935 replies to this topic

[tdalton]

I would like to come out in support of CT's idea about the bomb implanted inside of Domino. After everything she's been through by the end of the film, it would be a very poignant moment with Domino letting down her wall to allow Bond to do something that would otherwise bring up scarring memories of a tormented period in her life. Great character development. When I first read it, I immediately thought back to the scene from the actual "TB" in which Bond sucks the stingray (?) venom out of Domino's foot. It could be very similar to that, but in this version, it would carry a lot more dramatic weight.

Not to bring this back up from a page earlier, but I haven't been in front of the computer all day and missed this post.


To be honest, I'm starting to warm up to the idea, which I was fairly opposed to early on in this process. I think that if the idea was to have it be a device that either released a fatal dose of poison (or even a device that released enough of whatever drug to cause a fatal overdose), which is something along the lines of what CT had in mind for the scene, then it would work pretty well. Like you said, I think that it could potentially create a great emotional scene between Bond and Domino.

I'm fine with whatever decision is made on it (and I know that the seeming complete 180 degree shift in thinking on my part might not go over too particularly well), but I just wanted to comment on coco1997's post because I think he made a good case for it.

[terminus]

All thoughts, suggestions, appreciated - if we are killing Felix then we need to figure out how and when, and we need to look at the treatment and figure out how to get Aella into the treatment if we are retaining her character as well as whether we're introducing SPECTRE and Blofeld into the mix (I've got an idea for how to do this, and will explain if we go in that direction).



NO GUN BARREL. NO PRE-TITLE SEQUENCE. This isn't that sort of Bond movie. Instead - straight into the title sequence - images from spy films, interspersed with images of nuclear bombs being manufactured, transported and detonated. All to 'Bright Lights, Bigger City' by Cee Lo Green.

TIMOTHY DALTON is JAMES BOND, 007
in WARHEAD 2011

As the title sequence draws to a close, we dissolve through to:

JAMAICA

James Bond is a semi-retired secret agent, living the good life as Head of Station in Jamaica - some would say he's gone to seed, but Bond would argue against. As would his superior, M, who has requested his return to London - he's being returned to active field duty, effective: forthwith.

LONDON

Bond meets with the new M - his old friend, Bill Tanner - and is informed of his return to active field duty. Bond asks why this is happening and Tanner explains the mission - to investigate a UN Arms Inspector suspected of helping to smuggle nuclear weapons onto the black market.

LAPLAND

Bond arrives in Lapland at the Buskelands (Shrublands in Swedish, I believe) in the week before Christmas - festivities are at their height, the snowbound landscape is a stark contrast to the heat of Jamaica. He quickly locates and begins to observe Jacques Derval, the UN Arms Inspector suspected of filing a false report and assisting in the smuggling of nuclear weapons - the freshly reactivated operative watches Derval meeting with a muscle-bound man, the pair speak in French but Bond gets the jist of the discussion. Intrigued about the man, he determines to find out more and (via flirting with a receptionist) learns that the man is Colonel Lippe, a French former member of the Foreign Legion.

Bond is even more intrigued and watches the formidable man working out in the gym before following him into the steamroom. Lippe smashes the lock, trapping them together in the steamroom. The pair fight - it's a literal Jason vs Goliath - with Bond only barely coming out of the encounter alive.

Bond takes Derval into custody and the pair return to London - where he confesses that he DID help smuggle the nuclear weapon onto the black market, but only because they threatened the life of his estranged daughter, Dominique. He doesn't know who hired him as he only dealt with Lippe - and his fellow Frenchman is now dead. He does, however, know that the weapons were delivered to a location off the coast of Bali -

BALI, INDONESIA

Bond travels to Bali to follow the trail of the stolen nuclear weapons and discovers that the delivery point is a wrecked WWII freighter off the coast. He dives down to the wreck to try and find a clue - the wreck is dark and filled with octopi, there is no evidence to be found. When he surfaces, he finds a strange dark haired man on his boat who speaks with a Southern drawl - he introduces himself as Felix Leiter Junior.

"Ah, yes, I knew your father - he was a good man," says Bond, then: "How's his leg?" Junior explains that, like his father, he works for the CIA and has been sent to assist Bond in his investigation. He confirms the absence of evidence - but informs Bond that Dervals estranged daughter, Dominique, and her erstwhile 'boyfriend', military contractor Edvard Largo (think Tony Stark, but Swedish), are in Bali.

That, decides Bond, is FAR too much of a coincidence. He wants to meet Dominique, and by default, Largo. Junior comments "Pappy told me you might be past your time, but you ain't bad for an old timer ..." (or some other such comment) and arranges for the two of them to attend some sort of gala event on the island. At the event, Bond becomes suspicious of the way in which Largo speaks to Dominique - whom he calls 'my little Domino' - and gets challenged to a combat game against Largo in a HR simulation - think 'Call to Duty' but BETTER.

It is obvious to Bond that Largo is cheating. But, even with Largo cheating, Bond manages to turn the game against the shipping magnate by utilising unorthodox strategic choices. Felix later compliments Bond on the unorthodox strategies - and Bond makes a comment, to the effect of, when you face unorthodox foes you must use unorthodox strategies. Largo tries to take his defeat graciously and invites Bond to join him and Domino on a fishing trip the following afternoon. Bond agrees.

On the fishing trip on Largo's yacht, the Flygande Tefat (as far as I can figure out, this is Flying Saucer in Swedish), Bond learns about Domino - she was an aspiring actress turned model, who had a few minor roles in film but developed a cocaine addiction. It was the addiction that drove her apart from her family, a relatiosnhip that was already strained, she explains - but Largo is helping to rehabilitate her and she is grateful to him for that. Bond spends the night on the boat and sneaks about - discovers the GPS system and manages to place a bug into it and, returning to his room, witnesses Vargas giving some drugs in a syringe to Domino.

After he leaves the yacht the following morning, he meets up with Felix who has used the bug that Bond placed and confirms that the Flygande Tefat was in the vicinity of the wreckage that was the delivery point at the time that the nuclear weapons were dropped. Bond has no doubt now that Largo has taken posession of the weapons -

But, when he returns, he discovers that the yacht has left port - for a destination unknown.

Singapore

Bond and Felix track the Flygande Tefat to Singapore on the eve of a famous F1 race - and, once there, they track Domino to a spa at the Marina Bay hotel. Bond confronts her in the infinity pool. He tells her that he knows Vargas was providing her with drugs, he also knows that Largo told Vargas to give her the drugs - feeding her dependancy. Domino can't quite believe it - but Bond says he has something else that can convince her and asks her to come with him. Hesitantly, she agrees.

But Vargas has been keeping an eye on Domino and, when Bond and Domino climb into the Jaguar C-X75 that Bond was provided with in London, Vargas climbs into his own sportscar and pursues them through the streets. The famous F1 race is in progress and the two cars CRASH through a barrier - and into the race itself, their sportscars mingling with the F1 cars. Bond evades Vargas - and takes Domino to a safehouse where Felix is waiting. Felix has set up a video link with London - allowing Domino to speak with her father.

THIS is what convinces her to help Bond. She knows that some sort of cargo was taken aboard the Flygande Tefat in Bali and then offloaded once the yacht reached Singapore - it will be transported to America on a military flight via Guam. Domino doesn't know where the bomb is going to be placed, but she may have inadvertently seen or overheard something that provides a clue - she realises that he mentioned 'a delivery for Mr Lincoln'.

Felix and Bond ask Domino to pretend that she has escaped custody and return to the Flygande Tefat so that she can ascertain where the bombs are to be detonated. Reluctantly, she agrees and returns to the yacht. The boat leaves dock and moves out into the South China Sea whilst Bond and Felix fly to America whilst they await the call from Domino. Domino discovers the bomb has been planted in Washington DC but cannot discover where - it is not until they come in to land in America that Bond realises that the bomb has been planted at the Lincoln Memorial.

However - Domino was discovered whilst radioing the message to Bond and Felix and she is hauled before Largo who injects her with drugs and leaves her half comatose in her stateroom on the yacht.

Washington, DC

Bond explains that he is older than Felix and must therefore be the one to defuse the warhead - the CIA agent agrees and waits at the bottom whilst Bond climbs the stairs of the monument and manages to defuse the bomb - but to do so, he must fight and defeat Vargas who is guarding it. The henchman is thrown to his death from the monument and lands on the sedan parked behind Felix - and the final shot of the sequence is Bond standing atop the phallic shaped symbol. Bond triumphant.

Location TBC

Bond arrives to confront Largo. Domino has had explosives strapped to her chest by Largo and he threatens to set off the explosives if Bond doesn't allow him to escape. Bond calls his bluff - and Largo removes his finger from the trigger, expecting the bomb to blow. Bond has used a device from Q to flood the room with radio static, preventing the detonation signal from getting through. In shock, Largo tries to flee but Domino injects him with an overdose of the drug that he had been giving to her - he dies painfully and slowly.

Before the pair can flee the yacht, Bond must perform complex technical work to remove the bomb from around Domino's chest - he picks it up, runs to the edge of the deck and HURLS THE EXPLOSIVES INTO THE WATER. The explosives detonate under water and send up a fountain of spray into the air -

The Alps, Switzerland

Bond has arranged for Domino to be taken to an exclusive clinic in the Swiss Alps where she begins rehab, the British and Americans are government is paying for the bill because of the help she gave in stopping Largo's scheme to set of a nuclear warhead in Washington, DC. Bond turns down her romantic overtures - and her father steps into the room.

[Mr. Blofeld]

This is why I wanted to combine Aella with Lippe; it gets the character in earlier, and provides Bond a moment of weakness and doubt if she escapes the fight and Derval is his only lead. This also makes Aella more menacing when she reappears later in the film -- how can Bond ever defeat her?

Is it possible Parsons could replace Felix in Bali, and Leiter could make his first appearance in Singapore? If he's killed in the final showdown, Parsons can still be communicating to MI6 and his superiors on Bond's plan of action...

[tdalton]

The one suggestion that I would have that immediately comes to mind (I haven't read the whole way through, but will later on tonight) would be the ending. I think maybe switching around Bond rejecting Domino's romantic advances and her meeting with her father would be the way to go. Maybe her father visits her in the clinic while Bond is recovering elsewhere, and then after that, it would cut to that night and have the scene that coco1997 proposed with having Bond think something is wrong with Domino, and have him go into her room and sleep next to her bed on the floor. I think that scene he proposed shows that he rejects her romantic advances (if he accepted them, he would have slept in the bed with her), but also closes things out on a nice note between them.


This is the scene that coco1997 described that I think would work perfectly to close out this story:

1. "Thunderball" has a great ending scene which surprisingly has yet to be adapted in any Bond film to my recollection. Bond is holed up in a hospital to recover after the underwater climax. He has become emotionally attached to Domino and jolts awake, his first thought being that Domino is not safe. He frantically shouts for a doctor, demanding to know where Domino is. The doctor calmly assures him that she's recovering in another bed a few rooms down. Bond tears out of bed and runs to her room where he finds her and she tells him, "You are to stay here. Do you understand? You are not to go away." Upon finding Domino alive, relief floods through Bond and he immediately falls asleep on the rug next to her bed. She pulls her pillow over to the edge of the mattress so she can see his face any time she wants to, and they both drift off asleep. I think the scene nicely shows Bond's resolve in taking responsibility for a girl, as well as said girl's gratefulness for being 'saved' over the course of the movie by Bond.

Edited by tdalton, 27 December 2010 - 12:11 AM.

[Captain Tightpants]

One minor point of contention: it's practically impossible for cars to smash through the barriers of a street circuit. They're designed to withstand the impact of a racing car travelling 300km/h without so much as buckling. Plus, it's not simply a case of having Formula 1 cars in one lane and ordinary traffic in the other separated by concrete bollards. There's a perimeter that is established around the circuit, to allow for run-off areas and safety vehicle access.

There is, however another way of doing it: this is (very roughly) the route of the Marina Bay circuit. As you can see, there is a highway that runs over it, and the highway stays open for the duration of the race. It's actually pretty high up, so there's no way you could survive a fall from the highway down onto the circuit, but it's a different story with the on-ramps. If Bond and the villains tangled on an on-ramp, I could see them jumping the barriers, which wouldn't be high enough to stop them, but the fall wouldn't be low enough to kill or injure them. Something like this route. That particular corner would be a good one because it's got limited access from the outside, so the outer perimetre isn't as close as in other places.

[terminus]

This is why I wanted to combine Aella with Lippe; it gets the character in earlier, and provides Bond a moment of weakness and doubt if she escapes the fight and Derval is his only lead. This also makes Aella more menacing when she reappears later in the film -- how can Bond ever defeat her?

Is it possible Parsons could replace Felix in Bali, and Leiter could make his first appearance in Singapore? If he's killed in the final showdown, Parsons can still be communicating to MI6 and his superiors on Bond's plan of action...

I could see the validity of merging Aella with Lippe - but I can't see it happening. For it to occur, Aella would need to be in the sauna for the fight scene - and therefore take on Bond in fisticuffs. But I can't see Bond being allowed to beat up a woman on the big screen - it's not happened before, that I recall (although he's been a bit rough when handling women), and I can't see it happening here.

Re: Parsons. I don't see the point of creating two characters when one will do. Parsons would be playing exactly the same function in Bali as Felix does in the current draft, and Parsons and Felix would then be helping Bond in exactly the same capacity. I say again - we don't need to have two characters fulfilling the same function when only one is needed.

The one suggestion that I would have that immediately comes to mind (I haven't read the whole way through, but will later on tonight) would be the ending. I think maybe switching around Bond rejecting Domino's romantic advances and her meeting with her father would be the way to go. Maybe her father visits her in the clinic while Bond is recovering elsewhere, and then after that, it would cut to that night and have the scene that coco1997 proposed with having Bond think something is wrong with Domino, and have him go into her room and sleep next to her bed on the floor. I think that scene he proposed shows that he rejects her romantic advances (if he accepted them, he would have slept in the bed with her), but also closes things out on a nice note between them.

I knew the scene you posted was there - so I tried to incorporate elements of it. The reason I haven't lifted it completely is that our Domino's journey is totally different to the one experienced by the one in the book (and the ones in the two movies). There is no dramatic reason for her to cling to Bond - we need to show her healing and, instead, showing her just moving her need to be helped from Largo to Bond. It's also irresponsible of Bond, who must know that he's just going to walk out of her life soon - he's got zero romantic interest in her and he knows she's emotionally fragile - he wouldn't allow her to form the dependancy on him that she had on Largo, he's not that sort of person. Thus he brings in her father - this brings the storyline to a neat close, building a bridge between father and daughter and putting the building blocks in place for them, together, to ensure that she never falls victim to the drug overdose.

It is a good scene, but I don't think it works as written for our movie - though we can incorporate elements from it.

One minor point of contention: it's practically impossible for cars to smash through the barriers of a street circuit. They're designed to withstand the impact of a racing car travelling 300km/h without so much as buckling. Plus, it's not simply a case of having Formula 1 cars in one lane and ordinary traffic in the other separated by concrete bollards. There's a perimeter that is established around the circuit, to allow for run-off areas and safety vehicle access.

There is, however another way of doing it: this is (very roughly) the route of the Marina Bay circuit. As you can see, there is a highway that runs over it, and the highway stays open for the duration of the race. It's actually pretty high up, so there's no way you could survive a fall from the highway down onto the circuit, but it's a different story with the on-ramps. If Bond and the villains tangled on an on-ramp, I could see them jumping the barriers, which wouldn't be high enough to stop them, but the fall wouldn't be low enough to kill or injure them. Something like this route. That particular corner would be a good one because it's got limited access from the outside, so the outer perimetre isn't as close as in other places.

I took the car smashing through the barriers from Iron Man 2 which features the Monaco Grand Prix - it might not have been a full barrier, just a bar over the road. That said, you seem to be the expert on the F1 circuit so I can bow to your knowledge and make these changes.

[Mr. Blofeld]

I could see the validity of merging Aella with Lippe - but I can't see it happening. For it to occur, Aella would need to be in the sauna for the fight scene - and therefore take on Bond in fisticuffs. But I can't see Bond being allowed to beat up a woman on the big screen - it's not happened before, that I recall (although he's been a bit rough when handling women), and I can't see it happening here.

Re: Parsons. I don't see the point of creating two characters when one will do. Parsons would be playing exactly the same function in Bali as Felix does in the current draft, and Parsons and Felix would then be helping Bond in exactly the same capacity. I say again - we don't need to have two characters fulfilling the same function when only one is needed.

My apologies; was just a thought.

[terminus]

My apologies; was just a thought.

No need to apologise. You raised a point, I said my piece. As long as we keep things civil, raising thoughts like you did is perfectly fine

I do still want to figure out how to get Aella into the piece, somehow.

[coco1997]

Great job, terminus. It's really starting to take shape! A few things, though:

1. You seem to have confused the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument when you describe it as a "phallic-shaped symbol." This is the Monument, while this is the Lincoln Memorial. While I think the idea of planting the bomb in Honest Abe's noggin is definitely cool, we'd lose that wonderful image of Bond standing triumphantly atop the Monument if we used it instead.

2. I think now that t has started to warm to CT's idea of having the bomb/poison planted inside of Domino, might you reconsider the notion of using it? I think the way you have it go down might be a bit similar to the infamous "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb" bit from the 1966 "Batman" film.

3. Are we not using Blofeld at all?

4. I think since we've already changed Largo's and Fiona's name, is it possible we could also change Domino's name? Using it three times just seems a bit tedious and unoriginal.

5. This might be the gadget we want for Bond to flood the room with static--an invisible nano spy earbud.

[tdalton]

I knew the scene you posted was there - so I tried to incorporate elements of it. The reason I haven't lifted it completely is that our Domino's journey is totally different to the one experienced by the one in the book (and the ones in the two movies). There is no dramatic reason for her to cling to Bond - we need to show her healing and, instead, showing her just moving her need to be helped from Largo to Bond. It's also irresponsible of Bond, who must know that he's just going to walk out of her life soon - he's got zero romantic interest in her and he knows she's emotionally fragile - he wouldn't allow her to form the dependancy on him that she had on Largo, he's not that sort of person. Thus he brings in her father - this brings the storyline to a neat close, building a bridge between father and daughter and putting the building blocks in place for them, together, to ensure that she never falls victim to the drug overdose.

It is a good scene, but I don't think it works as written for our movie - though we can incorporate elements from it.

I can't say that I agree. I think that the scene can be kept, maybe with the context of it changed. I don't necessarily think that Domino has to be this emotionally fragile character at the end (sure, she's going to be affected by everything, but I think that her going through the process of helping Bond and Felix take down Largo, combined with her being the one that kills Largo (which I think would give her a sense of empowerment, since she would then ultimately be the one that saved her from Largo, rather than Bond), would help to bring her out of any kind of inferiority complex or victim mentality (or whatever phrase we want to use to describe her arc) and it would at least put her on the road towards recovery. Also, even though her father was working with SPECTRE to help her, I can't see her just openly trusting him right off the bat like that, as he was in league with Largo. I would think that she would be far more trusting of Bond and, while understanding that he's not romantically interested in her, she would rather have him there than her father at that point. I just can't see her just allowing her estranged father back in that easily.

I think that within that context, the scene could work. It would be more from an angle of friendship rather than romantic interest, and would give some closure to the two of them after what would be an emotionally wrenching time spent between the two. My feeling on it is that these two characters should spend at least one very emotional moment together, and I think that either this or CT's acupuncture sequence are the two best ways to get to that point.

I also don't want this to come across as being argumentative or not done in a civil manner, because I don't mean for it to (although I feel that it may come off that way).

[terminus]

1. You seem to have confused the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument when you describe it as a "phallic-shaped symbol." This is the Monument, while this is the Lincoln Memorial. While I think the idea of planting the bomb in Honest Abe's noggin is definitely cool, we'd lose that wonderful image of Bond standing triumphantly atop the Monument if we used it instead.

Ah - I must have gotten confused by the debate between you fellows when you proposed the location I'll make the necessary changes in the redraft.

2. I think now that t has started to warm to CT's idea of having the bomb/poison planted inside of Domino, might you reconsider the notion of using it? I think the way you have it go down might be a bit similar to the infamous "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb" bit from the 1966 "Batman" film.

I'm warming to the idea of him planting a bomb on her - not necessarily planting it in her rib-cage. I imagine like something in a movie or tv show when the bank robber walks into the bank and has explosives wrapped around their wrist and their hand glued to the trigger - that sort of thing. But somehow she's chained into it with something around her neck or wrists.

3. Are we not using Blofeld at all?

I've not put him in because I wasn't sure about how to work the SPECTRE dynamic - how to make it work. That said, it was proposed that Bond be brought back in from pasture in Jamaica because SPECTRE had resurfaced - and if SPECTRE is dropped, then his return doesn't make much sense. So we do need to install SPECTRE somehow. Give me a day and I'll ponder it over.

4. I think since we've already changed Largo's and Fiona's name, is it possible we could also change Domino's name? Using it three times just seems a bit tedious and unoriginal.

5. This might be the gadget we want for Bond to flood the room with static--an invisible nano spy earbud.

Re: the name change. It's possible - but we've only really changed Largo's first name (and it was different in NSNA and TB too) and Fiona changed her name between TB and NSNA - so it's continuing both trends really. Domino did change her surname between the novel, the movie and NSNA so we've sort of done the reverse and changed her first name (from Dominetta to Dominique).

Re: the gadget. I'll give it a look over, it probably is something similar to what we want to use.

[coco1997]

Re: the bomb thing--I'm glad you're warming to the idea. I still think planting it in her is the more original route to go, as it just seems like strapping a bomb/dynamite, etc. to someone has been done to death.

To throw another iron into the fire: I know it was never used in "NSNA", but could we incorporate some sort of homage to the original jetpack scene from "TB"? Such a great iconic scene. I'd love it if one of us could find a more modern equivalent to the jetpack and work it in somehow. I know they were originally planning on using a jetpack chase across the Thames River in "TWINE" before it got replaced with the Q Boat.

[terminus]

I think planting it in her is a bit TOO MUCH.

Re: putting in the jet-pack. We could probably fit it in there, somehow. But we don't want to be too influenced by what has come before with regards to what we do and a jet-pack could be a bit too much of a nudge-and-wink.

[SamuelKevlar]

I'll leave this one to you fine people - you've got more enthusiasm and more time for it. I'll keep checking on its progress and will be back properly for UB Brosnan.

[dinovelvet]

One minor point of contention: it's practically impossible for cars to smash through the barriers of a street circuit. They're designed to withstand the impact of a racing car travelling 300km/h without so much as buckling. Plus, it's not simply a case of having Formula 1 cars in one lane and ordinary traffic in the other separated by concrete bollards. There's a perimeter that is established around the circuit, to allow for run-off areas and safety vehicle access.

There is, however another way of doing it: this is (very roughly) the route of the Marina Bay circuit. As you can see, there is a highway that runs over it, and the highway stays open for the duration of the race. It's actually pretty high up, so there's no way you could survive a fall from the highway down onto the circuit, but it's a different story with the on-ramps. If Bond and the villains tangled on an on-ramp, I could see them jumping the barriers, which wouldn't be high enough to stop them, but the fall wouldn't be low enough to kill or injure them. Something like this route. That particular corner would be a good one because it's got limited access from the outside, so the outer perimetre isn't as close as in other places.

I took the car smashing through the barriers from Iron Man 2 which features the Monaco Grand Prix - it might not have been a full barrier, just a bar over the road. That said, you seem to be the expert on the F1 circuit so I can bow to your knowledge and make these changes.

But at the same time, it's a Bond film. Whether cars can smash through the race barriers or not in real life, if it makes for an exciting sequence, why not do it? The world of Bond would be pretty mundane if he couldn't do a fantastic, would-never-happen-in-real-life thing every now and again.

[coco1997]

True enough, dino. Although, as terminus has stated, this appears to be a more down to Earth, grounded Bond film, more so than "NSNA", so that kind of stunt might be out of place--in this story, that is.

And Sam, I hope no creative decision has been made to distance you from the project. I look forward to reading your contributions for UB Brosnan.

[dinovelvet]

True enough, dino. Although, as terminus has stated, this appears to be a more down to Earth, grounded Bond film, more so than "NSNA", so that kind of stunt might be out of place--in this story, that is.

Well I don't really think its particularly outrageous for a car to smash through a barrier, its not like we're proposing Bond racing an invisible Aston Martin around an ice castle that's being melted by a giant space laser while a diamond-scarred albino henchman chases him in a Jag armed with rockets and a battering ram. (God, can you imagine the pitch meeting for DAD?)

[coco1997]

Fair enough.

This page also has some interesting stuff we might consider.

[terminus]

I think that, were we making this movie in real life, I'd aim to do what they did in the first Transporter movie (not so much in the second where some of the stunts were aided with CGI, I believe) and have the movie set up so that every stunt in the car chase was actually performed - so I can see the validity of CT's comments about the Grand Prix.

Anyway - let's not get dragged down by technicalities. Onwards and upwards, so to speak

[coco1997]

I'm wondering what we should address next. What plot elements do you guys feel still need some work?

[Captain Tightpants]

I took the car smashing through the barriers from Iron Man 2 which features the Monaco Grand Prix - it might not have been a full barrier, just a bar over the road.

I haven't seen the film for a while, but I'm pretty sure there's not actually a road there. If there is, it doesn't actually lead anywhere and cannot be accessed on the race weekend. If cars could smash through barriers like that, it would be pandemonium. The standard for a racing circuit is a concrete barrier, tyre bundles that hold the supports for safety fencing, a second concrete barrier, special bollards packed with energy-absorbing foam, and then the armco barrier (the bar over the road). And all of it is anchored down with numerous bolts and the safety fence supports. The basic idea is that you could hit the fence with a Mack truck and the fence would win. So, jumping over the fencing it the only real way forward, I think. Unless you have Bond and Largo use some sort of tunnel to dip under the actual circuit and emerge in the infield. The circuit can be accessed via the pit building; there's usually a passage through the scruitineering bay that connects the pit lane to the paddock. That could possibly be the way out; have Bond and Largo do a lap of the circuit, duck into the pits and use the scruitineering tunnel to access the infield proper. Alteratively, if you want someone to crash out, then I suggest the turn ten chicane at the bottom of the circuit (the left-hander after the War Memorial and before the bridge. Because there's no space for run-off, a temporary chicane has been constucted. It's quite controversial because it's single-file only and in order to enforce the racing line, the kerbs that have been added are the size of tortises. A lot of the drivers have complained that anyone who touched them ran the risk of becoming airborne, and when a Formula 1 car becomes airborne, the complex aerodynamics that provide almost all of their grip are suddenly gone. Virtually anything can happen. So I'd hate to see what would happen if Bond and/or Largo missed seeing the kerbing in time.

As for Largo's car, I recommend the Koenigsegg Agera.

[terminus]

I'm wondering what we should address next. What plot elements do you guys feel still need some work?

I think that there needs to be a bit of attention paid to Singapore - and maybe looking at installing Aella somehow, though given they dumped Lippe (more or less) in NSNA, I don't see a problem in dumping Aella should we need to.

I took the car smashing through the barriers from Iron Man 2 which features the Monaco Grand Prix - it might not have been a full barrier, just a bar over the road.

I haven't seen the film for a while, but I'm pretty sure there's not actually a road there. If there is, it doesn't actually lead anywhere and cannot be accessed on the race weekend. If cars could smash through barriers like that, it would be pandemonium. The standard for a racing circuit is a concrete barrier, tyre bundles that hold the supports for safety fencing, a second concrete barrier, special bollards packed with energy-absorbing foam, and then the armco barrier (the bar over the road). And all of it is anchored down with numerous bolts and the safety fence supports. The basic idea is that you could hit the fence with a Mack truck and the fence would win. So, jumping over the fencing it the only real way forward, I think. Unless you have Bond and Largo use some sort of tunnel to dip under the actual circuit and emerge in the infield. The circuit can be accessed via the pit building; there's usually a passage through the scruitineering bay that connects the pit lane to the paddock. That could possibly be the way out; have Bond and Largo do a lap of the circuit, duck into the pits and use the scruitineering tunnel to access the infield proper. Alteratively, if you want someone to crash out, then I suggest the turn ten chicane at the bottom of the circuit (the left-hander after the War Memorial and before the bridge. Because there's no space for run-off, a temporary chicane has been constucted. It's quite controversial because it's single-file only and in order to enforce the racing line, the kerbs that have been added are the size of tortises. A lot of the drivers have complained that anyone who touched them ran the risk of becoming airborne, and when a Formula 1 car becomes airborne, the complex aerodynamics that provide almost all of their grip are suddenly gone. Virtually anything can happen. So I'd hate to see what would happen if Bond and/or Largo missed seeing the kerbing in time.

As for Largo's car, I recommend the Koenigsegg Agera.

I think it was the drive of a hotel, so you're probably right. When I do a redraft of the treatment at some point this evening, I will make the necessary revisions - and that car looks reasonable to give to Largo, though it's Vargas we see behind the wheel. Speaking of Vargas - are we keeping that name or are we changing it?

[coco1997]

I've found an even better alternative to "Bright Lights, Bigger City" with which to open the film. Notice the familiar string strains heard throughout.



Perhaps dino, since he proposed the Morgan Freeman casting as Blofeld, could come up with a way to use him in the story? It would be a shame to let such a brilliant casting idea go to waste.

On a similar note, maybe Mr. Blofeld can think of a way to use Aella. Another great casting, and without her, we'd only have one Bond girl.

I also vote that we rename Vargas. Not sure to what, though.

[dinovelvet]

Perhaps dino, since he proposed the Morgan Freeman casting as Blofeld, could come up with a way to use him in the story? It would be a shame to let such a brilliant casting idea go to waste.

I assumed Blofeld's role would be the same as in TB/NSNA, but it might be fun also to use him throughout the movie. Maybe this Blofeld could be more hands-on and wants to supervise the bomb in the field a little bit.
Perhaps he and Bond could meet face to face at one point, but Bond would be in no position to do anything about it (if he's incapacitated or tied up, etc)

[terminus]

I've found an even better alternative to "Bright Lights, Bigger City" with which to open the film. Notice the familiar string strains heard throughout.



Perhaps dino, since he proposed the Morgan Freeman casting as Blofeld, could come up with a way to use him in the story? It would be a shame to let such a brilliant casting idea go to waste.

On a similar note, maybe Mr. Blofeld can think of a way to use Aella. Another great casting, and without her, we'd only have one Bond girl.

I also vote that we rename Vargas. Not sure to what, though.

I will listen to the song later.

I did ponder merging the character of Aella with the character of Vargas - which would solve our problem about having no way to use Aella quite neatly. We've still got the problem though, that I had with merging the character with Lippe, that Bond would need to beat her up at the Washington Monument.

I assumed Blofeld's role would be the same as in TB/NSNA, but it might be fun also to use him throughout the movie. Maybe this Blofeld could be more hands-on and wants to supervise the bomb in the field a little bit.
Perhaps he and Bond could meet face to face at one point, but Bond would be in no position to do anything about it (if he's incapacitated or tied up, etc)

I did have an idea that Blofeld would be present for the fishing trip on the yacht - that although Bond is the foremost expert on SPECTRE that MI6 has, he's never actually met Blofeld or seen him face-to-face. He just meets him on the fishing trip as a business associate of Largo's, finding him quite charismatic and cultured.

It would be later, post-Singapore and pre-Washington (when Domino is digging around on the Flygande Tefat and Bond and Felix are en-route to America) or maybe during the Singapore sequence, that Blofeld sends a message to the worlds intelligence agencies demanding that each of the G8 countries send fifty percent of their gold bullion to a set location in return for the bomb not being detonated.

So, kinda like TB/NSNA, but also satisfying the possibility that Bond actually meets Blofeld.

[coco1997]

I think that resolves the Blofeld issue quite nicely, terminus.

[dinovelvet]

I did have an idea that Blofeld would be present for the fishing trip on the yacht - that although Bond is the foremost expert on SPECTRE that MI6 has, he's never actually met Blofeld or seen him face-to-face. He just meets him on the fishing trip as a business associate of Largo's, finding him quite charismatic and cultured.

It would be later, post-Singapore and pre-Washington (when Domino is digging around on the Flygande Tefat and Bond and Felix are en-route to America) or maybe during the Singapore sequence, that Blofeld sends a message to the worlds intelligence agencies demanding that each of the G8 countries send fifty percent of their gold bullion to a set location in return for the bomb not being detonated.

So, kinda like TB/NSNA, but also satisfying the possibility that Bond actually meets Blofeld.

Yes I like the idea of Bond meeting Blofeld early on, but not knowing who he is. Dalton can get to do one of his patented "enraged" moments when he finds out

[Mr. Blofeld]

I did ponder merging the character of Aella with the character of Vargas - which would solve our problem about having no way to use Aella quite neatly. We've still got the problem though, that I had with merging the character with Lippe, that Bond would need to beat her up at the Washington Monument.

I don't mind it; it'd be interesting to see Bond try to be chivalrous while taking the beating of his life -- surely, Aella would taunt him for it?

[terminus]

I was talking with coco1997 and suggested the following production details - trying to go with some non-predictable choices for some of the fields:

Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck - he directed the recent Angelina Jolie/Johnny Depp action film, 'The Tourist', and whilst the leads of the movie have zero chemistry, the movie is beautifully shot and produced. He's a relatively fresh Director - but could be an excellent candidate for that reason.

I'd imagine that the movie would be produced by Universal Pictures - they've done the three Bourne films (and the upcoming fourth) so might be likely to launch a rival Bond franchise. Also - the studio might be Ealing Studios. They're a realtively small scale English studio, they've got the two St. Trinians films under their belt as well as Dorian Grey and Shaun of the Dead. Warhead 2011 might be their first big-budget action film - but everyone's got to start somewhere, eh!

Not sure about the soundtrack writer, though James Newton Howard (who did the soundtrack for 'The Tourist' with von Donnersmarck, might be a good choice. Newton Howard also collaborated with Hans Zimmer on the soundtrack of The Dark Knight as well as doing the soundtracks for Salt and the upcoming Green Hornet film.

A slight revision of the treatment - have swapped out Vargas and put Aella into the same role, Blofeld now appears in Bali on the Flygande Tefat and delivers his ultimatum during the Singapore sequence, the entrance and exit of the Grand Prix have been modified as per CT's suggestion. I think this provides a pretty good draft - my only major issue at the moment is that I think the inclusion of the ultimatum by Blofeld creates a slight fudging of the drama. Hopefully this can be resolved.

That said, I'm still not convinced about merging Aella with Vargas - and really would like to try and figure out some method of giving her a plotline. One random idea that I have had is that Aella is dispatched to follow Bond by SPECTRE, she is to attempt to assasinate him and fails - then Bond succeeds in killing her in Singapore. This would allow us to keep Vargas in his place for the fisticuffs - and although Ray Park has been suggested to play the role, I'd like to put Neil Jackson into consideration (he played Mr Slate in QOS and is a former competitive boxer in his youth - he's in the new Upstairs Downstairs as Spargo the chauffeur which made me think of him).





NO GUN BARREL. NO PRE-TITLE SEQUENCE. This isn't that sort of Bond movie. Instead - straight into the title sequence - images from spy films, interspersed with images of nuclear bombs being manufactured, transported and detonated. All to 'Please' by Cee Lo Green.

TIMOTHY DALTON is JAMES BOND, 007
in WARHEAD 2011

As the title sequence draws to a close, we dissolve through to:

JAMAICA

James Bond is a semi-retired secret agent, living the good life as Head of Station in Jamaica - some would say he's gone to seed, but Bond would argue against. As would his superior, M, who has requested his return to London - he's being returned to active field duty, effective: forthwith.

LONDON

Bond meets with the new M - his old friend, Bill Tanner - and is informed of his return to active field duty. Bond asks why this is happening and Tanner explains that SPECTRE are making waves once again. Bond is the foremost expert on SPECTRE. Tanner gives Bons his first mission - to investigate a UN Arms Inspector suspected of helping to smuggle nuclear weapons onto the black market.

LAPLAND

Bond arrives in Lapland at the Buskelands (Shrublands in Swedish, I believe) in the week before Christmas - festivities are at their height, the snowbound landscape is a stark contrast to the heat of Jamaica. He quickly locates and begins to observe Jacques Derval, the UN Arms Inspector suspected of filing a false report and assisting in the smuggling of nuclear weapons - the freshly reactivated operative watches Derval meeting with a muscle-bound man, the pair speak in French but Bond gets the jist of the discussion. Intrigued about the man, he determines to find out more and (via flirting with a receptionist) learns that the man is Colonel Lippe, a French former member of the Foreign Legion.

Bond is even more intrigued and watches the formidable man working out in the gym before following him into the steamroom. Lippe smashes the lock, trapping them together in the steamroom. The pair fight - it's a literal Jason vs Goliath - with Bond only barely coming out of the encounter alive.

Bond takes Derval into custody and the pair return to London - where he confesses that he DID help smuggle the nuclear weapon onto the black market, but only because they threatened the life of his estranged daughter, Dominique. He doesn't know who hired him as he only dealt with Lippe - and his fellow Frenchman is now dead. He does, however, know that the weapons were delivered to a location off the coast of Bali -

BALI, INDONESIA

Bond travels to Bali to follow the trail of the stolen nuclear weapons and discovers that the delivery point is a wrecked WWII freighter off the coast. He dives down to the wreck to try and find a clue - the wreck is dark and filled with octopi, there is no evidence to be found. When he surfaces, he finds a strange dark haired man on his boat who speaks with a Southern drawl - he introduces himself as Felix Leiter Junior.

"Ah, yes, I knew your father - he was a good man," says Bond, then: "How's his leg?" Junior explains that, like his father, he works for the CIA and has been sent to assist Bond in his investigation. He confirms the absence of evidence - but informs Bond that Dervals estranged daughter, Dominique, and her erstwhile 'boyfriend', military contractor Edvard Largo (think Tony Stark, but Swedish), are in Bali.

That, decides Bond, is FAR too much of a coincidence. He wants to meet Dominique, and by default, Largo. Junior comments "Pappy told me you might be past your time, but you ain't bad for an old timer ..." (or some other such comment) and arranges for the two of them to attend some sort of gala event on the island. At the event, Bond becomes suspicious of the way in which Largo speaks to Dominique - whom he calls 'my little Domino' - and gets challenged to a combat game against Largo in a HR simulation - think 'Call to Duty' but BETTER.

It is obvious to Bond that Largo is cheating. But, even with Largo cheating, Bond manages to turn the game against the shipping magnate by utilising unorthodox strategic choices. Felix later compliments Bond on the unorthodox strategies - and Bond makes a comment, to the effect of, when you face unorthodox foes you must use unorthodox strategies. Largo tries to take his defeat graciously and invites Bond to join him and Domino on a fishing trip the following afternoon. Bond agrees.

On the fishing trip on Largo's yacht, the Flygande Tefat (as far as I can figure out, this is Flying Saucer in Swedish), Bond learns about Domino - she was an aspiring actress turned model, who had a few minor roles in film but developed a cocaine addiction. It was the addiction that drove her apart from her family, a relatiosnhip that was already strained, she explains - but Largo is helping to rehabilitate her and she is grateful to him for that. Bond spends the night on the boat and sneaks about - discovers the GPS system and manages to place a bug into it and, returning to his room, witnesses Aella, Largo's Amazonian aide-de-camp, giving some drugs in a syringe to Domino.

Also present on the fishing is a business associate of Largo's called Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Morgan Freeman) whom Bond finds cultured and charismatic, he is the Director of Firco (an "international brotherhood for the assistance of stateless persons") and organisation that aids refugees, based in Paris.

After he leaves the yacht the following morning and parts ways with Blofeld, he meets up with Felix who has used the bug that Bond placed and confirms that the Flygande Tefat was in the vicinity of the wreckage that was the delivery point at the time that the nuclear weapons were dropped. Bond has no doubt now that Largo has taken posession of the weapons -

But, when he returns, he discovers that the yacht has left port - for a destination unknown.

Singapore

Bond and Felix track the Flygande Tefat to Singapore on the eve of a famous F1 race - and, once there, they track Domino to a spa at the Marina Bay hotel. Bond confronts her in the infinity pool. He tells her that he knows Aella was providing her with drugs, he also knows that Largo told Aella to give her the drugs - feeding her dependancy. Domino can't quite believe it - but Bond says he has something else that can convince her and asks her to come with him. Hesitantly, she agrees.

But Aella has been keeping an eye on Domino and, when Bond and Domino climb into the Jaguar C-X75 that Bond was provided with in London, Aella climbs into her own sportscar, a Koenigsegg Agera, and pursues them through the streets. The famous F1 race is in progress and the two cars jump over a barrier - and into the race itself, their sportscars mingling with the F1 cars before escaping from the course via the pits. Bond evades Aella - and takes Domino to a safehouse where Felix is waiting. Felix has set up a video link with London - allowing Domino to speak with her father.

THIS is what convinces her to help Bond. She knows that some sort of cargo was taken aboard the Flygande Tefat in Bali and then offloaded once the yacht reached Singapore - it will be transported to America on a military flight via Guam. Domino doesn't know where the bomb is going to be placed, but she may have inadvertently seen or overheard something that provides a clue - she realises that he mentioned 'a delivery for Mr Washington'.

Felix and Bond ask Domino to pretend that she has escaped custody and return to the Flygande Tefat so that she can ascertain where the bombs are to be detonated. Reluctantly, she agrees and returns to the yacht. The boat leaves dock and moves out into the South China Sea whilst Bond and Felix fly to America whilst they await the call from Domino. Domino discovers the bomb has been planted in Washington DC but cannot discover where - it is not until they come in to land in America that Bond realises that the bomb has been planted at the Washington Monument.

However - Domino was discovered whilst radioing the message to Bond and Felix and she is hauled before Largo who injects her with drugs and leaves her half comatose in her stateroom on the yacht. At some point in the latter part of the Singapore sequence, a message is relayed to each of the leaders of the G8 countries - we see the message being played for the Presidents of France, Russia and the USA, the Chancellor of Germany and Prime Ministers of Canada, Italy, Japan and the UK. The message shows Blofeld - revealed as the leader of SPECTRE - saying that he has arranged for a nuclear bomb to decimate the heart of the free world unless each of the G8 countries delivers fifty percent of their gold bullion to set location in twelve hours.

The heart of the free world - Washington, DC.

Washington, DC

Bond and Felix arrive at the Washington Monument. Bond explains that he is older than Felix and must therefore be the one to defuse the warhead - the CIA agent agrees and waits at the bottom whilst Bond climbs the stairs of the monument and manages to defuse the bomb - but to do so, he must fight and defeat Aella who is guarding it. The Amazonian woman is thrown to his death from the monument and lands on the sedan parked behind Felix - and the final shot of the sequence is Bond standing atop the phallic shaped symbol. Bond triumphant.

Somewhere In The South China Sea

Bond arrives to confront Largo. Domino has had explosives strapped to her chest by Largo and he threatens to set off the explosives if Bond doesn't allow him to escape. Bond calls his bluff - and Largo removes his finger from the trigger, expecting the bomb to blow. However, Bond has used a device from Q to flood the room with radio static, preventing the detonation signal from getting through. In shock, Largo tries to flee but Domino injects him with an overdose of the drug that he had been giving to her - he dies painfully and slowly.

Before the pair can flee the yacht, Bond must perform complex technical work to remove the bomb from around Domino's chest - he picks it up, runs to the edge of the deck and HURLS THE EXPLOSIVES INTO THE WATER. The explosives detonate under water and send up a fountain of spray into the air -

The Alps, Switzerland

Bond has arranged for Domino to be taken to an exclusive clinic in the Swiss Alps where she begins rehab, the British and Americans are government is paying for the bill because of the help she gave in stopping Largo's scheme to set of a nuclear warhead in Washington, DC. Bond turns down her romantic overtures, watches her sleep - and falls asleep himself. He wakes to find her gone - but she has simply been moved to another room where she is talking to her father - the estranged father and daughter coming together, the healing beginning for both of them.

Bond pulls on his coat and walks out into the snow outside the clinic, his mission is complete.

[dinovelvet]

Washington, DC

Bond and Felix arrive at the Washington Monument. Bond explains that he is older than Felix and must therefore be the one to defuse the warhead - the CIA agent agrees and waits at the bottom whilst Bond climbs the stairs of the monument and manages to defuse the bomb - but to do so, he must fight and defeat Aella who is guarding it. The Amazonian woman is thrown to his death from the monument and lands on the sedan parked behind Felix - and the final shot of the sequence is Bond standing atop the phallic shaped symbol. Bond triumphant.

I dunno, it seems a bit odd that Bond would go up there and Felix would stay down below. If it's a nuclear warhead, it's not like Felix will be safe if it goes off! How about Aella being up there with a sniper rifle, taking potshots at anyone who approaches - Felix shoots at her from behind a wall, distracting her so Bond can sneak inside, undetected.