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yestolerancepro · 2 months ago

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Happy Halloween from the Tolerance project-Halloween Special The Michael Myers Saga

Part 1 Halloween 1978

Introduction

Hello there and welcome to a revised edition of a blog I wrote about the Halloween Franchise for ease of reading I have split the blog into 2 parts .

The first part deals with the making of the original Halloween film in 1978 as well a the unique 1980 television version the remake from 2007 and the reboot from 2018

Part 2 will deal with the various spin offs and reboots

45 years of Halloween (1978)

This year marks 45 years since the release of the first Halloween film was released in 1978 this first article from people magazine where actress Jamie lee Curtis credits the filn with starting her acting career to read the article click here Jamie Lee Curtis Marks 'Halloween' 45th Anniversary with Touching Tribute (people.com)

This 2nd article highlights the best bits of Halloween 1978 to read it click here thanks to the coming soon website Halloween at 45: The Best Parts of John Carpenter's Slasher Classic (comingsoon.net)

Halloween is a 1978 American independent slasher film directed and scored by John Carpenter, co-written with producer Debra Hill, and starring Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis (in her film debut), with P. J. Soles and Nancy Loomis in supporting roles. Set mostly in the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois, the plot centres on a mental patient, Michael Myers, who was committed to a sanitarium for murdering his teenage sister on Halloween night when he was a child. Fifteen years later, having escaped and returned to his home town, he stalks teenage babysitter Laurie Strode and her friends while under pursuit by his psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis.

Filming took place in Southern California in May 1978. The film premièred in October, whereupon it grossed $70 million, becoming one of the most profitable independent films of all time. Primarily praised for Carpenter's direction and score, many critics credit the film as the first in a long line of slasher films inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960) and Bob Clark's Black Christmas (1974)

To watch the original trailer for Psycho (1960 click here (2) Psycho (1960) Theatrical Trailer - Alfred Hitchcock Movie - YouTube and a trailer for Bob Clarks Black Christmas click here (2) Black Christmas (1974) - Official Trailer (HD) - YouTube

It is considered one of the greatest and most influential horror films ever made. In 2006, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Halloween spawned a film franchise comprising thirteen films which helped construct an extensive backstory for its antagonist Michael Myers, sometimes narratively diverging entirely from previous instalments.

The Screenrant film website recently published this article on the preferred order you should watch all the Halloween films in read it by clicking here Watch All 13 Halloween Movies In This Order (screenrant.com)

Concept.

After viewing Carpenter's film Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) at the Milan Film Festival, independent film producer Irwin Yablans and financier Moustapha Akkad sought out Carpenter to direct a film for them about a psychotic killer that stalked babysitters.

To learn more about Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) click here (12) What Happened To Assault On Precinct 13? - YouTube

In an interview with Fangoria magazine, Yablans stated: "I was thinking what would make sense in the horror genre, and what I wanted to do was make a picture that had the same impact as The Exorcist."Carpenter agreed to direct the film contingent on his having full creative control , for his work, which included writing, directing, and scoring the film. He and his then-girlfriend Debra Hill began drafting the story of Halloween.

There is an urban myth that the film at one point was supposed to be called The Babysitter Murders but Yablans has since debunked this stating that it was always intended to be called (and take place on) Halloween.Carpenter said of the basic concept: "Halloween night. It has never been the theme in a film. My idea was to do an old haunted house film.

Creating a memorable villain and that famous mask

In devising the backstory for the film's villain, Michael Myers, Carpenter drew on "haunted house" folklore that exists in many small American communities: "Most small towns have a kind of haunted house story of one kind or another," he stated. "At least that's what teenagers believe. There's always a house down the lane that somebody was killed in, or that somebody went crazy in." Carpenter's inspiration for the "evil" that Michael embodied came from a visit he had taken during college to a psychiatric institution in Kentucky.There, he visited a ward with his psychology classmates where "the most serious, mentally ill patients" were held.

Among those patients was an adolescent boy, who possessed a blank, "schizophrenic stare." Carpenter's experience inspired the characterization that Loomis gave of Michael to Sheriff Brackett in the film. Debra Hill has stated the scene where Michael kills the Wallaces' German Shepherd was done to illustrate how he is "really evil and deadly".

Because of the low budget, wardrobe and props were often crafted from items on hand or that could be purchased inexpensively. Carpenter hired Tommy Lee Wallace as production designer, art director, location scout and co-editor. Wallace created the trademark mask worn by Michael Myers throughout the film from a Captain Kirk mask[53] purchased for $1.98 from a costume shop on Hollywood Boulevard.

Carpenter recalled how Wallace "widened the eye holes and spray-painted the flesh a bluish white. In the script it said Michael Myers's mask had 'the pale features of a human face' and it truly was spooky looking. I can only imagine the result if they hadn't painted the mask white. Children would be checking their closet for William Shatner after Tommy got through with it."Hill adds that the "idea was to make him almost humorless, faceless—this sort of pale visage that could resemble a human or not."

Casting

The cast of Halloween included veteran actor Donald Pleasence and then-unknown actress Jamie Lee Curtis. The low budget limited the number of big names that Carpenter could attract,

In an interview, Carpenter admits that "Jamie Lee wasn't the first choice for Laurie. I had no idea who she was. She was 19 and in a TV show at the time, but I didn't watch TV." He originally wanted to cast Anne Lockhart, the daughter of June Lockhart from Lassie, as Laurie Strode. However, Lockhart had commitments to several other film and television projects. Hill says of learning that Jamie Lee was the daughter of Psycho actress Janet Leigh: "I knew casting Jamie Lee would be great publicity for the film because her mother was in Psycho." Curtis was cast in the part, though she initially had reservations as she felt she identified more with the other female characters: "I was very much a smart alec, and was a cheerleader in high school, I felt very concerned that I was being considered for the quiet, repressed young woman

Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Stroude would return in Halloween II (1981) Halloween H20 20 years later (1998) Halloween Resurrection (2002) and the three films in the Halloween reboot trilogy Halloween (2018) Halloween Kills (2021) and Halloween ends.

If you want to know how Jamie Lee Curtis performances as Laurie Stroud in the Halloween films are rated read this article by the ScreenRant website Every Halloween Movie Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Ranked (collider.com)

This article from the Collider film website explains why Laurie Strode is not featured in every Halloween film Why Is Jamie Lee Curtis Not in Every Halloween Movie? (collider.com)

Donald Pleasence would play Dr. Samuel Loomis in 4 more films in the Halloween series. He would appear in Halloween II (1981) Halloween 4 the return of Michael Myers (1988) Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers 1989 and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995),

Pleasance died on February 2, 1995, nearly eight months before The Curse of Michael Myers was released The film was dedicated to his memory.

To watch 2 tribute's to Donald Pleasance click here (18) a Donald Pleasence tribute - YouTube and here (18) Halloween 6 Cast & Crew Tribute to Donald Pleasance - YouTube

The Collider website published an article rating Donald Pleasense's performances as Samuel Loomis in the Halloween sequels to read click here Every Halloween Movie Starring Donald Pleasence, Ranked From Worst to Best (collider.com)

Nick Castle would only play Michael Myers once other actors would play the role over the next 13 films the Game Rant website produced this useful article telling you who played Michael Myers in each film you can find it by clicking here: Who Played Michael Myers In Each Halloween Movie? (gamerant.com)

To watch a reunion with John Carpenter the Writer and Director of Halloween with the original Micheal Myers click here Watch Halloween’s John Carpenter Reunite With The Original Michael Myers Actor (yahoo.com)

To read an article about what Nick Castle thought was the most painful moment was about playing Micheal Myers in the original Halloween click here Halloween's Original Michael Myers Reveals 'Most Painful' Moment | SYFY WIRE

Music creating that famous theme

Instead of utilizing a more traditional symphonic soundtrack, the film's score consists primarily of a piano melody played in a 10/8 or "complex 5/4" time signature, composed and performed by Carpenter. It took him three days to compose and record the entire score for the film. Following the film's critical and commercial success, the "Halloween Theme" became recognizable apart from the film. Critic James Berardinelli calls the score "relatively simple and unsophisticated", but admits that "Halloween's music is one of its strongest assets". Carpenter once stated in an interview, "I can play just about any keyboard, but I can't read or write a note." In Halloween's end credits, Carpenter bills himself as the "Bowling Green Philharmonic Orchestra", but he also received assistance from composer Dan Wyman, a music professor at San José State University.

To listen to the famous main theme click here (18) John Carpenter - Halloween 1978 (main Theme) - YouTube

Halloween 1981 Television version

If you had watched the original Halloween film at the cinema and then settled down to watch it again on its television premeire in America in 1981 you would have seen a very different film.

In 1980, the television rights to Halloween were sold to NBC. After a debate among Carpenter, Hill and NBC's Standards and Practices over censoring of certain scenes, Halloween appeared on television for the first time in October 1981. To fill the two-hour time slot, Carpenter filmed twelve minutes of additional material during the . The newly filmed scenes include Dr. Loomis at a hospital board review of Michael Myers and Dr. Loomis talking to a then-6-year-old Michael at Smith's Grove, telling him, "You've fooled them, haven't you, Michael? But not me." Another extra scene features Dr. Loomis at Smith's Grove examining Michael's abandoned cell after his escape and seeing the word "Sister" scratched into the door. Finally, a scene was added in which Lynda comes over to Laurie's house to borrow a silk blouse before Laurie leaves to babysit, just as Annie telephones asking to borrow the same blouse. The new scene had Laurie's hair hidden by a towel, since Curtis was by then wearing a much shorter hairstyle than she had worn in 1978.

To watch the additional footage click here(18) Halloween (1978) - TV Version Scenes - YouTube with thanks to Stacy Langenkamp

The Original Halloween film was also included on a Screenrant list of Franchises which peaked with the first film they said this about Halloween (1978)

John Carpenter's Halloween introduced the world to babysitter killer Michael Myers and is considered one of the most influential horror movies ever made. The movie became the first entry in the Halloween franchise, which now includes 13 films, with character backstories that became increasingly convoluted and contradictory. However, despite the criticism that later entries may receive, the original movie is largely responsible for the popularization of the slasher genre itself. It would act as the blueprint for countless imitation films about seemingly unstoppable lone serial killers

Further Reading

According to this article on the Collider website Halloween 2018 is the highest grossing Horror film of all time click here What Is the Highest-Grossing Slasher Movie of All Time? (collider.com)

the above link looks at the Halloween 2018 Reboot trilogy as a whole The Underrated Brutality of Rob Zombie's Halloween Films | SYFY WIRE

Pictures

Original poster for Psycho 1960

Original Poster for the Bob Clark film Black Christmas 1974

Original poster for Assault on Precinct 13 1976

4The original Halloween film poster from 1978*

5 Michael Myers as he appears in the Halloween series

6William Shatner as James T Kirk

7Donald Pleasence as Doctor Samuel Loomis

8Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode

9 the Halloween Soundtrack album

10 Poster for the Halloween remake in 2007

11 Poster for the Halloween film Robot 2018

Notes

*According to this article on the slash film website film website the poster for the orignal Halloween film (1978) has a creepy hidden detail and it happened by accident to find out what it is click here Halloween's Original Movie Poster Has A Creepy Hidden Detail - And It Happened By Accident (slashfilm.com)

The poster for the original Halloween film also featured in a Collider film website article called the 25 best movie posters of all time ranked landed at number 13 in their list the poster they had this to say about the poster designed by Robert Gleeson

While it could sound like a bold claim, it may well be the case that horror movies tend to have more iconic posters than any other genre of movies out there. That's not to say all horror movie posters are automatically great or even good, but there are countless beloved ones. The blunt, strong emotion-heavy nature of the horror genre just translates well to bold, memorable images placed on posters, and the wonderful straightforwardness of the original Halloween's poster, for example, demonstrates this excellently.

A slasher movie classic that helped establish John Carpenter as a great director and Jamie Lee Curtis as a star, Halloween is all about a dangerous individual breaking out of a psychiatric hospital and going on a murderous rampage during the titular holiday. The poster uses one of the most recognizable icons of Halloween - a jack-o'-lantern - and pairs it with a hand holding a knife, all against a pitch-black background. The title's Halloween, there's a carved pumpkin, and a scary-looking knife. What more do you need to know?

Thank you to wikipedia for a lot of the background notes including the Overview casting and concept notes Google images for the pictures thank you to following for the Halloween themed videos via Youtube Minty Comedic arts and Joblo Horror originals as well as the Collider and Screenrant websites for the various links to Halloween themed articles

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yestolerancepro · 1 year ago

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My dear girl, there are some things that just aren't done, such as drinking Dom Perignon '53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That's just as bad as listening to The Beatles without earmuffs!” A blog inspired by the music world of James Bond Part 2 My Top 3 Favourite Bond films

Introduction

Hello and welcome to the 2nd chapter of the extended version of a blog that looked at James Bonds musical taste over the last 60 years.

Part 2 of this blog covers some of the James Bond music I love the most this part of the blog was inspired by an article I read on Yahoo news which covered James Bond music taste over the years.

After reading this article on the Yahoo news website I decided to write my own blog about what I thought about James Bond musical taste this is what I wrote feel free to disagree with me.

My Word is my Bond Roger Moore is James Bond

First of all I want to talk about a James Bond film that meant a lot to me as a child that film was Live and let Die from 1973. Roger Moores debut as James Bond was based on the 1954 novel by Ian Fleming Screenrant published an article which ranked all 14 of Fleming James Bond novels Live and let Die landed at number 7 in their list this is what they said about the book

Live and Let Die had the tough job of following Fleming's excellent debut, Casino Royale. Though it doesn't quite rise to the challenge, there are still plenty of things to like about the 1954 book. The plot sees Bond on the trail of Mr Big, a SMERSH agent and practitioner of voodoo. For this reason, Live and Let Die is one of Fleming's darker, grittier, and more violent works. Though the novel isn't lacking in intrigue or stakes, it ultimately doesn't pack the same kind of emotional or exhilarating punch as its predecessor.

As for the film Live and Let Die It was one of the first Bond films I saw and it also marked the debut of Roger Moore as James Bond. I saw a lot of Roger Moore’s James Bond growing as a child of the 1980s as a result I think that’s why I liked him more than any of the others.

The film website Screenrant recently published an article called How all 6 James Bond actors compare to the Ian Fleming Iconic Book spy they said this about Roger Moores Bond

Roger Moore’s take on Bond was infamously campy, with the screen veteran leaning into the character’s smarmy charm and all but abandoning his dark side. This was a significant departure from the Bond of Fleming’s novels, but as Moore’s movies sent Bond to space and on a Blaxploitation-inspired adventure, it became clear that the franchise was taking the lead character of the book series in a new direction. Fittingly, Moore also didn't look much like Fleming’s description of Bond. In the novels, Bond’s physical appearance was canonically compared to singer Hoagy Carmichael, a sharp-faced crooner whose severe brand of good looks didn't resemble Moore’s round-faced, smiley persona at all.

James Bond is a bit like Dr who another great passion of mine is that you end up liking the Bond you watched most and for me that's Roger Moore.

For me Live and let Die is a great film and I am not saying just as a fan it has a great a mix of action and comedy which the James Bond franchise had been heading towards starting with the previous film Diamonds are for Forever.

Not only is the film well written by Tom Mankiewicz it also features a great trio of villains in the shape of Mr Big/Dr Kananga Tee Hee and Baron Samedi. I mention these as two of the 3 villians from live and Let Die namely Mr Big Dr Kananga and Baron Samedi featured in the Collider film website article the 10 most underated Bond villans, Mr Big Dr Kananga landed on the chart at number 6 and Barron Samedi was number 4 .

6 Dr. Kananga / Mr. Big — 'Live and Let Die' (1973)

As the owner of the fictional Caribbean island San Monique with a strong pull in the UN who also happens to be a major American crime lord under the alias Mr. Big, Dr. Kananga (Yaphet Kotto) is one of Bond’s most ruthless enemies. Using his political immunities to his advantage, he plans to flood the U.S. drug market with two tons of heroin in a bid to increase the number of addicts while running rival dealers out of business.

The double life he leads sees Kananga sometimes present as an unflustered politician and, at other times, as a ruthless, cold-blooded criminal. No matter which guise he presented, the villain was always a commanding presence and remains one of the few characters to cut off 007 mid-introduction.

4 Baron Samedi — 'Live and Let Die' (1973)

While many Bond villains have flaunted an improbable survivalist instinct, none have been so death-defying as to be labeled supernatural, that is none except for Baron Samedi (Geoffrey Holder). The second underrated antagonist to come from Live and Let Die, Samedi presents as Kananga’s theatrical henchman and, steeped in voodoo mysticism, makes for a striking figure.

Able to outwit 007 with clay figures of himself, Samedi seemed a goner when Bond heaved him into a coffin full of snakes. However, the villain reappears in the final shot of the film, laughing maniacally at the camera and seemingly proving his bold claims of immortality.

He also rated highly in another Bond article by the Screenrant.com website this one rated James Bond villians by their magic powers Baron Samedi landed at number 8 in their list for using cult magic

Roger Moore's first outing as 007, Live and Let Die, is a unique entry in the series. Inspired by the Blaxploitation movement of the time, the film focuses on Bond going up against a drug empire that uses "voodoo" magic to stop anyone who gets in their way. Baron Samedi is the Voodoo priest at the center of this organization. He uses his occult magic to perform sacrifices and curses. While many aspects of Samedi's character, and much of the film, can be seen as culturally insensitive, his design and presence give the film a uniquely dark and haunting atmosphere, that sets Live and Let Die apart from the other Moore Bond films.

Tee Hee played by american actor Julius Harris also landed on the same list at number 7 for his robotic arm but if I was being critical of the writers of the article I wouldn’t call a Robotic arm a magic power.

While most of Live and Let Die is radically different from any other James Bond movie, Tee Hee fits right in among the pantheon of Bond villains. Tee Hee's right arm was bitten off by a crocodile and was replaced with a robotic arm. The robotic arm, as well as Julius Harris' fantastic performance, make Tee Hee a real threat to Bond, and their final fight on the train is one of the most tense scenes in the film.

The film also features a strong Bond girl Solitaire played by Jane Seymour in her first film role.

In another Bond article on their website called the Best Bond girls 16 Badass women who redifined the franchise. Solitaire as played By Jane Seymour landed at number 7 in their chart. This is what they had to say about Jane Seymour’s performance.

7 Solitaire – ‘Live and Let Die’ (1973)

The first of Roger Moore’s Bond films is viewed as one of his best, with the story’s embracing of paranormal elements one of its most engaging aspects. The major beneficiary of this commitment was Jane Seymour’s Solitaire, a powerful psychic working for Dr. Kananga.

She lends the film many of its more remarkable qualities, from its dabbling in voodoo magic and superstition to the villain’s ability to pre-determine Bond’s actions. While the scene in which she and Bond make love is prefaced by a glaringly problematic ploy from 007, it does little to tarnish her impact as one of the most unique and engrossing Bond women, as well as one of the most book-accurate characters from the films.

On the production side of the film Live and let Die is nicely directored by Guy Hamilton, who gets some excellent performances out of everyone involved in the film. and the action sequences in the film are also nicely handled at the flying school and the boat chase in the film being a really good example and these were highlighted in The Yard Barker website article the 25 best Set peice sequences from the Bond films in which they made these comments

Director Guy Hamilton makes ample, inventive use of his Louisiana locations with this wild speedboat chase that finds Bond evading Kananga’s henchmen by hopping, skipping, and jumping every obstacle in his way. This sequence introduces redneck Sheriff J.W. Pepper (Clifton James), who single-handedly sets the cartoonish tone for Roger Moore’s 007 run going forward. It’s funny, thrilling, and far more entertaining than anything in its wretched predecessor, “Diamonds Are Forever”.

Live and let die also includes one of the best gadgets in the Roger Moore era the watch which had at the touch of a button featured a high intesenty magnet as well as mini chain saw.

The film is also unique for it being the only Bond film one not to feature Desmond Lewelyn as Q as was unavailable at the time as he was doing a promotional tour for Diamonds are Forever in the United States.

The Music

One can not talk about Live and let Die with talking about the music indeed this is what this blog is all about. Live and let Die by Paul McCartney and Wings is one of the best Bond songs ever The What Culture included it as the Best moment of the film on their website here are there comments:

18. Live And Let Die - THAT Theme Song

In some ways, it's a bit unfair to name a theme song as the greatest part of what is actually a really fun, unique entry into the series but then again, when the song in question is Paul McCartney's Live and Let Die, it inevitably overshadows the rest of the movie.

Live and Let Die is a charismatic, captivating and stunningly cool slice of pop-rock heaven that has become, quite arguably, the most iconic and recognizable Bond theme of them all. It's easily one of the highlights of Sir Paul McCartney's post-Beatles career, and it still stands tall and mighty as one of the finest Bond theme songs ever.

It's a damn shame it lost the Best Original Song Oscar to Barbara Streisand's 'The Way we Were', a song that isn't nearly as good as this one, but that certainly doesn't take away from this song's classic status.

Roger Moore's first outing as Bond is largely successful, and definitely one of the better entries in this rather hit-or-miss era of the franchise, but in the decades since it has undeniably been overshadowed by the song.

Upon release, "Live and Let Die" was the most successful Bond theme up to that point, reaching No. 1 on two of the three major US charts (though it only reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100) and No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart.[2][3] The song also received positive reviews from music critics and continues to be praised as one of McCartney's best songs. It became the first Bond theme song to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, but ultimately lost the award to Barbra Streisand's "The Way We Were". It won the Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) at the 16th Annual Grammy Awards in 1974

The soundtrack of the 1973 film has been re issued twice with aditional music first in 2003 with 7 new tracks added.La La records an American record label reissued the Live and Let die Soundtrack by George Martin in January 2023 as a double album CD release this new version included Just under 14 mins of new material with new sleave notes by author Jon Burlingame and sharp art design by Dan Goldwasser.

to watch a trailer for Live and let Die Click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTzsm9-XWQo&list=PL17vqAEJv6CUxmeZBk3JGDLBbcPEd4CDp&index=6

The theme song to Live and Let die recently topped a Radio Times poll for the Best James Bond Theme of all time to celebrate 70 years since Casino Royale was first published you can read about the Poll here https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/live-and-let-die-best-james-bond-theme-song-bond-at-70-exclusive-newsupdate/

Spy Who loved me a rather differant Bond Novel

the Spy Who Loved Me is the ninth novel and tenth book in Ian Fleming's James Bond series, first published by Jonathan Cape on 16 April 1962. It is the shortest and most sexually explicit of Fleming's novels, as well as a clear departure from previous Bond novels in that the story is told in the first person by a young Canadian woman, Vivienne Michel. Bond himself does not appear until two-thirds of the way through the book. Fleming wrote a prologue to the novel giving Michel credit as a co-author.

Due to the reactions by critics and fans, Fleming was not happy with the book and attempted to suppress elements of it where he could: he blocked a paperback edition in the United Kingdom and only gave permission for the title to be used when he sold the film rights to Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli, rather than any aspects of the plot. However, the character of Jaws is loosely based on one of the characters in the book and a British paperback edition was published after his death

Undoubtedly the James Bond film that differs the most from its literary counterpart, The Spy Who Loved Me bears almost no resemblance to Fleming's original work. Though this might seem dismissive of the film's makers, there's a good reason why the movie made so many alterations. The original 1962 novel is widely regarded as the worst in the series. Not only did it garner terrible reviews at the time of its publication, but even Fleming himself was embarrassed by it, so much so that he refused to sell the rights to the novel's plot, only its title.

When it came to adapting The Spy Who Loved Me for the screen, Bond producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli had to start from scratch. This proved to be a good thing, however. The book employs an unconventional structure that doesn't see Bond himself showing up until two-thirds of the way through. Additionally, it is all told from the perspective of a young Canadian woman. The movie abandons this in favor of a more traditional James Bond story.

The 1977 film does, however, retain one aspect of the novel; Jaws. A man of huge stature and strength, Jaws gets his name from the fact that he has a set of metal teeth. The film version of the character, who also makes an appearance in Moonraker, is one of the best James Bond henchmen of all time. In the novel, he's called Horror, but his main traits are the same. By shedding every aspect of Fleming's book except for Jaws, The Spy Who Loved Me turned the worst James Bond novel into the best 007 film.

Screenrant added this to say about the book the Spy who loved me when they ranked all 14 of the James Bond books Spy came in at the bottom of their list

With The Spy Who Loved Me, Fleming chose to stray from the formula he had established in his nine previous Bond novels. Unfortunately, this decision didn't pay off. A contained story told from the perspective of a young Canadian woman, the novel doesn't feature Bond himself until two-thirds of the way in. Needless to say, Fleming, who wasn't exactly known for his progressive views towards women, struggled to write convincingly for a female protagonist. It's messy, odd, and at times cringe-inducing. At least the film version of The Spy Who Loved Me improved on the book.

Nobody does it Better the Spy who loved me

Perharps it comes as no surprise but my 2nd favourite bond song is another one from the Roger Moore era of the James Bond Franchise from the 1977 film the spy who loved me titled Nobody does it Better.

Spy is classed as one of the Best of the Bond films ever made Roger Moore has also said it was his favourite of the 7 Bond films his made.

The Music

Composed by Marvin Hamlisch with lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, the song was produced by Richard Perry and performed by Carly Simon. It was the first Bond theme song to be titled differently from the name of the film since Dr. No (1962), although the phrase "the spy who loved me" is included in the lyrics. The song was released as a single from the film's soundtrack album, and became a major worldwide hit.

Among the most successful Bond themes, the song spent three weeks at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, kept out of the top spot by Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life". It hit No. 1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart, where it stayed for seven weeks,[1] becoming the No. 1 Adult Contemporary hit of 1977.[2] The song was certified Gold by the RIAA, signifying sales of one million copies in the US.[3] It also reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart, and was certified Silver by the BPI.[4][5] The song received Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Original Song in 1978, losing both to "You Light Up My Life" from the 1977 film of the same title. At the 20th Annual Grammy Awards held in 1978, "Nobody Does It Better" received a nomination for Song of the Year, and Simon was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female

But what of the film itself ?

Roger Moore is quite right its his best Bond film by a country Mile the 3 year gap between this film and the Man with the Golden Gun seems to have brought out the best in Mr Bond. one again the script is well written with a good mix of action and comedy and is well directored by Lewis Gilbert its very well shot and the performances in the film are excellent .

The What Culture website made the action sequences in the Spy who loved me there best moments of the film this is what they had to say:

After The Man with the Golden Gun underperformed both critically and commercially, some felt that the series had run its course. As such, Eon threw everything into making The Spy Who Loved Me the most epic, action-packed extravaganza possible.

The Yard Barker website also highlighted the action scenes with the pre title sequence and the the tanker sequence drawing high priase when they were included in their 25 best set peice sequences in the Bond films article landing at numbers 19 and 17 in their chart these are their comments

The pre title sequence

But James, I need you.” “So does England.” A more brightly lit, less frenetic variation on the ski chase from “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, does feature some nifty, ski-bound shots through tight, icy corridors, and concludes with Bond sailing off the end of a cliff. As his skis fall away and he plummets to his seeming death, a Union Jack parachute flutters out of his backpack. Cue Carly Simon with the best Bond theme of ‘em all!

The Pre title sequence from the Spy who Loved me was also included in the Screenrant James Bond article the 10 Greatest James Bond scenes ranked from worst to best with the ski chase landing at number 6 in their list this is what they had to say:

Roger Moore’s time as James Bond is divisive, but even viewers who laugh at the likes of Moonraker and A View to a Kill would be hard-pressed to deny the appeal of The Spy Who Loved Me. An in-name-only adaptation of the novel of the same name, The Spy Who Loved Me began with a goofy but undeniably impressive and striking downhill ski chase. As Moore’s 007 dispatches a series of henchmen while navigating the slopes, all mere moments after kissing his latest duplicitous love interest goodbye, The Spy Who Loved Me proves that the franchise’s campiest elements remain iconic.

Tanker shootout the Spy who l loved me

This is a pretty standard-issue gunfight save for the location: a massive tanker that can dock multiple submarines. It’s an outsized finale in a set so massive that Stanley Kubrick was consulted as to its lighting. Director John Glen orchestrates the mayhem skillfully enough, but the real fun is in watching loads of extras run around and fall off this gargantuan, waterlogged set.

What Makes the Spy who loved me so good ?

Well, since The Spy Who Loved Me is a staggering, intoxicatingly fun all-you-can-eat buffet of mad, gloriously insane action sequences that more or less saved the entire series, it's safe to say that's a definite 'Yes'.

From the legendary opening ski jump, to the infectiously fun underwater car chase to the jaw-dropping, wondrously epic finale, The Spy Who Loved Me offers up thrill after thrill after thrill all the way through its lengthy run-time.

Not only is this a glorious roller coaster of a movie, but it's also the occasion when the Bond series really got OTT action absolutely right. The film smartly balances out the bigger set-pieces with smaller ones, and even though the film consistently swings for the fences, it just about toes the line and never becomes too stupid to take seriously.

It's a shame most of the rest of the Roger Moore era failed to do OTT action this well, put it that way. In particular, this movie's immediate successor could've taken notes from it...

The Villains in the film are also very good Curt Jurgens is very good as Stromberg who brings with him a nice type of quite menace to the role.

Stromberg was number 8 in the 10 most underated James Bond Villian list on the Collider Website that had this to say about Kurt Jurgens turn as Stomberg in The Spy who loved me.

The vast majority of the franchise’s underrated villains have been great characters who appeared in otherwise forgotten movies. Given that The Spy Who Loved Me is widely regarded as the best of Roger Moore’s Bond films, Karl Stromberg (Curt Jurgens) presents as something of an anomaly.

The character had the perfect amount of camp to excel as a Moore-era Bond villain, as he was a wealthy Swedish entrepreneur who plotted to eradicate human life and start a new civilization under the sea. Whether he was overshadowed by the debut of Jaws (Richard Kiel) or simply lost among 007’s antagonistic plot with Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach), Stromberg seems to be the most forgotten element of the film despite being a brilliant, nefarious villain.

Did you know that the great Stanley Kubrick helped with the lighting of the Villians massive underwater sea back to find out more click here https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-james-bond-movie-that-stanley-kubrick-helped-to-make/

Jaws The Bond Villian not the Great White Shark

Richard Kiel very good as the steel toothed Jaws I am glad he came back for Moonraker just 2 years later.

Talking about Richard Kiel he was also included in Screen Rants list titled top 10 James Bond Movie villians with magic powers he landed in the chart at Number 6 due to those matalic teeth of his here are their comments

One of the most creative and famous bad guys in the Bond Pantheon, Jaws gets his name from the metallic teeth in his mouth that can bite through anything. He is a tall and intimidating foe, who has had several run-ins with 007. Richard Kiel first appeared as the character in The Spy who Loved Me, and was so popular that he was brought back for the sequel, Moonraker, where he not only received a redemption arc, but also a love interest. Jaws stand out not only because of his abilities but also as one of the few Bond bad guys to get an arch over multiple films. Jaws has remained a staple of the franchise ever since, appearing in several video games.

Richard Kiel’s Jaws was also included in a Screenrants article Every James Bond most Iconic Villian ranked in this article they commented

The larger-than-life nature of Roger Moore’s Bond films meant that Moore’s 007 had plenty of great villains. Live and Let Die’s Mr. Big is a spot-on homage to the villains of blaxploitation movies. A View to a Kill’s Max Zorin is delightfully eccentric (too eccentric, according to some). Christopher Lee gave a compelling turn as Francisco Scaramanga, the title character in The Man with the Golden Gun, essentially characterized as the anti-James Bond. Like Bond, he’s a sharpshooting, cold-blooded killer, but unlike Bond, he’s not on the right side of justice. They’re all fantastic villains – especially Scaramanga – but none of them are Moore’s most iconic villain.

Moore is the only Bond actor whose most iconic villain is a henchman who stole the show from their employer. Jaws, the metal-toothed menace played by Richard Kiel, proved to be so popular among fans that he was brought back for a second movie, which is unheard of for henchmen. After working for Karl Stromberg in The Spy Who Loved Me (and taking a bite out of his shark), Jaws reappeared on the staff of Hugo Drax’s space station in Moonraker. A huge, hulking henchman with metal teeth was perfect for the Moore movies; he suits the films’ quirky, tongue-in-cheek comedic sensibility, but he’s also genuinely intimidating.

Barbara Bach is also excellent as the Russian spy known as Triple XXX and is more than a match for James Bond on the Collider film website in their the Best Bond girls Triple XXx was number 6 on their countdown they had this to say about the Russian secret services best spy.

Anya Amasova, aka Agent XXX – ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ (1977)

While her aforementioned competition is compelling, Barbara Bach’s KGB operative Anya Amasova is convincingly the best Bond Girl to come from Moore’s era. The pair had a palpable tension as they were forced to work together to investigate missing submarines from Russia and Britain while, at the same time, trying to outwit each other.

The film handled the relationship dynamic rather well, especially through the first half where Amasova is shown to be Bond’s intellectual equal as their spy rivalry transpires. The raising of the stakes when Amasova vows revenge on 007 for killing her lover imbued the second half of the film with a dramatic tension which elevated Anya to be one of the best-balanced Bond female characters of the franchise.

Q Branch

The film also featured one of the best cars 007 has ever had in the Lotus Espirt the car made the the top 3 in Den of the Geeks top 10 list of James Bond gadgets here is what they had to say about that special car.

3. Lotus Esprit S1 Submarine Car

Just like the watches, another signature of the James Bond series is influenced by the cars that he drives. There are a small range of British manufacturers that follow 007 around on screen, including Aston Martin and Bentley. But one of Bond’s most iconic rides can’t be found on store floors in quite the same configuration. For The Spy Who Loved Me vehicle, the production turned to a custom-built British-made Lotus Esprit S1, a classic and classy, genuine model which was nicknamed Wet Nellie.

Bond can’t go driving a regular Lotus though. With the spy requiring transport that would submerge him beneath the waves, Roger Moore’s Bond utilized the on-board technology of the Esprit S1 to transform the car into a submarine. It was a gadgetry display that continued to keep the magic of the movies alive!

During a major chase scene through the streets of Costa Smeralda, the car leap from the edge of a peer into the sea. Inside the car, the dashboard flipped to signify the change in functionality. The wheels fold in, and a radar system is engaged, which is consequently used to fire a missile at the pursuing helicopter. The sequence personifies the action-packed spectacle of Bond and the otherworldly kit he uses while on the job.

The Yard Barker website also had this to say about the lotus Esprit Submarine sequence when it featured in their article the 25 best Set peice sequences from the Bond films

This sequence caused a splash in 1977 with its Lotus Esprit that converts into a submarine, and, well, it’s a pretty impressive piece of gadget showmanship. The car has to do more than simply drive underwater, so a submersible appears out of nowhere to fire off a torpedo or two. Once the sub is neutralized, we get the money shot: Bond driving ashore on a crowded beach where onlookers gawk at the automotive marvel. You expect a bit more from the sequence, but Moore’s Bond movies weren’t big on setup/payoff.

For the Screenrant article the 6 moments that defined bond it was the submarine Lotus espirt car that defined Roger Moores era

From running across the backs of alligators in Live and Let Die to doing a barrel roll in a car (ruined by a silly slide whistle sound effect) in The Man with the Golden Gun, Roger Moore was the wackiest Bond actor by far. He became renowned – and, in some corners of the fan base, notorious – for the slapstick gags and wry tongue-in-cheek humor of his Bond films. Arguably the greatest moment from Moore’s Bond tenure is the opening Union Jack parachute jump from The Spy Who Loved Me, but that was pulled off by a stunt double, not by Moore himself.

The definitive moment from Moore’s Bond tenure is also from The Spy Who Loved Me, which is easily the greatest Bond movie from the Moore era. He’s driving a Lotus Esprit with his partner and love interest Anya Amasova, and they’re being chased by a helicopter. As he drives towards the end of a boardwalk, he dryly asks his passenger, “Can you swim?” before plunging the car into the ocean. There, the car transforms into a submarine and they escape the pursuing helicopter. This moment perfectly encapsulates the dry humor, far-fetched plotting, and pure escapism of Moore-era Bond movies.

To watch a trailer for the Spy Who loved Me click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBxG_TJvYTg&list=PL17vqAEJv6CUxmeZBk3JGDLBbcPEd4CDp&index=7

Me and my brother Matthew even played the Spy who loved me computer game which he got for christmas. It was very good like The Living Daylights computer game we couldn’t complete it the furthest we could get is level 4 the underwater level we always got distroyed by strombergs submarine,

Timothy Dalton a new take on Ian Flemings James Bond

Another song that produced a strong memory for me was The Living Daylights by a-ha a great song to an excellent Bond film that provided new Bond Timothy Dalton with an excellent début so much so that the What Culture website named it the best moment of the film here are there comments.

Timothy Dalton's James Bond was actually great, and the fact that he only did the part for two films is possibly the worst missed opportunity in a franchise whose history is filled with those.

With a superbly-judged mixture of charm, rage, darkness, charisma and wit, Dalton established a very different kind of Bond; he still felt like the hero viewers had come to know and love, but added new layers to him. Furthermore, fans of the books will especially appreciate this portrayal since he's actually the most similar on-screen Bond to the literary character.

The Living Daylights, with its overly convoluted plot, terrible villains, total lack of charm and tiresome Bond Girl, is definitely a film many fans go far, far too easy on, but Dalton carries the entire thing just as well as Connery did on his first outing all those years earlier, and he's definitely the best thing in it by a country mile.

The film website Screenrant recently published an article called How all 6 James Bond actors compare to the Ian Fleming Iconic Book spy they said this about Timothy Daltons Bond

Timothy Dalton won full marks for his resemblance to Hoagy Carmichael, and his similarities to Fleming’s take on Bond didn't end there. Dalton’s brief two-movie tenure saw the actor granting Bond a level of moral ambiguity that wasn’t seen in earlier franchise outings, as well as a mean, impersonal edge. Both of these qualities were taken directly from Fleming’s novels, where Bond was often called cruel and was notably capable of killing in cold blood without much of an emotional reaction. Craig’s Bond reinvented 007 as a tortured soul, but Dalton’s darker, colder take on the spy was arguably as close as the series came to Fleming’s vision.

I think it helped as well that the film was backed up by some beefed up publicity with the film also landing on the 25th Anniversary of Dr No’s release in 1962

other plus points for The Living Daylights include one of the best pre title sequences ever for a new Bond. this is what the Yard Barker website said about The Living Daylights pre title sequence for their website article the 25 best Set peice sequences from the Bond films

Bond badly needed a shot of adrenaline after two too many sluggish installments with an aging Roger Moore, so watching Timothy Dalton (and his stunt double) sprint across the elevated side of a mountain road and fight his way into a truck with a rogue double-0 agent with the two-fisted grit of Indiana Jones was a welcome change of pace (that probably saved the franchise). The parachute stunt out the back of a plummeting vehicle is terrific, and it’s nice to see our new Bond alleviate the boredom of a rich woman drifting aimlessly on her yacht. There should’ve been more Dalton Bonds.

The Return of the of The Aston Martin for the first time since the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. again highlighted by the Yard Barker website for their article the 25 best Set peice sequences from the Bond films

The Aston Martin makes its triumphant return to the Bond franchise with this highly modified V8 Vantage, which gets shown off in all its lethal glory during this snowbound car chase in Bratislava. Bond uses a laser to slice off the undercarriage of a police car, breaks up a roadblock with grille-mounted missiles, drives around in a barn (!?!), saws a circle in an iced-over river with an exposed rim, convert the auto into a ski-borne vehicle and rocket-launches his way into non-communist Austria. This is the platonic ideal of a Bond car chase

This Icey car chase was also included in the Screenrant list of 10 greatest James Bond scenes ranked from worst to best landing at number 9 in their list these are there comments about the car chase sequence.

Timothy Dalton’s time as James Bond was marked by a distinctly downbeat, grounded atmosphere. Bond always had darker elements, but Dalton’s movies pumped these up to 11 so that the series could compete with the action movies of the '80s. Despite this, The Living Daylights did include a typically superb, far-fetched action sequence when Dalton’s 007 veered onto an icy lake during a car chase. This wildly ambitious scene is further elevated by Dalton’s hilarious one-liners and Bond’s eventual decision to convert a cello into a sled out of necessity.

And a truely gripping fight that James Bond has with one of the Villians aboard a cargo plane again highlighted by the Yard Barker website for their article the 25 best Set peice sequences from the Bond films

Yes, you’re really watching two stuntmen (B.J. Worth and Jake Lombard) hanging from a cargo net over the Mojave Desert outside of a cargo jet in this thrilling sequence from the most underrated of Bond movies. The John Barry score (his 007 swan song) heightens the tension as Maryam d’Abo hopes to hell the right guy winds up plummeting to his death. Oh, and there’s a timebomb in the mix.

To watch a trailer for The Living Daylights click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO2_yM_pE00

To watch a tribuite video for The Living Daylights click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vwvCS2wnWI

As a 10 year old in 1987 I went a bit mad for The Living Daylights I bought the 24 page story book that came with a read along cassette https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKBbxIDk2Gc&t=11s

I also bought the tie in computer game I bought it for my birthday and it was the ZX Spectrum 2 version meaning you had to load it via a cassette on to your computer.

I played the game for sometime though I could never get beyond level 2 which was a shame as the other levels in the game sounded interesting

There was also also an offer with the Trio Choclate biscuits to get a set of free Living Daylights stickers so I had to have some of those here is the TV advert for the give away https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKazRMvK7jY

The Music

The title song of the film, "The Living Daylights", was co-written with Pål Waaktaar of the Norwegian pop-music group A-ha and recorded by the band. The group and Barry did not collaborate well, resulting in two versions of the theme song.[46] Barry's film mix is heard on the soundtrack (and on A-ha's later compilation album Headlines and Deadlines). The version preferred by the band can be heard on the A-ha album Stay on These Roads, released in 1988. However, in 2006, Waaktaar complimented Barry's contributions: "I loved the stuff he added to the track, I mean it gave it this really cool string arrangement. That's when for me it started to sound like a Bond thing".[46] The title song is one of the few 007 title songs not performed or written by a British or American performer.

There are 2 versions of the title track the orignal one from the 1987 film which you can listen to here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z61NEfYK0fc&list=RDz61NEfYK0fc&start_radio=1

Or a revamped Album version that featured on their album Stay on These Roads which you can listen to by clicking here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfFbiFoAWjM

Q Branch

The film has some good pretty gadgets featured in it too including a Ghetto Blaster which is what sounds like a Stereo radio cassette player that Q has turned into a Rocket Launcher. A key ring with a number of features including a stun gas pellet a mini grenade and a skeleton key which Q tells us will open 97% of the worlds locks.

As well a sofa that eats people yes you heard right and here’s the proof The Den of the Geek website added it to their top 10 of the best gadgets seen in the Bond films

10. The Attack Sofa

A James Bond release wouldn’t feel complete without a hint of some of the other gadgets that Q has in development. There are always odd experiments happening in the background of his scenes; his lab usually transforms into an erratic display of testing and occasional accidents. That’s the only way the team can put together some of the equipment that the agents have demonstrated in their work. The Living Daylights contains one of the most hilarious examples though.

When Bond tours the facility, as has become the custom, he is treated to a look at a man-eating sofa. The Quartermaster asks one of his lab assistants to take a seat. The couch then rapidly moves, consuming the scientist before anyone has a chance to stop it. The application for this device is never quite certain, and Bond himself never gets to use it in any capacity. But perhaps the agent should be more careful about where he sits next while visiting Q’s house for a martini.

If you have liked reading this blog please consider giving a donation to the Tolerance project by clicking here https://www.gofundme.com/gnk3ww

Pictures

1) James Bond and Mr Big

2) Baron Sameidi

3) Tee Hee

4) Solitare

5) Bond on a Boat

6) Live and let Die poster from 1973

7 ) The Spy who loved me Book cover

8) The Spy who loved me film poster from 1977

9) Bond in Ski gear from the pre title sequence of the Spy who loved me 1977

10) inside Strombergs Supertanker from the Spy who loved me

11) Carl Stromberg

12) Jaws

13) Agent XXX

14) Lotus Esprit on Dry land

15) The Spy who loved me computer game cover

16 )Exploding Jeep from the Living Daylights pre title sequence

17) James Bonds new Aston Martin

18) Cargo plane flight

19) Living Daylights soundtrack cover

20) The Living Daylights storybook and tape

Notes

Thanks to Wikipedia for the background information on the songs Live and let Die Nobody does it Better and the Living Daylights Thanks to the What Culture website for the Bonds greatest moments website quotes Den of the geek for Top 10 best James Bond Gadgets Collider website for their best Bond girl article quotes and the 1O Best underated Bond Villians also thank you to the Yard Barker website for their 25 best set peice sequences from the james bond films

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