007 Week Begins: An Introduction

Welcome to 007 Week here on the blog; an event anticipating and celebrating the release of SPECTRE (2015) on Friday, November 6th...scant days away.

I, for one, can't wait for the new film. 

I absolutely love how the Daniel Craig Bond Era has dedicated itself to the meticulous re-building the agent's world with the first DNA strand, showing us Bond's first mission and emotional tragedy in Casino Royale (2006), and introducing us to the world around him (Moneypenny, Q, and M) in Skyfall.  

Given its title, we can fully expect that the new film will resurrect Bond's greatest nemeses: a diabolical criminal organization and the mastermind who leads it.

In broad terms, Ian Fleming's 007 -- James Bond -- has been with us in print, on the silver screen, and in toy stores too, for well over 50 years now, and inspired imitators and knock-offs, not to mention scholarly works looking at the philosophy underlying his world.

This week on the blog, I'll review some of my favorite Bond films, rank the agent's vehicles, pre-title sequences, and other formulaic factors, focus on some Bond Tropes (in terms of characters and situations...) and look back at some of the nostalgic merchandise I grew up with.

You know his name. 

Now before you see SPECTRE, I hope you'll re-familiarize yourself with his world, right here...for 007 week.