Telegraph: James Bond is 'dated', Matt Damon says
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James Bond is 'dated', Matt Damon says
By Sally Peck
Last Updated: 8:57pm BST 15/08/2007
Matt Damon has dismissed James Bond as being stuck in the 1960s while promoting his own new spy film.
Speaking from London, where his latest film, The Bourne Ultimatum, is having its UK premiere, Damon said: "Bond is an imperialist and a misogynist who kills people and laughs about it, and drinks Martinis and cracks jokes."
...
British director Paul Greengrass was more direct.
"The Bourne franchise is not about wearing Prada suits and looking at women coming out of the sea with bikinis on. It's about essence and truth, not frippery and surface," he said.
I think Matt Damon's influence is likely to be felt mainly in the world of marketing and public relations, where business school graduates the world over will ponder the case study known in the trade as The Bourne Inanity.
It's the one in which Matt Damon wakes up the morning of the British premiere of his new spy picture, hoping it will play as well there as it has in the States.
What could he, Matt Damon, do to help, he wondered as he dabbed shaving cream on his chin?
And then -- Inspiration!!
"I know!! I'll be an ******* and insult not only a beloved film institution, but a British film institution. That ought to get them lined up at the box office ..."
And Greengrass: All you Brits makes sure you take a pen and notebook to the theater with you. There will be a final exam on "Essence and Truth in the Jason Bourne Series" after each showing. Because, hey ... that's what it's about. Really.
By Sally Peck
Last Updated: 8:57pm BST 15/08/2007
Matt Damon has dismissed James Bond as being stuck in the 1960s while promoting his own new spy film.
Speaking from London, where his latest film, The Bourne Ultimatum, is having its UK premiere, Damon said: "Bond is an imperialist and a misogynist who kills people and laughs about it, and drinks Martinis and cracks jokes."
...
British director Paul Greengrass was more direct.
"The Bourne franchise is not about wearing Prada suits and looking at women coming out of the sea with bikinis on. It's about essence and truth, not frippery and surface," he said.
I think Matt Damon's influence is likely to be felt mainly in the world of marketing and public relations, where business school graduates the world over will ponder the case study known in the trade as The Bourne Inanity.
It's the one in which Matt Damon wakes up the morning of the British premiere of his new spy picture, hoping it will play as well there as it has in the States.
What could he, Matt Damon, do to help, he wondered as he dabbed shaving cream on his chin?
And then -- Inspiration!!
"I know!! I'll be an ******* and insult not only a beloved film institution, but a British film institution. That ought to get them lined up at the box office ..."
And Greengrass: All you Brits makes sure you take a pen and notebook to the theater with you. There will be a final exam on "Essence and Truth in the Jason Bourne Series" after each showing. Because, hey ... that's what it's about. Really.
Comments
The differences between these two franchises are, as the Bourne people continue to insist, quite pronounced. Both are good movie fun, but IMO it's a sweet irony that the one derided as being 'dated' is the one they'll still be making in ten to twenty years' time :007)
Cheers to Bourne, and three very entertaining pictures
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Before this turns into another Bourne vs Bond debate, let's bear something in mind: both franchises are very good, very popular and very different. Just like Harry Palmer, Austin Powers, Matt Helm and Napoleon Solo. The two can quite happily co-exist.
Attacking Bond is standard practice when one is promoting a spy film. You have to do it to differentiate yourself to the audience, because 007 so utterly dominates the term "spy" in the public's mind (try finding a newspaper article that deals with espionage and doesn't, at some point, reference Bond). So I have sympathy for the people behind Bourne who have to say "this is what we are not" to try and carve out their audience.
This sniping is undignified, I agree; but Eon doesn't resort to sniping back, and so let's bear that in mind as this debate continues. Let's remember the word "class".
@merseytart
Well it's hardly going to put me off; will it actually stop you going?
The irony of insulting someone because he's bad mouthed your favourite films is pretty clear to see. If you're asking him to have some class... glass houses etc.
And the BBC report does say:
Yeah exactly; Greengrass is a very political filmmaker so I'd be rather disappointed in him if he didn't spell out exactly why he hasn't made a Bond film and has made clear what values he believes in. I don't have to agree, but it doesn't mean that I can't respect his views. And he's probably getting a bit annoyed about being asked about someone else's film series when he's trying to sell his own, too.
The really quite interesting part of the premiere coverage to me is this:
I'm sure I'd heard Damon dismissing the idea entirely when he was promoting Ocean's 13; this seems quite interesting (although I can't think where Bourne can go from here- isn't Ultimatum just sort of ending the Supremacy story? He can't go on the run from the CIA again, surely?
Since Mr. Damon and His Director has been so generous in praise for oo7, they can take a leap ... for all I care - and I won't spend a dime or a second of my time watching their chase movie!
Comments like theirs inspired an idiot to attack this site recently, and like yelling "fire" in a crowded room I hold them responsible for that punks behavior.
Boycott their efforts until they can make a film that stands on its on merit, and doesn't require an "anti-something" theme to get attention.
Bond’s Beretta
The Handguns of Ian Fleming's James Bond
I've already seen it, and enjoyed it for that matter. And I like Damon. I may be the only person who liked him in The Good Shepherd.
I guess I'm just a little incredulous as someone who now does PR for a living, that it wouldn't occur to Damon and Greengrass to be gracious about a character that really made other movie spies possible. Especially in the land of the former's birth. If this is some calculated plan to draw attention to your movie, I don't think it's a great idea.
And to be fair, the full quote is a bit more palatable.
And if you're a PR guy you should be familiar with the 'no publicity is bad publicity' quote- this little 'Bond is rubbish' debate has got them plenty of headlines in the papers and on the news (it was the main Entertainment headline on the BBC News site, one of the most visited websites in the world), and the only people who have taken it to heart are a handful of people on these forums, and it's not even going to stop them going to see it. So all in all, you'd be giving them bad PR advice to tell them to stop
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Eon have never resorted to attacking other franchises.When you're top of the food chain, there really is no need.
Loeffs posted a recent interview in the Bourne not Bond thread where DC says:
'On this topic, Craig had only good things to say about Bond's competitors at the multiplex. "Just look at the Bourne series, which are superb movies." he said. "They've kind of brought things to a grittier way, which I really appreciate in an action hero. I like to see these people really dig in.'
That's how its done
Well ... gee ... no, emtiem, I've never heard that "no publicity is bad publicity." Thank you for sharing. I only wish you'd offered that insight earlier, before the department that I work for received a phone call from the governor's people -- a pretty rare occurence -- to come up with a response to a blistering LA Times editorial. I could have shrugged and said "Hey -- tell the governor to not get his shorts in a twist. Doesn't he know that 'no publicity is bad publicity?' It's working for Matt Damon, and he doesn't do half the box office Arnold did in his day ..." and hung up the phone.
Just kidding, emtiem. I couldn't resist the sarcasm.
You're right -- it's no big deal. Again, I like Matt Damon and I like Bourne. I'm sure Damon is a nice guy. I was simply struck by the remark because I just don't see any advantage in bashing Bond. As others have pointed out, it's not very classy and for that reason sounds odd coming from Damon, in fact. I think he would have gotten just as many headlines being gracious. Usually the people for whom "no publicity is bad publicity" are incapable of getting any other kind (i.e Paris Hilton). But I'm not really upset about it. Besides, I get a feeling the reporters are feeding him leading questions.
What; genuinely? Do you really believe that 'DAMON SAYS BOND IS 'VERY NICE' SHOCK!' would make the front page of the BBC News page?
But yeah, you're right about the reporters asking leading questions, I'm sure. It's a spy film; therefore ask about Bond. People like reading about Bond. I think that Greengrass really doesn't like Bond (he was on Radio 4 last night talking about Bond again and interestingly he refused to be drawn on whether he'd been asked to direct a Bond film or not... ) but he strikes me as a blunt kind of guy who says what he wants - he did direct Bloody Sunday, after all- so that's just who he is.
However Casino Royale was a better film that all Bourne films, and Daniel Craig is a terrific actor.
And to be fair, the full quote is a bit more palatable.[/quote]
Thats the crux isnt it? Its just not cricket to diss the competitor to big up your own.
This is definitely a PR campaign by the Bourne camp to they would say "bring a distance between their product" and Bond. They actually believe this guff and Damon has been on every media (Jay Leno) saying nasty things about Bond while bigging up his own product. Even Julia Stiles has joined in saying her character "isnt just a bikini walking out of the sea.." I bet Vesper Lynd is 100% more rounded the your character luv?
They also miss the point. This weaknesses they point were in Casino Royale explored intelligently to such a degree that they became the Bond characters strengths. After all, if not you have a generic action hero..
Just like face-cream boy Matt Damon..
I actually think the Bourne camp were rattled by the success of Casino Royale.
Cheap? Watch it again and marvel at how camerawork which appears to be devised on the spot actually tells you everything you need to know. It's a very clever technique.
If so they responded in the right manner by making an excellent movie with The Bourne Ultimatum. Now it's up to Eon to make Bond 22 really special. This kind of competition is a good thing. It brings out the best in people. Eon raised their game with CR, now they have to do it again. There can be no slacking off or returning to the low standards of DAD.
The sad thing is Dan, she's probably referring to Jinx! I bet she doesn't even know who Honey is
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6950153.stm
Well they're hardly going to have a go at a film series for being stuck in the 60's and then criticise the characters who were only in the series in the 60's, are they? It'd be like saying that North By Northwest was 'too 50's' or Citizen Kane is 'too 40's'! Of course she's talking about Jinx!
That's just a falsehood. It takes more ability to give a film feel like this is given by the camera technique used here and to also ensure that whereas it looks like it's all been shot without planning it has in fact all been planned out perfectly to ensure that everything is presented to the audience. It is some parts of the audience's lack of ability to appreciate it that is the problem.
I don't disagree with you that it's a valid technique that has been used to great effect, emtiem, but you can overdo it as well. Martin Scorsese is known for his tracking shots, but a whole movie of them? OK -- someone will point to Hitchcock's Rope; but I would argue that film is best known for its lack of conventional cutting than anything else. Which is too bad, because the technique overshadows what is a fine film. I didn't have a problem with the shaky camera in The Bourne Ultimatum except when he visits the brother. It should have been a quieter scene and the shaky camera did the opposite, I think.
Pardon me if I've offended you, but for someone to accuse the director of lacking ability just because that someone can't appreciate a technique or is easily distracted seems very hostile and rude to me; I'm not sure I can apologise if it seems that I am replying in kind.
It is perfectly valid to criticise a director's style. I am sure that Michael Bay's film by a thousand cuts directorial flourishes are technically very clever, but personally I find it thoroughly irritating and ever so slightly vomit inducing. Shaky-cam is increasingly prevalent to give that "doco" look, but a lot of people don't like it, and that's that.
@merseytart
But then I come here, see the notice "6812 Registered Members", and remember why I'll always love Bond more.