796 replies to this topic

[JimmyBond]

Sorry, we can't have copyrighted material here on the board.

[quantumofsolace]

http://www.digitalsp...of-skyfall.html

[x007AceOfSpades]

Mendes couldn't cut or trim the scene he's talking about that would've followed the gunbarrel?

[Platapus94]

Found this on Tumblr. Interesting, since it's not the one I saw.

Spoiler

Yeah that's not real, unfortunately :/

[SecretAgentFan]

If it was real (and I'm not convinced), then surely it's a copyrighted image and shouldn't be posted on the board?

it has been released...so who cares. half the stuff on this website is copyright.

Who cares? Hmm, let´s see. The rightsholders? Their attorneys? This website which would be shut down faster than you can say Orumov if we kept copyrighted material here without permission?

My dear General, please brush up on your knowledge on piracy.

[Platapus94]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a434968/sam-mendes-on-james-bond-gunbarrel-it-didnt-work-at-start-of-skyfall.html

He should have just opened with a different shot before the corridor and placed the GB at the start

[marktmurphy]

http://www.digitalsp...of-skyfall.html

Reasonable point, yeah. Not sure why they couldn't change the first scene/shot, though.

I'm not a militant gunbarrel-lover but having seen it I think there wasn't much reason to mess with its placement this time. Didn't have much impact at the end, oddly.

It was good, though- Craig does it very well.

[Satorious]

Having watched the film for a second time and had time to assess it more fully - I think this gunbarrel is a complete travesty!

Spoiler

The actual gun-barrel design is about as ugly as the QOS one (I wish they used the fake design posted above - even if it is just a Brosnan barrel mash-up), again it's just way too quick, Craig is far too close to the camera (Bond should be more distant), that horrible strawberry jam effect is back, and I don't think Craig even fires the gun which looks extremely tacky. The way it segues (or rather doesn't) to a 50th Anniversary logo (which admitedly was a nice idea - although I probably would have dropped it at the end of the credits) is nothing to write-home about either and feels forced/clunky - almost as if they ran out of time. Even the music for it was a bit off (at least the music for QOS did fit properly) and this was clearly just dropped in over the top of the theme with very little planning.

About the only good things I can say about it are - Craig's walk and shooting pose is less awkward than the QOS one and at least it happens right away unlike QOS where there are a few seconds pause before it appears (meaning the audience stand up and start leaving).

Otherwise, I think this is frankly crap! A lot of people laughed at the opening shot - thinking they were watching an extra-terrerstrial coming towards the screen. Whilst I love that shot, I do concur it looks completely alien. Plus I don't buy that Mendes argument at all. All that was needed was a wide establishing shot of Istanbul to open on (which would have been nice anyway), then you could have cut in from there. I believe that would have looked absolutely terrific on the big screen.

Edited by Satorious, 02 November 2012 - 12:58 PM.

[marktmurphy]

They would have laughed at the opening shot because it's a bit of a shock- the little sharp fanfare is fun.

[AgenttiNollaNollaSeitsemän]

Photoshop.

Looks real to me.

I've seen the film. It's a fake.

[Nicolas Suszczyk]

Seen it.

Even when the first shot was nice, I'd still think it'd been better at the beginning. Guys, I think in some way it fitted the end. In fact, SKYFALL is the way QUANTUM OF SOLACE should have been (a decent continuation of CASINO ROYALE) ... in other words, if we talk about QOS: "I say 'movie', you say..." "wasted".

About the design (gunbarrel spoilers here, nothing about the plot per se):

Spoiler

The design was very QOS-ish, the blood and the barrel itself. I'm glad Bond doesn't runs so fast, but I'd hoped for a 1990s CGI or a traditional Binder-style design.

PS. SKYFALL was so epic that I gave it a 9.75, so only -0.25 for the misplaced (IMO) gunbarrel. Hope that makes some of you happy now

[Dustin]

Nick, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I wouldn't much care for the gunbarrel either way, so it's no big deal for me. But I suppose putting it at the start, with it then opening to the first shot would have been awkward. I'm almost positive they tried it and the result was laughable, with the MGM motive leading to the GB and then Craig's face with the focus and emphasis on his eyes (again).

[Vauxhall]

Good news, Nicolas, and glad to hear you enjoyed the movie so much!

[thecasinoroyale]

Certainly a better gunbarrel image either way.

I was a little gutted the prop gun didn't fire either - especially so close up as Craig is, it's so clear the gunshot is added over - I mean, that's naff looking to end such a big film as 'Skyfall'.

Glad to hear you enjoyed the film Nicolas!


And as for establishing shots, the pull back showing Istanbul as Bond and Patrice race over the roof tops on their bikes would have been a blinding shot to open the film with - never has a city looked so rich and vibrant in a single few seconds shot!

[x007AceOfSpades]

I knew it was going to be somewhat disappointing at the end.To me his pose this time around is more awkward. He looks frozen.

[IcedCamaro]

I knew it was going to be somewhat disappointing at the end.To me his pose this time around is more awkward. He looks frozen.

I had the exact same impression, I thought it looked somewhat stiff.

[The Shark]

It's a much better pose and walk than Craig's RoboBond in QOS, though the design is still dodgy.

[Vauxhall]

I knew it was going to be somewhat disappointing at the end.To me his pose this time around is more awkward. He looks frozen.

I had the exact same impression, I thought it looked somewhat stiff.

Indeed, although the fact they freeze-frame the shot doesn't help that effect.

[x007AceOfSpades]

It shall (once again) be re-done for Bond 24...

[Nicolas Suszczyk]

Found this on Tumblr. Interesting, since it's not the one I saw.

Spoiler

Looks like the Brosnan barrel. Again, not what I saw.

That'd been great! But that's not what we get in the final cut

I knew it was going to be somewhat disappointing at the end.To me his pose this time around is more awkward. He looks frozen.

I had the exact same impression, I thought it looked somewhat stiff.

At least it doesn't turns up in that ridiculous "Hollywood superproduction" style title card in QOS

[x007AceOfSpades]

The main problem with the QOS gunbarrel is that it's too dark, the bloods runs down too fast, Craig is powerwalking, and of course it's too fast.

The Skyfall gunbarrel (haven't seen the film, but am basing this off of what I've read) is pretty much the same.

[The Shark]

The Skyfall gunbarrel (haven't seen the film, but am basing this off of what I've read) is pretty much the same.

It's not. Craig's walk is much more relaxed and deliberate, and his firing stance is more like that from CR.

[x007AceOfSpades]

Don't like the design and hate his frozen stance. I guess I can give a viable opinion next week.

[A Kristatos]

I'm sure the movie's still great, regardless of where the gunbarrel is. But it's one of those things you expect at the start of a 007 film. Like the Star Wars theme and scrolling text, it's a staple of the franchise, and it gets you psyched for what you're about to watch. I can understand it's placement after the pre-title sequence in Casino Royale and at the end of Quantum Of Solace. It provided bookends to Bond's origin story. But that story's been told. He's earned his 00 status. He has become James Bond. He's earned the theme music and gunbarrel sequence in their proper places. And considering it's James Bond's 50th anniversary, you'd think they'd give us a traditional gunbarrel sequence at the start of the movie rather than the end. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to the movie and Q's return to the series.

Agreed 100%. I don't understand some posters here thinking that people are going to trash "Skyfall" because the gunbarrel is not at the beginning. I know a couple of posters said they might take a point off of the ratings due to the lack of a gunbarrel at the beginning, but no one is going to dismiss the movie because of the gunbarrel not being there. But all that said, I think even most of the devout Bond fans who love this film would like to see it at the beginning since it provides the symbolic opening touch that most of the previous Bond films have had. The same kind of opening that the Star Wars series uses. That said , I am also looking forward to the movie next week, and will see if it indeed does live up to the hype that most viewers have expressed.

[A Kristatos]

I generally prefer the GB at the very beginning (I mentioned it before in this thread). Saw Skyfall yesterday... It would fit very well at the beginning... BUT IMO the end of the movie would NOT work without it behind the last scene. But there can be only one gunbarrel...

I hope it does work well there as you say it does. But if it would fit well at the beginning, I would just assume they put it there where it belongs. I'll know about this time next week if it works at the end.

[Dan Gale]

Just for a change, next time, it'd be nice to have everything back as it was 10 years ago, with the traditional opening ritual at the opening rather than the closing ceremony and - heaven forfend - the occasional use of The James Bond Theme in a James Bond film. If they can add those little touches to a masterpiece written, shot, edited and acted as well as Skyfall, that, as they say on the west coast, would be sweeeeeeet. But I'm pleased Eon are doing so well. Everything they'd planned for this year has gone very well so far.

[The Shark]

heaven forfend - the occasional use of The James Bond Theme in a James Bond film.

Haven't seen SKYFALL yet?

[DCI_director]

So I found this article where Sam Mendes talks about why he couldn't put the GB at the beginning. After reading it, at least I know he didn't do it just to follow Marc Foster or to start a new tradition. I will save my final judgment when I see the film whether or not it would have worked at the beginning, but after reading this, it's good to know that Mendes tried. Check out the article.

http://www.digitalsp...of-skyfall.html

[Hockey Mask]

So I found this article where Sam Mendes talks about why he couldn't put the GB at the beginning. After reading it, at least I know he didn't do it just to follow Marc Foster or to start a new tradition. I will save my final judgment when I see the film whether or not it would have worked at the beginning, but after reading this, it's good to know that Mendes tried. Check out the article.

http://www.digitalsp...of-skyfall.html

Very interesting. I haven't seen the movie yet but what he says makes sense.

[PPK_19]

Reading that, and having seen the film for the first time yesterday (loved it!), Mendes is speaking sense.

With that opening shot of Bond walking down the corridor and raising his gun, it would look silly if the gunbarrel preceded it. I really didn't mind it being a the end, in fact i'm starting to prefer it. It's a great way to end the film.