Bumble's Bridge Pickup Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 ^ Yeah that's the one. I read it in Finnish, and that version is titled as "James Bond: Mission in Finland" : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bond Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 Skyfall hits $1 billionhttp://www.boxoffice.../?id=bond23.htmIt is going to surpass Thunderball before it hits China on January 21st.At this point whatever it makes in China is just a bonus. I honestly didn't think it'd hit $1 billion before the end of the year (I figured close, like $985-$990 million) but damn, it's hard to guess with this movie. It keeps outdoing itself. In any event, not counting inflation, the first billion dollar Bond is a nice milestone for the series.If I were to read the books, which should I buy?Casino Royale like the other guys said. You're probably best just reading them in order. Closest to the films are probably Casino, OHMSS, From Russia With Love and Thunderball if that's what you're going for. All of them are easy reads too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnold layne Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Are they good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bond Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 They're pretty good spy novels for the fifties. OHMSS is a damn good book, probably the best in the series. The Blofeld trilogy in general (Thunderball, OHMSS, You Only Live Twice) is pretty solid. I wish they would have filmed it in order and keep it more faithful, namely for You Only Live Twice. Just keep in mind the books for the most part have virtually nothing to do with the films or the film character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselDaisy Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 They are much better than the films, a lot more sadistic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgy Zhukov Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Skyfall is basicaly The World is Not Enough done right. The attack on MI6 plot is similar but what they got right this time was the villain. Silva was a fantastic villain and to be fair Craig did not have the best villains unless you count Mr. White as a main villan. I would like to see Bruno Ganz be the head of Quantum. The new Blofeld. I'd like Alexandra Maria Lara to be a Bond girl. Main or small role. She's beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batman007 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Skyfall hits $1 billionhttp://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bond23.htmIt is going to surpass Thunderball before it hits China on January 21st.Fn props! Three movies this year that made over a billion. Good stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgy Zhukov Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 To be fair, The Avengers had 3D and IMAX. Skyfall and TDKR had IMAX but there's only so many IMAX theaters in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batman007 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 To be fair, The Avengers had 3D and IMAX. Skyfall and TDKR had IMAX but there's only so many IMAX theaters in the world.Very fair. I have told people the same thing about The Avengers. I really think TDKR could of topped it. One, 3d. Two, the shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgy Zhukov Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Yeah, TDKR could have made more money than it did. I think Skyfall made so much because it was the only good movie out for a month. I keep expecting it to grind to a halt with The Hobbit and now Les Miserables but people are still seeing it. It is a film that keeps beating expectations. I use to be worried that it wouldn't do well. Hearing that Sam Mendes is behind it, I thought it was going to be pretentious like Quantum of Solace was. Turns out it was nowhere near that. To me it ranks high with Goldfinger, Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, The Spy Who Loved Me and Casino Royale.The two Daltons too but I felt his best film was never made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EccoTides Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 The two Daltons too but I felt his best film was never made.Too true, it's one of my favorite cinematic what-ifs. The mysterious lost 5th Brosnan film would have been interesting too, seeing as Pierce was pretty insistent that he wanted to do just one more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgy Zhukov Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 There's a lot of what ifs in the Bond films.What if Lazenby went on with the series?What if Cubby decided to make Connery a partner?What if John Gavin played Bond in DAF?What if James Brolin got the part?What if they got Sam Neil instead of Timothy Dalton? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Vega Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 What do you guys think of You Only Live Twice?I ask because no matter what, Sean Connery will always be my favorite Bond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EccoTides Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 You Only Live Twice is one that I go back and forth on more than any other Bond movie. The biggest problem in the movie, IMO, is Connery himself, who doesn't exhibit an ounce of the enthusiasm that he did in his first four movies.Other than that, there's lots to like. The cinematography is beautiful, the title song is a classic, the action is fun, and the scope is definitely on the "extreme" side of things. John Barry's score is also one of the series greats.That said, there are times when I find Connery's barely-there performance really distracting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerage5 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Are they good?theyre good reads. Some of them differ quite a bit from their film counterparts. They're fairly short too, about 200 pages, so they don't take forever to get through. I'd also recommend reading them in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselDaisy Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 What do you guys think of You Only Live Twice?I ask because no matter what, Sean Connery will always be my favorite Bond.Typical Lewis Gilbert Bond, a big silly comic book spectacular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgy Zhukov Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 You Only Live Twice is one of my least favorite Bond films. Lewis Gilbert did a much better job for The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker. YOLO was a mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselDaisy Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Moonraker is awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bond Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 I actually enjoy Moonraker for what it is. I look at it as a companion film to Spy. Once you get passed the fact that James Bond is in space there's much to like about the film, at least until they get to space that is. Most of that is thanks to Roger who is on par with his Spy performance.You Only Live Twice is one of my least favorites in the entire series. Perhaps not a bad film, but dull and uninteresting plus zero charisma from Connery's performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselDaisy Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 It has a cool 60s vibe though. And the score is one of the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgy Zhukov Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 The only part I liked was the Little Nellie scene. SPECTRE has some shitty ass helicopter pilots. The score was a little racist for my taste. There's more to the Orient than chop stick music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bond Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 I don't think I've ever heard racist used in instrumental music criticism. You always have a knack for putting things in perspective. The score is good, but it still doesn't save the film. I don't think it's Barry's best work either. That came one film later. Yes, You Only Live Twice has a sixties vibe, but so did the first four Connery films which I'd much rather watch. You Only Live Twice and A View To A Kill are the lone films in the franchise that I actually find boring. Still, the worst film for me is Diamonds Are Forever. It's not boring but when I watch it I cringe pretty much the whole film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerage5 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Time to answer my own list from a few days ago Best Movie - SkyfallBest Bond Actor - Daniel CraigBest Bond Girl - Vesper LyndBest Minor Character - Mr. WhiteBest Villain - Raoul SilvaBest Bond Vehicle - DB5Best Bond Gadget/Weapon - FRWL briefcaseBest Theme - You Know My NameBest Video Game - Only played GoldeneyeWorst Movie - Die Another DayWorst Bond Actor - Pierce BrosnanWorst Bond Girl - Stacey SuttonWorst Minor Character - General MedranoWorst Villain - Elliot CarverWorst Bond Vehicle - Iceberg submarineWorst Bond Gadget/Weapon - Moonraker laser gunsWorst Theme - Die Another DayWorst Video Game - Only played GoldeneyeI actually enjoy Moonraker for what it is. I look at it as a companion film to Spy. Once you get passed the fact that James Bond is in space there's much to like about the film, at least until they get to space that is. Most of that is thanks to Roger who is on par with his Spy performance.You Only Live Twice is one of my least favorites in the entire series. Perhaps not a bad film, but dull and uninteresting plus zero charisma from Connery's performance.Hit the nail on the head about Moonraker. It's just so over the top that I can't help but love it, it's the "jumping the shark" moment of the Bond franchise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselDaisy Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Nancy Sinatra's theme, one of the very best.Kissy Suzuki, great Bond girl.Great locations (Himeiji-jo)Connery (albiet bored)What is there not to like? Yes it is the first campy Bond. Yes Dahl screwed over Fleming's novel but I still think it is excellent escapist entertainment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bond Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 I can live without Sinatra's theme (it's good, but not one of my favorites) and Kissy was fairly underused. Sure, she went to get Tiger and his ninjas to the crater but that's literally it. She isn't in the film enough to have made an impact on me and is really only there so Bond can get the girl at the end since Aki died. I also don't like the "Bond becoming Japanese and getting married" angle so I guess I automatically I dislike Kissy's place in the story.I'll give you the locations but I find the cinematography unappealing and it totally misuses, or under uses rather, the locations. Ken Adam's volcano set is a triumph though.I don't dislike it because it's campy, I dislike it because I find it dull and boring. Roger's entire tenure is campy but I love most of (if not all of) those films more than You Only Live Twice simply because they succeed at being far more entertaining. I find Twice's action to be dull. I can't really put my finger on it but something about the film just screams "boring" to me. Had Connery given a more charismatic performance he might have saved it for me, but as it is you've got a dull film with a bored Connery, and overall it's a losing package. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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