As a kid, I can't think of a bigger influence on my media life than of James Bond. It's no mystery to me why I became infatuated with the ideals of 007 in my teenage years; at a time I looked for every bit of media to consume, Bond was in books, movies and played ad nausea on my Nintendo 64. I don't remember much from chemistry or physics classes but, given the chance, I could still find my way through the facility level on GoldenEye"" without getting shot once. One would think that as I got older, that fascination would decrease. Think again.
Bond has been an icon for over 50 years now, but there's a bigger event on the horizon. A great anniversary is on its way and no amount of submarine cars, exploding pens or secret micro-film is enough to celebrate it: The world is not enough. Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond novels, would have turned 100 this year. While the world has changed (why President Bush seems apathetic toward megalomaniacal supervillains bent on world domination still bothers me... Did bin Laden ever create a space base with the ability to destroy humanity?), Bond has remained consistently popular.
The first Bond movie I got to see in theaters was ""Tomorrow Never Dies,"" and that's an amazing rush for an 11-year-old boy. From the first minute of any Bond movie, there are explosions and action. There are attractive women with ridiculous names around every corner. There are fast cars, and did I mention the explosions? I distinctly remember sitting through the final hour of the movie really having to go to the bathroom, and waiting for downtime in the movie to sneak out. Alas, it never happened - damn you, movie theater Coke!
When I was growing up, Bond seemed to grow into every other phase I went through; when I was into ""Star Wars,"" I watched Roger Moore get launched into space in ""Moonraker."" When I was taught about the Soviets' occupation of Afghanistan, Bond was fighting along with the Mujahadin in ""The Living Daylights."" And when I was ready for Bond to come into the real world, ""Casino Royale"" was released.
At one time or another, I have had no less than six ""favorite Bond films of all-time."" I've repeatedly tried to get my friends and family to appreciate Timothy Dalton's Bond, claiming he was closest to Ian Fleming's original character, although now Daniel Craig has taken that crown. However, I've always conceded that Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and now Craig made the best Bonds, in that order.
I've seen movies from all eras and countries, being 007 is still the ultimate male fantasy (yes, I do occasionally fantasize about stinger missiles behind my car's headlights). That's probably why I've never escaped my Bond addiction, and why a Cold War-era spy is still relevant twenty years after the Cold War.
So give a Bond addict you know a hug today, and tell them that you understand their condition. If nothing else, write your congressman - from what I hear, Fort Knox is amazingly susceptible to a nuclear attack.
If you would like to bring cookies to the Bond Addicts Anonymus meeting this week, e-mail Brad at boron@wisc.edu.
