Will GoldenEye be forever known as "The Bond Comeback Film"?

Brosnan_fan

I re-watched GE just the other day (still a great, fun film -{ ), and I got to wondering how future Bond fans (and general film aficionados) will remember and regard it, and how they would place it in the Bond canon.

For example, how they would discuss it when Bond films come up. Would it go something like this:

"GoldenEye? Oh yeah, that's the one where they finally brought James Bond back, after all those years of legal battles over who owned the film rights. Also, its the one where Brosnan took on the role."

So do you think (in future) GE will shake this tag, or not?

Sir Hillary Bray

Interesting question. I suppose it may have to do with one's age. I am old enough to clearly remember the six-year hiatus when it felt like the series would not continue. In that sense, GE will always be a "comeback film" to me.

Younger fans may not see it that way -- for them, GE may serve more as the "first film". Also, GE's place as a truly transitional Bond movie has been overtaken IMO by CR because of the reboot and the casting of Craig, whose profile is so different than anyone in the role before him.

screename

To me (I was not born when GE cam out) I'll regard it as Brosnan's first, Should've been Daltons Third, the last "old" Bond film (in terms of film quality).

Barbel

I agree with Sir Hilary Bray, it depends on one's age. To a really young Bond fan, GE would, while a good entry, seem just another Bond film. They may not realise that it was Brosnan's (and Dench's) first and that there had been a long gap since the last one.

At my age I was just grateful that the series continued! Slightly disappointed at first that Dalton hadn't made a third film, though quickly adapting to Brosnan; dreadfully downhearted by the score (thankfully David Arnold came along soon!); and instantly impressed by Dame Judi.

Firemass

Barbel wrote:

I agree with Sir Hilary Bray, it depends on one's age. To a really young Bond fan, GE would, while a good entry, seem just another Bond film. They may not realise that it was Brosnan's (and Dench's) first and that there had been a long gap since the last one.

Disagree. Goldeneye was THE Bond film. My fellow 10 year olds and I weren't aware of the long gap or had any previous knowledge of the series. So the thought of it being "just another Bond film" didn't even cross our minds.

Barbel

Firemass wrote:

Disagree. Goldeneye was THE Bond film. My fellow 10 year olds and I weren't aware of the long gap or had any previous knowledge of the series. So the thought of it being "just another Bond film" didn't even cross our minds.

Which is why I said "it depends on one's age"!

chrisisall

Firemass wrote:

My fellow 10 year olds and I weren't aware of the long gap or had any previous knowledge of the series. So the thought of it being "just another Bond film" didn't even cross our minds.

You kids should have been watching Toy Story... )

ZorinIndustries

I definitely think so. If there was any film to claim that title, it would be GE for sure.

Thunderpussy

Like Sir Hillary Bray and Barbel, I can remember worrying that after LTK we might never get
another Bond film as It seemed to be taking so long for Bond to return. ) So for me
Goldeneye is a Comeback Film, and a Brilliant one too. -{ . I can still remember leaving
the cinema thinking "Yes Bond is Back" , Felt the same on watching CR for the first time.

NeverSayDie

I was 12 when GE came out and it was a HUGE deal. I'd already seen every previous film a hundred times from taping them from the TV. For my birthday I had The Making of Goldeneye book and the theme song single on tape. I also had the sticker album. Mum bought me an ex rental VHS so I could have Goldeneye early.
GE and Jurassic Park were the two films that made me want to be a film director.

Bond life

i wouldn't say it was a comeback film but I would say it was the start of the modern bond era

welshboy78

Maybe but I didnt really think that at the time to be honest but knew Bond was back in a great way. And Brosnan would be a cracking Bond etc (pity it faded after subsequent films due to the crazy scripts and although I do enjoy them - still feel sorry for PB even though he had a great run)

Casino Royale had the biggest impact to me personally and a better comeback as I actually like Daltons films however lost interest in Brosnans OTT films. I remember walking out of the cinema and thinking how great it was and wow they have saved Bond and given it a good kick up the arse. I know Craig got (and still does) get some stick but Bond had to be seriously shaken up from the Brosnan era.

In fact the first few mins of the PTS (fight in the toilets) had me grinning, it was right up my street and I really felt it was a great comeback, I knew right then that this would become a classic Bond and I think in twenty years time it will be regarded as top Bond material. Sadly I dont share that view with Skyfall which I think will slide over the coming years. CR is near perfect and has all the classic elements (though of course we have Fleming to credit for a lot of that)

Goldeneye is great though - great new Bond, great villains, locations, Judy etc. I remember feeling so let down by the followup

screename

welshboy78 wrote:

Maybe but I didnt really think that at the time to be honest but knew Bond was back in a great way. And Brosnan would be a cracking Bond etc (pity it faded after subsequent films due to the crazy scripts and although I do enjoy them - still feel sorry for PB even though he had a great run)

Casino Royale had the biggest impact to me personally and a better comeback as I actually like Daltons films however lost interest in Brosnans OTT films. I remember walking out of the cinema and thinking how great it was and wow they have saved Bond and given it a good kick up the arse. I know Craig got (and still does) get some stick but Bond had to be seriously shaken up from the Brosnan era.

In fact the first few mins of the PTS (fight in the toilets) had me grinning, it was right up my street and I really felt it was a great comeback, I knew right then that this would become a classic Bond and I think in twenty years time it will be regarded as top Bond material. Sadly I dont share that view with Skyfall which I think will slide over the coming years. CR is near perfect and has all the classic elements (though of course we have Fleming to credit for a lot of that)

Goldeneye is great though - great new Bond, great villains, locations, Judy etc. I remember feeling so let down by the followup

+1 -{

chrisisall

I'm one of the few who had more fun with the following movie than GE, though I love GE to death! -{

lueth2048

I think the real Bond comeback film was Diamonds Are Forever. If DAF had been unsuccessful, I think the Bond series as we know it would have been finished.

superado

I agree with most here. There are so many factors to consider, most significantly the 6-year haitus (which took place before widespread Internet access) that left so many of us fans in the dark. Before that, the series was getting tired and for a brief-period, the Dalton era offered a flash of hope that turned out to be a short-lived reboot. Then GE comes, bringing with it so many elements that were meant to bring back the best of Bond and not just from the film series, but also from the Bond mythos of the Fleming books. There was even the response to the competitive threat from within the Action Blockbuster Genre that arguably the Bond series started and all of these things were jam packed within the first 20 minutes of the film; a young, handsome Bond in proper black-ops battle-gear, Bondian back-story that includes 006 (though not canon, it touches on Bond being an orphan and thus an ideal recruit for MI6) and dalliances with the Soviet regime, a couple of audacious stunts in the PTS, a modern take on the Binder title sequences matched with a jazzy Tina Turner song paying homage to Shirley Bassey, the DB5, with a babe in the passenger seat, while racing another babe in a Ferrari, ala Fleming! So with that, and the remaining elements offered in that movie, I would say that GE reigns as THE Bond comeback film, that even CR can't compete with since the reboot was more deconstructionist and not affirming of the hallmarks of the Bond mythos.

Blackleiter

Thunderpussy wrote:

Like Sir Hillary Bray and Barbel, I can remember worrying that after LTK we might never get
another Bond film as It seemed to be taking so long for Bond to return. ) So for me
Goldeneye is a Comeback Film, and a Brilliant one too. -{ . I can still remember leaving
the cinema thinking "Yes Bond is Back" , Felt the same on watching CR for the first time.

+1

Blackleiter

Thunderpussy wrote:

Like Sir Hillary Bray and Barbel, I can remember worrying that after LTK we might never get
another Bond film as It seemed to be taking so long for Bond to return. ) So for me
Goldeneye is a Comeback Film, and a Brilliant one too. -{ . I can still remember leaving
the cinema thinking "Yes Bond is Back" , Felt the same on watching CR for the first time.

Sorry - double post!