James Bond ringing at the Academy’s Doorbell…

James Bond ringing at the Academy’s Doorbell…

                                                    The famous Gunbarrel sequence...

It was the 37^th Academy Awards edition, it was the year of My Fair Lady and Mary Poppins, but also Dr. Strangelove, Becket and Zorba the Greek. We have to go back to 1965 to have the very first Academy Awards nomination in a James Bond Movie. Well we have to say that James Bond’s adventure had started only three years before, in 1962 with Dr. No, but it was just with Goldfinger that James started to ring at the Academy’s Doorbell. 

One of the main characteristics of all 007 movies has always been the music… that well known motif, that musical fragment or succession of notes that we’ve learned to love that introduces the action, shooting and murders. Since 1962 many different arrangements of the same theme have been used... and when you hear that you know what’s going on!!! 

Despite the two libel actions against John Barry that actually re-arranged the Theme and gave the birth to that lucky Theme, Monty Norman is recognized as the father of The James Bond Theme.

 The Best Sound Editing Award was established in 1963 and the next year Norman Wanstall won for Goldfinger, becoming the first James Bond Movie winning an Oscar. From that day on, James received a total of nine nominations, winning only in 1965 for Best Visual Effects with John Stears in Thunderball. Sean Connery remained the one and only Mr. Bond having his movies winning Oscars. 

                                                                              Sean Connery in Goldfinger

The other Nominations are:

Diamonds are Forever, 1971, nominated for the Best Sound (Gordon K. McCallum, John W. Mitchell, Al Overton). Diamonds are Forever was the return and last appearance of Sean Connery as James Bond after the non-breakthrough performance of George Lazenby.  

Live and Let Die, 1973, nominated for Best Music, Song (Paul and Linda McCartney for "Live and Let Die"). Live and Let Die the first to star Roger Moore as Agent 007.

The Spy who Loved Me, 1977, nominated for  Best Art Direction - Set Decoration (Ken Adam, Peter Lamont, Hugh Scaife), Best Music, Original Score (Marvin Hamlisch), Best Music, Song (Marvin Hamlisch for music, and Carole Bayer Sager for lyrics for "Nobody Does it Better"). The Spy who Loved Me remains the James Bond Movie with more nominations but no Awards. 

Moonraker, 1979, nominated for Best Effects, Visual Effects (Derek Meddings, Paul Wilson, John Evans). 

For your Eyes Only, 1981, nominated for Best Music, Song (Bill Conti for music, and Mick Leeson and Sheena Easton  for lyrics for "For Your Eyes Only").  Moonraker and For your Eyes Only are the fourth and the fifth movie to star Roger Moore. 

                                                 Roger Moore in The Spy who loved me

Roger Moore is also the actor that played Bond for the longest period (twelve year) and six movies:  Live and Let Die (1973), The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983) and A View to a Kill (1985).

Maybe the 2013 could be the return of Mr. Bond ringing Academy’s Doorbell with Dame Judy Dench or Daniel Craig (don't really believe that), as Producer Barbara Broccoli said: 

 

Daniel Craig in Skyfall 

"This year it might be different. Producers believe Dame Judi Dench's performance as M in Skyfall, the 23rd Bond adventure, is worthy of an Oscar and are campaigning for her to be nominated.
Skyfall is Dench's seventh outing as the formidable MI6 chief but the latest film puts her at the heart of the action for the first time.
The 77-year-old actress is much admired by the academy. She has been nominated for six films and won the best supporting actress Oscar in 1999 for her eight-minute cameo in Shakespeare In Love.
Barbara Broccoli, who took over production of the Bond films from her late father, Albert "Cubby" Broccoli, expressed her frustration about the franchise being overlooked.
"Over the years they have made ground-breaking contributions to cinema. I am surprised that there haven't been acting nominations, if not for Bond then for the support," she said.
Broccoli said she "wouldn't be surprised if Judi were nominated for this one".
A nomination for Daniel Craig as Bond should not be out of the question either, according to Broccoli, who described him as "that extraordinary combination of movie star and great actor". (©The Daily Telegraph | 24 october, 2012 00:12)