Skyfall would have been a better movie if Pierce was the lead in lieu of Daniel

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  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    George is the better car salesman.
    Better dressed, yes.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    edited December 2016 Posts: 16,351

    He wasn't "mad" that much in TLD, only that particular scene (Saunder's death). He was irritated more than mad, but they are not the same thing, and he didn't have a one expression fits all expression (like Pain Face).
    No and I wasn't trying to use this particular scene but rather his facial expression. He used it a lot. It was his version of the pain face.
    But you care enough to post about Dalton gritting his teeth in one scene in TLD. Talking of gritting teeth, Brosnan does that in TWINE, when Bond has Renard at gunpoint. So I guess that gritting teeth isn't an aspect exclusive to Dalton's style. What a pity.
    It seemed more like a nitpick to me. You mention two instances of it where it happens many times in both of Tim's films.
    I don't think that is supposed to be a moment of humour.
    That's a matter of perspective. Weak is not pushing Bond in this direction, or that direction, but staying down the middle all of the way. As I said, whatever one thinks of Dalton, at least he tried to do something different. Some people might not think it worked, but at least he knew what he wanted to do.

    What did he do that was different though? I just don't see it.

    They share some similar aspects, but those aspects don't define the previous actors as they did Dalton. His Bond is defined by his intense and ruthless style.

    Debatable really, I don't see it honestly.

    You can't compare OHMSS to LTK. One has the class of a Bond film, the other doesn't, but takes the films into uncharted territory. You might as well attack GE for featuring a space based something or other like MR, YOLT, or TND for featuring boats, TWINE for a personal story (again!), or DAD for featuring snow.

    Of course I can, They are Bond movies. They are made for comparing. They all have similarities and differences. I dare say GoldenEye's space doomsday weapon was done better than Both MR and YOLT. Considering the GoldenEye satellites are more plausible and realistic than A massive space station or a ship eating ship. I don't mind repeating themes if done well.


    DN isn't really a spy thriller. But I digress, i think that TLD definitely is a classy cold war spy thriller. It's a spy thriller, but not of the Ipcress File kind, it retains the refinement of Bonds world.
    TLD has good moments but it also has bad ones that sadly ruin it for me. I want to love it but I just can't.
    It has no flaws, or at least none that pull me out of the film.

    I won't go into them here since it's not the thread for it. It has some good moments but sadly the bad outweight the good for me.
    That we can agree on. Though LTK does have one small flaw, it's almost not worth mentioning, but i'll do it anyway, but I don't like that winking fish at the end. That feels like a hangover of the Moore era.

    The Winking fish doesn't really bother me. I can live without it but I don't find it to be as bad. TLD has more of that type of stuff but as I said before I won't get into it here since it's not the thread for it.
    I don't have anything more to add. How you feel about Brosnan, is how I feel about Dalton, and how you feel about Dalton is how I feel about Brosnan.
    Yep, just preference. Sorry to spoil the mood.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Wartime gives way to peacetime, and peacetime gives way to quiet. BORING. Somebody, anybody that likes a Bond actor, cast aspersions against another Bond actor that is inferior to them, quick.
    I'd rather not spend Christmas morning debating Bonds in this borderline vitriolic way, though I am tempted to throw all my lot in with Dalton against Brosnan. Maybe I'll save my thoughts for a rainy day, and post them in a versus thread here?

    Oh, shut up. Man up or sit this one out, princess. I don't give a good goddamn if it's Christmas, Easter or freaking Labor Day. You stand and you fight, take no prisoners. It doesn't matter if we only battle in text form, war is war.
    I'm going to putter off now. You lads play nice...

    Yeah, you go and "putter off" (who actually talks like this in the modern age?). Playing nice is for kids, by the way. We're not kids.
    Wait...aren't I, you? Or you, me?

    ...Maybe. I am a human, I have multitudes. I mean, we have multitudes.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Very good, Brady. I wish I had the guts to take on Thunderfinger the same way, but he is just so awesome, I don t know.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Ah, I love you guys....Only Bond fans could wake up and spend Christmas morning escalating into an argument and bickering about which actor is better. Never change, guys and Merry Christmas to you all.

    I'll be watching OHMSS later today.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Very good, Brady. I wish I had the guts to take on Thunderfinger the same way, but he is just so awesome, I don t know.

    Brady can be a grade-A you-know-what sometimes, so every once in a while he needs to be brought down a peg. I view it as a civic duty above all else, but I don't expect trophies, medals or anything for it. I don't think a plaque is too much to ask, however.

    Thunderfinger is a tough case, so I can't really advise you about facing him head-on. I know that every time Brady and I go around the yard in a debate, we're always coming back at each other with equal and opposing forces, almost as if we're the same person or something. It's a freaky, freaky sensation you may be aware of in your particular situation.

    What you need to remember is that Thunderfinger's Kryptonite is Brosnan. Shower him with copy and pasted positive reviews of Pierce's Bond movies and watch him cower into the fetal position in agony as he is forced to read about how Goldeneye revitalized Bond post-hiatus and how Tomorrow Never Dies was a modern day deconstruction of propaganda as a media tool viewed through the glasses of a big-budget blockbuster. While he's distracted in this state of horror, take a punch of pictures (pre-printed) that you made of Pierce doing pain faces and stick them all over the walls of his bedroom to further drive him into madness. If Thunderfinger doesn't slit his wrists with the nearest sharp object after that, I'll deliver Brady to you on a platter in reimbursement for my failed advice. Maybe you can help to finally bump him off for me. He follows me everywhere and I'd rather have my privacy, permanently. If you catch my meaning.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489

    What you need to remember is that Thunderfinger's Kryptonite is Brosnan. Shower him with copy and pasted positive reviews of Pierce's Bond movies and watch him cower into the fetal position in agony as he is forced to read about how Goldeneye revitalized Bond post-hiatus and how Tomorrow Never Dies was a modern day deconstruction of propaganda as a media tool viewed through the glasses of a big-budget blockbuster. While he's distracted in this state of horror, take a punch of pictures (pre-printed) that you made of Pierce doing pain faces and stick them all over the walls of his bedroom to further drive him into madness. If Thunderfinger doesn't slit his wrists with the nearest sharp object after that, I'll deliver Brady to you on a platter in reimbursement for my failed advice. Maybe you can help to finally bump him off for me. He follows me everywhere and I'd rather have my privacy, permanently. If you catch my meaning.

    Haha! Good thing he doesn t read this. I think.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    I have to agree with @Murdock and @Bain. I do find Dalton hard to watch, much more than the other 007s (with Connery and Craig my favourites). Dalton was always acting with a big "A". When it was mentioned that he would scan his environment, I always felt it was an actor who telegraphed what he thought a spy would do. In Dalton, nothing was ever natural.
    I will say I like the idea he was going for, but his execution was too stagey. He didn't come off as a flesh and blood man, but more of an actor that too too obviously telegraphed all of his "A"cting choices.
    GL may not have had classical training, but he did come off better as Bond than Dalton. Most audience members picked up on this, and by LTK stayed away.
    Dalton always came off as angry and pissed off which most audiences don't want in their heroes (can they get angry? Of course, just not an entire film of scowls and growls).
    Ian Fleming's Bond, with all his faults, was not an angry man.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    "GL may not have had classical training, but he did come off better as Bond than Dalton. Most audience members picked up on this, and by LTK stayed away."

    Sorry, too clumsy of me-- I didn't mean to insinuate that audiences picked up on GL's better performance and that's why by LTK they stayed away.

    I should have broken up the two thoughts: because of Dalton's lack of charm and naturalness in TLD (a film I quite like), he froze a lot of his audience out, and by LTK, people stayed away in droves, preferring other forms of escapism that summer. Why go and see a grumpy, angry actor stomping around the screen pretending to be in a role I'm not sure he himself was fully comfortable being in? Audiences opted for the charm and natural screen presence of people like Ford and Connery, Keaton and Nicholson, Gibson and Glover.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,179
    Before we can answer the thread's main question, we ought to dive into a bit of history.

    In the last 54 years, 6 peculiar teachings were developed, also known as "The Seven Arts of Bond" or in Latin, "Sextem Artes Bondes".

    1 - The School of the Connorists
    Strongly centred upon masculine dominion and a "shoot first, never bother to ask questions" philosophy, bum slapping Connorists can solve every problem when equipped with a generous amount of chest vegetation, an irresistible charm and a magic penis. Connorists don't charge a million per shot but instead charge up to shoot a million times at once. With a strong emphasis on discipline, sharp little eyes and no red wine with fish, the teachings of the Connorists proudly defied the loose morals that thrived during the 60s. Scholars and scientists have long since wondered about the true meaning of the mysterious sentence, "Who is your floor?", but every Connorist will tell you that those four almost biblical words are the key to success.

    2 - The Insurrection of the Lazenbros
    Though explosive and short-lived, the time of the Lazenbros didn't go by unnoticed. Characterized by the relentlessness of a brawler and the skiing and bedding skills of an Olympic champion, the Lazenbros prefer to hide their sexual omnipotence by posing as gay aristocrats but let the beast go by natural fire light, preferably at high altitudes and after discussing genealogy. Life is one big collection of daring risks and near-death experiences, but in pursuit of that one special love in life, even two million Pounds cannot make a difference to a Lazenbro. Oddly enough, the Lazenbros don't mind sleeping around, multiple times per night if needs be, while practically engaged. Suffering from a slight stiffness at the most impossible times, Lazenbros nevertheless like to raid offices for Playboy photo-shoots and men without earlobes. Their motto, "I'll leave you to tidy up", perfectly expresses how impelled they are towards trashing up hotel rooms, cable car mechanisms and Swiss cow bells, just to prove a point. Leading not by example but by the impact of a tough punch, Lazenbros never strive towards stability even one iota.

    3 - Moorologism
    Moorologism was once widely known and considered by many to be the hottest thing on Earth. Raising many an eyebrow, Moorologism focused on crawling out of an existential crisis first and foremost, seeing how much it had struggled, initially, with following in the footsteps of the School of the Connorists, before it ultimately decided to be its own thing. Alternating between reserved hedonism and total debauchery, Moorologists worry less about their peacekeeping actions than about the quips that will be used to celebrate them. Nevertheless, the Moorologist's ethics are based on buying some ice cream rather than exploit the erogenous temples of the opposite sex. This is, however, slightly contradictory to the motto, "Just keeping the British end up", although psychologists have argued that such delicate balancing acts can successfully lead to eternal youth and infinite stamina. In the great Book Of Moorologism, Chapter 5: Revelations, one can find the line "How do you kill five hours in Rio if you don't samba?" Indeed, how? Many philosophy majors have already pondered on the subliminal messages that come with this often quoted phrase.

    4 - The Theology of the Daltonites
    It was prophesied in 1954 that a man would walk the Earth who would be perfect through imperfection and a hero through his violent quest for peace. Bidding defiance to bureaucratic inaction and pursuing results in any way they can be effectively achieved, this man will eliminate problems when he sees them, correct mistakes and avenge those who were wronged. One man, one Dalton. Daltonites cling to a no-nonsense approach in the neutralization of threats of any kind. They will force generals on their knees, feeds millions of Dollars to hungry sharks, rub maggots in the face of the enemy - literally - and kiss your bride. It's evident that when they mean business not even a lack of skis can prevent them from gliding down snow-covered hills towards and past any border security check. "Salt corrosion" is their way of saying that Russian cars were pooped on Earth by the Devil. Daltonites don't mind a little anti-authoritarian attitude, yet they'll never leave official businesses unfinished. The Daltonite religion is based on one sentence and one sentence alone, "Are you calling me a horse's arse?" Think about that. If it fails to make sense to you, you'll never be a Daltonite and shame on you.

    5 - The Era of the Brosnallennials
    For some, things can't get rough enough; for others, things are too rough even when enjoying a good squeeze. Seeking quieter pleasures in life, such as checking out Muffy tattoos near the groin of overweight CIA operatives, Brosnallennials are easy to trick. Ignoring the weight of several bullets - or rather the lack thereof - is perfectly common after sex. Speaking of sex, it's everywhere in the Brosnallennial's life. Sex with unknown women who might get used to having mojitos in Cuba, (safe) sex with homicidal broads in a Russian sauna, rebound sex with a former lover who got too close; it's all in the Brosnallennial's coital handbook. Blending in nicely with the PC world of the late '90s, the Brosnallennials are characterised by treading lightly in almost every social situation, not eager to step on any toes, reluctant even to accept a conventional massage, frightened to impugn the moral steadiness of even a Red Chinese spy. Yet poetic masters they are, and thus we are welcomed to such overpowering sentiments as, "I've missed your sparkling personality" and "I see you put your money where your mouth is." The absolute stroke of genius comes with the phrase, "A name to die for", after being introduced to a man called Mr. Kill.

    6 - The Cult of Craigists
    Wrathful and inexorable, the Cult of Craigists rose from the ashes of the Era of the Brosnallennials as a reactionary force to be reckoned with. One does not simply walk into Mordor, one crushes through walls while doing so. One violates every bit of international law while doing so. One gouges holes in the system while doing do. Craigists shoot up embassies with a smile and are resurrected even before dying; how cool is that! Furthermore, their unhappiness in love is largely compensated by their tendency towards shooting down helicopters that carry family members to an unknown destination and sleeping with daughters of men they have killed. Their words: "What makes you think this is my first time?" Indeed, what?

    In conclusion, to answer the main question of this thread: Skyfall wouldn't have been better, it would have been different.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Brilliant stuff, @DarthDimi. I'm a proud Connorist and Craigist, with many Daltonite friends.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,179
    Thank you, gentlemen. I have copied this post, stepped in my time machine, visited the future, and pasted the post in all 89 threads dealing with the question if Bond actor A would have been better than Bond actor B in Bond film X or Y. ;-)
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Ha ha, you re a funny man.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,176
    It all makes sense now! I have sent off for my official Daltonite robes and hat.
  • jake24jake24 Sitting at your desk, kissing your lover, eating supper with your familyModerator
    Posts: 10,591
    After reading the last few pages, I now consider myself truly blessed to have loved each and every Bond actor this far.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,216
    jake24 wrote: »
    After reading the last few pages, I now consider myself truly blessed to have loved each and every Bond actor this far.

    +1

    While each have their disappointing entries, I've never found any leading performance to be bad. I think we've been very lucky with our six players.
  • jake24jake24 Sitting at your desk, kissing your lover, eating supper with your familyModerator
    Posts: 10,591
    Yup!
  • M16_CartM16_Cart Craig fanboy?
    Posts: 541
    What is Skyfall but a mash-up of Brosnan's movies anyway?

    Villain that was a former MI6 agent gone corrupt? Goldeneye.
    A plot to try to capture and take revenge on M? World Is Not Enough.
    Bond nearly dies, survives and enters a changing world? Die Another Day.

    that being said, Skyfall managed to do it better. and while I love Brosnan, Craig's strong performance in Skyfall would be hard to improve on.
  • Posts: 15,116
    SF has a lot of elements from Brosnan's tenure... done properly.
  • This is not me having a go at Daniel's acting ability at all or the film itself, both are great. I just think that Skyfall's narrative revolves around the idea of Bond being a bit older and more experienced. The last time we saw Craig on screen he had only just finished his becoming cinematic Bond arc. The jump Skyfall implicitly makes doesn't work for me and I can't buy it. I feel like there's been a significant gap between the end of Quantum and the start of Skyfall, a gap I can't just brush over (for me such harms the characterisation they put all that effort into). The film also requires me to be really invested in the Judi Dench M relationship. They have only had two films together so far, and in those films I felt that what they achieved was the establishment of some great groundwork for that relationship, ready to be pushed even further in later installments. It really felt like it was too early to tear what they had built up down. Why Pierce would have been better is that he always portrayed Bond as a weathered character who is tortured, and out of his time somewhat (Skyfall tries to do this but it doesn't gel with how Craig acted in the last two). Plus his relationship with Judi Dench's M was even more developed, and the two had much better chemistry in my opinion. Craig crying at the end for her felt un-earned and completely out of character for this Bond. To me this film felt like Pervis and Wade were writing for the Brosnan character again.

    What do you lot think?

    I think you're writing quite a bit of bullocks.

    However....I do think Brosnan's last three Bond films would have been improved if Craig was in it.
  • edited December 2016 Posts: 3,327
    Dalton made a conscious effort to return to the character of the Fleming books, whereas Brosnan never understood the Fleming Bond character - and it showed in all his films - and his ridiculous OTT acting.

    Dalton is classically trained as a stage actor, and again it showed in his performance as Bond. Brosnan just pouted around trying to look desperately cool, and it came off as forced and totally unnatural.

    Brozza actually wasn't that bad an actor away from Bond. It's just a shame he was terrible in the role, and easily the worst Bond ever to grace the films, and also easily the worst 4 films of the entire franchise.

    Brozza was nothing short of a disgrace as Bond. Let's leave it at that, because deep down everyone knows it to be the truth.... ;)
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited December 2016 Posts: 28,694
    Season's greetings, @jetsetwilly, you wicked bastard. ;)
  • Posts: 3,327
    Season's greetings, @jetsetwilly, you wicked bastard. ;)

    Seasonal Greetings to you too....

    <:-P
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    The oomph of Brosnan? Come off it. At least Dalton tried something (whether it worked or not is a different matter). What did Brosnan do? Suggest the tie straightening under the water in TWINE. Woah... don't dazzle us with your creativity, Brosnan. Brosnan is the middle of the road Bond. Lacking Connery's manliness, Geroge's athleticism, Moore's charm (when he kept it in check) & Dalton's intensity. Attempt a little of all, succeeding entirely at none. What's that saying, "Jack of all trades, master of none".

    Bottom line, Dalton had everything but an audience. Brosnan had an audience, but no idea of his Bond.

    Great post. Agreed.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Dalton made a conscious effort to return to the character of the Fleming books, whereas Brosnan never understood the Fleming Bond character - and it showed in all his films - and his ridiculous OTT acting.

    Dalton is classically trained as a stage actor, and again it showed in his performance as Bond. Brosnan just pouted around trying to look desperately cool, and it came off as forced and totally unnatural.

    Brozza actually wasn't that bad an actor away from Bond. It's just a shame he was terrible in the role, and easily the worst Bond ever to grace the films, and also easily the worst 4 films of the entire franchise.

    Brozza was nothing short of a disgrace as Bond. Let's leave it at that, because deep down everyone knows it to be the truth.... ;)

    I can t argue with any of that.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    suavejmf wrote: »
    The oomph of Brosnan? Come off it. At least Dalton tried something (whether it worked or not is a different matter). What did Brosnan do? Suggest the tie straightening under the water in TWINE. Woah... don't dazzle us with your creativity, Brosnan. Brosnan is the middle of the road Bond. Lacking Connery's manliness, Geroge's athleticism, Moore's charm (when he kept it in check) & Dalton's intensity. Attempt a little of all, succeeding entirely at none. What's that saying, "Jack of all trades, master of none".

    Bottom line, Dalton had everything but an audience. Brosnan had an audience, but no idea of his Bond.

    Great post. Agreed.

    Dalton made a conscious effort to return to the character of the Fleming books, whereas Brosnan never understood the Fleming Bond character - and it showed in all his films - and his ridiculous OTT acting.

    Dalton is classically trained as a stage actor, and again it showed in his performance as Bond. Brosnan just pouted around trying to look desperately cool, and it came off as forced and totally unnatural.

    Brozza actually wasn't that bad an actor away from Bond. It's just a shame he was terrible in the role, and easily the worst Bond ever to grace the films, and also easily the worst 4 films of the entire franchise.

    Brozza was nothing short of a disgrace as Bond. Let's leave it at that, because deep down everyone knows it to be the truth.... ;)

    I can t argue with any of that.

    Sadly, I must agree with both of these statements wholeheartedly.
  • Posts: 1,165
    Wow. This thread is truly bizarre. I really don't understand the hate for poor ol' Pierce. I thought he was a fantastic 007. Comparing all the actors to one another is a very silly thing to do but it seems to be the life and soul in some pockets of this community.
  • edited December 2016 Posts: 11,189
    I didn't get the hate when I first became an online fan either and I adored Brosnan when I was growing up. Nowadays I still like him but, reading interviews between both he and Dalton, you do get the sense that Dalton's approach and intentions had more substance. Brosnan was playing Bond in accordance to what the masses wanted.

    I have my issues with Dalton and agree with those who say he lacks charisma (I've always argued he fits better on television and doesn't translate to film as well as Brosnan does), but his desire to go back to the books has to be admired. Brosnan just seemed happy to be there and left the important decisions mainly to the producers and writers. As a result his films (as well as his portrayal) became too cheesy.

    I don't think Broz can be blamed entirely for the faults in his era (all the actors suffered from poor writing or over-indulgence at some point...except perhaps Laz) but he probably has to shoulder some of the responsibility.

    He did define the part for me though and I can't help but think Bond when I see him, however I do get where the detractors are coming from. I reluctantly agree that, while I loved him growing up, he wasn't all he was cracked up to be.
  • Posts: 1,165
    @BAIN123 Thanks for your mature and measured response. It's nice to hear a well argued point of view towards Brosnan.

    I agree with you 100% that Dalton and Brosnan had their pros and cons, as do all of the Bond actors to be honest.

    What really baffles me Is this snooty, snarky attitude and quasi mob mentality that if you don't hate Brosnan vitriolically then you're not much of a Bond fan and you have no right to comment here.

    Why are people comparing Bond actors to one another anyway? It's senseless. How can you compare Lazenby to Connery realistically? Or Moore to Dalton. Moore could do comic relief in his sleep whereas Dalton was much more intense and dramatic. Who is the better actor there? It's purely subjective and therefore can't be answered definitively. On what criteria exactly are people basing these opinions off of?
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    TR007 wrote: »
    Wow. This thread is truly bizarre. I really don't understand the hate for poor ol' Pierce. I thought he was a fantastic 007. Comparing all the actors to one another is a very silly thing to do but it seems to be the life and soul in some pockets of this community.

    What's even more ridicolous, people blame his for his movies scripts.
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