Cracking the Code of Spy Movies!

MY SPY: THE ETERNAL CITY is the much-anticipated follow-up to the 2020 action-comedy MY SPY. It reunites a wonderful cast led by Dave Bautista and Chloe Coleman. The movie takes us on a feel-good adventure set in some of Europe’s most storied destinations.

In this episode, Dan and Tom decode this movie, while not revealing any spoilers. The goal is to enhance your viewing experience when you watch this movie.

Good or bad or both? We think this is a good spy movie for some spy movie fans, while some spy movie fans won’t like the lighthearted, comedic feel of MY SPY: THE ETERNAL CITY.

One of our goals is to ensure the right people watch this movie.

So:

• If you are a teenager or a young adult, we think you are the target audience for this movie. Listen to this episode to find out why.
• If you are sensitive to some language, jokes targeted to the Catholic Church, or some nude statues, listen to find out if this is a movie you won’t like. We spell out why this has a PG-13 rating in the US so you can make your own decisions. After all, not all movies are for all people.
• If you are an adult who isn’t sensitive to those things and who wants to watch a comedy spy movie, we think you’ll like MY SPY: THE ETERNAL CITY.

So, in short, this movie has some good laughs, a pseudo-plausible plot, and a chase scene with a vehicle we’ve never seen in a spy movie before. We like MY SPY: THE ETERNAL CITY, and this episode should help you figure out if it is worth your time.

So, have you watched MY SPY: THE ETERENAL CITY? If so, did Dan and Tom hit the mark? If not, will you watch this movie?

Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode. Just drop us a note at [email protected]. The more we hear from you, the better the show will surely be! We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!

You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. In addition, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.

Episode Webpage: https://bit.ly/3YdhWMl

Dan and Tom interview Maestro John Morris Russell (JMR) about his Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert, “Shaken Not Stirred,” musical scores, and James Bond music. As you might have guessed, the concert’s focus is the music of James Bond. You may know JMR from his work as the conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra for the past 13 years.

Joining JMR in the concert is the amazing vocalist Capathia Jenkins. She possesses the wide vocal range needed to cover the various styles of singers from the James Bond catalog.

We will be attending the concert and we’re sure James Bond fans will enjoy this one.

In this episode, JMR talks about what to expect in this concert and how they put it together. He also talks about his career, why he decided to conduct instead of play an instrument, some influential composers, and film scoring in general. If you’ve ever wanted to know what a composer has to deal with in scoring a movie, JMR gives you a good idea. It is really amazing how they do it.

One other area we discuss is how technology has made composition more efficient. Much is the same as it's been for hundreds of years. But, some of it is streamlined today.

Dan and Tom wanted some expertise for this interview, so they asked Raymond Benson for an assist. Of course, Raymond graciously agreed. Raymond helped us delve into other composers' works and JMR’s experiences with them. Plus, Raymond tells of a very scary experience he had with composer John Barry.

So, we’re excited to be going to this concert and see John Morris Russell put what he told us into action. We think this will be a good one. Do you have plans to go to this concert? If so, let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode by dropping us a note at [email protected]. The more we hear from you, the better the show will be! We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!

You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. Check out our YouTube channel as well.

Webpage: https://bit.ly/3UxXUJ2

Credit: John Morris Russell pictures courtesy of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

“007 Science: Inventing the World of James Bond” is a new exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Dan and Tom became big fans of this exhibit while attending the Press Day viewing. They take you inside and highlight many of the items displayed. And they let you know why you will want to attend this exhibit.

We won’t give everything away. But there are screen-used gadgets from the James Bond movies. These are some of the most well-known gadgets in the James Bond history. Plus, there are James Bond movie vehicles. Vehicles like the Aston Martin DB5 used in GOLDENEYE, and the Lotus Espirit which was used in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. And, there are real-world spy gadgets that the CIA has used to showcase how the Bond gadgets may have had some real-world background.

Includes a quick interview with Meg Simmonds, Archive Director for Eon Productions, and Eric Andersen, Project Manager of Featured Experiences and Special Projects at the Museum. They help us understand what is in the exhibit and why. Meg talks about one gadget that was from a very early James Bond movie. She had never seen it before but was able to track down. And, that gadget is on display in this exhibit! Which one?!

Eric focuses on is the fact that this is the Museum of Science and Industry. So, they want to make sure the exhibit highlights Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) throughout. There are interactive activities and Eric helps us understand what is there, and why kids will like this too.

Finally, Chris Corbould, who was the Special Effects Supervisor on all of the James Bond movies from GOLDENEYE through NO TIME TO DIE was there. A separate episode will come out with that interview!

So, take a listen. Dan and Tom think the “007 Science: Inside the World of James Bond” exhibition is extremely well done. It is a must for any James Bond fan! Have you gone to see it yet? Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode by dropping us a note at [email protected]. The more we hear from you, the better the show will be!

The Museum of Science and Industry is located at 5700 DuSable Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. Check out their website to find out more details. The exhibit runs from March 007, 2024, to October 27, 2024.

You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. Check out our YouTube channel as well.

Webpage: https://bit.ly/3ISOnXL

Luciana Paluzzi joins Dan and Tom for a wide-ranging interview. This is an interview we've been working to arrange for a while, and we are honored Luciana spent this time with us. And we're happy to be able to share this discussion with you.

Luciana’s acting career spanned 3 decades. Although she appeared in multiple spy movies and TV shows, her performance as Fiona Volpe in THUNDERBALL – a stand-out James Bond villain - is her most famous role in the eyes of spy movie fans.

Die-hard Paluzzi fans will know that she retired from acting at the age of 41 when she married her husband, Michael Jay Solomon, Did you know that they have been married for 46 years?

What’s the original spelling of her last name? Why did she change it? How has Barbara Broccoli been to her?

How many grandchildren does she have and what do they call her?

In this episode, we discuss:

• Her amazing career
• Much about her experience filming her role as Fiona Volpe
• The “good news” and “bad news” that Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman relayed to her after her audition for THUNDERBALL
• Some of the James Bond actors she acted with in other movies and TV series
• What actor from THUNDERBALL she liked working with
• Conversely, what actor from THUNDERBALL that she didn’t
• How she got her first acting role
• How important Terence Young was to her life, not just her career
• Her family
• And more ....

So, take a listen to this interview. Even if you thought you knew Luciana Paluzzi, you will learn something new in this interview. As she tells us: "I think you're analyzing this to obsession". That’s our goal, learn something new about this wonderful actor.

As always, let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you thought of this episode. Just drop us a note at [email protected]. The more we hear from you, the better the show will surely be! We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!

You can check out all of our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. In addition, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.

Episode Webpage: https://bit.ly/41nO9C4

GOLDFINGER - Oddjob Character Spotlight: Today we dig deeply into the character of Oddjob in GOLDFINGER - superbly and memorably played by Harold Sakata!

GOLDFINGER set the standard for the James Bond formula. Oddjob is a character that must be placed in our Character Spotlight, as Harold Sakata’s portrayal of Oddjob is flawless.

Yes, he's one of the James Bond series most notorious henchman, he doesn't speak, and he'll do anything so support his boss, Auric Goldfinger. So, how does Harold Sakata make sure you, the audience member, knows he's menacing? Sakata's portrayal of Oddjob gives us an excellent example as to how this should be done.

We look at the various expressions Harold Sakata uses in different scenes in GOLDFINGER. In addition, we'll talk through how they gave us the first look at Oddjob. Just like the slow reveal of new James Bond actors or the first time we see Quarrel in Dr. No, Oddjob doesn't just appear on the screen front and center. It is a powerful way to introduce us to this important character.

Plus, we talk about some of the differences between Oddjob's portrayal in the movie GOLDFINGER versus how he's portrayed in Ian Fleming's novel.

Finally, we discuss Harold Sakata's background and why he was a great choice to play Oddjob. And was there a bet involved in helping him get the role?

So, have a listen and you’ll “Be in the Know”. Get up to date on all things spy movies and series.

You can check out all of our podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or on our website. Our channel name is CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES.

So, enjoy our GOLDFINGER - Oddjob Character Spotlight, played by Harold Sakata episode. We’ll continue the series looking at the actors and roles that help shape spy movies and deserve an encore!

Ideas/Comments? [email protected]

Episode page: https://bit.ly/3sNgnae