after. the 1st film I saw at the cinema was Man W/The Golden Gun, in it’s original release. Lucky me, I lived near a revival-house theatre in the late 90s, & got to see all of Connery’s Bond films, as well as Majesty’s, on the big screen, & have most of the rest at the theatres, as well.
6. Location you’d love to visit? Oh, any, really. I’ve been to a couple – in New York, & Las Vegas, but haven’t really traveled that far outside the US & Canada.
7. Favourite scene in the series? I don’t really have one.
8. Most Bondian thing you’ve ever done? This sounds terrible, but the most Bondian thing is picking up on more than one woman in one day. . .
1. I’ll go with GOLDFINGER, though any of the first four can have that spot. Throw in TSWLM and you’d have my top 5.
2. CASINO ROYALE with DOCTOR NO a close 2nd
3. Domino (Claudine, of course)
4. Even tie with Sir Sean and Sir Roger. I love them all though.
5. “Well, here’s to us”. Saw MR as a lad with my folks. TSWLM aired on HBO around that time as well, and the Sandor roof fight I remember.
6. The U.K., particularly Pinewood, the famous Lazenby attended “Kurt’s Barbershop” at The Dorchester, and various U.K. exterior locations used for filming!
7. Sean putting the hair on the closet door and going around adjusting things in DR NO is very cool and Fleming. Bond first meeting Solitaire is great as well, and honorable mention to the jailbreak/ride to Kamran’s section in TLD.
8. Been up in a small plane akin to the one Helga Brandt flew as well as a seaplane like the one Tim hijacks in LTK. Been outside on the tiny section of roof by the antenna of The Space Needle which made me feel a bit Bondian
1. Favourite Bond Film?
The Spy Who Loved Me
2. Favourite Bond Book?
Dr No
3. Favourite Bond Girl?
Babara Bach
4. Favourite James Bond Actor?
Roger Moore
5. Earliest Memory of Bond?
Corgi Lotus Esprit box in a toy shop window with Lotus diving into the water with the black helicopter behind it. Otherwise watching YOLT on a black and white tele
6. Location you’d love to visit?
Piz Gloria is probably the greatest location I have never visited having visited Pyramids!, Sugarloaf Mountain, Jamaica, Estoril, James Bond Island and the Peninsula Hotel.
7. Favourite scene in the series?
Land based part of the car chase from TSWLM
8. Most Bondian thing you’ve ever done?
Toss up between Carrara Marble Quarry (from QoS) Tour in a landrover, staying at the Palacio Estoril and Rules Restaurant / Thames Rib Experience / Bar 190 for Vodka Martinis on the Spectre premiere day
Favourite Bond Film
Dr No
Favourite Bond Book
Casino Royale
Favourite Bond Girl
Tracy Bond (strength of character) & Domino (eye candy).
Favourite James Bond Actor
Sean Connery
Earliest Memory of Bond
Watching Goldfinger on ITV when I was a kid.
Location you’d love to visit?
Jamaica
Favourite scene in the series?
Bond setting Sanchez on fire in Licence To Kill.
Most Bondian thing you’ve ever done?
Swim in the sea. Other than that I can’t think of anything else.
1. For your Eyes Only. I love it. It has everything. The locations are fantastic. It has snow and great warm locations also. It has the best bond companion in Topol’s Colombo. He is so charming and really feels like an equal to Bond on his own terms. It has the a great nightstand with the Countess. It goes beyond the one liner, kiss and leave the rest to our imagination. The action scenes are really good and when Roger Moore kicks the car off the cliff, for me, is one of the great Bond moments. I really feel Roger Moore is on top form in the film also. I could go on and on.
2. Casino Royale. It is so good. The card game is wonderfully written and unlike the film Bond is already The fully grown Bond.
3. Tough call. It goes up and down for me, but at the moment Maud Adams is a great Bond girl. She feels, to me, sophisticated and that touch beyond attainable. Especially in Octopussy.
4. Pierce Brosnan. He gets a bad rep, but for me he has the full package. I am also a big fan of Roger Moore and Sean Connery in that order.
5. Roger Moore movies on TV. I have memories of Man with the Golden gun, The Spy who Loved me and For your Eyes Only being shown a lot.
6. The islands in Man with the Golden Gun or the hotel in for your Eyes Only in Italy.
7. Too many, but the beginning of The Spy who Loved often has to be viewed twice when I watch it.
8. Bond, to me, has always seemed more comfortable outside of England even tough he loves England, and that is the same for me.
1- The Living Daylights – Dalton’s great, a brilliant score from Barry, a wonderful pre-credit sequence with amazing photography that takes my breath away when I see the double 0’s jumping from the plane and descending on Gibraltar. The film is Bondian & Fleming-esq, and has the most heart.
2 – Moonraker. – Has a great villain in Drax, not too much of a travelogue, and Bond doesn’t get the girl.
3 – Most of them for all the wrong reasons !
4 – Timothy Dalton. Only the fans know how good he was, and a shame he only got to make two movies due to the wonderful bean counters & suits in the film business.
5 – Seeing Goldfinger and Live & Let Die in 1973 within 2 weeks of each other.
6 – Probably Piz Gloria.
7 – I was going to say this was almost impossible, but I do enjoy the laser wheel scene in The Living Daylights when the cop puts the brakes on, and Kara’s expression. Brilliant.
8- Probably driving my Dad’s speedboat which he named ‘Disco Volante’ – Took me years to realise where he got the name from. And I also got to drive a Glastron boat, that the baddies in Moonraker have.
Hi there! I’m Riley and I’m from Vancouver Canada.
1. My favourite Bond movie is Goldfinger hands down (with Daylights as a close second). It is likely the movie I have seen the most and it checks all of my boxes for what I want to see in a Bond film. I think Connery is quite possibly at his best here, making it my very favourite Bond.
2. My experience with the book is limited, but my favourite is Casino Royale.
3. I can’t choose between three! It’s a tie between Fiona Volpe, Sylvia Trench, and Kara Milovy
4. Connery (although only a couple of his movies crack my top ten). He set the precedent and he set it high. He was so suave. The only other actor that I think has a chance to compete for top spot is Daniel Craig. This said, I do think all the others are also fantastic.
5. Watching Live and Let Die at my relative’s house in San Francisco. I have this etched in my brain. I’ll likely never forget.
6. Vegas or Piz Gloria
7. The Cello chase in Daylights
8. Driving my dad’s BMW convertible to Graduation in my Bondian attire.
3. Come on – Bambi and Thumper
1. Favourite Bond Film?
The Spy Who Loved Me is without a doubt my favorite, probably because 6 year old me thought that TSWLM was the most espectacular film he’d ever seen to date, also I just love Roger as 007 and I think he looks cool as hell in this one, but close behind is Spectre and Skyfall.
2. Favourite Bond Book?
I still haven’t read DAF or TMWTGG but so far I have to say Moonraker, I love how Fleming just on his 3rd book decided to ditch the exotic locations and do a story solely in the UK, besides I loved how thrilling the book is and how sometimes you even question if Drax really is the villain!
3. Favourite Bond Girl?
Vesper Lynd, Eva Green did a fantastic job in the role, and she was Bond’s first big love effectively changing who he was
4. Favourite James Bond Actor?
The late Sir Roger Moore, I have always been a fan of his humor and his wityssism but Daniel Craig is a close second.
5. Earliest Memory of Bond?
I still actually remember going with my dad to the videoclub to pick up the first Bond film I ever saw which was Goldeneye.
6. Location you’d love to visit?
Well I live in Sintra, Portugal ony a few miles from the Jewelry shop in Lisbon where Bond picked up Tracy’s ring, so that is cool, I also visited Paris, London and Bilbao so I have visited a few locations but the one I would love to go is definetly Schilthorn or as we all know it Piz Gloria.
7. Favourite scene in the series?
I have two who are tied, first the “Bond…James Bond” from Casino Royale and second the underwater Lotus chase in TSWLM.
8. Most Bondian thing you’ve ever done?
Some years ago I did some skiing and when I got to go down a semi steep slope all I could hear in my head was the James Bond Theme as I imagined other skiers were chasing me. I sometimes speed up a bit if I see a car I like passing me only to decelerate and say to myself: “Discipline 007. Discipline.”
As I am an amateur actor and director I also tried to do a Bond film of my own, as I have a tuxedo similar to the one Roger used in TSWLM, but I never got around to finish it.
Still in my bucket list is to reenact the scene where Bond first meets Tanya in FRWL, “I think my mouth is too big/ No, it’s the right size, for me that is!” and Skydiving.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/51d41dac1d8db62e198b21c189eeced6e4465e79c48a0de8b7e2671735ffb98f.jpg
Favourite Bond Film. Depends on how I feel but Moonraker at the moment. Loved all the locations and Drax was a great villain.
Favourite Book. Haven’t read many and over 40 years ago but I liked Thunderball.
Favourite Bond Girl. For acting, Solitaire was an interesting character and looked good. Always thought Stacey Sutton was an attractive Bond girl.
Favourite Bond Actor. A difficult question but I am always drawn to Roger Moore.
Earliest Memory of Bond. My mother took me to see Goldfinger sometime in the mid 60s. I also saw From Russia with Love, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice at the cinema at some point in the 60s but Goldfinger was my earliest memory (I’m 59). Seeing Blofeld’s volcano on the big screen was fantastic!
Location I’d love to visit. Probably Rio and the Sugarloaf Mountain.
Favourite scene. I love all the classic fights (Grant, Oddjob up to Mr Hinx etc). I do like the dinner scene from Octopussy where Kamal Khan casually discusses with Bond how he will extract information from him using nasty drugs, leaving him brain damaged. He was such an arrogant Bond villain.
Most Bondian thing I have done. I have been on a few cruises and on formal nights I wear a tuxedo. This makes me feel a bit Bondian especially when walking through the James Bond themed casino on board Royal Caribbean Cruise ships.