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composer

John Barry James Bond film composer death
  • James Bond

Composer John Barry Dies At Age 77

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Famed film composer John Barry dies at age 77

Read MoreRead more about Composer John Barry Dies At Age 77
The famous boat jump over a car in Live and Let Di The famous boat jump over a car in Live and Let Die was filmed on October 15, 1972, at the Crawdad Bridge in Louisiana. 

Stuntman Jerry Comeaux performed the jump during the shooting of the bayou chase scene. The actual stunt was only practiced in the bayou since it was believed to be too dangerous to attempt actual jumps over the road. The crew had tested the trajectory the boat would take using a bamboo mockup of the road, a car and a dummy (ie. Sheriff Pepper). Seventeen Glastron GT-150 speedboats were destroyed during the practice runs to get the calculations perfect. 

A hidden wooden ramp was used for the modified speedboat to get airboune. Comeaux was nervous about the stunt that left a zero margin for error. He said, "The base of the ramp marked a critical point of no return. There was no alternative—no veering off to right or left. Either I jumped—or else." 

The stunt was done in one attempt. Comeaux hit the ramp at 56mph and the boat cleared the highway, the police car and the dummy. Jumping a total of 110-feet, the stunt landed in The Guinness Book of World Records for the longest boat jump in film.

The film went through 26 Glastron boats to film the entire chase scene.
Tanya Roberts as Stacey Sutton in A View to a Kill Tanya Roberts as Stacey Sutton in A View to a Kill.

After seeing her performance in the 1982 film The Beastmaster, (such a fun film!) Cubby Broccoli thought Roberts would make a perfect Bond girl.

Broccoli reached out to Roberts while she was filming Sheena: Queen of the Jungle (not a good film). She flew out to meet Broccoli and was offered the part of geologist Stacy Sutton in A View to a Kill without having a formal audition.

While starring in a James Bond film wasn't one of Roberts' career goals, she was a Bond fan. "I've seen them all, but I never thought of being in one—it just didn't cross my mind. I love them, because they're escapism. Still, I think the people who are dreaming about being in movies, like the Bond films, are generally the people who aren't in movies.”

"When I receive a script, I break down the scenes and, in the case of Stacey , I worked on the little idiosyncracies. Quite often, in an adventure film like this one, there isn't time to develop the character fully, so what you have to do is give her superficial bits that make it look like there's more than what the audience sees. I concentrate on manners of speech, the way she walks.”

Roberts handled several of her own stunts in A View to a Kill , including being lifted in a harness through flames. "But nothing I consider dangerous” she said.

Roberts had only positive things to say about working with Roger Moore. “Roger’s very consistent and nice and he's always in a good mood, very professional and easy to work with. You might as well be married to the people you're working with in a film; it is a marriage, more or less. You get all kinds of personalities, and it's nice when you get mellow ones like Roger Moore.”

"Starring in A View to a Kill is a very big step, a very big break, because everyone sees a James Bond movie. What is of paramount importance is the next role I play. Selecting my next movie is the thing I must give full concentration to doing. It is the next role that will cement my career as an actress!”

Unfortunately, Roberts didn’t score any major film roles from James Bond, but she would continue to work in television. Roberts died in 2021.
The Evil Dead, 1981. Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell The Evil Dead, 1981.

Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell met in high school in Michigan. They made many Super 8 film shorts. After few years later, along with producer Robert Tapert, they set out to make a feature length film based on a short film they made called Within the Woods. It would be the model for The Evil Dead. Raimi would direct and Campbell @shemp_malone would play the lead role of Ash Williams.

After securing investors, the team began filming at a remote cabin in Tennessee. The shoot was scheduled for six weeks, however it doubled. Because filming went on for so long, many of the cast and crew had to leave to get back to their normal jobs. By the end it was down to a skeleton crew with Raimi, Campbell and Tapert. Raimi and Campbell then spent nearly a year doing pick up shots and editing the film together. 

Originally, the film was called Book of the Dead. However, it was changed feeling it was not a commercial enough title. The Evil Dead was chosen. The first private screening was held on October 15, 1981 at the Redford Theater in Detroit, Michigan. 

The film managed to get a screening at Cannes, Stephen King saw it and gave it a rave review calling it, "the most ferociously original horror film of the year".

King's positive reaction helped give the film exposure. New Line Cinema picked up distribution rights and released it to theaters on April 15, 1983. The film became hit grossing more than it's small budget of $350,000.

The Evil Dead launched a franchise - with sequels (Evil Dead II, Army of Darkness), a soft reboot - is that what we call Evil Dead Rise? There was a television show (Ash vs Evil Dead), video games and comic books. 

Despite launching his directing career and the film becoming such a beloved cult classic, Raimi has always considered The Evil Dead as something of a desperate, low-budget necessity at the time. “Bruce, Rob and I were just trying to break into the business. Trying as hard as we could to make a movie good enough to play in the drive-ins... I never considered it as anything."
Daniel Craig was officially announced as the sixth Daniel Craig was officially announced as the sixth actor to play James Bond during a press event on the banks of the River Thames on October 14, 2005.

The location was specifically chosen so Craig could arrive in front of the press in a military speedboat. The new James Bond, a speedboat, a dramatic entrance - it seemed like the perfect idea, but there was unexpected fallout from it.

Because he was being driven by Royal Marines in the speedboat, military protocol required Craig to wear a life jacket - not exactly the image they wanted to present for this new gritty 007. Plus, he looked awkward and uncomfortable during the water ride. ALSO, the press spotted him chewing gum, which made him look even more nervous and unsophisticated. To the press' eyes this new blonde actor looked very 'un-Bond-like'.

And then the fallout began. The press had a field day mocking Craig's entrance and his casting. Headlines like, 'James Blonde', 'The Daring New 007 Arrives Scared and in a Life Jacket', 'The Name's Bland...James Bland'. Internet message boards filled with fans upset about Craig's selection. Remember that website, CraigIsNotBond that was made specifically to boycott the choice of Craig and to boycott his 007. 

Of course, the backlash eventually settled down (at least most of it) and Craig was applauded when Casino Royale was released and audiences got to see his performance and this new direction the Bond films were heading into.

But it all started out rather shaky from that first announcement. Craig later said that speedboat press event was a "fucking train wreck". 

I'm not sure how or when they'll announce the new James Bond, but I think it's highly unlikely they'll make him wear a life jacket the first time he steps in front of the world's press.
When Roger Moore was cast as James Bond in 1972, i When Roger Moore was cast as James Bond in 1972, inevitably he was asked by reporters how did he think he would do as the new 007. 

He said, "I think that I've got an even-money chance to make it. After all, I've been around a long time in this business. I did The Saint on television for seven years."

Moore would end playing James Bond in seven films. 

Moore had been considered to play 007 earlier. Thanks to his role as The Saint, Bond producers approached him about taking on the role from Sean Connery in 1967 and then again in 1969. But since Moore was busy working on television he was unable to.

In 1971, Moore was starring in the show The Persuaders with Tony Curtis. A year later the show was cancelled and the timing was perfect for Moore to step into the role of 007 which was again vacant after Connery's second departure.

Looking back on his tenure as 007, Moore said his favorite Bond movie he did was The Spy Who Loved Me.

"I think The Spy Who Loved Me was the best, or rather the one I enjoyed doing the most. It had great locations. And I was exceedingly happy working with Lewis Gilbert, the director. We share the same sense of humor. I think it had the right balance of fun and suspense." 

As for his least liked Bond film he made, he voted for A View to a Kill. Moore was unhappy with the violence in the film and felt he was to old to be playing James Bond. He said, "I was only about 400 years too old for the part!" 

Unlike Connery, who wanted to distance himself from the role of 007, Moore embraced his connection to the character. "I don't mind being branded as James Bond. It means some people are seeing what you're doing. You know, I did an awful lot of things that you haven't mentioned because you don't remember them, you see?"
A press junket was held at the London Hilton Hotel A press junket was held at the London Hilton Hotel Roof Restaurant on October 13, 1968. About a week before filming of On Her Majesty's Secret Service was to begin filming, the new James Bond George Lazenby met with the press and was joined by co-star Diana Rigg.

Rigg was excited about moving from her television work on The Avengers to being part of a major blockbuster motion picture, which was one of the main reason she accepted the part of Tracy.

At one point Rigg made a sarcastic comment about the press event and the announcement to the media of @georgelazenbyofficial being the new 007. "Not a movie, a car showroom."

She also jokingly asked Lazenby, "You can act, can't you?"

The newspaper headlines immediately set the tone of the media scrutiny that followed the production and laid the groundwork for all the on-set feud rumors that persisted through filming and ultimately became part of the film's legacy. You know, like the famous 'garlic' story.

Some of the newspaper headlines for the event were - 'Emma Peel Meets the New James Bond', '007 and His New Lady', 'The Untried Bond", 'Can the New Bond Act?"

Filming for On Her Majesty's Secret Service would begin filming in Switzerland on October 21, 1968.
What do you have in your James Bond toy collection What do you have in your James Bond toy collection?

I figure almost every Bond fan has a some kind of Aston Martin DB5 toy somewhere around. It's one of the quintessential images associated with 007 and has appeared in a lot of the films. The car is beautiful, most of us would never be able to afford a real one, so the next best thing is to have a little toy of it to put on a shelf. 

How many types of DB5 toys have been made? The most famous is the classic 1965 Corgi Aston Martin DB5. Released during the height of Bond-mania, it was a toy every kid wanted. The ejector-seat feature allowed even more play value out of it. That Corgi DB5 became one of the best selling die-cast toy cars ever made. 

Since then there's been so many die-cast DB5's made. Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Mini GT, Johnny Lightning, Micro Machines, Lego.....So many different scales, 1:64, 1:24, 1:18....there's no shortage of choices of picking out a DB5 to put on your shelf or desk. 

I have my own 007 die-cast car collection. I stick with 1:64 scale cars since they're small, so they don't take up much space, they're not that expensive and they can look nice on a shelf. 

Johnny Lightning had a very cool line of Bond die-cast cars in the late 1990s and into 2000's to mark the series 40th anniversary. It was a nice selection of vehicles from the films. The DB5 pictured is from Johnny Lightning line. But, I mix and match different toy Bond vehicles from any manufacturer as long as it's 1:64 scale.

I do hope Amazon eventually makes some new Bond merch and does an extensive and well made 1:64 die-cast car line of vehicles from the films. There's a lot of Bond vehicles from the films I've never seen given the toy treatment that I would like to add to my 007 vehicle collection.

I was curious from any die-cast car Bond collectors, I imagine you have some kind of die-cast DB5, so which do you have and what do you consider the best detailed DB5 die cast that has been made? What's your favorite toy version of Bond's ride? What's the DB5 that's sitting on your shelf?
Frankenstein, 1931. After the huge success of Dra Frankenstein, 1931.

After the huge success of Dracula, Universal Studios immediately wanted to shift to making more horror films. 

Director James Whale had recently signed a contract with Universal and scored a big success with Waterloo Bridge. He was given the choice of what film he wanted to make next - and he choose Frankenstein.

Initially, Frankenstein was being developed with director Robert Florey and star Bela Lugosi. After executives watched test footage they had second thoughts about the film. Whale in a way resurrected the film and took over the project.

He choose his new cast, which included an unknown Boris Karloff. 

Legendary makeup man Jack Pierce was already the head of Universal's makeup department. He spent three to four hours a day turning Karloff into the monster, building the creature's face over Karloff's skin. Karloff also removed his dental bridge to help make his cheek look more sunken.

Pierce's creature has become one of the most iconic images in horror. When you think of Frankenstein's monster you think of Karloff and Pierce's work. 

Pierce once explained why he gave the creature his distinctive flat head -
"I did not give the monster a flat head just to make him look scary. I reasoned that Dr. Frankenstein was a scientist, not a modern neurosurgeon. He wouldn’t have the tools to delicately open a skull. He would take the easy way: cut the top of the skull straight across like a lid, hinge it back, pop the brain in, and clamp it shut. That is why the head is flat and has a scar running all the way around."
Sigourney Weaver in Aliens, 1986. Sigourney Weave Sigourney Weaver in Aliens, 1986.

Sigourney Weaver was hesitant to return for a sequel to Alien, but after reading James Cameron's script she reconsidered. She was impressed by it and loved the mother-daughter bond between Ripley and Newt, so she signed on. 

A major point of friction between Weaver and Cameron was over Ripley using weapons in the film. Weaver, an advocate for gun control, told Cameron she didn't want Ripley to use any guns and felt a flamethrower would be enough weaponry for her to use in the story.

To rewrite the script and drop all the firearms was impossible. Cameron suggested they make Ripley a person who hates violence, but uses the weapons out of absolute necessity. That was enough for Weaver. 

Weaver has said she loved that Aliens gave audiences a chance to understand Ripley on a deeper level than in Alien. It was the character's evolution in Aliens that really propelled Ripley into becoming one of cinema's greatest action heroes. 

However, Weaver has said she never viewed the character that way. "What I loved about Ripley...was that I didn't really feel like a badass heroine ever. What I felt was like you or me in this situation, wondering what the fuck you were going to do. It was an everyman character that could be any of us."

Weaver would receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her performance of Ripley in Aliens. 

Of course, Weaver returned to play Ripley in Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection. She has said Aliens is her favorite Alien film, specifically because of Cameron's script and the satisfying story for the character. 

"The best-constructed story for the character to tell was in Aliens, just because Jim has such an amazing sense of structure of story. To take this character out of hyper-sleep, have no one believe her, have her be exiled into this limbo land where no one believes her and her family's dead... and then what she ends up doing and finding this new family by the end. The whole structure of that story, to me, was gold."
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNy63FbgqhQ
haphazardstuff HaphazardStuff @haphazardstuff ·
7 Oct

George Lazenby was officially announced as the new James Bond, succeeding Sean Connery, on October 7, 1968. The announcement was made at a press conference held at the Dorchester Hotel in London. He was selected to star in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Reply on Twitter 2107745751019266379 Retweet on Twitter 2107745751019266379 7 Like on Twitter 2107745751019266379 56 Twitter 2107745751019266379
Load More
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haphazardstuff HaphazardStuff @haphazardstuff ·
7 Oct

George Lazenby was officially announced as the new James Bond, succeeding Sean Connery, on October 7, 1968. The announcement was made at a press conference held at the Dorchester Hotel in London. He was selected to star in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Reply on Twitter 2107745751019266379 Retweet on Twitter 2107745751019266379 7 Like on Twitter 2107745751019266379 56 Twitter 2107745751019266379
Load More
The famous boat jump over a car in Live and Let Di The famous boat jump over a car in Live and Let Die was filmed on October 15, 1972, at the Crawdad Bridge in Louisiana. 

Stuntman Jerry Comeaux performed the jump during the shooting of the bayou chase scene. The actual stunt was only practiced in the bayou since it was believed to be too dangerous to attempt actual jumps over the road. The crew had tested the trajectory the boat would take using a bamboo mockup of the road, a car and a dummy (ie. Sheriff Pepper). Seventeen Glastron GT-150 speedboats were destroyed during the practice runs to get the calculations perfect. 

A hidden wooden ramp was used for the modified speedboat to get airboune. Comeaux was nervous about the stunt that left a zero margin for error. He said, "The base of the ramp marked a critical point of no return. There was no alternative—no veering off to right or left. Either I jumped—or else." 

The stunt was done in one attempt. Comeaux hit the ramp at 56mph and the boat cleared the highway, the police car and the dummy. Jumping a total of 110-feet, the stunt landed in The Guinness Book of World Records for the longest boat jump in film.

The film went through 26 Glastron boats to film the entire chase scene.
Tanya Roberts as Stacey Sutton in A View to a Kill Tanya Roberts as Stacey Sutton in A View to a Kill.

After seeing her performance in the 1982 film The Beastmaster, (such a fun film!) Cubby Broccoli thought Roberts would make a perfect Bond girl.

Broccoli reached out to Roberts while she was filming Sheena: Queen of the Jungle (not a good film). She flew out to meet Broccoli and was offered the part of geologist Stacy Sutton in A View to a Kill without having a formal audition.

While starring in a James Bond film wasn't one of Roberts' career goals, she was a Bond fan. "I've seen them all, but I never thought of being in one—it just didn't cross my mind. I love them, because they're escapism. Still, I think the people who are dreaming about being in movies, like the Bond films, are generally the people who aren't in movies.”

"When I receive a script, I break down the scenes and, in the case of Stacey , I worked on the little idiosyncracies. Quite often, in an adventure film like this one, there isn't time to develop the character fully, so what you have to do is give her superficial bits that make it look like there's more than what the audience sees. I concentrate on manners of speech, the way she walks.”

Roberts handled several of her own stunts in A View to a Kill , including being lifted in a harness through flames. "But nothing I consider dangerous” she said.

Roberts had only positive things to say about working with Roger Moore. “Roger’s very consistent and nice and he's always in a good mood, very professional and easy to work with. You might as well be married to the people you're working with in a film; it is a marriage, more or less. You get all kinds of personalities, and it's nice when you get mellow ones like Roger Moore.”

"Starring in A View to a Kill is a very big step, a very big break, because everyone sees a James Bond movie. What is of paramount importance is the next role I play. Selecting my next movie is the thing I must give full concentration to doing. It is the next role that will cement my career as an actress!”

Unfortunately, Roberts didn’t score any major film roles from James Bond, but she would continue to work in television. Roberts died in 2021.
The Evil Dead, 1981. Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell The Evil Dead, 1981.

Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell met in high school in Michigan. They made many Super 8 film shorts. After few years later, along with producer Robert Tapert, they set out to make a feature length film based on a short film they made called Within the Woods. It would be the model for The Evil Dead. Raimi would direct and Campbell @shemp_malone would play the lead role of Ash Williams.

After securing investors, the team began filming at a remote cabin in Tennessee. The shoot was scheduled for six weeks, however it doubled. Because filming went on for so long, many of the cast and crew had to leave to get back to their normal jobs. By the end it was down to a skeleton crew with Raimi, Campbell and Tapert. Raimi and Campbell then spent nearly a year doing pick up shots and editing the film together. 

Originally, the film was called Book of the Dead. However, it was changed feeling it was not a commercial enough title. The Evil Dead was chosen. The first private screening was held on October 15, 1981 at the Redford Theater in Detroit, Michigan. 

The film managed to get a screening at Cannes, Stephen King saw it and gave it a rave review calling it, "the most ferociously original horror film of the year".

King's positive reaction helped give the film exposure. New Line Cinema picked up distribution rights and released it to theaters on April 15, 1983. The film became hit grossing more than it's small budget of $350,000.

The Evil Dead launched a franchise - with sequels (Evil Dead II, Army of Darkness), a soft reboot - is that what we call Evil Dead Rise? There was a television show (Ash vs Evil Dead), video games and comic books. 

Despite launching his directing career and the film becoming such a beloved cult classic, Raimi has always considered The Evil Dead as something of a desperate, low-budget necessity at the time. “Bruce, Rob and I were just trying to break into the business. Trying as hard as we could to make a movie good enough to play in the drive-ins... I never considered it as anything."
Daniel Craig was officially announced as the sixth Daniel Craig was officially announced as the sixth actor to play James Bond during a press event on the banks of the River Thames on October 14, 2005.

The location was specifically chosen so Craig could arrive in front of the press in a military speedboat. The new James Bond, a speedboat, a dramatic entrance - it seemed like the perfect idea, but there was unexpected fallout from it.

Because he was being driven by Royal Marines in the speedboat, military protocol required Craig to wear a life jacket - not exactly the image they wanted to present for this new gritty 007. Plus, he looked awkward and uncomfortable during the water ride. ALSO, the press spotted him chewing gum, which made him look even more nervous and unsophisticated. To the press' eyes this new blonde actor looked very 'un-Bond-like'.

And then the fallout began. The press had a field day mocking Craig's entrance and his casting. Headlines like, 'James Blonde', 'The Daring New 007 Arrives Scared and in a Life Jacket', 'The Name's Bland...James Bland'. Internet message boards filled with fans upset about Craig's selection. Remember that website, CraigIsNotBond that was made specifically to boycott the choice of Craig and to boycott his 007. 

Of course, the backlash eventually settled down (at least most of it) and Craig was applauded when Casino Royale was released and audiences got to see his performance and this new direction the Bond films were heading into.

But it all started out rather shaky from that first announcement. Craig later said that speedboat press event was a "fucking train wreck". 

I'm not sure how or when they'll announce the new James Bond, but I think it's highly unlikely they'll make him wear a life jacket the first time he steps in front of the world's press.
When Roger Moore was cast as James Bond in 1972, i When Roger Moore was cast as James Bond in 1972, inevitably he was asked by reporters how did he think he would do as the new 007. 

He said, "I think that I've got an even-money chance to make it. After all, I've been around a long time in this business. I did The Saint on television for seven years."

Moore would end playing James Bond in seven films. 

Moore had been considered to play 007 earlier. Thanks to his role as The Saint, Bond producers approached him about taking on the role from Sean Connery in 1967 and then again in 1969. But since Moore was busy working on television he was unable to.

In 1971, Moore was starring in the show The Persuaders with Tony Curtis. A year later the show was cancelled and the timing was perfect for Moore to step into the role of 007 which was again vacant after Connery's second departure.

Looking back on his tenure as 007, Moore said his favorite Bond movie he did was The Spy Who Loved Me.

"I think The Spy Who Loved Me was the best, or rather the one I enjoyed doing the most. It had great locations. And I was exceedingly happy working with Lewis Gilbert, the director. We share the same sense of humor. I think it had the right balance of fun and suspense." 

As for his least liked Bond film he made, he voted for A View to a Kill. Moore was unhappy with the violence in the film and felt he was to old to be playing James Bond. He said, "I was only about 400 years too old for the part!" 

Unlike Connery, who wanted to distance himself from the role of 007, Moore embraced his connection to the character. "I don't mind being branded as James Bond. It means some people are seeing what you're doing. You know, I did an awful lot of things that you haven't mentioned because you don't remember them, you see?"
A press junket was held at the London Hilton Hotel A press junket was held at the London Hilton Hotel Roof Restaurant on October 13, 1968. About a week before filming of On Her Majesty's Secret Service was to begin filming, the new James Bond George Lazenby met with the press and was joined by co-star Diana Rigg.

Rigg was excited about moving from her television work on The Avengers to being part of a major blockbuster motion picture, which was one of the main reason she accepted the part of Tracy.

At one point Rigg made a sarcastic comment about the press event and the announcement to the media of @georgelazenbyofficial being the new 007. "Not a movie, a car showroom."

She also jokingly asked Lazenby, "You can act, can't you?"

The newspaper headlines immediately set the tone of the media scrutiny that followed the production and laid the groundwork for all the on-set feud rumors that persisted through filming and ultimately became part of the film's legacy. You know, like the famous 'garlic' story.

Some of the newspaper headlines for the event were - 'Emma Peel Meets the New James Bond', '007 and His New Lady', 'The Untried Bond", 'Can the New Bond Act?"

Filming for On Her Majesty's Secret Service would begin filming in Switzerland on October 21, 1968.
What do you have in your James Bond toy collection What do you have in your James Bond toy collection?

I figure almost every Bond fan has a some kind of Aston Martin DB5 toy somewhere around. It's one of the quintessential images associated with 007 and has appeared in a lot of the films. The car is beautiful, most of us would never be able to afford a real one, so the next best thing is to have a little toy of it to put on a shelf. 

How many types of DB5 toys have been made? The most famous is the classic 1965 Corgi Aston Martin DB5. Released during the height of Bond-mania, it was a toy every kid wanted. The ejector-seat feature allowed even more play value out of it. That Corgi DB5 became one of the best selling die-cast toy cars ever made. 

Since then there's been so many die-cast DB5's made. Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Mini GT, Johnny Lightning, Micro Machines, Lego.....So many different scales, 1:64, 1:24, 1:18....there's no shortage of choices of picking out a DB5 to put on your shelf or desk. 

I have my own 007 die-cast car collection. I stick with 1:64 scale cars since they're small, so they don't take up much space, they're not that expensive and they can look nice on a shelf. 

Johnny Lightning had a very cool line of Bond die-cast cars in the late 1990s and into 2000's to mark the series 40th anniversary. It was a nice selection of vehicles from the films. The DB5 pictured is from Johnny Lightning line. But, I mix and match different toy Bond vehicles from any manufacturer as long as it's 1:64 scale.

I do hope Amazon eventually makes some new Bond merch and does an extensive and well made 1:64 die-cast car line of vehicles from the films. There's a lot of Bond vehicles from the films I've never seen given the toy treatment that I would like to add to my 007 vehicle collection.

I was curious from any die-cast car Bond collectors, I imagine you have some kind of die-cast DB5, so which do you have and what do you consider the best detailed DB5 die cast that has been made? What's your favorite toy version of Bond's ride? What's the DB5 that's sitting on your shelf?
Frankenstein, 1931. After the huge success of Dra Frankenstein, 1931.

After the huge success of Dracula, Universal Studios immediately wanted to shift to making more horror films. 

Director James Whale had recently signed a contract with Universal and scored a big success with Waterloo Bridge. He was given the choice of what film he wanted to make next - and he choose Frankenstein.

Initially, Frankenstein was being developed with director Robert Florey and star Bela Lugosi. After executives watched test footage they had second thoughts about the film. Whale in a way resurrected the film and took over the project.

He choose his new cast, which included an unknown Boris Karloff. 

Legendary makeup man Jack Pierce was already the head of Universal's makeup department. He spent three to four hours a day turning Karloff into the monster, building the creature's face over Karloff's skin. Karloff also removed his dental bridge to help make his cheek look more sunken.

Pierce's creature has become one of the most iconic images in horror. When you think of Frankenstein's monster you think of Karloff and Pierce's work. 

Pierce once explained why he gave the creature his distinctive flat head -
"I did not give the monster a flat head just to make him look scary. I reasoned that Dr. Frankenstein was a scientist, not a modern neurosurgeon. He wouldn’t have the tools to delicately open a skull. He would take the easy way: cut the top of the skull straight across like a lid, hinge it back, pop the brain in, and clamp it shut. That is why the head is flat and has a scar running all the way around."
Sigourney Weaver in Aliens, 1986. Sigourney Weave Sigourney Weaver in Aliens, 1986.

Sigourney Weaver was hesitant to return for a sequel to Alien, but after reading James Cameron's script she reconsidered. She was impressed by it and loved the mother-daughter bond between Ripley and Newt, so she signed on. 

A major point of friction between Weaver and Cameron was over Ripley using weapons in the film. Weaver, an advocate for gun control, told Cameron she didn't want Ripley to use any guns and felt a flamethrower would be enough weaponry for her to use in the story.

To rewrite the script and drop all the firearms was impossible. Cameron suggested they make Ripley a person who hates violence, but uses the weapons out of absolute necessity. That was enough for Weaver. 

Weaver has said she loved that Aliens gave audiences a chance to understand Ripley on a deeper level than in Alien. It was the character's evolution in Aliens that really propelled Ripley into becoming one of cinema's greatest action heroes. 

However, Weaver has said she never viewed the character that way. "What I loved about Ripley...was that I didn't really feel like a badass heroine ever. What I felt was like you or me in this situation, wondering what the fuck you were going to do. It was an everyman character that could be any of us."

Weaver would receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her performance of Ripley in Aliens. 

Of course, Weaver returned to play Ripley in Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection. She has said Aliens is her favorite Alien film, specifically because of Cameron's script and the satisfying story for the character. 

"The best-constructed story for the character to tell was in Aliens, just because Jim has such an amazing sense of structure of story. To take this character out of hyper-sleep, have no one believe her, have her be exiled into this limbo land where no one believes her and her family's dead... and then what she ends up doing and finding this new family by the end. The whole structure of that story, to me, was gold."
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