#starring sean connery as draco

[ouchlord-vivaldi]

Dragon Heart, Dragon Priestess Heart, and Bayle's Heart via

[zzthekaiju]

Best of the Reptiles in Media - 05 - Draco

Back again with some new scaly beasts to gush over! And for this entry, we're talking about everyone's favorite mythological beast...DRAGONS!

If there's someone out there who doesn't like dragons, odds are that they are very dead inside...or afraid of giant reptilian beasts that fly and breathe fire. And to be honest, it's not hard to be a bit frightened by the prospect. In typical European folklore, the dragon is a loathsome, dangerous monster that ransacks kingdoms and steals away maidens while hoarding tons of treasure (kind of like your typical national ruler, but that's beside the point). In most western cultures, dragons are a symbol of pure evil, mostly due to their correlation with serpents (we'll have some snake representation for one of these entries, don't worry). But just as the dragon was symbol of greed and wrath, so too was it one of bravery and power. And as civilization grew, we came to see dragons as a number of things. Sometimes, we preferred that maybe they don't have to be the bad guys (though most eastern cultures had done that already). And out of all the heroic dragons that came out of this better mindset, I think the best out of the lot is the star of 1996's "Dragonheart". The noble Draco.

The plot of this film is that the dragons are just about dead. All because of a very human error. A dragon was tasked with healing a prince named Einon from a fatal wound by bounding his own heart to his. It worked, but the prince, now a king, turned out to be a vicious tyrant. His mentor, Bowen, was enraged by what he perceives as the dragon's heart corrupting Einon, and he vows to destroy his whole kind. Eventually, all but one dragon remains.

But one thing leads to another, and Draco points out that the dragon-slaying thing has become a zero-sum game. If he wins, he looks forward to just hiding and fighting slayers again. If Bowen wins, he's out of a job. So he provides Bowen a third option...pretend slaying. As in, act like he and Draco are fighting while conning villagers out of their money. It's...not really that noble, but it beats losing a livelihood or being stuck in a cave.

However, there comes a point where neither Draco or especially Bowen can hide from how bad things have become under Einon's reign, and they must put aside their differences to free the land from tyranny.

Part of what makes Draco such a good character AS WELL as a good dragon is that he's brimming with personality. They could have easily gone for the "wise yet stoic beast of legend" angle and made him perpetually stone-faced. After all, he has the visage of such a being (and what a visage it is, seriously he's one of the better-designed western dragons out there). But instead, he's a witty and almost sly sort who enjoys a good bout of comedic banter and barbs when it comes to his partner Bowen. The great late Sean Connery makes it so that his voice both commands respect and sounds like the kind of charming gentleman you'd expect from one of Sean's more recognized roles, if you know what I mean.

Not just from a comedic standpoint, but even though he was the one who came up with the whole scheme, he contrasts with Bowen in that the latter is a jaded washout who threw away his role as a knight of the Arthurian Old Code while he still holds dear the old ways of chivalry. Though despite being that ignored angel on Bowen's shoulder, he doesn't act like the man is lesser for his disillusionment. "You sound like someone who tried." he says in response to Bowen saying that nothing can bring the Old Code back. Just the way he says it, man. He isn't even angry, just empathetic.

But yeah, for the most part, I love Draco for how hilarious he can be. The animators and Mr. Connery clearly had a lot of fun with him.

I can't go without mentioning how Draco's story ends, sadly. Because he's bonded with Einon, he has to die so that the monstrous king does to. And Bowen, long after getting his groove back as a knight, has to be the one to do it. The scene where Draco begs him to strike him down is just harrowing...but it comes to pass, and everyone, hero and audience alike, is saddened by it. But Draco is still with us. In the stars, amongst the souls of other noble dragons in the Draco constellation that he was named after.

Rest assured, Draco won't be the last dragon we see in these entries, but he's by far the one who's had the most impact with me. He's intimidating, but he's funny. He's wily at times, but more noble than any of the human cast combined. And as for the sequels/prequels this film got, at least they carried on the tradition of western dragons as characters instead of monsters, though none come close to him (Drago comes close in my opinion, at least).

Until then, we look to the stars. For the inspiring spirit of Draco is there for those who know where to look.

[yestolerancepro]

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 5 The film is great but the title is well

Introduction

Hello there and welcome to the final chapter of this extended series of blogs looking at the musical tastes of James Bond over the last 60 years .This chapter covers those tricky titles from the Ian Fleming James Bond stories that the script writers producers and song writers had a real struggle with.  Two of those tricky titles Thunderball and the Spy who loved me have been dealt with in prevous chapters of the blog.

 This Chapter of the blog deals with On her Majesty’s Secret service and Octopussy.

Casting The New James Bond

In 1967, after five films, Sean Connery resigned from the role of James Bond and was not on speaking terms with Albert Broccoli during the filming of You Only Live Twice.[27] Over 400 actors, including many of the most famous performers in the Commonwealth, were considered for the role of James Bond.[17]

 The confirmed front runners were Englishman John Richardson, Dutchman Hans De Vries, Australian Robert Campbell, Scotsman Anthony Rogers, Greek Giorgos Fountas[28] and Australian George Lazenby.[14] Broccoli also met with Terence Stamp about playing the part.[29] Broccoli was interested in rising star Oliver Reed but decided his public image was already too distinct.

 Future Bond star Timothy Dalton was asked to audition after his appearance in The Lion in Winter but considered himself too young, as he was 25 years old and did not want to succeed Connery as Bond. In an interview in 1987 when he was playing Bond in The Living Daylights, Dalton said "I was 24-25 then, I had a good career then as a young man in films The Lion in Winter and Mr Broccoli kindly asked me if I was interested, I think I'm just too young for this role. I think Bond should be between 35 and 40, and as a 25-26 year old and I wouldn't have been right".[17]

Broccoli and Hunt eventually chose Lazenby after seeing him in a Fry's Chocolate Cream advertisement.[18] Lazenby dressed the part by sporting several sartorial Bond elements such as a Rolex Submariner wristwatch and a Savile Row suit (ordered for, but uncollected by, Connery), and going to Connery's barber at the Dorchester Hotel.[19] Broccoli noticed Lazenby as a Bond-type man based on his physique and character elements, and offered him an audition. The position was consolidated when Lazenby accidentally punched a professional wrestler, who was acting as stunt coordinator, in the face, impressing Broccoli with his ability to display aggression.[14

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 George Lazenby.

Lazenby only lasted one movie in the role of Bond, but he couldn’t have had a better shot at the part. The tragic On Her Majesty’s Secret Service wouldn’t have worked without anyone else in the role, and journalist Ben McIntyre argued that the actor came closest to embodying Fleming’s take on Bond in his 2008 book For Your Eyes Only. It’s easy to see where McIntyre’s argument comes from, as Lazenby’s Bond took himself more seriously than Connery's did, much like Fleming’s version of the spy. Outside an infamous fourth-wall-breaking opening gag, his storyline was also more grounded, which allowed Lazenby to embody Bond’s troubled side.

Casting the leading lady

For Tracy Draco, the producers wanted an established actress opposite neophyte Lazenby.[30] Brigitte Bardot was invited, but after she signed to appear in Shalako opposite Sean Connery, the deal fell through,[16] and Diana Rigg—who had already been the popular heroine Emma Peel in The Avengers—was cast instead.[8] Rigg said one of the reasons for accepting the role was that she always wanted to be in an epic film.[18]

The Iconic Villian in her Majesty’s secret Service 

On her Majesty’s sees the return of Ernst Stavro Blofeild this time by Telly Savalas he was played Donald Pleasence in you only live twice and would be played by Charles Grey in the following film Diamonds are Forever.

Recently Screenrantly published an article on their website titled Every James Bonds Iconic Villian Ranked and for George Lazenby they chose Blofeild  lets face it they couldn’t choose amybody else.

George Lazenby only ever starred in one Bond movie, so he only ever faced one Bond villain, and that movie was sandwiched into the middle of Sean Connery’s arc, so he had to share his villain with Connery. But that villain happened to be Bond’s ultimate big bad, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Connery faced other unforgettable villains like Dr. No and Auric Goldfinger, but Blofeld was their boss. Blofeld’s portrayal in the Bond movies – particularly in You Only Live Twice – has influenced how supervillains are depicted on-screen for decades. Blofeld is the quintessential Bond villain: a diabolical criminal mastermind who’s always one step ahead of 007.

A bunch of different actors have put their own stamp on the role of Blofeld over the years. Telly Savalas played the character opposite Lazenby in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and Charles Gray played the part opposite a returning Connery in Diamonds Are Forever. But the most iconic take on the character (by far) is Donald Pleasence’s chilling performance alongside Connery in You Only Live Twice. The glint in Pleasence’s scarred eye is both mesmerizing and unsettling; he’s a captivating presence whenever he appears on-screen. Every James Bond movie villain since Pleasence’s Blofeld has been competing for the silver medal.

OHMSS A unique James Bond film

Taking over from Somebody in the lead role is difficult enough but when you take over the lead role from somebody as well known as Sean Connery in the most successful film franchise that is James Bond that task is even harder still

Considering it was it was also George Lazenby’s first lead role in a major film I thought George Lazenby’s take on James Bond in his only film was excellent On Her Majesty’s secret service is a unique film in my view in that its more of a charector piece than your usual James Bond spy story indeed more than in any other Bond film the gadgets take a backseat to the story for once and its more about the love story between James Bond and Tracey Draco than anything else 

This is highlighted by the fact as well that the What Culture website picked the relationship between the too as their moment of the whole film.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service, despite George Lazenby's terrible performance as Bond, is one of the most elite installments of the series. It does many things incredibly well, but it's Bond's relationship with Tracy di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg) that really makes the film linger in one's mind.

It seems clear the film put a huge amount of effort into this part of the story - in fact, at one point, the film basically stops in order to show a very nice romantic montage of the pair set to Louis Armstrong's "We Have All the Time in the World" - and while it made for a very different film compared to its predecessors, it sure as hell paid off.

OHMSS offers up a genuinely moving, chemistry-filled romance that pulls viewers right in and is so good that not even Lazenby can ruin it. Besides, any deficiencies in his performance are counter-balanced by Diana Rigg's wonderful turn as Tracy.

In the end, the film concludes with Tracy's murder and this scene is still absolutely devastating all these years later. With this tragic ending, OHMSS basically does something similar to what No Time to Die did decades later, but it did it far better.

Screenrant published an article called Each Bond actors defining scene  6 moments that defined James Bond for George Lazenby they Chose Tracy’s death scene

George Lazenby only played Bond in one movie, but it just so happened to be one of the greatest Bond movies of all time. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service sees 007 falling in love for the first time and ends with him marrying Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo, better known as Tracy. Just as Bond seems to get a happy ending, and he heads off on his honeymoon with Tracy, his bride is gunned down by his enemies in a drive-by shooting. This is one of the saddest moments in Bond history, and Lazenby nails the raw emotions of a widowed newlywed in tears, cradling his dead wife.

Tracy was never mentioned enough in later movies, but nonetheless, in OHMSS itself this love story is easily its greatest asset, although the cinematography, action sequences and the franchise's best incarnation of Blofeld (played here by Telly Savalas) deserve mention too.

Tracy’s Death was also included in another Screenrant article titled 10 greatest James Bonds scenes ranked from worst to best landing at number 5 in their list they had this to say:

George Lazenby only appeared in one James Bond movie, and the actor had the hard job of replacing Sean Connery, the original 007 who, according to many viewers, is still the greatest to ever play the role. However, Connery’s Bond wouldn’t have worked in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, as evidenced by the movie’s strongest scene. When 007 married his love interest, Tracy (Diana Rigg), only for her to be murdered by Blofeld (Telly Savalas), the unstoppable spy experienced his most crushing defeat in the franchise’s history. Poignant and brutal, this scene marked a turning point for Bond’s unflappable screen persona.

Besides the James Bond and Tracey love story the film sees bond trying to stop Blofield spreading Germ warfair by using innocent girls which he calls his angels of death indeed the Colider film highlighted these ladies as one of the highlights of the film in their article The 16 deadliest Women in the James Bond franchise arriving on the list at number 10.

 The Angels of Death are 12 extremely attractive, wealthy, and sophisticated women who were selected by Irma Bunt (see below) from various countries to assist the Head of the crime organization SPECTRE, Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas), in contaminating, sterilizing, and eventually ransoming the world's food supply.

“TOTAL Infertility! In plants and animals. Not just disease in a few herds, Mr. Bond. Or the loss of a single crop. But the destruction of a whole strain. Forever! If my demands are not met, I shall proceed with the systematic extinction of whole species of cereals and livestock all over the world!” - Blofeld

Though a global threat, the ladies are actually regularly brainwashed and hypnotized, unbeknownst to them, thinking they are simply being treated for their specific food allergies in a luxurious Alpine facility.

Irma Bunt played by the German actress Ilse Steppat made an appearance in the same list making number 7 in the chart so a film that a film considered by some as a flop does have some highlights this is what they had to say :

 Portrayed by the German actress Ilse Steppat, Irma Bunt is the stern middle-aged subordinate of Blofeld’s who runs the “allergy institute” in the Swiss Alps, “helping” the ladies with their allergies by day, and brainwashing them in their sleep. When Bond (the underrated George Lazenby) checks into the facility as a patient, she thoroughly has his luggage inspected, and informs him she enforces strict rules on all guests, such as not disclosing last names or room numbers. But then, his cover is blown, and after a relentless car chase, there is a big explosion, causing Bond to believe Bunt is dead. However, she later turns up at his own wedding, and attempts to shoot him with an M16, but she kills his new bride instead

My thoughts on her Majestys secret service

Cinemagoers who came to see the film in 1969 most have had a big shock when they saw a more charector led story with a much more sensitive and emotional James Bond than they were used to but for me agaIn that's ok because sometimes a franchise even one like James Bond needs to take risk sometimes to stop it going stale and boring.

 The film is will written and is well directored by Peter R Hunt It is the only Bond film to have been directed by him (with this serving as his directorial debut), he had served as a film editor and second unit director on previous films in the series.

OHMSS Brought to book

Peter R Hunt also had one of Ian Flemings best books to work with in Screenrants article which rated the 14 bond novels that Fleming wrote OHMSS came at number 4 in their chart they had this to say about the book

On Her Majesty's Secret Service followed the disaster that was The Spy Who Loved Me and, therefore, marked a return to form for both Fleming and the James Bond series. Though it contains much of the action and thrills of Fleming's other works, On Her Majesty's Secret Service offers a gentler and more tender approach than the previous entries. It all culminates in a gut-wrenching climax that once again proves that Fleming is far from a one-trick pony. An intriguing conspiracy and a worthy opponent in the form of Blofeld help make OHMSS a classic.

OHMSS features some of the best action scenes you will ever see in a Bond film the Stock car race and ski-ing sequences being  particularly good that Yard Barker published an article called the 25 Greatest set peices in the Bond highlighting the films finale at Piz Gloria.

Again, listen to Soderbergh. This is an exquisitely shot and edited set-piece that kicks off with three helicopters assaulting Blofeld’s Piz Gloria stronghold, proceeds to crosscut between a tightly staged firefight and Tracy di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg) holding her own (and eventually killing) one of Blofeld’s thugs, then concludes with a (literally) breakneck bobsled chase. Director Peter Hunt’s aerial, exterior and interior photography matches perfectly; you’re always aware of where the characters are (including Bond as he belly-slides down an icy slope, machine gun blazing), and what they’re trying to achieve. This is how it’s done.

on this evidance then its such a shame that he never any more bond films after this.

If it was up to me Lazenby should have ignored his agents wishes and stayed in the role for one more film at least then perharps audiences would have got used to his more sensitive portrayal as James Bond

Mind you I think I am right in saying if George Lazenby had continued as James Bond we would not have had the Roger Moore era of James Bond that I loved as a child so perharps you can’t have everything you want    

To watch a video review of OHMSS from the Oliver Harper YouTube channel click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfS0KRkQOo4

Music

John Barry who provided the soundtrack for the film which I conisder to be his best work for Bond provided an instrumential theme tune as he had done for the first two films Dr No and From Russia with love.

Barry felt it would be difficult to compose a theme song containing the title "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" unless it were written operatically, in the style of Gilbert and Sullivan. Leslie Bricusse had considered lyrics for the title song but director Peter R. Hunt allowed an instrumental title theme in the tradition of the first two Bond films. The theme is built around a lament bass, which establishes the story as a tragedy. Barry's composition was described as "one of the best title cuts, a wordless Moog-driven monster, suitable for skiing at breakneck speed or dancing with equal abandon.

The instrumental theme for ONHMSS is a John Barry classic . It would not grace the pop charts under its own steam. the dance band The Propellerheads would release a remix of theme working with David Arnold for his album James Bond remixed. the single reached number 7 in the UK charts you can listen to it by clicking here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN8GcRGNWe4

Barry also composed the love song "We Have All the Time in the World", with lyrics by Burt Bacharach's regular lyricist Hal David, sung by Louis Armstrong. It is heard during the Bond–Tracy courtship montage, bridging Draco's birthday party in Portugal and Bond's burglary of the Gebrüder Gumbold law office in Bern, Switzerland.

The song doesn’t appear till 30 mins into the film gentle and reflective the song was the last studio recording by Louis Armstrong and features a beautiful and thrilling string arrangement that was modifed by Barry to play on Low strings as a jaunty theme for Bond in some of the films earlier sequences one of the most interesting and symbolic uses of music in the Bond film as 007 discusses Tracey with her father and Draco suggests that her daughter needs a man to dominate her !

Barry recalled Armstrong was very ill, but recorded the song in one take. Armstrong did, however, make some further recordings in 1970 and 1971. The song was re-released in 1994, achieving the number three position during a 13-week spell in the UK charts. When it was used for a Guinness infinity beer campaign.

The song was reused for a second Bond movie, when it was used as the soundtrack for the closing credits for the 2021 release No Time to Die.

To watch a trailer for on Her Majesty’s Secret sevice click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOLq5Rg9N-c&list=PL17vqAEJv6CUxmeZBk3JGDLBbcPEd4CDp&index=1

To watch a tribuite video for OHMSS click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y35cTSFFeYU

Octopussy

Octopussy is a 1983 spy film and the thirteenth in the James Bond series produced by Eon Productions. It is the sixth to star Roger Moore as the MI6 agent James Bond. It was directed by John Glen and the screenplay was written by George MacDonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson.

The film's title is taken from a short story in Ian Fleming's 1966 short story collection Octopussy and The Living Daylights,

I like this film a lot again as with all the Bond films I enjoy it has a good mix of action and comedy and is well written and well directored by John Glenn ( his 2nd James Bond film after (for your eyes only)

His direction of the film was picked out of the What Culture website Best Bond moments article

Octopussy, with its stubborn insistence on prioritizing cringy comedy over thrills and a generally ill-conceived plot, is definitely one of the low points of the series (and one that totally ignored what made the previous film work) but it's not a total wash-out.

If there's one person who really comes out of the film with their dignity intact, it's John Glen, who directed five Bond movies, starting with For Your Eyes Only and finishing with Licence to Kill.

Glen is definitely one of the best directors the series ever had; he was already doing great work as an editor in the franchise, and once he stepped into the director's chair, he always directed with flair and precision, delivering many stunning visuals in the process.

Once again, just like with For Your Eyes Only, Glen does a smashing job and ensured that, despite how dated the film is on a writing level, it still looks absolutely terrific - especially during the picture's aerial action scenes.

The film also has Maud Adams this time returning as Octopussy She featured at number 9 in the 10 most deadliest women in the James Bond Franchise on the Movie web website who had this to say about Octopussy

Octopussy: [Bond sneaks into her room] Good evening. I wondered when you might arrive.

Bond: So, you are the mysterious Octopussy.

Octopussy: And you are James Bond, 007, licensed to kill. Am l to be your target for tonight?

Bond: Oh no, not necessarily. Depends how much you tell me about jewelry smuggling. And why one of our agents was killed in East Berlin.

Maud Adams plays Octopussy, a powerful smuggler of rare jewels, and the leader of an ancient cult of lone, fierce, and heavily trained acrobats, all of them women, and living on a secluded island in India. Her associate is an exiled Afghan prince, Kamal Khan, who also has members of the Cult of Octopus among his servants. Octopussy will eventually join forces with Bond (Roger Moore) against her ally

Music

Rather than use the word Octopussy in the title of the song the producers of the James Bond film did the most refreashing thing and decided not to mention it all instead we got a song called All Time High.

Once again John Barry provided the Soundtrack for the film   theme "All Time High" with lyricist Tim Rice. "All Time High", sung by Rita Coolidge, is one of seven musical themes in the James Bond series whose song titles do not refer to the film's title. "All Time High" spent four weeks at number one on the United States' Adult Contemporary singles chart and reached number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100.[25]

To watch a video short about the making of Octopussy called 10 things you never new about Octopussy Click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhwpkASnFlM&t=32s

To watch a trailer for Octopussy click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1hLWZzgZvU

a lot of work has gone into this blog if you have read it and liked it please consider sending a donation to the Tolerance project by clicking on the above link https://gofund.me/5cf25de4

Notes

If your wondering where the title of this blog comes from it features in the 3rd James Bond film Goldfinger which is rightly seen by many as a classic Bond  film and probably the best Bond film ever made. it was the first Bond film to make over a 100 million at the box office with a great mix of action comedy girls and gadgets and featured a great Goldfinger title song sung by Shirley Bassey the song itself made the top 30 in the UK charts

To watch a trailer for Goldfinger click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA65V-oLKa8&list=PL17vqAEJv6CUxmeZBk3JGDLBbcPEd4CDp&index=12

Thanks once again to Wikipedia for the background notes this time on the songs All time high and We have all the time in the world the Oliver Harper Youtube page for the OHMSS Retrospective review video Storm Chaser Z you tube channel for the viarous James bond videos and the Cinema Blend website for the series of articles called James Bond ranked

And Google Images for the viarous pictures of the viarous eras of James Bond

Pictures

1) Poster for OHMSS

2) Diana Rigg as Tracy

3) Diana Rigg as Tracey

4) Tracey and James Bond

5) The Angels of Death

6) Erima Bunt

7) Octpussy Poster

8) Octopussy herself

9) One of the many Posters for Goldfinger

[gsmattingly]

Review "Dragonheart"

I watched "Dragonheart" (1996) directed by Rob Cohen, starring Dennis Quaid, Dina Meyer, Sean Connery (voice of the dragon), and others. I'd seen this once before but didn't really remember it that well. It is okay but not really very good. There is some nice scenery, a few entertaining moments, a few comic moments and a fair amount of dumb dialogue. I watched the relatively new 4K release. The picture quality was pretty good although I don't think the restoration was perfect.

Relatively mindless, popcorn movie, if you want to be distracted very slightly from the real world.

From IMDb: "The young, sickly King Einon was wounded in a battle. In order for him to survive, he is healed by Draco, a dragon. Some years later, Bowen, a dragonslayer, encounters Draco. The two team up to form a travelling duo that perform an act, but the act is only known by themselves. Bowen supposedly "slays" Draco and then collects a reward from the town or village that he protects by killing the dragon who had been "terrorizing" them. From there, Bowen and Draco must save the entire kingdom from the rule of the now evil King Einon, who is part of Draco, and Draco a part of him."

[flamingskia]

“To the stars, Bowen. To the stars.” Dragonheart was such an huge influence when I was little, you could say it’s the single reason I grew up loving dragons so much. Losing both Sean Connery (the english VA for Draco), and Gigi Proietti (the italian VA) in the span of 2 days was heartbreaking.

[monstersandmaw]

Draco from Dragonheart was the first monster I loved! He only got better as I got older!

This movie was pretty darned good, the effects for Draco were amazing, and his Sean Connery voice is delicious. 10/10 dragon (and I’m not normally a dragon fan really). It’s so campy and silly but also really good. The soundtrack too… ‘to the stars’ starts playing in my head

[esperwatchesfilms]

Dragonheart (1996)

ESE: 90/100

50 +5 for Dennis Quaid +5 for such a pretty score -10 for “Aislinn” being pronounced incorrectly throughout the film +10 for Sean Connery +5 for Pete Postlethwaite +10 for Bowen ditching Einon +5 for David Thewlis +5 for Dina Meyer +5 for Draco blending with the rocks +5 for the agreement between Draco and Bowen -10 for Einon being worse in his cruelty than his father was -10 for Einon’s gross non-consensual kissing +5 for Queen Aislinn helping Kara escape +5 for Avalon +5 for beginning the fight against Einon +5 for “Like a pudding” -10 for Einon killing Queen Aislinn +10 for Kara’s badassery -10 for Draco having to die for Einon to die +5 for Draco joining the stars

[atrixfromice]

Dragonheart

Today I took a break of the commission work, because I've been feeling physically exhausted and worn out due the past days I've been looking for another job, with no luck. My back it's hurting a lot lately, and every time I Wake up I feel like I've been crushed by a truck. Regardless if I've sleep well or not. I thought I should take a break of job searching and illustration.

I had to do house chores today, because they had to be done, of course. Nobody will make my house chores for me XD But after that got comfy on my bed with some home made french fries and a warm blanket, and watched Dragonheart in my cellphone (cos I have not laptop) and I tell you,

There's nothing more enjoyable or wonderful in earth than this!

And if I had to choose only one movie in earth to watch it forever, and only one, it would have been this one.

Dragonheart...

...Such an amazing, intense and moving movie, whose value haven't decreased with the years. I've never really talked about the movie before because I couldn't find the words to express why I loved it the first time I saw it. But now I've re-watched it, I know!

What I love most about this movie is that it had everything I've always wanted on a movie. What I always look for on a movie. It has characters with endearing personalities, courage and noble ideals (specially Bowen and Draco, who are my favorites), it has action, adventure, funny and heartwarming moments.

I still can't get over how cute, heartwarming and yet funny is Draco's personality. The entire movie I couldn't stop giggling and smiling when hearing his funny remarks, like the first time I watched the movie.

I still admire a lot Bowen's kind heart and devotion to beliefs from the knights of the old code. And my heart was filled with joy when Draco and Bowen became friends in the course of the movie. Specially and mostly I enjoyed one of my favorite scenes, when they sit near the fireplace to chat, under the stars.

I still cried when Draco died like when I first watched the movie, but my heart was comforted when he ascended to the stars, and I forgave the writers for letting him die because he died as an hero with honor. So I can understand that was necessary for the story plot.

And specially, I still feel amazed and delighted by the actor's voices awesome performances just the first time I watched the movie. Because the actors, they are formidable! Specially the main ones. When you see the movie you can feel Bowen's broken dreams when he finds out that the prince just tricked him and didn't believe on any of what he tried to teach him. Kara's sadness when his father died, and Draco's fear when he told Bowen he wanted to die end his misery but he feared death, cos he could lose his soul.

And I still think one of the cutest, coolest, most beautiful and wonderful thing ever for this movie, is Sean Connery as Draco talking and saying "oh dear".

So, yeah, after all these years this movie still managed to make me feel a wide variety of emotions and touch every fiber of my heart. I've spend a wonderful moment, and all my problems, frustrations and fears felt less bad.

And thank God this movie exist because I know, there's no place on earth I would love to be more than righ here in my home, watching Dragonheart.

[sarahalainn]

Sir Sean Connery, RIP 🙏

Listening to ‘To the Stars’

‘Look to the stars... to the stars’ ✨

#Draco 🐉

[frozenoverblackballoon]

“To the stars Bowen. To the stars.”

Goodbye Draco and Sir Sean Connery. 

I’ll look for you in the stars. 

[chetungwan]

When I was less than a year old and we still lived in California, my parents watched Dragonheart a lot. It was a good movie, they liked it, I don't know if they had any specific reason. That's not the point to this story.

When we moved, first to Maine and then to roughly where we are now, our cassette of it got packed away for ages, and it didn't get dug out again until I was around six, I think. My parents pulled it out to show it to me, because I hadn't seen it before.

The first thing I said was "I know that dragon!"

I watched that movie repeatedly growing up, and easily named it as my favorite moving for years. So I'm about 80% sure that the reason I find dragons so cool is because when I was a baby, this movie got drilled into my head until it imprinted on me.

I found out today that Sean Connery has died. My first dragon has gone back to the stars. I'll miss you, Draco.

[darknight2525]

RIP Sir Sean Draco Dragonheart Connery who now joins the other greats in the stars!

[jchb32273]

Favorite movies through Gifs...

I was Tagged by @th3morrigan (who also posted many of MY favorite movies on her post!! LOL!! I really ADORE Labyrinth (David Bowie, those awesome goblins, David Bowie, the amazing music and songs, oh... and did I mention David Bowie... in tight pants!! ^_^), Trainspotting is also a favorite of mine probably for the same reason as th3morrigan’s... Ewan McGregor!, Devil’s Advocate... I like Keanu Reeves, but damn, Al Pachino WAS the PERFECT Devil!, and Moulin Rouge... again, LOVE the music (and Ewan McGregor! ^_~)

So, I will ADD to this list... keeping it to just my top picks, which won’t be easy!

PRINCES BRIDE! I have loved this since the first moment I saw it!! Easily one of the most quotable movies EVER (Scared my husband once when I was still able to quote it verbatim... while drunk!) LOL! To make matters even better, yesterday @ambellinaleander made amazing and lovely art featuring Inigo Montoya during her live stream... <3

I know he has taken forever to get the sequels made (and we are still WAITING until... what is it? 2021 now for the first of four sequels?) But I still love the first film a lot. Avatar was stunningly gorgeous and I love that bioluminescent forest! Beautiful!

Another brilliant Jim Henson masterpiece! I was blessed to be able to see The Dark Crystal movie when it first came out in cinemas (yes, I am that old!)... and while the Skeksis frightened me as a child, I still LOVED this movie! I am very excited to see the Netflix “sequel” when it comes out (I think September)!

Dragonheart. Sean Connery as Draco. This was movie was so amazing (and while it’s CGI is a little outdated now, it still is a fantastic achievement!) I wish it had done a little better so its sequels could have had a better budget... while they were entertaining stories... the quality just wasn’t there for the following films.

I adore the HtTYD series! Toothless is just TOO adorable!! Damn, I want my own dragon now!! (I mean, if you have seen my blog, you know it is 99.9% Dragon Age, but I LOVE Dragons!! If I could pick a fantasy world to live in, I would have loved to live in Berk... (Pandora, from Avatar, is a VERY close 2nd... Their Banshees are pretty dam close to being dragon-like for me!)

One of my absolute favorite animated movies of my childhood! The Last Unicorn was so beautiful! I think it is almost every little girl’s fantasy that unicorns are real, and I was no exception! While Dragons take my top pick now, I do still love unicorns!

Honestly, I could go on and on and on about movies... I am a definite movie buff! I will stop here with Pan’s Labyrinth as my last pick. Not a family-friendly pick like many of the above movies, it is a beautifully told tale. A dark movie with amazing (and terrifying creatures)! If you do watch it, I recommend that you listen to it in its original Spanish language track. Worth it!!

Honorable mentions (and it is only b/c I didn’t want this list to go on forever... lol! The movies of the MCU, Harry Potter (and the Fantastic Beasts films), Star Wars (original trilogy... aka IV, V, & VI), Pixar and (most) Disney films, and I didn’t want to put it here, but I can’t pick a favorite - b/c I LOVE EVERY SINGLE STUDIO GHIBLI FILM!! They are ALL magnificent masterpieces!!

So, if you’d like to play along... I’ll tag @ambellinaleander @captain-savvy @aurlyn @wickedpixi81 @staciewilkerson @gingerbreton @cloakinghawk @starsandskies and @allenvooreef

[ljones41]

"ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE" (1969) Review

"ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE" (1969) Review At least ten years or more must have passed since I last saw the 1969 Bond movie, “ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE (OHMSS)”. EON Production’s sixth entry in the Bond franchise has the distinction of being the only movie that starred Australian male model-turned-actor, George Lazenby. It was the first EON movie that did not star Sean Connery – already fixed in the public’s mind as the only actor who can portray James Bond. And it was the only movie that was directed by former film editor, Peter Hunt.

I first became aware of “OHMSS” back in the mid-1980s. I had seen it on television once, when I was a child. But ABC Television’s botched editing had turned me off from the movie. I eventually became a fan during repeated viewings of the movie during the mid and late 1980s. By the beginning of the 1990s, “OHMSS” had been fixed as my favorite Bond movie. For years, it remained in this position, despite repeating viewings of other Bond movies, the release of the Brosnan films and my own mysterious reluctance to watch “OHMSS”. It seemed as if I was afraid to watch it again, fearful that my earlier adulation of the film might prove to be misguided. And then EON Productions released “CASINO ROYALE” in the theaters back in 2006. "CASINO ROYALE" had impressed me so much that my doubts about “OHMSS” increased even further. After seeing “CASINO ROYALE” for the third time and 2008's "QUANTUM OF SOLACE", I finally decided to watch “OHMSS” for the first time in years. In the end, my fears seemed groundless. My latest viewing of “OHMSS” proved that I had every right to view it as one of my all time favorite Bond movies. After 41 years, the movie still holds up as one of the finest Bond movies in the entire franchise, if not the finest. And it also one of the few Bond films to closely follow its source, namely the 1963 novel penned by Ian Fleming. What makes the latter remarkable is that the previous Bond entry, “YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE” barely resembled its literary source, aside from a few characters and the setting. “OHMSS” picks up with Bond searching for Blofeld, now wanted by various governments for his past forays into international terrorism and extortion. His search leads to meeting the most important woman in his life other than Vesper Lynd – Teresa (Tracy) Draco di Vicenzo. Not only will his meeting with Tracy lead to a serious change in his private life, it will also affect his professional life, thanks to Tracy’s father, Marc-Ange Draco when he provides Bond with information leading to Blofeld. Of course, Draco was only willing to provide this information, if Bond courts his daughter. In the end, Bond not only tracks down Blofeld, but destroy the latter’s latest attempt to extort the United Nations. But as many know, Bond’s latest professional conflict will result in tragedy for his private life. I only have a few problems with “OHMSS”. One of them was the director Peter Hunt’s decision to have actor George Baker (portraying the real Sir Hilary Bray), dub Lazenby’s voice, while Bond is impersonating Sir Hilary at Piz Gloria. Why they had decided to do this confounds me. It seemed very unnecessary, unless the director was aiming for Sir Hilary to sound like a cliché of a British scholar. Another problem I had were some of the jokes that came out of Bond’s mouth. I consider this problem minor, since “OHMSS” – like many other Bond movies had its share of good and bad jokes. One particularly good joke was the St. Bernard who came to Bond’s “rescue” after the latter had survived his bobsled fight against Blofeld. And last, but not least, there were a few moments when the editing seemed a bit . . . questionable. A good example would be the scene that featured Bond’s first meeting with Draco. There is a moment when it seemed that Bond had asked Draco for Blofeld’s whereabouts. It seemed as if Lazenby had spoken too soon, cutting off actor Gabriele Ferzetti’s lines too soon. Another viewing seemed to reveal that poor editing might have been at fault and not Lazenby’s acting. And another review seemed to agree with my findings. Aside from the previously mentioned quibbles, I had no problems with “OHMSS”. In fact there is so much to enjoy about this movie – including the main star, George Lazenby. Many critics and fans either tend to dismiss his performance as wooden or give him minor credit for his valiant attempt at a decent performance. Frankly, I think that he was a lot better than many give him credit for. I must admit that he has a rather odd voice (which I suspect has been influenced by his Australian accent), but so did most of the other Bonds – including Connery’s tendency to indulge in pre-adolescent diction, Moore’s drawl, Dalton’s Welsh accent and Brosnan’s . . . well, I cannot really describe Brosnan’s voice. I just find it odd. But despite Lazenby’s odd voice, his acting comes off very natural and he seems to project Bond’s emotions with an ease that should not have come easy to him. But he does. And instead of portraying Bond as some kind of action/sexual icon, he portrays the character as very human. This is very obvious in the following scenes: -Bond’s growing impatience with Tracy’s antics -Bond’s surprise that M had given him leave instead of accepting his resignation -Bond’s breakthrough with Tracy -the Piz Gloria dinner sequence -Bond’s fear of capture during his escape from Piz Gloria -Bond’s proposal of marriage to Tracy -Bond’s quarrel with M over Tracy and Blofeld -Tracy’s death

Personally, I thought that Lazenby really shined in the marriage proposal scene, those scenes that featured Bond’s quarrels with M and the Piz Gloria dinner sequence. Despite having his voice dubbed by George Baker in the latter, Lazenby managed to express Bond’s emotions during that scene effortlessly without having to say a word. The movie also benefited from the presence of Diana Rigg, who had recently left “THE AVENGERS” to begin a movie career. What can one say about the great Diana? Not only did she effortlessly combine all the complex personality traits of Tracy di Vicenzo – witty, emotional, sad, brave, determined, etc. Is it any wonder that Tracy is viewed by many actresses as the ultimate Bond woman? Even better, both Rigg and Lazenby managed to create great chemistry together as the romantically doomed pair. Not only did “OHMSS” benefited from both Lazenby and Rigg’s performances, the pair was ably supported by a fine cast that included the warm and charismatic Gabriele Ferzetti as Tracy’s father, the talented Ilse Steppat who portrayed the intimidating Irma Bunt shortly before her death (she never lived to experience the movie’s release), the always dependable Bernard Lee as M – giving one of his better performances, and the charming and fun Angela Scoular as Blofeld’s English patient, Ruby. Of course one cannot forget the legendary Telly Savalas, who became the second actor to portray Ernst Blofeld on-screen. And as far as I’m concerned, he was the best. He was not impeded by Donald Pleasance’s ridiculous scar and questionable accent or Charles Gray’s foppish portrayal. Instead, he radiated intelligence and menace, making him the only Blofeld (in my opinion) worthy of being Bond’s nemesis. I also have to commend Peter Hunt’s direction. “OHMSS” was his first time at bat as a director. Any other inexperienced director could have turned one of Ian Fleming’s best novels into a hash job. Fortunately, Hunt proved to be a talented director and did justice to the novel – although I did have a problem with the editing of a few of his scenes. Hunt was not only ably supported by a fine cast, but by screenwriter Richard Maibaum, editor and future director John Glen, and John Barry’s marvelous score and Hal David’s haunting lyrics to the song, “We Have All the Time In the World”. Cinematographer Michael Reed superbly recaptured the majesty of the Swiss Alps and the exotic elegance of Portugal with his photography. And one cannot forget skier Willy Bogner Jr. and Alex Barbey for creating the first and probably best ski chase in the Bond franchise. I could probably go on about how much I love “OHMSS”, but I do not want to sound repetitive. What can I say? After 39 years, I consider to still be one of the best Bond movies in the franchise . . . and definitely one of my favorites. And I am happy to see that “OHMSS” is finally being recognized by many as the fine film it is. If you have not seen this film, I suggest that you rent or buy it as soon as possible. Or else you might miss something special. 

[thefilmsimps]

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (dir. Peter R. Hunt)

-Jere Pilapil- 9/10 Double-O Status: This has always been one of my favorites. Maybe the only Bond movie to pack anything resembling an emotional heft. Probably clocked it at an 8/10 Theme: Technically the title theme is an instrumental, but if we’re being real, “We’ve Got All the Time in the World” by Louis Armstrong is the real emotional center of it. The score is one of the best of the entire series, so the title theme is probably a 7/10. That Louis song? 9/10 My apologies, I watched this one prior to Die Another Day but didn’t log it after falling into a Yu Yu Hakusho/Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure hole and lost track of things. But here I am to give some thoughts on this. Perhaps that’s fitting, as it’s kind of easy to forget the one and only Bond movie to star George Lazenby, who, if you believe his telling in Becoming Bond, fucked his way into this role and out of it. I don’t know if he ever leaves that great an impression of what kind of character “his” James Bond would be, if he’d stuck around longer. You get the sense that the creatives behind the scenes were nervous about losing Sean Connery (Bond famously turns to the camera and says “This never happened to the other guy!” after a rescue gone awry). In this movie Bond is a warmer, more romantic presence than he is in other contexts, but that just might be the nature of the story told here. It starts with a rescue: Bond sees a woman walking into the ocean and rescues her, only to have some thugs attempt to kidnap her. While he fights them off, she drives off. He tracks her down, seemingly out of curiosity, and finds out her name is Tracy di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg). Turns out she’s the wild daughter of a crime boss, Marc-Ange Draco. Draco offers to help Bond find Ernst Stavro Blofeld (of SPECTRE and previous Bond movies, this time played by Telly Salavas in my choice for the definitive take) in exchange for marrying Tracy. Odd to see Bond striking this kind of deal, but I guess Draco is just a regular criminal, and not the kind to, I dunno, steal a couple nukes and hold them ransom. Bond is taken off the case to assassinate Blofeld until the deal pays off: Draco reveals that Blofeld is looking to claim a royal title. The trail leads Bond undercover to the Swiss Alps, where he finds a private clinic nominally curing allergies. Of course, this is a plot by Blofeld, potentially his wildest. Suffice to say, it involves hypnosis, biological warfare and threatening the world’s food supply in exchange for amnesty and the title of Count. There has simply got to be an easier way to achieve those goals!

But the heart of the story is the relationship between Bond and Tracy, which starts like such a dumb romcom device but eventually deepens into a much more believable romance than most other Bond movies. Lazenby at the time was not a very experienced actor, and it falls on Rigg to carry much of the heavy lifting, and Rigg is more than up to the challenge. While most of their courtship is covered in a montage, what we get to see is sweet, especially for a Bond movie. She’s also helpful to Bond in this adventure (though her reintroduction late in the movie is an extreme coincidence), and we get the very rare sight of Bond being impressed by his companion.

And in between all that, there are thrilling action scenes, including the opening fight where Bond saves Tracy and a fantastic chase on skis (culminating in breathtaking footage of an avalanche). A car chase through a Swiss town and around a racetrack is great fun. Other movies might find all of this - the spy stuff, a love story, and action scenes - impossible to balance. To that point, it’s true that On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was the longest Bond movie for a long time, but it all feels well-paced and purposeful.

The movie culminates in one of the most memorable endings for any Bond movie, a real gut-punch that’s unmatched throughout the series. Lazenby was not conventionally the best actor to play Bond, but they constructed a movie around his strengths: he manages the gravitas of Connery while being as funny, or funnier, than Moore. His presence manages to ground a Blofeld plot that is, I cannot emphasize enough, beyond bonkers. Supposedly, they had to do many takes of the final scene until Lazenby was exhausted in order to get it right. But whatever director Peter R. Hunt did to get these results, he got them. The audiences at the time didn’t feel that way, but in hindsight, very, very few of the Bond movies to follow would be quite as good as this. And the ones that reached this pinnacle were often great in completely different ways.

[aion-rsa]

Sean Connery, Acting Icon and Original James Bond, Dies at 90

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Sean Connery, one of the truly iconic actors of Hollywood, died overnight in the Bahamas at the age of 90. No cause of death was announced.

The Scottish actor’s career spanned five-decades in which he played a wide range of unforgettable characters, many of them iconic on their own. But he will always be known as the first, best and most recognizable actor to play the British Spy with the license to kill, James Bond. He played Agent 007 in seven movies, beginning with the first James Bond movie Dr. No in 1962.

But Connery was no mere espionage agent, and he certainly wasn’t secret. Connery starred opposite Tippi Hedren in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1964 film Marnie. He stood out in a crowded all-star cast in Murder on the Orient Express from 1974. He escaped Alcatraz in The Rock (1996), defected to the United States in The Hunt for Red October, saved the day as a firefighting King Agamemnon in Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits in 1981, and played Indiana Jones’ father, professor Henry Jones Sr., in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989. He won an Academy Award for best supporting actor for his role The Untouchables in 1987. He played Officer Jim Malone, a tough Irish cop chasing gangsters in Al Capone-era Chicago. 

Thomas Sean Connery was born on Aug. 25, 1930, in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland. His mother was a cleaning woman. His father was a truck driver. His region was in a financial depression and his family lived near poverty levels. Connery dropped out of school when he was 13. He joined the Royal Navy at 16, serving three years before being discharged with ulcers.

After his discharge, Connery shoveled coal, polished coffins, laid bricks, and posed for art students at the Edinburgh Art School. He took up bodybuilding and competed as “Mr. Scotland” in the Mr. Universe competition in London. It got him his first role in the chorus of a touring show of the musical South Pacific, which is where he met Caine in 1954. Connery chose acting over his plan of becoming a professional soccer player because it offered more longevity. Connery made up for his missed education by studying Shakespeare, Ibsen, Brecht.

Connery had bit parts on London productions until he was cast in Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution at Q Theatre in 1955. This led to several roles at the Oxford Playhouse. Connery’s TV debut came in with a small role in the series The Square Ring. He played multiple roles in the series The Condemned. In 1956, Connery played a criminal in the “Ladies of the Manor” episode of BBC Television’s Dixon of Dock Green. His first starring role on TV came in April 1957, when he played Mountain McLintock in BBC Television’s production of Requiem for a Heavyweight.

Connery’s film debut came in 1957 in the film No Road Back, directed by Montgomery Tully. Connery played Spike, a gangster with a speech impediment. He also had roles in the films Hell Drivers, Action of the Tiger, and Time Lock that year. He played a war correspondent to Lana Turner’s journalist in Another Time, Another Place in 1958. His first leading role came in Robert Stevenson’s Walt Disney Productions film Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959).

Hot off his performance in a 1961 television adaptation of Anna Karenina, Connery auditioned for James Bond producers “Cubby” Broccoli and Harry Saltzman. Connery was not author Ian Fleming’s first choice to play Bond. He’d wanted James Mason. The studio also auditioned or considered David Niven, Trevor Howard, Cary Grant and Richard Burton. After Dr. No premiered, Fleming began writing Bond as half-Scottish in his books.

 Connery made five more Bond films over the next 10 years: From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), and Diamonds Are Forever (1968). He skipped On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), allowing George Lazenby to marry Diana Rigg, but returned to the role with Never Say Never Again (1983), when he was 52.

While initially experiencing a short post-Bond slump, Connery came back with a run of memorable performances in such films as Murder on the Orient Express, The Wind and the Lion and John Huston’s The Man Who Would Be King. He played Robin Hood to Audrey Hepburn’s Maid Marian in Robin and Marian. He later put in a cameo as King Richard the Lionheart at the end of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991). Connery also starred as the “Brutal Exterminator” Zed in John Boorman’s Zardoz in 1974. He commanded the all-star war movie A Bridge Too Far in 1977.

Connery won a BAFTA for his role in The Name of the Rose (1986), and his only Oscar for his role in Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables. He starred with Michelle Pfeiffer, but let Branford Marsalis dub his saxophone in the Glasnostic film The Russia House. He played Juan Sanchez-Villalobos Ramierez in the 1986 cult fantasy Highlander. He also played in the films First Knight (1995), Just Cause (1995), The Avengers (1998), Entrapment (1999), and Finding Forrester (2000). Connery voiced the role of the dragon Draco in the film Dragonheart in 1996.

Connery retired after making The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), turning down the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series, and the Architect in The Matrix trilogy. He found a second life when Darrell Hammond played Connery as a master of the double entendre on Saturday Night Live’s recurring “Celebrity Jeopardy” sketch. Connery was knighted in 2000, and received the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award in 2006.

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Connery and his first wife, actress Diane Cilento, divorced in 1973. He married his second wife, French artist Micheline Roquebrune, in 1975. He is survived by his son, Jason.

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