James Bond 50 years old

James Bond, The ultimate Movie Star is 50 years old next week.

 

If you are a Bond fan, like me, then you must know that next week marks the 50^th anniversary of James Bond the movie franchise.   The first James Bond Film, DR.NO  had its premiere in London on October 5, 1962.      Fifty years ago the world was a different place.    If you are at all confused watch Madmen and you’ll get a good idea how yesterday’s ceilings and floors are at much different altitude from now.  Then a woman in a French bikini was almost scandalous.    Steak, potatoes, butter, hollandaise and a lot of scotch was a perfectly fine dinner for a Tuesday night.   Oh, lord what a time.    

 

And so it was in that climate that someone most daring, most sophisticated, most charming, most dangerous popped in the world’s zeitgeist.    James Bond.   

 

By 1962, Bond was already well known.   Ian Fleming wrote the first Bond book in 1953 and by the ‘62 he was already on his 10^th book.   Many producers had tried to launch Bond into film several times prior to Dr. No’s launch but none had taken.  Wrong producer, wrong screen writer, wrong something that Mr. Fleming didn’t like—it just seemed like it would never get made.   Finally Harry Saltzman (and Cubby Broccoli) turned out to be the right man for this mission and real work began on a real film for a real launch.    For a fabulous read on how all this unfolded (and it is quite good) go to Vanity Fair. 

It is a FASCINATING story.    With twists and turns that deserve to be Bond.

 

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2012/10/fifty-years-of-james-bond

 

I have drafted a chart for the Dr. No’s premiere, which took place October 5, 1962 and although I could not find a time for the premiere, we know it was at night (saw a few photos) and I decided to go for 7:30pm since that seems to be about right to me.    Now days premieres are on the earlier side like 6 or 630 but I just don’t think that was norm for back then.

 

With this chart we see that James Bond (the film franchise) is a Libra Sun with Mercury conjunction.   Libra of course is long in charm.   And much of what was worked out in Dr. No would cast in stone the Bond franchise plot points and character traits for the rest of the films.   Sean Connery’s Bond in Dr. No was quick, smart and very witty which is perfectly Mercury conjunct Sun.   I have not read the novels and I understand they too have much wit but the screenwriters worked hard to de-snob the literary Bond from the film Bond.   And the double entendre which are paramount in the scripts are clearly in sync with the Mercury conjunct Sun in Libra.   

 The Moon in Sagittarius of course speaks to Bond’s international travels.   London and Jamaica are the primary locations but the characters themselves seem to be from all over.   Dr. No’s accent was what?   Some European country to be determined later.    And who were the henchmen and where were they from?   And then there was Jack Lord who played Felix the American CIA operative.   The producers did not try to fake the location; they went to Jamaica to get the story right.   This again would cast in stone a formula for all other Bond films.  Big international locations.    

 

The Moon trines Uranus and that aspect along with Saturn in Aquarius put the accent on new technology which would also be associated with all Bond films.   Q was not identified in the first film but Major Boothroyd was from the Q branch and in the first film he made sure Bond had a better gun.     Also in the story, the CIA was involved  in this special mission because something had jammed their missile launch at Cape Canaveral—the usa was right in the middle of the space race which is all Aquarius.

 

Bond the lover on the big screen is clear by the Venus in Scorpio trine Mars.  And if my time is right, that would put Venus right in the 7^th house on the Descendent.   Which goes to the old adage about Bond, “Every woman wanted him and every man wanted to be him.”  

 

Films are ruled by Neptune and in this chart Neptune trines Pluto the planet that rules masses.  Wow, talk about a film that appeals to the masses, there is only one word—yes.   James Bond is arguably the longest lasting film franchise in all of film.      Later this year, the Skyfall starring Daniel Craig will be the 23^rd Bond Film.

 

I gotta say I think I’m right with my time which gives the Dr. No launch Taurus Rising.   Long lasting and hardworking, 50 years later and James Bond is still working his charm, feels like Taurus rising to me.