207 replies to this topic

[Grackles]

There are plenty of things I'd like in Bond 23. A good script, a coherent storyline, more conventional editing, a more "adventure film" and less "action movie" feel are but a few.

One small thing I'd like is for Bond to smoke a cigarette. Or a cigar. I'll even take a pipe. It's a small thing that annoys me greatly in major films that it's no longer okay to smoke. I'm not even a smoker, but the standards are a total crock.

Let's examine of few the actions Bond has taken in CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE:

He's...

-Shot people with guns and machine guns. The Perla de las Dunas sequence begins as a bullet free-for-fall.

-Pushed a guy off a roof on to a parked car.

-Seduced a married woman, and then stood her up. She was subsequently tortured and killed for having given Bond information.

-Shot a guy in the eye socket with a nail gun.

-Intended to assassinate Le Chiffre with a table knife.

And the guy can't light up a smoke? He should do it in bed with a girl. Just as an affront to the PC brigade.

Edited by Grackles, 31 January 2011 - 10:40 PM.

[Doctor Whom]

There are plenty of things I'd like in Bond 23. A good script, a coherent storyline, more conventional editing, a more "adventure film" and less "action movie" feel are but a few.

One small thing I'd like is for Bond to smoke a cigarette. Or a cigar. I'll even take a pipe. It's a small thing that annoys me greatly in major films that it's no longer okay to smoke. I'm not even a smoker, but the standards are a total crock.

Let's examine of few the actions Bond has taken in CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE:

He's...

-Shot people with guns and machine guns. The Perla de las Dunas sequence begins as a bullet free-for-fall.

-Pushed a guy off a roof on to a parked car.

-Seduced a married woman, and then stood her up. She was subsequently tortured and killed for having given Bond information.

-Shot a guy in the eye socket with a nail gun.

-Intended to assassinate Le Chiffre with a table knife.

And the guy can't light up a smoke? He should do it in bed with a girl. Just as an affront to the PC brigade.

Like Algernon, in NSNA, I do like some violence. However, I never want to see Bond use a machine gun ever again.

[Grackles]

Tell me about it!

[smudge76]

There are plenty of things I'd like in Bond 23. A good script, a coherent storyline, more conventional editing, a more "adventure film" and less "action movie" feel are but a few.

One small thing I'd like is for Bond to smoke a cigarette. Or a cigar. I'll even take a pipe. It's a small thing that annoys me greatly in major films that it's no longer okay to smoke. I'm not even a smoker, but the standards are a total crock.

Let's examine of few the actions Bond has taken in CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE:

He's...

-Shot people with guns and machine guns. The Perla de las Dunas sequence begins as a bullet free-for-fall.

-Pushed a guy off a roof on to a parked car.

-Seduced a married woman, and then stood her up. She was subsequently tortured and killed for having given Bond information.

-Shot a guy in the eye socket with a nail gun.

-Intended to assassinate Le Chiffre with a table knife.

And the guy can't light up a smoke? He should do it in bed with a girl. Just as an affront to the PC brigade.

Like Algernon, in NSNA, I do like some violence. However, I never want to see Bond use a machine gun ever again.

James Bond is meant to be an Operator for MI6 so why would he never use any automatic weapons. He has to because Bond cannot live in the past. For the films to survive they have to update and thats why casino royale was perfect. Does he need to smoke well not really it does not impact on the film in anyway.

Edited by smudge76, 31 January 2011 - 11:46 PM.

[The Shark]

James Bond is meant to be an Operator for MI6 so why would he never use any automatic weapons. He has to because Bond cannot live in the past. For the films to survive they have to update.

So he has to lose his identity in the process, and become a pale copy of John Rambo?

[Grackles]

Bond should cetainly be able to use a machine gun if he has to. And if he uses one once in a film, and in an inventive circumstance, I won't really mind. But every action movie has machine guns and Uzis. The Bond writers should simply not put him in a position where he uses one.

[smudge76]

I am not saying he has to lose his identity and i am not saying go all TND in regards to whole automatic weapons issue but if 007 deploys on an op to middle of helmand province it would look plain stupid if all he was armed with was a walther ppk

[Major Tallon]

The weaponry Bond uses should depend on the demands of the story. Remember that in Goldfinger, Fleming had Bond fire a bazooka. In Diamonds Are Forever, he shot down a helicopter with a Bofors gun. If the plot warrants it, I've no objection to a machine gun.

[00Twelve]

Agreed, Major. Also, Laz sliding down the icy helicopter pad, automatic blazing, looked pretty fantastic to me. Right circumstances, for sure, but there are certainly occasions where Bond can look naturally awesome with an automatic weapon.

[NorthoftheThames]

Cigar Aficionado magazine featured a massive behind the scenes feature on the making of Quantum of Solace and an Ian Fleming tribute in their November/December 2008 issue. Daniel Craig was on the cover, and I remember when I saw the issue, I was thrilled. It reminded me of vintage James Bond - a bit of the classy old school edge from the Fleming and Connery era, before the PC Police started messing with our anti-PC poster boy!

The Bond issue of Cigar Aficionado was written by journalist David Giammarco, who also wrote the book For Your Eyes Only: Behind the Scenes of the James Bond Films, and in his interview with Daniel Craig, Craig says he quit smoking when he began training for Casino Royale. Even though the topic of cigars never really comes in the magazine, it was still a great connection to those brandy-swilling, mahogany-walled, private gentleman's clubs of Ian Fleming. Loved it! Made me yearn for more of those classic Brit touches that our boy Danny needs for Bond 23.

Felix Leiter smoked a cigar in QoS, and Pierce smoked one in Die Another Day, so it's about time Danny lit a nice Cohiba - if ever so briefly - just to remind audiences that James Bond doesn't give a damn and truly enjoys the finer things in life.

BTW: Daniel Craig autographed my copy of Cigar Aficionado after a performance of Steady Rain in New York - it's now one of my cherished Bond keepsakes!!

[jaguar007]

BTW: Daniel Craig autographed my copy of Cigar Aficionado after a performance of Steady Rain in New York - it's now one of my cherished Bond keepsakes!!

NICE!

I think one aspect of Bond not smoking cigarettes (apart from the whole being a role model stuff etc) is that in todays society, cigarette smoking is just not cool like it was in the 60s and 70s. It is no longer fashionable and people treat like like a dark secret.

[Mr.Zukovsky]

Wasn't Ian Flemming's bond a heavy smoker? I kind of agree with Grackles on this, but Jaguar007 is right, that's why bond hasn't smoked since Licence To kill.

Edited by Mr.Zukovsky, 01 February 2011 - 04:10 AM.

[JB007YH]

I dont want him to smoke cigarettes but I think it would be badass if he smoked cigars. I think he should do a nod to Roger Moore and smoke MonteCristos. They are amazing!

Edited by JB007YH, 01 February 2011 - 05:51 AM.

[Virgosy]

I think one aspect of Bond not smoking cigarettes (apart from the whole being a role model stuff etc) is that in todays society, cigarette smoking is just not cool like it was in the 60s and 70s. It is no longer fashionable and people treat like like a dark secret.

And what about the vodka martini ?

Bond became politically correct. The first time Sean Connery appeared as James Bond in Dr No, he was smoking. Bond likes alcohol and cigarette. I love Bond smoking a cigarette, and I really want its return. It's, in my opinion, a little, but an important part of 007's profile.

But now, it's purely anecdotic. We can't anymore smoke in public places, so when a character smokes, we see it immediately. Bond must be remarkable, single, recognizable between one million people. But with Daniel Craig, this aspect is lost. Can we still say that Craig is a faithful return to Ian Fleming ?

[Goodnight]

I don't mind Bond drinking Vodka martini's at all.


I understand what people are saying about the Fleming connection of smoking, but I find smoking completely unattractive.

[Messervy]

I would very much love to see Bond smoke again.
It is indeed anecdotal, but it would anyway make sense to get Bond back to his smoking habit. Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan: all smoked. As did the novel-Bond.
It's just the way the character is: he drinks and he smokes; he lives a dangerous life and his habits are those of a man on the edge.
After all, why would it be ok to see him drink, but not ok to see him smoke? Besides, Bond is someone who actually kills people. So smoking should be prohibited, but killing not? Sometimes "politically correct" is so paradoxical!...

[smudge76]

Whats Bond meant to do ? Find the nearest allocated smoking area to light up ? To be honest in the 50s and 60s smoking was cool but now does anyone really care ? not really. Plus the health benefits of not smoking are now more clearly known and if 007 was to smoke as much as he did in flemings day he would not be doing some the things expected of him by six. Craigs bond is a former SBS soldier now working for a special action arm of six. I have known some very fit oldiers who smoke like a bonfire but what i have also seen is that as they get older it catches up with them and many are forced to quit to keep fit. So a 40 + James Bond chasing a bomb maker up cranes through buildings along streets of some african nation and then to a punch up and gun battle inside a building may struggle slighty if he was smoking to extent that fleming has him. Just moving with times and does it affect movies..??? No

[Liparus]

There are plenty of things I'd like in Bond 23. A good script, a coherent storyline, more conventional editing, a more "adventure film" and less "action movie" feel are but a few.

One small thing I'd like is for Bond to smoke a cigarette. Or a cigar. I'll even take a pipe. It's a small thing that annoys me greatly in major films that it's no longer okay to smoke. I'm not even a smoker, but the standards are a total crock.

Let's examine of few the actions Bond has taken in CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE:

He's...

-Shot people with guns and machine guns. The Perla de las Dunas sequence begins as a bullet free-for-fall.

-Pushed a guy off a roof on to a parked car.

-Seduced a married woman, and then stood her up. She was subsequently tortured and killed for having given Bond information.

-Shot a guy in the eye socket with a nail gun.

-Intended to assassinate Le Chiffre with a table knife.

And the guy can't light up a smoke? He should do it in bed with a girl. Just as an affront to the PC brigade.

Agree for a little puff with a cigarette. Cigars are for Roger MOO7re only !

[General G.]

Did ya notice that in CR, nobody is smoking in the casino -- and such establishments are about the only places left that allow it.

It's stupid, I know, but I think it's an American MPAA (ratings board) thing... If Craig were to fire up a cig in the next Bond pic the film would likely get slapped with an "R" (because he's the hero and not a bad guy).

IIRC, in the PG-13 rated X-Men films Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) often has a stogie in his puss -- but it's never lit.

Yeah, Bond smokes 60 cigarettes a day in the novels, but he never has to chase a parkour master across a construction site. In the 21st Century it kind of makes sense that an "athletic" Bond would have given up tobacco.

The truly laughable thing? In the upcoming Disney-produced Captain America film -- which is mostly set during World War II -- we probably won't see a single cigarette being smoked... unless it's a Nazi doing it.

[The Shark]

Yeah, Bond smokes 60 cigarettes a day in the novels, but he never has to chase a parkour master across a construction site. In the 21st Century it kind of makes sense that an "athletic" Bond would have given up tobacco.

You mean an infallible, superhuman Bond, sponsored by Duracell?

[David Schofield]

Yeah, Bond smokes 60 cigarettes a day in the novels, but he never has to chase a parkour master across a construction site. In the 21st Century it kind of makes sense that an "athletic" Bond would have given up tobacco.

You mean an infallible, superhuman Bond, sponsored by Duracell?

Quite.

The 60 a day man only had to ski down an entire alp pursued by killers, was totally knackered when he reached the bottom, and passed out asleep in his girlfriends car.

This is called "an element of realism".

The Duracell version would have still been capable of nipping to the gym for a few bicep-bursting super reps. In his baby-blue trunks.

[Iroquois]

Aren't you forgetting that Craig's Bond collapses after the Miami chase? Hardly the duracell bunny...

[General G.]

IMO, there's only one flubbed moment in the entire construction site/embassy invasion sequence.*
When Bond jumps on the back bumper of the van, there's a close-up of Craig clinging to the vehicle. He's not even breathing hard. Should've been huffing like mad, dripping with sweat.


* Enjoyed the hell out of CR in the theater. During this sequence the entire audience was on the edge of their seats, with plenty of audible response throughout. It was GREAT to experience this again while watching a Bond pic with a big crowd... something that hadn't happened in a LONG time.

[Binyamin]

Bond should smoke occasionally, drink often, spank precocious women, and shoot well. He is Her Majesty's blunt instrument, not a damned "role model."

[Messervy]

Whats Bond meant to do ? Find the nearest allocated smoking area to light up ? To be honest in the 50s and 60s smoking was cool but now does anyone really care ? not really. Plus the health benefits of not smoking are now more clearly known and if 007 was to smoke as much as he did in flemings day he would not be doing some the things expected of him by six. Craigs bond is a former SBS soldier now working for a special action arm of six. I have known some very fit oldiers who smoke like a bonfire but what i have also seen is that as they get older it catches up with them and many are forced to quit to keep fit. So a 40 + James Bond chasing a bomb maker up cranes through buildings along streets of some african nation and then to a punch up and gun battle inside a building may struggle slighty if he was smoking to extent that fleming has him. Just moving with times and does it affect movies..??? No

So, if I get this right, Bond should not smoke, because that's not healthy, noone cares for it, and anyway it doesn't affect the story, so no problem.
but then he should not drink either: it's not healthy, noone really cares and anyway it doesn't serve the plot.
but then he should not suit up either, noone really cares and it doesn't affect the plot if he's in sweaters or tux.
but then he should not drive an Aston Martin, noone really cares and it doesn't serve the plot; it's just a car.
but then he should not travel to exotic locations, they're just spots on the map and don't affect the plot.
If fear that if we were to go this route of so-called "moving with times", we'd end up with a plain not-noticeable guy moving around waving a gun... where's Bond in all this?

[Bryce (003)]

Bond should smoke occasionally, drink often, spank precocious women, and shoot well. He is Her Majesty's blunt instrument, not a damned "role model."

What he said.

So, if I get this right, Bond should not smoke, because that's not healthy, noone cares for it, and anyway it doesn't affect the story, so no problem.
but then he should not drink either: it's not healthy, noone really cares and anyway it doesn't serve the plot.
but then he should not suit up either, noone really cares and it doesn't affect the plot if he's in sweaters or tux.
but then he should not drive an Aston Martin, noone really cares and it doesn't serve the plot; it's just a car.
but then he should not travel to exotic locations, they're just spots on the map and don't affect the plot.
If fear that if we were to go this route of so-called "moving with times", we'd end up with a plain not-noticeable guy moving around waving a gun... where's Bond in all this?

What he said too.

[General G.]

... where's Bond in all this?

Well, his liver remains impervious to serious alcohol consumption...

[Jim]

Yes, and he should be horrible to the population of both Koreas, eat ham sandwiches and repeatedly drink and drive, ski on wooden skis, get whacked out of his skull on benzedrine and cure lesbians.

And smoke.

Actually that'd be great but I suspect the product placers might not go for it in their desire for a two hour watch-and-airline-and-booze-and-motor car-and-cheap suits advert. After all, ham sandwiches are protein and refined carbohydrate and could kill yer.

[Harry Fawkes]

I want Bond to use a condom in Bond 23

[Marlowe]

Yeah, Bond smokes 60 cigarettes a day in the novels, but he never has to chase a parkour master across a construction site. In the 21st Century it kind of makes sense that an "athletic" Bond would have given up tobacco.

You mean an infallible, superhuman Bond, sponsored by Duracell?

Top notch !