80 replies to this topic

[DamnCoffee]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned the transition shot after Bond leaves Greene in the desert.

Bond drives away, leaves Greene, It's so dramatic and then.... It cuts to two old people sitting on a bench! The old woman is wearing a trilby hat and it's just casually sitting on her head.

It's one of the most random things I've seen. And LOL at the old man next to her, sitting drinking coke.

[The ides of Mark]

For me it was Gregg Beams laugh in the plane sequence, when talking to Greene. What a terrible person, geez. Runner up: that weird look of Elvis at the opera. I suppose Elvis was gay.

[Captain Tightpants]

- Gregg Beams laugh in the plane sequence, when talking to Greene.

That's just Greene's character. He's this unlikeable guy who laughs at his own jokes and thinks greatly of his own importance.

- When Greene does the sinister smile to Leiter and Beam from his car window, and they're just looking at him thinking. "WTF "

That's just Roman Polanski. Or at least, Amalric playing Polanski.

- Elvis' smile to the guard in the Opera, it's totally random.

Again, I see it as a little characterisation. Anatole Taubman described Elvis as "thinking he's all that when he's really just clumsy and materialistic" (not a direct quote). It's just Elvis being Elvis.

- M's running a bath and applying face cream.

I actually liked that scene; the juxtaposition of M interrogating Bond over his activities and then issues orders agaisnt himin contrast to something so ordinary and feminine as putting on her makeup.

- When M smashes the ashtray and rambles on about Florists.

The line about florists was one of the best in the film! "When someone says 'We have people everywhere, you expect it to be hyperbole. Florists say it all the time!" just goes to show how complacent MI6 had gotten. The smashing of the ashtray highlighted the fact that despite being her bodyguard, M never really knew Mitchell.

[marktmurphy]

The gag with Elvis' wig is very WTF. Either enjoy the gag or ditch- don't show it to us so quickly that it's practically subliminal.

Agree with 'mutual friend'- I was very surprised at that one; totally took me out of the film at that point.

And the biggest WTF moments- the resolution to the boat and plane chases. I had no idea what was happening. Sitting in the cinema shaking your head is not a good sign. I was also quite surprised at the end of the car chase when I realized that was all we were getting.

[Loomis]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned the transition shot after Bond leaves Greene in the desert.

Bond drives away, leaves Greene, It's so dramatic and then.... It cuts to two old people sitting on a bench! The old woman is wearing a trilby hat and it's just casually sitting on her head.

It's one of the most random things I've seen. And LOL at the old man next to her, sitting drinking coke.

*Sigh* I guess Forster's been watching Ozu's THE END OF SUMMER again.

[Paul Scrabo]

Yes, Loomis, to me this a major problem with QOS. Forster does not know what approach to take with this film so he interjects "art". I thought the opera scene was going along GREAT,like a magnum Godfinger earphone/card game moment, with the classic Bondian touch of "bad stuff happening in a nice place" but then Forster can't just let the irony and situation speak for itself...instead he oversells it..and takes me right out of the moment.
Paul

[DamnCoffee]

LMAO... what about Greene's final line...

"I answered your questions, I told you everything you wanted to know about KWANTEM"

Everyone in the cinema was like WTF.

[Double-0-7]

the scene where bond escapes from the bar afyter felix tells him to run and he makes this rather large leap over to the next balcony.

That whole thing seemed contrived and pointless. Somehow Felix knew exactly what the response time from Bolivian SWAT was, then when they enter the crowded bar they start shooting? Apparently Felix had faith in their markmanship - he was right beside Bond when they shot at him and he didn't even move.

[Double-Oh Agent]

the scene where bond escapes from the bar afyter felix tells him to run and he makes this rather large leap over to the next balcony.

That whole thing seemed contrived and pointless. Somehow Felix knew exactly what the response time from Bolivian SWAT was, then when they enter the crowded bar they start shooting? Apparently Felix had faith in their markmanship - he was right beside Bond when they shot at him and he didn't even move.

Good point. When it happened, I couldn't understand why the SWAT team came in firing away inside a public place. I could have done without that bit in the film. It seemed like just another excuse to have a little bit of action that turned out to be not very good or needed.

[00Twelve]

I do wonder about the "stationery" line. Like, was this some pun about their being teachers or something?

Edit: Or was it referring to hotels having complimentary stationery?

[sharpshooter]

"I answered your questions, I told you everything you wanted to know about KWANTEM"

Yeah, I noticed that. I liked the way in which Greene spoke.

[Joey Bond]

"I answered your questions, I told you everything you wanted to know about KWANTEM"

Yeah, I noticed that. I liked the way in which Greene spoke.

For a while, my friend thought Camille's name was Cammy because of the way Greene pronouced it.

[DaveBond21]

Not to mention why 007 - let alone Craig's 007 - would take the time to faff around declaiming bewhiskered Moore-esque quips in such a situation in the first place.

I think it's part of James Bond's character. He probably has other habits that would annoy you, that we don't see in the movies (much). I bet Craig's Bond makes a good quiche for example.

LMAO... what about Greene's final line...

"I answered your questions, I told you everything you wanted to know about KWANTEM"

Everyone in the cinema was like WTF.

Don't get many people around where you live with different accents then?

[Icephoenix]

- Corrine saying thank you to Bond.. that was really WTF

How so? I've actually noticed a few people snigger at this line, but I though it was a nice touch.

[Major Tallon]

Definitely a nice touch. This was a woman who has just realized that her lover was a villain, setting her up to ruin her life. Shaken, she turned her back on him and slipped away, not looking back, saying a quick "Thank you" to the unknown man who appeared out of the shadows and saved her.

It was affecting and totally appropriate.

[Lazenby]

The biggest for me was when I read a review stating that this was a work of genius. I still have the WTF look on my face

[tdalton]

- Corrine saying thank you to Bond.. that was really WTF

How so? I've actually noticed a few people snigger at this line, but I though it was a nice touch.

I thought it was a nice touch as well, and certainly didn't feel out of place in the context of the scene. Bond had just saved her both personally and professionally, so I think it makes sense that she's very grateful to him for saving her from Yusef.

[Dread]

For me it was definitely M's cold cream / drawing a bath sequence. Are we really expected to accept Judi Dench as our new Bond girl like Barbara Broccoli has stated? I'm as opened minded as the next guy but this is taking political correctness to the nth degree. Broccoli, Wilson (and even Craig with his infamous desire to give Bond a gay scene) are destroying the franchise by neutering it.

[Double-Oh Agent]

Definitely a nice touch. This was a woman who has just realized that her lover was a villain, setting her up to ruin her life. Shaken, she turned her back on him and slipped away, not looking back, saying a quick "Thank you" to the unknown man who appeared out of the shadows and saved her.

It was affecting and totally appropriate.

- Corrine saying thank you to Bond.. that was really WTF

How so? I've actually noticed a few people snigger at this line, but I though it was a nice touch.

I thought it was a nice touch as well, and certainly didn't feel out of place in the context of the scene. Bond had just saved her both personally and professionally, so I think it makes sense that she's very grateful to him for saving her from Yusef.

I agree. There was nothing wrong with that scene. She owed Bond a lot. It would have made her look bad and/or ungrateful had she not said thank you. Plus it confirms that what Bond had said about Yusef and his seducing of her was true and that she believed him.

[Single-O-Seven]

Definitely a nice touch. This was a woman who has just realized that her lover was a villain, setting her up to ruin her life. Shaken, she turned her back on him and slipped away, not looking back, saying a quick "Thank you" to the unknown man who appeared out of the shadows and saved her.

It was affecting and totally appropriate.

- Corrine saying thank you to Bond.. that was really WTF

How so? I've actually noticed a few people snigger at this line, but I though it was a nice touch.

I thought it was a nice touch as well, and certainly didn't feel out of place in the context of the scene. Bond had just saved her both personally and professionally, so I think it makes sense that she's very grateful to him for saving her from Yusef.

I agree. There was nothing wrong with that scene. She owed Bond a lot. It would have made her look bad and/or ungrateful had she not said thank you. Plus it confirms that what Bond had said about Yusef and his seducing of her was true and that she believed him.

I think it made perfect sense for all of those reasons. Plus she is a Canadian, and we always say thank you for everything.

[Mr. Blofeld]

The only WTF moment for me was how the truck driver fit into the car chase in the beginning; was he a henchman or just in the wrong place at the wrong time?

[Single-O-Seven]

The only WTF moment for me was how the truck driver fit into the car chase in the beginning; was he a henchman or just in the wrong place at the wrong time?

He was just out haulin' when he got caught up in the brouhaha of the car chase. I know, at first, it looked as though he deliberately side-swiped Bond, but closer viewing suggested it was accidental. At least that's how I saw it.

[Major Tallon]

For me it was definitely M's cold cream / drawing a bath sequence. Are we really expected to accept Judi Dench as our new Bond girl like Barbara Broccoli has stated? I'm as opened minded as the next guy but this is taking political correctness to the nth degree. Broccoli, Wilson (and even Craig with his infamous desire to give Bond a gay scene) are destroying the franchise by neutering it.

Factually erroneous on all counts, I'm afraid. The statement attributed to Barbara Broccoli was never made, and Craig, in recent interviews, has twice given the lie to this silly statement about the gay love scene.

Given the tempo of the action scenes and the intensity of the emotions on display, both akin to those established by Ian Fleming, it's astonishing that anyone could say that EON is neutering James Bond.

[sharpshooter]

He was just out haulin' when he got caught up in the brouhaha of the car chase. I know, at first, it looked as though he deliberately side-swiped Bond, but closer viewing suggested it was accidental. At least that's how I saw it.

I think so too. His tyres were shot out and he lost control. From then onwards, he naturally would have panicked and it became the survival of the fittest.

[Single-O-Seven]

He was just out haulin' when he got caught up in the brouhaha of the car chase. I know, at first, it looked as though he deliberately side-swiped Bond, but closer viewing suggested it was accidental. At least that's how I saw it.

I think so too. His tyres were shot out and he lost control. From then onwards, he naturally would have panicked and it became the survival of the fittest.

Then that settles it. If you and I say that's what happened, it must be true.

[Quincy]

Best WTF in a....

Positive way: Fields dead body

Negative way: Bond shouting, "You and I have a mutual friend!"

[Bondian]

During the interrogation scene. Greene's unintentional impression of 'Zippy' in 'Rainbow'.

[Judo chop]

Most of Elvis’ scenes were once a WTF of a wacky nature, but that’s been cleared up.

The one remaining WTF is the sudden boat flip. I don’t think the answer to that one can be found in this universe where the laws of physics are, as far as I am aware, constant.

[Mr. Blofeld]

During the interrogation scene. Greene's unintentional impression of 'Zippy' in 'Rainbow'.

Huh? Greene didn't have an interrogation scene. Don't you mean White?

To wit: WTF?

[Double-Oh Agent]

Negative way: Bond shouting, "You and I have a mutual friend!"

For those who don't like this line, would it have been better had Bond said, "For Mathis!" or "This is for Mathis!"

Personally, I don't mind either of the film version although I would lean toward either of my quotes. Regardless, I think something needs to be said there so the audience can remember that the man Bond is shooting is the guy who betrayed Mathis--someone who has barely been on screen before and is not well seen behind the refractive windshield.