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Stamper as a Masochist


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#1 Golden Claw

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Posted 10 December 2012 - 01:20 PM

I've not read the novelisation of TND by Raymond Benson, but one comment in my future super henchmen thread mentioned that in the novelisation, Stamper has been portrayed as being a masochist. Now this is something interesting, and I wonder how it would've played out on screen. It would've certainly made the most unmemorable Red Grant clone much more colourful. I imagine Bond hitting Stamper repeatedly only to realise that the latter is actually taking pleasure in it.

 

In the same thread, it was also mentioned that Stamper was actually supposed to be immune to pain, but then this trait was cancelled and hacked on to Renard in TWINE (even here, we hardly got to witness the full potential of this incredible trait).



#2 Dustin

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Posted 10 December 2012 - 01:29 PM

I don't know, somehow masochism doesn't strike me as such a remarkable trait for a henchman. Gaining pleasure from pain in itself doesn't make the character more intimidating or threatening. The opposite, gaining pleasure from the victim's pain and from one's power over the victim to the point of breaking it - that seems more like it.

#3 Turn

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Posted 10 December 2012 - 02:31 PM

I agree with Dustin. Most of the villains are already masochists to an extent. They allude in the film to Stamper's tendancies when Bond and Wai-Lin are captured in Carver's Vietnam headquarters and show his instruments of torture. Then when Bond hurls one of the knives into Stamper's thigh and he barely winces hints at his immunity to pain.

 

I think of better examples of this come from the earlier films such as when Largo is about to torture Domino on the Disco Volante with the ice cubes and cigar-"you have given me much pleasure, Domino. Now I must cause you pain."

 

Or Red Grant on the Orient Express - "The first bullet won't kill you, or the second. Not until you crawl over here and kiss my foot."

 

Fleming was particularly effective when it came to torture scenes and the sadistic tendancies of his villains, which comes across so much better than any visual representation. At least for me.



#4 AMC Hornet

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Posted 10 December 2012 - 05:34 PM

Bond punches Stamper to no avail, then sticks a knife in his shoulder and the big Kraut just grins most nastily. He doesn't show any feeling until Bond pulls it out again, and I think that was more an expression of disappointment than anything else.

 

So I'd say the immunity to/enjoyment of pain was quite evident there. It had been a while since Bond socked a guy, just to have him laugh it off (Eric Kriegler - another Aryan sieg-heiler - was the last, IIRC).



#5 Iceskater101

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Posted 11 December 2012 - 07:11 PM

^ Yeah exactly, plus when he is holding up those torture tools and that he wants to break Dr.Koffman's record..



#6 Professor Pi

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Posted 11 February 2013 - 03:43 AM

I did read Benson's novelisation for TND and he goes into some details that Stamper's pain and pleasure receptacles in the brain are reversed.  This is only obvious in the final climax of the film, but it explains much of the character and his relationship with Dr. Kaufman.  Renard feels no pain due to the bullet in his brain, but he doesn't get pleasure from it either, as Stamper did.



#7 Iceskater101

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Posted 13 February 2013 - 03:59 PM

I want to read the novelisation that sounds really interesting, I want to know more about the Kaufman/Stamper relationship.



#8 JimmyBond

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Posted 16 February 2013 - 01:14 AM

You should pick it up. While I've not read it myself, I do know it expands on Wai Lin and her role in the story (it even gives her a briefing scene with her superiors. Plus I think it includes all the cut scenes and jokes that were filmed but left out of the film.



#9 Iceskater101

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Posted 17 February 2013 - 04:06 PM

That's awesome! Who's the author to this book? and was it written before the film or after?



#10 Dustin

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Posted 17 February 2013 - 04:25 PM

Raymond Benson: http://www.amazon.co...sr=8-12&pi=SL75

I think it was written parallel to production, at least that's what used to be standard operating procedure for film tie-ins back in the day.

#11 Professor Pi

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Posted 19 February 2013 - 03:38 AM

That's awesome! Who's the author to this book? and was it written before the film or after?


It was a novelisation that went along with the movie production.  Benson also wrote novelisations or TWINE and DAD, and John Gardner did them for LTK and GE.  In the 70s, Christopher Wood wrote novelisations "James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me" and "James Bond and Moonraker."

 

But, Iceskater101, if you're gonna track down a Raymond Benson book and pay the collector's price these others fetch now (unless you get the Kindle version), try to find "The James Bond Bedside Companion" by Raymond Benson.  He analyses both the books and movies, thoroughly discussing themes and trends throughout the productions, as well as Fleming's writing style.  It made me re-assess how I view the Bond movies and caused me to shuffle my favorites list.  Check it out!  I think you'll like it.



#12 Iceskater101

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Posted 19 February 2013 - 10:08 PM

Interesting! I can get that from what amazon?



#13 Professor Pi

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Posted 20 February 2013 - 05:27 PM

You can get the revised paperback (silver, including TLD or LTK, I think) on amazon:

 

http://www.amazon.co...n/dp/1401102840

 

or hardback (red) on ebay:

 

http://www.amazon.co...n/dp/1401102840

 

james+bond+bedside+companion+raymond+ben

 

Most were around $50, but eBay had a PB for $12.