Adventure Travel

James Bond is machismo personified. After decades of spying, he still hasn’t been out of the top fictional characters the hit the big screen. This phenomenon can be attributed to the movie’s storyline that sends us to the edge of our seats. But then again, we cannot deny that we love the franchise so much because of the hunk and kick ass portrayal of the chosen ones—the James Bond actors.

To date, 6 actors have already donned the 007 cap and formed a culture of BONDage in the process. Read this roundup of James Bond actors and take your pick as the perfect James Bond.

1. Sean Connery

Almost everyone never thought that Connery can pull off as James Bond, but under the tutelage of Terence Young, the British actor did not only bag the role as a gentleman spy, but is considered as the best James Bond actor to date. His portrayal definitely set the bar for succeeding actors to wear the suit. He starred in the first 7 James Bond movies and most of which are considered to be representative installments of the franchise.

2. George Lazenby

Rising up to the iconic portrayal of Connery proved to be a difficult task for George Lazenby. Without much acting experience and the maturity to face up to the studio setting, the former model was plagued with intrigues for his performance as Bond. Fans have already warmed up to Connery’s Bond portrayal, and this presented as another disadvantage for the Lazenby. His awkward performance in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service caused him to make his career as a James Bond actor go kaput in just one film.

3. Roger Moore

The 70’s marked a changed in Bond’s persona. This time, the job as a James Bond actor was taken on by Roger Moore, who apparently made a complete physical transformation to fit the role. The producers of the franchise only agreed to cast him if he shed some pounds and cut his hair short. The director’s constant reminder for him to lose more weight caused the actor to muse, “Why didn’t they get a thin actor who was bald to do the part?”

Roger Moore made a brave attempt to separate himself from the shadows of the first and iconic James Bond actor, Sean Connery by having a more lighthearted approach to his character. In his term as Bond, we saw a more playful and womanizing Bond in films like Live and Let Die, The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only among others. Unlike his predecessor, Lazenby, Moore starred in 7 James Bond movies.

4. Timothy Dalton

Dalton’s approach to James Bond is very different from Roger Moore’s. In two James Bond movies he starred in, he depicted Bond as a more serious, dark and reserved secret agent, a far cry from the flamboyant persona that Roger Moore created. His extreme masculine appeal made fans root for his version of Bond.

5. Pierce Brosnan

Another Englishman took over and this time, we’ve seen an actor who was never stereotyped as Bond for his acting flexibility. He was able to strike a balance between a tough and flamboyant portrayal of Bond and he just proved himself as a legitimate James Bond actor in 4 films.

6. Daniel Craig

The newest James Bond actor has been criticized for being the first Blonde and blue-eyed Bond. As evident in his portrayal in Casino Royale, Craig plans on having a different take on our favorite secret agent. With a more kick ass and real tough guy depiction of Bond, he finally managed to get the respect of his detractors. Sean Connery even agreed that Craig did a good job in his first James Bond movie. Fans all over the world are already anticipating his comeback as James Bond in Quantum of Solace.

There is something which has been going around lately which I like to call “resurrections”. You know. One great movie which you watched years ago and then one day, just when you were starting to forget that such a movie even existed, you find out that there is going to be a sequel! Not a remake, like in Batman’s case but a sequel as in “the story goes on”.

In the past we’ve had:

- Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz and John Hanna make a return with The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor (2008) 9 years after The Mummy (1999) and 6 years after The Mummy Returns;

- Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, Bad Boys (1995), came back 8 years after Bad Boys II (2003)

- Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zetta–Jones came back with The Legend Of Zorro (2005) 7 years after The Mask Of Zorro (1998);

- Arnold Schwarzenegger came back with Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003) 19 after Terminator I (1984) and 12 years after Terminator II: Judgment Day (1991)

- Bruce Willis came back with Live Free Or Die Hard (2007) 19 years after Die Hard I (1988), 17 years after Die Hard II (1990) and 12 years after Die Hard III.

- Last but not least, we have Sylvester Stallone who brought us two resurrections. First there is Rocky Balboa (2006) which was released 30 years after the first installment, Rocky I (1976), and 16 years after what was supposed to be the last one, Rocky V (1990); second we have Rambo (2008) which was released 26 years after First Blood (1982) and 20 years after Rambo III. This makes Rambo the oldest resurrection – Which I know.

Since trilogies are so in, we should watch out for Bad Boys and Zorro III.

Now, we have 3 more resurrections coming in a couple of years. But before we get to them, let’s take a look at the latest one: Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull (2008) which was released 27 years after Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981), 24 years after The Temple Of Doom (1984) and 19 years after The Last Crusade (1989). George Lucas is working on a fifth – and probably last – Indiana Jones movie. Unlike what everybody though, it won’t be centered on Shia LaBoeuf as the new Indiana Jones. George Lucas told MTV “Indiana Jones is Indiana Jones. Harrison Ford IS Indiana Jones”. Since it’s still in the thinking stage, modifications might still happen.

The first movie following Indiana Jones’ example is Beverly Hills Cop IV!!! Good news: Eddie Murphy is coming back as Axel Foley; bad news: it will be directed by Brett Ratner – Remember X-Men 3: The Last Stand? I still haven’t forgiven him for it. Yet again Rush Hour 1-3 were great. – Still don’t know what the plot will be about. At first, Brett Ratner stated that unlike the three previous ones, BHC 4 would be rated PG then later dismissed it by saying that it will be rated R like the other ones. It is schedule to be released 2010. Beverly Hills Cop I (1984) was released 24 years ago and Beverly Hills III (1994) 14 years ago.

Another surprising resurrection is Lethal Weapon 5 (and probably last). The word going around is that Shane Black (who wrote Lethal Weapon I, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) has already handed the screenplay to the franchise’s producer: Joel Silver. It will be directed by either Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon 1-4) or by its writer Shane Black. Everybody is waiting for Mel Gibson’s approval to get started. Nothing has been said about the other cast members, but I do hope that Chris Rock and Joe Pesci will come back too. One possible addition to the cast is Columbus Short as Murtaugh’s son. ComingSoon posted the following logline: “This time, homicidal Riggs (Mel Gibson) is about to retire, but pulls Murtaugh (Danny Glover) out of retirement to solve one final case, before they both officially head off into the sunset.” Lethal Weapon I (1987) was released 21 years ago and Lethal Weapon IV (1998) 10 years ago.

A resurrection less likely to happen is Under Siege III. Steven Siegal told MTV that “There are offers and we’re looking at them,” and “I personally want it to be something more modern. In other words I wouldn’t mind if it was about something more mystical or… maybe extraterrestrial in nature. Some real government top secrets instead of just the typical.” So it will be a Kung-Fu movie with aliens as bad guys!? We’ll see how it’ll go. If it ever makes it to theater of course. Under Siege I (1992) was released 16 years ago and Under Siege II (1995) 13 years ago. Isn’t that number supposed to represent bad luck? Maybe they should hold that idea a little bit longer.

Wow! Seems like Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull started quite a chain reaction. I wonder what the next resurrection will be. One which I bet would really be historical and make quite some noise would be Titanic II – Now that would be funny. Yet again what are the chances of that actually happening? As the saying goes “In Hollywood, anything is possible”.

The Trailers’ Park

James Bond is one of the most recognizable names in literature. According to his creator, Ian Fleming, “James Bond is a highly romanticized version of a true spy.” He is articulate as he is cocky. Throughout the years, James Bond has changed faces.

For every generation, there was a version of James Bond. And for this period of time, Daniel Craig portrays the most famous spy in literature and film. He brings a rougher version of the British agent who has captured the imaginations of both young and old.

Daniel Craig shows a more rugged interpretation of the James Bond that we have come to know and love. With the physique that Daniel has, he’s certainly brings a whole new perspective to the role. With his performance in the re-make of Casino Royale, he brought out the more violent nature of being a spy. This was the only Bond movie that didn’t have the arsenal of gadgets surreal that the Sean Connery and Roger Moore movies had.

Casino Royale made over 500 million dollars at the box office and Daniel Craig had the blessing of the roster of actors that, at one time, played Bond on the big screen. When consulting the novel, it characterizes Bond as ironic, brutal, and cold, which makes this Bond an antihero; a protagonist whose character and goals are antithetical to classical heroism. What does this mean? That Bond was an efficient killer, which justifies his having a license to kill, therefore making him more of a real spy than he was as charming as the Mad Hatter. You couldn’t have a Bond film without the women. And women have swallowed this version hook, line, and sinker. Tight abdomens really hit it off with the female population, rather than the sly, cool, ladies man of old. With the immergence of a new image so do the weapons at Bond’s disposal.

One would usually see a Walter PPK on the posters on every Bond film made. In the Quantum of Solace poster, you see Bond in the traditional tuxedo wielding a sub machine gun which only seems logical. A lone spy going up against more than just a handful army of henchmen is just like the old school James Bond we use to know. The sheer number of villains would scare anyone in his right mind; it’s not simply possible for one man to go up against so many people with just a pistol.

Years ago, the old Bond didn’t have much of a body to begin with. He was not as massive as Daniel Craig, simply because they didn’t have knowledge or the technology to achieve such mass in those days. With the image that Craig presents to us, the audience, we see a physique that can actually perform the feats that James Bond is known to make throughout his illustrious career.

This variation of the Bond character is being given credibility to actually exist. Daniel Craig has given us the most versatile James Bond so far. Of course, we can not simply dismiss those who have come before, we can only separate and take them as individuals. Daniel Craig isn’t just James Bond on steroids.

Are you thinking of downloading Indiana Jones and kingdom of crystal skulls from the internet? Well, if you want to download the movie from the internet then there are a few factors you need to go through.

First of all, you should avoid downloading any movie from free movie download sites and not just Indiana Jones and kingdom of crystal skulls. The free download sites will give you spyware and viruses in place of movie. The best way to download movies online is using a movie download service. These movie download sites usually charge you a simple membership fee and give you access to unlimited movie downloads.

With lots of movie download sites, it can be very confusing on what to choose. But you should not just choose a movie download site that you come across. Here are the factors that you need to really consider when downloading movies from the internet.

Speed and Bandwidth: Look for a site offering high speed downloads and unlimited bandwidth. The movie download site I use offers great bandwidth and high speed downloads. It just took an hour to download Indiana Jones and kingdom of Crystal Skulls.

The library collection of the movie download site should also have a lot of files. It is better to go for the ones that have over 80 million titles rather than settle for a normal movie download site.

Clarity is also an important thin that you need. Look for DIVX quality movie downloads so that you can enjoy the movie very well. Compulsorily check whether the site offers spyware, adware and virus protection. Also look for bonus software offered like DVD burning software and media players.

James Bond is no Superman. Though this may be true, his propensity for saving the world can rival that of any popular superhero we know. With his martini-toting allure and appeal that every man wants to have and every woman wants, James Bond has become the very epitome of masculinity on and off screen. No one can deny it. James Bond films are a phenomenon in Hollywood box office history with millions of ticket and merchandise sales under this franchise’s belt.

Almost 45 years of BONDage gave us 22 007 films. In every offering, we James Bond actors put on their moves to channel the Bond suaveness. In these films, we found ourselves awestruck by action-packed scenes, galvanizing gadgets and vile villains that made the viewing experience more exciting. So relive the excitement and reminisce as we look back at some James Bond films that made our jaws drop.

5. Dr. No

This film first launched the Bond fever on the silver screen that’s why it made the list. Aside from that, this film has introduced us to the world of suaveness as Bond takes care of the deed to save the world from megalomaniacs. The exciting storyline brings Bond to the depths of Jamaica to look into the suspicious disappearance of another British spy. He faces the sinister Dr. Julius No, a demented scientist who schemes on firing rocket missiles to destroy the western world. In this film, we do not only see Bond duke it out with the vilest nemeses. We also see him bag the very first James Bond girl, Ursula Andress.

4. From Russia With Love

This 007 film has introduced us to a lot of fascinating James Bond villains like the SPECTRE, our favorite spy’s worst archenemy. Not only that. This is the film where we first catch a glimpse of Ernst Stavro Blofeld…well, even if it was just his hand, and his Persian cat.

This is the first 007 movie focused on the secret agent’s love ventures and action adventures. The plot is basically about the Russians sending a voluptuous female spy, Daniell Banachi, along with other antiheroes to annihilate Bond and stop his conquest to save the world.

3. Diamonds are Forever

James Bond goes on a cat-and-mouse chase to foil his vilest enemy, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. He goes to countries like Japan, Egypt and Maui to finally put an end to the man who is responsible for the death of Tracy, one of the many women he has gotten himself involved with. The most fascinating thing about this movie is that we see Bond suffocating the bald evil of a man, Blofeld.

Just when you think the chase between these two is over, the plot thickens. Bond goes on a spying-spree to investigate a diamond-smuggling operation in South Africa. The mission takes him to the City of Sins where he meets the voluptuous villain, Plenty O’toole, and foils the scheming she was trying to pull. Then, there are the cool gadgets like the moon buggy and the submarine that the characters use in the race against time to save the world. When he is already about to do the final kill to finish the mission, he is surprised to find out that Blofeld is indeed alive and now has a clone! As always, our spy survives the mission and goes on doing the things he’s best at—spying and womanizing.

2. Die Another Day

James Bond is trapped in North Korea after a failed mission that almost cost him his life and honor. Being a true spy, he survives all the torture and when a prisoner trade has been done by Korea and the world peace forces, he goes back to England accused of being a traitor for spilling secret information. Bond pursues the enemies and once again, is commissioned by the government to go on a mission to stop terrorism.

The story, soundtrack and the overall appeal of the movie are awesome, although this movie might be too long for some audience to stomach. However, I admit that what made this Bond film join the roster of top Bond films, are the gadgets. That invisible James Bond vehicle is just stunning. With a technology like that, it is no wonder that Bond is able to dodge the fastest bullet and survive the harshest explosives.

1. Tomorrow Never Dies

Tomorrow Never Dies revolves around a demented media mogul trying to make superpowers of the world clash against each other to create pandemonium. Together with Wan Lin, the tough Asian chick portrayed by Michelle Yeoh, Bond fights the mastermind and brings world peace back.

The plot may be common, and the ending a usual mission accomplished for Bond. However, this movie boasts of ass-kicking fight scenes that we haven’t seen so beautifully captured on camera. The James Bond girls in this movie are tough and believably lethal to boot. The gadgets are a big plus, as well. The BMW0il and BMW1200 motorcycle are eye candies especially when Bond rides them and had an uncanny car chase scene with Michelle Yeoh. No doubt about it, this movie is the definitive piece among the 22 James Bond films.