The Licence To Read Series Discussion Topic.
scaramanga1
The English RivieraPosts: 845Chief of Staff
Discuss this Series that is available in the Feature Articles section.
Through the Feature Articles section members can enjoy lively debates thrown up by the articles. This topic is for discussing the Licence to Read Series which you can go straight to by clicking on this link:
http://www.ajb007.co.uk/articles/series/licencetoread
let's hear what you have to say!
Through the Feature Articles section members can enjoy lively debates thrown up by the articles. This topic is for discussing the Licence to Read Series which you can go straight to by clicking on this link:
http://www.ajb007.co.uk/articles/series/licencetoread
let's hear what you have to say!
Comments
I know this is the literature forum, but I'm intrigued as to how much of Fleming's views filtered into the cinematic Live And Let Die, intentionally or unintentionally. Did LALD the film still bare the evidence of Fleming's original colonial influences?
Moonie-If you're really curious about the James Bond books-but not interested in buying any of them,why not use your local library?It's an efficient and thrifty way to become knowledgable about Ian Fleming's novels.:007)
W.G.
with the likes of Shaft, Superfly, and Black Caesar doing well, a whole host of films that became known as blaxploitation flicks hit the big screens. Not all were cool and happening though - try and find a copy of Blackula the Afro-American Dracula, to see what I mean. It made sense to those making the Bond movies to do LALD at this time, so they could profit from the blaxploitation successes. Maybe there is a hangover of the colonial attitudes in the making of LALD, its hard to be sure. But choosing Jane Seymour as Solitaire certainly smacks of those making the movies a certain lets say almost wary if not intentional racism. Solitaire in the book was a Haitian, and there is no way, as gorgeous as she is, that she looks Haitian.
Not to change subjects but Quarrell in the first movie is more of a colonial attitude towards blacks (like the shoe fetching) then the movie LALD's characters. They seemed to be more influenced by the genre at the time. Which after all was black is equal. On a side note Quarrell and Mr. Big in the novel are the only blacks that are compared as Bond's equals. Fleming's words were something along the lines that even though Quarrell called Bond "captain", he didn't speak it as a subserviant would, but with pride as an equal. Right after that we are told that Bond instantly liked him.
All the other minor characters like TeeHee and Baron Samedi were given larger and more powerful parts in the movie. I'll let the more scholarly types try to answer the interesting but hard to answer question of Colonialism influences.
So in a way then, although LALD the book was dipped in racism and colonial superiority, LALD the film was more of an exploitation. I'm aware that many scenes from the LALD novel ended up elsewhere and that the cinematic version differed greatly, but I was just curious as to whether the attitudes of the characters had remained in place.
Well, the voodoo is toned down, Felix is still intact, and we get some rather interesting deviations. (Boat chase, for example.)
I think the element of racism, comes into play during Moore's performance. He is SUPER smug and arrogant. I know he was refining his style, but when watching it seems like Bond doesn't consider the black gangsters to be much of a threat.
It seems you're writing in order of publication, but I'd rather see you do it in random order. Here's why:
The original Fleming novels are masterpieces and for the most part, we all love them. But people's opinions on Amis, Gardner, and Benson are varied and I'd love to not only see your thoughts, but also debate with others.
It can be a "Bond Book Of The Month" club.
Why don't you read the short stories Moonie ? Surley your attention span could ................ eh, what ?
Feel free to comment onanything to do with Moonraker, the original reviews, or the different bookcovers.
anyway the article is at: http://www.ajb007.co.uk/articles/007/diamondsareforevernovel
Please let the other members see your views on the novels chosen for each article.
Wasn't the literary Solitaire Haitian but from French descent? Her father I think was a plantation owner, and the book described her has having really pale skin.
Having seen just how much research you put into your on-line novels, I wouldn't be surprised at all
I'm particularly fascinated with the wide array of cover art for
Dr.No--especially on that Russian edition.Fine work,SC1!
W.G.
http://www.ajb007.co.uk/articles/007/goldfingerarticle
Comments would be appreciated.
Consdering that people do actually read this series - the amount of feedback one gets is quite dissapointing.
Surely some of you have something to say - I mean even if there is nothing new that can be brought to my attention -i.e - stuff I've missed out etc. There is always room for comment on the content of the articles and the array of bookcovers I provide.
I mean for example - Goldfinger is probably one of most well read books and most watched films - yet there is little feedback if any at all on that particular article nor has it been read as mny times as some of the others. It seems some of the articles have proved more popular than others, and I really do hope they are a useful reference for those interested in reading the books. But what puzzles me is why there is no enthusiasm for the series. Am I missing something?
yours frustrated,
Scaramanga1
Keep up the great(and hard) work.
Thanks Alex, it's feeback like this that makes me feel like its worth all the hard work. I must admit that now I'm in the latter half of the Fleming books -I'm beginning to wonder how things will be when I eventually move onto Gardner's books -as some of the informatin will not be so readily available. However I will endeavour to continue as best I can, and will always provide as many bookcovers as possible.
I'm digressing slightly but wanted to thank you for the enormous amount of work you're putting into your articles. I've trawled through a number of other sites to refresh my memory on the content of each novel and the various covers available but having a whole series available within the same site complete with reviews and covers has proved invaluable. Your introductory page listing publication dates for all of the novels has been a very useful guide and has saved me having to look up the dates on numerous occasions when replying to postings.
I believe you're moving on to the Gardner novels when you've completed the Fleming - though I'm not a great fan I have just bought the first 5 of his first edition hardbacks as they each have a Chopping-esque cover which neatly matches the originals. I couldn't turn them down as the were so cheap! I'd be interested to hear your views on Gardner because, as you mentioned, there seems to be very little information available. I have a couple of reviews and an interview which were all published in 007 magazine if these are any help, though I imagine you already have them.
You seem to have a thankless task in cataloguing and reviewing the books but I'm sure that this will be the series of articles most often referred to on this site, especially by those who have neither the time or inclination to read the books. Let's hope that you inspire a few of them to take a closer look at the source material; maybe some of them will then go on to work in the industry and make better Bond films.