The James Bond Complex

It's a slow news month. But IGN's timeline theory video as well as the James Bond community's  Calvin Dyson inspired Matt to dig into his archive and present a new way of watching the Bond series.  It doesn't involve code name theory or a mixed-up timeline.  It takes alot of careful analysis of the films, some speculation and a bit of fun. The year of Bond watching order. what is it? How does it work? 

Listen to find out!

Hello dear listeners!

The "Reloaded" series continues! This time we go back in time to 1985 and take a second look at Roger Moore's swan song as 007! We discuss the good, the bad and the extremly silly! We also  bring up a few Bond fans essential reading: A Close Look at 'A View to a Kill' by Andrew McNess & Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the James Bond Films by Matthew Field  and Ajay Chowdhury. So come with us and dance into the fire!

Hello dear listeners!

We want to talk to you about James Bond’s best friend in the whole wide world: Felix Leiter. What a swell guy, eh? Oh, what’s that now? Which version?

Oh, no no, we’re talking about the Jack Lord version.

Nope, nor the Cec Linder one.

Nor the Norman Burton one either.

Okay, you can stop gues-.

No, not Rick Van Nutter.

It’s alright, we’ll just tel-

Ugh, not the Jeffrey Wright version either.

Alright, that’s it, this week we’re discussing Dynamite Entertainment’s “Felix Leither” comic book that ran from early to mid 2017. Written by James Robinson and drawn by Aaron Campbell, this 6-issue story arc takes the former CIA agent on a solo mission to mission to Japan…where he isn’t working solo since he’s actually partnered with Tiger Tanaka.

Fear not, listeners. It isn’t because 007 himself isn’t around that there isn’t anything to talk about. Have Dynamite Entertainment properly crafted the time line of their comics series? Is it better to have a romantic ending or a cynical one? What are the two things Felix and former flame Alena are good at (hint: one of them involves going undercover)? Can nobody ever really leave the CIA? Does Felix Leiter have Kermit the Frog eyes?

So sit back, relax, and let hosts Mathieu and Edgar take you on a unique detour away from Bond to spend time with an old friend.

No, it’s not the David Hedison version…

Hello dear listeners!

Sir Roger Moore is one of the most fondly remembered actors of the James Bond franchise. So many fondly recall and pay tribute to his generally kind personality and positive outlook on life. His flair for the debonair enabled him to portray several tremendous characters on television and film. Roles that demonstrated bravery, sophistication, terrific wit, unapologetic sexism and misogyny-

Woah, woah, woah, hold on there! Excuse me?

Hosts Mathieu and Edgar are back this week with a Roger Moore Detour, because there’s always time for some more Moore. And boy do we ever get a lot Moore than we bargained for!

In an attempt to think a little bit outside the box, the lads opt to review the long forgotten 1980 action thriller (relatively speaking) A Very British Die Hard. Oh, you don’t recognize the title? How about North Sea Hijack? Still no? Hmmm, Assault Force? Not even? Uh, “ffolkes”???

Whatever. They’ll be talking about that 1980 film in which Roger Moore plays a paramilitary expert and an absolute douche bag to anyone that bothers to lend him their ears for a minute, especially anyone belonging to the fairer sex. Yes, well, thinking outside the box for their film selection led to some, uh, surprising topics of conversation: why are cats superior to women? How did a woman get that job? Why are there even women in the room? And so on and so forth…

Oh, but on a more positive note, the film displays modern, progressive values by featuring a non-binary character. Sort of. Maybe a little. Actually just in ffolkes’ twisted reality it would seem.

Sit back, try your best to get comfortable. Maybe prepare yourself a really stiff drink. Or two or three.

Don’t tell us we didn’t warn you. Ffolkes won’t. Believe us.

Plenty to discuss here; the Goldeneye livestream, the death of Honor Blackman and whatever the 007 store recently added to it,s page!

Hello dear listeners!

The time has come to travel back to a decade when the disco balls reigned supreme, funk was in the air, it was alright to catch some Saturday Night Fever, and the James Bond film franchise began to explore bold new avenues to tell its stories to the world. Oh yeah, let's go back to the 1970s!

Not only did the franchise have to deal with a new era of Bond filmmaking insofar as the Roger Moore tenure got fully into swing (that's another decade altogether!), but so too did the producers have to bring in new composers for some of the scores. In this new chapter of the podcast's Bond Beats series, Volume 2: the 70s, Mathieu and Edgar spin the vinyl of all 5 Bond scores that rocked the decade, from "Diamonds are Forever" through to "Moonraker." John Barry is back in full force, but legends George Martin and Marvin Hamlisch try their hat as well. 

Like last time in Volume 1: the 60s, the boys take a slightly different approach to discussing the music. Beyond just stating which cues and tracks they like most, listeners will get a peak into what the music makes then feel and imagine. The conversation takes some delightful twists and turns: What could the lyrics to ''Q's Trick'' be like? How much better and wetter are things under the sea with a Disney swim and dance number? How effective is the Moonraker score at helping one fall asleep? How much lounge music is too much lounge music? Which piece of music is fit for the a picnic under a tree on the perfect summer day?

So sit back, relax, put your ear buds on and enjoy the ride through the scores of the 1970s. Brass, strings, funk and disco. Let's go!

Hello dear listeners!

We may have lost Sir Roger Moore in 2017, but his words and legendary wit still live. In 2012 the third man to play James Bond sat down and wrote a book about his experience with the world of 007 from its inception to his part in it and even after leaving the role. Edgar and Matt share their  experience of savouring in the late actor's words in print and audio form.

Hello dear listeners!

Imagine if you could travel back in time to WWII, when spycraft was a far cry from the game it is today. Even as a simple civilian you could be recruited and trained as a spy to perform various tasks and trades to help the Allied forces push the tide of the war. It’s both a frightening and exhilarating proposition.

No, hosts Mathieu and Edgar have not built a time machine. Rather, Netflix and the BBC took care of that for them! This week on the show the boys review the 2018 miniseries Churchill’s Secret Agents: The New Recruits, a reality television show that has ordinary people partake in a WWII era and authentic training regime to become part of the Special Operations Executive.

A relatively brief series with only 5 episodes, the show is explored in great detail by the lads, who take note of some of the more important details that struck their curiosity.

How come it’s always the little mousy ones that would be ready to kill a man?

Could one become a member of the SOE if one was afraid of heights?

Even the grandmothers are hot, so it was exactly like a James Bond movie.

French and German officers spoke impeccable English.

There’s no time to faff around, so get ready for another thrilling instalment of The James Bond Complex, early 1940s style!

SPOILER WARNING!!! This week the hosts delve deeply into No Time to Die plot details.

Hello dear listeners!

It’s now April 2020. In what must be one of the podcast’s most highly anticipated episodes since the show’s launch, the hosts offer you an incredible exclusive. No other 007 themed podcasts were given the glorious privilege that we were.

Finally here is The James Bond Complex’s review of No Time to Die!

And suffice to say that it left the hosts quite surprised from start to finish, including about the general plot outline itself. Oh, those marketing people at EON, MGM and Universal were very clever with this one, throwing the fanbase off the scent with a marketing campaign that had everyone guessing incorrectly. Trust us when we say that this is not the No Time to Die you were probably expecting!

Matt, Edgar, and the International Man of Mystery himself Jason Kim leave no stone unturned in this unexpected review filled with twists and turns. Who would be better to test a tank: Jason or Pierce Brosnan? Would Michael Bay or Christopher Nolan be more suited to make a tank movie? Did Fiona Volpe fake her own death before becoming a member of S.P.E.C.T.R.E.? How cool is it that filmmakers still shoot films in Cinemascope these days? Is the latest Bond film the one that finally lays to rest the codename theory? Does NTTD actually suggest that even Daniel Craig’s version of the character is the same as the 5 previous? Also, where’s Daniel Craig in this movie???

So sit back and- you know what, you won’t be able to sit back this week. This exclusive No Time to Die review will have you on the edge of your seat. The hosts still can’t believe the film they just watched!*

*No, really. They genuinely don’t understand which version of No Time to Die this is.**

** Maybe this one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOx0KG0EErI&t=53s