8 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

Now on the CBn main page...

'Revisioning 007: James Bond and Casino Royale' Coming In May '09

New critical examination by author Christoph Lindner

Revisioning 007: James Bond and Casino Royale due out in September '10

Revised release date for Revisioning book fom Christopher Lindner

[AgentBentley]

I'd be interested in that one.

Wondering if he'll make a comparison with the Jason Bourne movies. I've always thought that without the rough and tumble of the Bourne movies, there wouldn't have been a Bond reboot in the style of Casino Royale. But that's just my personal opinion and food for another thread.

[Revelator]

The news item cites "contributer Will Scheibel." I looked at Scheibel's blog and read the following:

In an excellent New York Times review, critic Charles McGrath actually argues, “Devil May Care is in many ways a stronger novel than any that Fleming wrote, both because it’s better written and because it has all the Bond lore to draw upon.”...Now, I’ll be the first to admit that Fleming’s books are gratuitously violent, misogynist, racist, and homophobic—a glorification of the imperial and patriarchal ideologies embodied in the 007 character—but at least half of them are great trash. And at least half of the films are a lot more fun even still, although quite different in their approach to the character.

Revisioning 007 's first chapter is written by Scheibel. It's called "History of Casino Royale on (and off) the screen," and purports to "examine the film in relationship to Ian Fleming's original novel, as well as the the 1954 television version, the 1958 the comic strip, the 1967 feature film spoof..."

I'm not looking forward to that chapter, nor to the book if its other contributors are on the same level. Anyone who approves of McGrath's error-ridden drivel, which like most NYTimes articles exists to reinforce the dullest sort of conventional wisdom imaginable, and who thinks of the Fleming novels as little more than fun trash whose greatest worth was to influence a trashier set of movies, hardly seems suited to write anything incisive about the novel and its adaptations.

[eddychaput]

We'll just have to wait and see. I'm not too excited about this (I think we can get this kind of info from a lot of places) but it could be a good book.

[Qwerty]

Revisioning 007: James Bond and Casino Royale due out in September '10

Revised release date for Revisioning book fom Christopher Lindner

[Zorin Industries]

And presumably there are 21 other books detailing how every Bond film have "revisioned" themselves?

I could be wrong, but this feels like an "author" looking for another angle into the Bond book fraternity. The "next" or "new" is not the same as "revisioning" when it comes to Bond. I rate ROYALE a lot, but - in a very successful way - it is a very familiar and traditional 007 entry. The early pitch of this book feels a tad ill thought out, misconcieved and - bearing in mind SOLACE is nigh on two years old - a bit late. But maybe the collected essays in this volume may address that, so I will reserve judgment... and the cover looks good...

[zencat]

If this were a book about the behind the scenes machinations of CR -- the decision to reboot, the Brosnan firing controversy, finding the new Bond, Eon vs. Sony, hostile press reaction to Craig, shooting the movie, and the eventual triumphant of the film -- it would be a book well worth getting. Where is THAT book?

[Loomis]

In an excellent New York Times review, critic Charles McGrath actually argues, “Devil May Care is in many ways a stronger novel than any that Fleming wrote, both because it’s better written and because it has all the Bond lore to draw upon.”

DEVIL MAY CARE is better-written than anything Fleming wrote? Oh-kay.

[sthgilyadgnivileht]

I think i'm with the general consensus here so far.

I'm not keen on the title. It implies to me Casino Royale is the first Bond film to be 'revisioned' (assuming revisioned in this context means something akin to reboot) and all the other Bonds have stuck to the same formula - something which I would dispute.
I get the impression its going to be about the cinematic evolution of the film though which should be a good read, so I will definitely be buying it.