388 replies to this topic

[hoagy]

By the way, Harmsway, Goldeneye -- the real one -- was used, if I recall correctly, for the beach scenes between Bond and his Russian Computer Crush when they were getting in some R&R before the final infiltration and attack...Isn't it owned by a chain of especially nice lodgings in one of Richard Branson's companies ?  He appeared in a Bond, too, getting the extra go-over in an airport after passing through a detector...

[sharpshooter]

I think the Bond series is at its most exciting when it's stripped back. Films like Doctor No, From Russia With Love, and segments of Casino Royale. And if the leisurely elegance of Thunderball can be intertwined, even better. 

[Harmsway]

Great scenario. It could be done without the death of Madeleine, necessarily - Bond is resigned to being "Bond" the licenced assassin, and they have to go their separate ways.

To an extent, yeah. But it wouldn't have the same emotional resonance.

Bond is in love with her after one night in Tangier and one night on a train?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yeah, their romance doesn't work for me at all. I find Swann to be a crushing bore. But the film acts as though this is a major relationship for Bond.

[DaveBond21]

 

 

 

Great scenario. It could be done without the death of Madeleine, necessarily - Bond is resigned to being "Bond" the licenced assassin, and they have to go their separate ways.

To an extent, yeah. But it wouldn't have the same emotional resonance.

Bond is in love with her after one night in Tangier and one night on a train?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yeah, their romance doesn't work for me at all. I find Swann to be a crushing bore. But the film acts as though this is a major relationship for Bond.

 

 

I think the producers will admit it didn't work and she won't feature in Bond 25.

 

There are enough people on here who think of her as an unmemorable Bond girl  to suggest they can get away with omitting her.

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[DisneyGets007]

What about Bond 26 location that could take place in Spakonia, the now real-life Eastern European country appeared in one of the Marx Brothers film (Speakonia is also an actual text to speech software).

[tdalton]

It's not a real-life Eastern European nation.  No Google search, or political map, shows "Spakonia" or "Speakonia" as being such.  It's a piece of text-to-speech software.

[Dustin]

What about Bond 26 location that could take place in Spakonia, the now real-life Eastern European country appeared in one of the Marx Brothers film (Speakonia is also an actual text to speech software).

Humhum...

[tdalton]

 

What about Bond 26 location that could take place in Spakonia, the now real-life Eastern European country appeared in one of the Marx Brothers film (Speakonia is also an actual text to speech software).

Humhum...

 

 

Well, I guess setting Bond 26 in Speakonia would be the logical conclusion after Bond travels to Mars in Bond 25, aka The Great Martian War.  Just like how they brought the series back to earth with For Your Eyes Only after Moonraker, Bond would be coming back from the Martian surface to take on a small-scale plot hatched by Harpo and Groucho.

 

Seems perfectly logical.

[Dustin]

Well, we shall see...

[tdalton]

Well, we shall see...

 

You just have to have faith in the system.  The good people at Walt Disney know exactly what the Bond fans want in a film.  

[Surrie]

 

Well, we shall see...

 

You just have to have faith in the system.  The good people at Walt Disney know exactly what the Bond fans want in a film.  

 

 

Don't be blasphemous 

[DaveBond21]

Sam Mendes says Daniel could be going, or he could be staying!

 

http://www.empireonl...mendes-spectre/

[Tiin007]

Sam Mendes says Daniel could be going, or he could be staying!

 

http://www.empireonl...mendes-spectre/

 

And it reiterated the previous rumor about Waltz's contract being for three films.

 

Gosh, I would be thrilled if Craig did two more. One at age 50, the next at 52 / 53.

 

One can dream....

[RMc2]

Thanks, Mendes. Really enlightening (and a repetition of what he said months ago!).

[Toxteth_OGrady]

Does this rule Mendes out?

https://hmssweblog.w...-movie-project/

[Matt_13]

I think he's all set with Bond.

On a different note I read the story he's adapting this afternoon. It's pretty unsettling but massively compelling and it absolutely fits in with Mendes' past examinations of the darker side of American suburbia. http://www.newyorker...e-voyeurs-motel

[sharpshooter]

Does this rule Mendes out?

https://hmssweblog.w...-movie-project/

Yeah, I think he's done. 

[SecretAgentFan]

If they started work on BOND 25 this year - yes, Mendes could hardly do it.

 

But who knows when there will be a new Bond film?  In two or three years Mendes will have stopped producing that series (he will not want to be tied down to that kind of time-consuming job).

 

The question is: would he want to come back?  I don´t think so.

[tdalton]

 

The question is: would he want to come back?  I don´t think so.

 

Given how lifeless Spectre is, one would have to wonder if he even wanted to make that film.  In the end, money rules all.  

 

Seeing as how this essentially clinches that he's done with Bond, good riddance.  I guess we can always be thankful to him for running what was once as promising a start to an actor's tenure in a role as there has ever been straight into the ground.

[Gobi-1]

I would welcome the return of Sam Mendes but it doesn't have to be for Bond 25. If he wants to come back two or three movies from now, like Martin Campbell, I'd be very pleased. I be pleased if Martin Campbell came back for a third go around.

[Surrie]

I would welcome the return of Sam Mendes but it doesn't have to be for Bond 25. If he wants to come back two or three movies from now, like Martin Campbell, I'd be very pleased. I be pleased if Martin Campbell came back for a third go around.

 

I'd be very pleased if Campbell came back too. Why can't we have him start Craig's tenure and close it as well?? 

[SecretAgentFan]

 

 

The question is: would he want to come back?  I don´t think so.

 

Given how lifeless Spectre is, one would have to wonder if he even wanted to make that film.  In the end, money rules all.  

 

Seeing as how this essentially clinches that he's done with Bond, good riddance.  I guess we can always be thankful to him for running what was once as promising a start to an actor's tenure in a role as there has ever been straight into the ground.

 

 

I think you´re too harsh on him.  One could argue that Mendes was less interested in SPECTRE than in SKYFALL - or less inspired since his willingness to return probably mostly came down to money.  But he most definitely did not force Craig to do anything.  

 

Craig´s success with audiences has probably turned him into the 100 pound gorilla everybody has to bow to, including the director.  I can imagine Craig - who was sceptical about becoming Bond from the start - being unsure how long he should stay on.  In addition to the immense pressure that the huge success of SKYFALL brought on the succeeding film Craig very likely felt forced to continue.  But not for more than one more film.  Therefore he might have wanted the soft ending SPECTRE eventually got.  

 

Also, he might have pushed for everything that he felt was interesting (Blofeld as step-brother, Swann as Mr.White´s daughter becoming his love interest, a more relaxed and funny Bond) - but he surely did not know how to combine these elements.  

 

Only in the rarest of cases actors actually know how to craft a script and therefore know how to make things better.  Usually, they just want certain things and pull their weight to get those elements into a narrative.  The writers then are pummeled into submission, even if it all results in a script that lacks coherence.  Later on, those actors like to distance themselves and to criticize the writers.  But it is mostly the actor who started the whole mess and still holds the power.

 

Since Craig got even a producer credit on SPECTRE this scenario appears very plausible to me.

 

Of course, one might argue that the writers and even director Sam Mendes should have said: no, we´re not doing it this way.

 

But you don´t say no in that situation.  Not unless you want to stay successful in the business.

[Surrie]

 

 

 

The question is: would he want to come back?  I don´t think so.

 

Given how lifeless Spectre is, one would have to wonder if he even wanted to make that film.  In the end, money rules all.  

 

Seeing as how this essentially clinches that he's done with Bond, good riddance.  I guess we can always be thankful to him for running what was once as promising a start to an actor's tenure in a role as there has ever been straight into the ground.

 

 

I think you´re too harsh on him.  One could argue that Mendes was less interested in SPECTRE than in SKYFALL - or less inspired since his willingness to return probably mostly came down to money.  But he most definitely did not force Craig to do anything.  

 

Craig´s success with audiences has probably turned him into the 100 pound gorilla everybody has to bow to, including the director.  I can imagine Craig - who was sceptical about becoming Bond from the start - being unsure how long he should stay on.  In addition to the immense pressure that the huge success of SKYFALL brought on the succeeding film Craig very likely felt forced to continue.  But not for more than one more film.  Therefore he might have wanted the soft ending SPECTRE eventually got.  

 

Also, he might have pushed for everything that he felt was interesting (Blofeld as step-brother, Swann as Mr.White´s daughter becoming his love interest, a more relaxed and funny Bond) - but he surely did not know how to combine these elements.  

 

Only in the rarest of cases actors actually know how to craft a script and therefore know how to make things better.  Usually, they just want certain things and pull their weight to get those elements into a narrative.  The writers then are pummeled into submission, even if it all results in a script that lacks coherence.  Later on, those actors like to distance themselves and to criticize the writers.  But it is mostly the actor who started the whole mess and still holds the power.

 

Since Craig got even a producer credit on SPECTRE this scenario appears very plausible to me.

 

Of course, one might argue that the writers and even director Sam Mendes should have said: no, we´re not doing it this way.

 

But you don´t say no in that situation.  Not unless you want to stay successful in the business.

 

 

This is actually a very relevant and fair point. Something which does make a lot of sense had Craig not really wanted to return after Skyfall. I agree that the actor (especially in this case) has a lot of sway and can put a large amount of pressure onto the team if they do not like something. With regards to the producer credit - Babs might have had something to do with that. 

[SecretAgentFan]

It´s definitely a credit you give to someone in order to butter him up - or to put it more businesslike: to underline how much you value their creative input and personal dedication.

 

I do think that Craig deserves to be recognized, and he certainly gave lots of input how to tailor the films to his strengths.

 

Still, he does give the impression of secretly (or not so secretly) looking forward to the time when he can step down as Bond.  

 

SPECTRE´s ending must have been constructed as Craig´s possible way-out.  And - returning to the thread´s question - I do believe that he has given everything he wanted to the role, so it´s time to move on instead of re-heating the Craig tenure one more time.

 

Of course, if in two or three years Craig feels the urge to do one more I would not be opposed to that idea. 

[Surrie]

It´s definitely a credit you give to someone in order to butter him up - or to put it more businesslike: to underline how much you value their creative input and personal dedication.

 

I do think that Craig deserves to be recognized, and he certainly gave lots of input how to tailor the films to his strengths.

 

Still, he does give the impression of secretly (or not so secretly) looking forward to the time when he can step down as Bond.  

 

SPECTRE´s ending must have been constructed as Craig´s possible way-out.  And - returning to the thread´s question - I do believe that he has given everything he wanted to the role, so it´s time to move on instead of re-heating the Craig tenure one more time.

 

Of course, if in two or three years Craig feels the urge to do one more I would not be opposed to that idea. 

 

I would not be opposed to the idea only if he gave it 100%. Not to say he doesn't try his utmost every time, but there was something lacking from him in SPECTRE. 

[tdalton]

 

 

 

The question is: would he want to come back?  I don´t think so.

 

Given how lifeless Spectre is, one would have to wonder if he even wanted to make that film.  In the end, money rules all.  

 

Seeing as how this essentially clinches that he's done with Bond, good riddance.  I guess we can always be thankful to him for running what was once as promising a start to an actor's tenure in a role as there has ever been straight into the ground.

 

 

I think you´re too harsh on him.  One could argue that Mendes was less interested in SPECTRE than in SKYFALL - or less inspired since his willingness to return probably mostly came down to money.  But he most definitely did not force Craig to do anything.  

 

Craig´s success with audiences has probably turned him into the 100 pound gorilla everybody has to bow to, including the director.  I can imagine Craig - who was sceptical about becoming Bond from the start - being unsure how long he should stay on.  In addition to the immense pressure that the huge success of SKYFALL brought on the succeeding film Craig very likely felt forced to continue.  But not for more than one more film.  Therefore he might have wanted the soft ending SPECTRE eventually got.  

 

Also, he might have pushed for everything that he felt was interesting (Blofeld as step-brother, Swann as Mr.White´s daughter becoming his love interest, a more relaxed and funny Bond) - but he surely did not know how to combine these elements.  

 

Only in the rarest of cases actors actually know how to craft a script and therefore know how to make things better.  Usually, they just want certain things and pull their weight to get those elements into a narrative.  The writers then are pummeled into submission, even if it all results in a script that lacks coherence.  Later on, those actors like to distance themselves and to criticize the writers.  But it is mostly the actor who started the whole mess and still holds the power.

 

Since Craig got even a producer credit on SPECTRE this scenario appears very plausible to me.

 

Of course, one might argue that the writers and even director Sam Mendes should have said: no, we´re not doing it this way.

 

But you don´t say no in that situation.  Not unless you want to stay successful in the business.

 

 

I didn't say he forced Craig into anything.  

 

While what you say may end up being true, there's no actual evidence that I can see that it is.  It wouldn't surprise me one bit to find that Craig had a huge creative influence over the story of Spectre, but in the end, it's Mendes in the director's chair.  Unless we get some concrete indication that he usurped a great deal of creative control to Craig, he stands in line to take the blame for the end result.  That's not to say that Craig doesn't deserve his fair share of the blame, because he certainly does.

 

As for where to take the franchise from here out, I'd like to see them rewind things back to the end of Quantum of Solace and maybe show us some of how the SPECTRE organization actually works and the power structure within the organization, maybe tying it back in with Yusef and Corinne from the end of QoS (Stana Katic was fired today from Castle, so she could be available to reprise the role).

[SecretAgentFan]

I agree - a future Bond film should use Spectre more and explore its power structure.  

 

However, should a new actor start with BOND 25, I would advise a break from Spectre - just to let some time pass and maybe re-invent the Bond/Blofeld-dynamic, eliminating the stepbrother-factor.

 

As for Stana Katic, by the way - she was not fired at all, she decided to quit.  She already wanted to go last year but agreed to a one-year contract.  She now chose not too stay on.  As did the actress who played Lanie.  (I wonder how CASTLE actually could recover from that, since the relationship between Castle and Beckett is its centre; should CASTLE go on, they could probably only explain Beckett´s leaving with her character´s death - but that would be too sad for Castle to recover and find a new love/sparring partner; so either way, I think the series is done.)

[tdalton]

Not true regarding Katic. According to Deadline, she was not asked to return, and her exit was decided by ABC. In other words, fired. ABC had been negotiating with Fillion for a while now but never approached Katic about a returning, opting to retool the format of the series in the event it is renewed.

The reactions from the rest of the cast, with Fillion noticeably refraining from comment, spell it out as well. Those can be easily found in follow up articles to the main story.

Edit: link

http://deadline.com/...out-1201739022/

http://www.hollywood...t-season-885130

Every article on the matter from a respectable source cites her not being asked to return as a cost cutting move by ABC.

[SecretAgentFan]

Not true regarding Katic. According to Deadline, she was not asked to return, and her exit was decided by ABC. In other words, fired. ABC had been negotiating with Fillion for a while now but never approached Katic about a returning, opting to retool the format of the series in the event it is renewed.

The reactions from the rest of the cast, with Fillion noticeably refraining from comment, spell it out as well. Those can be easily found in follow up articles to the main story.

Edit: link

http://deadline.com/...out-1201739022/

http://www.hollywood...t-season-885130

Every article on the matter from a respectable source cites her not being asked to return as a cost cutting move by ABC.

 

 

Whoops - sorry, I was given different information.  But thanks for these new articles.  

 

Interesting.  And strange.  To cut one of the main characters for budgetary reasons is, IMO, terribly wrong.

[tdalton]

No problem.  I would think they'd be trying to spin it that way, since it's so stupid to give her the axe.

 

The official reason is budgetary, but I don't buy that.  There's been talk for years now that she and Fillion hate each other, to the point that they've found ways in these past couple of seasons, despite the fact that the two characters are married now, to have them in fewer and fewer scenes together.  The problem is, despite the fact that the show is called Castle, is that a very compelling case can be made that Beckett is really the main character.  She's certainly the most compelling character, partly due to Katic being a much stronger actor than Fillion and partly due to the writing.  A more compelling series could be made, IMO, by cutting Fillion's character and focusing exclusively on Beckett.

 

Still, this could work out to be Bond's gain.  She's a terrific actress, and given that the Craig films are all about continuity now, it could be interesting to revisit the Corinne character, since she and Bond could potentially have an interesting dynamic between them due to shared experiences.