37 replies to this topic

[Henry-Jones-Sr]

Gustav, you seem to be backtracking a bit. You got us all riled up by essentially saying we had no right to dislike the new Bassey song and if we DID dislike it then we were not real Bond fans and we were somehow betraying the movies.

NOW you're saying you're a champion of free speech and that I am crushing yours and others right to express an opinion! YOU were the one who told us we were not allowed to have a different opinion to your own!

Also, in my post I waxed lyrical about how we are all entitled to our opinions, no matter how different they may be. I think you are getting a bit confused somewhere along the line.

As for my dislike of Bassey's singing: always have, always will.

[Nicolas Suszczyk]

Is there actually SOMEONE who thinks Bassey's new album 'The Performance' is actually damn good?

::raises hand::

That said, I think "No Good About Goodbye" and "Our Time is Now" are two of the less memorable tracks on the album.

Seconded

[Gustav Graves]

Gustav, you seem to be backtracking a bit. You got us all riled up by essentially saying we had no right to dislike the new Bassey song and if we DID dislike it then we were not real Bond fans and we were somehow betraying the movies.

NOW you're saying you're a champion of free speech and that I am crushing yours and others right to express an opinion! YOU were the one who told us we were not allowed to have a different opinion to your own!

Also, in my post I waxed lyrical about how we are all entitled to our opinions, no matter how different they may be. I think you are getting a bit confused somewhere along the line.

As for my dislike of Bassey's singing: always have, always will.

It..wasn't really my intention...to say that in the first place. I'm so sorry if I did. Yes, I wanted to heat up this discussion a bit. But no, it was not my intention to say you are all suckers if you don't like 'NGAG'.

I'm not backtracking, but sometimes I do get a bit passionate. Then I write down things that aren't really my intention. I am sorry for that.

Having said that, I still stand by my arguments concerning the actual songs. They are as valid as yours, as both are opinions.

I also must...conclude something that...makes me a bit worried. Perhaps.....I just don't like the Bond franchise how it is now . I still, felt quite blunted when I left the cinema after seeing 'QOS' for the first time. I just hope...someone can cheer me up....

Are there more Bond fans who feel a bit disappointed?

Edited by Gustav Graves, 19 November 2009 - 10:11 PM.

[Satorious]

It's a fairly well constructed piece, but it's lacking a sparkle for me (the Barry magic just isn't rubbing off this time round). Still, you can't win them all. Aside from the Barry/Black/Bassey/Arnold connection - it's not really a Bond song either. I still prefer it to that Arnold track "No Good About Goodbye" which is more Bond-like.

Call me old-school, but just give me Diamonds or Goldfinger any day of the week.

[Henry-Jones-Sr]

Gustav Graves, there's absolutely no shame in disliking a Bond movie or the direction they are going in. This is pretty much an essential characteristic for every Bond fan at some time or another!

The thing is, the Bond movies have been going for so long, and have evolved so much over the years, that there will inevitably be periods when it works or doesn't work, or when it is to your tastes or not. I, for example, felt as you are feeling now throughout the whole of Pierce Brosnan's tenure!

As for Quantum Of Solace, I too felt a bit deflated by it when I saw it at the cinema. It all just seemed a bit empty. The producers are trying something new with these Daniel Craig movies, and I dare say they'll have the style they are going for absolutely licked with the next one. I hope so, anyway.

By the way, I did find that when I watched Quantum Of Solace a second time when it came out on DVD I had a rollicking good time.

[Gustav Graves]

My dad is a Bond fan. He....basicaly introduced me to the world of James Bond. I was 8 when I saw my first Bond film in cinema 'Licence To Kill'. I was amazed. I wanted to see more and then my first Bond film on tv was 'You Only Live Twice' (A tv cyclus of Connery Bond films back in 1990).

Ever since I saw 'Licence To Kill' in cinema, I went on to see all upcoming Bond films. First with my family, since 'Die Another Day' also with friends.

So far my most underwhelmed cinema experiences were 'Die Another Day' and 'Quantum Of Solace'. If I rank the films that I've seen so far in cinema, based on entertainment factor and thrill ride (I'm NOT talking about the sheer quality of those films), it will look like this:

01) 'Casino Royale':
Back in 2005 I jumped my seat when I heard 'Casino Royale' would be remaked. I was CRAZY and I KNEW this would be THE best one since many films from the sixties. And I was right. A torture scene, luxury scenes at the Casino Royale and a deserved BAFTA-winner!
02) 'Tomorrow Never Dies':
Backseatdriver! Actually, 'TND' is as close as 'Goldfinger' in the sixties: Highly entertaining, a grey-haired Bond villain/media mogul. Loved the carpark chase. 'Q' was as funny as ever. And Stamper is the last of memorable henchmen IMO.
03) 'Licence To Kill':
Special memory with this one. I was quite...scared when I saw a head exploding, but otherwise I loved Bond's underwater drugs fight. And those sharks....cool!
04) 'The World Is Not Enough':
What a thrill! My dad had a head ache then, but by jolly that boat chase was the best PTS since 'The Living Daylights'. I heard Monty Norman's theme in full, the chase went on and on. LOVED IT! Seeing Bond and Elektra skiing together brought my back to good ol OHMSS-times.
05) 'GoldenEye':
My dad...sjee, I never saw him dying of laughter during the tank chase. It's the most memorable scene of the film. So are scenes with 'Q' in London. And seeing Xenia dying is perhaps one of the nicest things of the films!
06) 'Die Another Day':
Nice, but too many CGI. Invisible cars, Bond surfing on ice. It should have been the 'YOLT' of 2002, but it failed in it miserably. All the Bond references....well, I missed them in cinema. Thought the 'Q' scenes were great again, so were the scenes in Hong Kong and Cuba.
07) 'Quantum Of Solace':
Like so many of my friends: A Jason Bourne rip-off. Nothing more. It tries to follow trends in the action/spy genre, instead of SETTING trends. Not a wise thing to do IMO. Seeing this film made me think: Are the Bond producers afraid of their own success? Why are they so forcefully trying to distance every aspect of this film that makes a Bond film great? Why!

Now about the Bond franchise. Off course it is going on for more than 47 years. So...what?? You mention this fact as if it could be the actual, future, destruction of the Bond franchise. I think otherwise. It's not an easy task, but Michael and Babs should find that delicate balance between originality and Bond vibe again; coming up with new plot ideas that are trendsetting and blow away franchises like Batman and Jason Bourne, while at the same time sticking to a certain level of Bond vibe/nostalgia that makes a Bond film...a Bond film again!

'Quantum Of Solace' and 'Die Another Day' kinda failed in maintaining that balance. 'Die Another Day' wants to throw 40 years of Bond cliché's in one film, while forgetting to inject the kind of realism that Fleming's novels had.

'Quantum Of Solace' on the other hand tries desperately to distinguish itself from past films, by injecting more rough-edged realism/action than is necessary....as if this film was afraid of past Bond films. It tried to hard to sail on the success of other franchises, thus lacking much of the Bond vibe that past films had...

[JimmyBond]

It's not an easy task, but Michael and Babs should find that delicate balance between originality and Bond vibe again; coming up with new plot ideas that are trendsetting and blow away franchises like Batman and Jason Bourne, while at the same time sticking to a certain level of Bond vibe/nostalgia that makes a Bond film...a Bond film again!

See, this is why we're always going to disagree on QoS. Because I felt it had all that in spades.

[Gustav Graves]

We agree to disagree Jimmy . I think 'Casino Royale' had that, not 'Quantum Of Solace' .