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Cary Joji Fukunaga - Appreciation Thread
So...what do we think of Cary's work on the film?
You can see his fingerprints on NTTD. Especially in the themes (childhood trauma, cycles of violence and nature of time) and the filmmaking craft on display. Though it feels more as though Fukunaga is making a 'Bond film' opposed to something overly personal (such as Mendes with SF).
There is some seriously elegant filmmaking on show here. Also, Fukunaga adds shocks of excitement by employing his rough and tumble, one-camera guerilla-style. That missile silo scene imbues the typically slick Bond with a dirty, visceral edge. It also matches Craig’s brawling style better than any other director he has had in the series.
With Fukunaga at the helm, NTTD aptly balances the franchise’s classic construct yet totally remakes what a Bond movie can be for a fitting, touching end to Craig’s tenure. The film is clearly hinting at OHMSS, but it's really YOLT and TSWLM that Fukunaga is aping. I was quite surprised how silly and gadget-laden the film was. Considering Fukunaga's past work, I thought it would be more earnest and take itself more seriously.
On the basis of this film, I think he should come back for Bond 26 for sure.
You can see his fingerprints on NTTD. Especially in the themes (childhood trauma, cycles of violence and nature of time) and the filmmaking craft on display. Though it feels more as though Fukunaga is making a 'Bond film' opposed to something overly personal (such as Mendes with SF).
There is some seriously elegant filmmaking on show here. Also, Fukunaga adds shocks of excitement by employing his rough and tumble, one-camera guerilla-style. That missile silo scene imbues the typically slick Bond with a dirty, visceral edge. It also matches Craig’s brawling style better than any other director he has had in the series.
With Fukunaga at the helm, NTTD aptly balances the franchise’s classic construct yet totally remakes what a Bond movie can be for a fitting, touching end to Craig’s tenure. The film is clearly hinting at OHMSS, but it's really YOLT and TSWLM that Fukunaga is aping. I was quite surprised how silly and gadget-laden the film was. Considering Fukunaga's past work, I thought it would be more earnest and take itself more seriously.
On the basis of this film, I think he should come back for Bond 26 for sure.
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Comments
Cary also talks about filming scenes for NTTD without evening knowing what they were intended for in the story. It's fairly seamless.
That said, while he did a great job of bringing the Craig era to a close, I hope he doesn’t return. Fugunaka seems very interested in the psychological side of the DC era, which made him a great choice for NTTD. But I’m hoping for something a bit less introspective next time. Strip things down, get back to basics. Not sure if Fugunaka is the right guy for that. I like the idea of Christopher Mcquarrie or Gareth Evans doing it, and beefing up the action scenes a bit.
On the whole though I did rate what he did with NTTD, and I’m glad we’ve finally cut through the stigma of an American directing a Bond film.
Having said that, I have doubts he would want to do another. He always seems to be moving on, exploring different things, still growing in his career. I welcome a new director; I am just glad he helmed NTTD.
Here's Barbara's comments:
I think we've always wanted to have British or Commonwealth directors because we felt they would understand the sensibilities of Bond and the humor and the world and everything. But when we had to find someone for this film, Cary, who I'd met before and I've always been a huge fan of his work, he came to mind, he became available. The timing seemed right. And you know, he was a man of the world. He's very international. He's well traveled. He speaks multiple languages. He's fearless. And he's a great filmmaker. So he seemed like the obvious choice at the time. He certainly has delivered a great Bond film.
Read More: https://www.slashfilm.com/625709/why-cary-joji-fukunaga-became-the-first-american-bond-director-exclusive/?utm_campaign=clip
This whole British or Commonwealth markerly is getting old. Cary is a great international filmmaker. He's spent the last 3 years making a Bond film and a WW2 TV show in the UK. Before that he made a Spanish language film and Sudanese war film. If you ask me, he'd be perfect for a rebooted Bond. If he were to come back, I'd hope he could strip it back and make a slightly rougher film. NTTD is a very classically made film. I would hope he could make something a little more irreverent.
He's the perfect choice for a reboot. Though, it be great if he used the cache of NTTD's success to make something personal first.
Also, some other great new interviews with Cary........
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-picture/id1439252196
From 5 days ago, so I suppose most have seen these. But I had not.
From Cary's instagram - scroll thru them for photos, marked up, brief clip, including 1 from his own phone. Really nice to see these.
With a new actor, they may try to get a new director for a reboot, but I'd like to see him do another.
Awesome director.
Absolutely agree.
One thing I really liked from Fukunaga was in the action sequences he allowed for quieter tenser moments. Often these were the more stand-out and dramatic beats of the big set-pieces. For example:
That's not even mentioning Cary's beautiful imagery. He really wanted to make a 'romantic and glamorous epic'. I think tonally he really nailed that brief. I'd love to see him do a reboot. I think he'd do something totally different, whilst building on the work from NTTD. For me, I think it's between Fukunaga, Villeneuve and Nolan. Let's see what the next year or two holds for each. Each have other projects planned.
Bond 26 is surely coming in 2024? Right? 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅
I also think that moment in Norway where the cars appear over top the bridge behind Bond and Madeleine is a brilliant shot. You know those cars are going to turn around, you know they've spotted Bond behind the wheel...but you hope they haven't. Sure enough...
That first scene you mention is amazing and heartbreaking. For understandable reasons Bond has completely misunderstood the situation. But he's not completely sure, which is why he ultimately puts her on the train, and that comes through for me too.
Regarding the directors, I feel that Nolan already made his semi-Bond with Tenet. I liked Tenet okay for what it was, but I felt very little emotion throughout the whole run time of that movie. Nolan's movies are sometimes like clever machines to me. Brilliant at times, but they often leave me cold. Also, Nolan would be very expensive. Like Spielberg, I believe Nolan gets c. 20% of first dollar gross. That figure doesn't work for EON, and is the reason Spielberg didn't direct a Bond back in the 70s and 80s.
I'm looking forward to Villeneuve's Dune, which was a favorite novel of mine when I was a teenager long ago. But his one movie that I've seen so far, Bladerunner 2049, sometimes also left me in admiration of its craft, but also not as emotionally moved as I would have liked. The best element about 2049 for me was the cinematography by Roger Deakins. V would be less expensive than Nolan, but still very expensive. 10% of first dollar gross?
I know NTTD is controversial. But for me personally Fukunaga has proven himself, with a masterpiece right out of the gate. Being a younger director with fewer big movies to his credit, my guess is that even after this big success he's still more affordable than most of the other big name directors. If I were in charge at EON, I'd try to sign him on to a 2-picture deal, with an option for renewal.
As we know, John Glen directed 5 Bonds in a row in the 1980s. I know those movies aren't everyone's cup of tea, but wouldn't it be nice to get 3-4 movies in this decade? Having one director going from movie to movie might help with that, and reduce inconsistencies.
I think he managed to actually be the only director to make a sequel to CR that stands tall with that one. This should have been second, in place of QOS. All the three others films, despite some nice moments, aren't true accomplished Bond films as much as NTTD is.
Also what I like about this guy is he gives a Terence Young vibe. He dresses sharply, is well groomed, and seem to have a lifestyle akin to Bond. It kinda feels like a full circle (of the directors) to me.
Thanks for the info mate.
Looking at Greg Williams video of Ana De Armas, you can see at around 3.27 that it's a stand in for Daniel filming some of Ana's scenes
I have problems with NTTD, but it's a great film and the action is truly epic. I would be happy to have Cary back with a clean slate for Bond 26, he's a hugely talented director
So for Cary... I absolutely want him to return. Where I do have a little bit of a question mark is over the action sequences. I'll put the next bit in a spoiler tag just for safety's sake.
But all of this is made up by Bond showing his instinct and survival skills a short time later along with that one tracking shot near the end on the stairs. Cuba was a great sequence too - fun, I would say, if anything.
And that brings me onto my next point... I enjoy how this film contrasts it's fun and badass moments with it's very dark and serious ones.
Had they got that all wrong then the outcome would be different. I, for one, am very happy with what Cary put out in the end because I think he really understood and embraced it.
Loved that bit. Kind of a perfect marriage of classic Bond and Craig Bond, using the bulletproof spy car for a character beat.
I liked how they handled the DB5 in that chase too, the whole sequence was a real highlight. Usually when he’s in a bulletproof car you just see sparks flying off it, like in DAD or SP, and he ends up feeling invincible as a result. But the DB5 still took a beating in that chase. Created a nice sense of tension. It’s just about saving his skin, but how much longer can it hold up?
I’ve been vocal about thinking that car has been overused, but when you think about it, it had never had a really good chase before, had it? The GF one is fine, but a bit dated and rudimentary, in that early Bond car chase sort of way. And then after that it just had cameos. It was nice to see that icon in a proper intense car chase.
while the writing can't be defended, there is more that a director does than just that. Especially when they are brought on so late. An example of incredible direction is when bond's car gets Tboned in matera. The shot slowly moves out to bells signaling Bonds demise. Daniel Craig perfectly captures the stoic melancholy his character feels. Madeline keeps escalating her fear as she realizes James is going to do nothing. The bullets keep hitting the car. Primo comes up and keeps shooting at the window. Then we get a close up and see the glass moving, almost about to break. Madeline is almost in tears. The audience is at the edge of their seat and then...... Bond does donuts with miniguns. A legitimately perfectly directed scene.
I would think twice before writing off his directoral talent
Well said, and I agree with @SeanCraig too.
Also, lol, blaming the director and then going on to only criticize the writing... I understand those lines are muddied these days, but please, at least be accurate and join the chorus blaming P&W for everything.
Thank you, Cary Fukunaga.