Like most others, my introduction was the films (starting mainly with the Moore films on VHS in the late 1990s).
The only two Fleming novels that I read before seeing the films were Casino Royale and The Man With The Golden Gun. Of course TMWTGG was very different to the film when I eventually saw it. It never occurred to me that the film would not be a faithful adaptation of the novel.
When CR came out it was a joyous experience to see the novel, which I'd read several times by that stage, faithfully updated to the modern era. I'd love to see that done with more of the original Fleming works, such as Moonraker and You Only Live Twice. Even if they change the titles to avoid confusion.
I was surprised at how good Fleming books are, and how the popularity of the later books and fans input changed Bonds preferences of Cars, Guns, and Watches. ( or shoud i say Flemings )
I started off watching the Bond movies in the 70s, and went back to films Dr No 1962 & Goldfinger 1964. by Eon Productions ( Which were Fleming's books 6 & 7).
I hadn't appreciated that they were out of sequence, story and timelines differed from the Books. also that Bond Car & Gun & watches preference had change by 1958
James Bond watches reference Ian Fleming Books , Book 2 1954 Bond has a Rolex dive watch on, when he places a mine on the bottom of a boat, in Live and let die, Up to 1958 Bond's watches were fairly cheap, this changed 10 years later in book 11 1963, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Bond wears a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Chronometer )
Bond's Cars & Guns I thought Bond must have always driven a Aston Martin and that he'd carried the Walther PPK. and his watch was Rolex as Bond had these by the 1964 movie Goldfinger.
In the earlies books, ( Bond's Car was a 1930s Bentley 4½ Litre. Bond's Gun was Beretta 418, Bond's Watches were cheap & expendable ) his Gun was replaced in Dr. No by Walther PPK (A fan suggestion gun changed, Geoffrey Boothroyd world's leading authority on shotguns and author of the seminal 1961 work, Gun Collecting). Bond's car was also replaced in 1959's Goldfinger, Bond is offered a choice of cars in the Universal Exports motor pool, and turns down a Jaguar 2.4 in favour of what Fleming calls a 'DB III'. Aston Martin DB III doesn't exist.. the car was probably Aston Martin DB Mark III.
I like both the books and the movies, anyway i am looking forward to the new bond movie Spectre.
Having got to the film version of The Living Daylights before the short story, my list is now more definitive: only
[list=*]
[*]Casino Royale; and[/*]
[*]Thunderball[/*]
[/list]
are titles I read before I watched them onscreen...
I read Casino Royale and From Russia With Love before seeing the films, which disappointed me. Today I regard FRWL as one of the best Bond movies, but back then I regretted that it lacked some of the more character-driven moments of the original (the Soviet spy meeting, Darko talking about his past), though now I realize those wouldn't have worked onscreen.
As for CR, I thought it was a good film but it watered down the book. Baccarat can be explained in under a minute and is far more cinematic game than poker. Bond can barely hold himself together during the torture scene, yet during the movie he's able to crack jokes. And Vesper's death was turned into an action movie scene. The movie even has a semi-happy ending, with Bond catching Mr. White, whereas the book ends with Bond defeated and realizing the futility of his actions.
On the other hand, I think the two best Bond films are GF and OHMSS, and I was disappointed by the novels when I read them after seeing the movies, whose screenwriters closely studied the books and improved on their plotting.
Comments
The only two Fleming novels that I read before seeing the films were Casino Royale and The Man With The Golden Gun. Of course TMWTGG was very different to the film when I eventually saw it. It never occurred to me that the film would not be a faithful adaptation of the novel.
When CR came out it was a joyous experience to see the novel, which I'd read several times by that stage, faithfully updated to the modern era. I'd love to see that done with more of the original Fleming works, such as Moonraker and You Only Live Twice. Even if they change the titles to avoid confusion.
A few Weeks ago, I posted my Ideal Cast List for MR.
I put this on the welcome page as well.
I was a late starter to the books.
I was surprised at how good Fleming books are, and how the popularity of the later books and fans input changed Bonds preferences of Cars, Guns, and Watches. ( or shoud i say Flemings )
I started off watching the Bond movies in the 70s, and went back to films Dr No 1962 & Goldfinger 1964. by Eon Productions ( Which were Fleming's books 6 & 7).
I hadn't appreciated that they were out of sequence, story and timelines differed from the Books. also that Bond Car & Gun & watches preference had change by 1958
James Bond watches reference Ian Fleming Books , Book 2 1954 Bond has a Rolex dive watch on, when he places a mine on the bottom of a boat, in Live and let die, Up to 1958 Bond's watches were fairly cheap, this changed 10 years later in book 11 1963, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Bond wears a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Chronometer )
Bond's Cars & Guns I thought Bond must have always driven a Aston Martin and that he'd carried the Walther PPK. and his watch was Rolex as Bond had these by the 1964 movie Goldfinger.
In the earlies books, ( Bond's Car was a 1930s Bentley 4½ Litre. Bond's Gun was Beretta 418, Bond's Watches were cheap & expendable ) his Gun was replaced in Dr. No by Walther PPK (A fan suggestion gun changed, Geoffrey Boothroyd world's leading authority on shotguns and author of the seminal 1961 work, Gun Collecting). Bond's car was also replaced in 1959's Goldfinger, Bond is offered a choice of cars in the Universal Exports motor pool, and turns down a Jaguar 2.4 in favour of what Fleming calls a 'DB III'. Aston Martin DB III doesn't exist.. the car was probably Aston Martin DB Mark III.
I like both the books and the movies, anyway i am looking forward to the new bond movie Spectre.
Regards
Paul
[list=*]
[*]Casino Royale; and[/*]
[*]Thunderball[/*]
[/list]
are titles I read before I watched them onscreen...
As for CR, I thought it was a good film but it watered down the book. Baccarat can be explained in under a minute and is far more cinematic game than poker. Bond can barely hold himself together during the torture scene, yet during the movie he's able to crack jokes. And Vesper's death was turned into an action movie scene. The movie even has a semi-happy ending, with Bond catching Mr. White, whereas the book ends with Bond defeated and realizing the futility of his actions.
On the other hand, I think the two best Bond films are GF and OHMSS, and I was disappointed by the novels when I read them after seeing the movies, whose screenwriters closely studied the books and improved on their plotting.