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Two Screenings, Same Audience Reaction


33 replies to this topic

#1 MystikTK

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Posted 20 November 2008 - 04:13 AM

This is likely more of a very minor rant, but any thoughts as to what is happening to the mentality of the average movie-goer would be appreciated, as would thoughts on my interpretation of the now infamous Mathis scene.

I just got back from seeing the film for second time and was very discouraged by the attitude of the audience, particularly as it relates to Bond's disposal of Mathis' body (I'll get to that in a moment).

Once again, the audience laughed throughout the entire film, no mater how intense the scene was supposed to be. They chuckled throughout the fight scene in the Port Au Prince hotel, the boat chase and they couldn't contain themselves any time a Bolivian local was shown ("Look, they have dark skin and dress differently than we do, let's point and and laugh!").

Now, as far as the Mathis' scene goes, this has been of great debate amongst Bond fans since the film's release. It seems that people either loved it or were somewhat horrified by it. However, I believe that finding actual humour in the scene is a new one for me.

As for my own personal opinion, I loved it. I thought it was very well done and very moving. As for the controversial dumpster scene, I believe it was done to illustrate the new direction of Bond - the human, emotional Bond. It's simply a cold demonstration of the harsh business he is in. When it comes right down to it, everyone in the business is expendable and when a person dies, one must think of the mission first and one's own self-preservation rather than any kind of mourning or ceremony. Mathis knew this ("He wouldn't have cared") and Bond was simply acting out of necessity. As Camille said in the previous scene, "there is something horribly efficient about you". Bond needed to get rid of the body as quickly as possible with the police now looking for him and he needed the money from Mathis' wallet as he had no funding from MI6. As I said, it's simply about self-preservation and dedication to the mission.

This is very much a scene I could envision Fleming writing and I appreciate the fact that EON decided to show that Bond's world is not about the glib one-liners and Aston Martins that we see on the surface and that underneath, he is involved in a cold, ruthless line of work.

That said, if they had taken more time and care in developing this sub-plot, then maybe it wouldn't have sparked such different reactions in viewers. What some of us find to be a well-done portrayal of the ugly reality of Bond's occupation, others find appalling and offensive. And of course, there are those that laugh at it, but let's be honest, the majority of those people are morons who don't have the attention span to sit and enjoy the subtle emotional and psychological aspects.

My two cents. Thanks for reading. :(

Edited by MystikTK, 20 November 2008 - 04:35 AM.


#2 Captain Tightpants

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Posted 20 November 2008 - 05:05 AM

My audience didn't get that reaction, but it was actually pretty small. Yesterday was a big day for afternoon exams, and most of the town depends on the uni for its survival. Might be a different story tonight when I see it again.

Anyway, I thought the death of Mathis was probably the best death in the series because you just didn't see it coming. I like it when writers do that: they give someone an undeserving death before their time that evokes a response of "Hey, why'd they kill that guy? I liked him!" rather than "Meh, he's dead ... wonder what the next action sequence is" (see the death of Zukovsky for the prime example of this).

#3 MystikTK

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Posted 20 November 2008 - 08:14 PM

Yes, I'd be curious to know what the crowd was like during a busier showing. I just don't get the constant laughter. It doesn't seem like making a humourous film was the goal, so why it gets that reaction throughout is beyond me. I mean, it isn't like the action scenes are cartoonish in any way - they're actually quite intense.

As for the Mathis scene, I agree. I actually overheard a few a ooh's and ah's from the audience, unlike, as you mentioned, the Zukovksy scene in TWINE. It's just the dumpster scene that people seem to not be appreciating.

#4 HildebrandRarity

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Posted 20 November 2008 - 08:36 PM

I saw it five times at different points of the day. Midnight, matinee', evenings.

One was a 'nervous' laugh that was based on the horror of what was being witnessed.

The second 'laugh' was by a teenager.

The adults I saw it with were not laughing. I think they were in shock.

#5 Captain Tightpants

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Posted 20 November 2008 - 09:46 PM

Saw it again lst night. Unfortunately, the dumpster scene drew a laugh, but there was a collective intake of breath when Bond opened the back of the Range Rover.

#6 Mister E

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Posted 20 November 2008 - 09:48 PM

Saw it again lst night. Unfortunately, the dumpster scene drew a laugh, but there was a collective intake of breath when Bond opened the back of the Range Rover.


Do you mean when Bond put Mathis' body in the dumpster or when Bond took Mathis' wallet ?

#7 ImTheMoneypenny

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Posted 20 November 2008 - 09:57 PM

I saw this three times, each a day apart. Different crowds, but still mixed in ages from older adults down to teens. The crowds were livelier on the last viewing, and you could hear them finally breathe and talk a little after good action sequences, in a good way. When it came to the dumpster scene, no laughter. It was very quiet every time.

#8 Pierce - Daniel

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Posted 20 November 2008 - 10:11 PM

Both times I've seen it there has been next to no auidence reaction, when I saw Cr the auidence was fantastic and reacted to everything it made the expereince so much better, they avoided laughing at stuff they weren't meant to, like the closeup of the black guy at the Casino table at the end.
In QOS there was little movement aside the 'lottery' line and that's about it. The film isn't devoid of humour but does lack it, but I like that the film shouldn't have been a comedy it was perfect the way it is. As for Mathis' final scenes, no laughs at all, it isn't a funny scene, most people I talk to are rather disturbed by it.

#9 Mr. Blofeld

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Posted 20 November 2008 - 10:15 PM

I think someone a few rows in front of me gasped when the door of the Range Rover opened. :(

I'm a little embarrassed to say I was the only one at my screening to laugh at the lottery line; I'm a little more embarrassed to say that I laughed at Bond just staring down at Slate while he lay there being exsanguinated... :)

Oh, and people laughed when the car boot opened to reveal groggy Mr. White. :)

#10 MystikTK

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Posted 21 November 2008 - 01:24 AM

Based on the responses, I'm really tempted to go back a third time and see if the reactions are the same. Maybe I just live in a city/town populated by giddy ******* idiots.

EDIT: I think the scene with Mr. White in the trunk was intended to be slightly humourous.

Edited by MystikTK, 21 November 2008 - 01:25 AM.


#11 Mr Teddy Bear

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Posted 21 November 2008 - 02:00 AM

The audience I was with were pretty good. They 'got' the lines that were meant to be humorous and took seriously what was meant to be taken that way- apart from the freefall sequence, but I can hardly blame them there.

#12 Turn

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Posted 21 November 2008 - 02:36 AM

I was amazed the audience I saw QoS with didn't make a peep throughout the entire film. I sat in the very back row in a stadium-seating theater, but the only time I think I heard anything was the landing after the freefall in which several people let out an "ouch" and winced.

Quite different to the reaction to CR, which seemed to have some pretty positive reactions.

But this is a blessing as I've been to movies with complete degenerates who wanted to talk and laugh and make fools of themselves when you want to watch the film.

#13 JackWade

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Posted 21 November 2008 - 05:53 AM

The first time I saw QUANTUM (Thursday midnight showing) it was in a packed house. People did laugh at Bond throwing Mathis in the dumpster. Second time I saw it (Friday night) it was sold out again and not a single laugh.

Everyone laughed pretty heartily at the "We're teachers on sabbatical who've just won the lottery" line though...

#14 DaveBond21

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Posted 21 November 2008 - 06:02 AM

The first time I watched it, people laughed during Camille's emotional scene saying that the General killed her father!

#15 MystikTK

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Posted 21 November 2008 - 07:45 AM

The first time I watched it, people laughed during Camille's emotional scene saying that the General killed her father!


OK, you win. My audience seems like a film festival crowd compared to that.

#16 Icephoenix

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Posted 21 November 2008 - 10:38 AM

The first screening I attended was in a Gold Class cinema with adults and there was silence during the scene where Bond dumps Mathis' body. The second screening was full of teenagers who laughed and even cheered when he took the money.

Goes to show the generation gap, eh?

#17 CM007

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Posted 21 November 2008 - 11:50 AM

I laughed at the movie for different reasons.

#18 DamnCoffee

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Posted 21 November 2008 - 12:13 PM

I laughed at the movie for different reasons.


Probably why you didn't understand it, since you werent paying attention. :(

#19 Miss Goodnight

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Posted 22 November 2008 - 05:53 AM

During the both times I've seen the film there were a few people who ventured a laugh during the intense and emotional scenes. The first time I saw the film I was unfortunately seated by a man who laughed at something every two minutes.
When I went to see the film the second time, I brought my friends, and the Mathis scene, especially the dumpster/money part drew either noises of indignation or terrified silence from them.
My audience overall was pretty good, first time I saw it the theatre was completely full and most of the audience had good reactions - only laughed at the "florists", "lottery" and other humourous scenes. The second time it was a much smaller audience, and was also relatively quiet.
That said, it's not really an age difference but a maturity difference - there are many teens quite able to comprehend the emotional depth and vengeful intensity of Quantum of Solace, and an equal number of middle aged professionals who cannot be bothered to look beyond the surface.

#20 Innukchuck

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Posted 22 November 2008 - 05:50 PM

The audience in my theather was very quiet. They did not laught even on the funny parts. I only heard some people laughing during Slate's death, because of Bond's annoyed face.

But the dumpster scene got some reaction. A lady sat behind me disliked of Bond trowing him on the dumpster and specially stealling his money.

But if you want to talk about innapropiated laughter, i can tell you about "The Dark Knight" session i went to. Brrrrr...

#21 Mr. Blofeld

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Posted 22 November 2008 - 06:35 PM

But if you want to talk about innapropiated laughter, i can tell you about "The Dark Knight" session i went to. Brrrrr...

Why? What did they laugh at there? I know some people at the IM<AX screening I went to laughed when the Joker performed his "disappearing pencil" trick... :(

#22 Innukchuck

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Posted 22 November 2008 - 06:48 PM

But if you want to talk about innapropiated laughter, i can tell you about "The Dark Knight" session i went to. Brrrrr...

Why? What did they laugh at there? I know some people at the IM<AX screening I went to laughed when the Joker performed his "disappearing pencil" trick... :)

The main audience only laughed at the right parts, but i sat next to four annoying teenagers that laughed of EVERYTHING. They were laughinh even before the projection start! They laughed of the trailers, the safety warnings and even the logos. After the bank scene, one of the couples settled down, but the other one? Good lord! The guy continually cursed and laughed of every single scene of the movie (Specially when Batman or the Joker appeared) and the girl continually saied "Oops" and laughed. They even took a time to discuss about and olf friend that called inviting them for a barbecue, out loud in the middle of movie.

If only i had a pencil, i whould show them a trick. Oh, i totally would! :(

#23 marygoodnight

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Posted 22 November 2008 - 06:58 PM

The scene with Mathis was a low point for Bond and QoS, Terribly done the writers strike must of started that day and Haggis had to meet his deadline.

#24 Innukchuck

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Posted 22 November 2008 - 07:10 PM

You did not like Mathi's death. Not even his dialogue with Bond after he was shot?

#25 Mr. Blofeld

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Posted 22 November 2008 - 07:11 PM

The scene with Mathis was a low point for Bond and QoS, Terribly done the writers strike must of started that day and Haggis had to meet his deadline.

Wow, you must really love being a killjoy, huh? :(

#26 Cody

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Posted 29 November 2008 - 12:01 PM

The only audible reaction to the Mathis scene in one of my screenings was an appropriate one - when he's revealed in the back of the car, a girl behind me gasped and whispered a drawn-out "No."

#27 The ides of Mark

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Posted 16 December 2008 - 03:15 PM

Yeah, the dumping of mathis got a few laughs allright. They were more like 'how rude'-kinda laughs. I think it has something to do with the editing of the film. Bond holding him and closing his eyes, next up 'boom', in the trash. Filmed from above, zooming out... not subtile.

The most funny reaction I heard came from a kid right behind me: "Daddy, is that James Bond?" :(

#28 SecretAgentFan

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Posted 16 December 2008 - 03:23 PM

The scene with Mathis was a low point for Bond and QoS, Terribly done the writers strike must of started that day and Haggis had to meet his deadline.


"must have" - not "must of".

And no, it was no low point for Bond. It was exactly what Bond is about.

Goodnight.

#29 CaptainPower

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Posted 16 December 2008 - 03:29 PM

But if you want to talk about innapropiated laughter, i can tell you about "The Dark Knight" session i went to. Brrrrr...

Why? What did they laugh at there? I know some people at the IM<AX screening I went to laughed when the Joker performed his "disappearing pencil" trick... :(


Er, I believe that *was* intended to be funny. :)

#30 Whalltt

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Posted 18 December 2008 - 04:24 PM

A scene I though was very funny is when Mathis is trying to talk on the phone and the taxi driver just wont't shut up, and he keeps saying "callate!" :(