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Can Roger Spottiswoode have been a better directer for Skyfall ??

M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
edited December 2012 in Skyfall Posts: 4,537
Can Roger Spottiswoode have been a better directer for Skyfall ??


And another quistion above on this one, should Eon mabey consider to let him return and work with some Skyfall crew members and some people returning from TMND earlier then Sam Mendes ?
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Comments

  • JamesBondJamesBond
    Posts: 669
    OF COURSE!!!!
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    edited December 2012 Posts: 11,139
    edit
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    M_Balje wrote:
    Can Roger Spottiswoorde have been a better directer for Skyfall ??

    would be news to me. O:-)

  • JamesBondJamesBond
    Posts: 669
    Always wanted Roger to direct another Bond film.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,356
    This thread can't go far.

    My answer: No.
  • JWESTBROOKJWESTBROOK
    Posts: 5,745
    No. That would mean no Deakins, no Fiennes, a different script, a different writer, no Bardem, and no Wishaw. Mendes brought ALL of that.
  • JamesBondJamesBond
    Posts: 669
    And those names you mentioned are great ones? (except for Fiennes)
  • JWESTBROOKJWESTBROOK
    Posts: 5,745
    JamesBond wrote:
    And those names you mentioned are great ones? (except for Fiennes)

    Javier Bardem? Ben Wishaw? John Logan? Roger Deakins? Are you joking?
  • JamesBondJamesBond
    Posts: 669
    Javier Bardem - passable.
    Ben Whishaw - kick him out
    John Logan - sorry, not a Bond material.
    Deakins - probably good.
  • Pierce2DanielPierce2Daniel
    Posts: 4,412
    Huh? On what basis? Spottiswoode did a fine job with TND but the film was a little by-numbers generally. It felt like he was almost going through the motions on the movie and slowly ticking off all the elements that were required of a Bond film. Mendes threw the baby out of the bath water and took some serious risks by essentially de-constructing Bond, only then to rebuild him. I prefer the brave new world, however I'd welcome your argument @M_Balje that Spotiswoode was the man for the job, but at the moment I can't see your basis.
  • ShardlakeShardlake Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 4,043
    Yeah if you want some journey man hack for the job I suppose so he'd be great for the job.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Pierce2Daniel wrote:
    It felt like he was almost going through the motions on the movie and slowly ticking off all the elements that were required of a Bond film. Mendes threw the baby out of the bath water and took some serious risks by essentially de-constructing Bond, only then to rebuild him.

    Well I think it was more to do with the fact they couldn't get a decent script together for love nor money. I think Spottiswoode did an admirable job with what he had to work with, especially under the weight of expectation following Goldeneye. I think it's the best of the Brosnan films. Regards Mendes, he is a more suitable man for the job but I think the almost unanimous chorus of messiah-like gratitude is very over the top.
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    RC7 wrote:
    I think the almost unanimous chorus of messiah-like gratitude is very over the top.

    Watch out. That's blasphemy round here. The SF is the best Bond ever crew will get ya ;)
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    RC7 wrote:
    I think the almost unanimous chorus of messiah-like gratitude is very over the top.

    Watch out. That's blasphemy round here. The SF is the best Bond ever crew will get ya ;)

    :D I'm sure you're right mate. Oh well, 90% will fall by the wayside when Bond 24 becomes the new best Bond film ;)
  • BondWillReturnBondWillReturn
    Posts: 816
    Here's the big reason Spottiswoode could never have directed a better Skyfall:
    Skyfall is based around M, and the (final) journey she takes with 007. Now, on the set of TND (and even the behind-the-scenes book is pretty honest about this) Spottiswoode and Dench could just not get along.
    So how would he have directed a movie whose main drive is someone he can't get along with? I think Dench would even have declined to do it, if they brought Spottiswoode back!

    Also, here's the reason Spottiswoode won't come back for another film (even though I also think he did a good job with TND), he couldn't get along with Babs either!
  • JWESTBROOKJWESTBROOK
    edited December 2012 Posts: 5,745
    JamesBond wrote:
    Javier Bardem - passable.
    Ben Whishaw - kick him out
    John Logan - sorry, not a Bond material.
    Deakins - probably good.

    Obvious troll is trolling.
    JamesBond wrote:
    Deakins - probably good.
    Why probably. Have you seen Skyfall yet? Can't you judge based off of that?

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,833
    BondWillReturn wrote:
    Here's the big reason Spottiswoode could never have directed a better Skyfall:
    Skyfall is based around M, and the (final) journey she takes with 007. Now, on the set of TND (and even the behind-the-scenes book is pretty honest about this) Spottiswoode and Dench could just not get along.
    So what? Professionals do their job when the camera rolls- she was great in TND.
    Personally, I think Spottiswoode is a fine director, he could have directed Skyfall nicely.
  • Pierce2DanielPierce2Daniel
    Posts: 4,412
    chrisisall wrote:
    BondWillReturn wrote:
    Here's the big reason Spottiswoode could never have directed a better Skyfall:
    Skyfall is based around M, and the (final) journey she takes with 007. Now, on the set of TND (and even the behind-the-scenes book is pretty honest about this) Spottiswoode and Dench could just not get along.
    So what? Professionals do their job when the camera rolls- she was great in TND.
    Personally, I think Spottiswoode is a fine director, he could have directed Skyfall nicely.

    SF is Sam Mendes film through and through. Spottiswoode is a journeyman helmer, which isn't to put him down in anyway (Martin Campbell is the very definition of a journeymen director and I think no one aside Terence Young got it has much as he did), but SF wouldn't have existed without Sam Mendes, TND was always essentially going to turn out the way it did regardless of who was at the helm.

  • battleshipgreygtbattleshipgreygt
    Posts: 1,220
    Frankly, Sam Mendes deserves a TON of credit for what he did in Skyfall. I don't think many people realise how much it is his movie, and if you're familiar with his work, it is very Mendes which is surprising considering it's a Bond film.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,231
    Spottiswoode can handle action scenes extremely well, I'll give him that much. Maybe, if he had a strong script he could direct a pretty good Bond film.

    I'd honestly prefer Mendes to return though, I think he has the idea of what a Bond film should be down to a tee, just like Campbell and Young, and to some extent Hamilton, did before.
  • GoldenShadowGoldenShadow
    Posts: 24
    The showdown of Skyfall was often compared to Peckinpahs Straw Dogs, which was edited by Spottiswoode. So he is not so far away.

    I like TND very much and think that Spottiswoode would deserve a second chance with a better script.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,833
    GoldenShadow wrote:
    The showdown of Skyfall was often compared to Peckinpahs Straw Dogs, which was edited by Spottiswoode.
    Wow! That I did not know! Six degrees, eh?
  • Tobester95Tobester95
    Posts: 117
    JamesBond wrote:
    Javier Bardem - passable.
    Ben Whishaw - kick him out
    John Logan - sorry, not a Bond material.
    Deakins - probably good.

    I disagree with everything you've just said as well as your very existence. I wish for you to vanish into thin air.



    Okay that last part is a joke. ;)

  • lahainelahaine
    Posts: 161
    JamesBond wrote:
    Javier Bardem - passable.
    Ben Whishaw - kick him out
    John Logan - sorry, not a Bond material.
    Deakins - probably good.

    Mans got to be a troll to say Deakins is probably good and Bardem passable
  • lahainelahaine
    Posts: 161
    battleshipgreygt wrote:
    Frankly, Sam Mendes deserves a TON of credit for what he did in Skyfall. I don't think many people realise how much it is his movie, and if you're familiar with his work, it is very Mendes which is surprising considering it's a Bond film.

    I think Bond needs A-list or up and coming directors after Skyfall's massive success. Its something i never understood why the Bond producers never went for bigger talent in terms of acting talent, script duties and directing talent. Makes Bond films an serious contender for awards and cinema box office on the world of Transformers and hobbits.
  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    Posts: 2,629
    One Bond film from Roger Sportsawoodie is plenty thank you,
  • battleshipgreygtbattleshipgreygt
    Posts: 1,220
    lahaine wrote:
    battleshipgreygt wrote:
    Frankly, Sam Mendes deserves a TON of credit for what he did in Skyfall. I don't think many people realise how much it is his movie, and if you're familiar with his work, it is very Mendes which is surprising considering it's a Bond film.

    I think Bond needs A-list or up and coming directors after Skyfall's massive success. Its something i never understood why the Bond producers never went for bigger talent in terms of acting talent, script duties and directing talent. Makes Bond films an serious contender for awards and cinema box office on the world of Transformers and hobbits.

    I agree, and I think the first priority is to get Sam Mendes back, not only is he one of the elite directors working today, but he also has an immense passion and understanding for Bond, so we got pretty lucky there. If he is not keen on returning (which I believe will end up being the case), Joe Wright and Tom Hooper have mentioned interest in directing a Bond film, and I feel they would be appropriate successors to Mendes.
  • MrBrownMrBrown
    Posts: 202
    @Kerim Agreed.

    SKYFALL is successful because of its well-developed characters. I'm not sure Spottiswoode handled characters well in TOMORROW NEVER DIES. Action seemed to be top priority, especially at the end of the flick.

    If he had put in charge of SKYFALL, I don't think it would have turned out too well.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,232
    Short answer: no!

    I had my doubts about Mendes, I still have some, but he is a much better director. Spottiswood is a competent director, he is capable, however TND was mediocre at best and lacked soul, something a director should be able to bring.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    BondWillReturn wrote:
    Here's the big reason Spottiswoode could never have directed a better Skyfall:
    Skyfall is based around M, and the (final) journey she takes with 007. Now, on the set of TND (and even the behind-the-scenes book is pretty honest about this) Spottiswoode and Dench could just not get along.
    So how would he have directed a movie whose main drive is someone he can't get along with? I think Dench would even have declined to do it, if they brought Spottiswoode back!

    Also, here's the reason Spottiswoode won't come back for another film (even though I also think he did a good job with TND), he couldn't get along with Babs either!

    I like Spottiswoode more and more!
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