SYSK’s Summer Movie Playlist: What's the deal with Bond, James Bond? | STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW

Stuff You Should Know

Introduction & Summer Movie Playlist Context

Creator of James Bond character in novel form
Originally journalist, stockbroker before WWII
Joined Royal Navy during WWII, assigned as spy in Washington DC
Intelligence work included administrative duties and field work (secret document photography)
Worked with William Stevenson (aka "Intrepid") - inspiration for Bond character
Roald Dahl also member of same spy ring
Fleming was playboy, adventurer, island hopper, skier
Dove with Jacques Cousteau, skied Swiss mountains
Owned Jamaica estate "Golden Eye" where he wrote all Bond books annually
Chose "James Bond" as deliberately boring name to not compete with character
Wrote 14 total books: 12 novels + 2 short story collections ("For Your Eyes Only," "Octopussy and the Living Daylights")

Originally no Scottish heritage until Sean Connery casting
Fleming initially not fan of Connery, later embraced him as Bond
Retroactively gave Bond Scottish father (Andrew) and Swiss mother (Monique Delacroix)
Parents died mountain climbing when James was 11
Bond born November 11, 1920 (sliding timeline for modern films)
Served in Royal Navy WWII, rose to commander rank
Joined SIS (MI6) post-war
First two assignments were assassinations to earn 007 status
007 = seventh agent to achieve double-O license to kill
Traits: sharp dresser, fast cars, martinis (shaken not stirred), women
Martial artist, carried Walther PPK .32 caliber handgun

Dr. Julius No: atomic scientist, first film villain (Joseph Wiseman)
Goldfinger: tried to laser Bond's crotch
Odd Job: Goldfinger's henchman, Asian with deadly bowler hat
Jaws: appeared in 2 films (Moonraker, The Spy Who Loved Me), found girlfriend
Blofeld: head of SPECTRE, played by Telly Savalas, Donald Pleasence, Max von Sydow
SPECTRE: Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion
Max Zorin: Christopher Walken character, product of Nazi genetic experiments
Alec Trevelyan (006): former MI6 agent turned villain

First screen appearance: CBS TV series "Climax!" with Barry Nelson (also Mr. Ullman in The Shining)
First official film: Dr. No (1962) - 6th novel but 1st movie
22 official Bond films total
Originally wanted to make Thunderball first, litigation prevented it
Movies made way out of chronological order from books

Sean Connery: 6 films initially, returned for "Diamonds Are Forever," later "Never Say Never Again" (unofficial)
George Lazenby: 1 film ("On Her Majesty's Secret Service"), Australian, poor actor, left to sail world
Roger Moore: 7 films, TV background from "The Saint"
Timothy Dalton: 2 films ("Living Daylights," "License to Kill"), darker interpretation
Pierce Brosnan: 4 films, originally considered before Dalton
Daniel Craig: current Bond, blonde, tougher direction

Usually 2 per film: villain and ally (sometimes roles switch)
Sexual innuendo names: Plenty O'Toole, Honey Rider, Pussy Galore, Holly Goodhead
Notable actresses: Ursula Andress, Jane Seymour, Carrie Lowell, Kim Basinger
Tanya Roberts in "View to a Kill" - worst Bond woman according to hosts

Live and Let Die (Paul McCartney)
Nobody Does It Better (Carly Simon)
Duran Duran's "View to a Kill"
You Only Live Twice (Nancy Sinatra)
Shirley Bassey: 3 songs (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, Moonraker)
For Your Eyes Only (Sheena Easton)
Thunderball (Tom Jones)
Recent songs considered inferior: Chris Cornell, Garbage, Cheryl Crow, Madonna, Jack White/Alicia Keys

Code Name Theory: "James Bond" is cover identity passed between different agents
Explains personality changes between actors
Explains George Lazenby's departure after wife's death
Theory has holes: gadget recognition, college recognition scenes

Thomas corrected samurai podcast information
Miyamoto Musashi: greatest samurai, killed 60 men in single combat before age 40
Wooden katana (bokken) used as actual weapon, not just practice
Musashi famous for two-sword fighting style

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