We’re big fans of Bond, James Bond here at HeyUGuys and the announcement at CES2012 this evening from MGM and 20th Century Fox is a welcome one indeed. The entire collection of Bond films are heading to Blu-ray with a special Bond50 collection.

All twenty-two films are being given a HD polish, with nine films making their debut in high-definition and we are being promised some exclusive bonus content yet to be detailed. All you need is Alan Partridge doing the commentary tracks and it’ll be the ultimate collection.

Click here to pre-order your copy before it arrives October 1st 2012.

Here’s the launch trailer, crank it up all the way to 1080p and enjoy.

And don’t go anywhere without watching the animated packshot!

Here’s the box set picture which can be clicked to make it enormous.

A glimpse into the creative process of those big, effects-heavy Hollywood blockbusters always offers a fun and fascinating prospect, and that’s precisely what happened when one of the industry big-hitters, Oscar-winning Visual Effects Supervisor Scott Farrar, recently took the stage to chat about his experiences working on Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

An employee of ILM for thirty years now (he worked on ‘Jedi’, and before that, the early Star Trek films), Farrar has lent his considerable talents to Michael Bay for over six years, and the third of the Transformers films presented the biggest challenge and most ambitious undertaking in his career so far. As well as a huge leap in digital effects this time around (giving ILM more than 200,000 hours of rendering power a day), Farrar and his team had to create a cityscape ravaged by a Decepticon onslaught, and unleash the awe-inspiring, building-devouring juggernaut referred to as the “Driller”, a giant snake-like creature with spinning rotator blades, knives and teeth (and comprised of over 70,000 parts!) All this was achieved while also factoring in the inclusion of 3D.

Whatever your thoughts are on the finished film, the sheer scope of the effects and the technological advancements are a thrilling part of the process, and have definitely helped to contribute to its mammoth success (it’s currently the fourth highest-grossing film of all time).

Breaking down the painstaking work that went into creating the world of Dark of the Moon, Farrar’s 30 minute slide presentation looked at all aspects of the film’s effects. A firm believer in establishing as convincing a world as possible with the technology (“CG looks lousy unless it’s dirty”) Farrar’s own noticeable personal touches to the work in the Transformers series has been the insistence of deploying those fun biochemical touched to the robots, as they spit machinery fluid and  haemorrhage oil during bloody battle sequences.

A candid and revealing presentation, Farrar talked about Bay’s on-set habits, and how his usual bombastic style of shooting needed reigning in from time to time to make concessions for the 3D (it’s clear watching the film that a much clearer geographic sense of the action is established throughout this time around).

He also divulged some interesting titbits about a couple of lesser-known aspects of the production. For instance, the FX team were actively encouraged to participate in story ideas and the Chernobyl scene and the moon conspiracy springboard for the story resulted from those workshops. Initial Sentinel Prime tests were achieved by using footage of Sean Connery as a template, and Farrar screened these matching shots. It was interesting to note how close they used Connery’s visage, making the process much easier to adapt for the actual actor (Star Trek’s Leonard Nimoy) when he came onboard to do voiceover duties.

This industry veteran’s passion and boyish enthusiasm for taking on these huge, potentially overwhelming projects was very much apparent during the presentation, and it’s that youthful and passionate attitude which has undoubtedly helped him make a successful transition to a digital landscape.

While it’s the director who usually receives the kudos for their cinematic efforts, behind the scenes figures like Scott Farrar are the unsung heroes of this world.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon is now available to buy or rent on DVD and Blu-ray, here’s our review.

We’ve traveled with Indy through Peru, Cairo, Nepal, Shanghai and India. After finding the Ark and surviving the Temple of Doom, it was time for his Last Crusade (until the next one).

*****

It is 1938 and Indiana Jones finally retrieves the Cross of Francisco De Coronado, which he had first come across in a cave in Utah in 1912 while on a boy scout expedition. When handing the cross over to Marcus Brody, Dr Jones finds out that a gentleman by the name of Walter Donovan wants to enlist his help in finding the Holy Grail, the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper and in which his blood was purportedly spilled at the crucifixion.

Donovan says that his team are getting close but that their last project leader has vanished. Indy says that they have the wrong Dr Jones and would be better off recruiting his father, Henry Jones Snr, who is believed to be the world’s leading authority on Grail lore. It turns out that they did and it is he who is missing. Indy sets off to rescue his father, find the Grail and once more save the day.

***

To describe the prologue to Last Crusade as a bravura piece of film-making would be a gross understatement. We are introduced to Indy as a teenage boy, played by River Phoenix, catching a group of men in the act of “recovering” an ancient cross that Indy maintains belongs in a museum. He grabs the cross and makes his way onto a train, across the top of which he battles with the group of men. Along the way, he falls into a crate of snakes (fear of snakes, check), cracks a whip to ward off a lion (bullwhip, check), does it wrong and catches his chin (scar on chin, check), before making his escape with the cross and getting back to his father, whose voice we briefly hear, but whose face we do not yet see.

The mercenaries catch up with Indy and take the cross, with the leader of the group placing his fedora on Indy’s head, telling him that just because he lost doesn’t mean that he has to like it. We then leap forward to 1938, to find a grown up Indy once again retrieving the Cross, dispatching a whole boat full of rogues in the process, as well as blowing the boat sky high. It is, as is so often the case with films in this series, scintillating, joyous stuff. It is just so much fun finding out how Indy came to be the man we have known him to be over the previous two films. The swift pacing, light-hearted tone, but nonetheless the sense of genuine peril all conspire to grab our attention and the film doesn’t let go until everyone rides off into the sunset and the curtain falls.

After the dark turn of Temple of Doom, this was a deliberate and welcome return to a lighter tone. The MacGuffin was again a strong one, with the Grail grabbing the attention of all those seeking eternal youth. As with both previous films, the set pieces are very strong and much more in the vein of Raiders, a more organic element of a fleet-footed and smooth-running story. Aside from the prologue, we have the search for the knight’s tomb in Venice and the ensuing boat chase. There is the rescue of Henry Jones Snr and the motorcycle chase, as well as a later aerial dogfight with Nazi aeroplanes. After all of that we have a tank/jeep/horseback battle in the desert, before finally finding ourselves within grasping distance of the Grail, separated only by three booby traps every bit as fiendish as those found in the prologue of Raiders.

If anything, Last Crusade is even more incident packed than Raiders and for most fans of the series, all that really helps to separate them in terms of quality is which one you happen to have seen more recently. The script is excellent this time round, dropping in more of the pithy one liners so fondly remembered from Raiders (“I didn’t know you could fly a plane”, “Fly, yes. Land, no”) and giving us a belter of a character in Indy’s dad. Played perfectly by Sean Connery, there was clearly more of Spielberg’s James Bond wish-fulfillment at work in the casting. The tension between Indy and his father is palpable and convincingly explained and resolved. Despite Connery’s considerable experience of globe-trotting plots, combative henchmen and insouciant cool as Bond, he superbly plays a wry, intelligent academic, seemingly out of his depth but possessing great inventiveness in a tight spot. Though initially seeming to disapprove of Indy and even disappointed in him, by the climax we find Indy reaching for the Grail before it tumbles into an abyss, saying he can reach it, but needing to give his father his hand. Henry Snr simply says, “Indiana, let it go”. It is a moment of great tenderness, affection and emotional impact.

Harrison Ford is of course immaculate again as Indy, throwing himself again into the adventure and coming up with ever more industrious ways of negotiating peril, including a literal leap of faith. Spielberg’s direction is assured and light, letting the momentum of the narrative and script move the film along in a busy, but never hurried or cluttered way. Denholm Elliott gets involved a bit more this time around as Marcus Brody and although she is not as memorable as either Karen Allen’s Marion Ravenwood or Kate Capshaw’s Willie Scott, Alison Doody is convincing and effective (though duplicitous) as Dr Elsa Schneider.

As alluded to above, though relatively few argue for the supremacy of Temple of Doom among the series, votes are much more evenly matched between Raiders and Crusade. Raiders of course earns marks for originality, whilst Crusade has the twin benefits of that icon-building prologue and the master-stroke of casting Sean Connery.

The good news is that this is a win-win for us. It doesn’t matter which is the better film, as they are both fantastic, hugely enjoyable films. The difficulty is that Last Crusade ends on such an obviously series-closing note (father and son reunited, heroes ride off into the sunset) that a further visit to Indy and co, nearly 20 years later, was always in danger of feeling like an unnecessary add-on rather, than a natural progression of the series.

But more on the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull tomorrow. For now, find a copy of Last Crusade and watch it, remembering and enjoying once again all that it has to offer.

The BBC Archive has given us an early Christmas present and ransacked its digital corridors and come up with a wonderful retrospective of the iconic secret agent James Bond at the BBC.

Available from today this fascinating collection of programmes and pictures charts the emergence of a classic literary and cinematic figure, from discussions with Ian Fleming, programmes focusing on the various Bond paraphernalia (guns, cars and the various trappings of a jet setting lifestyle), profiles of Bond directors, Bond and the English identity – there’s so much to enjoy.

This is something only the BBC can do, and it’s great to see it done so well. With access to Barry Norman’s On Location with Moonraker for Film 1979 and a Woman’s Hour conversation with Lois Maxwell this is an embarrassment of riches. Heartily recommended – so click here to get started.

As a suitable, though no less marvelous, addendum to this story is a recent story from the ever excellent Clothes on Film where Matt Spaiser looks back at the iconic figure of Sean Connery’s Bond in Dr. No. It’s a brilliant read, and you really should also check out Matt’s blog The Suits of James Bond, which has my favourite article title ever – Lazenby’s Blazer.

To end with here’s a picture from the BBC Archives showing Roger Moore in a BBC Radio London interview in 1976. The man even dresses up for a radio gig – class.

UPDATE: We were contacted by Roger George Clark, the broadcaster, writer and photographer, who took the photo of Roger Moore below and he confirmed that Roger had stepped off the giant tanker set for the interview. Roger George Clark has an amazing collection of photographs and stores from his career, and I can do no better than point you in the direction of his website, which is a fascinating place to spend some time. Find more of his work at RogerGeorgeClark.com

Roger Moore in a BBC Radio London interview in 1976

]]> http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/12/16/james-bond-at-the-bbc/feed/ 0 http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/11/25/never-say-never-poster-for-all-those-who-have-the-bieber-fever/ http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/11/25/never-say-never-poster-for-all-those-who-have-the-bieber-fever/#comments Thu, 25 Nov 2010 21:00:12 +0000 Adam Lowes http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/?p=57872

Here’s the first poster for upcoming 3D feature Never Say Never, which has been posted by Yahoo.

For those of you who are expecting a Casino Royale-style prequel to Sean Connery’s 1983 unofficial Bond outing, Never Say Never Again, you better think again.

This is a Paramount documentary which tells the “inspiring true story” of 16-year-old teen singing sensation and precursor to the Subo mythology, Justin Bieber, who went from a YouTube wannabe popstar to become the real thing (and one of the most famous people on the planet in the process) in a matter of months.

The film will likely chart the long and eventful life of his pint-size heartthrob, who (I’m guessing) will be on hand to distribute nuggets of wisdom about having a strong sense of belief in yourself and overcoming insurmountable odds, all packaged in a fairytale Rocky-esque inspiration narrative.

Excuse my cynicism. I’m just bitter because I never cracked the teen singer market all those years back.

For all those who still harbour that dream, the film is released in UK cinemas on the 1st April next year.

We brought you news a couple of days back that Mark Wahlberg was being mentioned as a possible lead for the reboot of the 1994 gothic comic book revenge tale, The Crow.

Now news has come through from Comingsoon.net that director Stephen Norrington is no longer attached to the project, and his departure is being blamed on the “demands of an unnamed actor to completely overhaul the script”.

Could the current Wahlberg casting rumours be the source of this? Norrington famously clashed with Sean Connery on the set of ill-fated comic adaptation, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Maybe he couldn’t face the prospect of going through a similar experience here.

The director has offered a statement of sorts:

“As I had gotten involved explicitly as a writer-director my exit was inevitable,” says Norrington, “I was bummed. I had developed a genuinely authentic take that respected the source material while moving beyond it, and Nick Cave came in and added more depth. I think the fans would have been pleasantly surprised.”

I was having a discussion with a friend of mine recently about actors and how some of them have the greatest voices ever.  Certain actors could probably stop traffic with their booming baritones or instantly silence crying babies with their soothing speech.  It’s a true superhero power.

This then led to discussion on how I wish I could have certain actors read to me.  Yes, you read that right.  Like when you were a kid and your parents would read you a story before bed.  I have certain actors that I could just sit there and listen all day as they read me various stories.  So there we were comparing notes and this is what I came up with.

James Earl Jones

Qualities:
JEJ would definitely fall into the booming baritone category.  I have visions of my Dad storming down the hallway scolding me.  His voice, JEJ, not my dad, is distinctive and one is able to pick up on it the minute you hear it.  He will go down in history as having one of the most recognized voices ever.

Reading Material:
I would have JEJ read me the entire Harry Potter series.  His voice can be soft or commanding but mainly I would just want to hear him exclaim “Avada Kedavra!” in his deepest voice.  I would be spellbound to hear him say any of those spells as a matter of fact.

Hugo Weaving

Qualities:
Hugo has a knack for speech.  His cadence of speech as Agent Smith in the Matrix, Elrond in The Lord of the Rings trilogy or as V in V for Vendetta are similar yet…not.  It’s almost hypnotic.  His monologue in V for Vendetta is pure brilliance.  It would only make sense then to have him read…

Reading Material:
Dr. Suess.  His pattern of speech would lend itself quite nicely to There’s a Wocket in my Pocket or Fox in Sox or even Oh, The Places You’ll Go.  Doesn’t matter really.  Hugo Weaving + Dr. Suess = WIN

Sean Connery

Qualities:
Musht include Shir Sean Connery here.  The Scot who played a Brit…and a Russian…with that Shcottish accent.  His voice is another you just can’t miss. Sean Connery is one actor that never tried to alter his accent.  At least not that I know of.  It was never an issue either.  I would have special duties for Sean Connery.

Reading Material:
Owner’s manuals or assembly instructions.  This duty actually belonged to my friend Amy.  The one who I was having this very conversation with.  Any time I got a new piece of electronic equipment I’d crack open the box, toss her the book and she would read it then tell me all the bells and whistles as I was hooking it up.  Sir Sean would have that duty.  The only instructions he would not be helpful with would be anything from Ikea.  In which case he could help assemble.

Willem Dafoe

Qualities:
Willem Dafoe is a bit of a smooth criminal.  He’s got that quiet before the storm type of voice.  If you listen to long he might put you in a trance so you best watch out.  It’s smooth, yet with a hint of danger.  It’s like a bottle of top shelf booze.  Smooth and seemingly innocuous until you find the bottle is gone and you’re in trouble the next morning.  His voice sneaks up on you.

Reading Material:
My fellow HeyUGuys writer Emily and I had a discussion about Willem one day after she showed me a series of commercials where he voices a stuffed animal.  I think it’s a teddy bear.  I made the comment that it was a bit creepy yet, not.  Very strange.  Emily said that she would like him to read the Grimm fairy tales and I would have to agree.  He’s got that menacing tone, but it’s understated.  I think he would do the Brothers Grimm justice.

Ian McKellan

Qualities:
I love Ian McKellan.  His voice is like his eyes.  Sharp one minute, soothing and gentle the next.  Depending on his tone, he sounds like he could cut you down one minute, then wrap you in a warm wordy blanket the next.

Reading Material:
Actually Ian would be more of a narrator.  I would like him to narrate my life.  Just follow me around and comments on what I’m doing.  “As she sped down the street she gave the incompetent driver who cut her off a generous helping of the finger.” Yes….I could go for that.

My friend Amy was the one I was having this discussion with and she actually emailed me her choices.  She pretty much nailed those on the head because all of them I can hear in my head.

I’d like Morgan Freeman to read me fairy tales (Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess named Amy …), Pierce Bronson and Ewan McGregor to read me romance novels (they can take turns), Stanley Tucci can read me cookbooks and food blogs (I like the way he says things like “delectable” and “savory”), and Kevin Kline has a great voice for witty stories and sly humor.  I’m listing only men, but there are women who have great voices too.  Diane Lane and Julianne Moore come to mind.  I think either would do a great job with strong female-lead stories, smart sexy detectives or vampire huntresses.

If I could find someone who could do really excellent impressions I would have made some audio clips, but alas, I can’t do them and I don’t know anyone personally who can.

So there you have it folks.  Do you have a certain actor whose voice you could stand to hear read a story to you or narrate your life?  Let us know!

Many Happy Returns to the original (and best?!) James Bond to grace the big screen, Sean Connery.

Born on this day in working-class Edinburgh family, Connery flirted with many careers (including milkman, a stint in the Royal Navy, a lorry driver and even a male model for the Edinburgh College of Art) before fame came a’ callin’.

His debut as Bond came in the 1962 film Dr. No, and he would go on the play the suave secret agent for a further six films (ending in 1983 with Never Say Never Again).

Here’s an iconic scene from early favourite Goldfinger, which gives a whole new meaning to “roasted nuts”.

He was able to cast off the Bond shackles (something that Roger Moore would never achieve) and go on to do some sterling work throughout the eighties and nineties.

One of his most famous post-Bond roles was that of tough-talking Irish cop, Jimmy Malone, in 1987’s The Untouchables. The part won him the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for that year (good job they didn’t take into account his atrocious attempt at doing an accent) and this scene from the film shows Connery at this commanding best:

He’s also worked with some of Hollywood’s greatest filmmakers throughout his career, including the likes of Alfred Hitchcock, Terry Gilliam, Gus Van Sant and Steven Spielberg, who cast him in the role of Indy’s Dad, Henry Jones Jr, in the third film in the series.

He’s a fun scene from that film, between him and his screen son, Harrison Ford.

Connery has been in self-imposed retirement since his unhappy working experience on the set of 2003’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (to be fair, he was 73 at the time!), but he still plays an active part in Scottish politics and society (he always makes an appearance at the annual Edinburgh International Film Festival).

Many Happy Returns Sir Sean Connery – you have left a legacy for cinema fans, both shaken and stirred by your work in Bond and beyond.

Our friends at Upbeat are the chaps tasked with creating the official end of day video montages for the Edinburgh International Film Festival which is wonderful for us as they’ve just given us the entire first week of daily round up videos to share with you, our lovely readers.

In the videos, you get to see interviews with Sean Connery, Ken Russell, Jason Isaacs, Rhys Ifans, David Thewlis, Jean Reno, 2 Supervising animators from Toy Story 3, Bobby Podesta and Mike Venturini and many many more actors, directors, producers and writers.

For all our Edinburgh 2010 coverage, click here.

Edinburgh International Film Festival – Wrap Day 1

Edinburgh International Film Festival – Wrap Day 2

Edinburgh International Film Festival – Wrap Day 3

Edinburgh International Film Festival – Wrap Day 4

Edinburgh International Film Festival – Wrap Day 5

The Edinburgh Film Festival kicked off yesterday and our friends from Upbeat were there to capture the whole thing on camera. Sean Connery, Jason Isaacs, Ben Miller, Sir Patrick Stewart and Ugly Betty herself, America Ferrera all made an appearance and they also got to chat with the director of new animation, The Illutionist which premiered at the festival.

You can view interviews with all of them by click play on the video below. Keep checking back for more coverage over the next couple of weeks.

Enjoy!

Ever wanted to own your own 1964 Aston Martin DB5? You see them very rarely in England but every time you do, it’s a thing of beauty! I’ve wanted one every since I saw a man get shot through the roof of the car in Goldfinger. Every boy over the last 50 years has owned the dinky toy and now we get the chance to own the original. The Aston Martin is Bond through and the through. Gadget filled, as British as they come but stunning beautiful (for a car!). The Aston Martin DB5 has it all!

Reuters yesterday confirmed that the car is to go up for auction in October later this year. This Aston was used by Sean Connery in Goldfinger and Thunderball is expected to go for $5m when it goes under the hammer in at RM Auctions who are calling it, “the world’s most famous car”.

My dad has just informed me that he saw this very car back in 1965 when he was 12 and just old enough to go from Hemel Hempstead to London with his friends to see the car! The car has since been owned by US radio presenter, Jerry Lee who convinved Aston Martin to sell him the car for $12 000 in 1969.

They continue:

The model comes complete with its “Q-Branch” gadgets including machine guns, bullet-proof shield, revolving number plates, tracking device, removable roof panel, oil slick sprayer, nail spreader and smoke screen.

They go on to confirm that the guns aren’t real! The car will be going under the hammer 27th October so start saving now and it could be yours!

Sad news today that Joseph Wiseman who played the first James Bond villain opposite Sean Connery in Dr. No has died ages 91. Wiseman played the character Dr. Julius No in the 1962 film.

The LA Times have reported that Wiseman’s health had recently been deteriorating and that he died at his home in Manhattan. His last TV role was in an episode of Law And Order in 1996 with his last performance on stage in the 2001 production of Judgment At Nuremberg.

I think I’ve seen Dr. No more times than any other Bond and along with Connery, Ursula Andress coming out of the water and a ‘dragon’, Wiseman’s performance was excellent and paved the way for 20 other Bond villains over the next 50 years!

Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. RIP Mr. Wiseman.