56 replies to this topic

[Vauxhall]

Sam Mendes has said that he is brutal in the editing process and he's been true to his word. Quite a few scenes appear to have been chopped or dropped completely. Shrublands posted a few bits earlier, and I've added to it. Here's what we know so far:

• dialogue between Bond and Eve in the car in Istanbul before he grabs the wheel and sideswipes Patrice's car - "Trust me", etc.
• Eve observes Istanbul motorcycle chase from rooftop position
• M and Tanner go through security at the Whitehall office building before their first meeting with Mallory - includes some decent humour when M takes exception to being searched
• Tanner reads Bond's obituary as he and M wait to see Mallory
• M's assistant Vanessa rushes to her computer shortly before the MI6 explosion
• exterior shots of M and Tanner attending the agents' funerals, featuring a longer Michael G. Wilson cameo
• Bond runs alone through Regent's Park as part of his recovery (seen in teaser trailer)
• possible scene in Bond's London hotel room
• Severine hands Patrice the briefcase at Shanghai International Airport (seen in videoblogs)
• closer shot of Patrice falling from Shanghai office tower (seen in trailer and TV spots)
• Bond showering in Macau hotel room
• dialogue between M and Mallory in his office - "He's in the South China Sea", etc.
• M and Tanner drive out of the underground bunker towards Whitehall ahead of the inquiry
• M and Tanner go through security at the Whitehall office again - humour linked to earlier scene which was also dropped
• alternate shot of Bond shooting three times into inquiry room (seen in trailer and TV spots)
• shot of Bond avoiding debris in Skyfall Lodge, as M and Kincade hide under arch in the corner

Originally, as Shrubs pointed out in another thread, Bond was intended to chase Silva through the dead city, crash through a skylight with him, leading to a fight among rats. It appears that this bit was rewritten and dropped. A storyboard suggested there would be a moment when Silva scolds a young man for not giving up his tube seat to an elderly woman, but it's not clear if that scene was ever filmed either.

The other site has also suggested that exposition scenes explaining Severine's art theft plot were dropped. That would make sense, but I can neither confirm nor deny that.

Happy to add anything I've forgotten.

[univex]

Too bad about some of those scenes, particularly the obituary scene, but, as you say Vauxall, it makes for a more pragmatic film.
Regarding Sev´s art theft plot: is the Modigliani still in play? Does it get referenced?

[Vauxhall]

Too bad about some of those scenes, particularly the obituary scene, but, as you say Vauxall, it makes for a more pragmatic film.

Yeah, I was initially slightly disappointed to lose a couple of those scenes (particularly the funerals), but it tightened up the movie's pace very nicely. I trust Mr Mendes. Plus will make a nice DVD bonus feature - EON, take note please!

Regarding Sev´s art theft plot: is the Modigliani still in play? Does it get referenced?

The Modigliani is visible, but not verbally referenced.

[TheSilhouette]

So how is the scene with Patrice falling handled if the shot from the trailers was cut? I'm massively disappointed as it was an INCREDIBLE shot.

[Glockenspiel]

So how is the scene with Patrice falling handled if the shot from the trailers was cut? I'm massively disappointed as it was an INCREDIBLE shot.

Yes, it was, and the cut is very surprising because the fall of Patrice in the movie is clearly not as good as the cut scene.

[SecretAgentFan]

I disagree. I think the shot in the trailer is more "flashy", a spectacular stunt (and therefore good for the trailer). But in the film itself it works better (for me) to have Patrice falling in a different, not-showy style.

[thecasinoroyale]

Hopefully we will see some decent stuff on the DVD / Blu Ray of extras!

[Tony_OO_Black]

It's a shame we never got the Bond/Silva fight in the city, as I felt a physical smack down between these two was one of the few, tiny disappointments the movie gave me.

[thecasinoroyale]

I think Bond would have easily won against a hand to hand fight with Silva, but by no means without Silva giving a few good hits.

I like the fact our villain depended on his brains, his knolwedge and his cunning to hit him where it hurts, and glad it carried on to the final frames without resulting in usual fisti-cuffs.

[Simon]

Happy to add anything I've forgotten.

I am not sure if I just plain missed this due to the less than easy angle to the screen at the premiere, but there is a shot of Bond shooting three times in the Inquiry room, after which, he snaps back his gun to his side or something.

About 1.20 into this trailer.



Was this edited from the film?

[DamnCoffee]

I thought that was missing as well. There was a part of in the IMAX trailer, too, showing Bond stepping up in front of a massive window, then turning towards the camera. Think that was from the cut dead city scene.

[PeteNeon]

It's surprising how many cuts there's been. I can't remember, was the "precise intelligence" line in the film?

[univex]

It's surprising how many cuts there's been. I can't remember, was the "precise intelligence" line in the film?

No.

[Vauxhall]

This is the exchange dropped from that scene:

MALLORY: Do you have any word on Bond?
M: He's somewhere in the South China Sea.
MALLORY: That's it?
M: Well, when you've worked with Bond as long as I have, you realise that "somewhere in the South China Sea" is precise intelligence.

[Shrublands]

Silva scolds a young boy on the Tube for not giving up his seat for an old lady - Wasn't there going to be something like this?

[Vauxhall]

Silva scolds a young boy on the Tube for not giving up his seat for an old lady - Wasn't there going to be something like this?

I think that came from a storyboard, so wasn't necessarily ever in the shooting script. I'll add it to the first post though all the same.

[Simon]

I thought that was missing as well.

Ok - not just my attention span.

I wonder why that was cut because to me, it came across as an indication of urgency/anger at missing something. For the sake of 0.5 seconds, it would have been good to retain.

[DamnCoffee]

This is the exchange dropped from that scene:

MALLORY: Do you have any word on Bond?
M: He's somewhere in the South China Sea.
MALLORY: That's it?
M: Well, when you've worked with Bond as long as I have, you realise that "somewhere in the South China Sea" is precise intelligence.

Watching Skyfall again, I'm glad it was cut. It makes no real sense anyway. Bond only activates the radio signal on the boat with Severine, which is after this scene. So M wouldn't really know his location anyway. Otherwise she could've just said Shangai.

I thought that was missing as well.

Ok - not just my attention span.

I wonder why that was cut because to me, it came across as an indication of urgency/anger at missing something. For the sake of 0.5 seconds, it would have been good to retain.

Yeah, after my second viewing the scene definitely was cut. There's a shot before it though, which shows Bond start walking across and shooting, but the framing is all wrong. So I guess it was trimmed down a bit.

[Vauxhall]

I believe they used an alternative shot of the same scene, with Bond firing into the inquiry room through the cloud created by the fire extinguisher.

[MkB]

I believe they used an alternative shot of the same scene, with Bond firing into the inquiry room through the cloud created by the fire extinguisher.

Pity, the shot seen in the trailer was really badass, I liked it a lot

[Simon]

For no reason at all, other than self indulgence, I think the only scene I was really looking forward to was what I would have imagined to be a long tracking shot of Severine coming down the escalator at the airport (shot near me in Ascot).

I can imagine it would have been a thing of elegance with Berenice looking quite the part.

[MkB]

Oh I just remembered one!
In the trailers, we see a very short scene involving Bond, a love interest, and a wall in Turkey. Bond and the girl end up against the wall, from left to right.
In the film, it's from right to left.

It all happens too quickly, in both cases, to be able to tell if it's the same shot digitally mirrored, or a different view of the same scene, or a different scene.

[marktmurphy]

Is that shot from over the DB5 as it drives along still in the film? Y'know- the one where everyone said they could see the roof join for the ejector seat. I feel like I didn't spot it.

[Simon]

Looking like a good list Vauxhall.

Was about to add the 'Trust me' line until I saw that it had been added already.

[marktmurphy]

Didn't Bond have a massive key to get into the Lodge? Did I see that in a set photo or something?

[The Shark]

- Underwater shot looking up at Bond hitting the water in the PTS.

[DamnCoffee]

• The Eve shaving shot in the trailer.
• Bond heaving himself out of the pool.
• Bond shooting in the Istanbul market square.
• Alternate shot of Bond saying 'done.'

[Vauxhall]

- Underwater shot looking up at Bond hitting the water in the PTS.

Is that a different shot to the one immediately before the title sequence after Bond has been swept over the waterfall?

[thecasinoroyale]

- Underwater shot looking up at Bond hitting the water in the PTS.

I think that's in there...that's after he lands in the water, and goes over a small waterfall, and that shot is one take following Craig down into the main titles. As he hits the water initially, it cuts to Eve, MI6 etc.

[DogWalker]

The Eve shaving shot is present