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Quantum of Solace Appreciation Thread- We Found a Better Place to Meet

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  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Sark wrote: »
    When even people who whose English isn't perfect comment coming out of the theatre that the relationship between Bond and Lea wasn't believable something didn't get executed.

    I quite agree, but if we're going to throw Mendes under the bus then Forster can go with him. QoS has several redeeming features, but if we're holding that film up as some kind of benchmark, in the words of Danny Dyer, 'I ain't 'avin it'.
  • SarkSark Guangdong, PRC
    Posts: 1,138
    Well, in this thread we are having exactly that. There's plenty of threads for more critical discussion, this one is for appreciating QoS. I appreciate that it has a straightforward, believable and meaningful plot that is relatively hole-free.
  • Gustav_GravesGustav_Graves
    Posts: 11,119
    For me personally, "SPECTRE" still is a better film than "QOS". In many ways I loved the moderate pacing of the camerawork and how it was edited. Some people found it 'boring' how 'slow' the film was. I kind of liked it. I can 'swallow' a film much easier that way.

    "QOS" on the other hand.....Well, when I saw the film for the very first time, it gave me a headache.

    Regarding the relationship of Madeleine and Bond. Ehh guys? people would not believe my love relationships :O. On top of that.....good and prosperous love relationships also work if the girl isn't a firm grey-colored double-agent (Vesper) or a near-suicide-driven psychiatric patient (Tracy). Sometimes the best love relationships kick off with a plain, good...fuck (Madeleine) (And for the contents and light I'm using that word, I wish it doesn't get censored).
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Gustav_Graves wrote: »
    Sometimes the best love relationships kick off with a plain, good...
    fuck
    I wish more women would buy into this concept. It really would make things easier.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    To be fair, @Gustav_Graves, you were the one who rallied for an appreciation topic for SP. Leave the SP love there, no need to come in a completely separate Appreciation thread and talk negatives on the film in question while highlighting what you loved about SP.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Sark wrote: »
    Well, in this thread we are having exactly that. There's plenty of threads for more critical discussion, this one is for appreciating QoS. I appreciate that it has a straightforward, believable and meaningful plot that is relatively hole-free.

    I'd actually not realised it was one of those insulated appreciation threads, my bad.
  • Gustav_GravesGustav_Graves
    edited February 2016 Posts: 11,119
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    To be fair, @Gustav_Graves, you were the one who rallied for an appreciation topic for SP. Leave the SP love there, no need to come in a completely separate Appreciation thread and talk negatives on the film in question while highlighting what you loved about SP.

    I did not rally for an SP-appreciation topic. I merely saw there wasn't one.

    Ok. I loved 'M' in Bond's hotel room: "Why HER James! Look how your charm works here..". 'M' almost wants to slap Bond in his face. Loved her performance.

    I also liked Jesper: "Uuhhh...YOU don't even know we exist! :-j ". Great actor btw, Mr Christensen.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    You still noted the importance of having one amidst all the negativity, so I surmised you'd appreciate the inclusion of this one, too. But yes, the baffled attitude by Mr. White in his capture scene is great.

    "Well we do now, Mr. White. *quick smirk*...and we're quick learners."
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,423
    "I don't think he smoked" always gets a smirk out of me.
  • SarkSark Guangdong, PRC
    Posts: 1,138
    RC7 wrote: »
    Sark wrote: »
    Well, in this thread we are having exactly that. There's plenty of threads for more critical discussion, this one is for appreciating QoS. I appreciate that it has a straightforward, believable and meaningful plot that is relatively hole-free.

    I'd actually not realised it was one of those insulated appreciation threads, my bad.

    No problem. I like the fact that we have threads for both appreciating and critically analyzing movies. I think it helps keep things in balance.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited February 2016 Posts: 15,718
    I just finished watching QOS. Amazing how fast the movie goes - From the car chase to the arrival in Bolivia with Mathis, I feel the movie has barely started, but it's already almost an hour into the runningtime. Craig is as a force to be reckonned with in this film. The level of physicality he showcases is off the charts. For a while I didn't like the OTT-globe trotting of QOS, but in the past few viewings it struck me how much it gives an epic scope to the film.

    Maybe the film is edited too fast (but I would never change a thing about the car chase - what a ballsy opening), but my god is the film beautiful to look at. Some shots are just fantastic and you almost want to freeze-frame to enjoy them. Arnold gave his best soundtrack here.

    All in all I am always stunned at this film, as it keeps getting better and better with each viewing I've sat through in the past few years.

  • tanaka123tanaka123
    Posts: 4,325
    Gustav_Graves wrote: »
    For me personally, "SPECTRE" still is a better film than "QOS". In many ways I loved the moderate pacing of the camerawork and how it was edited. Some people found it 'boring' how 'slow' the film was. I kind of liked it. I can 'swallow' a film much easier that way.

    "QOS" on the other hand.....Well, when I saw the film for the very first time, it gave me a headache.

    Regarding the relationship of Madeleine and Bond. Ehh guys? people would not believe my love relationships :O. On top of that.....good and prosperous love relationships also work if the girl isn't a firm grey-colored double-agent (Vesper) or a near-suicide-driven psychiatric patient (Tracy). Sometimes the best love relationships kick off with a plain, good...fuck (Madeleine) (And for the contents and light I'm using that word, I wish it doesn't get censored).

    I thought the pacing was spot on with Spectre - it seemed to breeze by. I was with everyone in saying that I didn't believe in the 'love story' between Bond and Madeleine. But maybe in Bond 25 that'll be the point - they both want an easy excuse to choose a life different from the one they're living.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,718
    I think all 4 Craig films are tremendously paced. The only 2 scenes where his films seem to 'die down' a bit, because of longer talkative sequences than the rest are the dock sequence in Haiti (QOS) and Silva's introduction (SF). I'm not saying those are bad scenes (I love Silva's intro), but those 10 minutes seem to be 'longer' than the other scenes of both respective movies.

    The first hour of each of the 4 Craig movies go by so fast it's almost criminal.
  • jake24jake24 Sitting at your desk, kissing your lover, eating supper with your familyModerator
    Posts: 10,591
    Did anyone else see the short clip of the QoS alternate ending I posted?
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    jake24 wrote: »
    Did anyone else see the short clip of the QoS alternate ending I posted?

    I must've missed it, where did you post it? The only "footage" I've ever seen was the BTS look at shooting that alternate ending.

  • jake24jake24 Sitting at your desk, kissing your lover, eating supper with your familyModerator
    Posts: 10,591
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    jake24 wrote: »
    Did anyone else see the short clip of the QoS alternate ending I posted?

    I must've missed it, where did you post it? The only "footage" I've ever seen was the BTS look at shooting that alternate ending.

    On the previous page. I'm sure some of you have seen it before.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    @jake24, that's the one I was talking about; thanks for posting, as I'm sure plenty of others have yet to see it. If only we could get a full look at the entire alternate ending. A man can dream.
  • CatchingBulletsCatchingBullets facebook.com/catchingbullets
    Posts: 292
    After over twenty films, it is unthinkable that a new Bond film should follow the DNA and template of the past. Of course Bond has one foot in its own heritage but there is nothing wrong in tweaking the henchman, altering the path of the film's romance or lack of it and not following the same over familiar beats of a Bond film. QUANTUM OF SOLACE gets a favourable time of it in CATCHING BULLETS. And always has in this Bond writer's survey of the canon.

    I don't quite understand why a lot of folk think Lea Seydoux and Madeline will return in the next movie as every Bond film more or less has ended with Bond and the leading lady floating/driving/hanging/flying/wining into the sunset as if she is the one for him.

    The reset button is always (for the most part) set in the world of Bond as soon as we are relieved to see JAMES BOND WILL RETURN.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    The alternative ending had Bond shooting Camille and driving off
    with Mr White ! ;)
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,804
    I'm actually afraid to watch QOS again- every time I do it moves up my list. Pretty soon it'll be just behind LTK-! :-O
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    The best bits of OoS were the fleeting moments it had time to breath. I understand the speed of it was part of Forster's vision, but I don't actually think it adds anything conceptually. Bond on the plane to Bolivia. The Mathis death scene. The brief moment with Felix in Bolivia. The moment with Yusef. All excellent with amazing blocking and framing; some of the best cinematography in the series. I just wish... wish, wish, wish, there was more of it.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited February 2016 Posts: 23,883
    RC7 wrote: »
    The best bits of OoS were the fleeting moments it had time to breath. I understand the speed of it was part of Forster's vision, but I don't actually think it adds anything conceptually. Bond on the plane to Bolivia. The Mathis death scene. The brief moment with Felix in Bolivia. The moment with Yusef. All excellent with amazing blocking and framing; some of the best cinematography in the series. I just wish... wish, wish, wish, there was more of it.
    I agree. I keep coming back to it precisely because of this though. It's a prime example of 'less is more'. He makes you want to come back to it, because it's all so fleeting to begin with (these scenes don't dwell, but are rather short but impactful, the film itself is short, and thirdly the editing is completely hurried).

    It's like Escargot to a degree for me. Damn good, but so little of it.
  • Mathis1Mathis1
    Posts: 7,434
    RC7, that's a hell of a lot more than some Bond movies offer up! And I'll add Fields death scene, Bond skipping along the edge of the balcony to escape Ms men, and the meet in the bar with Felix, and I love the scene with Guy Haines and Greene on the plane!
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Except a better rec
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    RC7, that's a hell of a lot more than some Bond movies offer up! And I'll add Fields death scene, Bond skipping along the edge of the balcony to escape Ms men, and the meet in the bar with Felix, and I love the scene with Guy Haines and Greene on the plane!

    Yes I like the plane scene ...well both of them. Very nuanced ..dialogue... very well done.

    But ditto for Bond's martini moment on the second jet. Dialogue realistic and unexpected.
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,585
    QoS has a certain charm to it, for sure. It is not as good as CR or SF, but this does not mean it is a failure. I think Forster brought some stylistic things to the table that shook things up a bit. The editing turned me off first time I saw it; now, I like it. QoS has a lot going for it:

    1. Great fight scene between Bond and Slate--I love that Bond wastes this guy in less than a minute. It is Bond at his most bad ass.
    2. The chase scene with Mitchell is well choreographed, too.
    3. The plot is actually quite realistic, with a tinge of an environmental political statement.
    4. The South American desert setting.
    5. The scene where Bond and Camille are walking across the desert, to the tune of flamenco guitar. Very original.
    6. The Tosca scene, preceded by A Night at the Opera--Arnold's best Bond music.

    There are a few cringes. Mostly, I wish the scene between Bond and Camille, on the plane, had been allowed to develop. Their conversation starts going in an intereresting direction and then gets cut short by the jet fighters. Grrrr.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,125
    bondjames wrote: »
    I know this is an appreciation thread, but I'm sorry, Elvis was useless imho. He is firmly at the bottom of my henchman list, along with those three losers from TWINE (Davidov, Bullion & Gabor).

    I disagree Elvis was useful, but as a character, not as a henchman. He's the inept employee the boss tolerates and his weird appearance makes up for the more banal one of Greene (although I find Amalric's eyes striking ).
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,804
    Elvis was funny. Period. His pants blew up & he served his purpose.
  • SarkSark Guangdong, PRC
    Posts: 1,138
    Bond wastes this guy
    waste him? is that a good thing?
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Man, you all are making me itch to watch this one. I'll be getting SP on Blu-ray in two week's time, so I might do a run through of the Craig era before then.

    Always happy to see new faces share their love for QoS. My fellow vets and I began the thread in a lonely fashion, but over time we saw less and less of posters straining to think of positives, and now we've got a boatload of extremely dedicated QoS fans that can't say enough about it. I count myself in that number, very proudly. This film and I have had a rough past, but over time it has become one of my go-to Bond adventures. It does things other Bonds haven't dared to do, and after SF and SP, certain scenes in it still remain at the top of the barrel:

    Siena chase
    Bond v. Slate
    Tosca Opera
    Bond and Mathis on the plane
    Mathis' death
    M and Bond in hotel room

    We get to actually see Bond go through the grieving process bit by bit, and see him continue to develop from CR. Some may disown it while uplifting SF and SP, but the truth is that we wouldn't have gotten those films with that Bond if QoS didn't develop him further as an agent and man before them. It's a necessary part of the ongoing saga and a pivotal point in Bond's development, and for my money, a deep and enriching ride. Of course, we all know this, but it bears repeating. ;)
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    bondjames wrote: »
    RC7 wrote: »
    The best bits of OoS were the fleeting moments it had time to breath. I understand the speed of it was part of Forster's vision, but I don't actually think it adds anything conceptually. Bond on the plane to Bolivia. The Mathis death scene. The brief moment with Felix in Bolivia. The moment with Yusef. All excellent with amazing blocking and framing; some of the best cinematography in the series. I just wish... wish, wish, wish, there was more of it.
    I agree. I keep coming back to it precisely because of this though. It's a prime example of 'less is more'. He makes you want to come back to it, because it's all so fleeting to begin with (these scenes don't dwell, but are rather short but impactful, the film itself is short, and thirdly the editing is completely hurried).

    It's like Escargot to a degree for me. Damn good, but so little of it.

    I can see the logic, but I find it hard to invest in the action in this movie which is perhaps why I crave more of the good stuff. I think the car chase is excellent, but the rest is too route 1 for my taste. The plane scene in Bolivia and the boat sequence I find particularly nauseating and lacking invention, particularly next to the Tosca sequence.
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