202 replies to this topic

[bondrules]

It would be interesting to think that... if this scene was reinstated and included in the final cut, would we have had the gunbarrel at the end of the movie?

Maybe have White doing the gunbarrel

[stamper]

The "fake" or not so fake IMDB reports did hint that Bond was killed in the end. And as I told here, QOS is constructed like CR in reverse, both thematically and scene by scene. When you see the movie, it's obvious, based on Foster comments in the news and the picture I posted, that Mr White shot him, then cut to black. It was as powerful as the ending of CR. I think by deleting this, they lost between 200/300 millions box office takings, because the movie will just, as it is already, be regarded as a glass half full, a regular, Bourne like actioner only it's named James Bond. They have stepped back from the boldest step they could have made, which would have sent not only the fandom, but the general public buzzing for at least 3 years until Bond 23. It's a bad, bad, bad move.
As it is, I don't wait for Bond 23 if it promises to be the same as Bond 22. With that ending, I would have been eagerly awaiting, like we would all have. And at least, some FLEMING would have been it.

[Loomis]

Sorry to ask the obvious, but does this mean that White survives QUANTUM OF SOLACE?

If so, I'm delighted, regardless of whether he'll return in BOND 23 or a later film. I just love the character. He's so cool.

[Fozzco]

It would be interesting to think that... if this scene was reinstated and included in the final cut, would we have had the gunbarrel at the end of the movie?

Without seeing the film, as yet, I believe the gunbarrel at the end of the story signifies that Bond is the complete character at the end of the story - so with an additional scene at the end - it would not have changed what Bond has become at that point.

[DamnCoffee]

Yeah Loomis, White get's away.

[Loomis]

Yeah Loomis, White get's away.

Fantastic. I'm bloody glad about that.

[Mr_Wint]

Feel free at CBN to use my scan for a newbreak. It's all yours. I really wanted this ending, it's so pure Fleming, snif...

We don´t even know if Bond was shot by White. Could be just White pointing the gun and says something and fades to black. Ok, shooting Bond would have been really cool, but that´s just us making the mental picture of it, not them. And yes, the ending as it it probably gives more room for Bond23. Besides wouldn´t an end like that become cliché? I don´t know, personally I would like it to be there, but then again I haven´t seen the ending as it is.

Exactly. Why go crazy about another "what if" scenario. The only thing we know is that "Bond encounters Mr. White" in this alternate ending. Everything else is just pure guessing.

[stamper]

I'm pretty sure too the GB was placed at the end, post Bond being apparently killed, to make it look like a farewell to the character, hence why people "asked if there would be another", re IMDB reports of previews.

[Loomis]

Come to think of it, I remember rumours that QUANTUM OF SOLACE would end with Bond missing in action. At the risk of incurring the wrath of Zorin Industries ( ), it does seem to me that the filmmakers have bottled out of what would have been a wonderful cliffhanger ending. A great pity.

[Royal Dalton]

It would be interesting to think that... if this scene was reinstated and included in the final cut, would we have had the gunbarrel at the end of the movie?

Without seeing the film, as yet, I believe the gunbarrel at the end of the story signifies that Bond is the complete character at the end of the story - so with an additional scene at the end - it would not have changed what Bond has become at that point.

I spoke at length yesterday to somebody who's seen the film (and liked it), and was told that it wouldn't have made any difference to the film if it had been at the beginning.

So, it was probably just an afterthought of theirs to stick it on the end.

[ForMathis]

It would be interesting to think that... if this scene was reinstated and included in the final cut, would we have had the gun barrel at the end of the movie?

I think it would still be at the end, but thematically would make more sense as the ending here, as described by Stmaper, is the reverse of the end of CR.

But I suppose it is quite possible that the Gun Barrel could appear at the start instead, either way. This is the type of ending that would have pumped me up. I am now more excited for the DVD.

Or perhaps if EON decides to go that way with the story this could be the FIRST scene of Bond 23.

Unheard of?

Edited by ForMathis, 21 October 2008 - 06:14 PM.

[BlackFire]

Maybe he didn't kill Bond, but shots at his arm or leg, just like he did to him at the end of CR?

Call it Professional Courtesy

[Royal Dalton]

Come to think of it, I remember rumours that QUANTUM OF SOLACE would end with Bond missing in action. At the risk of incurring the wrath of Zorin Industries ( ), it does seem to me that the filmmakers have bottled out of what would have been a wonderful cliffhanger ending. A great pity.

That's right. I forgot about that, Loomis.

[stamper]

It's probably only Mr White shooting, then cut to black, and Bond 23 revealing he shot him in the leg. In the meantime, the whole planet would have been buzzing. You cannot buy this kind of publicity. Sadly, QOS won't benefit from it.

[Invincible1958]

I nice ending can not change the overall quality of the film that much.

Yes, it can.
If Tracy wouldn't have been killed at the end of OHMSS, then that movie wouldn't be half as good as it is. The whole Bond/Tracy-realtionship is built up to that point, so that it can be destroyed.

So I believe that there was this "it seems as if Bond is dead"-ending at test screenings. And I would have loved to see it that way. It would make the whole movie much grander.

[Simon Beavis]

So I'm guessing in the finished product

Spoiler

Mr. White is still at large, and he and QUANTUM can return when Dan, Jesper, and TPTP feel the time is right (Bond 24?)

As for him being a new Blofeld, I think he's more like Kobayashi from The Usual Suspects.

[ForMathis]

It's probably only Mr White shooting, then cut to black, and Bond 23 revealing he shot him in the leg. In the meantime, the whole planet would have been buzzing. You cannot buy this kind of publicity. Sadly, QOS won't benefit from it.

Just stop man, this sounds like it would have been such an amazing ending...

I nice ending can not change the overall quality of the film that much.

Yes, it can.
If Tracy wouldn't have been killed at the end of OHMSS, then that movie wouldn't be half as good as it is. The whole Bond/Tracy-realtionship is built up to that point, so that it can be destroyed.

So I believe that there was this "it seems as if Bond is dead"-ending at test screenings. And I would have loved to see it that way. It would make the whole movie much grander.

Yea, a good ending can turn a good movie into a great movie if it brings everything together and leaves you wanting more as this one does.

I cant help but feel this was a missed opportunity, but at the same time I understand that EON would want more freedom with Bond 23 than having their hand forced.

[bondrules]

The ending is VERY important

Think of

The Usual Suspects
The Sixth Sense
The Others
Fight Club
Etc.

[stamper]

As Invincible1958 says, and I agree 200%, the reason OHMSS is a MONUMENT in the Bond canon is that they didn't fade out on the mariage and Bond and Tracy going out happy forever. They had Tracy being suddenly and brutally killed by Blofeld, and Bond crying over his body. It made an Instant cult classic and masterpiece. If you cut this ending ? Let me tell you, people would not remember Laz as Bond, anymore than they remember Barry Nelson or Barry Niven. There would be maybe a tenth of the respect for Laz, that he has today. The ending made the movie.

I have seen QOS, and I'm telling it here : cutting out the ending and Bond demise, is like cutting out Tracy being killed at the end of OHMSS. It robs the whole movie of it's sense, and that's why I was disappointed when I saw it, even if I had no idea this ending was cut, I knew something was missing.

[doubler83]

I think it would have been pretty cool if they'd left the cliffhanger in with Bond in a is he dead/isn't he dead situation.

Edited by doubler83, 21 October 2008 - 06:33 PM.

[YOLT]

So who is responsible EON, Sony, Forster or everyone ? If the scene is ready cant they postpone the relase another week and add the "new" ending ?

[Invincible1958]

I don't even think that it's a real cliffhanger. I mean: at the beginning of Bond 23 Bond would recover. But that doesn't mean that they would have to deal with QUANTUM in Bond 23. It would be free to them what the story of Bond 23 should be. They could decide, that they only go back to Mr. White in Bond 25 or 26.

[stamper]

They got chicken, it's too late. What a wasted opportunity.

[YOLT]

They got chicken, it's too late. What a wasted opportunity.

But who is responsible EON, Sony, Forster or everyone ? Reading what Forster says, I think EON changed the final ?

[ForMathis]

They got chicken, it's too late. What a wasted opportunity.

But who is responsible EON, Sony, Forster or everyone ? Reading what Forster says, I think EON changed the final ?

The article makes it sound like EON didn't want that ending because ti would have forced them to continue with this storyline into Bond 23 and they haven't yet decided what direction they want to go.

[bondrules]

This is what bugs me the most about what it seems happened....Forster, not only from the beginning, but he is still saying this, that his take on Bond was to explore the deep layers of Bond's soul...In fact, the official explanation for his hiring was that Forster would dwell deep into it.....If there is little dialogue and the movie is short, how can his hiring be justified? Maybe we will only see the real QoS in a future director's cut......

Edited by bondrules, 21 October 2008 - 06:48 PM.

[dee-bee-five]

If this was, indeed, the intended ending I'm grateful Foster and/or Eon saw sense and cut it. Why? Because it would be false drama. Everyone would know Bond lives because they know Daniel Craig is signed for the next one.

Cliffhangers are for soap operas. They are not for James Bond films. And am I alone in finding the idea that the cutting of this one scene makes QoS a failure absolute bollocks?

[ForMathis]

If this was, indeed, the intended ending I'm grateful Foster and/or Eon saw sense and cut it. Why? Because it would be false drama. Everyone would know Bond lives because they know Daniel Craig is signed for the next one.

Cliffhangers are for soap operas. They are not for James Bond films. And am I alone in finding the idea that the cutting of this one scene makes QoS a failure absolute bollocks?

Its not so much about it being a cliffhanger as it is, that this ending in its own way ties up some of the loose ends of QoS (Mr.White)

Endings are very important to films, good ending make good films into great films.

With that said I don't think its removal makes the film "absolute bollocks" but I could see it hurting the movie slightly.

The cliffhanger sounds like it would have been very FRWL which is always a good thing.

Edited by ForMathis, 21 October 2008 - 07:01 PM.

[Loomis]

Cliffhangers are for soap operas. They are not for James Bond films. And am I alone in finding the idea that the cutting of this one scene makes QoS a failure absolute bollocks?

Well, Fleming wasn't above ending with the odd cliffhanger every once in a while, so I don't see why it's something that should be denied Eon.

[dee-bee-five]

Cliffhangers are for soap operas. They are not for James Bond films. And am I alone in finding the idea that the cutting of this one scene makes QoS a failure absolute bollocks?

Well, Fleming wasn't above ending with the odd cliffhanger every once in a while, so I don't see why it's something that should be denied Eon.

That is true. But the whole James Bond saga is a different ball-game from Fleming's day. Fleming could have stopped writing the Bond books, no problem, so the cliffhanger at the end of FRWL works. But everyone and his auntie knows that the Bond films will continue to be made until they cease becoming profitable. That there will be a Bond #23 is as certain as death and taxes, which is why I said it would be false - ho-hum - drama.