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Ian Flemings source material


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#1 Blabbermouth

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 10:34 AM

All this talk on these boards about what to expect from the future DC Bond-films have made me thing about the material that has not been transferred onto the screen yet.

Just for the record, I'm all for remaking the films adapting the novels faithfully in the same manner as Casino Royale - with that film there is a unique opportunity to really show Ian Fleming's James Bond.

Even if as expected the films will not be remade, there is tons of unused stuff that could be used. The following list is based on what has not already been made. Now we all know that all the titles of the novels have been used, and most of the lead characters' names as well. From Russia With Love, Dr. No, Goldfinger, Thunderball and On Her Majesty

#2 Mr Teddy Bear

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 11:09 AM

Not sure if this is true, but I read that when Fleming sold the film rights to EoN, Fleming stipulated that The Spy Who Love Me was not to be adapted to a film.

#3 Blabbermouth

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 11:30 AM

I think that is true. Cubby received special permission to use the title

#4 stamper

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 11:57 AM

I may be easy to turn over, ie they can use elements from the story, in another film, but not under the same title. I'm sure any lawyer could handle this one. The Motel and Bond coming in and saving the girl could be part of a bigger story perhaps. Note that they used Horror aka Jaws from this novel already.

#5 Roebuck

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 11:58 AM

Personally, I didn

#6 spynovelfan

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 12:11 PM

The problem with COLONEL SUN is that Bond teamed up with female agents with different ideologies in both THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and TOMORROW NEVER DIES, Greece was heavily featured in FYEO, M was kidnapped in TWINE, DAD had a villain called Colonel Moon and we've just seen a very sadistic torture scene. What else is there to film in that book? Lots of scenes of James Bond sitting on a hill? :)

#7 Blabbermouth

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 12:18 PM

The problem with COLONEL SUN is that Bond teamed up with female agents with different ideologies in both THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and TOMORROW NEVER DIES, Greece was heavily featured in FYEO, M was kidnapped in TWINE, DAD had a villain called Colonel Moon and we've just seen a very sadistic torture scene. What else is there to film in that book? Lots of scenes of James Bond sitting on a hill? :)

I agree it seems that the producers and writers have looked at elements from Colonel Sun and used the ideas.

#8 stamper

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 01:44 PM

Hey Roebuck, FYEO and LTK are my fave 80's bond LOL !

#9 ComplimentsOfSharky

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 02:08 PM

The problem with COLONEL SUN is that Bond teamed up with female agents with different ideologies in both THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and TOMORROW NEVER DIES, Greece was heavily featured in FYEO, M was kidnapped in TWINE, DAD had a villain called Colonel Moon and we've just seen a very sadistic torture scene. What else is there to film in that book? Lots of scenes of James Bond sitting on a hill? :)


With an Enfield. God help them if they leave out the Enfield. Flemming would be spinning in Kingsfield Ambler's grave....


Colonel Sun has indeed been dried out. All in all I think most of Fleming's material has been used in one way or another... We've got a few good titles left and some nice character names but that's about it. Really, I'd say the only story elements worth adapting would be AVTAK in some way and the concluding chapters of YOLT.

#10 spynovelfan

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 02:19 PM

Agreed. There's also that Bond novel set in South Africa. Involves the Treasury and Bond going rogue. Might be good. :)

Being serious (or at least, not repeating myself), there are a few unused ideas and titles and character names in Fleming's notebooks. I mean, they used Solange, which is pretty bloody obscure.

#11 ComplimentsOfSharky

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 02:29 PM

Agreed. There's also that Bond novel set in South Africa. Involves the Treasury and Bond going rogue. Might be good. :)


They could call it Licence Revoked!!!

Being serious (or at least, not repeating myself), there are a few unused ideas and titles and character names in Fleming's notebooks. I mean, they used Solange, which is pretty bloody obscure.


Ah indeed, I'd forgotten about that stuff!

#12 Roebuck

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 02:29 PM

Hey Roebuck, FYEO and LTK are my fave 80's bond LOL !


Hey, I don

#13 00Twelve

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 02:38 PM

I think one of the most valuable and still-useful elements of Fleming that was left out is the death of Mr. Big. The only substantial villain we've seen die this way is Killifer in LTK (and that was more like The Robber than Mr. Big). I'd love to see this adapted, following Le Chiffre's ultra-realistic death.

A few other gems still to be pilfered:
- The horse race/mudbath sequence in DAF
- Snooping in Goldfinger's house
- The garden of death in YOLT
- The blowtorch torture in MR
- Solitaire's real name, and plenty of other names & characters
- The fruit basket ploy in DN
- The jungle hunt in TMWTGG (very "Most Dangerous Game"-like)
- Several titles

So there is actually plenty to use still.

#14 spynovelfan

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 02:43 PM

- The jungle hunt in TMWTGG (very "Most Dangerous Game"-like)


Well, they did that one in OCTOPUSSY. Not well, admittedly, but Wilson even says on the DVDs that they had THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME in mind. (Incidentally, I think Fleming's DR NO also used that story: Bond has a lavish dinner with the villain, and he is then sent on an obstacle course for his life - and Honey's, of course.)

#15 00Twelve

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 02:47 PM

I meant the "cat and mouse" aspect...you know. One on one. I truly hope they wouldn't think the "hunt" in Octopussy does that justice.

#16 Mister Asterix

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 03:08 PM

[quote name='Blabbermouth' post='659069' date='29 November 2006 - 04:34']
Moonraker
Except the name Hugo Drax and Moonraker, nothing else survived in the worst Bond movie ever. The plot and even the leading girl Gala Brand were nowhere to be seen. A good novel full of characterisation similar to what is being done with DC

#17 spynovelfan

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 03:30 PM

They have used most of it now, haven't they? I agree that what it takes is a good writer to see another twist on some of this stuff, if you're going to use any of it at all.

There are a few things they did not use from the novel CR - the Bulgarians spring to mind. And they've never used QUANTUM OF SOLACE. I wonder if you couldn't have a Bond girl with a similar background (perhaps with a villain)? Mathis (say) could introduce Bond to her, and once she's left tell the tale (quite quickly, obviously). Or something. As I say, you'd need a good writer. :)

I also think there's quite a bit of material to be used in Bond's obituary. You could have Bond climbing, and have flashbacks to the death of his parents, for example. It's now been established )for the first time?) in the films that he is an orphan. You could have a plot centring around Bond discovering something about Andrew Bond, for example - that would be pretty Flemingish, and could suit Craig. The opening chapter of GOLDEN GUN would also be great to see. I saw that mentioned somewhere and someone said it would be too much like the betrayal of Jim Phelps's character in M:I. It's in Fleming's book! I'd love to see Bond trying to kill M - he's already broken into her flat. :P

#18 David Schofield

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 03:50 PM

Of course, there's a wealth of stuff in a Flemimg story no one mentioned yet, 007 in New York.

You could easily fit in the idea of Bond grumbling as he queues at Customs in New York, plans a shoppong trip in the Big Apple, arranges a date with a shopgirl, and then has a mission aborted from under him.

I don't think any of that's been used in a Bond movie before.

Oh, and as a parrellel to the exiting discovery of the contents of the Vesper martini revealed recently in CR, you could also chuck in Bond's ccoking recipe for scrambled eggs.

As Spy has pointed out in above posts, all it would take is a good writer.

:)

#19 Taylor

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 04:16 PM

I think the real gold nugget that has the most potential is what spynovelfan mentioned: Bond coming into MI6 to assassinate M. The idea of Bond becoming bad somehow is an interesting one, whether that's through brainwashing or some other manner. If they used it in a movie, obviously Bond shouldn't be bad for the duration of the film (that's not what I'm suggesting). But the fact that his head has been messed with in some capacity early on could add an element of uncertainty to the remainder of the story. The filmmakers could play into Bond's own doubts about whether or not he has fully recovered, or the villan could try to exploit those doubts in some manner. In any event, the idea certainly carries the potential of a very satisfying character arc and DC would have more meat to chew on.

#20 EyesOnly

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 04:27 PM

It was stated that Bond was an orphan in Goldeneye between Bond and Trevelyan!