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James Bond has been played by eight actors: Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig, David Niven, and Barry Nelson. Neither Niven nor Nelson appeared in the "official" films. Niven appeared in a spoof of the Bond films, Casino Royale (not to be confused with the Daniel Craig movie of the same name), while Nelson appeared in a TV production, also titled Casino Royale, made several years before the first Connery film. People vigorously debate which actor was the best James Bond. And many Bond fans think that Sean Connery was the best. To me, Sean Connery's Bond was too much like a thug. He did not have the smooth, suave quality you expect from Bond. Roger Moore's Bond did have it. But I thought Moore's Bond did not come across as tough enough. A good combination of tough and suave was Timothy Dalton's portrayal. And another example of a good combination was provided by George Lazenby. Unfortunately, Lazenby was only in one Bond movie. |
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Die Hard is a classic action movie, and one of my favorites. I haven't felt the sequels live up to the original, with the possible exception of Die Hard 3. |
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Die Hard (IMDb) Die Hard (Wikipedia) Die Hard Film Series |
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No one can accuse me of not having eclectic tastes. "My favorite movie" is a four-way tie. Two of the movies are the first two Terminator films, and one is the 1956 MGM Classic, Forbidden Planet. Forbidden Planet was ahead of its time. While most 1950s science fiction dealt with bug-eyed monsters, this film had a message which still resonates today. And many have said the movie could have been an episode of (the 1960s television series) Star Trek. Here are a couple of comparisons of the two. The first Terminator film received good reviews, but I refused to see it because Arnold Schwarzenegger was in it. He had a reputation – at least to me – for doing mindless, violent movies. When Terminator 2 was released, I remember seeing a review (by Roger Ebert, I think, although I can't locate it online) in which he called it "an important film" about (I don't remember the exact words but something to this effect) about "the shrinking distinction between machines and humans". He also gave the film 3½ out of 4 stars. So I had to see it. The original Terminator film was showing on cable, so I recorded it and watched it. I found it very impressive. Schwarzenegger took his role very seriously, and prepared thoroughly. I then watched the second film in a theater – about three or four times, which I never do. I felt the sequel was even better than the original. I found the combination of the two movies to be first-rate science fiction, and a few years later, when someone asked me my favorite movie, realized it was a four-way tie. I did watch Terminator 3, but did not like it as much as the first two films. While it was well-made, I saw no reason for it. The first two movies created a complete, fulfilling plot line; the third movie was extraneous. I haven't seen the fourth film, and have no plans to see the fifth. |
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I did see the fifth film, half an hour to an hour at a time, on a cruise ship. I heard/read later than it simply ignored the fourth and fifth movies. It did seem to do that; I could follow it while ignoring the third movie and not knowing the plot of the fourth. But I still saw no reason for it — except, of course, for the prodcuers/directors desire to make money off a popular movie. |
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While the films do an excellent job of illustrating the potential pitfalls of technology, here's an interesting commentary on why the precise scenario used by them is not a concern. |
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Forbidden Planet IMDb Forbidden Planet Rotten Tomatoes Forbidden Planet Trailer Forbidden Planet AFI Forbidden Planet Wikipedia |
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Before getting to the fourth film on my list of favorites, I thought I'd mention another 1950s sci-fi film that's a cut above the others. It doesn't have the strong theme of Forbidden Planet or the Terminator films, but it's well-made and holds up quite nicely even today. It's a good illustration of how you don't need sophisticated special effects to build suspense. The Thing (also referred to as The Thing From Another World to distinguish it from the 1982 and 2011 remakes) tells the story of the inhabitants of an Arctic research station who come across a flying saucer and its frozen inhabitant. They take the alien to their station, it thaws out, and mayhem ensues. I used to believe that any alien life, with extremely advanced technology, would have to be benevolent. This movie, along with the Borg of Star Trek, shows what can happen if that assumption turns out to be wrong. |
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The Thing AFI The Thing Turner Classic Movies The Thing IMdB |
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In the 1959 Alfred Hitchcock film, North by Northwest, Roger Thornhill is a divorced New York advertising executive played by Cary Grant. Thornhill is mistaken for an American spy by a nefarious gang (presumably Soviets, the movie is never explicit about this but strongly implies it) led by Phillip Van Dam (James Mason). During the movie, Thornhill is almost killed by a crop dusting plane, meets the lovely Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint), is "shot", has to climb out of a second-floor hospital room, and is chased down the face of Mount Rushmore. As Roger Thornhill and Eve Kendall are climbing down Mount Rushmore, Eve asks Roger What happened with the first two Mrs. Thornhills? Roger replies My wives divorced me. They said I led too dull a life. | | |||||||||||||||||||
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SOME INTERESTING CARY GRANT FACTS:
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Ian Fleming modeled the James Bond character partially with Grant in mind. Grant turned down the role of James Bond in Dr. No (1962), believing himself to be too old at 58 to play the character.
Thanks mainly to the strength and physical dexterity he gained as an acrobat when he was young, he did a majority of his own stunts during his film career (far more than people would think). Cary Grant and Charlton Heston attended a dinner at 10 Downing Street honoring then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, whom they both greatly admired. Afterward Heston said to his wife LydiaYou know I sat next to Mrs Thatcher. She replied, That's nothing – I got to sit next to Cary Grant!. Jimmy Stewart very much wanted the part of Roger Thornhill, but director Alfred Hitchcock decided not to cast him because of the box office failure of Vertigo (1958), which Hitchcock unfairly blamed on Stewart for looking "too old" and chose Grant instead. In reality, Grant was four years older than Stewart. Premiere Magazine ranked him as the #1 Movie Star of All Time in their Stars in Our Constellation feature (2005). Maintained a year-round suntan to avoid wearing make up. He became an American Citizen on June 26, 1942, under naturalization certificate #5502057. |
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North by Northwest AFI North by Northwest AFI Top Ten North by Northwest IMDB North by Northwest Rotten Tomatoes North by Northwest Wikipedia Roger Thornhill Page IMDB |
North by Northwest Gallery North by Northwest Hitchcock Fans Page North by Northwest Memorable Quotes Cary Grant Biography Donna's Site Cary Grant and More Alfred Hitchcock Fan Page |
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North by Northwest has been referred to as "the first James Bond film" due to its similarities with splashily colorful settings, secret agents, and an elegant, daring, wisecracking leading man opposite a sinister yet strangely charming villain. |
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