48 replies to this topic

[Loomis]

On another thread, reacting to the news that Stephen Frears was in line to direct the JINX film, crashdrive wrote that it's "very curious that EON are after low profile high quality directors these days." (http://forums.comman...3652#post173652)

That phrase has stuck with me, and it strikes me that it might be applied to John McTiernan.

McTiernan has a great relationship with Brosnan, whom he has directed twice (in NOMADS and THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR). Brosnan has mentioned the past that he'd like to be directed as Bond by McTiernan, and McTiernan is said to have stated that he'd like to direct a Bond film. I believe he was approached in the past by MGM/Eon, and on more than one occasion.

With PREDATOR, DIE HARDs 1 & 3 and THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER on his resume, McTiernan has the perfect CV. After ROLLERBALL and BASIC, he's also in absolutely dire need of a hit. The solution? Get him in the director's chair for BOND 21!

He'd be a more than acceptable choice for MGM and Brosnan. The only sticking point is that Eon only seems to hire directors from Britain or the Commonwealth. But perhaps Wilson and Broccoli might be.... persuaded? If MGM had enough clout to kill the Jinx spinoff, it surely has enough sway over Eon to get McTiernan on board for BOND 21, particularly with Brosnan's backing.

Watching the much-maligned and woefully underrated ROLLERBALL again the other day, I realized that McTiernan still has that terrific visual eye of his, and puts together amazing action scenes like no one else. Check out the desert chase in that movie: it's straight, and I do mean straight, out of a Bond film!

He also doesn't seem to have any projects lined up (the internet rumours that he'll be doing DIE HARD 4 are just fanboy speculation, IMO), so if he's free for BOND 21 I say "GET HIM!"

[ChandlerBing]

Any man who can put the governors of both Minnesota and Calee-forn-ia in an action movie gets my vote.

[Bryce (003)]

John McT. has been on my list going back to TWINE. I'd be very happy if he did get a chance to do a Bond if not Bond 21.

Who knows, if Bond 21 is truly to be Pierce's last, he may have more clout on who will fill the director's chair.

[Genrewriter]

Hopefully we'd get a film along the lines of Die Hard, Thomas Crown Affair and Predator in terms of quality as opposed to Medicine Man and Rollerball.

[Bryce (003)]

*shudders*....Rollerball.....*shudders again*

[Genrewriter]

I paid money to see Medicine Man in the theater. Yes, I am full of shame.

[Triton]

I think that John McTiernan would do a great job with a James Bond film. Although it has serious story problems, Basic is a well crafted motion picture and looks great on the screen. Haven't had a chance to see Rollerball yet. But John McTiernan is entitled to a few misfires as long as he doesn't make a habit of it.

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Bryce (003)

*shudders*....Rollerball.....*shudders again*  

No, no, ROLLERBALL's a blast! Yes, it's incredibly dumb, but it's never boring (the worst sin a movie can commit, IMO). The locations are fresh and atmospheric, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos and LL Cool J look great and drip charisma, the cinematography (by Steve Mason) is first-rate, and McTiernan gives us his best action work since the original DIE HARD. The "night vision" chase across a desert, involving trucks, bikes and a plane, is stunning, while the bonecrunching, blood-soaked Rollerball games and the opening street luge race are also terrific.

McTiernan's talent still shines through. It's too bad that the film - which bears strong evidence of heavy pre-release cutting, with missing scenes as well as trimmed nudity and violence - is almost certain never to be released in its full-length version. A whole bunch of bad things happened, which were out of McTiernan's control. There were major script and casting problems. It also seems that MGM decided against an R rating very late in the day and did a lot of faffing about, ordering reshoots and multiple edits, and repeatedly rescheduling the release date.

On top of which, months before ROLLERBALL hit cinemas, Harry Knowles flew to New York as a guest of McTiernan to attend a private screening. Knowles then put up an utterly scathing review on AICN - many of his points were valid and well-expressed, but overall the piece smacked of an attempt to prove that he was an independent critic who couldn't be "bought" by the studios and directors who wined and dined him. Tom, Dick and Harry on the internet got behind Knowles, with the result that, way in advance of its opening, ROLLERBALL was considered one of the all-time turkeys. When it finally emerged, MGM outdid its pisspoor work for LICENCE TO KILL with one of the lamest marketing campaigns ever.

Back to BOND 21: McTiernan would, among other things, be a great "compromise" choice to satisfy those who want "name" or "quality" directors brought to the franchise, as well as those who are happy with Wilson and Broccoli retaining creative control. McTiernan has his fans, but he's not a brash young whizzkid or an auteur - he's not in the Brett Ratner/David Fincher league. He has a distinctive visual style, but not one that would conflict with the general look of the Bond films. No particular themes or subject matter that he keeps returning to (in which respect he's much less of an auteur than proposed JINX director Stephen Frears, who mostly picks "social conscience" projects).

McTIERNAN PROS:
- Terrific CV.
- One of the best action directors of all time (although this might be a con: would Eon hire a director who might put Vic Armstrong out of a job?).
- Brosnan would probably be delighted to work with him again.
- Badly needs a hit so might be up for Bond (and he seems increasingly willing to work as a director-for-hire).
- Has indicated in the past that he'd like to direct a Bond film. Some say he was also offered Bond.

McTIERNAN CONS:
- Might not want to work for MGM again.
- Eon seems to have a policy of hiring only British or Commonwealth directors.
- Was briefly one of the highest-paid directors in Hollywood, and might want too much money. Then again, let's not forget that his career seems to be in freefall. He might take a pay cut to do Bond and have a hit.

[ray t]

i'm in!

mctiernan for bond!!!

(down with tarantino:D:p)

:cool:

[Triton]

The production history of Rollerball is another example of how MGM/UA consistently snatches defeat from the jaws of victory.

[DLibrasnow]

Let's hope not.....I still have bad memories of "Nomads"

[Loomis]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow

Let's hope not.....I still have bad memories of "Nomads"  

I've never seen NOMADS, but I get the feeling I'd love it.

[DLibrasnow]

You would be alone in that feeling.....even some die hard Pierce Brosnan fans I could name have a hard time sitting through that movie!

[ChandlerBing]

I thought some of the girls would get excited about getting to see Brosnan nekkid. Strangely, Brosnan is the Bond who has shown his bits and pieces the most of all the Bonds. Who knew Brosnan was such an exhibitionist?

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by ChandlerBing
Who knew Brosnan was such an exhibitionist?

Well he has to mask his lack of acting talent somehow!

[ChandlerBing]

Ouch!

[Loomis]

McTiernan is the only non-British/non-Commonwealth director for whom I think Eon ought to waive its rules. Why? Two main reasons:

He's a terrific visual filmmaker. As with John Carpenter, even his worst films are full of images that stay with you. He's a master of the Panavision frame, balletic camerawork (the camera as participant in the action, rather than, as in a film like, say, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, something that's just "there"), and movement from a first-person perspective. He knows how to use closeups properly, too. He's definitely not "flashy", though - unlike his less talented imitators such as Michael Bay.

Also, he's one of the very few directors to have managed to coax a half-decent performance out of Pierce Brosnan (in THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR).

[ChandlerBing]

As opposed to Peter Hunt being one of the few directors to coax a half-decent performance out of Roger Moore.

Now we're even. (uh-huh. sure)

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by Loomis
McTiernan is the only non-British/non-Commonwealth director for whom I think Eon ought to waive its rules. Why? Two main reasons:

He's a terrific visual filmmaker. As with John Carpenter, even his worst films are full of images that stay with you.

Yeah, you obviously haven't seen NOMADS!

[Loomis]

Originally posted by ChandlerBing

As opposed to Peter Hunt being one of the few directors to coax a half-decent performance out of Roger Moore.  

Now we're even. (uh-huh.  sure)  

What are you on about, Chandler?

[Roebuck]

Originally posted by Loomis
What are you on about, Chandler?

He's talking about 'GOLD' of course!! (Cue Spandau Ballet).

[Turn]

Originally posted by Triton
The production history of Rollerball is another example of how MGM/UA consistently snatches defeat from the jaws of victory.

Oh, I don't know. They nixed the Jinx movie, didn't they.

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Roebuck

He's talking about 'GOLD' of course!!  

Haven't seen it. Is it considered one of Moore's best?

[Genrewriter]

It's supposed to be pretty good from what I've heard.

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by Roebuck


He's talking about 'GOLD' of course!! (Cue Spandau Ballet).

I took him to be referring to "Shout at the Devil"

[Triton]

I think that our own DLibrasnow (Darren Harrison) rated Gold too highly on Amazon.com by gaving it four stars out of five. Sorry Darren, but I would only give this film 2.5 stars out of five.

The plot of the film concerns a conspiracy to raise the price of gold on world commodity markets. Roger Moore plays the newly appointed general manager to the Sonditch Gold Mine in South African who is having an affair with a married woman played by Susannah York. While Moore is off to secret rendezvouses with his wife, her husband, played by Bradford Dillman, is meeting with Sir John Gielgud and others in a conspiracy, which if successful, will increase the price of gold and generate a handsome profit for all conspirators.

I found the film to be interesting for its African locations and its action sequences set hundreds of feet below the surface in the darkness of the Sonditch mine.

The film was directed by frequent Bond editor and On Her Majesty's Secret Service director Peter Hunt, has a title song sung by Tom Jones, and titles by Maurice Binder.

[Roebuck]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow
I took him to be referring to "Shout at the Devil"

I believe that was by Peter H. Hunt, the American director of 'Wild Geese 2'. (Which did feature Spandau...but no ballet.)

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Roebuck

Peter H. Hunt, the American director of 'Wild Geese 2'.  

According to the IMDb, the Peter Hunt who directed WILD GEESE II was the same Brit who directed ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (and GOLD and SHOUT AT THE DEVIL). (http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0402597/)

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by Roebuck


I believe that was by Peter H. Hunt, the American director of 'Wild Geese 2'. (Which did feature Spandau...but no ballet.)

That's the British director Peter Hunt who also gave us the excellent James Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and the movie "Gold".

Interestingly another 007 veteran Maurice Binder did the main titles for "Shout at the Devil"

[DLibrasnow]

I think Roger Moore gives undoubtedly his best performance in "Shout at the Devil" - especially the way he reacts to:

Spoiler

the death of his baby son