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May be I'm harsh on him, but basically post-Bond his career is a crock of brown stuff.
In a few short years he was co-starring with Charlie's Angels and Mae West. What happened?
Anyway, this isn't about his career outside Bond. This is about his Bond. Which I think is much better than Craig's.
Definetly. One of the best parts of the film, and that's really saying something when you look at the cast and how funny and great that film was.
I actually went to the premiere because I loved Shaun Of The Dead, and I wanted Pegg and/or Frost to sign my DVD of it. At the time I had no idea Dalton was in the film, so it was really cool when he showed up and I got his autograph.
Yes, I was aware his career was bubbling away nicely in the 60s and 70s. With hindsight I'd say he didn't want to do Bond earlier because he was a snob about the role and thought he was destined for bigger and better things. By '86 (or whenever he was cast), he realised the ship was about to sail and finally accepted the role. I don't think he ever fully embraced being Bond though - in the sense of seeing being a 'star' as being part of the job.
May be. I don't think any one will ever know the full thought process. I know he gives the reason of feeling he was too young, but didn't the producers keep on coming back to him?
I suppose it could be the simple truth. He was the perfect age by the time of TLD.
Back on point... I love both him and Craig. But I think Craig edges him out ever so slightly if only because he seems to be more comfortable in front of the camera, and has a greater ease in the lighter moments. Humor was never Dalton's strength, and regardless of what Fleming wrote, it is an essential component, even if just slightly, of the cinematic Bond.
Biggest example is Roger Ebert. He didn't like Dalton because he didn't have the humour Connery and Moore had, he even said in his TLD review that when Bond starts acting like a real man it doesn't work, and that it should all be a joke.
Then in his CR review he basically praises Craig for doing what he criticised Dalton for, saying it was good that he was able to be hurt and that it was more serious.
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19870731/REVIEWS/707310304/1023
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070816/REVIEWS/708160301/1023
The again, the guy rated Speed 2 higher than Die Hard so why should I listen to him.
Once again, Dalton was the first dark bond, although Connery exemplified this on occasion, especially in his earliest appearances, however I feel it was much more frequent with Dalton despite only the two appearances. Said it before, that's just how I want to see Bond, none of the childish nonsense or escapades of some others in the part, but I understand that humor and such are an integral part of the Bond series, but sometimes it seems there needs to be a limit, it went into overdrive sometimes on one or two occasions, and Tim stayed clear of all that, and did a good job of things, he looked the part, acted the part, had that meanness about him, as well as being debonair and all that entails the part of Bond often enough. I thought this was a Dalton appreciation thread actually, until I realized it is merely in comparison with another Bond actor, but there you are
I think there are a few details from his professional life that are quite telling - such as turning down Bond. I really do buy the idea that he didn't want to be a big star - for the most part he didn't try out for big Hollywood films, he dropped out of the starring role in one of the Christopher Columbus films because he wasn't satisfied that it would be artistically satisfying (and it wasn't the type of film that would be a box-office smash anyway), and he hated doing press that focused on him as a personality rather than on the work as a whole. It seems to me that he thought he *should* do the Bond films.
As for post-Bond he has apparently done a lot of interesting theatre and it seems that he does the odd film or TV project to make the money to allow him to work on stage. So I don't think of him as a "has-been" at all. Interestingly he seems to have become much more nuanced and comfortable on camera now...when he was on Chuck he could be alternately funny, menacing, charming, and even touching.
"That last hand, nearly killed me."
"We wouldn't want that now, would we."
Nope... nothing.
Then again, I have not yet gotten to the Craig films in my 2012 00Heaven.
Dalton's humour by comparison to other Bond was more sarcastic, rather than tounge in cheek.
That line got a huge laugh at the cinema I was at back in 2006.
I don't think Craig's humour always works btw. The "I do hope so" line in QoS falls flat but in CR he's good. I think, by and large, he's better at the "one liners" and flippant remarks than Dalton ever was.
I don't recall any reaction to that line. IIRC there was a collective shifting in the seats from the male audience during the torture scene, but that was about it.
I remember it well, it got a big laugh. I suppose people react in different ways.
Other examples I like:
-"sign that dear...you represent the treasury"
-"Not quite so stylishly"
-"Certainly sir...sorry sir" (at the health spa - the moment he backed the car into the fence also got a big laugh as I recall)
-"Because once you've tasted it (a Vesper) it's all you want to drink"
Yes but it isn't just about acting 'dark and serious'. Anyone can do that. It's about how convincing you are when you do it.
No, Dalton is Mr Pricklepants. Craig is James Bond. Nuff said ;-)
Mr Pricklepants is a legend !! He is the most awesome character ever !
He never said Dalton wasn't convincing though. He basically critiscised Dalton for not having the humour of Moore and Connery. Then CR comes along and he gives it 4 stars for doing something different and being dark and serious. It's hypocritical.
It certainly is, but what do you expect from film critics?
Craig rules!
In a word, No