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Renny Harlin - turned down GoldenEye directors job

brunomanbrunoman
edited February 2012 in News Posts: 6
I don't know if this is old news but its news to me that Renny Harlin was offered to direct Goldeneye and was interested in directing the movie but the only catch is that he didn't want Timothy Dalton as James Bond who was still attached to do the movie at that time. Here's the link. It starts around at 6:12 If somebody around here knows how to post the video that will be great. I'm an idiot when it comes to those things.
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Comments

  • JamesPageJamesPage Administrator, Moderator, Director
    Posts: 1,380
    Thanks for bringing this to our attention! Always good to hear it from the horse's mouth.
  • VirageVirage
    Posts: 1,856
    Oh well we got Cambell instead :D
  • LeChiffreLeChiffre
    Posts: 1,548
    Based on hs comment re:Tim Dalton I,m so glad he didn't get the Goldeneye gig. Also, his post-Die Hard 2 career hassn't been too good apart from Cliffhanger (written by Michale France who contributed to the GE script). If he's got it he's probably have cast an American or dodgy Euro actor
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    Lucky escape for Bond I reckon. Although I'm not a big Cambell fan.
  • BounineBounine
    Posts: 2,599
    Interesting little interview. I wonder if he would have been keen on doing the film if Brosnan had have already been cast in the role.
  • darren_blacksmithdarren_blacksmith
    Posts: 678
    It may have just been indicative of a director who was going to be extremely demanding, and the producers might have decided not to go with him for that reason.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    I'd like to see Guy Ritchie given a crack of the whip. There'd have to be a clause saying 'no slow mo' and he'd need some help with the editing, but I think he might have it in him.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    edited February 2012 Posts: 11,189
    Guy Ritchie? God forbid lol.

    We've seen his ex wife in Bond. We don't need to see him (although I do like a few of his films).

    As for Renny Harlin I'm glad he didn't direct Bond. I like some of his films (Cliffhanger, Die Hard 2) but don't know if he'd work for Bond.
  • GetafixGetafix
    edited February 2012 Posts: 11,425
    His Sherlock Holmes films have shown more directing talent than any of the last 6 or 7 Bond outings. He's got the right mentality as well. The SH films are high quality and entertaining movies, that demonstrate a good understanding of an underlying formula without being lazy or 'directing by numbers'. They are enjoyable but not dumbed down, well paced but not so frenetic that the story is totally forgotten. Game of Shadows owes more than a little bit to the Bond films and the production design was incredible (IMO).
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Hardcore Sherelock Holmes fans claim he's butchered the character. Also we've had Revolver, a film that is considered one of the worst movies ever made.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    Sherlock Holmes is big enough to handle the occasional creative reinterpretation and IMO the Downey Jr. version is great fun. I enjoy it for what it is while still loving the literary character and other different screen depictions. Any way, duff films apart, I don't understand why directing entertaining character-driven action films disqualifies someone from directing a Bond movie.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    He's too generic a director and likes to think of himself as a "geeza" when he isn't. That's the problem. If Sherelock is big enough for a reinterpretation then why isnt Bond?

    Ive seen the first Sherelock Holmes movie (liked it but nothing special) but not the second.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    I agree the first was better than the second.

    Seriously though, if he is 'generic' then what's Martin Cambell? I actually think it would be a strength to have someone who respects and understands genres.
  • darren_blacksmithdarren_blacksmith
    Posts: 678
    Guy Richie is, in my opinion, too 'flashy', in the way that Tamahori was on DAD. We don't need more MTV-esqe editing techniques like 'ramping'. Also Richie always seems to aim his vision towards things that are more downmarket and rough, whereas whilst I don't think bond necessarily has to be glamourous, it should be stylish and sophisticated.
  • GetafixGetafix
    edited February 2012 Posts: 11,425
    Point taken. I withdraw my misplaced Guy Richie comment.
  • darren_blacksmithdarren_blacksmith
    Posts: 678
    I think Bond directors can be 'generic' (in the sense of not having any amazingly unique artistic vision) and still make a good 007 film, as long as they are good craftsmen and understand how to incorporate the action into the wider plot/drama of the film, and as long as they understand the tone and British-ness of Bond.

    Where I would like to see a bit more artistic vision is in the set-design and scores. I think an essential part of the original success of bond was due to it having John Barry and Ken Adams providing unique and beautiful music and sets.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    darren_blacksmith wrote:
    I think Bond directors can be 'generic' (in the sense of not having any amazingly unique artistic vision) and still make a good 007 film, as long as they are good craftsmen and understand how to incorporate the action into the wider plot/drama of the film, and as long as they understand the tone and British-ness of Bond.

    Where I would like to see a bit more artistic vision is in the set-design and scores. I think an essential part of the original success of bond was due to it having John Barry and Ken Adams providing unique and beautiful music and sets.

    Total agreement.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    I'm glad we didn't get him as a director. I wouldn't want another Die Hard 2 or anything else he's done!
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    I like Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger but everything else he's done has been pretty average - though Deep Blue Sea is a bit of a guilty pleasure.
  • RC7RC7
    edited February 2012 Posts: 10,512
    The problem with several Directors nowadays is that they behave like and are subsequently treated like rock stars. They claim ownership over a film in the way a traditional auteur might but forget that they've been bankrolled to the tune of several hundred million and rely on thousands of creative artists. These are the kind of directors who will royally fuck a Bond film up the rear and Guy Ritchie is one of them.

    No one is bigger than 'Bond'.
  • LeChiffreLeChiffre
    Posts: 1,548
    I hope we never see Guy Ritchie near a Bond film as Jason Statham would probably get a role!
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,183
    I liked Renny.

    Not anymore.

    Anti-Dalton comment? Phu. /:)
  • SharkBaitSharkBait
    Posts: 2,107
    I should be partial about this seeing I'm a finn, but I'm honestly glad he didn't get to direct. I liked Die Hard 2 the same as the other two directed by McTiernan and Cliffhanger and Cutthroat Island and to an extent The Long Kiss Goodnight too. Haven't seen any of his newer movies. Doesn't strike me as a Bond type of director
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    edited February 2012 Posts: 12,837
    I liked die hard 2 so I wouldn't have minded this. Only downside is that he didn't want dalton, but then again dalton never did the film anyway.
  • bondbat007bondbat007
    Posts: 1,407
    I like some of Harlin's work. Die Hard 2 is a fantastically entertaining action film. Cliffhanger is not bad either. Although 12 Rounds is just a remake of Die Hard 3. I understand he didn't want to do more sequels but I think Dalton would of been perfect for a Harlin Bond film
  • KennonKennon
    Posts: 297
    Renny who?
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    I wonder who the actor on board Harlin didn't like was, aside from Dalton?
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    Kennon wrote:
    Renny who?

    I asked myself the same question.
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    I checked out mr. Harlins movies on Imdb.com and discovered that I've seen most of his stuff and that I actually enjoyed them. He seems to be not as active these days as director.

    The fact that as a director that he stayed true to his principles /ideas can only be applauded. And the fact that he did not want to do GE because he considered TD not the right person is a personal opinion that he rightfully can say.
    I do wonder if he ever has regretted this decision.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    bondbat007 wrote:
    I like some of Harlin's work. Die Hard 2 is a fantastically entertaining action film. Cliffhanger is not bad either. Although 12 Rounds is just a remake of Die Hard 3. I understand he didn't want to do more sequels but I think Dalton would of been perfect for a Harlin Bond film

    12 Rounds is utter balls and a rip off of 90s action films like Speed.
    SaintMark wrote:
    I checked out mr. Harlins movies on Imdb.com and discovered that I've seen most of his stuff and that I actually enjoyed them. He seems to be not as active these days as director.

    I do wonder if he ever has regretted this decision.

    He probably does a bit. Around 95/96 he made Cutthroat Island, a film famous for how big a flop it was.
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