26 replies to this topic

[DamnCoffee]

Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to Skyfall very much. I think it's going to be one of the most compelling and exciting Bond films since Casino Royale. I just don't know whether I feel that it's a bit too close to home. They've been filming in London for a good 4 months now, and haven't even got to Shanghai yet, or Turkey. Now, you could argue that we've had so many interior scenes that have been filmed at Pinewood that are meant to double for Shanghai, and Turkey etc. The thing is though, I LOVE hearing about filming news, but if I'm being honest, Bond filming in central London is just getting a bit tedious now. "Just seen Daniel Craig filming outside my house!", "Judi Dench is in a car... AGAIN."

I know this is a bit hypocritical of me, and to be honest, I've dreamed of a Bond film set in London for ages. I just fear that the film won't be as exotic enough, a key element to the Bond films. London is obviously the main structure of the film, and for people in England it's not as fascinating and exotic as you all think. It's just a local city, although very beautiful in places. I dunno. I'm really excited for Skyfall, and I hope you don't think I'm being ungrateful or anything, because I'm not. Although someone must know what I'm trying to say. It's been playing on my mind for a week or so now.

[Aris007]

Well for me that's a good thing. Filming a lot of scenes in London makes me think of a film that's politics related and a more serious one. I'm also a bit tired of Bond travelling constantly all over the world. This was a characteristic of Brosnan's and Moore's era in particular thing that was very appropriate for the approach that they took when they were filming those pictures. For Skyfall though I want a bit more "grown-up" film. The story suggests this and I can't think of a better place to shoot a film with a plot like this than London.

[SteveBolton]

After the globe hopping in QOS which i don't think helped the film or its editing in such a small length of film, it will be great to see Bond get involved in one place, with what i hope will be a great story and some action in-between then i couldn't care less where they film it.

[thecasinoroyale]

I understand what you mean Mharkin, I felt this too at first, but I ignore the comments about too much filming from people on Twitter, as it's not going to equate for a huge part of the film I think, it will be over before we know it in the film and we will wonder what the fuss was about. With the extent of the chases and stunt work going on, permissions to film on certain days and times, and with the vast size of London to cover, it probably feels they are doing more than they actually are.

I do like the fact that the British Secret Agent is having some trouble on home soil, rather than just a nip into the office and back out globe-trotting. It brings the roots of Bond back a bit, for Queen and Country and all that. I for one will be quite proud to see the nation's capital feature quite a bit in another Bond film...he is British after all!


But I do understand your worries...but I think it will work out in the end!

[DominicGreene]

I know what you mean MHarkin, I'm worried as well. I like when Bond visits different parts of the world, it feels exotic and I feel like we are on an adventure. To the contrary of Aries007, I'd prefer a fun, adventurous Bond film than a boring, serious one.

I'm also worried about the amount of car scenes, it's always taking place in a car! Seriously, what's going on? Now that I think about it, the lack of Javier Bardem has me worried too. Maybe I'm just over-thinking it.

But I trust in Mendes, I know he'll do a spectacular job.

[Pussfeller]

Whenever I feel this way, I remind myself that some of my favorite Bond films have been set in not-so-exotic places. Kentucky, for instance. And London strikes me as more interesting than rural Kentucky, even if it doesn't qualify as "exotic".

Come to think of it, it's strange how many Bond films have been set at least partially in the United States: GF, DAF, LALD, MR, AVTAK, LTK, CR. That's almost a third of the series. Conversely, how many films have contained mission-oriented (as opposed to expository) scenes in the UK? I can think of only four instances: TB (health clinic), OP (auction), TLD (safehouse kidnapping), and TWINE (Thames chase). It's about time the UK was featured in a big way.

Also, it occurs to me that Skyfall is shaping up to be the first Bond film since From Russia With Love in which there is no notable American character or actor. This would make it only the second yankee-free Bond film in the series. Every film after FRWL has had some noteworthy American personality:

GF (Felix, gangsters), YOLT (U.S. president, generals), OHMSS (Telly Savalas), DAF (everyone), LALD (Felix, Strutter, Harlem gangsters, J. W. Pepper et al), TMWTGG (pre-title gangster, J. W. Pepper, Mrs Pepper), TSWLM (submarine crew), MR (Goodhead, Jaws?), FYEO (Bibi Dahl), OP (USAF base personnel), AVTAK (Stacey Sutton, Christopher Walken, Grace Jones, Bob Conley, Mr Howe, SF cops), TLD (Brad Whitaker, Felix), LTK (Felix, Della, Sharky, Robert Davi, Truman-Lodge, Heller, etc), GE (Jack Wade), TND (Jack Wade, Gupta, Mrs Carver), TWINE (Christmas Jones), DAD (Jinx, Falco), CR (Felix), QOS (Felix, Beam).

As if by some iron law of filmmaking, Bond films always seem to include at least one American actor, even if that actor is playing a character of another nationality. But everyone in the Skyfall cast is from an EU member state. I guess this makes the film inherently less exotic from a European perspective, but more exotic from an American perspective.

[Germanlady]

Like some said, England will probably be featured a lot less in the movie, then it looks right now and also - 50 years of Bond should bring him back to his roots a bit. Obviously they are planning that - literally Ita a british icon and I agree, if they plan to remind the world of that. What better way then to picture him in his own country for a bit longer then usual?

[SecretAgentFan]

At this point, I agree with you Mharkin. I´m afraid that a Bond film taking place in London so much (if that will actually turn out to be the case) could lack the travelogue that I associate with the Bond films. But China and Turkey will probably take care of that.

[MattofSteel]

I'm from rural Canada. London is exotic.

[zencat]

I would dig this more if they hadn't already done so much London in TWINE and DAD. But I'm okay with it.

[Pussfeller]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the Blades sequence.

[Vauxhall]

I doubt it will feel particularly overpowered with London scenes in the end product. I'm excited to see it all come together on screen. Most of these dialogue scenes which have taken a day to shoot will probably only end up being 20-30 seconds in the movie. If anything, I think we should be excited by the fact that Mendes is taking the time and effort to shoot dialogue scenes for real, instead of using green screen!

[Dustin]

I was actually waiting for a UK-based Bond film for some time, á la MR. But I doubt SKYFALL is going to be that. A lot of the location shooting in London draws attention, but then any location shooting in London is going to do that - naturally - and it's not necessarily a sign that the best part of the film is going to be in this vein.

[Chief of SIS]

(Fade out. End Intro. Enter shot of MI6 building. Next shot. Bond at desk doing office work)

M: Hello 007.

Bond: Hello M.

M: Filing reports, I see.

Bond: Yes ma'am.

(Next 2 hours Bond files out report about morning brief. End scene. End movie. Fade to black.)

[Captain Tightpants]

I'm sure that once the film comes out, the London-heavy scenes will make sense. After all, we're mostly seeing filming in public locations, but we know that there's quite a bit taking place behind closed doors at Pinewood.

[Matt_13]

I've been waiting for a London centric Bond film too. TWINE was a good tease but it was used a bit too sparingly. I wanted to see more of the city. I'm excited.

[Aris007]

TWINE had just the PTS filmed in London if my memory serves me well. I don't think it's a far comparison to Skyfall, since nearly half of the shooting photos we have are in central London.

[marktmurphy]

Worrying about nothing. They take a day to shoot a 15-second scene in a car: hardly means the film is going to be nothing but that.

[Simon]

Anyone feel that this is too London orientated?

Oh FFS.

Does that answer your question?

[DamnCoffee]

No, not really?

[Napoleon Solo]

We'll see. There will be a sequence set in Shanghai (with the second unit doing the location filming, interiors filmed in the U.K.). Also, the Moonraker novel was set entirely in the U.K. (though obviously not all in London). It all depends how good the script is, etc.

[killkenny kid]

I've been waiting for a London centric Bond film too. TWINE was a good tease but it was used a bit too sparingly. I wanted to see more of the city. I'm excited.

Indeed, this is like a dream come true. Now, if they would just get out of the cars......lol.

[Marketto007]

I'm OK with that, since I loved TWINE.

xxx

[Loomis]

I've dreamed of a Bond film set in London for ages. I just fear that the film won't be as exotic enough, a key element to the Bond films.

Well, you can't have your cake and eat it.

Me, I'm very intrigued by the idea of a Bond film set largely in the United Kingdom, although I don't know that it's been completely established that that's what we're going to get. It may be what it looks like we're getting, but we don't know that for sure. How do we know that bags of screentime isn't taken up with interior scenes set in China and Turkey that are being filmed or will be filmed in Britain?

I would dig this more if they hadn't already done so much London in TWINE and DAD. But I'm okay with it.

The rumoured attack on MI6 and the rumoured "M reaps the whirlwind of her past mistakes" storyline seem shockingly TWINE-ish (although I'm sure that SKYFALL will be an infinitely superior film).

[Jim]

The alternative being shutting down large parts of a city for the sake of some film.

[Safari Suit]

Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to Skyfall very much. I think it's going to be one of the most compelling and exciting Bond films since Casino Royale.

That seems like a fairly safe bet

[Skudor]

From what we've seen of filming it seems the movie is all about Judi Dench being driven around london in a Jaguar. I suspect the reality is that we're seeing only the tip of the iceberg.

Personally I prefer my Bond somwhere more exotic than London - but having said that, a London oriented Bond film as a sort of one off is a pretty cool idea. And there'll be some stuff in China (although it's sounding very Alias like with just second unit exterior shots) and Turkey (where it sounds like a good chunk of the movie will take place).

Anyway, I'd be rather disappointed if they turned Bond into some sort of anti terrorism agent based in London for the next dozen films, but do something in that vein (not literally an AT agent) for a film and it's just another angle to be used and should turn out fine.