Two Thor credits of interest to 007 fans

You have to watch the scroll of credits in Thor’s end titles (the movie hit theaters on May 6). But for die-hard 007 fans, they’ll catch your attention:

Second Unit Director VIC ARMSTRONG

Armstrong began his association with James Bond films as a stuntman on You Only Live Twice and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. In the latter, he doubles George Lazenby who, as 007, nearly skis off a ledge of a Swiss mountain. Later, he was second unit director/chief stunt arranger on three Bond movies: Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day.

THOR will return in THE AVENGERS

This device mimicks the early 007 movies, starting with From Russia With Love (THE END…NOT QUITE THE END…JAMES BOND will return in the next Ian Fleming thriller, GOLDFINGER), where the Bond filmmakers told the audience the intended title of the next 007 movie. It lasted through Octopussy (which promised the next movie would be titled From a View to a Kill, later shortened to just A View To a Kill). The first couple of Christopher Reeve Superman movies also adapted the technique (Superman The Movie had, “Next Year, Superman II” while Superman II had, “Coming Soon, Superman III”)

In the case of the Marvel Comics character, The Avengers will come out next year and include Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, Hawkeye and other characters.

A “1952” version of The (Marvel) Avengers that 007 fans might like

Admittedly, this post is barely related to James Bond. Anyway, in 2012, a big-screen version of Marvel Comics’ The Avengers is coming out. Over at YouTube, “whoiseyevan” has come up with a video of what a 1952 movie of The Avengers might look like. Bond fans will undoubtedly recognize a few clips, as would fans of The Avengers television show of the 1960s, Gerry Anderson’s ’60s programs and the extremely limited animated 1960s Marvel Super Heroes cartoons. Heck, fans of 1970’s Airport will probably notice.

Here’s a look:

Here’s a related video that shows all the Marvel Comics references. We’ll also note that Nick Fury as presented here is a combination of Adolfo Celi (from Thunderball) and Lee Marvin (from The Dirty Dozen). And Alfred Newman’s theme from Airport shows up as well.