The Evolution of a Bond Fan
Jayski
Munich, GermanyPosts: 82MI6 Agent
I have had this idea for a while now to break down how my fascination for all things Bond and how it has evolved over the years. From seeing my first movie, to now aiming to truly live the James Bond lifestyle, incorporating as many Bondian things into my daily life as possible. I also think it would be great to hear how others have evolved, as I'm sure we will all learn something new about being a Bond fan that may have gone un-noticed before. Here it goes...
My very first encounter with Bond from what I can remember was Goldeneye. Whether I saw the movie before the Nintendo 64 game or vice versa I can’t clearly remember. It was clear then it had such a great mix of all things I found interesting, action, cars, gadgets, girls (Can't really say women, I was 12 at the time.) I knew something had definitely left an impact on me, but still hadn't tapped into the entire Bond world or the older films. I was aware they existed, but I’m sure at that age I wasn’t exactly begging my parents to take me out to rent old movies. The year was 1997, and that Christmas it all changed. Just before Christmas that year we got TBS Superstation on cable, and it was then that I discovered 15 days of 007. Within watching 2 or 3 classics I was hooked. I ended up recording about half of the bond collection on VHS, usually letting it record over night so in the morning I would have 1-2 new movies I was totally pumped to watch the next day. Ofcourse being 1997 between the movies were commercials for Tomorrow Never Dies which was debuting that December. My cousin and I had begged my uncle to take us to see it, and for the first time I saw what I regard to this day as one of my favourite bond films on the big screen. From then on my teen years were spent watching those VHS copies of bond, having recorded the rest of the films I missed in December of 98! (Yes I waited a whole year to record them; my parents weren’t too keen on going out to buy me 10 VHS movies just to add to the collection). I remember vividly through those years of watching the VHS recordings my most watched films were Diamonds are Forever, Moonraker, and Goldeneye. I’m sure I’ll get a lot of slack for those first two mentioned, but I think because they weren’t so serious I could put them on and just get lost for a couple hours. The rest of the movies I would watch here and there, maybe watching an average of 2 bond movies per month.
Around 2004 I finally got the DVD Special Edition collection for Christmas, and now being in college I would throw them on while working, or at any moment really. I was deep into the collection, dedicating countless hours watching bond, or just having on in the background while doing homework. Between 2006 and 2010 while I finished my Bachelors and went on to do my Masters, I was easily averaging watching 2-4 Bond movies per week. But those hours put in definitely were not evenly spent on each movie. During those years I maybe watched OHMSS and Octopussy 3-4 times. Strange thing is I don’t think they are bad movies, the problem for me was that I liked the rest of the lot so much more that I just didn’t want to bother with them at the time. I’d rather watch Goldfinger or Thunderball on repeat then watch Octopussy. During that time I definitely evolved as a fan, taking it to a whole new level of dedication, some would say addiction maybe
. I started to participate in the Bond community, such as joining the ajb forum and listening to the Being James Bond podcasts by Head of Section. Since I was a poor student then, I could only dream of progressing forward to live a James Bond lifestyle. I stayed in active reading the forum, keeping the podcasts on repeat, and even ended up getting all of Fleming’s original Bond books as audio books for my Ipod. I can honestly say that once I saw many of my fellow members in the Bond community had the same level of interest and dedication that I had, I knew I was part of something very cool and special. Just as Trekkies or Star Wars fans have their communities, I felt right at home within the Bond community.
Now fresh into 2012, I can say my Bond addiction is still evolving; always finding new ways to stay involved in the community, and live the James Bond lifestyle. At the beginning of 2011 I moved to Munich to work full time (Originally from Toronto). Feeling as though I was Bond on a mission, I spent most of last year collecting Bondish style clothing, purchasing a replica Rolex Submariner with Nato strap as seen in Goldfinger (Which I wear daily), and traveling around Germany, Italy, and Austria on weekends or when possible. I also started creating Bond artwork, which some of you have seen and purchased, and will definitely continue on to the New Year. This year I will try to do even more, as this marks the 50th Anniversary for Bond and the debut of Skyfall, my goal is to visit as many Bond locations around Europe as possible. Of course more Bond clothing, props, paintings, and more time dedicated to the movies! A small new year’s resolution for me was to watch my least- watched and least favourite Bond movies, finally giving OHMSS and Octopussy a chance.
What does the future hold for a 26 year old Bond fan? More great Bond movies, Actors, props, clothing, locations, games, Blu Ray versions of the all the Classics depending on the wallet. More time dedicated to the forum and this great community, and to creating more Bond artwork for you all to enjoy. Of course last but not least one day fulfill a dream, as a professional product/transportation designer to hopefully one day take part in the production of an official Bond movie!
Thank you all for your time. Cheers!
My very first encounter with Bond from what I can remember was Goldeneye. Whether I saw the movie before the Nintendo 64 game or vice versa I can’t clearly remember. It was clear then it had such a great mix of all things I found interesting, action, cars, gadgets, girls (Can't really say women, I was 12 at the time.) I knew something had definitely left an impact on me, but still hadn't tapped into the entire Bond world or the older films. I was aware they existed, but I’m sure at that age I wasn’t exactly begging my parents to take me out to rent old movies. The year was 1997, and that Christmas it all changed. Just before Christmas that year we got TBS Superstation on cable, and it was then that I discovered 15 days of 007. Within watching 2 or 3 classics I was hooked. I ended up recording about half of the bond collection on VHS, usually letting it record over night so in the morning I would have 1-2 new movies I was totally pumped to watch the next day. Ofcourse being 1997 between the movies were commercials for Tomorrow Never Dies which was debuting that December. My cousin and I had begged my uncle to take us to see it, and for the first time I saw what I regard to this day as one of my favourite bond films on the big screen. From then on my teen years were spent watching those VHS copies of bond, having recorded the rest of the films I missed in December of 98! (Yes I waited a whole year to record them; my parents weren’t too keen on going out to buy me 10 VHS movies just to add to the collection). I remember vividly through those years of watching the VHS recordings my most watched films were Diamonds are Forever, Moonraker, and Goldeneye. I’m sure I’ll get a lot of slack for those first two mentioned, but I think because they weren’t so serious I could put them on and just get lost for a couple hours. The rest of the movies I would watch here and there, maybe watching an average of 2 bond movies per month.
Around 2004 I finally got the DVD Special Edition collection for Christmas, and now being in college I would throw them on while working, or at any moment really. I was deep into the collection, dedicating countless hours watching bond, or just having on in the background while doing homework. Between 2006 and 2010 while I finished my Bachelors and went on to do my Masters, I was easily averaging watching 2-4 Bond movies per week. But those hours put in definitely were not evenly spent on each movie. During those years I maybe watched OHMSS and Octopussy 3-4 times. Strange thing is I don’t think they are bad movies, the problem for me was that I liked the rest of the lot so much more that I just didn’t want to bother with them at the time. I’d rather watch Goldfinger or Thunderball on repeat then watch Octopussy. During that time I definitely evolved as a fan, taking it to a whole new level of dedication, some would say addiction maybe
. I started to participate in the Bond community, such as joining the ajb forum and listening to the Being James Bond podcasts by Head of Section. Since I was a poor student then, I could only dream of progressing forward to live a James Bond lifestyle. I stayed in active reading the forum, keeping the podcasts on repeat, and even ended up getting all of Fleming’s original Bond books as audio books for my Ipod. I can honestly say that once I saw many of my fellow members in the Bond community had the same level of interest and dedication that I had, I knew I was part of something very cool and special. Just as Trekkies or Star Wars fans have their communities, I felt right at home within the Bond community.Now fresh into 2012, I can say my Bond addiction is still evolving; always finding new ways to stay involved in the community, and live the James Bond lifestyle. At the beginning of 2011 I moved to Munich to work full time (Originally from Toronto). Feeling as though I was Bond on a mission, I spent most of last year collecting Bondish style clothing, purchasing a replica Rolex Submariner with Nato strap as seen in Goldfinger (Which I wear daily), and traveling around Germany, Italy, and Austria on weekends or when possible. I also started creating Bond artwork, which some of you have seen and purchased, and will definitely continue on to the New Year. This year I will try to do even more, as this marks the 50th Anniversary for Bond and the debut of Skyfall, my goal is to visit as many Bond locations around Europe as possible. Of course more Bond clothing, props, paintings, and more time dedicated to the movies! A small new year’s resolution for me was to watch my least- watched and least favourite Bond movies, finally giving OHMSS and Octopussy a chance.
What does the future hold for a 26 year old Bond fan? More great Bond movies, Actors, props, clothing, locations, games, Blu Ray versions of the all the Classics depending on the wallet. More time dedicated to the forum and this great community, and to creating more Bond artwork for you all to enjoy. Of course last but not least one day fulfill a dream, as a professional product/transportation designer to hopefully one day take part in the production of an official Bond movie!
Thank you all for your time. Cheers!
Comments
All I can say is keep it up!
(As someone who travels a fair bit for my job, I do sometimes allow myself the little fantasy of at least pretending to be the jet setting great man himself. Although you rarely see him having to queue up at Immigration and being asked if he has filled out his ESTA! The English accent while checking into various hotels around the world helps too
Jayski
Myself, well I was born in '71 and Moore was my Bond growing up. I remember LALD for some reason. I watched it at about seven years old and made a magnetic watch out of a fridge magnet and old watch strap that belonged to my dad. I took it to school and some of the boys liked it. An older kid of about ten swiped it and put it on. I fought like hell, bloodied his nose, got two wonderful black eyes for my trouble, but got the watch back. That was my first fight, and it was Bond related. I watched all the films as they came on, taped them and rented them when we got a video recorder, then got them as they came out on DVD. I read the books in my late twenties.
Throughout my life I've tried to emulate Bond - I served in the army, did some undercover detatchment work in Northern Ireland (mainly driving and being the security for both MI5 and SIS personnel, as well as military intelligence officers) but even on the periphery, not knowing what the hell was going on!, it felt bloody brilliant to be in civvies, armed and following cars with PIRA in them! I was also briefed for an operation to provide covering fire and security for an SAS operation in Iraq. It was pulled moments before, but we practised scenarios with the SAS guys, and I remember feeling like James Bond at the time!
Whether it's driving fast in a powerful car, the time I owned a ski boat for a couple of summer seasons, civilian target shooting, or just going to a classy restuarant or weekend away in a hotel - I always get a feeling that at that moment it's a James Bond experience. They are less frequent now with wife and kids in tow, but those Bond moments are great and keep you alive!
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