James Bond: The Legacy (Hardcover)

by John Cork (Author), Bruce Scivally (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
James Bond: women want him, and men want to be him. It's hard to do justice to such a mythic character, but documentary producers Cork and Scivally manage just that with this volume, a tasty feast for any 007 aficionado. An oversized book with more than 550 illustrations, it's essentially a lengthy love letter to one of the greatest film franchises of all time. The authors occasionally drift into the melodramatic (e.g., "What would a world be like without Bond?" they wonder), but also bring a host of juicy behind-the-scenes tales to the table, including battles with UK censors over the moniker Pussy Galore, one of the most celebrated of all Bond seductresses. Of course, the book touches on Bonds through the ages, from the incomparable Sean Connery to the underrated Roger Moore to today's hunk, Pierce Brosnan. Although much of today's superspy adulation is directed toward Austin Powers, Mike Meyers's campy Bond knock-off, sometimes, only the original will do. This snazzy book adroitly fits the bill.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Bond, James Bond. The signature music, the hot cars and hotter babes, the gadgets, and the exotic locales are among the intoxicating ingredients that comprise the ultimate fantasy character. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the film release of Dr. No. Five actors and 19 adventures later, our bond with Bond remains strong. And it's not just male Bonding: 007 is loved equally by women. This detailed, photo-rich (550 pix) tome chronicles the Bond story and beyond; the text not only offers background on the character and the productions but juxtaposes him within the world's political climate, which the films reflect. Although the plots are formulaic, the spy saves the world from a supercharged psychopath producer Cubby Broccoli worked with writers, directors, and actors to subtly refine the British agent throughout the decades while keeping the stories entertaining. Our man 007 has inspired imitators from Indiana Jones to Austin Powers, but there's no substitute for the original, and this title offers a detailed dossier of facts and photos that fans will find essential. Highly recommended. [This book and Nourmand's are being published to coincide with the release of the 20th Bond flick, Die Another Day, starring Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, and Dame Judi Dench. Ed.] Michael Rogers, "Library Journal.
- Michael Rogers, "Library Journal"
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810932962
• ISBN-13: 978-0810932968
• Product Dimensions: 14.6 x 10.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #733,519 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book yet written about the James Bond films., October 16, 2002

By	John Cox (Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews

There have been a lot of books written about the James Bond films and phenomenon; I should know because I've read them all! That's why I feel uniquely qualified and very confident in saying that this latest book (written by the two gentlemen who produced the special edition James Bond DVDs) is without a doubt THE best book yet written about the James Bond films! If you're baffled as to which book to add to you movie library, look no further because here you will find information and photos that you will not find anywhere else.

What makes this book so good? Well, first off, it's HUGE in size! A great coffee table book to be sure. The graphic layout is extremely well done and all the films are given equal time (not the case with some of the other books which tend to fixate on the Connery era). Also, for the first time in any official publication, we have coverage of the two "unofficial" James Bond films: NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN and CASINO ROYALE. Up until now these two "rogue" films have been missing from all official publications for legal reasons. JAMES BOND THE LEGACY is the first book to be published after MGM took ownership of these films, so now we are able to learn the fascinating stories of how they came to be made and, most interestingly, how they impacted and influenced the official series. Great stuff!

But what I like most about JAMES BOND THE LEGACY is how the authors look at each film within the historical context of when it was made. They focus not only on what was going on with the Bond producers at the time, but also what was going on in the world; what socio-political and even cinematic trends the Bond films were keying into. This really brings a new understanding to each film and helps explain why James Bond has endured while other "pop culture spies" (Matt Helm, Derek Flint, xXx :)) failed to connect beyond their time and have long since disappeared. Most people think James Bond films are "all the same", but you will discover here that they are not. In this book I learned how throughout its amazing 20-year history the Bond filmmakers made subtle--and sometimes very bold--changes in the tone of the series and to the character of James Bond himself. This is much more than a simple look at the production and plot of each film, this is a major work on one of the most famous fictional characters of the 20th century. Oh, and the book also gives a detailed look at the new Bond movie, DIE ANOTHER DAY, with some pictures that lead me to believe this could be the best Bond movie of them all! This alone makes it stand above the rest as definitive.

JAMES BOND THE LEGACY is a must buy for all James Bond fans and anyone interested in 20th century popular culture. Again, if you buy just one book about James Bond, make it this one.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The best Bond series book in 20 years, July 30, 2004

By	Darren Harrison "DVD collector and reviewer" (Washington D.C.) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Perhaps the best book on James Bond in the cinema since Steven Jay Rubin's excellent 1983 long-out-of-print work THE JAMES BOND FILMS: A BEHIND THE SCENES HISTORY (any true fans Bible), this large format book covers the James Bond movies up until 2002's DIE ANOTHER DAY choosing to concentrate on some of the cultural and current events that helped shape the transformation of the character over his 40-year cinematic career.
With many rare and previously unseen photo's the authors show the depth of their research through the comprehensive coverage not only of the influences on the movies, but also coverage of the influence the movies (especially those of the 1960s) had on popular culture. Its an astoundingly comprehensive book and not one that can be lightly flipped through in one sitting. It's large scale makes it somewhat cumbersome but this handsome, elegant edition is so brimming with artwork and illustrations that its scale becomes a blessing, that can for the most part be forgiven.
It's in its different approach to THE JAMES BOND FILMS that LEGACY really makes an excellent companion piece. Whereas the previous work concentrated on the behind the scenes stories for each movie (as its sub-head suggests) this book encompasses influence and the movies in broad strokes. Obviously big fans of Bond themselves they offer few criticisms of the movies themselves and scarce information on the anecdotal information that Rubin supplies.
Overall a sumptuous, elegant edition on the James Bond series that belongs in the bookshelves of every self discerning 007 fans.
Now, here's hoping Rubin updates his book soon!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Legacy of James Bond and MUCH more., February 13, 2003

By	George McAdams (Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

First of all, let me begin by saying that I have too many books, movies, tapes, laser discs, etc., about James Bond, dating back to the 1950's. Some good, some not so good. These include autobiographies that seem to tout a personal agenda, books that push the author's point of view, and this book, a gift from my wife. JAMES BOND: THE LEGACY is the best one of all. It does not try to be everything, but it does succeed in giving the reader a thorough background into the writings of Ian Fleming and the production history and methods of Broccoli and Saltzman.

As one who has literally "read it all" about Bond, I found this book to be a refreshing read, that made me look forward to every page. While there was some "old" news that had been hashed and rehashed, I was surprised at the "new" information I was not aware of.

While it is not inexpensive, it is a quality book that speaks of the conspicious consumption that its name sake employed, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes the Bond movies, or just wants to know the history of action movies in the last half of the 20th century.