Christopher Wood (2) (1935–2015)

Rating: 3.75* of five

1977's film, not 1962's book, is under discussion. The film is not one single thing like the book. Apparently, the story was forbidden to the filmmakers, though not the title. I had no idea the films were so contentious, litigious, and all-around ornery to make! This rewatch has been quite an education.

I now know I will never be A Critic, as in publicly known to the civilians, in books, music, or film. I hate the Po-Mo MFA Pit-Sniffers in vogue among Those Who Read show more Seriously (tedious people, even bores avoid them). I LOATHE rap, hip-hop, hoop-hup, elektronik bullshit non-music. And, yodels from the film establishment aside, I thought this entry in the series was ~meh~ because the villain's a bore, the Bond Girl looks like an insect with a boob job, and it stars Simon Templar.

Loved the car. A Lotus that turns into a submarine? Yee-haw! Since Jaws was our baddie's executioner, and actor Richard Kiel isn't blond, built, or hunky, there was a regrettable dearth of blond henchrat scenery to admire. Q was wonderful as always, and the death of Desmond Llewellyn is never more keenly disappointing than when comparing today's line-up with the classics.

The Egypt and Sardinia scenes are lovely; Stromberg's underwater castle is amazing and I want one; Bond's loser suits are a little less obviously made by Haggar out of Ban-Lon than before.

So why be so generous? This sounds like a squeak-to-make-three-stars review. Nobody Does It Better is why. Ubiquitous tune in 1977. Every time I started my car, this tune came on. I like it even now, Carly Simon's voice is that delicious to me. And Carol Bayer Sager ("Don't Cry Out Loud") writes the hell out of a song! Marvin Hamlisch ("The Sting" and A Chorus Line) composed it; he's got one helluva track record too.

So here endeth my re-watch. After this, all the ones I haven't watched aren't connected to Ian Fleming's books at all, until the Craig reboot of Casino Royale. It's been a big ol' hoot, I've had fun, and now I'm curious about the stuff that's gone on AROUND the films. Must find out if anyone's written about that yet. show less

Do not be deceived into thinking this novel by Christopher Wood is just the novelization of the 1977 007 movie that Wood helped write, this novel is far more and is universally recognized by legions of James Bond fans the world over as one of the best, if not the best, Bond novels since his original creator Ian Fleming passed away.

There have been many continuation novelists over the years writing the literary 007 from Kingsley Amis, John Gardner, Raymond Benson to Sebastian Faulks, and show more Jeffery Deaver, but none of these authors was able to capture the essence of Flemings Bond as effectively as Wood does in this novel. More than just a paint-by numbers narrative of his screenplay this book has real heart. Wood's Bond is an intelligent and thoughtful agent, more rough-around-the-edges than the suave and debonair Roger Moore who was the reigning cinematic 007 of the time. The other characters are also realistically fleshed out, from Anya to Jaws and Stromberg.

It's a shame that the Ian Fleming estate, when they searched for a writer to take on the task of reviving the literary 007 in 1980 had not turned to Wood to accomplish the task. Wood's two James Bond books (he also delivered an excellent adaptation of "Moonraker" in 1979 free of all the goofiness of the movie), stand as a testament to what could have been - what should have been.

Simply put this is the best of all the James Bond continuation novels.Without question the very best of the James Bond continuation novels. Wood perfectly manages to channel Fleming and add complexity and character to the novelization of his screenplay. A real triumph this book is compulsive reading. show less

Rating: 4* of five

Yes, again I'm rating the 1979 movie, not the 1954 book. Get over it.

The pre-credits sequence of this film is the absolute all-time best thrill ride in the Bondiverse. Seeing it again on the teensy netbook screen was just as thrilling and pulse-pounding as it was to see it in the theater 34 years ago. A parachuteless Bond flung from a plane, chasing a villain with a parachute, wresting the parachute from the villain, and death to baddie while Bond tiptoes lightly to earth. show more

It's WONDERFUL.

The plot's standard Bond piffle. Villain with all the money in the world manages to hide a space base in the jungles of Brazil, creates a supermegaultra whiter-than-white Master Race, blah blah you know the drill. What makes this fun to watch are the chase scenes in Venice...so beautiful, Venice!...Rio de Janeiro's cable cars, which had me whimpering in terror...and lastly, most campily, in outer space. That bit, the last half-hour or so, hasn't aged well.

I really love this film for its sheer, balls-to-the-wall speed of pace. Unlike many Bond films, the yip-yap seems to take less time than usual. This perception is helped along by the forgettableness of the yip-yap, I think.

Possibly the stupidest thing that happens in the film is the 7ft2in tall assassin, Jaws, who repeats from The Spy Who Loved Me, turns good because of the love of a (tiny, blonde) woman. Jeez. Possibly the best thing that happens, after the amazing opening sequence, is the launch of six space shuttles...filmed before even one had actually launched! It's quite impressive.

Shirley Bassey's back, singing "Moonraker", the last one she'd ever sing. Thank goodness. Apparently the producers asked her to do this after Kate Bush (!!) said no. The tune's just about what you'd accept in a 1959 film, not a 1979 film.

All there is to say con, I still give this one a pro rating. show less

Based on fact, extrapolated into a fictitious mission this novel involves the Japanese underground military fortress of Rabaul, New Guinea (more specifically, New Britain). Whilst such a place did exist, the mission in this novel never did. In real life the fortress of Rabaul remained unconquered and stood until September 1945, after Hiroshima & Nagasaki, that the commander of Rabaul surrendered to allied forces.

The story itself involves a plot to smuggle explosives into the fortress and set show more off the simmering volcano of Matupi. Like all good war stories things go wrong; there's a nice mix of complications, changes and betrayal. Not so much that it's tiresome, but enough to maintain the feeling of adventure and desperation without being 'hollywood'.

Quite an enjoyable read, although does paint the Japanese forces in a rather dim light (some may say reasonably so). show less