Pay Attention, 007 focuses on acting, plot, Bond tropes, locations, and fashion within the James Bond universe.
Reading the feed…
In episode 17, the hosts discuss 1985’s A View to a Kill, with Roger Moore’s final appearance as 007. When a Soviet copy of a microchip of British design turns up on the body of 003, Bond must investigate a possible leak in the chip’s manufacturer, Zorin Industries. Will Bond be able to stop the psychopathic Max Zorin (Christopher Walkin) from destroying Silicon Valley? The film features Grace Jones as May Day, Tanya Roberts as Stacey Sutton, Patrick Macnee as Sir Godfrey Tibbett, Fiona Fullerton as Pola Ivanova, Willoughby Gray as Dr. Karl Mortner (aka Hans Glaub), Patrick Bauchau as Scarpine
In episode 16, the hosts discuss the first NON-Eon production of the podcast: 1983’s Never Say Never Again, featuring the return of Sean Connery in the role that made him famous. A reimagining of Thunderball, Never Say Never Again features an ingenious plan by Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Max von Sydow) and SPECTRE number two Maximillian Largo (Klaus Maria Brandauer) to heist two nuclear devices and hold the world hostage. Will an aging 007 unravel the plot and outwit the psychotic hench Fatima Blush (the scene-stealing Barbara Carrera) before it’s too late? The film features Kim Basinger as Domino P
In episode 15, the hosts discuss 1983’s Octopussy, continuing John Glen’s decade-long run directing the Eon Bond films. When MI6 agent 009 turns up dead in East Berlin dressed as a clown and clutching a fake Faberge egg, Bond must follow a trail of elaborate forgeries to a Soviet conspiracy involving a disgruntled general, an exiled Afghan prince, and an international smuggling ring using circuses as a front. Will Bond survive his confrontation with the infamous Octopussy (Maud Adams, in her second Bond film role) and her all-girl octopus cult of assassins? The film features Louis Jourdan as K
In episode 14, the hosts discuss 1981’s For Your Eyes Only, the beginning of director John Glen’s decade-long run on the James Bond franchise. When a secret British information gathering ship is accidentally sunk after striking an old naval mine in the Ionian sea, every world power wants to get their hands on what it was carrying: the Automatic Targeting Attack Communicator (ATAC), a system used by the Ministry of Defence to co-ordinate the Royal Navy's fleet of Polaris submarines. Will Bond (Roger Moore) be able to find the ATAC before USSR intermediaries do? Or will the web of competing orga
A brief update from the Pay Attention, 007 crew.
In episode 13, the hosts take a break from watching films to reflect on the first decade of Roger Moore as Bond, the 1970s. As they say goodbye to directors Guy Hamilton and Lewis Gilbert (and hello to John Glenn as series director of the next five films), the hosts discuss their favorites of this era, including opening gambit, theme music and title design, villains, Bond girls, friends and allies, henchfolk, locations and sets, cars, stunts, fashion, animal unions, and more. At the end of the episode, the hosts give their own personal rankings of the first eleven films of the franchise, inclu
In episode 12, the hosts discuss 1979’s Moonraker, Lewis Gilbert’s second Bond film of the Sir Roger Moore era and final overall in the franchise. When the US space shuttle orbiter Moonraker disappears en route to the UK, James Bond is sent to investigate the ultra-wealthy Hugo Drax (Michael Lonsdale), head of Drax Industries and the designer of the Moonraker. Will Bond be able to unravel Drax’s sinister intentions before he can put his elaborate plan into action? Even if it means chasing him into space? The film features Lois Chiles as Holly Goodhead, Corinne Cléry as Corrine Dufour, Toshiro
In episode 11, the hosts discuss 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me, featuring the return of director Lewis Gilbert and the continuation of Sir Roger Moore’s run as James Bond. When two submarines–one British and one Soviet–carrying nuclear missiles mysteriously vanish, both MI6 and the KGB assign the case to their top two agents–Bond and Major Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach). Will Bond and Amasova–also known as Agent Triple X–be able to put aside their national allegiances and professional rivalries to solve the case and prevent the extinction of life as we know it? Or is their personal history too much
In episode 10, the hosts discuss 1974’s The Man with the Golden Gun, the final film in the franchise directed by Guy Hamilton and the second appearance of Sir Roger Moore as James Bond. When MI6 receives a message in the form of a golden bullet with 007 etched on the side, they know it can only mean one thing: infamous assassin Francisco Scaramanga’s (Christopher Lee) next target is Bond. Bond is removed from his current assignment–investigating the disappearance of a missing solar scientist and his invention that might solve the ‘70s energy crisis–to hunt down Scaramanga and remove the threat
In episode 09, the hosts discuss 1973’s Live and Let Die, directed by Guy Hamilton once again. The film introduces Sir Roger Moore as the new James Bond for the 1970s, and to this day, he is still the actor who has embodied the character for the greatest number of Eon productions. When three MI6 agents are mysteriously murdered, Bond must travel to the US to investigate business mogul Dr. Kananga (Yaphet Kotto) and his shady dealings. Is Bond a match for the clever Dr. Kananga and his supposed voodoo powers? What is his relationship with the enigmatic Mr. Big and his gang connections? The film
In episode 08, the hosts take a break from watching films to reflect on the first era of Bond. As they say goodbye to Sean Connery and George Lazenby, the hosts discuss their favorites of the series so far, including opening gambit, theme music and title design, villains, Bond girls, friends and allies, henchfolk, locations and sets, gadgets, cars, stunts, fashion, animal unions, and more. At the end, the hosts give their own personal rankings of the first seven films of the franchise, including Sofie with a very specific ranking metric.
In episode 07, the hosts discuss 1971’s Diamonds are Forever.
In episode 06, the hosts discuss 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, directed by Peter R. Hunt. The first Eon Bond film without Sean Connery, George Lazenby stars in his one and only appearance as James Bond. Hot on SPECTRE’s trail, Bond tracks Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas) to a remote allergy clinic in the Swiss Alps. Can Bond foil Blofeld’s latest scheme–involving twelve young women and biological warfare–before it’s too late? And will he be forced to choose between MI6 and a serious relationship with Tracy di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg)? The film features Gabriele Ferzetti as Marc-Ange
In this episode, the hosts discuss the recent Amazon and MGM announcement that Denis Villeneuve will be directing the next Bond film, the first since Amazon purchased the Bond IP and Barbara Broccoli left the franchise. They talk about his strengths and weaknesses as a director as well as whether or not they think he is a good fit. Plus, they talk about recent casting rumors!
In this episode, our hosts are joined by friend of the pod and MovieJawn staffer Jacob Harrington to discuss the first trailer for the new James Bond video game, 007 First Light, and what they expect from it. They briefly discuss the history of Bond in games and how the game’s developer, IO Interactive, might influence the direction of First Light.
In episode 05, the hosts discuss 1967’s You Only Live Twice. Adapted for the screen by Roald Dahl and directed by Lewis Gilbert, the film stars Sean Connery in what was intended to be his final performance as James Bond. After a NASA spaceship is stolen from orbit by a mysterious craft, world powers blame each other for the attack. Bond fakes his own death in order to go undercover in Japan to investigate. Will Bond untangle the plot before the USSR and the US go to war? The film features Akiko Wakabayashi as Aki, Tetsuro Tamba (dubbed by Robert Rietty) as Tiger Tanaka, Mie Hama as Kissy Suzuk
In episode 04, the hosts discuss 1965’s Thunderball. Terence Young returns to direct Sean Connery in the most ambitious Bond film ever in terms of action setpieces. The new Number Two of SPECTRE, the ruthless Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi, dubbed by Robert Rietti) heists two nuclear bombs and threatens major world cities unless NATO pays a ransom. Can Bond find the bombs before the deadline? The film features Claudine Auger (dubbed by Nikki van der Zyl) as Domino, Rick Van Nutter as Felix Leiter, Luciana Paluzzi as Fiona Vulpe, and the Disco Volante as herself.
In episode 03, the hosts discuss 1964’s Goldfinger. Directed by Guy Hamilton and starring Sean Connery, Goldfinger is often considered the prototypical Bond film. While investigating the boorish American businessman Auric Goldfinger (who bears an uncanny resemblance to a modern day villain), Bond becomes entangled in a complex plot to destabilize the world economy via a giant gold heist. Has Bond met his match in the “the man with the Midas touch?” The film features Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore, Harold Sakata as Oddjob, Cec Linder as Felix Leiter, and Gert Fröbe as Auric Goldfinger.
In episode 02, the hosts discuss 1964’s From Russia with Love. Terence Young and Sean Connery both return for the second Bond film with more ambition and a much larger budget. Bond travels to Istanbul to meet with honey trap and possible defector Tatiana Romanova (Daniela Bianchi) to acquire a powerful decoding device. Is this an opportunity to gain an advantage in the ongoing Cold War? Or is this mission a trap for Bond set by the mysterious SPECTRE? The film also introduces pod favorite Desmond Llewelyn as Q and features Robert Shaw as Red Grant and Lotte Lenya as Rosa Klebb.
The hosts are joined for this special episode by Fangoria editor-in-chief and Bond aficionado Phil Nobile Jr. to discuss the news that Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are stepping back from the Bond franchise and that Amazon now has full creative control of the franchise going forward. This marks a huge departure from Bond status quo as a member of the Broccoli family has overseen production of every canonical Bond film since 1962’s Dr. No. The hosts and Phil discuss their reactions to the news and the legacy of the Broccolis on James Bond films.
In Episode 01, the hosts discuss the very first James Bond film, 1962’s Dr. No. Directed by Terence Young, the film introduces Sean Connery as James Bond, a classy, MI6 agent with a penchant for martinis and women. Bond is sent to Jamaica to investigate the sudden disappearance of an MI6 operative and finds danger, romance, and a plot to disrupt the US space program! The film also introduces Bernard Lee as M and Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny.
In this, our very first episode–our “opening gambit,” as it were–the hosts introduce themselves and what they love about 007, the ins and outs of watching a franchise over 60 years old, and what they are most excited about for this project!
