Like all James Bond movies I see in the theater (save No Time To Die, of course), I walked out of my first viewing of Die Another Day amped up and declared it the best James Bond movie of all time. I was excited to see it again! And although DAD’s luster surely faded with subsequent viewings and definitely over the years compared to the other movies, as always, there are some bright spots in the movie. Gustav Graves’ introduction is one of them.
As Bond jets to the UK and is served a first-class vodka martini (by Roger Moore’s real-life daughter, FYI) and the Clash’s “London Calling” blares, we are thrust into the ostentatiousness that is the villain, Gustav Graves. Although the movie decays with subsequent revelations of his DNA-altered identity as Colonel Moon, poor acting by Halle Berry and many eyeroll moments, Graves’ intro scene feels like its from a different caliber Bond movie. His entrance (the Union Jack parachute an obvious nod to The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)) and cocky demeanor are spot on for a megalomaniacal Bond villain, and comes off as suave and in control, but definitely annoying and not self-aware. These days, I can’t help but see a bit of Elon Musk in Gustav Graves, unfortunately.
One of the, if not *the*, most out of place sounds/music in any James Bond movie has to go to the use of the song “California Girls” from the “snowboard” scene from the opening sequence of A View To A Kill (1985). Yes, I get that Bond eventually travels to California (and meets girls there I guess?) in the movie and he is technically snowboarding with the snowmobile blade (which is like “California surfing” I guess?), but I’m still going to give the song choice a thumbs down.
I may have approved if the song chosen was the original version by the Beach Boys, but a quick Google also shows this is a cover by Gidea Park, and it sounds like an average one at that. They should have scrapped the idea. How Bond maintains his feet on the blade and gains enough momentum to surprise the skiing bad guys was puzzling enough for the chase, let alone the song choice. It’s fun for sure, but not particularly great.
I was also unfortunately reminded of this scene after watching Pierce Brosnan’s Bond’s absurd snowboarding/gliding scene from Die Another Day (2002):
*shudders*
James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) swaps hands with his Walther P99 in Die Another Day (2002)
The anti-tank defense obstacles make cameo appearances in the beginnings of The Living Daylights (1987) and Die Another Day (2002) seen below:
Czech hedgehogs in the beginning of The Living Daylights (1987)
Czech hedgehogs in the beginning of Die Another Day (2002)
James Bond and his colleagues head to the North Korean shore in the beginning of Die Another Day (2002)
The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai
Korea vs. the Japanese coast, yes…but the layout resembles the painting, IMO!
57 years ago today, the first James Bond movie, Dr. No premiered.
The below graphic is composed of letters from different James Bond movies. Can you name the movie for each letter?
Happy Global James Bond Day 2019!
Check the answers for each letter after the jump!
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Mr. Kil (Lawrence Makoare) meets his end with a laser to the back of the head in Die Another Day (2002)
The best screenshot from the movie…
“James Bond Will Return” is a signature phrase splashed at the end of (almost) every James Bond movie that promotes 007’s never-give-up/against-all-odds attitude and shows a sense of pride in the world’s longest running movie series.
Throughout the years, it has been used to reveal the movie title of the forthcoming James Bond movie, albeit sometimes in error. It has also not been used at all. Some quick facts:
- It does not appear at the end of any of the unofficial movies (Casino Royale (1954), Casino Royale (1967) and Never Say Never Again (1983)
- It does not appear in Dr. No or Thunderball
- It has been bland with just words (The World Is Not Enough), has had a fancy backdrop (The Living Daylights), and has had a custom image to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the James Bond movies (Skyfall)
- The incorrect next movie is listed at the end of The Spy Who Loved Me as For Your Eyes Only – the next movie is in fact Moonraker (thanks, Star Wars)
- The title of A View To A Kill is incorrect at the end of Octopussy, adding “From” to the beginning of the title
Regardless, below are all of the instances where “James Bond Will Return” appears in the credits from all of the movies:
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of From Russia With Love (1963)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of Goldfinger (1964)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of You Only Live Twice (1967)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of Live And Let Die (1973)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of The Man With The Golden Gun (1974)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of Moonraker (1979)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of For Your Eyes Only (1981)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of Octopussy (1983)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of A View To A Kill (1985)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of The Living Daylights (1987)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of Licence To Kill (1989)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of GoldenEye (1995)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of The World Is Not Enough (1999)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of Die Another Day (2002)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of Casino Royale (2006)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of Quantum Of Solace (2008)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of Skyfall (2012)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of Spectre (2015)
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- “James Bond Will Return” from the end of No Time To Die (2021)
Which is your favorite?
