Everything or Nothing

Pitty they forgot Mr Lee, Cristopher Lee..the only person who met Ian and Tolkien...in real live...played good guys and bad guys in movies.................

"Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007" (2012 release; 98 min.) is a documentary about the James Bond movie franchise (which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2012). After a 'classic' Bond opening, we quickly delve into Ian Fleming's background, and in particular how deeply affected he was by WWII (in which he served) and later the Cold War. It eventually leads him to create the James Bond character, and the first Bond novel "Casino Royal", which some refers to as Fleming's "autobiography of a dream", ha! After this promising start to the documentary, we quickly evolve into the complicated relationship between Albert "Cubby" Broccoli and Harry Saltzman.

Couple of comments: this documentary is directed by British film maker Steven Riley. Riley tries to walk a fine line between on the one hand all of the legal issues that have confronted the James Bond franchise over the years (and believe me, there are PLENTY), and giving an overview of how the Bond movies have evolved over the years. There are some tidbits here and there that I found interesting (such as: the budget for the first Bond Movie "Mr. NO" being $1 million--or about $8 million in today's dollars, can you imagine making a Bond movie for just $8 million?; and the interview with one-time Bond actor George Lazenby, on how he talked Broccoli and Saltzman into becoming the new Bond, only then to be kicked out of the Bond franchise after just one movie).

I recently stumbled on this while browsing the EPIX on Demand documentary section. When a 50th anniversary celebration movie like this one is put together, you can be assured that it stays on the lighter side when all is said and done, and that's fine. I'm sure one day someone (independent from the Bond film makers) will produce the definitive James Bond documentary.

Over the years, there has been so much media (in all formats) given to the James Bond saga that one would think it would be difficult to approach the matter from a new, fresh perspective. However, that is EXACTLY what "Everything or Nothing" manages to do by focusing on the creative talent behind the creation of Bond.

Basically, this documentary tells the "Bond story" from the perspective of those who created the books and films:

-It begins with much exposition on Ian Fleming, the book author, and what inspired him to create such an iconic character.

-Then, it focuses on the beginning of the films and how the Broccoli/Saltzman relationship became such a dynamite pairing that rocketed the franchise to stardom.

-The rest of the show explains how the Bond movies changed over the years due to the ever- changing relationships of the power players behind the scenes.

As a huge Bond fan, I very much enjoyed this documentary for its ability to pull back the curtain on the creative side of Bond, exposing some stories I had not heard before and some casting/creative decisions about the franchise that now make a bit more sense once the "backstage" stuff is known.

If you are just looking for a "Bond highlight reel", you might be disappointed here. But, if you want some great interviews and all the "dirt" on the creators, this will completely suck you in!

Though this feels like a better than average DVD extra that's been buffed up and polished so that it can attempt to stand on its own two feet as a tv special/film, this actually isn't too bad.

It covers (briefly) how Bond came to be, but mostly focusses on how the film franchise came to be the massive deal that we know it to be.

It doesn't shy away from covering some of the lower moments along the way, not to mention that awkward six year gap between the reign of Dalton and Brosnan, but it's perfectly accessible for those who've heard all of the stories many times before, and equally those who don't.

A good effort.

Nothing here that I didn't already know. The information is already out there in countless books and other documentaries. Because it's an official documentary, views are very sanitized. Dull.