BondTalk

  Dalton's second and final performance as James Bond was 1989's "Licence To Kill", my candidate for most underrated Bond film. I think it's a great one on all levels and not just for an action film. Originally the film's title was going to be "Licence Revoked", however American audiences didn't know what the word revoked meant, I guess they would think of it as a sequel to "Licence To Drive" that starred the Corys or mainly that would associate that word with driving privileges, I guess it's a rational explanation. The film was initially planned to be set in China, with Bond facing off against a Chinese drug lord. Filmmaker wanted to bring Bond to location that they hadn't taken him yet. There had been planned numerous sequences to take advantage of the location, a motorcycle chase on the Great Wall of China and a fight in a Chinese Museum. However demands by the Chinese Government made filmmakers decide on another option with

  Now, a vacancy had to be filled, with Roger Moore leaving the role of James Bond, he left behind seven films, a lot of gadgets, villain with metal teeth and a bunch of memorable leading lady names. Along with comical aurora of Bond that steered the series away from the suspenseful spy thriller stories Ian Fleming created and it was time for a change. Deciding on a new Bond became a major event, it was like selecting a new pope or US President. The most popular choice at the time was Pierce Brosnan, who best known to audiences for playing titular role in the television series "Remington Steele" that began airing in 1982, he seemed like he would fit the role nicely, his character on the show was a comical suave investigator, Brosnan himself described the character as cross between James Bond and  Inspector Clouseau. It seemed like the show was set up to make him the next Bond.  Another name considered was Sam Neill, who was known to audiences for the show "Ace of Spies&q

  After twelve years and six consecutive films, "A View To A Kill" would be Roger Moore's seventh and final outing as James Bond. At the time of it's release, Moore was 57, the plausibility of him playing the character was really starting to stretch, but it's a testament to how Moore's Bond endeared himself to audiences to last as long as he did, one could argue that he should have left two or three films ago and many times he came close to doing so, but he decided to squeeze out one more Bond adventure. Aside from Daniel Craig lasting the role at 53 in "No Time To Die" (2021), I don't think we'll see another actor play Bond for such a long stretch of time and do as many films Moore has done. How does AVTAK do as Moore's swansong? It's not a great film, for Moore to have ended on, this film gets a lot of negative attention and there's plenty that warrants it but there is some entertaining and redeeming stuff in it. There are momen

  In 1983, Bond fans were not only going to be treated to one but two Bond movies, a chain of events occurred that got Sean Connery to return to the role that he made famous while at the same time Roger Moore would film his sixth Bond movie, both films were to be released in the summer of 1983 going up against one another. With the surprise announcement of Connery returning, EON was determined to have Moore return for another film. After "For Your Eyes Only", Moore hinted that he was ready to leave the role. Timothy Dalton and Michael Billington were considered to play Bond while American actor James Brolin did a screentest for "Octopussy", and came close to winning the role after the screentest was successful, however EON felt that Moore would do better in a box office battle with Connery than a new actor taking over the role. So Moore came back, the stage was set and two Bond films in the summer of '83 going up against one another, however that didn't happ

  With Connery and Lazenby out of the picture, Connery refused the then unheard of sum of $5.5 million to return, it was time for a new James Bond, many candidates were considered including Jeremy Brett ("My Fair Lady"), William Gaunt (known for the show "The Champions"), and future Bond actor Timothy Dalton while Michael Billington, known for the series UFO was a frontrunner for the role, meanwhile United Artists wanted an American for the role, considering Burt Reynolds and Paul Newman, the role went to Roger Moore, an already established star known for playing the titular role on the television "The Saint". Moore was said to have been considered before in both "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" and "Diamonds are Forever" but his schedule prevented him from doing so. With Moore taking over the role, it began a cycle of subsequent film audiences being given their own James Bond, this would also start the never ending debate of who w

  Following the release of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", George Lazenby declined an offer to star in another Bond movie and the filmmakers are faced with a clean slate and United Artists were concerned that they were hurting the series and the decision was to give the series a change. One suggestion was to make a movie that would the tone and structure of "Goldfinger", the first Bond movie to achieve blockbuster status with Guy Hamilton returning to direct, however the 1970s being a time of social upheaval with many believing that Bond's British club land values are Pasay and believe that Bond should be more American with actors like Clint Eastwood and Adam West being considered to replace Lazenby but turned down the role because they felt that Bond should remain British, Michael Gambon also turned down the role, however John Gavin, known for his roles in films like "Pyscho" and "Spartacus" had signed to the role, however, UA was unh