The status of NSNA
For all these years, NSNA has been seen as an unofficial bond film because EON didn't make it.
Well now that EON are no longer making bond films, that would mean that all future Amazon bond films will be "non-eon" bond films.
So in effect, given that the Amazon films are official bond films, does this make NSNA official too?
I personally wouldn't mind if it was. It'd be nice to have an extra bond film added to the official collection. CR '67 on the other hand though, ugh.
1 - LALD, 2 - AVTAK, 3 - OP, 4 - LTK, 5 - FYEO, 6 - DAF, 7 - TSWLM, 8 - NTTD, 9 - DN, 10 - GE, 11 - SF, 12 - OHMSS, 13 - TMWTGG, 14 - TLD, 15 - YOLT, 16 - MR, 17 - GF, 18 - DAD, 19 - TND, 20 - TWINE, 21 - SP, 22 - FRWL, 23 - TB, 24 - CR, 25 - QOS
1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
Comments
It's not just unofficial because EON didn't make it.
Firstly, Barbara Broccoli hated it 'don't swear in front of me' she'd say when someone brought it up, I think the stunt advisor Vic Armstrong, who worked on it.
Secondly, it doesn't get much love from the fanbase. It has a bit of fan service in it but wasn't the gritty and credible grand alternative to the Moore films it was touted as.
Third, the film needlessly distances itself from the Bond series by explaining Connery's Bond has been 'teaching' not doing - otherwise it would be easier to pretend it's a Bond film part of the same universe.
You question feels a bit like the Beatles fan wanting to make Lennon's Imagine a Beatles album - after all it has George Harrison on it... Or the PIastic Ono Band a Beatles album as Ringo's drumming, I mean, it's more a case of, if you like it, fine but... so what. Unlike those albums, I don't rate NSNA, so it doesn't matter either way.
If it were really good, it could be a great standalone Bond film.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I always think 'unofficial' isn't quite the right word, because it is official: they had the rights apparently, it's not a knock-off, it is a perfectly legal and official James Bond movie. It's just not part of the main series.
Yes, it's an 'official film' just not 'officially canon'. Maybe in future we'll see Connery 7-film box sets. Personally I enjoy NSNA - easy Sunday lunchtime matinee that it is - and like to include it as film #13a, but completely understand why others dismiss it due to the history behind it.
CR'67 is like a dream that's so random it blows the mind, and then you soon forget it.
It's official because they had the rights to make it. Fans get caught up in the fact that it didn't involve Eon.
If NSNA is some sort of bootleg/unofficial/wrong version, then, in that case, the Robert Downey Jr Sherlock Holmes films are not allowed either, because the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films were made mostly by Universal.
EON still has an ownership interest in whatever Amazon does, so I’d say NSNA remains as it is.
I think NSNA can be called a non-EON Bond. The same can be said of the future Bond movies, but I guess we'll call them the Amazon Bond movies?
Yes, but the ownership structure of Bond hasn't changed, EON still owns 50% after the deal if I'm correct.
I know. But who makes the call on casting, scripts, director etc has changed. To me it makes sense to talk about EON movies, non-EON movies and the Amazon movies of the future.
As someone pointed out on X, as of now, the EON movies are the non-official Bonds.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
They were "official" at the time they were made, so I don't think the term mean very much anymore. I think grouping them by what company does the creative producing works better.
I really enjoy NSNA- a lot more than MR or NTTD.... *takes cover*
#1.TLD 2.LTK 3.TND 4.GF 5.YOLT 6.DAF 7.TMWTGG 8.TWINE 9.DN 10.SP
NSNA is certainly flawed but in parts it's entertaining and it includes some good performances. I'd like to see it brought back from the cold and rehabilitated to the status relative to the other films that it used to have - i.e. not as good, but at least 'out there' and available.
I think everyone who understands the history of the Bond movies knows that NSNA was and is an "unofficial Bond film", in a loose application of the phrase - as in it was not made by the original and accepted production house. I also think, following the Amazon takeover, even with a 50% say, the post 2025 films will be considered Amazon-Bond, as opposeed to EON-Bond, but still official. Isn't this where the word CANON starts to become important ?
Ah, what am I writing ? Why am I bothered ? You know what, I don't really care. I quite like NSNA and enjoy its outrider status.
I don't really even apply 'canon' to the Eon films to be honest, apart from the ones which explicitly show some sort of links between themselves, like the Connery or Craig films. Can the RogerBond in AVTAK remember flying in a space shuttle? I don't know, it doesn't really matter if he can't.
I don't use canon either, because by that logic the DC films are in a different canon to the others
1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
NSNA will remain within its own canon, whatever happens to the 'other' franchise.
Now with an new company In control, it would make perfect sense for NSNA & CR54 & 67 to be included in future box sets, but will Amazon even reissue any past bond movies on physical Media? Don't they only care about steaming? incidentally, CR67 & Never have always been easily found on streaming platforms
CR '54 isn't a film though. It's a TV show episode. The other 2 are films
1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
NTTD made me like NSNA more than ever. Fun is always better than frustration...
#1.TLD 2.LTK 3.TND 4.GF 5.YOLT 6.DAF 7.TMWTGG 8.TWINE 9.DN 10.SP
+ 1 😃
Youtuber Calvin Dyson has now made a video about this.
https://youtu.be/umPtIWbPQAA?si=ZfJc0Kq24EXvOotR
1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
It is a Bond Movie. As Eons Productions do not care for continuity I do not have a problem listing McClorys Second Bond Outing.
For the Future I wish they would do more new Reboot versions of classic Books. Dr. No or Moonraker would be nice!
It's on TV here in the UK right now. From rewatching it, I see absolutely no reason why it shouldn't be considered an official bond film at this point.
In terms of continuity, Craig's films are in their own anyway
Personally I choose to believe that each individual bond actor's era is it's own universe. So NSNA would be the 7th in the Connery universe (with all similarities with TB being purely coincidental). Mental gymnastics I know, but that's my head-canon I think.
1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
The only universe I see it in sadly is 'crap Bond movie'.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
It's long long overdue for NSNA and CR54 to get an new DVD/Blu-ray/4k release. CR54 was actually more frequently reissued on home media (VHS and Betamax in those days) before MGM/EON acquired the rights.
The reason that it isn't official is that it wasn't an EON film. Its also just pretty much a Thunderball remake with a semi-retired Bond. I don't think Amazon taking over for EON changes that. EON had the rights to make official Bond movies, now Amazon does. NSNA was produced by Warner Bros. I think? so its still not official IMO.
For the longest time, it wasn't considered "canon" because it was made by another studio. They obviously couldn't use the copyrighted elements, like the music, gunbarrel, and other stylings. That alone put off many viewers.
It's interesting, though, considering the Craig films rebooted the entire series how to now look at NSNA. Arguments that NSNA doesn't fit neatly into the official timeline are rendered moot when the Craig films did exactly the same thing. Presumably, the next Bond film will do the same. So, NSNA could be said to exist as a standalone in its own timeline, much as the Craig films exist as a five film series that are standalone from the Connery/Lazenby/Moore/Dalton, and Brosnan films.
Of course, there has been much debate over the years whether those films truly represent one continuing story or were themselves rebooted in some fashion each time a new actor took over.
All of the Craig films use the gunbarrel and Bond theme.
And?
The Craig movies have the elements that make make them official Bond movies. The theme, gun barrel which were touched on. NSNA does not. Craig's movies may be reboots, but they are still official. NSNA is no different if you and I made a Bond movie and I played 007 and you played Blofeld. The only reason people flirt with the idea of it being official is because it has Connery.