164 replies to this topic

[Major Tallon]

To give an example from CR, when Carlos inadvertently blew himself up, the camera focused on Craig as he gave a sardonic little grin. It wasn't slapstick humor, nor a groaner of a pun, but the audience I saw the film with laughed out loud.

To me the shot came off as clumsy, grim and more than a little sadistic. Not displaying any kind of wit or irony. More like something I'd expect from a Steven Segal direct-to-DVD flick, TBH.

We see it differently, then.

Back on topic, isn't it a bit ironic that the original topic of this thread was regarded as conveying a spoiler, when the CBn main page has, as its top story, bold lettering proclaiming "Ben Whishaw cast as Q in New James Bond movie Skyfall"?

[Skudor]

It's got all the right potential for a new approach - this is clearly not trying to copy Llewellyn's Q in the way Cleese was meant to. Can only be a good thing.

[Blonde Bond]

I can't se him as Boothroyd. Maybe he'll just be Q that has no connection to Llewelyn's character or the literature character.
Just some young and upcoming geek who's tech savvy.

[PPK_19]

I can't se him as Boothroyd. Maybe he'll just be Q that has no connection to Llewelyn's character or the literature character.
Just some young and upcoming geek who's tech savvy.

As far as i can tell with this 'new direction' we've been going in since Casino Royale, he isn't MEANT to be Boothroyd.

Like you said, he'll just be Q by name- some young geek who's tech savvy and who'll have some light comedic moments with Bond as per usual.

Any correlation to the novels in terms of Q, M etc is long gone. Only Craig's portrayal of some of Bond's more brutal personality traits tie in with the source material.

That's my view, anyway...i think Whishaw will do a great job.

[MattofSteel]

New direction no doubt. My bet's he'll bare far more resemblance to Simon Pegg's Q-like Benji Dunn in the recent Mission: Impossible films.

The old "gun hidden inside a spoon" angle may well be gone; we could be in for a Q who's far more electronically adept, helps with the actual strategizing of missions, and provides a plot-necessary computer hack whenever it's needed.

[PPK_19]

New direction no doubt. My bet's he'll bare far more resemblance to Simon Pegg's Q-like Benji Dunn in the recent Mission: Impossible films.

The old "gun hidden inside a spoon" angle may well be gone; we could be in for a Q who's far more electronically adept, helps with the actual strategizing of missions, and provides a plot-necessary computer hack whenever it's needed.

Exactly my feelings. More practical gadgets rather than ridiculous solve-alls, technology that aids Bond on his mission more.

[TCK]

I think, well, I hope he won't be a "DesmondLlewelynesque" Q, but a character more closer to Peter Burton's. As there will be a laboratory scene in Skyfall perhaps he is head of the MI6 scientific section. A character similar to Q, but not really Q.

[Professor Dent]

To give an example from CR, when Carlos inadvertently blew himself up, the camera focused on Craig as he gave a sardonic little grin. It wasn't slapstick humor, nor a groaner of a pun, but the audience I saw the film with laughed out loud.

To me the shot came off as clumsy, grim and more than a little sadistic. Not displaying any kind of wit or irony. More like something I'd expect from a Steven Segal direct-to-DVD flick, TBH.

We see it differently, then.

I agree with the Major on this one. I don't see this as coming across as clumsy at all - it was one of those laugh out loud moments. Now, was it a little sadistic, yes, but that's how Craig plays the character.

Interesting choice on Whishaw. I'll hold judgement until I see his portrayal of Q in the movie.

On the spoiler angle, revealing someone who is cast in a movie isn't a spoiler (& I like to avoid spoilers).

[Lionheart]

Q kills Bond...

Fantastic!

Maybe Bond didn't return Q's gadget in "pristine order"! #TheNewGrittyDanielCraig007

:-D

[Captain Tightpants]

On the spoiler angle, revealing someone who is cast in a movie isn't a spoiler (& I like to avoid spoilers).

But revealing their character when production has not released that information is a spoiler. A small one, but a spoiler no less.

[The Shark]

I agree with the Major on this one. I don't see this as coming across as clumsy at all - it was one of those laugh out loud moments.

It's just the way it was directed, edited, framed and scored. I laughed at the valet gag, but what's funny about some terrorist getting blown up and Craig giving a creepy smirk?

Now, was it a little sadistic, yes, but that's how Craig plays the character.

Well that's not Bond in my book. Fleming's or otherwise.

-- Sorry for steering off-topic. Just needed to get that off my chest.

[Nicolas Suszczyk]

Wishlaw as Q = Hiranu from Carte Blanche

In a word...

[Pussfeller]

Never read Carte Blanche. Who is Hiranu and why would he be like Whishaw?

[Captain Tightpants]

Sanu Hirani was Deaver's equivalent of Q. He was an Indian-Briton who apparently never slept, had six children, and his office was plastered with photos of Sachin Tendulkar. He was able to create gadgets - mostly iPhone apps - and ship them out to Bond in a matter of hours.

I have no idea why Whishaw-Q would be anything like Hirani.

[The Shark]

He turned Q into some guy who creates iPhone apps? me that's boring.

[British Chap]

He turned Q into some guy who creates iPhone apps? me that's boring.

Just read it.

[Captain Tightpants]

He turned Q into some guy who creates iPhone apps? me that's boring.

Well, that's slightly misleading. There were iPhone apps, but that was only part of it. For example, Bond used a directional listening device with no actual power source of its own; instead, he placed it near power lines and it drew power from that. The feedback from the listening device was fed back through his iPhone, which I think Bond could use to filter out background noises. Hirani also invented "a bug in a bug", another listening device concealed in a dead fly (though it was not used in the story). He also made a camera with no moving and no metal parts, concealed inside an asthma inhaler. And he gave Bond a very low-tech (but clever) means of opening a sealed security door. But mostly, he was an Indian guy who made iPhone surveillance apps.

[007jamesbond]

Q will not be the same Q from Carte Blanche because Bond wont even use a iphone......

[Pussfeller]

I can't really see any parallel there, Nico. If you don't like Sanu Hirani, then it seems to me you ought to breathe a sigh of relief that they've cast someone who can't possibly play a similar character.

All we can say about Whishaw is that he's relatively young. But hardly a snot-nosed brat - he's about as old as Lazenby was in OHMSS. He'll probably be older than Craig's successor.

[DamnCoffee]

I can't se him as Boothroyd. Maybe he'll just be Q that has no connection to Llewelyn's character or the literature character.

Why can't you see him as Boothroyd? It's the same character. Also, he will have no connection to Llewelyn, or Cleese's incarnations. He's a re imagined version of Q, not Llewelyns son or something.

[Captain Tightpants]

Q will not be the same Q from Carte Blanche because Bond wont even use a iphone......

That doesn't mean that he can't use a smart phone ...

[Vauxhall]

Q will not be the same Q from Carte Blanche because Bond wont even use a iphone......

That decision's not in our hands or the writers' hands. Bond would only be using an iPhone and/or iPad if the good folk at Apple decided to shell out for a bit of everyone's favourite - product placement.

As for a smartphone, if Bond's shown with a phone at all, it will almost inevitably be a smartphone. Can't really picture him dragging a brickphone around.

[marktmurphy]

I agree with the Major on this one. I don't see this as coming across as clumsy at all - it was one of those laugh out loud moments.

It's just the way it was directed, edited, framed and scored. I laughed at the valet gag, but what's funny about some terrorist getting blown up and Craig giving a creepy smirk?

A baddie thinks he's got the better of the Bond, but find out he's got a bomb on his bum. The explosion is offscreen; it's afairly little 'bang'... it's funny.

I think the biggest laugh in CR is the 'scratch my balls' one, isn't it? 'No, to the left' got a huge laugh in my cinema.

[sharpshooter]

I'm glad Q is coming back. Let's see what Whishaw does with the role.

[univex]

This is certainly one of the most curious Bond productions ever. And that´s a good thing in my book
Younger Q? Played by a top notch new generation british actor? Fine by me. Now, when will we get to confirm McCrory as Moneypenny?

[Cyclone49]

Interesting casting choice, very nice to see Q finally making a return. I've only seen Wishaw in Perfume, a performance which, er, I assume will be rather different than how he portrays Q, so I look forward to seeing how he interprets the character. Its certainly a far cry from the typical image one has of Q, which is a good route to take.

[quantumofsolace]

article on this and readers comments here:

http://www.guardian....l?newsfeed=true


and more here:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/52080


and Graham Rye on Twitter:

'Ben Whishaw as Q? They must be ing joking! SkyFall is beginning to sound much TOO clever for its own good! 'Classic Bond' I think not.'

Edited by quantumofsolace, 26 November 2011 - 03:27 AM.

[Jack Spang]

Personally, if I were doing the casting I'd have a firearms expert who is around Bond's age or older. If this guy is just into digital technology then I guess it's not quite as bad. Still, someone Bond's age or older would sit alot better with me.

If Bond is testing guns and being informed about them then they shouldn't have a kid in the role. They need someone else around Bond's age for this side of things. Still, if the movie is another clanker then I won't care anyway.

This Wishaw boy looks like he would wet his pants after firing a gun!

As Rye said, this is not "classic Bond" but then one should't expect it to be.

Edited by Jack Spang, 26 November 2011 - 03:47 AM.

[Leon]

Interesting! Could be very good indeed. Pics from his latest, The Hour - apparently his character is a fan of Ian Fleming's Bond novels:

[bill007]

Let us not forget, as many journalists have, that with Craig, the franchise re-started, ala CR as Bond's first mission. With the addition of (younger) Q at this point will be interesting. I can't wait to see how Whishaw plays the role he has been given.