21 replies to this topic

[White Persian]

Much as I like GoldenEye, I find Sean Bean a bit of a letdown as the villain. Physically he's a good match for Bond as the knock down drag out final battle between them proves, but he still seems a bit...I dunno... not larger than life enough for a Bond villain. Perhaps it's Bean. He's a good actor, but he has an "average guy, regular Joe" feel about him that doesn't work for me. I can't help feeling that someone with a sense of irony about him, like Charles Dance for instance, might have been better.
I wonder if Sean Bean got the part as a kind of consolation prize for not being chosen as Bond.

[White Persian]

> If Zukovsky was the arch villain in GE it would have worked wonders>
Yeah, Robbie Coltrane had the "larger than life" qualities that Sean Bean didn't.
It's hard to define what makes a great Bond villain - a feeling of power, whether intellectual, physical or financial and a touch of the grotesque perhaps- but somehow Sean Bean's Trevelyan didn't quite have it.
The pissweak facial scars weren't grotesque enough for sure.

[Jacques Nexus]

White Persian (14 Jun, 2001 07:15 a.m.):
> If Zukovsky was the arch villain in GE it would have worked wonders>
Yeah, Robbie Coltrane had the "larger than life" qualities that Sean Bean didn't.
It's hard to define what makes a great Bond villain - a feeling of power, whether intellectual, physical or financial and a touch of the grotesque perhaps- but somehow Sean Bean's Trevelyan didn't quite have it.
The pissweak facial scars weren't grotesque enough for sure.

One of the first rumours about the TWINE script (early '98) was that Zukovsky was going to be the villain. The big rumour was that he would start out as 007's ally then turn against him as THE Bond villain. It kind of lends weight to the argument that the GE version of Zukovsky would have made a good Bond villain.

[Blue Eyes]

Jacques Nexus (16 Jun, 2001 03:20 p.m.):
One of the first rumours about the TWINE script (early '98) was that Zukovsky was going to be the villain. The big rumour was that he would start out as 007's ally then turn against him as THE Bond villain. It kind of lends weight to the argument that the GE version of Zukovsky would have made a good Bond villain.

This was one of those twisted rumours that always appear around a Bond film. The other great example is the death of Sir Robert King and his funeral. All the spy reports were saying that it was Q who was blown up and his funeral. Much the same in this rumour. This was a warp between Elektra's character and the return of Zukovsky.

[Jacques Nexus]

Blue Eyes (11 Jun, 2001 05:27 a.m.):
I think they were purposely going for a grounding with Bean. It made the character more human. The producers were probably worried that a larger than life villain (ie. Blofeld) may not hit the right note with the public. That's what I've always felt anyway.

Yes, they wanted to get away from the Blofeld type villain. The point is...Bean's Trevelyan seems a bit small scale for Bond.

[Jacques Nexus]

Here's another thing I don't get about GOLDENEYE.....The Cuban control centre at the climax...Does it belong to Janus or the Russian Military ?...Surely he didn't build it under the noses of the Cubans...It must be a Russian built complex...if so how did he acquire it ?...and the technical personnel...they seem like a carbon copy from the Severnaya complex and don't look like they are working for a criminal organisation. The whole thing makes little sense.

Can anybody help me with this ?.

[Mr Trump]

That was a good point Blue eyes and one that I hope comes true.

[Mr Trump]

I will also have to admitt that it took me by suprise when Elektra became a villain in TWINE but I never suspected Zukovsky as a villain and I did not want him to be one. I was actually disapointed to see him get killed off as I would have liked to have seen him in a couple more Bond movies.

[Jacques Nexus]

Blue Eyes (17 Jun, 2001 02:09 a.m.):

Jacques Nexus (16 Jun, 2001 03:20 p.m.):
One of the first rumours about the TWINE script (early '98) was that Zukovsky was going to be the villain. The big rumour was that he would start out as 007's ally then turn against him as THE Bond villain. It kind of lends weight to the argument that the GE version of Zukovsky would have made a good Bond villain.

This was one of those twisted rumours that always appear around a Bond film. The other great example is the death of Sir Robert King and his funeral. All the spy reports were saying that it was Q who was blown up and his funeral. Much the same in this rumour. This was a warp between Elektra's character and the return of Zukovsky.

Yes the Zukovsky as Bond villain rumour was a beauty !. If I had my way with GE, I would have made Zukovsky the leader of Janus (or some other name) and made Trevelyan his henchman. Ironically, Coltrane in GE looks similar to Fleming's description of Blofeld in the THUNDERBALL novel.

[Digitarius]

I think the thing is a Russian property, and the crew were all working for the Russian government. He got them working for Janus by flashing General Ourumov (or whatever his name is) around. That's my theory anyway.

[Blue Eyes]

I knew in advance because I read the script.

But I wonder if MGM/EON are finally taking some tips off George Lucas?

Think of all the scenes that are pivotal to Star Wars. The most important scenes from The Phantom Menace weren't filming till about 1 month before the release of the film and with a very small crew. That way few rumours get out.

Also he's always letting go of false stuff to smoke screen people. Ian McDiarmid who plays Palpatine in all the movies didn't even know who is character was until the first day on set. David Prowse who was in the Darth Vader suit didn't even know they filmed the end of ROTJ with the helmet off with another actor until he was at the premiere!

There are heaps of things like taht!

[The Admiral]

Blue Eyes (11 Jun, 2001 05:27 a.m.):
I think they were purposely going for a grounding with Bean. It made the character more human. The producers were probably worried that a larger than life villain (ie. Blofeld) may not hit the right note with the public. That's what I've always felt anyway.

I agree. 006 was more of a character that got involved, he didn't sit behind a desk with a persian cat giving orders. Also, e have to remember that 006 was 007's equal, a best friend. He wasn't a master criminal all his life.

[White Persian]

OOPS That should be 006 not 008.

[Jacques Nexus]

I agree White Persian. I think Alan Rickman was a candidate for the Trevelyan role. Rickman would have made it more larger than life.

[Digitarius]

That could be true. I was quite surprised when Elektra became the villain and not the Bond girl.

[Blue Eyes]

I think they were purposely going for a grounding with Bean. It made the character more human. The producers were probably worried that a larger than life villain (ie. Blofeld) may not hit the right note with the public. That's what I've always felt anyway.

[White Persian]

I don't mind the idea of a rogue )) agent like Alec Trevelyan as villain. I just felt that Sean Bean (who I generally like) didn't make the most of the character's potential.

[White Persian]

I wonder if the "Zukovsky as TWINE villain" rumour may have been a deliberate smokescreen to keep Elektra's betrayal a surprise for audiences.

Whew, finally fixed my 008 goof in the subject line.

[Blue Eyes]

While I believe they had the intent of killing the character off in TWINE (originally to happen in GE according to Coltrane) don't be all too surprised if he appears in future films.

We never get a conclusive line that prooves he is dead.

When the audience want something, they can get it. Just look at Jaws.

That's slightly off topic I know. But I just had to say it

[Jacques Nexus]

White Persian (13 Jun, 2001 09:48 a.m.):
I don't mind the idea of a rogue )) agent like Alec Trevelyan as villain. I just felt that Sean Bean (who I generally like) didn't make the most of the character's potential.

That's right...his first scene as villain in the statues junk yard is really good but there after his stature as a Bond villain goes downhill. Trevelyan should have been given a henchmen's role...in support to a more larger than life villain. It's strange but Zukovsky is more menacing than Trevelyan...If Zukovsky was the archvillain in GE it would have worked wonders !.

[Jacques Nexus]

Blue Eyes (11 Jun, 2001 05:27 a.m.):
I think they were purposely going for a grounding with Bean. It made the character more human. The producers were probably worried that a larger than life villain (ie. Blofeld) may not hit the right note with the public. That's what I've always felt anyway.

You are right, but why did EON follow up with a huge villain like Carver in TND ?.

[The Admiral]

Jacques Nexus (13 Jun, 2001 04:21 p.m.):

Blue Eyes (11 Jun, 2001 05:27 a.m.):
I think they were purposely going for a grounding with Bean. It made the character more human. The producers were probably worried that a larger than life villain (ie. Blofeld) may not hit the right note with the public. That's what I've always felt anyway.

You are right, but why did EON follow up with a huge villain like Carver in TND ?.

Carver was a great villain. He was a more up-to-date Blofeld.