THE COMPLETE EDGE - 3: APACHE DEATH

This third book in the long running western series, is to my mind, the best of the early books and completes a cycle of sorts - when we first met the character he had returned home from the Civil War to find his kid brother brutally murdered by men who had once served under his command. That set the man known then as Joe Hedges on a blood thirsty trail of vengeance, during which time he dropped his given name and became simply Edge. From there he went after a gang of bandits who had robbed him only to meet an old man who told him an enticing story of, Ten Thousand Dollars American. Well Edge went after the money but some greedy rodents beat him to the bounty, but not before Edge had paid back his robbers in hot lead.

The third book follows on with Edge wandering across the scene of an Apache attack - "I should have taken notice of you, fella," he (Edge) murmured softly. "Mexican trouble we can handle. It's been a long time since I had a run in with any Apaches." Edge of course is talking to the westerners best friend - his horse.

Fleeing the Apaches Edge ends up in the town of Rainbow - The US cavalry are there and so is an English gambler while outside the town waits Cochise and his Apaches.

Previously to this book the secondary characters in the Edge novels were only developed as far as necessary for the plot and story but this time out the author creates a character every bit as compelling as Edge himself. This is a cultured Englishman called Fallowfields with a penchant for gambling and gold hunting whom Edge refers to as English.

The interplay between Edge and the Englishman is a delight to read and the author takes great delight in sketching scenes where each tries to one-up the other. Both are equally good shots, each of them can give as good as the other in a fist fight and each of them have an interest in a map that may lead to a fortune in gold bullion.

Now although the previous two books had their humorous moments amongst all the carnage, it is with this book that the humour really comes into its own. And for anyone new to the series I would recommend reading this one as quickly as possible. It's gloriously entertaining and literally moves with the speed of an express train, not for one moment does the story let up but what is remarkable is that amongst all this chaos the characters are lovingly developed.

"Breathing deeply, the air rattling in their throats, both men pulled themselves up into a squatting position and looked at each other's bruised and battered faces.

'This is ruining my suit,' the Englishman said.

'Ain't doing much for your face,' Edge pointed out.

'You don't exactly look like a lady killer yourself, old boy,' came the reply."

The humour really shines through and offers a great contrast to the violence of the Apache attacks, but more than anything this is a story of a town under siege. And of the heroism and cowardliness that will be played out at Rainbow's end.

As I've said this book completes a sort of cycle - the next book would see the author experiment with the formula by telling two stories simultaneously - one of Edge and the other of Joe Hedges and his wartime experiences.

But we'll keep that for another time - Edge will return in Killer's Breed.

THE COMPLETE CELLULOID 007 - FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

Sadism for the family.

I quite often think this is the best of the James Bond movies - and in the sense of capturing Fleming's writing it is. Faster paced than Dr No and with a far more assured and stylish performance by Sean Connery. From Russia with Love was the natural choice to follow Dr No - it had an exotic location, several great set pieces and the previous year President Kennedy had listed the book amongst his favourites.


Connery seems far more comfortable in the role and for the most part he retained the hard edge of the earlier film - the scene when he slaps Tatina about is electrifying and caused great controversy at the time and it still effective today. And the fight between Bond and Red Grant (Daniel Craig lookalike Robert Shaw) has, to my mind, never been bettered in any of the Bond movies. You actually think Bond could lose this one, which he very nearly does. The helicopter chase - Bond on foot - towards the end of the film is also thrilling and has the feel of the crop dusting scene from North by Northwest. We also see Q for the first time and the film introduces the use of gadgets. Though the gadgets here were actually in Fleming's novel and are not overused as would be the case in later movies. The film also featured the first real teaser sequence in a Bond movie.

When the film was released the professional critics were then, as now, out of touch with popular taste and the notices were mostly hostile.

'James Bond is not fun. He's just sick.' Nina Hibbin, The Daily Worker.


'Quasi-pornography.' Phillip Oakes, Sunday Telegraph.



The movie also introduced another hallmark of the series - the colourful villainous sidekick. Rosa Klebb here can be found in the DNA of Odd-Job, Jaws, Wint and Kidd and all of the odd baddies throughout the movies.

The currently available DVD, part of the Ultimate Collection series is, as are all in the series, quite excellent. The picture and sound are incredible for a movie of this age and as always the discs are bursting with extra features, including a commentary from director, Terence Young and the cast and crew. There are several documentaries with personal favourites being a CBC interview with Fleming and a look at the relationship between Fleming and Raymond Chandler. There is also the full recording of Ian Fleming on Radio Four's, Desert Island Discs. The Ultimate Collection DVD is a fan's dream.


From Russia with Love then may be the best of the entire series - I often think it is. But without a doubt it is an important entry in the series and was a step towards cementing the formula that would make the series such a success. The film was a massive worldwide hit and would pave the way for the next film which would be an even bigger hit. James Bond would return in Goldfinger.


TRIVIA: The film has more than one connection to President Kennedy who, as stated in the text above, listed the book as a favourite but it was also discovered that Lee Harvey Oswald was also a fan.

Bondian Lines - Bond while looking through a periscope at Tatiana's legs remarks - 'Things are shaping up nicely.'

THE COMPLETE CELLULOID 007 - DR NO

As a companion to our complete literary 007, we start this series which will do the same thing only for the movies. Dr No, of course was the sixth book in Fleming's series but it was the first title to be filmed. A wise choice by the producers since Fleming's story was very cinematic and allowed for several set pieces which helped to define the entire series.

Sean Connery was excellent in the role, many still maintain that he was the definitive 007, but the screen Bond was not exactly the literary Bond - there were aspects of the literary Bond that the producers were wise to leave out in order to make a straightforward thriller.

Dr No was very nearly not the first Bond film.

Saltzman and Broccoli had already commissioned Richard Maibaum to adapt Thunderball as the first film in the deal they had made with United Artists. And the script was actually finished when it was decided Dr No would be the debut Bond pic.



"Those who have read the book will be disappointed," an horrified Ian Fleming said, after seeing the movie. "But those who haven't will find it exciting. Audiences laugh in all the correct places."



Fleming was not initially impressed with Connery but he did over time warm to the actor but maybe his opinion of Dr No was rather harsh - the film did set the template for all that followed, featuring many of the series essential elements - Bond/M scene, jet to an exotic locale, three girls (one bad, two good), Monypenny flirtation, a megalomaniac villain with a secret lair.

Connery as Bond was excellent, despite what the author's opinion was - films and books are two different mediums and a truly faithful adaptation of any book is an impossibility. But in the sense of capturing the essence of the excellent books, Dr No is faultless. The scene where Bond shoots Professor Dent in cold blood sums up the man with a licence to kill. Bond doesn't enjoy the deed but does it in a cold detached way, the way of a professional killer which is just what Bond is. After the man is dead Bond puts a superfluous bullet into the man's back and then calmly removes his silencer.

If there is a problem with Dr No it is that it feels disjointed - the first half plays out like an hardboiled but exotic detective story while the second section seems more like a sci-fi adventure. But that's a minor quibble against what truly is a classic piece of cinema.


The film though was not that well received by much of the press - "A fascist film uncorrupted by morals," said Richard Whitehall in an article that completely rubbished the film. Another critic was horrified and likened the film as the modern equivalent to feeding the Christians to the lions.

The film however was a massive success in the UK upon release in October 1962 and made it's budget back easily. However the producers were a little uneasy about all the negative press and didn't release the movie in America until the following May - they had no need to worry as the film was an even bigger success with US audiences. It was clear James Bond was going to be around for a very long time.

THE ULTIMATE EDITION DVD - available on both standard disc and blu-ray - it's a great transfer of the movie itself which has been restored to the highest possible standard and presented with a booming 5.1 soundtrack. There is a commentary from Terence Young and assorted members of the cast and crew and a second disc comes packed with special features including the detailed documentary Inside 007 as well as TV spots, the original trailer, a couple of vintage presentations and footage of the premieres of the James Bond series. All of the Ultimate Collection DVD's offer a rounded product that provides much more than just the film.

Watching the film prior to writing this piece (I don't know how many times I've seen it, maybe a dozen or more times) I enjoyed it fully even if I did know everything that was coming. It is perhaps the toughest of all the Bond movies, and is slower paced. The latter point is no criticism - it's great to see the characterisation being built, particularly in a Bond movie - the series quite often shuns characterisation for an explosion or two or three.

Dr No then, in terms of the movie Bond, is where it all started and the entire series still feels its influence. Daniel Craig's first Bond movie, Casino Royale played with the scene of Ursula Andress emerging from the sea, only this time it was Bond we were supposed to ogle - think maybe the producers got a bit confused there. And Halle Berry had an almost identical scene,even down to the bikini, in Die Another Day. Bond's introduction - the name's Bond, James Bond - has been replicated in mostly every film that followed.