450 replies to this topic

[thecasinoroyale]

Ooh, sounds great - hopefully as you say we'll get some decent character development and a well paced narrative as that was a strong point for 'Casino Royale'. Fingers crossed..!

[Major Tallon]

I notice from the trailer that Bond's obituary lists him as "CMG" (Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George). Since he's still a newbie in the Secret Service, this suggests that he must have had an illustrious military career.

[thecasinoroyale]

Well it certainly backs up Craig's Bond showing us his fighting and defence skills over two films - good spot Major.

[JCRendle]

I notice from the trailer that Bond's obituary lists him as "CMG" (Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George). Since he's still a newbie in the Secret Service, this suggests that he must have had an illustrious military career.

He does have quiet an impressive history:-

http://www.sonypictu...tary_record.php

"covert service in Iraq, Somalia, Iran, Libya, and active service in Bosnia. Upon completion of his duties in Bosnia, where Bond was credited with saving the lives of nearly 100 men from a Serbian militia in one village, Bond was recruited by the RNR Defence Intelligence Group and awarded the rank of Commander."
:-
"Cmd. Bond's work provided vital intelligence during key moments with Libya, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Cyprus, Indonesia, China (during the Hong Kong handover) and North Korea. In Libya, Bond was able to secure detailed assessments of the status of the Libyan government's reputed financial ties to numerous terrorist organizations, as well as crucial information related to the settlement of issues related to the Pan Am 103 case. In Iraq, Cmd. Bond was able to monitor Iraqi counter-moves to the UNSCOM (now UNMOVIC) inspections process during one key period. Cmd. Bond undertook a particularly hazardous mission into Afghanistan to rescue a researcher deemed important to Her Majesty's government who was being imprisoned by the Taliban government. During the S-300 missile crisis in Cyprus, Cmd. Bond helped undermine the Republic of Cyprus government's confidence, and, it is felt, helped bring a peaceful resolution to the matter"
:-
http://www.sonypictu...nce_service.php
Bond continued to work as a Mission Specıalıst (re:within Black Ops) in such locations as Cuba, the United States, Austria, Spain, Russia, the Ukraine, Uzbekistan, the Sudan, and the UAE.

[MattofSteel]

EDIT

[thecasinoroyale]

I forgot about that JC! Thanks for posting...great background for a current Commander Bond.

[JCRendle]

There's more on the website, that's just what was relevant to the discussion. There is information on his early life, education etc. - It's an interesting read.

[thecasinoroyale]

On reading it, I see the following...

Intelligence Service:
British Embassy staff, Kingston, Jamaica:

Duties included: translations of Haitian, French and Dutch West Indies communications, interdiction efforts with gun and drug smuggling between Kingston and London (resulting in a letter of commendation from his superior, Charles DaSilva ), and four days Black Ops recce into Cuba, penetrating military compounds.




"The true survivors. This is what she made us. Mommy was very bad." Raoul Silva IS Charles DaSilva, Bond's former superior*....!!!


*maybe not, never mind then.

[MkB]

I notice from the trailer that Bond's obituary lists him as "CMG" (Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George). Since he's still a newbie in the Secret Service, this suggests that he must have had an illustrious military career.

Well, this is out of the film realm, but the literary Bond certainly is a CMG. We learn it in FRWL, from his "zapiska" at KGB HQ. He was awarded it in 1953 according to the zapiska, but we do not learn why precisely.

[Shrublands]

I don't think he's a newbie in the secret service (not even at the start of CR) I don't imagine you start work at MI6 one day and are given a licence to kill the next.

[Major Tallon]

I don't think he's a newbie in the secret service (not even at the start of CR) I don't imagine you start work at MI6 one day and are given a licence to kill the next.

I agree, Shrublands. I spoke too soon. Still, M would hardly have spoken to Bond as she did in CR if his prior work for the Secret Service had been sufficiently illustrious to earn him a CMG. It's more likely his clandestine work in the military, cited above, that gained him what I take it to be a pretty notable distinction.

I notice from the trailer that Bond's obituary lists him as "CMG" (Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George). Since he's still a newbie in the Secret Service, this suggests that he must have had an illustrious military career.

Well, this is out of the film realm, but the literary Bond certainly is a CMG. We learn it in FRWL, from his "zapiska" at KGB HQ. He was awarded it in 1953 according to the zapiska, but we do not learn why precisely.

Quite right, MkB. I've always surmised that it was his mission against Mr. Big, involving operations in both the US and Jamaica (and which would have taken place a year or so before the publication of the novel), that did it, but we don't know for sure.

[Shrublands]

I think his work would have had to be very impressive to be promoted to a 00 agent, I think her reservations were due to his personality.
She gives him that lecture for not living up to the trust she has shown him in promoting him to such a responsible position - he's let her down.

[007jamesbond]

here is a though
Silva was a potential 00 agent that would be very good but he has psychological problem that prevent him from getting that promotion and quits to get revenge against M for not giving him the elite status he wanted.....

[byline]

The TWO versions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgr2syY_OU4&hd=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kw1UVovByw&hd=1

Oh, my. I've been away, so this was my first opportunity to watch these. Incredible! I agree with all who say we likely have a classic on our hands. Can't wait to see it!

[SecretAgentFan]

Pretty long, exhibitors would prefer it shorter.

Funny, btw, all this talk about too much action, considering the previous fear that with Mendes there would not be enough.

[The Shark]

Funny, btw, all this talk about too much action, considering the previous fear that with Mendes there would not be enough.

I don't think it was a much a fear as a sigh of relief. It was the tabloids that spun it out of control ("austerity Bond" etc.).

[SecretAgentFan]

True.

[Dustin]

Truth be told there have been a few sceptics - mostly recruiting themselves from the ranks looking with scorn on intellectuality, perhaps because the concept doesn't agree with them - who really were afraid Mendes wouldn't fit the bill, for the obvious reasons. And I must confess I too had my doubts. But all we can say at the moment is that so far nothing indicates he wasn't up to it. Should this turn out to be as good as we hope I wouldn't mind if Mendes stayed a little longer with Bond.

[The Shark]

Truth be told there have been a few sceptics - mostly recruiting themselves from the ranks looking with scorn on intellectuality

Not anti-intellectual in general, but more in relation to film Bond.

[Dustin]

Truth be told there have been a few sceptics - mostly recruiting themselves from the ranks looking with scorn on intellectuality

Not anti-intellectual in general, but more in relation to film Bond.

You too? Why ever?

Thinking and entertainment do hardly exclude each other. Granted, you don't absolutely need the one to get the other, but it's if it's possible to couple them - why not? We really have come a little way since the 50s or 60s (not to mention the 90s). Even unpretentious entertainment today concerns itself with different, more serious themes and ideas. There still is room for undemanding action fests, but the plain series of explosions doesn't attract as many people as it used to. Whether you welcome this or reject it is irrelevant as far as producing films is concerned, you just ride with the blows.

And intellectual stimulation is hardly forced upon you. Whenever you choose to you can simply ignore it, just switch off your brains and enjoy the scenery. Most people have no problem with that - as long as there is something provided to enjoy.

My own concern used to be more about Mendes general ability to involve himself with this kind of mixture. As a director you may love Bond films, may dream about doing one yourself and nurse all kinds of ideas about the possible result. But you may just not have it in you to transport this enthusiasm to the screen. I was a little afraid of that. But so far it surely doesn't look as if this had been a problem for Mendes.

[JimmyBond]

Speaking of unthinking, action fests: The Expendables 2 is exactly that type of movie. While I enjoyed it immensly, should be interesting to see how it performs over the next week or two.

[Dustin]

Interestingly EXPENDABLES 2 director West was
recently speculating he wanted Connery for part 3.

[JimmyBond]

I know it's horribly off topic, but I was just mentioning today that Daniel Craig would make an interesting addition to a third film.

I'm not sure Connery would be ideal. A tad old for action movie heroics no? Not to mention the whole "being retired" thing.

[Dustin]

I think West was more or less promoting E2 with this, doubt Connery is up for it. If at all it would probably be just a cameo, maybe with a wink to Bond.

[univex]

Yeah, besides, Connery and Craig are not explendable!

[Tuxedo]

Not sure if this was mentioned before. In one of the trailers you see a glimse of a bw picture showing M with a Chinese. It is right before the screen turns into the line THINK OF YOUR SINS. Could it be that a former relationship with a Chinese man is the "past" that haunts M?

[MkB]

BTW, is there a consensus regarding the nature of the long hall where a captive Bond is confronted with Silva? On each side of the hall there are bizarre sorts of shelves... I does not look much like a servers room to me, although that would be the closest thing I can think of. Any ideas?

[JimmyBond]

I believe that's a correct observation.

[MkB]

I've just watched the HD version again, and well it's definitely posing as a servers room, but the shelves look empty to me... what if it was a *cleared out* servers room?

Let me explain: there are wires and some red LEDs, but it does not look like there are actual server blades on the shelves; the things would be way too thin, motherboard-sized. More importantly, there is absolutely no noise from cooling systems in the room (not a whisper of background noise when Bond and Silva speak), and believe me in a functioning servers room of this size there would be the hell of a noise (people working there often have to wear safety earplugs).

So maybe something happened to the servers? Something Bond did to destroy the hacking capacities of Silva's organization?

[JimmyBond]

We do seeing Bond being manhandled before he's sit down to meet Silva. I just always assumed he gets taken capture once he and Severine land on the Island. Of course something could happen in between, but I haven't heard anything yet.