Is Pierce Brosnan really all that bad ??

1272830323360

Comments

  • Posts: 11,189
    The literary Bond is pretty dull.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Oftentimes I say James Bond in the movies and James Bond in the books share only the same name and double 0 designation, other than that, they are completely different characters.

    There are certainly many incarnations of the character. That's why I don't particularly agree with those who feel every aspect of every film should be judged primarily against the Fleming yardstick. I think it was inevitable the character would become his own beast on the big screen. Whether one feels it should or shouldn't have happened, Bond grew beyond Fleming and established an additional set of tropes that would become synonymous with the cinematic iteration. A lot of people define James Bond by these criteria and while I desperately wish more people would tackle the novels, I understand that for a good deal of the general viewing audience, what they want from Bond is not necessarily in line with what Fleming had originally intended. For that reason I can understand the trajectory of the Brosnan run.

    As it happens, they've attempted to adhere more to the Fleming ethos in recent years and it has paid off handsomely, but I still think a lot of those early cinematic tropes are needed and wanted by movie-goers around the world. The current Bond works for me when they strike a balance and while the balance of the Brosnan run was slanted in favour of the 'cinematic', I don't think it was without reverence to Fleming.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    BAIN123 wrote:
    The literary Bond is pretty dull.

    You wouldn't like to live the life of the literary Bond?
  • Posts: 11,189
    I didn't say that (although Fleming did say that, for the most part, Bond's life was fairly mundane).

    My point was that Bond was portrayed as a fairly ordinary somewhat bland man who happened to go on wild adventures. The characters around Bond are the ones who are colourful and flamboyant.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    BAIN123 wrote:
    I didn't say that (although Fleming did say that, for the most part, Bond's life was fairly mundane).

    My point was that Bond was portrayed as a fairly ordinary somewhat bland man who happened to go on wild adventures. The characters around Bond are the ones who are colourful and flamboyant.

    Oh, I see what you mean.

    Quite an interesting topic regards the literary and cinematic incarnations. The films on the whole have little time for the mundanity of every day life, but it was always this element of the novels that acted as a beautiful foil for the impending adventure. It would be lovely for them to introduce a little more of this light and shade into the films.

    On the subject and out of interest - would you rather live your life like the literary or cinematic Bond?

    I guess I tend to live my life closer to the literary Bond. I've no interest in being a playboy, but I like wild adventures and meeting unusual characters - because I know I can always escape back to normality and exist, for a moment, within my own insular world. There's also the small matter of everyday life. But intermittently puncture this with a taste and readiness for the high-life and it's a decent existence. I'm not sure I'd welcome the slightly more accelerated and breathless lifestyle of the cinematic Bond.

  • Posts: 11,189
    On the subject and out of interest - would you rather live your life like the literary or cinematic Bond?

    Hmm, interesting question. I'll PM you as I don't want to de-rail this thread.
  • RC7 wrote:
    As it happens, they've attempted to adhere more to the Fleming ethos in recent years and it has paid off handsomely, but I still think a lot of those early cinematic tropes are needed and wanted by movie-goers around the world. The current Bond works for me when they strike a balance and while the balance of the Brosnan run was slanted in favour of the 'cinematic', I don't think it was without reverence to Fleming.

    Indeed, that is why there will probably never be another Bond film like Dr. No or From Russia With Love after Goldfinger. Even the serious Bonds that came afterward will still have to maintain a level of camp, fantasy and the tropes established by Goldfinger.

  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    I didn't want to bump an old topic or put it somewhere way too off-topic, but I'm watching GE right now and I love how during the PTS, Bond front rolls down the ramp while escaping the facility, and when it cuts back and shows the plane taking off, you see a grinning, teeth-clenched Brosnan double crouched in the background. It's hilarious every time I see it.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    I've never noticed! Cool - I'll have to check that out. :D
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    I've never noticed! Cool - I'll have to check that out. :D

    It always gets me because it's not subtle or hidden whatsoever once you spot it and it doesn't make sense at all because it wasn't even a shot that required a double.
  • Posts: 15,125
    Are there anyone like me who do not find Brosnan's tenure bad, but on the whole disappointing?
  • Posts: 11,189
    Creasy47 wrote:
    I didn't want to bump an old topic or put it somewhere way too off-topic, but I'm watching GE right now and I love how during the PTS, Bond front rolls down the ramp while escaping the facility, and when it cuts back and shows the plane taking off, you see a grinning, teeth-clenched Brosnan double crouched in the background. It's hilarious every time I see it.

    I'm pretty sure that's a double. I've seen that too.
  • In retrospect, Brosnan SAVED the franchise from the double whammies that were Dalton, whom many critics and yes, FANS, found boring, and the legal wrangling that stalled the series.

    With him, it was decided to return to formula: multiple girls, outrageous villains, world domination plots, etc.

    Perhaps the problem is that all four of his film do not take that much chances except with its female characters (female M, lead female villain, multi-ethnic lead Bond girls).

  • Posts: 15,125
    With him, it was decided to return to formula: multiple girls, outrageous villains, world domination plots, etc.

    World domination was never part of the formula, it was a twisted road the formula sometimes took. And it was not really part of even the most outrageous of Brosnan's movies.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    @BAIN123, it's most certainly a double, that's what I was saying in the bit that you quoted. I just think it's hilarious.
  • edited April 2014 Posts: 1,708
    "The characters around Bond are the ones who are colourful and flamboyant"

    Wint/Kidd were flamboyant (pun very much intended) ;)

    It's the same thing with Tintin , He-Man and numerous other main heroes , they're pretty cookie cutter 2D characters......it's the guest characters that make it work.
  • edited April 2014 Posts: 1,708
    Ludovico wrote:
    Are there anyone like me who do not find Brosnan's tenure bad, but on the whole disappointing?

    No disagreement from me.......as said they were playing it safe when they prolly should've been more bold.

  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited August 2014 Posts: 12,480
    Picking up @Barryt007's comment on a now closed thread. It is appropriate for here.

    Of course Brosnan gets a lot of criticism for DAD; DAD is a very poor Bond film with major and annoying flaws. I liked him in it for the most part. However, it was Brosnan's misfortune to go out on that stinker.
    Because it was his final film he gets more flak; that is a factor, as far as the perception of his whole era is. I love GE and TND; fine Bond films. I am in the minority here for really enjoying Brosnan's Bond, but I do. I have issues with TWINE and DAD was a huge disappointment, to put it mildly.

    The general public, I am guessing, have warm and good feelings about Brosnan as Bond. But ending with DAD hurt him, and the series. I sincerely wish Pierce had one more film as Bond, a better one for his final outing in the role.

    For pure entertainment, I enjoy TSWLM, TND, FRWL, TLD, FYEO, GE, CR and SF. There is a range of tone in those films for sure. But I return to them again and again.
  • edited August 2014 Posts: 19,339
    It doesnt matter,it wasnt about Pierce being that bad,but what power do i have,ive only been involved for 11 years and practically brought every thread from KTBEU here.

    Sometimes people need to read the content of the thread before being God...and show some respect.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited August 2014 Posts: 12,480
    Please tell me your full intent for the thread, then; I am interested.

    Comparing criticism of Roger's era to Brosnan's? Looking at your (closed) thread's title, you are asking if Pierce was judged because of DAD. Yes, he was. But I think you mean to discuss more, other things; and I'm just unclear of your full intention, that's all.
  • edited January 2015 Posts: 11,425
    Ludovico wrote:
    Are there anyone like me who do not find Brosnan's tenure bad, but on the whole disappointing?



    Disappointment is bad in the context of a Bond movie. At least for me. All the Brosnan films 'disappointed' me. Ergo, they are also 'bad' Bond films.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    The funny thing is Before D Craig came along, I was very happy with Brosnan. After
    Craig though, his films come across as a sort of watered down Moore adventure.
  • edited January 2015 Posts: 11,425
    DrGorner wrote: »
    The funny thing is Before D Craig came along, I was very happy with Brosnan. After
    Craig though, his films come across as a sort of watered down Moore adventure.

    Why is it that so many Bond fans only seem to have realised how bad the Brosnan era was after the fact?

    I feel sorry for him in a way - once acclaimed as the 'new Connery' and now widely derided as a poor man's Roger Moore.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Might be explained like this,
    I was happy with standard def, until I saw High def. :))
  • Posts: 11,189
    Poor man's Roger Moore possibly but I'd still take TND and TWINE over MWTGG and AVTAK.
  • Posts: 11,425
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    Poor man's Roger Moore possibly but I'd still take TND and TWINE over MWTGG and AVTAK.

    that's your prerogative. But would you take any of the Brosnans over Spy?

    Think carefully, or forever hold your piece...
  • edited January 2015 Posts: 1,596
    Yeah I would take GoldenEye over Spy by a smidge.
  • Posts: 11,425
    Yeah I would take GoldenEye over Spy by a smidge.

    I know a guy with metal teeth who says he can help you to see things differently!

  • edited January 2015 Posts: 11,189
    Getafix wrote: »
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    Poor man's Roger Moore possibly but I'd still take TND and TWINE over MWTGG and AVTAK.

    that's your prerogative. But would you take any of the Brosnans over Spy?

    Think carefully, or forever hold your piece...

    Hmm...no, Spy is classy BUT parts of it are quite laughable and its not a perfect film itself. I'm thinking of the goon fight on the roof. That's just BAD even if Roger's quip at the end redeems things.



    Would I take the Bond girl in GE over the Bond girl in Spy? Absolutely!!
  • edited January 2015 Posts: 11,425
    Is that a pastry I see before me?

    Apart from the weird bear-hug, I reckon that's a decent little scene.

    I think Spy is about as close to a perfect post-Connery Bond movie as you're ever going to get.
Sign In or Register to comment.