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SPECTRE: Christoph Waltz's role - discussion

Pierce2DanielPierce2Daniel
edited December 2014 in SPECTRE Posts: 4,411
I was going to post this in the Production Timeline thread but it's got so messy in there and impossible to streamline (in my opinion it's time it was locked especially since filming is about to begin). But let's discuss Blofeld's look: Assuming Waltz is playing the villain, how do we want him to look?

For me, the iconography of the character is so strong and I'd be sad to see certain elements go. I think you can do away with the persian cat and Nehu suits but Blofeld has to be bald. At the press launch Waltz had short grey hair:

Christoph-Waltz-Villain-James-Bond-Film-229209.jpg

But in a recent film he did with Terry Gilliam he shaved his head and man does he looks like Blofeld:

8364077_orig.jpg
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Comments

  • jobojobo
    edited December 2014 Posts: 7,507
    I have a great friend of mine, my nose, and its telling me that Waltz is not the New Blofeld...

    And my brain is almost certain that Blofeld, whoever plays him or whenever he is presented, will not be bald! Why on earth does Blofeld "have to be bald"??? :O
  • TokolosheTokoloshe Under your bed
    Posts: 2,667
    jobo wrote: »
    And my brain is almost certain that Blofeld, whoever plays him or whenever he is presented, will not be bold!

    Well you need to be pretty bold to take on James Bond ;-)
  • jobojobo
    edited December 2014 Posts: 7,507
    oops ;))

    I'll correct that if you don't mind... ;)
  • 00Ralf00Ralf Germany
    Posts: 149
    In my opinion the cat should definitely be referred to in some way. The white persian is for Blofeld what the Aston Martin DB5 is for 007.

    Some people have been looking into the meaning of the two songs played before the SP title & cast announcement.

    We Have All The Time In The World might be connected with the SP logo (Shooting Tracy through the windshield + the SPECTRE octopus). The other song, the opening theme of Diamonds Are Forever could either hint at the PTS with Sean looking for Blofeld or it could refer to the white persian seen in throughout the intro song.

    I admit that's slightly far-fetched, though. ;)
  • jetsetwillyjetsetwilly
    edited December 2014 Posts: 3,327
    Blofeld should be bald, stroking a white cat. I think EON have done enough with revolutionising/modernising the franchise, but its about time they started to reign it in a bit. Give the fans what they want, and don't keep diverting away from the traditions for the sheer hell of it, just trying too hard to be different...
  • jerome007jerome007
    edited December 2014 Posts: 158
    We can re-imagine it anyway we want but when we picture Blofeld in our minds,he's bald with a Persian cat..isn't he? That's his signature. Also beginning to think Waltz isn't Blofeld. (Mendes saying "the obvious isn't always correct" notion).
  • dominicgreenedominicgreene The Eternal QOS Defender
    edited December 2014 Posts: 1,756
    I don't want Blofeld bald. There really isn't any point, in the books he wasn't bald, why must he be bald because 40-50 years ago they did it that way in the films?
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,359
    If they are going back to Fleming's Blofeld. This is the template to follow as this is how he was described in the books.
    blofelds.jpg
  • dominicgreenedominicgreene The Eternal QOS Defender
    Posts: 1,756
    Murdock wrote: »
    If they are going back to Fleming's Blofeld. This is the template to follow as this is how he was described in the books.
    blofelds.jpg

    I can see Waltz pulling off the game show host, with a bright white suit.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,359
    Yes. I can easily see Waltz in the second image. Maybe even the third. It would be interesting to see that version of Blofeld.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,229
    Murdock wrote: »
    If they are going back to Fleming's Blofeld. This is the template to follow as this is how he was described in the books.
    blofelds.jpg

    I think only the TB drawing looks like the novel's Blofeld, but I agree, they should go for the Blofeld of the novels. Waltz does look a bit like the OHMSS Blofeld.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Under no circumstance should they and will they make him bald.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,359
    I think I'm the only one who liked Donald Pleasence's Blofeld. If he were used better and given more menace I think he would have been received better.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,229
    doubleoego wrote: »
    Under no circumstance should they and will they make him bald.

    Agreed.
  • 00Ralf00Ralf Germany
    Posts: 149
    This may sound strange, but I don't think any of the announced cast members' head shape would look good when bald. Yes, I have seen the hairless Christoph Waltz, but he doesn't look natural to me as Pleasence/Savalas did. I'm fine with Blofeld having hair, as he had hair in the novels and doesn't necessarily have to be bald.

    The cat is a must, though! Even for the fresh Bond fans it's recognisable and a part of the mythology.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,229
    Blofeld also had hair in the movies, not only DAF, but also FRWL and TB.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited December 2014 Posts: 23,883
    Waltz is not Blofeld folks.

    I think they will go to Fleming when casting Blofeld. Was he not supposed to be a physically imposing man. Waltz is not. It's a red herring.

    The cat is dead. So are the Nehru suits and the bald head. Craig so much as said so with his recent rant about Austin Powers 'f#@^&;*g' the Bond franchise over. I don't know about the ring though.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,229
    bondjames wrote: »
    Waltz is not Blofeld folks.

    I think they will go to Fleming when casting Blofeld. Was he not supposed to be a physically imposing man. Waltz is not. It's a red herring.

    The cat is dead. So are the Nehru suits and the bald head. Craig so much as said so with his recent rant about Austin Powers 'f#@^&;*g' the Bond franchise over. I don't know about the ring though.

    I wouldn't rule out Waltz being Blofeld. Although yes, he is less imposing than in the novels, he does have a face akin to OHMSS' Blofeld. A bit too handsome maybe, but finding the perfect actor for Blofeld is difficult. My bet would have been on Simon Russel Beale or Mark Addy for a TB looking Blofeld, but there you go.

    That said, I agree with you about the Nehru suit, the bald head and so on.
  • scouse007scouse007
    Posts: 90
    I think how he looked at the Press Conference is how he should look, why do we need a Blofeld with a scare or some sort of mark on his face. Nothing is more scary than finding the bogey man looks normal and not like a monster. Now Mr Hinx I can see having some sort of look maybe pale skin and bright green eyes or something like that.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,229
    Well, Fleming had his villains look odd, but how they will do it with Waltz I don't know. My bet, IF he is the villain: they will go the way they did with Bardem: an accumulation of small things, nothing obvious, but on the whole it will look strange.

    That said, at the conference he looked sinister enough, if a bit short.
  • DrunkIrishPoetDrunkIrishPoet The Amber Coast
    Posts: 156
    In olden days, tough guys like Blofeld would have saber scars on their cheeks, from dueling. I always assumed that was the explanation for Pleasence's face: Prussian saber scars. Looks great with a monocle. Be a good look for Waltz or Christensen... or Bellucci!
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    dominicgreene wrote: »
    I don't want Blofeld bald. There really isn't any point, in the books he wasn't bald, why must he be bald because 40-50 years ago they did it that way in the films?

    In two films from the 60s plus FYEO. Can you imagine if he ripped his wig off his head at the end of the film a la Hackman as Luthor? God, no.

    What I might like is if a White Persian walked by and he casually bent down to stroke it.
  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    Posts: 2,629
    A frumpy old woman in a dress. I could see Christoph Waltz pulling that off.
  • PussfellaPussfella
    Posts: 56
    Of *course* Waltz is Blofeld.. you don't rope the greatest living German villainous actor into the Bond franchise, call the film "SPECTRE" and then make him some ski instructor.. It's a red herring as previously reported - like Cumberbatch "character" in Star Trek.

    For my money he should dress normally but have the cat - Dr Evil has totally killed the Mau suits and the bald sutff
  • LeChiffreLeChiffre
    Posts: 1,548
    I just hope that the character of Blofeld isn't airbrushed our of the new timeline. Spectre cannot be brought back wihtout ESB
  • PanchitoPistolesPanchitoPistoles 2.0
    Posts: 4,619
    I agree with the people saying Waltz is not Blofeld and I believe the reason they did not comment on whether he is playing Blofeld is not becasue he IS but becasue he ISN'T and they want people to keep thinking that he is.
  • TokolosheTokoloshe Under your bed
    Posts: 2,667
    Mendes did specifically introduce Waltz as "the most important member of our cast". I think that's a strong indication that he is the main villain of SP, although it's still possible Blofeld will be played by someone else and only make a brief appearance this time.
  • PussfellaPussfella
    Posts: 56
    The daily mail - the most trustworthy exclusive news source since goldeneye - says that waltz will be blofeld about three weeks ago, sanctioning that with the fact they'll have a red herring - that he'll be a ski instructer when introduced to the public... Low and behold...
  • LibrarianLibrarian
    Posts: 312
    If we are talking about Blofeld in Spectre I prefer only small cameo before credits.
    I think that Waltz will be one time bad guy.... BUT a great one! :)
  • Pierce2DanielPierce2Daniel
    Posts: 4,411
    This is an interesting article:
    http://www.salon.com/2014/12/04/dont_make_christoph_waltz_a_bond_villain_how_hollywood_mis_typecast_one_of_the_best_actors_out_there/

    It makes me slightly worried about Waltz's casting. Part of me is hoping that they don't go down the typical road of making him an out-and-out baddie and instead carve something more complex. Actually Mendes's comments make me hope that Waltz's casting is a simple case of misdirection and the actor to play Blofeld is yet to be revealed.
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