30 replies to this topic

[Gri007]

Can you belive it that it is a year today since Daniel Craig made his debut at Bond. James Bond

[00Twelve]

And a good day it is.

CR was amazing.

[Skudor]

I accidentally watched about 5 minutes of Happy Feet that day as the theatre had moved CR to a different screen.

It's always a great day when a new Bond flick comes out - with DAD I was dissappointed (for the first time). With CR I was just excited!

[Qwerty]

Check out our KKBB perpsective article: http://commanderbond.net/article/4649

[sharpshooter]

One year on, how time flies. Casino Royale is absolutely brilliant.

[Turn]

It's also important to note the two years since Craig was announced as Bond, to the actual opening of the film itself to now. Probably the most interesting time in Bond history, save for maybe the Battle of the Bonds years of 82-83.

In short, it's a great time to be a Bond fan.

[MicroGlobeOne]

The moment I saw this thread's title, before I'd even clicked on it, I paused for a moment, a bit stunned that it's already been a year since Casino Royale's release. Wow. Indeed, it's hard to fathom. Of course, my opinion of it hasn't changed. As others have noted, I still feel that the film's postively brilliant.

It is, indeed, "a great time to be a Bond fan"

Edited by MicroGlobeOne, 17 November 2007 - 04:54 AM.

[RazorBlade]

Cheers everybody! This is the best time to be a Bond fan!

Many happy returns (money and otherwise) the the players, staff, crew and talent of CR and Bond 22.

[jaguar007]

I just can't wait for the next year to fly by so I can see Bond 22

[Professor Dent]

I just can't wait for the next year to fly by so I can see Bond 22

One year is hard to believe. I'm excited that the window on production will be opening soon. I hope the first teaser trailer isn't attached in front of a crappy movie.

[Skudor]

I can't believe it's already two years Craig was announced!

[Andrew]

I can't believe it's already two years Craig was announced!

Indeed. It's weird to think that he's already been 007 for two years.

[DaveBond21]

Well, we had to wait a tortorous 3 weeks more here in Australia, until December 7th, but yes, it's a year already!!

And only one year until Bond 22 comes out!!

[Qwerty]

I hope the first teaser trailer isn't attached in front of a crappy movie.

Bond fans will discover it on the internet first anyways.

[DaveBond21]

I hope the first teaser trailer isn't attached in front of a crappy movie.

Bond fans will discover it on the internet first anyways.

That's true!! I remember how excited I was to see the Casino Royale trailer for the first time - with no sound, the first time, as I was at work - it was great!

[Qwerty]

Exactly.

[sharpshooter]

That's true!! I remember how excited I was to see the Casino Royale trailer for the first time - with no sound, the first time, as I was at work - it was great!

The first time I viewed the Casino Royale trailer was at school in the computer labs, without sound. Computers were restricted to use for work only, and my amazement to what I was seeing made 'oohhs and ahhhs' to the curious looks of everyone around.

[ACE]

I hope the first teaser trailer isn't attached in front of a crappy movie.

Bond fans will discover it on the internet first anyways.

Oui, en fran

[Royal Dalton]

Oh, yeah. Forgot that. Strangely brilliant, wasn't it.

[DaveBond21]

Always remember hearing the choral version of the James Bond Theme at the end of the trailer and getting tingles.

[Skudor]

Yeah the first trailer is always a huge thing. It'll be quite a few months until then i'm afraid. Some stills from set are more likely.

What will they do in terms of a website, what with there being no title. When will the set one up?

[Professor Dent]

Always remember hearing the choral version of the James Bond Theme at the end of the trailer and getting tingles.

Yeah - I did a double take when I first heard it. I still think the Casino Royale trailers are some of the best of the series.

[DaveBond21]

Always remember hearing the choral version of the James Bond Theme at the end of the trailer and getting tingles.

Yeah - I did a double take when I first heard it. I still think the Casino Royale trailers are some of the best of the series.

I agree. I also liked the old movies get the Casino Royale-style treatment on trailers on youtube.

[HH007]

Today is one year to the day that I went to see CR for the second time. Yeah, this movie made me a born again Bond fan. It's was really great to see how the CRAIGNOTBOND crowd was almost completely silenced. (Sadly I had to stick an "almost" in there )

But yes, ladies and gents, it's only one year until the unveiling of the next one. Let the countdown begin!

Always remember hearing the choral version of the James Bond Theme at the end of the trailer and getting tingles.

Yeah - I did a double take when I first heard it. I still think the Casino Royale trailers are some of the best of the series.

Yeah, too bad those trailers aren't on the DVD.

[Nicolas Suszczyk]

Ditto.

[DaveBond21]

Today is one year to the day that I went to see CR for the second time. Yeah, this movie made me a born again Bond fan. It's was really great to see how the CRAIGNOTBOND crowd was almost completely silenced. (Sadly I had to stick an "almost" in there )

But yes, ladies and gents, it's only one year until the unveiling of the next one. Let the countdown begin!

Always remember hearing the choral version of the James Bond Theme at the end of the trailer and getting tingles.

Yeah - I did a double take when I first heard it. I still think the <span class="film">Casino Royale</span> trailers are some of the best of the series.

Yeah, too bad those trailers aren't on the DVD.

The trailers should be on the DVD I agree, plus the entire press conference from October 2005 should be on too.

[Keir]

After a year, and reading many of the comments here and at IMDB, I've been reconsidering the film afresh. Thinking back, when I first saw the trailer, I was mesmerised. The film seemed to breathe new life into the franchise and take it into an exciting direction. While for me Brosnan exemplified Bond in terms of suavity, humour and self-confidence, the films degenerated into self-parody, particularly the last Brosnan outing. While I admit I love Casino Royale, I'm beginning to believe as a Bond film it is over-hyped. Of course this film which I've seen an half-dozen times already shakes (pardon the pun) the Bond franchise up which is why I was quickly taken over by it. However, I would submit that it was more because of the novelty rather than appreciation for what it is threatening to do with Bond that influenced me. Let me make the analogy: I loved Batman as a kid and had an impressive collection. I was deeply influenced by The Dark Knight Returns because it turns the myth on its head (the forward to my leather-bound edition had a preface by Alan Moore dissecting myths such as Bond, who he describes as one with "a contempt and hatred for women.)" I don't accept this as part of the 'canon.' I would never have wanted Batman to become this neo-fascist vigilante, or want Superman to be little more than a covert terror weapon for the US. But I enjoyed it for the novelty sake. Just as I enjoy showing my history class "Red Son" where Superman grows up in the USSR and works for the man of steel- Stalin. So it is for Casino Royale. Daniel Craig is not the Bond I grew up wanting to be. Possibly he's a more fleshed-out representation of the Bond in Fleming's first book, but he lacks his background, social class (VERY important for Fleming), and patriotism. This 'Bond' is completely cynical. One would not have believed him t be bi or trilingual with a Swiss mother and educated in the most posh environment of England. What he gets out of his job is a mystery. He lacks humour, sophistication, class. He is not even a 'commander' anymore, but one who has the usual American-influenced SAS background. In other words, there is little 'English' about him. I don't blame the director, scriptwriter or producer who I think all did an admirable job of making a film I will see again and again and will look forward to the sequel. But looking at the type of films coming out of Britain, this is influenced by edgy, remorseless films such as "London to Brighton. and even, yes, "Layer Cake." No doubt he will somehow be transformed over time into the character we associate with Bond.
However, if our natures are formed by the time we are five, I fail to see how he'll pick up chicks with a one-liner, know the best wine to drink with caviare, and think to straighten his tie when speeding underwater in a Q-protoboat. And none of that will change the sins committed with completely disregarding continuity. As I liked with
comic books, a box would explain background by saying "see issue 172, printed back 13 years ago")
That out of the way, why did I love the film itself? For many of the reasons others apparently hate it.
1. The violence. Watch the opening to Diamonds are Forever and villains are subdued effortlessly, and laughably. Not so here; we see what it takes to be a 00.
2. The credits- I LOVE THE THEME SONG. I think this is because saw it with the fantastic visuals where it hearkens back to Bond's birth in the technicolour 60s. You don't like the lack of girls? He hasn't earned any, yet- he's not Bond until the end. But he IS earning his kills, and I think of the deaths on the screen as the ones he's chalking up. The images stay- the 7 of spades (or were they diamonds?) with two 0s shot into it, Craig walking defiantly into the viewer with the refrain "You know my name" repeating itself- I can't see anything better (although Goldeneye's is a close 2nd).
3. David Arnold's music. It does get redundant at times but, especially with "Blunt Instrument", really uses the theme song perfectly. That song with the OHMSS theme are perfect for cycling without fear through the chaos of Beijing; trust me. As for it being damned as 'melodramatic', have someone listen to the haunting 'Vesper' and ask them where it comes from. It will shock them to learn it's from Bond.
4.The opening chase- rivals French Connection. The bad guy jumps frog-like over obstacles with ease while the clumsy Bond crashes through walls. We see him outclassed finally, and see him too learn and adapt as the film progresses.
5. Yeah, the villain is a cardboard cut out with the usual unique flaw. But that's Bond, innit? His eye bleeds for some stupid reason, therefore he's evil. Scaramanga had a third nipple. Blofeld had cauliflower ears. Except when he was cloned. Or riding around the roofs of buildings in the center of London in a wheelchair. Or had that think German accent...
6. There were no gadgets. FINALLY!!!! Bond EARNS his stripes, and isn't given them by cheating. (As mentioned in an earlier post, Le Chiffre doesn't cheat).
7. The torture scene made me cringe. It's not a scene I'll fastforward to to enjoy over and over but, well, it was in the book. Don't blame the writer for including it and staying true to the story (as much as was possible). While the scene with Bond on the slab in 'Goldfinger' is a seminal one, it is one more deserving of Get Smart. As Tuco in 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' remarked, "if you're going to shoot, shoot- don't talk." I like how Le Chiffre states simply that he wants info and he's not going to play around. It's about time too a Bond film made me uncomfortable instead of sitting back in the theatre and watch Bond again go through the paces.
8. The ending. The music is perfect, and both the score and the final line immediately announces that Bond is back. Let's hope it's business as usual in the next instalment. England expects, James.

[MkB]

Wow, Keir, excellent post! I pretty much agree with what you've said (especially about the appeal of novelty), but I couldn't have put it so clearly. I acknowledge Daniel Craig is a very good Bond (and a first class actor), but he simply is not "my" Bond.
I guess it's because I'm a dinosaur, a relic of the cold war...

[Cody]

For me, the year's worth of repeat viewings has confirmed my initial belief that it was the best Bond film since the 60s, and I can now confidently rank it near the top of my list.

[DaveBond21]

Wow, Keir, excellent post! I pretty much agree with what you've said (especially about the appeal of novelty), but I couldn't have put it so clearly. I acknowledge Daniel Craig is a very good Bond (and a first class actor), but he simply is not "my" Bond.
I guess it's because I'm a dinosaur, a relic of the cold war...

I know what you mean, and yes, Keir, it was a mostly well-written and thought-out post. It makes a nice change to read someone's misgivings about Casino Royale that aren't just the ramblings of a madman..."craig not bond, blond man not bond bring back BRONSAN!!!".

However, I do think there were lots of Bondian elements in Casino Royale and that Bond was enjoying himself sometimes - beating Demetrios at cards, flirting with Solange, having just met Vesper on the train, having just beaten Le Chiffre in the casino - and so there was the Bond we know and love in there too.