16 replies to this topic

[stromberg]

Those shades of brown and green, the landscape with Skyfall mansion like a farmer's lone block house on the open range. The protagonists escape from an attack on heir brave horse (the Aston) and find unexpected help by grumpy old man Kincade (a role that would have suited Walter Brennan). Counting guns (shotguns!), knives and ammo while preparing for the arrival of the enemy and setting up an ambush, and so forth. The enemy surrounding the house and setting it on fire, the escape through a tunnel, and the finale in an old chapel. All this reminds me so much of movies like El Dorado, Rio Bravo, Pat Garett & Billy the Kid or Butch Cassidy & Sundance Kid and many more of the like.

The 3rd act of Skyfall, is it actually a Western?

[Loomis]

Possibly. At any rate, it certainly isn't a Bond film.

[triviachamp]

Possibly. At any rate, it certainly isn't a Bond film.

Well OHMSS' ending isn't a Bond ending but since it is Flemmmmming and classic Bond then it is OK.

[Loomis]

Point taken.

[Pussfeller]

I don't really associate westerns with helicopters and explosives, but I guess I can see a stylistic connection. Javier Bardem in a long coat, Daniel Craig running around in a field with an old-timey gun. But nothing about it strikes me as a cliche from any genre. That's one of the things I love about it. It's odd and original. You can tell it's original because reviewers, grasping for parallels, have likened it to both Straw Dogs and Home Alone. That's sort of like comparing a scene to both Jaws and PT 109.

[stromberg]

I don't really associate westerns with helicopters and explosives, but I guess I can see a stylistic connection. Javier Bardem in a long coat, Daniel Craig running around in a field with an old-timey gun. But nothing about it strikes me as a cliche from any genre. That's one of the things I love about it. It's odd and original. You can tell it's original because reviewers, grasping for parallels, have likened it to both Straw Dogs and Home Alone. That's sort of like comparing a scene to both Jaws and PT 109.

Certainly no helicopters in a Western The equivalent might be Santa Anna's large cannons in "The Alamo". But explosives are a regular, think about the finale of the aforementioned "Rio Bravo", with John Wayne, Dean Martin and Walter Brennan smoking out the bad guys with some dynamite, for example.

[JCRendle]

Possibly. At any rate, it certainly isn't a Bond film.

Just because it's something new and different, it still felt Bondian in the execution.

[Dustin]

It surely follows the Western lore of taking a stand against an enemy superior in numbers, defending oneself (and the law) not by just calling the Sheriff/999. Good observation, also the Aston as the trusted destrier is a nice allegory.

[Loomis]

Possibly. At any rate, it certainly isn't a Bond film.

Just because it's something new and different, it still felt Bondian in the execution.

It didn't feel that way to me. But, yes, if it were something new and different (which it is) and felt Bondian in the execution, I'd love it.

I don't disagree with the western comparison, but as Pussfeller indicates, the third act of SKYFALL is also reminiscent of other genres. Personally, I was reminded more of the horror genre.

[AgenttiNollaNollaSeitsemän]

Is Peckinpah's Straw Dogs a western?

[Guy Haines]

Possibly. At any rate, it certainly isn't a Bond film.

I think it is a Bond film final quarter turned upside down. How many times have we watched the last part of a Bond film as 007, and allies, have assaulted the villain's HQ? Times many. On this occasion, it is the villain attacking, if you will, Bond's HQ. And Bond hasn't got the endless supply of men and materials (Unlike Silva). Just M, Kincade and some ancient, makeshift weapons. And a certain car. I liked what they did with that part of the film. It was "the same" but very different.

[univex]

Again with this "it´s not a Bond Film" crap? What the hell is a Bond film? Die Another Day seems to check all of those quadratical boxes. Is that a true Bond film? I suppose OHMSS and CR aren´t true Bond films as well? This " this has no place in a Bond film" should be restricted to CGI titlewaves and things that go against the character of James Bond as invisioned by it´s creator, IMO. Maybe that´s why I like SF so much, I love the novels. It´s not a perfect film, but the third act has nothing to do with that. Is the third act a western? Well, is it something? Do we need it to be something other than a Bond film finale? If it drinks some influences from the westerns fountain, then I´m a happy fan, because it´s done very tastefully. Really, people calling that bit the A-team part of the film, have no taste whatsoever. I suppose Bond getting the girl in the end under the 23rd parachute would be a proper ending. Rant over, had a couple of rose glasses so that´ll show on the writing...just saying

[Pussfeller]

Ahh yes, the platonic ideal of "the Bondian", the timeless and eternal category which embraces everything that appeared in a Bond film before, and strictly excludes everything that has not appeared in a Bond film yet. If only more fans had defended the sanctity of the Bondian ideal during the formative years of the franchise, most Bond films would never have been created, and a lot of fun would have been safely prevented.

Rant over, had a couple of rose glasses so that´ll show on the writing...just saying

For such a grand rant, I'd have rather expected a claret.

[Aisforauric]

The moment Kincade mutters "There's a couple of sticks of dynamite from the quarry" or similar the finale certainly does echo many Westerns/ last stand films. Of course, it was all a trap, so in effect Bond buried his oil drum, puts some coconut on the lid and the rats went for it.....

[Aisforauric]

Ahh yes, the platonic ideal of "the Bondian", the timeless and eternal category which embraces everything that appeared in a Bond film before, and strictly excludes everything that has not appeared in a Bond film yet. If only more fans had defended the sanctity of the Bondian ideal during the formative years of the franchise, most Bond films would never have been created, and a lot of fun would have been safely prevented.

Rant over, had a couple of rose glasses so that´ll show on the writing...just saying

For such a grand rant, I'd have rather expected a claret.

Or maybe a Chianti, but not with sole.... ;-)

[Tuxedo]

It has a bit of a High Noon feeling indeed.

[stromberg]

Again with this "it´s not a Bond Film" crap? What the hell is a Bond film? ...

Oh, by no means did I start the thread to imply that the third act is not a Bond film. It's a great movie, and I especially like the third act. Maybe I should have asked the question wether it was "inspired by the Western genre". It was just a chain of thoughts that occurred to me and I was interested if I was just seeing things, or if other people around here see the same analogies.