The Man from U.N.C.L.E…..Day 249 of Bond 365

I thought that since I went to see The Man From U.N.C.L.E. this morning at the local cinema house, I would make a detour from Bond 365 today. Here are some of my thoughts.

I went into the film with reservations, mostly due to the casting of Henry Cavill as Napoleon Solo and particularly Armie Hammer as Illya Kuryakin. Although I have not seen any complete episodes from the original series, I have seen snippets. I was pleasantly surprised by the casting choices.

Directed by Guy Ritchie, this comedy spy film is set in 1963 that is expertly captured through the color palette, the locales, and costumes. The locales are exotic, the cinematography beautiful and the editing is expertly handled. All the components truly come together for the film, however the film is missing the spark that makes it a great film.

First, after an action-packed opening, the pacing bogs down, as the audience has to be brought up to speed on who the characters are and an overview of the overarching story. I think the film suffered because of it.

Second, Victoria Vinciguerra may be the main villainess of the film, however she does not have enough screen time to really allow her to establish herself as a force to be reckoned with. She just isn’t a strong character to carry her presence even when she is not in front of the audience. Her henchman husband and Uncle Rudi are nothing more than two-dimensional characters that we have seen before. 

Third, I think it was a mistake to reveal Illya’s background. Something I appreciated in the original is the air of mystery that surrounded that character, so I was bummed when Solo unwrapped Illya’s baggage before the time was right. That said, finding out Solo’s back-story did not annoy me in the slightest.

The film has received mixed reviews, but has managed to earn enough money to put it in the black. I would be interested in seeing a follow film, now that the U.N.C.L.E. team has solidified. I think with the backstories out of the way, maybe the pacing can pick up and the characters can be further developed. I think with the first film I got cotton candy – looks pretty, but not very filling. Hopefully with a second film, we can get more of a meal.

© Copyright. Michele Brittany. 2011 - 2015. All rights reserved. All text, graphics, and photos are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without written permission.

Stuntman Dick Crockett and Remembering Leonard Nimoy…Day 58 of Bond 365

Dick Crockett (Wikipedia)

Dick Crockett

Born this day in 1915

Crane Operator and Stunts in Diamonds Are Forever

Richard “Dick” Crockett worked for 40 years in the industry as an actor and stunt coordinator, working on several films and television series. His acting, stunt, production, and directing credits (almost 170!) reads like a history of television and film. He had a small uncredited role in Diamonds Are Forever (1971), where he also did stunts. Big budget films seemed to be his niche because he did stunts for some of the ones: Dirty Harry (1971), Earthquake (1974), The Towering Inferno (1974), The Hindenburg (1975), and a couple of the Pink Panther films (1976 and 1978).

Interestingly, Crockett was William Shatner’s double in the episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before” (1966) and he made two appearances: as the Bald Klingon Brawler in “The Trouble with Tribbles” (1967) and as Andorian Thall in “The Gamesters of Triskelion” (1968).

Above is a YouTube clip showing the bar brawl from the original Star Trek series that breaks out. You'll be able to see Crockett in action - he's the bald Klingon that looks to get in a few good swings here and there. 

Leonard Nimoy, 1913 - 2015

 

Please indulge me as I express a heartfelt sadness at the passing of Leonard Nimoy today. 

At an early age, I remember watching Nimoy in Star Trek when it was in syndication and being broadcast each evening prior to my dinnertime. Then it was In Search of….where he hosted the show that explored unexplained phenomena such as the Bermuda Triangle to eventually watching Nimoy and the entire Star Trek cast when they took to the big screen for several outings.

Although Nimoy will be long remembered as Mr. Spock in the Star Trek franchise, he did do a little bit of spy genre work. He was in an episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. titled “The Project Strigas Affair” (1964) in which he played Vladeck. In fact, another Trekkie guest starred in that episode: William Shatner. It was their first time working together since that was prior to Kirk and Spock.  In the episode, Shatner is a reluctant U.N.C.L.E. recruit while Nimoy is an agent for the Iron Curtain and apparently, not particularly bright. As a side note, you might recognize His Excellency as Colonel Klink (Werner Klemperer) from a very popular show from the late 1960s, Hogan’s Heroes.

Nimoy was also in “The Dead Spy Scrawls” as the assassin Stryker for another spy show, Get Smart (1966). In the show, he wears large, dark sunglasses for most of the time, but you cannot miss that voice. And for two seasons, he was cast as an IMF agent, Paris, in Mission: Impossible (1969-1971).

He continued to act on the small and big screens, however he was also pursuing other interests. For instance, he went back to school and studied photography at University of California, Los Angeles. It was an interest he had since a teenager and one that he pursued until his death. He also did some directing, including Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986). Both did very well at the box office and with the critics. He wrote two autobiographies, I Am Not Spock (1975) and twenty years later, I Am Spock. And, he released a handful of albums, but I will remember his voice being sampled for the 80s What’s On You Mind (Pure Energy) from Information Society (great song by the way!).

I do happen to have one Nimoy story. I was at the Emerald City Comic Con (Seattle) in 2010 and there was an extremely long queue waiting to meet him. I was in another line, I think for Wil Wheaton actually, and if you can imagine, the entire convention floor burst out in applause when Mr. Nimoy came out to the floor and headed to his signing table. From afar, I did peek over to his table and watch him as he was talking with fans – he was all smiles. What an enduring legacy of an amazing talented and respected person.

“A life is a like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP.”

Nimoy’s final tweet in which he shared some of his poetry

© Copyright. Michele Brittany. 2011 - 2015. All rights reserved. All text, graphics, and photos are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without written permission.

Lucky Threes.....Day 43 of Bond 365

I don’t know about you, but boy has it been a week! Exciting news in the world of Bond with the release of the first teaser and official Daniel Craig photo for Spectre. There’s been a lot of buzz around the gun he’s holding in the photo, by the way. And, more generally, the first trailer for The Man from U.N.C.L.E. out and looks like it could be quite a fun movie. We sure have some great watching coming up in the months ahead!

Joe Don Baker (Google)

Joe Don Baker

Born this day in 1936

Brad Whitaker in The Living Daylights, CIA Agent Jack Wade in GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies

Joe Don Baker is one of the few actors to play an ally and a villain in the Bond films.  He was a villain when he played Brad Whitaker, but returned as CIA Agent Jack Wade. In addition, he played opposite two Bonds: Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan.

He had several roles in Westerns and in crime films, usually as a cop. Some of his stand out films included Cool Hand Luke with Paul Newman, Walking Tall as Sheriff Buford Pusser, Mitchell as police detective Mitchell, The Natural with Robert Redford, Cape Fear with Robert De Nire and Nick Nolte, and in 2012, Mud with Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon.

Maud Adams (Google)

Maud Adams

Born this day in 1945

Andrea Anders in The Man with the Golden Gun, Octopussy as the title character, and in briefly as an extra in A View to a Kill

She was born Maud Solveig Christina Wilkstrom, but took the professional name Maud Adams. She originally wanted to be an interpreter (she is fluent in five languages), but was discovered in 1963 when she accidentally fell into modeling when a photo of her was submitted to the Miss Sweden contest. She moved to Paris, then New York City and worked as an internationally recognized model. By the 1970s, she was guest starring in some of the popular American television shows. However, it was as Andrea Anders, that her acting career was solidified. Critics reviewed her performance as “tough but haunted” (Wiki).

Adams was invited back to play Bond Girl Octopussy in the movie with the same title. In this film, she was a mysterious smuggler who surrounded herself with an army of women on her exotic island. Two years later, she appeared briefly in A View to a Kill as an extra in a crowd shot at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, if my memory serves me. Roger Moore played James Bond in all three of the Bond films she appeared in.

She has stayed close with the Bond family over the years. I had the honor of meeting Ms. Adams twice, both at Bond reunions coordinated by the Hollywood Collector Shows in the past few years. She is still very beautiful; a bit reserved which I think maintains that aura of mystery about her.

Aileen Lewis (Google)

Aileen Lewis

Passed away this day in 2014

Chess Tournament Spectator in From Russia With Love

There was not much that I could find regarding Aileen Lewis. Her acting career began in 1959 in The Ugly Duckling and concluded in 1977 with Sweeney! for a total of 12 acting credits. Besides From Russia With Love, Lewis also had supporting roles in war film The Dirty Dozen, which starred another Bond alum, Telly Savalas, and Roman Polanski’s Repulsion. In addition, she appeared in an episode of Doctor Who during John Pertwee’s era. If you have my book, James Bond and Popular Culture: Essays on the Influence of the Fictional Superspy, then you have probably read John Vohlidka’s essay discussing the similarities between Pertwee and Bond titled “Who, Doctor Who: 007’s Influence on the Pertwee Era of Doctor Who.”

© Copyright. Michele Brittany. 2011 - 2015. All rights reserved. All text, graphics, and photos are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without written permission.

JUST RELEASED: Official Trailer for The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Official Teaser Poster (Wiki)

It's out! The first official trailer for the new Man from U.N.C.L.E. starring Henry Cavill, Arnie Hammer, Elizabeth Debicki, Alicia Vikander, and Hugh Grant. Directed by Guy Ritchie, this spyfi-comedy period film will premiere August 14, 2015.

The trailer looks fun and has a similar vibe as OSS 117 Cairo: Nest of Spies. I'm excited! I hope you are too!  

A Retrospective of the Year and What's Ahead in 2015

Looking back over 2014…

As another year draws to a close, it is time to pause, reflect on the year’s activities and assess how one measured against the goals set for the year. Looking back at my retrospective post the last day of 2013, I did not provide a list of goals, however, there were two items on my mind when I wrote that post. First, I wanted to finish editing and submit my completed manuscript of my book and second, to post timely and consistent posts throughout the year. On the former, I did complete the editing process and submitted a manuscript I could be proud of, to the publisher at the beginning of May (read the Behind-the-Scenes post). By November, my book, James Bond and Popular Culture: Essays on the Influence of the Fictionalized Superspy, was out and available to order from the publisher and a number of online booksellers. That said, the first printing batch sold out at the publisher (McFarland & Company) earlier this month, so that was a very exciting moment. And, in time for Christmas, the book is now back in stock. I haven’t seen my book in a bookstore yet, but I figure that will happen eventually.

My second goal of delivering regular posts fell short. In 2013, I averaged just under 2.5 posts per month, but this year that figure slipped to just over 1 post per month.  Part of my shortfall was due to the amount of time required for the editing process of my book, but I was also writing more for the online popular culture site, Bleeding Cool throughout this year (see my list of articles here). And like many, writing and research is a secondary job to a primary position that finances the other. Heading into autumn, I experienced a lot of changes at my day job, which cut into my available free hours. While I could always management my time more efficiently, I still wish I had more time in the day.

Now, I’m going to turn to the fun part of the post: revealing my top five posts of the year. I selected the top five posts based on number of views received for each over the year. So, without further adieu…

Interview with Moriarty's Corey was #5

Number 5

An Interview with Daniel Corey, Writer/Creator of Moriarty

I had met Daniel at the Long Beach Comic Con and Horror Show in late 2013 and he had kindly provided me with a copy of Moriarty: The Dark Chamber to read because his story included mention of MI5 in its infancy and had spy elements. I enjoyed the story and nods to the spy world, flourishing in the years leading up to World War I. Corey masterfully weaved an intelligent story that many of us are now familiar with, thanks to BBC’s Sherlock. Corey has been hard at work the rest of the year: his new series, Red City, in which Corey creates an interplanetary noir story, was just released in trade paperback from Image. 

Number 4

It Was a Danger Zone at the Spyfi & Superspies Household

Cue the music! Oh yeah with Kenny Loggins’ The Danger Zone playing in the background, it was time to open the trading card set for Archer this past March. The set spotlighted lots of nudity and sexual innuendoes and provided many moments in which I groaned and rolled my eyes, yet it was all with a sense of fun. I seriously need to sit down and watch all the seasons now…..Lona? Lona?! LONA!!!

Number 3

New IDW Comic Book Series Spins Bond Tropes Differently

I led out with a strong post at the start of 2014 when I reviewed and discussed the first issue of Taran Killam and Marc Andreyko’s The Illegitimates. While I did finish reading the series, I failed to post a follow up article to discuss further how Killam and Andreyko played with established tropes. If you get the chance, pick up the series and check it out.

Number 2

SWPACA Post Annual Conference Report (2014)

I was surprised that readers were as interested in my report regarding the annual conference I attend in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Southwest Popular/American Culture Association. In spite of the fact that I was suffering from a severe cold, the conference provided me the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make some new ones too.

And, at the top of the list for 2014…..

Person of Interest was most interesting to my readers in 2014

Number 1

MrAnderson212: Even A Spy Needs A Little Help Sometimes

This was a quick post one evening after watching an episode of Person of Interest starring Jim Caviezel as rogue CIA agent John Reese and off-the-grid billionaire Harold Finch, played by Michael Emerson. The episode had quite a bit of back-and-forth banter between Reese and Finch, each kind of trying to one-up the other, resulting in many in humorous moments. It made it so fun to write my own post and honestly, I’m glad that so many of my readers enjoyed this one too.

Before leaving this topic, I do want to mention of one of my posts that particularly impacted me this year:

Honorable Mention

James Bond Aficionados Gather for Comikaze Panels

What a treat for me this year at Comikaze when not one but two panels focused on James Bond! Not only did I get to listen to experts and fans of Bond, but I got to meet and chat after each panel. The Battle of Bonds, which included the non-Eon Productions Bonds, was a fun hour to compare which Bond was the best…I don’t think there was any clear winner and I’m fine with that. And, a headier panel discussing the qualities that have seen filmic Bond endure for over half a century! Both panels were hosted by Jessica Tseang and again a huge thank you to her for putting the panels together!

Honorable Mention: Near and dear to my heart, Comikaze panel Battle of the Bonds

Looking forward to 2015….

Okay, so what’s on the horizon for Spyfi & Superspies in 2015? Well, I’m going to keep it simple: MORE posts! One of the ways I’ll be doing that is through daily posts acknowledging and celebrating the world of James Bond that is inclusive of his literary roots and filmic franchise. Basically, think of it as a desk calendar with the theme “Bond 365 Days.” I have been working on this project for the past couple of months and I’m not done. Hence, I will state now that this project is organic and evolving, so it may seem that I’ve missed something along the way. It may be, or more likely, I just haven’t touched upon that information yet. It is my hope that readers will come forward where I do have gaps – be it dates and/or photos. I would like this to interactive and eventually a helpful archive.

Along with the daily Bond post, I’m planning to post a weekly blog that explores in depth on the wider spy genre topic from the various popular culture outlets – film, television, literature, comics, video games, etc. I know there are spy films scheduled for release next year such as The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Spectre (of course!), television shows aplenty and it will be interesting to see what comic book stories Dynamite writers come up with to entertain and sate our appetites for James Bond now that they an agreement with Ian Fleming Publications Ltd. There are older books and films out there I would like to visit and of course, a whole world of espionage and Eurospy out there too! In addition, I hope to finally read and write about my thoughts regarding the Ian Fleming books and from revisiting the Bond films. And, I’m sure there will be other items, yet unknown to report and talk about in the next year.

I hope you will come along with me in the coming year. Please bookmark my site and consider following me and see your photo over in the right margin with the other good folk already congregated there. In advance, I thank you and I want you to know that I sincerely appreciate your support!

Wishing all my Spyfi & Superspies readers a fond and joyous New Year! See you January 1!