Cool... Thy Name Is Bond

bigzilchobigzilcho Toronto, ONPosts: 245MI6 Agent
Greetings, everyone.

On the eve of CR (At last...just a week away! ) I felt the urge to express my view that Mr. James Bond, 007 is still, without question, the single coolest character in the film world.

The word "cool" is, of course, open to interpretation. But if you are even on this site then you are already in agreement that 007 is a name that conjures up the feeling of primal excitement.

(Is it any accident that the two biggest hip-hop moguls in the world, Jay-Z and P.Diddy (both arguably the most influential men in pop culture today) respect and admire 007? A recent video with Jay-Z has him gambling at a casino and it is totally Bond-like in style and attitude. Diddy is on the record saying he actually wants to PLAY Bond.
Make no mistake...Bond is cool to a hip-hop generation, with its appreciation of style and bling. 007 is the ultimate "player" in an era where the "player" is revered.
Is 007 "cool" in the 21st century? Just ask Jay-Z, Diddy and Kanye West).


What is my definition of Bondian "cool"? With your indulgence, a list is in order.

DN- "Sergeant, make sure he doesn't get away."
The first real "one-liner" of the series and the one that sets the tone of humor for a million action flicks. Bond's swagger and non-chalance as he walks away from the dead driver must have been a revelation in 1962. No movie hero had ever been as callous...an attitude was born.

FRWL- The Gypsy-Camp Fight- The first great action scene in the series. Check out Bond in the action. A quick knife throw, a cutting of a rope, tripping an enemy. A dozen or so short, quick bits of business that perfectly convey Bond as one seriously dangerous dude. Terence Young and Peter Hunt were light years ahead of anybody at this moment in 1963.

GF- Bond meets Jill Masterton. An iconic Bond moment that is so damn cool it has probably lodged itself into every Bond fan's memory.

TB- Bond and Largo skeet-shooting. Connery at his absolute swaggering peak as Bond.

YOLT- Bond shot of torpedo tube. Logical? Hardly. Cool? Definitely. Extra bonus points for showing up in Tokyo without any exposition involved.( Bond in diving suit, cut, Bond in Tokyo with suit.)

OHMSS- Bond breaks into Draco's face, knife in hand, ready for anything. An electrifying moment for Lazenby.

DAF- "There is no year for sherry, 007." M tries to correct Bond and realizes...he doesn't stand a a chance. "...1851...unmistakeable." smiles Bond as he corrects the Old Man.
One of the many joys of the Bond/M relationship is Bond's secret relish in topping M. Check out M's reaction in OHMSS when Bond expertly admires M's butterfly collection. Priceless.
Bernard Lee...a tip of the hat to you, sir.

LALD- Bond fries an unwelcome snake with his shaving cream cannister and then taps some after-shave on his face...without a care in the world. A moment that is so effortlessly cool in style and execution...it should enter the Hall-Of-Fame of Bondian Cool.

TMWTGG- The car chase ends with one the great stunts ever (the 360' jump) but IMO a supremely cool moment is Bond going in reverse and suddenly with a 180' swerve is instantly back to forward. Absolutely seamless move.

TSWLM- Where to choose? How about an obvious one: the ski-jump. For anyone old enough to have seen TSWLM in 1977 this was a defining moment of the series.
In 1977 (a million years away from CGI) that plummet felt like forever... and when that parachute (with a Union Jack!) finally opened...trust me...to share that moment the first time with a Bond audience was absolute movie magic.

End of Part One.

Obviously, everyone has their own take on what makes Bond "cool". Any input is welcome.

Movie trends come and go and even Bond has been up and down in popularity over the years but, for my money, 007 is the reigning champion of what it means to be 'cool' in the movies.

Always has been...always will be.


"When do you sleep, 007?"
"Never on the firm's time, sir."

Comments

  • Klaus HergescheimerKlaus Hergescheimer Posts: 332MI6 Agent
    Two Dalton moments deserving of recognition:

    TLD: The hotel room with Pushkin. This is Bond at his absolutely most ruthless and dangerous to date. Dalton is completely focused and in the zone, clutching the silenced Walther PPK ready to fire at the utterance of one wrong answer by Pushkin. When Pushkin summons his bodyguard, Bond will have none of the annoyance, and goes into full *******ly mode, giving Pushkin a shot to the stomach, forcing the clothes off Pushkin's wife, and proceeding to entrap the bodyguard in the shock of seeing Pushkin's wife disrobe and proceedingly beat the **** out of him. When Pushkin's wife goes to the bathroom, you are almost certain that Pushkin is a goner.

    LTK- The scene in Sanchez's office. Dalton oozes cool in this scene: the sardonic smirk, the slicked hair, the tux, everything works image-wise. He leads Sanchez into thinking he's one of them, and he slips into the pseudo-role of villain effortlessly, manipulating Sanchez to no end. He's in complete control, and Sanchez has no idea what's hitting him. The scene features my favorite exchange in the entire franchise:

    Bond: "In my business, you prepare for the unexpected."
    Sanchez: "And what business is that?"
    Bond: "I help people with problems."
    Sanchez: "Hmm. Problem solver."
    Bond: "More of a problem eliminator."
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,988Quartermasters
    edited November 2006
    Obviously, the first Cool Bond Moment comes very early on, in DN, across the green baize from Sylvia Trench:

    "Bond...James Bond." :007)
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • Willie GarvinWillie Garvin Posts: 1,412MI6 Agent
    edited November 2006
    Obviously, the first Cool Bond Moment comes very early on, in DN, across the green baize from Sylvia Trench:

    "Bond...James Bond." :007)

    =========

    Full agreement.Terence Young wrote that exchange:

    007:"I admire your courage, Miss...?"

    ST:"Trench...Sylvia Trench.And I admire your luck, Mister...?"

    007:"Bond...James Bond."
  • Dan SameDan Same Victoria, AustraliaPosts: 6,054MI6 Agent
    IMO one of the absolute coolest moments was the crocodile scene in LALD. Bond was surrouded by several crocodiles, yet calmly leaped across the backs of the crocodiles to safety. Pure Bond, this was the moment in which Moore arguably established himself as 007. I also think this was a stunt which totally suited Moore. It suited his 'no worries in the world' suaveness as he executed this enormously dangerous escape almost as if he was merely walking on rocks.
    "He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,988Quartermasters
    Dan Same wrote:
    IMO one of the absolute coolest moments was the crocodile scene in LALD. Bond was surrouded by several crocodiles, yet calmly leaped across the backs of the crocodiles to safety. Pure Bond, this was the moment in which Moore arguably established himself as 007. I also think this was a stunt which totally suited Moore. It suited his 'no worries in the world' suaveness as he executed this enormously dangerous escape almost as if he was merely walking on rocks.

    Quite right. One of his very finest moments; perhaps the defining one. It's always been a favourite of mine.
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • PUCCINIPUCCINI Posts: 70MI6 Agent
    I ALWAYS thought JB was the best and coolest character in film history, that's nothing new, it's OBVIOUS...
  • Sir Hillary BraySir Hillary Bray College of ArmsPosts: 2,174MI6 Agent
    The Living Daylights:
    Felix's lady friends: "No hard feelings."
    Bond: "Not if the party's still on."

    Just wonderful, off-the-cuff suaveness, delivered beautifully by Dalton.
    Hilly...you old devil!
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    One thing: you write about YOLT that Bond leaving a sub by the torpedo tube is unrealistic. In fact norwegian Naval Navy Rangers(Marinejegerkommandoen- MJK) practise doing this often! But I have heard they are the only unit in the world to do this.
  • Mekuria_007Mekuria_007 Posts: 8MI6 Agent
    I believe that name Bond is probably the best name anyone would have. It just flows 'The names Bond, James Bond' is the best quote i've heard.
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