32 replies to this topic

[dodge]

Is CR a formula Bond flick? If so, it sould reflect the goal of maximum profit with minimum risk. The fewer surprises, the better.

Or does it belong in the Yeah, Baby camp? YBs simply love to surprise us, making old conventions new, putting the swivel back in creaking hips.

Let's add up the Yeah, Baby moments and see. I'll begin with two:
1) Solange's death. We're primed for a Goldfinger replay, Craig gazing at her as if she were Jill. Instead, our man's looking at crab food.
2) The bulldozer scene. We expect Goldeneye's tank chase again. But it's over in seconds, just one more scrapped tack.

Where were you Yeah, Babied too?

[00Twelve]

Well, twice we were teased by the setup for some long-running Aston action, and twice the scene turned out quite differently from what might have been expected. In good ways.

[dodge]

Well, twice we were teased by the setup for some long-running Aston action, and twice the scene turned out quite differently from what might have been expected. In good ways.

Right, and the Aston had only one gadget--a pretty unusual one for James Bond.

[dodge]

In an effort to keep this alive...

The PTS was an extended YB moment. Despite all the pre-exposure on the Web, that black-and-white, pumped sequence rocked. In all the 20 prior films we'd never seen anything like it.

[RazorBlade]

Would intelligent dialogue between Bond and Vesper count? At least I said, "Yeah Baby!" when I saw and heard it.

[Sbott]

In an effort to keep this alive...

The PTS was an extended YB moment. Despite all the pre-exposure on the Web, that black-and-white, pumped sequence rocked. In all the 20 prior films we'd never seen anything like it.

Whilst I don't like the title song the images going with it were great and the YB moment was right at the end of it when the image turns into James Bond as he moves to the front of the shot. The whole audience were collectively wowed.

Edited by Sbott, 03 July 2007 - 10:08 AM.

[dodge]

Would intelligent dialogue between Bond and Vesper count? At least I said, "Yeah Baby!" when I saw and heard it.

It does count. Absolutely. In itself and because the level of the dialogue was far higher than anything we'd expect from a formula movie. Thank you.

[byline]

In an effort to keep this alive...

The PTS was an extended YB moment. Despite all the pre-exposure on the Web, that black-and-white, pumped sequence rocked. In all the 20 prior films we'd never seen anything like it.

Whilst I don't like the title song the images going with it were great and the YB moment was right at the end of it when the image turns into James Bond as he moves to the front of the shot. The whole audience were collectively wowed.

I didn't like the song on first listen, but it has steadily grown on me with subsequent viewings of the film so that now I love it. I also loved the part in the opening titles where two bullet holes line up to the left of the 7 on the playing card, and then we see the computer text saying that Bond has been approved double-O status. Both my husband and I had an "Oh, yeah!" moment right then. Maybe it seems too obvious to other people, but for both of us, the stylized animation and graphics in those opening titles were magnificent, and did a wonderful job of telling that part of the story visually.

I agree with both of you. Craig nailed the pre-title sequence. With "Yes . . . considerably," I was convinced. I stopped thinking about watching a new actor playing Bond, and settled right in to watching James Bond. I never gave it a second thought. And then, the spectacular opening titles just put an exclamation mark on everything, so that when the parkour chase scene started, I was ready.

[Judo chop]

Bond pops a cap in Mollaka.

Were this Bond 1967 through 2005, he

[dodge]

A note on the opening titles, with thanks to Sbott and byline:

How interesting that one of the grittiest Bond films ever should begin with animated titles--after one of the most cartoonish Bonds, DAD, began with maybe the grittiest title sequence. Our expectations got tweaked again. Smack dab, thereafter, into stunning black and white and a pair of graphic kills.

[00Twelve]

I'm gonna call the entire stairwell fight a "yeah, baby." I hadn't seen a fight that graphic and furious since FRWL. Yes, I felt it more violent that the Trevelyan fight and the OHMSS hotel room fight. There is one shot where Bond's head smacks against the wall, and for the first time since...(ever?) I actually grimaced. Kudos for a good fight once again.

[Judo chop]

Straight from the pages of Fleming (detail-mongers please hold your peace for a moment) we have Bond stripped naked, humbled, scared and this time with plenty of beating around the bush.

Who ever thought we

[MHazard]

In addition to the others already mentioned (PTS and torture):

"Mr. White we have to talk" (maybe we should have expected this but it rocked)

"The bitch is dead" (Ian Fleming returns to a Bond movie)

and, Bond loses it all to LeChiffre and is betrayed by a girl.

[autquisest]

I hope I won

[Agent Spriggan Ominae]

Here's two I'll add.

1. The fate of the avation fuel truck from the MIA sequence. Fuel tankers usually don't fair to well in Bond films or action films in general. They most often go up in a huge, spectacular, firey explosion. Here we have a tanker that's been turned into a makeshift bomb and to top it all off someone winds up turning the tank into swiss chesse spraying fuel all over. That right there would normally be the nail in the coffin. It's no longer a question of if they will blow it up but when and how. I'm sure alot of explosion junkies would have thought that, however that wouldn't be the case.

After all the destrution on the tarmac the tanker just skids to a stop mere feet from it's target and then nothing happens to it. Then they pull a last minute tease where it's looks like we may still get the "mandatory" Bond film exlosion set peice finale where vehicles are detonating left and right culminating in a massive blast. Instead we get a brilliant compromise and lovely new twist on the usual explosive climax that also manges to reference the single explosion that was in the original novel.

2. The demise of Le Chiffre. This was one of the few things that I thought would be changed for a film adaption. I give props to EON for sticking to their guns and keeping that. They could have found someway to save Le Chiffre's demise for the end like they do in your usual Bond films but they really did stick to the original story and it pays off. It comes out of no where in the novel and it's the same in the film. Le Chiffre is the major villain up to that point then just like that he's removed and then you're left going "Now what?" It keeps the audience on their toes thrying tof igure out what's going to happen next. Is it over? Bond and Vesper will be happily ever after? etc.

[byline]

A note on the opening titles, with thanks to Sbott and byline:

How interesting that one of the grittiest Bond films ever should begin with animated titles--after one of the most cartoonish Bonds, DAD, began with maybe the grittiest title sequence. Our expectations got tweaked again. Smack dab, thereafter, into stunning black and white and a pair of graphic kills.

And I thought the segue from black-and-white into striking color for the titles was another stroke of brilliance. We went from this dark, gritty pre-title sequence into a richly hued fantasy world of animated baddies and swirling cards, all of which set up what was to come. And, for me, the song lyrics perfectly captured the story, without telling us everything. Oh, yeah!

[tdalton]

A note on the opening titles, with thanks to Sbott and byline:

How interesting that one of the grittiest Bond films ever should begin with animated titles--after one of the most cartoonish Bonds, DAD, began with maybe the grittiest title sequence. Our expectations got tweaked again. Smack dab, thereafter, into stunning black and white and a pair of graphic kills.

And I thought the segue from black-and-white into striking color for the titles was another stroke of brilliance. We went from this dark, gritty pre-title sequence into a richly hued fantasy world of animated baddies and swirling cards, all of which set up what was to come. And, for me, the song lyrics perfectly captured the story, without telling us everything. Oh, yeah!

The PTS and the gun barrel are quite possibly the most amazing few minutes in the entire franchise. I've got that and Bond's interrogation of Pushkin in TLD as the two best scenes in the franchise, but it's hard to say which one is better than the other. And Cornell's song is near perfect and is easily the best title track we've had since FYEO.

Also, I don't know if this quite fits in with the original idea of the thread or not, but I absolutely loved the way that Craig delivered "Bond, James Bond". The best delivery of the line out of however many times it's been said in the franchise.

[byline]

The PTS and the gun barrel are quite possibly the most amazing few minutes in the entire franchise. I've got that and Bond's interrogation of Pushkin in TLD as the two best scenes in the franchise, but it's hard to say which one is better than the other. And Cornell's song is near perfect and is easily the best title track we've had since FYEO.

Also, I don't know if this quite fits in with the original idea of the thread or not, but I absolutely loved the way that Craig delivered "Bond, James Bond". The best delivery of the line out of however many times it's been said in the franchise.

Completely agree with you on all points, including that Dalton scene in "The Living Daylights." If someone is hired by his government to kill, then there should be no uncertainty that he fully intends to do so when necessary. Both Craig and Dalton delivered on that count; their Bond had a convincing menace unmatched, IMO, by other actors in the franchise. Even Connery. I was convinced that Connery's Bond would kill, but for different reasons. His approach was cold and calculating. So were Craig's and Dalton's, but I just felt that added edge of menace more strongly with them . . . especially Dalton.

[dodge]

The surprise placement of The Line. The ads should've included in a warning: If you think you may suffer from prolonged arousal while waiting for The Line, consult with your physician.

[vavu007]

How about the fact that Bond doesn't actually have sex with Solenge? In any Moore era movie Bond would have booked a later flight, ordered for two, and spent the time in her arms. Instead we get a bit of foreplay rolling on the floor (with Bond using the time to question her about her husband) then Bond is off to Miami. A serious moment indeed.

[jaguar007]

A big YB moment came right after the stgairwell fight when Bond guzzles his drink as he takes off his shirt and cleanes the blood off of himself. I moment right out of Fleming that we have never seen in the films before.

[Flash1087]

...After all the destrution on the tarmac the tanker just skids to a stop mere feet from it's target and then nothing happens to it. Then they pull a last minute tease where it's looks like we may still get the "mandatory" Bond film exlosion set peice finale where vehicles are detonating left and right culminating in a massive blast. Instead we get a brilliant compromise and lovely new twist on the usual explosive climax that also manges to reference the single explosion that was in the original novel...

You know, I never really thought of it that way, in a reference to the novel's solitary blast involving the Bulgarians. Was that ever mentioned as intended by the filmmakers?

[Santa]

We see Bond make himself sick. It's a little bit more visceral, or more human than we're used to. In the past we haven't always seen the consequences of actions but CR really shows us cause and effect.

[dodge]

[quote name='Judo chop' post='752318' date='3 July 2007 - 18:37']Bond pops a cap in Mollaka.
Were this Bond 1967 through 2005, he

[Judo chop]

[quote name='dodge' post='752955' date='6 July 2007 - 08:52'][quote name='Judo chop' post='752318' date='3 July 2007 - 18:37']Bond pops a cap in Mollaka.
Were this Bond 1967 through 2005, he

[dodge]

[quote name='Judo chop' post='752965' date='6 July 2007 - 14:23'][quote name='dodge' post='752955' date='6 July 2007 - 08:52'][quote name='Judo chop' post='752318' date='3 July 2007 - 18:37']Bond pops a cap in Mollaka.
Were this Bond 1967 through 2005, he

[byline]

Me, I like it better as is because it seems at least half the reason Bond caps him is because Mollaka out-ran him.

Really? I felt Bond assessed the situation and knew his only way of escaping with Mollaka's knapsack (and the clues it contained) was to shoot him and then the tanks. He knew he wouldn't be able to get any information from Mollaka, himself, as planned, so he decided the world was a better place less one bomber.

[dodge]

Me, I like it better as is because it seems at least half the reason Bond caps him is because Mollaka out-ran him.

Really? I felt Bond assessed the situation and knew his only way of escaping with Mollaka's knapsack (and the clues it contained) was to shoot him and then the tanks. He knew he wouldn't be able to get any information from Mollaka, himself, as planned, so he decided the world was a better place less one bomber.

Especially one who could outrun him anyday.

[Santa]

I prefer it that Bond can't beat everyone at everything. While he is a highly trained individual, I wouldn't expect him to be the best at everything and find it far more believable and interesting to see him have to use his wits and native cunning to come out on top.

[Judo chop]

I'll give Mollaka the credit for being the better runner in a straight away, or through an obstacle course. But, in the field, when it's all on the line, Bond won.

There's a Sean Connery quote from NSNA that would be just a perfect wrap up to my thought on the subject, but I can't quite recall... something about how training cannot accurately simulate what goes on in the field...

help?