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Are the Komodo Dragons the silliest things in the Craig era so far?

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  • patbpatb
    Posts: 4,617
    Ludo, I never saw it like that, possible I suppose but still weird in my book.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I agree, it's a ham fisted bit of writing, but so many films these days treat the audience as if, we're all " half wits". So everything has to be explained to us.
  • jobojobo
    edited February 2015 Posts: 7,507
    DrGorner wrote: »
    I agree, it's a ham fisted bit of writing, but so many films these days treat the audience as if, we're all " half wits". So everything has to be explained to us.

    Well, it does need an explanation. We need to know somehow its her. The question is if not a simple "I look forward to working with you, miss Moneypenny" would have been sufficient, skipping the clunky introduction bit... :-?
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited February 2015 Posts: 4,521
    "I look forward to working with you, miss Moneypenny" have been much better.

    Capricorn One footage give me same feeling as watching episode of Airwolf, it only missing a bit of music (If that part not be removed by uploader, to be sjure Warner not removed it.).
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    That would have been a much better line.
  • jobojobo
    edited February 2015 Posts: 7,507
    Well, the line was used in the film ;) But they should have left it at that.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Yes sorry, I meant, just that part, as we already know her first name.
    And that she's a lousy driver ! ;)
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    patb wrote: »
    Ludo, I never saw it like that, possible I suppose but still weird in my book.

    I find it clunky also. I always thought it would have worked better if there'd been a pan from a nameplate on her desk, reading 'Miss E. Moneypenny', to them walking through the door. That, or a pull-focus as she sits behind the desk. Reiterated by Craig if necessary, but referencing the nameplate in a slightly mocking tone, in recognition of her new moniker. The whole idea he doesn't know her surname is slightly ludicrous.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    edited February 2015 Posts: 7,553
    I think Bond knew her name was Eve, just not her last name. So I think them being formally introduced is a nicety to a certain extent; and he learned her last name. I also think the scene was fine; a little shoehorned, but if Bond just suddenly said "I look forward to working with you, miss Moneypenny" it would have been far, far worse! It would have generated just tons of "Huh? Oh, I... guess he knew that... she was Moneypenny...? She's Moneypenny? Neat." reactions. IMO of course!

    EDIT: Serious question, do we already know her first name? When is Eve mentioned? I can't remember...

    EDIT 2: The nameplate idea would also have worked well, I think, as @RC7 describes it. I don't think it's ludicrous whatsoever that he wouldn't know her last name, personally.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,125
    RC7 wrote: »
    patb wrote: »
    Ludo, I never saw it like that, possible I suppose but still weird in my book.

    I find it clunky also. I always thought it would have worked better if there'd been a pan from a nameplate on her desk, reading 'Miss E. Moneypenny', to them walking through the door. That, or a pull-focus as she sits behind the desk. Reiterated by Craig if necessary, but referencing the nameplate in a slightly mocking tone, in recognition of her new moniker. The whole idea he doesn't know her surname is slightly ludicrous.

    I am not saying it is not clunky, obviously the sacrificed a bit of plausibility for a bit of dramatic impact.
  • ThighsOfXeniaThighsOfXenia
    Posts: 1,596
    NickTwentyTwo wrote: »
    I think Bond knew her name was Eve, just not her last name.

    Yeah, that's what Harris' bit of dialogue suggests. What many are positing is that it's absurd that Bond doesn't know Eve's last name after working with her in the field on a mission.

    In any case, I was so excited about the office, Moneypenny, etc. (and still am every time I see it) that the bit never bothered me in the slightest.
  • JCRendleJCRendle
    Posts: 1,552
    Maybe as agents they're only meant to be privy to certain names, national security et al. First names, surnames etc. Bond is so well known that his full name is known.

    Once Eve is grounded to Office Duty, she can disclose her surname.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,553
    JCRendle wrote: »
    Maybe as agents they're only meant to be privy to certain names, national security et al. First names, surnames etc. Bond is so well known that his full name is known.

    Once Eve is grounded to Office Duty, she can disclose her surname.

    Makes sense to me.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    I don't think any of the Craig era films had silly parts. Not yet, at least. I liked the Komodo Dragons sequence a lot.
  • ThighsOfXeniaThighsOfXenia
    Posts: 1,596
    ClarkDevlin wrote: »
    I don't think any of the Craig era films had silly parts. Not yet, at least. I liked the Komodo Dragons sequence a lot.

    I liked it too, but it was certainly silly.

  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    ThighsOfXenia wrote: »
    ClarkDevlin wrote: »
    I don't think any of the Craig era films had silly parts. Not yet, at least. I liked the Komodo Dragons sequence a lot.

    I liked it too, but it was certainly silly.
    How come it was silly?
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,217
    Silly is a very subjective word. I bet there would be lots of people who would find belonging to a James Bond discussion board silly
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    edited February 2015 Posts: 8,217
    I also think the Komodo sequence is supposed to be a bit campy. I really like it. Here is a nice little write up about the scene.

    http://billdesowitz.com/skyfall-gets-animated-with-a-komodo-dragon/

    And a bit more in depth

    http://www.creativebloq.com/behind-scenes-skyfalls-komodo-dragon-7133741

  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    NickTwentyTwo wrote: »
    JCRendle wrote: »
    Maybe as agents they're only meant to be privy to certain names, national security et al. First names, surnames etc. Bond is so well known that his full name is known.

    Once Eve is grounded to Office Duty, she can disclose her surname.

    Makes sense to me.

    I think it's fairly clear that the whole thing was simply done for effect. Bond just claims they haven't been formally introduced. As @Ludovico says above, it's chiefly done for dramatic impact.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    Well, there has to be a little amount of camp in a Bond film, don't you think? It's what made the series great. I'm not saying let's go back to the Moore era, even though they are literally guilty pleasures of mine, but there has to be a little amount of camp. Brosnan straightening his tie in GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough, for instance? Or Connery cracking jokes each time he kills a man? (i.e. "I think they were on their way to a funeral.") A little bit of escapism has to be there, in my honest opinion.
  • SJK91SJK91
    Posts: 1,310
    ClarkDevlin wrote: »
    Well, there has to be a little amount of camp in a Bond film, don't you think? It's what made the series great. I'm not saying let's go back to the Moore era, even though they are literally guilty pleasures of mine, but there has to be a little amount of camp. Brosnan straightening his tie in GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough, for instance? Or Connery cracking jokes each time he kills a man? (i.e. "I think they were on their way to a funeral.") A little bit of escapism has to be there, in my honest opinion.
    When it comes to camp in Bond films, brevity is the soul of wit.

    The straightening of the tie, or the single half-morbid one-liner (when delivered right) is funny because it is fleeting. When the films have an extended scene dedicated to a singular joke (Bondola), they seem to get into trouble. Not to say that the Komodo scene is as a huge offender, but the lackluster visual effects mixed with the extended nature of the scene kind of dampen the whole thing.
  • patbpatb
    Posts: 4,617
    Half way through, we learn that EM has decided to take a desk job so, at that point, she was not M's admin support etc, so it would have been perfectly OK to have a visual "tip off" re her name via a new nameplate on the door etc, that way you get confirmation of her name, confirmation of her new role supporting M and you avoid the clunky dialogue. When you think of how many thousands of hours that was spent tweeking the script, for Bond to formally introduce himself to an agent right at the end, that he was out in the field with (and shot by) in the first minute of the movie (plus the casino scene etc) just does not work for me.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,553
    patb wrote: »
    Half way through, we learn that EM has decided to take a desk job so, at that point, she was not M's admin support etc, so it would have been perfectly OK to have a visual "tip off" re her name via a new nameplate on the door etc, that way you get confirmation of her name, confirmation of her new role supporting M and you avoid the clunky dialogue. When you think of how many thousands of hours that was spent tweeking the script, for Bond to formally introduce himself to an agent right at the end, that he was out in the field with (and shot by) in the first minute of the movie (plus the casino scene etc) just does not work for me.

    It wasn't until the end that she decided to take the desk job; until then it was involuntary assignment after which she wanted back out in the field. Although, your point still stands.

    Having said that, I found it very natural-feeling, Bond and Eve's introduction in the office at the end, I had no problem with it in the theater and no problem with it in consecutive viewings.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    I'd say it's the disguise he wears at the airport.
  • ThighsOfXeniaThighsOfXenia
    Posts: 1,596
    ClarkDevlin wrote: »
    Well, there has to be a little amount of camp in a Bond film, don't you think? It's what made the series great. I'm not saying let's go back to the Moore era, even though they are literally guilty pleasures of mine, but there has to be a little amount of camp. Brosnan straightening his tie in GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough, for instance? Or Connery cracking jokes each time he kills a man? (i.e. "I think they were on their way to a funeral.") A little bit of escapism has to be there, in my honest opinion.

    I'm not guilty at all about loving the Moore films but I agree about Bond needing a bit of levity and camp.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,553
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    I'd say it's the disguise he wears at the airport.

    I might agree if he was also wearing a fake moustache :P
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,585
    I think the Craig era films have done a good job of balancing the camp/humor with the grittiness of the plot lines. As a whole, the films are more serious (and I like that) but they do still have their moments, despite what John Cleese says.

    Casino Royale:
    1. The Bodyworks exhibit, which includes a poker table.
    2. The "Miss Stephanie Broadchest" line
    3. The "I'm all ears" line, a reference, perhaps, to Craig's (documented) own self-consciousness about the shape of his ears.

    Quantum of Solace:
    1. Mathis: "I think she has handcuffs." Bond: "I do hope so."
    2. Elvis losing his toupee at the Tierra Project fund raiser.
    3. Greene accidentally chopping into his own foot with the ax. (I thought it was funny, anyway)

    Skyfall:
    1. Bond's sideways look of irritation at Q, when he sits next to him at the National Gallery. At that point, he has no idea it's Q. The look is hilarious. And the irritation mounts when he finds out it is. Soon after...
    2. "Not exactly Christmas is it?" "Were you expecting an exploding pen?"
    3. Bond's upside down look of shock at the komodo dragon.
    4. The "He's keen to get home" line followed by Bond's jump onto the train. "Health and Saefty."

  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,553
    All good calls, @TripAces; although I really like all of these things and think they fit well in the films
  • SarkSark Guangdong, PRC
    Posts: 1,138
    jobo wrote: »
    Well, it does need an explanation. We need to know somehow its her. The question is if not a simple "I look forward to working with you, miss Moneypenny" would have been sufficient, skipping the clunky introduction bit... :-?

    Yes that would have been a much better line.

    The skydiving scene is the silliest thing and it's not particularly close. People complain about the CGI with the dragons and elevator (which i didn't notice unless looking) but that was so blatant as to be ridiculous.
  • AstonLotusAstonLotus
    Posts: 1,394
    ClarkDevlin wrote: »
    I don't think any of the Craig era films had silly parts. Not yet, at least. I liked the Komodo Dragons sequence a lot.

    Bloody hell, did you not see the opening parachute two seconds before they hit the ground scene in QOS?

    Silvas escape in SF?

    In fact just watch SF again.The whole film is silly.

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