The biggest missed opportunities in the Bond franchise

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  • edited February 2016 Posts: 4,325
    Also, the character development in TLD, especially for the villains, is just so limited. They never feel truly menacing or threatening in any capacity and they're just not memorable in the slightest. Quite possibly the worst villains ever to grace the Bond franchise, and the way their final scenes are also quite poor, IMO.

    @ForYourEyesOnly I agree. I really like TLD, but the villains bring it down from what could be a really good Bond film to being a good Bond film.
  • edited February 2016 Posts: 1,661
    George Lazenby in Diamonds Are Forever

    Yeah, I'd say that was the biggest missed opportunity of them all. Had Lazenby returned I'm guessing Peter Hunt would have too and we'd have a serious DAF. Who knows, perhaps Telly Savalas would have returned as Blofeld.

    I don't mind Connery's DAF, the score is wonderful, and it's fun but it was the start of the comedic Bond films. Lazenby does have his critics but I doubt anyone would say he was a comedic, light Bond. He was a more 'human' Bond and a Lazenby DAF would/could have been the ideal sequel to OHMSS. Such potential!

    A third Dalton film is the other obvious missed opportunity but, said in hindsight, I don't think Dalton was that comfortable with the 'fame' aspect of the role so who knows, perhaps he wasn't that bothered about not making a third.
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,579
    RC7 wrote: »
    TripAces wrote: »
    Setting CR in the 50s/early 60s and leaving Bond in that era indefinitely.

    If the 'opportunity' that was missed was to sink the franchise.

    Who knows. But the success of Mad Men, here in the U.S., suggests there is still an affinity for that era. TMFU had modest success, also set in that era. When I saw Uncle in the theaters, I couldn't help but think: "That's Bond's world."
  • ShardlakeShardlake Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 4,043
    SPECTRE
  • LeonardPineLeonardPine The Bar on the Beach
    Posts: 3,989
    After TLD reinvigorated the series, (new Bond, faithful to Fleming, no silliness) I was expecting the makers to really push on with this encouraging direction.

    Then they went and made LTK.....a boring revenge story with a made up city, a clichéd one dimensional villain (ooh latin Drug dealer how original) and Timothy Dalton forgetting his natural performance in TLD and going all overwrought and stagey in this one with a silly haircut.

    So disappointed coming out of seeing it in 1989. Thinking 'what could have been'

    When M says to Bond "You were supposed to be in Istanbul last night" that sounded like a more interesting movie than what I was watching.

    By the way sorry I'm a bit late to this discussion....
  • edited May 2017 Posts: 676
    A few that come to mind: Connery in OHMSS - would have had real weight, not to mention he is the reason Bond wears a kilt.

    An '80s era of Bond films starring Dalton and directed by Peter Hunt. Or Dalton and John Rhys-Davies returning as Pushkin in GoldenEye. I would have liked to see Dalton given enough films to cement his portrayal in the public eye, with a competent director (not Glen) and a more balanced, traditional Bond to play (i.e. not the angry, vengeful Bond of LTK).

    Getting kd lang to do a Bond song in the '90s (oh wait, they just tacked it onto the end credits).

    Adapting Fleming stories/story elements for all of Craig's run, not just CR. Switching the series' genre to spy thriller (not action) when the reboot happened. An updated, fresh take on Blofeld and SPECTRE (my fav idea is Monica Bellucci as Blofeld - a new recurring female figure of power in the series now that Dench is gone - call her Irma Stavro Blofeld).
  • Posts: 94
    Not sure it's a missed opportunity or just a silly idea but at Skyfall when Bond is hiding in the DB5, I was expecting him to use the ejector seat to launch himself out into a full on assault, hunting rifle blazing away, and was disappointed it didn't happen. We know from Goldfinger that it only ejects about 10ft and I thought that's what was coming. M even hinted at it earlier by mentioning the seat, I think that would have gotten a great laugh without being over the top. They did use it in Spectre but not to the same effect. Never mind hay ho. Sorry if it's been mentioned before.
  • stagstag In the thick of it!
    Posts: 1,053
    Cipher wrote: »
    DAF as a sequel to OHMSS with Lazenby and Savalas

    Yes! TS was the best Blofeld by far IMO. That would have been a great film!
  • Posts: 4,325
    yogi1 wrote: »
    Not sure it's a missed opportunity or just a silly idea but at Skyfall when Bond is hiding in the DB5, I was expecting him to use the ejector seat to launch himself out into a full on assault, hunting rifle blazing away, and was disappointed it didn't happen. We know from Goldfinger that it only ejects about 10ft and I thought that's what was coming. M even hinted at it earlier by mentioning the seat, I think that would have gotten a great laugh without being over the top. They did use it in Spectre but not to the same effect. Never mind hay ho. Sorry if it's been mentioned before.

    That would have been ridiculous and not in with the tone of the scene.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    @Stag I too think Telly was the best Blofeld. =D>
  • Posts: 9,842
    Ok a few of mine

    1. I felt a few book titles were used way too quickly and while I suppose there is no way to look into the future I would of preferred of the following films had used chapter titles instead of book titles
    You only live twice really should of been Shatterhand
    Diamonds Are Forever really should of been All the Time in the world (or a whisper of love a whisper of hate)
    From a View to a kill (inspite of he awesome Duran Duran song) should of been My Enemies Enemy

    So we would not be struggling with Fleming titles now

    2. Craig's third film should of been titles the property of a lady considering his 00 licence etc are all because of M

    3. All of Craig's films should had Fleming titles and the last two should of borrowed a bit more from Fleming

    4. After the legends debauchle they should of either forced Activision to do a third person sequel to bloodstone or given the licence to Unisoft and get a great bond game out winter 2014

    5. Dalton should of started his tenure with Octopussy and did 5 films (octopussy - 1991's Risico)

    6. Sam Neil should of been bond in 1983's Blofeld (instead of Connery coming back for never say never again)

    7. Blondie should of done the theme for For Your Eyes only

    8. Mclory should of let the producers use Blofeld in the spy who loved me in exchange to be able to use the gunbarrel and bond theme in his rival film

    9. Craig should have (or should do) 6 films
  • Posts: 4,325
    Risico007 wrote: »
    Ok a few of mine

    1. I felt a few book titles were used way too quickly and while I suppose there is no way to look into the future I would of preferred of the following films had used chapter titles instead of book titles
    You only live twice really should of been Shatterhand
    Diamonds Are Forever really should of been All the Time in the world (or a whisper of love a whisper of hate)
    From a View to a kill (inspite of he awesome Duran Duran song) should of been My Enemies Enemy

    So we would not be struggling with Fleming titles now

    2. Craig's third film should of been titles the property of a lady considering his 00 licence etc are all because of M

    3. All of Craig's films should had Fleming titles and the last two should of borrowed a bit more from Fleming

    4. After the legends debauchle they should of either forced Activision to do a third person sequel to bloodstone or given the licence to Unisoft and get a great bond game out winter 2014

    5. Dalton should of started his tenure with Octopussy and did 5 films (octopussy - 1991's Risico)

    6. Sam Neil should of been bond in 1983's Blofeld (instead of Connery coming back for never say never again)

    7. Blondie should of done the theme for For Your Eyes only

    8. Mclory should of let the producers use Blofeld in the spy who loved me in exchange to be able to use the gunbarrel and bond theme in his rival film

    9. Craig should have (or should do) 6 films

    *should have
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    edited July 2016 Posts: 9,117
    Risico007 wrote: »
    Ok a few of mine

    1. I felt a few book titles were used way too quickly and while I suppose there is no way to look into the future I would of preferred of the following films had used chapter titles instead of book titles
    You only live twice really should of been Shatterhand
    Diamonds Are Forever really should of been All the Time in the world (or a whisper of love a whisper of hate)
    From a View to a kill (inspite of he awesome Duran Duran song) should of been My Enemies Enemy

    So we would not be struggling with Fleming titles now

    2. Craig's third film should of been titles the property of a lady considering his 00 licence etc are all because of M

    3. All of Craig's films should had Fleming titles and the last two should of borrowed a bit more from Fleming

    4. After the legends debauchle they should of either forced Activision to do a third person sequel to bloodstone or given the licence to Unisoft and get a great bond game out winter 2014

    5. Dalton should of started his tenure with Octopussy and did 5 films (octopussy - 1991's Risico)

    6. Sam Neil should of been bond in 1983's Blofeld (instead of Connery coming back for never say never again)

    7. Blondie should of done the theme for For Your Eyes only

    8. Mclory should of let the producers use Blofeld in the spy who loved me in exchange to be able to use the gunbarrel and bond theme in his rival film

    9. Craig should have (or should do) 6 films

    Be fair @Tanaka San. It was looking like a whitewash but he pulled off a consolation goal at the death with number 9.

    We'll ignore the fact that it's the wrong tense as he is talking about something in the future.
  • 1. I saw Timothy Dalton in The Tourist movie. And it is a real shame that he didn't do more Bond movies. The first one was real good and the second a bit of strange. I wish he would have stayed longer.

    2. Daniel Craig should have started as Bond earlier. I really really like him as Bond, but it takes too much time for the movies to came out.
  • edited July 2016 Posts: 676
    yogi1 wrote: »
    Not sure it's a missed opportunity or just a silly idea but at Skyfall when Bond is hiding in the DB5, I was expecting him to use the ejector seat to launch himself out into a full on assault, hunting rifle blazing away, and was disappointed it didn't happen. We know from Goldfinger that it only ejects about 10ft and I thought that's what was coming. M even hinted at it earlier by mentioning the seat, I think that would have gotten a great laugh without being over the top. They did use it in Spectre but not to the same effect. Never mind hay ho. Sorry if it's been mentioned before.
    Sorta like this (at around 1:15)? (Also, dig the David Arnold music when Gwyneth Paltrow walks on.)


  • GBFGBF
    Posts: 3,197
    @Stag I too think Telly was the best Blofeld. =D>

    Not sure about that. Telly was certainly the physically strongest Blofeld and he played the role well but I think the Blofeld from FRWL and TB is by far the best Blofeld we have had so far... Honestly all later Blofelds miss that scariness the original one used to have.

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    The early Connery Blofelds did nail the intimidation factor, and that voice really sold that too.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    GBF wrote: »
    @Stag I too think Telly was the best Blofeld. =D>

    Not sure about that. Telly was certainly the physically strongest Blofeld and he played the role well but I think the Blofeld from FRWL and TB is by far the best Blofeld we have had so far... Honestly all later Blofelds miss that scariness the original one used to have.

    Yeah. Once you draw back the curtain the mystique evaporates somewhat. Revealing a hidden menace is a little like pulling off the third part of a trilogy. Expectation and anticipation is such that it's really difficult to satisfy everybody's needs and desires. Probably didn't help that Pleasance in no way sounds like Pohlmann, nor embodies the physicality of Dawson.
  • GBFGBF
    Posts: 3,197
    RC7 wrote: »
    GBF wrote: »
    @Stag I too think Telly was the best Blofeld. =D>

    Not sure about that. Telly was certainly the physically strongest Blofeld and he played the role well but I think the Blofeld from FRWL and TB is by far the best Blofeld we have had so far... Honestly all later Blofelds miss that scariness the original one used to have.

    Yeah. Once you draw back the curtain the mystique evaporates somewhat. Revealing a hidden menace is a little like pulling off the third part of a trilogy. Expectation and anticipation is such that it's really difficult to satisfy everybody's needs and desires. Probably didn't help that Pleasance in no way sounds like Pohlmann, nor embodies the physicality of Dawson.

    Agree! So I think it is kind of a missed opportunity to "not reveal" Blofeld unlike the books. We would also not have all the inconsistencies due to different actors who all had their different take on the role as well as the plot hole in OHMSS (Bond and Blofeld not regcognising each other). Telly for instance could then have played a leading Spectre agent like Dr No, Klebb or Largo.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    Missed opportunities?

    I can only think of two that intrigue me.

    1. Speilberg directing a Bond film.
    2. A quicker follow up to QOS to have that 'middle' Craig film which would have bridged the gap between his young Bond (up to QOS) and old Bond (SF onwards).
  • TWINE in general is a missed opportunity.
  • w2bondw2bond is indeed a very rare breed
    Posts: 2,252
    A third Dalton film. It went quite far along the storyline development stage and would have been intriguing.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,273
    Risico007 wrote: »
    Ok a few of mine

    2. Craig's third film should of been titles the property of a lady considering his 00 licence etc are all because of M

    I quite like this one.

    I also think there should have been a film between QoS and SF that actually showed Bond before he started "missing a step" in SF.
  • Last_Rat_StandingLast_Rat_Standing Long Neck Ice Cold Beer Never Broke My Heart
    Posts: 4,571
    echo wrote: »
    Risico007 wrote: »
    Ok a few of mine

    2. Craig's third film should of been titles the property of a lady considering his 00 licence etc are all because of M

    I quite like this one.

    I also think there should have been a film between QoS and SF that actually showed Bond before he started "missing a step" in SF.

    They did. It was called Bloodstone.
  • Posts: 676
    Killing off Mathis in QoS was a mistake - could have had a great reoccurring character in Giancarlo Giannini. He had a warm presence and great chemistry with Craig. I really dislike that they killed him off for cheap pathos. (I dislike the "sacrificial lamb" trope in Bond films in general.)
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Milovy wrote: »
    Killing off Mathis in QoS was a mistake - could have had a great reoccurring character in Giancarlo Giannini. He had a warm presence and great chemistry with Craig. I really dislike that they killed him off for cheap pathos. (I dislike the "sacrificial lamb" trope in Bond films in general.)

    I think it was time, as I can't see him being used beyond what he was, really. He also serves as the biggest kick in Bond's ass, and makes him turn to forgiveness with his last words. It's a symbolic death, not a matter of pathos.
  • GBFGBF
    Posts: 3,197
    Milovy wrote: »
    Killing off Mathis in QoS was a mistake - could have had a great reoccurring character in Giancarlo Giannini. He had a warm presence and great chemistry with Craig. I really dislike that they killed him off for cheap pathos. (I dislike the "sacrificial lamb" trope in Bond films in general.)

    I don't mind the "sacrificial lamb" parts in Bond films. They make Bond films less predictable since we don't know whether an ally survives or not. Mathis' death, however, was underwhelming.... especially the way Bond behaves.... Tossing this loyal friend in the trash is just awfull...
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    QoS.

    CR was the ultimate springboard, but there was to be no lift off.
  • BMW_with_missilesBMW_with_missiles All the usual refinements.
    Posts: 3,000
    RC7 wrote: »
    QoS.

    CR was the ultimate springboard, but there was to be no lift off.

    Agreed. It annoys me that the great story started in CR is wrapped up in the mediocre QoS.
  • There was an opportunity for the villainess in TWINE to be a really great antagonist, but like the last three films in Pierce's run, this too was watered down into the safety of mediocrity.
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