159 replies to this topic

[QuantumOfRoyale]

We need someone younger, a contemporary of Craig...

I always imagine Tom Hardy channeling Jim Moriarty (for those of you who watch BBC's Sherlock)...

[TheManwiththeWaltherPPK]

We need someone younger, a contemporary of Craig...

I always imagine Tom Hardy channeling Jim Moriarty (for those of you who watch BBC's Sherlock)...

As much as I enjoyed that portrayal of Moriarty, I feel a similar, over the top interpretation of Blofeld would not suit Craig's Bond. I feel like it would be too much of a rehash of Silva based on what we know of him. But a fat, understated Hardy would be interesting...

Edited by TheManwiththeWaltherPPK, 22 October 2012 - 09:04 PM.

[QuantumOfRoyale]

We need someone younger, a contemporary of Craig...

I always imagine Tom Hardy channeling Jim Moriarty (for those of you who watch BBC's Sherlock)...

I feel like it would be too much of a rehash of Silva based on what we know of him.

Exactly, I'm coming to agree with you. But I think a young, charismatic Blofeld against Craig's very stoic Bond would be interesting to see.

[L4YRCAKE]

I think Blofeld and Spectre are more relevant now than ever, given the heightened role of PMCs and other non-governmental actors in world affairs. Outsourcing is the name of the game. However, with the exception of Hinds, I have to disagree with the suggested actors so far. We need someone younger, a contemporary of Craig, not men who are in their 70s like Stewart. Christoph Waltz might be a good choice, but he might veer too much towards camp in his portrayal.

Christoh Waltz is an interesting suggestion, that had crossed my mind as well. But I have to disagree about him being young, I think Blofeld should be older and be an opposite number to M, not Bond. I'd rather see Blofeld throwing a Red Grant or Largo or Scaramanga at Bond in a succession of movies with Bond fighting his way to the top of the organization.

[QuantumOfRoyale]

I think Blofeld and Spectre are more relevant now than ever, given the heightened role of PMCs and other non-governmental actors in world affairs. Outsourcing is the name of the game. However, with the exception of Hinds, I have to disagree with the suggested actors so far. We need someone younger, a contemporary of Craig, not men who are in their 70s like Stewart. Christoph Waltz might be a good choice, but he might veer too much towards camp in his portrayal.

Christoh Waltz is an interesting suggestion, that had crossed my mind as well. But I have to disagree about him being young, I think Blofeld should be older and be an opposite number to M, not Bond. I'd rather see Blofeld throwing a Red Grant or Largo or Scaramanga at Bond in a succession of movies with Bond fighting his way to the top of the organization.

I just feel like Blofeld is BOND'S nemesis, not M's. They need to be relatively the same age; maybe Blofeld could be a bit older than Bond. But, it's just not practical to have a forty-something year old actor facing off with an actor thirty-something years older than him. Less Don Pleasance, more Telly Savalas.

[Pussfeller]

I'd say Blofeld should be old enough to be Bond's uncle, but not old enough to be his father.

[seawolfnyy]

I'd say Blofeld should be old enough to be Bond's uncle, but not old enough to be his father.

Well since an uncle is your father's (or mother's) brother, wouldn't that make the uncle roughly the same age as his father?

[Pussfeller]

I guess that was a pretty odd statement, wasn't it? It made sense when I wrote it. Permit me to clarify: Blofeld should be about half a generation older than Bond, but not so much older that he could be Bond's father. He shouldn't seem that old. In fact, this applies to Bond villains in general. If they're too much older than Bond, then there's no physical dimension to the conflict, and Bond seems like a thug or a punk. If the villain is too young, then it seems implausible for them to wield so much authority, and they risk coming off as a snotty wunderkind rather than a seasoned and formidable malefactor.

[S K Y F A L L]

If they brought back Blofeld I would imagine they would something like the Terminator movies and before Blofeld escapes Bond scars him over the eye.

[seawolfnyy]

I guess that was a pretty odd statement, wasn't it? It made sense when I wrote it. Permit me to clarify: Blofeld should be about half a generation older than Bond, but not so much older that he could be Bond's father. He shouldn't seem that old. In fact, this applies to Bond villains in general. If they're too much older than Bond, then there's no physical dimension to the conflict, and Bond seems like a thug or a punk. If the villain is too young, then it seems implausible for them to wield so much authority, and they risk coming off as a snotty wunderkind rather than a seasoned and formidable malefactor.

I knew what you meant, I was just giving you crap. But I do agree with your assertion as to what Blofeld should be. I think Liam Neeson could pull it off.

[AgenttiNollaNollaSeitsemän]

Flemings Blofeld is about 12-16 years older than Bond and that is how it should be - Moriarty is older than Holmes. And since we should be sticking to Fleming Blofeld should have an aura of Continental Menace, thus requiring a Central or Eastern European actor. World War 2 taught Fleming Blofeld the ropes of espionage, thus 21st Century Blofeld should have Cold War background.

Edited by AgenttiNollaNollaSeitsemän, 23 October 2012 - 04:40 AM.

[TheManwiththeWaltherPPK]

If they brought back Blofeld I would imagine they would something like the Terminator movies and before Blofeld escapes Bond scars him over the eye.

WHAT? Please don't tell me you are taking ideas from Terminator Salvation...

[JCRendle]

before Blofeld escapes Bond scars him over the eye.

Why? Because one previous interpretation of Blofeld had a scar? If they bring back Blofeld, they should look to the books, not the previous films, for inspiration

[S K Y F A L L]

If they brought back Blofeld I would imagine they would something like the Terminator movies and before Blofeld escapes Bond scars him over the eye.

WHAT? Please don't tell me you are taking ideas from Terminator Salvation...

LOL Yes I suppose I am, I just seen it recently.

before Blofeld escapes Bond scars him over the eye.

Why? Because one previous interpretation of Blofeld had a scar? If they bring back Blofeld, they should look to the books, not the previous films, for inspiration

Correct me if I'm wrong but in the books Blofeld sold Poland's secret to Germany in WW2 so he would have to be extremely old unless they changed it to maybe the Iraq War.

[JCRendle]

I said inspiration, not the exact character. He could be updated without loosing the character.

For example, here's the opening to my work in progress biography of modern Blofeld:-

---


Ernst Stavro Blofeld was born on 28th May 1959 in Poland to the esteemed Polish professor Dr. Henryk Blofeld and a Greek mother, Nikoleta Blofeld.
Not much is known about his early life, but it is understood that at school he excelled in all subjects, especially history and science. He was not a popular child, he was described as detached by his teachers and it is believed that he had no real friends, preferring to spend time in his fathers office reading from the vast collection of books that his father had built up over the years.
Though he has never been tested, it is believed that Blofeld suffers from a mild form of autism and he has shown sociopathic symptoms from an early age.
In 1976, Blofeld attended the University of Warsaw where he studied economics and political history. Whilst at University, Blofeld again spent much of his time in the library and, as a fellow alumni stated to me:-

---
"If it hadn't of been for his exceptional marks and the fact that he received the highest marks in every exam, you wouldn't have even noticed he was there. There was something about him that told us that he didn't want to spend time with any of his fellow students and whilst we were unwinding at the Pub Staromiejski or just taking walks through Warsaw, he'd be locked in his room or reading through ancient books in the library, often of subjects that had nothing to do with the course"
---

Unsurprisingly, Blofeld graduated from Warsaw University with the highest marks, though it is clear that his love of knowledge didn't leave him, as he soon enrolled at the Warsaw University of Technology to study engineering, of which he again excelled.
Blofeld's professor at WUT told me:-

---
"Blofeld was unique. When he first started with me at the University, I had my doubts. An Engineering course is very different his previous studies. He clearly had a very factual mind, but I was worried that he may struggle to turn his mind to the technical side. These fears were quickly dropped, as he showed an intriguing mechanical mind that absorbed information that he could put into practice after the minimum of instruction.

I remember joking with my colleagues that I he may soon surpass even my knowledge after the first year. Indeed, he'd read through the third year texts before the end of his first semester, understood it too. I believe he just stayed in the course as a way of accessing our extensive library, he certainly wasn't learning anything new in my lectures"
---

[FOX MULDER]

I would suggest an unknown actor should play Blofeld.

That would add to the intrigue and mystery of the character.

[AgenttiNollaNollaSeitsemän]

Blofeld is a German name (and Flemings Blofeld was most likely an ethnic German with Polish citizenship) and as everyone knows Germans were expelled from Poland in 1945-1947. So in my opinion 21st Century Blofeld would more likely to be (East) German.
Here's my attempt of rebooting Blofeld(as posted elsewhere on this forum=:
Blofelds father Ernst was a long time member of Communist Party of Germany and left Germany for Soviet Union in 1933 when Hitler rose to power playing later a significant role in establishing the East German regime rising high in the ranks of the SED, GDR's ruling party. Blofelds mother, Maria, was a daughter of a Greek communist who met Ernst in Moscow and followed him to East Germany marrying him in 1952. Ernst Stavro Blofeld, their only child, was born in 1960 to parents who belonged into GDR's elite. Blofeld excelled in school and in military service reaching the rank of Captain in 1980 when he was recruited into GDR intelligence service, the HVA. He was seen as an industrious and dutiful servant of the regime by his superiors while in reality he had approached the western intelligence agencies and started supply them with valuable information as the Cold War had reached another era of high tension in the early 1980's. As the wall fell Blofeld (who by that had amassed a sizable chunk of cash) diappeared. After his disappearance it was found out that along with him materiel for biological and chemical weapons had disappeared and it is now believed that materiel along with Blofeld were taken to Iraq to work as a consultant to Saddam Hussein...

Edited by AgenttiNollaNollaSeitsemän, 24 October 2012 - 04:06 AM.

[TheManwiththeWaltherPPK]

I think that proposed Blofeld biography needs reworking. If he was born in 1960, there is no way that Blofeld would be a Captain in the military in 1980. He would only be 20 years old at that point.

Edited by TheManwiththeWaltherPPK, 24 October 2012 - 06:25 AM.

[AgenttiNollaNollaSeitsemän]

I think that proposed Blofeld biography needs reworking. If he was born in 1960, there is no way that Blofeld would be a Captain in the military in 1980. He would only be 20 years old at that point.

Under Communist regimes one could climb the ranks really quickly, especially if one came from a "good" family - in GDR right after high school in the age of 17-18 one could have been accepted to military or espionage academies with a rank of Unterleutnant (Sub-lieutenant).

Edited by AgenttiNollaNollaSeitsemän, 24 October 2012 - 07:31 AM.

[L4YRCAKE]

I think that proposed Blofeld biography needs reworking. If he was born in 1960, there is no way that Blofeld would be a Captain in the military in 1980. He would only be 20 years old at that point.

Under Communist regimes one could climb the ranks really quickly, especially if one came from a "good" family - in GDR right after high school in the age of 17-18 one could have been accepted to military or espionage academies with a rank of Unterleutnant (Sub-lieutenant).

I like your bio on Blofeld, although I think the Saddam Hussein link seems out of step somehow. Too current or something? Perhaps if he had links to mass murders in Bosnia rather? I also wonder at some point if it would be out of character if he had been a descendent of Vlad Dracula or some such character, perhaps? Hence all kinds of diabolical rumors and myths about him...?

But overall I like it quite a bit.

[AgenttiNollaNollaSeitsemän]

I think that proposed Blofeld biography needs reworking. If he was born in 1960, there is no way that Blofeld would be a Captain in the military in 1980. He would only be 20 years old at that point.

Under Communist regimes one could climb the ranks really quickly, especially if one came from a "good" family - in GDR right after high school in the age of 17-18 one could have been accepted to military or espionage academies with a rank of Unterleutnant (Sub-lieutenant).

I like your bio on Blofeld, although I think the Saddam Hussein link seems out of step somehow. Too current or something?

The First Gulf War, 1990-91. Back in the day there were rumours that former Eastern Bloc intelligence and military officers out of job had offered their services and expertise to Hussein.

[Redneck007]

I would like to see Blofeld return. Maybe even as the eventual head of Quantum with Mr. White as his number two or three. Or to modernize him a bit make him the head of a multi-national corporation. Reveal him slowly like Terrence Young did in FRWL and Thunderball. It would be a nice vintage touch. Another change would be his "lair." Not a volcano or a ski lodge in the Swiss Alps...times are different. What would be fitting? Maybe a high rise in New York, Jakarta or Dubai? Stockholm would be another good choice.

Edited by Redneck007, 24 October 2012 - 01:34 PM.

[TheManwiththeWaltherPPK]

I think that proposed Blofeld biography needs reworking. If he was born in 1960, there is no way that Blofeld would be a Captain in the military in 1980. He would only be 20 years old at that point.

Under Communist regimes one could climb the ranks really quickly, especially if one came from a "good" family - in GDR right after high school in the age of 17-18 one could have been accepted to military or espionage academies with a rank of Unterleutnant (Sub-lieutenant).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure German high school goes to age 18-19. Yes, while being a part of a good family would mean fast promotion, I'm also pretty sure that the scion of a good family would take the opportunity to fully enjoy the opportunities presented by a university education. If Blofeld grew up in the GDR, I think he would graduate in his mid-twenties and only commence military service at that point or go directly into state security at that point.

[007jamesbond]

Whoever is casted to be "Blofeld" should be in his late 30s to 40s and make him look older........I would like to see a battle between Bond and Blofeld and Bond winning him by breaking his neck or something like YOLT showdown

I guess they could make born early 1950s so he would be 30s in the 80s? But he is physical stronger than he appears to be

[CLS]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

EW just released their Bond edition on the iPad this morning so I ended up getting it and reading the piece. At the very end of the article, Craig says something really freaking interesting:

"Everyone always moans, 'Where's Bond gone? Where's all the jokes?'" Craig says. "Well, give us time!" As he says this, he picks up an apple and takes a Richard Kiel-size bite out of it. "I always had a plan in the back of my head that the third movie-if I ever got there-it would be time to take the gloves off and bring the gags back in. That's why we have the Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger and the classic Bond theme in the new one. That's what people come to see. So that villain with the cat on his lap, let's bring him back! Mike Myers took him, and we have to reclaim him."

A joke or a slip of the tongue of what they might do with Bond 24?

Edited by CLS, 25 October 2012 - 02:58 PM.

[JCRendle]

Welcome to CBn CLS, nice first post. I think Craig's comment may have been a joke - too specific to be a slip of the tongue.

But you never know, I believe that they have already started work on Bond 24's script...

[CLS]

It reads like a joke but with the way they've built Bond in these three films and the fact that Quantum is sort of left unresolved and with Craig under contract for just two more films, it seems perfect to kind of go this route. Especially if the rumored ending to Skyfall is true.

[Vauxhall]

I think that proposed Blofeld biography needs reworking. If he was born in 1960, there is no way that Blofeld would be a Captain in the military in 1980. He would only be 20 years old at that point.

Under Communist regimes one could climb the ranks really quickly, especially if one came from a "good" family - in GDR right after high school in the age of 17-18 one could have been accepted to military or espionage academies with a rank of Unterleutnant (Sub-lieutenant).

I like your bio on Blofeld, although I think the Saddam Hussein link seems out of step somehow. Too current or something?

The First Gulf War, 1990-91. Back in the day there were rumours that former Eastern Bloc intelligence and military officers out of job had offered their services and expertise to Hussein.

It may interest you to know that the CASINO ROYALE script made a reference to Le Chiffre being linked to Saddam Hussein, and the line was filmed, but it was dropped at the editing stage.

[FOX MULDER]

Gotta say, it would be amazing to see Blofeld return to film after 30 years...

Always thought Anthony Hopkins would have made a great Ernst Stavro, but he's probably a bit too old these days...

[L4YRCAKE]

Soooo... I'm seeing a bunch of talk about how supposedly Idris Elba met with the Bond producers recently, and there's this totally ridiculous speculation that Elba may be the next James Bond, and I say ridiculous because: a) Craig is only just now finding his momentum, and I bristle at the thought of anyone else playing Bond for a good long while, in fact I hope he stays a lot longer than just two more movies. So, for me at least, talk of replacing him just seems wrongly absurd in every way for the time being.

BUT. If Elba did in fact meet with the producers, why is no one speculating that he could be in talks to be the next Bond villain??

I think Idris Elba would be perfect as the new Blofeld!!! Nobody will be confusing that guy with Dr. Evil...!

Hope I'm not sounding foolish, but I feel like I may be on to something here. Anybody else agree...?

Whoops! And I should add that I don't find the idea of a black James Bond ridiculous at all, just not til Craig's done and retired.