27 replies to this topic

[00Twelve]

Having only seen the film once [which will be remedied tomorrow] and taking time to reflect upon it, it's become increasingly clear that 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me was a major inspiration for Quantum of Solace. More than a general aesthetic or a winking nod here and there, lots of references pop up throughout the movie. Much moreso than the one major GF reference.

I *could* be reading some of these into my little theory, but I offer these observations so far:

- The Aston speeding between the oncoming truck and the truck to its right
- The title sequence featuring images of Craig as Bond (TSWLM featured images of Moore), nude silhouettes in varying patterns, Bond's silhouette running, shooting, and flying through the air, the large image of a gun (a PPK here, a Luger[?] in TSWLM), and a retro typography over a vivid color scheme that echoes the era of TSWLM
- Bond's 'R.Sterling' card
- The villain shows someone the grisly results of betrayal
- The girl is (or was) an intelligence agent that is initially reluctant to trust Bond and there are several dialogue sequences between them in various vehicles
- In a twist, Bond leaves the unconscious girl at port after their boat "ride" (As Anya left Bond before)
- Enemies discussing business in a public arena while Bond spies on them
- The disposal of Haines which directly echoes that of Sandor
- Bond's meeting with his main ally at the ally's personal residence
- Is it me or does the B&W pattern on the doorways at the villa in Bolivia echo the Kalba club?
- M has extended time in the field
- The villain's plot centers around controlling a body of water (Thin?)
- Long fall with a parachute being pulled just in time? (Ok, that's thin)
- Bond and Camille walking in semi-formal wear through the desert
- Prominent use of desert in general
- Bond confronts the "boyfriend" of a woman with whom he's been involved (in this case, at the end of the film rather than the beginning)

Thoughts or additions?

[Simon]

I noticed and would go with only;

- The Aston speeding between the oncoming truck and the truck to its right
- Bond's 'R.Sterling' card
- The disposal of Haines which directly echoes that of Sandor
- Bond and Camille walking in semi-formal wear through the desert
- Bond confronts the "boyfriend" of a woman with whom he's been involved (in this case, at the end of the film rather than the beginning)

The rest appears to be making more of something to suit an argument.

[Publius]

- Bond and Camille walking in semi-formal wear through the desert

Don't forget hitching a ride with some locals.

[littlenomad]

I just had an odd thought. You know, in TSWLM, there's the scene with the pyramids. In QOS, there's the scene at the floating opera with the giant eye. All this talk about TSWLM similarities caused me to put the two images together: the pyramid and the eye. Now, take out a US $1 bill (or search for an image if you're not from the States). On the back, there's the infamous great seal with the "seeing-eye" pyramid. What a far-fetched little connection.

[Aces High]

I just had an odd thought. You know, in TSWLM, there's the scene with the pyramids. In QOS, there's the scene at the floating opera with the giant eye. All this talk about TSWLM similarities caused me to put the two images together: the pyramid and the eye. Now, take out a US $1 bill (or search for an image if you're not from the States). On the back, there's the infamous great seal with the "seeing-eye" pyramid. What a far-fetched little connection.

..more a kin to Nicholas Cage's 'National Treasure'

[the other fellow]

and when Bond and Camiile nearly crash into the hovering helicopter thats waiting for them during the plane fight, is reminiscent of the helicopter waiting for the Lotus in TSWLM.

[jaguar007]

And there was that one scene with BOnd and Camille on the train where the big guy with the yellow teeth attack them....oh wait...wrong movie

[Professor Pi]

I noticed and would go with only;

- The Aston speeding between the oncoming truck and the truck to its right
- Bond's 'R.Sterling' card
- The disposal of Haines which directly echoes that of Sandor
- Bond and Camille walking in semi-formal wear through the desert
- Bond confronts the "boyfriend" of a woman with whom he's been involved (in this case, at the end of the film rather than the beginning)

The rest appears to be making more of something to suit an argument.

I haven't seen this thread before, but I'm glad I looked for it before starting a new one. I agree with the first four of these points totally, and for a 5th I would add the similarities between the Tosca scenes and the pyramids scenes in TSWLM. Other similarities are probably coincidental or dictated by QoS's story. While the Goldfinger reference(s?) are more explicit, the ones to The Spy Who Loved Me are so numerous they've gotta be intentional.

So my question is why reference this film? Was it popular with Forster? The parallels to LTK might make more sense thematically, and most every Bond film owes/has some tribute to GF, but referencing a Moore movie in something as serious as QoS? I don't mind it (I sort of liked all the homages in DAD), but they seem out of place here.

[tim partridge]

The Tosca sequence was more or less the Pyramid scene, with source music used as underscore.


Let's not forget the glancing at hote receptionists eiether, which Zorin has mentioned in other threads.

Visually the film is very stylised and coordinated in it's art direction, most closest in my mind to TSWLM and Gilbert's Bond in general.

[# 11]

I can't see the Italian woman (the one in Siena in the clock tower) in this list as a resemblance to the Italian whose house includes now Jaw's car. (both speaking some Italian after the disaster)

[DaveBond21]

I noticed and would go with only;

- The Aston speeding between the oncoming truck and the truck to its right
- Bond's 'R.Sterling' card
- The disposal of Haines which directly echoes that of Sandor
- Bond and Camille walking in semi-formal wear through the desert
- Bond confronts the "boyfriend" of a woman with whom he's been involved (in this case, at the end of the film rather than the beginning)

The rest appears to be making more of something to suit an argument.

I'd agree with this smaller list, but was it all deliberate or just a coincidence?

[Mr_Wint]

95% coincidence.

This is similar to that 'extensive' list with DAD homages, which some fans actually belives in...

[tim partridge]

You can't call the Sandor/Haines moment coincidence. You cannot call it coincidence given it's also in the Tosca sequence, which is just a (inspired) rerun of the Pyramids sequence that directly follows Sandors death.

Same with the hotel receptionist and R Sterling.

[Mr_Wint]

You can't call the Sandor/Haines moment coincidence. You cannot call it coincidence given it's also in the Tosca sequence, which is just a (inspired) rerun of the Pyramids sequence that directly follows Sandors death.

Same with the hotel receptionist and R Sterling.

R. Sterling is obviously not a coincidence (that's among the 5% in my hypothesis). The rest is unintentional.

[tim partridge]

Err, even Sandor/Haines?

Your argument makes Stretch Armstrong seem unflexible.

[00Twelve]

I'm sure the shots of Bond and the black-dressed girl walking through the desert is totally coincidental. Haines' bodyguard, too.

[tim partridge]

C'mon...

[Mr. Blofeld]

I'm surprised that nobody's noticed the biggie: Bond is introduced in an action sequence being chased by baddies, but manages to make a clean, witty escape (Union Jack parachute, "It's time to get out").

[DamnCoffee]

I'm surprised that nobody's noticed the biggie: Bond is introduced in an action sequence being chased by baddies, but manages to make a clean, witty escape (Union Jack parachute, "It's time to get out").

He's introduced in a log cabin actually.

[Mr. Blofeld]

I'm surprised that nobody's noticed the biggie: Bond is introduced in an action sequence being chased by baddies, but manages to make a clean, witty escape (Union Jack parachute, "It's time to get out").

He's introduced in a log cabin actually.

Close enough, I think...

[DaveBond21]

I'm sure the shots of Bond and the black-dressed girl walking through the desert is totally coincidental. Haines' bodyguard, too.

I would agree. And I would bet that Marc Forster has never heard of Sandor. We have to remember that we have a much better knowledge of the Bond movies than the likes of Marc Forster and even Daniel Craig who have seen the movies alot less than we have.

[00Twelve]

I'm sure the shots of Bond and the black-dressed girl walking through the desert is totally coincidental. Haines' bodyguard, too.

I would agree. And I would bet that Marc Forster has never heard of Sandor. We have to remember that we have a much better knowledge of the Bond movies than the likes of Marc Forster and even Daniel Craig who have seen the movies alot less than we have.

I was being facetious.

[DaveBond21]

I was being facetious

OK, I was 50/50 on whether or not you were being...

Anyway, I still stand by what I said. If you got into a chat with Daniel Craig, Judi Dench and Marc Forster at a pub, I swear you'd know more about Bond movies than them.

So, I don't think people should always think that every homage is deliberate. I wouldn't be surprised if Marc Forster has never seen DAF or TLD, for example, whereas everyone here has.

[00Twelve]

No, but I do seem to remember thinking that Forster had watched a couple of films at least to get a feel for the franchise. I also thought I remember hearing specific mentions of TSWLM during discussions of such. Am I crazy?

Anyway, some of the alleged allusions may yet be contrived, but I doubt it in the cases of the business card, the desert shot, and the bodyguard. The Aston between the trucks in the chase isn't entirely innocent in my estimation, either, but I wouldn't think of pursuing that one to the bitter end.

[DaveBond21]

Actually, I must say that TSWLM springs to mind when Bond travels via boat to Mathis' house. It reminds me of Naomi taking Bond and Anya to Stromberg's lair.

[bonds_walther]

There's certainly many similarities between QoS and TSWLM. How intentional they all are is unclear. Some, such as Bond's card, the confrontation with the bodyguard and the PTS, do seem like they were put in deliberately.

Edited by bonds_walther, 20 March 2010 - 11:35 PM.

[DaveBond21]

There's certainly many similarities between QoS and TSWLM. How intentional they all are is unclear. Some, such as Bond's card, the confrontation with the bodyguard and the PTS, do seem like they were put in deliberately.

I think there is enough to suggest that Marc Forster watched 3 Bond movies before he made QOS:- Goldfinger, TSWLM and Casino Royale.

[gkgyver]

The title sequence featuring images of Craig as Bond (TSWLM featured images of Moore), nude silhouettes in varying patterns,

Bond movies feature naked women in their title sequences ...? I never noticed that.



And it seems rather logical to me to use Craig's image in QoS instead of Moore's.
Maybe that's just me.