The Oscars Paid Tribute To 60 Years Of Bond, James Bond
Hollywood is deeply obsessed with franchises, so much so that every studio and streaming service practically runs on them, for better and for worse. But decades before it was hip, "James Bond" cemented itself as a global franchise with style that has managed to endure across multiple generations. Multiple actors have taken up the 007 moniker, with no signs of slowing down, even as Daniel Craig hung it up with "No Time to Die." This being the case, the Oscars paid tribute to the one and only Bond, James Bond, in honor of the franchise's 60th anniversary this year.
Tony Hawk, Shaun White, and Kelly Slater stepped on stage to tee up the ball for a loving video tribute to Bond, celebrating 60s years since Sean Connery first graced the silver screen as the MI6 spy in 1962's "Dr. No." The video was naturally set to the tune of "Live and Let Die" by Paul McCartney and Wings, the theme song to the movie of the same name that served as Roger Moore's first turn as 007 from 1973. What ensued was a loving, action-packed, tour through the cinematic history of the "James Bond" series, capturing the various Bonds, beloved villains, iconic cars, and everything in between. Check it out:
While sometimes these tributes can feel a bit forced or lacking, the Academy did a damn fine job of reminding us why we all love "James Bond" so much, and perfectly illustrated how the series has managed to evolve over the years, paving the way for a level of endurance that we've never seen in the history of cinema. Few if any franchises will ever be able to say that they can last this long, with 25 movies and counting, all while remaining as popular as ever. It is truly remarkable, and this video tribute did a damn fine job of distilling that down.
Nobody does it better
Author Ian Fleming gifted the world the spy we know as Bond in the pages of 1953's "Casino Royle." Ultimately, those spy novels would go on to inspire a franchise the likes of which the world hasn't seen before or since, with each film standing on its own, and each actor's run standing apart from what came before. Unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the whole thing has been mostly unconcerned with continuity. Only Daniel Craig's run as 007, beginning with "Casino Royale" in 2006, bothered to connect the adventures of James Bond into a serial story.
It's remarkable that the filmmakers and producers have managed to keep Bond relevant through the decades, even though the times have changed so much since this "sexist, misogynist dinosaur" and "relic of the Cold War," as Judi Dench's M put it so perfectly in "GoldenEye," first graced our screens. Heck, other franchises that have had far shorter runs have had a tougher time maintaining steam in the public eye. What "James Bond" has done for six decades is downright remarkable and singular.
Now, we look to the future as Craig walks away from his run that saw "Skyfall" become the highest-grossing movie in the history of the franchise. A new actor will have to fill in those shoes. With Amazon now in control of MGM and a gigantic new business partnership ushering in a new era for the franchise, one thing remains certain: James Bond will return.