Yale Professor Skyfall Theory

13

Comments

  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,271
    Dragonpol wrote:
    JBFan626 wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Ludovico wrote:
    A theory is only as good as the evidence backing it up. And it has to explain the whole in a credible model. This theory is based on one single line of Silva and an obscure rewriting of a sentence of the movie. In other words, it is hogwash. Especially since we have much better explanation.

    And especially given that if it was true they might have mentioned such a twist in the film. I think an Oscar winning director knows more about filmmaking than some alleged professor who, as Jolearon said, just wanted to get his name trending on Twitter for a few days. Probably has a book out, although if this SF theory is indicative of how he writes then what a load of garbage it must be.

    I suggest this utterly bollocks thread be closed as just because this moron went to Harvard doesn't make him not a troll. Lets cease giving him the oxygen of publicity. If a new poster had come up with this sack of toss he would have been IFMed to buggery by now.

    Well said. Wise words from the Wizard, as always. Time to get the padlock out, methinks. Enough of this crap theory.

    But I think @Suivez_ce_parachute has a good point though. A good screenplay writer knows how to be subversive and offer little clues in the story that can be interpreted in different ways. Who knows if the theory actually is true, but it's all just for fun. I think that's all that is being suggested here. This professor is just having a little "what if" fun. There have been many fan theories made about the films on threads on this very site: "Is Charles Gray's Blofeld a parody of Ian Fleming" for example. There's not explicit evidence to make the case, but I don't think any one here should be locked up for indulging in any Bond "what if" theories.

    Well I can't disagree with any of that.

    True. Still wont be a tragedy if it gets locked though.

    No. You're hedging your bets there, Ice. Very sensible approach. I concur.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    edited November 2013 Posts: 9,117
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    JBFan626 wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Ludovico wrote:
    A theory is only as good as the evidence backing it up. And it has to explain the whole in a credible model. This theory is based on one single line of Silva and an obscure rewriting of a sentence of the movie. In other words, it is hogwash. Especially since we have much better explanation.

    And especially given that if it was true they might have mentioned such a twist in the film. I think an Oscar winning director knows more about filmmaking than some alleged professor who, as Jolearon said, just wanted to get his name trending on Twitter for a few days. Probably has a book out, although if this SF theory is indicative of how he writes then what a load of garbage it must be.

    I suggest this utterly bollocks thread be closed as just because this moron went to Harvard doesn't make him not a troll. Lets cease giving him the oxygen of publicity. If a new poster had come up with this sack of toss he would have been IFMed to buggery by now.

    Well said. Wise words from the Wizard, as always. Time to get the padlock out, methinks. Enough of this crap theory.

    But I think @Suivez_ce_parachute has a good point though. A good screenplay writer knows how to be subversive and offer little clues in the story that can be interpreted in different ways. Who knows if the theory actually is true, but it's all just for fun. I think that's all that is being suggested here. This professor is just having a little "what if" fun. There have been many fan theories made about the films on threads on this very site: "Is Charles Gray's Blofeld a parody of Ian Fleming" for example. There's not explicit evidence to make the case, but I don't think any one here should be locked up for indulging in any Bond "what if" theories.

    Well I can't disagree with any of that.

    True. Still wont be a tragedy if it gets locked though.

    No. You're hedging your bets there, Ice. Very sensible approach. I concur.

    The point is who is this guy that people should take note of what he says? I'm sure he knows his stuff about law but what has that got to do with anything? Do you get a Michelin starred chef to fix your gearbox?

    I'm pretty confident I could piss an MA in Bond if such a degree existed but do I go on legal websites and spunk off my opinion on Lord Denning's judgments on tort law? No because I would be coming from a position of zero authority same as this bloke.

    If he wants to sign up as a new member and voice his opinion like the rest of us then fine but lets not pretend the bloke has any gravitas in the world of Bond just because he went to Yale. This site is one of the few great seats of Bondian learning if you ask me with many of the great minds in the world of Bondology (copyright @Dragonpol) concentrated here.

    The only other institution I would say is worthy of joining the Bond Ivy League is EON. The likes of IFP are more like Wolverhampton Polytechnic.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,968
    @TheWizardOfIce, I really didn't think anyone was going to support him. Like I've said twice now, just because he's a law professor from Yale doesn't mean he gets more credit for this absurd theory.
  • Posts: 6,396
    Oh @Wiz. You have such a way with words ;-)
  • Posts: 140
    Well, according to the profile that @Dragonopol was kind enough to link, this professor is, in fact, the novelist of whom I was thinking.

    Chalk this whole thing up to Prof. Carter indulging his fiction writer's tendencies.
  • Posts: 15,117
    Okay, here is my Bond theory, about the original continuity. And it makes far more sense than this one the "codename theory".

    So here it is: Blofeld's cat was in fact a familiar spirit, a channel if you wish for a demon from the pit of hell. In fact, Blofeld the man, always changing appearances from movies to movies, is just a shell, inside, in lieu of soul, there is a demon. So when you see him changing face from movie to movie, it is because he changes host body. And this is why he does not recognise Bond in OHMSS: Blofeld the demon has never been in this body and is watching Bond through the eyes of his human host.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,271
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    JBFan626 wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Ludovico wrote:
    A theory is only as good as the evidence backing it up. And it has to explain the whole in a credible model. This theory is based on one single line of Silva and an obscure rewriting of a sentence of the movie. In other words, it is hogwash. Especially since we have much better explanation.

    And especially given that if it was true they might have mentioned such a twist in the film. I think an Oscar winning director knows more about filmmaking than some alleged professor who, as Jolearon said, just wanted to get his name trending on Twitter for a few days. Probably has a book out, although if this SF theory is indicative of how he writes then what a load of garbage it must be.

    I suggest this utterly bollocks thread be closed as just because this moron went to Harvard doesn't make him not a troll. Lets cease giving him the oxygen of publicity. If a new poster had come up with this sack of toss he would have been IFMed to buggery by now.

    Well said. Wise words from the Wizard, as always. Time to get the padlock out, methinks. Enough of this crap theory.

    But I think @Suivez_ce_parachute has a good point though. A good screenplay writer knows how to be subversive and offer little clues in the story that can be interpreted in different ways. Who knows if the theory actually is true, but it's all just for fun. I think that's all that is being suggested here. This professor is just having a little "what if" fun. There have been many fan theories made about the films on threads on this very site: "Is Charles Gray's Blofeld a parody of Ian Fleming" for example. There's not explicit evidence to make the case, but I don't think any one here should be locked up for indulging in any Bond "what if" theories.

    Well I can't disagree with any of that.

    True. Still wont be a tragedy if it gets locked though.

    No. You're hedging your bets there, Ice. Very sensible approach. I concur.

    The point is who is this guy that people should take note of what he says? I'm sure he knows his stuff about law but what has that got to do with anything? Do you get a Michelin starred chef to fix your gearbox?

    I'm pretty confident I could piss an MA in Bond if such a degree existed but do I go on legal websites and spunk off my opinion on Lord Denning's judgments on tort law? No because I would be coming from a position of zero authority same as this bloke.

    If he wants to sign up as a new member and voice his opinion like the rest of us then fine but lets not pretend the bloke has any gravitas in the world of Bond just because he went to Yale. This site is one of the few great seats of Bondian learning if you ask me with many of the great minds in the world of Bondology (copyright @Dragonpol) concentrated here.

    The only other institution I would say is worthy of joining the Bond Ivy League is EON. The likes of IFP are more like Wolverhampton Polytechnic.

    Very well said, as always. Yes, I think we do have a very intellectual/academic set of people here on MI6 Community. As such, it is the best Bond forum around by a country mile. MI6 HQ has its own website and magazine and is a place of research into less known areas of Bondology and I am glad to be a member of such a community of fans and experts. I myself am a law graduate, so I'm familiar with Lord Denning and his tort judgements. And Eon is certainly worthy of us and we of them!
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 2,015
    Ludovico wrote:
    And it makes far more sense than this one the "codename theory".
    So here it is: Blofeld's cat was in fact a familiar spirit, (...)
    I wonder what woud have happened on this forum if it had been available at the release of LALD and that final scene :)

  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,271
    Ludovico wrote:
    And it makes far more sense than this one the "codename theory".
    So here it is: Blofeld's cat was in fact a familiar spirit, (...)
    I wonder what woud have happened on this forum if it had been available at the release of LALD and that final scene :)

    The mind boggles...

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Ludovico wrote:
    Okay, here is my Bond theory, about the original continuity. And it makes far more sense than this one the "codename theory".

    So here it is: Blofeld's cat was in fact a familiar spirit, a channel if you wish for a demon from the pit of hell. In fact, Blofeld the man, always changing appearances from movies to movies, is just a shell, inside, in lieu of soul, there is a demon. So when you see him changing face from movie to movie, it is because he changes host body. And this is why he does not recognise Bond in OHMSS: Blofeld the demon has never been in this body and is watching Bond through the eyes of his human host.

    Why wouldn't Blofeld (the demon) be able to recognize Bond in OHMSS? If the demon is only changing from host to host it should still have the memories of its past experiences in other hosts and be able to recognize 007 no matter whose body they are now inhibiting. And yes, I am aware how bonkers this all sounds...
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,271
    Ludovico wrote:
    Okay, here is my Bond theory, about the original continuity. And it makes far more sense than this one the "codename theory".

    So here it is: Blofeld's cat was in fact a familiar spirit, a channel if you wish for a demon from the pit of hell. In fact, Blofeld the man, always changing appearances from movies to movies, is just a shell, inside, in lieu of soul, there is a demon. So when you see him changing face from movie to movie, it is because he changes host body. And this is why he does not recognise Bond in OHMSS: Blofeld the demon has never been in this body and is watching Bond through the eyes of his human host.

    Why wouldn't Blofeld (the demon) be able to recognize Bond in OHMSS? If the demon is only changing from host to host it should still have the memories of its past experiences in other hosts and be able to recognize 007 no matter whose body they are now inhibiting. And yes, I am aware how bonkers this all sounds...

    Bonkers, yes, but very good point there, Brady!
  • Posts: 15,117
    Ludovico wrote:
    Okay, here is my Bond theory, about the original continuity. And it makes far more sense than this one the "codename theory".

    So here it is: Blofeld's cat was in fact a familiar spirit, a channel if you wish for a demon from the pit of hell. In fact, Blofeld the man, always changing appearances from movies to movies, is just a shell, inside, in lieu of soul, there is a demon. So when you see him changing face from movie to movie, it is because he changes host body. And this is why he does not recognise Bond in OHMSS: Blofeld the demon has never been in this body and is watching Bond through the eyes of his human host.

    Why wouldn't Blofeld (the demon) be able to recognize Bond in OHMSS? If the demon is only changing from host to host it should still have the memories of its past experiences in other hosts and be able to recognize 007 no matter whose body they are now inhibiting. And yes, I am aware how bonkers this all sounds...

    Because the eyes are different. YOLT Blofeld had this deep scar, his eye was bad, so he didn't see Bond clearly. Now OHMSS Blofeld had very good eyes, hence he was not sure of what his previous incarnation saw. Of course, every host brings a slight alteration in the personality of the avatar of the devil Blofeld, which explains the change of attitudes of both Blofeld towards Bond, and Bond towards Blofeld.

    Yes, it is bonkers, but still makes more sense than the codename theory or the M is Silva's mother theory.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,271
    Ludovico wrote:
    Ludovico wrote:
    Okay, here is my Bond theory, about the original continuity. And it makes far more sense than this one the "codename theory".

    So here it is: Blofeld's cat was in fact a familiar spirit, a channel if you wish for a demon from the pit of hell. In fact, Blofeld the man, always changing appearances from movies to movies, is just a shell, inside, in lieu of soul, there is a demon. So when you see him changing face from movie to movie, it is because he changes host body. And this is why he does not recognise Bond in OHMSS: Blofeld the demon has never been in this body and is watching Bond through the eyes of his human host.

    Why wouldn't Blofeld (the demon) be able to recognize Bond in OHMSS? If the demon is only changing from host to host it should still have the memories of its past experiences in other hosts and be able to recognize 007 no matter whose body they are now inhibiting. And yes, I am aware how bonkers this all sounds...

    Because the eyes are different. YOLT Blofeld had this deep scar, his eye was bad, so he didn't see Bond clearly. Now OHMSS Blofeld had very good eyes, hence he was not sure of what his previous incarnation saw. Of course, every host brings a slight alteration in the personality of the avatar of the devil Blofeld, which explains the change of attitudes of both Blofeld towards Bond, and Bond towards Blofeld.

    Yes, it is bonkers, but still makes more sense than the codename theory or the M is Silva's mother theory.

    Good comeback there, @Ludovico.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Ludovico wrote:
    Ludovico wrote:
    Okay, here is my Bond theory, about the original continuity. And it makes far more sense than this one the "codename theory".

    So here it is: Blofeld's cat was in fact a familiar spirit, a channel if you wish for a demon from the pit of hell. In fact, Blofeld the man, always changing appearances from movies to movies, is just a shell, inside, in lieu of soul, there is a demon. So when you see him changing face from movie to movie, it is because he changes host body. And this is why he does not recognise Bond in OHMSS: Blofeld the demon has never been in this body and is watching Bond through the eyes of his human host.

    Why wouldn't Blofeld (the demon) be able to recognize Bond in OHMSS? If the demon is only changing from host to host it should still have the memories of its past experiences in other hosts and be able to recognize 007 no matter whose body they are now inhibiting. And yes, I am aware how bonkers this all sounds...

    Because the eyes are different. YOLT Blofeld had this deep scar, his eye was bad, so he didn't see Bond clearly. Now OHMSS Blofeld had very good eyes, hence he was not sure of what his previous incarnation saw. Of course, every host brings a slight alteration in the personality of the avatar of the devil Blofeld, which explains the change of attitudes of both Blofeld towards Bond, and Bond towards Blofeld.

    Yes, it is bonkers, but still makes more sense than the codename theory or the M is Silva's mother theory.

    If the demon couldn't recognize Bond, he would still be able to recognize 007's voice and how he conducted himself. Plus, your theory may indicate that Blofeld will act differently towards Bond depending on the demon's host, but why would Bond still be able to instantly recognize Blofeld every time he sees him, regardless of whether its host is Pleasence, Savalas or Gray Blofeld? If your theory held up, Bond wouldn't know Blofeld from Joe because he always changed hosts, and wouldn't realize his arch enemy was there in the flesh next to him. So is Bond in on Blofeld's ability to take on different hosts, and if so, how the hell can he tell when Blofeld (the demon) has taken a new host and who that host is?
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 15,117
    In OHMSS Bond changed his voice and mannerism, at least for a while. And Bond is not sure Bleuchamp is Blofeld. Now for DAF, I don't know, and I have no idea why MI6 seems to be aware Blofeld is a shape shifter. Bond is not surprised of Blofeld's complete change of appearance in DAF, for instance.

    And of course the change of behavior is only relatively subtle: Blofeld is still attached to his familiar spirit, he is still evil, etc.

    And on a side note, I hope nobody thinks I am serious.
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 2,015
    Ludovico wrote:
    And on a side note, I hope nobody thinks I am serious.
    But you and others have fun discussing your theory, so why should others not be allowed to ?!
    I'm still curious to hear your explanation of the end of LALD btw :)
  • Posts: 6,396
    Ludovico wrote:
    And on a side note, I hope nobody thinks I am serious.
    But you and others have fun discussing your theory, so why should others not be allowed to ?!
    I'm still curious to hear your explanation of the end of LALD btw :)

    Can you not see the difference between the two?
  • Can you not see the difference between the two?
    Well one hints that John Logan put some Coriolanus in the other movie he penned that year, the other is a bit totally out of the blue :)
  • Posts: 6,396
    Can you not see the difference between the two?
    Well one hints that John Logan put some Coriolanus in the other movie he penned that year, the other is a bit totally out of the blue :)

    No, the other is just taking the piss out of all these loony theories. That's the difference.
  • Posts: 15,117
    My theory explains both Blofeld's change of appearances over the various movies and his omnipresent cat. It is also based on the Blofeld from the novels, described at least once by Tiger Tanaka as a devil who took human form.

    As for Brady's objection regarding Bond recognizing Blofeld every time... Well, of course Bond movies don't have to be 100% realistic.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited November 2013 Posts: 28,694
    Ludovico wrote:
    My theory explains both Blofeld's change of appearances over the various movies and his omnipresent cat. It is also based on the Blofeld from the novels, described at least once by Tiger Tanaka as a devil who took human form.

    As for Brady's objection regarding Bond recognizing Blofeld every time... Well, of course Bond movies don't have to be 100% realistic.

    Well to be frank, no films are 100% realistic (not including documentaries). A movie can be endlessly naturalistic, yet that doesn't change the fact that it's all a bunch of actors and extras doing their jobs to make it seem real. I think every film requires a certain suspension of disbelief, regardless of its genre or content because of this factor.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited November 2013 Posts: 18,271
    00Ed wrote:
    Well, according to the profile that @Dragonopol was kind enough to link, this professor is, in fact, the novelist of whom I was thinking.

    Chalk this whole thing up to Prof. Carter indulging his fiction writer's tendencies.

    Oh, so he's a fiction writer, then? That explains his totally fictional theory about Skyfall then!
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 2,015
    No, the other is just taking the piss out of all these loony theories. That's the difference.
    Hm, Ludovico tries to stay coherent when his theory is criticized. I think he's having more fun defending it than you think :)
    Also note a supernatural entity do exist in Bond movies : Baron Samedi. He didn't choose something totally alien to the Bond universe, that's not as far-fetched as a theory using the Matrix for instance...

    Well, for the fun of it, allow me to defend the "Yale Professor Skyfall Theory" :)

    - Silva uses an anagram on the Youtube channel in Skyfall. So he likes anagrams. The "Think on your sins" could then hide an anagram indeed : "Your son isn't in HK".
    - In the final act of this tragedy we have Bond, Kincade, Silva, and M. Kincade knew Bond as a kid, he was the fatherly figure to an orphan. Then, in order to bring balance in this scene, why M could not be the motherly figure Silva didn't have (orphans make the best recruit, and Silva was the best, according to M, join the dots...).
    - Silva's real name is Tiago Rodriguez. Tiago = James... and Rodriguez is a very common name in Portuguese, a bit bland, a bit like... Bond in England.
    - The McGuffin of the movie is a hard drive full of "hidden identities". Hidden identities are all over the place in this movie. Nothing is known about "Patrice" full name for instance. Or for "Severine"... And Silva is actually never named Raoul isn't he ? And Kincade is only Kincade too isn't he ?
    - We're given the identity of M on screen (when Moneypenny gives the box to Bond) but it's still unknown for 99.99999% of the audience. So there could be another hint missed by 99.9999999% of the audience about someone else's identity...
    - Moneypenny's identity is hidden from us until the very last minute. How could one imagine Bond going twice on the field with her and not knowing her name ? Clearly we're told something here...
    - Kincade calls M "Emma" because he hears it that way. Hm, is the author of the script telling us the names are meaningless in this tragedy once more, that we should not infer family links or lack of them because of the names ?
    - Look at M's face when she sees Silva for the first time in ages, or when he explains he was tortured.
    - "Soon your past will be non existent", hm, something to hide, M ?
    - Silva wears prosthetic teeth the whole movie. Except for one scene, which is the only scene in which we see his true figure. In all the other scenes, he's hiding something, here it's the only time he doesn't hide the truth. Need I remind you the only line he says during that scene ? :)

    And here I'm only using elements in the movie. I could also use John Logan's other scripts, including the other one that was penned the same year as Skyfall's, about a son coming back to destroy everything in his mother's town :) I also do not use paranormal logic :)
  • Posts: 15,117
    Even if Silva did want to make an anagram when he communicated with M and the anagram did say "Your son is in HK" or whatever, it would only show that Silva considered himself her spiritual son.
  • Ludovico wrote:
    Even if Silva did want to make an anagram when he communicated with M and the anagram did say "Your son is in HK" or whatever, it would only show that Silva considered himself her spiritual son.
    Logan hints Silva is an orphan so it would be an adopted son anyway. M keeps on answering Silva during their first meeting, but avoid to pronounce his real name in front of him, and stays mute when he calls her Mother, hmm... And she adds that she will not meet him once more, and that his past will disappear - Does it mean in the past she met him... a lot ? :)



  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Ludovico wrote:
    Even if Silva did want to make an anagram when he communicated with M and the anagram did say "Your son is in HK" or whatever, it would only show that Silva considered himself her spiritual son.
    Logan hints Silva is an orphan so it would be an adopted son anyway. M keeps on answering Silva during their first meeting, but avoid to pronounce his real name in front of him, and stays mute when he calls her Mother, hmm... And she adds that she will not meet him once more, and that his past will disappear - Does it mean in the past she met him... a lot ? :)

    They hint that he was one of her favorite agents before getting too reckless and losing her head, so obviously they have history. That's why she has always tried so hard to mold Bond into the best agent he can be, to stop him from turning into Silva 2.0. Her legacy lives on in Bond and the values he learned under her tutelage.
  • They hint that he was one of her favorite agents before getting too reckless and losing her head, so obviously they have history.

    We' sure they knew each other before she was M, we're told in the movie...
    That's why she has always tried so hard to mold Bond into the best agent he can be, to stop him from turning into Silva 2.0. Her legacy lives on in Bond and the values he learned under her tutelage.

    Hm you mean Bond is her substitute son because her true one failed, and that's why Mallory notices she's very sentimental about all this ? :)

  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,271
    I do find it a bit odd how this thread has garnered such a high number of posts, given the fact that this theory is utter rot. Surely there are better things to be discussing on this community than this excuse for drivel?!
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    They hint that he was one of her favorite agents before getting too reckless and losing her head, so obviously they have history.

    We' sure they knew each other before she was M, we're told in the movie...

    Considering that she had the power to sell him over the Chinese in exchange for loyal agents, she was likely in a position equal or nearly as equal to hers in the Craig era.
    Hm you mean Bond is her substitute son because her true one failed, and that's why Mallory notices she's very sentimental about all this ? :)

    I think we're taking all this "son" stuff a bit too far. I wouldn't call either her son of any kind, especially not Silva who proved just how unworthy of M's tutelage he was by embracing his dark side. Regardless, I think M does have a maternal relationship with Bond, but it doesn't cross over into the "substitute son" territory and all that. I simply think that both care a lot about each other, and that M is instrumental in who Bond has grown to be as an agent because both respect each other so much and share a lot of the same qualities.
  • Posts: 15,117
    They hint that he was one of her favorite agents before getting too reckless and losing her head, so obviously they have history.

    We' sure they knew each other before she was M, we're told in the movie...

    Yes... So?
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