88 replies to this topic

[luciusgore]

The Bond franchise is now being partly overseen by Amy Pascal, who heads the film department at Sony. The article below from the Hollywood Reporter came out a year ago, and it hails her achievement of releasing "Spider-Man 2." But remember that sequel was in development long before she got the job. The other "successes" identified in the story were films she also didn't start, they just came out after she took over the reigns.

Then, at the bottom of the story, it identifies movies she is leading. "XXX: State of the Union," "Bewitched," "Stealth" and "Hitch." Now she is steering "Casino Royale."

http://www.hollywood...t_id=1000732667

I think we all have reason to be very worried indeed.

[zencat]

Amy Pascal was a Sony exec long before she became Pres of Production. She might have even been the exec on the original Spider-Man. She's one sharp cookie.

[luciusgore]

Maybe sharp enough to get the job she has, but really succeed in it? Sony is the one studio that has had back-to-back bombs this summer. "Stealth" was supposed to be a hit -- a huge one. It was a disaster. "XXX: State of the Union" was an obvious catastrophe. Pascal is known for her work on "chick flicks." It seems her guidance of men's movies is misguided. I wonder if she is even a James Bond fan.

[level007]

i think the real question is more "Is it possible to do worse than what MGM did ?" which, in my view, is not possible.

[Seannery]

Amy Pascal was a Sony exec long before she became Pres of Production. She might have even been the exec on the original Spider-Man. She's one sharp cookie.

If she helps choose Adrian Paul, Gerard Butler, Jeremy Northam, Julian McMahon, Ioan Gruffudd, Jason Isaacs, Hugh Grant or Hugh Jackman then I will praise her to the high heavens.

[luciusgore]

Amy Pascal was a Sony exec long before she became Pres of Production. She might have even been the exec on the original Spider-Man. She's one sharp cookie.

If she helps choose Adrian Paul, Gerard Butler, Jeremy Northam, Julian McMahon, Ioan Gruffudd, Jason Isaacs, Hugh Grant or Hugh Jackman then I will praise her to the high heavens.

I just worry that someone who probably hasn't even watched all the Bond films, probably hasn't even seen OHMSS or know what SPECTRE is, could be picking the next actor to play Bond. It sounds like she picked the director, given that he's making "Zorro" for Sony. But if the film flops, we'll know who was responsible. ... And I do think people could make worse Bonds than MGM. "XXX: State of the Union," for all practical purposes, was a crap Bond film. Total disaster. Don't be surprised if the Bond franchise heads in that direction with Ms. Pascal leading the ship.

[tdalton]

Don't be surprised if the Bond franchise heads in that direction with Ms. Pascal leading the ship.

I think that the fact that they've hired Paul Haggis to do a rewrite of the script is a good indication that they're not going to go that route with CR. Of course, I could be wrong.

[Mister Asterix]

If she helps choose Adrian Paul, Gerard Butler, Jeremy Northam, Julian McMahon, Ioan Gruffudd, Jason Isaacs, Hugh Grant or Hugh Jackman then I will praise her to the high heavens.

[mra]Sony gets to choose no one. They only get to veto Eon

[Seannery]

[quote name='Mister Asterix' date='6 September 2005 - 19:05'][quote name='Seannery' date='6 September 2005 - 12:15']If she helps choose Adrian Paul, Gerard Butler, Jeremy Northam, Julian McMahon, Ioan Gruffudd, Jason Isaacs, Hugh Grant or Hugh Jackman then I will praise her to the high heavens.

[/quote]


[mra]Sony gets to choose no one. They only get to veto Eon

[luciusgore]

The last big Bond shift was really designed by Jon Calley, then the head of MGM who went to Sony. He actually told Eon he would not fund "Goldeneye" if they didn't hire Pierce Brosnan for the part. So Brosnan was hired. Pascal not only has veto power over Bond: She has veto power over the entire picture!

This should worry some of us. She had nothing to do with the creation of the "Spider-Man" franchise. That was all Calley, who is now gone from Sony. She certainly had nothing to do with the creation of "Spider-Man 2," although she takes credit for it. She wasn't even involved with "XXX."

The action films that are truly hers were these: "Stealth" and "XXX: State of the Union." Not only did those films fail at the box office, but they failed in every measurable way. Fans don't care for them. Critics hated them. They are wasted piles of celluloid. She can't take credit for "Spider-Man 2," but she definitely deserves blame for "Stealth" and "XXX2." Those were her babies. Now "Casino Royale" is her baby too.

If only Jon Calley were still running Sony.

[XXX]

But if the film flops, we'll know who was responsible. ... And I do think people could make worse Bonds than MGM.

Pew! Are we glad we already found a scapegoat, aren't we!

But I have to agree on the subject at hand. ALL big studio execs are people who should be taken very seriously. If they stand for one thing, it is certainly NOT the artistic (read: the good) side of filmmaking.
These are people who think filmmaking is a nothing more than buissness. And films like XXX and Stealth prove that.

Fortunately the audiences seem to see that as well and avoid those.

Edited by XXX, 06 September 2005 - 06:32 PM.

[luciusgore]

But if the film flops, we'll know who was responsible. ... And I do think people could make worse Bonds than MGM.

Pew! Are we glad we already found a scapegoat, aren't we!

But I have to agree on the subject at hand. ALL big studio execs are people who should be taken very seriously. If they stand for one thing, it is certainly NOT the artistic (read: the good) side of filmmaking.
These are people who think filmmaking is a nothing more than buissness. And films like XXX and Stealth prove that.

Fortunately the audiences seem to see that as well and avoid those.

But as diehard Bond fans, we want to see the series survive and thrive, not be hobbled by a "chick flick" executive's horrible action-movie sense. "Stealth" showed a supreme lack of judgment on her part. She inherited "Spider-Man 2." She earned "Stealth." "Casino Royale" is her baby, but the Bond series is the fans' franchise.

[doublenoughtspy]

Putting all blame and responsibility of CR on Pascal is like giving all of the credit of Goldfinger to David Picker, or Arthur Krim.

As Mister Asterix points out - the studio doesn't choose Bond. EON comes to them with a package and they can greenlight it or not.

So they can suggest people for Bond and other roles, but EON is the company making the film - Sony is just paying for it.

I understand Stealth is pretty bad - but how many executives would have turned down a military action flick with hot properties like Foxx and Biel - during war time no less?

[triviachamp]

I understand Stealth is pretty bad - but how many executives would have turned down a military action flick with hot properties like Foxx and Biel - during war time no less?

Actually Foxx wasn't a big property until the film was already made when the Oscar season rolled around but Foxx's sudden stardom probably didn't cause anyone to doubt Stealth's success. How wrong they were!

[Bondian]

Bloody well said "old chap!".

I would like to add. Has this women actually got so much 'creative input'?.

Putting all blame and responsibility of CR on Pascal is like giving all of the credit of Goldfinger to David Picker, or Arthur Krim.

As Mister Asterix points out - the studio doesn't choose Bond.  EON comes to them with a package and they can greenlight it or not.

So they can suggest people for Bond and other roles, but EON is the company making the film - Sony is just paying for it.

I understand Stealth is pretty bad - but how many executives would have turned down a military action flick with hot properties like Foxx and Biel - during war time no less?

[Righty007]

I haven't seen xXx: State of the Union but I know it's not Amy Pascal's fault for it being a flop...

It's Lee Tamahori's fault! Plus, xXx wasn't a huge hit in 2002 so why would a sequel do any better?

[K1Bond007]

I just worry that someone who probably hasn't even watched all the Bond films, probably hasn't even seen OHMSS or know what SPECTRE is, could be picking the next actor to play Bond. It sounds like she picked the director, given that he's making "Zorro" for Sony. But if the film flops, we'll know who was responsible. ... And I do think people could make worse Bonds than MGM. "XXX: State of the Union," for all practical purposes, was a crap Bond film. Total disaster. Don't be surprised if the Bond franchise heads in that direction with Ms. Pascal leading the ship.

I think it would be hard to find a person in the film industry that hasn't seen "a" Bond movie or know the facts behind Bond. Suave and sophisticated. More to the point, she's a woman, and as long as she fancies dudes and knows the difference between a good actor and a bad one, she really can't make that bad of a choice. I know theres some bad apples in the mix right now, but in all honesty we have no idea what is correct, close, semi-close, or flat out . Regardless of all this, she's not the only one making the choice. You got the Broccoli's and Campbell backing up the decision. If any one person on that panel has more clout than all the others in this decision, it's Barbara Broccoli, so I wouldn't worry about Pascal.

[DLibrasnow]

I understand Stealth is pretty bad - but how many executives would have turned down a military action flick with hot properties like Foxx and Biel - during war time no less?

I have seen "Stealth" and didn't think it was horrible - certainly not as bad as some critics would have us believe. I thought the action sequences were top-notch.
It only really faltered in the final third of the movie, which incidently IMO also applies to the last three Bond movies.

[luciusgore]

I understand Stealth is pretty bad - but how many executives would have turned down a military action flick with hot properties like Foxx and Biel - during war time no less?

I have seen "Stealth" and didn't think it was horrible - certainly not as bad as some critics would have us believe. I thought the action sequences were top-notch.
It only really faltered in the final third of the movie, which incidently IMO also applies to the last three Bond movies.

I think the box office lesson of Stealth is that without a "draw" star, an action movie will flop. Same was true of "XXX: State of the Union." Pascal and Eon have been turning away "draw" stars, by not offering them adequate compensation. Why should Clive Owen star in "Casino Royale" and be pegged as Bond for life when he can get paid the same (and not typecast) by starring in "Shoot 'Em Up"?

[morganhavoc]

Cally did Tell Chubby that he wanted Dalton off the picture or he wouldn't fund goldeneye. Chubby stuck with Dalton. Cally went to Dalton and made him "an offer he couldn't refuse" and Dalton resigned his OO license.

What I really want to know is are there any real Bond fans on this message board? You all bitch and moan so much and criticize everything about the movies -- past , present and future. No one has ever or will ever please you guys.
I have seen all the movies, own all the movies and all the books by every bond author, Have every book about the movies and books ( and read them too). I have a degree in film production. Have written several films and crewed a few too. I teach film production and screenwriting.I went into film because of the Bond films.
My point is, stop complaining so much and let these people do their jobs. Even a bad Bond film is still a pretty good movie. Give them a chance and they may surprise you.
Oh and what kind of Bond fan am I? My son is named after Ian Flemming if that gives you a hint.

[luciusgore]

Cally did Tell Chubby that he wanted Dalton off the picture or he wouldn't fund goldeneye. Chubby stuck with Dalton. Cally went to Dalton and made him "an offer he couldn't refuse" and Dalton resigned his OO license.

What I really want to know is are there any real Bond fans on this message board? You all bitch and moan so much and criticize everything about the movies -- past , present and future. No one has ever or will ever please you guys.
I have seen all the movies, own all the movies and all the books by every bond author, Have every book about the movies and books ( and read them too). I have a degree in film production. Have written several films and crewed a few too. I teach film production and screenwriting.I went into film because of the Bond films.
My point is, stop complaining so much and let these people do their jobs. Even a bad Bond film is still a pretty good movie. Give them a chance and they may surprise you.
Oh and what kind of Bond fan am I? My son is named after Ian Flemming if that gives you a hint.

What movies did you write? I think they should put you in charge of the series instead of that "Stealth" movie-maker Amy Pascal. ... True, hardcore fans are always very critical, as we should be. We know what we're talking about. Bottom line is this: "Goldeneye" was the last decent Bond film. The last three Brosnan films were bad-to-mediocre, and that's being generous. We want the franchise to survive and thrive. Amy Pascal has a track record of failure in recent years, particularly when it comes to action movies. Hopefully she and Sony might get the message, if they ever monitor these boards. Be careful. If you don't have Bond fans calling the shots, there's a problem. Calley was a Bond fan. He made the right decisions, and arguably rescued the franchise after LTK nearly destroyed it.

[Pussfeller]

I think it's a misconception that LTK "ruined" the series. Sure, it was an ultra-low-budget entry, and poorly marketed, but the big hiatus had more to do with unrelated legal wranglings than with a decline in the quality or profitability of the films themselves. If McClory had been dealt with earlier, I doubt the six-year break would have occurred.

[H.M.Servant]

Cally did Tell Chubby that he wanted Dalton off the picture or he wouldn't fund goldeneye. Chubby stuck with Dalton. Cally went to Dalton and made him "an offer he couldn't refuse" and Dalton resigned his OO license.

What I really want to know is are there any real Bond fans on this message board? You all bitch and moan so much and criticize everything about the movies -- past , present and future. No one has ever or will ever please you guys.
I have seen all the movies, own all the movies and all the books by every bond author, Have every book about the movies and books ( and read them too). I have a degree in film production. Have written several films and crewed a few too. I teach film production and screenwriting.I went into film because of the Bond films.
My point is, stop complaining so much and let these people do their jobs. Even a bad Bond film is still a pretty good movie. Give them a chance and they may surprise you.
Oh and what kind of Bond fan am I? My son is named after Ian Flemming if that gives you a hint.

Dear Morganhavoc, wecome to CBn, you truly are a superior Bond fan!
...I'm not sadly, I'm just on this board to piss and moan...but a question, your son...is his first name Ian, Flemming or Ianflemming?
Just wondering, since Fleming is spelled with only one 'm'
But I'm sure you knew that...

Oh and also what movies did you write?

[ACE]

Cally did Tell Chubby that he wanted Dalton off the picture or he wouldn't fund goldeneye. Chubby stuck with Dalton. Cally went to Dalton and made him "an offer he couldn't refuse" and Dalton resigned his OO license.

What I really want to know is are there any real Bond fans on this message board? You all bitch and moan so much and criticize everything about the movies -- past , present and future. No one has ever or will ever please you guys.
I have seen all the movies, own all the movies and all the books by every bond author, Have every book about the movies and books ( and read them too). I have a degree in film production. Have written several films and crewed a few too. I teach film production and screenwriting.I went into film because of the Bond films.
My point is, stop complaining so much and let these people do their jobs. Even a bad Bond film is still a pretty good movie. Give them a chance and they may surprise you.
Oh and what kind of Bond fan am I? My son is named after Ian Flemming if that gives you a hint.

So well said, MorganHavoc. Bravo!

Talk about negativity. Pascal is being knocked based upon an erroneous view of how executives work and a warped view of the Bond development process. I am flabbergasted by the arrogant display of ignorance of the movie making process on this thread. CBn is becoming like a Beatles fan site written by Rolling Stones fans.

At least give Pascal a chance.

Most Bond studio executives are very well versed in the films and the novels.
Bond is their job. If anyone hadn't noticed, studio movie making is the ultimate collaboration between commerce and art. At $100 mil plus, it has to be "show-business". Movies always have been that combination.

Pascal has enormous responisibility. But if she will take the fall for CR being bad (Christ, talk about non-Bond fans), does Jeff Kleeman take credit for Goldeneye? Danton Rissner for The Spy Who Loved Me?

Be patient and wait and see.

We have 40 years of evidence to see that Eon more or less, on balance get things right.

What has changed since 2002?

ACE

Edited by ACE, 07 September 2005 - 01:10 PM.

[Alessandra]

Cally did Tell Chubby that he wanted Dalton off the picture or he wouldn't fund goldeneye. Chubby stuck with Dalton. Cally went to Dalton and made him "an offer he couldn't refuse" and Dalton resigned his OO license.

What I really want to know is are there any real Bond fans on this message board? You all bitch and moan so much and criticize everything about the movies -- past , present and future. No one has ever or will ever please you guys.
I have seen all the movies, own all the movies and all the books by every bond author, Have every book about the movies and books ( and read them too). I have a degree in film production. Have written several films and crewed a few too. I teach film production and screenwriting.I went into film because of the Bond films.
My point is, stop complaining so much and let these people do their jobs. Even a bad Bond film is still a pretty good movie. Give them a chance and they may surprise you.
Oh and what kind of Bond fan am I? My son is named after Ian Flemming if that gives you a hint.

So well said, MorganHavoc. Bravo!

Talk about negativity. Pascal is being knocked based upon an erroneous view of how executives work and a warped view of the Bond development process. CBn is becoming like a Beatles fan site written by Rolling Stones fans.

At least give her a chance.

Most Bond studio executives are very well versed in the films and the novels.
Bond is their job.

Pascal has enormous responisibility. But if she will take the fall for CR being bad (Christ, talk about non-Bond fans), does Jeff Kleeman take credit for Goldeneye? Danton Rissner for The Spy Who Loved Me?

Be patient and wait and see.

We have 40 years of evidence to see that Eon more or less, on balance get things right.

What has changed since 2002?

ACE

Am with you. And contrary to others, I consider the Pierce Brosnan Bond movies good, and not mediocre. Especially Goldeneye and Tomorrow Never Dies.
about the poor Pascal girl... guys, I mean let's be serious. do you have ANY idea HOW MANY factors influence the good outcome of a movie?! get real, ONE person can't take ALL merit or blame for a movie!
I haven't seen Stealth, aside from the trailer, so cannot judge for sure. The trailer makes me want to see it, I like Biel, I LOVE Jamie Foxx and Top Gun is one of my all time favourite movies (YES THAT'S RIGHT!! SO WHAT??!). Stealth is being released next weekend over here, and I will go see it. I know it's been a TOTAL box office disaster in the U.S., but in all the things you said you haven't mentioned ONE which I think is crucial and was underestimated: don't you think that RIGHT BECAUSE the U.S. are at war people don't have the FAINTEST intention to go see an action movie on war?!??! Think about it.. the biggest hit of the U.S. summer in movies was "the wedding crashers." A COMEDY. The Dukes of Hazzard was a big hit as well. it's not a coincidence. People do NOT want to see war at the movies..they want to be distracted and laugh, ESPECIALLY at times like these! Transporter 2 debuted last weekend and took first place from The 40-Year-Old Virgin, another comedy. The Constant Gardener is in third.
Which also shows: spy stuff is one thing (and that includes Bond... the various Mission Impossibles and Bourne Identities), war is another.
Only Tom Cruise in War of the Worlds managed to keep pace this summer...but that is CRUISE and SPIELBERG for heaven's sake... a combination which CANNOT fail. AND a sci-fi thing more than a war movie.
I don't think it's Pascal's fault if Stealth was a failure. Simply, they didn't reason enough on the psychology of the public, and it's also VERY difficult to forecast the state of mind of an audience when you are set to produce a movie which will be in theaters a LONG time after you start.
Opposite cases happen, low budget and low expectations then produce a massive hit, as it happened with The Matrix.
So let's just focus on: praying for them to have good vibes (and pay lots of money!) when they choose the actor (Lol) and script rewriting to be incisive and witty. That'll do.

[DLibrasnow]

I think it's a misconception that LTK "ruined" the series. Sure, it was an ultra-low-budget entry, and poorly marketed, but the big hiatus had more to do with unrelated legal wranglings than with a decline in the quality or profitability of the films themselves. If McClory had been dealt with earlier, I doubt the six-year break would have occurred.

The six year break had NOTHING to do with Kevin McClory. The court case was between Broccoli and the then owner of MGM Peretti. Peretti was selling off MGM assets piecemeil and Broccoli wanted to protect the franchise so he took MGM to court.

One of the things Peretti sold off was the pre-1970 MGM film library to Turner. That's the reason so many early MGM movies appear on Turner Classic movies and the reason movies such as "Where Eagles Dare" and "The Wizard of Oz" were released on DVD by Warner Home Video.

If you have alternate information about a court case involving McClory from 1989 to 1995 please post it because as far as I understand one doesn't exist and I'm sick and tired of misinformed Bond fans blaming him for the break.

[DLibrasnow]

Check this information at:

http://www.mi6.co.uk....php3?t=ge&s=ge

"Then things started to get even muddier. In 1989, the MGM/UA chairman had sold the company to the Australian based broadcasting group Quintex and they in turn were negiotiating to merge the company with Pathe Communications. Just days before the propsed merger date on 23 October 1990, Danjaq, still in the control of Broccoli and his wife Dana, issued a writ against MGM/UA and its new chairman, Italian businessman Giancarlo Peretti, trying to stop the company from licensing the Bond back catalogue to Pathe Communications for TV distribution deals that were alledgedly unfavourable to Danjaq.

Danjaq was arguing that Pathe had entered into agreements with Japanese, Spanish, French, Italian and South Korean broadcasters to show the Bond films on TV but had failed to consult with Danjaq first. Danjaq's attorney told Variety that the deals were "improvident in a number of respects. Their most obnoxious aspect is the length of the terms at ridiculously low rates." Danjaq alledged that Pathe was going to sell the TV distribution rights in order to generate the funds it needed for the propsed buy-out of MGM/UA and Danjaq were rightly worried that they would be unable to generate income from their films through TV sales for the rest of the century.

In 1992, with the matter still unresolved and with Broccoli's health failing, a new problem presented itself - Frank Mancuso had been installed as the chairman of the newly formed MGM/UA Pathe and he in turn appointed John Calley as the president of United Artists. Calley had been at Warner Brothers during the production of Kevin McClory's rogue Bond picture Never Say Never Again [1983] and on his appointmen was keen to see the'official' Bond franchise up and running again. But he wanted a new Bond and presented Broccoli with a list of names, among them Hugh Grant [then still largely unknown], Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan, all of whom he felt would be worthy of consideration. But Broccoli was adamant that Dalton should fulfill his three picture contract and remain on as Bond.

In 1993, Broccoli had a victory at last. Giancarlo Peretti was removed as head of MGM/UA and the incoming regime seemed more willing to deal with Danjaq on Broccoli's terms. On 6 August 1993, Timothy Dalton was interviewed by The Daily Mail and gave the first indication of what was to come. He claimed that Michael France, who had penned the Sylvester Stallone thriller Cliffhanger was on board and working on a screenplay for the forthcoming Bond film. Dalton hinted that production was set to begin in January or February of 1994.

Satisfied that the franchise and its history was once again safely in Danjaq's hands, Broccoli took a back seat and allowed Wilson and Barbara Broccoli to get on with the day to day running of Eon Productions. Broccoli's health was deteriorating, the producer plagued by a serious heart condition that was putting great strains on him."

[Lazenby880]

'Amy Pascal: Will she fail Bond?'

How fun. Over a year to go until Casino Royale is released and we have already found a scapegoat for its failure.

[Jim]

Agreed - we must be getting very bored if we resort to this sort of rubbish.

[Loomis]

I haven't seen Stealth, aside from the trailer, so cannot judge for sure. The trailer makes me want to see it, I like Biel, I LOVE Jamie Foxx and Top Gun is one of my all time favourite movies (YES THAT'S RIGHT!! SO WHAT??!). Stealth is being released next weekend over here, and I will go see it.

From all I've read on STEALTH, it seems the closest thing to a Bond movie released this year: a buttkicking babe in the shape of Jessica Biel, acres of CGI, at least one decent actor "slumming it" (Foxx), big, dumb action scenes, corny jokes, Thai-speaking North Korean troops, and weapons of mass destruction. Frankly, it looks like a blast.

I have every faith in Amy Pascal, whoever she is.