663 replies to this topic

[Skudor]

Oh dear.

I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later.

[Captain Tightpants]

What was bound to happen? Bond's family home being featured?

I can think of plenty of ways for the house to be featured without it being a problem - like Bond and M being on the run (after a fashion) and using the manor as a safe house.

[Leon]

Agreed, the very fact that they chose some real Fleming heritage over Duntrune castle is nothing but a good indicator.

[MattofSteel]

If it's true that this is Andrew Bond's ancestral home and Bond takes M there strictly for safe house purposes because - presumably - the British gov doesn't know about it....I can't see anything wrong with that.

But I still suspect that's not it. At all.

[univex]

If it's true that this is Andrew Bond's ancestral home and Bond takes M there strictly for safe house purposes because - presumably - the British gov doesn't know about it....I can't see anything wrong with that.

I´d be happy with that. Also, they should get The World is Not Enough in a crest somewhere in the manor if that´s the case

[marktmurphy]

If it's true that this is Andrew Bond's ancestral home and Bond takes M there strictly for safe house purposes because - presumably - the British gov doesn't know about it....I can't see anything wrong with that.

But I still suspect that's not it. At all.

I think it probably is. I don't see a problem with it.

Certainly seems like Bond has to hide M in some way.

[Captain Tightpants]

Agreed, the very fact that they chose some real Fleming heritage over Duntrune castle is nothing but a good indicator.

Duntrune could easily double for Glencoe, and nobody would be any the wiser.

[Skudor]

What was bound to happen? Bond's family home being featured?

I can think of plenty of ways for the house to be featured without it being a problem - like Bond and M being on the run (after a fashion) and using the manor as a safe house.

Slippage into soap territory. Broccoli and Wilson tend to like a bit of a personal angle and eventually those will run out or slip into any little angles that can be retrieved from the novels - such as heritage. Having said that, it's possible that this would be family property but be treated at arm's length - although that would take some skill (can they introduce family property without getting into some family back stories?).

The problem is that I don't see how it works casually - if it is really a Bond family house then I'm sure there would be more links to the family in the film. Where did this place suddenly spring from? Would they really have a physical relic of Bond's family history in this without other references to it?

There's a reason why Bond films worked so well without all the personal crap in the past - once you go down that path you end up in 5th season of dodgy TV show territory, having to constantly find new and outlandish personal angles.

[Jim]

The problem is that I don't see how it works casually - if it is really a Bond family house then I'm sure there would be more links to the family in the film. Where did this place suddenly spring from? Would they really have a physical relic of Bond's family history in this without other references to it?

Unless, as has been speculated, this is where Bond is at the start of the film having walked away from the Service for whatever reason, or is in hiding or whatever, and then we come full circle back to it.

[Vauxhall]

INT. SCOTTISH MANOR HOUSE
Bond enters hallway followed by M. As Bond ensures the front door is securely locked, M's eyes are drawn to a portrait of a dark haired man smiling down into the atrium. A look of curious recognition. (The audience recognises the man in the picture as Sean Connery.)

BOND (noticing)
Andrew Bond. My father.

------------------------------------------

Something like that?

For the record, I do not endorse or support the inclusion of that scene or anything resembling it!

[Captain Tightpants]

I am glad you neither endorse nor support this. Because when I read the following:

(The audience recognises the man in the picture as Sean Connery.)

I threw up a little bit.

What was bound to happen? Bond's family home being featured?

I can think of plenty of ways for the house to be featured without it being a problem - like Bond and M being on the run (after a fashion) and using the manor as a safe house.

Slippage into soap territory. Broccoli and Wilson tend to like a bit of a personal angle and eventually those will run out or slip into any little angles that can be retrieved from the novels - such as heritage. Having said that, it's possible that this would be family property but be treated at arm's length - although that would take some skill (can they introduce family property without getting into some family back stories?).

The problem is that I don't see how it works casually - if it is really a Bond family house then I'm sure there would be more links to the family in the film. Where did this place suddenly spring from? Would they really have a physical relic of Bond's family history in this without other references to it?

There's a reason why Bond films worked so well without all the personal crap in the past - once you go down that path you end up in 5th season of dodgy TV show territory, having to constantly find new and outlandish personal angles.

I don't think it's "soap territory" at all. My theory of what "Skyfall" is is that M knows all about it, but people like Albert Finney are trying to silence her. Bond knows that she hasn't been totally honest with him, but convinces her to spill the beans. In the meantime, he needs somewhere to stash her while he takes down those responsible. Bond knows of the manor house, and so uses it accordingly. It's a bit of a deus ex machina to have the family home suddenly appear as needed, but Bond could always lie to M about owning the house to make her feel more comfortable about telling him the nature of "Skyall".

[SecretAgentFan]

What could be the worst thing about this?

M: "James, I am your mother!"

M: "James, I am your grandmother!"

James: "I always loved you. That´s why I never missed Moneypenny!"

M: "I have killed your parents so that you would turn to crime fighting and become my best man."

James: "This castle will make a great spa. Would you help me run it?"

[Vauxhall]

I am glad you neither endorse nor support this. Because when I read the following:

(The audience recognises the man in the picture as Sean Connery.)

I threw up a little bit.

Excellent, that's the reaction I was hoping most normal people would have!

I think it's a positive sign that we all now recognise such a thing as being ridiculous, however 10 years ago, this might very well have been on the table as a gag for the writers to use. Thankfully those days are behind us.

[David Schofield]

I am glad you neither endorse nor support this. Because when I read the following:

(The audience recognises the man in the picture as Sean Connery.)

I threw up a little bit.

Excellent, that's the reaction I was hoping most normal people would have!

I think it's a positive sign that we all now recognise such a thing as being ridiculous, however 10 years ago, this might very well have been on the table as a gag for the writers to use. Thankfully those days are behind us.

Not sure that the ludicrous use of Sean Connery's nearly 50 year old car is any less tacky than Connery's picture appearing as JB's dad.

While I think that is unlikely, I wouldn't say there is anything to indicate that even EON thinks certain things are beyond the pale these days

[Skudor]

The dad line is indeed vomit inducing. However, a picture of Connery from Dr No somewhere un-noticed in corner/background would be rather fun.

I am glad you neither endorse nor support this. Because when I read the following:

(The audience recognises the man in the picture as Sean Connery.)

I threw up a little bit.

What was bound to happen? Bond's family home being featured?

I can think of plenty of ways for the house to be featured without it being a problem - like Bond and M being on the run (after a fashion) and using the manor as a safe house.

Slippage into soap territory. Broccoli and Wilson tend to like a bit of a personal angle and eventually those will run out or slip into any little angles that can be retrieved from the novels - such as heritage. Having said that, it's possible that this would be family property but be treated at arm's length - although that would take some skill (can they introduce family property without getting into some family back stories?).

The problem is that I don't see how it works casually - if it is really a Bond family house then I'm sure there would be more links to the family in the film. Where did this place suddenly spring from? Would they really have a physical relic of Bond's family history in this without other references to it?

There's a reason why Bond films worked so well without all the personal crap in the past - once you go down that path you end up in 5th season of dodgy TV show territory, having to constantly find new and outlandish personal angles.

I don't think it's "soap territory" at all. My theory of what "Skyfall" is is that M knows all about it, but people like Albert Finney are trying to silence her. Bond knows that she hasn't been totally honest with him, but convinces her to spill the beans. In the meantime, he needs somewhere to stash her while he takes down those responsible. Bond knows of the manor house, and so uses it accordingly. It's a bit of a deus ex machina to have the family home suddenly appear as needed, but Bond could always lie to M about owning the house to make her feel more comfortable about telling him the nature of "Skyall".

Indeed 'knows of' is not quite the same as 'My dad had this house in the highlands' though. Knows of is fine.

[David Schofield]

The dad line is indeed vomit inducing. However, a picture of Connery from Dr No somewhere un-noticed in corner/background would be rather fun.

A picture of Ian Fleming - unreferenced but with the tacit possibility it might be Bond's father - would be wonderfully subtle.

Beyond EON, I think, however.

[Luigi Ferrari]

I am glad you neither endorse nor support this. Because when I read the following:

(The audience recognises the man in the picture as Sean Connery.)

I threw up a little bit.

Excellent, that's the reaction I was hoping most normal people would have!

I think it's a positive sign that we all now recognise such a thing as being ridiculous, however 10 years ago, this might very well have been on the table as a gag for the writers to use. Thankfully those days are behind us.

Not sure that the ludicrous use of Sean Connery's nearly 50 year old car is any less tacky than Connery's picture appearing as JB's dad.

While I think that is unlikely, I wouldn't say there is anything to indicate that even EON thinks certain things are beyond the pale these days

In the early books Bond kept a classic car as his personal car: it was a pre-1930 Bentley , if I remind correctly.
Keeping a classic car - instead of a contemporary one - just for the love of driving it, is a hallmark of his personality.
Reintroducing the Aston Martin DB5 as Bond's personal car for Skyfall and using it as classic car in the same way the Bentley was used in the 50s, is the right choice in my opinion and it's a good omen for a "classic Bond".

[David Schofield]

I am glad you neither endorse nor support this. Because when I read the following:

(The audience recognises the man in the picture as Sean Connery.)

I threw up a little bit.

Excellent, that's the reaction I was hoping most normal people would have!

I think it's a positive sign that we all now recognise such a thing as being ridiculous, however 10 years ago, this might very well have been on the table as a gag for the writers to use. Thankfully those days are behind us.

Not sure that the ludicrous use of Sean Connery's nearly 50 year old car is any less tacky than Connery's picture appearing as JB's dad.

While I think that is unlikely, I wouldn't say there is anything to indicate that even EON thinks certain things are beyond the pale these days

In the early books Bond kept a classic car as his personal car: it was a pre-1930 Bentley , if I remind correctly.
Keeping a classic car - instead of a contemporary one - just for the love of driving it, is a hallmark of his personality.
Reintroducing the Aston Martin DB5 as Bond's personal car for Skyfall and using it as classic car in the same way the Bentley was used in the 50s, is the right choice in my opinion and it's a good omen for a "classic Bond".

Well, if it WERE for that reason...

But bear in mind, Bond's either 1930 or 1933 Bentley (Fleming contradicts himself) was written off in the early 50s at barely 20 years of age. The second Bentley - in Moonraker - he looks at new. The third Bentley, TB-OHMSS, is barely a few years old when Bond buys it! The Aston Martin DB5 is FITFY-ish years old! In 2012, who the hell drives a 50 year old classic worth ££££££ss in the UK???? Bond ain't a rock star....

No, the DB5 is in SKYFALL purely for cheap Connery iconocraphy.

[Germanlady]

But bear in mind, Bond's either 1930 or 1933 Bentley (Fleming contradicts himself) was written off in the early 50s at barely 20 years of age. The second Bentley - in Moonraker - he looks at new. The third Bentley, TB-OHMSS, is barely a few years old when Bond buys it! The Aston Martin DB5 is FITFY-ish years old! In 2012, who the hell drives a 50 year old classic worth ££££££ss in the UK???? Bond ain't a rock star....

No, the DB5 is in SKYFALL purely for cheap Connery iconocraphy.

I am playing a little game for my own amusement, that goes like this. See a poster name and give it a positive or negative content, before reading it.
Schofield belongs in the negative category, which takes away credibility - to me - as is the case with most of those, who are likely to look for the dirt rather then the good and twist everything, so it gets a negative touch/meaning.

BTW - an old, DB5 is hardly rock starish...

[DamnCoffee]

No, the DB5 is in SKYFALL purely for cheap Connery iconocraphy.

Or maybe it's because it's the 50th Anniversary, and they wanted to include the most popular car in the franchise. Oh, and Bond won it in Casino Royale, so I highly doubt it's for the reasons you specified.

[Germanlady]

Well - folks are stamping their feet to get back some of the old elements to make it a classic Bond and as soon as they get it, the stamping continues, just the other way around.
Fortunatelöy its just few, but hard to understand none the less.

[Jim]

It's a pretty car and will make for some nice images I think.

[Jim]

The Aston Martin DB5 is FITFY-ish years old! In 2012, who the hell drives a 50 year old classic worth ££££££ss in the UK????

Same sort of bloke who can leap about cranes, barge through walls, encounters men who weep blood, gets his spuds well and truly mashed with a bit of rope, beat up twelvety other blokes in a lift, fight off an axe-wielding loony and can fall out of a plane without a parachute.

I s'pose.

[Skudor]

The dad line is indeed vomit inducing. However, a picture of Connery from Dr No somewhere un-noticed in corner/background would be rather fun.

I am glad you neither endorse nor support this. Because when I read the following:

(The audience recognises the man in the picture as Sean Connery.)

I threw up a little bit.

What was bound to happen? Bond's family home being featured?

I can think of plenty of ways for the house to be featured without it being a problem - like Bond and M being on the run (after a fashion) and using the manor as a safe house.

Slippage into soap territory. Broccoli and Wilson tend to like a bit of a personal angle and eventually those will run out or slip into any little angles that can be retrieved from the novels - such as heritage. Having said that, it's possible that this would be family property but be treated at arm's length - although that would take some skill (can they introduce family property without getting into some family back stories?).

The problem is that I don't see how it works casually - if it is really a Bond family house then I'm sure there would be more links to the family in the film. Where did this place suddenly spring from? Would they really have a physical relic of Bond's family history in this without other references to it?

There's a reason why Bond films worked so well without all the personal crap in the past - once you go down that path you end up in 5th season of dodgy TV show territory, having to constantly find new and outlandish personal angles.

I don't think it's "soap territory" at all. My theory of what "Skyfall" is is that M knows all about it, but people like Albert Finney are trying to silence her. Bond knows that she hasn't been totally honest with him, but convinces her to spill the beans. In the meantime, he needs somewhere to stash her while he takes down those responsible. Bond knows of the manor house, and so uses it accordingly. It's a bit of a deus ex machina to have the family home suddenly appear as needed, but Bond could always lie to M about owning the house to make her feel more comfortable about telling him the nature of "Skyall".

Indeed 'knows of' is not quite the same as 'My dad had this house in the highlands' though. Knows of is fine.

I like that - much better than my suggestion.

[DamnCoffee]

The Aston Martin DB5 is FITFY-ish years old! In 2012, who the hell drives a 50 year old classic worth ££££££ss in the UK????

Same sort of bloke who can leap about cranes, barge through walls, encounters men who weep blood, gets his spuds well and truly mashed with a bit of rope, beat up twelvety other blokes in a lift, fight off an axe-wielding loony and can fall out of a plane without a parachute.

I s'pose.

HAHAHA!

[marktmurphy]

What was bound to happen? Bond's family home being featured?

I can think of plenty of ways for the house to be featured without it being a problem - like Bond and M being on the run (after a fashion) and using the manor as a safe house.

Slippage into soap territory. Broccoli and Wilson tend to like a bit of a personal angle and eventually those will run out or slip into any little angles that can be retrieved from the novels - such as heritage. Having said that, it's possible that this would be family property but be treated at arm's length - although that would take some skill (can they introduce family property without getting into some family back stories?).

The problem is that I don't see how it works casually - if it is really a Bond family house then I'm sure there would be more links to the family in the film. Where did this place suddenly spring from? Would they really have a physical relic of Bond's family history in this without other references to it?

There's a reason why Bond films worked so well without all the personal crap in the past - once you go down that path you end up in 5th season of dodgy TV show territory, having to constantly find new and outlandish personal angles.

It's not personal crap: Bond is allowed a family. We haven't seen his flat for forty years- would that be too personal now?

But bear in mind, Bond's either 1930 or 1933 Bentley (Fleming contradicts himself) was written off in the early 50s at barely 20 years of age. The second Bentley - in Moonraker - he looks at new. The third Bentley, TB-OHMSS, is barely a few years old when Bond buys it! The Aston Martin DB5 is FITFY-ish years old! In 2012, who the hell drives a 50 year old classic worth ££££££ss in the UK???? Bond ain't a rock star....

No, the DB5 is in SKYFALL purely for cheap Connery iconocraphy.

But equally the world is a bit different now: there weren't 50 year old cars one could drive easily in the 50s.

I don't think the iconography is cheap and Bond in a classic car makes sense (plus we've even seen where he got it from!): my only reservation is that I'm not sure Bond would like it all that much- it's a bit feminine for him.

[Single-O-Seven]

The Aston Martin DB5 is FITFY-ish years old! In 2012, who the hell drives a 50 year old classic worth ££££££ss in the UK????

Same sort of bloke who can leap about cranes, barge through walls, encounters men who weep blood, gets his spuds well and truly mashed with a bit of rope, beat up twelvety other blokes in a lift, fight off an axe-wielding loony and can fall out of a plane without a parachute.

I s'pose.

I believe Jim is referring to himself.

[Vauxhall]

Was just thinking (and note this is all a wild theory stemming from some information posted in The Structure of Skyfall thread), we believe M and Tanner witness an attack on MI6 from Vauxhall Bridge, having previously been stopped by the police - presumably to prevent them getting closer. Now, let's assume that the presumed attack on MI6 will differ significantly from the attack in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH. I'm thinking an attack from the skies (missile or otherwise). The presence of the police suggests to me that they already know an attack is coming, so perhaps that backs up the attack is something falling from the sky on a course for MI6... The obvious loophole here is why some the offending object can't be shot from the sky by jets or a missile defence. But I thought it was interesting; from the little we know, it appears they know an attack is imminent, but can't stop it.

[Leon]

Agreed, the very fact that they chose some real Fleming heritage over Duntrune castle is nothing but a good indicator.

Duntrune could easily double for Glencoe, and nobody would be any the wiser.

Sure, but my point is that it's just better that they went with the actual place. Some authenticity in the details by the film-makers is nothing but a good thing. It's also a nice, classy touch to celebrate the 50th.

[Shrublands]

Agreed, the very fact that they chose some real Fleming heritage over Duntrune castle is nothing but a good indicator.

Duntrune could easily double for Glencoe, and nobody would be any the wiser.

Sure, but my point is that it's just better that they went with the actual place. Some authenticity in the details by the film-makers is nothing but a good thing. It's also a nice, classy touch to celebrate the 50th.

Actually, instead of Duntrune Castle they went for some MoD land in Surrey and a house made of plywood. But I don't see a problem - it's a film.