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This I think is the issue. It's fair enough to not like the song or not think it's suited to Bond, I'm in that camp myself, but blaming Radiohead for the song not being suitable doesn't ring true for me. EON should have known full well what sort of thing they were getting when they hired them. So I do think that they have a right to feel that their time was wasted.
I hadn't heard anything about Mendes wanting Smith but Craig wanting Radiohead is definitely believeable. I've read before that he's a big fan, as is Brosnan iirc.
If Craig wanted them for the theme song and then got overruled I think that's one more thing increasing his chances of being dissatisfied with the film and so more chance of him deciding to come back for one more. I honestly believe that he was happy to go out with SP but the mixed reception it got plus the film perhaps not turning out the way he wanted it to due to stuff like his injury, not getting his preferred choice for the theme song, etc, has made him reconsider. I imagine he'd want to go out on a critical high like CR/SF.
This is pure speculation on my part but I always got the sense right from reading the leaks that SP was written as the end of the Craig era. And I think if the film had done as well as they'd all hoped there wouldn't be any question about that now.
Well the interview on the last page pretty much told us what happened. They hired Radiohead, didn't like the song for whatever reason, ditched them for Smith instead. And since EON should have known what sort of sound they were going to get when they hired the band, it's hard not to think of this as a screw up on their part. I don't think anybody's saying they were nasty, just that they were foolish and that it wasted their time as a result. I suppose nobody knows for certain what happened except EON, Radiohead and whoever else was involved in the process but by that logic we could say that we can't judge any historical event because we weren't there to experience it firsthand. The band are on record saying that they were hired and told their song would be used but it didn't work out because EON were after something more suitable. That's good enough for me to believe, and I think it's fair to say that if they didn't want a song like that they shouldn't have hired them in the first place.
People are just criticising EON the majority of fans didn't seem to like Spectre. It's to be expected really that the last film that came out is the one that's going to have an effect on public opinion. Just like how with Skyfall, the praise for them got to the point that we were literally banding together to write them a thank you card. If the next film is more well recieved then I'm sure the majority view will be more
positive/confident again. It'll pass.
I don't think anyone is claiming Cubby, the man who turned down Spielberg, is immune to making mistakes either (although I know lots prefer how things were done in his day). His era had more than his fair share of blunders. It's just that isn't really relevant when talking about the future of the series or, in this case, what went on recently.
I think the difference there is that EON were expecting something dark and moody along the lines of Leon and instead got weird pieces like his original tank chase track and the bad porn music over the car chase. It's understandable there that they might have been expecting something very different to what Serra delivered. Whereas in this case, I don't see how they could have expected much different to what Radiohead delivered.
Plus, at the end of the day, they stuck with Serra apart from on the tank chase. Radiohead put the work in and didn't even get their song in the finished film. So I can see why it rubbed them the wrong way, because why hire them if you weren't going to want to use the finished result (which again, they should have seen coming based off who they were hiring).
That's just business though. Radiohead isn't the only artist to get a song rejected. Most Bond films if not all of them have rejected title songs.
@thelivingroyale, I just think the whole situation is being blown out of proportion and dramatized. It's very easy for a bunch of laymen to comment on a creative process they know nothing about and claim that one side was at fault or robbed an artist of time and money, when they really know nothing. For those of us who've worked in such circles where creative work is commissioned and done, then selected by the third party that requested it, this is the name of the game. If you enter into a "contest" to create something for someone you give your vision and it competes with the other visions that were entered into the same deal. Radiohead made their song, as Sam did his, and Sam won in the eyes of Mendes because he was the director. Just because Radiohead didn't get picked doesn't mean there was foul play or EON were screwing around with them, just that the end result didn't meet their idea of what they wanted. As in every judged contest there are applicants and one final winner, that's it.
It's very easy to say, "EON should've known," and yada yada, but you always give the creator the chance to form something and see how it stacks up no matter what their past work was. You shouldn't force an artist into anything, or jump to the conclusion that they can't do anything other than their shtick.
People can look for far more substantial and sensible ways to take it out on EON without looking for such bogus reasons to go at them. It's a creative process that progressed as they all do, with the drama seeming to be from outside spectators as is the usual practice.
Hiring Serra was one of the best decisions they made in the last 25 years. His soundtrack is a big part of what gives GE it's unique character, along with Campbell's masterful direction. When I watched GE with the commentary track on recently, it seems EON had a very hands off approach to that in terms of interfering with the director. Campbell storyboarded and shot the film the way he wanted, and ultimately that's why it's still one of the all time best Bond films.
No debate there. I'm one of Serra's biggest fans here but that's not the point I was trying to make.
If only, the Sam Smith Song wasn't about the film either, some soppy love song that was an element of the film that was never realised or strong enough to justify it being used.
Radiohead tapped into more of SPECTRE element than Smith's sub standard dreck.
True. Unless youre P&W and then whatever you churn out not only gets used but you get asked back.
Also why not bung it on the end credits? This is Radiohead after all not dross like St Etienne. Seems odd to go for such a big name and then just abandon it. Why didn't they do the same with at Madonna?
Anyway I'm not that bothered; Smith's effort was OK (superb strings at the start) and let's not forget Bond is aiming at the mainstream and Radiohead is definitely a niche audience. The song doesn't sound at all Bondian and I think whoever you are you ought to make some concession to the fact that certain elements are needed for a Bond song.
Actually much as I love them I'm trying to think if there's any Radiohead song that has a Bondian feel?
The opening of Airbag maybe? The climax of You And Whose Army? The riffs in Just? These are all tracks over 20 years old though when they had a more mainstream sound.
I think if EON had approached them around the time of The Bends/Ok Computer it might have been a different story but these days they are just known amongst the general for being depressing/miserable etc (which suits me just fine). I just don't think it was ever likely to work.
Burn The Witch definitely made me think they could have pulled something off in that vein.
I find their theme very haunting and while it might have been not as mainstream as what would have been expected by EON and possibly wasn't Bond like enough at least it wasn't tribute fest knock it out in 5 minutes garbage that we got.
Jonny Greenwood has far more skill as scoring than the jokers that worked on WOW, they didn't do a Bond tribute they did something different it just wasn't to EON's liking.
Radiohead were never going to do the kind of effort Smith delivered, that song wouldn't sound Bond like without those Barryesque strings and that appears to be what most people think is the best part of the song, not Sam Smith's caterwauling.
Though the film was a travesty so it got the song it deserved so I'm pretty glad one of my favourite bands of all time isn't associated with it.
I was due to see them this Wednesday in Manchester ( the last time was Birmingham NEC nearly 20 years ago on the OK Computer Tour) but unfortunately due tragic events led to it being cancelled then rescheduled to the day before and a new venue which I can't make. As great as their Glasto set was it won't make up for it.
You can hate them all you like but there is little other bands of the last 25 years who have had more impact and influence as them.
Not only did they influence countless bands in their first stage of their career but they went onto to change the face of rock bands with the second stage of their career and many bands acknowledge their influence.
Sam Smith in comparison he's never likely to be mentioned in the way he was when he was announced as providing the theme to SP ever again, he's had is moment in the spotlight.
Who's next Rag N Bone Man, great voice yes but he's the male equivalent of Adele hence why the masses have latched onto his sound so much. People think they are listening to the blues like that that and those that have bought Jamie Cullum albums think they are Jazz fans.
Radiohead's submission will probably be the last time a recognised established group will get a chance at this, it's flavour of the month all the way for EON now.
I'm in the same boat as you really. Didn't mind Smith's effort (just the falsetto parts that bring it down) and I'm glad they didn't go with the Radiohead song but I really don't know what they were expecting when they approached them.
I don't know about this. Why hire someone if you want something completely different to their sound? Sure you could say EON didn't want to pigeon hole them and gave them the benefit of the doubt but I'm just struggling to see what made them want to hire Radiohead in the first place if they wanted something that was nothing like what they produced.
I know there have been quite a few songs submitted but not used: Johnny Cash's TB, Muse's SF effort, Alice Cooper's TMWTGG, etc. But as far as I understand it those were just examples of the artist wanting to do a Bond theme and producing something to show EON in the hopes that they'd be selected. Radiohead were apparently hired beforehand and (based off that interview) assured that it was a sure thing before being shafted.
The only comparable incidents I can think of are Shirley Bassey with TB and KD Lang with TND but even then they came out with something to show for it. Radiohead's theme wasn't featured at all so I guess they're bound to feel annoyed that all that work was for nothing in the end. Although to be fair it's hard imagine the song fitting anywhere else. Definitely would have shat on the triumphant ending a bit if they used it for the credits for example. Maybe some of the melody could have been used in the score but Newman has enough trouble doing that with the real theme songs, so probably not worth giving him a rejected one to work in at some point too.
I'm not saying it wasn't the right call from EON because I don't like the song at all really and I don't think it's suited for Bond. I just think it's understandable that they're annoyed because they did come out with nothing to show for it and I fail to see how EON could have been surprised with the end result.
No, they were indeed quite fortunate to have avoided this.
That's a very good point to be fair. All their songs sort of blend into one for me, I'm not a fan so when I listened to Spectre I just thought "yep, sure is a Radiohead song". But I suppose if it's bad by their standards then that'd explain it. Although these are the same producers who signed off on DAD and AWTD so if that's the case I'm not sure when they developed such critical ears.
Or they might not have had an issue with the song at all. May have just been a case of Mendes preferring Smith since apparently there are rumours to that effect and he did seem to have a lot more pulling power than the usual directors (e.g. being able to bring Newman back even after he clashed with EON last time).
In fact given the poor quality control on some of the other Brosnan/Craig themes I think this is more likely: Mendes probably wanted Smith and EON probably didn't care either way but agreed because he's a more mainstream choice.
Saw this on the news the other day. Very sad indeed and also makes you realise how dangerous location scouting can actually be?
Fairly dangerous for particular areas of Mexico, but he seems to have had a lot of experience there. Must've just had some real unfortunate luck running into some bad people. What a shame.
:)
Very nice indeed!!!
syfy.com/syfywire/behind-the-blockbuster-designing-costumes-for-harry-potter-and-james-bond
You also worked on the James Bond franchise. What was it like designing for that iconic character?
I was so lucky to start with Sam Mendes. We worked very closely. He took me in and it was just a question of trying to make a very correct Bond. Making him much less pompous.
I gave him a very tight suit so he could move easily and we could see his body, that he was very flexible. The suits were so near the body, you could see his body moving. That was very important. They were more like a second skin.
[For] the women, what they were wearing was sexy but was something we would all like to wear. They were very feminist, as well. I try to do my best to bring a lot of feminism in the sexuality of those ladies by giving them things we could wear ourselves. I don't mind a show-stopper dress, but it was something that they would have liked to wear and that they were not wearing because it was a man watching them.
Second skin? Why not give him a body suit instead? Suits should compliment the body shape, not show every inch of it.
On the upside he wouldn't need to wear a compression bandage on his injuries, just pop a suit on and tallyho.