Easter Eggs, Symbolism & Call Backs (Major Spoilers)

1356711

Comments

  • 00Heaven00Heaven Home
    Posts: 575
    @Pierce2Daniel

    I'm glad you picked up on the QoS car one... Because I watched QoS last night since it was on TV and noticed that Camille picks up Bond twice in that movie and says "Get in."

    Nomi also picks up Bond twice in NTTD but says "Need a ride?"
  • VenutiusVenutius Yorkshire
    Posts: 3,152
    'Get in' followed by a slight pause and then 'All right' in QOS was more amusing than many of the obvious gags elsewhere. Or maybe it's just me...
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited October 2021 Posts: 16,383
    mattjoes wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    Librarian wrote: »
    Librarian wrote: »
    I have a question: did Michael G. Wilson appeared in NTTD in a cameo role as usual?

    Yes, he did.

    Were he was? Maybe in SPECTRE meeting in Cuba?

    Yes I think he looks straight at the camera: when we are looking from Bond’s POV as he and Paloma are walking around the meeting talking on the radio.

    Does he work for Spectre? And if so, does he die with the others? Did they really kill off Michael G. Wilson after so many films?

    Well, I guess they can always bring him back in a new continuity, without the baggage he has accumulated over the years. Michael G. Wilson will return.

    :))

    I wish fans would just accept that Michael G Wilson died in that film, sheesh.... ;)
  • Did anyone else note that Felix's death and Bond watching him sink to the bottom of the boat was very similar to when Vesper died?
  • ImpertinentGoonImpertinentGoon Everybody needs a hobby.
    Posts: 1,351
    Did anyone else note that Felix's death and Bond watching him sink to the bottom of the boat was very similar to when Vesper died?

    Not as brutal as her last gasp, but similar, yes. He also has basically the same gunshot wound as M in Skyfall..

    Also maybe it is obvious, but took me two viewings and a good bit of thought to realize tha Madeleine isn't just randomly thinking of her mother's death/the masked man, but because she just found out she is becoming a mother herself. Looking at it head-on it is very convenient that we get this introduction to Safin just at the beginning of the film where he is relevant, but really there is a good reason for her to think of meeting him the first time and wanting to forget him via the paper burning and then it is another 5 years until he comes back into her live, to a point that she doesn't even recognize him.
  • RyanRyan Canada
    Posts: 692
    Not sure if this has been mentioned or not, but in the "Making Of" book, Fukunaga mentions how he wanted the film to be symmetrical. It opens with mother and daughter and ends with mother and daughter - a very unusual structure for Bond, but fitting for the story.

    I also just noticed that in the black and white film poster of Bond and Madeleine in the DB5, Bond's blue eyes are coloured and stand out. Now I understand why.
  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    Posts: 7,021
    Did anyone else note that Felix's death and Bond watching him sink to the bottom of the boat was very similar to when Vesper died?

    Not as brutal as her last gasp, but similar, yes. He also has basically the same gunshot wound as M in Skyfall..

    Also maybe it is obvious, but took me two viewings and a good bit of thought to realize tha Madeleine isn't just randomly thinking of her mother's death/the masked man, but because she just found out she is becoming a mother herself. Looking at it head-on it is very convenient that we get this introduction to Safin just at the beginning of the film where he is relevant, but really there is a good reason for her to think of meeting him the first time and wanting to forget him via the paper burning and then it is another 5 years until he comes back into her live, to a point that she doesn't even recognize him.

    Great observation.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,547
    Gettler wrote: »
    The shot of the helicopter appearing in the Norway chase looked strikingly similar to the shot of Silva's helicopter arriving at Skyfall right before firing down at the manor.

    Yeah, definitely felt like a callback.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited October 2021 Posts: 12,480
    This is very thoughtfully made film. The writers (including Cary a lot) put so much effort into making this a layered, meaningful movie. Villain's plot not the main focus of this story anyway. So much is interwoven in this beautiful movie, it will take me several viewings to get it all (I have seen it 3 times so far).
  • ImpertinentGoonImpertinentGoon Everybody needs a hobby.
    Posts: 1,351
    This is very thoughtfully made film. The writers (including Cary a lot) put so much effort into making this a layered, meaningful movie. Villain's plot not the main focus of this story anyway. So much is interwoven in this beautiful movie, it will take me several viewings to get it all (I have seen it 3 times so far).

    I am still at a point where I feel like they wanted too many seperate things at the same time, but maybe that will clear up in the future. I don't want to be reductive, but it is a bit strange that they made the longest Bond film ever and there are several pieces where we kind of go "Well, they didn't have the space to really get into that." And sadly, some of the lighter touches - like the mirroring @Ryan mentions or the actually pretty strong spy story developing between Bond, Leiter, Ash, Nomi and Primo in Jamaica and Cuba - get lost a bit in all of it.
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 7,507
    Gettler wrote: »
    The shot of the helicopter appearing in the Norway chase looked strikingly similar to the shot of Silva's helicopter arriving at Skyfall right before firing down at the manor.

    Yeah, definitely felt like a callback.

    I think it is more reminiscent of FRWL. There is a shot of the helicopter following the car on the road bellow that looks almost identical to the one in FRWL. So identical it cannot be a coincidence.
    This is very thoughtfully made film. The writers (including Cary a lot) put so much effort into making this a layered, meaningful movie. Villain's plot not the main focus of this story anyway. So much is interwoven in this beautiful movie, it will take me several viewings to get it all (I have seen it 3 times so far).

    I am still at a point where I feel like they wanted too many seperate things at the same time, but maybe that will clear up in the future. I don't want to be reductive, but it is a bit strange that they made the longest Bond film ever and there are several pieces where we kind of go "Well, they didn't have the space to really get into that." And sadly, some of the lighter touches - like the mirroring @Ryan mentions or the actually pretty strong spy story developing between Bond, Leiter, Ash, Nomi and Primo in Jamaica and Cuba - get lost a bit in all of it.

    Yes, even though it is the longest film in the series' history, it still wasn't long enough to really delve into all the characters and themes properly. As I have said before, even though all the characters are good and brilliantly cast, there are just too many of them.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    I didn't want them to delve into the other characters. I do feel the time spent was the correct amount for characters in this film. It is not meant to be a typical Bond film. It is serving another purpose; which I appreciate it.
  • Posts: 7,507
    I didn't want them to delve into the other characters. I do feel the time spent was the correct amount for characters in this film. It is not meant to be a typical Bond film. It is serving another purpose; which I appreciate it.

    @4EverBonded

    I don't disagree necesarrily. I suppose my main issue is that some if the characters are superfluous and serve the same purpose as each other. Felix and Paloma should have been one character, or alternatively Paloma and Nomi should have been one character. Primo and Logan Ash should have been one character, etc... For me it is a sign of too many rewrites and writers involved.

    However I am obviously nitpicking here, and anyway we have now strayed off from the concept of the thread...
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    I just didn't feel that at all. But we all have our own perspective as we watch movies.
  • 00Heaven00Heaven Home
    edited October 2021 Posts: 575
    On the subject of symmetry and how that might link into symbolism...

    I noticed that the shot of Safin going towards Madeleine's home and Bond are identical. The one that shows them both from the back.

    The difference is, one is in the Winter (cold, uninviting, inhospitable) and the other is in what I assume to be summer (warm and in bloom)

    Bond also enters her home with his gun drawn, like Safin. There's also a mother and daughter hiding there in both instances.

    It plays into this whole idea that Madeleine is only ever surrounded by murderers and the whole trope Safin plays off "we're not too different you and I" to Bond.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,383
    00Heaven wrote: »
    On the subject of symmetry and how that might link into symbolism...

    I noticed that the shot of Safin going towards Madeleine's home and Bond are identical. The one that shows them both from the back.

    The difference is, one is in the Winter (cold, uninviting, inhospitable) and the other is in what I assume to be summer (warm and in bloom)

    Bond also enters her home with his gun drawn, like Safin. There's also a mother and daughter hiding there in both instances.

    It plays into this whole idea that Madeleine is only ever surrounded by murderers and the whole trope Safin plays off "we're not too different you and I" to Bond.

    Yes that’s nice.

    Reminds me there’s also a recurring shot (which I don’t think means anything!) of whenever Bond is driving a car we get a shot from directly above it like it’s the first Grand Theft Auto or something :D
    I think it happens three times!
  • 00Heaven00Heaven Home
    Posts: 575
    Dammit, Cary, you were meant to stay off the video games :D
  • ImpertinentGoonImpertinentGoon Everybody needs a hobby.
    Posts: 1,351
    00Heaven wrote: »
    Dammit, Cary, you were meant to stay off the video games :D

    I don't know if it was mentioned here or somewhere else, but our main characters being kitted out on-route to the mission while their boss is on a video screen telling them the three objectives for the mission is very video-gamey as well.
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 2,165
    00Heaven wrote: »
    Dammit, Cary, you were meant to stay off the video games :D

    I don't know if it was mentioned here or somewhere else, but our main characters being kitted out on-route to the mission while their boss is on a video screen telling them the three objectives for the mission is very video-gamey as well.

    Yeah there is a lot of video game structure in this. I play a ton of video games so its not a criticism but it is interesting to note. The last third is very much like a video game

    - working your way through a level (into Safin’s base)
    - A partner for co-op (Nomi)
    - Being guided by a map (Qdar)
    - Having characters deliver information via earpiece (Q, M etc)
    - Cover and shooting mechanics (i.e. what bond does)

    Also interesting that several of the main actors have themselves portrayed characters in video games.

    - Craig (the Bond games)
    - Seydoux (Death Stranding)
    - Malek (Until Dawn)
    - Jeffrey Wright (The Last of Us Part 2)
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,383
    00Heaven wrote: »
    Dammit, Cary, you were meant to stay off the video games :D

    :))
  • Posts: 7,507
    00Heaven wrote: »
    Dammit, Cary, you were meant to stay off the video games :D

    I don't know if it was mentioned here or somewhere else, but our main characters being kitted out on-route to the mission while their boss is on a video screen telling them the three objectives for the mission is very video-gamey as well.

    The line; "remember to use your watch, Bond" doesn't exactly help either...
  • RyanRyan Canada
    Posts: 692
    With Fukunaga's love of Red Dead Redemption II I'm somewhat surprised Bond and Nomi didn't arrive on Safin's Island on horseback. ;)
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,383
    jobo wrote: »
    00Heaven wrote: »
    Dammit, Cary, you were meant to stay off the video games :D

    I don't know if it was mentioned here or somewhere else, but our main characters being kitted out on-route to the mission while their boss is on a video screen telling them the three objectives for the mission is very video-gamey as well.

    The line; "remember to use your watch, Bond" doesn't exactly help either...

    Yep, that was the moment where I really thought it's just like a Bond video game! :D
  • 00Heaven00Heaven Home
    Posts: 575
    Remember, this is just the tutorial bond! Use WASD to move.
  • And the cruel irony is we don’t have a video game tie-in for this Bond film :/ There’s another universe where there is one and it’s the next Goldeneye 64
  • ImpertinentGoonImpertinentGoon Everybody needs a hobby.
    Posts: 1,351
    Little easter egg I just found:
    Apparently there is some speculation online about whether the drug Valenka put into Bond's drink in CR came from the Safins, what with them being SPECTRE's in-house poisoners. So I looked into it a bit.
    It doesn't directly add up - and not just the timeline problem that Les Safins were already dead when Casino takes place. We learn in NTTD that Mr. White gave them their own recipe and that it was Dioxin based - that's why little Lyutsifer has the chloracne going on (sidenote: apparently Dioxins aren't super deadly to humans, but they lead to developmental defects down the line and higher rates of cancer. But Safin senior probably did something with it to make it more deadly.). And we also know from the ersatz-Qs Bond calls from his car in CR that the poison Valenka gave him is digitalis. So it's not so same thing.
    However, digitalis poison is derived from the digitalis genus of plants, which are better known as: foxgloves. And if I am not completely mistaken, foxgloves are the plant Madeleine has in her office and on which Safin comments that one drop can make your heart just stop. So it's rather unlikely that the toxin Bond was poisoned with 15 years ago originated on Safin Island, but I think the mention of it in NTTD is a little nod to the previous film.
  • matt_umatt_u better known as Mr. Roark
    edited October 2021 Posts: 4,343
    Blofeld took control of Safin's island once they were all dead. Perhaps SPECTRE kept producing poisons.
  • MinionMinion Don't Hassle the Bond
    Posts: 1,165
    matt_u wrote: »
    Blofeld took control of Safin's island once they were all dead. Perhaps SPECTRE kept producing poisons.

    I believe they even say as much when Tanner is expositing Safin’s backstory. SPECTRE took over the island and continued using it.
  • matt_umatt_u better known as Mr. Roark
    edited October 2021 Posts: 4,343
    Yes they do. I don’t remember if was Tanner but someone in the film points that out.
Sign In or Register to comment.