64 replies to this topic

[The ides of Mark]

I've read several reviews now. Nobody seems to mentions Elvis, the great looking henchman. Was Anatole Taubman any good? I really expect him to be

[Pierce - Daniel]

He's hardly in the film as much as Kratt in CR, he does have more lines though mostly in French with Amalric.

[The ides of Mark]

Ah, well, I'm sorry to hear that. I thought Elvis was kind of a plotpoint, him being Greene's relative.

[The Dove]

I suppose Elvis wasn't wearing any blue suede shoes? *bah bum-bum crash* Bad joke, sorry!

[DamnCoffee]

I suppose Elvis wasn't wearing any blue suede shoes? *bah bum-bum crash* Bad joke, sorry!

haha. I am actually suprised that the line "Elvis has left the building" didn't make and appearance.

[Royal Dalton]

I remember Dinovelvet saying Bond should say "He's all shook up," when Elvis takes his tumble down the steps.

[Mr_Wint]

I have a feeling that most of Taubman's scene didn't survive the cutting process. Maybe that was a wise decision.

There is a strange scene at the end when Greene takes his arm (Elvis has a gun) and aim it at Bond. Elvis looks concerned. He blows up seconds later and we can see his underwear before he is gone.

[DamnCoffee]

There is a strange scene at the end when Greene takes his arm (Elvis has a gun) and aim it at Bond. Elvis looks concerned. He blows up seconds later and we can see his underwear before he is gone.

[stamper]

Yeah, bizarre eh ? I wonder if these two were portrayed as lovers, and that they cut it out or just dropped it off before shooting the remaining scenes. The hairpiece also makes no sense, it's not even funny.

[bondrules]

Does he have less screentime than Dario?

[Mr_Wint]

Does he have less screentime than Dario?

Yes.

[bondrules]

Does he have less screentime than Dario?

Yes.

wow, that's a cameo at best

[Qwerty]

He's hardly in the film as much as Kratt in CR...

And Kratt was barely a registered character in Casino Royale.

[bondrules]

I have to say that I am really disappointed that Taubman got the short end. He was really funny on the set. And when on character, he looked really creepy. He looked like he could kick anyone's rear, even though he was skinny......Too bad they didn't leave enough of his scenes. Oh well.....

Edited by bondrules, 31 October 2008 - 08:37 PM.

[MkB]

I have to say that I am really disappointed that Taubman got the short end. He was really funny on the set. And when on character, he looked really creepy. He looked like he could kick anyone's rear, even though he was skinny......Too bad they didn't leave enough of his scenes. Oh well.....

I really wonder why they gave him this stupid hairpiece and stupid name
Also, someone mentioned in this thread that he's supposed to be Greene's relative: is it finally mentioned in the film? I missed that bit.

[bondrules]

I have to say that I am really disappointed that Taubman got the short end. He was really funny on the set. And when on character, he looked really creepy. He looked like he could kick anyone's rear, even though he was skinny......Too bad they didn't leave enough of his scenes. Oh well.....

I really wonder why they gave him this stupid hairpiece and stupid name
Also, someone mentioned in this thread that he's supposed to be Greene's relative: is it finally mentioned in the film? I missed that bit.

I thought for sure he was going to be featured more as the henchman....I mean, I knew Fields was in for a short stint (she was in Panama for only 2 weeks). But Taubman's stay was 4 weeks, out of 6 weeks in that location. And that's not counting the time he spent in Austria and London....I don't get it...

[MkB]

Well, Bondrule, if I can reassure you, I felt Elvis was indeed Greene's main henchman. He doesn't have a long screentime, but he systematically appears when Greene is on screen. He appears in every location where Greene is, i.e. Haiti, La Paz, Bregenz, and the Perla de las dunas hotel. But when we see him, he doesn't always have a line. I think his longest talking scene is in Haiti, on a wharf, when he's having a conversation in German over the phone.

[bondrules]

Well, Bondrule, if I can reassure you, I felt Elvis was indeed Greene's main henchman. He doesn't have a long screentime, but he systematically appears when Greene is on screen. He appears in every location where Greene is, i.e. Haiti, La Paz, Bregenz, and the Perla de las dunas hotel. But when we see him, he doesn't always have a line. I think his longest talking scene is in Haiti, on a wharf, when he's having a conversation in German over the phone.

Does he look menacing? I mean, I don't know how if what I saw translated into the bigscreen....at the party, how much do you see him? There is this part where he is coming after Bond, shoving ppl aside, right? when we filmed that scene, we shot it many times, he once takes a cocktail glass from a woman, another time a fake sushi roll and its toothpick from a waiter, which of the 2 did you see??

Thanks!!

Edited by bondrules, 31 October 2008 - 08:57 PM.

[MkB]

There is a strange scene at the end when Greene takes his arm (Elvis has a gun) and aim it at Bond. Elvis looks concerned. He blows up seconds later and we can see his underwear before he is gone.

Yeah , this bit intrigued me a little bit too (though I missed the shot of his underwear! - no regret ). My guess was that Greene made the move to push him in front of Bond, more or less using him as a human shield, and that was the reason of Elvis's look of concern. Any other ideas?

Does he look menacing? I mean, I don't know how what I saw translated into the bigscreen....at the party, how much do you see him? There is this part where he is coming after Bond, shoving ppl aside, right?

Honestly, to me he looks more creepy than menacing. Or menacing in a "I'd better not share a tube carriage with this guy at night", see what I mean? Not really menacing in a Craig-Bond way. I'm sure it would have been better without the hairpiece.
At the party, as much as I can remember, we don't see him much. He comes to lend a hand when Bond shows up to Greene, doesn't have a single line, and falls down a stairwell after being tripped up by Fields.

[bondrules]

When he is shoving, do you get to see the faces of the people around?
Or when he takes the cocktail glass or the toothpick?

It's a walk he takes from the middle balcony, then he turns to the left balcony (he takes a right turn, but it is the left balcony), finding Greene at the end of it

Edited by bondrules, 31 October 2008 - 09:04 PM.

[MkB]

When he is shoving, do you get to see the faces of the people around?
Or when he takes the cocktail glass or the toothpick?

It's a walk he takes from the middle balcony, then he turns to the left balcony (he takes a right turn, but it is the left balcony), finding Greene at the end of it

Sorry, I don't remember. I just remember that at some point when he arrives he puts his cocktail glass on the balcony banister to free his hands for the presumably upcoming action, but I don't remember if we see him taking this glass before.

[bondrules]

When he is shoving, do you get to see the faces of the people around?
Or when he takes the cocktail glass or the toothpick?

It's a walk he takes from the middle balcony, then he turns to the left balcony (he takes a right turn, but it is the left balcony), finding Greene at the end of it

Sorry, I don't remember. I just remember that at some point when he arrives he puts his cocktail glass on the balcony banister to free his hands for the presumably upcoming action, but I don't remember if we see him taking this glass before.

(Damn! They cut us out of that scene )

Thanks for answering! Much appreciated

[spynovelfan]

I thought he was a bit jarring. I'm sure something could have been done with him, but he just struck me as a bit silly, somehow, and not really suited to the feel of this lean, mean cool spy thriller. He seemed to me (on one viewing, just a few hours ago!) like he'd stepped out of a Brosnan film. But he's hardly in it, so it's hardly a biggie. Don't think he's ever named in the film.

[Satorious]

Further to all this, I can't even recall his character name being mentioned (I'm sure he said there was an Elvis line in there in some earlier interview). Plus I can't recall any mention of him being related to Greene. Looks like the cutting room floor got the better of him sadly.

[bondrules]

I thought he was a bit jarring. I'm sure something could have been done with him, but he just struck me as a bit silly, somehow, and not really suited to the feel of this lean, mean cool spy thriller. He seemed to me (on one viewing, just a few hours ago!) like he'd stepped out of a Brosnan film. But he's hardly in it, so it's hardly a biggie. Don't think he's ever named in the film.

what a shame....with Forster's reputation for character development, I was hoping for Swiss-Dario

[MkB]

When he is shoving, do you get to see the faces of the people around?
Or when he takes the cocktail glass or the toothpick?

It's a walk he takes from the middle balcony, then he turns to the left balcony (he takes a right turn, but it is the left balcony), finding Greene at the end of it

Sorry, I don't remember. I just remember that at some point when he arrives he puts his cocktail glass on the balcony banister to free his hands for the presumably upcoming action, but I don't remember if we see him taking this glass before.

(Damn! They cut us out of that scene )

Thanks for answering! Much appreciated

You're welcome!
But maybe I just don't remember / noticed.

Further to all this, I can't even recall his character name being mentioned (I'm sure he said there was an Elvis line in there in some earlier interview). Plus I can't recall any mention of him being related to Greene. Looks like the cutting room floor got the better of him sadly.

I do remember him being called Elvis, by Greene I think. I'm positive about "Elvis" being voiced out.

[spynovelfan]

MkB, I'm sure I simply missed it, then.

what a shame....with Forster's reputation for character development, I was hoping for Swiss-Dario

He doesn't have a character to develop: he really hardly registered. Supposedly creepy guy with a very silly monk-style haircut. You know the slightly hammy effect in some of the Brosnans, where it all feels just a bit forced and Ooh this is menacing. I thought he was really a throwback to that. But a very very minor thought in the overall film. I would say slightly less minor is that both Greene and Le Chiffre have a little of that feeling for me - both have a lot of menace and were well acted, but they didn't seem quite as well-written, imposing or believeable enough for either Craig's performance, the kind of Bond he is or the kind of tone and landscape of the films they're in. There's a touch of the Renards about them.

But I absolutely loved Quantum of Solace. It's up there with the best of the series.

[MkB]

There's a touch of the Renards about them.

Touché spynovelfan! I think you've made a very good point there.

About elvis, there's a short scene in Bregenz when he's in a kind of technical room with another guy, and he turns back to stare at the other guy rather insistantly and creepily. My guess was that it was supposed to convey the idea Elvis is gay. What d'you think?

[bondrules]

Renard? Oh Lord

[spynovelfan]

I don't even remember that! I'll have to see the film again soon.

Bondrules, don't get me wrong. A touch of the Renards. Didn't you feel that about Le Chiffre at all? I did, slightly. Greene is of the same stamp as Le Chiffre I think: a slightly OTT young effeminate slender Euro-villain spoilt brat with sneaky eyes. I think he's fine as far as he goes, but I don't think it's quite the leap that Craig has been with Bond.