Goldeneye (1995)

Introduction

The 80s closed with Licence to Kill and Timothy Dalton. It was a dark movie that left many viewers feeling that the James Bond franchise turned a corner away from the tried and true James Bond formula. But hope was on the horizon. In the mid 90s UA announced a new Bond film and a new actor in the role: Pierce Brosnan. For many hopes were rekindled. Brosnan was a favorite for the role before Dalton took over. Would Brosnan prove that he was right man for the job?

Summary

British secret agent, James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) is keeping a close eye on the Tiger helicopter, a vehicle impervious to electromagnetic attacks. He encounters the sexy Xenia Onatopp (Famke Jannsen), and manages to flirt with her quite a bit. But before he can do much more the helicopter is stolen. A few days later the helicopter is used to steal a secret Russian weapon, code named Goldeneye. This satellite based weapon can target a city and destroy all the electronic devices in a matter of seconds. 

With such a dangerous weapon in unknown hands, M (Judy Dench) orders Bond to track down the Goldeneye, and stop whoever took it. His search take him into Russia where he meets lovely computer analyst Natalya Simonova (Izabella Scorupco), Valentin Zukovsky(Robbie Coltrane) and the mysterious Janus (Sean Bean). Bond will have to use all his wits, skills, gadgets (and tank driving abilities) to stop the villainous mastermind from using Goldeneye.

Good Points

• Pierce Brosnan embodies all the qualities viewers look for in a James Bond.
• Brings humor and a lightness back to the Bond franchise.
• The script brings Bond into the 90’s but keeps to the familiar Bond formula.

Bad Points

• The story has a lot of set up and the first hour feels slow
• Not as much action as later Brosnan era films
• Eric Serra’s score rubs a lot of people the wrong way.

Overall

When it comes to first films for a Bond actor, Goldeneye is one of the best. Brosnan nails the part, and is given a solid and entertaining adventure. The movie reestablishes the tried and true 007 formula and gives it a fresh coat of paint. A fine supporting cast and one of the best chase scenes in the entire franchise make this the most entertaining film of Brosnan's tenure. 

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 5

Sound: 5

Music: 3

Acting: 4

Script: 4

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 5

Final Grade: 5

In Depth Review

Bond. James Bond. - 1995

It is no secret that I’m a fan Timothy Dalton as James Bond. I don't think folks gave him a fair shot, and the scripts to his two films could have been a bit better all the way around. These days, public opinion seems to be a lot kinder to Dalton and his work as 007. But in the 90s, that was not the case at all. Most people I knew thought he was too stuffy, too serious and his films were just not James Bond adventures. Where were the megalomaniacal villains, the crazy gadgets, the multitude of quips. Coming after Roger Moore, Dalton's take was just too different. Whenever people talked about another Bond film, it was usually followed by, "but get someone else other than Dalton". I think they all really wanted Pierce Brosnan.

A lot of people felt Brosnan got snubbed by not getting the role back in 1987. When Goldeneye was announced Brosnan was ready to take the role.  The script for Goldeneye had been percolating for a while now (originally penned with Dalton in mind) and was reworked to fit Brosnan’s style. But what style would he bring to series? Would he follow Dalton’s lead and attempt to create a more nuanced Bond. Or would he follow in Moore’s footsteps and bring humor and lightness back to the series?

"Half of everything is luck." "And the other half?"
"Fate."

The creative team behind Goldeneye had two goals with this movie. The first was to assure the audience that this was a James Bond movie. All the classic elements first pioneered in Dr. No and perfected in Goldfinger were going to be on the screen. The second element was to show that the world around Bond has changed. The creators acknowledged that with a script that deals firmly with a post Cold War world. During the 1980s as Bond waned in popularity critics asked if James Bond could be relevant in a world that passed him and his 1960s origins by. The answer was captured in one of the tag-lines for the film: "The world has changed, he hasn't." 

One of the best ways to capture the classic Bond feel is to provide plenty of globe trotting settings for bond to explore. Keeping in line with the more realistic look of films like For Your Eyes Only  and The Living Daylights, much of the location shooting grounds the film. Shooting took place in Monte Carlo, Puerto Rico (doubling for Cuba) and St. Petersburg for the exterior scenes in Russia. These Russian scenes are some of my favorite in the film, and whenever I think about Goldeneye, that grey overcast sky always pops into my mind. 

Looks like James saw him in "Mitchell"

Most of the sets and interiors have that flashy James Bond version of reality. The most impressive sets being the two Goldeneye bases. These have an almost Ken Adam (the designer of classic Bond flicks like Thunderball and The Spy Who Loved Me) inspired look to them. The one in Cuba is all glass, railings, metal and view screens. Very cool looking, but not very functional (why are there random drums of gasoline inside the base near the computers?).

Goldeneye  was probably the last of the James Bond films to be made in the pre-digital effects era. Most of what you see here is model work, blue screen and actual stunt work. Taking a page from John Glen’s direction (he filmed all the Bond adventures in the 80’s) all the action is done for real, unless there was particular danger to the cast or stuntmen. For example the bungee jump off the dam in the pre-credit sequence is done for real. However Bond’s freefall to the plummeting plane was done in blue screen (and is obvious with its mat lines and physics breaking maneuvers). Still the overall good outweighs the bad in the visual department.

Hanging out with Xenia is the real gamble.

For the sound effects, Bond films have always been excellent. Gunshots and explosions are top notch. Fight scenes without guns are also handled well; my favorite being the final vicious hand-to-hand fight between Bond and Trevelyan. It sounds painful as both men throw each other at walls, slam chains into each other and do their best to smash the other fella's face in. It’s a great scene made better by the sound. Atmospheric sounds, like in the casino, also work well to set mood and scene.

I also have to mention the opening credits. 14 James Bond movies featured opening credits designed and shot by Maurice Binder. His iconic work on Dr. No, Thunderball and You Only Live Twice created the look of what James Bond opening titles should look like. These mini music videos managed to give you a taste of the movie while being visual exciting at the same time. His work inspired so many other artists, not just other folks who create opening titles. Heck, his influence even spread to anime. Check out the opening credits to Gunsmith Cats or Cowboy Bebop to see Binder's influence.

The goldeneye watches us watching the action.

Binder died in 1991, and so the creators of Goldeneye had to find someone else to handle the opening credits. Daniel Kleinman came on board and has worked on all the opening credits ever since (with the exception of Quantum of Solace). Kleinman took Binder's style, but modernized it. His work on Goldeneye is my favorite, with it's smashing statues, women with two faces (a reference to Janus) and of course, a golden eye.

Often considered one of the worst Bond scores, and even one of the worst movie scores of all time, Goldeneye took a real chance. Eric Serra was not an unknown composer. His work could be found in the films of French Director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element, la Femme Nikita). At the time Serra focused on electronic scoring, with a minimalist technique. There is a lot of rhythmic sound design in his score, especially for the action and suspense scenes. There is not a drop of jazzy to be found in those cues. It is literally the opposite of what John Barry used when he scored all the early James Bond films. 

Yes, Bond is still smooth with the ladies.

However Serra also creates some wonderful romantic scoring especially when Bond interacts with the ladies. This music would actually fit right into a typical Bond score. Sadly most film score fans don't focus on that good material. The result is a score that James Bond fans and film score fans both really dislike. I actually think it gives the film it's own personality and works fairly well in the film. David Arnold would do a better job of bridging the gap with the jazzy sound and electronica. But I don't think Goldeneye is the colossal failure that some James Bond fans will declare. 

The main song Goldeneye sung by Tina Turner is excellent. It’s one of my favorite Bond themes, and really harkens back to the Shirley Bassy sound but updated for the 90’s. It’s a real shame that Serra didn’t use the music of this theme in his score. It might have helped it. However, the main theme was not written by Serra, but by Bono and The Edge (of U2 fame). The tune that Serra did write, The Experience of Loving is worked into the score and functions as the love theme. Without lyrics it works pretty well. But then we are treated to Mr. Serra singing the song himself during the end credits. This is not a good thing. It brings down the music grade by a whole point. Bad Serra.

Ah, Moneypenny. Still bantering with Bond.

In some ways we all knew how Brosnan would play Bond. Anyone familiar with his role in Remington Steele had an idea of what to expect. In a lot of ways, his take on James Bond is an extension of that role, but with a dark side. He's suave and cool. He's quick with a quip and manages to see humor in unlikely situations. But when he talks about his job, you can see that he doesn't take pleasure in killing. Saving the world, getting the girls is all well and good. But the blood does seem to haunt him a bit. It is something Brosnan developed further in the later films, especially The World is Not Enough.  The final result is a James Bond for everyone. And unlike Dalton, Brosnan seems approachable and fun, much closer to Moore's take on the character.

There is a bit of holding back in Brosnan’s performance, and it’s not immediately recognizable until you see the later Bond films. Goldeneye showed off the potential of Brosnan’s Bond. It opened the doors to what we’d see later. While I think that Dalton and Craig topped him in their first outing (they start the movie and you believe that they are James Bond), Brosnan is very good here and he’d only get better.

"I'm not listening. I saw how you treated Frodo."

The new Bond girl is Izabella Scorupco as Natalya Simonova. Scorupco gets a pretty juicy part to play in this film. She’s not super tough, but she’s no push over either. She’s out to save herself and Bond is her best bet to keeping her alive. Sure she’s attracted to him, but you also get the sense (especially early in the movie) that Scorupco’s character wouldn’t take anything lying down. She’s definitely a step forward from the more passive Bond girls, and still a believable character (something that has marred the tougher girls pared with Brosnan in the later films).

As far as villains go 006 or Trevelyan is one of my favorites. Sean Bean is very skilled at playing a hero, villain or flawed hero. He was excellent as Boromir in The Lord of the Rings. But it was his role in Goldeneye that made me a fan. His work in the pre-credit sequence does it all. He has camaraderie with James, one that comes from working together. He also has a strange darkness to him, a brutality that James seems to be missing. He kills unarmed scientists. He doesn’t flinch while mowing down Russian soldiers, or when he’s captured and telling James to “blow them all to hell”. Right here we know all about 006, and when he is revealed as the villain later in the film, we know this is going to be tough. It doesn’t hurt that Bean was considered for the role of Bond, and probably would have been great. Here, he takes on the role of the villain perfectly and makes it click.

M is about to give Bond a nice telling off.

Back in London, things have changed… big time. Judy Dench is now M, the head of the British secret service. For some people this was a horrible idea, one that they have never warmed to. I thought it was brilliant. Her performance defines her character; tough, no nonsense, and ready to do what she has to to keep the world safe. Her dialogue is some  of the most memorable. In my mind Dench makes a great M, as good as Bernard Lee in the 60’s and 70’s films. Also new to the London cast is Samantha Bond as Moneypenny. Her character has been revamped: a little more playful and now smolderingly sexy in a bookish way. I have to say that Samantha Bond is my favorite Moneypenny. Her chemistry with Brosnan is tangible and really makes her short scene sizzle. Rounding out the cast is Desmond Llewelyn as Q. He’s still going strong in his delightful scene in the lab.

Bond doesn't mind death my muscular thighs.

Supporting cast for Goldeneye also includes Famke Janssen in her breakout role as Xenia Onatopp. Not since the alluring and deadly Fiona Volpe of Thunderball have we has such a great female villain. She’s over the top, but Famke is having so much fun and steams up the screen so effortlessly it works. She gives one of the more memorable performances in the film. Also worth mentioning is Alan Cummings as Boris, the nerdy, slimy, computer programmer. We also get Robbie Coltrane (pre Hagrid) as Valentin Zukovsky, the Russian crime boss. He has so much charisma in his short scene with Brosnan that he was asked to reprise the role in The World is Not Enough.

There's also Joe Don Baker as CIA agent Jack Wade. His performance has actually grown on me a bit over the years. He's no Felix Leiter, but that's the point. He's the ugly American stereotype, but it makes for a fun change of pace. I like him more in this role than I did as the villain of  The Living Daylights.

The noire lighting of the final confrontation.

For the most part Goldeneye has a solid script. You can tell it was written for Dalton, with the concept of betrayal that drives 007 against 006. But the theme carries over into the rest of the film. Trevelyn is driven by the betrayal of the British government that caused his parents demise. On a larger scale, the world has betrayed both of these secret agents. All the training, the deaths they've caused, the risks they've taken - it was all for nothing. The cold war ended, and both men are struggling to determine their futures.  For 006 it is very much a betrayal, but 007 does his best to carry on. Throughout the film Bond is reminded that he is outmoded, old fashioned and as M so succinctly says, "...a sexist, misogynist dinosaur. A relic of the cold war." But Bond proves his worth time and again. His gut instincts, ability to think on his feet, and knowledge of 006 are what keeps the world safe this time. This same concept and many of the same plot points were borrowed for Daniel Craig's film Skyfall.

Bond emerging from the shadows.

In direct contrast to the Dalton films, and especially License to Kill, the writers take great pains to establish the world of James Bond. They want to reassure the audience that this is the same character they used to love. They also need to set up the relationship with 006, the concept of the Goldeneye weapon (in 1995 an EMP weapon was not familiar to most viewers), and drop enough the plot to get things rolling. All these elements make for a slower paced first hour to the film. In fact, most of the complaints I see about the film center around the fact that it it is light on the action set pieces. 

But Martin Campbell’s direction works so well that it pulls us along for the ride. He handles the exposition heavy first half with skill, its still slow, but is entertaining. He takes time introducing the main players and reassuring the audience that James Bond and his world are back. It’s good stuff the first time you see the film, but when you revisit the movie  it does drag a bit. 

Why drive around buildings when you can go
through them?

Campbell knows his way around an action scene, and when Goldeneye delivers the car chases, gun fights and fisticuffs it all works. He does a fine job with the tension of the pre-credit sequence. The final face off between Bond and Travelyn is brutal and the lighting and shadows in the scene give it a noire look. But the scene everyone remembers is the tank chase in St. Petersburg. .Everything clicks in this scene, it is exciting, ridiculous and funny all at the same time. Campbell makes sure all the action is easy to follow and appreciate something he did very well when he helmed Casino Royale. 

Bond picks the tank over the BMW, this time.

James Bond was back. Audiences and critics really enjoyed Goldeneye and accepted Brosnan immediately as the new James Bond. The movie had something for everyone, it was entertaining, thrilling, fun and brought the franchise roaring back to life. I wrote a whole blog about how this film brought on it's own little mini-spy mania in the 1990s. It was a great way to start a new era for the series. It's a little sad to look back and realize that this first outing for Brosnan would be his best one. 

Yep, this is my favorite film of the Brosnan era, and one of my favorite Bond adventures of all time. So much of it works so well, and I enjoy it every time I watch it. Even flawed moments like the end credits song, or the first half that drags don't hurt the overall film too much. And yeah, there is a lot of nostalgia for me associated with this film. But the movie holds up each time I watch it, and that does count for something. 

"How long is this review!?!"

Movie Music Musings: The Matrix Trilogy Part 3

Composer Don Davis was told to make the music for Matrix Revolutions bigger than anything he had done before. Davis took this to heart and steered his final score for the trilogy toward an operatic epic scale. The highlights of this score are enormous choral delights, and the action music goes for an overwhelming sound as opposed to the more dense and intricate work of the first film.

The techno influence is also downplayed from its role in Reloaded. Juno Reactor did contribute to three tracks of the score, but this primarily Davis’ show. Much like his original score to The Matrix Davis does use some electronics, but he keeps them in the background, adding to scenes, primarily with Agent Smith and his burbling electronic signature.

While the Matrix motif is heard in the score, it is less prominent here, with most of the big action set pieces of the middle of the score using lots of percussion to blaze away at your ears. It is all very dense stuff, but the scale is much bigger and open than the previous scores. It approaches Lord of the Rings levels of grandeur in places.

The other key piece of Matrix Revelations is a final tragic statement of Neo and Trinity’s love in the track Trinity Definitely (a play on the first track of The Matrix called Trinity Infinity). This cue gives us the best statement of this love theme, but Davis tinges it with sadness, one of the few times in the series where this type of emotion is delved musically.

The real reason to seek out this score is for the music Davis crafted for the final third of the film. Here Neo faces Agent Smith one last time, and these tracks are right up there with John Williams Duel of the Fates from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace in the ability to capture an apocalyptic battle of titans. The highlight cue of Matrix Revolutions is Neodammerung a battle cue using Davis trademark matrix style, choir chanting in Sanskrit and pure bombast. Everything comes together in this massive piece and it is a real treat.

Davis then heads into the finale allowing the music to reach a triumphant and melodic conclusion. It is satisfying to hear this after nearly three albums of dissonance and conflict. The final moments of For Neo are a wonderful end to the series.

But Juno Reactor steps in one last time to combine with Davis for the end title track Navras. It is a propulsive and dance worthy reimaging of Neodammerung with clearer statements for the choir and a ton of power behind it. The Matrix Revolutions ends on this high note.

Score fans were treated to a solid album release with the film with a generous CD clocking in at nearly 64 minutes of music. Some of the most aggressive and bombastic Battle of Zion music is missing, but all the key tracks are there. La-La Land delivered a complete version of the score in 2014. It gives a fleshed out vision of the score, as well as some exciting alternate takes that highlight Davis’ amazing orchestral work.

Don Davis’ accomplished work on The Matrix trilogy is something that needs to be revisited by film music fans, and film fans in general. He introduced a new language to film music, and collaborated to create an amazing and effective fusion of electronic dance music styles with orchestra. These scores are unique in their own way, and yet build on one another and create a sonic world and story that evolves over the course of the films. Even if you aren’t a fan of the movies themselves the music will grab you with its unique approach.

For many film music fans, scores of the modern era are in a bit of a stale stasis, with the Zimmer sound dominating all large budget genre and action films. It’s a shame that Davis’ style didn’t take off, and at least provide an alternate vision of what a film score could do. The music to The Matrix is nearly 15 years old at this point, but it sounds so fresh compared to the big budget scores we hear today. It appears that only in video game music has Don Davis’ work inspired. Check out this track from the game Remember Me, and hear some major influence from The Matrix.  

Movie Music Musings: The Matrix Trilogy Part 2

I mentioned in my musings on the score for The Matrix that the techno music made the biggest impression on fans of the film. I won’t say that Don Davis’ work was ignored, because his signature Matrix motif is very recognizable. But his dense tension and action music is the kind that supports the visuals but not in an obvious thematic way. While this was an innovative direction for film scores of the time, it was only the beginning. With The Matrix Reloaded he was going to switch things up a bit.

While The Matrix was primarily a horror and suspense score, Reloaded plays much more like an action film score. The pure horror moments are replaced with a more triumphant sound for the Zion sequences, and fleshing out of the love theme for Neo and Trinity.

The biggest change comes in the form of Don Davis teaming up with techno music artists like Rob Dougan and Juno Reactor. This fusion works wonders during the action scenes, adding electronic driving pulses to Davis dense style. The final result takes the trilogy’s music to an entirely different level, one that is much more accessible in some ways.

For me there are two highlights for the electronic and orchestral combo in Reloaded. The first is the Burly Brawl where Davis and Juno Reactor score the fight between Neo and the infinite Agent Smiths. The music starts out aggressive, almost like a battle between the orchestra and the electronics. It builds and builds and builds into a frenzy of insanity.

My favorite cue is the techno heavy Mona Lisa Overdrive, which accompanies the intense freeway chase in the film. Here Juno Reactor dominates the music creating a dance worthy piece that works Don Davis’ orchestral sound, and warps it. The track is relentless, building a bit with each battle, but then returning to a constant motion. It’s one of my favorite tracks from the whole series and from the 00s in particular.

Thos looking for pure Davis material will find some really great stuff with the moments between Neo and Trinity, and a bit more melodic interludes when the heroes confront the Merovingian. But Reloaded is a score this is all about the action tracks, and the techno fusion.

For film score fans, Matrix Reloaded was an odd release. In 2003 at the time the film came out, a two-disc album was released. The first disc included mostly songs used and inspired by the film. But also had some of Rob Dougan’s contributions Furious Angels and Dread Rock, both are worthy additions. The second CD contained the score and Juno Reactor and Don Davis material. But most of the Davis only material was relegated to a 17-minute suite at the end. It was OK, but not a great representation of the album.

La-La Land came to the rescue in 2013 with a new two-disc set of the complete score. All of Davis’ material is included, as well as all the key music from Juno Reactor and Rob Dougan. The only thing missing was Dread Rock, but you get some interesting alternate versions of tracks and source music.

In a way Matrix Reloaded is the most fun and energetic music of the series. It provides a solid sample of Davis’ approach to the concept, and the techno pieces are a perfect fit. The final entry would go in yet another direction.

Movie Music Musings: The Matrix Trilogy Part 1

Let’s travel back to the 1990s era of film music. The biggest film and film score of the decade was Titanic and James Horner was at the top of his game providing scores for other big films like Braveheart, Legends of the Fall and Apollo 13.  Hans Zimmer was perfecting his action sound that would dominate the next couple decades. But in the 90s he was giving us great scores like The Lion King, The Thin Red Line, and The Rock. David Arnold was blowing us away with explosive scores to Stargate, Independence Day and Tomorrow Never Dies. Jerry Goldsmith was cranking out the scores as diverse as Star Trek: First Contact, First Knight, Congo and L.A. Confidential. Of course you had John Williams who was hard at work with scores like Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan and Amastad. But all of us film geeks were waiting for Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. And that is just a sampling, but you get the idea.

Out of nowhere came the score to The Matrix and it was like none of these other scores. It was like no other film score: period. The closest you could come would be some of the more experimental scores from the 1960s and 1970s, like Goldsmith’s score to Planet of the Apes or Rosenman’s score to Fantastic Voyage. But even that comparison doesn’t really work, because The Matrix uses much more modern electronics and styles. It sounds a bit like the work of Eliot Goldenthal (who created the wonderful score to Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and some of the key music in Heat). Still composer Don Davis gave this score a unique sound.

Davis wasn’t new to the film score business, but he often worked behind the scenes as an orchestrator, and had composed for television on a number of occasions. In this case the directors (the Wachoski brothers) gave Davis creative freedom, only asking that The Matrix not sound like any other current blockbuster film score.

The 1990s were heavily influenced by Williams’ impact in the 1980s, with big themes and orchestral action carrying the day. Electronics were falling out of favor for the most part (Zimmer being the big exception). So Davis chose to score The Matrix using primarily dissonance, layers of sounds that conflict and yet work together, and electronics that seem to seethe under the score. Davis warps some of the orchestral sounds, especially when “reality” is warped in the film. He also uses a bit of choral accompaniment to add punch to key scenes.

There are a few motifs in the film. There is the familiar theme for the Matrix itself, heard in opening credits (and in the same place in all the sequels). Davis will pull this battle of two discordant notes out whenever the Matrix was being manipulated. There is a electronic burbling used when Agent Smith is on the screen, a very unsettling sound. Finally there is a hint of a love theme that would mature over the next two sequels.

The score to The Matrix plays more like a suspense and horror score. Davis creates tension and unease in the music by layering dissonant music and building it up. The first half of the score is dominated by this intricate and disturbing music. Later on when the action material kicks in, the music becomes dense and furious. The result is not traditionally bombastic but powerful and not in the overtly masculine way that Zimmer pioneered.  I love the track Ontological Shock. It shows off the action writing, the Matrix moments and a bit of bombast as our heroes rescue Morpheus from Agent Smith’s clutches.

Davis wasn’t responsible for any of the techno music use in The Matrix. Since his work was so dissonant, most people remember only the techno tracks used in the film. This is a bit of a shame, because the score is a real gem, standing alone at the end of the 90s.

Varese Sarabande released a very short score only album at the time of the films release. It clocked in at 30 minutes but was missing some of the more intense music from the end, as well as the music when Neo learns and executes his Kung Fu. There was also a song compilation CD, which I could talk about… but I won’t. Instead I’ll mention that in 2008, Varase Sarabande released a limited edition of the complete score to the Matrix clocking in at a healthy 78 minutes. Yeah, it’s a bit of an overkill as a complete listen, but a very nice hour long edit can be made from this version and it gives you a nice taste of Davis’ intricate work.

But this wasn't the end of the series of Don Davis' wonderful music. He would continue to evolve this unique sound in Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions.

Anime Juke Box - Rock Me - Bubblegum Crisis

One of the first anime series I picked up on DVD was Bubblegum Crisis. At the time anime fans were salivating for this one. These days, I don't see too many people talk about it.  Probably because the whole thing can be pretty derivative and the thin plot and characters lack the depth of the 1998 reboot Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040. But for me the original has a lot of great elements going for it. It is very much based in the 1980s vision of a cyberpunk future, and I love the character and mecha design of the show. But I also have to say that the rockin' 80s J-pop from this series is a lot of fun. Most folks who've seen the series will comment about the music. Here is a tune sung by rough and tumble rocker Priss and her band The Replicants aka Yuiko Tsubokura. And yes she is saying Rock Me! Just You!.

Passion (2012)

Introduction:

What happens when The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo meets the meanest of the Mean Girls? Well if Brian De Palma is at the helm then you can at expect some sexy thrills, a few dark laughs and some wonderful camera work. Unless Mr. De Palma wasn’t up for the task. Was this a passion project or just a snooze at the wheel?

Summary:

Christine Stanford (Rachel McAdams) is the star of her company. She can tangle with the big boys, swim with the sharks and always walk away with the deal. Isabelle James (Noomi Rapace) is the up and coming exec, full of bright ideas and energy to make her mark. But one of her bright ideas has just netted a huge client, some major money – and Christine takes all the credit and rewards. At first Isabelle is offended and disturbed by this, but then uses it as a teaching tool.

When she attempts to get back at Christine, she finds herself seriously outmatched. Isabelle endures a very public humiliation, and starts to crack. But just how far will Isabelle go to make sure Christine never does the same thing to anyone else? Is this game of revenge based on cold ego or is it all a serious crime of Passion?

Good Points:

• De Palma’s mastery of visual style is in full display
• Has some fun and unexpected twists
• The cast is having a blast in the parts

Bad Points:

• May be too stylized for those looking for a serious grim thriller
• None of the characters end up being very likable
• May seem a bit tame compared to some of De Palma’s earlier work

Overall:

This film is like a throwback to the 1990s thriller genre, with wicked women, sexy situations and plot twists that are unbelievable but fun. De Palma makes it all work with some wonderful cinematography and editing. He keeps the viewer guessing a number of times as the story progresses. It is a nifty thriller for an evening viewing, and one that reminds you how much fun this genre can be.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 4

Sound: 3

Acting: 4

Script: 4

Music: 4

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 4

Total:  4

Curious about a full review, sent me an email and I’ll make additional thoughts to this review.

Nostalgia Nugget: My First Bond... James Bond

And then... there were ninjas everywhere!

So I have a little theory. The first actor you see as James Bond tends to be the one you always associate with the role. This is especially true if you see your first James Bond film in the theaters. I’ve tested my theory a few times and it holds true for the majority of folks. There are a few wild cards out there that break convention and pick Peter Sellers as their favorite Bond even if they saw On Her Majesty’s Secret Service with Lazenby as Bond.

Of course, whenever I talk about my crazy theory, someone always asks, who my favorite actor is playing the role of 007. I end up sputtering, and dithering and babbling for a while. But it comes down to – I like them all for different reasons. This results in people frowning and saying, “Come on Roman, pick one. Don’t cheat.” And still I rock back and forth and whimper and sob and can’t pick. I can pick a favorite film from each actor, but I just can’t pick one actor over the other. Sometimes I’m in the mood for Connery and other times only Brosnan will do.

In the 80s even ninjas had big hair.

This might be because my exposure to the world of James Bond came in fits and starts. Let’s go back in time for a bit. I remember staying at my grandmother’s house for some reason, maybe a family holiday or a visit. Not sure. Anyway, my grandmother loved action films, and it was the 1980s, so ninjas were all the rage (but this is pre-ninja turtles, I’m thinking early 80s here, around the era of The Octagon and Enter the Ninja). So my grandmother popped in this VHS that she swore had ninjas in it. So I’m watching this odd movie about this English guy running around hitting on ladies, watching a Sumo match, and flying in a tiny helicopter. I remember the evil bald guy and the cat, not to mention his lake with piranha in it. But I mostly remember it taking FOREVER for the ninjas to show up, and when they did the movie got pretty crazy with action. But man did it take forever to get there.

It wasn’t until years later that I realized I had seen my first James Bond movie: You Only Live Twice.

What I always assumed was the first James Bond movie I ever saw was A View to a Kill, good old Roger Moore’s swan song. I saw this for a friend’s birthday. We took in a Christopher Walken double feature. Yeah, I’m not sure how that worked either. Anyway, the theater was showing Brainstorm and A View to a Kill. We saw both films. What I remember most about that experience was the girls. I thought Tanya Roberts was pretty darn sexy, but found Grace Jones to be kinda freaky. I also remember all of us imitating Mr. Walken as Zoran for a couple months afterward, especially the line, “More! More power!” But I’m afraid to report that Brainstorm and its bizarre imagery made a bigger impression.

But I saw all the Bond films in the theater going forward (until Quantum of Solace which I never got around seeing until picking up the DVD). I remember seeing the Dalton films and enjoying them. But I was more into fantasy and sci-fi films at that point and didn’t fully appreciate the fantasy of the Bond universe.

It's  blast from the past, Mr. Bond!

I gave the series a try at some point. I thought Goldfinger was the first movie (this was pre-internet, so I couldn’t look this stuff up. I was info from people who made educated guesses about the first Bond movie).  I remember watching the VHS of Goldfinger and finding it odd that it included a Pink Panther cartoon with a spy theme, and a trailer for Thunderball on it. I enjoyed Goldfinger a great deal and ended up watching the next few movies. I had the oddest experience of déjà vu while watching You Only Live Twice and then remembered my grandmother’s weird “ninja movie” and made the connection. I don’t think the video store had On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, because I didn’t see that one till much later. Instead I went to Diamonds Are Forever. It stopped my exploration of the series cold, because it was so bad. Most of the folks I knew thought Mr. Moore was campy, and if they were worse than Diamonds, I was done.

Goldeneye came out in 1995, and I remember the ramp up to that movie creating a lot of excitement for the new Bond film. The video store I worked at picked up all the previous James Bond films, and on Laserdisc even! I decided to give the series another spin. This time I was armed with the store’s video guide, so I could actually start with Dr. No and make my way forward. I watched each Bond film and that was probably when the whole thing clicked. I developed an appreciation for the series and the incredible legacy of pop culture it created. It was around then that I determined which ones were my favorites, and which ones were better left unseen (Diamonds Are Forever didn’t improve with this viewing, and A View to a Kill  surprised me with it’s ridiculousness, something I didn’t remember from that viewing in my youth).

I already blogged about how Goldeneye made James Bond cool again in the 1990s. But there really was a bit of spy mania in that decade, from about 1994 on. MGM fueled the whole thing with amazing releases of the James Bond series on DVD that included amazing documentaries about the films, the creators and the some of the fervor the films created when they were released. I think those DVDs were very responsible for me becoming a fan of the series.

Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang on Laserdisc!

It is because of this round about discovery of the James Bond series that I don’t really have a favorite James Bond actor. I don’t know if I count Connery, Moore, Dalton or Brosnan as the “first” James Bond I experienced, because I like all of them for different reasons, and each one of them had a movie that was part of that introduction. I didn’t see one as “the” primary actor. In a way that allows me to be more objective than some of the more hard-core fans I’ve run into who live and die by their actor. It also allows me to be curious when the change the actor and not outraged by the choice.

But still that question comes up, and I can never answer it without sputtering, flailing and falling down a lot. So next time, just ask me what my favorite Bond movie from a specific era or decade is, and we’ll all be just fine.