7 replies to this topic

[Jack Spang]

What was a major disappointment for me was the abundance of humour. In the tense scenes like when Bond

[kneelbeforezod]

Couldn't disagree more about the humour, I was relieved that it was such a serious film overall, and that what jokes there were were witty and well written.

The torture scene, for me, is judged to perfection. I don't think audiences are taken out of the moment, because the humour is used to show Bond's character. The overall darkness of the scene is not undercut at all, as we are in no doubt that Bond is in agony.

Edited by kneelbeforezod, 24 December 2006 - 04:58 PM.

[J.C.D'Arc]

The torture scene rang a bit false to me, too, because of exactly the reasons Jack Spang has brought up. In fact, I agree with all the rest of Spang's constructive criticisms as well, with the caveat that an extra 6 minutes can make a lot of difference to theater owners if they have to forego scheduling another showing of the film. That can add up, especially if they have to do it twice, once for the 'matinee' showings and once for the evening shows. Then, multiply those losses by the number of screens it's being shown on in a 'multiplex' and you can see why filmmakers are often very strict with themselves on running times.

[annita]

I disagree with Jack Spang, what he describes as shortcomings , I actually find as strengths of Casino Royale.
One of the major complains is that Bond humor was cocky and brash, well..he was cocky and brash, he was also a stubborn who caused his superiors so much trouble, his humor in the torture scene was not meant to show Bond as a funny man, but to show defiance , and again ..to show cockiness and brashness. The scene never slipped into comedic humor, the tension was always maintained, the fact that Bond laughed at his captor told us a lot about his.
as for the rest of the funny lines, I never felt they were silly puns or un needed funny stuff, the dialoges were witty, smart, case in point the train scene, one of the best written scenes in a bond movie.James Bond is a smart witty person and it should show on screen.
I also disagree about your assessment of how good Casino Royale compared to other Bond films,I rank this as the best since OHMSS, in fact it is a better film simply because of the story and Daniel Craig.

[ComplimentsOfSharky]

[quote name='Jack Spang' post='675474' date='24 December 2006 - 06:01']I didn't like how Bond had a smirk on his face when saying his name at the end of the film. He didn't even look bothered by the fact that Vesper had just died, merely loose and relaxed without a care in the world. I would have expected him to be more serious and had a look of vengeance on his face.[/quote]

Personally I didn't even see a smirk until the second or third time around. He certainly didn't look relaxed and carefree...and if smirking at a man you just shot in the kneecap isn't vengeful, I don't know what is.

What did you want? Go back two scenes prior to when he's trying to break open the elevator door. There's quite a bit of emotion there. The end is Bond coming out on top...they learned their lesson with OHMSS.

[quote name='Jack Spang' post='675474' date='24 December 2006 - 06:01']I thought the film was to tightly cut in places.[/quote]

I agree with you here, I could've sat through that movie (all 4 times) had it been 30 minutes longer.

[quote name='Jack Spang' post='675474' date='24 December 2006 - 06:01']I missed how Bond didn

[Jack Spang]

[quote name='ComplimentsOfSharky' post='675658' date='25 December 2006 - 12:21'][quote name='Jack Spang' post='675474' date='24 December 2006 - 06:01']I missed how Bond didn

Edited by Jack Spang, 25 December 2006 - 04:17 AM.

[RazorBlade]

I disagree with Jack Spang, what he describes as shortcomings , I actually find as strengths of Casino Royale.
One of the major complains is that Bond humor was cocky and brash, well..he was cocky and brash, he was also a stubborn who caused his superiors so much trouble, his humor in the torture scene was not meant to show Bond as a funny man, but to show defiance , and again ..to show cockiness and brashness. The scene never slipped into comedic humor, the tension was always maintained, the fact that Bond laughed at his captor told us a lot about his.
as for the rest of the funny lines, I never felt they were silly puns or un needed funny stuff, the dialoges were witty, smart, case in point the train scene, one of the best written scenes in a bond movie.James Bond is a smart witty person and it should show on screen.
I also disagree about your assessment of how good Casino Royale compared to other Bond films,I rank this as the best since OHMSS, in fact it is a better film simply because of the story and Daniel Craig.

I totally agree. The jokes Bond cracks also were to make fun of Le Chiffre. It reminded me of the Chris Walken/Dennis Hopper scene in TRUE ROMANCE where DH's only hope of not giving up his son is force CW to go ahead and kill him. Hence the speech on the lineage of Scillians. DC's Bond knows he is trapped and that this torture could go on for hours unless he can stop it. I think DC's Bond might have, for a moment, wanted to die and he was trying to force Le Chiffre to kill him. Or was going in that direction.

Or it's 3 AM here and I'm nodding offfffff.....

[Jack Spang]

As I said, I have got over the dialogue in the torture sequence. It is understandable why Bond is talking like this. You'd think Bond would have had a little more trouble spitting out the words though considering what he is going through. He delivered the dialogue like he was taking a pleasant walk in the park - clear, with not a hint of strain. This scene should have lasted a bit longer and had cut to the barge outside to give the impression it had gone on the whole night as in the book.

I will never feel it was necessary for Bond to say "wouldn't dream of it" nor "are you alright?" after he was resuscitated in the Aston. I think they took this aspect of the character - using his cockiness to hide his feelings, to far. It just gives the audience lighthearted relief and takes them away from the shock factor. When Bond replied to Vesper at Lake Como, "you don't know what I can do with my little finger", this was also taking the humour to far.

I think in a Bond film you have to try harder to shock people and make them feel for Bond because people are so use to him never getting hurt and the abundance of humour in the films so they never take what they see quite as seriously as they would in a non Bond film. This is why I don't believe Bond should have smirked when he said his name at the end nor should he have cracked yet another joke after the poison scene.

Shame too that they cut out the scene with Bond on the stretcher as he went into the ambulance after the torture. Once again, this scene would have reinforced how hurt Bond really was. Instead he sat in a wheel chair for a couple of minutes then made aggressive love to Vesper in the hospital room. What a stupid unnecessary scene to have. Typical clich