Since I saw my first Bond film in the theatres (I’m pretty sure it was Moonraker), I haven’t not seen a subsequent one in the theatre in first release. I’ve even managed to see some of the older ones on big screens in retrospectives, but I’ve certainly seen them all multiple times via rentals and TV showings. Health permitting, I’ll be in the theatres for Skyfall the first Saturday.
I’m not sure why I’ve never questioned this. I don’t feel like a particular Bond fan. It was just normal. I mean, those are mandatory pop culture currency, right? We all know the Ms and the Qs and Aston Martin and have a favourite actor and a favourite flick and love interest and theme song? I think my family normalised it, even though my parents aren’t big movie watchers and my sister tends to the erudite much more than I do.
I’ve read all the Fleming books, done all the cursory reading about his connections to Jamaica, and getting Bond’s name from an ornithology book about Caribbean birds. That was part and parcel of being Jamaican I guess. But I doubt all my countrymen are unthinking fans in the way I am. There’s probably a large amount of non-fuck giving, I’d imagine.
I do have a favourite theme song, although I like a lot of them…currently my favourite is Tina Turner’s Goldeneye, but I like more of them than I dislike—and I love that they form their own little genre. When I heard the Garbage song, I thought Bond song before I *knew* Bond song—that’s some good songing there.
But no movie has been more devoid of decision than Bond. I’m almost not excited about Skyfall (I get excited about each new actor, and I’m happy about the new movies, but it’s more like the next episode well into the season).
But I am glad that it’s is getting good reviews. I’d much rather see a good movie than a bad one. But they had my first week money either way. He’s my guy.
(In a way I’d love to see Modesty Blaise be my movie woman…)
