21 replies to this topic

[kevrichardson]

just how much material is left from Ian Fleming that the Producer's can still draw on. FYEO was a collection of short stories most of which never made it into any films. Fleming wrote some other stories both non fiction and ftions other than Bond . The most recent title that comes to mind is the " Poppy is also a Flower" which was made into a movie by Terrance Young.

[zencat]

Dr. Shatterhand's samuri castle and his "Garden of Death" from YOLT just cries out to be used in a Bond film. There's also some decent stuff from TMWTGG (Scaramanga's sugar cane train--gunfight in the sugar cane). And I've always kind of liked the weird Old West desert town called "Specterville" from DAF.

[Dr Noah]

"FYEO was a collection of short stories most of which never made it into any films"

Material from this collection ended up in most of the '80's Bond movies, such as LTK.

[AgentM]

I'm doinga fanfic that involves a doctor, but I don't have time to read YOLT. Could someone briefly explain Dr. Shatterhand's role in the story?

[Red Widow Dawn]

Originally posted by AgentM
I'm doinga  fanfic that involves a doctor, but I don't have time to read YOLT.  Could someone briefly explain Dr. Shatterhand's role in the story?

*sigh*

You know...Bond books aren't exactly "literature with a capital L" but You Only Live Twice is an exeption. It's a classic novel, and one of the greatest I've ever read.

Anyway...Dr. Shatterhand wants to watch people kill themselves. That's pretty much it.

Also, I agree with Zencat's entire post. Has hell frozen over?

[zencat]

Originally posted by Red Widow Dawn
Also, I agree with Zencat's entire post.  Has hell frozen over?

It must have, RWD, because I agree with what you just said about YOLT 100%.

[RITZ]

Plenty of juicy Fleming stuff needs to be used - Casino Royale(the next film?), The short stories from FYEO and OP&TLD.

I can't think why the producers left out such genius pieces of literature. I suppose some of it is too explicit.

[Mister Asterix]

Most all of the short stories have had pieces used in one film or the other. “For Your Eyes Only” and “Risico” are used in For Your Eyes Only. “Octopussy” and “The Property of a Lady” are used in Octopussy. Characters from “The Hildebrand Rarity” is used in Licence to Kill. The title of “From a View to a Kill” was sort of used for A View to a Kill. “The Living Daylights” was used in the film of the same name. Leaving from the shorties really only “Quantum of Solace” (not really good film material but might make interesting background info), “007 in New York” (you might get a short scene out of it or a clever screenwriter might turn it into an intro to a film), and the story from “From a View to a Kill” (could make a nifty intro to a plot).

From the novels, I'd think there is still some good stuff from Moonraker that Moonraker and Die Another Day haven't used yet. And as mention by previous posters You Only Live Twice and [@]tmwtgg[@] still have some gems to be expoited. If Eon could get the rights to the book, The Spy Who Loved Me might be good for a little screen time. And I'd have to go over it again but there still might be an idea or two in Live and Let Die that weren't used in Live and Let Die, For Your Eyes Only, or Licence to Kill.

And, of course, there is Casino Royale.

[General Koskov]

I've always been surprised Specreville wasn't used as SPECTRE's base in DAF. A perfect coincidence, but strangely unused.

I'd like to see the Garden of Death, but I'd feel permanently cheated because it would mean there is no hope of having a remake of DAF/YOLT that properly follows OHMSS. I feel a remake is important because OHMMS, YOLT/DAF, and TMWTGG are such pivotal moments in Bond books and all except OHMSS were done rather badly (not YOLT, necessarily, but it did come before OHMSS, so it's story had to be changed).

On the topic of remakig TMWTGG. I thought up a great plot using the end of the Vietnam war as a backdrop to Scaramanga's contract (by American gangsters) to assassinate Gen Westmoreland in the hopes of rekindling the war with a view to make money. (Perhaps Bush Jr could be the villain!)

I also wrote the assassination of the Japanese-cipher-expert in Rockefeller centre as the PTS to my CR screenplay (unfinished, as the original story only makes 90 minutes).

[Red Widow Dawn]

Mister Asterix: What you said about Quantum of Solace being used as background info...I think Tomorrow Never Dies came very close to this with the whole Paris/Elliot thing. Only they weren't as lucky as Mr. and Mrs. Whosit.

[00Twelve]

There is actually PLENTY of unused Fleming stuff, such as ideas for scenes, that could be translated into film. Though I would love to see some of these in the next film (cough-Casino Royale-cough), it is a horrible idea to form a plot around scenes instead of vice versa. But anyway, here are some of my picks:

CR: (duh)
LALD: Train scene, breaking of Bond's finger and subsequent graphic escape scene
MR: Blowtorch torture (a bit dated now), detonation at Cliffs of Dover
DAF: Mafia in general, mud bath scene, much of the novel, Specterville, cab chase, climax in Wint and Kidd's room
FRWL: Not really much of anything
DN: fruit basket ploy, better use of obstacle course (including spider cage and squid fight
GF: Scenes in GF's house, tailing more like novel (in Switzerland)
FYEO: Actually, haven't read it, but FAVTAK as a scene
TB: Film was pretty faithful
TSWLM: Not interested
OHMSS: End of car chase with ravine and reversed sign
YOLT: Virtually the entire plot, Castle of death, Shatterhand
TMWTGG: Train fight, fight in swamp, infiltration
OP & TLD: Nothing

Either scenes, characters, or plot elements are usable, but I'll leave you to brainstorm.

[zencat]

Originally posted by 00Twelve
TSWLM: Not interested

What about the name "Horror" for a henchman? I always liked this name. Also, if Bond ever finds himself in an American motel, it must be called "The Last Chance." Aside from that, yeah, there isn't much to use. But the point is moot because Eon cannot use any plot from this novel anyway. Fleming contract states they can only use the title.

[kevrichardson]

why ??? . are they, Eon still bound by the Fleming request not to use the material in the novel. What about the heroine Vivienne Michel . Allways thought that she was one of his more interesting female characters. The romantic ascepts of the novel would work far better than the "forced seduction" in DAD . That was as romantic as a scene in a soap opera . Just like Roger Moore's dirty old man jobs in his movies. Bascially , it was like " please give it up now" , i been without for 14 months. now that's not really Bond in my book.

[General Koskov]

Zao was hairless as was Horror (or was it Slugsy?)

My God, Zao is a friggin' pacifist compared to those two gangsters.

PS. What if DN was re-released with the assault course mentioned by No and the squid fight inserted?

PPS. As for No getting guanoed to death (new word!), this was almost done in DAF with Blofeld's bathosub.

[rafterman]

they can still use the name Gala Brand

[JackChase007]

They should also use the fact that Gala Brand NEVER ended up with Bond. I thought that was really great twist to the formula.

Also - I'd love to see them end a film with Bond getting amnesia, and with him brainwashed in the beginning of the next one. That's what I suggested for Bond 20 long ago...

[Mister Asterix]

Horror and Sluggsy from the novel The Spy Who Loved Me pretty much bulked up and became Jaws and Sandor in the film. Horror's tin teeth became Jaws' metal teeth and Sandor shared Sluggsy's lack of any hair. But I agree with the z-cat, the name Horror simply must be used in a film some day.

Originally posted by Red Widow Dawn
Mister Asterix: What you said about Quantum of Solace being used as background info...I think Tomorrow Never Dies came very close to this with the whole Paris/Elliot thing.  Only they weren't as lucky as Mr. and Mrs. Whosit.

Interesting point, Red. I'll have to give that another look.

[Double oh Ten]

When Bond is brainwashed and tries to assassinate M in the TMWTGG novel, i was struck hard!!!

That would make a great pre-titles scene for a Bond film, with the rest of the film left for Bond to discover who brainwashed him and why, possibly leading to a brother or relative of M who was cheated out of the position of M, looking for revenge.

Also, the motorcycle chase from FAVTAK short story would make a good pre-title scene: Bond notices a fugitive he has been chasing and the pair duke it out at 70 mph on a French country road, brilliant!!

[General Koskov]

I think Bond should know who brainwashed him. It's rather hard to keep someone locked in a Russian prison for a year and not have him know what happened. I also think TMWTGG needs a remake of the PTS so Bond has a better reason to go after Scaramanga.

I had no idea Horror had tin teeth. So much for Jaws being original.

[Peter]

ONe story that hasn't been mentioned is THe HIldebrand Rarety. The setting, (Seychelles) and the ally (Fidele Barbery) haven't been used. But they used Milton Krest, and Liz Krest sorta became Lupe in LTK, although far less interesting.

I would love to see Vivienne Michel, not all her background stuff, but she's a cool little character/heroine. I can see Heather Graham giving her the proper hippie/adventerous vibe.

[kevrichardson]

Heather Graham , you must be kidding . need a more exotic (exotica) female . She looks like one's little sister , with a good make -over .

[JackChase007]

Yeah, Graham isn't right for a Bond movie. Besides, she was already in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. I think that should really disqualify her from any possible "Bond Girl" running...