Cracking the Code of Spy Movies!

In this episode, Dan and Tom bring in a special guest.  Join us as Raymond Benson, Bond author, talks his new book on Felix Leiter. Novels are being written about some of the non-James Bond characters from the Ian Fleming James Bond novels.  To that end, Raymond Benson, who was the first American James Bond continuation author, is getting set to release his latest book, “The Hook and the Eye”. This is a book about Felix Leiter after his shark attack.  The book will be released initially as an e-book serial starting on May 27, 2025, with a paper book release in October. This sounds like a fun book and having the Felix Leiter character getting a story of his own sounds very intriguing! Some of the topics we discuss with Raymond include: ·         Raymond’s background and how he got started with all of his James Bond work ·         How the James Bond literary world has evolved ·         Why Raymond chose to do a book on Felix Leiter ·         How Felix Leiter is different in the Ian Fleming novels compared to the Eon Productions movies ·         How you will be able to get the book, “The Hook and the Eye” ·         And More … Tell us what you think about our discussion as Raymond Benson, Bond author, talks his new book on Felix Leiter. So, take a listen and let us know what you think.  Have you previously heard of that Raymond was writing this book?  Are you excited to get a novel focused on Felix Leiter? Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode. Just drop us a note at [email protected].  The more we hear from you, the better the show will surely be!  We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!   You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. In addition, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.   Episode Webpage: https://bit.ly/4ioOAB6

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the 1951 World War II spy movie DECISION BEFORE DAWN.  It was the first spy movie nominated for the Best Motion Picture Academy Award. And we think it is likely that you never heard of it. So, take a listen and we’ll decode this one for you.  There is a lot of realism in the movie, and we will highlight some of the real-world things that they adapted for this movie. DECISION BEFORE DAWN was one of the first post-World War II movies that tried to humanize the regular German citizen, not the NAZI party. In addition, DECISION BEFORE DAWN was the breakout role for the wonderful actor Oskar Werner. Some of the topics we decode from this movie include: ·         Enough of the plot to get you started ·         The cast and their roles ·         How realistic was this movie? ·         How did the battle-worn towns look so accurate? ·         The direction, cinematography, and production design ·         A real-world connection between the movie and Oskar Werner’s life ·         Memorable scenes ·         What future spy movies were likely influenced by this one? ·         What line likely inspired a line from M in the James Bond movie SPECTRE? ·         What are the positives and negatives of the movie? ·         And More … Tell us what you think about our decoding of the 1951 movie DECISION BEFORE DAWN. So, take a listen and let us know what you think.  Have you previously heard of this movie or even watched it?  If not, did this episode entice you to watch it? If you have seen it, do you agree with Dan and Tom’s opinions?  Dan and Tom disagree a little about this movie.  Who do you agree with? Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode. Just drop us a note at [email protected].  The more we hear from you, the better the show will surely be!  We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!   You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. In addition, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.   Episode Webpage: https://bit.ly/3G4wIOF

Join Dan and Tom as they give you their no-spoiler review of the just-released spy movie, THE AMATEUR, starring Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne.  Our goal is to give you the information you need to see if watching THE AMATEUR is worth your time and money. Listen to find out what we think. THE AMATEUR is a remake of the 1981 movie which starred John Savage. The cast is excellent with Malek, Fishburne, Rachel Brosnahan, Julianne Nicholson, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jon Bernthal, Holt McCallany, Adrian Martinez, and more. Some of the topics we discuss include in this review are: ·         Enough of the plot to get you started, without spoilers ·         The cast and their roles ·         Do we think Rami Malek was better in this role than when he played Safin in NO TIME TO DIE? ·         The direction, cinematography, and production design ·         Where is the SKY POOL? ·         Our favorite scenes (while not spoiling anything) ·         The pacing of the movie ·         What worked ·         What didn’t ·         Does it work on IMAX? ·         And More … We’ve also included some comments from other people who watched this movie when we did.  Listen to find out what they say. Tell us what you think about our review of THE AMATEUR (2025) So, take a listen and let us know what you think.  Have you previously heard of this movie or even watched it?  If not, did this episode entice you to watch it? If you have seen it, do you agree with Dan and Tom’s opinions?  Dan and Tom disagree a little about this movie.  Who do you agree with? And, have you seen the 1981 original?  Which version do you like best? Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode. Just drop us a note at [email protected].  The more we hear from you, the better the show will surely be!  We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!   You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. In addition, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.   Episode Webpage: https://bit.ly/43LNHit

Dan and Tom decode the Timothy Dalton as James Bond.  What was the Good, the Bad, and Unique of his performance?  What worked and didn’t work well?Listen to find out. Timothy Dalton only played James Bond movies in two movies, THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS and LICENCE TO KILL.  He brought a much different James Bond to the screen than his predecessor. Reactions were mixed as some people didn’t want this change.   We break down Timothy Dalton’s James Bond movies by looking at: ·         How did Timothy Dalton change the role? ·         How did Dalton taking the role change the writers? ·         What the writers originally wanted to do with Dalton’s first Bond movie? ·         How did the villains in Timothy Dalton’s movies pan out? ·         How did the Bond women change in Dalton’s movies? ·         What is the tie-in to Kara Milovy and Ian Fleming? ·         What was unique about Dario? ·         What was unique about the plot of LICENCE TO KILL? ·         Where does Timothy Dalton rank as James Bond by different types of James Bond movie fans? ·         We rank Moore’s James Bond movies and tell you why each is ranked where it is. ·         And More … We found some facts you may not have known before.  Please listen to find out. Tell us what you think about Timothy Dalton as James Bond So, take a listen and let us know what you think. How do you rank the actors who played James Bond?  Where do you have Timothy Dalton’s Bond movies ranked? Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode. Just drop us a note at [email protected].  The more we hear from you, the better the show will surely be!  We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!   You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. In addition, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.   Episode Webpage: https://bit.ly/4j0XfLh

Dan and Tom decode the Good the Bad and Unique of Roger Moore as James Bond.  What worked and didn’t work well?  What made him a unique Bond? Listen to find out. Roger Moore helmed seven James Bond movies.  Some were well-received, and others were not. He had a very different style compared to what we saw with Sean Connery and George Lazenby. We break down Roger Moore’s James Bond movies by looking at: ·         How did Roger Moore’s career before Bond influence how Moore played Bond? ·         What did Roger Moore change about the James Bond character? ·         What did Roger Moore think about guns and violence? ·         How many times did he order a martini “shaken, not stirred”? ·         Cigar or cigarette? ·         How much older was Moore than his lovers in A VIEW TO A KILL? ·         Was Roger Moore too old to play James Bond in A VIEW TO A KILL? ·         Where does Roger Moore rank as James Bond by different types of James Bond movie fans? ·         We rank Moore’s James Bond movies and tell you why each is ranked where it is. ·         And more … We had fun putting this one together.  Listen to find out more. Tell us what you think about Roger Moore as James Bond So, take a listen and let us know what you think. How do you rank the actors who played James Bond?  Where do you have Roger Moore’s movies? Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode. Just drop us a note at [email protected].  The more we hear from you, the better the show will surely be!  We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!   You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. In addition, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.   Episode Webpage: https://bit.ly/42kTr0m

There are two types of James Bond women in the movies: those who died and those who survived. Is there a pattern here?  Does it matter if James Bond is romantically involved with them? How about if he is protecting them? We know Bond fails a fair amount trying to keep them alive. In this episode, Dan and Tom examine each of the women that James Bond either was romantic with or protected in the movies.  We answer the question: did they survive or die? Plus, we answer the question, how many died and how many survived across the series? The answers may surprise you. We break down each movie-based James Bond women by looking at the following: Was James Bond her lover? Or was he their protector? Maybe he was both. How many women died and survived for each actor playing James Bond? Who are some of the women you may have missed or forgotten about? And More … Was the death count ratio different between the various actors who played James Bond?  And what does Meatloaf have to do with any of this? This is an intriguing examination of this fascinating topic. Listen to find out more. Tell us what you think about our decoding James Bond Women in the movies. So, take a listen and let us know what you think. Did we miss any women?   Did the number of women who died surprise you? Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode. Just drop us a note at [email protected].  The more we hear from you, the better the show will surely be!  We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!   You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. In addition, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.   Episode Webpage: https://bit.ly/james-bond-women-survive-or-die

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the 1980 spy movie HOPSCOTCH. It has a star-studded cast and is a comedy. But, is it worth a watch? Listen to find out. Walter Matthau plays the spy, Miles Kendig who has a run in with his boss. What happens next helps set up the reason for the name of the movie, HOPSCOTCH.  The other lead actors for the movie include Glenda Jackson, Ned Beatty, and Sam Waterston. Some of the topics we discuss include in this review are: ·         The origin of the big-tent Ocktoberfest halls ·         How the Ocktoberfest scene was filmed ·         The music and its importance to the movie – Why Mozart? ·         Walter Matthau’s influence on the script and casting ·         The cast and their roles ·         What movies may have influenced some of the scenes? ·         The director and screenwriter ·         The comedy ·         Who was it that flew the seaplane and why her dialogue with Kendrig was so funny. ·         Positive and negative critiques of HOPSCOTCH ·         The pacing of the movie ·         And More … Tell us what you think about our decoding of HOPSCOTCH So, take a listen and let us know what you think.  Have you previously heard of this movie or even watched it?  If not, did this episode entice you to watch it? If you have seen it, do you agree with Dan and Tom’s opinions?  Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode. Just drop us a note at [email protected].  The more we hear from you, the better the show will surely be!  We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!   You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. In addition, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.   Episode Webpage: https://bit.ly/4hGqQYI

Join Dan and Tom as they give you their no-spoiler review of the just-released spy movie: BLACK BAG.  Our goal is to give you the information you need to see if watching BLACK BAG is worth your time and money. Listen to find out what they think. BLACK BAG is a spy movie, not an action movie.  What does that mean?  Well, think of TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY or THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD.   Those were spy movies, not action movies. BLACK BAG is not reminiscent of a James Bond or Ethan Hunt spy movie. The cast is excellent with Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Tom Burke, Marisa Abela, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris, and Pierce Brosnan. Some of the topics we discuss include in this review are: ·         How this is a different type of spy movie ·         The Cast and their roles ·         What movies may have influenced some of the scenes? ·         The direction, cinematography, and production design ·         What sets looked best ·         Our favorite scenes (while not spoiling anything) ·         The pacing of the movie ·         And More … We’ve also included some comments from other people who watched this movie when we did.  They don’t all have the same opinion of this movie.  Listen to find out what they say. Tell us what you think about our review of BLACK BAG So, take a listen and let us know what you think.  Have you previously heard of this movie or even watched it?  If not, did this episode entice you to watch it? If you have seen it, do you agree with Dan and Tom’s opinions?  Dan and Tom disagree a little about this movie.  Who do you agree with? Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode. Just drop us a note at [email protected].  The more we hear from you, the better the show will surely be!  We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!   You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. In addition, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.   Episode Webpage: https://bit.ly/3R8tSKx

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the 1943 spy movie BACKGROUND TO DANGER starring George Raft, Brenda Marshall, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet. Is it worth a watch? We decode all that for you! In this black-and-white World War II spy movie, everyone wants to get their hands on an envelope that contains something strategic for the war.  What’s in it? What do they want it for? There are some fun twists in this movie that we don’t give away. Dan and Tom have a similar opinion on this movie, but don’t agree on some of the aspects of the production.  Enhance your viewing experience – take a listen! Some of the topics we discuss include: The basic plot How real-world events are used enhance the story Scenes from other spy movies that may have influenced this one The screenplay The excellent cast The Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet connection The direction The set design (Dan and Tom don’t fully agree here) The score The train scenes (this is a spy movie!) And More … Tell us what you think about our decoding of BACKGROUND TO DANGER So, take a listen and let us know what you think.  Have you previously heard of this movie or even watched it?  If not, did this episode entice you to watch it? If you have seen it, do you agree with Dan and Tom’s opinions? Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode. Just drop us a note at [email protected].  The more we hear from you, the better the show will surely be!  We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!   You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. In addition, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.   Episode Webpage: https://bit.ly/background-to-danger Links to BACKGROUND TO DANGER trailer: https://youtu.be/oa0Cr4a3XEU?si=IxA9aBx1g_IGF8hz

James Bond movie posters are very popular with collectors.  And of course, it all started in the 1960s.  Join Dan and Tom as they welcome the founder and editor of 007 Magazine, Graham Rye to help decode the 1960s James Bond posters.    We are very happy that Graham was able to join us.  His knowledge of 40 years of James Bond that he has acquired by creating 007 Magazine is amazing.  How much about these posters do you REALLY know? This is one of our episodes where we can predict you will hear something you didn’t know before.   DR. NO, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, GOLDFINGER, THUNDERBALL, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, and ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE all had very distinctive posters, lobby cards, door panels and more created to market each movie.   But, what’s behind those posters?   Some of the things we look at include:  The difference between British and American posters  The action portrayed  The composition of the figure of Sean Connery’s James Bond on the cover of DR. NO  Who the talented artists were behind these posters    You can find 007 Magazine here: JAMES BOND 007 MAGAZINE - FOR THE JAMES BOND CONNOISSEUR!  The amount of information they have is staggering.  Tell us what you think about our discussion of the 1960s James Bond posters  So, did you learn anything new about the 1960s James Bond movie posters?  Let us know what was new to you.  Also, please let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode. Just drop us a note at [email protected].  The more we hear from you, the better the show will surely be!  We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!    You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. In addition, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.    Episode Webpage: https://bit.ly/4brh8YQ