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Well, guys, there's hope at all times, always! And that coming from a guy who's got a serious thirties' dilemma, as it seems to be called. Just focus on those things that bring joy and passion in your life and growing up is just what happened somewhere along the way. It sure as hell happened to me sometime, somewhere. At least, that's what they tell me, that I'm a grown-up. And therefore behave like one. Or something. ;-)
Up next, we have @JWESTBROOK. I've sent him the first ten questions, so I hope to have them for you guys soon.
And of course well done to @Creasy47 for finishing the interview so well.
Looking forward to see what the new man in the hotseat @JWESTBROOK has to say.
1.) What are some of the low points for you in the EON series of James Bond films? High points? And of course, why do you feel that way?
For the sake of space, I'll do my lowest and highest point.
The lowest point in the series I think has to be 1971's Diamonds Are Forever. The switch from Connery to Lazenby, then back to Connery, and then on to Moore over the course of three films is crippling to the series. There is error on all fronts; the producers were clearly drawing at straws at what to do, and hardly seemed confident in their decisions; Lazenby managed to sneak his way into the role through lies, and then seemed ungrateful and bigoted after the release of OHMSS, and Connery's return made him and the producers all seem desperate. I can see why they made their decisions, but I feel like the professional approach would have been a little more patient. If they had been patient, we may have had Moore for OHMSS and on, a proper emotional DAF follow up to OHMSS, no half-assed attempt at Connery coming back, and no one would ever question the validity of 'the Bond that got married.' They clearly learned from this after DAF was released, and were swift to set up Moore for success, and this disorderly experience definitely led to smoother transitions with Dalton, Brosnan, and now Craig.
The highest point for me would have to be the impact of Casino Royale. You'll hear a lot from me about CR throughout my answers, and for good reason. Going in, people already saw the franchise fail in almost every decade. And it usually failed when it strayed from the traditional layout. People already hated the 'reboot/reimagining/re-whatever-it-actually-is', they hated the 'Blonde Bond', they hated the last film, DAD, and I'm sure many fans and some moviegoers weren't too keen on the obvious Bourne approach that was going to be taken. Some even felt CR was impossible to adapt. Then the movie released. You recognized things you read from a book written in the 50's, in a movie made 50 years later. Bond was human; he struggled; he fell in love; he failed. The action was clean and crisp, and wove together with the plot; it wasn't as over the top as before, just for the sake of attracting 12 year old kids and keeping people awake. Characters were developed. It's strange, but it had a homely familiarity for me. It felt like it was true to the books, but I saw 45 years of the films mixed in, too. It just worked. And in the end, it caught the eye of Oscar winning actors, actresses, and directors. Everyday people were no longer afraid of being Bond fans, and seemingly overnight every celebrity had a favorite Bond, a favorite film, and a favorite book. Bond was relevant again, and CR is solely to credit for laying the path to the biggest Bond film of all time: Skyfall.
2.) What would you like to see story wise with Bond 24? And what more do you think Daniel Craig can bring to the role?
Story-wise I would love to see more Craig's first two films. I want to see the team keep the same classic elements, but continue to switch them up a bit. I love the vulnerability of Bond, and the character development that is clearly important to the teams behind Craig's films. I love how Bond himself is now the 'sex icon', and I love how film after film we are surprised with what we get, whether good or bad. Casino Royale effectively adapted a 50-year old book, made Bond a the sex icon, promoted feminism with strong female roles, and enhanced the franchise's relevance. Quantum of Solace kept mixing things up, applying the SPECTRE-like group of baddies to modern issues involving politics and environmentalism. It carried over the strong female roles from CR, and it kept Bond vulnerable. Skyfall was even more of the same. Keep it up.
If there was one thing I would fight for, it was Quantum's return. I really hope Skyfall was to Quantum what Goldfinger was to SPECTRE. I feel like there is so much potential, and so much relevance with the organization, and it should be almost too-easy to create some really great content. We've had the one-on-one bad guy plenty of times, lets get Bond after a group again.
I really want to see Craig bring some anger into the role. His Bond so far has the perfect mix of seriousness and sarcasm, and I love it. But I do feel Craig has been set up to give us something we've never had, and that is an angry Bond. In some of the novels, it's this anger that seemingly drives him to victory. Craig is a dramatic actor, so give him something to work with, and something we haven't seen. To be clear, I don't want Moore's torturing of women type anger, but I want to see Bond get flustered, frustrated, and maybe a little mad.
3.) What are your thoughts on Sam Mendes returning for Bond 24? This is the first time (since John Glen) that a director has returned to direct back to back Bond films.
My thoughts vary with every bit of news on Bond 24 we get. I was excited for Skyfall, and I don't think it is necessarily a bad Bond film, I just personally don't get anything out of it. It frustrates me. I don't like Eve until the last five minutes of the film. Her character honestly serves no purpose but to shoot Bond at the beginning, take her out of every scene and what do you lose..? Nothing, really. I didn't like grumpy-Bond. As much as I love Dench as M., I didn't want Skyfall to be about her, and at the bottom line- it is. I honestly believe Mendes had a great idea with her M. and for a Bond movie, but it didn't quite make it to the screen. Notice once Dench was out of the picture, he didn't want to come back. That also worries me. Him leaving then returning, and then scrapping the script. The only directors I would be over-the-moon for a return are Martin Campbell and Christopher Nolan. Anybody else I'm sure would be a pleasant surprise, and Mendes is right under that. Just sort of a 'I hope things are smoother this time.'
4.) How did you become interested in James Bond?
I think it was a TV marathon. Back when I was younger, like 8-10ish, it seems TV channels had a lot more Bond marathons. Spike TV had one every Christmas, and FX sometimes played a few. AMC would play some, etc. I think I realized one day while watching one of them that there were a lot of films with the same people, some different actors using the same name, and they were all full of action. Mom and Dad caught on, and bought me some of the films, and I had some form of Goldeneye for my PS2. I'm pretty sure TND is the first film I owned. Then I had to have everything. I remember the TND video game, and then the TWINE game, and I remember playing Everything or Nothing in a Gamestop at the mall once. It was a very slow, like a decade long realization of just exactly what was going on. I always subconsciously think of OHMSS as the bastard child of the lot, simply because it always played at Christmas and it always confused me with Lazenby staring and all the winks and nods I didn't quite get yet.
It took me forever, but I convinced my Mom to buy me one third of the DVD set at the time (it came in like yellow, blue, and red box sets.. I got the blue one). Then the parents took me to see Die Another Day in the theater when I was like, 8. Seems like a big deal now to be so young, but I enjoyed it. I would go out and play James Bond and the like with my friends as I grew up, collected toy guns, etc. I remember being confused about Casino Royale too, and for that it was the first one I ever looked up online.
And now I am answering questions about it! Good stuff.
5.) What are your thoughts on each of the actors to play Bond? And who is your favorite?
Connery - I've spent the last half of my life wanted to be him, and giddily grinning watching him.
Lazenby - Like I said above, he still confuses me to this day.
Moore - I never really took him seriously; not as a ten year old, and not really today.
Dalton - I've always overlooked him and his films. I still don't think I've seen LTK all the way through... GoldenEye is just too appealing! (I do genuinely feel bad about this. Will fix it soon, I promise.)
Brosnan - The Bond I grew up on. The games, the movies, I used to act like his Bond. Somehow, I don't really feel connected like I do with Connery, though. I've always seen Brosnan for the surface stuff; his Bond didn't have too much charisma, just a lot of 'coooool' for a 12 year old to take in.
Craig - I am him. Very much so.. grumpy, sarcastic, throwing things. I catch myself mimicking his mannerisms and relating to his Bond almost every day. Favorite.
6.) The obligatory favorite Bond film and of course a reason why? Followed by your least favorite and why it ranks at the bottom?
Casino Royale. Again, it's the style and well-rounded-ness. Perfect characterisation of Bond. Perfect direction of a Bond movie. As perfect as it gets modern adaptation of its book. Perfect apology for Die Another Day. The best of the lot, but I'm not saying it can't be better.
The bottom has to be Moonraker. I can't get through it. The 12-year old in me still enjoys a shocking amount of DAD. Even 10-year old me hated Moonraker. It has always been so out of place for me.
7.) What are some of your thoughts on the other areas of Bond. Favorite novel? Favorite games? Favorite song and soundtrack?
Novel - Moonraker. Have only read CR, DN, FRWL, DAF, GF, and LALD, but I've read this one twice. Love Drax's back-story because I feel like it reflects Felming's post-war attitude; the mindset to never think a threat is completely gone.
Game - GoldenEye. I still ache to play, and part of that is missing the childhood friend I always played it with.
Song - I can't give you a good reason, but I absolutely love Garbage's TWINE. It stands out just enough from the rest of the series for me. It was a bold and weird choice for the titles, and I can hear that edginess.
Soundtrack - I can't pick a Barry soundtrack.. it'd probably be YOLT if you put a gun to my head. But outside of Barry it's 100% David Arnold's work on CR and QoS. I used to cut trailers and videos of those movies a lot in my spare time, and his music is stuck in my head for it.
Girl - Eva Green as Vesper Lynd. Smart, and still satisfying.
Villain - I really love the idea of Elliot Carver, but his script crippled him. So Goldfinger, because I love the deadly gleefulness he has. He's laughing, but deadly serious.
Henchmen - If I'm allowed to say Red Grant, then Red Grant. If not, Nick-Nack.
Car – ’77 Vantage V8 (TLD)
Bond’s Look – Connery in FRWL
Fight – Oddjob @ Fort Knox
8.) What are your favorite aspects of the Bond film series? And if you were able to bring something to the films/ character what would you add to the series if you could?
My favorite aspect of the series as a whole can be summed up by an Ian Fleming quote: “I don’t plan on wasting my life trying to prolong it.” He applied that to Bond and to his life, and to some extent I feel we all should take his advice and have some adventure.
My favorite aspect of the films is the variety, from action blockbuster to gritty espionage thriller. I also like the time-capsule aspect of each of the films and their respective decades.
I would love to see the next Bond be cast really young, and have just 4 to 5 films of Bond in the Navy, on wild adventures that worked him up to becoming a 00. A prequel series of some of the stuff mentioned by Fleming and Pearson in the novel and the Biography. I do recognize that this would be highly controversial, but I think it’d be a nice break from the last 50-60 years of formula.
As I mentioned before, I would love to see Bond lose it a bit. I know that sounds strange, but I always imagine the Bond of the novels as having a bit of a temper. For Craig, it’s the perfect set up. He’s lost Vesper, Mathis, and now M. The guy should be a little messed up by now. Let’s maybe see him go a little mad.
9.) If you could put yourself in one Bond film, which film would it be and why is that?
Not sure how to interpret this question, so I’ll answer it twice.
Besides being James Bond, I would love to be Alec Trevelyn in GoldenEye. I feel like all the villains in that movie are having so much fun, and I want to be a part of it. Besides, he’s basically James Bond himself.
If my physical self was cast in a film, I think it’d be fun to be a Q lab rat. You get to meet all the cool actors, and if you’re lucky you get lit ablaze or crushed by a trap-door couch.
10.) Who is your favorite director in the series and why?
Martin Campbell. Two for two on Bond films. To great examples of establishing Bond, and bringing him back. He’s one of the few who, like Lewis Gilbert, Guy Hamilton, and Terence Young, I feel just get the Bond character.
This is fun. I never really had to think back to how I discovered Bond and became a fan. I look forward to more.
One thing confused me though. Looking at your profile @JWESTBROOK, your enlisted favourite Bond film is Skyfall. And that somehow doesn't fit with your description of the film and Mendes. Time for an update? :)
Oh, yea.. definitely. Completely forgot about that. That whole 'new film high' hit me hard.
Good comments on SF, which is obviously currently the most overrated film in the series. Totally agree that they need to get back to the approach established in CR and QoS.
I know the basics of LTK, what happens and when in the film. If I have sat through the entire duration, I didn't pay much attention. But like I said, I plan to remedy that oversight this week.
Funnily enough I've tried watching Skyfall a few times recently just to note and cement my issues with it, and it just bores me too much. I'm a little busy to sit down and watch films at the moment, unfortunately. So when I do, I prefer it to be new to me.
:-bd
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who regards it as a bit of a snore fest! Out of interest, as you are clearly such a big Craig fan, how do you regard his performance in SF? Does it redeem the film at all for you or is the general tone so boring that even the central performance is overshadowed? I certainly missed the freshness DC brought to CR and QoS. It seemed such a jump from rooky to over the hill Bond in just one film.
In conclusion, ignorantly claiming who is and who isn't a fan makes you look very low on the social totem pole and is something you'd be smart to correct. You may be a Moore fan, but you have clearly not yet been influenced enough by his gentlemanly manner.
I'll just leave it at that, because this interview is all about @JWESTBROOK and he deserves to enjoy himself free of any childish critiques concerning his passion for the character of James Bond.
Fair enough.
But do you consider Batman fans still fans when you learn they haven't read every comic released since 1939?
Or every Superman comic since 1938?
Or do you consider those you haven't read all 60-some official cannon novels in the Bond series literary fans? Not to mention all the books written outside the cannon.
As I've said multiple times now, I am ashamed. I just don't think it's that big of a deal, for I still understand pretty much everything that takes place in the film.
It's very shameful - @JWESTBROOK deserves a public flogging for not watching LTK every day!
Well if there was ever a time to do it, it's now! ;)
Well, you deserve a grilling at least. What did you make of Craig's performance in SF? As a DC fan, if you were bored by SF, surely that doesn't reflect well on the lead actor?
That being said, I do find it incredible that you could be an avid and active Bond fan having not seen all the films.
I'll be sure to log off MI-6 should we ever have to suffer your interview here, too. There are things you just don't say publicly to or about someone and this is one of them.
@JWESTBROOK, despite the above, this has been a fantastic interview and I've loved reading it. I admire your knowledge and passion for the series even though you haven't yet seen all of it. From experience - come on, I really didn't need to see Moonraker to know I was a passionate Bond fan, people! of course, I have nonetheless seen it... - I think it makes complete sense.
I feel that it's a basic rite of passage to watch all of the films at least once. That's all. I certainly don't think that @JWESTBROOK is a terrible person for not having accomplished it. I am not going to change my mind about that. Clearly, I am in the minority so I will just leave this thread for good. I do apologize for taking the attention away from the interview.
I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep over that.
Update: I've sent @JWESTBROOK the final ten questions before I open the floor to you guys, so I should have those posted once he sends them to me!
I've always wanted to be an official Bond fan.
But tonight I'm watching License To Kill. That way when we open the floor to questions I'll be fully prepared. Stay tuned!
11.) Let's get into the smaller bits of the Bond universe: what are some of your favorite scenes throughout the films? Favorite allies and henchmen? Favorite lines?
I’ll do two favorite scenes; one old and one new.
My favorite classic scene is probably Oddjob and Connery fighting in Fort Knox. I know it was my favorite fight previously, but it is simply one of the most iconic parts of the series. Connery would emulate it in almost every single one of his henchmen / villain tussles following Goldfinger. I guess I’d call it the ‘Connery Shuffle’, where they sort of stare each other down as they move about the room, almost taking turns striking. The most similar one that comes to mind is the sumo wrestler fight in YOLT. But I pick the Goldfinger scene because it could only be in a Bond film. Fort Knox is the setting. There’s a big metal ticking nuke being carted around, and a bad guy that kills people with a blade on the rim of his hat. The score is minimal, and the sound of the strikes and the two men’s feet shuffling echoes throughout the room. Tense and exciting, even today.
My favorite ‘modern’ scene is hands down the Tosca scene from Quantum of Solace. For what that movie is, for all the writing problems, for all the issues people have with Marc Forster, and for all those who don’t want Jasper Christensen to return, I simply ask you to watch this seen and consider changing your position. I’m not sure just how involved David Arnold was, but the composition over the whole sequence is truly art. The themes of the Tosca play seamlessly and weave into the films plot. The quick cutting technique works here, as things are moving quickly. People are panicking. What sets this scene apart, and what makes the cutting work is the crispness. Look at the boat chase from earlier, and then look at this scene. One is so meddled and discombobulated, and the other is to the point and dramatic. The stars must have aligned, but Forster, Craig, Christensen and his one line “Tosca isn’t for everyone.”, all deliver flawlessly in the middle of an otherwise flawed film. It’s worth watching the movie just to get to this point.
A shortlist of favorite allies:
One: Kerim Bey. Nobody does it better. Father-figure, friend, formidable.
Two: Honeychile Rider. Simple, elegant, innocent.
Three: Jeffrey Wright’s Felix Leiter. So much potential. Scene-stealer.
Four: Melina Havelock. One reason: crossbow.
Five: Rene Mathis. Again, another fill-in-father.
Honorable mention: Natalya Simonova. Brainy, brawny.
Henchmen?
Zenia Onnatopp, Oddjob, Red Grant (if he counts), Dario (yes, I did watch LTK), Jaws, Nick Nack.. don’t really think about the henchmen that often, for whatever reason.
Lines
“It doesn’t bother you, killing those people?” “Well I wouldn’t be very good at my job if it did.”
I don’t know. I could spend too many hours trying to remember these. Too many at this point. This one rounds them all up.
12.) What is your favorite finale out of the films?
I won’t say Goldfinger again. GoldenEye is up there. Way up there. Literally, even. FRWL, FYEO, TSWLM, YOLT.
13.) In 2012 we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of 007. Where do you think we'll be in another 50 years in terms of James Bond?
I’m sure there will be another big break inevitably. I’ve seen some recent discussion around here about fans welcoming some period stories. As previously stated, Bond before the 00 Section, in the war, spying on the Reds, getting noticed and eventually making it to M.’s office for the first time. I definitely think we’ll see Bond go back one day. I hope they skew young, too. Would love to see them have the balls/ovaries to cast a late 20’s, early 30’s actor. I’m sure they’ll pleasantly surprise me.
14.) Share your dream Bond film: director, soundtrack, cast, plot, set pieces, whatever you'd like to share.
Director: Martin Campbell.
Soundtrack: John Barry.
Cast: Daniel Craig, Gareth Mallory, Ben Whishaw, Jeffrey Wright, Jesper Christensen, Kevin Spacey, Meta Golding?
Title Song: Arctic Monkeys.
Sets: Heavy footing in North Asia / Siberian countries.
Specific Set Piece: Bond takes a car down a ski slope as a shortcut. Queue helicopter.
Plot: The fall of Quantum.
Car: ’77 Vantage V8
15.) This doesn't have to pertain to your favorite and least favorite films, but which of the movies is easiest to rewatch? Hardest to rewatch?
I cannot tell you how often I watched Quantum of Solace between its release and Skyfall. Probably the film I’ve seen the most. Being young I really got a kick out of how action packed it was. I loved Bourne and M:I, but QoS – though sometimes through spotty editing – still had a certain ‘Bondian’ aspect to its scenes.
The hardest one lately has been Skyfall. I’m not sure if its over-exposure or just disinterest. LTK took forever to get all the way through, even when I sat down after the first questions to make sure I watched it. Only made it half way. Just finished it as I’m typing this. A lot of Moore’s have been one-time views. Minus bits and pieces I stumbled upon on TV.
16.) Tell us about yourself, whatever you'd care to share. (Of course, if you don't want to share anything too personal, you needn't.) Hobbies, outside of Bond interests, job(s), etc.
I like writing. I have a great pair of Bond stories I want to pen. I started a novelization of Skyfall set in the early 70’s, but I scrapped it. I didn’t like my original approach, and I’ve been working nonstop on the plot and getting the details right. I’m really excited about it a year after my initial attempt, and I hear that’s a good thing. Expect something this year. The second story will be a follow up based on a rather unknown coup in the 40’s, but I’m using it as inspiration for a story to follow my 70’s adaption of SF.
I guess I’m a successful kid. I’m 19, have an Associates in Arts, and three manager titles under three jobs at various food chains here in the States. I don’t get to do much else besides work at the moment, but that is changing in September.
My future will hopefully be in Advertising and Marketing as a copyrighter. There is a great show on Netflix right now called ‘The Pitch’ about the real world of advertising, and it has me hooked. My interests existed before I discovered the show, as it’s been on my mind for about 2 years now. Maybe in some weird way I could work into editing, and eventually on to films. I’m equally interested in both.
I daily drive a 2003 BMW 325ci and I like to think I drive it like Bond would. It’s a manual, has an inline 6, and is in pretty good condition for its age. Definitely my ‘realistic Bond car’ growing up as a Brosnan kid. I have a reasonable interest in the auto industry. There’s a great car blog called Jalopnik that I follow every day. It’s more of an interest in the marketing and release of new products, and less of function and mechanics.
That’s about it, really. Some minor gaming, more-than-average film interest. I love ‘fun-facts’ and knowing otherwise useless knowledge about how things happen(ed) and why.
17.) What is your favorite non-Bond film, TV show, and novel?
My favorite non-Bond film is impossible to pin point. Inception is probably the closest thing to a favorite film I could have. The Prestige is up there. Anything Nolan, Tarantino, comic book, espionage themed, and some great classic movies like the Aliens, Indian Jones’, Jaws’, war movies, and westerns. I don’t read much. There was Harry Potter in middle school, and Bond since. I am in LOVE with Luther, Sherlock, and House of Cards. I don’t seem to have any interest in traditional TV anymore. I like to treat a series as more like a film. My spare time is usually in rare multi-hour chunks, so I binge as much as possible.
18.) Favorite artist, band, or genre(s) of music?
I love most indie-rock, british rock, and a lot of early 00’s music. Arctic Monkeys are my favorite band, and great pick for a Bond theme. I really love the electro-pop ‘hipster’ sound, too.
19.) You can meet any three celebrities, who are they and why?
Kevin Spacey. The guy IS charisma. And seemingly just fun to be around.
Daniel Craig. Gush and blush for a few minutes would be nice.
Eva Green. Again just seems like a fun and loving person. Especially if it’s the same time as Craig.
20.) (Random what-would-you-do question. I love this question, so I'll ask you it, as well) I hand you a box. This box can contain anything in the universe, from an old candy bar wrapper to a bank account with unlimited money. The box's size is irrelevant, it can literally contain anything you could possibly think of. Now, if you open the box, whatever is inside is yours, no questions asked. However, if you choose not to open the box, you can take a check for $1 million instead, but it'll always eat at you, not knowing what was in the box. Now remember, this box can contain an old leaf...or all of the answers to all of life's little mysteries. What do you do?
I take the money. I know how that sounds, and I’m okay with it. It wouldn’t bother me to not know what was in the box. I like to think I’m rational and practical, and the rational and practical thing to do is take a guaranteed large sum of money to be invested in my future and better my position in life. I’d honestly be more haunted by the answer to all of life’s mysteries over not knowing what was in the box.
So I guess this is open to the public to ask me questions. I have all of Monday, the 6th off so I’ll be here to answer everything. I’ll try to keep up for the next few weeks if questions keep coming. I have finally watched License To Kill, so feel free to include that. I’d like to be welcomed now as an ‘official’ Bond fan.