Steve Begg, Visual Effects Master, CASINO ROYALE, SKYFALL, SPECTRE and more!

UPDATE: We were very sad to hear that Joe Caroff has passed away, August 17 2025, at 103 years old. We were honored to have interviewed him a while back. RIP. _______ Today we talk to the most famous graphic designer no one knows: Joe Caroff! 62 years ago, Joe created one of the most identifiable movie logos in history - the 007 logo! In this episode, we talk with Joe about his work on not just the 007 logo the entire world knows, but his other contributions to the James Bond movie legacy, his non-Bond design work, and more about his background. What Joe Caroff has designed in his career will astonish you!! And he tells us about many of his designs: WEST SIDE STORY, THE LAST TANGO IN PARIS, MANHATTAN, ZELIG, THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, and THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD, to name just a few. Joe is 102 years of age and still sharp as a tack. This is a fascinating person and discussion. So, have a listen and you'll "Be in the Know." After listening to this episode, you will want to check out the documentary on his accomplishments currently streaming on MAX.com. This documentary is called BY DESIGN: THE JOE CAROFF STORY which was written and produced by Marc Cerulli whom we spoke with in last week's episode. You can check out all of our podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. Our channel name is CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES. Ideas/Comments? info@spymovienavigator.com Webpage:  https://bit.ly/3Zs9lnL

26 Sep 202324min

SPY KIDS: ARMAGEDDON is the just released kids spy movie. You can find it on Netflix. We give you our non-spoiler look at this movie and let you know if we think this is worth watching. We also talk about why it has a PG rating and is family friendly. SPY KIDS: ARMAGEDDON is the fifth installment in the Spy Kids franchise. It has an all-new cast and characters. As with the first Spy Kids movie, it is a story about a boy and a girl who don't know that their parents are spies. This time, there is a video game, lots of gadgets, a villain, a lair, tension with the parents over technology use, and a new character called Bronson. Are there any spy movies that may have influenced SPY KIDS: ARMAGEDDON? We give you a few. This movie released on Netflix on September 22, 2023. So, have a listen and you'll "Be in the Know" and 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. Ideas/Comments? info@spymovienavigator.com Website Episode Page: https://bit.ly/46eHppG

23 Sep 202310min

Mark Cerulli is a writer, producer, and director who helped create the "Making Of" series giving us the behind the scenes look at GOLDFINGER and THUNDERBALL. Mark tells us how the series was made, behind the scenes stories, his interactions with Sean Connery, and much more. Mark also discusses his documentary BY DESIGN: THE JOE CAROFF STORY. We KNOW every James Bond fan is familiar with Joe Caroff's work. Yet, you probably have never heard of him. Mark fills you in on Joe's major contributions to the James Bond movie franchise as well as other places you will have seen Joe's work. The documentary is available for streaming on MAX. Finally, Mark discusses his upcoming movie, AREA 5150. This is the first full-length movie that Mark Cerulli has written and produced. So, have a listen and you'll "Be in the Know". We had a lot of fun with this interview. 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. Ideas/Comments? Info@spymovienavigator.com Website page: https://bit.ly/44XruL5

19 Sep 202349min

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? info@spymovienavigator.com Episode page: https://bit.ly/3sNgnae

12 Sep 202337min

HEART OF STONE - First Reactions - No Spoilers: Another spy movie with Artificial Intelligence at its heart, it has explosions, double crosses, an excellent cast, and most spy movie tropes you can think of. We'll look at these and other components of the just-released Netflix movie starring Gal Gadot, HEART OF STONE. Listen as we give you our no-spoiler review. We'll keep the spoilers out but give you our opinion and some background to help you determine if HEART OF STONE is worth your time. Are there any spy movies that may have influenced HEART OF STONE? We give you a few. This movie released on Netflix on August 11, 2023. So, have a listen and you'll "Be in the Know" and 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. We hope you enjoyed our HEART OF STONE - First Reactions - No Spoilers. Ideas/Comments? Info@spymovienavigator.com Website Episode Page: https://bit.ly/3KDUrnZ

12 Aug 202310min

With "Quarrel Played by John Kitzmiller in DR. NO", we are kicking off our new series where we look at character profiles of supporting roles in spy movies. We'll look at the actor, the role, and how this character enhances and enriches the movie. So, how does Quarrel's role develop throughout DR. NO? How did John Kitzmiller's acting bring out the character of Quarrel? His facial expressions, straightforward approach to the role, and how Quarrel has contributed to shaping the success of DR. NO - are all decoded! Plus, we talk a little bit about John Kitzmiller's resume and call out some movies you may like if you like Kitzmiller. 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 Character Profile: Quarrel played by John Kitzmiller in DR. NO. We'll continue the series looking at the actors and roles that help shape spy movies and deserve an encore! Ideas/Comments? info@spymovienavigator.com Episode page: https://bit.ly/3KlzDBN

1 Aug 202335min

MR-9-DO OR DIE, SALAAR, AMATEUR, SPY X FAMILY CODE: WHITE, MAGGIORE, RED NOTICE 2, and BLINDSPOT are just some of the upcoming spy movies or series that we'll fill you in on today in our Spy Movie News - July 25 2023 edition. Take a listen as we talk about these movies or series that you may not yet have heard about. We also discuss some industry news both for spy movies/series as well as some news affecting the podcast industry. So, have a listen and you'll "Be in the Know" and 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 ourwebsite. Our channel name is CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES. We hope you enjoyed our Spy Movie News - July 25 2023 edition. You can find the written versions of this and our other Spy Movie News episodes on our website. Ideas/Comments? Info@spymovienavigator.com Website Episode Page: https://bit.ly/3O9L7cE

25 Jul 202315min

Welcome to our fourth anniversary show! Yes, SpyMovienavigator.com and our podcast show, Cracking the Code of Spy Movies have just passed their fourth anniversary. Thanks to all of you for listening and getting us here! Join Dan and Tom as they look back on the past year. It has been an exciting one with interview highlights with Trina Parks, Robert Davi, Julian Glover, Del Singh, James Bond Movie Quizzes, movie reviews, and more. We focused and decoded a lot more classic spy movies, or movies from decades ago. Many of them you might not have experienced. We talk through these in this episode. You might discover a movie you didn't know about and find a new favorite! We will help "navigate" you there! Do us an anniversary favor and Subscribe to our show – and Be in the Know! So, once you've listened to our fourth anniversary show, please let us know what you think. Is there anything you'd like to see us add for the coming year? You can let us know at info@spymovienavigator.com. 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. Website Episode Page: https://bit.ly/3Oj2rgs

18 Jul 202333min