The TIMOTHY DALTON Appreciation thread - Discuss His Life, His Career, His Bond Films

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  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    jobo wrote: »
    Univex wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    Univex wrote: »
    Pushkin: "I take it that this is not a social call, 007?"
    Bond: "Correct, you should have brought lillies."

    One of my favourite scenes in the entire series.


    It is a great scene! The lines, the performances, the editing, the music... everything.

    And Bond never looked better. This is how Bond should look like, sound like, move,...

    187.jpg
    daltonlicensetokill.jpeg
    6-the-living-daylights-1487244854.jpg
    20121022-212425.jpg

    Can't argue with that ;)

    The comma of black hair. :D What more needs to be said?
  • Posts: 623
    I've always said Dalton Looks the most near to the person in my head as I read Fleming, (I don't picture any actor, but the man I do picture, looks like Dalton more than the others).
    Craig is easily the least Fleming-looking. Not much Hoagy Carmichael there...
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    I honestly don't think Dalton dropped the ball on any of the lines. However, the ones which I feel suit Dalton best, are the ones that lean into more of a darker humour.

    Pushkin: "I take it that this is not a social call, 007?"
    Bond: "Correct, you should have brought lillies."


    And of course there's the 'problem elliminator' exchange from LTK.

    Agreed, he just delivered lines with a harder edge.

    Correct on both example above, they suit the tone of the film and so does Dalton's delivery.

    "Whoever she was it must have scared The Living Daylights out of her".......perfect.

    No iteration of Bond has been one to pull punches when villains cross him, but none of them have made single minded justice their drive for an entire mission like Dalton does, or conveyed a sense of fury and hatred as fully as he does at pivotal moments in Licence to Kill. Nor have they set a nefarious villain soaked in petrol on fire with a lighter, real up close and personal like Dalton did, and didn’t even flinch.

    Early in LTK, Dalton kicks the traitorous Killifer into a shark tank with a chillingly dead eyed coldness we haven’t quite seen the like of before or since in the franchise. This is taken from the pages of the Live & Let Die novel and it's just perfect!

    All Bond fans are worse off for the legal troubles surrounding ownership of the franchise that followed the release of his second outing as Bond, as the years of delays led Timothy Dalton to stand down as 007. If he had stayed on for more than two films, he would certainly receive far more recognition than he currently does.

    Regardless, his impact on the emotional depth of Bond, and the darker side of his character is undeniable and it's very Fleming. It’s being felt even more so now, a quarter century after his brief run, in the grittier direction Craig has taken him this past decade. For him to have left such an indelible mark on such an iconic character with just two films (though you could argue with just Licence to Kill), is a major achievement.

    My only apprehension with regards to future Dalton films would have been the awful Cyborg and robot script that has surfaced (it sounds worse than DAD).
  • Posts: 1,917
    suavejmf wrote: »
    I honestly don't think Dalton dropped the ball on any of the lines. However, the ones which I feel suit Dalton best, are the ones that lean into more of a darker humour.

    Pushkin: "I take it that this is not a social call, 007?"
    Bond: "Correct, you should have brought lillies."


    And of course there's the 'problem elliminator' exchange from LTK.

    Agreed, he just delivered lines with a harder edge.

    Correct on both example above, they suit the tone of the film and so does Dalton's delivery.

    "Whoever she was it must have scared The Living Daylights out of her".......perfect.

    No iteration of Bond has been one to pull punches when villains cross him, but none of them have made single minded justice their drive for an entire mission like Dalton does, or conveyed a sense of fury and hatred as fully as he does at pivotal moments in Licence to Kill. Nor have they set a nefarious villain soaked in petrol on fire with a lighter, real up close and personal like Dalton did, and didn’t even flinch.

    Early in LTK, Dalton kicks the traitorous Killifer into a shark tank with a chillingly dead eyed coldness we haven’t quite seen the like of before or since in the franchise. This is taken from the pages of the Live & Let Die novel and it's just perfect!

    All Bond fans are worse off for the legal troubles surrounding ownership of the franchise that followed the release of his second outing as Bond, as the years of delays led Timothy Dalton to stand down as 007. If he had stayed on for more than two films, he would certainly receive far more recognition than he currently does.

    Regardless, his impact on the emotional depth of Bond, and the darker side of his character is undeniable and it's very Fleming. It’s being felt even more so now, a quarter century after his brief run, in the grittier direction Craig has taken him this past decade. For him to have left such an indelible mark on such an iconic character with just two films (though you could argue with just Licence to Kill), is a major achievement.

    My only apprehension with regards to future Dalton films would have been the awful Cyborg and robot script that has surfaced (it sounds worse than DAD).
    Great summary. Dalton enthusiasm and defense have come a long way since I was on forums during the Brosnan days when the majority of fans dismissed Dalton as being the one who led to the 6-year gap and fans like me were often derided for our positions.
  • Blofeld0064Blofeld0064 Milford, Michigan
    Posts: 243
    Does anyone remember the 1983 BBC adaptation of Jane Eyre with Tim as Mr Rochester?
  • RemingtonRemington I'll do anything for a woman with a knife.
    Posts: 1,534
    suavejmf wrote: »
    I honestly don't think Dalton dropped the ball on any of the lines. However, the ones which I feel suit Dalton best, are the ones that lean into more of a darker humour.

    Pushkin: "I take it that this is not a social call, 007?"
    Bond: "Correct, you should have brought lillies."


    And of course there's the 'problem elliminator' exchange from LTK.

    Agreed, he just delivered lines with a harder edge.

    Correct on both example above, they suit the tone of the film and so does Dalton's delivery.

    "Whoever she was it must have scared The Living Daylights out of her".......perfect.

    No iteration of Bond has been one to pull punches when villains cross him, but none of them have made single minded justice their drive for an entire mission like Dalton does, or conveyed a sense of fury and hatred as fully as he does at pivotal moments in Licence to Kill. Nor have they set a nefarious villain soaked in petrol on fire with a lighter, real up close and personal like Dalton did, and didn’t even flinch.

    Early in LTK, Dalton kicks the traitorous Killifer into a shark tank with a chillingly dead eyed coldness we haven’t quite seen the like of before or since in the franchise. This is taken from the pages of the Live & Let Die novel and it's just perfect!

    All Bond fans are worse off for the legal troubles surrounding ownership of the franchise that followed the release of his second outing as Bond, as the years of delays led Timothy Dalton to stand down as 007. If he had stayed on for more than two films, he would certainly receive far more recognition than he currently does.

    Regardless, his impact on the emotional depth of Bond, and the darker side of his character is undeniable and it's very Fleming. It’s being felt even more so now, a quarter century after his brief run, in the grittier direction Craig has taken him this past decade. For him to have left such an indelible mark on such an iconic character with just two films (though you could argue with just Licence to Kill), is a major achievement.

    My only apprehension with regards to future Dalton films would have been the awful Cyborg and robot script that has surfaced (it sounds worse than DAD).

    @suavejmf the script you're referring to actually isn't bad apart from the one scene with the cyborg henchwoman. I can't see it making it into the final film either.
  • Posts: 628
    Does anyone remember the 1983 BBC adaptation of Jane Eyre with Tim as Mr Rochester?

    Haven't seen it since I was a child, but I remember Dalton giving a terrific performance.

    It's available on Amazon Prime.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,715
    @MajorDSmythe Look at this badass:

    dabdee1496fcc8fb201fc68e881137e8.gif
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    @MajorDSmythe Look at this badass:

    dabdee1496fcc8fb201fc68e881137e8.gif

    It isn't fair that he looks so good for his age.
  • Posts: 1,708
    Dalts just goes full blown "fist of fury" rage in LTK , lol :D
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,112
    @MajorDSmythe Look at this badass:

    dabdee1496fcc8fb201fc68e881137e8.gif

    Shares the number one spot of coolest person of the universe with Alain Delon. What a badass!
  • Posts: 6,709
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    @MajorDSmythe Look at this badass:

    dabdee1496fcc8fb201fc68e881137e8.gif

    Shares the number one spot of coolest person of the universe with Alain Delon. What a badass!

    Alain Delon? Good choice.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,112
    Univex wrote: »
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    @MajorDSmythe Look at this badass:

    dabdee1496fcc8fb201fc68e881137e8.gif

    Shares the number one spot of coolest person of the universe with Alain Delon. What a badass!

    Alain Delon? Good choice.

    Merci bien ;)
  • Posts: 7,507
    Few people look as good with age as Dalton! How I envy his grandchildren... ;)
  • Posts: 11,425
    His line delivery at its best wipes the floor with most of the other Bonds. There's something ruthless about it.

    I was gutted when he stepped down.
  • ResurrectionResurrection Kolkata, India
    Posts: 2,541
    Imagine if he was aged bond like the one in skyfall.
  • Posts: 6,709
    Getafix wrote: »
    His line delivery at its best wipes the floor with most of the other Bonds. There's something ruthless about it.

    I was gutted when he stepped down.
    +1
  • Posts: 7,415
    Getafix wrote: »
    His line delivery at its best wipes the floor with most of the other Bonds. There's something ruthless about it.

    I was gutted when he stepped down.

    As was I! Especially as it was on the cards that Brosnan was getting a second chance!!
  • Posts: 6,709
    I loved Brozza and loved GE, but I also loved Dalton. I was torn apart, in half, right through the middle.
  • edited April 2019 Posts: 11,425
    Dalton stole your better half in that case
  • edited April 2019 Posts: 6,709
    Getafix wrote: »
    Dalton stole your better half in that case

    Ah. With some distance to it, yeah, Dalton's the better Bond. No halves there. But I still keep many of Pierce's mannerisms and do think he's a stellar guy, although not a brilliant actor. One grows up with these guys and they're our idols for life, right?
  • edited April 2019 Posts: 11,425
    I really like what I know/see of Pierce the man. There seems little not to like. As Bond he simply never convinced me. Right from the moment he first appeared on screen hanging upside down in a toilet in GE my heart sank. Our relationship never recovered.

    He's not a great actor but with good direction and the right role he can make a good contribution to a film. Although he's so often cast as leading man/hero I don't think this is actually the best way to use him. In my opinion his best roles have been where his good looks and 'charm' are contrasted with a weak and morally compromised soul - the Tailor of Panama, The Ghost Writer etc.

    His personal story is also moving - lots of knocks and setbacks but he just keeps going, which is highly endearing and earns him a lot of respect from me.

    But frankly I'd have preferred he'd never been Bond. Dalton all the way through to 97 would have been ideal for me. Then Jeremy Isaacs perhaps for a couple up to Craig...?

    Having said all this, Bond was a bit lost by 95. You can see the cracks there already in 89. It was post cold war. No one really knew what a Bond type character was supposed to be doing. People were talking about the end of history and the world seemed relatively safe and predictable. I suppose Brosnan gave us a Bond for that era - safe and predictable. Fast forward a decade and things had changed completely. And today the world seems even madder and more disordered than it did in 2005. And Bond seems more plausible again.

    I don't know much about Dalton. He seems a bit of a loner and slightly odd really. I haven't really enjoyed him in any of his other roles. But IMO he was a very good Bond, although I understand where the criticisms come from.
  • Posts: 7,415
    Getafix wrote: »
    I really like what I know/see of Pierce the man. There seems little not to like. As Bond he simply never convinced me. Right from the moment he first appeared on screen hanging upside down in a toilet in GE my heart sank. Our relationship never recovered.

    He's not a great actor but with good direction and the right role he can make a good contribution to a film. Although he's so often cast as leading man/hero I don't think this is actually the best way to use him. In my opinion his best roles have been where his good looks and 'charm' are contrasted with a weak and morally compromised soul - the Tailor of Panama, The Ghost Writer etc.

    His personal story is also moving - lots of knocks and setbacks but he just keeps going, which is highly endearing and earns him a lot of respect from me.

    But frankly I'd have preferred he'd never been Bond. Dalton all the way through to 97 would have been ideal for me. Then Jeremy Isaacs perhaps for a couple up to Craig...?

    Having said all this, Bond was a bit lost by 95. You can see the cracks there already in 89. It was post cold war. No one really knew what a Bond type character was supposed to be doing. People were talking about the end of history and the world seemed relatively safe and predictable. I suppose Brosnan gave us a Bond for that era - safe and predictable. Fast forward a decade and things had changed completely. And today the world seems even madder and more disordered than it did in 2005. And Bond seems more plausible again.

    I don't know much about Dalton. He seems a bit of a loner and slightly odd really. I haven't really enjoyed him in any of his other roles. But IMO he was a very good Bond, although I understand where the criticisms come from.

    Good post! I agree with most of it! I was aware of Brosnan way before Bond, as I am Irish, he was in our media a lot. When the story broke he was going to be Bond in The Living Daylights, they went nuts but my heart sank. Just thought he was wrong for the part. Was thrilled when I heard he was out because of his contract with MTM. Didn't know much about Dalton (Saw him in The Lion in Winter, and Agatha) But just felt he was gonna be great, and he exceeded my expectations! I knew when Dalton left, Brossa was inevitably going to get the role. When GE came out, I, like other fans, was stoked to see Bond back, but I didn't get the same excitement when viewing the film. My hunch was right . Brosnan was indeed a poor replacement, and worse was to come. As you say, the man himself is decent, but as 007, he was the weakest imo. (He was a great Thomas Crown though, to give him his due! What happened the sequel Brossa?)
  • Posts: 11,425
    I'd never seen Brosnan in anything so had a totally open mind when going into see GE. I just thought he was poor and don't like GE generally speaking anyway for a whole range of reasons. I think I knew before going in that the rough edges that Dalton had brought would be gone, but I wasn't too concerned as I was also a big Rog fan. But the Brosnan take just fell between stools for me - neither one thing or another.
  • Posts: 7,415
    Mark Gatiss and Matthew Sweet did a great programme for BBC4 looking at all the Bond actors. Their description of Brossa?..."Roger Connery!" and GE was "designed by committee" meaning it had all the required ingredients for Bond but didn't present them well. Looking at GE now it hasn't aged well, and is quite boring throughout!
  • edited April 2019 Posts: 11,425
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Mark Gatiss and Matthew Sweet did a great programme for BBC4 looking at all the Bond actors. Their description of Brossa?..."Roger Connery!" and GE was "designed by committee" meaning it had all the required ingredients for Bond but didn't present them well. Looking at GE now it hasn't aged well, and is quite boring throughout!

    I agree 100%. But then I thought it stank at the time.

    What I find bizarre is how so many people seem to like it though. There are other films where I can see where people are coming from but the love for GE has always literally baffled me. I don't like SF but appreciate the visuals and some of the ideas. With GE I just don't see it all. I've always felt Cambell didn't get Bond at all in GE - he's just a generic action hero, nothing Bondian about him at all - just smashing stuff up and shooting everyone in sight.

    I've always thought the first half of TND was Brosnan's best effort. I actually thought after TND things were going to improve but then we got TWINE - IMO the worst film in the series.

    What did Gatiss and Sweet say about Dalton?
  • Posts: 7,415
    They both loved him and at the end when asked who was best, Sweet chose Dalton, Gatiss chose Connery. Gatiss praised Daltons opening shot and said he "looks amazing!" And TLD has some really good stuff in it!!
  • Posts: 11,425
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,112
    Well thanks for that @Getafix!!
    Very interesting and well-argumented discussions there. Quite rightly Dalton is described as the connaisseur’s Bond.
  • Posts: 11,425
    I agree with pretty much everything Gattiss says in that programme. He defends Lazenby when Sweet is saying he can't act. He clearly loves both Sean and Rog.

    My only quibble is that he slates QOS a little too hard IMO, but otherwise all good.
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