Well, dear readers, I must write these here notes in a hurry because she of the Evil Eye will be here all too soon. So let me just say the following thing: Bond, James Bond. Last night, I attended a little event celebrating 50 years of James Bond music, held at the Academy. There is a new book chronicling the history of the music, from Dr. No right through to the latest Bonds – the book is by my pal Jon Burlingame, who was last night’s host and moderator. It was quite a full house, with some very fun people in attendance, including several Bond girls – Maud Adams, Gloria Hendry, Lynn-Holly Johnson and a couple of others, composer Bill Conti, lyricist Don Black, the grandsons of Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, Richard Sherman and his ever-lovin’ Elizabeth (and of course he definitely has an Eon connection with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang).
My first encounter with Bond, James Bond was not Dr. No, which I somehow missed during its original run. My first Bond was the next film, From Russia, With Love. I was working at the Del-Mar Theater on Pico for a brief period of time, and the film played there months after its first run engagements. Well, I loved it large and saw it every day for the week it played. I’d never quite seen a film like it before – it looked and sounded unlike any other. Sean Connery was also as unique as the rest of the film – there was no leading man like him. And the supporting cast was fantastic, from Robert Shaw and Lotte Lenya to beautiful Daniela Bianchi and other unique character actors. The fight scene between Shaw and Connery on the train was ferocious in a way we’d never seen before. And the film’s title song, written by Lionel Bart and sung by Matt Munro was great, as was the pulse-pounding score by someone named John Barry – again, unlike anything else in film music at the time. They ended up pairing From Russia and Dr. No, which was when I caught up with the first film, and I loved that, too, although not nearly as much as From Russia. Then, on a night that is emblazoned in my memory, I went to a sneak preview at the Village Theater in Westwood. In those days, no one knew what the preview was – you went, you took your chances, and you were surprised. Well, that particular night, no one in that audience could have predicted what we were about to see, but the minute the famous Bond opening came on the theater erupted in loud and boisterous cheers because we immediately knew we were about to see the new Bond film. The pre-credits sequence was phenomenal. You just have to imagine watching that wonderful sequence when it had never been seen, when no one knew anything about it. The opening gag got a huge laugh and cheers, Connery got cheers in his white tux. And then that great moment when he sees the bad guy approaching him reflected in the girl’s eye and the rather electrifying demise of the bad guy, followed by what was to set the tone for many of the Bonds that followed – a quip, in this case one word: “Shocking.” Again, cheers. And then the titles began and Shirley Bassey began belting the film’s title song, Goldfinger, and we knew we were all seeing something very special. Every moment of that film got cheers, laughs, in the suspenseful parts you could hear a pin drop – it was one of the most magical sneak previews I’d ever attended. While the first two Bonds had done well both critically and at the box-office, it was Goldfinger that cemented audience love for what was about to become the longest-running franchise in film history. The score to Goldfinger, once again by John Barry, was some of the most exciting and fresh film music I’d ever heard – imagine hearing that kind of music when Mr. Barry was the only person writing it. It really changed everything.
After that, I saw every Bond on its opening day. But nothing ever came close to Goldfinger and the reaction at that sneak preview. The other films had good scenes and bits, but none had the cohesiveness and sheer bravado of Goldfinger. And when On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, which should have been every bit the equal of Goldfinger, lost its leading man, and George Lazenby suddenly was impersonating James Bond, I thought they should never make another Bond film. I can appreciate the film now, but then I absolutely loathed it because I could not get past Mr. Lazenby, and I can barely get past him now. It was great to have Connery back in Diamonds Are Forever, and the title song set us up for a great film that never happened. The villains were buffoons and nothing about it really worked. And then came Roger Moore – and while I enjoyed a few of the films as films, and while I always liked Mr. Moore, he was never really James Bond to me. In the 1980s those films got progressively sillier and Mr. Moore just looked so tired it was a chore to sit through them. Then came Timothy Dalton and suddenly the Bonds devolved into action thrillers that had no distinction at all from the other fare of the day. Mr. Dalton was a charmless and nasty Bond. Only Mr. Connery got the feral part right, and only Mr. Connery got the mix of sadism and charm and sexiness right. No other actor has come within a country mile. But he got out while the getting was good and the proof of that is the horrid Never Say Never Again – an older Mr. Connery just did not cut the same figure as the younger. Then we got Pierce Brosnan, who I found not so interesting and I didn’t really like any of those films very much. And then we got the new Casino Royale, what the wags call a reboot of the franchise. While I know it was a smash, did well with critics, and an audience favorite, I hated it. Part of that has to do with the new Bond, Daniel Craig, who I just don’t care for in anything let alone as James Bond, and the other thing is turning the Bond franchise into something more closely resembling the Bourne franchise, with impossibly idiotic stunts that have no bearing in reality, too much CGI and way too much DRAMA and ANGST for my taste. I couldn’t sit through Quantum of Solace and I hold not much hope for Skyfall, which we got a little preview of at the event.
The event began with Vic Flick, the film’s original guitarist, the man who played the James Bond theme in all the early films, playing the theme live to an orchestral track. It was a great way to start and Mr. Flick was in fine form and playing the very guitar he used fifty years ago. He got a standing ovation. Then Mr. Burlingame told us stories and we got clips and heard many of the title songs. He brought Mr. Flick and lyricist Don Black up, asked questions, and both had great stories. Later, he brought back Mr. Black and added Bill Conti to the mix. Mr. Conti was very funny – droll, with a dry wit, and he got the evening’s biggest laughs. All in all, it was a wonderful event.
I knew many people there, including our very own Mr. Nick Redman and his ever-lovin’ Julie Kirgo, I was with David Wechter and son Zach, and there were other people from the film music world, like the owner of La La Land Records and Neil Bulk who co-produces the Paramount releases Kritzerland does, composer John Scott (who played sax and flute on Goldfinger), film music agent Richard Kraft, Actor’s Fund honcho Ted Abenheim, and lots of other people I’m forgetting.
Prior to that, I’d had a fine little day. I picked up one package and an important envelope, I did some banking, but mostly I finished writing liner notes. By the time I was done with all that, it was time to mosey on over to have dinner at Kate Mantilini’s. In all the times I’ve been there for the last twenty years, this is the first time I noticed that the restaurant was created and is owned by the people who did Hamburger Hamlet. Who knew? Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must try and get as much beauty sleep as I can.
Today, I shall be up and jogging, then will do some errands and whatnot, maybe eat a little something, hopefully pick up some packages and no annoying mail, then we have our stumble-through, after which I have a few things to do – then I’ll be in for the evening, I think.
Tomorrow is sound check and show – it’s exciting to be sold out, which we are. Next week is jam-packed with things – announcing our new release, finalizing the Christmas album mixes, meetings, meals, seeing several shows, and finishing casting the next Kritzerland (we only need one more guy and a guest star), and getting the songs nailed down, and the sheet music to everyone. We have a new musical director, someone I’ve wanted to work with, so that will be fun.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog, do errands and whatnot, eat, have a stumble-through, do some other stuff, and then relax. Today’s topic of discussion: Fried chicken. When was the first time you ever had fried chicken? What’s the best fried chicken you’ve ever had? The worst? And what do you like to have with your fried chicken? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland. And don’t forget – Bond, James Bond.