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Actually, I’m a spy.
Bond gets surprisingly blunt in You Only Live Twice when under interrogation by Helga Brandt he casually admits his occupation. And not some euphemism for government work or a less nefarious-sounding title, he just says straight up “spy,” in I think the only instance of him calling himself as such.… Read More →
Filed Under: You Only Live Twice -
I try to avoid sweeping Bond generalizations
After more than 30 years as a James Bond fan, I’ve grown increasingly tired of rankings, tournaments, and declarations of the “best ever.” They can be fun, but they’re also fleeting. These days, I prefer discussing my Bond movie favorites rather than absolutes. A few rewatches are often enough to… Read More →
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The alternative is extermination…by cyanide gas.
This small detail from The Spy Who Loved Me was a nice touch. After all, why would a submarine’s crew voluntarily surrender or open their hatches to an unknown vessel? Stromberg already accounted for that problem. His men use a device that punctures the submarine’s hull and threatens the crew… Read More →
Filed Under: The Spy Who Loved Me -
There’s some kind of marking here. “GG.”
So yes, James Bond was apparently speaking the language of online gaming all the way back in Die Another Day. But he really shouldn’t have at all, in my opinion, so let me explain. Technically, of course, Bond doesn’t use “GG” as shorthand for “good game,” he’s identifying Gustav Graves’… Read More →
Filed Under: Die Another Day -
Last rat standing
In Skyfall, Silva’s rat metaphor monologue isn’t one of my favorite villain speeches. The story itself is memorable enough, but it’s overshadowed by Silva’s creepy delivery and the generally uncomfortable presence he maintains throughout the movie. That said, Bond’s above final line before killing Silva enhances the monologue considerably and… Read More →
Filed Under: Skyfall -
One of our specialties. Stuffed sheep’s head.
Bond’s feast with Kamal Khan in Octopussy is an all-time Bond/villain dinner scene. Roger Moore’s queasy reaction when the cooked sheep’s head arrives, eyeballs and all, ranks among his funniest facial expressions, recalling his look of utter dismay after accidentally swallowing Saida’s golden bullet in The Man with the Golden… Read More →
Filed Under: Octopussy