Anyone else find it jarring when M swore in Skyfall?

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  • Posts: 90
    Judi Dench has a great track record in films , I love her in 'Room with A View' , 'Ladies in Lavender' and 'Tea With Mussolini'. But she annoys the hell out of me as 'M' - she comes across as a nasty , sarcastic , vindictive , old bitch. perhaps this is to counteract the series two leads who are total ' Drips' ( a cross between a schmuck and a jerk in American) - Pierce 'asthma' Brosnan' and' Diddy' Dan Craig.
  • Posts: 80
    Takes one to know one
  • edited January 2013 Posts: 5,745
    Tuulia wrote:
    Can people please stop using the infantile expression 'f-bomb'? So irksome as if a mere word which is commonplace has some mystical explosive power to shock these days.

    Good to hear I'm not the only one who finds that expression silly and weird.

    And trying to watch The Departed on the TV is pointless. The dubbing in of "safe" words not only takes away from the atmosphere and attitudes/behaviors of the characters presented in the film, but it is also extremely annoying.

    They dub in "safe" words for tv? :-O Where? US? I've never heard of this before. Oh my goodness... =))

    Yes. Everything from 'flipping' 'funny' 'fracking' 'freak' 'stuff' 'stink' 'witch' etc. Quite sad.

    Back on topic, the use of language in Skyfall is VERY appropriate, in fact I'd think it would be too out-of-reach from reality if M didn't use the language she used in that scene. Think about it. She's old, she's not supported by her colleagues, she's being forced to retire, she's almost lost the one agent she cares for (James), she has another old agent from her past coming back and trying to kill her, and he's harming hundreds of innocent people and causing millions of dollars in destruction because of her.

    If she was pip-pip-cherrio about it, I think I'd be far more removed from the drama than if she uses a word that appropriately sets the tone for her situation.
  • Posts: 2,081
    ^^ Incredible. You say it's sad, and movie-experience-wise it must be, but to me that policy sounds totally hilarious.

    And I agree with you about M's choice of language. I didn't pay attention to it when watching the movie, in other words it felt perfectly natural. It was only reading stuff here that I realized that it was considered an issue worth talking about.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Great post, @JWESTBROOK, and I agree wholeheartedly.
  • I don't remember that, I remember her saying Shit in QUANTUM OF SOLACE and thinking it was kind of out of left field.
    The thing I always find dumb in action movies is the amount of violence we're shown, which they barely censor on TV. But God forbid should say the F word in a film! Think of the children!
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited January 2013 Posts: 28,694
    I don't remember that, I remember her saying Shit in QUANTUM OF SOLACE and thinking it was kind of out of left field.
    The thing I always find dumb in action movies is the amount of violence we're shown, which they barely censor on TV. But God forbid should say the F word in a film! Think of the children!

    Precisely. I just don't understand it.
  • edited January 2013 Posts: 12,837
    Didn't bother me. I thought I'd fit in well and it's what most people would say in real life.
    I don't remember that, I remember her saying Shit in QUANTUM OF SOLACE and thinking it was kind of out of left field.
    The thing I always find dumb in action movies is the amount of violence we're shown, which they barely censor on TV. But God forbid should say the F word in a film! Think of the children!

    Precisely. I just don't understand it.

    Well, lots of action films do have swearing.

    But I see your point and I agree, and I also think it's the same with Bond smoking. He can have sex with countless women and kill countless enemies but smoking is a step too far!
  • I don't remember that, I remember her saying Shit in QUANTUM OF SOLACE and thinking it was kind of out of left field.
    The thing I always find dumb in action movies is the amount of violence we're shown, which they barely censor on TV. But God forbid should say the F word in a film! Think of the children!

    I started a thread quite some time back asking about Bond fans who consider themselves to be very religious - I was curious how they reconcile their religious beliefs with being a fan of a character and of films that feature - some would say celebrate - pre-marital sex, violence, ego, materialism, and occasionally bad language.

    Sadly, it got derailed by people who thought that them posting their provocative, insulting anti-religious views was more interesting than posters, say, ACTUALLY RESPONDING TO THE QUESTION. So unfortunately the religious people got insulted and never explained their viewpoints, but was one one thing that I found quite interesting.

    A couple of posters said that when they were watching a Bond film (or any film) and there was foul language or a sex scene they would have to skip forward or change the channel until it was over. But if there was violence, then that was fine. I've had religious people that I work with say the same thing - in fact, they're more fans of violent action films than most of my co-workers in general. So it doesn't surprise me that in North America foul language is forbidden but violence is cool.

  • Posts: 2,081
    ^^ Weird. I wish I'd see an explanation for why that is so, though. I've never understood why anyone - religious or not - would think sex or foul language would be worse than violence. It makes zero sense to me.
  • Tuulia wrote:
    ^^ Weird. I wish I'd see an explanation for why that is so, though. I've never understood why anyone - religious or not - would think sex or foul language would be worse than violence. It makes zero sense to me.

    Yes, I wish people would have stuck around to answer that but they got offended by the needless provocation (and rightfully so) and left the discussion.

    There's a similar thing that I find odd, which is most of the hard-core Christians that I've worked with over the years are pro-death penalty and very pro-military. To me that totally goes against both Old Testament (Thou shalt not kill) and New Testament (turn the other cheek if someone smites you). I'd love to have an intelligent discussion about that with them - I'm not judging them, I'm legitimately curious as to how they arrive at those positions.

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited January 2013 Posts: 28,694
    The f word is mouthed in TMWTGG if I recall correctly, but that doesn't count I guess as it isn't audible...
  • DrunkIrishPoetDrunkIrishPoet The Amber Coast
    Posts: 156
    Liked it. Also, they dropped the S-bomb a couple times too.
  • Posts: 90
    To hisqos (Jan.17) : that's obviously why you know one hisqos !
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    The f word is mouthed in TMWTGG if I recall correctly, but that doesn't count I guess as it isn't audible...

    LALD, actually (it may have been in TMWTGG, but it was much more obvious in LALD). And, since I first saw LALD on TV, I thought they just censored it for TV, I didn't know, at the time, that it wasn't actually in the film.
  • Data_ThiefData_Thief Banned
    Posts: 75
    When I heard her say it, It actually really turned me on and aroused me in a way. It sounded naughty and I loved it.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    edited January 2013 Posts: 6,304
    Anon wrote:
    It's appropriate for M to say 'I fucked it up didn't I?'
    Very matter of fact, and shows her letting her guard down to talk to Bond as a friend finally rather than a subordinate.
    Just wouldn't have worked with a milder oath. Imagine if she's said 'bollocks'd' or 'balls'd' or 'screwed' etc.

    Agreed. Her job is sending agents to their deaths. Some swearing over the stress of it all is to be expected.
    The f word is mouthed in TMWTGG if I recall correctly, but that doesn't count I guess as it isn't audible...

    LALD, actually (it may have been in TMWTGG, but it was much more obvious in LALD). And, since I first saw LALD on TV, I thought they just censored it for TV, I didn't know, at the time, that it wasn't actually in the film.

    FYEO, underwater.
  • Posts: 2,599
    Judi Dench dropping the F-bomb quite casually in the final act was surprising and I thought altogether unnecessary for a Bond film.

    To me it sounds like she said "... fouled it up". It doesn't even sound like the naughty "f" word to me at all. I think it's probably appropriate and it's done in a tasteful way as she almost just mutters it under her breath. As I said, I can't even make it out and I've seen the film 4 times. They've said the "s" word in Bond before and I don't think "f" is much worse.

  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited January 2013 Posts: 24,183
    Data_Thief wrote:
    When I heard her say it, It actually really turned me on and aroused

    so-long-farewell-copy.jpg
  • He's gone again? Yes! <:-P

    I hope he doesn't join again.
  • Major_BoothroydMajor_Boothroyd Republic of Isthmus
    Posts: 2,722
    Data_Thief wrote:
    When I heard her say it, It actually really turned me on and aroused me in a way. It sounded naughty and I loved it.

    Troll's ultimate downfall - they can only put up a barely rational facade for so long until they go full blown idiocy. Must. Try. Harder.
  • MrBondMrBond Station S
    Posts: 2,044
    He is gone, hopefully forever!

    tumblr_m3ubk8qXNz1qcyz8r.gif
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    He's gone again? Yes! <:-P

    I hope he doesn't join again.

    The odds of that are sadly slim. Does he have to start new email accounts to keep joining?
  • SandySandy Somewhere in Europe
    Posts: 4,012
    Time to celebrate!

    tumblr_mgleot8pTq1rqrnlao1_500.gif
  • Heh, I couldn't help but snigger when I read one of the above responses - no prizes for guessing which one...

    Maybe I got too animated about having the word F--k in a James Bond movie. This is the 21st century now, and while it was a surprise for sure, it's all very well and good, and above all else, it was hardly audible was it ?

    I hope they don't include stronger profanities in subsequent releases, but sure it won't come to that
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    It does indeed sound as if EON purposely muffled the f word. Both times I saw Skyfall it was barely audible.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,974
    I questioned it the first two times, but it was very obvious what M says when I saw it the latter three times.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    The f word is mouthed in TMWTGG if I recall correctly, but that doesn't count I guess as it isn't audible...

    LALD, actually (it may have been in TMWTGG, but it was much more obvious in LALD). And, since I first saw LALD on TV, I thought they just censored it for TV, I didn't know, at the time, that it wasn't actually in the film.

    Well on my UE DVD Mrs Bell actually does say it now after watching the film for years and thought it was never actually said aloud I was shocked (well not but you get what I mean). Did anyone watch LALD in the cinema? Was it present there? I doubt in those days you could get away with 'shit' this side of the pond in a PG.
    There's a similar thing that I find odd, which is most of the hard-core Christians that I've worked with over the years are pro-death penalty and very pro-military. To me that totally goes against both Old Testament (Thou shalt not kill) and New Testament (turn the other cheek if someone smites you). I'd love to have an intelligent discussion about that with them - I'm not judging them, I'm legitimately curious as to how they arrive at those positions.

    I'll happily judge them if you dont want to. Its called rank hypocrisy which is pretty much the central theme of most religions it seems to me.
  • AliAli
    Posts: 319
    JWESTBROOK wrote:
    Yes. Everything from 'flipping' 'funny' 'fracking' 'freak' 'stuff' 'stink' 'witch' etc. Quite sad.

    The funniest incident of that was when the BBC first showed Beverley Hills Cop in the late 80s. The phrase ,"Flip you, melon farmer" is the best piece of dubbing of all time.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    edited January 2013 Posts: 9,117
    Ali wrote:
    JWESTBROOK wrote:
    Yes. Everything from 'flipping' 'funny' 'fracking' 'freak' 'stuff' 'stink' 'witch' etc. Quite sad.

    The funniest incident of that was when the BBC first showed Beverley Hills Cop in the late 80s. The phrase ,"Flip you, melon farmer" is the best piece of dubbing of all time.

    The original Die Hard on ITV was pretty bad too. Just axed the '' aspect so John Mcclanes catchphrase became just 'yippee kayay'.

    Of course the irony is that for Die Hard IV they practically did the same. Lets hope the imminent Die Hard V rectifies this and sees a return to some proper old school swearing.
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