James Bond director Sam Mendes has said Daniel Craig is a "real man" on screen, just like previous 007 Sean Connery.

The Oscar-winning director has released his first video blog on 007.com from the set of the new film Skyfall, in which he reminisces about watching the spy thrillers when he was a child.

Sam revealed: "The roots of me doing the Bond movie start way before anybody approached me, because I like everybody else have my own personal relationship with Bond, which began when I was about nine or 10 years old."

The British filmmaker said he hopes to return the spirit of the Bond films, to those he remembers watching as a boy.

"I was genuinely blown away by Casino Royale, because of Daniel. I thought he was a real man in a real situation again and it reminded me of the way I felt when I watched the Sean Connery movies.

"It struck me that it is still possible to make a big, fabulous, glamorous, escapist movie and yet at the same time to say something about the world that we're living in."

Daniel is returning for a third time as Bond following the success of Casino Royale and A Quantum Of Solace and the film also sees Dame Judi Dench return as M.

The short video shows Sam, Judi and Daniel filming in dark vaults, a bright, bustling airport, and in Westminster, with the familiar images of the Houses of Parliament, a London bus and a tube station in the background.

The American Beauty director said: "Ironically I've never made an English movie. I've made six movies and this the first time I've shot in this country, which is an extraordinary thing.

"So I feel like the American Years were my apprenticeship for doing the Bond movie."