663 replies to this topic

[baerrtt]

I've a feeling that M will probably retire at the end of the picture.

[WC]

The plot about M sounds a bit TWINE-ish.

[Aris007]

I have to say the synopsis is a bit vague, but it does the work it's supposed to do at the moment. Whet our apettites.

The idea of M being a traitor was always interesting to me and I hope they can pull this out well and not end up in a fiasco. The cast and direction is certainly very promising. What I look for is a a touch of political thriller in it. The cast can support it that's for sure.

In general I'm happy there's finally something to talk about.

[Captain Tightpants]

The idea of M being a traitor was always interesting to me and I hope they can pull this out well and not end up in a fiasco.

I don't think M will be a traitor. Rather, I think parts of the film will hinge on some of M's actions during the Cold War. Maybe she made some kind of deal or covered up an operation that went badly or some such, and Bond starts questioning where her loyalties lie because she is distracted by it and makes a bad decision.

[Aris007]

The idea of M being a traitor was always interesting to me and I hope they can pull this out well and not end up in a fiasco.

I don't think M will be a traitor. Rather, I think parts of the film will hinge on some of M's actions during the Cold War. Maybe she made some kind of deal or covered up an operation that went badly or some such, and Bond starts questioning where her loyalties lie because she is distracted by it and makes a bad decision.

Well even better! A cold-war related story is something I'm asking for a long long time now. However I don't think that there's a very clear opportunity for Dench to leave the part if that's the case. It has to be something that has to do with today. Not with the past. I'd welcome it though if they can make it look real.

[Germanlady]

About B. Marlowe - I don't trust them with everything from past experiences, but they didn't disappoint with the leading Ladies in the last two films and I doubt, they start now. So - as long as we don't know, WHAT they want her to be, any judgement is probably false.

Obviously they don't have a problem with her height and when laying down it doesn't matter anyway

[zencat]

Can't say I'm a fan of this plot description. I think we had too much M in these movies lately. Now it's all about M. And, of course, this time it's personal.

Excited about China though.

As with everything about this movie, it's all just a big wait and see for me.

[Captain Tightpants]

However I don't think that there's a very clear opportunity for Dench to leave the part if that's the case. It has to be something that has to do with today. Not with the past.

At a guess, I'd say that Ralph Fiennes is somehow connected to M through her secret and is wanting some kind of payback. When SKYFALL was first rumoured, I Googled it and got fiat justita ruat caelum, a legal phrase that means "justice must be done, even if it means the sky falls in". I could see Fiennes as someone compromised by his own guilt and wanting his perverted version fo "justice" to be served on those who he felt wronged him - Judi Dench's M and quite possibly Albert Finney as Fredrick Grey. In the end, M is forced to step down over controversy; this appears to be a means to writing her out and writing a new M in.

The plot synopsis that we have is very limited, so I suspect there's a hell of a lot more to it. Bond will probably be investigating Bardem on an unrelated assignment, and grows to distrust M because she keeps getting distracted by Fiennes and does not deal with the issue at hand (or at least makes poor decisions relating to it). Eventually the two will cross over in a way that endagers lives, possibly culminating in the attack on MI6. Craig/Bardem will be the main plot, with Dench/Fiennes being a subplot that starts to evolve into a plot of its own.

[SecretAgentFan]

Eve, of course, could be the real name - and MONEYPENNY is just a nick name...

[Lachesis]

Sadly from my pov it seems yet more of the personalised-emo-conspiracy drama of Bourne/generic action man than the iconic heroic antagonist that is or rather was uniquely Bond. 'The Property of a Lady' seems written into the production as the tone is steeped in estrogen.

Hopefully the incredible talent involved will be enough to keep the production on track, it's strong enough to stand a chance just as long as the creative black hole formed by Purvis & wade is kept out of range.

[sharpshooter]

Eve, of course, could be the real name - and MONEYPENNY is just a nick name...

I still think, based on nothing mind you, that Harris could play Moneypenny. Maybe we see her as a field agent for some part of the movie. Mharkin had an idea about this, where Bond and (Eve) Moneypenny (?) are about to do the deed, and she gets placed back at MI6 as the secretary. Establishing the heat that exists between them, and doing something a bit different with the character at the same time.

[The Shark]

Eve Moneypenny?

[Loomis]

Can't say I'm a fan of this plot description. I think we had too much M in these movies lately. Now it's all about M.

Haven't you heard? Dench's M is the most important character in these films. Apparently.

Excited about China though.

Indeed. Fifteen or twenty minutes of straight action set against Shanghai's best-known and most photographed backdrops. Ah, takes me back to the good old days of 2006 and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III.

[Matt_13]

Can't say I'm a fan of this plot description. I think we had too much M in these movies lately. Now it's all about M.

Haven't you heard? Dench's M is the most important character in these films. Apparently.

Excited about China though.

Indeed. Fifteen or twenty minutes of straight action set against Shanghai's best-known and most photographed backdrops. Ah, takes me back to the good old days of 2006 and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III.

I'm not overly familiar with Shanghai or what it looks like, so it'll be new to me (and no doubt a lot of other people). There are only a finite number of locales in the world, so what if some of them are used several times? As for M, I love Dench's character in the more recent films so I'm definitely fine with that. Never understood the frustration stemming from the expansion of her role. She does a great job.

[Loomis]

I'm not overly familiar with Shanghai or what it looks like, so it'll be new to me (and no doubt a lot of other people). There are only a finite number of locales in the world, so what if some of them are used several times?

Well, as I said in another post earlier on today, there are plenty of Chinese cities, yet for some strange reason we only ever seem to see Beijing and Shanghai in Hollywood films (and I'm counting SKYFALL as a Hollywood film, of course).

I've long wanted to see Bond in China, but if we're going to send him to a city there I'd much prefer it to be somewhere like Chengdu, Guangzhou or Tianjin. Or how about somewhere off the beaten track? A small town or somewhere in the countryside?

[The Shark]

What about Mount Sanqing?



http://en.wikipedia....i/Mount_Sanqing

[Matt_13]

I'm not overly familiar with Shanghai or what it looks like, so it'll be new to me (and no doubt a lot of other people). There are only a finite number of locales in the world, so what if some of them are used several times?

Well, as I said in another post earlier on today, there are plenty of Chinese cities, yet for some strange reason we only ever seem to see Beijing and Shanghai in Hollywood films (and I'm counting SKYFALL as a Hollywood film, of course).

I've long wanted to see Bond in China, but if we're going to send him to a city there I'd much prefer it to be somewhere like Chengdu, Guangzhou or Tianjin. Or how about somewhere off the beaten track? A small town or somewhere in the countryside?

True. Do you think they avoid them because they aren't sort of "name brand" cities, or is it a result of them not being able to handle a massive film production and everything that entails?

[Pussfeller]

Can't say I'm a fan of this plot description. I think we had too much M in these movies lately. Now it's all about M.

Haven't you heard? Dench's M is the most important character in these films. Apparently.

I dislike the recent foregrounding of M, but it's obvious that Dench's departure from the series will require her character to be integral to the plot. So if it seems that her character is to be more central than ever, that probably means that she's riding off into the sunset, which is fine by me. If, on the other hand, they're just giving her even more to do because she's so wonderful and talented, it'll be TWINE all over again and I'll be damn disappointed. I really have nothing against Dench as an actress, but it was enough already after TWINE.

[Loomis]

True. Do you think they avoid them because they aren't sort of "name brand" cities, or is it a result of them not being able to handle a massive film production and everything that entails?

Well, to be fair, I don't know what Eon's options are when it comes to shooting in China. For all I know, they have the run of the whole place. Then again, for all I know, they don't. It may be that the Chinese authorities want Shanghai to be showcased as a "name brand" city whenever and wherever possible (and what better or more prestigious a celluloid vehicle than the new James Bond film?) and might not be so keen on the idea of SKYFALL shooting in, say, Dalian. I just don't know.

Put it this way, though: I'd be disappointed if Eon, having decided on China, hadn't even bothered to consider anywhere other than Shanghai and Beijing.

[Pussfeller]

Is it to be set in Shanghai, or just filmed there? Perhaps it will double for another Chinese city.

[Matt_13]

Shanghai is also a major city that opens up the possibility of allowing some of that product placement to be worked into the film more subtly than it otherwise would. I'm not saying neon lights and billboards are absent from those other places, but I assume a ton is on display in Shanghai (and keep in mind a large bulk of the budget is derived from product placement).

[d21089]

the mountain looks more like jurassic park than james bond for me- but it looks like a cool location
and yeah not sure why its The Adventures of Bond and M again, but I can't imagine Bardem having signed up if it was a bad script so it gives me good hopes that it will be great

Edited by d21089, 03 November 2011 - 03:26 PM.

[DamnCoffee]

I wonder. Since they're gonna be giving M a massive part in this film, there only seems to be only one direction her character can go in.

Spoiler

She's the new Bond girl.

[d21089]

haha definitely- btw just watching a video here and Sam Mendes makes a point to say they'll be shooting in Shanghai- AND other parts of China and in Istanbul AND other parts of Turkey

[JCH]

I agree that the plot info we have is rather vague. But it's still fun to speculate. So here goes:

1. Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her
I've seen speculation that this refers to something that M did during the Cold War. Wouldn't a spy like Bond be familiar with the concept that in a Cold War, sometimes you have to do things covered in various shades of gray? I doubt that Bond would waver in his loyalty because M did something grayish in the Cold War. Wouldn't this be more appropriate if M did something directly personal to Bond (i.e. be involved in the death of his parents) or something more pressing in the current (facilitating the creation/operation of Quantum)?

2. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
I do think this could lead to a situation where M is killed and replaced. I think I read somewhere that Albert Finney's character is someone who outranks M in MI6. So if M were assassinated, wouldn't he be responsible for replacing her? Do we have any sort of information regarding Fiennes' character? Could he be M.s replacement?

Like I said, this is all idle speculation and I'm just spitballing here. But It's always fun on a day like today.

[Matt_13]

Here you go Loomis:

http://www.totalfilm...full-transcript

"Bond’s journey takes him to China, to Shanghai and other parts of China, to Istanbul in Turkey and other parts of Turkey, and to Scotland."

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

Crying tears of happiness at the prospect of having an emotionally-charged Bond movie once again. The plot synopsis is certainly intriquing.

[Loomis]

Thanks for the clarification re: China. Can't wait to find out about these "other parts of China".

[Vauxhall]

Thanks for the clarification re: China. Can't wait to find out about these "other parts of China".

Likewise. I guess a lot will come down to the level of freedom and co-operation allowed by the Chinese government. Some great landscapes could be taken advantage of, should the authorities allow.

[Melack]

"As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat"

This sounds great. Alludes to some spy-work and I would love for MI6 to be the actual target and Bond saving them.