The actual James Bond character in the novel was a dark son of a bitch. They were nicer upped for the movies.
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Bond 24: SPECTRE
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I can see where some people aren't fond of Daniel as James, but I think he captures a certain screen presence that hasn't been seen since Sean.
He's a much better bond - more serious, less silly than we've had in years. Pierce somehow lends an air of refined silliness to whatever role he takes. I think.
He's a much better bond - more serious, less silly than we've had in years. Pierce somehow lends an air of refined silliness to whatever role he takes. I think.
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I have to say that I find the idea of a 23rd Film in the Bond franchise being made (long after the creator of the concept, Ian Fleming, has died and nothing new has been written in an absolute age) both depressing and predictable.
James Bond was a archetypal 60s hero, an antidote to those grim post war 'realist' movies, a spy without much angst, depth, or any sort of intellectual inner life, but stylish, suave, sophisticated and blissfully shallow as he charmed and killed his way through a series of increasingly improbable plots. Clearly, he was also a tongue-in-cheek male wish fulfilment fantasy figure, untrammelled by conscience, or convention, a man who walked insouciantly and lightly through life untouched by anything (least of all relationships) and constrained by little or nothing.
But this is a pure Sixties fantasy, which took the form of a shedding of a century of stifling and suffocating social convention which was expressed up by the wish fulfilment of an imaginary world of fast cars and faster women, sophisticated cocktails, the hero an urbane licensed killer attired in a bespoke tuxedo.
That fantasy was of its time and place, and is, to my mind, every bit as passé as the world it sought to replace; this is why I have no problem with the 1960s Bond movies (more or less up to 'Diamonds Are Forever'); they are authentically of their time, and, as such, have aged quite well.
But now, to my way of thinking, it has become somewhat tedious, and rather tired. A cliché. Maybe that is its attraction, but, for me, the attraction has long paled.
Are we to be faced with an endless mining of LOTR trivia to make further movies in that franchise? I, for one, find it stupefying that three movies have been mined successfully from the rather thin work (The Hobbit - which I have read and enjoyed) that gave rise to them.
And, then, are there to be endless further additions to the increasingly threadbare Star Wars cinematic canon?
Are our imaginations so stunted that we cannot come up with anything new? Are there no new stories to be told?
James Bond was a archetypal 60s hero, an antidote to those grim post war 'realist' movies, a spy without much angst, depth, or any sort of intellectual inner life, but stylish, suave, sophisticated and blissfully shallow as he charmed and killed his way through a series of increasingly improbable plots. Clearly, he was also a tongue-in-cheek male wish fulfilment fantasy figure, untrammelled by conscience, or convention, a man who walked insouciantly and lightly through life untouched by anything (least of all relationships) and constrained by little or nothing.
But this is a pure Sixties fantasy, which took the form of a shedding of a century of stifling and suffocating social convention which was expressed up by the wish fulfilment of an imaginary world of fast cars and faster women, sophisticated cocktails, the hero an urbane licensed killer attired in a bespoke tuxedo.
That fantasy was of its time and place, and is, to my mind, every bit as passé as the world it sought to replace; this is why I have no problem with the 1960s Bond movies (more or less up to 'Diamonds Are Forever'); they are authentically of their time, and, as such, have aged quite well.
But now, to my way of thinking, it has become somewhat tedious, and rather tired. A cliché. Maybe that is its attraction, but, for me, the attraction has long paled.
Are we to be faced with an endless mining of LOTR trivia to make further movies in that franchise? I, for one, find it stupefying that three movies have been mined successfully from the rather thin work (The Hobbit - which I have read and enjoyed) that gave rise to them.
And, then, are there to be endless further additions to the increasingly threadbare Star Wars cinematic canon?
Are our imaginations so stunted that we cannot come up with anything new? Are there no new stories to be told?
Very succinct. However mining/borrowing ideas is a movie making staple. Today because of expense I blame that as the reason for latching onto a successful film venture and milking it. I felt fortunate that all of the Harry Potter films except for the last one were stand alone stories as far as matching th book's story line. What they did to The Hobbit is a crime.
I'm firmly into the dark Bonds, mainly Connery, then Craig. Of the movies, one of the darkest was License to Kill with Timothy Dalton. In that one, we saw a young, trim Benicio Del Toro committed to his role helping drug dealer Robert Davi.
I, for one, am waiting with bated breath for the J. J. Abrams reboot of the Harry Potter series.
I, for one, am waiting with bated breath for the J. J. Abrams reboot of the Harry Potter series.
A terrifying thought. (And, one which I had not even begun to contemplate ..This is the stuff of nightmares .)
What an appalling vista, to face a bleak future of perennial reboots and remakes of stories and tales which have already proven themselves to have been commercially successful.
I, for one, am waiting with bated breath for the J. J. Abrams reboot of the Harry Potter series.
With the rolling of the eyes smile icon at the end of your statement, I am going to assume this comment is done with a tongue firmly placed on the inside of your cheek! Hoping. Please say it isn't so?!?!
Ok... thank you for clarifying and you are absolutely correct. Heck, I could see this happening very very soon to tell you the truth! Don't know about JJ being involved but given how much love there is for the series, yup I could see this happening!
Especially if this is presented in financial terms as a means of increasing shareholder value and the director's dividend . I could see that as something all too plausible .
JJ is probably looking at prior outer space scenes in Bond flicks and envisions some well-placed colorful lens flare.
Casino Royale was definitely the best of the three and the other two seriously had issues.
That said, I love Craig in this role and hope they can improve the series again with this one.
I've disagreed somewhere before.
As a continuation of Casino Royale, I found CR and QoS to be perfect bookends. My opinion is that these two Bond films are the best ever created. Quantum and Dominique Greene were perfect antagonists in the Bond biosphere, mysterious and threatening. And there are outstanding action sequences in QoS. The editing of the opening QoS car chase is exciting. I also enjoyed the carry over of Bond putting the puzzle together regarding his love, and the continuation of Rene Mathis's story.
I am excited to see the new bad guy! Loved him in pretty much everything I have seen him in and I can't wait to see what he does in Spectre!
Not to mention, I really like Daniel Craig's take on the character. Count me as excited to see it!
Not to mention, I really like Daniel Craig's take on the character. Count me as excited to see it!
Nov 6, 2015 release. Looks great!
I don't want Daniel Craig to quit... With less polish, he is almost as good as Sean Connery in his prime and the series he has been part of, arguably are the best Bond films every made, avoiding becoming a caricature of itself. I've seen names like Damian Lewis and Idris Elba mentioned, but while acknowledging Lewis is an outstanding actor, I don't see him as Bond. A black James Bond? My preference is that the character remain of the race he was created as, but I'd give Elba a chance.
That does indeed look awesome.
Is SPECTRE going to be Craig's last Bond movie? That sucks -- I loved him as Bond -- definitely my favorite Bond by far.
Funny, when they first announced that he would be the next Bond in Casino Royale I thought he was the worst Bond ever -- the hair, the eyes, what is wrong with Hollywood?
But they definitely showed me, that's for sure
Is SPECTRE going to be Craig's last Bond movie? That sucks -- I loved him as Bond -- definitely my favorite Bond by far.
Funny, when they first announced that he would be the next Bond in Casino Royale I thought he was the worst Bond ever -- the hair, the eyes, what is wrong with Hollywood?
But they definitely showed me, that's for sure