513 replies to this topic

[S K Y F A L L]

Wish we had something else to talk about...

[Call Billy Bob]

Indeed...

 

Where's a danged clapperboard when you need one?!?

[JCRendle]

Indeed...

 

Where's a danged clapperboard when you need one?!?

 

[Call Billy Bob]

 

Indeed...

 

Where's a danged clapperboard when you need one?!?

 

 

And I walked RIGHT into it... cheers! I need my first beer of the night...

[Skylla]

 

With all the problems in the world that someone would dare to criticize someone who obviously sounds like a responsible parent for what they share with their children in this capacity has other things to contend with. I've heard preschoolers refer to Freddy Krueger and Chucky from Child's Play and all sorts of things they've seen. Take issue with those parents.

 

I was raised on Bond movies from when I was a preschooler. It was something I shared with my parents and other family members along with many other film experiences. Now that they're gone, I have those memories and of their support of my interest in James Bond. Now I'm a parent with a college-bound daughter who is exceptionally mature and makes great decisions. I'm a proud parent and obviously Chicken Stu is as well and has every right to share that. No reason to take personal issue that I can see.

 

Thank you for your kind words sir. I saw plenty of old Bond movies growing up, it's a big part of my heritage being from Iver Heath where Pinewood Studios is located. 

 

I'm willing to bet that the person who berated me for allowing my children to watch some of these movies (and I emphasise "SOME") saw them when they were a  kid too. 

 

My oldest daughter tells me that kids play James Bond in the playground at school. Whilst Craig's movies are a bit more violent than say the old Connery's or Moore's (which I would have NO problem letting my kids watch) - every generation still has their own Bond and he is still a hero that appeals to all generations. I want my kids to know the Craig Bond because he is THEIR Bond much like Pierce Brosnan was mine. 

 

One thing I will say though, is I won't let my kids play the James Bond videogames I have. That's a no no. There is far to much emphasis on guns and shooting in those games - so much that it forms the core. 

 

We split things into categories in this household. We rely on the school to do the academic kind of teaching and my wife is a backup to that in that she helps them with homework and times tables and that kind of thing. I teach them about art, about culture, I show them films, play them music, take them to the cinema and to concerts. 

I'm the one who gets them Batman comics, plays them Led Zeppelin records... I get to be THAT guy! It's very cool and Bond is a big part of the education I'm trying to pass on. 

 

I´m sure your six year old kid likes the funny fairytales about a licensed to kill-government agent which are rated 12 in the UK, probably because they where bored at the BBFC.......you and TURN should work for the british education system and teach everybody  

[Dustin]

Gentlemen, this is not a forum dedicated to the discussion of the relative merits of parenting. Did I make myself clear?


Thank you.

[Guy Haines]

Interesting that kids still play James Bond in the playground. My pals and me did back in the late 60s and early 70s. One lad who was "tall dark and handsome" - well, taller than the rest of us urchins! - was 007, and as for the chief villain, well, guess who kept getting that part!

 

Trouble was that fifteen minutes mid morning and the same in the afternoon didn't give much scope for junior school super villainy, and by the time Bond's nemesis - for it was Haines - got around to the "bit where the bad guy has Bond in his power and explains his evil scheme" it was time to go back indoors for a bottle of free school milk rather than Bollinger or a Vodka Martini. ("Free school milk" - by crickey, that's going back decades!)

 

I guess that explains why I've always had a sneaking, perverse admiration for Bond's opponents - I kept being lumbered with the part myself. (Our class did, by the way, have a pet, but I'd have looked a bit ludicrous stroking the classroom rabbit whilst demanding "one million dollars!")

 

Anyway, Happy New Year folks and I'm looking forward to the Spectre of  new Bond film stalking the world in 2015.

[Major Tallon]

Having been raised on a diet of TV detective shows and westerns, I don't see a problem with allowing kids to have access to parts of Bond.  It was a while before I showed my two a full movie, but the comic-book parts of some of the films, particularly from the Moore years, were ok, and, yes, they played "Bond" with their friends.  Our son was Bond, and our daughter was Tracy.  It did neither of them any harm.

 

Happy New Year, everyone.

[ChickenStu]

 

 

With all the problems in the world that someone would dare to criticize someone who obviously sounds like a responsible parent for what they share with their children in this capacity has other things to contend with. I've heard preschoolers refer to Freddy Krueger and Chucky from Child's Play and all sorts of things they've seen. Take issue with those parents.

 

I was raised on Bond movies from when I was a preschooler. It was something I shared with my parents and other family members along with many other film experiences. Now that they're gone, I have those memories and of their support of my interest in James Bond. Now I'm a parent with a college-bound daughter who is exceptionally mature and makes great decisions. I'm a proud parent and obviously Chicken Stu is as well and has every right to share that. No reason to take personal issue that I can see.

 

Thank you for your kind words sir. I saw plenty of old Bond movies growing up, it's a big part of my heritage being from Iver Heath where Pinewood Studios is located. 

 

I'm willing to bet that the person who berated me for allowing my children to watch some of these movies (and I emphasise "SOME") saw them when they were a  kid too. 

 

My oldest daughter tells me that kids play James Bond in the playground at school. Whilst Craig's movies are a bit more violent than say the old Connery's or Moore's (which I would have NO problem letting my kids watch) - every generation still has their own Bond and he is still a hero that appeals to all generations. I want my kids to know the Craig Bond because he is THEIR Bond much like Pierce Brosnan was mine. 

 

One thing I will say though, is I won't let my kids play the James Bond videogames I have. That's a no no. There is far to much emphasis on guns and shooting in those games - so much that it forms the core. 

 

We split things into categories in this household. We rely on the school to do the academic kind of teaching and my wife is a backup to that in that she helps them with homework and times tables and that kind of thing. I teach them about art, about culture, I show them films, play them music, take them to the cinema and to concerts. 

I'm the one who gets them Batman comics, plays them Led Zeppelin records... I get to be THAT guy! It's very cool and Bond is a big part of the education I'm trying to pass on. 

 

I´m sure your six year old kid likes the funny fairytales about a licensed to kill-government agent which are rated 12 in the UK, probably because they where bored at the BBFC.......you and TURN should work for the british education system and teach everybody  

 

 

I'm starting to think you're a troll mate. 

[Dustin]

Gentlemen, I'd prefer if this particular discussion went on elsewhere.

[S K Y F A L L]

I remember being a kid when Roger Moore said Cuba Gooding Jr. should be the next Bond and when Brosnan said Colin Salmon (Charles Robinson) should be. I never liked Gooding and I thought it would be strange if Salmon played Bond after already being in the series and I never suspected they would reboot the series at the time thus Robinson not returning. I don't recall caring if he is black.

 

I liked Idris as a back up if anything happened to Craig before SF but he is here to stay it appears till B25, ofcourse Idris will be to old after that. I've begun to think Idris is a little overrated any way by fans of LUTHER like me. He is just to old now. I know some people might say so was Moore after Connery, that black don't crack and that everyone is already being rebooted as someone black, MP and Felix but as I said I think he has become bigger then his work.

[Guy Haines]

I think Colin Salmon could have played Bond. There was a review of TND I recall which compared the opening of DN - with the "three blind mice" - and that of TND when one hears a clipped English accent describing the weapons on sale at the arms bazaar, and as the camera pulls away one realises it's Salmon who is speaking. In that reviewer's opinion the Bond films had come a long way from the first Bond which featured the "blind beggar" types in DN - even though they were in fact hardened killers - and the MI6 war room in which M's top aide was a typically well spoken type who happened not to be white. Colin Salmon's appearances in the Brosnan movies persuaded me he could have done the top job. Indeed, didn't he double for Bond in some screen tests?

 

As with everything though, it's being available at the right time that counts. If Brosnan had played Bond from 1987 to the mid nineties - with no six year gap holding things up - then maybe Colin Salmon would have had his chance next.

[graric]

I liked Idris as a back up if anything happened to Craig before SF but he is here to stay it appears till B25, ofcourse Idris will be to old after that. I've begun to think Idris is a little overrated any way by fans of LUTHER like me. He is just to old now.

Not going to debate the old part, but going back to the idea of Idris being overrated- have you seen him in The Wire per chance? Because if you haven't, watch it, and you'll see there is nothing overrated about his abilities as an actor. He might be getting alot of press and attention at the moment, but he has the geniune talent to play a range of different roles and not just coast about by playing the same type of role in every film.

[Odd Jobbies]

 

I liked Idris as a back up if anything happened to Craig before SF but he is here to stay it appears till B25, ofcourse Idris will be to old after that. I've begun to think Idris is a little overrated any way by fans of LUTHER like me. He is just to old now.

Not going to debate the old part, but going back to the idea of Idris being overrated- have you seen him in The Wire per chance? Because if you haven't, watch it, and you'll see there is nothing overrated about his abilities as an actor. He might be getting alot of press and attention at the moment, but he has the geniune talent to play a range of different roles and not just coast about by playing the same type of role in every film.

 

 

Elba was fantastic as Stringer Bell in The Wire - his and Dominic West's US accents are the best i've heard from UK actors.

 

However, i've seen neither of them perform as well since. Point being that every actor in The Wire excelled because the writing was absolutely top notch and Simon was on hand to ensure authenticity. The cast were amerced in this world for some time and it really shows - some of the greatest drama on big and small screen.

 

Bond wouldn't be that experience and so i doubt Elba would be performing at the level of The Wire. He seems like a good down to earth bloke so i'm sure he'd see it that way too. The Wire was possibly a unique, maybe once in a lifetime phenomena for cast.

 

His best work since has been Luther, but at time his performance gives way to cliche mannerisms and overly dependent on props (that bloody overcoat - what a relief he chucked it). Like footballers actors can often raise their game in superior company; in the scenes with Ruth Wilson he delivered his best performance as Luther.

 

So, while Elba has great talent, seeing him fulfil that promise depends on the production and his fellow cast. That's no insult, the same can be said for many good actors. But i don't think he has special claim on Bond due to any extraordinary acting ability. For me he'd be akin to Lazenby (who i like as Bond), great in the machismo department, but a little uncomfortable at times without an overcoat to huff and puff under.

 

I think he'll grow as an actor and has really great performances in him, but becoming Bond would impede that growth like a fossil trapped in amber. This happened to Brosnan - we saw his best performances post Bond, such as Matador, as if he'd been in acting stasis throughout Bond.

[Dustin]

Very good argument, Odd Jobbies. Also a splendid observation on the overcoat. It would indeed be a shame if Elba in the role was reduced simply to a sequence of clichés just to underline he's supposed to be Bond. On the other hand the recent films upped the ante with their ensemble considerably.

[S K Y F A L L]

I've mentioned this before, I love THE WIRE but hated Stringer. Probably cause he was so bad, I guess thats because he is doing such a great job. I never watched THE WIRE for Stinger though. Not even one of my favorite characters.

 

I thought LUTHER also shows some good acting by him but I get the feeling there are those who don't care much for him and those who love his work and not the mainstream popularity he is looking for that he might get if he was Bond.

[Trevelyan 006]

On one hand, it is a shame that black actors have become nearly pigeonholed into small, ally roles. I'd warmly embrace a strongly skilled black actor to give Bond a run for his money in an upcoming film. It is far overdue, in my opinion. On the other, there is no reason a black actor should be cast as James Bond himself... At this time or at any in the near future. Perhaps, with constant reinventions and probable cause, a black Bond would be a perfectly ideal selection sometime in the distant future.

 

I'd suggest putting the current franchise timeline to rest first before casting a black Bond. That way, you have fresh content, a new story to tell, but similar key elements of the main character included.

 

For now though, it is a no.

[Skylla]

 

 

I liked Idris as a back up if anything happened to Craig before SF but he is here to stay it appears till B25, ofcourse Idris will be to old after that. I've begun to think Idris is a little overrated any way by fans of LUTHER like me. He is just to old now.

Not going to debate the old part, but going back to the idea of Idris being overrated- have you seen him in The Wire per chance? Because if you haven't, watch it, and you'll see there is nothing overrated about his abilities as an actor. He might be getting alot of press and attention at the moment, but he has the geniune talent to play a range of different roles and not just coast about by playing the same type of role in every film.

 

 

Elba was fantastic as Stringer Bell in The Wire - his and Dominic West's US accents are the best i've heard from UK actors.

 

However, i've seen neither of them perform as well since. Point being that every actor in The Wire excelled because the writing was absolutely top notch and Simon was on hand to ensure authenticity. The cast were amerced in this world for some time and it really shows - some of the greatest drama on big and small screen.

 

Bond wouldn't be that experience and so i doubt Elba would be performing at the level of The Wire. He seems like a good down to earth bloke so i'm sure he'd see it that way too. The Wire was possibly a unique, maybe once in a lifetime phenomena for cast.

 

His best work since has been Luther, but at time his performance gives way to cliche mannerisms and overly dependent on props (that bloody overcoat - what a relief he chucked it). Like footballers actors can often raise their game in superior company; in the scenes with Ruth Wilson he delivered his best performance as Luther.

 

So, while Elba has great talent, seeing him fulfil that promise depends on the production and his fellow cast. That's no insult, the same can be said for many good actors. But i don't think he has special claim on Bond due to any extraordinary acting ability. For me he'd be akin to Lazenby (who i like as Bond), great in the machismo department, but a little uncomfortable at times without an overcoat to huff and puff under.

 

I think he'll grow as an actor and has really great performances in him, but becoming Bond would impede that growth like a fossil trapped in amber. This happened to Brosnan - we saw his best performances post Bond, such as Matador, as if he'd been in acting stasis throughout Bond.

 

I always thought Adrian Lester could have been Bond material, of course to old now, too. Much better actor than Elba and could have done a bit of the funny Roger style too with ease...

[Harmsway]

I'd suggest putting the current franchise timeline to rest first before casting a black Bond.

I think that's exactly what will happen with Bond 25.

[Odd Jobbies]

 

I'd suggest putting the current franchise timeline to rest first before casting a black Bond.

I think that's exactly what will happen with Bond 25.

 

I think when the time to recast comes they'll keep Fiennes, Harris and Whishaw, continuing with the current Bond-verse they've installed, but tweaking the tone to play to the strengths of whomever they cast. Hopefully those strengths and dramatic, rather than comedic.

 

However, i firmly believe that Craig's involved in B26 will depend upon 25's success (to keep Sony happy) and the writing/directing talent Eon snag with a desire to carry on the reboot theme of character exploration in order to keep Craig hooked for one more go around the block.

[Double Naught spy]

For those out there eager to see Mr. Elba take up the mantle of 007, might I remind you of his complaints over being contractually obligated to play Heimdall again in the Thor 2.   He specifically complained rather loudly about having to go back and do some reshoots on the film after he just finished playing Nelson Mandela.  His complaints (being hooked up to the stunt wires, wearing the costume and contact lenses, etc.) seemed to originate from having to act in a big, action-adventure franchise.   

 

As in the case of the character Heimdall, Mr. Elba would be locked into a contract by Eon to play 007 for 3 or 4 films. Mr. Elba is a fine actor in his own right, and perhaps might even be the best Bond ever; but, personally, I don't want to suffer nearly a decade of any Bond portrayer bitching and moaning about how much of a pain in the butt it is to play my/our beloved hero.  What a bummer that would be for us fans.

 

Are we ready for a black Bond?  Maybe, maybe not.  But whoever takes up the role - no matter their skin color - I'd at least want him (or her - hey, where are the enlightened advocates for that on this site?) to at least want the job in the first place!

 

And, Dustin - thank you for politely and firmly asking posters to stop turning this thread into a Parenting 101 class.  This whole thread (2+ years long!) is already tedious enough with veiled accusations of racism and the like.  No one on this site should be immediately labeled a racist merely because they believe Bond should be portrayed by a white actor . . . anymore than a poster who thinks that Mr. Elba is the best choice for the job should be tainted with accusations of wanting him for the role merely to assuage their feelings of  'white guilt.'  

[x007AceOfSpades]

I can see where he's coming from with the reshoots for Thor 2. Especially after just completing one film, the last thing you want to do is go jump sets right off the bat, specifically reshoots.

[graric]

For those out there eager to see Mr. Elba take up the mantle of 007, might I remind you of his complaints over being contractually obligated to play Heimdall again in the Thor 2.   He specifically complained rather loudly about having to go back and do some reshoots on the film after he just finished playing Nelson Mandela.  His complaints (being hooked up to the stunt wires, wearing the costume and contact lenses, etc.) seemed to originate from having to act in a big, action-adventure franchise.   

 

As in the case of the character Heimdall, Mr. Elba would be locked into a contract by Eon to play 007 for 3 or 4 films. Mr. Elba is a fine actor in his own right, and perhaps might even be the best Bond ever; but, personally, I don't want to suffer nearly a decade of any Bond portrayer bitching and moaning about how much of a pain in the butt it is to play my/our beloved hero.  What a bummer that would be for us fans.

 

Are we ready for a black Bond?  Maybe, maybe not.  But whoever takes up the role - no matter their skin color - I'd at least want him (or her - hey, where are the enlightened advocates for that on this site?) to at least want the job in the first place!

 

And, Dustin - thank you for politely and firmly asking posters to stop turning this thread into a Parenting 101 class.  This whole thread (2+ years long!) is already tedious enough with veiled accusations of racism and the like.  No one on this site should be immediately labeled a racist merely because they believe Bond should be portrayed by a white actor . . . anymore than a poster who thinks that Mr. Elba is the best choice for the job should be tainted with accusations of wanting him for the role merely to assuage their feelings of  'white guilt.'  

 

His complaints were based around a sense of discomfort on one day of reshoots for Thor 2, not an issue with being contractually obligated to make the film or working on Blockbusters in general.
He described the experience as being jarring being stuck in wires against a greenscreen for two days, after just getting off the plane from South Africa having finished Mandela less than 24 hours before hand. He even descirbed being stuck on the wires as slightly humbling, after being referrred to as Madiba for the previous 3 months...He has since made it very clear that he enjoys the experience of Thor overall, and he was merely describing issues on a single day of reshoots, and the quotes were taken very much out of context (which is especially obvious when you read the whole interview and he also discusses wanting to play a proper Superhero down the track...which certainly doesn't suggest that his frustrations are with blockbuster in general, just slight annoyances on one day of reshoots.)

(In any case, the issues described are not entirely applicable to Bond- as currently the Bond films have far less digital work than the Thor franchise, and wouldn't require the lead actor to wear overly elaborate costumes/ wigs and contact lenses like Elba's character in Thor.)

 

It is basically the same as news outlets taking Daniel Craig's comments about 'wanting to get out of James Bond ever since he signed up' when Skyfall was released overly literally, and implying he was ungrateful to have the role (when it is clear that he is very grateful to have the role, and the quotes were made in a slightly joking tone.)

Edited by graric, 03 January 2015 - 06:47 AM.

[glidrose]

Remember all those times film critic Gene Siskel said Denzel Washington should play James Bond?

 

I remember SiskeI cornering Washington on the red caret at some televised event and Washington was cIearIy caught off guard and thought SiskeI may have been taking the piss (joking, for you Yanks). As we know, SiskeI most certainIy was not joking!

[Hockey Mask]

Taking the piss! You guys sound funny!

[Double Naught spy]

Graric,

 

Thanks for the clarification.  For the sake of me liking Mr. Elba as an actor (and being a Marvel Comics/film fan), I hope you are correct on him being misquoted and/or being taken out of context. 

[__7]

Call me simple, but I just watched the first episode of Luther last night and that was enough to sell me on the idea that Elba can certainly pull it off.  Only question is age when he starts.  That said, I'm not in a hurry for Daniel to quit.

[Tarl_Cabot]

He's too old (41) to be the next Bond. I'd rather have a 50+ Craig keep goin than a 46 year old first timer...silly thread really. Bond is an anglo  caucasian and that's OK. It's not racist to resist every PC temptation imposed on our culture. And there are other minorities in the world for ****'s sake. I don't see any Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Indian, Polyneasian or Arab  A list movie stars in Hollywood leading action films. Where are their lobbys?

He would make a great 00 character though. Could he be a rebooted Alec Trevelyn 006 villian?

[coco1997]

New Line Cinema announced today that they will be rebooting the "Shaft" franchise. Hopefully Idris Elba is cast so those insisting he "must" replace Daniel as Bond can be silenced.

[JCRendle]

New Line Cinema announced today that they will be rebooting the "Shaft" franchise. Hopefully Idris Elba is cast so those insisting he "must" replace Daniel as Bond can be silenced.

Unless they cast a white bloke lol