21 replies to this topic

[DamnCoffee]

So, the interrogation scene. I'm a little confused as to where abouts in the movie it comes in. We apparently see Bond being interrogated, and playing some kind of word association game. When 'Skyfall' is mentioned, Bond replies with 'Done.', we then see M and Mallory watching from behind a plate of glass with M 'looking like she's swallowed her chewing gum'. Does this come in at the end? Or near the start? Part of me is thinking this is the start of the movie, and A Bearded Bond is brought back to London and taken to the Underground Bunker. The thing that's confusing though. How could Skyfall be 'done' then. Maybe the PTS is the Skyfall operation? Bond is doing an illegal operation for the good of the country? Then the whole Skyfall Lodge thing doesn't make much sense.

Discuss...

[SecretAgentFan]

Maybe Bond thinks that "Skyfall" is done - but he only set things in motion without knowing that.

[Shrublands]

I think Bond might mean that he is “done” with this word game and evaluation procedure. His patience pushed by the mention of something too personal.
There could be a double edge to the “done” reaction, Skyfall (his family home) for Bond is the past, done.

[Vauxhall]

I think the assessment will fit in around scene 40-45 at the MI6 underground bunker. Following Bond's apparent "death", MI6 need to check he's in a fit mental and physical state to take up a dangerous and sensitive mission.

The word "Skyfall" coming up in the test suggests to me that it is something from Bond's past (in addition to the house name) which has been found to have some degree of relevance to the recent attack on MI6. Furthermore, his reaction would suggest that it had a strong impact upon him. For these reasons, I'm guessing it was some sort of operation which went wrong, and had significant repercussions, which has now resurfaced.

Failing that, we know from CASINO ROYALE that Bond isn't adverse to digging through M's personal history, so it's possible that he knows something about Skyfall from his illicit research. I think that's less likely though.

[PPK_19]

Its confusing because Skyfall will be using flashbacks. It's not going to be in chronological order.

[The Shark]

How do you know?

[PPK_19]

How do you know?

It's just speculation on my part.

Looking at the information we have so far, including Bond's 'death', Skyfall, M's past and Kincade's involvement, it's logical to assume we'll see various flashbacks, with the interrogation scene coming in near the beginning of the film. And through that interrogation we'll see bits and pieces of the story via flashback. I just hope it doesn't get all muddled.

[Pussfeller]

I hope you won't hold it against me if I say that I really, truly hope you're wrong about that. After all the criticism about QOS having a baffling, nonsensical plot, they're going to double down? God forbid. I'm still holding out hope for a return to clarity. A story artfully conceived and simply told. It's clear that intricate non-linear framing can't compensate for a weak plot, just as a compelling narrative doesn't need to be larded with postmodern gimmicks.

[Shrublands]

I see no reason to think Skyfall will use flashbacks.

[Royal Dalton]

Not a flashback, as such. But I'm wondering now if they'll show Silva escaping from his isolation unit retrospectively, via security camera footage? I can't really see where it will fit in otherwise.

[Harmsway]

I hope you won't hold it against me if I say that I really, truly hope you're wrong about that. After all the criticism about QOS having a baffling, nonsensical plot, they're going to double down? God forbid. I'm still holding out hope for a return to clarity. A story artfully conceived and simply told. It's clear that intricate non-linear framing can't compensate for a weak plot, just as a compelling narrative doesn't need to be larded with postmodern gimmicks.

Fleming liked a good flashback; he started a number of Bond stories in media res. There's a precedent for this sort of thing. A flashback or two doesn't mean SKYFALL would turn into MEMENTO.

[Aris007]

Why would they spoil a powerful ending scene like that by putting it on a trailer? I'd bet it's on the beggining of the film. There's a flashback in the PTS, which includes Skyfall operation, in which M had serious involvement. Then the whole operations is digged out (M's past comes back to haunt her) and Bond being a member of Skyfall is interrogated. Makes sense.

[Royal Dalton]

It's from fairly early on in the film. Somewhere between Scenes 45 and 50, I would think.

MI6 has been attacked, Bond is thought to be dead during this time, then he mysteriously turns up alive, so the finger of suspicion is pointed at him.

I wouldn't read all that much into the trailer dialogue, because it's most likely been cut around a bit.

[Ace Roberts]

I still think Bond is being examined to pass his physical for return to duty after the fall from the PTS. The mention of Skyfall, a stab to judge his overall emotional state, triggers a reaction which he shuts down by ending the session..I.e. done.

[sharpshooter]

Maybe Bond thinks that "Skyfall" is done - but he only set things in motion without knowing that.

I read it that way as well, especially if this takes place early on, which makes sense. It's coming back stronger than ever, courtesy of Mr. Silva and his grudge. Who Bond meets half way through the film.

[thecasinoroyale]

Similar to others, I was thinking maybe Bond saying "Done." to the 'Skyfall' word is to the evaluation, in his head, is over now.

I think either it's something he knows about (a previous assignment) and doesn't want to bring up ghosts from the past? I'm not sure, can't wait to find out how it's meant to be!

[Pussfeller]

Funny. When I read it, I got the impression that "done" was an assent to an implied command, as in "Yes, sir, I'll get right on it."

[S K Y F A L L]

So if it is an interrogation then Bond would be a suspect and prisoner, right, otherwise it's sometype of psycholigcal evaluation and mission debriefing.

They never have done a whole film about Bond being framed before have they, that would be an easy explanation to the SF connection.

[Peckinpah1976]

I hope you won't hold it against me if I say that I really, truly hope you're wrong about that. After all the criticism about QOS having a baffling, nonsensical plot, they're going to double down? God forbid. I'm still holding out hope for a return to clarity. A story artfully conceived and simply told. It's clear that intricate non-linear framing can't compensate for a weak plot, just as a compelling narrative doesn't need to be larded with postmodern gimmicks.

I don't see how 'Non-Linear' = 'Non-Sensical'; I can think of literally dozens of great films that utilise flashbacks and any confussion in QOS was caused by the over-tight pacing and the fact that the audience is dropped into the middle of the action with little or no exposition (not that it's difficult to grasp anyway, IMO and I personally liked this approach) and besides, that isn't the same thing as telling a complete story out of sequence

Edited by Peckinpah1976, 11 May 2012 - 07:50 AM.

[echo]

I hope Skyfall has one specific meaning, not multiple ones. For me, Quantum of Solace was weakened by its title's double association. It felt forced.

I hope you won't hold it against me if I say that I really, truly hope you're wrong about that. After all the criticism about QOS having a baffling, nonsensical plot, they're going to double down? God forbid. I'm still holding out hope for a return to clarity. A story artfully conceived and simply told. It's clear that intricate non-linear framing can't compensate for a weak plot, just as a compelling narrative doesn't need to be larded with postmodern gimmicks.

I agree. I don't feel like flashbacks (save for the brief one in OHMSS) have any place in Bond. And the QoS trailer had a flashback to Vesper, but there were no flashbacks in the film.

Edited by echo, 22 May 2012 - 03:57 AM.

[Robinson]

I don't feel like flashbacks (save for the brief one in OHMSS) have any place in Bond. And the QoS trailer had a flashback to Vesper, but there were no flashbacks in the film.

So seeing the flashback of Bond's first kill (Dryden's contact) in CR wasn't appealing to you?

[echo]

Oops, forgot about that one. Well, it was a bit of a one-off, wasn't it? And he wasn't yet 007.

I'm not angling for black-and-white footage to come back, either. Although I love the downer Bonds, on some level I think they should stick to the tried-and-true formula. QoS was a bit too experimental--the moved gunbarrel, the shaky cam, the action sequences based on the four elements. Just tell a cracking story without the gimmickry.