60 replies to this topic

[Alessandra]

Way to go, Pierce! Looks like "The Matador" opened many doors for Brosnan - and so did being fired from Bond. Well, he deserves getting a break. And maybe being ousted by EON was a blessing in disguise for him.

This is actually a good point I hadn't fully considered..
The irony of life, huh?
Sometimes there are reasons why things one thinks are bad for a career at first happen.. and then they turn out to be good!
We'll have to wait and see how the projects develop and go, but if these are the premises.. it looks very promising for Pierce, and yes, maybe leaving Bond was not a bad thing for his career.
Devereaux certainly is a role he could develop well..it does fit him.
And as I said, being the actor who starts it, he won't have shoes to fill in, he'll pretty much set the standards for the role, which allows him more "space" to act and also gets him rid of a lot of the pressure.
I think it may be very interesting to watch, and if the movies maintain the books' spirit, they are going to be a very pleasant couple of hours of footage to watch.

[Alessandra]

well, "There Are No Spies" isn't the first book, the first one is "the November man" and was published back in 1979... but I would say that "There Are No Spies" is one of the best reads, and a good start for a Bond fan, since it does have quite a few Bondian elements to it.
I would pick it up.. and that way you'll be ready for the movie!

Thanks for the advice Alessandra!

Sure!
Hope it doesn't revolve against me and you find the novel horrible!!
I don't think so.. I would expect a Bond fan to enjoy that kind of spy book.. but you never know!

[David Schofield]

Way to go, Pierce! Looks like "The Matador" opened many doors for Brosnan - and so did being fired from Bond. Well, he deserves getting a break. And maybe being ousted by EON was a blessing in disguise for him.

This is actually a good point I hadn't fully considered..
The irony of life, huh?
Sometimes there are reasons why things one thinks are bad for a career at first happen.. and then they turn out to be good!
We'll have to wait and see how the projects develop and go, but if these are the premises.. it looks very promising for Pierce, and yes, maybe leaving Bond was not a bad thing for his career.
Devereaux certainly is a role he could develop well..it does fit him.
And as I said, being the actor who starts it, he won't have shoes to fill in, he'll pretty much set the standards for the role, which allows him more "space" to act and also gets him rid of a lot of the pressure.
I think it may be very interesting to watch, and if the movies maintain the books' spirit, they are going to be a very pleasant couple of hours of footage to watch.

Not sure with all the critical praise Brozza's getting right now that he'd want to be tied to a recurring character, what with the variety of roles potentailly available?

[Alessandra]

That's a good point too, David.
I think, though, that this is in any case a far less "invasive" franchise role than Bond.. which would anyway allow him space to pursue any other project he wishes.
Still..I guess it's all up to Pierce's feelings and good judgement.
My instinct tells me he is too tempted by such a role, and by throwing it to Eon's face, to not seriously consider it... ahhaha

[David Schofield]

That's a good point too, David.
I think, though, that this is in any case a far less "invasive" franchise role than Bond.. which would anyway allow him space to pursue any other project he wishes.
Still..I guess it's all up to Pierce's feelings and good judgement.
My instinct tells me he is too tempted by such a role, and by throwing it to Eon's face, to not seriously consider it... ahhaha

Fair points. Personally, I think it would be better for Brozza to leave the whole spy genre behind. Sure, his Bond will be re-assessed in hindsight and I would suggest the future from that point of view won't be kind, second worst to Rog. However, to go out and achieve critical success totally out of Bond's shadow would set Brozza way apart from the other Bond's - a critically and commercially successful future after his departure from Bond.

And not shoving it in EON's face as spy-type would show greater maturity and class, no?

[Alessandra]

That's a good point too, David.
I think, though, that this is in any case a far less "invasive" franchise role than Bond.. which would anyway allow him space to pursue any other project he wishes.
Still..I guess it's all up to Pierce's feelings and good judgement.
My instinct tells me he is too tempted by such a role, and by throwing it to Eon's face, to not seriously consider it... ahhaha

Fair points. Personally, I think it would be better for Brozza to leave the whole spy genre behind. Sure, his Bond will be re-assessed in hindsight and I would suggest the future from that point of view won't be kind, second worst to Rog. However, to go out and achieve critical success totally out of Bond's shadow would set Brozza way apart from the other Bond's - a critically and commercially successful future after his departure from Bond.

And not shoving it in EON's face as spy-type would show greater maturity and class, no?

I don't know about the spy genre.. I mean, once he proves he can do other kinds of movies, and has critical praise for those, he may as well do both?
I'm probably being selfish here too, since I really like him in spy roles, and I hope I will see him in such roles again.
Still you are making a good point stating he could set way apart from the other Bonds by achieving critical success for something which differs totally from Bond.
I guess in the end it all is up to will, feelings and.. what pays back better in terms of both critics and money.
After all, it's not that easy to find a movie with a role an actor likes to play (Brosnan certainly enjoys spy roles), a well-written role (Devereaux is, at least in the books), AND also a very good role from the point of view of box office return. Potentially the November series could do very well...
It certainly would be classy not shoving it in Eon's face as spy-type..but sometimes when people anger you and treat you like Eon did with Pierce.. the humanly vengeful side of us takes over!
You're right of course.. but I can't deny that sometimes there is a good deal of pleasure in proving your previous employers you can do the job they fired you for better without them...

[SecretAgentFan]

I guess Pierce deliberately chose "The November Man" to hopefully get a spy franchise of his own running. And no doubt about that: he will play the hero like he always wanted to do Bond. So - great news for all of us Brosnan fans. And also great news for Bond fans: maybe we

[David Schofield]

[quote name='SecretAgentFan' date='15 December 2005 - 12:22']I guess Pierce deliberately chose "The November Man" to hopefully get a spy franchise of his own running. And no doubt about that: he will play the hero like he always wanted to do Bond. So - great news for all of us Brosnan fans. And also great news for Bond fans: maybe we

[spynovelfan]

Well, IMO, it shows a lack of imagination on Brozza's part - while the desire to shove it to EON is rather childish. Also, banking on a series of straight, serious spy dramas based around a 50-60 year old doesn't have longevity written all over it.

Not a Brosnan fan, though, David, are you? If it had been announced he was due to play a celibate dentist, you'd probably have said 'Come off it, Pierce! Stick to what you know!' No?

[David Schofield]

Well, IMO, it shows a lack of imagination on Brozza's part - while the desire to shove it to EON is rather childish. Also, banking on a series of straight, serious spy dramas based around a 50-60 year old doesn't have longevity written all over it.

Not a Brosnan fan, though, David, are you? If it had been announced he was due to play a celibate dentist, you'd probably have said 'Come off it, Pierce! Stick to what you know!' No?

No. Celibate dentist works better for me.

I'll repeat: is there likely to be a future for Brozza as a spy in his 50s - NOT called James Bond? (as in, if he'd stayed as Bond, yes CR would have been a hit and possibly the one after that).

Move on, why not. Sure, Spy, I'm not a Brozza fan AS BOND WHEN THERE'S A BETTER ALTERANTIVE, but his light-comedy stuff I enjoy. And it would seem for many reasons - the challenge at the very least - to be better for Brozza to get away from the genre and try something different. Does anyone really fancy Brozza promoting a film by saying Devereux (?) is a vulnerable, sensitive man and he's going to "peel back the layers"/"push the envelope"? No?

I'd much rather see Brozza try something new. I hope Brozza would too.

[spynovelfan]

Maybe MEXICALI, BUTTERFLY ON A WHEEL, SERAPHIM FALLS, INSTANT KARMA will appeal to you, then. Or rent LAWS OF ATTRACTION, EVELYN, GREY OWL...

I don't begrudge him another spy film. I think his career has been reasonably varied.

[David Schofield]

Maybe MEXICALI, BUTTERFLY ON A WHEEL, SERAPHIM FALLS, INSTANT KARMA will appeal to you, then. Or rent LAWS OF ATTRACTION, EVELYN, GREY OWL...

I don't begrudge him another spy film. I think his career has been reasonably varied.

For all those who think I'm so anti-Brozza, Thomas Crown, Laws of Attraction and After the Sunset are some of the most played movies in my DVD collection. Hell, I've even got Taffin and Live Wire (plus The Heist, Fourth Protocol, Long Good Friday (if that counts). Plus 4 films as Bond.

Alternatively, I DO NOT own YOLT, DAF, NSNA on DVD or any none Bond Connery's except Marnie.

Go figure

[Alessandra]

I don't think you're so Anti-Brozza David
but I think Spy was making the point of us Brosnan fans enjoying him a lot in spy movies, too, thus thinking since he's anyway varied his roles so far, that he should go on playing those spy roles
ahh I'm glad we share the like for "laws of attraction"
I love it, I do find that 50s touch it has splendid. And it does make me laugh and improve my mood when I've had a bad day.
Also, Julianne Moore's just beautiful in it, and very stylish, something that I always appreciate in a lady.

Edited by Alessandra, 15 December 2005 - 02:02 PM.

[David Schofield]

I don't think you're so Anti-Brozza David
but I think Spy was making the point of us Brosnan fans enjoying him a lot in spy movies, too, thus thinking since he's anyway varied his roles so far, that he should go on playing those spy roles
ahh I'm glad we share the like for "laws of attraction"
I love it, I do find that 50s touch it has splendid. And it does make me laugh and improve my mood when I've had a bad day.
Also, Julianne Moore's just beautiful in it, and very stylish, something that I always appreciate in a lady.

Yes, I like the style of Laws of Attraction very much. And what I like even more is that Brozza goes totally against Bond-type in that: long hair, scruffy, overweight, emotionally vulnerable, and yet he plays it with the very lightest of touchess - whereas his Bond seems over-earnest at times quite unnecessarily.
Brozza is charm and charisma personified here - and he makes it all look so easy: the secret, IMO, of a great performance from the effortless Cary Grant school of acting. And as I think Cubby said in when refering to George Lazenby - Laurence Olivier couldn't play James Bond - Bond requires an ease, naturalness and physicality of performance which Brozza, again IMO, never cracked. Not that, I suppose, he was alone in that as Bond...

Edited by David Schofield, 15 December 2005 - 02:16 PM.

[Alessandra]

I don't think you're so Anti-Brozza David
but I think Spy was making the point of us Brosnan fans enjoying him a lot in spy movies, too, thus thinking since he's anyway varied his roles so far, that he should go on playing those spy roles
ahh I'm glad we share the like for "laws of attraction"
I love it, I do find that 50s touch it has splendid. And it does make me laugh and improve my mood when I've had a bad day.
Also, Julianne Moore's just beautiful in it, and very stylish, something that I always appreciate in a lady.

Yes, I like the style of Laws of Attraction very much. And what I like even more is that Brozza goes totally against Bond-type in that: long hair, scruffy, overweight, emotionally vulnerable, and yet he plays it with the very lightest of touchess - whereas his Bond seems over-earnest at times quite unnecessarily.
Brozza is charm and charisma personified here - and he makes it all look so easy: the secret, IMO, of a great performance from the effortless Cary Grant school of acting. And as I think Cubby said in when refering to George Lazenby - Laurence Olivier couldn't play James Bond - Bond requires an ease, naturalness and physicality of performance which Brozza, again IMO, never cracked. Not that, I suppose, he was alone in that as Bond...

I understand your point of view and respect it
I see it differently, in that to me Pierce just is Bond naturally, and has the aspect and the moves and the physique of Bond naturally. But I can very well understand that perceptions play a very important role in this, and each one of us has the need to see certain aspects more than others in an actor to picture him as good in a part.
you evidently are not satisfied with certain aspects of Pierce because they don't fit the Bond you would like to see, and it's just fine
I, instead, always pictured him as Bond even before he did it... and I've very much enjoyed his Bond era under many different aspects..
But that doesn't mean either of us is right or wrong. It's good to have different perceptions on things, otherwise we would never fully get all of the different aspects in them!
On Laws of Attraction I totally agree.. I love Cary Grant and I, too, given also the 50s sort of touch the movie has, have always seen that sort of mark in Pierce's performance there.
It's an enjoyable performance on his side, and yes, he looked like he was.. "lighthearted" if I may say so, in the role. My favourite scene, is when he shows up "dressed to kill" (a la James Bond! ) in the morning after they've been together.... and after Moore has been teasing him saying "do you always look like an unmade bed??" (PRICELESS, this line!)
And she is totally aghast when she sees him! Because he completely changes his composure and attitude, and does it for her. He suddenly looks like... Pierce
That really shows his capability of turning from one mood to the other in that movie, nonchalantly. Daniel Rafferty is definitely one of my favourite characters in the Brosnan range.

[qtst]

Well, like what Halle Berry said, Pierce is an interesting and varied actor. He can play heist (his favourite genre I think), hitman, spy, light comedy (I enjoy him in this best) and the suave rich playboy type.
I don't like him playing a villian (Don't talk to strangers or Victim of love) because I didn't think that role suited him.. He looks cheesy and overacts as villians.. So I'm not that enthusiastic abt him doing 'Butterfly'.

However, I very much enjoy him as a spy too... so take on The November Man Pierce!! Maybe it could just be a one off movie instead of a series/ new spy franchise? But this movie already sounds very interesting
Next we will soon see if he is any good in a western role in Seraphim Falls (a first for him I think). I've never seen him play a cop before and I think he should do it coz I really like seeing Pierce with a gun and wearing a shoulder holster... besides I love cop movies!

I think it is now a very interesting and exciting time for us Brosnan fans hehe as following the GG nomination, Harvey Weinstein calls this time the 'emancipation of Pierce'!

[David Schofield]

On Laws of Attraction I totally agree.. I love Cary Grant and I, too, given also the 50s sort of touch the movie has, have always seen that sort of mark in Pierce's performance there.
It's an enjoyable performance on his side, and yes, he looked like he was.. "lighthearted"  if I may say so, in the role. My favourite scene, is when he shows up "dressed to kill" (a la James Bond! ) in the morning after they've been together.... and after Moore has been teasing him saying "do you always look like an unmade bed??" (PRICELESS, this line!)
And she is totally aghast when she sees him! Because he completely changes his composure and attitude, and does it for her. He suddenly looks like... Pierce
That really shows his capability of turning from one mood to the other in that movie, nonchalantly. Daniel Rafferty is definitely one of my favourite characters in the Brosnan range.

Ah, well - THAT scene: it is of course perfect, a nod that, yes, I can shave, brush my hair, wear a tailored suit, scrub up well and look "cool". I am Pierce Brosnan, a movie star, after all.

[Alessandra]

[quote name='David Schofield' date='15 December 2005 - 17:15'][quote name='Alessandra' date='15 December 2005 - 16:05']On Laws of Attraction I totally agree.. I love Cary Grant and I, too, given also the 50s sort of touch the movie has, have always seen that sort of mark in Pierce's performance there.
It's an enjoyable performance on his side, and yes, he looked like he was.. "lighthearted"

[Bond Bug]

Didn't Brosnan want to make a gritty movie involving a certain spy and to be directed by Tarantino?

Maybe this is his opportunity.

[Bond Bug]

If I was Pierce Brosnan, I would want to release it at the same time as Casino Royale.

Comparisons with November Man and Bond, with Brosnan and Craig would be inevitable in the media.

Brosnan could say "this is where I wanted to take Bond." He would get 10 times more publicity for his little movie and could well come out of it more favourably.

[templer1972]

I wish they can turn November Man into a great spy thriller just like the Jason Bourne series.If they can make it right November Man could be another serious threat to the James Bond serie

[Frankie]

http://imdb.com/title/tt0494263/

[Redtail]

I really hope Pierce would be the November Man, but there's so much work for him this year that I don't think The November Man will be released before the end of the year. Besides I guess that Pierce himself doesn't want to let people thinking he's taking this role to challenge Bond's producers in trying to make another Bond character and see who makes it better. So I guess the release for NM will be between Casino Royale and the next Bond film.

Now I'm waiting to see The Matador, hoping will be released soon here.......and then Seraphim Falls, I have a feeling it will be a terrific movie.

[db5]

Dont know if theres been a post about this already, but will Pierce Brosnan now try to live on his James Bond pedigree to make lots of spy-thrillers?

Today in pre-produkton is the "The November Man" staring Pierce Brosnan.

Plot Outline: Retired American agent Devereoux (code name November) is forced to return to the world of espionage. Based on the novel "There Are No Spies" by Bill Granger.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0494263/

[Tarl_Cabot]

Cool.If I were PB I'd snatch up the rights to the Equalizer(not that I think he'd be a good Robert Mcall but the english 50ish ex spy would suit him with his 007 association paying dividends).

[00Twelve]

Wow...how many of these types of films is he going to do? Is he trying to typecast himself? Is he just trying to play the guy he wanted his Bond to be?

Sigh. I wish he'd continue expanding his range than trying to define what Bond would be like in "real life."

[spynovelfan]

Yes, there was a thread on this about a year ago, when it was first reported:

http://debrief.comma...p...&pid=530087

Can't see what he'd do with another spy thriller now that wouldn't look old hat. Would there be a market for a light more comedic one? Would Brosnan do it? But if it's darker and grittier, do we want to see a man in his mid-fifties try unarmed combat? Or will it be more psychological, a la THE MATADOR?

[Qwerty]

Topics merged.

[glidrose]

Not overly dissimilar in feel to Gardner's stuff like [...] CODENAME WEREWOLF.

I suspect the Gardner book you refer to is THE WEREWOLF TRACE.

[SecretAgentFan]

Call me crazy, but I would LOVE to see Brosnan do this movie and play a secret agent again.