I still believe Goldfinger is the greatest of all Bond films, and Guy Hamilton was the man most responsible for it. Thank you for such a cinematic milestone, and rest in peace, sir!
TMZ now reporting Prince dead at 57, I know that the only sure things in life are death, taxes and nurses but it's getting ridiculous this year. X-(
Terrible news. I wasn't a big fan, but owned & enjoyed his "Purple Rain" LP. This year is just brutal.
Rest in peace
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"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
And the band just keeps getting bigger: David Bowie, Glenn Fry, Prince, Mott the Hoople's drummer....I'm sure there are some others too.
Keith Emerson, from Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
[FLASH-FORWARD TO: Justin Bieber's 114th Birthday Party...]
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
First I'd heard about Guy Hamilton was logging on here expecting the whole Prince thing. For me, he directed perhaps the most purely enjoyable Bond films, though I'd give his last one the swerve. He did some other British classics too, didn't he? Will look up.
As for Prince, well, I guess he was his generation's Bob Dylan; Gemini, extremely prolific, didn't do the media junket, played according to his own rules, many different styles and his songs either covered by or composed for a wide range of artists. Didn't appear to have many mates, then again he did have his entourage band thing going on, and Dylan had the Wilberrys.
Only got into that Starfish and Coffee song just this year; there's a good female cover version of it on youtube, he didn't allow his own songs to be on the site.
So many hit songs, but he seemed to spurn it all after a while. When was his last hit single?
There's been talk of the celeb deaths this year, and across the pond not all of these will register: Terry Wogan, Ronnie Corbett (of Casino Royale 67), Paul Daniels, Victoria Wood, all these deaths along with Bowie, Guest and Rickman wholly unexpected.
That said, one point you could make is that some of these deaths might have gone unnoticed decades ago simply because - brace yourself - some of them are has-beens, and I include Bowie and Prince in that. Yep, okay, I know, they are legends. But if you haven't had a hit record in many many years and you're a pop star, that usually means you're out of the picture, relegated to a footnote obit if you'd died, say in the 80s. It's because popular culture is preserved in aspic these days that the likes of Paul Daniels, R Corbett and so on still seem current to us. You wouldn't have got that in the 1970s so much, the past stayed in the past back then. Sure, Elvis, big news in 77 - but even he had a Top 10 hit in the UK at the time of his death.
My point is, these are big names, but there are so many more of big names around now because very few celebs are allowed to go out of fashion the way they did in previous decades.
So many hit songs, but he seemed to spurn it all after a while. When was his last hit single?
To be honest I think the sales and demand for his albums are still rather large (guessing not anywhere crazy like the 80's) however he def moved on to producing whatever he wanted and less commerical projects (I guess when you have the money, why not?) e.g. look at Radiohead, you won't find their newer stuff on the radio - like Prince they produce things nowadays on their own terms rather then pleasing record companies etc. however still huge sales but not in your face!!!
Bowie also really, majority of his albums were mainly for him and hardcore fans rather then specifically looking for charting hit singles!!!
Some crazy clips of Prince on the news last night - some mind blowing guitar stuff that most people don't really associate with him unless you see live footage!
RIP
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edited April 2016
Well, to me Bowie was a musical and performance artist who set out to become a Rock Star...and became a pop star by accident.
He just had a #1 album that unseated Adele for a moment...but the poor fellow had to die to do it It's quite a good one, if not his most accessible to casual fans----actually, IMHO, his last four albums were excellent, so I'd resist tagging him as a 'has been' simply because he was't ruling the Top 40* and was getting on in years. He considered his biggest-charting period (the early '80s) to be his least artistically satisfying stretch.
*Which features some truly awful stuff!
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Well, yeah. I mean, I was using the term 'has-been' in the context of pointing out how it is so many famous people appear to be dying. In past terms, they would have gone into the dustbin of history maybe, because that's what happens when you're not charting. But now popular culture sort of lingers, and you could argue that Bowie only got his deal for his last few albums because of memories of his earlier stuff, though it's not a good example because he was such a big star.
Lennon died in 1980 and that was big news, but that was The Beatles, plus he had his comeback at the time too.
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,690MI6 Agent
Well, yeah. I mean, I was using the term 'has-been' in the context of pointing out how it is so many famous people appear to be dying. In past terms, they would have gone into the dustbin of history maybe, because that's what happens when you're not charting. But now popular culture sort of lingers, and you could argue that Bowie only got his deal for his last few albums because of memories of his earlier stuff, though it's not a good example because he was such a big star.
Lennon died in 1980 and that was big news, but that was The Beatles, plus he had his comeback at the time too.
Although I think that Lennon's death helped his music at that time to become more successful that it might otherwise have been too, ironically.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
True. Well, obviously because Just Like Starting Over got to about number 8, slid down the charts then hit no 1 in the week of his death. Only to be knocked off after one week by St Winifred's School Choir singing There's No One Quite Like Grandma....
But then all his stuff like Imagine, then Woman got to no 1. And he did well because of course he had a load of singles that hadn't been heard in years, all being freshly discovered like No 9 Dream and Merry Xmas War is Over, v topical for that time of year. So tasteless as it may seem, it was like a load of people discovering a new pop star.
Or like when Moore's Live and Let Die premiered on TV in 1980, I mean it got huge viewing figures cos a whole generation who'd only known him in the last two movies suddenly got to see a new never seen before Bond movie - for free!
But you couldn't really do that much with Bowie because everyone is living in the past now and everyone knows all his old classics. Ditto Prince to some extent, though of course all their stuff charts again. But the surprise isn't there. And of course, all movies get flogged on DVD and Blu Ray and what have you, there is nothing to discover exactly.
Comments
RIP Doris Roberts.
Sad to learn of the death of comedian Victoria Wood. A very funny lady.
Unfortunately I knew this was coming a long way due to drugs , she never got over HHH after HHH got together with Steph McMahon.
RIP Guy, you gave me much pleasure.
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Terrible news. I wasn't a big fan, but owned & enjoyed his "Purple Rain" LP. This year is just brutal.
Rest in peace
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
too soon. RIP Prince.
A brilliant musician - I loved his earlier work !
Sad news. Sad year.
Hamilton was awfully old now so that was sad but expected , RIP.
Keith Emerson, from Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
[FLASH-FORWARD TO: Justin Bieber's 114th Birthday Party...]
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
RIP Mr Hamilton, thank you for your wonderful contributions to the Bond series!
As for Prince, well, I guess he was his generation's Bob Dylan; Gemini, extremely prolific, didn't do the media junket, played according to his own rules, many different styles and his songs either covered by or composed for a wide range of artists. Didn't appear to have many mates, then again he did have his entourage band thing going on, and Dylan had the Wilberrys.
Only got into that Starfish and Coffee song just this year; there's a good female cover version of it on youtube, he didn't allow his own songs to be on the site.
So many hit songs, but he seemed to spurn it all after a while. When was his last hit single?
There's been talk of the celeb deaths this year, and across the pond not all of these will register: Terry Wogan, Ronnie Corbett (of Casino Royale 67), Paul Daniels, Victoria Wood, all these deaths along with Bowie, Guest and Rickman wholly unexpected.
That said, one point you could make is that some of these deaths might have gone unnoticed decades ago simply because - brace yourself - some of them are has-beens, and I include Bowie and Prince in that. Yep, okay, I know, they are legends. But if you haven't had a hit record in many many years and you're a pop star, that usually means you're out of the picture, relegated to a footnote obit if you'd died, say in the 80s. It's because popular culture is preserved in aspic these days that the likes of Paul Daniels, R Corbett and so on still seem current to us. You wouldn't have got that in the 1970s so much, the past stayed in the past back then. Sure, Elvis, big news in 77 - but even he had a Top 10 hit in the UK at the time of his death.
My point is, these are big names, but there are so many more of big names around now because very few celebs are allowed to go out of fashion the way they did in previous decades.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
To be honest I think the sales and demand for his albums are still rather large (guessing not anywhere crazy like the 80's) however he def moved on to producing whatever he wanted and less commerical projects (I guess when you have the money, why not?) e.g. look at Radiohead, you won't find their newer stuff on the radio - like Prince they produce things nowadays on their own terms rather then pleasing record companies etc. however still huge sales but not in your face!!!
Bowie also really, majority of his albums were mainly for him and hardcore fans rather then specifically looking for charting hit singles!!!
Some crazy clips of Prince on the news last night - some mind blowing guitar stuff that most people don't really associate with him unless you see live footage!
RIP
He just had a #1 album that unseated Adele for a moment...but the poor fellow had to die to do it
*Which features some truly awful stuff!
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Lennon died in 1980 and that was big news, but that was The Beatles, plus he had his comeback at the time too.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Although I think that Lennon's death helped his music at that time to become more successful that it might otherwise have been too, ironically.
But then all his stuff like Imagine, then Woman got to no 1. And he did well because of course he had a load of singles that hadn't been heard in years, all being freshly discovered like No 9 Dream and Merry Xmas War is Over, v topical for that time of year. So tasteless as it may seem, it was like a load of people discovering a new pop star.
Or like when Moore's Live and Let Die premiered on TV in 1980, I mean it got huge viewing figures cos a whole generation who'd only known him in the last two movies suddenly got to see a new never seen before Bond movie - for free!
But you couldn't really do that much with Bowie because everyone is living in the past now and everyone knows all his old classics. Ditto Prince to some extent, though of course all their stuff charts again. But the surprise isn't there. And of course, all movies get flogged on DVD and Blu Ray and what have you, there is nothing to discover exactly.
Roger Moore 1927-2017