191 replies to this topic

[Hansen]

I think it's better for Bond movies to have 3 year breaks between because then it will hopefully have more thought into the script and the casting and so forth.

There were 3 years between TWINE and DAD and they even had 4 years for SF and look where it ends. More a matter of talent than time, to me...

[zencat]

 

http://www.thesun.co...l-May-Care.html

 

The Sun has spoken!

The Sun being The Sun again. tdalton hit the nail on the head. Nothing to report here.

 

Rumor revoked!

 

http://www.thebookbo...d-on-devil.html

[TheManwiththeWaltherPPK]

 

I think it's better for Bond movies to have 3 year breaks between because then it will hopefully have more thought into the script and the casting and so forth.

There were 3 years between TWINE and DAD and they even had 4 years for SF and look where it ends. More a matter of talent than time, to me...

 

You do know that many people consider Skyfall one of the great Bond films and that Iceskater's implication most likely was that the 4 year breaks between DAD and CR and QOS and SF resulted in superior films?  Not the most effective rebuttal.

[occhile007]

Ok, here's some food for thought. And before I go on, I apologize to everyone who is NOT a Dark Knight/Christopher Nolan fan.

 

I think it is safe to say that SF was not only financially successful, but overall, exceeded the expecations of majority of the fans. It gave us a grounded story, no over the top CGI effects, humor, the best cinematography ever in a Bond film, the DB5, the Walther, etc. Now, having said this, it is constantly compared to The Dark Knight in tone and the fact that Mr. Mendes said TDK was his inspiration. So if SF was his TDK, does that mean that Bond 24 has the potential to be The Dark Knight Rises. While TDKR was really really good, it was not quite as good as TDK. In other words, is it possible that 1. Mendes truly outdid himself for Skyfall and crafted the Best Bond that he could do? 2. Could this be typical Hollywood and they lure Mr. Mendes back to the franchise with a truck full of money, and he really didn't want to come back 3. No matter how good Bond 24 will be, it will never be Skyfall.  Thoughts, comments, concerns....

 

Either way, I'm very excited to have Mr. Mendes back. 2015 can't come soon enough...

[Rik]

It won't be Skyfall but then we don't want to see the same movie again do we? We want a new picture! Or I do anyway!

[S K Y F A L L]

I suppose this means Mendes wont be doing any other films since he'll be busy on the stage and then with Bond 24. I wonder if he had got any offers from other studios. 

[bondjames]

My thoughts: Skyfall was good. Very good. But not exceptional.

 

Its success was not necessarily all down to Mendes. It was a matter of timing too. He happened to be the director, and he happened to give us an old school style (stylistically speaking) Bond with a pretty easy to follow story and reasonable pacing (rather than wizz bang pacing). That was in demand with the moving going public. After all the wham/bam type spy movies (Bourne anyone) that the majority of seniors couldn't even follow on the screen, not to mention the CGI infused 3D Marvel/Bay stuff out there, there was a longing for a straightforward, down to earth spy movie among the paying public (by that I mean the people who actually pay for movies rather than watching them for free on their computer - i.e. the largest demographic anywhere - the over 50 crowd). This movie was successful because it had 'legs' as they say. It defied conventional hollywood accounting wisdom. It opened strong alright, but its real success came from the fact that it kept taking in box office receipts week after week, while most movies these days are dead after the first two weeks. That's due to word of mouth that brought in people that don't normally go to theatres but rather wait for DVD/Blu. I.e. they came because it was a movie worth seeing in a theatre, and because it was a JAMES BOND movie in the style of old.

 

Old school is in and no one can do it better than Bond due to the history (fans all the way back from the 60's). It's like the Stones, or U2, Madonna, or Prince to a lesser extent - an intergenerational institution. All any of the foregoing need to do is put out something half decent and it will sell bucketloads - since there's a whole slew of fans out there. The fact that they don't always succeed with new material is due to their own fault - the fans are there.

 

Additionally, part of its success is attributable to the excellent work that was done recently by Craig and team in establishing this new Bond - both in Casino Royale and in Quantum of Solace. They'd already done two very good Bonds that the public appreciated and which were credible (Quantum of Solace is very underrated - if not for the Bourne style action pieces it's an excellent Bond movie that moves along at a very fast clip - the easiest and quickest Bond fix for anyone given its short run-time). So it was only expected that Skyfall should be successfull.

 

In terms of what they need to do next - I think it will be bigger but still grounded. I think it will be similar to Thunderball as someone has already said. Excellent score, breathtaking visuals and a much bigger budget. Keep in mind that Skyfall was likely the most successful movie last year (it did not have the benefit of 3D ticket prices, which boosted Avenger's total). And as mentioned, there has to be more of quality female element. Interestingly, I think they did it best during the Roger Moore era (Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, and For Your Eyes Only all had capable female leads who still maintained their femininity). The only one that combined feminine charm and still played well off Bond in the Brosnan era was Natalya in Goldeneye - the other Brosnan gals were trying too much to be like men in my opinion, especially Halle Berry and Wai Lin. Craig's girls have all been great, but we need more fooling around time.

 

I'm concerned if they bring back David Arnold. While I appreciate his homages to John Barry (the true legend) I think most of his music has been below par for the series. He did improve tremendously for Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, and maybe losing out on Skyfall may cause him to 'up his game' if he's called back, but I'd be quite happy with Newman continuing for Bond 24.

 

So, I'm optimistic. We need a Matt Monro style theme song (strong deep vocals this time so as not to be compared to the incomparable Adele), the gunbarrel in the front, and a classic, 60's style caper.

 

Bring it on. Can't wait

[AMC Hornet]

The success of films like X Men: First Class and The Avengers demonstrates what bj says about cinemagoers wanting straighforward, 60s-style comic-book entertainment, and who better to deliver than the unchanging godfather of that era?

 

Blunt instrument? Sexist, misogynist dinosaur? Damn straight.

 

Welcome back, Mr. Bond - we miss you when you're away.

[FlemingBond]

I'm glad he's returning, but not happy it's going to be another 3 year gap. This will make Craig 47 in the next one, and probably 50 in his 5th.

Edited by FlemingBond, 15 July 2013 - 09:16 PM.

[AMC Hornet]

Roger Moore turned 52 while filming Moonraker, his fourth, so there may be life in the old dog yet.

[007jamesbond]

if we going by what Fleming wrote, Craig Bond should be force to retire at '45" but I guess there is some exception 

[rubixcub]

Still dying for them to use SHATTERHAND, but given that they just used a one-word title, it's statistically less likely.  Only back-to-backs of those previously were GOLDFINGER and THUNDERBALL.

 

Dave

[TheManwiththeWaltherPPK]

if we going by what Fleming wrote, Craig Bond should be force to retire at '45" but I guess there is some exception 

 

Different era.  Arguably, because of scientific, medical and other types of advantages, people nowadays seem to age more gracefully so I don't think we can go by Fleming's hard numbers for things like retirement age.

[FlemingBond]

given the current schedule they seem to be keeping , Craig will make his 5th appearance in 12 years at the age of 50 probably. Moore of course made 7 in 12 years.

[quantumofsolace]

Five Ways Sam Mendes Can Make Bond 24 Better Than Skyfall http://www.huffingto..._b_3600488.html

Sam Mendes' return to the James Bond canon bodes well for a franchise which has struggled for successive successes since the Sean Connery era. Not commercially, of course, but critically.

The last Bond director to helm two consecutive 007 adventures was John Glen, who ended with Timothy Dalton's double header of The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989). Glen, who edited 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service, filmed five ambivalent Bond pictures in a row in the 1980s and ended rather too grittily for the masses with the joyless, yet underrated, Licence.

Mendes' Skyfall is the most successful Bond film in the series' 50 years. Laden with humour, excellent sequences, Roger Deakins' dazzling cinematography and a throwback villain, it regained Bond's identity after the rushed and ragged rubbish of Quantum of Solace.

But despite the hype, Skyfall is not even Daniel Craig's best Bond film. It is worthy of a top five slot of the 23 Eon-produced Bond movies, but Craig's debut, Casino Royale, is the superior film.

However excellent Skyfall was it had plenty of flaws, so here are five ways for Mendes to make Bond 24 a better Bond outing.

ESTABLISH A NEW SPECTRE

John Logan is writing both Bond 24 and 25 back-to-back, which hints at a new megalomaniacal organisation. The Quantum idea was abandoned following the Quantum of Solace disaster, but it would be fascinating to see Craig's Bond, the finest incarnation since Connery, take on a 21st century Spectre. The political outlook could have a unique bearing on such an antagonist and however superlative Javier Bardem's Silva was in Skyfall, he was merely intent on gaining revenge on a former employer.

EXPLORE MORE OF LONDON

A biased observation, but watching Bond roam the streets of the city you live and work in was genuinely heartwarming. The capital was wonderfully captured by Deakins as Bond visited the Tate, took a tube ride and charged through Westminster.

Foreign locations have become synonymous with Bond, but the sub-plot of an internal threat was a welcome addition to Skyfall and one which was fleetingly wasted in 1999's The World is Not Enough. Innovatively repeating the trick could supplement a new Spectre.

IMPROVE THE FINAL ACT

Skyfall paid homage to the Connery films, albeit in reverse, as the villain's raided Bond's lair rather than vice versa, however it was an underwhelming finale. A superfluous underwater battle was desperately added to augment the faltering tension and although it improves with repeat viewings, the Scottish setpiece could not match the sequence in London. Act three proved to be Royale's Achilles heel too, despite Eva Green's Vesper Lynd bringing genuine emotionality, and not since Goldeneye has a Bond film finished satisfactorily.

STRONGER FEMALE LEAD

It was amusing to read a whiny, sanctimonious Times writer, who once told a former colleague to "go f**k yourself, you barren old hag", complain about how anti-feminist Skyfall was. Moneypenny settled for a desk job because she was a liability in the field and after Silva shot dead Severine, who nervously nestled a shot of whiskey on her crown, Bond quipped it was "a waste of good Scotch". M, "evil Queen of Hearts" M, died as well.

So it is through gritted teeth yours truly suggests Mendes include a ferocious female foil. Not because Skyfall was anti-feminist (when was James Bond regarded as the protector of suffragettes?) but because some of the best Bond films have boasted outstanding female leads. Royale had Vesper, On Her Majesty's Secret Service had Diana Rigg's Tracy di Vicenzo and Honor Blackman's allure in Goldfinger is unforgettable.

MUSIC

Thomas Newman has composed all but one of Mendes' films, but his announcement as David Arnold's replacement prompted scepticism. Arnold had gone stagnant, despite rekindling the sound of John Barry in Tomorrow Never Dies and the more touching Casino Royale, but Newman's score for Skyfall was unmemorable.

With the exception of Tennyson and Enquiry, the tracks which complemented the exciting shootout in Westminster, and the taut She's Mine, he failed to bring the bravado to Bond a la Barry and Arnold. The latter's theme from Royale was even partly used when the Aston Martin DB5 made its glorious entrance.

Mendes will almost certainly retain Newman, but Hans Zimmer is likely to be available with Christopher Nolan's Interstellar coming out in winter 2014, and it would be amazing to hear cinema's greatest current composer conduct the Bond orchestra.

[RMc2]

Five Ways Sam Mendes Can Make Bond 24 Better Than Skyfall http://www.huffingto..._b_3600488.html

Sam Mendes' return to the James Bond canon bodes well for a franchise which has struggled for successive successes since the Sean Connery era. Not commercially, of course, but critically.

The last Bond director to helm two consecutive 007 adventures was John Glen, who ended with Timothy Dalton's double header of The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989). Glen, who edited 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service, filmed five ambivalent Bond pictures in a row in the 1980s and ended rather too grittily for the masses with the joyless, yet underrated, Licence.

Mendes' Skyfall is the most successful Bond film in the series' 50 years. Laden with humour, excellent sequences, Roger Deakins' dazzling cinematography and a throwback villain, it regained Bond's identity after the rushed and ragged rubbish of Quantum of Solace.

But despite the hype, Skyfall is not even Daniel Craig's best Bond film. It is worthy of a top five slot of the 23 Eon-produced Bond movies, but Craig's debut, Casino Royale, is the superior film.

However excellent Skyfall was it had plenty of flaws, so here are five ways for Mendes to make Bond 24 a better Bond outing.

ESTABLISH A NEW SPECTRE

John Logan is writing both Bond 24 and 25 back-to-back, which hints at a new megalomaniacal organisation. The Quantum idea was abandoned following the Quantum of Solace disaster, but it would be fascinating to see Craig's Bond, the finest incarnation since Connery, take on a 21st century Spectre. The political outlook could have a unique bearing on such an antagonist and however superlative Javier Bardem's Silva was in Skyfall, he was merely intent on gaining revenge on a former employer.

EXPLORE MORE OF LONDON

A biased observation, but watching Bond roam the streets of the city you live and work in was genuinely heartwarming. The capital was wonderfully captured by Deakins as Bond visited the Tate, took a tube ride and charged through Westminster.

Foreign locations have become synonymous with Bond, but the sub-plot of an internal threat was a welcome addition to Skyfall and one which was fleetingly wasted in 1999's The World is Not Enough. Innovatively repeating the trick could supplement a new Spectre.

IMPROVE THE FINAL ACT

Skyfall paid homage to the Connery films, albeit in reverse, as the villain's raided Bond's lair rather than vice versa, however it was an underwhelming finale. A superfluous underwater battle was desperately added to augment the faltering tension and although it improves with repeat viewings, the Scottish setpiece could not match the sequence in London. Act three proved to be Royale's Achilles heel too, despite Eva Green's Vesper Lynd bringing genuine emotionality, and not since Goldeneye has a Bond film finished satisfactorily.

STRONGER FEMALE LEAD

It was amusing to read a whiny, sanctimonious Times writer, who once told a former colleague to "go f**k yourself, you barren old hag", complain about how anti-feminist Skyfall was. Moneypenny settled for a desk job because she was a liability in the field and after Silva shot dead Severine, who nervously nestled a shot of whiskey on her crown, Bond quipped it was "a waste of good Scotch". M, "evil Queen of Hearts" M, died as well.

So it is through gritted teeth yours truly suggests Mendes include a ferocious female foil. Not because Skyfall was anti-feminist (when was James Bond regarded as the protector of suffragettes?) but because some of the best Bond films have boasted outstanding female leads. Royale had Vesper, On Her Majesty's Secret Service had Diana Rigg's Tracy di Vicenzo and Honor Blackman's allure in Goldfinger is unforgettable.

MUSIC

Thomas Newman has composed all but one of Mendes' films, but his announcement as David Arnold's replacement prompted scepticism. Arnold had gone stagnant, despite rekindling the sound of John Barry in Tomorrow Never Dies and the more touching Casino Royale, but Newman's score for Skyfall was unmemorable.

With the exception of Tennyson and Enquiry, the tracks which complemented the exciting shootout in Westminster, and the taut She's Mine, he failed to bring the bravado to Bond a la Barry and Arnold. The latter's theme from Royale was even partly used when the Aston Martin DB5 made its glorious entrance.

Mendes will almost certainly retain Newman, but Hans Zimmer is likely to be available with Christopher Nolan's Interstellar coming out in winter 2014, and it would be amazing to hear cinema's greatest current composer conduct the Bond orchestra.

 

"watching Bond roam the streets of the city you live and work in was genuinely heartwarming"

 

Bias and obvious wishful thinking aside, the writer really should be able to tell the Tate apart from the National Gallery. 'Emotionality' is also not a friggin' word, garr. And Hans Zimmer is cinema's greatest current composer? Whoa!

 

Moving on from the nitpicks (apart from the typos), I have to say I like this article and agree with 3.5 out of the 5 points. I don't agree at all that London should be explored any more (except in the usual way, where we see MI6 and characters' apartments, etc.) - explore new places, please! I only half agree with the music comment - I'm not too enthusiastic about Newman's return. His score was great but it didn't feel very Bondian to me, except for the obvious moments when he used the theme. But I'm willing to give him a second chance - and we don't have much choice anyway, because Mendes will always use Newman.

 

I certainly agree with better use of the female characters and a stronger third act. All the Bonds since GE have ended on a bit of an anti-climax; and that underwater fight really was superfluous, or at least unrealistically choreographed (Bond would totally have run out of breath and/or frozen!). SF's third act was still great, but let's not continue the trend of having the action peaking early.

 

And yup, I'd be happy to see Quantum make a return; though I don't mind if it's not in Bond 24. 

Edited by RMc, 16 July 2013 - 07:04 PM.

[S K Y F A L L]

THX QOS. 

 

I'd be totaly surprised if Newman does not return and I would be even more surprised if Hans Zimmer was signed. 

[x007AceOfSpades]

IMPROVE THE FINAL ACT

Skyfall paid homage to the Connery films, albeit in reverse, as the villain's raided Bond's lair rather than vice versa, however it was an underwhelming finale. A superfluous underwater battle was desperately added to augment the faltering tension and although it improves with repeat viewings, the Scottish setpiece could not match the sequence in London. Act three proved to be Royale's Achilles heel too, despite Eva Green's Vesper Lynd bringing genuine emotionality, and not since Goldeneye has a Bond film finished satisfactorily.

 

Are you kidding me? The assault on Skyfall Lodge is one the highlights of the film!

[JohnnyWalker]

 

IMPROVE THE FINAL ACT

Skyfall paid homage to the Connery films, albeit in reverse, as the villain's raided Bond's lair rather than vice versa, however it was an underwhelming finale. A superfluous underwater battle was desperately added to augment the faltering tension and although it improves with repeat viewings, the Scottish setpiece could not match the sequence in London. Act three proved to be Royale's Achilles heel too, despite Eva Green's Vesper Lynd bringing genuine emotionality, and not since Goldeneye has a Bond film finished satisfactorily.

 

Are you kidding me? The assault on Skyfall Lodge is one the highlights of the film!

 

I love the whole end sequence at Skyfall, I'm not sure why people dislike it.

[x007AceOfSpades]

 

 

IMPROVE THE FINAL ACT

Skyfall paid homage to the Connery films, albeit in reverse, as the villain's raided Bond's lair rather than vice versa, however it was an underwhelming finale. A superfluous underwater battle was desperately added to augment the faltering tension and although it improves with repeat viewings, the Scottish setpiece could not match the sequence in London. Act three proved to be Royale's Achilles heel too, despite Eva Green's Vesper Lynd bringing genuine emotionality, and not since Goldeneye has a Bond film finished satisfactorily.

 

Are you kidding me? The assault on Skyfall Lodge is one the highlights of the film!

 

I love the whole end sequence at Skyfall, I'm not sure why people dislike it.

 

 

Same, it's one of the best things about the film and it doesn't disappoint one bit. Very entertaining, intense, and just great fun.

[I never miss]

There is only one way that Bond 24 can improve on CR and SF and that is to climax with a breathtaking snow assault that homages OHMSS. I implore Eon to get the skis out and make a snow setting a MAJOR part of Bond 24. It is time for a Bond movie to end with a full on battle a la GF, TB, YOLT, OHMSS, TSWLM, MR, OP, TLD. We've seen a lot of Bond working alone in recent years - lets give him a team to command.

[FOX MULDER]

October 2015 huh?

 

As long as it's got a boat chase, a skiing scene, and Jaws, I'll be happy.

[TheManwiththeWaltherPPK]

There is only one way that Bond 24 can improve on CR and SF and that is to climax with a breathtaking snow assault that homages OHMSS. I implore Eon to get the skis out and make a snow setting a MAJOR part of Bond 24. It is time for a Bond movie to end with a full on battle a la GF, TB, YOLT, OHMSS, TSWLM, MR, OP, TLD. We've seen a lot of Bond working alone in recent years - lets give him a team to command.

 

Honestly, a big snow assault homage of OHMSS has already been done quite recently and quite well in Inception.  As much as I would love to see Deakins get to play around with a lot of snow, I think a new snowy assault/ski chase would likely disappoint just because of how well it has been done before.

[Hansen]

IMPROVE THE FINAL ACT
Skyfall paid homage to the Connery films, albeit in reverse, as the villain's raided Bond's lair rather than vice versa, however it was an underwhelming finale. A superfluous underwater battle was desperately added to augment the faltering tension and although it improves with repeat viewings, the Scottish setpiece could not match the sequence in London. Act three proved to be Royale's Achilles heel too, despite Eva Green's Vesper Lynd bringing genuine emotionality, and not since Goldeneye has a Bond film finished satisfactorily.

 
Are you kidding me? The assault on Skyfall Lodge is one the highlights of the film!

I definitely agree with QoS. The analysis is very true. CR finale is to me the only downbeat of the film. In regards of SF, it feels so awkward scriptwise and ultimately quite parodic.

[S K Y F A L L]

I'm a sucker for GE and I don't think SF bet it but I do think its the best one since then just not my favourite. 

 

 

Someone go bug Mendes about Bond 24, dress up as a Oomph Loompa if you have to. 

[AgenttiNollaNollaSeitsemän]

Excellent news!

[GalaSilva]

Anyone else worked out that the release of Daniel Craig's fourth film, Bond 24, will be in the same year as Thunderball's 50th anniversary, which was Sean Connery's fourth Bond film?

[S K Y F A L L]

Just a note to the MODS, noticed that Bond 24 is still listed as 2014. Wish it was coming out then. 

[Dustin]

We'll take care about this once I've got more than four square inches of screen to do the housekeeping on...

Edited by Dustin, 18 July 2013 - 03:06 PM.

[FlemingBond]

I just hope they really think of an original plot idea. Perhaps a little less dark. I don't see a new
SPECTRE -type organization though. They had that chance with Quantum, and did away with them.  I liked the score of Skyfall, although Arnold's last two were back to real Bond scores. He tried so hard to update them, when really Bond scores should have that classic sound, not rock or techno.

Edited by FlemingBond, 18 July 2013 - 08:33 PM.