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Your three favourite scenes from SPECTRE (Spoilers)
While I'm all for a good debate, I'm hoping this thread may provide solace for those who are keen to indulge their new found love of Spectre. Please let this be a place where we can celebrate a lot of the many positives of this movie.
I am not so much a fan of 'appreciation threads', as it's always good to bounce back and forth on all subjects, but I ask kindly that for those whom negativity is a drug, please try not to clog this thread with incessant, relentless pessimism. There's a good few years ahead where I'm sure this will be a torn a new one. Thanks.
Spectre meeting - Rome: a fantastic introduction to the organisation. Cinematography, staging, pacing and dialogue all fantastic. The direction and acting around Oberhauser's entrance is superb. I've heard several comments surrounding the films apparent 'pacing issues', chiefly, it not being allowed to breathe; this scene is masterful in the way it slows the pace and builds a palpable and unnerving tension.
It's also brilliant in its use of expository dialogue. Never too much, never too little. We understand the organisation immediately, their global reach, their deference to their leader and we see his calm, collected ruthlessness, cue Hinx's entrance. Another moment that will go down as a series high point.
L'Americain - Sensationally lit, beautifully scored by Newman and pitch-perfect acting from Craig and Seydoux. There's an electricity to the relationship that translates their situation and state of mind perfectly. You can see the cogs turning in Bond's mind and I get the impression, with Swann being a little squiffy, he continues to see a little of himself in her. It's quietly and subtly effective.
The 'Who sent you?' DAF throwback is a really nice touch and the discovery of White's hidden room brings yet more chance for us to savour these little subtleties of performance that you could only get with actors the calibre of Craig and Seydoux. The fleeting moment of reflection when he takes the Vesper tape and subsequently tosses it aside is just excellent. Again, there's a brevity to it that tells you so much in such a short moment. I'd go as far as to say this scene is one of my favourite in the series.
Torture - The main criticisms I've heard aimed at this scene are that it doesn't stand up against CR.
Personally I find that rather flawed, for the same reason I wouldn't compare the car chase in SP to the car chase in QoS. Tonally they are trying to achieve very different things and they are crafted to exemplify the characters and their place within the story.
Transplant ESB and the relevant dialogue to the CR torture scene, or something similar, and you have a scenario which loses the calculated menace behind the man. The way Waltz operates the chair is like a scientist, meticulously probing, psychologically testing. Having him whip his balls, or something equally, viscerally brutal takes away the self-assured, measured approach this psychotic should employ.
Again the soft lighting and empty almost spectral feel of it ties in perfectly with the cold, amoral world ESB represents. The dialogue and acting are pretty sensational, not once does it stray into hammy or cliched territory and given the subject matter I take my hat off because the balance they strike is excellent.
I've now seen it three times and I have to say, each time I hear it... 'The man you are now talking to. The man that is in your head...' I lose my shit. While the thought of Blofeld returning was always going to be mouthwatering, I had felt several pangs of anxiety concerning how they'd go about the reveal. Well, they nailed it in my eyes. No unnecessary theatre, no scenery chewing, just a withering look from ESB at the sound of the name, 'Franz', the cat and the dialogue. It's just bloody brilliant.
I am not so much a fan of 'appreciation threads', as it's always good to bounce back and forth on all subjects, but I ask kindly that for those whom negativity is a drug, please try not to clog this thread with incessant, relentless pessimism. There's a good few years ahead where I'm sure this will be a torn a new one. Thanks.
Spectre meeting - Rome: a fantastic introduction to the organisation. Cinematography, staging, pacing and dialogue all fantastic. The direction and acting around Oberhauser's entrance is superb. I've heard several comments surrounding the films apparent 'pacing issues', chiefly, it not being allowed to breathe; this scene is masterful in the way it slows the pace and builds a palpable and unnerving tension.
It's also brilliant in its use of expository dialogue. Never too much, never too little. We understand the organisation immediately, their global reach, their deference to their leader and we see his calm, collected ruthlessness, cue Hinx's entrance. Another moment that will go down as a series high point.
L'Americain - Sensationally lit, beautifully scored by Newman and pitch-perfect acting from Craig and Seydoux. There's an electricity to the relationship that translates their situation and state of mind perfectly. You can see the cogs turning in Bond's mind and I get the impression, with Swann being a little squiffy, he continues to see a little of himself in her. It's quietly and subtly effective.
The 'Who sent you?' DAF throwback is a really nice touch and the discovery of White's hidden room brings yet more chance for us to savour these little subtleties of performance that you could only get with actors the calibre of Craig and Seydoux. The fleeting moment of reflection when he takes the Vesper tape and subsequently tosses it aside is just excellent. Again, there's a brevity to it that tells you so much in such a short moment. I'd go as far as to say this scene is one of my favourite in the series.
Torture - The main criticisms I've heard aimed at this scene are that it doesn't stand up against CR.
Personally I find that rather flawed, for the same reason I wouldn't compare the car chase in SP to the car chase in QoS. Tonally they are trying to achieve very different things and they are crafted to exemplify the characters and their place within the story.
Transplant ESB and the relevant dialogue to the CR torture scene, or something similar, and you have a scenario which loses the calculated menace behind the man. The way Waltz operates the chair is like a scientist, meticulously probing, psychologically testing. Having him whip his balls, or something equally, viscerally brutal takes away the self-assured, measured approach this psychotic should employ.
Again the soft lighting and empty almost spectral feel of it ties in perfectly with the cold, amoral world ESB represents. The dialogue and acting are pretty sensational, not once does it stray into hammy or cliched territory and given the subject matter I take my hat off because the balance they strike is excellent.
I've now seen it three times and I have to say, each time I hear it... 'The man you are now talking to. The man that is in your head...' I lose my shit. While the thought of Blofeld returning was always going to be mouthwatering, I had felt several pangs of anxiety concerning how they'd go about the reveal. Well, they nailed it in my eyes. No unnecessary theatre, no scenery chewing, just a withering look from ESB at the sound of the name, 'Franz', the cat and the dialogue. It's just bloody brilliant.
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Comments
Mr White over the chess board
Torture scene. I like the minimalism.
"L'Americain" is a hint towards Humphrey Bogart's "Casablanca"-
SP meeting=All Roads Leads to Rome-
a Spy's Torture is legio-it's done in the desert, and there's nothing for rescue-if not for Q and his gadgets-
2. Bond finding Mr White
3. Bond/Mr Hinx fight on the train
No doubt this could change over more viewings.
Mexico is definitely up there. Like @Matt007, I think it's probably the best PTS of the franchise. I think the best PTS' are the ones that work as mini Bond movies, that contain all the classic Bond ingredients (eg- Goldfinger, TLD) and SPECTRE did that amazingly. Also, that tracking shot is now without a doubt one of my favourite moments from the entire franchise.
The SPECTRE meeting was fantastic. That whole scene right up to Bond's escape in the Aston Martin. The eery silence, the amazing cinematography, Hinx's brutal introduction. The moment of realisation when Bond sees Blofeld for the first time, and then him killing the doorman by tossing him over the railing breaks the tension and kicks off a badass escape.
The torture scene was also brilliantly done. I got goosebumps at Blofeld's reveal. Wasn't a big fan of "I love you" though, I found that quite unbelieveable and forced. So for that reason, I'd probably instead go with Mr White's death. A brilliant scene, really well acted, and they managed to give a good ending to one character (wrapping up the loose end QoS left) while also really selling another (Mr White's fear of Blofeld really makes him a credible threat).
So yeah, PTS, meeting, Mr White's death. But the whole film was fantastic. After thinking about it, I'm pretty certain now that it's my favourite Bond film. I was hesitant to rank them over the Dalton films, as they've always been at the top for me, but SPECTRE just blew me away. It has it's flaws but it comes so close to being the ideal Bond film for me, and I enjoyed it so much, that I think I'd be lying to myself if I didn't rank it as no 1.
Going to see it for the second time this week and I can't wait.
It was very epic. That opening shot where we see Sciarra swaggering through the crowd is pure class and the casual glance from Bond, equally brilliant. I have to say, the moment he steps out of the hotel on to the roof and we get the swell of the Bond theme bass, it makes me want to fist pump. Can't help but hum along, it's totally bad ass. Whether it's factually accurate I'm not sure, but I heard the intro was supposed to me more QoS-like (Siena rooftops), but was readjusted because of Dan's knee. If that is the case it's a blessing in disguise because the whole shot just makes him look like the man.
I really like him talking to the mouse. It's gotten some stick but it's a nice character bit and leads on to important info.
Yeah I agree. We've had Bond racing across rooftops before, that would've been a little played out (especially since CR made any future foot chase in a Bond film kind of redundant). But the reveal of Bond in his suit, "I'll be right back" followed by him casually strolling from roof to roof while assembling his rifle, that was so cool.
L'Americain, drunk Lea Seydoux - :x
In the lair, when Oberfeld wants to show Madeleine how her father died - That scene shows how menacing and cruel Waltz can be. And the dialogue when talking about Vesper "She was the big one" is really evil.
1)Has to be the pre-credits, stunning tracking shot (I don't care how it was done, its still brilliant) Great action and spectacle.
2)Rome, that intro of Oberhauser is simply genius, the flipside of Silvas grand wordy entrance, chillingly silent and imposing, Loved it.
3)The train fight, fast, furious and thrilling. it reminded me of the hotel scrap in OHMSS.
But I also love Bonds seduction of Lucia, Madeleines questioning of Bond, the scene with Mr. White, the car chase, the Plane sequence, any scenes with M, oh and I musn't forget Danny Kleinmans titles.
Going for my second viewing tomorrow. (God, its been a week since I seen it!) Am sure I will add to this list.
I haven't actually seen anyone slagging it yet. Strange thing to be irked by, it's brilliant.
2. The SPECTRE meeting in Rome. Agree with everything @RC7 says.
3. The train fight with Hinx. Finally, the Craig era gets a decent henchman.
Good shout @00Ralf - a fantastic scene and yes, Waltz is excellent. A few of the looks he throws Bond are truly menacing. Off topic, are you by any chance Mr. Lewandowski?
1) Mexico PTS and the amazing opening shot
2) All the scenes at Blofeld's lair
3) Austria action sequence
2) Mr White - See below
3) Torture scene and "Tempus Fugit"
I can't begin to say how brilliant I find the Mr White scene. His character desperately needed closure and we've waited seven years to see this bastard finally die, yet the writers find a way to put a whole new spin on it. I knew he was going to make a cameo in the film but didn't foresee his borderline redemption of character, admitting that SPECTRE was too brutal for him (women, children...) and his life was basically a miserable failure.
The moment when Bond hands Mr White a loaded gun was astonishing. How on earth have we managed to get from the end of CR to this? Bond closing White's eyes after his suicide indicates a level of sympathy you could never have predicted, but the crows later pecking at his body are nice final touch - you're partially forgiven, but not entirely.
A masterful ending to Mr White's story arc and one of the highlights of the whole series.
2. Bond and Lucia Sciarra in the room together. Love this scene so much. Don't know why but the bit when Bond throws the champagne glasses to the floor, I just can't get out of my head. Love it!
3. Escape from Spectre meeting and subsequent chase. Yes it's not "thrilling" but I still love this scene.
The first 2 I think will always be favourites of mine, already go down for me as "iconic" scenes from the whole Bond series, the 3rd may change on more viewings as its already a close call between this and the Austria action scene, L'Americain etc.
Very sinister and atmospheric, almost gothic and macabre. It's a terrific introduction
to Waltz's character. Although it had long since been shown in the trailer - albeit
with a different delivery of the line -the "Welcome James..." moment is wonderfully
chilling. Perhaps an all time favourite Bond moment for me.
2. Arrival at the SPECTRE base in the Sahara.
I just love the fusion of the futuristic with the retro, coupled with the score and cinematography, when Bond and Madeline arrive and look around their rooms. Love the touches of the 60s (even 50s?) chairs from the Dr No hotel room and the other worldly view they have from their rooms. A good cinematic moment.
3.The torture scene.
The film gets darker and our hero is in real peril. Lea Seydoux acted so well with so few lines here. Love the almost drugged up cinematography and Waltz really shines here. The reveal of the pussy and the Blofeld name are handled really well.
I love this film I could name three more highlights!
I will go with this. The entire pts needs a mention. Bond landing on the sofa gave me a good laugh, and the helicopter scene is the best since FYEO.
One of the highlights of the Spectre meeting is Hinx entering the room, and the car chase that follows is hilarious with Bond trying out the different buttons. Him landing, tossing away the parachute and saying good evening to a random bystander also put a grin on my handsome face.
It's so Fleming in a way. They have been on opposite sides but they are in the same game and so there is some mutual understanding.
Think the guy is a street sweeper, and looks a bit pissed off that Bond left his parachute for him to clear up!
2. The Spectre Meeting in Rome. Menacing, mysterious and beautifully crafted, right down to Bond's escape and Waltz's 'cookoo" reveal.
3. Train fight. Brutal. Loved the reflection in the Martini glass. The crashing of tables, fists flying, knees grinding. Fantastic.
So many good Bond moments in Spectre but I'll have to settle for these 3 standout moments for now.
Stand out moments are:
*The PTS heli-stunt, especially the mid-air struggle that had no music to it (Mendes/Newman wisely let the action do the talking). Pure, classic, unadulterated James Bond at it's very best. Had me giddy with a MR/FYEO kind of PTS nostalgia. DC finally gets his Pre-title stunt.
*Rome chase. Contrary to a lot of the negativity on here I loved it. Nothing wrong with the goofiness - we’ve done the Bourne-style chases to death so this was refreshing.
*The whole train journey. A throwback to old-fashioned adventure films.
1. The "Goodfella's" tracking shot from the PTS. Mixed with those awesome jungle drums, That whole thing was a delight.
2. The whole train Sequence. I couldn't help but think of FRWL that whole time. It's like Bond and Swann went back in time for 5 minutes. That fight, Oh it was wonderful. Brutal, in your face and realistic. The best Bond fight since GoldenEye.
3. Blofeld's Lair/Bond's Torture. Need I say more?
More in line with Welles's A Touch of Evil opening (which pre-dates Goodfellas by a good few years). Great opening though.
1) Spectre meeting.
Let me first thank the audience I was with. The room was practically sold out yet everybody kept their mouths shut during all of the film (except when we laughed over a joke). When the Spectre meeting played, you could have heard a fly buzz. I love the tension, the quiet and slow build-up to that tension and the impressive collection of members. The rather limited brotherhood we read about in TB the novel and saw in TB the movie is clearly not of the times anymore. You want to control or take over the world, a dozen people isn't enough. You need hundreds of them. I could feel the power. This scene reminded me of the tension I felt during the masked ball in Eyes Wide Shut.
2) The drink in the train scene
A call-back to Vesper? Could be. I detect a certain symmetry to be honest. In CR we sat on a train, having a great time with Bond and Vesper, actually getting to know Bond a little through Vesper's analysis. In SP things are a little tense. Bond and Madeleine have already created something of a past through their mutual Mr. White association. However, as was the case with Vesper, there seems to be genuine love hanging between them. With Camille, Fields and Séverine having been sweet company at best, Madeleine appears to be the first girl since Vesper for whom Bond may produce the L word. Too bad the moment gets interrupted the way it does. But it leads into a great fight scene with Bond and Madeleine combining forces. Great stuff.
3) Franz reveals himself to be Ernst Stavro
This is it, folks. This is the moment I've been waiting for since 2008! I distinctly remember having suggested, frequently, that if EON were ever to get the rights to SPECTRE and Blofeld back from that sourpuss McClory, SPECTRE could be used as the darkest of all shadow organisations, even behind Quantum, tying the likes of LeChiffre, Greene and White to an even bigger network. As if someone read my words, this is precisely how they went with it. For the first time in my life, an EON film gives me Blofeld and SPECTRE again and this time, Blofeld doesn't look or feel like he's ripped from the pages of some 50s Weird Science comic book.
When the title, SPECTRE, was released, of course we immediately thought about Blofeld. Waltz was cast as the villain - would he be Blofeld? Not according to what we read in the press. But then Naomi Harris was never going to be MP either... They always do these things nowadays and I understand why. But it didn't keep me from thinking, especially since the second trailer, that Waltz was definitely going to be Blofeld.
And because Blofeld isn't dead by the end of this film, there's always the possibility of him coming back for another film. I guess that will depend on a lot of things; I'm not yet willing to speculate about Bond 25. But at least there's a chance and that's good enough for now.
I love this incarnation of Blofeld by the way. I love that he and Bond have a personal thing going. We didn't get it after OHMSS, since DAF chose to effectively ignore the emotional set-up of the final scene in OHMSS. Yet Fleming made his final Blofeld book very personal. I've been waiting for this for literally decades! Waltz' Blofeld combines the best of both words: evil supervillain from the 60s & modern ultraterrorist using information as a means of power.
So when Oberhausen mentioned his new name, I made a fist and silently screamed "HELL YEAH". This is straight-up 007gasm for me.
Me too. The look he gives Bond when he calls him Franz, then the cat... arrrrgh. So good.
2. Spectre meeting
3. Torture