Commander Bond in Thailand

Man with the Golden Gun, Blu-Ray, 1974

The Man with the Golden Gun, starring Roger Moore as James Bond, was shot partly on location in Thailand in 1974.  This was Roger Moore's second Bond role after Live and Let Die, made long before he went soft and began denouncing foie gras on behalf of PETA (see earlier post Marijauna and Pate in California, 6/30/12).  James Bond does battle with Scaramanga, a professional assassin, played by Christopher Lee -- who was an actual intelligence operative during the Second World war.  Christopher Lee (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Lee) served in the SOE (see earlier post Beaulieu, Bond and the SOE, 6/20/12) during the war.  Lee's mother married a step cousin of Ian Fleming -- the creator of James Bond.

In the movie's opening scene Nick Nack (played by Herve Vilechaize) brings his boss Scaramanga a tray of oysters along with up with bottles of champagne and Guiness.  Scaramanga makes himself a black velvet (champagne and Guinness, see earlier post Sweetings, 5/15/12) to wash down his oysters.  A highly decorative Maud Adams reclines on the secluded beach.  Maud Adams is the only actress to be featured in two starring Bond roles -- she later had the title role in Octopussy (1984).

Boat to Floating market, Thailand

During the movie Bond visits the floating market near Bangkok.

Commander K. at Floating Market, Thailand

Visit the market today and you will find all kinds of souvenirs on sale.  You can find a wooden elephant like the one that was offered to Bond if you like.  I bought a couple of elephant lighters which proved useful.

E.T. (driver) and my Pilot at The Floating Market, Thailand

There is a high speed boat chase where Bond manages to evade the bad guys.

Thai Kickboxing, Bangkok

Later there is a scene at a Thai Kick Boxing arena where Scaramanga's lover, played by the Swedish actress Maud Adams, is found shot through the heart.  Bond meets Scaramanga face to face for the first time at the ring.

Thai Kickboxing, Bangkok

Bond also attends a Thai kickboxing match.  Kickboxing continues to be popular in Bangkok today.  Many of the boxers are surprisingly young -- 15 years old.  They weigh in at from 100 to 150 lbs.  Like boxers everywhere they tend to come from the "wrong side of the tracks".  The average Thai wage is less than $2,000 per year and kickboxing is one way to make money and help your family.

In gender-bending Thailand, an acclaimed kickboxer, Nong Tum, became a Ladyboy (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/03/0325_040325_TVthirdsex.html).  Now they have made a movie based on his life called Beautiful Boxer.

The Man with the Golden Gun still manages to be relevant in today's world.  In October, 2011, Libyan dictator Gaddafi was killed with his own golden gun (see earlier post Yankee Fan Kills Gaddafi with his own Golden Gun, 1/15/12) by a young man wearing a Yankees baseball cap.  Sic Semper tyrannus.

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