13 replies to this topic

[Jacques Nexus]

With Halle Berry's character's name revealed recently as "Jinx", this development has finally crystallized an interesting theory I have about the Brosnan Bonds. There seems to be a TRADITION in the Brosnan Bonds of calling the characters, names which DESCRIBE their characters.

GE:
"Janus", named after the two-faced Roman God, described Trevelyan perfectly, and no doubt quite deliberate on his part to name himself this. Next we have "Xenia Onatopp"...no need to analyse this one, though "Xenia" I think means "guest" in Greek...not a party guest I would invite without protection .
TND:
The tradition continues..."Stamper" is the obvious one, but what about "Carver" ? a violent name if you ask me. Remember the old "CASABLANCA" movie where Bogart was supposed to have remarked to Ingrid Bergman, "...We'll always have Paris..." ?. Since those times that phrase has become synonymous with two people sharing a past with eachother as lovers. Well, well...Teri Hatcher's character had a past with 007 and it's not surprising she is named "Paris" !. It doesn't finish there...Michelle Yeoh has been on record explaining the name, "Wai Lin", is Chinese for "patriotic for the country" (she apparently chose it herself). And who can argue with that...it's perfectly true.
TWINE:
"Renard" is meant to be French for "the Fox", as every 007 site heralded when the film's 1st draft script leaked out. Revenge was the central plank of the story and who better than a wonderful villainess named "Elektra" to orchestrate such a theme. When you run an oil pipeline empire, it's appropriate I think to call yourself..."King". Yes...ofcourse it is (I was about to mention "Christmas Jones" but she doesn't fit the criteria because technically she doesn't really come once a year ).
BOND 20:
"Jinx" is a lovely name for a woman who perhaps brings bad luck...perhaps a troublemaker ?. We won't know till the script comes out. In the forums, Berry's comment about being 007's "nemesis" sparked talk that this maybe her name or the main villain's name or codename. Who knows...I think "Nemesis" sounds marvellous to me.

In conclusion, I can't think of a block of films that lays on the above mentioned tradition so thickly as the Brosnan films do...I may be wrong, but tell me what you think. Personally I like this trend...I think it's very BONDIAN and it's roots go back to at least GOLDFINGER, with characters like "Oddjob" !.

[scaramanga]

Jacques Nexus (28 Dec, 2001 07:55 a.m.):

scaramanga (22 Dec, 2001 12:05 a.m.):
Wai Lin's character was originally called Lin Pow, but Michelle Yeoh suggested the change because pow means 'bun' in Chinese.

That's right Scaramanga...imagine "Lin Pao" !...sounds like the old Batman TV series when every time there was a punch, "POW !" turned up on screen. The way Michelle Yeoh's character was treated, we never got a good look at Wai Lin's "buns" .

Ha, Nexus you ol' rascal! :-D

[Evil Doctor Cheese]

Jacques Nexus (28 Dec, 2001 07:55 a.m.):
The way Michelle Yeoh's character was treated, we never got a good look at Wai Lin's "buns" .

Nexus!

[Jacques Nexus]

bondgirl (18 Dec, 2001 02:53 p.m.):
Very Interesting!You are really something.

"Jinx" is a lovely name for a woman who perhaps brings bad luck...perhaps a troublemaker ?. "
The Spain location report says Bond is received in a hospital, does it mean he gets hurt or
something. I also remember a Reuter article that Brosnan mentions something about Bond
must get hurt to show he is real...Does it mean that Jinx is going to hurt him or bring bad
luck to double o?

That's an intriguing thought, Bondgirl. If that report is true, then perhaps "Jinx" is connected to this hospital rumour ?. Mind you...there are plenty of other candidates in the Bond 20 cast who would love to put 007 in hospital...or the morgue .

[scaramanga]

Gustav = Staff of the Goths
Graves = light usu. white wine from Graves in France.

WTF? What does that do to the theory?

[Jacques Nexus]

White Persian (14 Jan, 2002 04:45 a.m.):
I think you're right that the names in the Brosnan Bonds tend to have connotations that relate to their characters. This is a return to Fleming, who had a genius for coming up with colourful and memorable names. Le Chiffre, Hugo Drax/von der Drache, Dr Julius No, Auric Goldfinger etc. are brilliant, as are female characters like Vesper Lynd, Honeychile Rider, Rosa Klebb, Irma Bunt, Mary Goodnight, Solitaire.

One of the facets missing from the later films was this deft way with names. Either the names were TOO suggestive and unsubtle, like Plenty O'Toole and Holly Goodhead (obviously coined on the Pussy Galore model - but Fleming only tried something that blatant once) or banal like Franz Sanchez, Brad Whittaker, May Day or Max Zorin.

I hope Bond 20 sees some terrific, evocative character names. So far, with General and Colonel Moon, Miranda Frost, Jinx Whoever, and Falco, it's looking hopeful.

I'm glad you agree White Persian. Apart from perhaps "Miranda Frost", I think Bond 20 is looking good on the names' front. For me you just gotta have the exotic names...it's essential and more memorable as you say. And now with "Gustav Graves", well...that's following the Brosnan trend beautifully.

[White Persian]

I think you're right that the names in the Brosnan Bonds tend to have connotations that relate to their characters. This is a return to Fleming, who had a genius for coming up with colourful and memorable names. Le Chiffre, Hugo Drax/von der Drache, Dr Julius No, Auric Goldfinger etc. are brilliant, as are female characters like Vesper Lynd, Honeychile Rider, Rosa Klebb, Irma Bunt, Mary Goodnight, Solitaire.

One of the facets missing from the later films was this deft way with names. Either the names were TOO suggestive and unsubtle, like Plenty O'Toole and Holly Goodhead (obviously coined on the Pussy Galore model - but Fleming only tried something that blatant once) or banal like Franz Sanchez, Brad Whittaker, May Day or Max Zorin.

I hope Bond 20 sees some terrific, evocative character names. So far, with General and Colonel Moon, Miranda Frost, Jinx Whoever, and Falco, it's looking hopeful.

[Parasyte]

Falco? Damn... that means out of all the millions of people who own an N64 will now sit and watcha Bond film, only to reminded of a daft c**t pilot who looks like a decapitated rabbit.

Names like Xenia Onatopp are needed. Give a bit of a drone-like laugh in the flicks. Jinx is good, Minx is more suitable.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Jacques Nexus (20 Dec, 2001 10:20 a.m.):
If that report is true, then perhaps "Jinx" is connected to this hospital rumour ?. Mind you...there are plenty of other candidates in the Bond 20 cast who would love to put 007 in hospital...or the morgue .

Not just the Bond cast but...."jealous husbands, outraged chefs, humiliated tailors....the list is endless!"

[scaramanga]

Wai Lin's character was originally called Lin Pow, but Michelle Yeoh suggested the change because pow means 'bun' in Chinese.

[Jacques Nexus]

scaramanga (22 Dec, 2001 12:05 a.m.):
Wai Lin's character was originally called Lin Pow, but Michelle Yeoh suggested the change because pow means 'bun' in Chinese.

That's right Scaramanga...imagine "Lin Pao" !...sounds like the old Batman TV series when every time there was a punch, "POW !" turned up on screen. The way Michelle Yeoh's character was treated, we never got a good look at Wai Lin's "buns" .

[rafterman]

good stuff, so far I like the names they keep picking and at first was annoyed they changed Gala Brand into Miranda Frost, but now I think it works better, come on Frost? with all the cold and ice rumors it seems to be tied in more rather than just dumping a Fleming name, Graves is good so is Jinx, but not so sure about the Korean names, Zao isn't even Korean and doesn't really sound cool...

[Digitarius]

And of course the name Elektra links back to For Your Eyes Only, where the name was mentioned.

[bondgirl]

Jacques Nexus (18 Dec, 2001 02:04 p.m.):
With Halle Berry's character's name revealed recently as "Jinx", this development has finally crystallized an interesting theory I have about the Brosnan Bonds. There seems to be a TRADITION in the Brosnan Bonds of calling the characters, names which DESCRIBE their characters.

GE:
"Janus", named after the two-faced Roman God, described Trevelyan perfectly, and no doubt quite deliberate on his part to name himself this. Next we have "Xenia Onatopp"...no need to analyse this one, though "Xenia" I think means "guest" in Greek...not a party guest I would invite without protection .
TND:
The tradition continues..."Stamper" is the obvious one, but what about "Carver" ? a violent name if you ask me. Remember the old "CASABLANCA" movie where Bogart was supposed to have remarked to Ingrid Bergman, "...We'll always have Paris..." ?. Since those times that phrase has become synonymous with two people sharing a past with eachother as lovers. Well, well...Teri Hatcher's character had a past with 007 and it's not surprising she is named "Paris" !. It doesn't finish there...Michelle Yeoh has been on record explaining the name, "Wai Lin", is Chinese for "patriotic for the country" (she apparently chose it herself). And who can argue with that...it's perfectly true.  
TWINE:
"Renard" is meant to be French for "the Fox", as every 007 site heralded when the film's 1st draft script leaked out. Revenge was the central plank of the story and who better than a wonderful villainess named "Elektra" to orchestrate such a theme. When you run an oil pipeline empire, it's appropriate I think to call yourself..."King". Yes...ofcourse it is (I was about to mention "Christmas Jones" but she doesn't fit the criteria because technically she doesn't really come once a year ).
BOND 20:
"Jinx" is a lovely name for a woman who perhaps brings bad luck...perhaps a troublemaker ?. We won't know till the script comes out. In the forums, Berry's comment about being 007's "nemesis" sparked talk that this maybe her name or the main villain's name or codename. Who knows...I think "Nemesis" sounds marvellous to me.

In conclusion, I can't think of a block of films that lays on the above mentioned tradition so thickly as the Brosnan films do...I may be wrong, but tell me what you think. Personally I like this trend...I think it's very BONDIAN and it's roots go back to at least GOLDFINGER, with characters like "Oddjob" !.

Very Interesting!You are really something.

"Jinx" is a lovely name for a woman who perhaps brings bad luck...perhaps a troublemaker ?. "
The Spain location report says Bond is received in a hospital, does it mean he gets hurt or
something. I also remember a Reuter article that Brosnan mentions something about Bond
must get hurt to show he is real...Does it mean that Jinx is going to hurt him or bring bad
luck to double o?