Becoming Bond

I saw "Becoming Bond" as someone who isn't even a Bond fan, and hasn't seen half the films. The unlikely story of George Lazenby is told so entertainingly and engagingly, however, that Lazenby's solitary Bond flick "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" is now on top of my Netflix queue. The filmmakers brilliantly turned Lazenby's own magnetic (and at times hard-to-believe) retelling of his life into a hilarious drunk-history-style re-creation that also manages to inspire. Great film.

The interviewer asks Lazenby early on in the film, if what he is saying is actually true. I was asking myself the same question, and when Lazenby answered yes, it sealed the deal on this Documentary. As it stands, it is the best comedy bio documentary life story I have ever seen. And quite frankly for all I know, it may be the only one. Really quite historical in a way, since I would think no one could have ever known why he quit after only one Bond film, until this Bio Documentary. What he said at the end really sealed it, which I wont spoil. What an amazing life trip for this man, which seems better than most, regardless of his turning down more Bond films. Its very funny and worth the watch.

Well worth a look, perhaps best described as a slapstick documentary of GL's life. I am around the same age as George and remember the Bond films and On Her Majesty's Secret Service was the only one I ever liked enough to watch again. I was always curious as to whether the stories of the making of that film were true as there was a lot of talk about it at the time. The "Australian" settings bear no resemblance at all to the Australia of the time, and it was a bit bizarre to see it dressed it as some sort of Antipodean California. I liked the intentionally corny acting as it fitted well with the overall tone of the film, and the cinematography was excellent. Jason Maybaum playing the young Lazenby was perfect.

Very enjoyable and a lot of fun to watch a charming man continuing the tradition of the Great Australian Yarn.

You know the story: Australian male model living in England is selected to play James Bond after Connery quits. After making one movie, Australian himself walks away from Bond, leaving the door open for Connery's return.

What you probably don't know is who this George Lazenby was (and is) and why he turned his back on what could have been a career of a lifetime. Watch this movie and George himself will tell you. Accompanying and illustrating his tale are mostly-comedic reenactments that all in all make the story work.

It's the next best thing to sitting down with the man himself.

George Lazenby has become a polished story teller about all his Bond experiences. They are very interesting and he has become, over the years, very good at telling these stories and presenting them in both a fascinating and very humorous manner.

We were in stitches.

The wonderful thing about seeing a film in a festival setting is that there is not an empty seat to be found, and that every chair has in it a responsive audience member that is hanging on every word and laughing out loud en mass.

George, who has retired to somewhere California told one of his stories to the right ear. Someone who knew a couple of young, up and coming, very talented film makers. Who after several 3 and a half hour lunches listening to George decided they wanted to make a movie with him.

This was a wonderful screening at this years Hot Docs film festival with a wonderful Q&A where I was able to both speak with the film makers themselves as well as George who picked up when the director called him from the stage. He shared some additional insights through the auditoriums sound system but we all would have loved to see him.

Very good show.