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Comments
Hard pass.
+1
Excellent comment,DD,and I wholeheartedly agree !!
I know the world has changed, but the overall enjoyment and passion for the subject seems to be slowly lost. The director should want to make a 'Bond film'. Not a ______film (insert directors name)
Is this confirmation that production is indeed delayed.
THIS! +2!
I would really prefer a no-nonsense director who has a genuine interest in making a Bond film, not an Oscar-bait-y character exploration which leaves us with little more than a few good scenes, overshadowed by a two and a half hours of a mess.
+3
It was one of the issues I had with Boyle. I think a lesser known director might actually make the film better and more Bondian.
To be fair, Glen had had his day and I don't think he helped Dalton in any way. That might be for the controversial thread but I think the 80s may have needed a bit more variety in the director's chair.
Just look at the 80s. Five Bond films, some better than others but exceptionally fine pieces of work, one every two years, with the same names returning. Being a "veteran" didn't mean you had lost your edge, rather it meant you were reliable, like Peter Lamont, Maurice Binder and John Barry. You could be counted on to deliver the goods. Some of Barry's finest work was done in the 80s.
We were blessed with 6 Bond films in the 60s, 5 in the 70s and another 5 in the 80s. We received 3 Bond films in the second half of the 90s alone (!). Then... only 3 in the 2000s and now it's not even sure we'll get more than 2 in the 2010s. Each new film production spends a lifetime cruising for the A++ team. See, I don't want the A++ team, I want an A++ film. I don't care if the people behind the screens aren't the biggest gets at the moment, people whose schedules must be cleared first before preproduction can commence; I want a reliable team, a "family", people who know how to put together a great Bond film. Bringing in classy names doesn't necessarily mean we're going to get a great Bond film; it mostly means an increased risk of silly delays, artistic pretentiousness and our beloved 'creative differences'.
You know why audiences have loved Bond film and still love Bond films? Because they are Bond films. If audiences wanted the next Oscar winner, they'd go and watch the next Almodovar.
@DarthDimi , I couldn't agree more. One of the qualities I loved about directors like John Glen was his previous Bond experience. The bobsled chase in OHMSS, the iconic ski jump, and his editing work more than qualified him for the job. I love the fact that Cubby promoted him and especially Peter Hunt to helm Bond. Not only did those directors know Bond inside and out, without having their own agenda, it showed Cubby's loyalty to his crew. At this point I'm really hoping Eon nails a director to clean this mess up quick, and one that doesn't have their own "vision" for the franchise. Just make a good, solid, entertaining Bond film.
When I think of my least favourite Bond films - I still love watching them. So I'm glad DAD exists rather than no film between 1999 and 2006.
The 80s is a good case in point -three of those films I love - TLD, LTK and FYEO - and Glenn may not be the greatest director but he delivered at least three top half bond films (with MGW and Maibums writing plus cubby producing. Barry's scores don't hurt either! it's this team dynamic that may be missing a little - and why they've tried to keep purvis and wade on for fluency).
Long story short - EON produced five films in the 80s - in the same length of time now - EON have produced two - and one of them was Spectre...
Well edited action adventures, that is all.
Auteurs like Boyle and Mendes can go please themselves.
I do too. I wouldn't mind them getting a director they could trust to do well with a later film too – much like Campbell before.
Glen probably stepped down at the right time, but his two Dalton entries stand up pretty well IMO. He helped bridge the change in actors relatively smoothly.
These are really two different models. I can't see Daniel Craig fitting within the former model, and that's not what he signed up for. I'm not sure it's what Babs wants either.
I share these concerns about where things are. I've said before that I believe they should at least lock the director of the first film in a new actor's tenure down for at least two (or maybe even three), so that we can have a faster turnaround and more coherent execution of films, as they did with Sean, Rog and Tim (under Young, Hamilton & Glen respectively).
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/22/james-bond-danny-boyle-007-spy
Can't make a Bond film when the last two have made nearly 2 billion dollars this decade?
"...there’s no group that aspires to James’s dodgy values and dodgier exploding stationery"
No? Don't we? I do.
"He just doesn’t fit anywhere any more".
That's been always the point. Times change, Bond doesn't. Those who don't understand that he IS a relic of old times living today, don't understand it's appeal.
"...the era of imperial pride, owning a Jaeger-LeCoultre watch and sleeping with your secretary"
Wow, not only is this an ignorant statement but also offensive to the reader's intelligence. This reporter does not know her History. Go back to school will you, Miss Gill? Imperialism having to do with sleeping with your secretary? Wow. They'll print anything these days.
"it is finally time for James Bond to die".
The "finally" word there denotes a rooted and older desire for this to happen. I guess anyone with an axe to grind will have a field day with all these shenanigans.
This is a very, Very, poor article. As many have proven to be, lately.
They said Bond couldn't survive the 70s. He did.
But surely he couldn't survive the 90s. But he did.
Fair enough; however, the 21st century is coming. So? CR? SF?
Bond must adapt to that market. So far it really hasn't. Yes, I realize it makes a lot of money but as I mentioned on another thread, if you dig deeper it is in 'older' European based markets with declining populations.
There's no question that it has to evolve, as it has done a little. I don't think it needs to be put to rest just yet though. At least not while I'm still around to enjoy it.
Another one. Some good points here:
https://www.gq.com/story/its-time-to-kill-james-bond
I don't agree that Bond as to change because of non traditional markets rise, or because culture changes around him. I think he must stay rotted in the 50's and have a hard time living nowadays. That's the fun of it. Make him react to the change, but don't change him. Old dog, new tricks and all of that. He likes things the old way - best simple line in quite some time, that fully describes the character of this man-relic. And believing he won't survive this ever changing world is also part of the fun of it all. It's an anti-evolution paradox. Survival of the less-adapted, barely, but in a very fashionable way. Isn't that the character we all love? Should we change Sherlock Holmes personality to adapt him to the 21 century? No. Jut give him a phone and apps. But stay true to the source. Like they did with the BBC series. And then have him struggle to survive in this (moronic) millennial world.
About the millennials bit, bondjames, I fully agree. And it's the saddest part of the times we live in.
Made me laugh. Didn't want to, but I did. A very old Snowflake, wasn't that your comment the other day, Getafix? ;)
Personally, i think Jean-Marc Vallee is the most qualified. He's directed a number of Oscar-nomiated movies and has just filmed two hit HBO shows. He's on a major role, plus I get the impression that he'll listen and shoot the script.
He seems like an intellectual guy and someone interested in character. I think he feels like an upgrade from Sam Mendes and also somewhat of a natural successor.
Great post. You've probably summed up why Bond 25 is in the mess it's in!
The franchise was a well-oiled machine during the Cubby era. It was amazing how quickly they could write the screenplay, determine the budget, cast, crew, locations, make the film, market it worldwide, then repeat the process for the next film. I doubt that format will ever return.
I don't know if it got this bad during the Cubby/Harry era but the B Broccoli era has had:
TND not having a completed screenplay when they started filming!
QOS having Craig writing some of his dialogue because of the writer's strike! QOS director admitted the story could have been better.
And now Bond 25 has ditched the director (and screenplay?) three months before shooting.
Cubby did have Dalton signing on at the last moment. I think he was signed and the next week or so he was filming the pre-credit scene? That must have been a bit stressful. "Help, we need a Bond by next week or no film!"
From what we know we have 2 scripts ready or almost ready, casting partially done, money ready, and still 3 months and a half before the start of filming.
If they move fast enough there is plenty of time