23 replies to this topic

[antovolk]

Read them here: http://www.thebearde...tion-notes.html

 

Potential spoilers. At least it confirms the title is indeed all caps SPECTRE

[Vauxhall]

At least it confirms the title is indeed all caps SPECTRE

Looks like it, but then again, it becomes 'Spectre' further down the page!

[antovolk]

 

At least it confirms the title is indeed all caps SPECTRE

Looks like it, but then again, it becomes 'Spectre' further down the page!

 

In the Aston Martin bit haha

[Guy Haines]

The best article online or otherwise that I've seen so far about SPECTRE.

[Tiin007]

Anyone else feel that some of these plot threads (relevance of Mi6, Q putting his job on the line to secretly help Bond, etc...) are just being rehashed from Skyfall? Didn't we just go down this path in the last film?

[Guy Haines]

Interesting comment about the SPECTRE organisation from the director - "we're creating our own version".

Suggests some differences from what went before - including who is in charge and that person's background?

[Blofeld's Cat]

Read them here: http://www.thebearde...tion-notes.html

 

Potential spoilers. At least it confirms the title is indeed all caps SPECTRE

Until otherwise told I've always noted it as all caps. Good to get actual confirmation.

[thecasinoroyale]

A wonderful read - thanks for sharing

[stromberg]

The best article online or otherwise that I've seen so far about SPECTRE.

It should be, because this is not an article. This is the text of official press book.

[JCH]

Anyone else feel that some of these plot threads (relevance of Mi6, Q putting his job on the line to secretly help Bond, etc...) are just being rehashed from Skyfall? Didn't we just go down this path in the last film?

Could this be setting up a future storyline of MI6 having all of their actions/files etc. being heavily inspected by Scott's character who is really working for SPECTRE and this is their way of infiltrating?

[rubixcub]

A goof: the article mentions 6 previous Bond films that featured snow, but there were actually 7; the list omitted FYEO.

 

Dave

[The Shark]

A goof: the article mentions 6 previous Bond films that featured snow, but there were actually 7; the list omitted FYEO.
 
Dave

Plus Goldeneye and Tomorrow Never Dies. In fact, all of the Brosnan films featured at least one snow sequence. Perhaps that's why it's taken 4 years for Craig to have his. We were oversaturated.

[rubixcub]

I agree, we WERE oversaturated with snow.  I was feeling that way even before DAD set a large chunk of the picture in a snowy setting.

 

Dave

[Guy Haines]

Absolutely true, thinking about it - four Bonds in a row in which our hero is out in the white stuff! "The Spy Who Went Out In The Cold" ;-)

[SecretAgentFan]

Some new behind-the-scenes fotos here: http://www.denofgeek...-from-the-shoot

[SecretAgentFan]

Denofgeek.com offers a nice perspective on the difficult shoot: http://www.denofgeek...ed-in-11-months

[Dustin]

Strange how they piled up all this pressure with the schedule on a production already troubled with the leaks affair. This is where I would really prefer a levelheaded approach and giving it all six months more to complete. Of course this is not how things are done today...

[SecretAgentFan]

It is weird, especially considering all the time they had before.  It´s not as if the three years between worked to their benefit.  

 

What would be really interesting is the development history of SPECTRE: why Logan´s first ideas did NOT lead to a script everybody could agree upon.

 

In the end, this is probably what will happen again - regardless of how many more years it will take to start BOND 25.  The moment the machine gears up it is a scramble to catch up.

[Tiin007]

This is why I believe EON should hire screenwriters to write a first draft of the next film before the release of the current film. Yes, much of the next film's tone and feel will be dictated by audience reaction to the current film, but those things can be tweaked later in the revision / rewrites process. There is no reason why a basic first draft (general plot, locations, villain's plan) cannot be worked out earlier. This would give everyone more breathing room. 

[SecretAgentFan]

So far they had enough "breathing room" between the films.

 

I believe the main problem is that the actual schedule is kept so inhumanly tight that every production, no matter how much preparation time they have before, is a race against time.

 

Of course, they could start earlier - but really, they couldn´t because that would mean keeping the whole production team on a payroll much longer.

 

That´s what is hurting every big budget (and low budget) film: you have to squeeze out as many days as possible to deliver in order to keep the budget tight enough.

[Tiin007]

But if the script itself was given the necessary time and attention, many of the other things would fall into place. With SP, they were rewriting the script right through the start of shooting (and maybe even later than that)-- obviously that has a ripple effect on the rest of production. 

 

Also, as to your point about keeping the production team on a payroll much longer, if it results in a better crafted film, then maybe it's worth putting more of the money there (and less towards the biggest explosion in movie history). I'm amazed at the time set aside for post-production on the recent Star Wars films (if I recall correctly, both episodes 7 and 8) had over a year between the end of shooting and the release of the film. I'm not saying the Bond series needs to use that particular time frame, but more than three months wouldn't hurt. 

[SecretAgentFan]

I do agree on your last point: it would be better for everybody, even if it cost more money.  But that´s the deciding factor, unfortunately.

 

As for the "script having time and other things falling in place"-argument: yeah, that would be great, too.  But in reality, a script is always subject to change.  It never is taken as it is, especially not on a big budget action extravaganza for which  action sequences are so complicated to set up and film that every factor can prohibit executing it the way it was planned.  Unplanable factors like weather and health will force the production to stop and do other things (that aren´t set up yet) etc.

 

And never forget the personal egos of actors and directors (and producers).  If a scene does not work because the actor does not feel right / has not learned the dialogue / is acting out because of trouble in his private life... guess what, it will be the script´s fault.  "The scene never was written well enough."  So, let´s improvise.  Or: get a new writer to rewrite it.  And time passes, money is being lost - and if the new scene is filmed nevertheless, it might get dropped in the editing suite anyway - leading to a huge problem with the narrative continuity.  So, reshoots might happen if the money is there and the actors are willing to return.  Or the whole narrative gets restructured, leaving holes in the plot... which will be blamed on...?  Yep.

 

So, you can start with a perfect script that everybody loves (an impossibility, by the way) - and you will still hit huge roadblocks that alter the trajectory and the outcome.

 

 

As for BOND 25 - I hope that the Mendes-era is over, simply because a strong-willed director who gets lots of freedom from the producer is always a huge risk.  The Bond films of the Cubby era were much smoother operations because the producer kept a tight ship and the director in check.  This is what, IMHO, the Bond films need.

[Eskyfall]

I liked Mendes's contribution to the series. He delved into Bond's character and we got a more complete hero. However, I think he went too far into it in Spectre. Making Blofeld and Bond brothers was just plain dumb and too Austin Powers-y. It could've worked just fine to have Blofeld hate Bond for ruining his plans in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Spectre seemed built around a specific sequence and everyone was too afraid to tell Mendes it wasn't working. I think a new director would go a lot way into injecting life into a rather dull storyline. In the way, that Mendes revitalized the series with Skyfall as opposed to the pretty formulaic QoS.

[Tiin007]

I think the last word I would use to describe QoS would be "formulaic."