Kiss Kiss Bang Bang! The Unofficial James Bond Film Companion [Paperback]

Marcus Hearn (Author), Alan Barnes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1998

The unofficial guide to James Bond on screen analyzes every Bond performance, from Sean Connery's pantherish assassin (introduced in 1962 as Dr. No) to Pierce Brosnan's elegant and wry portrayal in The World Is Not Enough (1999). Along the way, we consider actors George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton, Roger Moore, as well as Bond appearances in other films -- such as the spy spoof Casino Royale, starring David Niven. There's a wealth of top secret information for fans of the inimitable 007.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Overlook TP (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087951874X
• ISBN-13: 978-0879518745
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,003,897 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Highly informative insight into making the James Bond films., January 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang! The Unofficial James Bond Film Companion (Paperback)

Unlike the "official" James Bond compendiums written before it, "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" offers a broader, more objective view of the history of the James Bond film franchise. While the finished product could have used a polish from a real editor (there are typos everywhere,) the raw material contained here is worth the read alone. Everything from Fleming's early failed attempts to bring his hero to film, to Saltzman and Broccoli's instrumental casting of Sean Connery as the first James Bond is documented and seemingly well researched. Each film production receives it's own chapter, From "Dr. No" to "Tomorrow Never Dies" including the non-Eon produced "Casino Royale" and "Never Say Never Again." All chapters open with production stories as recollected by the cast and crew and includes initial reviews by film critics (a real plus here) who reflect on the sexual and moral perversion that audiences succumb to when viewing a James Bond film. The authors close each chapter with a 10 point fan-boy rating system, grading everything from the opening sequence and titles to the girls and gadgets. Overall the book is a quite refreshing and insightful companion. There aren't a lot of photos in the book, but the ones that are included aren't ones we've seen before. As a fan it left me thankful that Burt Reynolds was never cast as 007, upset that "Casino Royale" was wasted as a spoof and imagining what the franchise would be today if George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton did more films and if Roger Moore did less.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Third Time is the Charm, November 7, 2008

By 

Margaret Jaggard (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kiss Kiss Bang! Bang! The Unofficial James Bond 007 Film Companion (Paperback)

This is the third edition for the "unofficial" book. Yes, the word in quotes sometimes makes people shy away from the book but having read over three dozens books about James Bond, this is the best. Behind-the-scenes stories, secrets, "the how-tos", critical reviews, financial budgets, technician details regarding producing the gimmicks and gadgets, location shots and much more. It was first published in the early 1990s and later revised to cover Tomorrow Never Dies and The World is Not Enough.

This is the third revision and the best yet. Each version adds more trivia, offers sharper and exclusive publicity photos, and more trivial behind-the-scenes stories. Coming from England, the translation isn't 100% perfect (color is spelled colour but that's how it's spelled in the U.K.) but if you want to get a book for Christmas for that Bond fan, you won't go wrong with this one. Recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars IF YOU CANt GET ENOUGH OF JAMES BOND, May 1, 2004

By 

kametamorphic "ametamorphic" (East Haven) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang! The Unofficial James Bond Film Companion (Paperback)

"Kiss Kiss Bang! Bang!: The Unofficial James Bond Film Companion" by Alan Barnes and Marcus Hearn is a very good book on James Bond info. Even though unofficial it has good information. I like it.