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It would have been a bit dated, they've decided to made the film in Latin America to join the wave of 80's Drug Action films like Miami Vice and Lethal Weapon, so that thing kinda helped the film, if the BO wasn't successful it's because of the violence and so was Dalton's portrayal of being too much serious, the version that we've got aged a lot more better, because there's no stereotypes, it's pretty diverse.
Up to this day, only two Bond films had been shot in Asia (not including TND), You Only Live Twice and The Man With The Golden Gun and as we know of them, they did aged badly, too many racist stereotypes and etc.
I prefer what we've got.
Any idea how this setting would have impacted the story?
I'm not sure, possibly instead of Latinos, the drug lords were Asians? Or possibly it's still Latin Drug Lords but with connections to Asian Drug Lords? It's like a Drug Syndicate Ring?
But I'm imagining the vibe of it would be similar to You Only Live Twice or The Man With The Golden Gun based on how the Bond films presented Asia, the stereotypes could still not be avoided, I think, and that's the aspect that I think would not aged well.
Either way, I think a Far East feel would have benefitted the movie, both exotic and old school.
Potentially not as much as one might think. This is the era when things like Air America and the CIA’s alleged involvement in drug smuggling was coming to the fore (indeed, the film Air America by the future director of TND was released the following year). So you could still have Leiter pursuing drugs, heroin instead of cocaine, and have something akin to the “Colonel Crack” found in early treatments for LTK. Killifer could become a CIA pal of Lieter’s involved in smuggling who betrays him, which gives the US even less reason to get involved and Bond more reason to do so.
That’s an oversimplification, but it could have worked. Maybe even going back to Hong Kong for some sequences, as the Brosnan fronted miniseries Noble House shows, as well.
I'd add to this that heroin is both more exotic and terrifying than cocaine, being an opiate and all. There's a whole history with it that would have made the Chinese's anger all the more visceral.
The final action with the fuel tankers for instance. If it was done in the Asia countryside, I expect a more Mad Max style turn. Not automatically a bad thing. So it would have been a different film and maybe tone.
But anyway, Asia is always welcome for me and surely they'd develop something of interest.
It's interesting you mention Roger Spottiswoode because he was approached at one point to direct a Bond movie starring Dalton (although I'm not sure if it was for LTK or Bond 17). Maybe he could have directed this alternate Bond 16 set in Asia. Anyway, the actual LTK could have indeed easily been adapted to be relocated in Asia and it's even easy to see the character of Kwang from the early Bond 15 treatments as a precursor to Sanchez.
I think the biggest concern the producers had at the time was that if they filmed in China the script would be censored in some form by the Government. Perhaps then they would have changed countries, perhaps opted for Japan again (which would make sense, considering some of the script was influenced by Kurosawa's Yojimbo).
Also, regarding the bad guys, Maibaum said, back in '89 (quotation taken from the Some Kind of Hero book):
Yes, agreed that the Leiter subplot would have been adversely affected by it being set in Asia...unless Della was maybe Asian?
If set in Asia, the Hong Kong narcotics subplot would make a lot more sense than it currently does.
As an aside, I love the diverse casting in LTK, particularly Sharkey. It makes it feel different, more contemporary, than most Bond films.
As another aside, I don't think any Bond films set in Asia are particularly strong. It's been diminishing returns ever since YOLT, and often feels like location box-checking.
Agreed! Those Bond films set in Asia aren't that strong really, and they also didn't aged well.
YOLT, TMWTGG for example, it's not until in the 90's that they successfully portrayed Asia beautifully (TND).
Edit: @thedove check your mail 😊 thank you .
On to another what if proposed by @SIS_HQ
AVTAK featured CIA agent Chuck Lee in the film. No offence to the actor but the role was under developed and didn't leave much of an impression on the audience. Our What if to consider is what if the producers had decided to instead re-introduce Felix Leiter into this project. Cast David Hedison in the role and have him in TLD as well. Then what impact would this have on LTK? Would it strengthen the poignancy of Felix being attacked? Maybe this what if deals with multiple films, but what if David Hedison had appeared as Felix Leiter in AVTAK instead of Chuck Lee?
Thus, supposing Leiter would have had a similar role than Chuck Lee in AVTAK, I guess he would have been as memorable as Lee or John Terry in TLD, meaning not memorable at all. So no impact on LTK.
If by any luck Hedison was brought back to play the part, let's suppose on Moore's recommendation, even though I doubt it, then I see two potential timelines: (1) After being that associated to Moore, Hedison is all together left out from Dalton's films and we have a new Leiter for the rest of the series; (2) After becoming the first returning Leiter actor, Hedison is called back for TLD and is definitely associated to the part. Between the two options, the first one seems the most probable to me. But, again, I doubt Hedison would have been brought back.
And maybe after Tibbett is killed, Bond would have had the opportunity to be extraprotective toward Felix, not wanting to lose another ally. More emotional resonance than we ever got for poor Chuck Lee.
I think Hedison is miscast in LTK, simply too old for Dalton's Bond. But that being said, I still wish Leiter had returned in the Brosnan era. Someone like Woody Harrelson would have been perfect back then, and certainly an improvement on Jack Wade.
Anyway, I think some of the scenes in the film would have changed (and here's how I imagined it):
- After the car drowning scene in the lake, when Bond waited for MayDay and Zorin to leave, while getting some oxygen through a tire, he would see another bunch of new guys coming above, and it's Felix and the other CIA agents calling Bond, then rescuing him.
- After they've rescued Bond, Felix would likely to tell Bond: "Your old friend, that other guy in the car, he's dead, James".
- Felix Leiter would tell Bond about Stacey Sutton, instead of Stacey Sutton telling her background to Bond, it's Felix Leiter who would tell it to Bond, so when Bond met Stacey, Bond already know the whole story, and who is Stacey.
- Felix Leiter would have likely to go with Bond in the California City Hall for an interview with Mr. Howe, but Felix Leiter would just wait outside the room (to act as a look out), while Bond was interviewing Mr. Howe inside, just imagine Felix Leiter's reaction after the interview: "What happened? What did he say?"
- When Bond and Stacey are planning to head on the City Hall, this is the scene where all of them three are present (Chuck Lee, Bond and Stacey) in Stacey's kitchen, for sure, it would be replaced by Leiter.
- Felix Leiter and the CIA team (in their cars) would likely to distract those Police Officers chasing Bond and Stacey in that Firetruck chase, when Bond said "that should keep them on the wrong track", with an additional line of Bond talking to Felix on a radio plugged in the Firetruck"thank you Felix", with Felix on the other hand telling: "Well, you're welcome, James!"
That's only my thoughts, you guys, how some scenes in AVTAK would have changed if Felix Leiter was in the film instead of Chuck Lee?
I'd have preferred to see Felix. I suppose Chuck Lee was probably created as a second sacrificial lamb.
All but knowing this would be Moore's last film would've been a great excuse to bring back Leiter and possibly Hedison. Besides that, having another actor from a popular '60s series after Patrick Macnee's appearance may have made having Hedison in particular a harder choice to make.
As somebody else said, the Chuck Lee actor and character are such a blank spot that you feel little for his being a sacrificial lamb, especially in light of Tibbett being a character who was easy to warm to, and even Stacey's boss, Howe, whose death was particularly cold. But David Yip does have a very unique pop culture claim: He was killed helping two of action cinema's greatest characters, James Bond and Indiana Jones. For those that don't remember or didn't realize, he aids Indy in the Temple of Doom opening scene in Club Obi-wan.
That's right. Been ages since I read that article. I always think of David Yip in TEMPLE OF DOOM, when I get to the Chuck Lee scenes. " I go first, Indy.........."
Interesting thoughts on Leiter appearing in AVTAK. Hadn't thought of the bookend it would have created for Roger's Bond.
Lets move ahead a few years for the next What If. After the results of LTK the producers decided to go back to the basic formula with "Bond 17". The hired screenwriters and a full script was developed. At Cannes the film was promoted as coming in 1991. Sadly, lawsuits, bankruptcy and various other legal battles shelved making this project. It was looked at for 1994 but never got off the ground.
But what if this film had been made? Lets all play casting directors and see what sort of cast we could create for this film. Timothy would return as Bond for this third adventure but who would he star with? To those unfamillar with the roles and cast of characters click here
What say you Mi6 casting directors, what if Bond 17 had been made, whose in the cast with Tim?
Gosh, I remember that advertising hoarding, Cannes I think? Was so looking forward to Bond 17 with Dalton then! The news of the lawsuit, and unknown length of delay was so frustrating!!
Anyway, sorry, back on topic!
What a great what if! Basing myself on the descriptions made in Ruggiero and Wilson's screenplay, here it is:
Sir Henry Lee Ching: John Lone (The Last Emperor)
Connie Webb: Jill Hennessy (Robocop 3)
Denholm Crisp: Oliver Reed (The Three Musketeers)
Mai Way: Joan Chen (Twin Peaks)
Nigel Yupland: Hugh Grant (Maurice)
Rodin: Dolph Lundgren (Rocky IV)