97 replies to this topic

[sharpshooter]

It’s like some old woman predictably shouting “Mama Mia” for a cheap laugh. And you're right, it is not funny at all.

[Harmsway]

It’s like some old woman predictably shouting “Mama Mia” for a cheap laugh.

How, though? In what way is this supposed to be funny? I question whether the intent of the scene was to be humorous. I don't think they put it in there to make folks laugh.

And you're right, it is not funny at all.

Perhaps because it wasn't intended to be funny, which is my whole point. The burden is on you to demonstrate that this was intended by Forster and co. to be a comedic moment.

[sharpshooter]

Now, I can’t speak for Forster – (if you have his phone number lend me it), but I can evaluate what he has given me. I am convinced part of the intent was subtle humour.

I doubt the viewer is able to decipher deep meanings such as the consequences of violence, from a brief moment spliced into such a frenetic sequence such as this. Even if the meaning is realised afterwards, part of the intent is still humour. It serves as a brief sight gag with the reaction shown afterwards - to break the atmosphere, and if the viewer actually remembers the scene and ponders it, it serves as some message about violence. But I’m sure the first reaction from regular people will be that this is an attempt at humour.

They can only take the moment on face value, which is much more comedic in comparison to Mitchell shooting an innocent bystander dead. It is a pretty common thing that has been done in previous Bond films.

[Mister E]

Her reaction was predictable.

What reaction did you expect ?

If we did not have these cherries fall, we would not have this scene. On the surface it is played for humour and it doesn’t work, for me at least. Bond and Mitchell being in the frame does not change one thing. You say it does, I say it doesn’t. And I’ll say it again, it doesn’t. The entire reason of the shot is to capture this old woman’s reaction to the smashed cherries. She is front and centre, and irrelevant.

And this all happened because why ? She was an innocent by stander in the action. It's still relevant just like the women being shot. This isn't like Moore era were the person is the right place at the right time and avoids being a victim of what is going on. In the Moore era Did you see anyone get knocked down by the villian or any indication that said victim was not conviently placed out of the way of danger ? No.

It’s like some old woman predictably shouting “Mama Mia” for a cheap laugh.

How, though? In what way is this supposed to be funny? I question whether the intent of the scene was to be humorous. I don't think they put it in there to make folks laugh.

And you're right, it is not funny at all.

Perhaps because it wasn't intended to be funny, which is my whole point. The burden is on you to demonstrate that this was intended by Forster and co. to be a comedic moment.

I really don't know how it wasn't meant to be humor. If it wasn't, then we wouldn't even have seen her reaction.

[sharpshooter]

Perhaps because it wasn't intended to be funny, which is my whole point. The burden is on you to demonstrate that this was intended by Forster and co. to be a comedic moment.

I really don't know how it wasn't meant to be humor. If it wasn't, then we wouldn't even have seen her reaction.

Precisely. Glad we agree on something. Though the rest of my comments stand.

[Harmsway]

I doubt the viewer is able to decipher deep meanings such as the consequences of violence, from a brief moment spliced into such a frenetic sequence such as this.

I did, on first viewing, no less. This isn't something I came up with after the fact, but merely out of my feelings during the scene on first viewing (and subsequent ones).

I really don't know how it wasn't meant to be humor. If it wasn't, then we wouldn't even have seen her reaction.

Maybe her reaction is there to show her sorrow, rather than to incite our laughter? It's certainly not a funny shot, and doesn't strike me as being intended to be so. It's a sad scene, and anyone who would laugh at such a moment is something of a git, because it's not a funny situation at all.

[sharpshooter]

Indeed, very solemn. I really feel miserable and depressed for that woman. Losing her beloved cherries like that. They were absolutely ripe, and that loser Mitchell had to ruin them. Tragic.

[Harmsway]

Indeed, very solemn. I really feel miserable and depressed for that woman. Losing her beloved cherries like that. They were absolutely ripe, and that loser Mitchell had to ruin them. Tragic.

Well, I don't mean to make a bigger deal of it than it is. It's a quick moment, and it's sure not there to reduce the audience to tears. But I do think it's intended to be more sad than anything, and that's certainly how it played for me on first viewing and every viewing since.

[sharpshooter]

I do think it's intended to be more sad than anything, and that's certainly how it played for me on first viewing and every viewing since.

That's fine, I respect your opinion. We view the moment differently, we’ll leave it at that.

[staveoffzombies]

It's clearly setting up the drinking scene later in the film. Bond is drinking all those cocktails to get the haunting image of that sad, old woman out of his head.

[Double-Oh Agent]

It's clearly setting up the drinking scene later in the film. Bond is drinking all those cocktails to get the haunting image of that sad, old woman out of his head.

[Loomis]

Sheesh, people, it ain't rocket science: the old lady dropping her cherries is not meant to be a ho-ho-ho-man-with-the-wine-bottle-in-the-Moore-films-fun-neeee moment. It's not supposed to be funny at all. It's meant to parallel Bond's and Mitchell's subsequent fall from the clock tower and their fight on the ropes.

[ElFenomeno]

hehe. some deep meaning here.
i was a bit sad for that old lady .

[SecretAgentFan]

As anybody around here knows, I love QOS.

But the shot with the old lady definitely appeared to me as a nod to the Moore-era-bystanders who shake their heads over their spilled wine/knocked over fruit stands or whatever. I think it was supposed to be funny. It kind of went on too long for my taste (hey, this Forster guy really should learn to cut faster, man!) but did not ruin anything.

[tim partridge]

Only one Dench joke? How disappointing.


To be honest, I cannot even remember this moment. I guess that's another side effect of the bad editing, Grrr. Maybe they'll have "cherry-woman" return in the next film:



QUANTUM's SOON-TO-BE-EXPLODING LAIR Interior, Night

(Bond is tied to an about to be descending platform in a firey furnace).

MR WHITE: So Mr. Bond, you are about to discover what hell is like.

BOND: I thought your TV shows wer... Um... Do I look like I care?

(Mr White activates the platform)

BOND: Just one more thing, Mr. White.

(there's a knock at the door, Mr. White opens the door)

MR WHITE: Yes?

(a cubed, five ton slab of frozen cherries crushes Mr. White. The old lady from the QOS footchase waves to Bond, who acknowledges her before frowning at the remains of Mr. White)

BOND: That's for Vepser.

OLD LADY: That's for the footchase in QOS.

(LONG Pause).

BOND: Talk about just desserts.


(cue gunbarrel at the end of the film)

Edited by tim partridge, 02 December 2008 - 12:23 PM.

[ImTheMoneypenny]

Sheesh, people, it ain't rocket science: the old lady dropping her cherries is not meant to be a ho-ho-ho-man-with-the-wine-bottle-in-the-Moore-films-fun-neeee moment. It's not supposed to be funny at all. It's meant to parallel Bond's and Mitchell's subsequent fall from the clock tower and their fight on the ropes.

Thank you Loomis, that's what I was thinking! Glad someone else saw that too! The fruit being hoisted on the pulley then crashing in a splat of red, parallels Bond and Mitchell's rope fight. It's foreshadowing.

[# 11]

I thought it felt a tad out of place. Especially since the chase sequence is rather frenetic and no nonsense. It’s a piece of reactionary humour that is to be found in a Roger Moore film, not necessarily a Daniel Craig film.

Agreed. Especially as there is a resemblance with the Italian in TSWLM, after Jaws car flew in his house.

[Mister E]

Maybe her reaction is there to show her sorrow, rather than to incite our laughter? It's certainly not a funny shot, and doesn't strike me as being intended to be so. It's a sad scene, and anyone who would laugh at such a moment is something of a git, because it's not a funny situation at all.

Not funny for the person but funny to us because humor is the misfortune of others. Not all humor is OTT.

Sheesh, people, it ain't rocket science: the old lady dropping her cherries is not meant to be a ho-ho-ho-man-with-the-wine-bottle-in-the-Moore-films-fun-neeee moment. It's not supposed to be funny at all. It's meant to parallel Bond's and Mitchell's subsequent fall from the clock tower and their fight on the ropes.

Well I don't agree at all.

[Mr. Blofeld]

Sheesh, people, it ain't rocket science: the old lady dropping her cherries is not meant to be a ho-ho-ho-man-with-the-wine-bottle-in-the-Moore-films-fun-neeee moment. It's not supposed to be funny at all. It's meant to parallel Bond's and Mitchell's subsequent fall from the clock tower and their fight on the ropes.

Thank you Loomis, that's what I was thinking! Glad someone else saw that too! The fruit being hoisted on the pulley then crashing in a splat of red, parallels Bond and Mitchell's rope fight. It's foreshadowing.

Indeed; after the fight, they even cut back to a shot of the interrogation room from above, where there is a huge splotch of blood on the stone floor; I took this to mean not only the wounding of White but also to double for symbolizing the (probably huge) puddle of blood that would come after Mitchell's death.

[Mister E]

Sheesh, people, it ain't rocket science: the old lady dropping her cherries is not meant to be a ho-ho-ho-man-with-the-wine-bottle-in-the-Moore-films-fun-neeee moment. It's not supposed to be funny at all. It's meant to parallel Bond's and Mitchell's subsequent fall from the clock tower and their fight on the ropes.

Thank you Loomis, that's what I was thinking! Glad someone else saw that too! The fruit being hoisted on the pulley then crashing in a splat of red, parallels Bond and Mitchell's rope fight. It's foreshadowing.

Indeed; after the fight, they even cut back to a shot of the interrogation room from above, where there is a huge splotch of blood on the stone floor; I took this to mean not only the wounding of White but also to double for symbolizing the (probably huge) puddle of blood that would come after Mitchell's death.

If that was there intention, they didn't do a good job it and it's scene that didn't work because of the choppy editing.

[Judo chop]

Indeed; after the fight, they even cut back to a shot of the interrogation room from above, where there is a huge splotch of blood on the stone floor; I took this to mean not only the wounding of White but also to double for symbolizing the (probably huge) puddle of blood that would come after Mitchell's death.

If that was there intention, they didn't do a good job it and it's scene that didn't work because of the choppy editing.

There was no choppy editing during the basket crash scene, or the pool of blood scene. These were ‘still’ shots.

[Mister E]

Indeed; after the fight, they even cut back to a shot of the interrogation room from above, where there is a huge splotch of blood on the stone floor; I took this to mean not only the wounding of White but also to double for symbolizing the (probably huge) puddle of blood that would come after Mitchell's death.

If that was there intention, they didn't do a good job it and it's scene that didn't work because of the choppy editing.

There was no choppy editing during the basket crash scene, or the pool of blood scene. These were ‘still’ shots.

The scene did not feel exploited well enough, it felt rushed if their intented on foreshadowing, which I don't even agree on anyway.

[Harmsway]

Not funny for the person but funny to us because humor is the misfortune of others.

"Humor is the misfortune of others"? Well, no wonder the world is so messed up.

Honestly, I don't think I really need to comment on how problematic and wrongheaded that statement is, but I will anyway. Humor that comes purely from the misfortune of others, without irony, incongruity, or absurdity, isn't humor at all.

[Mister E]

Not funny for the person but funny to us because humor is the misfortune of others.

"Humor is the misfortune of others"? Well, no wonder the world is so messed up.

Well yes it is.

I don't think I really need to comment on how problematic that statement is.

Your right, you don't need to because it isn't. Hurmor is about misfortune or the misfortune of others and I can cite endless examples but I really don't need to.

[bondrules]

Wow, I can't believe this thread has over 50 hits already....I don't think much of the old lady...she was just there to add realism I think....probably meaning that there is life in the city, and Bond is disrupting it....it's not important in this particular case.

my 2 cents

[Mister E]

Humor that comes purely from the misfortune of others, without irony, incongruity, or absurdity, isn't humor at all.

Now your statement is wrong headed. I want to know who wrote that rule of humor because it dosen't exist. To quote Jackie Gleason "there is no line between comedy and tradegy".

[Santa]

Indeed; after the fight, they even cut back to a shot of the interrogation room from above, where there is a huge splotch of blood on the stone floor; I took this to mean not only the wounding of White but also to double for symbolizing the (probably huge) puddle of blood that would come after Mitchell's death.

If that was there intention, they didn't do a good job it and it's scene that didn't work because of the choppy editing.

There was no choppy editing during the basket crash scene, or the pool of blood scene. These were ‘still’ shots.

The scene did not feel exploited well enough, it felt rushed if their intented on foreshadowing, which I don't even agree on anyway.

Reading these debates about these scenes makes me think Forster is a bit of a . And the whole film felt rushed, yet strangely seemed to go on for so looooong.

[Harmsway]

Hurmor is about misfortune or the misfortune of others and I can cite endless examples but I really don't need to.

What rot. Humor is about absurdity, about irony, about incongruity, and delight. It's not about misfortune, at least not when misfortune has no real context.

That's not to say people don't laugh at the mere misfortune of others, but just because it happens doesn't mean it's right, or proper, or what humor should strive to be. True humor will not arise just out of pure misfortune. If humor is merely the misfortune of others, as you've so simply defined it, then our comedies should resemble Holocaust documentaries.

To quote Jackie Gleason "there is no line between comedy and tradegy".

Ah, but there is. Or at least there should be.

[Mister E]

That's not to say people don't laugh at the mere misfortune of others, but just because it happens doesn't mean it's right, or proper, or what humor should strive to be. True humor will not arise just out of pure misfortune. If humor is merely the misfortune of others, as you've so simply defined it, then our comedies should resemble THE PIANIST.

Reaction is also integral you know, the victim has to have a funny reaction or some funny result has to occur.

[Jim]

I'm not sure whether to be amused or disturbed by the longevity of this thread, but I suppose that's what fan message boards are for.

The way that pigeon flaps about in about the tenth minute is a metaphor for the tumult in Bond's soul. Or summat.