CHRIS

Favourite Bond Film?

For me there have been five Bond films that have stood on this hallowed pinnacle of Bond stardom. The original, and still a firm favourite, is Thunderball. This is the Bond film I have undoubtedly watched more than any of the others. In fact, I really couldn’t estimate how many times I’ve seen it. It has always been my Dad’s favourite Bond film after he went to see it in the cinema in ’65 and I guess I appreciated it’s glossy, exotic and adventurous feel in equal measure. I remember countless times going to the local swimming pool and re-enacting any number of underwater scenes from the film and it still holds a dear place in my heart. I even went dressed as Bond from Thunderball in primary school when I was 6 years old and did a talk in front of everyone in assembly… if only I could find the photo!! (P.S. It was fancy dress day, I wasn’t the only one dressed up!)

I believe Goldfinger was my next number one Bond. A film that has absolutely everything in a Bond that you want and without doubt scores the highest number of iconic scenes in any one film in the series ~ Goldfinger, OddJob, Pussy Galore, glittering Jill Masterson, DB5, Golf game, laser scene, Fort Knox… the list is endless. It quite clearly set the standard and continues to do so.

Hot on the heels of Goldfinger came From Russia with Love. In my younger years I didn’t have as much respect for this film as I do today. The script is complex but infallible and holds some extremely classy moments which Connery throws down with his usual effortless swagger. In Grant and Klebb we have two of the best psychotic villains in the series and the Bond vs Grant train fight is simply breathtaking. For me this film is right up there.

My next choice was probably the fifth film that held the title of my favourite Bond and has, in recent years, often swapped places with the fourth film to gain the hotspot which also happens to be my current number one title holder. It is, of course, Casino Royale. This film got so many things right on so many levels and literally just writing about it is giving me a tingly feeling all over. The characterisation in this film is expertly portrayed and it seems to have such a perfect balance between action, drama, humour, emotion and intelligence. It was a reboot that actually worked and not just worked but excelled beyond expectation. Already I can’t wait until the next time I watch it!

However, my current number one James Bond film is so brilliant it’s a wonder I don’t have it playing on eternal loop whenever I’m in the house. It’s one of the few that I didn’t have on VHS when I was younger and I’d love to think what a 6 year version of me would’ve thought about watching it for the first time. Currently, the best James Bond film for me is the utterly enthralling On Her Majesties Secret Service. The respect I’ve got for that film is immense! It is the most hard-hitting of all the Bonds, has the best action sequences, the best soundtrack, the best Bond girl in Tracey Di Vicenzo, a classy villain in Telly Savalas’s Blofeld, great humour, my favourite Bond location, a bevy of Bond beauties, an Aston Martin, a great ally in Draco and a fabulous portrayal of Bond by Lazenby. (If only he’d made more!) It is also supremely close to the Fleming novel which helps to elevate it to another level. Not to mention the fact that it holds the mantle as the best Christmas film ever made, closely followed by Die Hard, Home Alone and It’s a Wonderful Life!

As for the future, who knows? But right at this moment OHMSS gets me more excited than any other Bond film and ultimately gets my vote! J

Favourite Bond Book?

This is an interesting question as I’m soon to embark on a Fleming Bond-athon over the coming months so it will be interesting to see if my decision changes at all after going through them again. For now though, I’d have to go with From Russia with Love. I loved the fact that so much attention was paid to the character of Grant and how the inevitable matchup between Bond and Grant turned into one hell of a showdown. I thought this was one of Fleming’s cleverest Bond novels. Tatiana Romanova was a fantastic Bond girl and the ending of Bond possibly dead from Klebb’s poisoned shoe was inspired.

Other notable mentions go to Casino Royale, Moonraker and On Her Majesties Secret Service. All three of the above are first class thrillers and Fleming’s writing seems to shine while reading them.

Favourite Bond Girl?

Wow this is a tricky question! I guess you could come at it from a couple of angles. Are we asking who is our favourite Bond Girl based entirely on who we find attractive or who is our favourite Bond Girl based solely on their actual character in the film? If we go for the former I’m a big fan of: Honey Ryder, Tanya Romanova, Pussy Galore, Domino, Fiona Volpe, Solitaire, Naomi, Corrine Dufour, Lupe Lamora, Xenia Onatopp, Elektra King, Miranda Frost, Vesper Lynd, Camille and Severine… which is quite a few really!!

And if we’re talking about the latter I’d have to say my top choices would be Pussy Galore, Tracey Di Vicenzo and Vesper Lynd.

Hmm, I’m aware this is far from a straight answer so more specifically I will try to narrow it down to two (or possibly three or maybe four), which is a supremely difficult job!

My favourite Bond Girl for being the best match for Bond and ultimately the best Bond Girl character in the series is, without doubt, Tracey Di Vicenzo from OHMSS. The fact she is an equal for Bond and can fight, drive, ski, skate, handle a gun, is intelligent, independent, complex, strong, and loving leaves her head and shoulders above the rest and Diana Rigg is superb in the role.

Based purely on who gets my blood flowing the most, I’m going to have to opt for a triple hitter of Fiona Volpe, whose honey trap claws could have tempted me any time!! (Without a doubt one of the best villainesses in the series), her fellow onscreen Bond Girl, Claudine Auger, who had one of the sexiest smiles in the series and Pussy Galore for whom I would keep playing it easy all day long!!

Favourite James Bond Actor?

For me, my favourite Bond actor has never changed throughout my life as a Bond fan. Although I grew up in the 80s the Bond I saw most, who in my eyes will never be surpassed, was Sean Connery. That man was, and possibly still is, the coolest man on the planet. “He was the original and the best” is a quote often used but in this case it’s 100% accurate.

Sean installed in the character of Bond an animal-like menace, the likes of which has not been seen since. His Bond was a sadistic brute who moved incredibly well, always looked self assured and exuded the epitome of suave coolness. He could pull off every aspect of the character that we’ve come to know and love… he was extremely solid in a fight, had his way with the ladies, was effortlessly sophisticated, and humourous and witty when required. Of all the actors who have played Bond, Connery had ‘it’ more than any other… the type of charisma that very few people in the world come close to.

In joint second place comes each of the other actors to have played James Bond. Depending on my mood on any given day I will always be up for watching George, Roger, Tim, Pearce and Danny Boy and love them all in their own right. Each of them has their strengths which help to keep the series varied and entertaining, but for me, Connery just had everything in the right amount!

Earliest Memory of Bond?

I guess I don’t have any one particular memory, rather a blur of memories from my Bond youth. I happened upon the Bond films thanks to my Dad at a young age of perhaps four or five and remember watching them frequently on the sofa with a big smile on my face. Thunderball is the strongest in my memory but I also remember the flying car while watching TMWTGG at my Gran’s when I was about 7 or 8 but by then I was already well into my Bond.

It is a bit of a shame that I can’t remember a particular moment in time when I got hooked on Bond. A lot of people seem to have that trigger moment but for me I guess I always have been a fan and can’t remember otherwise. Although I do remember lying in bed on frequent occasions in my youth re-enacting Bond’s Acrostar manoeuvres to a T from Octopussy… hmm, perhaps it’s time for another go!

Location you’d love to visit?

This is a very easy question to answer. By far the Bond location I’d most like to visit is Piz Gloria! There are numerous reasons why, including: the fact that the location is pretty much still the same as it is in the film, that it is seen extensively in the film, that OHMSS is currently my favourite bond film and that I’m a huge fan of snow and snowboarding and would love to ride down from the summit with John Barry’s killer tune playing in my ears!

I’ve managed to visit quite a few locations myself including Guincho beach from the OHMSS pretitles and the Karnak Temple in Egypt from TSWLM, both of which were immense, but the location that I got the biggest buzz from so far was Istanbul and its various locations in FRWL especially, TWINE and SF!

Favourite scene in the series?

I could easily write for hours upon hours about all the amazing scenes that have been depicted throughout the series and trying to scale those down to one in every film or even to a top ten would be a mighty challenge. Some of the ones that spring to mind are the cliff parachute jump from Spy, the laser scene from Goldfinger, the death of Tracey in OHMSS, the shooting of Mr White and follow up remark in CR, the shooting of Professor Dent in DN and the KGB attack on the Blayden Safehouse in TLD, to name a few.

There is one scene, however, which I think epitomises the sheer coolness of Bond that will never be topped. It could be said to be the most important scene in film history and undoubtedly holds the most famous line in film history. It is, of course, Bond’s introduction in Dr No. Bond has never looked better in the series than in this moment and they way he is introduced at the casino is the same way Fleming introduced Bond when he first put pen to paper. Whenever I watch that scene I feel an electric shiver which makes my hairs stand on end and reminds me why I love Bond so much!

Most Bondian thing you’ve ever done?

Hmm… this is an interesting question. From an action point of view I guess the closest I’ve come is snowboarding across a mini lake/pond like Bond in AVTAK.

I’ve also walked back-to-back into a pretty female counterpart around the pillars of Karnak temple a la TSWLM which was pretty cool.

One that I’d love to do is to re-enact Bond’s offer of a pair of shoes to Fiona while she’s in the bath… one day maybe! J

More about Chris…

On the rare occasions when Chris is on downtime from doing something Bond-related he likes to be in the outdoors, preferably jumping around like a madman or finding whatever patch of snow he can to slide down. His other hobbies include writing, working on films and crafting To Do lists!