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If i can tolerate HER then maybe TLD can move another place,but i will have to torture watch it again first.
Go easy on her barry. I hear she really likes you!!
(And we all know you have that Playboy pic of her on your wall, or is that for dart practice?)
I can multi-task if need be he he ;)
I think it adds style, which is an important component in Bond films in general. But beyond that, I find the helicopter fight, and the helicopter acrobatics, to be really well made and most exciting. In the vein of the action sequences of the 80s films.
Nice ranking.
The Piss Filter really annoys me; it's unnatural and takes me out of what's going on on screen – for the entire sequence. Sigman is the only thing that makes up for it. ;-)
In what way do you feel it adds style?
The helicopter acrobatics looks good, but again there's that yellow filter distracting me from the fight; Had only Mendes/Hoytema managed to stay away from this, I'd probably enjoyed it a whole lot more.
Or when your meds are not working, barry!!
Don't believe I will ever say that DAD would be a go to Bond film! Chilled or not!!
Kara says she'd kiss your foot though!!
hahaha i have to admit Mathis,that i'm never sober when i watch it.
I'd want to be in a coma to watch it!!
Haven't watched DAD in a long time. Always found the performance by Toby Stephens to be quite good. He is perfect as the nasty Gustav Graves.
I usually give up after the opening surfing scene, which is cool and well shot! It all goes downhill from there!
Haha!
I wouldn't place DAD last either, and there are plenty of other films I would shuffle, but I do appreciate the unconventional ranking. Several films usually perceived to be the weakest are at the top, and some of those thought to be the best are at the middle-to-bottom. I mean, AVTAK, TWINE, TMWTGG are in the top 10, and DN, FRWL and OHMSS quite a bit below. And DAF in first place? Pretty cool.
Great question. My attempt at answering:
First of all, I feel the tracking shot has what you might call 'swagger'. It reeks of self-confidence and of the film wanting you to know that everything you are watching in the shot has been carefully coordinated and is leading somewhere (more on this later). To a certain degree, it also creates the sense that the film is inviting you to discover what's happening in the scene. By not cutting and just moving the camera around, it feels less about showing and more about letting you see. If the film had shown you the same sequence of events in a conventional way, with numerous camera angles and cuts, all these things would have been lost, or at least, no more emphasized than in other film.
All of this holds true, for instance, at the beginning of the sequence, when the camera slowly closes in on a crowd mostly filled with people dressed in black and walking in the same direction, until someone dressed in white and walking the opposite way appears (Sciarra, of course). By keeping things restricted to a single shot, the action feels like it's unfolding in front of your eyes, rather than being captured by cameramen. Like if one were watching a play instead of a movie.
Then, when Sciarra walks past the couple standing in the crowd, the camera forgets about him and stays on the couple. The visual connection between Sciarra and the couple could've been established with a conventional camera shot, but by making it part of a single extended shot, it feels much more strongly like it's part of a cohesive whole.
Once again, when Bond and Estrella ride the elevator, and when Bond ditches the skull costume, by not cutting, the sequence conveys a certain stagelike immediacy. And when he walks on the rooftops, and we see the crowds below (which just a few minutes ago we were standing with at ground level, in the same shot), the sequence "folds back on itself." It started at A. It ends at B and visually establishes the relationship between A and B. So it wasn't leading somewhere just narratively, but also visually-- it was a visual journey. This wouldn't have been conveyed as strongly if the sequence had lots of cuts.
Last but not least, there's a dance-like grace to seeing people moving around without editing getting in the way.
All of the above has to do with style or form, rather than content (the content of the sequence is pretty great, as well, but that's not what's being discussed here). It's distinctive; not something you see every day. It's a great way of introducing you into the world of the film in a memorable way-- of grabbing your attention. This is a staple of the Bond films. In fact, on several occasions, they sacrifice consistency of tone and plot logic for the sake of presenting you with something striking (usually a crazy stunt, but on occasion a twist in the story; for instance, a character whose intentions were not what they seemed).
I agree about the filter. Makes the city look and feel too hot and humid, and it robs the film of color in the most colorful sequence one can think of: a parade.
In that sense I can understand it; «Hey, this is a Bond film; look what we can throw at ya!». I also enjoy the fact that we see the people in black clothes heading in the opposite direction to Sciarra. No better way to highlight a person or object; you see it all the time in comic books for example – most noticeable b/w comics, or comics with a heavy use of ink. Alex Toth was a master of this (just to mention an example). I can also enjoy the camera shifting to Bond and Estrella for the remainder of the shot.
My issue is that they’ve made such an elaborate shot just to – putting it very simple here – establish a white clothed character in a city surrounding, which Bond might have some connection to – then follow Bond and his female companion up the stairs of a hotel, then out the window up onto the roof. It’s quite…boring. You can loose yourself in the fine attention to detail, but it’s really just a shot that transports Bond from A to B.
With the what… four minute play time(?), that’s quite a long time to just follow Bond walking. There lays one of my other issues with SP as a film too – the very long running time.
In a comparison, in roughly the same runtime of QoS, Bond has been through an intense car chase, with Mr. White in the boot of his car – eventually delivering him to M. CR had the fight in the toilets, and SF had a very dramatic first few minutes as well. That’s not to say I can’t enjoy a slow build-up, but again – four minutes only placing Bond at his location is a bit much.
Regarding the filters again – and i might remember this incorrectly; didn’t the Mexican government offer financial incentives for the film to portray Mexico in a favorable light? The yellow filter adds an almost pollution like effect over scenery that would surely paint the city in a better light visually without it. As it’s presented, it looks like a place you rather avoid visiting, IMO, which is unfortunate.
I agree the film is too long. Analyzing things coldly, for the sake of improving the flow of the story, the business at London should've been flat out cut and several more scenes set at Blofeld's lair should've been added.
Yes, I think you're right about the incentives, so the uninviting look of Mexico in the film does go against that, as well as the eye candy one would want from Bond, no matter how 'artistic' the approach of the filmmakers might be.
1. GOLDFINGER
2. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
3. THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
4. DR NO
5. THUNDERBALL
6. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
7. CASINO ROYALE 06
8. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
9. OCTOPUSSY/NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN
10. LICENCE TO KILL
11. LIVE AND LET DIE
12. A VIEW TO A KILL
13. SKYFALL
14. FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
15. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
16. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE
17. GOLDENEYE
18. MOONRAKER
19. THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN
20. QUANTUM OF SOLACE/ CR 54
21. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
22. SPECTRE
23. TOMORROW NEVER DIES
24. DIE ANOTHER DAY/ CR 67
I can relate. It was dead last on my list a few years back, but now manages to sneak its way past several of the other ones for me. It’s not quite as high on my list as yours, but it’s certainly among the most underrated I think. Walken is just amazing in it. The soundtrack and title song are awesome too.
Yes. Great cast and Barry score. I've overlooked the elements I didn't like before and find it a film I tend t pop in quite often.
EDIT: Of course I put SP just as the current final Craig one. Here is hoping Bond 25 can be the best final entry for a long-running Bond yet!
I very much agree on the London scenes should've been flat cut. I think many of us that have issues with SP, have that part of the film as a prime example. If they had done that final part differently (and more exciting), I think the opinions of SP wouldn't be so divided.
I hope we someday will hear more from Mendes and/or Hoytema regarding the cinematography, and the reasons behind the use of filters. I understand it's a "thing" for Hoytema, but it would be interesting to hear them go into detail on it, especially since it's so very noticeable.
That really is my only beef with SP. The return to London...for Bond. The climax should have been a crosscut between Bond at Blofelds lair and M, Q outwitting Denbigh in London. And the Hinx fight should have been a final reel showdown as Bond/Madeleine return. Just like the old days when the henchman makes a surprise entry to attack Bond (Teehee..Wint/Kidd)
Good point. A late showdown with Hinx, like with Tee Hee in LALD, would have improved that ending considerably.
So the other ranking was fake. You played me like a fiddle. In fact, I have no armor left. You've stripped it from me.
My other ranking was in response to that article from a few days ago that listed YOLT as the number 1 Bond film of all time. I believe that article listed OHMSS and some of the other beloved Bonds around here quite low.
Ah, I see. I haven't read the article but I remember they were talking about it in another thread.
Still, here's hoping someone actually has DAF as their number one Bond film.
I had a friend in high school who did, @mattjoes
Good! Now I can go see St. Peter in peace.