Signs of life?

Would you say the same of Grace Jones?

Minus the "cute" part, mabye.

I actually saw Grace Jones at a VSDA (Video Software Dealer's Association) convention back in the early Nineties. MGM sponsered a Bond-themed event to promote the theatrical release of Goldeneye. They showed the teaser for the film for the first time in public, and had lots of gadgets on hand like the DB5 from Goldfinger and even one of the jetskis from The Spy Who Loved Me. The then-current head of production at MGM (whose name escapes me) gave a speech up front flanked by Jones and Lois Chiles. I think that he was barely five-and-a-half feet tall, so it looks like he was surrounded by a pair of Amazons -- Chiles and Jones must both be nearly six feet tall.

This would be the teaser in question:



You have to imagine the scene. There had not been a new Bond film in nearly five years, and when Brosnan breaks the fourth wall by walking up to the camera and asking, "You were expecting someone else?" the entire crowd erupted into cheers -- and I was cheering right with them!

By the way, I think that I have mentioned this before, but the version of the Bond theme that plays in the teaser by Parodi/Fair was not in the final movie or on the soundtrack album. It was one of my great "lost" tracks until it was finally released on a compilation album a few years ago. I bought the entire album for that one track, since I already had the rest of the music.

Now if they would just release the version of the theme from the Casino Royale teaser:

Both teasers are very well done.

Although it is ludicrous to think that a 1964 DB5 could hang with a 95 F355, it is nonetheless pleasing to see the two dance on screen. I recall seeing that teaser in theatre and thinking to myself that I couldn't wait for the next Bond flick to screen.

Well, you could argue that Bond's driving skills were better, and that Xenia was, well, over-the-topp, but I know what you mean. It is a great scene, though.

BAG

Better that scene with an Aston Martin than the tragic way that they treated the wonderful Vantage in The Living Daylights.

Or even how they treated the DB5 in Goldfinger or the DBS in Quantum of Solace.

In a weird way, Quantum of Solace was not so bad because the sequence was so fragmented that you could barely tell what kind of car it was anyway. Living Daylights was just plain silly, and probably the silliest car sequence in any Bond movie -- until they topped it with the stupidity of Die Another Day.

You have a point, but I clearly remember the door being blown off the Aston in Quantum. Perhaps, in horror, my brain filled in the missing frames.

It is, but what I meant is that the edting is so fragmented during that sequence that the viewer frequently cannot tell which car is which. All of the great car chases in movie history have done something similar to John McTiernan's use of geography in that you always know which car is which and what their relationship is to each other.

That was the thing that killed the car chase in the second Bourne film for me: it was too fragmented and random.

I agree. I was just lamenting for the Aston.

Then how did you feel about the three that they destroyed for Casino Royale?

Not brilliant, if I'm honest.

Did you ever watch the featurette on the Blu showing them preparing for that scene? One interesting fact that they discovered while testing is that you simply cannot flip an Aston Martin -- the center of gravity is too low. When they ran it up a tilt ramp, it just righted itself immediately. They ultimately had to opt for a cannon roll.

I watched that feature. It was interesting. Mind you, they were specifically referring to the DBS. While I suspect the DB9 (on which the DBS is based) and most of the newer Astons are well balanced enough to pose problems if your sole purpose was to flip the car, the DBS received special treatment to ensure it stays flat and well planted. The centre of gravity is lower on a DBS compared with others in the Aston Martin lineup.

When all was said and done, they set a record with that cannon roll.

Yes, $750,000 worth of Astons destroyed . . .

Yes, but saving Eva Green was worth it.

Not really. She died not long after. Sheesh, I'm starting to question that movie. All they did was knock off beautiful things.

Do you have the original Blu for it, or the Collector's Edition? I just have the first one, but I really enjoyed Martin Campbell's commentary track on Goldeneye, so I am wondering if it is worth the upgrade just for that. Not sure why I am asking YOU that question, mind you . . .

I picked up the original and I was contemplating picking up the collector's edition because I'm a sucker for those kinds of things, but I never got around to it.

Well, sod it, I will have to get it done.

You're just trying to make up for the fact that you can't go out and buy OHMSS on Blu.