The James Bond Franchise - Explain the miracle!!

Fifty years on from his first film....James Bond is still probably the biggest Icon on the planet. Still as fresh, still as relevant and worth billions of dollars!!!.......

You have even got the Queen of England doing roleplay with him.

From Timbucktu to Alaska everybody has heard of the World's biggest spy!!....and in 50 years only six guys have officially played him.

James Bond is out on his own..Untouchable......Often imitated formula but never and could never be surpassed!!..

There is no such thing as a new Bond film...It's an EVENT!!

JAMES BOND..............Explain the miracle............

Lots of 'Walter Mitty' type people out there, who get to live out their fantasy lifes through Bond.

Put this article in the wrong place.........never mind hey....

Certainly is a lot If that is the case..

People in glass houses though, I lived mine through 'Bravo Two Zero' and 'The one that got away'

I lived mine through.................Tootsie!!

Its not a miracle, just slick branding and marketing appealing to a niche market (a very large niche market) who enjoy that kind of thing.
Personally I cant differentiate one Bond plot from another, I dont see the point of going to see a film where you know exactly what you are going to get, though Im happy to concede the quality of the last few has been greatly improved.
But Im not really a fight, chase scenes and gadgets kind of blokes (happy with the girls though) so never going to be my kind of thing.

I don't think he pulls it off very well though, unlike Bugs Bunny when he used to dress as a girl, jeez that used to play havoc with my pre-teen hormones

Miracle?

Let me see... a man of action, a man with a licence to kill, a man who wears nice suits and drives nice cars and has relationships with nice women...in nice place all over the world... and a man who has to kill a cat lover every now and again to pay the bills....................?

That's a miracle that he's popular?

James Bond represents a white fantasy

What????

You have even got the Queen of England doing roleplay with him.

Steady on.

You would have ignored that If you were an SNP supporter!!

James bond is a gimp and action films are even more gimpy.

If you smash a man in the face with a wrench he falls to the floor, he doesn't fight on (and win).

Action films are probably better suited to those who "pimp their ride", ogle boobies in newspapers, or draw comedy cocks on books.

Basically teenagers, or teenagers trapped in adults bodies.


Each to their own i suppose. Peace

I'm just glad you don't stereotype people..

James Bond represents the old British imperial empire end of.

Why isn't it old hat then..........

TheMackemMawler wrote:James bond is a gimp and action films are even more gimpy.

If you smash a man in the face with a wrench he falls to the floor, he doesn't fight on (and win).

Action films are probably better suited to those who "pimp their ride", ogle boobies in newspapers, or draw comedy cocks on books.

Basically teenagers, or teenagers trapped in adults bodies.


Each to their own i suppose. Peace

.... or when done at their best can have a visceral, escapist appeal and demonstrate incredible sense of balletic drama.

I can't recommend "The Raid" highly enough and it's an action film that appealed to this non ride-pimping, non-Sun reader, who doesn't draw cocks

In fairness Super...Mackem didn't say he wasn't a fan!!!!

I've yet to meet someone from Sunderland who doesn't spend their day drawing cocks.

I've only met one person from Sunderland, though.

... and she looked like a young Hayley Mills.

superflyweight wrote:I've yet to meet someone from Sunderland who doesn't spend their day drawing cocks.

ONETWOFOREVER wrote:James Bond represents the old British imperial empire end of.

I always thought the Bond franchise was originally the new, jet-engined (can't emphasize that enough), just recovering from the post-war, "mod" (for lack of a better word) Great Britain; old-schooled but adapting to a changing world.

Of course, lately it's played catch-up with all those other action-hero, blow-up-everything franchises. Necessary, of course, if the Bond franchise was to survive, but at least they haven't sacrificed the old "integrity" (again, for lack of a better word.)

old integrity? as in the Martinis?

It is so successful because he's the guy most young boys want to be - the hero's hero, the suave but tough secret agent that always saves the world and gets the girl.

It is classic escapism and nothing more, and it's no surprise to me that it is still going strongly. Bond will always have it's detractors but to me, a new Bond is an event, something an awful lot of avid followers look forward to.

My stag do was Bond Themed...

Mr Bounce wrote:It is so successful because he's the guy most young boys want to be - the hero's hero, the suave but tough secret agent that always saves the world and gets the girl.

It is classic escapism and nothing more, and it's no surprise to me that it is still going strongly. Bond will always have it's detractors but to me, a new Bond is an event, something an awful lot of avid followers look forward to.

Bond is a very simple narrative of good triumphing over (Dr) Evil, while looking cool and getting the girls, guns and gadgets. What's not to like, at least from an escapist perspective?

Good point about a new Bond film being an event - I think the fact that they average one release every couple of years or so has helped, along with the fact that the Broccoli family have stayed at the helm but have been able to keep the franchise relatively fresh and contemporary through the 50 years. OK, some of the Moore films look dated now, and Timothy Dalton's films weren't exactly a high-point of the franchise (I think more because of the scripts and lack of spectacle rather than necessarily Dalton being poorly cast), but they've pulled things back very well through the Brosnan and Craig films (in terms of spectacle and event if not always plausibility).

How many other film franchises are there where even the selection of the artist singing the theme tune is a big deal?

Bond imo was surpassed by the Bourne trilogy. If you look at Quantom of Solace and Skyfall they owe a lot in terms of action and cinematography to the Bourne films. In parts they even rip off the Bourne films. For me Bourne is a more intelligent and high octane version of Bond. I was disappointed with Skyfall as the plot was too rushed, besides the choreography of the fight scenes were no where near as slick or cool as the Bourne franchise.

Bond will continue because of the guns and glamour but its a leave your brain at home franchise, nothing you have to think too hard about. There are alot of people who just enjoy it for the action.

Have to agree with the above that Bourne surpassed Bond long ago. Seen Skyfall and it was more than disappointing. Annoys me the continued hype surrounding the film, mainly by the British, when in fact it's a rather poorly written film with a lackluster story. Everywhere I go currently there's Danie Craig promoting the DVD release, just reminds me of how I wasted my money at the cinema back in November.

There's a reason it didn't get nominated for an Oscar and the American's didn't rate it either. I do hope for Daniel Craig that the next one does him justice, needs to go out on a bang.

SecretFly wrote:old integrity? as in the Martinis?

Shaken, not stirred.

Sam Mendes won't be directing the next Bond, just confirmed. Good News.

Get in Christopher Nolan