79 replies to this topic

[iBond]

I love the sword fight

I'm a fan because it's a good contrast. A high class environment with anything but high class behavior going on inside it. The betting aspect is pure Bond as well, evoking Octopussy. I've always loved that brave and defiant side of the character. Backed up against the wall after losing twice, and then bringing the diamonds into it. Going all in with his everything or nothing philosophy. It mocks the villain and gives a false sense of security. Because Graves is clouded with rage and thinks the battle will be simple.

Yeah, I love the look on Grave's face after Bond takes the diamond out of his pocket. This shows a bit of weakness in Graves and how 007 may have compromised his cover story as someone discovering a diamond mine. It was pretty good. Bond showing his strength and how he's not letting this competition cloud the situation. I mean, Graves knew it was Bond all along with the whole, "Have we met before?" But Bond, having no idea who he really was still got to him.

[Major]

Thanks to this thread I was inspired to pop it on again and have a quick watch. I actually love the surfing scene, perfect infiltration technique...

[Jump James]

The thing I just never really liked about the fencing scene is, why does Bond take it so personally? Graves has reason to be emotionally invested, he knows who Bond is and has reason to hate him. But Graves is nobody to Bond. So why does he look so angry throughout it, like Graves just killed his dog? It was however a pretty well choreographed scene.

Now, I always thought Bond was very very cross that Graves was pedaling blood diamonds and the result was the sword fight.

Watching it on Blu-Ray gave me a new appreciation of the film, no idea why. Perhaps it has matured with age. It might be my favorite Bosnian film which I never thought I would write. Kind of felt sorry for him after Die Another Day, he wanted to do more but wasn't contacted by EON. I recall him being on the Johnathon Ross show saying that he wants to do more but hasn't heard from them.

[iBond]

Yup, Eon called him up and basically said they didn't need him anymore and wanted to go with someone younger so they could do the whole reboot thing. I wish Brosnan had done seven films or at least six. But, I am grateful with the number of films he did do. Any of you interested in the posters for the film, check it out at here. Just scroll down and look at the other posters and you can also click on some of them to make larger. Enjoy!

[Jump James]

I always had the impression from the interview I saw that he was kept in limbo for a little while. Living in hope as he hadn't heard from them.

[iBond]

I always had the impression from the interview I saw that he was kept in limbo for a little while. Living in hope as he hadn't heard from them.

It's got to be hard not knowing wither you will be doing another 007 picture or not. I mean, he was signed on for three films with an option for a fourth, which he took. So, he probably figured it wouldn't be a surprise if they asked him to leave. But, the sucky part is that all of the other actors left by choice. Well, except for Moore who figured that he was getting too old for the part and that it was just time to move on after 12 years. Connery just didn't want to do it anymore, Lazenby refused due to advice from his agent and Dalton didn't want to do it after a six year hiatus of the series. Brosnan seemed to get the bad wrap. And he was a successful Bond. But, I guess the producers just wanted to take the series in another direction and since Brosnan already did four films, they felt it was just time to move on with someone else.

Edited by iBond, 23 March 2011 - 09:13 PM.

[jaguar007]

Dalton didn't want to do it after a six year hiatus of the series. Brosnan seemed to get the bad wrap. And he was a successful Bond. But, I guess the producers just wanted to take the series in another direction and since Brosnan already did four films, they felt it was just time to move on with someone else.

Technically Dalton was not given much of a choice apart from resigning from the role. John Calley (then CEO of MGM) refused to green light GE unless Bond was recast. It is a pity, because personally I thought GE would have been far better had Dalton played Bond in that film.

[iBond]

...John Calley (then CEO of MGM) refused to green light GE unless Bond was recast...

No way! Are you serious?

[Jump James]

Die Another Day also did have one of the best opening credits in the series. It's aged pretty well. PB had a good set of opening credits to his credit.

I wasn't a big fan of the speeded up edit of when the camera speed is increased then decreased in a 100th of a second. Anyone know what I mean? They used it quite often in DAD. Seems retro now. Small gripe.

[iBond]

Die Another Day also did have one of the best opening credits in the series. It's aged pretty well. PB had a good set of opening credits to his credit.

I wasn't a big fan of the speeded up edit of when the camera speed is increased then decreased in a 100th of a second. Anyone know what I mean? They used it quite often in DAD. Seems retro now. Small gripe.

Yeah, I wasn't a big fan of it either. Like the scenes in Iceland right after the meeting with M. The way it all sped up was kind of annoying, but I did like the fact that when it stopped, it was right aligned with the music. But yeah, I especially wasn't a fan of it during the car chase with Zao...so unnecessary.

[jaguar007]

...John Calley (then CEO of MGM) refused to green light GE unless Bond was recast...

No way! Are you serious?

yep. It has become fairly common knowledge around these parts.

It has also been suggested that Barbara Broccoli wanted Sean Bean to be cast in GE, but Calley insisted on someone more bankable.

About Brosnan, I have also heard that he and EON were in negotiations for him to do a 5th Bond film but he was asking for a obscene amount of money, something like $20million. Dana Broccoli got ill (and passed away) and BB and MGW had stalled on production. Brosnan publically criticized the producers during this time. EON then decided to go a different direction. I had also heard that Brosnan and Broccoli never did get along very well.

[Jump James]

Die Another Day also did have one of the best opening credits in the series. It's aged pretty well. PB had a good set of opening credits to his credit.

I wasn't a big fan of the speeded up edit of when the camera speed is increased then decreased in a 100th of a second. Anyone know what I mean? They used it quite often in DAD. Seems retro now. Small gripe.

Yeah, I wasn't a big fan of it either. Like the scenes in Iceland right after the meeting with M. The way it all sped up was kind of annoying, but I did like the fact that when it stopped, it was right aligned with the music. But yeah, I especially wasn't a fan of it during the car chase with Zao...so unnecessary.

Yes, that's it. I recall thinking it was very cool at the time.

...John Calley (then CEO of MGM) refused to green light GE unless Bond was recast...

No way! Are you serious?

yep. It has become fairly common knowledge around these parts.

It has also been suggested that Barbara Broccoli wanted Sean Bean to be cast in GE, but Calley insisted on someone more bankable.

About Brosnan, I have also heard that he and EON were in negotiations for him to do a 5th Bond film but he was asking for a obscene amount of money, something like $20million. Dana Broccoli got ill (and passed away) and BB and MGW had stalled on production. Brosnan publically criticized the producers during this time. EON then decided to go a different direction. I had also heard that Brosnan and Broccoli never did get along very well.

Perhaps he got tired of waiting in limbo, hence the negative comments?

[iBond]

...John Calley (then CEO of MGM) refused to green light GE unless Bond was recast...

No way! Are you serious?

yep. It has become fairly common knowledge around these parts.

It has also been suggested that Barbara Broccoli wanted Sean Bean to be cast in GE, but Calley insisted on someone more bankable.

About Brosnan, I have also heard that he and EON were in negotiations for him to do a 5th Bond film but he was asking for a obscene amount of money, something like $20million. Dana Broccoli got ill (and passed away) and BB and MGW had stalled on production. Brosnan publically criticized the producers during this time. EON then decided to go a different direction. I had also heard that Brosnan and Broccoli never did get along very well.

I heard about that too, but I don't believe that to be the case. Brosnan is a pretty honest and cool guy. He already has a crap load of money and even comes down to my job from time to time to watch a flick. He really enjoyed doing the Bond movies and I believe it was more so for the kids. I believe that it was more of Eon's doing since they wanted to get a younger actor to continue with the use of Casino Royale since they had the rights. I could believe them saying, "Hiya Pierce...we consider you slimed. You've been a great asset to us and the family, but we just feel it is time to move on." Or something like that. I'm glad Brosnan has made some hits since his tenure as 007. For example, The Ghost Writer by Roman Polansky or dare I say it...Mamma Mia!

B O T

I think that Die Another Day came at a great time and it was nice seeing 007 again after a longer than usual gap...but not as long as the gap soon to come afterwards.

[AMC Hornet]

I wasn't a big fan of the speeded up edit of when the camera speed is increased then decreased in a 100th of a second. Anyone know what I mean? They used it quite often in DAD. Seems retro now. Small gripe.

Those 'ramping' shots took me by surprise too, but what the hell - at least Tamahori didn't use them to insert closeups of the actors for whom the stuntpeople were doubling, a la Charlie's Angels.

So a director had a 'signature' camera effect. Did anyone gripe when Guy Hamilton included a couple of tight closeups in LALD (eg the incendiary timer and the gas pellet)?

Me neither. If you like your Bond films to all look the same, stick with John Glen's canon (FYEO - LTK).

Edited by AMC Hornet, 24 March 2011 - 11:18 PM.

[Mr. Blofeld]

...John Calley (then CEO of MGM) refused to green light GE unless Bond was recast...

No way! Are you serious?

yep. It has become fairly common knowledge around these parts.

It has also been suggested that Barbara Broccoli wanted Sean Bean to be cast in GE, but Calley insisted on someone more bankable.

What makes it worse is that GoldenEye was written for Dalton; the first draft by Michael France reads like the third Dalton movie that we never got...

Why was Calley eager for Brosnan, anyhow? At the time, Brosnan was doing a TV movie of Robinson Crusoe; how is that a bankable action star?

[Dustin]

Why was Calley eager for Brosnan, anyhow? At the time, Brosnan was doing a TV movie of Robinson Crusoe; how is that a bankable action star?

Most likely just the simple number of media articles mentioning Brosnan and Bond in the same sentence. For a time it must have looked like the natural thing to do with Brosnan having done the Saint-style Remington Steele. Rumour has it that LTK did not so well because American housewives supposedly were not attracted to Dalton. Or better perhaps, not attracted enough to see LTK three times in a row. Calley probably had a survey in his desk showing that the approval with Brosnan amongst American housewives was so-and-so per cent above their approval with Dalton/Bean or whoever else was in their sights.

[sthgilyadgnivileht]

...John Calley (then CEO of MGM) refused to green light GE unless Bond was recast...

No way! Are you serious?

yep. It has become fairly common knowledge around these parts.

It has also been suggested that Barbara Broccoli wanted Sean Bean to be cast in GE, but Calley insisted on someone more bankable.

About Brosnan, I have also heard that he and EON were in negotiations for him to do a 5th Bond film but he was asking for a obscene amount of money, something like $20million. Dana Broccoli got ill (and passed away) and BB and MGW had stalled on production. Brosnan publically criticized the producers during this time. EON then decided to go a different direction. I had also heard that Brosnan and Broccoli never did get along very well.

I heard about that too, but I don't believe that to be the case. Brosnan is a pretty honest and cool guy. He already has a crap load of money and even comes down to my job from time to time to watch a flick. He really enjoyed doing the Bond movies and I believe it was more so for the kids. I believe that it was more of Eon's doing since they wanted to get a younger actor to continue with the use of Casino Royale since they had the rights. I could believe them saying, "Hiya Pierce...we consider you slimed. You've been a great asset to us and the family, but we just feel it is time to move on." Or something like that. I'm glad Brosnan has made some hits since his tenure as 007. For example, The Ghost Writer by Roman Polansky or dare I say it...Mamma Mia!

I also heard the same things Jaguar has.
Whilst I have not met Brosnan I agree he does come over as pretty honest in interviews etc. However, given Brosnan's Bond popularity at the time - which was massive - I think it's not outside the realms of possibility that based on this popularity he (or maybe his agent) could have run away with himself a bit when salary negotiations started for his fifth Bond film. As one of Eon's mantra's is to put the budget below the camera or 'on the screen', then assuming the Brosnan money rumours were indeed true it's likely Eon would balk at anything they considered excessive.
Above all though Brosnan was out of contract - there was no option for a fifth movie that i'm aware of thus leaving the producers entirely free to move forward.

[Dustin]

...John Calley (then CEO of MGM) refused to green light GE unless Bond was recast...

No way! Are you serious?

yep. It has become fairly common knowledge around these parts.

It has also been suggested that Barbara Broccoli wanted Sean Bean to be cast in GE, but Calley insisted on someone more bankable.

About Brosnan, I have also heard that he and EON were in negotiations for him to do a 5th Bond film but he was asking for a obscene amount of money, something like $20million. Dana Broccoli got ill (and passed away) and BB and MGW had stalled on production. Brosnan publically criticized the producers during this time. EON then decided to go a different direction. I had also heard that Brosnan and Broccoli never did get along very well.

I heard about that too, but I don't believe that to be the case. Brosnan is a pretty honest and cool guy. He already has a crap load of money and even comes down to my job from time to time to watch a flick. He really enjoyed doing the Bond movies and I believe it was more so for the kids. I believe that it was more of Eon's doing since they wanted to get a younger actor to continue with the use of Casino Royale since they had the rights. I could believe them saying, "Hiya Pierce...we consider you slimed. You've been a great asset to us and the family, but we just feel it is time to move on." Or something like that. I'm glad Brosnan has made some hits since his tenure as 007. For example, The Ghost Writer by Roman Polansky or dare I say it...Mamma Mia!

I also heard the same things Jaguar has.
Whilst I have not met Brosnan I agree he does come over as pretty honest in interviews etc. However, given Brosnan's Bond popularity at the time - which was massive - I think it's not outside the realms of possibility that based on this popularity he (or maybe his agent) could have run away with himself a bit when salary negotiations started for his fifth Bond film. As one of Eon's mantra's is to put the budget below the camera or 'on the screen', then assuming the Brosnan money rumours were indeed true it's likely Eon would bulk at anything they considered excessive.
Above all though Brosnan was out of contract - there was no option for a fifth movie that i'm aware of thus leaving the producers entirely free to move forward.

There are no contradictions there really. Brosnan's market value was increasing per the very success of his previous Bond films. His agent practically had to ask for more money, it's a simple law of the business. Of course that higher fee (always in relation to the expected net profit of the project) was already attached to Brosnan right after DAD, no matter who was asking him to do whatever.

Once they split after DAD was finished they all said 'See you next time' but they need not have gone into actual talks after that, Brosnan could hardly have cut down on his own market value. So I'm completely willing to believe the next thing he heard was the farewell.

[jaguar007]

Why was Calley eager for Brosnan, anyhow? At the time, Brosnan was doing a TV movie of Robinson Crusoe; how is that a bankable action star?

Most likely just the simple number of media articles mentioning Brosnan and Bond in the same sentence. For a time it must have looked like the natural thing to do with Brosnan having done the Saint-style Remington Steele.

Yes, it was his popularity from Remington Steele. He topped every poll as to who should who should be the next James Bond and one of the reason Dalton may not have done as well (at least in the US) was because he was not Pierce Brosnan.

[Royal Dalton]

Calley wasn't that keen on Brosnan. He approached Liam Neeson first, who turned it down. As he obviously would have done, being, effectively, a relative of the man Calley had just shafted.

Barbara Broccoli wanted Ralph Fiennes, I believe. But he would have been another Dalton. Which wasn't what the studio were after at the time.

Brosnan was obviously a low-risk compromise.

[Dustin]

Calley wasn't that keen on Brosnan. He approached Liam Neeson first, who turned it down. As he obviously would have done, being, effectively, a relative of the man Calley had just shafted.

Barbara Broccoli wanted Ralph Fiennes, I believe. But he would have been another Dalton. Which wasn't what the studio were after at the time.

Brosnan was obviously a low-risk compromise.

I never heard about that, Calley after Neeson, Broccoli after Fiennes. Always thought they were just names the fans threw around in discussions. At any rate in 1995 both Neeson and Fiennes first would have to have been promoted as Bond, whereas Brosnan was practically sold already from day one of the production.

[TheREAL008]

I'll never forgive EON for what they've done to Dalton. It wasn't Timothy's fault that LTK wasn't that well received. It was probably the wrong film for the wrong time, but would have worked perfectly for the current era. Bottom line - you don't mistreat the actor who believes in the character only to replace him with a more recognizable face just to put more amounts of "derrières" in the seats.

But that's alright. LTK has aged considerably well, and Dalton's two films alone outshine Bronsan's four.

Edited by TheREAL008, 24 March 2011 - 05:21 PM.

[Jump James]

I wasn't a big fan of the speeded up edit of when the camera speed is increased then decreased in a 100th of a second. Anyone know what I mean? They used it quite often in DAD. Seems retro now. Small gripe.

Those 'ramping' shots took me by surprise too, but what the hell - at least Tamahori didn't use them insert closeups of the actors for whom the stuntpeople were doubling, a la Charlie's Angels.

So a director had a 'signature' camera effect. Did anyone gripe when Guy Hamilton included a couple of tight closeups in LALD (eg the incendiary timer and the gas pellet)?

Me neither. If you like your Bond films to all look the same, stick with John Glen's canon (FYEO - LTK).

He only did it a few times and like I said, small gripe. Didn't by any means spoil watching of said film.

[DR76]

Not a bad movie. But I disliked the Greenland sequence. I disliked some of Purvis and Wade's sexual innuendos. I disliked Moneypenny's infantile dream sequence. And I never understood why Miranda Frost gave up two opportunities to kill an enemy - Bond and Jinx.

[jaguar007]

I'll never forgive EON for what they've done to Dalton. It wasn't Timothy's fault that LTK wasn't that well received. It was probably the wrong film for the wrong time, but would have worked perfectly for the current era. Bottom line - you don't mistreat the actor who believes in the character only to replace him with a more recognizable face just to put more amounts of "derrières" in the seats.

But that's alright. LTK has aged considerably well, and Dalton's two films alone outshine Bronsan's four.

Don't blame EON, from what I know they were determined to keep Dalton, it was John Calley of MGM that was insisting on a change. I agree that Dalton's two films outshine Brosnan's four and Dalton was an excellent Bond. However MGM (and EON) are in the business of making money and as much as you and I like Dalton, he did not click with the general public at large (especially in the US). Brosnan probably was the best choice at the time to ensure the survival of the series.

[David Schofield]

Calley wasn't that keen on Brosnan. He approached Liam Neeson first, who turned it down. As he obviously would have done, being, effectively, a relative of the man Calley had just shafted.

Pretty tenuous that, RD, trying to tie Dalton and Neeson as related.

Besides, I think had Neeson really wanted to be Bond, he and Dalton would have been very professional about it with Dalton issuing a statement to the effect he wished Neeson the best of luck with the role.

Neeson, however, has always viewed Bond as beneath him, I suspect (though he might be reconsidering that with the positive impact of Craig on the character). Fortunately, Pierce Brosnan DID NOT think James Bond was beneath him and was obviously a candidate Calley was happy with.

[Royal Dalton]

Pretty tenuous that, RD, trying to tie Dalton and Neeson as related.

Well, not a blood relative, of course. But the Redgraves consider Dalton to be a member of their family, so...

[0077]

I'll never forgive EON for what they've done to Dalton. It wasn't Timothy's fault that LTK wasn't that well received. It was probably the wrong film for the wrong time, but would have worked perfectly for the current era. Bottom line - you don't mistreat the actor who believes in the character only to replace him with a more recognizable face just to put more amounts of "derrières" in the seats.

But that's alright. LTK has aged considerably well, and Dalton's two films alone outshine Bronsan's four.

Don't blame EON, from what I know they were determined to keep Dalton, it was John Calley of MGM that was insisting on a change. I agree that Dalton's two films outshine Brosnan's four and Dalton was an excellent Bond. However MGM (and EON) are in the business of making money and as much as you and I like Dalton, he did not click with the general public at large (especially in the US). Brosnan probably was the best choice at the time to ensure the survival of the series.

I never knew any of this. Thanks.

I don't suppose that sometime before filming GE, Pierce and Timothy had a chat about Bond so Pierce could get a few pointers?

[iBond]

I think that Die Another Day fit Pierce Brosnan as 007. I mean, yes there were parts that were just plain...bad. For example, the whole fight in the Antanov or the whole scene with the helicopter. Man, that was just lame. I'm sorry. But I did like the touch with having both of those sports cars next to that farmer. That was pretty funny I must admit. But yeah, it was just hard not to have the words CGI written all over it. Especially when you see the reflection of the shrapnel on the windshield. It was just a little too obvious. But as a whole, I think it was a fun entry in the 007 series and still consider it to be in my collection of James Bond films. It is a little over the top, but I guess they wanted to go full-out in order to celebrate Bond's 40th anniversary and 50th anniversary since the first James Bond book was written.

[Major Tallon]

I don't suppose that sometime before filming GE, Pierce and Timothy had a chat about Bond so Pierce could get a few pointers?

No, they didn't. Brosnan didn't think that Dalton's portrayal had been successful. He had his own take on Bond and wasn't interested in emulating Dalton's.