I`m splitting this review into two parts, because it`s just so long to read. Part two follows as soon as I can type it.
The special began with Craig, sporting a beard and moustache, and looking very dapper in a grey suit and waistcoat, being interviewed sitting on one of those director chairs.
CRAIG: When I became an actor, I never fantasised about playing James Bond. As a kid, yeah, but that was being James bond, that was something else, that was (laughs) fantasy.
A narrator mentioned that after a two year search, and months of speculation, EON announced Craig to the media as the new Bond on 14th October 2005.
Over this narration were shots of the media and their cameras, Wilson and Broccoli taking their seats at the unvailing and bizzarely, a long shot of the boat that brought Craig to the press conference, but no close up of him!!
We then saw a shot of Craig firing the gun from the gunbarrel and then more shots of Wilson and Broccoli as the narrator went on to say that, for the producers this unvailing was a culmination of events which started over 6 years ago, when they finaly secured the rights to the Casino Royale novel.
The narrator makes a gaff by saying that "the 1963 (sic) film Dr. No, is credited as the first James Bond movie..." and goes on to say that the character made his screen debut almost a decade earlier. We then see Babs who takes over by explaining that Casino Royale the novel was made into a television play in America, and mentions Barry Nelson`s casting.
She explained that because of the TV play, the rights were tied up and when Cubby Broccoli and Saltzman made the deal with Fleming for the Bond series, they couldn`t acquire those rights. She added that those that had the rights made the Casino Royale film in 1967, which was a spoof and said that it was a precursor to Austin Powers. In her mind the book had never been done properly.
We then see Wilson, minus beard and moustache, for the first time.
WILSON: We got into a law suit with SONY pictures in 1997, and as part of the resolution of that law suit, we got a hold of the rights, and so we were sitting round saying what do we wanna do for the next film, it seemed like this was the great opportunity, the opportunity had been missed all the way along and we could finally make Casino Royale the way it should be.
The narrator goes on to say that the producers decided from the outset that they wanted to remain as faithful as possible to Fleming`s original novel, and that this is Bond at the beginning of his career, which automatically rules out Pierce Brosnan to play the part of 007.
We now see Campbell for the first time.
CAMPBELL: Having decided to do the book, it`s supposed to be Bond when he just gets his 00 licence, and Pierce is, er..too old for that.
After the narrator tells the audience that Campbell directed Brosnan`s first Bond film, Campbell goes on:
CAMPBELL; Clearly, someone else had to do it, because, um, we needed someone younger.
Broccoli and Wilson, (now with beard and moustache) are seen side by side, but it`s Babs who does the talking. She mentions that when they decided they were going to make CR, the biggest challenge was trying to find an actor who could play Bond at the beginning of his career as a double-0.
DEBBIE McWILLIAMS (casting director): One of the very first names that came up in discussion was Daniel Craig.
We then get a potted history of Craig`s acting career, from Our friends in the North, upto Tomb Raider and Road to Pedition.
DEBBIE McWILLIAMS: Barbara Broccoli, the producer said, "What do you think of him?" I said I think he`s fantastic. (beat) For Bond? And she went, "Well, yes, what else?"
The narrator mentions Craig`s unique looks and acting style and goes on to say what other films he had done, citing Slyvia, Layer Cake and Munich.
CAMPBELL: I was rather like Debbie, (casting director) I wasn`t sure because I had to get out of my mind set that it was Pierce or Roger Moore, or whatever. We had, you know, a different tone to the story.
CRAIG: It was completely from left field. I just didn`t see myself doing it. I didn`t see myself taking on something like this because I had other ideas, other things I wanted to do as an actor. Probably because of the fear of the unknown, as much as anything, because unless you get involved in something like this, you don`t know what it takes to make a movie like this.
He added:
CRAIG: I kinda figured they were covering their bases, they needed to talk to as many people as possible, and see what reaction they were gonna get. And I just considered myself to be part of that process and, very nice, thank you very much but, you know. Ha. Ha. let`s move on. And they weren`t. They were serious. (laughs)
BROCCOLI: The character that Ian Fleming created is a very complex character, and has been played obviously by many actors, and each one of those actors has sort of focused on different elements and for this particular one, we thought Daniel was the right guy.
It`s mentioned that by Sept 2005, the producers finally had a script that they felt truely represented the book.
CAMPBELL: You know, it`s a harder script. It`s a much more realistic script that goes back to From Russia With Love.
Paul Haggis is then interviewed.
HAGGIS: I love the idea of someone becoming James Bond, and seeing that journey, but also emotionally what it took to become James Bond, because the Bond we know is someone who is emotionally shut off, and certainly Fleming talks about that in his book.
CRAIG: The script was very exciting to read. I saw potential that I hadn`t thought of before, and I saw other things that could be put into the film, which I thought other people hadn`t seen before. So, all of those things just tied in and it became from that point onwards, it was, there was no turning back.
It`s then mentioned that Craig was odds on favourite to take the part, but the producers still had to convince the studio. They needed to see that he was up to the role.
Over this narration we see a website quoting odds on the actors favourite to take the part, with Craig at 1/3, followed by Julian McMahon at 4/1, Clive Owen at 6/1, Hugh Jackman at 10/1 and both Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor at 12/1.
We hear from the narrator that in September 2005 Craig, along with four other actors, (not mentioned) was invited to Pinewood Studios to film a screentest.
We then see Campbell, (filmed at the screentest itself) saying:
CAMPBELL: Well, I must say the tests that we are doing are fairly elaborate tests, and we`re doing sort of a couple of major scenes, to be honest.
We see a dark haired girl in a trouser suit, in what looks like a hotel room, walk away from a camera and turn to face someone, (we don`t see who).
Craig then does a voiceover whilst we see the crew preparing to get everything ready for the tests.
CRAIG VOICEOVER: They need to see what they are getting themselves in for. You gotta go see if you can do it.
We then see a soundstage, with the camera rolling on one of the tests, but the TV camera filming this is very far away, and though we see two men in hand to hand combat, it`s hard to make out who`s doing the test, although one of the guys DOES have light hair, so it COULD have been Craig.
(I would imagine this would have been the hotel fight scene from OHMSS. This has been used before when screen testing a new Bond).
Craig continuing the story but in the present.
CRAIG: That was a day that really was tricky, because that was a full day`s filming and I think that at the end of that, I, that was a realisation that suddenly, "Oh, God, what am I doing?"
We then see a number of newspaper articles proclaiming Craig as the new Bond.
CRAIG VOICEOVER: Barbara wanted to tell me herself, and, em, I had already said I had gone out shopping, and was somewhere else, and had moved on, then the phone call and she sort of went, "Over to you kiddo." And that was it.
We see the press launch again, and the narrator mentions over these scenes that even with several A list movies under his belt, Craig had managed to keep a reasonably low profile with the press - until now, (the press launch)
Craig takes over the story.
CRAIG: I woke up in the morning and got driven down to HMS Belfast, where the Royal Marines were waiting. (laughs). Sorry, I haven`t actually thought about it, or spoken to anyone about it.
We then see a Major Paul Kearney of the Royal Marines saying:
KEARNEY: We got three ridge raiders (?) (boats I assume) down there, and er, we`re gonna give him his opportunity to arrive on the scene as James Bond, with a little bit of panache.
We then see Craig first in suit and sunglasses, walking to and getting onto the boat and shaking hands with Kearney. We then see Craig look at a camera that is on the boat and he says, "Yes, mate?" A reporter asks him how he`s feeling.
CRAIG: Oh, you know. Ask me in an hour`s time, (and he smiles).
Over scenes of Craig getting ready to depart in the boat, he carries on.
CRAIG: (still talking to the reporter) I`m pinching myself, basically. (then) I gotta go. (the reporter says "good luck, I`ll see you later" and Craig replies, "cheers, mate.")
Over more scenes of Craig getting ready to depart, there`s another voiceover from Campbell.
CAMPBELL: They`re be all, you know, a ravenous media wanting to pass judgement on, you know, as always with Bond. That`s what happens. You`re guilty until proven innocent.
We then see all the boats going towards HMS Belfast.
CRAIG VOICEOVER: I`m just glad that I didn`t fall off. I mean, that`s really the only thing that really matters. And if I had fallen off I would have swam to the other shore, and said "Thanks. Good night. I had a go but it didn`t work." (smiles).
The interviewer then asks "You had a life vest on?"
Craig smiles and says.
CRAIG: Oh, yeah. That was, kind of, apparantly a sign that I couldn`t swim, or something.
We then see a caption which reads: Earlier...
A Marine is talking to Craig, saying that he has to put the vest on in case he falls off and knocks himself out, and Craig agrees. He then puts on the vest.
CRAIG: I should have worn arm bands. (beat) Orange arm bands. It would have been a much better look.
Craig departs the boat and walks up the gangway onto HMS Belfast where he faces a mass of photographers.
We then cut to the press conference itself and hear a couple of questions being asked, which Craig answers.
The anchor man at the conference tells everybody that they have now finished and "tries" to ask Craig one final question:
ANCHOR MAN: Daniel, time has actually run out, but can I ask you one final -. You`ve been now exposed here. Do you, in a sense, have any worry -
CRAIG (cutting in): About feeling uncomfortable? No! (laughs)
The audience gives him a round of applause and there`s a fade out.
INTERMISSION
PART TWO FOLLOWS.
Edited by Auric64, 08 November 2006 - 04:15 PM.
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