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Cover Story
A look at the many ways James Bond has evolved through the years
Date published: 11/20/2008
BY JOHN ALBERTO AND ELLIOTT HAY
YOUTH CORRESPONDENTS
James Bond has never lived, yet he will never die. One of the most recognizable characters in history, Bond leapt from the original Ian Fleming novels onto the silver screen more than 46 years ago, in 1962. Since then, 22 "official" Bond movies have been made and six actors have portrayed 007 in the franchise, each giving his own unique flavor to the world's greatest secret agent.
SIX INCARNATIONS OF 007
For many people, Sean Connery is James Bond. When he first uttered the words, "Bond, James Bond," and saved the world from the villainous Dr. No in 1962, Connery became the yardstick by which all later Bonds have been measured.
Connery's Bond was a sophisticated macho, willing to use his license to kill as well as a witty one-liner afterward. For seven movies (including 1983's "Never Say Never Again," which is not officially considered part of the Bond franchise) he portrayed the character true to Fleming's original vision. Although his final official portrayal of Agent 007 was almost 40 years ago, he still remains one of the most popular Bonds.
Connery stepped down from the role after "You Only Live Twice" (1967), and Australian model/actor George Lazenby stepped in with energy and charm. Lazenby appeared in only one Bond film, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969), for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award. The film was not as financially successful as Connery's previous films, however, and Connery returned for 1971's "Diamonds Are Forever."
Roger Moore was cast as James Bond in "Live and Let Die" (1973) and played Bond for another six films. Moore's films and portrayal of 007 featured the subtle humor of the Connery films, but brought the quips and one-liners into a more campy environment, making many of his films rather cheesy.
The gadgets became more outlandish; the dialogue, more pun-filled; and the plot lines, edging toward the ludicrous during Moore's tenure. But somehow, Bond wearing bell- bottoms and flying to the moon to stop a villain in outer space worked.
Moore-era movies were products of their time, serving as perfect examples of '70s theater, which was more about light popcorn-fare than the serious action of today.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE BOND?
"Sean, of course. My next favorite is Pierce Brosnan."
--Sam Wolf, senior, Stafford High School
"Sean Connery, of course."
--Anna Lincoln, junior, Stafford
"Sadly, I've only seen one of them."
--Leslie Billingsley, junior, James Monroe High School
"Probably Pierce Brosnan. I've only watched a couple of Bond |movies, and they've all either involved him or Roger Moore."
--Chuhern Hwang, senior, James Monroe
"The new one--even though he's not 'classic,' he does a really good job!"
--Scott Gettlin, junior, James Monroe
"I haven't seen them, but I have heard many people say Timothy Dalton is the best."
--Madeline Lovegrove, sophomore, Stafford
"Oh, Sean Connery."
--Mary Flinn, freshman, Brooke Point High School
"I like the new Bond movies, because they have an actual story line to them, and they're deeper than the original ones--even the classic little puns are better, and Daniel Craig is now my favorite."
--Matt Cornpropst, senior, Stafford
--Compiled by Nina Gonzalez |
When Daniel Craig was cast as James Bond for "Casino Royale"--a reboot of the James Bond franchise--many people thought, "A blond Bond?"
Although Craig was a controversial choice because of his physical appearance, "Casino Royale" took in more than $70 million at the box office on its opening weekend, and many people began to respect his portrayal as being true to the Bond of Ian Fleming's original novels.
"Casino Royale" was the first of the Bond novels, and the 2006 film version served as a prequel to the franchise. Craig's Bond received his "double-0" status and his license to kill directly before the main events of the movie, and he is not yet the super-spy portrayed by the previous five Bond actors.
The way in which Craig portrays Bond brings about a more realistic and interesting character. His Bond has many flaws and has not yet learned what it is to be "James Bond."
Craig's Bond is a man willing to kill whoever gets in his way without any second thought or remorse. He relies on his physical strength much more than previous Bonds--and sweats, bleeds and gets dirty to finish his job, things that most of the Bonds before him did not do.
In "Quantum of Solace," Craig's Bond often lets his emotions get in the way of his duty. This causes the viewer to be unable to guess what Bond is going to do next, making the film exciting and interesting.
Craig's Bond films have also brought more realism to the world of 007, in general. In Pierce Brosnan's final Bond film, "Die Another Day," James Bond had a car that could turn invisible, and the main villain lived in a giant ice palace. In "Casino Royale" and "Quantum of Solace," the characters inhabit more feasible environments, and the most advanced forms of technology are the Sony Ericssons that all of the characters seem to have.
Although he has received both criticism and acclaim for his portrayal of Bond, Craig's realistic and edgy depiction of Bond is a valuable addition to the long-running series.
--John Alberto
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"Quantum of Solace" starts out feeling like any Bond movie--it opens with a car chase through the hills of Italy, as Bond tries to shake off some villains who have a bone to pick. But after this, things begin to either go downhill or become fresh and exciting, depending on your point of view.
If you came for a classic James Bond flick, you're bound to be disappointed. "Quantum of Solace" ventures even further down the path that "Casino Royale" took, ditching more traditions in what is basically a re-imagining of the entire series.
If you came excited to see an action flick, however, and you loved "The Bourne Identity," you're bound to be pleased. The action scenes were shot so close up and have so much going on in them that you hardly have time to look away. But, for me, this is where the movie fails.
Often, I could not tell what was going on--the movie was a whir of the perpetual motion of an endless fight scene. If you didn't understand something, by the time you asked the people sitting next to you about it, so many other things would have happened in the movie that they wouldn't even know what you were talking about.
That's quite unfortunate, because the plot wasn't exactly a strong selling point either. The movie essentially centers on a trigger-happy Bond and a vengeful woman he meets, who must stop a faux-environmentalist from taking over Third World countries.
That's right--Bond isn't even interested in saving the world, just the little starving countries in it. As for the Bond girl, none of the 20 moviegoers I asked knew her name by the end of the movie.
Overall, the movie had some strong points. But, compared with how epic "Casino Royale" was two years ago, "Quantum of Solace" was a bit lackluster. Unless you're a huge Bond fan who must see every movie in theaters, I'd recommend just waiting to rent it instead of paying for a ticket at the theater.
--Elliott Hay |
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Date published: 11/20/2008
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