James Bond in the Cinema by John Brosnan (1972)

1972 American version of Brosnan's book

There are few bookstores in the area that I reside in Southern California. Having lived in the Seattle area where bookstores were almost as prolific as coffee houses, it is a disappointment that from several brick and mortar choices, I now have a choice of a national chain, which carries inventory it feels will sell, and a used bookstore. However, a few months ago, my boyfriend and I met up with a good friend of ours at The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles. I was quite excited to be visiting a new establishment and was hoping that perhaps some treasure would be mine.

Amongst the two story bookstore, which incorporated some rather fun oddities (see accompanying photos), I found a film studies section. And, tucked between a couple of tall picture books was a squat book:  John Brosnan’s (no relation to Pierce) James Bond in the Cinema (1972). Its dust jacket was intact as well as the book itself, and the spine was tight. Very important was the fact that it was free from offensive odors, other than the scent of old paper, which is part of the charm of old books. And, it was five dollars! I felt I could not pass up such a wonderful deal!

I didn’t know anything about the author, so I’ve been doing a bit of digging. Hailing from Perth, Australia, John Raymond Brosnan was born in October, 1947 and passed away in 2005. He went by several pen names and wrote in a number of genres such as science fiction, fiction, short stories, comics, and non-fiction. James Bond in the Cinema was his first non-fiction effort and apparently, it was the first book to analyze the Bond as a cultural phenomenon ( see CommanderBond article here). Contained within are the obligatory chapters covering each of the first seven Bond films, Dr. No through Diamonds Are Forever, however my interest was piqued with an introductory chapter entitled “ Why So Popular?” and the first of two appendix, which explored “ Offshoots of Bond.” So, let’s take a look at what Brosnan had to say in 1972, which would have included Connery and Lazenby’s turns at interpreting James Bond.

The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, California

So, why are the Bond films so popular? Brosnan makes some of the expected points: plots that boil down to good versus evil, mysterious villains that seem to be fantastical modern monsters of technology gone awry or twisted by their greed for power and world domination. He says the Bond stories are not unlike the folklore of Saint George fighting the demonic dragon. For instance, he cites Dr. No’s atomic power as “his unholy source of power” (11). Brosnan also equates the Bond films to the Westerns in contemporary attire – good vs. evil, fighting with one’s fists and quick wit as well as his trusted gun.

Brosnan makes a couple of correlations that haven’t been part of mainstream analysis that I have come across in my readings thus far. First is that the Bond films are very visual forms of entertainment due to the editing process, which results in non-stop action. He states “fast cutting kept the eye dazzled and the mind reeling so that one didn’t have the time to think about it all. Instead one was swept along by the sheer speed of the film” (11). It is hard to imagine that editing of that style was new at the time, especially given the preponderance of quick editing techniques we have today. It is this quicker pacing that Brosnan says results in the international appeal of Bond in spite of language barriers. It’s kind of like watching martial arts films: you may not be able to understand the dialogue, but the action and pacing of the film compensate.

Bosnan also compares the Bond films with comic strips stating that “in both cases the characters are one-dimensional and the emphasis is on action” (11). He doesn’t think that is a bad correlation because the movies allow adults to tap into their childhoods when life was more carefree and worries virtually unknown. This model was easy to maintain in the movies because aside from Bond’s marriage in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the audience learns little of Bond’s personal life, which keeps his portrayal uncomplicated by character development.

As side note, in this chapter Brosnan mentions the criticism the first two films received from the portrayal of violence. However, with the crime vigilante and poliziotteschi films of the early 70s, Bond’s violence was considerably tamer in comparison.

The old adage is that imitation the highest form of flattery. From Dr. No to Skyfall, all aspects of James Bond has been well and truly explored and exploited. In the first appendix, Brosnan explains that the spy boom of the 1960s could be classified as one of three types of story structures: the spy thriller, the comedy spoof, and the comedic thriller (157). He provided several examples of each type. Many examples are familiar and well reviewed, such as Casino Royale as an important spoof because of its direct relation to Fleming. However, the author chose The President’s Analyst (1968) starring James Coburn as the best spoof (159). Coburn had starred in Our Man Flint (1966), as an American Bond knock-off but it did not do well at the cinema house. More serious efforts in the spy thriller arena included The Spy Who Came In From the Cold (1965), based on a John Le Carre novel, and Billion Dollar Brain (1968), which was an unfamiliar title based on the Led Deighton’s books. And in the comedic thriller, Brosnan mentioned the American television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. starring Robert Vaughn and the feminine version, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. Brosnan. All have at one time or another been compared with Bond on some level.

Art installation at The Last Bookstore

There are gaps in Brosnan’s summary of offshoots. He briefly mentions there were Italian productions, but in actuality, Italy had a thriving production structure that exploited the demand for Bond with imitations that starred or were staffed by individuals directly involved with the Eon Production Bond films. In addition, there was a plethora of Italian films with Agent 077 tagged to the movie’s title, but the official series starred American actor Ken Clark. These, taken together with the transnational productions that often saw Italy paired with Spain, France, or Germany (or some pairing of all or some of the countries) there was a whole Eurospy genre that was born from the Bond films, finding their pinnacle of popularity in the mid 1960s.

While Brosnan relates that the spy genre seemed to dwindle as the 1960s came to a close (157), the genre has experienced a resurgence with the Bourne, Austin Powers, Johnny English, as well as James Bond himself, now a 50 year old filmic franchise. Countries beyond the UK and the US are venturing into the business of spyfi and superspies, such as India’s Agent Vinod (see my review here) and more recently revived French agent OSS 117, so it will be interesting to see how Bond continues to influence the spy/thriller genre in the coming years.

NOTE: All page references are from John Brosnan's book. 

Inside The Secret Service - Part 2 of 2

Overview: A six-issue comic book series published by Icon (Marvel Comics) and released April 2012 and finished up this month. The series teams writer Mark Millar (Wanted, Kick-Ass) with Watchman artist Dave Gibbons, to tell the story of Gary, a young hoodlum headed towards a life crime until his uncle steps in and offers Gary an opportunity at a better life. Matthew Vaughn, Andy Lanning, and Angus McKie round out the creative team as co-plotter, inker, and colorist, respectively.

Note: Although every effort will be made to keep them at a minimum, any spoiler alerts will be noted ahead of time.

Go, Go Gadgets!

Whoa! Gadgets everywhere!

The Secret Service boasts many gadgets throughout the series. The gadgets, such as jet packs, cyanide spikes, poisonous gas gloves and suits, were reminiscent of 1960s Connery gadgets, while the pen lasers, neural disruptor and the video-linked spy glasses (they incorporated a webcam/microphone/earphone into black rimmed sunglasses), seemed more at home within the Brosnan era of Bond. Both Jack and Gary often resort to gadgets to help them out of particularly sticky situations. In fact, Jack resorted to a gas suit, neural disruptor, and his voice controlled car to escape from a Chinese military building. And Gary, in fighting just one henchman, had to utilize a laundry list of gadgets: the gas glove, stun grenade, dart-firing watch, cyanide spike, and laser pen-knife.  

The use of all these gadgets is not in keeping with Craig’s filmic and videogame Bond. Craig mostly used his smart phone, and there is only one instance in which it seems that Jack may have used his smart phone to hack a person’s diary (calendar). With limited use of gadgets, Craig’s Bond depends more on his ingenuity. Much of The Secret Service follows Gary’s story, so even though he depended on gadgets, there were several instances where he relied on his resourcefulness that he learned from growing up with a rough crowd. For example, when Gary wakes up to find himself in some South American country with no clothes and 24 hours to get back to English soil, he is able to commandeer a patrol car, weapons and ammunition, storm a drug lord’s home and hijacks his plane so he can get back home.

Gazelle knows a thing or two about gadgets

In the case of The Secret Service, the gadgets complimented rather than detract from developing the characters in the story. The gadgets incorporated provided a welcoming variety of potentially realistic contraptions to the most absurd, rather than falling into the limitation of one gadget, the smart phone, which happens with recent Bond videogames (such as 007: Blood Stone  and  Quantum of Solace). And, as mentioned above, the gadgets provide many nods to its original source material, James Bond and Q.

Damaged Birds

The portrayal of women in The Secret Service fair rather badly, in comparison to their Bond Girl counterparts. There are three women identified by name and are drawn with detailed features, but only two that are fleshed out. As it happens, they are both not without their issues.

Sharon and Jack fight over what money can buy

Gary’s mother, Sharon, is a single mother living with her unemployed boyfriend Darren in an estate flat in a bad part of London. Darren is the father of Gary’s young brother Ryan, however Gary’s father is never mentioned in the series. Unfortunately, all three are regularly abused by Darren through his overbearing, controlling personality. Sharon’s attire is bland; basic shirt and skirt in solid colours. Her hair is always pulled back into a ponytail. Her facial expressions are often haggard and run down. Her relationship with Darren is unhealthy and she unable to discipline Gary in the opening pages of the series. She is powerless and without any apparent control over her life. Added to that, she is apt to blame society for her woes. She is not Bond girl material, nor is she expected to be. She is dependent on the men in her life: Jack to spring Gary out of jail, Darren to put a roof over her head, and Gary to provide her a home. There is promise that perhaps she will gain a certain amount of independence and sense of responsibility for herself and Ryan, but the reader can only speculate.

Then there is Ambrosia, the other most developed female character. She is the lover of Dr. James Arnold and has been with him for some time. She knows about Arnold’s plans for the world, but she is not compelled to take any action until late in the story. Although her attire is not glamorous, she does live an affluent lifestyle provided for her by Arnold: traveling around the world and shopping for instance. Her hair is flowing and free, not pulled back and kept. She is beautiful and attractive, not tired as Sharon is portrayed.

<< SPOILER ALERT – SKIP PARAGRAPH TO AVOID STORY REVEAL >> As the villain’s girlfriend, she is a source of information. Jack pursues and charms her; they make love. Afterwards, Jack tells her he will not insult her intelligence, and she responds that she know that he is looking for information against Arnold.  Guilt arises from her reflection of what Jack must think of her (a loose woman), rather than the fact that she has cheated on Arnold (again, after promising not to). Ambrosia ultimately responds like a conquest of Bond’s, she turns against Arnold, demanding at gunpoint that he abandon his plans. Without hesitation, Arnold orders one of his henchman to kill her and he does. This is not new ground for women in this kind of story. If applying the trope that bad girls must be punished for being promiscuous then Ambrosia was punished with her life.

She knew what Jack wanted

The third named woman is Teri, the Deputy Training Officer at the spy school. She appears briefly in Issues 3 and 4 as one of the authoritative figures that vocalizes disbelief that Gary is spy material. Although a young, slender blond woman, she does not stand out and is too underdeveloped as a character. 

One aspect of the spy school that wasn’t revealed until Issue 6 and that is the existence of co-ed dorms where a couple of female spy students were present. After going back through the other five issues, there in Issue 2 was the presence of a couple of women in the school uniform, participating in maneuvers alongside their male classmates. However, when one of the school tests involves going to the local club to grade their flirting and love making abilities, it was all the male students out for the night. One has to wonder if the female students were in attendance as well, being graded on their ability to charm the opposite sex? Does seem that if they sleep and work out at school, then the women should have been amongst the crowded club scene. It would have been very difficult to tell since the female spy students in the Issues 2 and 6 were devoid of distinguishing facial characteristics: it was the clothes and the indication of breasts is what gave away that there was a female presence at all!

Attack of the 50’ Nerd and An Unemployed Bully << SPOILER ALERT – ENTIRE SECTION >>

Should the villain have a sensitive side? 

The megalomaniac behind the mysterious kidnapping of celebrities (a lot of them sci-fi, which should have been a clue right there!) is a geeky nerd. His empire, base on cellular phone technology, supported his darker vision: to transmit a certain frequency on cell phones that would cause people to kill each other. Thus, by drastically reducing the burgeoning world population, his actions would turn back population numbers to the early 1800s. His justification: he was saving the rest of the human race. Kidnapping celebrities, such as Mark Hamill and a Bond actor, resembling Pierce Brosnan, was because they were his idols and he wanted to save them from death. Saving the human race was a bit fantastical, especially since he couldn’t watch the death caused when testing of his frequency out. Playing god isn’t a new concept for the Bond villains, but usually it’s for greedy reasons.

There were a few twists to the villain. In one scene he is chastised by his henchman Gazelle for being insensitive by giving nicknames to his subordinates based on a deficiency. For instance, Gazelle was a double amputee fitted with special legs, all paid for by Arnold. One of his other henchmen wore a patch over his missing eye, so Arnold nicknamed him Cyclops. And, Arnold misplaced what was important. He worried about what to wear when meeting Ridley Scott, but he should have been more concerned about Ambrosia’s motives for cheating on him.

Darren and Sharon 

Like many of the more recent Bond films, there was a second layer of villains. These were the ones that personal to Jack and Gary. Darren’s cronies challenge Jack in Issue 2 when he is meeting with Gary in the local pub. Gary witnesses as Jack beats all of the cronies into submission. The fight is symbolic for gaining Gary’s freedom from the neighborhood, which will later be revisited in Issue 4. In this second showdown at the local pub, Gary must face Darren and his cronies on his own. Darren has been Gary’s personal nemesis, particularly with regards to how his mother has been mistreated and disrespected by Darren. The fight represents a rite of passage for Gary because although he has just transformed physically into the secret agent protégé, can he ultimately break away from what Darren represents: the old way of life? 

Observations

One of the biggest departures from Bond is revealed as Jack explains to Gary the wall of framed newspapers. Jack collects the following day’s newspaper as a memento after each mission. While the headlines report on some celebrity event or some other inconsequential event, Jack has risked his life saving the day while the everyday person lives their lives in ignorance. While one would think that Jack might be frustrated by the lack of acknowledgement of his duty to God and Queen, Jack isn’t. He tells Gary that what he does is a service to help people from the behind the veil of secrecy – that’s his job satisfaction. It’s his driving philosophy for being a secret agent, a value that he instills in Gary.

Gary has a lot to learn about the art of love

Another observation was the limited interaction between either Jack or Gary with women. Jack has an afternoon with Ambrosia for the purpose of securing information against Arnold, but he isn’t portrayed as a bed-hopping spy. Nor does he seem to have a regular girl friend. Gary is also without a girl friend. In fact, he is inexperienced with wooing the ladies. For example, while Gary surpasses all expectations with the various trials at school, it is the night out to test and hone their flirting skills that baffle Gary. Perhaps Gary is still too young; he reacts with disgust to having watched and listened to Jack and Ambrosia have sex. Gary does focus his attention on his mother, providing her with a better living environment, because he has the means to take care of her. However, at the end of the series, Gary remains alone, having never hooked up at least with one of his female classmates.

The Secret Service pay homage to many aspects of James Bond – the suave spy, the myriad of gadgets, the sporty car with deadly extras, the villain and his henchmen, and women – but Mark Millar also explored the boundaries of being a spy, such as motivation, and gave depth to an otherwise guarded and secretive Bond inspired Jack London. The representation of women is still problematic and familiar tropes of the genre are employed. That said, Gary’s desire to help his mother in spite of her shortcomings is admirable. It reveals Gary’s sense of maturity to forgive and to help those in need without the expectation of anything in return. These values are emphasized and reiterated multiple times leading one to believe that the moral to this tale is one of compassion towards others.

You Can Call Him Hari, You Can Call Him Agent Vinod

Agent Vinod was released by Illuminati Films and Eros Entertainment in March, 2012. This action spy thriller stars Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor and was directed by Sriram Raghavan. Khan plays the lead role and travels to Afghanistan, Russia, Morocco, Latvia, Pakistan, India, and the UK, in an effort to recover a nuclear device and its detonator before it is armed. 

Note: Although every effort will be made to keep them at a minimum, any major story spoilers will be noted ahead of time.

Sweat and blood from an open head wound mark the face of a beaten man laying on his side in a dark cell. A small glass of water is set down before him. Hands tied behind his back, he strains his neck and is forced to try to balance the glass with his teeth. He loses control and the glass falls over, spilling the precious water into a glistening puddle on the dusty dirt floor. Thus, the audience is introduced to Agent Vinod, the man known by many names, who serves his country as a secret agent for the Research and Analysis Wing (or RAW for short), the intelligence agency for the Republic of India. As Vinod makes his escape, the soundtrack breaks out into a gritty rock song, Govind Bolo Gopal Bolo, juxtaposing live action with a moving comics credit sequence emblazon with the colors black, red and white. It’s bold, catchy, and sets the pace of this James Bond inspired Indian film.

This film is not associated to the 1977 version except by name. Whereas the earlier release takes a decidedly more comedic route and even includes a character named “James Bond”, this version is squarely situated in the spy thriller genre. Filling the role of the Bond equivalent, the suave, handsome Saif Ali Khan plays Agent Vinod. He depends on his cunning assessment of each situation he finds himself in and relies on his ingenuity to utilize what’s at hand to gain control over his enemy. For example, as he is being escorted out of a Russian nightclub in St. Petersburg, he notices a woman’s upswept hair kept in place by a hair pin. He defly slips the pin from her hair and in one fluid motion lodges the pin into the neck of one of the henchmen.  He picks off each henchman and by the time the leader turns around, Vinod is right there with a pistol aimed at the man’s stomach. The way he depends on his wits and less on gadgets, means he is more apt to get battered and bruised along the way. We have seen these qualities in our most current incantation of James Bond, portrayed by Daniel Craig. It provides the audience more opportunities to focus on the agent’s cleverness to navigate out of trouble, then to be temporarily dazzled by a piece of equipment that is rather too good to be true.

So, how will Vinod get out of this circle of iron? 

Like Bond, Vinod travels to several exotic locales that may be unfamiliar and therefore exciting to the viewer. He starts in a Taliban encampment in Afghanistan, then after receiving details from headquarters (in New Delhi) about a missing suitcase sized nuclear bomb and a mysterious reference to the number 242, Vinod heads off to St. Petersburg. The trail leads him to Marakkesh, Latvia, Karachi (Pakistan), and London. Along the way, he becomes acquainted with Dr. Ruby Mendes (Kareena Kapoor), the personal physician to one of the mafia type bosses that Vinod meets when he takes the place of a Russian mob boss’s messenger. Mendes, who has a shady past, eventually aligns her interests with Vinod’s mission and together they work their way up the chain of command. The beautiful Mendes fulfills the Bond girl role well. She’s intelligent and hesitantly helpful due to her own commitments, adding complexity to the blossoming relationship between herself and Vinod as the story progresses.

Farrah and Dr Ruby Mendes assist Vinod in getting critical information

Speaking of women, there are two other women in the film that work both ends of the spectrum. A Russian assassin who steals the nuclear bomb, throws a man into a shallow grave, fills him with several bullets before taking a photo of him. And later, she poisons a contact after he has “served his purpose.” Although beautiful, she’s a deadly mercenary, doling out her services to the highest bidder. Farrah (Maryam Zakaria), on the other hand, is rescued by Vinod while he is making his escape from the Taliban at the beginning of the movie. She reappears later in the film and is able to smuggle Vinod and Ruby into a festival where an important meeting is to take place. She does not think of the harm that may come to her; she is repaying a debt to Vinod for saving her. While they are minor characters, they balance the scale of good and evil.

Russian assassin, reminiscent of Honey Ryder's appearance in Dr. No

Interestingly, like Daniel Craig’s Bond, Vinod has no problem attracting the admiring attention of women. Although Craig does engage in a few liaisons, they are not nearly as frequent as the Connery or Moore eras. For instance, in Quantum of Solace, Craig doesn’t hook up with his Bond girl, Camille Montes (Olga Kurylenko), but rather they become partners, both focused on seeking revenge for lost loves. Vinod is focused on his mission. There are moments of flirtation, but there is no lovemaking and no kissing, which I thought stemmed from a respect for India’s cultural traditions. However in previews of other movies featured on the DVD, there’s kissing in other movies. Only one flirtation is acted upon on-screen: Vinod overtly flirts with the flight attendant, Freddie, who is also a mob messenger.  They are shown holding hands while they share a taxi. This is the most pointed “intimate” contact between two characters. For Vinod, this is in the line of duty – doing what’s necessary for ascertaining the crucial information he needs to complete the mission. While same sex dalliances were never shown, Craig does elude to such when facing Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem) for the first time in Skyfall.

Will a truthful moment jeopardize Vinod's mission?

<SPOILERS IN THIS PARAGRAPH> As mentioned above, Vinod is chasing clues for the whereabouts of a nuclear bomb and the detonating device, so for the majority of the film, a man named the Colonel is his target. However, as with most Bond stories, the mastermind is well insulated by layers of mini bosses and henchmen. In Agent Vinod, the mini bosses have interesting character flaws: Abu who likes to shoot blanks at card players who are beating him to scare them; Kazaan, who had a questionable obsession with his dead mother; and General Huzefa, who is hell bent to exact revenge on Vinod for causing him to lose an eye. Once Vinod and Ruby have dispatched the various layers of mini bosses and their henchmen, the viewer learns that the mastermind isn’t some crazed lunatic with a deadly white cat, but a respected, intelligent man who tells Vinod that a “lowly police officer” cannot understand the cause and effect of the global political arena, and that Vinod’s interference was not for the greater good. And, it was detrimental the man’s pocketbook. Vinod did not directly cause the man’s death, but he was instrumental for sharing valuable information with people that could hand out justice. The calmness of the mastermind was reminiscent of Jonathan Price’s media mogul (except when he was crazy obsessed), Elliot Carver, from Tomorrow Never Dies. Both men sought to manipulate world events, one media the other political, ultimately for their own personal gains. Taking a further step, the Zeus Group mentioned in Agent Vinod could be compared to the clandestine organizations of SMERSH, S.P.E.C.T.R.E. and Quantum groups in the various Bond movies, which sought to control the world in a myriad of ways.

Hey! That number looks oddly familiar?!

There are six tracks that are integral to complimenting the unfolding action on the screen. The title track, Govind Bolo Gopal Bolo or Agent Vinod’s Theme, plays over the opening credits and then periodically throughout the movie, quite in keeping with the James Bond Theme. Most Westerners are familiar with Bollywood films that will “break out in song and dance” but in Agent Vinod that is not the case. While there are songs and dances, they are strictly incorporated within the mise-en-scene and do not seek to trespass beyond that framework. (Note: I'm not including the opening sequence or closing credits.) The logo “EROS” displays in the upper left hand corner when an official song starts during the movie. For example, the second song, I Will Do the Talking, is "performed" while Vinod is at Abu’s dance club in St. Petersburg. The women are on a center stage dancing to the song as Vinod scopes out the club in order to meet Abu, the club’s owner. The music is louder when Vinod is in the same area of the stage, but muffled in the background when he is in the DJ’s booth as he interrogates Abu. At no time do the songs break the fourth wall and directly address the audience. The music seems to work quite well and provide a polished soundtrack, which makes sense given all of the songs are performed by established musicians in the business.

Music incorporated into the mise-en-scene

Agent Vinod reunites Saif Ali Khan with director Sriram Raghavan. Their first film together was Ek Hasina Thi (2004), which was a crime thriller. Both men got along well and decided to work together on Agent Vinod. Although I haven’t watched Ek Hasina Thi (I have it on order), I would say that Khan provided a solid performance as the RAW secret agent. As to direction, there were two experimental scenes in which Raghavan’s vision did not come to fruition. In both instances, they were problematic stemming from inadequate setup. It took too long to figure out why the camera’s POV was upside down or that the two fights were two fights between the same two men, one in the past and one in current story time. In a third experimental scene however, Raghavan hits the mark and everything came together. It was a long take in which Vinod and Ruby evade several hitmen in a hotel, all while the pianist plays Raabta in the hotel’s lobby. It’s well executed and gives the audience a moment to pause before the next shoot out. The choreography of action was well done and while the locations were exotic, Raghavan kept landmark shots in check, so the progression of the story was not overshadowed. Since this was only his third feature length film, Raghavan will be a director worth looking out for in subsequent projects.

Not lookin' good for our secret agent! 

The move was plagued by a variety of controversies including the use of music without proper credit, questionable publicity stunts, and the portrayal of the ISI. The movie was considered a flop, which is unfortunate because the while the movie has a couple of instances that run a little long, the movie is a very proficient spy thriller inspired by the best of the Bond franchise. Thankfully, Raghavan and Khan have not been by daunted the criticisms and are planning a sequel. In fact, they listened to the complaints of length (this movie is a hefty 150 minutes!), so they plan to keep the sequel within the two-hour mark. They also plan to keep Vinod globe trotting – sounds like our kind of Bond, indeed!

Post Script: Upon further research after publishing this post, three separate internet sources collaborated that Agent Vinod 2 is not being pursued at this time. - mb

A Villain Tamed By A Cat

Max von Sydow as Blofeld, Never Say Never Again (1983)

There once was villain

in charge of a dastardly organization 

by the name of S.P.E.C.T.R.E. 

He used to be bald or near

but with Never Say Never Again

his hair defied age 

and once more sat on his crown. 

Sitting on his lap

a fine white feline with 

bright eyes

purred with each stroke

his master did give. 

While the camera rolled

and the villain commanded 

from his throne

the kitty did knead his hand 

with haste

and the master was tamed

by the feline's affection. 

Tonight, after a rather busy week at work, I really wanted to find a gif file of the scene in Never Say Never Again in which Max von Sydow, as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, was holding the iconic white persian kitty while talking to his S.P.E.C.T.R.E. agents.

If viewers watch the scene closely, Blofeld sits down with the kitty tucked in his arms. As he addresses his associates, the kitty is obviously quite content in von Sydow's arms, because the kitty is very soon kneading his hand with vigor. The scene cuts to a wall video monitor across the room for a few moments, but when the camera returns to von Sydow, he is now holding the kitty's paws still, leading the viewer to wonder if the cat's affections were distracting to the actor (never!). As the scene wraps up, Blofeld gives the cat a loving squeeze as he leans down and appears to give the feline a kiss or at the very least, a nuzzle. It's a sweet moment; a softer side to von Sydow's Blofeld.

Seriously, the Persian steals the scene!

So, as I was writing and reviewing the scene in question, my technical savvy boyfriend figured out how to make a gif so thanks to him, I've got the gif above. Enjoy and have a fantastic weekend!

Call for Papers, An Update and Giving Thanks

I have been diligently seeking out venues for getting the word out about my call for papers and I would like to thank Dr. Kannenberg, Jr. of Comics Research & Such and Mr. Zielinski, Mr. Baack, and Mr. Bill Koenig of Her Majesty’s Secret Servant for posting my CFP and/or giving me a shout out in their blog. I sincerely appreciate the support and if I have missed anyone, please let me know so I can give you a thank you in my next post.

Here is my CFP again, with approximately one month to go to the abstract deadline of June 1^st. If you are interested, but have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. If you don’t have a working bibliography, let me know, but don’t let it impede you submitting. Those are guidelines, but they are not set in stone.

Call for Papers

Spyfi & Superspies: A Collection of Essays Analyzing the Cultural Response

to the James Bond Phenomenon

Abstract Submission Deadline: June 1, 2013

Since introducing himself to the world at the exclusive gambling club in London over fifty years ago in Dr. No, Bond, James Bond has become one the longest running film series in the history of cinema. The franchise has been very successful with 24 Eon Production films spanning six decades and 14 Ian Fleming books published several times over since their original debut at the height of the Cold War. It is not surprising then that the Bond influence on society has been a long and fruitful one in all media forms.

While there has been much written about the Fleming books and Eon Productions films since Bond’s literary and filmic inception, it is the goal of this anthology to explore other aspects of the Bond phenomenon. Hence, the editor is seeking entertaining, intelligent essays that explore and analyze the global cultural response to James Bond. All media forms are of interest: starting from the 1960s through to the present times. Please do not submit essays focusing on the Fleming books or Eon Productions films.

Here is a list of example topics and titles, but is by no means meant as an exhaustive list:

Films (any non-Eon Production Bond films)

• Amerospy films: Matt Helm, Jason Bourne, Spy Kids, xXx
• Eurospy to contemporary: Lemmy Caution series, Kommissar X, Agent 077, OSS 117, Johnny English
• Asiaspy: From Beijing with Love, James Bond 777, The Mahjong Incident, Agent Vinod, The Hero: Love Story of a Spy
• Parody: Carry on Spying, Spy Hard, Mystery Science Theater 3000 riffed spy films, If Looks Could Kill, Austin Powers series, Our Man Flint

 Television

• The Man From U.N.C.L.E., I Spy, Get Smart, Chuck, MI5 (aka Spooks), Burn Notice 

Literature (any non-Ian Fleming)

• OSS 117  (Jean Bruce), Matt Helm (Donald Hamilton), The Moneypenny Diaries (Samantha Weinberg), Young Bond (Charlie Higson), Jason Bourne (Robert Ludlum), Alex Rider (Anthony Horowitz)
• Non Fleming Bond: John Gardner, Raymond Benson, Sebastian Faulks, Jeffery Deaver

Comics

• X-9 Corrigan (IDW), Super Spy (Matt Kindt), James Bond Jr. (John Vincent), The Secret Service (Mark Millar), Danger Girl (IDW), The Secret Service (Mark Millar)

Cartoons

• Archer, James Bond Jr., Totally Spies!  

Videogames

• Adaptations: GoldenEye, Quantum of Solace
• Ret-con Bond: 007 Legends, GoldenEye
• Original Bond Stories: 007:Blood Stone, 007: Everything or Nothing, 007: Agent Under Fire, James Bond 007:Nightfire
• Inspired by Bond: Alpha Protocol, No One Lives Forever, Alex Rider: Stormbreaker, Perfect Dark 

Anime

• Najica Blitz Tactics, Gunslinger Girl, Master Keaton, Darker Than Black

Anti-Bond

• The Quiller Memorandum, The Ipcress File, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy 

Music

• “When Nobody Loves You” (Kerli), “I’ll Take It All” (Joss Stone), “Miss Moneypenny” (Placebo)

Deadlines:

• June 1, 2013: Abstract of 300-500 words, 1 page CV (or brief bio), draft bibliography
• June 15, 2013: Notification of acceptance/rejection
• November 1, 2013: Papers due of 5,000-8,000 words in length (earlier submissions welcomed and encouraged), contributor release, and short biography

 Accepted essays received on or before November 1^st will continue through to the editing process. The editor will correct grammatical and spelling errors, however edits impacting the essay’s content will be returned to the author for correction. 

The final manuscript will be delivered to the publisher late spring, 2014.  Contributors will receive a complimentary book copy when published.

Please direct all correspondence to:

Michele Brittany, Editor

Profile: http://about.me/michelebrittany

Email: spyfi.superspies@gmail.com

Blog: http://spyfi-superspies.blogspot.com/

Facebook group: Spy-fi & Superspies

Bond. James Bond….Junior…

James Bond Jr. in comic book and cartoon formats

…Well, really James Bond’s nephew, if we are going to get technical. Anyway, this past week I received a package of the James Bond Jr. comics I ordered from an Ebay vendor. All nine are in very good condition, however I am missing issues 2, 11 and 12 of the twelve part series published by Marvel Comics in 1992. The comics’ released was coordinated with the cartoon version under the same name. James Jr even had his own logo: in silhouette, a man running while in the bulls eye of a sniper scope. The series was licensed by Eon Productions and United Artists.

A cursory look at the comics revealed some interesting facts. Two of the issues I had matched with the DVD’s episode list: The Beginning (Issue #1) and Dance of the Toreadors (Issues #5). The description on the DVD indicates that James Bond and his classmates – IQ, who is Q’s grandson and Gordo, Felix Leiter’s son – fight against SCUM or Saboteurs and Criminals United in Mayhem (kind of sounds fun doesn’t it?). Tracy Milbanks and Phoebe Farragut round out the regulars as love interest and infatuated classmate, respectively. There are some familiar villains, such as Jaws, Dr. No and Goldfinger, but also some new villains that include Captain Walker D. Plank, Baron Von Skarin and SCUM Lord. At issue #8, “007’s Intrepid Nephew…” was added above the James Bond Jr logo and title, so I’m curious why that statement was added part way through the comic book series.

Left to Right: Mr. Mitchell, Phoebe, Tracy, Tracy's uncle, James, IQ, and Gordo

The story titles incorporated the problem being faced by Bond for that issue, such as “Plunder Down Under” for a deep sea base, “Sure as Eggs is Eggs!” involves a plot to steal Faberge eggs, and “Absolute Zero” where Bond Jr and his classmates have to foil Dr. No while at a ski resort. One of  things that I wondered from watching some of the cartoon episodes and what I’m hoping the comics might elude to: what is James Bond Jr.’s motive for fighting SCUM villains? It appears that the villains know the nephew, but why should he be of any consequence? How does James Jr. manage to balance school and fighting the various masterminds around the world? Is he putting his uncle out of a job? I’m curious and hope that the comics will shed some light on the subject.

I haven’t started reading the comics yet, since I’m missing three issues. Although the stories stand alone, I prefer to read each issue in subsequent order. I’ll soon be rectifying my incomplete series with another shopping spree through Ebay. Then, I can follow up with a post covering the series as a whole. 

Inside The Secret Service – Part 1 of 2



The Secret Service was a 6 issue miniseries



Overview: A six-issue comic book series published by Icon (Marvel Comics) and released April 2012 and finished up this month. The series teams writer Mark Millar (Wanted, Kick-Ass) with Watchman artist Dave Gibbons, to tell the story of Gary, a young hoodlum headed towards a life crime until his uncle steps in and offers Gary an opportunity at a better life. Matthew Vaughn, Andy Lanning, and Angus McKie round out the creative team as co-plotter, inker, and colorist, respectively.

Note: Although every effort will be made to keep them at a minimum, any spoiler alerts will be noted ahead of time.

As I mentioned in my previous entry, I wanted to start with comics that have been inspired by Bond and what better series than Millar’s The Secret Service to get the dialogue going? Millar intertwines stories that are laced with 21^st century concerns and provides a few plot twists along the way while incorporating several Bondian tropes to round out his storytelling. For instance, there’s the suave secret agent, a sporty silver car, gadgets aplenty to rival any Bond film, a beautifully troubled woman, a couple of unique henchmen, and of course a villain. Inspiration from the Bond franchise is readily apparent. In this installment, I’ll start with the Bond spy characteristics and automobile tropes, and in my follow up, I’ll look at gadgets, the villain, and the women of The Secret Service.

London. Jack London…And His Nephew,  Gary

Jack London

The reader is first introduced to Jack London while he is dining with a distinguished older gentleman at a posh London restaurant, discussing a recently failed mission of another secret agent. Jack’s physical appearance is reminiscent of 1960s Sean Connery’s James Bond. Like Connery, Jack is clean cut, smartly dressed, and exudes an air of importance associated with a person who is comfortable and at ease with their surroundings. There is a sense of entitlement arising as a member of the privileged class. The man of mystery façade is soon peeled away when Millar reveals that Jack has a struggling sister and two nephews, Gary and Ryan. An urgent text from his sister leads Jack to step into Gary’s (the older nephew) life and fulfill the role of uncle, and more importantly, as surrogate father, at a crucial juncture in Gary’s life: either he becomes a fully fledged criminal or go to spy school and follow in his uncle’s footsteps.

Gary getting bailed out again by Jack

Gary has moved around a lot with his single mom, Sharon, who is currently in an abusive relationship with an unemployed veteran of the Gulf War (Darren) that is the father of her second son, Ryan. Apparently Darren does not confine his dysfunctional behavior to Sharon and Ryan: he has knocked Gary around, physically and emotionally. They all live in a tiny flat in a poor housing estate in London, so Gary naturally hangs out with a rough crowd, where trouble is Gary’s constant companion. And, each time that Gary gets in a jam, Sharon has reached out to her brother Jack to bail Gary out. And each time, Jack has helped, but this time, he knows that he needs to get Gary out of the estate and on a path in which he can make something of himself. Gary will accept Jack’s help, but climbing out of the tentacles of poverty will prove to be a difficult road.

Gary has a difficult time fitting in with the other cadets spy school. Jack is not surprised that Gary’s street sense propels him to the top of the class. However, Gary's character flaws arising from his education deficiencies to his lack of taste in bourgeois clothing, lead him to be the brunt of criticism by his peers. Is Gary spy material? Several times the school’s superiors compare Gary to Jack. Both grew up poor and carry similar emotional angst. When it seems that Gary will be expelled from school, Jack intercedes with tough love. With his emotional barriers shattered, Gary is guided by Jack through the final transformation of becoming a spy.

Uncle Jack's spy fashion tips

Image appears to be everything in becoming a spy. Jack provides style tips to Gary as his appearance is made over so he can take his place beside Jack as his apprentice. While the fashion components are in line with the James Bond look, giving the reader a “behind-the-scenes” is not.  This is not what you would see in a Bond movie; you might see Bond get outfitted for gadgets, but when was the last time Bond was shown at the local barber on Piccadilly? What is interesting about the makeover in The Secret Service is that regardless of the spy school training, it is the physical image that seems to make the man, not unlike Bond proper.  Gary’s whole demeanor up to that point is of an economically disadvantaged young man playing at spies, but when the mantle of clothing, haircut, and shoes are donned, Gary becomes the epitome of a secret agent. From that point on, Gary steps into Jack’s world and makes it his own. Here, Millar moves away from Bond and makes the physical transformation a pivotal moment for Gary and the larger role he will step into for the rest of the story.

Jack and later in the story, Gary, are typical Bond characters, physically. Image is very important for the Bondian spy. In film and in this comic, image represents control over one’s destiny and a sense of power that seems to position them outside the society that most of us have membership in.  In the case of The Secret Service, Jack acknowledges that although there are great perks to being a spy – the nice car, the gadgets, plenty of women (read: be Bond) – there is another side: a responsibility to helping others, which comes without fanfare. That, according to Jack, is what should matter and what gives a man real value.  It’s a value that Gary reiterates later in the story almost verbatim, and it is here where Millar departs from the familiar Bond tropes and gives emotional depth to Jack and Gary.

A Fine Set of Wheels

Automobiles are not extensively featured in The Secret Service and really, the car that really matters in the series is Jack’s. Like with the Bond films, the car is an extension of his persona and hence, part of his physical image. Just as Bond is a man of mystery, so too is the silver Aston Martin. It may look ordinary (okay, an Aston Martin is never ordinary!), but in fact, Bond’s car is equipped with an ejection seat, rocket launcher and other various sorts of goodies to stop pursuing henchmen. Jack’s car is silver and bears a striking resemblance to Bond’s Aston Martin.  It has the ejection seat, the rocket launcher, an oil spray, is bullet proof, disposable wings for flight, and can be voice controlled (remember Pierce Brosnan’s remote car in Tomorrow Never Dies?):

Jack makes his escape

Although the car is an inanimate object, it is a supporting character to Bond and to Jack. When the occasion arises, the car is at the ready to serve, a trusted steed. Just as gadgets are often a necessary part of being a spy, so too is the car.  The automobile’s sporty and sleek shape make it stand out as unique; not unlike the driver. In Bond’s universe, the viewer does not see a real attachment, but in the series, Jack is very protective of his car. In fact, at one point Gary takes the car for a joy ride and winds up launching a rocket in the city, causing several thousand pounds worth of damage. When Jack talks with Gary afterwards, he’s not upset by the damage, but he is very angry that Gary took his car. While it is a tool for his work, it’s also something more: his pride and joy. This is not something that would be openly acknowledged by Bond (the death scene of Bond’s car in Skyfall may not have affected him, but for car aficionados, that was a true crime!).  

In my follow up next week, I’ll discuss the gadgets – there are plenty – the villain, and the women of The Secret Service.