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10 Flemingesque moments in Skyfall

jetsetwillyjetsetwilly
edited October 2012 in Skyfall Posts: 3,327
I've seen the film twice now, and a few Fleming-type moments jumped out at me more the second time round. Here they are -

1) The obvious one to begin with. Bond dying, Obituary written by M, a depressed Bond going AWOL, and then Bond reappearing again, with health at an all-time low. This whole episode is taken out of Fleming's last few novels - TB (Bond's health), YOLT (Bond being a shadow of his former self, Bond dying) and TMWTGG - Bond resurfacing and being tested and questioned.

2) Severine - she felt like a Fleming girl (a bird with one wing down). The fact that she was used as a young hooker emphasised this even more. There was a sadness about her. I actually felt more sorry for this Bond girl than any previous female, despite her brief appearance.

3) The scene with the glass on Severine's head felt like it was penned by Fleming. It was one of the most disturbing scenes in the entire franchise, and actually genuinely shocked me. The music playing in the background (what was it?) felt like the bizzare elements of Fleming, and Bond looking round feeling uncomfortable before the gun is placed in his hand was Craig's defining moment as Fleming's Bond for me. Here he nailed it.

4) Likewise, helicopters blaring music out as Silva flew towards Skyfall had a touch of the benign bizzare Fleming.

5) The whole casino scene from start to finish literally jumped out of an unwritten Fleming novel, from Bond's tense conversation with Severine, to the bizzare pit fight with dragons.

6) Silva had a touch of the outlandish Fleming villain. His appearance reminded me of how Scaramanga would have looked, and the hints at homosexuality emphasise that further, as I'm sure Scaramanga was attracted to Bond in TMWTGG.

7) M's death, tragic ending was another Fleming masterstroke. He often ended his novels with a shock twist, and only twice have we seen this appear in the films, with CR and OHMSS.

Skyall Lodge, with its tombstone graves. The title itself is very Fleming, and the house itself in Glencoe captured perfectly how Fleming probably imagined where his hero was brought up.

9) Bond asking to be taken to Severine's employer. Gambling his life to get to meet the villain, surrendering himself on the boat so he could face Silva felt very Flemingesque.

10) The Shanghai build-up, spying through glass windows reflecting neon, fighting against the backdrop of moving neon lights was another Fleming touch.
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Comments

  • JamesCraigJamesCraig Ancient Rome
    Posts: 3,497
    :D

    I'm so glad with this thread.
  • actonsteveactonsteve
    Posts: 1,492
    Agree with this. The dragons were very fleming. He would have started a chapter entry with their gruesome description. A macau super casino would have been rich enough to keep them just like ceasars palace keeps white tigers.
  • LeChiffreLeChiffre
    Posts: 1,548
    Ian Fleming would be extremely proud of the film.
  • JawsIsAliveJawsIsAlive
    Posts: 233
    Silva is the most Fleming-esque villain we've had in years, and I think Craig really nailed Bond as he's written in this one.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited October 2012 Posts: 13,356
    I think you've nailed all the points as to why this film is so good @jetsetwilly. I too think Fleming would be pleased. Just keep this going for the next two at least EON, the Fleming vibe was strong.

    I don't think I've ever been as excited to see what Bond's next adventure is.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,257
    JamesCraig wrote:
    :D

    I'm so glad with this thread.

    Then why don't you contribute to it by making meaningful posts? ;-)
  • JamesCraigJamesCraig Ancient Rome
    Posts: 3,497
    There's nothing more to add, my Flemish friend.

    Bond 24 will not be based on Fleming material either, but one can only guess what they will come up with. As long as those tributes are done in a tasteful way, I say: bring them on. My personal favorite was the exploding pen.
  • 9eor9e9eor9e
    Posts: 20
    jetsetwilly wrote:
    The music playing in the background (what was it?) felt like the bizzare elements of Fleming, and Bond looking round feeling uncomfortable before the gun is placed in his hand was Craig's defining moment as Fleming's Bond for me.

    The music was 'Boum' by Charles Trenet (who also sang the original version of La Mer, which is played at the end of Tinker Tailor ..) and I agree, the character of Severine and her demise were fantastically Flemingian.
  • darren_blacksmithdarren_blacksmith
    Posts: 678
    The scorpion.
  • QuarterdeckQuarterdeck
    Posts: 136
    Great post by jetset - not much to add.

    I hear the Golden Gun opening stuff....but possibly also the climax of the novel where Bond pursues Scaramanga through the swamps. There's a similar chase through wild terrain in SF...
  • Aziz_FekkeshAziz_Fekkesh Royale-les-Eaux
    Posts: 403
    Silva living on an unihabited island that is in ruins just screamed Fleming to me as well as Bond running through the London underground. Cold, musty, dark, and bizzare locations really are Fleming's thing.
  • SandySandy Somewhere in Europe
    Posts: 4,012
    Bond throwing a knife.
  • myworldisenoughmyworldisenough
    Posts: 1,143
    I agree with your points. Fleming I think would have been pleased. I am enjoying the way Craig's Bond is getting better and better and the direction the producers / director has taken him in. I too have watched Skyfall twice and it really is now set up I hope for a truly golden era continuing with Bond 24. I desperately want them to start shooting it now!!!!
  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    Posts: 2,629
    The kimono dragon grabbing the guy's leg and dragging him back to the cave seem like it would have been something Fleming would have come up with. It's not a giant squid or anything, but still...
  • bond_azoozbondbond_azoozbond Portland,OR
    Posts: 97
    So why we didn't have the SKYFALL novel then ?? Since its close to fleming in many ways !!
  • SandySandy Somewhere in Europe
    Posts: 4,012
    bond_azoozbond wrote:
    So why we didn't have the SKYFALL novel then ?? Since its close to fleming in many ways !!

    Are you joking or are you really expecting an answer to your question?
  • SharkySharky
    Posts: 266
    I think this may've been mentioned but i thought Silva's introduction and his monolouge was very Flemingesque. I love the film, i love how M was writing his obituary and the first few lines were almost identical to what was written in the you only live twice novel.
  • SandySandy Somewhere in Europe
    Posts: 4,012
    Sharky wrote:
    I think this may've been mentioned but i thought Silva's introduction and his monolouge was very Flemingesque. I love the film, i love how M was writing his obituary and the first few lines were almost identical to what was written in the you only live twice novel.

    Me too, I agree with both. The monologue was brilliant and one of the best parts of the film and the obituary was a nice nod. The friends who watched it with me were impressed when I told them about how many things relate to the books, which they unfortunately don't know.
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,860
    I felt a lot of the unused elements in the man with the golden gun and You only live twice were used in this film
  • 00130013
    Posts: 1,817
    I completly agree with the above list and with the general assessment of SF as a very Flemingesque story.
    What surprises me is that a "film critict" in my country claimed that Bond in SF had nothing related with Fleming's... yeah right, how many Fleming novels have you read, I want to ask him?
    The only low point was Bond don't smoking in the bar scene...
  • commandbond007commandbond007
    Posts: 660
    I been looking around many sites and one thing was mention that this could have been written by Ian Fleming himself.....the lost novel that never was
  • FlemingIanFlemingFlemingIanFleming
    Posts: 1
    I have to agree 100% with the points made here. This film, as well as "Casino Royale," establish the Craig era as the most "Flemingesque" of the film series, in my opinion, thanks to these touches. Not to mention the fact that Craig's portrayal of Bond is the closest of all of them to Fleming's literary character.
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,423
    @FlemingIanFleming -

    really? The entire film series, what about Dr No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, For Your Eyes Only, plus the two Dalton's?
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    Posts: 1,497
    Silva is Flemingesque, in the sense we get some backstory on this villain. It kind of reminded me of how Red Grant's backstory is explained in the FRWL novel.

    And hello, blonde villain???
  • battleshipgreygtbattleshipgreygt
    Posts: 1,220
    When I was watching Skyfall, it sort of felt like something Fleming would have imagined had he been around today. Silva, the floating casino, Bond's death and early retirement, the bizzare music and game on Silva's island, the surreal nature of Shanghai, all very Flemingesque.
  • LeQueuxLeQueux
    edited November 2012 Posts: 33
    Well played jetsetwilly, a good post sir. Also remember the glass of whiskey on the head of Severine is partially based on the scene in the TMWTGG novel when Bond borrows Scaramaga's gun to shatter the pineapple atop the singer/dancer's head to liven up the party! As you say it is a disturbing scene with Severine tragically fated. Also what would Fleming have made of Silva's disfigurement..I actually couldn't look!
  • LotusEspritLotusEsprit
    Posts: 160
    I completely agree.

    Skyfall feels like a modern day Fleming story. It is what I loved most about the movie.
    Much has been said already.

    I'd like to add the poem Ulysses to the list. Fleming was very playful wiht such things. In YOLT for example Bond tries to formulate a japanese poem.

    I also loved Bond and one of Silvas men breaking into the lake. The whole scene felt straight out of a Fleming novel!

    Throwing knife, Casino scenes, Shanghai scene with Patrice (!), the Whiskey scene...my god so much there.
    I also think that the shoot out at skyfall could have been straight out of a novel. It's not an overblown action piece with Bond running through an army. It's dark, it's thrilling, it's clever and exciting. The way Bond outsmarts the enemy really made me think of Fleming.
    Also when the fire shoots through the tunnel it reminded me of Moonraker (novel).

    I don't know who is responsible for all these elements and the overall feeling but if it's Logan, welcome on board and I can't wait for Bond 24!
  • MrSpyMrSpy
    Posts: 116
    The whole thing?
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    edited November 2012 Posts: 11,189
    What about the "New Mi6" and how it was a throw back to the old war rooms? I could imagine Fleming having fun there.
  • jetsetwillyjetsetwilly
    Posts: 3,327
    LeQueux wrote:
    Well played jetsetwilly, a good post sir. Also remember the glass of whiskey on the head of Severine is partially based on the scene in the TMWTGG novel when Bond borrows Scaramaga's gun to shatter the pineapple atop the singer/dancer's head to liven up the party!
    Thanks LeQueux.

    Yes, I thought of that pineapple scene from TMWTGG too immediately when watching SF.

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