James Bond and the 007 Suite
James Bond is famous throughout the world for his dashing good looks, his understated charm and his ongoing battles with the bad guys.
The charming, slick superhero who has won an army of admirers, and is never seen without a beautiful woman on his arm, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer, Ian Fleming. James Bond was featured in twelve novels and two short story competitions.
The James Bond films have been the most financially successful English films ever, starting with Dr. No in 1962. The last James Bond film to be released was Quantum of Solace in 2008. The 23rd Bond film will be released worldwide on November 9th, 2012, starring the current 007, Daniel Craig.
Born in Scotland, in 1924, and son of Andrew Bond and Monique Delacroix Bond, James had a troubled early life. His parents were killed in a climbing accident in 1936, in Chamonix, France, and the young Bond then goes to live with his aunt, Charmaine Bond, in Pett Bottom near Canterbury. Bond learns to ski and then goes to Eaton aged 13. He was expelled after an affair with a maid, and then attended Fettes near Edinburgh, where his father also went to school.
In 1941, Bond claims to be 19 and joins the army, where he is involved in WW2. Later joining the Royal Navy, Commander James Bond is released to join MI6 in 1946. In late 1950, Bond gains his number 007, and his licence to kill after carrying out two assassinations. The rest, as they say, is history!
The highest earning Bond film was Thunderball in 1965, which raked in over $965,000, closely followed by Goldfinger in 1964, grossing $868,000. Both films starred one of the most popular Bond actors of all time, Sean Connery. Roger Moore took over the role of James Bond between 1973 and 1985, and starred in some of the Bond classics, including: Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only.
Daniel Craig is the 6th actor to play James Bond, but CIA agent Felix Leiter, who appears in nine Bond films, is played by eight different actors. Bond was originally a smoker, but he quit in the 1980´s films, although Roger Moore was often seen to smoke a cigar when he played Bond.
The first American Bond girl was Jill St. John, who didn´t come along until 1971, and since then there have been more American-born Bond girls cast, than actresses from any other country. Famous for his Aston Martin, Bond also drives a Russian tank in Goldeneye, a double-decker bus in Live and Let Die and an oil tanker in License to Kill.
By anyone´s reckoning, James Bond should now be 87 years old, but in the film world, he never appears to be over 40, which is good news for the Bond girls.
The Aphrodites Hotel and Spa in Windermere has introduced a new 007 Suite, which will bring James Bond to life in the Lake District. Throw yourself into a world of espionage, secret agents and everything ´James Bond´ while surrounded by some of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe.
The suite offers guests amazing views over the garden, pool and spa area, and to the fells in the distance, towards Lake Windermere. With all the style, panache and elegance associated with James Bond, plus artefacts and memorabilia to celebrate his worldwide acclaim, the 007 Suite boasts excellent facilities, including a luxury bath with large aqua spa massage bath for two people and ultra modern furniture with a super king size bed.
The luxury 007 Suite bathroom has a separate shower enclosure with power shower, sensual mood lighting a flat screen TV, twin sinks and toiletries from Molton Brown.
The 007 Suite also offers a stylish lounge with patio doors, leather seating, a 50 inch plasma TV with satellite channels, a DVD/CD player, free internet access, and free use of a superb £3 million spa, swimming pool and leisure complex close by. Guests can also enjoy a wide range of spa facilities onsite, with our new spa centre, offering a choice of treatments and relaxing therapies to make your stay in Windermere even more enjoyable.
Skyfall – the latest James Bond film
If you are a fan of James Bond, watch out for the new film, Skyfall, due to premiere on 23rd October, 2012 and to be released in the UK on 26th October, 2012.
Skyfall features Daniel Craig´s third performance as James Bond. Javier Bardem takes the role of Raoul Silva, the film´s villain. The film has been directed by Sam Mendes.
The exciting news is that this will be the first James Bond film to be released in IMAX venues, which will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the series, which began with Dr No in 1962.
The film´s plot involves James Bond going missing after an operation in Istanbul, and presumed dead. Identities of every active undercover MI6 agent are leaked onto the internet. Questions are then asked about M´s ability to run the Secret Service, and she becomes the subject of a government review over the handling of the situation.
When the Service itself is attacked, Bond reappears, M has the pretext she needs to seek out Raoul Silva, a dangerous villain claiming a personal connection to both of them. As Bond follows a trail from London to the South China Sea, he discovers secrets about M´s past which make him question his loyalty to her.
The cast of Skyfall include: Daniel Craig as James Bond, Javier Barden as Raoul Silva, Dame Judi Dench as M, Ralph Fiennes as Mallory, Albert Finney as Kincade and Naomie Harris as Eve.
Whether you are a massive Bond fan or not, this film has been highly praised by the critics, and sees Daniel Craig, as Bond and Dame Judi Dench as M, play a scintillating role in this action packed drama, which takes 007 across the world in search of Raoul Silva, played by Javier Barden, with many heart stopping moments en route.
