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+1
+2. I’ll go CR/NTTD as well.
It’s got some fans, and I suspect if it were showing on TV most people would say it’s ok (not sure if anyone would say it’s the best Bond film, but I’ve seen more general audience dislike of DAD, and I’d say that’s better than TWINE). I’m not sure it holds up to us constantly talking about it, rewatching particular scenes (I’d say it’s one of the weakest Bond films in terms of filmmaking), and discussing all its missed opportunities.
Yes, I agree. I don't hate TWINE like some do, I think it has many good elements and tried hard (perhaps too hard) to bring more depth to Bond, but I also think Apted, who was a fine director in his own right, didn't have a strong handle on Bond and allowed Brosnan to overact in some scenes, which he sometimes still does to this day, just check out his performance in the heavy handed so-called crime comedy, The Outlaws.
Would you rather watch a double bill of DAF & DAD OR AVTAK & NTTD?
The final films of four Bond actors.
Sean and Pierce went out in a big, bombastic, campy film adventures. Certainly neither film is a serious grounded plot. Both involve a satellite threatening us from above.
Roger and Craig went out in interesting films. Roger was showing his age and the story seemed to ignore this fact. Craig's final film tied up all the loose ends of his story arc and gave us a unique ending.
Which of these double bills are you watching. Remember it's a would you rather!
AVTAK may be the worst Roger Moore film (it's fighting with OP for that spot, for my taste), but it is still enough fun to endure it and top it all off with the brilliant NTTD (among my top five). So AVTAK/NTTD it certainly is.
Any combo with DAF is an incredibly weak one for me.
For the current question I'll go for the over-the-topness of DAF and DAD over NTTD's convoluted self-seriousness. AVTAK is fun, but paired to NTTD I'm afraid it doesn't stand a chance. Only a Dalton film, OHMSS or FRWL pairing would make me reconsider.
NTTD is too long and boring for a double bill ;)
….. AVTAK and NTTD (barely).
Okay enough with the double bills, lets try something a bit different.
We have seen a gender swap of M. When Judi Dench was cast it created a bit of a buzz. The character being female changed the role and the relationship with Bond. It has me thinking the producers might try to switch the gender of another Mi6 character.
Would you rather a male Moneypenny OR a female Q?
John Gardener had a female Q or at least a female within Q branch who went by the nickname Q'ute. While I am not a fan of the nickname it was an interesting concept. What would having a female Q do for the series?
Bond and Moneypenny have flirted and teased thru the years. In the more recent films that has been de-emphasized as it would be considered sexual harassment today. Would having a male Moneypenny do anything for the character?
I also feel like a female Q wouldn't change the dynamic as much, whereas (as you've hinted at) a male Moneypenny wouldn't have the same dynamic with Bond, unless they wanted to explore queer undertones between Bond and said male Moneypenny, which we already know wouldn't go down well with some... 👀
If you remove the flirtation between Bond and a male Moneypenny, you might as well just have Bill Tanner instead.
In regards to Bond and Moneypenny being "de-emphasised", I'd say the relationship has developed but there's still that tension and flirtation, which I think can 100% still remain going forward, but Moneypenny's role should be more than just that.
In the past, understandably because of the times we were in, she basically just operated as someone to pine over Bond, whereas again, I think now it should be a flirty dynamic that exists between two people who respect each-other and have their own important roles outside of that dynamic. It's why I think in the next era, Moneypenny and Bill Tanner should be "combined" so that Moneypenny has more of an extensive role and removing Tanner will give her that time to do so without stepping on the toes of the main story.
Moneypenny as a character isn’t obsolete in that sense. In the Brosnan era she was much more feisty with Bond. It was still good natured banter though, and in every Moneypenny/Bond scene it’s always been a two sided thing anyway, so it doesn’t leave a bad taste. I don’t think it’s something people often cite as being an issue in the early films (unlike, for instance, the barn scene in GF), at least beyond some tongue in cheek jokes about office sexual harassment.
A female Q would have a much more platonic relationship with Bond because that’s how the two characters have always interacted with each other. I suspect she’d be depicted as intelligent, confident, and excitable. A bit like Shuri from Black Panther. I could see that working better, presuming there’s a Moneypenny as well in the next Bond film.
The main ingredient of the Moneypenny character has always been some form of flirting or semi-sexual innuendo with Bond. I don't suppose most people would be too happy if Bond suddenly starts something like that with a male Moneypenny, considering the reactions to Skyfall's mild innuendo that Bond may have had some sort of homosexual experience before Silva's "advances". That doesn't mean I think we "need" a female Q, just to have another woman on the regular team, but it could be done with less side effect.
We've had an iconic middle-aged and older male Q in Desmond, and an equally iconic younger male Q in Ben.
I think they'll try a different approach next time.