32 replies to this topic

[malaysian_bond]

When i was young, my daddy once said:

"If James Bond was blonde, he would look like Steve McQueen"

He was right. Steve McQueen was one of my favourite actors. Daniel Craig has the look of Steve McQueen. And i'm so proud that he has it. Seeing Craig in Layer Cake and McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair makes me wanna support Craig more.

Yours sincerely,
Proud Steve McQueen fan!

[Mr. Somerset]

I agree. McQueen was the coolest. Craig certainly has McQueen qualities. I thought that the first time I saw Layer Cake.

[hcmv007]

You beat me to the start of this topic, malaysian_bond! I defintiely agree, Craig has that look and some of the same qualities, should be cool to see on screen!

[jake speed]

I struggle to think of anyone less Bondian than Steve Mcqueen and a comparision with Craig is just silly...Craig has made a batch of British indie films and played supporting roles in a few US things and now he's Steve Mcqueen? Puh-lease....

[Publius]

I struggle to think of anyone less Bondian than Steve Mcqueen and a comparision with Craig is just silly...Craig has made a batch of British indie films and played supporting roles in a few US things and now he's Steve Mcqueen? Puh-lease....

So Steve McQueen's "coolness" is measured by his commercial success? Puh-lease indeed.

I see in Craig many of the same qualities McQueen had. I think Bond might be the role that catapults him into a similar level of popularity, and aside from the relatively low-key roles he's taking on in the past, the thing that's stopped him from having that well-known reputation is a general trend in Hollywood favoring heroes other than McQueen-types. Hopefully, Craig can help to change that.

[jake speed]

Actually I think you might be right.Daniel Craig is the new Steve Mcqueen.Perhaps Adam Sandler is the new Chaplin.Craig will herald a new era for leading men.Good luck to Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp.They'll struggle to get work now that the supercool new star Dan Craig is on the scene after choosing to make all those tedious lottery funded duffers until he was nearly forty.

[killkenny kid]

Sorry, I just don't see it.

[Mister Asterix]

[mra]I think the comparison to McQueen is quite valid. Craig

[Mr_Wint]

Actually I think you might be right.Daniel Craig is the new Steve Mcqueen.Perhaps Adam Sandler is the new Chaplin.Craig will herald a new era for leading men.Good luck to Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp.They'll struggle to get work now that the supercool new star Dan Craig is on the scene after choosing to make all those tedious lottery funded duffers until he was nearly forty.

lol


Seriously, I think there is a striking resemblance between Craig (with long hair) and McQueen (although the latter looks better and is more 'filmstar'-material). The general trend in Hollywood now is to favouring heroes/actors younger than me. I'll be glad if Craig could change that.

[Publius]

Actually I think you might be right.Daniel Craig is the new Steve Mcqueen.Perhaps Adam Sandler is the new Chaplin.Craig will herald a new era for leading men.Good luck to Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp.They'll struggle to get work now that the supercool new star Dan Craig is on the scene after choosing to make all those tedious lottery funded duffers until he was nearly forty.

You're quite the funny one. Your sarcasm fails to address my criticism of your argument or refute my points, but that's okay.

[jake speed]

If someone says the name Steve Mcqueen two images come into my head.Mcqueen on a motorbike in The Great Escape and Mcqueen driving that car in Bullit.We remember him because we have iconic images to draw on in our collective memories.Chiefly it's The Great Escape.Not the greatest film ever made but everyone remembers Mcqueen on the motorbike.He's cool.If you mention Craig to me nothing comes to mind.With some thought I recall his Mad Frankie Fraser impersonation in Love Is The Devil.That godawful BBC drama last year where he had all the charisma of a bag of cement.Don't even get me started on Tomb Raider.Some Voices.He was just bland.Really wooden when the script called for him to be funny.Sylvia.I can't believe anyone can watch this and think Craig could be a great Bond.Just bland.Like describing the taste of water.Ted Hughes was a big charismatic man.Craig just looks small with that dull affected voice.IMO you can't compare Craig to other British actors like Samantha Morton and Michael Gambon.Sorry,just not in their league.I understand that some people like Craig and are interested to see what he does in Casino Royale.Maybe you saw Munich and got past his hopeless South African accent.But let's not start comparing him to Hollywood Legends just yet.His Curriculum Vitae offers zero evidence for that.Craig was carving out a solid if unamazing career and pushing forty.He was never going to be a big star because frankly he looks a bit odd.My money was on him to do a Sean Bean and end up playing villains.He gets the Bond gig and suddenly he's apparently one of the great actors of our time and really cool.Just doesn't add up IMO.I can't actually remember what your original point was.Was it Craig might become a star after Casino Royale or something? In all honesty what did you think of Barbara's comment that Craig "defined acting for his generation."?

[Publius]

If someone says the name Steve Mcqueen two images come into my head.Mcqueen on a motorbike in The Great Escape and Mcqueen driving that car in Bullit.We remember him because we have iconic images to draw on in our collective memories.Chiefly it's The Great Escape.Not the greatest film ever made but everyone remembers Mcqueen on the motorbike.He's cool.If you mention Craig to me nothing comes to mind.With some thought I recall his Mad Frankie Fraser impersonation in Love Is The Devil.That godawful BBC drama last year where he had all the charisma of a bag of cement.Don't even get me started on Tomb Raider.Some Voices.He was just bland.Really wooden when the script called for him to be funny.Sylvia.I can't believe anyone can watch this and think Craig could be a great Bond.Just bland.Like describing the taste of water.Ted Hughes was a big charismatic man.Craig just looks small with that dull affected voice.IMO you can't compare Craig to other British actors like Samantha Morton and Michael Gambon.Sorry,just not in their league.I understand that some people like Craig and are interested to see what he does in Casino Royale.Maybe you saw Munich and got past his hopeless South African accent.But let's not start comparing him to Hollywood Legends just yet.His Curriculum Vitae offers zero evidence for that.Craig was carving out a solid if unamazing career and pushing forty.He was never going to be a big star because frankly he looks a bit odd.My money was on him to do a Sean Bean and end up playing villains.He gets the Bond gig and suddenly he's apparently one of the great actors of our time and really cool.Just doesn't add up IMO.I can't actually remember what your original point was.Was it Craig might become a star after Casino Royale or something? In all honesty what did you think of Barbara's comment that Craig "defined acting for his generation."?

You conveniently left out Layer Cake. Between that and Munich (and of course, CR footage), I can easily see not only the Bond in him, but echoes of McQueen. No, he hasn't had a breakthrough hit yet where that "coolness" is showcased and is more than window dressing for the rest of the story, but it's still there. Between his great, commanding voice, a natural, easygoing swagger and confidence little seen in Bond over the years, and an undoubtedly icy, killer stare, there's no doubt in my mind he is "cool" in that classic style we're talking about.

His other work only goes to show how much range he has not just acting-wise, but looks-wise. He is very much the chameleon, and as many of the promo shots and leaked photos have shown, he can look very Bondian, even if not "traditionally" (whatever that means, considering the widely different looks of the Bonds, even within any given era). His Bond look and style will be fresh (I hope) and all his own, but familiar enough. Same way that other Bonds did it. If any of it bears a resemblance to Steve McQueen, that's fine by me, as by saying as much we're only drawing a similarity useful in explaining Craig's talents, not trying to portray him as emulating another actor, much less the second coming of one.

And let's not forget, The Great Escape and Bullitt (the two McQueen films you mentioned) came out when McQueen was in his mid to late 30s. Same age as Craig landed Bond. So, as I stated earlier, this could be the role that cements that "image" of him in the minds of the general public, and subsequently "big" roles that continue to play to his strengths (including his "coolness") will undoubtedly come in its wake. So if it's hard to see the McQueen in him now because his chosen acting jobs haven't called for it, soon enough it'll be hard otherwise.

I don't see how it matters that Craig hasn't achieved a high level of notoriety yet. Perhaps it's a matter of actually choosing small or low-key roles (his filmography and statements about why he opted to do Tomb Raider back this theory up), perhaps it's a matter of timing (studios not wanting to star his rough-around-the-edges nature up until now, when it seems more likely to once again be the flavor of the moment), and yes, perhaps it's because of his unconventional looks (not looking plastic or Photoshopped doesn't alone make you ugly). But that doesn't detract a thing from his coolness. Again, commercial success is irrelevant in this regard. And even then, he could've ended up as a Sean Bean, but now he won't. (Besides which, Bean should've been Bond instead of Brosnan, but that's neither here nor there...)

As for Barbara's comment, I don't know about that (doubt that anyone fits that bill). Just seems like the usual hyping to me, so I don't make anything of it.

[jake speed]

Layer Cake came and went without anyone taking the slightest bit of notice.Like most people I only took a peek at the film after Craig landed Bond and (guess what I'm going to say?) the chap in the white suit didn't look like 007 to me.I'm more of a Sexy Beast fan myself.I did leave out The Trench,which was charitable I thought.

I think there was a typo in the title of this topic.It should be Finally a Gordon Mcqueen Bond !

[JimmyBond]

Craig was great in Layer Cake. The scenes where he had to wear a suit he moved very much like Connery.

Actually I think you might be right.Daniel Craig is the new Steve Mcqueen.Perhaps Adam Sandler is the new Chaplin.Craig will herald a new era for leading men.Good luck to Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp.They'll struggle to get work now that the supercool new star Dan Craig is on the scene after choosing to make all those tedious lottery funded duffers until he was nearly forty.

Glad to see you've come around.

[jake speed]

If anyone is interested I'll be signing copies of my book How Daniel Craig Ruined My Life at a popular megastore in London this weekend...

[Publius]

Layer Cake came and went without anyone taking the slightest bit of notice.Like most people I only took a peek at the film after Craig landed Bond

Same here. But again, that has zero bearing on Craig's "cool factor", let alone his acting ability or Bond potential. I'm not surprised why a film like Layer Cake wasn't a phenomenon here in the States (hell, was it even meant to be?). And I'm certainly not about to measure someone's talent or appropriateness for a role in terms of how much commercial success he's had to date (unless of course it's directly tied to his performances, in which case it's fair game, but I doubt anyone would contend that's the case for Craig). Or were you rooting for one of the "big name" stars to be named Bond just for the sake of their "status"?

and (guess what I'm going to say?) the chap in the white suit didn't look like 007 to me.I'm more of a Sexy Beast fan myself.I did leave out The Trench,which was charitable I thought.

And as I said already, the guy's a chameleon. He looks very different from role to role. Though I think many of his Bond qualities came out at different points in Layer Cake, some didn't simply because they weren't called for or wouldn't fit in there. How much more "suave and sophisticated" could Craig have been in LC without sticking out like a sore thumb? Not much. More pertinent when it comes to how "Bondian" his looks are is what we've seen of set photographs and promo stuff.

[malaysian_bond]

Well you know what? He does look like Steve McQueen in these two photos:





Or as in Connery said:

"Shteef Macquiwn"

[hcmv007]

Check these out:





[attachment=6489:attachment]




[attachment=6490:attachment]



This is what we are talking about.

[Donovan]

I agree Craig is a lot like McQueen, and I love McQueen. So now I guess I like Craig a little more.

[WhiteKnight2000]

Slight resemblance, but MCqueen is a much better looking man.

[Spurrier]

I thought Roger Moore was the first blond James Bond. Even Daniel Craig made reference to Rog, in responding to criticism of his selection.

[Publius]

Slight resemblance, but MCqueen is a much better looking man.

Agreed, but at least Craig is two inches taller.

[Thunderfinger]

Craig is a much more versatile actor, like Gary Oldman. What he shares with McQueen is a certain machismo, but unlike Mc Queen, Craig can shut that machismo off when its not required in the role.

[jake speed]

One thing I find slightly curious about the whole Craig affair is the hysterical bump up his ability and curriculum vitae has been given since October. It's almost like a defensive reaction to criticism of the choice. Craig is more or less, in terms of ability and broad appeal, in the realm of people like Rhys Ifans and Sean Pertwee. That's where Craig is. He's a decent actor, nothing special. It's almost like people have to believe that he is some great undiscovered secret. Barbara Broccoli found the world's greatest actor and, lucky you, persuaded him to do James Bond even though it should be beneath him because he is such a serious man and actor. If people keep saying that Craig is the new Steve Mcqueen enough times I suppose eventually they'll start to believe it.


I watched a bit of Road To Perdition tonight and Craig was conspicously acting in a scene I watched. He did the same thing in Some Voices. I'm not saying that Craig is a actor. He's not. But he ain't Steve Mcqueen. He doesn't look like Sean Connery. He did not define acting for his generation and, believe it or not, there are other working actors out there who could have taken Bond in a new direction with talent and dedication without generating a protest campaign.

Edited by jake speed, 27 July 2006 - 09:35 PM.

[Red Barchetta]

Steve McQueen was the epitomy of cool. I don't get the same vibe from Daniel.

[Jericho_One]

A bit pointless to compare the two. Different eras. Besides, McQueen's coolness isn't the kind that's required for Bond. I wouldn't worry too much if Craig is cool or not. McQueen's era is gone.

[spynovelfan]

He did not define acting for his generation and, believe it or not, there are other working actors out there who could have taken Bond in a new direction with talent and dedication without generating a protest campaign.

Like who?

I watched ROAD TO PERDITION a few years ago, and the only person who stood out for me was Craig. And that was a minor role in a film with Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. I also thought he was fantastic in LOVE IS THE DEVIL, MY FRIENDS IN THE NORTH and more besides, and I tipped him on this forum as someone who could do Bond months before he was rumoured to be in the running and well before I had even heard of LAYER CAKE. Some people may well have inflated their ideas of his acting talent. And some people have thought he was a great actor for years and just happen to have a different view of him from you.

The protest campaign is nothing to do with Craig's talent as an actor or his cool, and all about his looks, because a bunch of obsessive mostly female mostly young Brosnan fans have only known Brosnan as Bond and anyone who doesn't measure up to his male model looks can't be Bond in their eyes. But you are smarter than that, surely, and can see that Bond can look a little rougher round the edges, masculine, lived in, suave but also someone who kills in cold blood. More like this:



This:


And indeed this:

[K1Bond007]

I thought Roger Moore was the first blond James Bond. Even Daniel Craig made reference to Rog, in responding to criticism of his selection.

More of a sandy brown. Light, but not blond.

[Jericho_One]

When i was young, my daddy once said:

"If James Bond was blonde, he would look like Steve McQueen"

He was right. Steve McQueen was one of my favourite actors. Daniel Craig has the look of Steve McQueen. And i'm so proud that he has it. Seeing Craig in Layer Cake and McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair makes me wanna support Craig more.

Yours sincerely,
Proud Steve McQueen fan!

And of course you can always check McQueen playing poker as Eric "the kid" Stoner in The Cincinatti Kid to watch similarities with Craig playing at Casino Royale.
Too bad the king of cool isn't wearing a tux in that movie...

[jake speed]

He did not define acting for his generation and, believe it or not, there are other working actors out there who could have taken Bond in a new direction with talent and dedication without generating a protest campaign.

Like who?

I watched ROAD TO PERDITION a few years ago, and the only person who stood out for me was Craig. And that was a minor role in a film with Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. I also thought he was fantastic in LOVE IS THE DEVIL, MY FRIENDS IN THE NORTH and more besides, and I tipped him on this forum as someone who could do Bond months before he was rumoured to be in the running and well before I had even heard of LAYER CAKE. Some people may well have inflated their ideas of his acting talent. And some people have thought he was a great actor for years and just happen to have a different view of him from you.

The protest campaign is nothing to do with Craig's talent as an actor or his cool, and all about his looks, because a bunch of obsessive mostly female mostly young Brosnan fans have only known Brosnan as Bond and anyone who doesn't measure up to his male model looks can't be Bond in their eyes. But you are smarter than that, surely, and can see that Bond can look a little rougher round the edges, masculine, lived in, suave but also someone who kills in cold blood. More like this:



This:


And indeed this:

Like who? I would suggest Christian Bale, Gerard Butler and Guy Pearce for three. Bale of course did Batman but I see no reason why they couldn't have got him sooner than Nolan. He once described Bond as being "The Holy Grail for British actors" and confessed to a desire to reinvent it. Pearce is a versatile actor. Memento, Priscilla, LA Confidential. More indie stuff like Ravenous. Gerard Butler is usually dismissed as a generic/shaving advert/model-type on this forum for the high crime of being handsome. He usually steals most films he's in. I saw an indie film called One Last Kiss with Butler in recently. He played a restaurant owner in a small seaside town and has to deal with a terminally ill ex-lover returning. He was subtle and quietly moving. Clad mostly in a jumper he actually did some acting and (gasp! Bond contender other than Daniel Craig actually knows how to avoid walking into camera!) was actually very good. On the set of his latest film Butler has bulked up Craig-style and looks IMO like a man who's Bond would kick the crap out of Craig's Bond.

The man I originally wanted to succeed Brosnan

Christian Bale

The man I would have cast based on those officialy considered

Alex O'Lachlan

The man who, in hindsight,they should have cast

Gerard Butler

I have to disagree on Love Is The Devil. I thought Craig played the part of Bacon's lover like an East End gangster. I actually think the best role for Craig was as a weary Sargent in the WWI film The Trench. I don't doubt that you had Craig pegged as a possible Bond (and think of the odds you could have got back then) but your view wasn't widespread. You may think this is a good thing that they have cast agaisnt type but I don't. Craig's casting has been divisive and I think that was predictable. I don't that is a good thing nor do I believe that all publicity is good publicity.

You are absolutely bang on when you say Craig's looks have triggered the complaints. Bingo. I know what I think Ian Fleming's Bond looks like and it isn't anything like Craig. He isn't the film Bond either. For me Craig is just too ordinary. I'm not a female Brosnan fanatic, which incidently is one of the great generalisations about fans who have trouble with Craig. I got into Bond through Timothy Dalton. My favourite film is OHMSS. I should like Craig but I don't and it all comes back to looks. I could buy Lazenby as Bond because he looked the part and could fight. Of course he had his faults but so did all of them. For me Craig falls short in the most basic and salient qualification: He looks nothing like any conception I have of James Bond, literary or cinematic.

As for Daniel Craig looking more like a killer. Perhaps he does. What does a killer actually look like? Call me mad but I thought there was a tangible cruelty in Brosnan's over handsome mug at times. I still think it was all systems go at some point for a young Bond film. I think Campbell wanted to find an unknown, Wilson wanted his Bond Begins thing onscreen, and Paul Haggis thought the script he had been asked to polish featured a 28 year-old Bond. At some point Barbara Broccoli threw Craig into the mix and compromised the whole thing. The more I think about a young unknown actor as Bond the more radical that idea seems.