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The only character/actor who felt most alive in the film was actually Ben Whishaw as Q. Others just spoke their lines. The blame falls under the writers and more so the director.
...Lest we forget how disconnected both Bond and Hinx were during that supposed car chase. They were not least engaged.
He wanted to bring back the irony. Mendes and P&W obliged. Some loved his SP performance. It did nothing for me.
So ultimately, perhaps I just don't find him credible trying to be that kind of Bond, due to the fact that it reminds me of the giants who came before, but in an inferior way. As an example, "I was just taking some overdue holiday" just didn't fly for me (his delivery more than the line. Moore would have nailed that line and done it with a smirk too so there's nothing wrong with the line. Moore would have nailed the intro scene with C too, with the same dialogue and a raised eyebrow to boot).
The humour in SF and SP definitely took the edge of Craig's interpretation. One of my main bugbears with SF was that it felt like they'd scrubbed DC's original interpretation and gone back to more of a Brosnan era Bond.
Poor writing, lame jokes, limp and flabby direction. Mendes took us back to 1999 with SF.
But is Mendes fully to blame for that? Craig has said all along that his intention has been to get Bond back on to more traditional ground claiming that with CR they couldn't do it because of Austin Powers. But that the intention has been to slowly get back there.
With this is mind the trajectory for Bond 25 would suggest more of the 'trad' elements that made an appearance in Spectre.
I found the sofa gag silly - the DB10 stuff ok and mildly funny ... but Craig just isn't Roger Moore ... but those scenes were written and directed as if he were. It's just not the James Bond Craig developed throughout 2006-2012. If I would have any say I would not go that route anymore.
I am a huge fan of Craig's interpretation of the Character - but I hope they let him play to his strengths again. I found no relationship in SP believeable (not in the PTS, not with Belucci, not with Maddy). I am no director and cannot properly describe why those scenes did not work. I can only say seducing Solange, Fields or Severine were believeable for me - it just never felt awkward but in SP it did.
I did like the style exhibited in the PTS in SP (probably the only time Mendes staging worked with everything else (music, costume, script), and I did love the scene with Bellucci, but the entire Maddy love interest was off-putting.
I've mentioned this before, but apart from there being no real chemistry with DC and LS, the script really doesn't let their relationship organically grow within the story. It was a plot-beat that was done with a shrug-- well, I guess after the Hinx fight Bond nails her, 'cause... well, that's as good a spot as any... and, oh yeah, after he shags her, they'll be madly in love with each other 'cause.... well 'cause we want Bond to get the girl this time and ride off into the suns- I mean sunrise...
He absolutely did. But isn't that just the basic problem of the franchise? That he had no coherent artistic vision (and - since he was a merchant first and foremost- probably no talent in this regard either)and so does his daughter.
I really don't think so. He simply lacks the range and bandwidth to do so.
It’s the nature of the business, it’s the nature of being human and fallible (we can’t come up with great ideas and solutions 100% of the time).
As for Babs, until you’ve run a successful film franchise for twenty plus years, with there no sign of it not continuing its successes, I think we can assume she’s a savvy film producer and businesswoman. You may not personally like the direction she’s taken, which is your right, but more people in this world flood to her product time and again (and she is just as guilty of poor choices as anyone else; trick is, like her Dad, she gets her product more right than wrong. SP was a misstep. Lets see how she responds— not having Waltz back is a strong indicator that she’s taking steps in improving on her last outing)
--
RE: Babs: I'm sure she's a competent producer. I did much prefer the output during her father's time, but I can't honestly expect her to do things the same way. As I said previously, my biggest wish for B25 is that she take charge (like Dench M) and get everything in shape. Most importantly, keep her lead boy within his comfort zone. I don't want to see him trying to be what he is not again, and his 'high' comments have me just a little concerned about hubris and ego.
100% agree with you. Having worked with both Cubby and Barbara way back on LTK, I can tell you everyone hugely respected them. To keep a franchise going for 55 years is simply astonishing and I think some fans on this forum underestimate what an achievement that is and what talent and, as you say, savvy it takes. I also agree that this news about Waltz indicates they are determined to improve on SP - although I must say I find a lot to enjoy and admire in that film - for me, they failed to give Blofeld a strong and dramatically exciting master-plan and as a result the last third (last act if u like) doesn't really have anywhere to go.
personally if they will ignore the plot threads it wouldn't be the first time in fact Quantum of Solace is the only film that picks up right after the end of the last one in the Craig era instead of all the loose ends just being dropped
to prove my point
Quantum of Solace ends with Bond interrogating Yussef and is about to get the rest of Quantum and....
Skyfall Picks up with some unrelated mission and no mention of Quantum
Skyfall ends with the New M giving Bond a mission and saying there is plenty of work to be done..
Spectre who knows what that mission was it certantly isn't mentioned
So The Property of A Lady (or whatever Bond 25 is titled) doesn't pick up where Spectre ends it won't be the first time.
Not in the slightest. I take the news for granted, and of we go again to November 8th of 2019 :-).
Putting it simply, Waltz could have not been the real Blofeld from the start.
Once Denbigh informed the rest of Spectre that Bond was on the case, the real Blofeld decided to use Oberhauser as a decoy, to mess with Bond's head and also to shield himself.
Im not saying its a great idea, but it would probably work in the convoluted logic the Craig films seem to exist in.
On the other hand, this cuts our losses and spares us the chance of further tear-inducing Blofeld backstory elements and points to Craig's Bond heading in the right direction again.
I'm London based. Just beginning casting on a feature film I've written and will direct next year and have an original TV series close to locking down. Not pitched to W M Godfrey. Have you?
Back to Bond, I was in the cutting rooms when I was on LTK and still remain very close to the old team. It was a great experience - and I have a few interesting (and funny) tales which have never come to light. Message me and I'll tell you a story or two.
Re: Bond 25, I am beginning to suspect Waltz has been re-cast.
Sorry, what am I saying - W M Godfrey is Fyzz. I was in their London offices re: a project last week.
Yeah because it was all Waltz's fault.
He wasn't great but he wasn't terrible either. But if EON think just recasting Blofeld will resolve everything then we are in very deep trouble.
P&W already back and if Mendes said he was up for it I'd be surprised if he wasn't welcomed back with open arms but as long as we bin Waltz everything going to be fine? Really?
A clean slate by recasting and getting, say, Nolan in to write and direct would suggest a determination to improve on SP.
The current situation suggests they are just desperate to milk one more film out of Dan.
As Barry Norman would say, 'And why not?'
Agreed. There's such a dearth of credible candidates for leading man's they would weaken their hand considerably if they let Craig go now.
Didn't he state that he never actually said that?
Yes, agree, it certainly wasn't Waltz's fault (the script didn't give him much to get to grips with), that's not really what I wanted to imply, but if he was difficult to work with etc., that might have contributed to Eon moving away from him. Even if Blofeld doesn't reappear in Bond 25, it's very likely he will return in a later film, and then he will most certainly be played by another actor. So, one way or another, Waltz has been dropped.
They spent a long time trying to get the Blofeld/Spectre rights back. I'm certain they will return to that well at some point, if not in Bond 25.