Amazon Versus James Bond

[theshadowknows]

Amazon bought MGM a couple of years ago. MGM owned half of the franchise, while Barbara Broccoli and her brother own the other 50 percent. They inherited Bond from their father, Albert Broccoli, who, along with Harry Saltzman, brought Ian Fleming's creation to the silver screen back in 1962. Barbara took over for her father when he passed in 1996, and she's the reason the franchise is what it is today.
 
However, Amazon is doing exactly what you'd expect—fucking with a billion-dollar IP. They want to make TV shows, this and that, yada yada. But Barbara is prepared to put up a fight.
 

When it comes to Bond’s future, the power lies in the hands of Barbara Broccoli, who inherited the control from her father, Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, and who for 30 years has decided when a new Bond movie can go into production. She has told friends she doesn’t trust algorithm-centric Amazon with a character she helped to mythologize through big-screen storytelling and gut instinct. This fall, she characterized the status of a new movie in dire terms—no script, no story and no new Bond.

To friends, Broccoli has characterized her thoughts on Amazon this way: “These people are f— idiots.

 

She was 2 years old when “Dr. No” opened in London two weeks before the Cuban missile crisis turned Bond’s on-screen exploits into a cinematic reflection of real-world events. In the U.S., Bond’s charm and swagger called to mind the new president, John F. Kennedy, whose endorsement of the Fleming novels had already sent their sales soaring. In the U.K., British fans saw in Bond an emblem of their country’s erstwhile empire dominance. 

“We’ve extended Britain’s finest hour over sixty years because of him,” Broccoli said in a biography of Fleming published earlier this year by Nicholas Shakespeare.

A Bond economy grew, with Bond shaving cream, toothpaste and even lingerie for female fans who wanted to “Become Fit for James Bond.”

Broccoli began working on the films as a teenager, and she and her stepbrother presided over a blockbuster age starting with Pierce Brosnan’s debut in 1995’s “GoldenEye” and continuing through Craig’s five-film run. In 2012, “Skyfall” became the first—and is still only—Bond movie to collect more than $1 billion worldwide.

Broccoli and Wilson have begun showing the next generation the ropes. Wilson’s son, Gregg Wilson, helped to produce recent installments.

That passing of the torch has brought with it some disagreements over who the next James Bond should be. To associates, Gregg Wilson has appeared to be more sympathetic to calls for an update to Bond, a role that’s so far been filled by white male actors.

Some say a person of color in Bond’s tuxedo would better reflect the U.K.’s changing demography, and even nod to its ugly history of colonization. Take it a step further, others say, and cast a woman or a gay man.  

Broccoli has told friends that she doesn’t have any qualms with casting a nonwhite or gay actor, but does believe Bond should always be played by a man, and should always be played by a Brit.

Villains have also presented a creative challenge, since Bond has already dispatched so many. 

In a world where the 1% have more power than ever, some have suggested, a stateless billionaire autocrat might seem the obvious choice for a Bond bad guy.

Broccoli’s response to such suggestions: Been there, done that. Recent villains include a wealthy banker to terrorist groups who weeps blood out of one eye (“Casino Royale,” 2006); a wealthy oil heiress (“The World Is Not Enough,” 1999); and a wealthy tycoon whose global media empire includes a satellite network (“Tomorrow Never Dies,” 1997). That last one has come up more recently when she is offered inspiration from the real world. 

“Elon Musk?” she said to one friend. “I did that back in 1997.’”  

http://archive.today/AuJ7E

[sahgwa]

Amazon bought MGM a couple of years ago. MGM owned half of the franchise, while Barbara Broccoli and her brother own the other 50 percent. They inherited Bond from their father, Albert Broccoli, who, along with Harry Saltzman, brought Ian Fleming's creation to the silver screen back in 1962. Barbara took over for her father when he passed in 1996, and she's the reason the franchise is what it is today.
 
However, Amazon is doing exactly what you'd expect—fucking with a billion-dollar IP. They want to make TV shows, this and that, yada yada. But Barbara is prepared to put up a fight.
 
 

http://archive.today/AuJ7E

I am getting back into Bond after collecting some of the 'best of' on DVD, I have like volume 1 of Sean Connery Bond with Goldfinger, From Russia With Love, and Dr No, a volume of Roger Moore, we watched Live and Let Die Christmas Eve which was really entertaining, while cooking and stuff. 
That said, I hope Ms Broccoli can stop Amazon from fucking up the character and franchise.  
I read a review of the last Bond film ( I haven't seen- I only saw Casino Royale, and Quantum of Solace) where Craig's character is super depressed and pretty much nonfunctional, and no one wants to see that.  
If anything, that should have signalled an end to the series. . .

[theshadowknows]

I am getting back into Bond after collecting some of the 'best of' on DVD, I have like volume 1 of Sean Connery Bond with Goldfinger, From Russia With Love, and Dr No, a volume of Roger Moore, we watched Live and Let Die Christmas Eve which was really entertaining, while cooking and stuff. 
That said, I hope Ms Broccoli can stop Amazon from fucking up the character and franchise.  
I read a review of the last Bond film ( I haven't seen- I only saw Casino Royale, and Quantum of Solace) where Craig's character is super depressed and pretty much nonfunctional, and no one wants to see that.  
If anything, that should have signalled an end to the series. . .

That's awesome! Moore is my favorite Bond but only by margins. My order would probably go:

1. Moore
   
2. Brosnan
   
3. Craig
   
4. Dalton
   
5. Lazenby
   
6. Connery
   

Many people would disagree with placing Connery at the bottom of my list, but while Dr. No is one of my all-time favorites, his portrayal of Bond felt too cartoonish. Oddly enough, I enjoy Never Say Never Again—maybe it's nostalgia? It’s a bad movie (Mr. Bean is in it, after all), and it’s non-Eon, but it’s not nearly as bad as Diamonds Are Forever.
 
Some claim that On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (OHMSS) is the worst Bond movie, but I think Diamonds Are Forever takes that title. Lazenby did an amazing job in OHMSS, especially considering how he landed the role: he famously wore Connery’s tailored suit and crashed the auditions. That’s a Bond move if I’ve ever heard one.
 

It's no secret that Anthony Sinclair dressed Sean Connery for all of his appearances in the James Bond films, however, what is less known is that George Lazenby was himself a customer of Sinclair's. Lazenby visited the Conduit Street tailor whilst he was looking to impress the producers for his audition for the role of Bond in 1968.

Lazenby had already purchased a Rolex Submariner and had his hair cut at Connery's barber, however, the final piece in the ensemble was a bespoke suit by Connery's tailor. Lazenby had previously worn French designer suits, but he felt it wouldn't be appropriate enough to sway the producers. Instead, only the best suit would do, and that meant visiting Anthony Sinclair.

Unfortunately, Lazenby was unaware of the long process that crafting a bespoke suit would take, and was dismayed to learn that it would take six months to create. Disappointed, Lazenby was just about to leave when Sinclair stopped him, telling him that he had made a checked suit for Sean Connery that he had neglected to pick up. As Lazenby was a similar build to Connery, the suit needed only minor adjustments, with Sinclair lengthening the sleeves to fit his slightly longer arms.

It was dressed in this suit that Lazenby furtively made his way into the offices of Eon Productions, standing squarely in the doorway and declaring "I hear you're looking for James Bond." The rest is, of course, history.

[sahgwa]

That's awesome! Moore is my favorite Bond but only by margins. My order would probably go:

1. Moore
   
2. Brosnan
   
3. Craig
   
4. Dalton
   
5. Lazenby
   
6. Connery
   

Many people would disagree with placing Connery at the bottom of my list, but while Dr. No is one of my all-time favorites, his portrayal of Bond felt too cartoonish. Oddly enough, I enjoy Never Say Never Again—maybe it's nostalgia? It’s a bad movie (Mr. Bean is in it, after all), and it’s non-Eon, but it’s not nearly as bad as Diamonds Are Forever.
 
Some claim that On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (OHMSS) is the worst Bond movie, but I think Diamonds Are Forever takes that title. Lazenby did an amazing job in OHMSS, especially considering how he landed the role: he famously wore Connery’s tailored suit and crashed the auditions. That’s a Bond move if I’ve ever heard one.
 

I agree that Connery, while entertaining, is just 'too much.'  It never feels even slightly believable.  Also at the risk of sounding like a sjw prog the whole female male relations is a bit weird with him.  I think Moore may be my favourite bond but also Dalton is close, cuz I grew up with both of them.
That reminds me, I need to get a volume of Goldeneye. I mean Brosnan. heh

I have YET to see the single film with Lazenby in it. . . I find it hilarious he only did one.