By Helmut Schierer on 2012-11-23

Image ‘Dear diary’ by ‘incurable hippie’ (c)
(contains traces of the secret diary of a super villain, found by renown beachcomber Jacques Stewart)
… and as such things do is a primarily opinionated affair.
Tell us about your own adventures with ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ in this thread.
Time for a running total.
On the basis that this little misadventure was initially an exercise in establishing whether the 007th minute of each film exemplified “A Bond Film”, one may as well, upon reaching 00-figures, “Apply. Observe. Conclude”, as a Chemistry teacher of mine used to shout. Given what subsequently happened to him, he evidently interpreted the process as “Binoculars. Boys. Not just calling a register but also signing one”.
Accordingly, working through our nine 007th minutes so far, in order, where we appear to get to is:-
1. British interests are in dire peril; the stiff upper hair is wobbling. Send for the hero, a high-living gambler.
2. The opposition are a roster of equally sophisticated parallels, although they can be more intellectually blessed than the hero.
3. Let’s be bold and brash and a lickle bick cheeky…
4. …and push it to the cusp of outrage, when we can.
5. Amidst the madness, we can inject some moody solemnity for “depth” – if not realism.
6. Thunderous action in interesting locations, and wink at the audience to reassure that everyone knows it’s all pretend.
7. If in doubt, fall back on some proven routines…
8. …but don’t be afraid to inject even into them an element of the bizarre and unexpected now and again.
9. …Um…
Hmm. What is the positive ingredient to extrapolate from the 007th minute of The Man with the Golden Gun? 9. Ensure a bird is very dead before resting one’s weapon thereupon? Not convinced that’s appropriate family viewing, although it’s arguably evident in other films in the way The Actor Pierge Brosmomb’s Bond ostentatiously sniffnibbles murdered women. Applying his little shooter is surely only one step further. 9. Do not listen to cackling power-crazed midgets? Not even when they’re banging on about the gorgeousness of Rosamund Pike? Shame. 9. Hang around filling time and wasting it in the process? Too many other examples to mention. No, no, come now Jimothy, one must be positive and clappy and blisswhacked and…
…ah.
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