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Bond leaning on the 4th wall
We all know how Lazenby pulverized the 4th wall on OHMSS, and how Connery leaned on it winking to us after NSNA (which, I think, was a very fitting, albeit unnoficial, end for his Bond. Way better than Lois Maxwell weeping randomly on AVTAK). But I think there are other minor instances where some character at least leans on the 4th wall. And I will not speak about CR'67, of course.
The general idea of this post is to discuss about our personal "4th wall spottings".
IMHO, there are two moments where a character leans on the fourth wall:
1. The scary kendoka on YOLT: Come on, I think Lewis Gilbert was trolling people there. That kendoka practising and maybe exagerating his kiai (at least in kyokushinkai karate, which I practised, the kiai was very important, but that guy) and then running menacingly to the camera and looking directly to it while making his kata. Man, the guy got red like a tomato, and, really, I think this was made in purpose to scare kids in the audience: "Taste my daishō, you gaijin!"
2. The aside glance on TLD: I don't remember neither the exact moment, nor if Dalton was in a scene with Krabbe or the guy playing Sanders, but for a second he seems like giving a conspirational look to the camera. I've read lots of confronting opinions in this.
They say there is another one in Moonraker, when Holly ties Bond to the high-G training simulator and says that infamous line: "Come on, Mr. Bond. A 70-year-old can take 3 G's.". A reference to Moore being too old for the part? In this case, though, I think it's more a conincidence than an actual 4th wall joke.
Do you guys have more of these moments? What are your favorites?
The general idea of this post is to discuss about our personal "4th wall spottings".
IMHO, there are two moments where a character leans on the fourth wall:
1. The scary kendoka on YOLT: Come on, I think Lewis Gilbert was trolling people there. That kendoka practising and maybe exagerating his kiai (at least in kyokushinkai karate, which I practised, the kiai was very important, but that guy) and then running menacingly to the camera and looking directly to it while making his kata. Man, the guy got red like a tomato, and, really, I think this was made in purpose to scare kids in the audience: "Taste my daishō, you gaijin!"
2. The aside glance on TLD: I don't remember neither the exact moment, nor if Dalton was in a scene with Krabbe or the guy playing Sanders, but for a second he seems like giving a conspirational look to the camera. I've read lots of confronting opinions in this.
They say there is another one in Moonraker, when Holly ties Bond to the high-G training simulator and says that infamous line: "Come on, Mr. Bond. A 70-year-old can take 3 G's.". A reference to Moore being too old for the part? In this case, though, I think it's more a conincidence than an actual 4th wall joke.
Do you guys have more of these moments? What are your favorites?
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Comments
if the look you are talking about, is when Bond is leaving the dining room with M and the M.O.D after Koskov spewed a bunch of stuff about Pushkin and 'Smiert Spionam'.. that look was at Koskov, not the camera.. it was a very questionable look Bond was giving Koskov because of what he was saying - something didn't sound right to Bond, and his look was more or less telling him "I don't trust you."
i think people read a little too much into that... the meaning of the line is simple - "look you big sissy, a 70 year old can handle 3 Gs.. surely someone younger like you can handle it."
not sure how that gets interpreted any other way lol.
Wow, thanks, for the TLD one! This will come in handy next time I watch the film! I really thought that Bond trusted Koskov at the very beginning, and this gives me a new perspective on the scene and even on Dalton's performance.
About MR, wholeheartadly agreed. About the 'Bond scholars' who look for intricate things in that scene, there's a proverb in my country that goes - literal translation - "So much heads, so much caps", that means that anybody will always stick to their own views, even if they're preposterous. :-B
yeah, Bond's very suspicious of Koskov after that meeting, not only because of everything Koskov just said, but also Kara posing as a sniper at the concert hall - Bond knew she wasn't a marksmen...... so needless to say, something didn't smell right about the whole situation to Bond, which is why he gave the look he did.
:-?
:)>-
Yes, he did not like being filmed, and then he waves at the camera.
There is some meta joke in there.
People were nuts in the seventies.
=)) OMG, how can I have forgotten this? Charrrrrming scene!
Not from where...
No. I can't finish that joke. It really has lost its charm.
Very true. Stunt casting, similarly, can break the 4th wall; I read somewhere that there were considerations to try and cast Sean Connery as Kincade in Skyfall (not that he would have done it), but Mendez canned the idea for many reasons, one of which being it would have been incredibly distracting. It's interesting because a lot of Kincade's lines in the film would have had a ton more weight if he'd said them; "I was ready before you were born", etc.
I didn't know that about Connery possibly taking the role of Kincade. While it would have been good to see him back in Bond, I'm glad it did not happen, as it would have definitely been distracting, and would have taken us out of the experience imo. Still.....that would have been one heck of a 4th wall moment
If you guys visit TV Tropes often, I think we can call this "Fridge Brilliance". I must check OHMSS's PTS...
Could easily be explained as him examining it before he takes it, but it's a definite lean on the 4th wall.
This ringed a bell: I read in some books that one of the opening dialogues on DAF refers to Connery being absent OHMSS... U-huh, found it...
Sir Donald: You've been on holiday, I understand. Relaxing, I hope.
Bond: Hardly relaxing but... most satisfying.
This may be a case similar to the MR one I refer in the OP, but it hits the spot nicely.
And people would have brought back the bulls*t of codename theory saying that Kincade was actually the first Bond retired etc.
Yep, didn't remember that line at the moment :)