The case for Marc Forster

edited November 2018 in Bond Movies Posts: 4,409
http://www.empireonline.com/interviews/interview.asp?IID=1803

This is an interesting career retrospective with Forster.

He really was a great director riding on a massive high before making QOS. It's a shame that the film was a disappointment. His comments are very interesting, he seems to regard the prods highly.
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Comments

  • Posts: 1,970
    He should have pulled out
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 1,405
    fjdinardo wrote:
    He should have pulled out

    An High School drop-out on an acid trip would have made a better job.
    Forster completely ruined QoS with horrible editing and all-over-the-place jumping camera.

    In my opinion Mark Forster was the worst thing that ever happened to the Bond franchise, period.
  • Posts: 7,653
    Too bad indeed the man did not pull out, it would have halted the movie, so everybody would have benefitted from some extra time on developing a decent movie.
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 4,409
    I think Forster had some very good ideas, it was just the execution that was lacking.

    There are a host of factors to take into account regarding QOS's shortcomings including the writer's strike, the film's rushed production after CR's success, etc.

    He's still a great director who made a very stylish film with Quantum of Solace.

    I'm shocked just how much Marc Forster's name is mud in the Bond world. What is also interesting is that with the comic-book crowd Martin Campbell is hated after the release of Green Lantern (with all his other efforts seemingly being ignored). Fan communities seem never to take a reasoned and rational approach to anything.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    I think Forster had some very good ideas, it was just the execution that was lacking.

    There are a host of factors to take into account regarding QOS's shortcomings including the writer's strike, the film's rushed production after CR's success, etc.

    He's still a great director who made a very stylish film with Quantum of Solace.

    I'm shocked just how much Marc Forster's name is mud in the Bond world. What is also interesting is that with the comic-book crowd Martin Campbell is hated after the release of Green Lantern (with all his other efforts seemingly being ignored). Fan communities seem never to take a reasoned and rational approach to anything.

    Well, with it all, Forster's still no Lee Tamahori, is he? I enjoy QoS very much, and everything is very fast "like a bullet", intentionally. It's the Third Act of Casino Royale which came before. Some people do forget that, so it's a point worth emphasising and indeed re-emphasising.
  • MrBondMrBond Station S
    Posts: 2,044
    fjdinardo wrote:
    He should have pulled out

    An High School drop-out on an acid trip would have made a better job.
    Forster completely ruined QoS with horrible editing and all-over-the-place jumping camera.

    In my opinion Mark Forster was the worst thing that ever happened to the Bond franchise, period.

    Hold your horses mate, the time 1997-2002 and the directional choices from those three directors were considerbly worser.
  • Posts: 7,653
    MrBond wrote:
    fjdinardo wrote:
    He should have pulled out

    An High School drop-out on an acid trip would have made a better job.
    Forster completely ruined QoS with horrible editing and all-over-the-place jumping camera.

    In my opinion Mark Forster was the worst thing that ever happened to the Bond franchise, period.

    Hold your horses mate, the time 1997-2002 and the directional choices from those three directors were considerbly worser.

    No they were not, even Forster admits that he was not playing as well as he should and the straigth Bourne copy we ended up di not even improve the Bourne style it was a pale copy at best.
    1997/2002 were good years for the franchise and the choices were more conventional and worked well.
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 38
    Casino Royale = A long, 5 course meal. Lovely.
    Quantum of Solace = A quick, fast food hit like a KFC bucket of spicy chicken wings. Lovely. They're both great, just depends what mood you're in.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    Casino Royale = A long, 5 course meal. Lovely.
    Quantum of Solace = A quick, fast food hit like a KFC bucket of spicy chicken wings. Lovely. They're both great, just depends what mood you're in.

    Very well stated. I love both CR and QoS, but they're both great for different moods and interests.
  • Posts: 6,396
    Casino Royale = A long, 5 course meal. Lovely.
    Quantum of Solace = A quick, fast food hit like a KFC bucket of spicy chicken wings. Lovely. They're both great, just depends what mood you're in.

    But then the quality of chicken that goes into KFC is questionable at best.
  • MrBondMrBond Station S
    Posts: 2,044
    SaintMark wrote:
    MrBond wrote:
    fjdinardo wrote:
    He should have pulled out

    An High School drop-out on an acid trip would have made a better job.
    Forster completely ruined QoS with horrible editing and all-over-the-place jumping camera.

    In my opinion Mark Forster was the worst thing that ever happened to the Bond franchise, period.

    Hold your horses mate, the time 1997-2002 and the directional choices from those three directors were considerbly worser.

    No they were not, even Forster admits that he was not playing as well as he should and the straigth Bourne copy we ended up di not even improve the Bourne style it was a pale copy at best.
    1997/2002 were good years for the franchise and the choices were more conventional and worked well.

    Yes, they were. 1997-2002 stands out as the years when Bond just were a stale imitation of his old self. A self imitating copy with intentions at cashing in at the franchise name. 1997-2002 were to conventional years.The quality were therefore at best, okay.

    QoS succeded with being a different characther study which does indeed stick out and tells the story effectively with all techniques to show Bond's state of mind. Sure, it could have been better with a better script but it is no-where near as bad as some people try to make it up to be.
  • Posts: 1,970
    fjdinardo wrote:
    He should have pulled out

    An High School drop-out on an acid trip would have made a better job.
    Forster completely ruined QoS with horrible editing and all-over-the-place jumping camera.

    In my opinion Mark Forster was the worst thing that ever happened to the Bond franchise, period.

    I totally agree tho Dan Craig fans will disagree completely
  • Posts: 1,970
    Foster did not know his Bond history. He admitted in several interviews he only saw CR
  • SaintMark wrote:
    MrBond wrote:
    fjdinardo wrote:
    He should have pulled out

    An High School drop-out on an acid trip would have made a better job.
    Forster completely ruined QoS with horrible editing and all-over-the-place jumping camera.

    In my opinion Mark Forster was the worst thing that ever happened to the Bond franchise, period.

    Hold your horses mate, the time 1997-2002 and the directional choices from those three directors were considerbly worser.

    No they were not, even Forster admits that he was not playing as well as he should and the straigth Bourne copy we ended up di not even improve the Bourne style it was a pale copy at best.
    1997/2002 were good years for the franchise and the choices were more conventional and worked well.

    I was really happy with the choice of Forster back in 2007 and I'm glad that the prods took a risk on him and actually let him make the film he wanted. Now that film may have been deeply flawed but it still has a lot of redeeming features. I think QOS is best viewed as a fast and furious epilogue to the story introduced in CR.

    Forster was a great and exciting choice. He had made some really interesting stuff like Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland and The Kite Runner. The guy knows drama well and he clearly wanted to flex his action muscles with Bond and also give the piece some dramatic heft. Whether he succeeded or not is another question. The real thing is that Martin Campbell should have returned, I understand why he didn't want to come back and do TND after GE as that was another completely different story but QOS was a continuation of the story he helped to create.
  • Posts: 1,970
    MrBond wrote:
    fjdinardo wrote:
    He should have pulled out

    An High School drop-out on an acid trip would have made a better job.
    Forster completely ruined QoS with horrible editing and all-over-the-place jumping camera.

    In my opinion Mark Forster was the worst thing that ever happened to the Bond franchise, period.

    Hold your horses mate, the time 1997-2002 and the directional choices from those three directors were considerbly worser.

    to some yea, to others no. While I agree TND and DAD were a little outlandish. I thought TWINE was a great film. It brought a serious and emotional side to Brosnans Bond.
  • Posts: 1,548
    Going slightly off topic, Marc Forster's non-Bond films are far superior to Martin Campbell's non-Bond output IMO. Case in point Monsters' Ball/Finding Neverland/Kite Runner etc v Green Lantern/Zorro/Vertical Limit etc. Back to Bond, QOS is still a cut above Die Another Day imo.
  • MrBondMrBond Station S
    Posts: 2,044
    fjdinardo wrote:
    Foster did not know his Bond history. He admitted in several interviews he only saw CR

    I'm sorry mate, he said many times that he watched most of the Bond-films. Although his favourites were the Bond's from the 60's. He certainly did know the history of the franchise.
  • Posts: 15,124
    LeChiffre wrote:
    Going slightly off topic, Marc Forster's non-Bond films are far superior to Martin Campbell's non-Bond output IMO. Case in point Monsters' Ball/Finding Neverland/Kite Runner etc v Green Lantern/Zorro/Vertical Limit etc. Back to Bond, QOS is still a cut above Die Another Day imo.

    QOS was flawed, but yes, not nearly as bad as DAD and I think superior overall to most of Brosnan's Bonds (minus GE). And I agree with you about Forster non-Bond films versus Campbell's non-Bond films. In fact, it is surprising Campbell made such great Bond movies.
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 12,837
    @MrBond Here we go again. You've managed to change this into exactly the same debate as on the controversial opinion thread.

    You might hate the Brosnan era and the choice of directors but saying "it could be worse!" doesn't qualify as a defence for Forster. Calling Spottiswoode a bad director doesn't make Forster a better one.

    The choice of directors from 1997-2002 isn't relevant. It has nothing to do with Marc Forster, the choice of director in 2008.
  • MrBondMrBond Station S
    Posts: 2,044
    @MrBond Here we go again. You've managed to change this into exactly the same debate as on the controversial opinion thread.

    You might hate the Brosnan era and the choice of directors but saying "it could be worse!" doesn't qualify as a defence for Forster. Calling Spottiswoode a bad director doesn't make Forster a better one.

    The choice of directors from 1997-2002 isn't relevant. It has nothing to do with Marc Forster, the choice of director in 2008.

    Yes, i do. I don't hate Brosnans-era i just find it so boring when people trash on Forster and QoS all the time so i use the same arguments as a comeback.

    Why isn't it relevant? It's the same franchise hence it's open for comparison, no?
  • Posts: 15,124
    @MrBond Here we go again. You've managed to change this into exactly the same debate as on the controversial opinion thread.

    You might hate the Brosnan era and the choice of directors but saying "it could be worse!" doesn't qualify as a defence for Forster. Calling Spottiswoode a bad director doesn't make Forster a better one.

    The choice of directors from 1997-2002 isn't relevant. It has nothing to do with Marc Forster, the choice of director in 2008.

    Since some people here said Forster was the worst thing that happened to the franchise, it is relevant to the topic at hand. If you were to discuss QOS by itself, then yes it would be irrelevant. But as soon as someone talks about QOS and his director in the larger frame of the Bond franchise, then yes, comparisons are relevant and I may add inevitable.
  • edited December 2013 Posts: 1,405
    MrBond wrote:
    fjdinardo wrote:
    He should have pulled out

    An High School drop-out on an acid trip would have made a better job.
    Forster completely ruined QoS with horrible editing and all-over-the-place jumping camera.

    In my opinion Mark Forster was the worst thing that ever happened to the Bond franchise, period.

    Hold your horses mate, the time 1997-2002 and the directional choices from those three directors were considerbly worser.

    At least Brosnan's Bond movies were watchable, we could enjoy a good fight or a good chase. Imagine, for a moment, Bond's chase of Sebastian Foucan in CR filmed by Forster...
  • Posts: 6,601
    [quote="JohnBarryFan"
    At least Brosnan's Bond movies were watchable, we could appreciate a good fight or a good chase. Imagine, for a moment, Bond's chase of Sebastian Foucan in CR filmed by Forster...[/quote]

    A nightmare :O
  • MrBondMrBond Station S
    Posts: 2,044
    MrBond wrote:
    fjdinardo wrote:
    He should have pulled out

    An High School drop-out on an acid trip would have made a better job.
    Forster completely ruined QoS with horrible editing and all-over-the-place jumping camera.

    In my opinion Mark Forster was the worst thing that ever happened to the Bond franchise, period.

    Hold your horses mate, the time 1997-2002 and the directional choices from those three directors were considerbly worser.

    At least Brosnan's Bond movies were watchable, we could enjoy a good fight or a good chase. Imagine, for a moment, Bond's chase of Sebastian Foucan in CR filmed by Forster...

    Well, i've never said that Forster could pull of that particular scene. Because what Campbell did were just out of this world.
    But to be honest, i could see it and i would probably like it too.
  • Posts: 7,653
    MrBond wrote:
    MrBond wrote:
    fjdinardo wrote:
    He should have pulled out

    An High School drop-out on an acid trip would have made a better job.
    Forster completely ruined QoS with horrible editing and all-over-the-place jumping camera.

    In my opinion Mark Forster was the worst thing that ever happened to the Bond franchise, period.

    Hold your horses mate, the time 1997-2002 and the directional choices from those three directors were considerbly worser.

    At least Brosnan's Bond movies were watchable, we could enjoy a good fight or a good chase. Imagine, for a moment, Bond's chase of Sebastian Foucan in CR filmed by Forster...

    Well, i've never said that Forster could pull of that particular scene. Because what Campbell did were just out of this world.
    But to be honest, i could see it and i would probably like it too.

    Well you would have to say that wouldn't you. ;)

    Forster is a great director and his previous movies did show that, but his work on QoB showed that as a director in a actionmovie had had loads to learn. Too bad it happened in my favorite franchise.

  • Posts: 5,767
    fjdinardo wrote:
    Foster did not know his Bond history. He admitted in several interviews he only saw CR
    That just shows that knowing Bond history is no criterion whatsoever for making a good Bond film. Just look at what Bond fan Mendes did.
    Forster doing QOS was one of the best things to ever happen to the Bond franchise.

  • Posts: 1,970
    Casino Royale = A long, 5 course meal. Lovely.
    Quantum of Solace = A quick, fast food hit like a KFC bucket of spicy chicken wings. Lovely. They're both great, just depends what mood you're in.
    Its more like this
    Casino Royale= a long and great 5 course meal
    QOS= the big shit you take after you digest the 5 course meal.


  • MrBondMrBond Station S
    Posts: 2,044
    One of the criterias for being a Bond-director is to be a moderate fan with a good sense of the legacy of the franchise. If you're too much of a fan, you could easily screw it up. The same goes if you aren't a fan at all.
  • boldfinger wrote:
    That just shows that knowing Bond history is no criterion whatsoever for making a good Bond film. Just look at what Bond fan Mendes did.

    I'm confused. Are you saying SF was a bad film?
    fjdinardo wrote:
    Casino Royale = A long, 5 course meal. Lovely.
    Quantum of Solace = A quick, fast food hit like a KFC bucket of spicy chicken wings. Lovely. They're both great, just depends what mood you're in.
    Its more like this
    Casino Royale= a long and great 5 course meal
    QOS= the big shit you take after you digest the 5 course meal.

    :))
  • Posts: 5,767
    boldfinger wrote:
    That just shows that knowing Bond history is no criterion whatsoever for making a good Bond film. Just look at what Bond fan Mendes did.

    I'm confused. Are you saying SF was a bad film?
    Not exactly bad, but for sure not very good. Why does that confuse you?

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