The changing faces of James Bond...

With the new Bond movie, Casino Royale, slated for release here in Australia next week, I thought I'd have a ramble about everyone's favourite spy, 007.

Above: The 007 Pistol logo

So what caused me to decide to dedicate a WHOLE post... lol... to the screen icon. Well I was sitting eating dinner earlier tonight with my roommates and the trailer for "Casino Royale" came on screen. Instantly all our eyes were drawn to the ad because it was the first time any of had really seen the new trailer, and for once weirdly, I'm actually excited about a new James Bond movie hitting my screen.

So it made me wonder why this was? In recent years, I've kind of shied away from watching the Bond series as they've seemed less than thrilling and highly predictable. It might just have been Pierce Brosnan or it something else entirely. But for whatever reason, I just wasn't enthralled with the films. In fact, I did everything in my power to avoid watching them.

Anyway, as soon as the trailer finished, one of my roommates shot up from the couch and made a comment about how bad the film was. Well my first reaction was

"Well you haven't even see it yet?!"

to which he immediately replied something along the lines of

well it doesn't matter, he doesn't look like a good James Bond, I mean LOOK AT HIM!!

Now we all know that everyone has their favourite James Bond's but to judge a film simply on the premise that they didn't like the new actor,Daniel Craig, seemed a little absurd and dare I say it, slightly immature. But to an extent I get what he means.

When you think of James Bond, you instantly are drawn to images of a gorgeous, sophisticated spy who is charming yet subtly dangerous. And well Daniel Craig doesn't instantly spring into mind when you think of those characteristics eh? Lets look at some of the other actors to don the James Bond mask...



Sean Connery



George Lazenby



Roger Moore



Timothy Dalton



Pierce Brosnan



Daniel Craig

Now that the evidence is present for reference, let us continue our discussion. Now personally if we're going to judge a James Bond movie simply on the aesthetics of each actor, I must say that Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby were not what I would have envisioned as James Bond material. They don't highlight all the characteristics that legitimize all that is Bond. And yet they were cast.

In comparison, my favourite James Bond has and always will be Sean Connery. LOVED HIM!! haha. Now that is a man that really made James Bond a screen legend! But now look at Daniel Craig's shot from Casino Royale. Personally, I notice the same cool, reserved look of danger and action as well as cool and seductive. Ok yeah not your typical Bond but hey maybe its just what the series needed to entice audience members who were previously sitting on the fence.

Ok thats my super shallow ramblings on the changing faces of Bond over. In reality, the reviews the movie has got so far in the countries where it has already been released seem to have silenced the ever gabby critics and those who (haha now some people are sad) threatened to boycott the movie due to the casting of our latest James Bond. Guess I shall have to wait one more to week to make a comment on the movie itself and I'm really looking forward to it! :)

For more on James Bond commentary, you should read this.

Oh and one thing that always makes me smile... when you here those immortal words that exemplify everything Bond,

"Martini, Shaken... Not Stirred"

Consider this. Ordering a martini that is shaken and not stirred is a pussy way of ordering a watered down martini. He's being a light weight drinker and being snooty about it. Haha.

(N.B - when I mentioned this during my dinner conversation, one of my roommates said

"Well he needs to be ready to fight after wards"

which to an extent is very true! Lol.