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And what an office it is! Set pieces in YOLT are fantastic throughout. Those sofas, though - they must be very light?
When I have said in other threads that I don't care who scores the film, so long as the Bond theme is used, I make an exception for John Barry, because he truly was the master when it came to scoring a Bond film. He might have made a rare mistake by having the Bond theme loudly playing while Bond is checking his room for bugs. But that was a tiny blemish on his record.
One of the reasons I think some (like myself) have issues with Arnold's tenure (apart for the overuse of drums and the lack of suspenseful melodic flourishes), is because he was unable to incorporate the Bond theme in a manner which sounded fresh and harmonic, at least imho. I'm glad he chose not to do so in last few Bond scores.
Barry is a genious when it comes to composing. He will always be my favourite Bond composer. I think, however, that he sometimes made strange choices. It is not only the inapropriate inclusion of the Bond theme in FRWL or at the end of OHMSS (one could also add the Little Nelly scene to this list), but also his decisions to spoil one of the series' best stunts by using a slide whistle and a decent pts in AVTAK by the annoying California Girls song.
I was in the mood for something iconic. This hit the spot. Pure Bond movie making perfection in my humble view. The last film made under Cubby’s watch has his DNA imprinted within. 23 years later it’s still as impressive as it was that first night so long ago. There’s a lightness of touch here, a welcome lack of ponderousness which has characterized more recent output. Every interaction is on point. Supporting characters are lively, charismatic and inform the narrative, and the plot is tight. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it now: If Brosnan had only played Bond like this throughout his tenure, he would probably be my # three Bond behind Connery and Moore, rather than bottom of the pile. He’s restrained here and his worst impulses and tics are kept in check by Martin Campbell, who deserves a lot of credit for what he was able to achieve with this film. He smartly modernized Bond while still harking back to the classics. Michael France’s script is actually quite modern, at least in the context of #MeToo. Great viewing of this one. This is the James Bond I know and love. Stylish, smooth & insouciant while still deadly lethal. Let’s have him back soon please.
Seconded.
I don't believe Brossa tics and worst impulses were kept in check as you say. In fact this is where it started imho. Eyebrow raising and tie straighten in the tank chase, that hard swallow he does when Zulkovsky tells him the horrible singer ion stage is his mistress, the awful double take he does in the lift with Natalya announces sarcastically "I m fine!" And of course the infamous 'pain face' when Onnatop
has him in her thighs!
And "ponderous" is a word made for GE, particularly the first half!
I could be wrong,but I get a niggling feeling you don't like GE or Brozza ;)
What makes you say GE is ponderous? Can you give an example?
Haha. Your niggling feeling is right! I don't get the love for this Bond film. It rates at the bottom with the rest of Brossa efforts.
Re ponderous, yes I find all the early stuff at the Severanya station and Natalyas escape and all the stuff at MI6 rather boring! And the big reveal of 006 at the graveyard doesn't impress as I find the dialog rather cringey.
I must admit,even though GE is sitting pretty at #6 in my rankings,the Severnaya attack and Natalya's escape is something I find pretty boring,and I usually fast forward through it.
I agree on the tie tightening though. I didn't like it here and I especially didn't like it in TWINE. Neither did I like the idiotic cuff straightening in SF for that matter.
With regards to his reactions to Zulkovksy and Natalya, I found them quite agreeable, particularly in comparison to some of the distinct and uncomfortable overacting which arrived in later installments.
RE: Pain face: I draw your attention to his reaction to Alec's supposed death in the PTS. A very restrained and believable performance from Brosnan, again compared to the antics which came later. I can forgive his reaction when stuck between Zenya's thighs, because it was appropriate for the scene (unlike when he normally shows pain face in his films).
Finally, regarding it being 'ponderous': I think GE exhibits an airy, breezy and buoyant tone from start to finish. This is something I'd really like a return to shortly, and perhaps this rumoured Hodge/Boyle film will finally deliver it again.
I quite liked the entire Severnaya sequence too. Then again, I'm a big Natalya fan, so anytime she hogs the screen I'm a happy camper.
Oh and Brossa is very wooden throughout!
Just out of interest,if you were forced to,what would be your rankings from 1st to 4th of the Brosnan films ?
1. TWINE
2. TND/GE
4. DAD
Haha thanks,i was just curious..have a stiff drink and you will be fine in no time. ;)
Motivated by a characteristically positive experience with GE the previous night, I took in a viewing of its successor. This is an entry which is often mentioned as 'peak Brosnan' by members on this forum. It's an opinion I can't agree with. In fact, on the contrary I believe this is the film where it all started to go wrong. Extremely 'by the numbers', pedestrian and predictable, this one gives off the impression of a film made by student fanboys who grew up obsessing over the Gilbert films. Certain scenes are so obviously reminiscent of the earlier entries that it's almost shameful. While Cubby and Hamilton wisely agreed with Roger Moore that they should initially avoid putting him in situations which could solicit direct comparisons with Connery (for legitimate fear of coming off unfavourably), here Babs, Spottiswoode and Brosnan unwisely (and perhaps hubristically) attempt the opposite, and imho suffer the consequences. Despite this terrible miscalculation, which was later again made on SP (will they ever learn?), there's a lot to like here. The stunts and action are very well handled (state of the art for their time imho), and the premise of a media baron manipulating headlines for his benefit seems quite prescient in an era of 'fake news'. Most notably, the PTS remains a highlight of the series, and the bike sequence is quite superb.
Where the film fails is in the characterizations, which suffer in comparison to GE. None of the players resonate for me, particularly Teri Hatcher's Paris. This is the woman the great Bond (who has bedded so many beauties in his life) fell in love with? Please.... At least cast someone like Eva Green if you want credibility. Similarly, Michelle Yeoh's Wai Lin is made out to be a serial butt kicker and yet typically has to be rescued by Bond at the end. Brosnan is good at the start of the film, but in my view he descends into affected smarminess by the time he hits Germany & it's all downhill from here. There's none of the edginess which characterized his turn in GE, although he has a good moment during the Kaufmann scene. Someone should tell these guys (Brosnan in the past, and more recently Craig) to stop trying to imitate Roger Moore. It's an unwise move.
In the end I think GE created a problem for the Brosnan era. As a series rejuvenating greatest hits formula package it was so well done that it maybe boxed them in for the immediate future and cast an air of predictability over the franchise. I think this film made the producers realize that they needed new ideas. Enter P&W for TWINE, and the rest for better or worse as they say, is history.
I agree it was inspired having a media mogul as a villain but they botched it. Carvers dialogue made up of sound bites and Pryce giving a panto performance! The script was unfinished going into production. Apparently original choice for Carver, Anthony Hopkins turning it down for that reason. Dench allegedly was also annoyed at no finished screenplay.
I don't get the love for the bike chase either. The start of Vic Armstrong action going on forever (boat chase in TWINE) without any real thrills!
Only real highlight is the Kaufman scene.
In fact Schiavelli steals the film!
I agree on the dialogue. It's really bad in places, and most notably in the end when Carver confronts Bond just prior to his demise. I'm glad whoever came up with this crap didn't get an opportunity to work on a Bond film again. Once more it reminds me of SP. Hopkins is a smart man to have stayed away!
It's re-watchability factor is immense,just like DAD,QoS,TMWTGG,AVTAK & DAF.