Die Another Day
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Die Another Day is the twentieth James Bond film made by EON Productions and the fourth and final film to star Pierce Brosnan as Ian Fleming's James Bond. It was released in 2002 and produced by Bond veterans Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. It is the first film not to feature Desmond Llewelyn as Q since Live and Let Die (1973) due to his death in December of 1999.
Die Another Day, being the twentieth Bond film and also being released the year of the Bond film's "40th Anniversary," pays homage in some sort of way to every previous official James Bond film [link]. It also additionally references several Fleming novels as well as novels by other official Bond authors.
Overview
The movie departs from the usual Bond formula in several ways. Die Another Day begins with an action set-piece which, instead of a comic ending, ends with Bond captured by the North Korean People's Army, after which he is tortured for fourteen months, depicted in a stylized manner through the title sequence. The movie also shows some attempts to improve the appeal of Bond to a younger audience, featuring two separate scenes of Bond surfing, a more contemporary soundtrack (by David Arnold), and extensive use of The Matrix-style slow-motion pans. Critical reaction to the film was mixed, even allowing for the typical disdain of action films (and of sequels) held by many reviewers. Many saw it as a retread of old ideas from the Roger Moore era that did not mesh with more "modern" takes on the genre such as 24 and The Bourne Identity, and scoffed at the attempts to appeal to a younger audience; supporters of the film counter that the so-called "retread of old ideas" was simply the film paying homage to earlier Bond films, adding that Bond's incarceration and torture at the start of the movie sufficiently broke the pattern of recent Bond films. Some also felt that the extensive use of CGI special effects detracted from one of the major appeals of the older films — that the stunts, however preposterous, were actually performed. The quality of the CGI effects in some scenes was also criticized; compare the action sequence at the beginning (Bond's near-escape in Northern Korea using hovercraft) and the parachute-assisted surfing stunt about halfway through the film.Marketing for the film was also criticized by some fans. In previous Bond films (with the exception of On Her Majesty's Secret Service) the actor to portray Bond is undoubtedly the top-billed star with all other actors in a supporting role; however with Die Another Day Bond girl Halle Berry had been elevated to co-star status with Pierce Brosnan, At least one of the film's posters gives Berry equal billing with Brosnan. In addition, the amount of product placement in the film gave rise to its nickname "Buy Another Day" from various news outlets. Reportedly 20 companies paying $70 million had their products featured in the film, a record at the time.
The film also elicited poor opinions across the Korean peninsula, with the North unhappy with its portrayal as a brutal, war-hungry state, while many South Koreans were offended by a romantic scene conducted in a Buddhist temple and a scene where an American officer issues orders to the South Korean army in the defense of their own homeland.
Regardless of these criticisms, Die Another Day is the current title-holder for highest grossing James Bond film without adjusting for inflation. It took in $456 million in ticket sales worldwide.
Die Another Day was the first movie since Live and Let Die not to feature Desmond Llewelyn, who had died in 1999 just after the release of The World Is Not Enough. John Cleese, formerly of Monty Python's Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers, took over the role of Q. It is, however, clear that he is playing a different character (who had been introduced as Q's assistant "R" in The World Is Not Enough). Cleese's Q refers to "his predecessor" in one scene.
Plot summary
The film opens with Bond infiltrating the organization of Colonel Tan-Sun Moon, a North Korean army officer who is illegally selling military weaponry in exchange for African conflict diamonds. Bond is betrayed by an agency mole, resulting in a massive shootout/chase around the area. Colonel Moon is apparently killed after falling over a waterfall, and Bond is captured by the North Korean military, where he is tortured for fourteen months. Disavowed by his superiors upon his release, Bond sets out to find the mole on his own. His search eventually leads to billionaire businessman Gustav Graves, who is actually Colonel Moon surgically altered via genetic engineering. (The film's title, Die Another Day, refers to Colonel Moon surviving his first encounter with 007. Upon meeting him later in the film Bond comments, "So you lived to die another day.")
Graves' scheme, reminiscent of Diamonds Are Forever, Moonraker and GoldenEye, involves the construction of Icarus, an orbital mirror system made of diamonds that will supposedly focus solar energy on a small area to light the Arctic nights and, if the investment goes well with buyers, provide year-round sunshine for crop development. In truth the orbital mirror system is actually a superweapon designed to clear a path through the minefield in the demilitarized zone that separates North Korea from South Korea. North Korea would be able to invade South Korea, Japan, and other surrounding nations. Icarus would also be used to defend North Korea while it invades, by destroying any ballistic missile or nuclear warhead fired on North Korea or their troops, thus foiling any large scale retaliation from their enemies.
Bond, with the aid of NSA agent Jinx (played by Halle Berry), defeats Gustav Graves, whose other major techno-toy is an exoskeleton equipped with a high-voltage electric weapon, and prevents global catastrophe. Along the way he beds both Jinx and Graves' assistant, the blond "ice queen" and Olympic fencer Miranda Frost. Frost, who is purportedly working for MI6, is eventually revealed to be the mole within the agency.
Cast & characters
- James Bond - Pierce Brosnan
- Giacinta 'Jinx' Johnson - Halle Berry
- Gustav Graves - Toby Stephens
- Miranda Frost - Rosamund Pike
- Zao - Rick Yune
- Colonel Moon - Will Yun Lee
- General Moon - Kenneth Tsang
- M - Judi Dench
- Q - John Cleese
- Raoul - Emilio Echevarría
- Damian Falco - Michael Madsen
- Vlad - Mikhail Gorevoy (as Michael Gorevoy)
- Miss Moneypenny - Samantha Bond
- Charles Robinson - Colin Salmon
- Verity - Madonna
- Peaceful Fountains of Desire - Rachel Grant
- Mr. Chang - Ho Yi
- General Chandler - Michael G. Wilson
- Mr. Kil - Lawrence Makoare
- Mr. Kil's Personal Ice Palace Assistant/Jinx's Personal Driver - David Decio
Crew
- Directed by: Lee Tamahori
- Written by: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade
- Produced by: Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli, Anthony Waye
- Composed by: David Arnold
- Cinematography by: David Tattersall
- Production design by: Peter Lamont
- Edited by Christian Wagner
Soundtrack
The title song for Die Another Day was written and sung by Madonna. Madonna also had a small cameo in the movie as Verity, a leather-clad fencing instructor.
The soundtrack was composed by David Arnold, his third outing as the composer for a James Bond movie. Arnold again made use of electronic rhythm elements in his score, and included two of the new themes he created for The World is not Enough. The first, originally used as Renard's theme for the previous film, is heard during the mammoth "Antonov" cue on the recording, and is written for piano. The second new theme, most easily described as Bond's romance theme, was used in the "Christmas in Turkey" track on the The World Is not Enough soundtrack, and is heard here on the "Going Down Together" track. Unusually the opening Gun-Barrel is included on the album. The score does contain any musical reference to the title song, owing presumably to the style of the song. The soundtrack was released on Warner Brothers Records, which is also Madonna's label.
Although the Bond films have a long-standing connection with the pop music world, the choice of Madonna's song, coupled with the use of The Clash's "London Calling," proved controversial with some fans who felt the two pieces of music were inappropriate for a Bond movie. "London Calling" was used briefly in the film as Bond returns to England via British Airways. At the time, the airline was using the song in American radio and television commercials.
Madonna's theme song was unusual in that it was presented in a credit sequence that actually moved the film's plot along (as opposed to all previous Bond film titles which are standalone set pieces — an exception being the third segment of the Dr. No titles). The concept of the song/title sequence was that it represented Bond trying to keep his sanity during 14 months of torture at the hands of the North Koreans. The divided opinion over the "Die Another Day" theme is evidenced in that it was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song as well as for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song (2002).
Track listing
- "Die Another Day" - Madonna
- "James Bond Theme (Bond Vs. Oakenfold)" - Paul Oakenfold
- "On The Beach"
- "Hovercraft Chase"
- "Some Kind of Hero?"
- "Welcome to Cuba"
- "Jinx Jordan"
- "Jinx & James"
- "A Touch of Frost"
- "Icarus"
- "Laser Fight"
- "Whiteout"
- "Iced Inc."
- "Antonov"
- "Going Down Together"
Vehicles & gadgets
- Main articles: List of James Bond vehicles and List of James Bond gadgets
- Aston Martin Vanquish V12 — The car is equipped with all the usual refinements including front-firing rockets, hood mounted guns, and passenger ejector seat in homage to the original Aston Martin DB5 driven by Bond in Goldfinger. The car was also equipped with an adaptive camouflage device, that allowed it to become invisible to the naked eye at the push of a button (although it could still be detected in infrared). Q jokingly referred to the car as the 'Aston Martin Vanish'.
- Jaguar XKR — While not technically a Bond car, this car was driven by the villain Zao. Like Bond's car, it came equipped with guns mounted on its hood, missiles, a retractable battering ram, and it could launch mortar shells.
- Ford Thunderbird — Although only in the movie for a short period of time, the vehicle was marketed as a Bond car. Jinx drives the 2002 Ford Thunderbird up to Graves Ice Palace and her door is opened for her by her Personal Driver; as she gets out he gets in and drives it away. It's unknown what type of gadgets, if any, were installed.
- 1957 Ford Fairlane convertible — When Bond departs Raoul's villa, he borrows his convertible when 007 requests a fast car.
- Switchblades — The Switchblade is essentially a one-man glider shaped like a fighter jet. It features retractable wings that control the speed and trajectory of the craft. Fitted with the same material on a stealth bomber, the switchblade allows Bond and Jinx to enter North Korea undetected. The switchblade is based on a workable model called "PHASST" (Programmable High Altitude Single Soldier Transport).
- Glass Shattering Ring — This ring, given to Bond by Q-Branch, emits a high pitch sound that shatters any glass it's near.
- Rebreather — Seen only briefly (when Bond is swimming under the ice), the rebreather is along the same design as the one in Thunderball, allowing the user a short supply of oxygen.
- Omega Seamaster watch — Seen first in the pre-title sequence, the watch included a concealed explosives detonator, activated by turning the bezel. Later in the movie he receives another watch, which is revealed to contain a laser powerful enough to cut a hole in the frozen surface of a lake.
- Surfboard — Also seen in the pre-title sequence, Bond's surfboard includes a trick compartment which houses a Walther P99 (and silencer), 2 bricks of C4 explosive and a GPS equipped knife.
Locations
Film locations
- Puk'chong Coast, North Korea
- Korean DMZ (including the Bridge of No Return)
- Hong Kong, China
- Havana, Cuba
- Isla Los Organos, Cuba
- London, United Kingdom
- Iceland
Shooting locations
- Pinewood Studios including Albert R. Broccoli's 007 Stage
- Maui, Hawaii — surfing scene off Pukch'ong Coast, North Korea
- Holywell Bay, near Newquay, Cornwall, UK — North Korean beach
- Church Crookham, Hampshire, UK — bridge from Korean Demilitarized Zone
- Cádiz, Spain — Havana, Cuba and Isla Los Organos, Cuba
- Reform Club, London — interior of the lobby at the Blades club
- London, United Kingdom — MI6 Headquarters, Buckingham Palace, Green Park and Westminster
- Jökulsárlón, Iceland — car chase on frozen lake near Graves' ice palace
- Rissington Airfield, Gloucestershire, UK — additional scenes for frozen lake car chase
- Jostedal National Park, Norway — additional scenes for frozen lake car chase
- The Eden Project, Cornwall, UK — interior of Iceland diamond mine
- RAF Odiham, Hampshire, UK — United States Army Command Bunker, Korean DMZ
- Burnham Deepdale, Norfolk, UK — South Korean paddy fields and farm
Novelisation
The novelisation to Die Another Day was written by the then current official James Bond writer, Raymond Benson based on the screenplay by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. Like the movie, the novel also featured many references to past Bond movies and novels.
A few months after its publication, it was announced that Benson was retiring as the official James Bond novelist, and Ian Fleming Publications (owners of the Bond literary franchise) announced that the series was going on hiatus. A new series of Bond novels by Charlie Higson was launched in 2005, although these books focus on Bond's adventures as a teenager (Young Bond).
As a result, Die Another Day, the novel, is for the time being the final literary adventure featuring Bond as originally conceived by Ian Fleming, although the publisher is reportedly planning another "adult Bond" novel to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Fleming's birth in 2008.
| Author: | Publisher: | Hardback: | Paperback: | Alternate titles: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raymond Benson | Ian Fleming Publications | UK) 2002 | UK) 2002 | |
| Preceded by: The Man with the Red Tattoo | ||||
| Followed by: SilverFin (first book of Young James Bond series) | ||||
Jinx spinoff
Berry's performance was heavily criticized by many reviewers and fans, though ironically she won an Academy Award for Best Actress (for Monster's Ball) in the midst of filming, making her only the second actor after Christopher Walken to be an Oscar-winner at the time of their appearance in an official Bond film (Judi Dench also won an Oscar in 1999 as well as Benicio Del Toro in 2000, but this was after their debut in the series). Regardless of these criticisms, the character of Jinx was nonetheless considered popular enough for MGM to announce plans for the first-ever James Bond spin-off movie based upon the character and starring Halle Berry. Stephen Frears was attached to direct and actor Colin Salmon was set to portray his Bond character, Charles Robinson, as Jinx's mission director. MGM abruptly cancelled production in late 2003 to focus on the next James Bond film, Casino Royale. Some film critics have speculated that the cancellation may have been connected to the box office underperformance of several female-led action films in 2003, most notably [[Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life]].MPAA delay
Die Another Day features an on-screen sex scene with the lead characters. (GoldenEye featured a more intense scene with Onatopp and her Admiral.) The MPAA ordered two minutes cut from a sex scene between Halle Berry and Pierce Brosnan in order to get the expected PG-13 rating. The cut happened as requested, and the film was listed as PG-13 due to "action violence and sexuality".Trivia
- Die Another Day is the first James Bond film in which Bond was captured and tortured by a foreign power. This is also the first time that Bond appears in a beard and long hair.
- This was also the first 007 film to take place in three Communist states (or territory thereof) — North Korea, People's Republic of China (a portion of the plot is set in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which is not (technically) a Communist area), and Cuba.
- A number of items inside Q's lab appeared in previous James Bond films, including such memorable gadgets as the rocket belt, shoe with poison-tipped blade, Acrostar minijet, the alligator boat, and the field briefcase among many others.
- It has been suggested that Richard Branson was the inspiration for the Graves character.
- The character Wai Lin, played by Michelle Yeoh in Tomorrow Never Dies, was originally supposed to make her return, aiding Bond in Hong Kong, but no arrangement could be worked out with the actress and she was replaced by Chinese Intelligence agent (and hotelier) Chang. Wai Lin's presence is confirmed by an extra on the DVD release concerning the writing of the script: Barbara Broccoli is shown leafing through an early script, and it clearly contains lines for Wai Lin.
- On Bond's flight to London, the flight attendant who serves him a vodka martini is played by ex-James Bond actor Roger Moore's daughter, Deborah Moore.
- The magazine with the picture of Gustav Graves which Bond is reading on his flight to London is actually the real November 2002 in-flight magazine for British Airways. The magazine does in fact have an interview with Toby Stephens about playing the role of Graves.
- The book A Field Guide to the Birds of the West Indies by James Bond, the ornithologist whose name inspired Ian Fleming, is picked up by Bond in a scene in Havana. Bond also claims to be an ornithologist when Jinx asks him what he does.
- Although the basic plot and the title do not derive from any James Bond novel, this is the first film since 1989's Licence to Kill to include notable elements from the Bond books, In particular, the Korean villain, Colonel Tan-Sun Moon, has a similar name to that of Colonel Sun, the villain in Kingsley Amis's Bond novel of the same name. A number of elements from Fleming's original novel Moonraker are also included. In that novel, a Nazi adopts a new identity and becomes a popular British multi-millionaire. He then donates millions to create a "Moonraker" missile which is supposed to be for Britain's protection but is actually meant to destroy London. The parallels between that plot and Die Another Day's plot are apparent. In addition, the club called Blades, a fencing club in this film, was featured as a card club in Moonraker. The character of Miranda Frost was originally named Gala Brand, the same name as the Bond girl in the original Moonraker novel.
- The director, Lee Tamahori, wanted Sean Connery to film a cameo appearance in the movie, however, the producers rejected the idea because they didn't want to have two actors who were James Bond on screen at the same time. To explain how this occurrence is possible, Tamahori concocted a controversial theory that the name "James Bond" is a codename (like 007) which is given to the best and most accomplished secret agents . It is also meant to explain Bond's ageless ability, his difference in appearance and radical changes between actors (e.g., Roger Moore vs Timothy Dalton). One and probably the only evidence to support this theory is George Lazenby's final line in the pre-title sequence of On Her Majesty's Secret Service where the Bond girl runs away after Bond is ambushed on a beach: "This never happened to the other fella." The theory is largely denounced by fans and usually discredited by the light continuity in subsequent films when Bond's wife, Tracy, or his marriage in general (from On Her Majesty's Secret Service) is mentioned. Nevertheless, the theory tends to be subject to much debate.
- The title is taken from a poem by A. E. Housman: "But since the man that runs away/Lives to die another day...".
- According to a report printed in the Daily Mirror newspaper on January 6, 2001, actor Edward Woodward was being "lined up" to take over the role of M in Die Another Day (which, at the time the article was printed, had the working title Beyond the Ice). According to the Mirror article, a sub-plot was planned for the film which would have seen Judi Dench's M retiring.[link]
- During many parts of the movie (most notably the action sequences; i.e. the fight scene at the Cuban clinic) some of the bars of John Barry's theme from On Her Majesty's Secret Service can be heard repeatedly intertwined with the other background music.
- This is the first occasion in which the lead villain is played by two different actors within the same film.
- The flesh wound comment during Bond's training at the abandoned Underground station refers to the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which John Cleese co-wrote and starred in.
- The supposed anti-satellite missile launch is actually footage of a Harpoon anti-ship missile being launched from a Royal Navy Type 23 frigate. No naval vessel or sea launched weapon has this capability. The footage is the same as used at the beginning of Tomorrow Never Dies.
- The sword Graves picks up in the fencing club after throwing his first sword at Bond is actually a Korean version of a katana, thus hinting at Graves' origins. Also, in the fencing scene, Pierce Brosnan is holding his sword with his right hand, but is wearing a left-handed fencing jacket.
- The fictional Vauxhall Cross tube station in London where Bond meets M, and receives his car from Q, has been said to be based on the abandoned Aldwych tube station or Down Street tube station.
- One product tie-in meant that there are two versions of the film. Bond shaves in the USA prints with a Norelco Spectra shaver and prints outside the USA with a Philishave Sensotec shaver.
- It should be noted that this was, in fact, the first Bond film to take place since the tragic real-life events of September 11, 2001. It's speculated that this is in fact why the Bond character was imprisoned for such a long time, since 007 would normally be able to thwart such a plot. 9-11 is actually lightly referenced in the film, during the sequence where M meets Bond in the underground station and tells him that "The world has changed since you were imprisoned".
See also
References
External links
- [Official site]
- [the agony booth : DIE ANOTHER DAY Review]
- [Movie Tour Guide.com - Maps and directions to Die Another Day Filming Locations]
- [Locations site]
- [Pierce Brosnan on Die Another Day]
| The James Bond films |
|---|
| Official films Dr. No | From Russia with Love | Goldfinger | Thunderball | You Only Live Twice | On Her Majesty's Secret Service | Diamonds Are Forever | Live and Let Die | The Man with the Golden Gun | The Spy Who Loved Me | Moonraker | For Your Eyes Only | Octopussy | A View to a Kill | The Living Daylights | Licence to Kill | GoldenEye | Tomorrow Never Dies | The World Is Not Enough | Die Another Day | Casino Royale | Bond 22 |
| Unofficial films Casino Royale (1954 TV) | Casino Royale (1967 spoof) | Never Say Never Again |
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