The Bens (Thrilling Adventure Hour) join the Matts to talk about what they may or may not like about Die Another Day!
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James Bonding #008: DIE ANOTHER DAY with Ben Blacker and Ben Acker
I think the whole VR training scene was just a set-up for Bond to tell Q that it was “just a flesh wound,” because John Cleese uttered the same line as the black knight in Holy Grail.
Hi guys – just FYI…Friday the 13th Part VI, Jason Lives is the one that makes a nod to the James Bond gun barrel opening. The entire movie itself is a satirical look at the horror genre, with references to action films thrown in, the Bond opening being one of many.
You guys really underplayed the whole bit with Michael Madsen/Judi Dench and how “You should have disclosed to us that they went to college together. Let us break down how breathtakingly stupid that is.
Fact: The Full-Moon General dude specifically told Bond that he sent his son to Harvard.
That would have had to go through about 183 levels of State Department nonsense and there would likely have been agents AT HARVARD to keep an eye on him.
Fact: Miranda Frost was the legitimate silver medalist in her weight class at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The gold medalist “died of steroid overdose” (Yeah, OK, whatever) and she got the gold.
That would have been the most controversial thing to ever happen at the Olympics. Ever. That would have been covered to death by every media outlet. That controversy, plus the fact that she’s a stone fox, would have made Frost maybe the most famous fencer ever.
Even without the steroid controversy, the British press would have paid attention to this hot fencer who finished silver. At least one story would have been done on her and that story would have included WHERE SHE FREAKING WENT TO SCHOOL!!!!!!
I almost walked out of the theatre. I wish I would have.
This is actually my first and favorite bond film.
You mentioned that you like the idea that James Bond happens to know a guy who can fit him for a suit in Hong Kong. In Diamonds Are Forever, when James Bond is in bed with Tiffany Case, he mentions that he knows a good tailor in Hong Kong. I’m pretty sure the tailor he calls in Die Another Day was a deliberate reference to Diamonds Are Forever.
I thought Stephen Hawking did a solid job singing the theme.
Dammit, this is very quickly becoming my favorite podcast. I only got through 10 minutes of Casino Royale and I had to stop because the lovefest made me want to see the film again so I could join in.
I agree this movie is awful (still fun!), but I can’t get on board for your hate of Halle Berry. She is so beautiful, especially with short hair. And she knew the lines coming out of her character were ridiculous, so she was hamming it up as much as anybody else. Besides, Denise Richards is almost unwatchable without the mute, and is definitely the worst.
Also, you should see Monster’s Ball. It’s a great movie and has good performances by Heath Ledger as well as Halle Berry.
Wow, Acker and Blacker listen to Adam and Joe!
I suspected as much when one of them called Bond ‘Bronholm’ but of course they had to foolow it up with the immortal Tafinn scene.
Oh and boggins:
Just coming!
The reason they couldn’t get the diamonds out of DiamondFace’s head is that *Diamonds are Forever*.
Apologies.
Great podcast. I really hope you do a second season of live commentary that we can listen to while watching the actual movies.
I really like the line about him throwing away his cyanide. The fact that he’d be in training, they’d say “If you’re captured take this and it’ll kill you,” and he’d say “F-that” and on top of that never tell anyone is pretty awesome.
A couple notes.
Pierce Brosnan first time driving an Aston Martin is in Goldeneye, he drives the Aston Martin DB5 at the beginning with the evaluator.
IMHO, the lowest point in the Bond series for me was a 57 year old Roger Moore Snowboarding to the beach boys.
Dudes, When you’re dissin it you’re missin it. When Brosnan slips into an Irish accent when he and M are talking about what you can and can’t do as a double-O is brilliant acting — he’s going brogue.
Enjoy the podcast so much I recently purchased the BOND 50 Blu-ray box set because I wanted to have all the Roger Moore’s ready to go in a couple of months, and it seems to be worth it for his commentary tracks alone (so far a great story about Cubby getting pissed at the American premiere of FYEO because Sheena Easton forgot to mention the film in that morning’s TV interview).
Die Another Day was a train wreck but it was enjoyable wreckage compared to Thunderball. My biggest complaint in the film, and I didn’t hear this touched on much in the podcast, is after Bond shaves his beard, it’s like all of the internal weight of being a tortured POW for 14 months is gone.
Good pod. I think James Bonding could win some sort of award as most commented on Nerdist podcast.
This has to win some sort of Nerdist award for most commented on podcast. Anyways, atta boy Matts. Good episode
This has to win some sort of Nerdist award for most commented on podcast. Anyways, atta boy Matts. Good episode.
Good god that terrible Madona song came on at my work today, and it was supposed to be my day off. It was like the song was mocking me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgTVrcRUMig Here’s an extended version of the Taffin yell. HEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAARH!
“Then maybe you shouldn’t be living heeeeeeeeeaaaaaaahhhhrrrrr!!!”
I nearly wrecked my goddamn car. Thanks alot MattsN’Bens.
This podcast is slowly getting more and more replays from my tiny mp3 player. I’ve listened to the Casino Royale episode about 6 times and finally watched the movie last week. “In a well”, “the bubbles” and other amazing moments coming from that episodes. :D.
I brought my GF (at the time) to see this movie. Post movie wasn’t a fun time.
Just wanted to mention that Bjork recorded a cover of You Only Live Twice for David Arnold’s Shaken and Stirred album, but it was never released on that album. It is however fantastic.
Another hilarious episode. I wish it was longer… I remember seeing it in the cinema, and being disappointed, but thinking it was better than the World was Not Enough. I don’t remember much about it, aside from Ricky Yuen.
A gun sight would’ve made more sense, but a sight would have crosshairs and not rifling. Also, it would shatter if hit with a bullet.
Without knowing anything about it, I wonder about hovercraft passing over landmines. To work, they are exerting enough downforce beneath the hovercraft to lift its weight off the ground. Even, if it’s evenly distributed, that seems like it might be enough to risk triggering some of the mines, particularly anti-personnel ones. That’s without mentioning any of the other types of triggers that might be employed that the hovercraft would definitely set off.
#Corrections
During the podcast, Matt discusses how this film took no material from any other Bond property.
The villain of DIE ANOTHER DAY, Gustav Graves, is a wealthy, respected public figure who is actually a plastic surgery-altered impostor using his notoriety to obfuscate his nefarious plans and conduct in plain sight. The villain of the novel version of MOONRAKER, Hugo Drax, is a wealthy, respected public figure who is actually a plastic surgery-altered impostor using his notoriety to obfuscate his nefarious plans and conduct them in plain sight.
Arguably, DIE ANOTHER DAY is a closer adaptation of MOONRAKER than the movie MOONRAKER.
You guy stuck that damn song in my head for the rest of the night. Great guests. I liked having writer take the script to task.
“Death for breakfast” is a variation on “grass for breakfast”, a Brit euphemism for duelling, normally done very early(to lessen the chances of someone in authority stumbling upon the affair, and being forced to stop it). The seconds, doctor & witnesses would often make an alfresco breakfast out of it, especially if the duel was between active service soldiers(for whom a bit of bloodshed isn’t going to ruin their appetites).
BTW, there’s nothing ridiculous about an elaborate ice hotel; it’s been done for 20+ years in Sweden, and since the late 1800s at some lake in NY state. Staying at the Swedish one is considered a social coup(at least, most years). Lots of pretty Eurotrash & celebutards.
See, I always thought that the “Gun Barrel” opening of the Bond movies was a sniper scope. That’s not really any less ridiculous that Bond manages to shoot a bullet directly into the lense of the scope, but that’s what made sense to me with the whole blood flowing down.
Gentlemen, gentlemen. CGI windsurfing is the worst point in Bond film history? Is this in a parallel universe where there was no slide whistle jump in The Man With The Golden Gun?
Thanks for the great episode guys! This film was pants but I still rank Brosnan as a great Bond, he just never got the film he deserved.
And thanks for mentioning my favourite radio show of all time, the Adam & Joe show! I miss their Saturday morning banter 🙁 You should try and get them onto the Nerdist podcast if they are in town, they’d be great guests.
Stephen!
This feels a James Bond movie made by George Lucas. It was very entertaining but SURFING! Why so much surfing was surfing popular at the time. It’s like the Batman and Robin of James Bond films it even has bad puns and lots of ice.
“Never Say Never Again” could be another podcast after “For Your Eyes Only”.
While I was listening to this i was flipping around the television channels (on mute of course) and when you guys got to the part about the invisible car I land on BRAVO and that exact scene was playing. And when I re watched this Awful movie the other night, the moment London Calling started playing I yelled “fuck you” to no one in particular, that was such a bummer.
While I respect your opinions, I must (kinda) disagree. Die Another Day was the first Bond film I was able to comprehend. I saw it for my 15th birthday and it blew my mid-pubescent mind! With that said, I’d like to make it clear that I don’t believe this is a GOOD film, but it is an ENTERTAINING one. And while I’m ashamed to admit it, Madonna’s theme is in my top ten Bond themes. Duran Duran’s ‘A View to a Kill’ being number 1. Great podcast guys! I look forward to it every Thursday.
Hey Matt Mira,
Loved The Bens on this podcast, but FYI, The Bens (the band) was Ben Folds, Ben Lee and Ben Kweller (not Ben Harper)!
For reference: “The kiss of life” is a British expression meaning mouth to mouth resuscitation, and is generally what they call it. So, that one actually works — In the UK.
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You had me at Bjork meets HR Geiger singing a bond theme.
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Sweet tap dancing hezues i love this podcast.
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Thanks Matt^2 x Ben^2.
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Peace .n. Diet Another Day (#fat-bond-movies)
3ToF.. windsurfing my way back to you babe.
woo-hoo!!
When I saw Die Another Day in the dollar theater I had a pack of Milk Duds that pulled out 3 of my baby teeth. That was more enjoyable than this movie.
Great episode as always glad! awesom to have the Bens on with the Matts!