SKYFALL: Is this the best Bond film?

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  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited March 2020 Posts: 16,573
    If we're talking about the first time we see Bond after the credits in SF, with the girl in the beach side house and then walking along the same beach to the bar for his scorpion shot - I'm pretty sure they shot that in Fethiye, Turkey.

    Ah thank you! Certainly makes sense they'd do it in Turkey- I have always wondered. I don't think it's ever referenced where Bond is even supposed to be, is it? I guess it may well be supposed to be Turkey still, no huge reason for Bond to move on I guess.
    Getafix wrote: »
    I agree with @jetsetwilly. There's nothing glamorous or paradisical about that SF sequence. It all looks really depressing. Apart from the bar at night, which looks quite amusing. Otherwise it looks like a dump.

    503262748_small2.jpg

    Yeah, what a dump...?!
    8-|

    I'm curious where you deem acceptable to go on holiday, Getafix? :D
  • edited March 2020 Posts: 11,425
    Well my tastes in travel destination have probably been heavily influenced by Bond. So I don't do a lot of backpacker hostels and I have to say that beach doesn't look all that... bit package holiday.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited March 2020 Posts: 16,573
    Where is this backpacker hostel you're all seeing?

    You clearly haven't ever been to one if you think you get a bed like this :D

    2013-04-02-06-50-34-pm.jpg?w=664&h=278

    I think it's pretty clear you're just making stuff up now. The beach looks stunning.

    Here's another beach, looking just as 'package holiday':

    laughing-waters-west-of-ocho-rios-7.jpg

    It's the beach from Dr No. Obviously they should never have gone there either. Not Bondian.

  • ThunderballThunderball playing Chemin de Fer in a casino, downing Vespers
    Posts: 815
    Getafix wrote: »
    I actually don't think Bond would care so much about mobile phones, which are just not very Bondian full stop.
    Why not? It’s the 21st century. Mobile phones have become a commodity.

    Exactly. Not using a cell phone today would be pretty dumb for a spy. He'd be able to contact Mi6 anytime and use it for other variations aspects of his work. Fleming would likely be fine with it.
  • Posts: 11,425
    mtm wrote: »
    Where is this backpacker hostel you're all seeing?

    You clearly haven't ever been to one if you think you get a bed like this :D

    2013-04-02-06-50-34-pm.jpg?w=664&h=278

    I think it's pretty clear you're just making stuff up now. The beach looks stunning.

    Here's another beach, looking just as 'package holiday':

    laughing-waters-west-of-ocho-rios-7.jpg

    It's the beach from Dr No. Obviously they should never have gone there either. Not Bondian.

    That's not the beach from Dr No. I've been there and it doesn't look like that.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,573
    Getafix wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    Where is this backpacker hostel you're all seeing?

    You clearly haven't ever been to one if you think you get a bed like this :D

    2013-04-02-06-50-34-pm.jpg?w=664&h=278

    I think it's pretty clear you're just making stuff up now. The beach looks stunning.

    Here's another beach, looking just as 'package holiday':

    laughing-waters-west-of-ocho-rios-7.jpg

    It's the beach from Dr No. Obviously they should never have gone there either. Not Bondian.

    That's not the beach from Dr No. I've been there and it doesn't look like that.

    The photo is labelled as Laughing Waters. How awful of you to have been to a package holiday beach :D
  • ThunderballThunderball playing Chemin de Fer in a casino, downing Vespers
    edited March 2020 Posts: 815
    As a landlocked American (I'm from Colorado, can't get more landlocked than that), I have a love and fascination with the beach and ocean and those are usually my favorite locations in Bond movies, which partially explains my adoration for CR, TB and DN, with their Caribbean scenes.
  • Posts: 3,327
    mtm wrote: »
    laughing-waters-west-of-ocho-rios-7.jpg

    It's the beach from Dr No. Obviously they should never have gone there either. Not Bondian.

    I've been to Goldeneye (very remote sands) and also the `James Bond beach' in Jamaica.

    As for that photo, I don't care where that beach is. I'd just love to be there right now, wherever it is.
  • Posts: 1,394
    In answer to the thread topic.....NO.
  • ThunderballThunderball playing Chemin de Fer in a casino, downing Vespers
    Posts: 815
    /thread. I’ve been waiting for it to die.
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,588
    As a landlocked American (I'm from Colorado, can't get more landlocked than that), I have a love and fascination with the beach and ocean and those are usually my favorite locations in Bond movies, which partially explains my adoration for CR, TB and DN, with their Caribbean scenes.

    I grew up on the California coast. But that too leads to an allure of the ocean settings. I'm with you: TB is my #2 ranked film, behind SF. The setting is its own character in TB.
  • Posts: 11,425
    TripAces wrote: »
    As a landlocked American (I'm from Colorado, can't get more landlocked than that), I have a love and fascination with the beach and ocean and those are usually my favorite locations in Bond movies, which partially explains my adoration for CR, TB and DN, with their Caribbean scenes.

    I grew up on the California coast. But that too leads to an allure of the ocean settings. I'm with you: TB is my #2 ranked film, behind SF. The setting is its own character in TB.

    Funny that you group them together. TB is a film I just find really hard to watch these days. I've always found it slightly underwhelming despite some great scenes. It's probably my least favourite of the Connery films. I find DAF more entertaining.

    I remember watching TB for the first time and really disliking the PTS with the jet pack. I think the film feels more like a Guy Hamilton entry as it feels like the franchise has moved far away from DN and FRWL by this point. By contrast, GF feels closer to the first 2 in style, IMO.
  • ThunderballThunderball playing Chemin de Fer in a casino, downing Vespers
    Posts: 815
    TripAces wrote: »
    As a landlocked American (I'm from Colorado, can't get more landlocked than that), I have a love and fascination with the beach and ocean and those are usually my favorite locations in Bond movies, which partially explains my adoration for CR, TB and DN, with their Caribbean scenes.

    I grew up on the California coast. But that too leads to an allure of the ocean settings. I'm with you: TB is my #2 ranked film, behind SF. The setting is its own character in TB.

    Thunderball is my second favorite too. For 25 years, up until about three or four months ago, it was my #1 favorite, but I had to admit to myself that I watched and loved Casino Royale more. TB is still a close second. It has absolutely everything I want from a Bond movie and nothing I don’t.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    TripAces wrote: »
    As a landlocked American (I'm from Colorado, can't get more landlocked than that), I have a love and fascination with the beach and ocean and those are usually my favorite locations in Bond movies, which partially explains my adoration for CR, TB and DN, with their Caribbean scenes.

    I grew up on the California coast. But that too leads to an allure of the ocean settings. I'm with you: TB is my #2 ranked film, behind SF. The setting is its own character in TB.

    Thunderball is my second favorite too. For 25 years, up until about three or four months ago, it was my #1 favorite, but I had to admit to myself that I watched and loved Casino Royale more. TB is still a close second. It has absolutely everything I want from a Bond movie and nothing I don’t.

    Good post. To me TB is near perfect and very faithful to Flemings Book.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,573
    suavejmf wrote: »
    TripAces wrote: »
    As a landlocked American (I'm from Colorado, can't get more landlocked than that), I have a love and fascination with the beach and ocean and those are usually my favorite locations in Bond movies, which partially explains my adoration for CR, TB and DN, with their Caribbean scenes.

    I grew up on the California coast. But that too leads to an allure of the ocean settings. I'm with you: TB is my #2 ranked film, behind SF. The setting is its own character in TB.

    Thunderball is my second favorite too. For 25 years, up until about three or four months ago, it was my #1 favorite, but I had to admit to myself that I watched and loved Casino Royale more. TB is still a close second. It has absolutely everything I want from a Bond movie and nothing I don’t.

    Good post. To me TB is near perfect and very faithful to Flemings Book.

    Probably because his book was based on a film script! :D
  • ThunderballThunderball playing Chemin de Fer in a casino, downing Vespers
    Posts: 815
    The big improvement over the novel of course is Fiona Volpe. In fact, back in 2006 when I first read Thunderball (my first Fleming novel), I ended up missing her.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,201
    TB has a lot of great independent scenes but as a whole it doesn't really work as a film. It feels like a step down from the first three films.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,230
    Rewatched TB on ITV4 the other night. Very much enjoyed it. Very confident filmmaking to match the equally confident Connery. A great Bond film.
  • edited March 2020 Posts: 3,327
    Getafix wrote: »
    TripAces wrote: »
    As a landlocked American (I'm from Colorado, can't get more landlocked than that), I have a love and fascination with the beach and ocean and those are usually my favorite locations in Bond movies, which partially explains my adoration for CR, TB and DN, with their Caribbean scenes.

    I grew up on the California coast. But that too leads to an allure of the ocean settings. I'm with you: TB is my #2 ranked film, behind SF. The setting is its own character in TB.

    Funny that you group them together. TB is a film I just find really hard to watch these days. I've always found it slightly underwhelming despite some great scenes. It's probably my least favourite of the Connery films. I find DAF more entertaining.

    I remember watching TB for the first time and really disliking the PTS with the jet pack. I think the film feels more like a Guy Hamilton entry as it feels like the franchise has moved far away from DN and FRWL by this point. By contrast, GF feels closer to the first 2 in style, IMO.

    Agree 100%. The film really drags with the underwater scenes (of which there are many)! The best moments are Connery strolling around the Shrublands health farm, and later on the beaches, casinos and streets of the Bahamas, which are very good, probably Connery at his coolest.

    But cool individual scenes don't make a great film overall.

    It has a very poorly made ending too (the speeded up boat-out-of-control looks absolutely ridiculous, even for 1965)! I think the editing is also really shoddily done on TB - definitely Hunt's worst effort.
  • Posts: 7,507
    I have to be in the right mood to appreciate Thunderball. If I feel just a little impatient or restless, the film's limitations in terms of pacing is a problem. If I am in the right, relaxed mood able to sit back and just revel in the atmosphere of 60's nostalgia and the glorious locations, everything works. Last time I watched I had a blast!
  • Posts: 3,327
    jobo wrote: »
    I have to be in the right mood to appreciate Thunderball. If I feel just a little impatient or restless, the film's limitations in terms of pacing is a problem. If I am in the right, relaxed mood able to sit back and just revel in the atmosphere of 60's nostalgia and the glorious locations, everything works. Last time I watched I had a blast!

    Its the one Bond film that I have my finger on the forward button of the remote, to skip past the underwater scenes, which are dull, tedious and lethargic to sit through.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,230
    I'll never understand how anyone finds the underwater scenes dull. I don't consider myself easy to please, but I think they're pretty gorgeous to look at, especially on a decent sized screen. And Barry scores them so well.
  • edited March 2020 Posts: 3,327
    I'll never understand how anyone finds the underwater scenes dull. I don't consider myself easy to please, but I think they're pretty gorgeous to look at, especially on a decent sized screen. And Barry scores them so well.

    Horses for courses, one mans meat is another mans poison, etc.

    For a Bond film I want to see Bond either strolling around looking cool, or involved in high tempo action like fight scenes, ski chases or car chases.

    The underwater scenes involve no sound (other than Barry's score which I also find dull during these moments), and the action feels like its all in slow motion, due to the fact they are underwater.

    Its also difficult to see who's who, as everyone is in masks. You may as well be watching a shootout in space, where everyone is masked up and everything moves at treacle pace due to the lack of gravity.

    If TB had just one or two underwater scenes it would be easier to watch (like LTK), but as they dominate the majority of the film, I feel it really suffers because of it.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited March 2020 Posts: 16,573
    The big improvement over the novel of course is Fiona Volpe. In fact, back in 2006 when I first read Thunderball (my first Fleming novel), I ended up missing her.

    Yeah I kind of wish she was the main villain instead of Largo in a way. She's way more interesting to watch: he's just an eyepatch and a scowl.
    Rewatched TB on ITV4 the other night. Very much enjoyed it. Very confident filmmaking to match the equally confident Connery. A great Bond film.

    Yeah I watched this one for the first time in years a couple of weeks ago and Connery is at his best in this one I think. Properly on top of the world and, blimey, he was a good-looking chap, wasn't he?
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited March 2020 Posts: 16,573
    jobo wrote: »
    I have to be in the right mood to appreciate Thunderball. If I feel just a little impatient or restless, the film's limitations in terms of pacing is a problem. If I am in the right, relaxed mood able to sit back and just revel in the atmosphere of 60's nostalgia and the glorious locations, everything works. Last time I watched I had a blast!

    Its the one Bond film that I have my finger on the forward button of the remote, to skip past the underwater scenes, which are dull, tedious and lethargic to sit through.

    Watching it again I was surprised at the big end battle: there's a bit of fighting, then Bond turns up and he does a couple of cool things like leading the guys into the wreck and blowing them up, and you think, great, we've done a bit of that and Bond's done some cool stuff, let's move the plot on; but then there's yet more underwater fighting, and it's just... bits and pieces.. men fighting here and there... and that drags because it's kind of shapeless. Just footage stuck together.

    And I can never quite get over Bond's reason for wanting to go to the Bahamas. He sees the dead body of Derval in Shrublands, sure, and he has a sister, okay. But why would he think she would be linked to his death? As I remember Never Say Never Again made this a bit easier to swallow but I can't remember why..?

    There can't be another Bond girl who's gone by three different names either! Domino Vitali (book), Domino Derval (TB), Domino Petachi (NSNA) :)
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    mtm wrote: »
    suavejmf wrote: »
    TripAces wrote: »
    As a landlocked American (I'm from Colorado, can't get more landlocked than that), I have a love and fascination with the beach and ocean and those are usually my favorite locations in Bond movies, which partially explains my adoration for CR, TB and DN, with their Caribbean scenes.

    I grew up on the California coast. But that too leads to an allure of the ocean settings. I'm with you: TB is my #2 ranked film, behind SF. The setting is its own character in TB.

    Thunderball is my second favorite too. For 25 years, up until about three or four months ago, it was my #1 favorite, but I had to admit to myself that I watched and loved Casino Royale more. TB is still a close second. It has absolutely everything I want from a Bond movie and nothing I don’t.

    Good post. To me TB is near perfect and very faithful to Flemings Book.

    Probably because his book was based on a film script! :D

    Very true, good point.
  • ThunderballThunderball playing Chemin de Fer in a casino, downing Vespers
    Posts: 815
    I'll never understand how anyone finds the underwater scenes dull. I don't consider myself easy to please, but I think they're pretty gorgeous to look at, especially on a decent sized screen. And Barry scores them so well.

    I’ll never understand it either. The visuals are really great, you have to appreciate how the filmmakers accomplished it at the time and I’m totally with you on the score. I used to have soundtrack and listening to the lush, atmospheric music on its own was enjoyable. If the underwater scenes had a lesser soundtrack then maybe I’d be underwhelmed by it. This is my favorite John Barry Bond score and during those scenes it enhances the mood spectacularly.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,573
    It's a brilliant score, maybe the only one where he goes full 'epic' with the music...? But as hard as he works he can't make those sequences seem shorter! :D
  • edited March 2020 Posts: 17,814
    When watching TB, I sometimes go back and watch the underwater scenes again. Can't see why anyone doesn't find them exciting!
  • Posts: 3,327
    When watching TB, I sometimes go back and watch the underwater scenes again. Can't see why anyone doesn't find them exciting!

    What's exciting about them, compared to something like the Madagascar chase sequence, or the ski chases in OHMSS, or the truck sequence in LTK, etc.?

    And as a massive John Barry fan, I really don't like much of the TB score. I would go as far as saying its one of his worst. The dreary slow guitar plucking mirrors the slow, treacle pace of the silent `action' of the insipid underwater sequences.
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