Bond. James Bond. This introduction of Ian Fleming’s secret service agent 007 still resonates throughout theaters and pop culture worldwide, even after 50 years. The 23 rd and latest installment, “Skyfall,” was released this year. In the 50 years since the first release in 1962, the James Bond series has become one of, if not the most, well-known film franchises in the world. It all started with “Dr. No,” released in 1962. Sean Connery portrayed Bond in the first five films in the series: “ From Russia with Love ,” “ Goldfinger ,” “ Thunderball ,” and “ You Only Live Twice.” In 1969, George Lazenby took up the role of Bond in “ On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” Before the film was even released, however, Lazenby announced that he would not be portraying Bond in any future movies. Since Lazenby decided not to play Bond, Connery reprised his role one last time in “ Diamonds Are Forever” in 1971. A new Bond debuted in 1973 with “ Live and Let Die ,” starring Roger Moore. Moore would go on to star in seven Bond films, including “ The Man with the Golden Gun,” “Moonraker,” “For Your Eyes Only,” and finishing his role with “ A View to a Kill” (1985) . Timothy Dalton then briefly took up the role for “ The Living Daylights” in 1987 and “ License to Kill” in 1989. It would be six years before the next Bond movie hit the theaters. This was the longest break in the series so far. Finally, in 1995, Bond was back in “ Goldeneye ,” starring Pierce Brosnan. Brosnan would go on to star in three more Bond movies before retiring from the role following “ Die Another Day” in 2002. Four years later in 2006, Daniel Craig took on the role of a new, more brutal Bond in “ Casino Royale.” Craig has since starred in “ Quantum of Solace” (2008), and plays Bond again in “ Skyfall” (2012). One of the great things about the Bond series is that it appeals to people of all age groups. Around Trinity you can find faculty and students alike who enjoy the series, whether it be the more recent movies or the classics. Co-Student Affairs Director Joe Henning has been watching the series since he was a child. “I remember just being a little kid. Maybe, seven or eight years old. I started watching them on television and that would have been around ’77 or ’78, so I’ve been a fan about as long as I can remember. The more I watched them, the more I liked them,” Henning said. “My favorite Bond? I always have to say Sean Connery because he’s the one that made it great, but I also like Daniel Craig.” Senior Drew Wiech also likes the films, even though he hasn’t been a devoted follower of the series. “I’v e seen a few of the Bond movies,” he said, “but I don’t know if I’d consider myself a die-hard Bond fan. I think ‘Casino Royale’ was the best Bond movie. Great actor, (Daniel Craig), great story, just a great movie in general.” Teacher Mr. Keith Rapp is also a big fan of the series. He said, “I’ve probably been a fan since I was in high school. I guess I became a fan because there was always a new Bond movie coming out, so it was easy to get hooked on. Sean Connery is my favorite, but I really, really like Daniel Craig. I like the spin they’ve put on it with Craig. He’s much rougher around the edges – not so polished. That kind of plays into the type of villain that he’s dealing with — and the society of today.” “ Skyfall ,” directed by Sam Mendes, was one of the best films in the series I’ve seen in years. It took a lot of bold directions deviating from traditional Bond films, but still managed to retain the essence of a proper James Bond movie. Javier Bardem’s performance as main antagonist Raoul Silva really raised the bar and sets a high very benchmark for future villains to live up to. Silva is a cyber terrorist seeking revenge after being betrayed by M (Judi Dench), shortly after Bond (Daniel Craig) was put in a similar situation himself. The movie explores themes of loyalty, trust, betrayal and patriotism by testing Bond’s relationship with M. The movie features stunning cinematography by Roger Deakins, like a hand-to-hand combat scene with an assassin in a Shanghai skyscraper, back-lit by the city’s night lights. The throwbacks to old Bond films were a nice touch as well, such as the return of the coveted Aston Martin DB5, complete with jokes about the ejector seat. In one scene, Bond even jumps off a Komodo dragon’s back, a small nod to an old Bond stunt in which he ran across the backs of three crocodiles. Whether you’re new to the series or a longtime fan, “ Skyfall” is a must-see. It has plenty of small references and themes for returning fans, but is still very accessible and enjoyable to new viewers. It manages to feel remarkably fresh, despite being the 23 rd in the series. Trinity senior Tim Burton hasn’t been a longtime Bond fan but enjoyed “ Skyfall.” “I haven’t really been a huge James Bond fanatic,” he said, “but I have tried to see the recent ones. I thought the new movie was well made, and it is one of my favorites of the ones I have seen. I feel like Daniel Craig plays the role really well, but my favorite actor who played James is Sean Connery.” Wiech also thought “Skyfall” was a good movie. He said, “The new Bond movie wasn’t the best one ever produced, but it was definitely up there. Craig did another good job.” So the movie is good even if you aren’t the biggest Bond fan in the world, but that doesn’t mean it’s not just as good if you are a big fan. “(‘Skyfall’) was the best of the last 10 or 15 years, easily,” Rapp said. “I really liked the homage to the original Bond films in there, with the car, the music, and some of the gadgets, things like that. It’s sort of a treat to all the real Bond fans who ‘get it.’” While it’s been confirmed there will be more Bond films, the longterm future of the series is still undetermined. The series is already 50 years old, but where will it be 50 years from now? Will it still be around? Henning said, “The producers now are the daughter and son-in-law of the original producers. So I wonder who is going to watch over it, who is going to be in charge of it. I would like to see it, but what it takes is somebody who owns it and wants to see it continue. If they can keep it fresh, then I don’t see any reason not to.”