10 replies to this topic

[tuttle300]

You know... I was lucky enough to be able to see the film yesterday here in Ohio yesterday- opening day

And being a long time fan ( first Bond I saw in a theater- after watching the rest on TV beforehand, was Spy Who Loved Me) I truly think that the Fleming estate missed the boat on not allowing a novelization to be made from this film. I say this because I assume the estate has final approval on if a book is made based on any of the films

Dare I say a hardcover could have easily made some decent money back for this particular project

And this is not just a missed opportunity simply as just another novelization for just another film- this also falls on the 60th anniversary of the books themselves that the films sprang from.

The books are the core of the entire franchise.

And yes, while there were several very nice books approved as companion books to this film, a novel was what I was really looking forward to since I had been hearing so many great comments on the script as the film was being made

And to not have approved THIS particular story to be released in book form is..... very bad. Especially knowing the few iconic events that happen in the film as well as the one on one battle between Bond the the bad guy

But then, its over now and at least we do have the film.

But I'm sure there are a few thousand fans out there who have been collecting the books and I would think they would have loved to have a book version.

As many of you know, a book can get into the minds of the characters in ways a film cannot. It can expand on back stories with each of the characters that a film can only show us either in passing or verbally.

And in this particular story- out of all the Bond stories- a book version would have been truly an epic experience to read ( providing the right author had been chosen)

But then again- nothing can be done now.

But I just wanted to express my regret over what I think was a huge missed opportunity and I wondered what some of the fans of the books ( from Fleming to Gardner to Benson and beyond)
think of it.

[quantumofsolace]

CR was published in 53 and a novelisation so soon before would take away from the event of

http://www.thebookbo...james-bond.html

Edited by quantumofsolace, 11 November 2012 - 09:06 AM.

[Loomis]

I never thought QUANTUM OF SOLACE needed a novelization, but I think Raymond Benson could have done an excellent SKYFALL novelization.

There are a few things in SKYFALL that could be fleshed out in a novelization - some interesting characters and ideas that the film only scratches the surface of. MAJOR SPOILERS

Spoiler

For example, I'd like to read more about M and Silva in pre-handover Hong Kong. I'd like to know how Bond survives the PTS and what he does afterwards. More on Mallory and his backstory might be interesting. I'd like more on exactly how Silva acquires his abandoned city. And so on.

[Glenn]

After I saw the film I said to my wife that Skyfall was less a Bond film (no over the top action chases) and more of an Ian Fleming novel. Having recently re-read Goldfinger I do believe that Skyfall is the very sort of plot the Fleming would have been able to use.

I would have loved a book of the film, and do not believe that it is too late, it could be released with the dvd......if an author could be found today and he/she could complete it by the middle of next week.

[stromberg]

I never thought QUANTUM OF SOLACE needed a novelization, but I think Raymond Benson could have done an excellent SKYFALL novelization.

There are a few things in SKYFALL that could be fleshed out in a novelization - some interesting characters and ideas that the film only scratches the surface of. MAJOR SPOILERS

Spoiler

For example, I'd like to read more about M and Silva in pre-handover Hong Kong. I'd like to know how Bond survives the PTS and what he does afterwards. More on Mallory and his backstory might be interesting. I'd like more on exactly how Silva acquires his abandoned city. And so on.

If you transport those ideas back to a movie, it wouldn't be too bad a concept for - dare I say it - a spinoff, be it for TV or the cinema (or both?)

Something like this:

Spoiler

To be taken with a grain of salt:

- An M origin story which ends up with her becoming Head of Section H Hong Kong. First season for a TV series or a mini-series or a 1st movie.

- Hong Kong. M is the boss, Silva is the impeccable secret agent who's even better than James Bond. Second season for a TV series or a mini-series or a 2nd movie.

- Events around the Hong Kong handover. Maybe not for a TV series (unless it's done '24' style), but a mini-series or another movie. Ends with Silva swallowing the cyanide and M being promoted to being, well, "M".

Which may raise a few questions from the Continuists™: the events of the handover clearly occur after GE, how does that fit? Well, the Craig era doesn't fit with the rest of the 'timeline' (if there's any), so scratch that. The M continuity sets in with CR, or maybe squeeze in yet another (mini-) series or movie between 1999 and 2006 (which would deny the existence of TWINE and DAD, of course - I'm beginning to like this concept).

- Intermission: the Malory background. No TV-Series, just a mini-series or a movie.

- Silva: Silva recovering and going bad and crazy. One or more season for a TV series/mini-series. A movie trilogy.

- And for the kids: Young Q and Young Monneypenny. Animated TV series. Don't want to flesh this one out.

- The Bond origin story. Tentatively called 'Bond 30', out on Xmas 2037 for the 75th anniversary.


Hope that all this will never happen. But it bets the Jinx spinnoff concept by far

[Dustin]

I believe film tie-ins are primarily an item of promotion for a film today and thus a question of a simple calculation for the studio, how much effort for how many more sold tickets/DVDs/other franchise. In that calculation a novelisation today doesn't seem to be worth the effort.

That said a SKYFALL tie-in could have been a marvellous and most interesting story. It would effectively reboot Bond a second time, doing probably a lot of what CARTE BLANCHE was supposed to. But I think neither Eon/Sony nor IFP were particularly eager to go this route. IFP have their own baby due next year and from the producers' side the novelisation would have to explain a lot of thing the film could get away with by sleight of hand.

[Gothamite]

SKYFALL felt particularly like an Ian Fleming story set in the 21st century and I would have adored a well-written novel to accompany the excellent film. The ending was deliriously Fleming-like, even though it's not based on anything from a particular story. I would have liked some expansion on Bond's drug addiction, his relationship with Severine and obviously loads more interaction between M and Silva.

This is a job for a gifted fan-fiction writer.

Edited by Gothamite, 10 November 2012 - 06:18 PM.

[seawolfnyy]

I agree that Skyfall feels like a Fleming story. A novelization would be great, but I don't think it's particularly necessary. We haven't gotten one since DAD and I don't think we need one now. If one were made, it would solely be to make money off the back of the film.

[marktmurphy]

I never thought QUANTUM OF SOLACE needed a novelization, but I think Raymond Benson could have done an excellent SKYFALL novelization.

Benson? Really?!

[JCRendle]

I am working on the novelisation already. If it's good enough, I'll post it in the FF section.

[007jamesbond]

I am working on the novelisation already. If it's good enough, I'll post it in the FF section.

I look forward to it! And that it will actually be posted!