740 replies to this topic

[Tybre]

This may be a heterodox opinion but I actually like the Venice house shootout and sinking scene in CR.

Who doesn't?

I'd imagine Herr Gettler, for starters.

[Judo chop]

The Venice House Shootout* is fine. Not great, but not bad. Maybe good.

It’s not really suspenseful, and that’s what holds it back. It’s a grand spectacle watching the building fall from the exterior, it’s got a refreshing, almost cavernous vibe with the cool blues in the interior which is nice, and Craig rocks the action.

But as a sequence it really doesn’t have any bite (where, I would argue, ALL of the action elsewhere else in the film does).

Is anybody actually afraid that the building is going to fall down on Bond? Are there any thugs here that pose a significant threat (or that present any personality at all)? Are we at all frightened for Bond’s life?

I’m not. I’m quite a bit removed from the character and feel as if I’m simply ‘watching an action sequence’. Which, as I said, is fine. CASINO ROYALE is an action movie after all, and the action is great. Great action is just not enough for a GREAT™ sequence.

*To be clear here, I’m defining the Venice House Shootout as being the sequence which starts with Bond shooting the floaty things, and concludes with the last thug dead.

[double o ego]

That and all the action in QoS has me feeling removed from Bond because I just don't sense the suspense and danger.

[Scottlee]

That Venice sequence isn't what I would call 'bad', but it's definitely 'average' at best, and in an otherwise great movie the average scenes tend to look 'bad'. For instance, if the Venice shootout was in Die Another Day I'd probably herald it as a down-to-earth gritty shootout devoid of invisible cars and solar powered weaponry. As it is, I find the sequence speeds along too quickly and with very little subtlety or tension.

[Cruiserweight]

I love that Moonraker is getting less & less hate.
It's not like they promised a hard edged Bond film & we got Moonraker.
They promised a big time blockbuster & they delivered.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

I love that Moonraker is getting less & less hate.
It's not like they promised a hard edged Bond film & we got Moonraker.
They promised a big time blockbuster & they delivered.

[SecretAgentFan]

To me, TSWLM and MR are maybe the most entertaining Bond films ever - pure escapism and feel good films.

OHMSS has the slowest setup and could easily have been tightened during the first hour.

TWINE has Brosnan´s best performance.

LALD is the ballsiest first Bond film for a new actor taking over the role.

Brosnan could easily have done two more films. If not three.

[Cruiserweight]

You put Dalton's Bond in a room with Craig's Bond to do combat Dalton's Bond is the one walking out.

[SecretAgentFan]

You put Dalton's Bond in a room with Craig's Bond to do combat Dalton's Bond is the one walking out.

Really? I think Craig´s Bond would fight so mean and bullish that Dalton would fold.

[sharpshooter]

You put Dalton's Bond in a room with Craig's Bond to do combat Dalton's Bond is the one walking out.

Really? I think Craig´s Bond would fight so mean and bullish that Dalton would fold.

Agreed. I think Dalton probably has the darker mood, but in terms of physicality, Craig is the man.

[Cruiserweight]

Craig is rough but if you take the Bond from Licence to Kill i think Craig's Bond would be done.

[Judo chop]

You put Dalton's Bond in a room with Craig's Bond to do combat Dalton's Bond is the one walking out.

I wish Dalton had a single decently choreographed straight-up fight as Bond for us to be able to predict an outcome with any hope of certainty.

As it stands, I can guarantee this: You put Dalton's Bond and Craig's Bond in a room decorated with a big, sharp fish... Dalton's Bond is the one sneaking out through a perfectly circular hole in the wall.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

I love that Moonraker is getting less & less hate.
It's not like they promised a hard edged Bond film & we got Moonraker.
They promised a big time blockbuster & they delivered.

Double

To me, TSWLM and MR are maybe the most entertaining Bond films ever - pure escapism and feel good films.

Love seeing more and more love for the unpretentious and delightful MR.

OHMSS has the slowest setup and could easily have been tightened during the first hour.

You might like this article, especially the "OHMSS 1967: THE STORY" part.

http://www.hmss.com/films/ohmss67/

You put Dalton's Bond in a room with Craig's Bond to do combat Dalton's Bond is the one walking out.

I have imagined an "alternate universe" From Russia With Love with Dalton as Bond battling Craig as Grant.

My unorthodox opinion:

The oil rig/helicopter battle finale on DAF isn't bad. I've often read this sequence is criticized as one of the biggest flaws of the picture. It's true that it's not as exciting as the final battles of it's 3 immediate predecessors(OHMSS, YOLT and TB) but I think it suits the light comical mood of the film and works fine in its context.

[Cruiserweight]

Brad Whitaker is a underrated Bond villain.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

Brad Whitaker is a underrated Bond villain.

True, but he was a pretty annoying sidekick (Jack Wade).

[double o ego]

The title music in the Brosnan era aren't memorable ala GF but I still think they're wonderul Bond themes.

Oh and I fail to see why the theme for LALD is regarded so highly.

[O.H.M.S.S.]

The title music in the Brosnan era aren't memorable ala GF but I still think they're wonderul Bond themes.

Oh and I fail to see why the theme for LALD is regarded so highly.

I agree 100 percent, Live and Let Die is not that great of a song.

I like all the songs from the Brosnan Era, Die Another Day is my least favourite Bond film, but I really like Madonna's song.

Edited by O.H.M.S.S., 17 September 2009 - 06:04 PM.

[DAN LIGHTER]

I absolutely love Moonraker. #2 overall for me.

I don't dispise any Bond film like many fans do. I enjoy them all - some more than others, obviously.

I like Madonna's Die Another Day theme.

Well said Qwerty in 2006! (I have come to this thread a bit late.)

I put AVTAK in my top 5 as well.

[Cruiserweight]

Brad Whitaker is a underrated Bond villain.

True, but he was a pretty annoying sidekick (Jack Wade).

True,but there's just something about Whitaker i like.
I think it's his obsession with war & his war room fight with Bond.

[double o ego]

Whitaker is a likable villain. He never came off as sadistic or maniacal (sp?)

[Cruiserweight]

Whitaker is a likable villain. He never came off as sadistic or maniacal (sp?)

Well i wouldn't say likeable but i wouldn't say evil either. He may have been a little nuts with the whole war thing but his & Koskov's main goal was greed & money.

[Tybre]

Brad Whitaker is a underrated Bond villain.

True, but he was a pretty annoying sidekick (Jack Wade).

True,but there's just something about Whitaker i like.
I think it's his obsession with war & his war room fight with Bond.

Personally I'd rank Whitaker as one of my favorites, along with Sanchez, Le Chiffre, and Dominic Greene. I much prefer the more normal villains with fairly normal schemes to hollow volcanos, castrating lasers, et cetera et cetera et cetera.

[Cruiserweight]

Brad Whitaker is a underrated Bond villain.

True, but he was a pretty annoying sidekick (Jack Wade).

True,but there's just something about Whitaker i like.
I think it's his obsession with war & his war room fight with Bond.

Personally I'd rank Whitaker as one of my favorites, along with Sanchez, Le Chiffre, and Dominic Greene. I much prefer the more normal villains with fairly normal schemes to hollow volcanos, castrating lasers, et cetera et cetera et cetera.

I like both Whitaker & Koskov. But Koskov is defintely on the weaker side. Not a bad villain but i think Whitaker should have been the main villain. When TLD gets saddled with the weak villains tag it's mostly because of Koskov in my opinion.

[O.H.M.S.S.]

I really like Jeroen Krabbé's performance, he made a realistic and a very charming villain.

"Caviar is just peasant food for us, but with champagne it's all right."

Wonderful line for a Russian general.

Edited by O.H.M.S.S., 18 September 2009 - 09:44 PM.

[Tybre]

Brad Whitaker is a underrated Bond villain.

True, but he was a pretty annoying sidekick (Jack Wade).

True,but there's just something about Whitaker i like.
I think it's his obsession with war & his war room fight with Bond.

Personally I'd rank Whitaker as one of my favorites, along with Sanchez, Le Chiffre, and Dominic Greene. I much prefer the more normal villains with fairly normal schemes to hollow volcanos, castrating lasers, et cetera et cetera et cetera.

I like both Whitaker & Koskov. But Koskov is defintely on the weaker side. Not a bad villain but i think Whitaker should have been the main villain. When TLD gets saddled with the weak villains tag it's mostly because of Koskov in my opinion.

Personally I quite like Koskov. I never really viewed him as a villain, per se, more as an accomplice, but I think Jeroen Krabbe delivers a wonderful performance. It would've been so easy to turn Koskov into a joke, but, for me at least, Georgi is an entirely believable character, and at the end of the day, that's what's most important.

[Cruiserweight]

Brad Whitaker is a underrated Bond villain.

True, but he was a pretty annoying sidekick (Jack Wade).

True,but there's just something about Whitaker i like.
I think it's his obsession with war & his war room fight with Bond.

Personally I'd rank Whitaker as one of my favorites, along with Sanchez, Le Chiffre, and Dominic Greene. I much prefer the more normal villains with fairly normal schemes to hollow volcanos, castrating lasers, et cetera et cetera et cetera.

I like both Whitaker & Koskov. But Koskov is defintely on the weaker side. Not a bad villain but i think Whitaker should have been the main villain. When TLD gets saddled with the weak villains tag it's mostly because of Koskov in my opinion.

Personally I quite like Koskov. I never really viewed him as a villain, per se, more as an accomplice

So you consider the main villain to be Whitaker?

[Aris007]

The title music in the Brosnan era aren't memorable ala GF but I still think they're wonderul Bond themes.

Agreed! Turner's song is easily the best of the era! Wonderfull lyrics and great music!

[Piz Gloria 1969]

Craig vs Dalton
Ali vs Tyson
Bruce Lee vs Norris

In the end we can only speculate....lmao !!

[Mr. Blofeld]

Bruce Lee vs Norris

In the end we can only speculate....lmao !!

Not on the last one, though:

[Piz Gloria 1969]

*giggles like Walken*

Zorin : "You amuse me , mr Blofeld"