The case for and against... Martin Campbell

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  • Posts: 11,425
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Overall I think Campbell is massively overrated as a Bond director. Claims that he's the most important director in the series' history are totally overblown.
    He's far more consequential than Glen in my view. He also easily eclipses the last three during the Brosnan era. So in my opinion, he's the most effective Bond director since Gilbert (and many of the classic team including Bassey, Adam, Lee etc.) departed at the end of the 70s.

    Each to their own. I'd take Glen's 5 (plus all his long and hugely impactful work prior to directing) over Campbell's 2 any day.
  • ProfJoeButcherProfJoeButcher Bless your heart
    Posts: 1,711
    Sorry to bump such an old thread...

    I recently listened to the audiobook of Nobody Does It Better, a compilation of interviews with people who worked on the Bond films (and that part's great) as well as "pop culture commentators" and "feminist lecturers" (somewhat less great). Soft recommend.

    Anyway, they talk to Martin Campbell, and he's describing the novel of CR as being an origin story where Bond becomes a 00 at the end or something. I described myself as not being a fan of Campbell's years ago, earlier in the thread, but it seems I have confirmation that he never read the CR novel! That's incredibly odd.
  • MSL49MSL49 Finland
    Posts: 395
    I think he is a fantastic Bond director.
  • My case for Campbell; he directed the two best Bond films of the Brosnan, and Craig eras, and by extension directed two of the very best entries in the series.

    My case against Campbell; He also directed Green Lantern.
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,583
    Campbell is a very workman-like director (like Glen). Nothing fancy. But for me, CR has not aged well, particularly the first half of the film. It looks like a made-for TV movie. I have voiced this in other threads, so no need to go into too much detail.
  • Posts: 113
    Glen is underrated. People like to overlook the fact that getting the foundations right is not always an easy thing to do.
    Campbell has proven he can do spy and political thrillers and Edge of Darkness is what put him on the radar in the first place. He brings some energy and focuses primarily on performance which works and I think this energy combined with the 90’s deconstruction/analysis of Bond is what makes GE work.

    All this said there’s the original big names and then there’s everybody else. I wish the original key creative team members would get more credit from non-fans and the public. Without Young we literally wouldn’t have a series or its identity, Hamilton was responsible for refining and focusing so much, Hunt was the lifeblood in the editing room before getting the chair, Gilbert did the spectacle-making it a grand entertainment and Glen could very much do whatever story he was given.
  • RoadphillRoadphill United Kingdom
    Posts: 984
    Campbell has done two excellent Bond films, and more than that, two that where really embraced by pop culture.

    In comparison to the other directors of multiple Bond films, that's a tough one.

    Terence Young obviously stands above and beyond in the early series work.

    Lewis Gilbert is often underrated. His films leaned towards the OTT elements, but his style had a lovely epic feel.

    John Glen, the polar opposite of Gilbert, but again, underrated. He really knew how to direct and frame action scenes.

    Guy Hamilton, I have always found overrated personally. He found lighting in a bottle somewhat with GF, but even that, and his other Bond films have a fairly pedestrian look in comparison to some of Young and Gilbert's look. He lacked flair, and an eye for great cinematography.
  • Roadphill wrote: »
    Campbell has done two excellent Bond films, and more than that, two that where really embraced by pop culture.

    In comparison to the other directors of multiple Bond films, that's a tough one.

    Terence Young obviously stands above and beyond in the early series work.

    Lewis Gilbert is often underrated. His films leaned towards the OTT elements, but his style had a lovely epic feel.

    John Glen, the polar opposite of Gilbert, but again, underrated. He really knew how to direct and frame action scenes.

    Guy Hamilton, I have always found overrated personally. He found lighting in a bottle somewhat with GF, but even that, and his other Bond films have a fairly pedestrian look in comparison to some of Young and Gilbert's look. He lacked flair, and an eye for great cinematography.

    For me I put Campbell in the top 3 Bond directors (alongside Young and Hunt), I think when you successfully launch the era’s of two different Bond actors with such great direction, than you deserve lots and lots of credit. I think Campbell was the best director of both the Brosnan, and Craig era’s however.
  • Posts: 113
    While the (as I like to call it) Mankiewicz trilogy has a less immediately glamourous look to it-Hamilton was literally an ideas man genius. He dreamed up more setpieces, casting choices, Bondisms and elements than one could begin to fathom.

    Hamilton's flair almost always is dealt out over the course of the film's story I'd argue. You get this in his non Bond films too which are usually hit or miss with varying audiences of today. While he was the opposite of Young he did bring an refining element that hadn't been there before.

    I think the best examples are in the extras where Guy will suddenly explain how certain ideas came about and one goes: How did he come up with that?
    But the best must be taking one look at Desmond Lewellyn on set, stopping his acting to tell him that in regards to 007: "You don't like him. He doesn't treat your gadgets with any respect." In the space of a minute or two Q's character emerged fully formed.
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,616
    For Martin Campbell: He called out P+W on their bad work, and tried to get them fired from the series. He knows that they aren't qualified for James Bond.

    Against Martin Campbell: He kept Judi Dench on as M. What's wrong with that is there was no balance in trust. She was always talking down to him and he was always going against her. That's why I didn't pity her in Skyfall when she died.
  • ThunderballThunderball playing Chemin de Fer in a casino, downing Vespers
    Posts: 814
    GE made me a Bond fan, while CR revitalized the series for me. I rank GE in the middle while CR is my absolute favorite Bond film. I’m quite biased. I want Campbell to return someday.
  • GE made me a Bond fan, while CR revitalized the series for me. I rank GE in the middle while CR is my absolute favorite Bond film. I’m quite biased. I want Campbell to return someday.

    GE was the first Bond film I saw, CR was the first one I saw in theaters! So I'm biased as well!
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,079
    This just appeared on my feed...
    Martin Campbell and Famke Janssen Goldeneye live watchalong on IGN December 29th.
  • This just appeared on my feed...
    Martin Campbell and Famke Janssen Goldeneye live watchalong on IGN December 29th.

    Well I know what I’m doing on the 29th!

    2020 seems to have been the year of Goldeneye streams it seems!
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,079
    This just appeared on my feed...
    Martin Campbell and Famke Janssen Goldeneye live watchalong on IGN December 29th.

    Well I know what I’m doing on the 29th!

    2020 seems to have been the year of Goldeneye streams it seems!

    I really enjoyed PB's watchalong, off work on 29th already set a reminder.
  • This just appeared on my feed...
    Martin Campbell and Famke Janssen Goldeneye live watchalong on IGN December 29th.

    Well I know what I’m doing on the 29th!

    2020 seems to have been the year of Goldeneye streams it seems!

    I really enjoyed PB's watchalong, off work on 29th already set a reminder.

    So did I, he’s a very calm and smoothing presence. Also enjoyed some of his on-set stories and antecedents.
  • MSL49MSL49 Finland
    Posts: 395
    I think he need's good script too.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,079
    This just appeared on my feed...
    Martin Campbell and Famke Janssen Goldeneye live watchalong on IGN December 29th.

    Well I know what I’m doing on the 29th!

    2020 seems to have been the year of Goldeneye streams it seems!

    I really enjoyed PB's watchalong, off work on 29th already set a reminder.

    So did I, he’s a very calm and smoothing presence. Also enjoyed some of his on-set stories and antecedents.

    Charming and likable chap similar to Sir Roger, I for some reason thought PB watch along was last Christmas though it was in April during lock-down, its been a very long year.
  • This just appeared on my feed...
    Martin Campbell and Famke Janssen Goldeneye live watchalong on IGN December 29th.

    Well I know what I’m doing on the 29th!

    2020 seems to have been the year of Goldeneye streams it seems!

    I really enjoyed PB's watchalong, off work on 29th already set a reminder.

    So did I, he’s a very calm and smoothing presence. Also enjoyed some of his on-set stories and antecedents.

    Charming and likable chap similar to Sir Roger, I for some reason thought PB watch along was last Christmas though it was in April during lock-down, its been a very long year.

    He really is. I adore that man’s personality. It has been a long year, but thankfully it’s almost over. The GE Stream was one of my highlights however.
  • MSL49MSL49 Finland
    Posts: 395
    I hope the next Bond actor has little bit of Moore and Brosnan in him.
  • edited December 2020 Posts: 2,264
    MSL49 wrote: »
    I hope the next Bond actor has little bit of Moore and Brosnan in him.

    Same here, I also hope Campbell can be brought back to kick off the next era.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    The case for and against Martin Campbell? Easy.....

    For: CR. Perfection.

    Against: GE. Mediocrity.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,216
    suavejmf wrote: »
    The case for and against Martin Campbell? Easy.....

    For: CR. Perfection.

    Against: GE. Mediocrity.

    Have you not seen any of his other films? :))
  • Posts: 7,507
    suavejmf wrote: »
    The case for and against Martin Campbell? Easy.....

    For: CR. Perfection.

    Against: GE. Mediocrity.

    Have you not seen any of his other films? :))

    I think The Mask of Zorro was a lot of fun. Other than that I don't really like any of his films outside of Bond. Admittedly I haven't seen all of them...
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,216
    jobo wrote: »
    suavejmf wrote: »
    The case for and against Martin Campbell? Easy.....

    For: CR. Perfection.

    Against: GE. Mediocrity.

    Have you not seen any of his other films? :))

    I think The Mask of Zorro was a lot of fun. Other than that I don't really like any of his films outside of Bond. Admittedly I haven't seen all of them...

    Yes, his filmography is dotted with far worse films than GoldenEye. Green Lantern and that film about aid workers immediately spring to mind.

    The first Zorro he did was a lot of fun - an exciting, well made swashbuckler with great action and a great cast. I did like The Foreigner, Vertical Limit and Edge Of Darkness though, too.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,359
    Yes, Mask of Zorro is absolutely tremendous, classic blockbuster stuff. He's obviously not infallible, but when he's good he's brilliant.
    Sorry to bump such an old thread...

    I recently listened to the audiobook of Nobody Does It Better, a compilation of interviews with people who worked on the Bond films (and that part's great) as well as "pop culture commentators" and "feminist lecturers" (somewhat less great). Soft recommend.

    Anyway, they talk to Martin Campbell, and he's describing the novel of CR as being an origin story where Bond becomes a 00 at the end or something. I described myself as not being a fan of Campbell's years ago, earlier in the thread, but it seems I have confirmation that he never read the CR novel! That's incredibly odd.

    I guess it depends when the interview was recorded..? If it was recently I could forgive him remembering the film script more than the book.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,216
    Superb James Horner music for The Mask Of Zorro, also.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    edited December 2020 Posts: 5,131
    suavejmf wrote: »
    The case for and against Martin Campbell? Easy.....

    For: CR. Perfection.

    Against: GE. Mediocrity.

    Have you not seen any of his other films? :))

    Honestly I don’t think I have.🧐 But I thought this was focused purely on Bond.

    The Foreigner was decent enough. But I think that’s all I’ve seen of his portfolio.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited December 2020 Posts: 16,359
    Superb James Horner music for The Mask Of Zorro, also.

    Yes I listen to that all the time, the love theme is fantastic. The song is actually quite a guilty pleasure of mine!

    The sequel is no way as good, and does have strong annoying-kid factor, but it's not awful. And it has that awesome opening sequence with Zorro whipping onto that half-built bridge.

    I thought it was quite funny that Campbell went from Bond to Zorro, and then actually gave Zorro a gunbarrel sequence!

    gunbarrel-zorro.png


  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,216
    suavejmf wrote: »
    suavejmf wrote: »
    The case for and against Martin Campbell? Easy.....

    For: CR. Perfection.

    Against: GE. Mediocrity.

    Have you not seen any of his other films? :))

    Honestly I don’t think I have.🧐 But I thought this was focused purely on Bond.

    That's cool. I just was being a little cheeky; it must be the holiday season booze!

    And yes, @mtm - I do have a soft spot for that song. It's the type of tune that wouldn't be out of place at a wedding but it's so well performed that I don't particularly mind. I remember Marc Anthony, but I can't remember the name of the female performer offhand. She was great though.
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