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Director: Stevan Riley
Year: 2012
Rating: NR
Running Time: 1 hour, 38 minutes
In this documentary of the James Bond franchise, we learn of the history of the James Bond story, from novel to film and all the turmoil that has surrounded the iconic character. We see Sean Connery butt heads with filmmakers, filmmakers and authors battle over licensing rights, as well as the story of every incarnation of Bond, no matter how short lived. They talk about why they believe the character has stood the test of time and is the longest running franchise in Hollywood history.
There are 23 official Bond films and 3 more unofficial ones. Across these 26 films, 8 different actors have filled the roll of James Bond. Each actor brings their own unique characteristics to the roll. Some are more suave, some are more silly, and some are just flat out more tough and gritty. Regardless of their portrayal, each actor brought something different and timeless to this iconic role. But whoever fills the roll, fans still flock to the theaters to see new Bond movies, and the most recent ones have even broken box office records. It has been 52 years since the release of "Dr. No," and the even today, James Bond is as popular as ever with no signs of letting up in popularity. Though everyone has their opinion of who does their favorite portrayal of Bond, many say Daniel Craig, the current 007, is the best, and man fans go old-school, leaning towards Sean Connery as their number one favorite. The occasional hipster will through out a vote for George Lazenby as best Bond.
A lot of the drama in the documentary comes from Sean Connery's dislike of the producers of the Bond films, Saltzman and Broccoli, and his eventual distaste for the part of Bond itself. He felt that he was being underpaid and didn't like the attention it brought him or the fact he couldn't go anywhere without being swarmed by fans. The other drama comes from a legal dispute between the creator of Bond, Ian Fleming, and his "Thunderball" co-writer Kevin McClory. They were arguing in court about who had the rights to the James Bond character, and the script and story to "Thunderball" as a whole. Of course, over five decades, you'd expect a little drama here and there when dealing with so many movable parts to this classic secret agent and bringing him to life on the silver screen.
It's an interesting story and something fans of the Bond series will enjoy. We particularly liked the interviews with each Bond, past and present, and seeing what each actor had to say about their time in the big man's shoes.
My Rating: 7.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
Do we recommend this movie: Yes!
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One year ago, we were watching: "The Family"
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