Consider reading "The Secret History of the CIA." Special ops work is more than gritty--it's murderous, usually illegal when you're in the host country, and often immoral. Trial, judge, jury and executioner at the point of a weapon which kills people in new and creative ways.

The Cold War made spies seem glamorous (in lieu of soldiers) but regrettably, the NKVD and KGB had it all over the CIA and even MI-5 and 6. To them our spies, even FBI counterintelligence, were so unsophisticated as to be laughingstocks. The most effective Bond type was a Soviet mole, a KGB colonel who worked most of his professional life inside the CIA, 'helping' to plan CIA operations in Europe! (P.S. The author makes a convincing case that a KGB faction loyal to Kosygin trained Castro's spies to equip them for--the JFK assassination. This eliminated all Western support for Khruschev and let Kosygin take power.)

That said, I intend to see Casino Royale. Love those stunts, exotic locations and the music, and the moral self-defense scenarios set up for the hero. I even like the product placement. Like the ultimate Brookstone catalog.
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I go back and forth, but there is something so smooth and elegant about Thunderball that makes it my favorite. I just love how well everything moves in that movie and I feel it's the best combination of 007 gadgets, Ian Fleming's serious(ish) Bond, Connery confidence, women, action, story, and music.

However, I can't get the songs "You only live twice" and "We Have All The Time In The World" (from the overly criticized OHMSS w/ Lazenby) out of my head.

I loathed the Brosnan flicks--not him, per se-- but, because 007 is too much of a Superman and most of his movies were too intense, too noisy, and too serious. The old Bond movies never took themselves too seriously and there was always a silent tongue and cheek aspect between 007 and the audience that allowed us to suspend our disbelief. I feel the Brosnan-age flicks just tried too hard. I fear Casino might also fall victim, although I still need to see it as soon as I get some time.

There was a day when 007 would figure out the evil plot, then call in the army (or whatever) to finish up the job while he went after the bad guy and saved--and bedded--the woman.

Also, M as a women kills me. There are plenty of other films portraying women more accurately, but the genre of 007 isn't one of them. Maybe M as a women is okay, but they clobber us over the head with that whole speech she gave 007 about being a relic of the past. Judy Dench is a wonderful actress, but she is too serious to play M.

The biggest criticisms I see about Casino Royale come from people who haven't seen it. Considering that for these people there are already some Bond films that they don't like, what would be the harm in seeing this one? I liked it a lot. The only things I wish had been better was the overall structure.

Is it a big departure from the Pierce Brosnan films? Yes. But to me, and apparently to most of the known world, that's a good thing, as the box office is clearly showing. Denise Richards as a rocket scientist? Give me a break (or give me an actress who can at least play the part well). If this film had followed the the creative trajectory that the Brosnan films were on, they would have had to call it "Casino Royale, With Cheese."

To those of you who may be avoiding the film because you're pining for Brosnan or Connery, I can tell you this: Go see it. Because you KNOW you're going to end up seeing it at some point, whether on DVD, pay TV, regular TV or whatever. And when you *do* eventually see it you're going to like it, and you're going to think, "darn, I wish I saw that up on the big screen; it must have been really cool."

I saw the movie yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. Finally, the tongue-in-cheek camp of the Bond series is gone, and hopefully for good. No, it didn't feel like the old Bond series, but that's a good thing. It was time for a fresh start. The story and acting were dominant over the fx and gadgets. Another welcome change.

I did notice the product placement early on, but not excessive or annoying. As the movie progressed I no longer noticed it.

And not once in this post did I hear anyone complain about Woody Allen playing Jimmie Bond, James Bonds' nephew!!! That Casino Royale reminds me more of Austin Powers movies.

Haven't seen the new Casino Royale yet, but will definitely be going to it. The trailers looked great and have heard more good things than bad about it.

Al

AL, that's because that version was a comedy. Naturally a comedic secret agent film from the late 60's will seem like Austin Powers-- that's what Austin Powers was trying to be like.

LOL! I know it was a comedy. I was just trying to be funny. Hmmm.... apparently about as funny as that movie was.

It does make for a fun trivia question though, about how many actors played James Bond. Not too many people remember the 1960's Casino Royale with David Niven, Peters Sellers, Orson Welles, the aforementioned Woody Allen, and the list goes on. Lots of great cameos from the likes of George Raft.

Al

Not many people remember that the current film is actually the THIRD version. The first production of James Bond ever was a 1954 television version of Casino Royale starring Barry Nelson. He's much more familiar to me from his first film, Shadow of the Thin Man (1941). And despite some people's complaints about Daniel Craig that Bond shouldn't be blond, Nelson is blond.

yeah, it kind of seems many are reviewing without having seen it.
It's worth the $ to go see it I guess.

now I think Sean Connery is THE J.Bond, but after seeing this latest...I say thank God they've breathed a little life into the series with Daniel Craig. Very entertaining. He played a great Bond.

Dalton, moore, Brosnan - all too pretty and cheesy when looking at the overall. Nowhere near Connery or this new guy. And talk about product placement - the past recent with the above had product placement GALORE.
Gadgets to cars. It was ridiculous.
The placement in this latest was a bit more subtle (didn't GLARE out as much as some others).

Speaking of Connery bond flicks...ever notice how the bkg music was so sparce? they don't make films so tastefully anymore....now it's always some huge, busy, grandiose score....non-stop throughout a film (any film really - especially any ACTION films).
much like an old hitchcock film for example...the sound of silence used from scene to scene. Music added sparingly. North by Northwest/Birds for example. there's something special about this - and filmmakers have lost touch in realizing it. I can't name one RECENT film that focused on retaining this type of scoring (use of silence - art of not over-scoring)

Take the John Carpenter 1978 Halloween too.
Sparse/minimal scoring - use of silence mixed with quick splash stingers at most. In many cases, a single bell ring will hold a scene and make MORE happen - with less. As the film progresses towards the end (killer faces the main character - you hear more intense scoring). Then it makes the main theme so much more intense and memorable.

Psycho theme as well - it stans out due in part to the use of silence from scene to scene.

And another film or two (which happens also to be horror films) are Silent Hill and Jeepers Creepers.
Jeepers has some of the most outright odd and disturbing scoring going on - very original (not an example of use of silence though). Very original.

But Silent Hill (prob the only decent "video game to movie" flick out there) was very original as well. The scoring was based on the video games music which I always thought was great - very odd and strange music that strangely fits and compliments the original content of the game/film.
The ending of Silent Hill isn't that great, but up until 3/4 of the film i thought it was a very original film that captured the way the game played and score played out.

Back to Bond.
One used to be able to doze-out on the couch to the old Connery bond flicks, making for a nice flick to watch again and again. Too much scoring = i won't want to relax and pop the flick in that much.

my fav Bond flicks:

- thnderball (my fav)
- you only live twice (2nd fav)
- goldfinger
- russia with love
- casino royale (2006)