Question about attitudes towards Michael G. Wilson

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  • actonsteve wrote:



    The Broccolis have been the bulwark against the studios since Diamonds. When the studios get their own way we get castiing like Denise Richards and Halle Berry. When Eon are allowed to do what they want....we get Casino Royale.

    They are not perfect but they are a hell of a lot better then the alternative.

    It was the studio's idea to bring back Connery for Diamonds Are Forever, not Eon's. David Picker at United Artists led the charge to have Connery return. Eon had signed John Gavin.

  • edited August 2012 Posts: 4,622
    It was the studio's idea to bring back Connery for Diamonds Are Forever, not Eon's. David Picker at United Artists led the charge to have Connery return. Eon had signed John Gavin.
    An honorary OBE need be considered for David Picker then. Mere words can't express the gratitude for his stepping in!

  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    echo wrote:
    It seems to me that she somewhat has ideas above her station and instead of delivering solid on budget films that always made money like her father was content to do (particularly in his last decade) she craves critical acclaim and wants to raise Bond into something closer approaching art. For this she is certainly to be commended it is just that her choices have been somewhat erratic thus far.

    What "station" is that? She inherited (as far as we know) half of Eon, and Cubby was her father. She can do whatever she wants with her inheritance (including license it out for a PSA of Bond in drag). We can gripe as much as we want; it's her decision because it's her company, at least half of it. She seems to be the one who is carrying on Cubby's "family atmosphere" on the films.

    I see so much sexism toward Babs--not in this post, WoI--and honestly, I feel it is largely unjustified. She's proven to be a very shrewd businessperson. And like it or not, she is the one who is likely going to keep Cubby's flame alive for decades.

    http://www.deadline.com/2012/08/screen-to-stage-musical-transfer-once-recoups-in-record-time/

    CR and QoS were huge hits despite critical barbs for the latter. Babs seems to get all of the blame and none of the credit. MGW isn't viewed with the same disdain despite also being a producer, and I think gender is the only reason.

    Well I would class her 'station' as being making Bond films, which, lets be fair, have never troubled the Oscars. I get a sense that these days shes more obsessed with trying to mix with the good and the great from Hollywood and elevate herself to some great artistic director than just get on with the job in hand and be a showman like her old man. Honestly would Cubby have ever hired Forster? I'm sure the bloke is talented and his films have picked up Oscars but he was totally wrong for Bond.

    This theatre producing is a case in point. We've had Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Chariots of Fire and now Once which is all well and good but it means that there will be nowhere to hide if she drops the ball with Bond which is a full time job.

    Just for starters instead of pissing about making plays how about she looks into finding some new writers?

    I think the reason she gets more flak than MGW is that a) she comes across as wearing the pants and b) hes got a long track record of being involved in some good entries (FYEO, OP, TLD, LTK) whereas she only really came on board properly with TND and her track record from 1997 is average film, average film, appalling film, spectacular salvation and average film. Its not exactly a track record of sustained success is it?

    Give her due she made a good call with Daniel Craig which was pretty leftfield and many people (myself included) had serious doubts. But her short reign is already littered with quite a few monumental misjudgements.

    That said lets not forget she inherited Brozza and was still pretty much learning the ropes during his tenure. I hope and I sense that she has learnt from the disaster of DAD and now knows what she is doing and is trying to take Bond in a direction which so far is pretty fresh and exciting so although I do tend to give her a lot of grief I still think she is the best person for the job and we should all be grateful we still have the buffer of EON between Bond and the studio.
    timmer wrote:
    It was the studio's idea to bring back Connery for Diamonds Are Forever, not Eon's. David Picker at United Artists led the charge to have Connery return. Eon had signed John Gavin.
    A honorary OBE need be considered for David Picker then. So fortuitous that he stepped in!

    Well Amen to that Sir. After me waffling on about Babs dropping the ball, lets not forget how close Cubby and Harry came to ending the series by signing this no mark. They guy actually had a contract and was due to start filming FFS!! God bless David Picker as although DAF is still a shambles, the thought of Gavin running the series into the ground through the 70s chills me to the marrow.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    From what I've seen of David Picker he was a damn smart guy. In more than one doc he insists Ken Adam is one of the key people responsible for the success of bond, stating (not lightly) he is a genius. Anyone linked to a studio who's this astute regards production design deserves credit in my book.
  • Posts: 1,146
    Ken Adam was a genius, and a nice man, even though he was a pretty confident fellow.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    edited August 2012 Posts: 9,117
    Ken Adam was a genius, and a nice man, even though he was a pretty confident fellow.

    Woah there doubleohdad youre sounding like Kens dead there. Hes knocking on I know but to the best of my knowldege the great man is still with us.

    Unless he went in the night and has yet to be discovered by the maid.
  • Posts: 5,634
    Ken Adam is still very much alive and kicking
  • Posts: 1,146
    I'm sorry. I met him once and that was my impression. Did not mean to imply his passing.
  • timmer wrote:
    It was the studio's idea to bring back Connery for Diamonds Are Forever, not Eon's. David Picker at United Artists led the charge to have Connery return. Eon had signed John Gavin.
    An honorary OBE need be considered for David Picker then. Mere words can't express the gratitude for his stepping in!

    Yes, but in hindsight Picker also pressed for an American Bond when they couldn't get Sean to come back for LALD. If not for Cubby putting his foot down and rejecting that idea, we could have had the likes of Burt Reynolds, Paul Newman, or Robert Redford as 007 instead of Sir Roger.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    timmer wrote:
    It was the studio's idea to bring back Connery for Diamonds Are Forever, not Eon's. David Picker at United Artists led the charge to have Connery return. Eon had signed John Gavin.
    An honorary OBE need be considered for David Picker then. Mere words can't express the gratitude for his stepping in!

    Yes, but in hindsight Picker also pressed for an American Bond when they couldn't get Sean to come back for LALD. If not for Cubby putting his foot down and rejecting that idea, we could have had the likes of Burt Reynolds, Paul Newman, or Robert Redford as 007 instead of Sir Roger.

    Well how are you explaining the signing of Gavin then? I am pretty sure that was EONs call. It strikes me that Picker probably would not have said anything had it been Reynolds, Newman or Steve McQueen but when Cubby said they were going with this no mark he decided he had to intervene and get Sean back at whatever cost.

    The fact that Gavin had his contract paid in full means that to all intents and purposes Cubby and Harry decided he was the next Bond after George - I dont think Sam Neil and James Brolin ever got quite as close as this (although Brolin was virtually a done deal as well). If Picker had been ill that day or been out of the office when the call came Gavin wouldve gone ahead.

    For anyone who criticises Babs (and I am one) and thinks Cubby never had errors of judgement she has never made such a cock up as this which was only averted thanks to Picker.
  • timmer wrote:
    It was the studio's idea to bring back Connery for Diamonds Are Forever, not Eon's. David Picker at United Artists led the charge to have Connery return. Eon had signed John Gavin.
    An honorary OBE need be considered for David Picker then. Mere words can't express the gratitude for his stepping in!

    Yes, but in hindsight Picker also pressed for an American Bond when they couldn't get Sean to come back for LALD. If not for Cubby putting his foot down and rejecting that idea, we could have had the likes of Burt Reynolds, Paul Newman, or Robert Redford as 007 instead of Sir Roger.

    According to the documentary Inside Live And Let Die, it was Guy Hamilton who was taken with the idea of an American Bond (Burt Reynolds, specifically). David Picker is being shown interviewed as saying the producers presented the Roger Moore option, which Picker talks of approvingly.
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited August 2012 Posts: 4,512
    actonsteve wrote:
    SaintMark wrote:
    You might be truthfull in your conception. BUT EON while it made mistakes it also kept the franchise a more British focused production, so NO Hollywood/Michael Bay excesses. Do you really think that SONY would have hired Daniel Craig as 007 without the influence of EON?? We would by now have a heartthrob firmly fixed in the youth culture like Robert Pattison as 007.

    Sure they are making money there is nothing wrong with that, but EON is a counterbalance to the filmstudios which gives the production a different taste to what the studio system in Hollywood would give it. This is group of people whose concern besides the dosh is some artistic continuation of the Ian Fleming character.

    I think the word counterbalance is crucial here. Cubby told Barbara "don't let them fuck it up.." by that he meant the moneymen at the studios. Babs and Mickey know Bond. Babs still dips into Fleming once in a while. When they run out of inspiration they always go back to Fleming.

    Can you imagine what a studio would do without the influence of Eon. Robert Pattinson for 007? Selena Gomez as a Bond girl? The whole thing set in a Californian high school?

    Just have a look at some of the James Bond imitations to see how shit it could be. Cody Banks Jnr? Anyone?

    And if the accountants, survey experts, and to be honest A list directors, listen to the studios or are let off the lead thats what would happen.

    The Broccolis have been the bulwark against the studios since Diamonds. When the studios get their own way we get castiing like Denise Richards and Halle Berry. When Eon are allowed to do what they want....we get Casino Royale.

    They are not perfect but they are a hell of a lot better then the alternative.

    Casino Royale proofs that also the producers are not perfect. Whyle i think there atleast give the feeling there doing re-search and think for a part i also dislike the possible future of Bond in Bond 25/Bond 26. The idea it possible turn out is British, because i think there get inspyred where JK Rowling get inspyred by and Michael Wilson his own so much loved talk about the world we live it. It can turn out verywell, but iam also a bit worried. In specialy because DC be so good friends with Steven Spielberg. He liked the part of his style of movie making i have doubts about. Like i like see Fleming isn't credit for Bond 24 (In my fanart because of copyright reasens too, but also i don't whant Fleming name is credit to that possible subject.) and producers credit at the beginning should return i think take in consideration to at Daniel Craig as producer for Bond 24 and Bond 25 so that there take more credits for what there making.

    It be Mc Williams who choose Halle Berry who is part of Eon productions family for years and 20th Century Fox don't mind that choose at all. Like there cast somebody ele's who never should have been in a Bond movie.
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