• by December 5, 2008

[Tom Siebert has] captured the essence of my feelings towards the so-called new James Bond.

We live in a time when one of the best-selling video games of all time is "Grand Theft Auto," complete with embedded rape scenes, as if the primary premise of unchecked gang violence in a lawless urban landscape, totally devoid of any semblance of law -- not to mention civilization -- were not enough; and that's considered cool. Even worse, parents are purchasing this psycho-tainment for their children.

James Bond as a mindless killing machine, akin to a Bizarro Superman, is apparently meant to appeal to a new generation of Bond fanatics. They would most likely be annoyed, if not totally put off, by a James Bond with a fluent command of several languages, an in-depth knowledge of science, history, the arts and a multitude of foreign cultures.

Did I mention, in Gen Y and Late Gen X, it is not cool to appeal to a woman's intellect, nor her humor; it's all about base-level machismo, because real, heart-felt relationships aren't what's cool. Especially in a culture where, in action and adventure movies, women are often depicted as very beautiful, but tough as nails, pseudo-men.

As marketers, we are constantly faced with the reality that Gen Y and Next, although more money-oriented than Boomers and even Gen X, will not be as educated nor as sophisticated.... This is the direction in which our society has programmed the future generations. Thanks God there will be the 'exceptions.' Unfortunately they will have to live with the 'New James Bond.'

Albert Broccoli, the keeper of the JB franchise for decades, into the Pierce Bronson era, died a few years ago. Apparently, so did the James Bond to which true aficionados can relate.

The young Broccoli and his daughter or niece, who is apparently steering the ship, have obviously set course for the urban wasteland, which has been landscaped by the synthesis of the convergence of hip-hop and heavy metal cultures....

I have seen at least the first 15 James Bond movies within the first weeks of theatrical release. Being a James Bond fan was, for many years, one of the constants in my life. I went to Rio in 1980 largely as a result of a brief scene in one of Roger Moore's outings. Nobody does it better.