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Big Mi6 James Bond henchperson ranking game - NUMBER 22

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  • 007HallY007HallY
    edited February 28 Posts: 4,765
    QBranch wrote: »
    'Richard' Stamper. Not very German indeed.

    It’s not is it? 🤣 I do wonder if he was written as German. Or any nationality specifically. Unlike the good Dr. Kaufman he doesn’t scream German to me in theory.
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    edited February 28 Posts: 14,905
    Previous comment edited after further research:

    'The name Richard comes from Old High German and is made up of the words ric and hard. It means "brave ruler" or "strong king".'
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,184
    As @QBranch already pointed out, Richard is a perfectly normal German name (Richard Wagner, Richard von Weizsäcker), as it is a perfectly normal English and French name. The only difference is the pronunciation. And it is not really a name that is currently used much, but old-fashioned first names tend to come back (Adolf might take a little longer). But I never knew that Stamper's first name was supposed to be Richard. And Dr. Kaufman(n) should be spelled with a double-n at the end.
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,514
    I ranked Stamper #13. I somehow like this guy as a henchman. He is very mean in his first scene (I like the "knock knock" and him killing all the poor guys in the water is brutal...to be fair, the similar scene with Xenia in GE is more shocking and better, imo). I like how he appears on the ship after harpooning a guy (after Bond's diving scene) and when he is explaining that Kaufmann was like a father for him. And more important: the end fight is good stuff. It's not as good as the GE finale but compared to the TWINE end fight, this is a masterpiece if a fight and the look on his face is gold right before he is killed (Sidenote: Götz Otto said that he still has a scar from Pierce's knife attack.)
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,382
    At #24, we have:

    CHANG
    by Toshirô Suga
    in Moonraker

    $_57.JPG?set_id=8800005007

    Or is that Cha? We never really find out what his actual name is before his demise via piano impact.

    His highest score in this contest was one 8th place. Additionally he also collected two more top 15's, both of those were 15th places.

    Most of us rated him between 16th and 25th, though two bottom 5's did manage to sneak in: one 27th place and one 28th.

    In total Chang received 68 points.
  • R1s1ngs0nR1s1ngs0n France
    edited March 5 Posts: 2,194
    I had Chang at #16. Certainly not top tier but he proves quite a nuissance to Bond on several occasions.
    Holding off the Dobermans before siccing them on a terrified Corinne was also a pretty sadistic touch.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,533
    I had him at 25. Chang is useful enough but drops out too soon to become a formidable opponent.
  • zebrafishzebrafish <°)))< in Octopussy's garden in the shade
    edited March 5 Posts: 4,384
    Chang's my number 23. His Kendo skills are sub-par, but he must be made of steel - how else could he pierce through the piano strings?
  • 007HallY007HallY
    Posts: 4,765
    Chang's a bit forgettable for me. I think we needed to see more of what he could do or they had to give him a particular weapon for Bond to use against him. I suppose it's not easy as he's outweighed by Jaws in MR.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    edited March 5 Posts: 7,382
    21 for me. I think he's fine, but ultimately when Jaws enters the movie you forget there ever was another main henchman earlier in the film.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,184
    A (so far) rare case where I rated him quite a bit higher - at No. 15. I liked him better as a henchman than the guy that replaced him.
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,514
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    A (so far) rare case where I rated him quite a bit higher - at No. 15. I liked him better as a henchman than the guy that replaced him.

    Totally. I definitely prefer Chang compared to MR-Jaws. Chang's yelling is maybe a bit annoying but it helps the intensity of the fight. I like the fight (changing the floors, destroying almost every glass possible...it's intense and at the same time amusing...)I also like the moment where he looks at Bond all disappointed when he survived in the centrifuge. Like a sad child who has lost in a game. And someone mentioned Chang bringing the dogs to the scenery before Corinne is killed: I like his presence there, too. He is a good henchman (imo), especially when we take into account that his demise is pretty early.
    I ranked him at No.16
  • OtisFairplayOtisFairplay
    Posts: 59
    Quite close to my own ranking. I rather like Chang and think he shows promise early on but agree he’s narratively treated like a placeholder, lessening his impact (said grand piano aside). In contrast, I’m sure Jaws would find a way to make afternoon tea a complete travesty.
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,319
    I had Chang at 19th spot. He's not the best by a long shot. But he is a formidable threat to Bond, and I love the centrifuge scene. Their fight in the glass museum is also rather fun.
  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    Posts: 14,175
    QBranch wrote: »
    'Richard' Stamper. Not very German indeed.
    Hey.
    Unless: 'The name Richard comes from Old High German and is made up of the words ric and hard. It means "brave ruler" or "strong king".'
    Oh, okay.

  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 14,905
    'Chang'. Not very Japanese indeed.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,533
    QBranch wrote: »
    'Chang'. Not very Japanese indeed.

    What is Scarpine then? Oh, wait, he and Zorin are aliens from the planet Zorg.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,184
    QBranch wrote: »
    'Chang'. Not very Japanese indeed.

    Neither is "Cha", as Drax constantly calls him. I guess the writers hadn't quite decided on what kind of "Asian" he was supposed to be.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,382
    Next up, at#23:

    RENARD
    aka Viktor Zokas
    by Robert Carlyle
    in The World Is Not Enough

    James-Bond-The-World-Is-Not-Enough-Lobby-Card-11-x-14-3.jpg

    Two top 10's were noted for 'the Anarchist': one 7th and one 10th place. Additionally, there was also one 12th place, giving him three top halfs.

    Most of us rated him between 15th and 25th, though three bottom 5's eventually meant that he would fall outside the top 20. His lowest score was one penultimate place.

    In total Renard obtained 68 points. The same amount as Cha(ng), but Viktor had more top 10 finishes so he won the tiebreaker.

  • zebrafishzebrafish <°)))< in Octopussy's garden in the shade
    Posts: 4,384
    The "Full Monty" actor was very popular back then, but unfortunately his character stood in Electra's shadow. On top, his defining characteristic, not feeling physical pain, was not really used well in the script. Sadly, this was a missed opportunity to use this great actor for maximum effect.
  • R1s1ngs0nR1s1ngs0n France
    Posts: 2,194
    18th in my rankings. Carlyle deserved better, but to his credit he imbues the character with enough personality and menace as to not relegate him to the bottom tier of Bond henchmen.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited March 11 Posts: 24,533
    I had him at 28. Renard was tragic. Not the character, mind, the role. Carlyle is an interesting actor but they wrote him into a pretty useless part. During the early briefing, he's given an almost mythical status, promising us that cool things will follow. But hardly anything interesting ever happens with or to him. He ends up being no better than thug number five in the average post-2005 Steven Seagal film. Just a guy shouting lines, shooting in empty air, making angry faces, and engaging in a bit of badly written soap drama. Wasted potential.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,184
    OK, here's my first really big jump. I have Renard as No. 10, although TWINE remains firmly glued in 24th place of my movie ranking, just ahead of The Film That Mustn't Be Named. While there is indeed quite some soap opera in his involvement with Elektra, his character is quite a bit more rounded than those we have been discussing so far, with actual dialogue that makes sense in the context instead of just supernatural powers and/or physical defects (I'm afraid I'm painting myself in a corner here, thinking that my No. 2 will be the other kind, but never mind). Sure, Renard could have been written better, but Carlyle makes up for much of that deficit, being a far better actor than, say, Götz Otto.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    edited March 11 Posts: 7,382
    I'm a big TWINE defender, I think I may probably be one of its biggest fans on here. Even to such an extend that I really like Christmas Jones.

    Now that I've said that I can safely say that the only TWINE aspect that I am not so crazy about is Renard. He used to annoy me a lot, though lately I can bare his presence a little better. Instead of an irritating baddie, he's just a sad little boy.

    Came in penultimate on my list.
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,319
    Renard placed 26th for me. Robert Carlyle is a fine actor, and could’ve brought much more menace, danger and been a real threat to Bond.
    Instead he’s wasted, with a unique ability that isn’t really used as well as it could’ve been.
    A real shame, as it only makes a messy film…messier.
  • zebrafishzebrafish <°)))< in Octopussy's garden in the shade
    Posts: 4,384
    Which reminds me that originally there was a scene planned where Renard had a hunting bird-of-prey. Does anyone remember that?
  • 007HallY007HallY
    edited March 11 Posts: 4,765
    zebrafish wrote: »
    Which reminds me that originally there was a scene planned where Renard had a hunting bird-of-prey. Does anyone remember that?

    Didn’t know that. Not sure what that would have added.

    For me, Carlyle’s a bit miscast as Renard. He gives the impression of a sad, almost pathetic psychopath who’s fallen for a woman. I think the tragedy of this villain on paper is that he’s a man with a terminal disorder and nothing to lose anymore. I think it would have made more sense if he’d been played a more charismatic, alluring actor to give a sense that he’s been struck down by the bullet in his prime (it makes sense they originally considered a young Javiar Bardem and Jean Reno). It could have played up the comparison/parallel of Bond nearly falling for Elektra too which could have been interesting.
  • SeanoSeano Minnesota. No, it's not always cold.
    Posts: 49
    I had him at #18, just because he was more important to the plot than many of his fellow henchmen. But I agree that Renard was a major missed opportunity -- one of those times where they tried to subvert the formula a bit but instead they just should have leaned into him being this charismatic, manipulative, relentless guy who can't feel pain instead of making him a gloomy Gus who mopes around the whole movie.
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,514
    I ranked Renard as #25.
    I like his first appearence in flesh when we see him holding the hot stone and punishing Davidov with it. Overall, he isn't memorable enough for so much screen time. And I like it when Bond has a good fight against a henchman but the end fight in the submarine is oddly slow and not exciting.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,382
    Going onwards with our #22:

    HINX
    by Dave Bautista
    in Spectre

    tumblr_nwnbekvQen1srwck9o4_1280.jpg

    The first clearly defined henchman of the Craig era was given a highest rating of two 7th places. Other top 15 finishes were: one 11th, two 14th and one 15th place.

    There were also four bottom 5's, of which one 28th place was the lowest rating for the Man with the Iron Nails.

    In total Hinx collected 71 points.
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