You have to remember that's what fashion was like in the 90s when Brsnn's films were made. Ties were more flamboyant and the suits were longer, often with three buttons etc. Now it's the noughties fashion has moved back to the pared-dwn look it had in the eighties and, before that, the fifties.
There's an excellent book called "Dressed to Kill" that I recommend for a comprehensive discussion if Bond's wardrobe.
Re 'what Fleming wanted', even Bill Tanner in (I think) TMWTGG mentions 007 had a 'usual rig' so his taste in clothes was quite recognisable and pronounced. It varies little from book to book and was influenced by the fashion of the time, the fifties, so was also pared back. It was elegant and understated and wouldnt mark Bond out in a crowd - obviously important for a spy. so I don't think Brosnan's Bond strays too much from that, he always looks elegant, well dressed and not too far from the prevailing fashions if the time.
You have to remember that's what fashion was like in the 90s when Brsnn's films were made. Ties were more flamboyant and the suits were longer, often with three buttons etc. Now it's the noughties fashion has moved back to the pared-dwn look it had in the eighties and, before that, the fifties.
There's an excellent book called "Dressed to Kill" that I recommend for a comprehensive discussion if Bond's wardrobe.
Re 'what Fleming wanted', even Bill Tanner in (I think) TMWTGG mentions 007 had a 'usual rig' so his taste in clothes was quite recognisable and pronounced. It varies little from book to book and was influenced by the fashion of the time, the fifties, so was also pared back. It was elegant and understated and wouldnt mark Bond out in a crowd - obviously important for a spy. so I don't think Brosnan's Bond strays too much from that, he always looks elegant, well dressed and not too far from the prevailing fashions if the time.
Thanks for the book recommendation. I hadn't seen this - it looks really interesting and I'll have to check it out. There's also a very good blog called The Suits of James Bond which you've probably seen but it's well worth checking out for those who haven't.
You're right about the style of the 90s. My attitude towards Brosnan's Bond's dress is probably related to my own feeling towards Italian tailoring compared to British tailoring as I think it looks far "dressier." Also, Brosnan's Bond (or, I suppose, Lindy Hemming) takes great pains to co-ordinate the colours he wears so he looks like a man who takes a little too much time putting his wardrobe together - it reminds me of Bond's impressions of Count Lippe in Fleming's TB. But it doesn't really bother me, just an observation.
I'd disagree slightly about Fleming's Bond. I don't think his dress sense has really been captured onscreen. And probably with good reason! He only seems to own three suits, a black-and-white houndstooth which is so old it's "yellowing", a single-breasted blue worsted and, presumably, a dinner jacket. He wears short-sleeved shirts with his suits (usually white silk or dark blue) and only wears slip-on shoes. When he's in his office he doesn't even bother to hang his coat up, he just drops it on the floor because he isn't bothered about creases!
I want to see Craig in a powder-blue leisure suit with flared pants, like Roger Moore in LALD. I'd pay money to see that. I suppose that's what people mean when they refer to "classic Bond." )
Sam Mendes said that in the beginning of SF he used the new gun barrel scene or "re vamped it" if that's how they're all going to follow he's created a monster. it's got to be the classic gun barrel and a shot.
I wasn't a big fan of the out-of-focus start when Bond comes up to the door at the start of SF. For some reason, it just didn't work. The gun barrel t the end, however, was great and DC looks very cool in it, so it'd be an ideal start for the next one.
i don't like how SF managed to try and put off all ridiculous gadgets with one line. i still think there's time for some exploding pen. and with potentially nolan as director, maybe bond could turn into batman.
Yes. In a world full of astounding over the counter gadgets, NOW is the time Q picks to resort to a transistor radio? Aaargh! (Maybe Q was making up for the invisible Aston Martin ).
Oh. And would it hurt to open on the gun barrel, then the white dot which irises open into the teaser scene? Would it hurt to use the entire James Bond theme? And throw in a little of Barry's "Bond Back in Action" somewhere .....
And, please, let the man order a martini the way he likes it.
The scent smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning. Then the soul-erosion produced by high gambling - a compost of greed and fear and nervous tension - becomes unbearable and the senses awake and revolt from it.
I would love to see
1. Bond be weird & creepy again in a fun way. Skyfall was on the right track but it was too navel gazing. (When I was a kid the Bond movies always had a creepy strange weird vibe)
2. Be Fun Again/with some humor not outright comedy but some good humor.
3. Want Bond to be cool again instead of crying and anguishing about stuff other than getting the mision done and getting chicks.
4. Gunbarrel sequence & unrelated PTS
5. A sweeping romantic score using an excellent title song as its thematic element.
6. Real Stunts, Model work, and minimum CGI
7. Hot beautiful babes that don't wear 10 pounds of makeup and have athletic boy bodies. Bring backs some curves some femininity some mystery.
8. Less shooting and fighting, I love creative deaths and using his surroundings to take out villains.
9. Bond movies are not realistic..so when they try to make them more realistic & mention real world events they seem even more improbable than YOLT or DAD.
10. FUN needs to come back to the franchise needs repeating.
11. Finally Daniel Craigs Bond needs to acknowledge he went to outer space in Moonraker...to tie everything together.
The producers are clearly doing the right thing since they are making more money than they ever have but IMHO Bond has lost his soul and he needs to get it back.
Nah, the hand to hand combat is one of the most thrilling elements of the series. Just think of some of the great fights we've seen:
Bond and Red Grant on the Orient Express in FRWL
Bond and Trevelyan at the Arecibo Radar station in GE
Bond in the beach with Draco's men in OHMSS
Bond and Obanno in the stairwell fight in CR
More hand to hand fighting is the way forward, not less! )
Comments
There's an excellent book called "Dressed to Kill" that I recommend for a comprehensive discussion if Bond's wardrobe.
http://www.amazon.com/DRESSED-TO-KILL-James-Suited/dp/2080136186
Re 'what Fleming wanted', even Bill Tanner in (I think) TMWTGG mentions 007 had a 'usual rig' so his taste in clothes was quite recognisable and pronounced. It varies little from book to book and was influenced by the fashion of the time, the fifties, so was also pared back. It was elegant and understated and wouldnt mark Bond out in a crowd - obviously important for a spy. so I don't think Brosnan's Bond strays too much from that, he always looks elegant, well dressed and not too far from the prevailing fashions if the time.
Thanks for the book recommendation. I hadn't seen this - it looks really interesting and I'll have to check it out. There's also a very good blog called The Suits of James Bond which you've probably seen but it's well worth checking out for those who haven't.
You're right about the style of the 90s. My attitude towards Brosnan's Bond's dress is probably related to my own feeling towards Italian tailoring compared to British tailoring as I think it looks far "dressier." Also, Brosnan's Bond (or, I suppose, Lindy Hemming) takes great pains to co-ordinate the colours he wears so he looks like a man who takes a little too much time putting his wardrobe together - it reminds me of Bond's impressions of Count Lippe in Fleming's TB. But it doesn't really bother me, just an observation.
I'd disagree slightly about Fleming's Bond. I don't think his dress sense has really been captured onscreen. And probably with good reason! He only seems to own three suits, a black-and-white houndstooth which is so old it's "yellowing", a single-breasted blue worsted and, presumably, a dinner jacket. He wears short-sleeved shirts with his suits (usually white silk or dark blue) and only wears slip-on shoes. When he's in his office he doesn't even bother to hang his coat up, he just drops it on the floor because he isn't bothered about creases!
11- TB. 12- OP. 13- LALD. 14- TMWTGG. 15- FYEO. 16- YOLT. 17- TND. 18- QoS.
19- TWINE. 20- AVTAK. 21- MR. 22- DAF. 23- DAD.
I so agree.
Sam Mendes said that in the beginning of SF he used the new gun barrel scene or "re vamped it" if that's how they're all going to follow he's created a monster. it's got to be the classic gun barrel and a shot.
I wasn't a big fan of the out-of-focus start when Bond comes up to the door at the start of SF. For some reason, it just didn't work. The gun barrel t the end, however, was great and DC looks very cool in it, so it'd be an ideal start for the next one.
I like the Q they introduced in Skyfall. Why change after just one appearance?
see M Caine as Alfred, Sorry I meant Q.
Oh. And would it hurt to open on the gun barrel, then the white dot which irises open into the teaser scene? Would it hurt to use the entire James Bond theme? And throw in a little of Barry's "Bond Back in Action" somewhere .....
And, please, let the man order a martini the way he likes it.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Oh Lord yes.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
1. Bond be weird & creepy again in a fun way. Skyfall was on the right track but it was too navel gazing. (When I was a kid the Bond movies always had a creepy strange weird vibe)
2. Be Fun Again/with some humor not outright comedy but some good humor.
3. Want Bond to be cool again instead of crying and anguishing about stuff other than getting the mision done and getting chicks.
4. Gunbarrel sequence & unrelated PTS
5. A sweeping romantic score using an excellent title song as its thematic element.
6. Real Stunts, Model work, and minimum CGI
7. Hot beautiful babes that don't wear 10 pounds of makeup and have athletic boy bodies. Bring backs some curves some femininity some mystery.
8. Less shooting and fighting, I love creative deaths and using his surroundings to take out villains.
9. Bond movies are not realistic..so when they try to make them more realistic & mention real world events they seem even more improbable than YOLT or DAD.
10. FUN needs to come back to the franchise needs repeating.
11. Finally Daniel Craigs Bond needs to acknowledge he went to outer space in Moonraker...to tie everything together.
The producers are clearly doing the right thing since they are making more money than they ever have but IMHO Bond has lost his soul and he needs to get it back.
NOPE!
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Nah, the hand to hand combat is one of the most thrilling elements of the series. Just think of some of the great fights we've seen:
Bond and Red Grant on the Orient Express in FRWL
Bond and Trevelyan at the Arecibo Radar station in GE
Bond in the beach with Draco's men in OHMSS
Bond and Obanno in the stairwell fight in CR
More hand to hand fighting is the way forward, not less!
+ 1!