Part 2 YOLT and Part 3 TMWTGG?
glidrose
Posts: 138MI6 Agent
As an idea, if Craig is signed up for 3 films, and they continue in the form of a triology, would it not make sense to now use the 2 previously unused material from the final continuation of the novels, YOLT and then TMWTGG?
The story need not necessarily be based in Japan for the next film, but could still include Bond tracking down the bad guy in the castle of death, ending with Bond losing his memory at the end of the film, and then on his way to somewhere else (ala Bourne).
And then part 3 opens with a brainwashed Bond confronting M, and then gets sent on the mission to destroy a Scaramanga villain, under the guise of Mark Hazard.
At least this way they can incorporate more Fleming elements that were previously unused (whole novels in fact, and good novels at that!)
The story need not necessarily be based in Japan for the next film, but could still include Bond tracking down the bad guy in the castle of death, ending with Bond losing his memory at the end of the film, and then on his way to somewhere else (ala Bourne).
And then part 3 opens with a brainwashed Bond confronting M, and then gets sent on the mission to destroy a Scaramanga villain, under the guise of Mark Hazard.
At least this way they can incorporate more Fleming elements that were previously unused (whole novels in fact, and good novels at that!)
Comments
The fake death of James Bond at You Only Live Twice was to get certain enemies to believe Bond was dead so he could work without the obvious encumburances. Since CR is this Bonds first mission, I dont think his enemy list is that large yet. Faking his death this early wouldn't be warranted.
There was no fake death in the novel. The film has absolutely nothing to do with the novel at all, hence why I'm suggesting this novel in its complete entirety could be turned into a film. And although LALD was the second novel, most (if not all) elements in the book have now been used in the films LALD, FYEO and LTK.
Iwould like the amnesia thing in the future, perhaps to bring a new Bond. look a this wa: M wants his (hers) best man, but he really hasn't prove to ve that worthy.
It will be a shame if they don't even use previously unused elements from the novels though. There are still plenty of moments, incidents, characters to use (MR, DAF, TSWLM, YOLT and TMWTGG). In fact the whole novel in its entirety of YOLT has not been used before, neither has the opening of TMWTGG.
Faling that, there is always a faithful adaptation of Colonel Sun to fall back on...?
The quantum of solace (meh, spelling) would make a good title. It could mean so many things, its very intriguing.
But in the end, they could probably call it "James Bond sits on the crapper for 2 hours straight" and the people would all refer to it as the new Bond flick.
That's essentially my point, glidrose, though I perhaps wasn't as clear as I could have been. A few people are clamoring right now for another adaptation of a Fleming novel, and I don't see it happening. As you say--and as I've argued before on this site--there are still elements to be mined from the books, but a full plot probably won't be used. All that remains untouched from LALD is the character of Mr. Big (though I doubt EON would touch the business of his desire to be the world's first "great Negro criminal") and Bloody Morgan's pirate horde; Moonraker's essential plot was used for DAD; DAF is one of Fleming's weakest novels, with perhaps his most contrived plot--though twin villains and a wild west village could be used; and as for YOLT. . . well, I think only its last third would lend itself to a film translation. The first two thirds are essentially a long travelogue, and I doubt many people would sit through a 90 minute tour of Japan (or wherever else the producers would go). As it is, some folk here have griped about the length of the poker scenes in CR; I thought they were great, but, clearly, not everyone has my sense of patience! Naw: while I think we may see some Fleming elements, I don't believe we'll see another Fleming novel make it to film.
The World Is Not Enough was mentioned in OHMSS but is still a film... The Property of a Lady is the name they should use I think
1) PTS. It’s not a long book so you could easily edit it down to the opening sequence of Bond 22.
2 A series of short films similar to the BMW series, ‘The Hire,’ you take parts of novels that have never been used, including TSWLM, and put them together in a collection.
3) A low-budget Bond. Eon still makes the big movie, but maybe they take somebody like Tarantino, give him TSWLM and a month’s shooting time and see what happens.
A View To A Kill: this story was not touched for the film, it involves some practical spywork, is set in Paris, has two scenes with motorocycles speeding down country roads, and has a gadget: the periscope in the shrubbery
I think it could make a good 20 minute stretch at the beginning of Episode 2
The Spy Who Loved Me: again entirely untouched, structure it like the comic strip version: instead of the 1st 2/3 being Vivienne Michelles biography, show us the actionpacked adventure Bond had in Toronto before visiting the motel - its got a defector, a dirty dangerous assassination job for 007, and SPECTRE - this could make up another 45 minutes, a la all that airport stuff in the current movie, then lead us to the motel and Vivienne and Sluggsy and Horror for the next 40 minutes, just like the book, and keep Vivienne round as the Bondgirl for the rest of the movie, however that plays out
Diamonds Are Forever - the best part of that book remaining is the character of Tiffany Case, but plotwise there is that strange Western ghosttown/gangster hideout, more torture, and the antique hobby train: when last seen, Bond has switched the tracks and sent it chugging fullspeed ahead into a mineshaft, good excuse for some explosions at the end of Episode 2
Octopussy - Im really not sure what they could do with this, but it wasnt touched for its film either, and the official CR website Dossier references it, so I think it may be included somehow - Bonds teenaged climbing instructor (ski instructor in the book) disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and he must pay a visit to the corrupt retired British agent who was responsible - again the comic strip version showed how to make this precise plot into an actionpacked thriller
You Only Live Twice - Im really rooting for this to make up Episode 3 - the travelogue stuff in Japan has already been done, and weve already met the supporting characters - but theres more than the last 1/3 thats got cinematic potential: Bond is sent on a diplomatic mission, and his skill as an assassin (again a plotpoint in itself) is exploited by his contact, this is the buildup to the trip to Shatterhands castle, and once there he finds Shattehand is in fact the big baddy hes been looking for since end of Episode 1 - the rest goes as written except we cant call Shatterhand Blofeld
again Flemings already written in the big explosions to end Episode 3, and a classic Bondfilm finale with him washing into the arms of the girl
only problem: Bonds despondency is key to the story, why hes given a crappy diplomatic mission, and the best time for Bond to be despondent would be start of Episode 2, unless another bondgirls going to die next film as well
Episode 3 could even end with the amnesia
the brainwashed Bond sequence would have to start the next film (though Id argue they already gave this chapter a salute in DAD), but then it could lead into... Colonel Sun! wouldnt that be good? not only does M not trust this newly returned 007, but is now reliant on Bond to save her (or his) life from a Red Chinese plot to destabilise world peace (could be ripped from todays headlines)
thatd be more interesting than the Scaramanga plot, and since Craig probably wont be there for Episode 4 itd also be a highconcept device for introducing the new actor
Though I really dont' see any vice in venturing into some of the better non-Fleming Bond novels.
There are story elements from virtually all of Fleming's novels, IMRO, which can be incorporated into an otherwise original story...one of my favourite bits is from LALD, when Bond gets tied into a chair...and one of the baddies simply bends back one of Bond's pinky fingers until it SNAPS!...and Bond spends the rest of the story with his finger in a splint...
TSWLM would be an excellent story element, or a PTS, I think, and bits like the oft-discussed Garden of Death from YOLT are simply begging to be incorporated.
Now that they've 'broken the ice,' so to speak, by acknowledging the literary (and been rewarded with great box office!), now is the time to strike while the iron is hot, and get some more quality Fleming onto the screen.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Second that.
In a word...Yes.
They'd have to buy the rights to those books, and since they already own the movie rights to the Bond character, I think they'd balk at spending what they consider unnecessary $$$...Mind you, some of the Gardner stories are worth looking at, IMO, but I don't see it happening---and, as someone here has pointed out, they're likely to 'borrow' ideas from these books...without paying for them... :v
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Those guys did a great job in capturing the CR novel. I think part of a template has been figured out as far as Fleming's Bond, and in the hands of capable writers, could be executed very well.
Of course I'd love to see the Fleming novels made into true Bond movies and I'm sure some of those scenes and storylines will be incorporated as the true elements of Bond's character has been incorporated, but please don't ever make Brokenclaw into an official EON release....