No Time To Die: Production Diary

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  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    With SP, to me it felt that Mendes tried to hard to make it look beautiful. The actual day of the dead celebrations to me lacked a certain spontaneous improvisation. Just watch the extra's, the people.....they are dancing and walking so composed, as if Mendes just screamed: "Go!".

    Also, Bond producers need to understand that they should not invest all the time and money in just the PTS. It's a good intro to what's to come, but don't turn them into standalone, over-rehearsed shorts.

    Excellent points.

    As with the explosion one feels that Mendes spent an inordinate amount of time on the logistics of this opening sequence with its millions of extras and poncey tracking shots rather than checking how the script was coming along.

    I'm reminded of this classic Brent rant:



    'Babs makes me laugh going on about the script. Do it yourself I've got to pointlessly blow up half the budget!'
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,967
    I've never known how to explain it, but I've always gotten a very "planned/scripted" vibe from the Mendes installments. Even within the action, it doesn't feel very free-flowing and improvised.
  • DoctorNoDoctorNo USA-Maryland
    Posts: 755
    He's a stage director, not a film director
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,287
    DoctorNo wrote: »
    He's a stage director, not a film director

    There is a lot of truth to this observation. Theater is always rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Unless you're Ashley Judd.
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,583
    echo wrote: »
    TripAces wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    The best 5 scenes of SP:

    -PTS
    -SPECTRE meeting
    -Mr. White's final moments
    -Bond meets and saves Madeleine in Austria.
    -Train fight

    @FoxRox... no complaints here. But I would put the funeral scene in the top 5, instead of Mr. White's death. There are some other terrific moments in SP:

    -the meeting with Q ("I told you to bring it back in one piece, not bring back one piece."
    -the mouse scene. Yes, I liked this bit, and the pouring of the beer on the floor, and Bond knocking down the wall. I love the way the room is lit, with the geometric shadows on the wall. Newman's score here is good, too.
    -And then there's this one little bit that gives me chills every time: the fifteen seconds or so when we cut from Bond and Madeleine's love scene to the overhead shot of the train going around a bend at dawn. Newman's instrumental piano of "Writing's on the Wall" is exquisite. The shot is breathtaking. And then we cut to the train pulling away, and all we see are their feet. And the piano slows and ends, and the train leaves the shot and reveals the two, standing in the middle of nowhere. It's great stuff!!!!!

    That's because it's cribbed from TSWLM.

    The love scene and what preceded it, yes. But not what I described here. Not even close.
  • Posts: 12,526
    barryt007 wrote: »
    RogueAgent wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    RogueAgent wrote: »
    Bentley007 wrote: »

    Certainly looks mean enough! But I guess we will have to wait and see like everything else?
    007Blofeld wrote: »
    007Blofeld wrote: »
    I'm glad the mi6 community is back up and running I tried logging and for some reason a weird message came up and said error and site crash I was a bit worried cause I couldn't get on now looks like things are back normal I wonder what happened

    So it wasnt just mine then

    Nope it happened to me to like this site like crashed or something

    Had the same problems too. Thankfully it has been resolved now. Just about caught up on all the threads now though.

    Now THAT is a Bond villain's vehicle - wicked !!
    And I like the rumour re the main villain being obsessed with alligator skin,and the car seat interior being covered in it.

    Maybe Blofeld is not on his way back ?
    I hope not...rest him until maybe BOND 27.

    Great spot @RogueAgent !!


    I think he will be back Barry, with Waltz in the role too. Bond 25 I believe will be a continuation of what's gone before? Especially now we know it WILL be DC's last film. So with that? I would assume that the whole MI6 team will be replaced too with new actor/actresses?
    I have to agree,Rogue,that is unfortunately the feeling i'm getting too.
    But Nil Desperandum - it might be brilliant . (It bloody better be !!!)

    I would be very surprised if it did not go down this route that's for sure.
  • DCisaredDCisared Liverpool
    Posts: 1,329
    With SP, to me it felt that Mendes tried to hard to make it look beautiful. The actual day of the dead celebrations to me lacked a certain spontaneous improvisation. Just watch the extra's, the people.....they are dancing and walking so composed, as if Mendes just screamed: "Go!".

    Also, Bond producers need to understand that they should not invest all the time and money in just the PTS. It's a good intro to what's to come, but don't turn them into standalone, over-rehearsed shorts.

    Excellent points.

    As with the explosion one feels that Mendes spent an inordinate amount of time on the logistics of this opening sequence with its millions of extras and poncey tracking shots rather than checking how the script was coming along.

    I'm reminded of this classic Brent rant:



    'Babs makes me laugh going on about the script. Do it yourself I've got to pointlessly blow up half the budget!'

    Ha ha lovely stuff!
    DC: " Actor, producer , chilled out entertainer"
  • 001001
    Posts: 1,575
    s-l500.jpg

    Not a flattering look for DC compared to the other bonds.
  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    Posts: 13,779
    You mean the blood-spattered chopped-up tux and pock-marked sliced Craig Bond face?
    I guess I was distracted by the Dalton Bond gun to Brosnan Bond's head. And the panties.
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    Posts: 3,126
    MrOrlov wrote: »
    Hello to everyone, all the way from Russia (with love, see what i did there!). I'm new here and English is not my native language, so i apologise in advance for any future grammar errors. So as a first question - what direction do you think the producers gonna take with B25 ? Right now the rumors are kind of all over the place - remake of OHMSS or ever YOLT, possible return of Camille or Felix Leiter. Like, what kind of story could they possible tell ? (oh, plus they have to do something with Madelene Swann and Blofeld).

    @MrOrlov welcome aboard welcome to the community you will like it here anyway going to your question they could go anywhere but with Daniel returning I think Blofeld will be involved don't know what they will do with him but hopefully something exciting and give creditably back to Blofeld I like Spectre but I think the way they handle Blofeld was a bit poor but can be fixable. As for anything else I would love a return of Felix helping Bond on a mission hopefully we can get Bond out of London for the climaxes its getting a bit repetitive and no more personal stuff and childhood and just full straight on mission stuff m gives bond a mission and bond heads out and we m congratulate bond when mission is accomplished no more everyone against mi6 government stuff and no more m in the field.
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    Posts: 7,314
    I guess I was distracted by the Dalton Bond gun to Brosnan Bond's head.
    Did Getafix design this or what?
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    Posts: 3,126
    We are very very close to 1,000 surprised we haven't got there right after the news about dc
  • 001001
    Posts: 1,575
    You mean the blood-spattered chopped-up tux and pock-marked sliced Craig Bond face?
    I guess I was distracted by the Dalton Bond gun to Brosnan Bond's head. And the panties.

    I mean the big nose, head and ears.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    001 wrote: »
    You mean the blood-spattered chopped-up tux and pock-marked sliced Craig Bond face?
    I guess I was distracted by the Dalton Bond gun to Brosnan Bond's head. And the panties.

    I mean the big nose, head and ears.
    Are you picturing this guy?

    1973570-images.jpg
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,287
    TripAces wrote: »
    echo wrote: »
    TripAces wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    The best 5 scenes of SP:

    -PTS
    -SPECTRE meeting
    -Mr. White's final moments
    -Bond meets and saves Madeleine in Austria.
    -Train fight

    @FoxRox... no complaints here. But I would put the funeral scene in the top 5, instead of Mr. White's death. There are some other terrific moments in SP:

    -the meeting with Q ("I told you to bring it back in one piece, not bring back one piece."
    -the mouse scene. Yes, I liked this bit, and the pouring of the beer on the floor, and Bond knocking down the wall. I love the way the room is lit, with the geometric shadows on the wall. Newman's score here is good, too.
    -And then there's this one little bit that gives me chills every time: the fifteen seconds or so when we cut from Bond and Madeleine's love scene to the overhead shot of the train going around a bend at dawn. Newman's instrumental piano of "Writing's on the Wall" is exquisite. The shot is breathtaking. And then we cut to the train pulling away, and all we see are their feet. And the piano slows and ends, and the train leaves the shot and reveals the two, standing in the middle of nowhere. It's great stuff!!!!!

    That's because it's cribbed from TSWLM.

    The love scene and what preceded it, yes. But not what I described here. Not even close.

    Watch the scene with Bond and Anya in the truck again.
  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    Posts: 7,021
    MrOrlov wrote: »
    Hello to everyone, all the way from Russia (with love, see what i did there!). I'm new here and English is not my native language, so i apologise in advance for any future grammar errors. So as a first question - what direction do you think the producers gonna take with B25 ? Right now the rumors are kind of all over the place - remake of OHMSS or ever YOLT, possible return of Camille or Felix Leiter. Like, what kind of story could they possible tell ? (oh, plus they have to do something with Madelene Swann and Blofeld).

    Welcome, General Orlov

    I think my preference would be to have Madeleine physically absent from Bond 25. Another character, perhaps the new Bond girl, could ask 007 about his past and we could get small, gradual glimpses into what happened between Bond and Madeleine and why things between them fell apart.

    I think having Blofeld be absent from Bond 25 is not the best idea, with the way the Craig era has gone. If they're not going to go the YOLT novel route, then they should definitely have another Spectre villain for Bond to face, but Blofeld should still be seen throughout the film, and Bond should fight him and kill him in the final part of the movie. I feel leaving Blofeld alive for the next actor would undermine the Craig saga. I know it's not good to bring him back only to kill him one film later, but I prefer that to having Craig depart from the role with Blofeld alive, whether in jail or free.

    I want Felix back, big time, and not in a small part, but one integral to the story. Hopefully we'd get to see him getting his hands dirty in an action scene.
  • 001001
    Posts: 1,575
    001 wrote: »
    You mean the blood-spattered chopped-up tux and pock-marked sliced Craig Bond face?
    I guess I was distracted by the Dalton Bond gun to Brosnan Bond's head. And the panties.

    I mean the big nose, head and ears.
    Are you picturing this guy?

    1973570-images.jpg

    No. That's not nice.
  • SeanCraigSeanCraig Germany
    edited August 2017 Posts: 732

    Excellent review nearly a decade later and I fully and totally agree with your analysis! It's unclear (to me) if Quantum was dropped completely or Mr.White was head of Quantum and at the very same time a SPECTRE member ... making QUANTUM a branch of SPECTRE for example (this would have been a better way to tie the movies than what happened in SP). I like QoS a lot - even I hated the editing and I still do to this day. But in general I think it's a very good followup to CR actually. Thanks for your review - IMHO it shows that the movie keeps growing on people like OHMSS did decades before. Except the editing (which I hated back then and still do today) I find it a highly rewatchable Bond movie and it definitely does not deserve a low rating ... it's much much better than SPECTRE in my opinion.

    For B25 I hope for the best of the Craig era:

    - Fleming material
    Because Craig's Bond interpretation shows a lot of Flemig's vision

    - Some gritty hard-boiled action
    Because it's a trademark of his tenure

    - Some gadgets and Q scenes
    Because that belongs to the cinematic Bond and I like Whishaw as Q

    - Return of Felix Leiter
    Returns a lot in the novels and Wright's Felix Leiter is a great character

    - Good but not too many locations
    Let Bond explore the locations a bit more and avoid wasting them like QoS

    - Possible Return of Camille
    She's a great but underused character which could function as a story hook.
    I would not make her the central Bond girl - but connecting the films is
    a trademark of the Craig movies so this would be a way doing it without
    nonsense like what happened with "Author-Of-All-Your-Pain-Gate".

    I appreciated SKYFALL a lot but especially after SPECTRE I am done with the melodrama myself. I don't mind at all a serious love interest for Bond (my favourite: Gala Brand) but the movie should go back to escapism but not leave out the above mentioned trademarks of the Craig era (and Bond history) which automatically will rule out going to camp completely. The wit in CR and QoS is the perfect level for Craig - IMHO.

    Things of the Craig era to drop for B25

    - No more family ties
    For me (I know there's controvery) the connection Bond had to Dame Judy's
    M was believeable and it worked great for me in SF. But you can't repeat this
    as SP showed. Drop this

    - No more Blofeld
    For now I fear he is just poison - don't bring him back before a new actor
    takes over. Maybe mention SPECTRE ... but leave Blofeld alone.

    - No more rain
    Bring back bright colours - see Thunderball

    - Drop the OHMSS references / story elements
    I heavily wanted SPECTRE to become a new OHMSS. But it's wasted now and
    even I think especially this novel suited Craig I would not go that route (anymore)

    The potential is so huge B25 will become a truly awesome entry to the series because they have everything they need.

    Plus: In comparison to Skyfall I sense EoN does not have that high pressure or urge to just repeat the previous movie's success by simple re-doing it (which, in many ways, is what they did with SPECTRE and - imho - failed).

    I have very high hopes B25 will be very good Bond movie (again) - as a fan of the Craig era I could not be happier he does one more.
  • edited August 2017 Posts: 11,425
    BT3366 wrote: »
    To each their own, but it's interesting some people think SF is the best PTS. Just watched it again and still find it underwhelming, especially compared with SP's.

    The opening shot is great and the discovery of the bodies is top-notch, setting mood. But M asking if Bond is sure the hard drive isn't there is pointless. And the whole plot device with the list only reminds me of the first Mission: Impossible movie. I keep hearing "The NOC list is in the open!"

    The following car chase is little more than bumper cars followed by a bunch of poor marksmanship with nobody being able to hit anything. The motorcycle chase is good, save for the continuity nightmare of the appearing and disappearing gloves Craig or his stunt driver have on.

    Patrice is one of those characters who supposedly has an armory on his person as he continues to pull out weapons and ammo when he needs and still has room for the hard drive. Moneypenny's quips are distracting rather than amusing. Save those for Bond. It would have made her more mysterious and interesting rather than distracting. A lot of people like the steam shovel bit but the business with the straightening his cuffs reminds me of Brosnan.

    Finally, I know she's in shock from hitting Bond, but Moneypenny still had time to take a shot at Patrice before he went into the tunnel. That was the objective, to stop him and recover the hard drive or at least keep him from escaping with it.

    I'm with you 110%. Mendes has said as much himself - SF PTS is a relentless wham bam action sequence largely devoid of changes of pace. He has said that the PTS was the part of SF he was least happy with, and specifically set out to address its shortcomings in SP. I think he largely redeemed himself on that front.

    For me one of my pet hates about the DC era is Bond constantly being micromanaged by Dench's M, so having her shouting down his ear from the get go is pretty much as bad as it gets for me (glad that seemed to be largely absent from SP). Cutting back to her at HQ also (for me) distracts from Bond. But then SF is not so much about Bond any way, so I guess it's part of an overall approach. Add in the very annoying Moneypenny, the Brosnan-esque cuff-popping and that 'bloody shot' and you have for me one of the most irritating PTS in the entire series.

    I can't say the SF PTS is the worst - that would be going too far - but I certainly find it underwhelming. SF actually improves after that, and almost everything up to the helicopters hovering over Silva's island is actually pretty decent. After that it rapidly deteriorates though - suffering from the same shoddy plotting and writing as SP's third act. On this evidence, Bond should definitely steer well clear of extended scenes in London/UK in the future!

    I'm hopeful about the prospects for B25. Director will obviously be crucial. The obvious concern though is that with Purvis and Wade writing, any decent director will come in and feel obliged to tear the script up and start from scratch.

    For me the Mendes era was a bit of a disappointment. SF fell completely flat for me. Loved loads of the ideas and I feel it could have been amazing, but just bores me. SP was an improvement on SF but still far from firing on all cylinders.

    I guess my biggest regret is that CR and QoS opened up this whole new fresh horizon for Bond. The series really seemed to be heading in the right direction. I think QoS even more than CR felt like it was wiping the slate clean and suggesting Bond could explore new territory. One of the things I love about QoS, is that like LTK, it subtly works in a lot of the traditional elements without you even realising, while still giving off this super fresh vibe. And then SF was this bizarre backward looking nostalgia-fest, with much less subtlety and Mendes S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G everything out for you. It felt tonally like a complete change of direction for the series. Lame jokes and the DB5 back - again.

    As the blog that was posted on here recently said, I would love B25 to freshen things up again and recapture some of the feel of Craig's first two. It can be a 'dark' film - it feels like that's almost unavoidable - but I want the energy back that Mendes lost. A shorter film would help on this front. A well told, tightly plotted, shorter movie.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,546
    Yes, London/UK aren't his jurisdiction anyways ;)
  • Posts: 11,425
    Yes, London/UK aren't his jurisdiction anyways ;)

    Good point!

    I always used to think a Bond film set in the UK would be a great idea, but SF and SP have largely disabused me of that idea. Leave the UK to MI5 and BBC's Spooks - which the last couple of Bond films have increasingly resembled!
  • SeanCraigSeanCraig Germany
    Posts: 732
    Getafix wrote: »
    One of the things I love about QoS, is that like LTK, it subtly works in a lot of the traditional elements without you even realising, while still giving off this super fresh vibe.
    Especially the soundtrack brings many of those traditional elements which results (to me) in this mixture of the "new" and still have this warm feeling of the film series we grew up with and love so much that we post again and again in forums like this ;-)

    I personally liked SF (as mentioned before) but the criticism of the Mendes approach is very much visible in SPECTRE to me. SF just won me over by it's overall look and feel - something SPECTRE did not achieve at all.
  • edited August 2017 Posts: 11,425
    Other way around for me. Was not seduced by the story or look and feel of SF. SP just about worked for me. For me there are way more enjoyable scenes and moments in SP - starting with the rather wonderful PTS. The fact I also find Q and MP actually likeable in SP, rather than massively annoying, is a big help.

    SF and SP are both definitely cut from the same cloth, and it's funny therefore how they divide people so much.
  • edited August 2017 Posts: 12,466
    I love SF, and like SP. My biggest general issue with SP is a mediocre third act. But I enjoy plenty things about both films. That being said I don't want Mendes to return.
  • Posts: 7,415
    Getafix wrote: »
    Other way around for me. Was not seduced by the story or look and feel of SF. SP just about worked for me. For me there are way more enjoyable scenes and moments in SP - starting with the rather wonderful PTS. The fact I also find Q and MP actually likeable in SP, rather than massively annoying, is a big help.

    SF and SP are both definitely cut from the same cloth, and it's funny therefore how they divide people so much.

    Am with you regards Moneypenny and Q in SF!
    I found her trying too hard and him not trying hard enough! Annoying is right! I found both much improved in SP!
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,133
    001 wrote: »
    s-l500.jpg

    Not a flattering look for DC compared to the other bonds.

    What has a caricature of the Bond actors got to do with anything?
    Followed by a jab at Craig. ITS A CARICATURE !

  • edited August 2017 Posts: 12,837
    001 wrote: »
    s-l500.jpg

    Not a flattering look for DC compared to the other bonds.

    I think the way he actually bleeds is one of the best things about DC's Bond to be honest. But I don't think that caricature is very spot on anyway. Moore was more of a ladykiller, he should have Brosnan's pose, Brosnan should have the martini or a machine gun. Lazenby should have some flowers for Tracy or something, or even just be standing there with nothing at all because he was more of an everyman. Connery Dalton and Craig are pretty spot on though.
  • Posts: 19,339
    001 wrote: »
    s-l500.jpg

    Not a flattering look for DC compared to the other bonds.

    I think the way he actually bleeds is one of the best things about DC's Bond to be honest. But I don't think that caricature is very spot on anyway. Moore was more of a ladykiller, he should have Brosnan's pose, Brosnan should have the martini or a machine gun. Lazenby should have some flowers for Tracy or something, or even just be standing there with nothing at all because he was more of an everyman. Connery Dalton and Craig are pretty spot on though.

    Apart from SP when Hinx beat the crap out of him and he didn't have a mark on him,something else that annoyed me about that film.

    Lazy again.

  • 001001
    Posts: 1,575
    001 wrote: »
    s-l500.jpg

    Not a flattering look for DC compared to the other bonds.

    I think the way he actually bleeds is one of the best things about DC's Bond to be honest. But I don't think that caricature is very spot on anyway. Moore was more of a ladykiller, he should have Brosnan's pose, Brosnan should have the martini or a machine gun. Lazenby should have some flowers for Tracy or something, or even just be standing there with nothing at all because he was more of an everyman. Connery Dalton and Craig are pretty spot on though.

    Brosnan should have a hair dryer in his hand. When is he going to be knighted ?

    Yes,Sir Roger should have the underwear.

    Sir Sean should have a bottle of champagne.

    DC looks more like a villain or henchman compared to the rest...


  • Posts: 19,339
    001 wrote: »
    001 wrote: »
    s-l500.jpg

    Not a flattering look for DC compared to the other bonds.

    I think the way he actually bleeds is one of the best things about DC's Bond to be honest. But I don't think that caricature is very spot on anyway. Moore was more of a ladykiller, he should have Brosnan's pose, Brosnan should have the martini or a machine gun. Lazenby should have some flowers for Tracy or something, or even just be standing there with nothing at all because he was more of an everyman. Connery Dalton and Craig are pretty spot on though.

    Brosnan should have a hair dryer in his hand. When is he going to be knighted ?

    Yes,Sir Roger should have the underwear.

    Sir Sean should have a bottle of champagne.

    DC looks more like a villain or henchman compared to the rest...


    I don't think he has done enough to be knighted,compared to Sir Sean and Sir Roger,who are movie icons.

    (Plus Sir Roger's UNICEF work).

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