Tagged: Turkey
The World Is Not Enough: Pierce Brosnan’s Midnight Brioni Tuxedo as Bond
Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in The World is Not Enough (1999).
Photo by Keith Hamshere/Sygma via Getty Images.
Vitals
Pierce Brosnan as James Bond, sophisticated English spy
Baku and Istanbul, December 1999
Film: The World Is Not Enough
Release Date: November 8, 1999
Director: Michael Apted
Costume Designer: Lindy Hemming
Tailored by: Brioni
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
On the 00-7th of November, today’s post celebrates Pierce Brosnan’s third and penultimate movie as James Bond—The World Is Not Enough—which premiered 25 years ago tomorrow on November 8, 1999 at the Fox Bruin Theater in Los Angeles.
With most of Ian Fleming’s original material already adapted by the end of Timothy Dalton’s tenure, Brosnan’s Bond films relied on original storylines with nods to earlier works in the franchise. In the case of The World Is Not Enough, this applies to the title itself—the English translation of the Bond family coat of arms (“Orbis non sufficit”) mentioned in the novel and film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Bruce Feirstein crafted the original screenplay for The World Is Not Enough, centered around Bond’s assignment to protect heiress Elektra King (Sophie Marceau) from Renard (Robert Carlyle), an international terrorist who had kidnapped her years earlier. As the stakes of his mission grow, he recruits the help of an old enemy-turned-friend Valentin Zukovsky (Robbie Coltrane) and the improbably named—and improbably cast—nuclear physicist Dr. Christmas Jones (Denise Richards).
A hallmark of the Bond franchise are its aspirational sequences that highlight both the danger and elevated lifestyle of James Bond’s missions, exemplified in The World Is Not Enough as he strides into a swanky casino in an exotic locale, clad as usual in an impeccable tuxedo with a Walther holstered under his arm and a dry martini in his hand. After a Bollinger-soaked romantic interlude with an impossibly beautiful woman, Bond’s back on the trail of his dangerous foe, who only narrowly escapes as Bond saves the life of yet another impossibly beautiful woman following a gunfight. Continue reading
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: Tom Hardy in Belstaff Sheepskin
Tom Hardy as Ricki Tarr in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
Vitals
Tom Hardy as Ricki Tarr, disillusioned British spy
Istanbul, Fall 1973
Film: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Release Date: September 16, 2011
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Costume Designer: Jacqueline Durran
Background
Happy birthday to Tom Hardy, born September 15, 1977. Following his debut in Black Hawk Down (2001), Hardy’s steady work through the decade established his stardom by the time he joined the ensemble cast of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, based on John le Carré’s famous 1974 spy novel of the same name. Continue reading
From Russia With Love – Kerim Bey’s Beige Suit
Pedro Armendáriz as Kerim Bey in From Russia With Love (1963)
Vitals
Pedro Armendáriz as Ali Kerim Bey, gregarious MI6 station chief
Istanbul, Turkey, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
Kerim Bey, the gregarious head of MI6’s Station T (T for Turkey), is one of the more memorable characters from the early films of the James Bond franchise. A proudly streetwise counter to the taciturn and sophisticated agent 007, the two got on like gangbusters. It’s tragic that Kerim was designated by Ian Fleming as the story’s “sacrificial lamb” as it would have been satisfying to follow his interactions with Bond across multiple adventures à la Felix Leiter or even René Mathis, who actually returned in Fleming’s novel version of From Russia With Love, though Armendáriz’s death would have prevented this anyway. Today’s 00-7th of May post is a tribute to this charismatic character. Continue reading
Murder on the Orient Express: Connery’s Plaid Norfolk Jacket
Sean Connery as Colonel John Arbuthnot in Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
Vitals
Sean Connery as Colonel John Arbuthnot, British Indian Army commanding officer
Istanbul, December 1935
Film: Murder on the Orient Express
Release Date: November 24, 1974
Director: Sidney Lumet
Costume Designer: Tony Walton
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
Happy birthday, Sean Connery, born August 25, 1930!
After playing James Bond in six films over the course of a decade, Connery was more than tired of the demanding role that had made him a star, and he began seeking work in different projects. One of his first films after putting 007 behind him (for the second time) was as part of the ensemble cast of Murder on the Orient Express, a 1974 adaptation of Agatha Christie’s classic 1934 mystery novel. Continue reading
From Russia With Love – Red Grant’s Gray Check Suit
Robert Shaw as Donald “Red” Grant in From Russia With Love (1963)
Vitals
Robert Shaw as Donald “Red” Grant, lethal SPECTRE assassin
Istanbul, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
Background
Robert Shaw set the Bond franchise standard as the dangerous Donald “Red” Grant in From Russia With Love, one of the most memorable antagonists in the series.
Grant is arguably the archetype for subsequent villains that followed his laconic, icy blond example like Vargas in Thunderball, Necros in The Living Daylights, and Stamper in Tomorrow Never Dies, though none could ever match Robert Shaw’s truly menacing presence on screen. Continue reading
From Russia With Love – Bond’s Istanbul Suits, Pt. 5: Gray Pick
Sean Connery as James Bond in From Russia With Love (1963).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
The Orient Express, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
For the 00-7th of October, I want to focus on a nice fall suit while also marking a milestone for this blog; this post marks the first 007 film where each of James Bond’s on screen outfits has been exhaustively analyzed by BAMF Style! Very appropriate too, given that From Russia With Love is my favorite Bond flick and – perhaps coincidence, perhaps not – also features some of my favorite movie suits. (I’m in good company; Sean Connery has also stated that From Russia With Love is his personal favorite 007 adventure.) Continue reading
From Russia With Love – Bond’s Istanbul Suits, Pt. 4: Glen Plaid
Sean Connery behind the scenes in Turkey during his second outing as James Bond, From Russia With Love, in 1963.
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
Turkey, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
For the 007th of the 7th month of the year, BAMF Style is focusing on James Bond’s 7th suit worn in From Russia With Love, a black and gray Glen plaid check suit. Bond had worn a different Glen Urquhart suit earlier in the film when visiting Kerim Bey in his office, but this suit can be differentiated by details in the tailoring.
At this point in the story, Bond has finally “met” Tatiana Romanova, the enigmatic bait in SPECTRE’s plan to ruin him and smear the British Secret Service. Bond is quite certain that he has Tania right where he wants her, but his charismatic MI6 contact Kerim Bey seems sure of the opposite… Continue reading
From Russia With Love – Bond’s Istanbul Suits, Pt. 3: Charcoal Flannel
Sean Connery as James Bond in From Russia With Love (1963)
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and spy
Turkey, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
For the 007th of May, I’ll be picking up where I left off in my examination of the From Russia With Love suits.
At this point in the film, Bond has just spent his second day in Istanbul, exploring a series of underground catacombs with Kerim Bey, the charismatic MI6 Station Chief. For that daytime excursion, he wore a Glen Urquhart suit. That evening, Kerim invites Bond to dine with him and his gypsy friends. Assuming that it’s spring (I forget how I came to this conclusion, but I like it), where the temperature in Istanbul can dip into the low-40s, Bond opts to wear something a little heavier with a flannel suit. Continue reading
Hitman: Agent 47
Timothy Olyphant as the titular Agent 47 in Hitman (2007).
Vitals
Timothy Olyphant as Agent 47, freelance hitman
Turkey, Fall 2007
Film: Hitman
Release Date: November 21, 2007
Director: Xavier Gens
Costume Designer: Olivier Bériot
Timothy Olyphant’s Personal Dresser: Anna Gelinova
Background
A black suit is typically acceptable for funerals and special occasions. These occasions may include a wedding, a semi-formal evening event, or being a badass. 47 would fit into the latter category here. However, being as it’s nearly Christmas, 47’s black suit and red tie would be the perfect attire for a holiday gathering. It would be even more perfect if you have to cut the holiday gathering short to go assassinate a few bad guys, but that might dampen your senile aunt’s holiday spirit.
Many would agree that, especially in the age of Hawaiian-shirted heroes in the Grand Theft Auto series, Hitman‘s Agent 47 has always remained one of the best-dressed video game characters. Continue reading
From Russia With Love – Bond’s Istanbul Suits, Pt. 2: Glen Urquhart
Sean Connery as James Bond in From Russia With Love (1963).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
Istanbul, Turkey, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
By this point in the film, Bond has spent one relatively non-eventful day and night in Istanbul. After a long day of traveling, he upgraded his room to the bridal suite (bad move, as we’ll eventually find out) and ostensibly got a fulfilling night of rest, even without a woman beside him.
The next morning, he wakes up and dons the second of the five excellent gray-tone suits he packed for Istanbul. When I first saw the film, likely on a low-quality VHS tape, I thought he wore two gray suits in Turkey – a light gray and a dark gray. Eventually, as I noticed the differing details and finally picked up the Blu-Ray (which you people have to thank for some of the more hi-res screencaps here), I noticed that these “two gray suits” were actually five very different suits. He even wears two different Glen Urquhart check suits!
The first of his Glen Urquhart check suits is worn here in a very minimalist fashion. A few days later, he pulls out his second one, which he outfits with several accessories. Continue reading
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