Benson takes over 007’s adventures from John Gardner, and delivered this short story that first appeared in Playboy in 1997. Benson shows that he can tell a Bond story in true Ian Fleming style, though the ending definitely is a little more adult, but hardly surprising given the context of where it was published. James…
Tag: new york
The Hard Way (1991) – John Badham
Micheal J. Fox has always been one of my favourite actors, I grew up watching him on Family Ties, wanted to be hi in Back to the Future, and followed him to Spin City and beyond, so when his buddy-cop movie was coming out in 1991, you know I was there for it. Fox plays…
A Good Day To Die Hard (2013) – John Moore
Bruce Willis returns for a fifth time as New York cop John McClane in an instalment which I desperately hope isn’t the final one in the series because it’s so abysmally bad and you don’t want a series like this to go out on a bad note. Directed by John Moore (who’s past films didn’t…
Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) – John McTiernan
Director John McTiernan returns for the third (and arguably the last real) Die Hard film that sees Bruce Willis reprise his role as New York Police Detective John McClane (Michael Kamen returns as well to deliver the score) in a story that, this time, is set in New York. Joining Willis on screen is Jeremy…
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) – Guy Hamilton
Fred Ward and Joel Grey (who received a Golden Globe nomination for his supporting role, while his make up and prosthetics were nominated for an Oscar in the makeup category) bring the action novel series, The Destroyer to the big screen in a film directed by 007 alumni, Guy Hamilton with a script by another…
For Special Services (1982) – John Gardner
John Gardner’s second 007 novel, updating Ian Fleming’s James Bond for the 1980s, is on the book shelf this week, and delivers the crisp, solid, sex and violence filled thrill ride we’ve come to expect from England’s top spy. This story, set largely in America, sees the return of Bond’s old nemesis, SPECTRE, with the…
The X-Files (1994) – Blood, and Sleepless
Mulder (David Duchovny) finds himself in a paranoia and violence filled town in Blood. Written by Glen Morgan and James Wong from a story by Darin Morgan (who had just appeared as the monster in the previous episode), this episode first aired on 30 September, 1994. A seemingly unconnected series of violent incidents leads Mulder…
The French Connection (1971) – William Friedkin
William Friedkin’s 1971 classic has deserved a rewatch for awhile, and I was quite happy to settle in for it. I like Gene Hackman, who won himself an Academy Award for his turn as NYPD officer Popeye Doyle, and I’m a huge fan of Roy Scheider who plays his partner, Cloudy, and received a nomination…
Goldfinger (1959) – Ian Fleming
This week’s 007 is the seventh novel in the series, and while it bears some similarities to the film that would eventually spring from it, it is also very much it’s own thing. Secret Agent James Bond finishes up a mission in Mexico, like a pre-credits adventure, which does get alluded to in the film…
Diamonds Are Forever (1956) – Ian Fleming
The fourth James Bond adventure by Ian Fleming is on my book shelf this week, and I dug into it eagerly. Despite some troubling moments of racism, 007’s literary adventure in this book is damned enjoyable, and you can see a number of themes and locales survived the jump to the big screen with Sean…
The Mind Reels 