Craig: #23...and more!

Loeffelholz

More remarks from Craigger on the success of QoS, and what we might get in #23...

http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/bond_23_report_jan09.php3?t=&s=&id=02135

Favourite quote: "I wouldn't know $500 million if it sat on my face...But it would probably be quite nice if it sat on my face." ;%

Also very salient is his observation that "Austin Powers screwed everything up. He exploded the genre. Did I just say that? I did."

7289

DC is absolutely correct about Austin Powers!

As long as DC looks to the books for the inspiration in his charecterization of Bond and hopefully for another script based on a Fleming book, oo7 is in good hands!

Red Indian

"Well, I nicked a lot of the ideas about who Bond is from Ian Fleming. But the point is, we did the movie we had to do to finish the story off, and comedy and lightness weren’t relevant. This was a story about loyalty, about friendship, about who you can trust. Gag-writing wasn’t at the top of the list."

He really seems to care about what the fans want and at the same time he's completely loyal to Fleming. How can you fault the guy?

I think he's great at the brief comedic touches we saw in both films; it seems as though he's up for more and I think that's fantastic. He just wants to get the balance right!

Roll on #23! {[]

Loeffelholz

Red Indian wrote:

"Well, I nicked a lot of the ideas about who Bond is from Ian Fleming. But the point is, we did the movie we had to do to finish the story off, and comedy and lightness weren’t relevant. This was a story about loyalty, about friendship, about who you can trust. Gag-writing wasn’t at the top of the list."

He really seems to care about what the fans want and at the same time he's completely loyal to Fleming. How can you fault the guy?

I think he's great at the brief comedic touches we saw in both films; it seems as though he's up for more and I think that's fantastic. He just wants to get the balance right!

Roll on #23! {[]

Totally with you, Red {[] It's all very encouraging...

7289

After thinking about DC'c comments and posting in a thread about Connery vs Craig, I recalled that Connery had commented many times that he did not like Fleming personally, and had read only one of the novels.

Says alot about EGO. Makes me even happier with DC's Bond!

Red Indian

One of my favorites from CR:

"Oh, and the valet ticket?"

I laughed out loud so hard in the theatre I was worried I disturbed the other people!

That's what I love about Fleming's Bond - he's never against kicking a guy when he's down, whether it's a card game or a fight!

It reminds me of the scene in Moonraker (the novel) when he kicks Krebs from behind as he's crouched on the floor going through Bond's briefcase.

That wry, sadistic smile that crosses Bond's face right before he lets him have it is PRICELESS!

It reminds me of the phrase: "It's not a good fight unless it's dirty!"

Thanks for posting that link Loeff!

Loeffelholz

I enjoyed the subtle 'Bond attitude' moments in QoS, like the way he kicks the downed MI6 agent's arm out of the way of the elevator door...or the way he takes the motorcyle out from beneath the baddie B-)

Lexi

Loeffelholz wrote:

Red Indian wrote:

One of my favorites from CR:

"Oh, and the valet ticket?"

I laughed out loud so hard in the theatre I was worried I disturbed the other people!

I enjoyed the subtle 'Bond attitude' moments in QoS, like the way he kicks the downed MI6 agent's arm out of the way of the elevator door...or the way he takes the motorcyle out from beneath the baddie B-)

{[] The Valet ticket line is one of my favourites too and I Love the way he got the motorbike in QoS and the sublte move of the arm in the elevator too - this to me is the right balance of humour. I still don't get the responses from so many people saying there was no humour in either films. Yes, granted, it's not on the same level as previous films. TSWLM springs to mind, having watched it just recently...I had forgotten just how much of the script was 'one line wonders' but it's just the arc of change that is happening with Craig's Bond, and I'm sure in the 23 will will see a slightly more lighthearted approach.

Now, roll on 2010/2011

Loeffelholz

Lexi wrote:

...it's just the arc of change that is happening with Craig's Bond, and I'm sure in the 23 will will see a slightly more lighthearted approach.

Now, roll on 2010/2011

Amen! I think the great thing about the admittedly dark undercurrent of QoS is the way it opens the door to more mainstream Bond fare---the great thing is that it won't have to lurch all the way into 'Dinner Theatre Bond' to make a big impression, simply by virtue of comparison to its predecessor.

I remember one reviewer, in his writeup of CR, talking about what a relief it was just to see Craig smile in that film, such as when he sits down to the poker game at the Ocean Club...Craig won't have to do a lot, within the framework he's already established, to hit the target.

A single quip, a straightening of the tie after a violent death, and that guitar string is pulled into perfect tune B-)

Just my opinion, naturally!

frostbitten

Loeffelholz wrote:

A single quip, a straightening of the tie after a violent death, and that guitar string is pulled into perfect tune B-)

Just my opinion, naturally!

Just one quip in a whole movie, Loeff? Why so stingy? I think we CBT's need at least three or four of those, and a good scene with Moneypenny, to be satisfied with Bond23
Oh, and a calm, steady hand at the camera would be much appreciated

Loeffelholz

frostbitten wrote:

Loeffelholz wrote:

A single quip, a straightening of the tie after a violent death, and that guitar string is pulled into perfect tune B-)

Just my opinion, naturally!

Just one quip in a whole movie, Loeff? Why so stingy? I think we CBT's need at least three or four of those, and a good scene with Moneypenny, to be satisfied with Bond23

I advocate moderation A lack of moderation leads to excess...and IMRO there's been no shortage of that.

frostbitten wrote:

Oh, and a calm, steady hand at the camera would be much appreciated

Can't quarrel with that -{

7289

With QOS shaping up as the highest grossing Bond to date, I wouldn't expect EON to tinker much from the "bare bones Bond" they have already established.

Money talks and in this case I like what it says about these last two 007 films!

Hardyboy

Daniel Craig was on Jay Leno last night. Leno congratulated him on the success of QoS and Craig immediately said, "I don't know what we'll do on the next one." I'm taking that to mean everything's up in the air.

Loeffelholz

I think that as long as Matt Chesse and Rick Pearson aren't in the Editing room during post-prod for #23---with Marc Forster looking over their shoulder---many Bond fans will view most anything with a relatively open mind...

HowardB

I'm thinking something on the order of "Goldfinger" for a balance of action, drama, and humour. With Craig however, I'm thinking whatever humour there is will be on the dark side, more like Connery in the first four films.

Loeffelholz

Well, many Cinematic Bond Traditionalists^TM are thirsting for a bit more of the 'old-fashioned fun' from Bond...much like the thoughts of a man who's been out in the desert for a while inevitably turn to water

Many here have called for something along the lines of a GF for #23...if Eon can find the proper script, I've no doubt Craig can bring the material home in style. He's repeatedly talked about having to 'earn' some of the staples of the patented Precious Classic Formula---IMO they've done that in telling the story of Vesper (CR) and the aftermath (QoS).

I'm probably one of the biggest proponents of Craig, the reboot, the more grounded new direction of the character/franchise, etc., but I'd gently assert that a diet of only that can be equally stagnating if not injected with a bit of spice.

Time for Bond to once again straighten his tie---not underwater!---and give some deserving situation a quip and a sardonic smile.

The assassination of Dame Judi's M will give the piece all the seriousness it needs... :v

HowardB

I enjoy Dame Judy's portrayal of "M" but it would be an interesting plot point for her to be assasinated. I don't think EON will go there in Bond 23. I think it may happen when they believe the "stern" mother and rebelious son relationship between her and DC's Bond has become stale. With Bernard Lee in the Connery films Bond's relationship with M was relatively simple and static.

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blueman

Loeffelholz wrote:

The assassination of Dame Judi's M will give the piece all the seriousness it needs... :v

That doesn't sound like like a bad place to start 23 at all. All of the post-LTK Bond films have had a strong personal stake for Bond in them, and all have been very successful. EON might be putting 2 and 2 together and coming up 4. I imagine there are other factors in all that success, but wouldn't surprise me if early meetings were about what personal stake Bond will have in the new film, and then plotting around that accordingly... a PO'd Bond makes for a happy EON bean-counter?

frostbitten

Loeffelholz wrote:

The assassination of Dame Judi's M will give the piece all the seriousness it needs... :v

Although the assassination of M would undoubtedly raise the stakes significantly, I think that it would bring too much seriousness to a film that should be a bit lighter in tone after the revenge-driven QoS. If the producers do intend to make Bond 23 the GF of Craig's tenure, they probably should not use this plot device. Instead, they should save it for the most appropriate place, which IMO should be the last film in Craig's tenure. That film should be a small-scale, darker story, more of a character study and true espionage tale than a grand, lighthearted adventure, so it would make perfect sense to bring in M's demise then.

Napoleon Plural

Craig seemed quite jovial during The South Bank Show tribute and this is the side of his character that could be explored more in a Goldfinger type film and a chic New York setting. Let's get it back to Europe more, I don't think he's really been there much. I know Tosca was in Austria but only the stage location if you see what I mean. North Italy in total is only 15 mins in all, with both films oh okay yeah there's Venice at the end of CR too! But you know what I mean. Paris or Berlin...

Loeffelholz

frostbitten wrote:

Although the assassination of M would undoubtedly raise the stakes significantly, I think that it would bring too much seriousness to a film that should be a bit lighter in tone after the revenge-driven QoS. If the producers do intend to make Bond 23 the GF of Craig's tenure, they probably should not use this plot device. Instead, they should save it for the most appropriate place, which IMO should be the last film in Craig's tenure. That film should be a small-scale, darker story, more of a character study and true espionage tale than a grand, lighthearted adventure, so it would make perfect sense to bring in M's demise then.

A very fair point. I can wait until #24 if I must...then... :v

blueman

I think I know who the director for 23 is gonna be, noticed two names in the credits today - one won't be directing 23 as he's attached to a bezillion other projects right now, but the other one... both were listed as "Additional Voice Talent" or somesuch:

Guillermo Del Toro was one, but he's kinda busy

but Alfonso Cuarón was the other...

Dan Same

Loeffelholz wrote:

frostbitten wrote:

Instead, they should save it for the most appropriate place, which IMO should be the last film in Craig's tenure.

A very fair point. I can wait until #24 if I must...then... :v

Loeff, does this mean that you have given up on your dream of Craig making seven films? :v

Loeffelholz

Dan Same wrote:

Loeffelholz wrote:

frostbitten wrote:

Instead, they should save it for the most appropriate place, which IMO should be the last film in Craig's tenure.

A very fair point. I can wait until #24 if I must...then... :v

Loeff, does this mean that you have given up on your dream of Craig making seven films? :v

Absolutely not! If they kill Dame Judi's M in #24, I don't want that to be Craig's last But sadly, I'm quite sure he won't do seven. Anyone who does that many has very probably stayed on too long :v

But if they could somehow stick to a two-year schedule, Craig would only be fifty-plus when he hung it up after seven. Not too shabby!

Shatterhand67

blueman wrote:

a PO'd Bond makes for a happy EON bean-counter?

Is that a "Planet Ocean'd" Boond?
:007)

HowardB

I think one of the really good things that has come out of the success and style of CR and QOS is that Craig has turned out to be a Bond fan, is enjoying the role (and the money and opportunity for other projects) and has not turned out to be "a serious thespian" who "can't wait to rid himself of the shackles of this silly role". I do think we will see "Q" in 23. The charactor of "Q" will probably be easier to fit in than Moneypenny just based upon the mood of the series. I don't think 23 will be like QOS, EON seems to be pretty careful now about repeating themselves, which I think is a good thing. I believe with 23 we will get a bit more of a "caper" film like Goldfinger or even Thunderball with a more menacing villain and a little more suspense. The violence and realism will still remain on the same level as CR and QOS but maybe a bit more fooling around with the ladies. Another interesting twist to a future Bond film would be Craig reuniting with some of his former SBS compatriates for an assault on the villains lair.