Mendes wants Skyfall to be "lighter" than Casino Royale

welshboy78

With all the doom and gloom merchants with regards to Skyfall looking dark and grim due to DC, Mendes directing and the leaked info we have, I came across this recent interview with Naomi Harris. The interesting bit is this:

"What I loved about 'Casino Royale' was that for the first time in a Bond film that I was actually moved. That was completely because of Daniel and his performance. I think that's what really got people. Although I think Sam [Mendes] does want this one to be a bit lighter,"

Of course interviews and tidbits of info do not really mean anything however it does give us a bit of hope that Mendes is going to lighten things up a little and it def seems (as Daniel was quoted) so far that Mendes and Craig have sat down and put a lot of thought into what classic Bond elements will be incorporated into Skyfall.

Anyhow thought it deserved a mention as with the constant doom and gloom over a few twitter pics (not helped prob by the 8 coffins and scruffy DC appearance) we could all be suprised a little

Thunderpussy

My only Fear over SF Can be summed up with the line,

(as Daniel was quoted) so far that Mendes and Craig have sat down and put a lot of thought into what classic Bond elements will be incorporated into Skyfall.

As it was Craig and Forster who also got together to give us QOS, Which I know many Love and see as the new
Bench mark for the next series of Bonds. While others ( myself included ) see it as a substandard action Movie,
and also a Film Craig himself has criticised along with Forster.
I expect Skyfall to be a Modern mix of Mendes take on "the third Man " with a car chase and a fight scene
thrown in.
Still it's nice of Eon to let D Craig, practice his writting On such an Insubstantial, small Independant Film. )

HowardB

The idea that they are going to include "classic Bond elements" should be a positive. It's fun to try and project what type of film "Skyfall" is going to be. If "Skyfall" turns out to be as good a film as "The Third Man" that would be quite an achievement.
I'm hoping for more of a "thriller" with some great action scenes rather than a mindless pedestrian action film. I think those who see QOS as the new "benchmark" for the next series of Bonds would be in the minority. Despite what is said or not said publicly by EON, I don't believe they want another QOS. As far as the film being "lighter" maybe Harris' charactor has been written to be somewhat of a foil for Craig's rather serious Bond. In QOS there weren't exactly many chuckles between Bond and Camille Montes....just two people out for revenge.

Moore Than

Casino Royale should be seen as the benchmark for the films to come. Well, at least a shorter version with the Bond (and some elements) we are more familiar with thrown in for good measure. From what little I know about Skyfall I am quite optimistic, but then it doesn't have to do much to be a better film than QoS.

Gritty realism and/or humour seem to be dirty words these days. It's all about degree and balance. In CR they got it just about right, in QoS it was all wrong.

Mr Beech

Classic Bond elements are probably what they mean when they say lighter...

jetsetwilly

From what I've seen Sam Mendes seems like a real Bond fan; I'm very pleased with him. I was particularly impressed by him naming John Glen as part of the Bond legacy at the press conference - that seems like something only a Bond fan would do. He's also a man with a sly sense of humour who's directed comedies on the stage (he directed an award winning production of Noel Coward's Design for Living, starring Rachel Weisz). Plus we're into "third Bond film" territory; as with GF, TSWLM and TWINE, we have an actor who's more relaxed in the role and happier with lightening up the part.

welshboy78

QoS was not "bad" but certainly not great in my opinion however it always had a hard act to follow after the magnificent CR.

The good news for us is that Daniel Craig has recently acknowledged it was not what it was supposed to be and below par, he clearly is not happy with it. I can see SkyFall certainly being a hell of a lot better already!

welshboy78

Mr Beech wrote:

Classic Bond elements are probably what they mean when they say lighter...

Hmm reading the quote again she mention DC in Casino Royale being emotional etc and then mentions Mendes wanting this "lighter". Hence I'm 100% sure she means less of the revenge driven emotions etc

Maybe we will see DC doing cartwheels down Carnaby Street )

Loeffelholz

jetsetwilly wrote:

From what I've seen Sam Mendes seems like a real Bond fan; I'm very pleased with him. I was particularly impressed by him naming John Glen as part of the Bond legacy at the press conference - that seems like something only a Bond fan would do. He's also a man with a sly sense of humour who's directed comedies on the stage (he directed an award winning production of Noel Coward's Design for Living, starring Rachel Weisz). Plus we're into "third Bond film" territory; as with GF, TSWLM and TWINE, we have an actor who's more relaxed in the role and happier with lightening up the part.

I'm with you, JSW. As a fan of Craig's darker, (arguably) more Flemingesque approach to the character, I'm perfectly fine with a bit more light in SF...and the mere mention of John Glen by Mendes, re: the Bond legacy, ought to give some hope to detractors of the current era, rather than just another opportunity to throw pies. But we all follow our own bliss {:)

Delightful to contemplate a new Bond film in principal photography, with a release later this year.

zaphod

Thunderpussy wrote:

My only Fear over SF Can be summed up with the line,

(as Daniel was quoted) so far that Mendes and Craig have sat down and put a lot of thought into what classic Bond elements will be incorporated into Skyfall.

As it was Craig and Forster who also got together to give us QOS, Which I know many Love and see as the new
Bench mark for the next series of Bonds. While others ( myself included ) see it as a substandard action Movie,
and also a Film Craig himself has criticised along with Forster.
I expect Skyfall to be a Modern mix of Mendes take on "the third Man " with a car chase and a fight scene
thrown in.
Still it's nice of Eon to let D Craig, practice his writting On such an Insubstantial, small Independant Film. )

'Babs and Daniel sitting in a Tree'...

Agent Sidewinder

Mr Beech wrote:

Classic Bond elements are probably what they mean when they say lighter...

One hopes....

Agent Wade

I enjoyed QOS quite a bit, and I think it was a good follow-up to CR. As for making the next one lighter, I'm on board with that too. I believe it's good to keep the tone from film to film a little different each time. It keeps monotony from forming, and it gives viewers that level of suspence regarding how their first viewing experience of the next new Bond movie is going to be. I agree that QOS got pretty damn dark in parts. It seems like every now and then they gotta give each Bond actor a vehicle to see just how low he can go. It would be nice however to see Bond once again on a "normal" mission or at least one that has a touch more levity and less forboding situations.

HowardB

Eight coffins covered in the Union Jack lined up doesn't sound very "light" to me.

Moore Than

It seems as though some people have made their mind up already. Sam Mendes is a very likeable man, is clearly a Bond fan and has also worked with Daniel Craig before. He stated in his videoblog (referring to Skyfall) "It struck me that it is still possible to make a big, fabulous, glamorous, escapist movie and yet at the same time say something about the world we are living in". Off course, this does not guarantee that it will be a great Bond film but it does give grounds for optimism.

welshboy78

HowardB wrote:

Eight coffins covered in the Union Jack lined up doesn't sound very "light" to me.

True but many Bond films start off with a moment of horror e.g. sunken Navy ship, crew machine gunned etc

Agent Wade

welshboy78 wrote:

HowardB wrote:

Eight coffins covered in the Union Jack lined up doesn't sound very "light" to me.

True but many Bond films start off with a moment of horror e.g. sunken Navy ship, crew machine gunned etc

Indeed. Even many of the Moore films started that way.

PPK 7.65mm

I agree with everyone's comments about how Skyfall needs to be a little bit lighter than the storyline in CR and QOS. Too much dark story elements can sometimes negatively affect the experince of viewing a movie for some people.

As for Craig setting a bench mark with his acting for the series, everyone I know has the option that it was CR that did that and not QOS.

Sir Miles

PPK 7.65mm wrote:

I agree with everyone's comments about how Skyfall needs to be a little bit lighter than the storyline in CR and QOS. Too much dark story elements can sometimes negatively affect the experince of viewing a movie for some people.

Nah....I'm VERY happy with the tone of the last two Bond films....I don't want 'light' Bond films at the moment...we have a great actor in DC....so lets play to his strengths....

Thunderbird 2

I loved the moments of humour in CR, and I think it is a good template to work from.

Was there humour in QoS? - That's not fair of me there was, (M's Christmas present blunder, most of the stuff with Fields) but it was throwaway, poe faced, and smothered with the grim and confused nature of the story. I don't want to see a return to the cringeworthy sight gags of the Moore era, but more of Bond's mischievous nature and M's lighter side would be great.

Plus Q is back, so there will hopefully be some lighter moments, without letting up on the action, and the dark nature of what Bond does.

Mrs.Bryce

All I hope for Skyfall is that it is like one of the older films, it's classic.

Hopefully it's like the earlier actors other '3rd' movies, they set the standard for those around it.

Connery's third ~ Goldfinger
Rog's third ~ The Spy Who Loved Me

I can't say for the others, )

HowardB

I'd really like to see some "black humor" which I think Craig could pull off if it's well written.