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I really hope this is the case.
They were better than an exploding pen in SF, just to introduce an exploding watch in SP.
Possibility: BB maintaining solidarity with DC once he registered his objection.
It would seem as if Eon really objected, it'd speak out while the two-part idea was under consideration. MGM can't make a movie without Eon. If Eon were dead set against the idea, it wouldn't get very far. Did Logan pitch his idea working around Eon and going straight to Gary Barber at MGM? I suppose anything is possible, but that wouldn't make Logan popular with Eon.
They (meaning EON) tend to go out of their way to show that they have some solidarity within the ranks (at least the brother/sister do). We know that there was a kink in that solidarity and world view when it came to actually casting Craig.
It hurts me to think how great this movie could have been instead of being the mess it is
No worries then.
Yes.
I also balk at the idea that Mendes is solely to blame for what happened with SP. None of us know what went on in the pre-production to this film. There were writers; we know that Mendes was unhappy with the draft of the script presented to him almost four years ago; we have no clue whose idea it was to make Bond and Blofeld foster bros. But this much we do know: NOTHING is allowed to be filmed without the approval of Babs and Michael. Sure, they may have given Mendes, DC, and the writing team carte blanche. But I doubt it.
I guess what I'm saying is that the mess that was SP was a team effort. There were a whole lot of talented people in the room. Someone, somewhere should have pointed out that the storyline was too ridiculous. It is possible that that person was Mendes, and I sometimes wonder if the over-the-top allusions (the photos in the rooms; the photocopied faces in the shooting range) were his way of saying, "You want this crap? OK, here it is!"
In fact, I also wonder if neither Mendes nor DC were completely on board with the script and the rushed shooting schedule, and that that's the real reason for their "I'm done" / "I'm out" conversations with the press when the film was done.
Indeed! Where can I find in-depth descriptions of those scenes? They sound incredible.
1. Mendes was working with Logan up until March 2014. Logan apparently (based on the Sony hacks) had a treatment hammered out before the July 2013 announcement that Mendes was returning. This is presumably the basis for what the press released described as a worthy follow up for Skyfall.
2. I don't think the shooting schedule was rushed. Skyfall filmed from November 2011 until mid-2012. SPECTRE began filming Dec. 8, 2014 until mid-2012.
Logan's hiring was announced November 2012. He submitted his first draft March 2014. Yes, he was juggling other projects during that time. But it's not like he didn't have time.
http://deadline.com/2018/01/annapurna-michael-pavlic-creative-advertising-president-sony-1202240047/
By rushed, I mean they hurried up on the script and rushed into shooting, instead of working on the script further and pushing back the first day of shooting.
This was my opinion as well for a couple years. I enjoy SF now but I miss the more stripped back approach of CR and QOS. If we'd gotten one more film like that I'd be happy.
I want Q there just give him the gadgets and demonstrate how to use them. That’s it.
I want M there to give Bond his mission and occasionally be seen how’s governing the service.
That’s all there is to them.
If they want to give others screen time, there are the rest of the 00-agents to use. The 00-section is criminally underused in the Craig era.
Amen.
The OOs have always been underused, not just in the Craig era. There was the big meeting in TB; for M to threaten one to replace Bond on an assignment; to turn rogue; or to be a sacrificial lamb.
The Craig era feels like the Gardner books where the section is disbanded altogether save for Bond keeping his OO designation.
Ah. Understood.
Instead, we get the tech-master and some former field agent-turned-secretary get the gig of being Bond's sidekicks. The construction is definitely not handled well in the Craig era when it comes to the agency blueprint.
Because we're talking about climactic scenes, I understand the filmmakers probably wanted familiar, established characters we could root for. But perhaps what they should've done is come up with a couple of characters in the vein of Commander Carter: quickly and efficiently established as characters one could root for. One tech expert and one field op.
Ridiculous plot lines are not necessarily the problem. It’s the writing and how these plots are handled that is at fault.
Many films have ridiculous premises but then wrap them in delicious dialogue and ensure that the audience never loses its ability to suspend its disbelief.
When audiences are left scratching their heads and blinking at the screen with incredulity that’s when the filmmakers should know they’ve got it wrong.
Experienced filmmakers should arguably instinctively know when the script is going wrong in this regard.
And based on reports, Mendes seemed to know this.
Bottom line is, there was dysfunction all the way around with SP. The hacked emails seem to point to this. And as many have said, it's a shame, because there really are some wonderful moments in that film. Most of it, for me, leading up to the torture scene, is superb.
I decent story, good characters and an actual score would also be high on that list too.