Customer Reviews

The Art of Bond: From Storyboard to Screen--the Creative Process Behind the James Bond Phenomenon

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Length:: 0:36 Mins

The book title is deceiving. This is not an art book.

This book is about the history on the making of James Bond movies, up until Casino Royale. That's all 21 films if you're counting.

Included are lots of on-set photographs, some concept artwork consisting mainly of storyboards. There are also interviews with key talents like Michael G.Wilson, Barbara Broccoli, Ken Adam, John Barry and Martin Campbell.

In essence, this book is about the history of James Bond and how it made it to the big screen. Many production stories are included in the interviews, like how they fix up the set, cast characters and choose music. These stories come in the form of interviewees' quotes. There is no narration in the book.

The book could be thicker given James Bond's long and illustrious history. I just can't help thinking about how much stuff they left out. I guess they may be covered in other James Bond books.

It's a good read overall, but mainly for James Bond fans.

Here's the list of chapters:

* Bond Words: the novels, the screenplays, the dialogue
* Bond Worlds: sets, locations, gadgets and cars
* Making It Real: the team, the actors, filming the action
* Bond Scores: the music, the songs, the title sequences
* Bond Takes On The World: the marketing, the release
* James Bond Will Return
* Picture Captions

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

This is an outstanding book covering all 21 official James Bond movies. It is cocked full with many color and black & white photographs, storyboards, sketches and other related visual delights. It covers many aspects of the James Bond films from different angles. I like its objective approach making this book a tribute and a real acknowledgment of what has been accomplished in these 21 films. This attractive book will certainly make a truly great Christmas gift.

This book is amazing! It has SO much 007 info, never before seen photos, illuminating text, zillions of interviews with some of the most influential directors of our time, including Spielberg. Bouzereau offers an A-Z listing of everything you always wanted to know about the art of James Bond films. Beyond merely stating the facts, he also punctuates the listings with his own elucidating commentary on characters, actors, set designers, costume designers, with bits of trivia, etc. The text is further buttressed with hundreds of rare, never before seen color and black-and-white stills. In sum, this is a rich resource for all Bond fans who will be both shaken and stirred by the multitude of factoids and photos. HIGHLY Recommended!!! Buy this book, you'll love it!!!!

It's hard to easily peg this title: readers interested in James Bond, film history, and art will equally find plenty fascinating in THE ART OF BOND: FROM STORYBOARD TO SCREEN - THE CREATIVE PROCESS BEHIND THE JAMES BOND PHENOMENON. Those who have participated in the Bond ideal, from writers to designers and producers, here share their memories and experiences working on some of the major films which made Bond a popular figure. All twenty-one Bond films are included in a survey which pairs color photos with history and captures the exciting works and challenges of bringing Bond to life. It's a pick not just for film and art libraries, but for general-interest collections - and a 'must read' for all James Bond fans!

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

As an owner of a broad collection of James Bond related books and memorabalia, I am pleased to add Laurent Bouzereau's "The Art of Bond" to my collection. The fresh point of view combined with great photos from the Eon archive make this one of the most impressive books devoted to the Bond films that I've read in many years.

This is a gorgeous book with tons of inside information, plus rare photos, storyboard images and, of course, THE interviews. It's one of those books you'll pull down off the shelf and find something new in every time. Bouzereau got not only 00 insiders to talk about their groundbreaking work, but A list filmmakers talking about the influence Bond has had on them. This is about as good as it gets!

Traditionally with the release of each new James Bond film comes a plethora of new literary publications focusing on the new film or all the films in the series. Thus, 2006's CASINO ROYALE is no exception. The several books out this time however seem to be lacking focus. "The Art of Bond: From Storyboard to Screen: The Creative Process Behind the James Bond Phenomenon" is a hodgepodge of artistic ideas that went into these films. This book is a huge disappointment. It truly lacks structure and meanders through many of the elements that went into the films with no concerted effort to intelligently assemble the progression of ideas that resulted in the look, feel and texture of the series as a whole. However, I was glad to see a print of the portrait of Bernard Lee as M that hung in the castle seen in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH. That was a nice touch in that film giving the series continuity and it is good to see a copy of that portrait in this book. Yet, that is hardly a recommendation for this publication.

This is my first review and unfortunately it's a stinker. I'm a concept artist and a James Bond fan, so I eagerly anticipated the arrival of this book. When I finally got it, I skimmed through the many pages just to get an initial impression. It wasn't good. I asked myself repeatedly, "where's the artwork?" -- where's the many conceptual sketches, prop designs, miniatures, paintings, novel illustrations, etc. Don't get me wrong, the book does contain such content, but only to a surprising minimal degree. The book should be more accurately titled, Bond: A Derivative Photo Album. Most all of the content is comprised of snap-shots from newer movies.

If you are an artist I would not recommend this. In fact, avoid it.

I have this book and I like but I'm mainly giving a 5 star review to offset the many idiots on this page who think this a a feedback forum to grouse about shippers and frayed corners.

Hey its James Bond and the cover sums it up. The book is a walk through of a lot of the Art from the Bond Series. Plus for the size the price cannot be beat.