Martin Campbell - Appreciation Thread

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  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    And why is Sylvester Stallone suddenly look like Jackie Chan's twin brother??
  • edited October 2017 Posts: 12,837
    From the reviews and comments I've read The Foreigner seems really good but quite different to what I was expecting. Trailers made out it was Jackie Chan's Taken but apparently Brosnan gets more screentime. From what I've read it's basically a political thriller starring Brosnan as Gerry Adams, torn between his current position and his old IRA mates trying to reinvigorate the armed movement, with a world weary vengeance driven Jackie Chan occasionally turning up and making things even more difficult for him by beating people up and reenacting First Blood. I'm really annoyed that there seems to be no UK release in sight because I think it sounds great and I've been looking forward to it for months. Huge Jackie Chan fan and it's been too long since Campbell did a decent thriller/action film. And Brosnan not only being in it but actually having a really big role is the icing on the cake for me. It can't come soon enough.

    And for what it's worth @Pierce2Daniel I've read a couple of reviews that compare how Campbell handles The Foreigner to the original Edge Of Darkness. I haven't seen it but thought it was worth mentioning because I've just read your thoughts on the remake on the last page, so might be something you'll enjoy.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,398
    I agree, the film looks great! I'm starting to think Bond 26 isn't out of the question for Campbell. He's a rare breed indeed!
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,398
    Hey has anyone picked up on this?

    https://www.google.co.uk/amp/deadline.com/2017/09/martin-campbell-treasure-of-ali-baba-the-40-thieves-casino-royale-1202158705/amp/

    I was quite shocked I must say. Campbell throwing himself back into big budget films with Ali Baba. I'm not familiar with the story, but interesting anyway.
  • And they say he doesn't have a James Bond-sized movie left in him...
  • Posts: 11,119
    Matt_Helm wrote: »
    doubleoego wrote: »
    Campbell ' s career is almost like a Shakespearean or Greek tragedy; post his first run in with Bond.
    Well let's not overdo it. For a guy with such a mediocre creative talent he's come actually quite far.

    Exactly. In all honest, I don't really understand the love for Martin Campbell out here. It is mostly based on his two Bond films, of which CR is by far the superior film. Let's not forget that Campbell had a great novel to hack him up. It becomes a bit different if one has to write an original screenplay from scratch. Outside Bond however, Campbell's films to me are quite mediocre. Now he did "The Foreigner", but I read some reviews and it only solidifies my viewpoint on the man.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    He directed two of the greatest Bond films of all time. Hardly mediocre.
    5c2.jpg
  • Posts: 11,119
    Murdock wrote: »
    He directed two of the greatest Bond films of all time. Hardly mediocre.
    5c2.jpg

    You are not reading properly dear @Murdock. I said:
    Exactly. In all honest, I don't really understand the love for Martin Campbell out here. It is mostly based on his two Bond films, of which CR is by far the superior film. Let's not forget that Campbell had a great novel to hack him up. It becomes a bit different if one has to write an original screenplay from scratch. Outside Bond however, Campbell's films to me are quite mediocre. Now he did "The Foreigner", but I read some reviews and it only solidifies my viewpoint on the man.

  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    I see your point now. I stand corrected.
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited October 2017 Posts: 4,520
    The Foreigner 105 million on the moment. More then three times more already then November Man.
    The 88 outside VS is not far a way from 93 million of Blade Runner 2049.

    Dutch cinema release date is 2 November 2017 released by The searchers. Gold ($266,47 at Dutch boxoffice) was released them too and that movie be intresting for them to be released on Bluray.
    The Space Between Us ($258,019) was delayd two times and take long before it was released on DVD and BD. Possible people stil think it isn't released.

    But The Big Sick did more then 861.000 and Jackie 1,2 million. So French company can have a hit and let's hope this one too.

    $516,675 total that Michael Apted Unlocked deliever, but that movie was released by (Dutch company) DFW (November Man and Survivor) who promoted more without a reference to Twine or that is was directed by Bond directer.

    Other release dates:
    Belgium/France: 08 November 2017
    More.. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1615160
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,398
    The Foreigner was a hit financially at least. It'll finish with at least 4 times it's production budget, which is good going for this little thriller. Hopefully if Ali Baba is received well, it'll be enough to get in the conversation for Bond 26. The Bond series does owe a lot to him, after all, and after those "never say never" comments it seems like he's still interested. I think before that he said he had done his two and was happy with that. The man is an inspiration, and I want to we him get one last swing at it.
  • edited October 2017 Posts: 12,837
    The guy successfully rebooted Bond twice. Once maybe you could claim he got lucky, but twice? A mediocre director couldn't do that imo. He's a really talented director who made two out of the three most highly regarded Bond films of the last 20 years. His career outside of that might not be all too special but it's really not that hard to understand why Bond fans like him and there's a reason EON asked him to come back every single time from GE up to QoS.
    Matt_Helm wrote: »
    doubleoego wrote: »
    Campbell ' s career is almost like a Shakespearean or Greek tragedy; post his first run in with Bond.
    Well let's not overdo it. For a guy with such a mediocre creative talent he's come actually quite far.

    Exactly. In all honest, I don't really understand the love for Martin Campbell out here. It is mostly based on his two Bond films, of which CR is by far the superior film. Let's not forget that Campbell had a great novel to hack him up. It becomes a bit different if one has to write an original screenplay from scratch. Outside Bond however, Campbell's films to me are quite mediocre. Now he did "The Foreigner", but I read some reviews and it only solidifies my viewpoint on the man.

    Oh my god Gustav, stop pissing on the parade and being so negative all the time, are you even a real Bond fan?!?! Oh wait if it's something you don't like so negativity is fine, that only applies to when people say mean things about your favourites :(

    I don't know why you're talking about the screenplays because Campbell didn't write either film, but I think it's worth noting that regardless of what you think of GE (personally I think it has a great script full of memorable dialogue and interesting characters, themes and ideas) but it was/is very well recieved and kickstarted a level of popularity Bond hadn't seen for almost 20 years. And they did that without a Fleming novel.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    edited October 2017 Posts: 8,398
    If they offered him every Bond film from GE to QoS, they are sure to offer him Bond 26 in 2022.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Exactly. In all honest, I don't really understand the love for Martin Campbell out here. It is mostly based on his two Bond films

    Err like this is a Bond forum so duh.
    of which CR is by far the superior film.

    Err so one of his films was better than the other? Only hack directors make some films that are better than others do they? All of Hitchcock's films are on an even par? Utterly nonsensical. Is Terence Young a shit director because FRWL is so much better than TB?
    Let's not forget that Campbell had a great novel to hack him up. It becomes a bit different if one has to write an original screenplay from scratch.

    Err he's the director not the scriptwriter. These are two distinct jobs. Any criticism of a script should be aimed first at the writers and then the producers for allowing it to be film
    ed. The director is just a hired gun bringing the producers vision to the screen.
    Outside Bond however, Campbell's films to me are quite mediocre.

    Indeed they are.

    But so are Inchon, Reno Williams: The Adventure Begins, Wild Geese II, Christopher Columbus: The Discovery, Stop or My Mom Will Shoot, Nell, XXX: State of the Union and World War Z.

    Of all the Bond directors only Gilbert and Mendes' CVs stand up to any serious scrutiny outside of Bond and I'm no doubt they have had duds.

    Young - I'm not familiar with any of his work really outside Bond so even if none of them are terrible they've hardly gone down as classics either.
    Hamilton - Had a few semi decent films (The Colditz Story, Funeral in Berlin, Battle of Britain) outside the series but mostly clunkers.
    Hunt and Glen - Pretty much entirely defined by their Bond work as the rest of their output was terrible.
    Spottiswoode - Only got the job because he had reputation for coming in on time. His CV shouldn't be getting you anywhere near a Bond.
    Apted - Simply the wrong man for the job with a very mediocre CV.
    Tamahori - Devil's Double was decent but other than that the most notable thing he's done post Bond is attempt to nosh off a policeman while wearing a dress and lipstick.
    Forster - Has made a few critical hits to be fair but you'd hardly call him A-list.

    If you're going to slate Martin for having a mediocre CV then you have to slate all of them I'm afraid.

    Although the point is I couldn't really give the slightest toss if a bloke directs Mrs Brown's Boys, Hollyoaks and a couple of Ben Dover episodes if he delivers another OHMSS when he gets his hands on Bond so don't really know why you're bringing it up.

    The reason Campbell gets praise on here is he directed the best film since OHMSS (in fact voted the best of all in your own poll as I recall) and has a very decent mid ranking film to pull out of his locker as back up. Not to mention he saved the series twice.

    His CV outside Bond is meaningless as this is a Bond forum not a directors forum.
    Oh my god Gustav, stop pissing on the parade and being so negative all the time, are you even a real Bond fan?!?! Oh wait if it's something you don't like so negativity is fine, that only applies to when people say mean things about your favourites :(

    Chortle.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,278
    Oh, Martin's still alive.

    Well, technically.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    edited October 2017 Posts: 8,217
    Campbell may be "mediocre" but the man can direct an action scene with his eyes closed better than Mendes could with them open.

    Outside of Bond, Campbell does have The Mask of Zorro which is still, as far as I'm concerned, one of the best swashbucklers of the last 20-25 years. Shame he was put under so many constraints for the sequel.

  • Posts: 5,994
    Agreed about Mask. Probably the best version of the character since Tyrone Power and Guy Williams. Hardly anything to sneer at.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,217
    Gerard wrote: »
    Agreed about Mask. Probably the best version of the character since Tyrone Power and Guy Williams. Hardly anything to sneer at.

    He struck gold with the trio of Banderas, Hopkins and Zeta-Jones. They were all excellent.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    Gerard wrote: »
    Agreed about Mask. Probably the best version of the character since Tyrone Power and Guy Williams. Hardly anything to sneer at.
    Hear hear!
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited October 2017 Posts: 23,883
    I haven't seen the Mask, but in addition to Bond, I've been impressed with Campbell's work on The Foreigner & The Edge of Darkness (both the tv series from the 80s and the film version starring Mel Gibson). Vertical Limit had some incredible stuntwork for the time as well.

    I think his two Bond films are among the best (if not the absolute best) that the series has delivered since 1981. CR is a far more polished effort but I much prefer watching GE regularly, as it evokes the past while having one foot in the future. Both were excellent in reinvigorating and reimagining the series. I sincerely hope he has an opportunity to do it again, and he's pretty much indicated that he would be open to the idea.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    @bondjames, you should see The Mask of Zorro at once! It's a masterpiece! :D
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I will be sure to do that @ClarkDevlin. Banderas, Hopkins and Zeta Jones are always worth a watch. I've only avoided it to date because it's not my preferred genre.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    bondjames wrote: »
    I will be sure to do that @ClarkDevlin. Banderas, Hopkins and Zeta Jones are always worth a watch. I've only avoided it to date because it's not my preferred genre.
    I can see why. Although, I personally rather like the swashbuckler genre set in the US was getting a formation, and this film does it absolutely justice. Then again, it's more to do with Zorro for me which I love, than the genre itself. Hopkins, in my opinion, is the best thing in it. A very charismatic gentleman scoundrel.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,398
    With Micheal G W likely retiring from duties after Craig leaves the role, they will need all the alumni they can get their hands on. Who else is better than Campbell for that job? That is, if they aren't selling up, as has been rumoured.

    Campbell is still making big, action-orientated movies into his 70's , and they offered him Quantum so obviously they don't care about his age. Campbell has the energy now that most directors have in their 40's.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    With Micheal G W likely retiring from duties after Craig leaves the role, they will need all the alumni they can get their hands on. Who else is better than Campbell for that job? That is, if they aren't selling up, as has been rumoured.

    Campbell is still making big, action-orientated movies into his 70's , and they offered him Quantum so obviously they don't care about his age. Campbell has the energy now that most directors have in their 40's.

    Well lest we forget Campbell wanted Henry Cavill so he's not perfect.

    After SP the only person who I trust implicitly is Fiennes.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    I baffle at why Campbell wanted a 21 year old Bond for Casino Royale, when Bond himself was perhaps a mere operative for SBS by then, let alone being a Commander. Surely he wasn't keen on getting a Young Bond out of it, was he?
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    It could have been the look. Cavill's look is far more traditional film Bond. At that time he could have looked very good in those suits.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    Too babyface in my opinion. Cavill didn't improve until Man of Steel. And I'm talking about the looks, not the acting.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited October 2017 Posts: 23,883
    Given they were going for rookie Bond, I thought Cavill looked appropriate in 2006 (more so than Craig). I saw him in The Tudors and he looked just fine. Keep in mind he was supposed to replace Brosnan who didn't look too bad even in DAD.
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