Franz Sanchez is a sadistic psychopath! An aircraft pilot and drug lord, Sanchez owns a casino topped by a multi-story hotel, a bank, a palatial home, an airport and an airline concession, a small army headed by a Colonel with its own tank, ninja-killing warriors and stinger missiles, and an entire new age religion headquartered in an ancient temple complex with a hidden heliport and drug lab. He wears thousand-dollar silk shirts and his pet iguana wears a million dollar diamond necklace. Sanchez further owns a gasoline export concern that ships worldwide via oil tanker and also his local mayor and chief of police, a general and a president. His bank heads the “world’s largest private investment fund” that launders a cash surplus of $10 Million PER DAY through the U.S. Federal Reserve to legitimate holdings.

His maniacal plot is to expand his cartel which extends from Chile to Alaska into Asia by using a unique drug smuggling method impervious to any government’s technology. By the tank chase scene Sanchez holds an added $500 Million in bearer bonds and TONS of cocaine in his tanker truck fleet.

Raoul Silva is also a sadistic psychopath! A rogue agent, he owns an art theft and smuggling concern and a deserted island serviced by a 250-foot luxury yacht and a beautiful prostitute. He owns influence in his local casino, a large helicopter, and a great many computer servers.

His maniacal plot is to shame MI-6, kill M, and directly and indirectly, many of her field agents.

Sanchez has been called “not a big enough villain” but Silva has been called “the best villain since Kronsteen or Goldfinger.”

Rant 1 has been executed.

*Jamaica, and VILLA GOLDENEYE to sit at Mr. Fleming’s writing desk and to sip rum our concierge offered, as we celebrated Bond’s 60th Anniversary in print

*Miami, to explore 60 Bond vehicles from all 23 films with the DEZER BOND MUSEUM’s curator, and to visit the Doug Redenius OO7 Memorabilia Collection in person

*The Bahamas, to nurse Vespers at CASINO ROYALE’s One & Only Ocean Club and dip our toes in Emilio Largo’s Shark Pool from THUNDERBALL

*The Turks and Caicos to beachcomb and unwind from visiting 35 more Bond film and book locations (including touring the GOLDFINGER Car Crush Plant with its owner, spearing Vargas at THUNDERBALL’s Love Beach, visiting Jill Masterson’s and Bond’s rooms at THE FONTAINEBLEAU and dozens of other film and book locations)

One kind fan wrote, “Matt, thanks again from the bottom of my heart for a great, fantastic trip. You delivered far more than promised.”

**

Yes, the OOSailin fans adored our four locations tours and our bonus visit to climb Dunn’s River Falls from DR. NO. And aboard the new Carnival Breeze, they loved to shop and to attend dance, music and comedy shows, watch Bond movies and trade props and collectibles, play casino games and chat until the wee hours over smokes and drinks on the top deck.

Hours of Bond trivia challenges were also provided at sea and we watched 4D action movies, climbed a ropes course and enjoyed the Breeze’s saunas and hot tubs, swimming pools, jogging track and two billiards tables.

To be honest, despite the fact that all the BONDLIST cruisers, even first timers, said they’d sail again with me, by the last evening I’d lost my appetite. So for dinner with the group I settled reluctantly on Maryland Crab Cake, Frog Legs in Butter and the Chilled Mango Ginger Soup. Oh, and also Mac & Cheese with Bacon followed by a thick wedge of Cappuccino Pie. As one fan said, “Don’t everyone fill up on prime rib before our (second) lobster tail!”

It’s true, OO7, dining on the ship wearied us all. At one luncheon, I wondered whether The Breeze wanted “a clean kill or to send a message” as I counted 14 lunch locations aboard including Mexican, Italian and a Mongolian Grill all made to order, and Indian, BBQ, a deli, a pizzeria, and a Chocolate Decadence Buffet, each of the 14 offering different menus and unlimited dining free of cost.

Discipline, OO7, discipline! We paced ourselves all week. After all, breakfast and lunch were often followed by Afternoon Tea then The Appetizer Taste Bar and of course, five-course dinners, sitting as a group together and unwinding or tackling trivia challenges. Somehow we managed to roll away from dinner when Moneypenny invited us for late night snacks and a nightcap to watch movies under the stars, seen from the comfort of our loungers or even the swimming pool.

One friend said it best. “The Breeze cruise and the BONDLIST group were amazing. I visited three foreign countries and Goldeneye, Largo’s House and the One & Only Club in the same week! Now we can all die happy at sea, our method of execution being fine dining!”

**

On returning again to Miami, I sadly missed our overseas adventures. My heart was at home but my behind was seated at Mr. Fleming’s desk in his $7,500 a night villa. Eggs Benedict and a Belgian Waffle topped with Strawberry Relish, Nutella and Pine Nuts, however, eaten 100 feet above South Beach on the Breeze’s Lido Deck eased my grieving process.

Overindulgence and the soft life. Now it’s Shrublands, I’m afraid, for daily herbal enemas and nightly rubdowns with Patricia. The things I do for England!

Want to see Bond’s world in person next time? Another Bond fan wrote yesterday, “Another successful mission, Matt, you made us all happy. Bucket Lists for all, a big thanks for all your effort and work, dreams do come through thanks to you.”

Rumor has it from Washington, DC that the next BONDLIST event will be held there, centered on CIA and The International Spy Museum. I’m also ready (after exercise and a crash diet) for another Caribbean cruise to see locations and Ian Fleming’s villa. How about you?

Bond Cruise April!

Come join us!

You are more likely to get an autograph if you write “To me please, [to my name]…” so they know you won’t be reselling it later. Go generic instead if you do want to resell it later.

Then, buy the still you want on eBay or perhaps from Jerry Ohlinger’s NYC store (big selection online). Then, pad it with cardboard so it stays crisp, and pad it with paper so the ink on the still doesn’t smear/the print doesn’t blur, then send it inside a self-addressed stamped envelope to return to you with postage already on it, along with your request to please ask for their inscription. All this will speed your genuine autographed item to be returned to you promptly.

Follow my rubric and you’ll receive 95% of your items or more back signed, and often very beautifully done as well.

After a catastrophic server crash and a move to a new web host, I found this blog’s data inaccessible (although I was able to restore my other blogs). I have finally been able to restore the archives (with help!!) and now we can move forward.

Old images are still lost but never fear, new posts means new pictures. The future is bright.

Everyone gets their own musical theme-Q, Wint and Kidd, Blofeld, Willard Whyte, Burt Saxby, the Bond theme and the 007 theme. John Barry lets loose on his JB Seven and jazz roots, and the Vegas music makes you snap your fingers and listen for Sammy and Sinatra.

Listen especially to the last tracks at the end. There are rich shadings of themes that get more fully developed in Octopussy and A View To A Kill among others…

…Sorry, but DAF is one of the best Bond films, still!

Greatest Marches Not Included

I heard reports of this yesterday, but didn’t really think it was serious. With Bond movies and rumors, it’s always best to be cautious. Now it’s in The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, and these are highly reliable sources (especially in combination!).

The long-running drama surrounding MGM’s future took an odd turn Tuesday with rumors sweeping through the town about Sam Mendes directing next James Bond film.

The beleaguered studio refused to confirm reports about Mendes being in talks for the 23rd Bond pic. MGM also denied other reports that pre-production had been halted after producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli told Total Film magazine that the uncertainty surrounding the Lion’s ownership had left the project’s timeline “a little up in the air what with the situation at MGM, so we have to be flexible.”

Speculation about Mendes as a Bond director has emerged in recent weeks, possibly due to his having directed Daniel Craig in “Road to Perdition.”

Note that Variety still calls it a rumor. THR is more definitive, also stating that Peter Morgan is joining Purvis & Wade for the script.

This is bad news. Mendes doesn’t have action chops, although he’s better than Marc Forster in that regard, having some action experience with Road to Perdition and Jarhead. But he’s a Serious Director™ and that concerns me more than the lack of action experience. He’s Meaningful and Important and it says to me that Wilson & Broccoli haven’t learned the lesson of Quantum of Solace which is, in a word, that you can go too far down that road. (Okay, that’s more than a word.)

Please, somebody throw in a joke!

Overall including the White/Keys title track, the Quantum of Solace soundtrack is a fine addition to the canon. I believe composer David Arnold has made up for TWINE and DAD stumblings with CR and QOS.

…but I’m not sure completists will find the “bonus tracks” out from QOS and CR worthwhile. They drag along, mostly, and I can see (hear) why they’d be left off the original (digital) pressings.

Your thoughts? What are you seeking in the Bond 23 soundtrack (other than we’d not wait two years to hear it, as now seems likely).

"David Ahh-nold will be baack to terminate more music for Bond's enemies..."