Paused the trailer in the scene in bonds house accident. There is a stack of books. Including zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance, some sailing and fishing books, and some others I can’t quite make out!
"Birds Of The West Indies", obviously.
Some Rex Stout, some Eric Ambler.
Scarne on cards.
Paused the trailer in the scene in bonds house accident. There is a stack of books. Including zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance, some sailing and fishing books, and some others I can’t quite make out!
yeh around 0:40 and again around 0:51, we get a good look at Bond's new home. And can contrast it with the apartment full of unpacked boxes we saw in the last film.
He's got the same kind of wooden slatted venetian blind style windows Fleming had at Goldeneye.
Also, he's halfway through a chess game.
But Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? thats awfully philosophical reading for CraigBond isnt it? the plot was about a man who had suffered a mental breakdown so complete he woke up with a different personality and different set of memories, but the actual content of the book was mostly a review of the history of western philosophy.
___________________________
(EDIT: actually, that Phaedrus personality disorder thing could be a foreshadowing of the end of Fleming's YOLT, couldnt it?)
So...the trailer. Let me say I have been super critical of the production thus far, so my expectations haven't been high. I will also say that if this film is great then I will be the first to say that I was wrong. Here is my two cents.
Pro's
- Visually the film looks great.
- Bond and Swann separating instead of her dying and him going on a revenge mission. I was super worried they would kill her
off and it would be QOS again. This doesn't seem to be the case and I am happy they have gone a different way!
- Craig looks fantastic and looks to be in fine form. It seems like Bond is going to be put through the wringer on this one and I
am anticipating he will be more angsty than his laidback Spectre performance.
- Action scenes look to be full of energy and spectacle. Hopefully will be an improvement on the action scenes of Spectre.
- Rami Malek looks like he will be a great villian.
Cons
- The personal angle. Yet again, it looks like it will be all personal. I was hoping that this wasn't going to be the case but here we are. Hopefully, this doesn't become pastiche.
- More universe building. I have mixed emotions about having both Swann and Blofeld back. I would have preferred a clean break from Spectre, but let's see how it goes
- Lashana Lynch. The trailer and her GMA segment confirmed to me that she will be 007 in the film. If not, then she is obviously a double 0. Already the lines "the world's moved on Commander Bond" grate me. I suspect that this is the #metoo angle and let's see how it plays out. It could be handled with wit and humour and could make for some great back and forth repartee. But it could also be eye-rolling and tedious.
- Rami Malek could be Dr. No? If this is the case, I honestly won't know how to feel about this.
- The film seems very emotional. This could make it brilliant or tiresome. Will they kill Bond? I'm leaning towards yes at the moment.
So yeah there you have it. I sincerely hope that the film is great but the trailer hasn't made me as excited as I was hoping.
Lea Seydoux is a high caliber actress. You don’t bring her back just to kill her in the first five minutes. And simply writing her out after the way Spectre ended somehow makes Spectre an even worse film. They’ve played their only sensible hand by tying the plot to Madeleine in a way that doesn’t just make it about revenge.
I agree. They’ve given Madeline a meaningful personal background that actually has a strong relevance (from what it looks like) to the overall plot—something that is very rare for a “Bond girl”. It’ll be very interesting to see the personal dynamics between Madeline and Bond in this one. The trailer scenes with both characters in the car and in the prison hallway show it hasn’t been the smoothest ride for their relationship between films.
at 0:10 Bond says to Madeleine "we all have our secrets ... we just didnt get to yours, yet"
at 1:28 Blofeld says to an unseen visitor "when her secret finds its way out it'll be the death of him" (ie Bond), and as he says this we see the Noh mask.
Next we see Bond and Madeleine again alone in a room, Bond says "what is it", Madeleine says "you don't know what this is?" ... are they discussing an object we cant see? the mask?
which then leads to the ice scene, and then all the scenes with Malik.
he plot was about a man who had suffered a mental breakdown so complete he woke up with a different personality and different set of memories
Sounds familar re: the YOLT novel...
And CraigBond probably had quite a bit of time off in Jamacia. Lots of time to reflect, in addition to getting into some relaxing water-related hobbies.
Paused the trailer in the scene in bonds house accident. There is a stack of books. Including zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance, some sailing and fishing books, and some others I can’t quite make out!
"Birds Of The West Indies", obviously.
Some Rex Stout, some Eric Ambler.
Scarne on cards.
Im sure there's probably a similar publicity shot from Spectre too.
I've said ever since his initial casting that if they'd just darkened Craig's hair, he would have appeared more Bondian and blunted much of the criticism about his casting. As I look at these four photos, the most recent one -- where his hair appears darkest -- seems classically Bondian.
It looks good, though not a great departure from anything before it. In fact, a lot of elements look recycled -- the cinematography, costumes, and even locations remind me of QOS and the two Mendes films, right down to flying shot toward the city and the whole under the ice scene. Bond could be wearing some of the same suits.
It seems to carry over the minimalist aesthetic of Forster's and Mendes' approach, too. Bond so often solo, both in mission and in frame. The cavernous spaces with almost nothing in them, or when there is something or someone, it's carefully posed as if in an art exhibit or comic book panel. (Compare the more natural hustle and bustle of the volcanic lair in YOLT to the unnatural, Kubrick-like staginess of the henchmen here.) It's funny that modern movies are often considered more "realistic" when at the same time, the people move and act in such posed and staged ways that are often more distracting than engaging.
That said, this one looks like it wants to have more fun. The bit with the Aston Martin is great. Craig has matured into the role in Connery-esque ways, the women are lovely and don't look like they're going to upstage Bond so much as offer some competitive friction -- a la Fiona Volpe in TB -- Blofeld is back, and Q will provide comic relief without just being comic relief.
Reservations: Like many, I'm tired of gimmicky writing. Just how many times has Bond gone rogue and come back or resigned or retired in some way and come back? Just how much could his professional missions be related to his personal life? It staggers the mind that Bond could be a secret agent who nonetheless appears to have no secrets at all. Speaking of secrets, I truly hope Swann's doesn't turn out to be something soap opery like she is really Blofeld's daughter (and Safin her brother) or some nonsense like that. None of Craig's Bond's after CR have had the same intensity and action, and I'm hoping this one is more than just some choreographed but suspenseless scenes a la the two Mendes movies -- that motorcycle bit looking like it had some CGI help is what I'm talking about.
It would be great if they pull out all the stops for this one, and it not only is a fun ride but encourages Craig to come back for at least one more. He's certainly grown into the role, and because the production people bungled getting them done in a timely matter, we got cheated out of probably two other Craig Bonds in the long hiatuses.
Some good points and observations there Gassy Man, particularly about the staginess of the modern films compared to your YOLT volcano base example. I do feel in many cases, and this is particularly true of the Mendes films that the precision with which they are created gives them a certain sterility which doesn't feel as genuine as the earlier films. I hope the action scenes - in particular the Matera stuff which we have seen glimpses of in this trailer - will have more of that real world feel that we got in Casino Royale, for example in the Madagascar sequence. From what I've seen in the trailer though it appears we are in for more of the approach that we've seen in the last couple of films.
First off on the trailer, I'm glad they spoiled the Aston Martin scene that I happened to see in those fan spy filming videos when I was looking to see if that bike jump was real. But still on the next Bond movie, hopefully reboot, I'm watching nothing. That DB5 scene would have been a good surprise. Kind of like the crash in Casino Royale. Still all the people that talk about Daniel Craig Bond movies being more realistic, less gadgets, etc. That's gone out the window completely now. I guess after Skyfall, Bond and Q completely armored the old DB5, not a modern Aston Martin and also gave the DB5 mini gatling guns and who knows what else. It's kind of cartoony but still awesome because I love that car.
Another thing, this new timeline Bond is continually getting washed away with stuff happening just because the old Bond did it or had certain items. Daniel Craig's Bond now has Dalton's Vantage I guess just because. It's a cool car, I love that winterizing scene in The Living Daylights. But still another thing that's just odd for now and I bet they don't have much reason for it similar to the changes to the DB5 between Casino Royale and Skyfall. I want to see more new things from Daniel Craig's Bond not homage stuff.
I guess we aren't getting an On Her Majesty's Secret Service remake which is a good thing for me. I didn't want to see that at all. But I am still worried as I read a story about how they are handling the ending and we aren't out of the clear yet. Plus, I doubt they will want to end the movie similar to Spectre. But I like the character of Madeleine and I believe that Daniel Craig's Bond and his series as a whole needs a good ending. I've posted before about Bond actors and their final movies. I don't really like the Madeleine with a secret thing that they are hinting. But as long as she doesn't get kidnapped yet again, that helicopter shot has me concerned, or killed in the field then I might be ok with whatever they come up with. Madeleine is really key because I hate it when characters become incompetent in movies. And I don't want to see an incompetent Bond or MI6 again like I did in Skyfall.
It looks like we are getting back to old school Bond villain hideouts which is a good thing. I'm fine with the new 00. She seems cool and has a new Aston Martin. Overall the trailer has me looking forward to the movie. Which I wasn't before. Also, I'll leave this topic I made a few years back here:
Seems like the personal Bond stories are still going and Daniel Craig's whole series is one big personal mission. Maybe for the reboot we'll get some standard missions.
at 1:28 Blofeld says to an unseen visitor "when her secret finds its way out it'll be the death of him" (ie Bond), and as he says this we see the Noh mask.
Perhaps Blofeld is talking to Madeleine and he is talking about Bond. Or maybe Blofeld is talking to Bond and Blofeld is talking about Safin?
I was making a live video reaction to the NO TIME TO DIE Trailer and discussing the film when I suddenly came up with a theory about Madeline and Rami Malek's character.
Let me know if you guys agree but PLEASE no spoilers if you know something specific about the film.
I was making a live video reaction to the NO TIME TO DIE Trailer and discussing the film when I suddenly came up with a theory about Madeline and Rami Malek's character.
Let me know if you guys agree but PLEASE no spoilers if you know something specific about the film.
But I gotta admit, for what we've been getting for a decade plus, NTTD looks very exotic
The locations, sets and cinematography all make me excited for this film more than any for a very long time. These things historically were able to make people forget that Bond films have very little substance. So if there are any problems with this film's script, the visuals may be able to make people forget about that.
Basically Moonraker, though Moonraker might be a bad example because it was excellent :v
But I gotta admit, for what we've been getting for a decade plus, NTTD looks very exotic
The locations, sets and cinematography all make me excited for this film more than any for a very long time. These things historically were able to make people forget that Bond films have very little substance. So if there are any problems with this film's script, the visuals may be able to make people forget about that.
Basically Moonraker, though Moonraker might be a bad example because it was excellent :v
My thoughts exactly. IMHO, Moonraker has the best locations of any Bond films (and I visited a number of them this year), and its use of the locations is one of the best things about the film. I like Moonraker's story and script, but it isn't going to win any prizes.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
I enjoyed the trailer immensely! Although I must agree it feels quite a lot like Mendes’ last two...but it looks great, from a cinematography standpoint, as does Craigger...I’m looking forward to the film!! :007)
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
"None of Craig's Bond's after CR have had the same intensity and action, and I'm hoping this one is more than just some choreographed but suspenseless scenes a la the two Mendes movies -- that motorcycle bit looking like it had some CGI help is what I'm talking about."
I would not discount the influence of Fukunaga (a former Pro Snow Boarder who is no stranger to the adrenaline rush) on those action scenes. Fukunaga is known for his very intense, involving and suspenseful action sequences.....and the overall sense of danger and dread he creates in his work. That sense of danger and dread could really benefit Rami Malek's villain, making him a true threat and leaving in question whether or not Bond will prevail. The same could be said for Waltz/Blofeld. Fukunaga is also adept at creating great one to one scenes between both allies, enemies, and those whose intentions and relationship lie in the grey area.
With regards to the teaser trailer in general, the way trailers are edited and put together with little or no real context (not to mention scenes which end up on the cutting room floor) I would caution not to read too much into it. It could also be worth mentioning that while filming is complete on NTTD, the film itself is technically still in production....well post production anyway and things can significantly change in the editing room.
Some good points and observations there Gassy Man, particularly about the staginess of the modern films compared to your YOLT volcano base example. I do feel in many cases, and this is particularly true of the Mendes films that the precision with which they are created gives them a certain sterility which doesn't feel as genuine as the earlier films. I hope the action scenes - in particular the Matera stuff which we have seen glimpses of in this trailer - will have more of that real world feel that we got in Casino Royale, for example in the Madagascar sequence. From what I've seen in the trailer though it appears we are in for more of the approach that we've seen in the last couple of films.
It feels like it could have been directed by Mendes, at least from the trailer.
The problem is Mendes has little sense of how to build suspense and release with action. He is more interested in a kind of visual poetry -- not to the degree of Forster, who often seemed more like he was trying to compose images for an art magazine -- where there's lots of staged movement but not necessarily a lot of weight and momentum to it. It sometimes works. The bit in SF where Bond falls through the ice has tension. The train fight in SP wasn't bad. But a lot of Mendes' other work in this regard feels flat, like the car chase in SP.
EDIT: Regarding YOLT and Craig's Bonds -- it's interesting that in the 1960s and, to some degree, the 1970s, the filmmakers never wanted the audience to feel like Bond existed outside of their reality. Yes, Bond lived in a kind of fantasy world -- after all, it was a movie -- but it had the dimensions of this one. That's one of the reasons they relied so much on exotic but real locations. As fantastic as the Bonds could be regarding their plots or gadgets, there were still limits on making the audience feel like too much was manufactured.
As a result, even though Connery was by no means an average man, the average man could still connect to his experiences. Connery was in good shape, but he didn't look like a guy who somehow had two or three hours a day to be in the gym. Bond's masculinity came more from his ruggedness and testosterone than from model-like appearance (though ironically George Lazenby was a model, he, too, had this quality.) His hair looked combed, not styled, and could get mussed. He wore good clothes but not to the degree that they drew more attention than he did. This thinking carried over to the rest of the productions, too. The henchmen were not robotic clones -- in the earliest Bonds, they could actually speak and sometimes had dialogue that sounded more like talking than just commands or speeches. The villains, while colorful, were recognizable.
It's funny how much they got right. YOLT is arguably the most over-the-top of Connery's Bonds, yet Elon Musk has built a rocket remarkably like the one used in that film, for instance. One could argue this is just life imitating art, but I'd be interested to see if there are any supervillain billionaires running around with minions who are virtual clones of one another, don't speak unless spoken to, stand posed in unison, and never tire or err. That is, outside Amazon.com.
"None of Craig's Bond's after CR have had the same intensity and action, and I'm hoping this one is more than just some choreographed but suspenseless scenes a la the two Mendes movies -- that motorcycle bit looking like it had some CGI help is what I'm talking about."
I would not discount the influence of Fukunaga (a former Pro Snow Boarder who is no stranger to the adrenaline rush) on those action scenes. Fukunaga is known for his very intense, involving and suspenseful action sequences.....and the overall sense of danger and dread he creates in his work. That sense of danger and dread could really benefit Rami Malek's villain, making him a true threat and leaving in question whether or not Bond will prevail. The same could be said for Waltz/Blofeld. Fukunaga is also adept at creating great one to one scenes between both allies, enemies, and those whose intentions and relationship lie in the grey area.
With regards to the teaser trailer in general, the way trailers are edited and put together with little or no real context (not to mention scenes which end up on the cutting room floor) I would caution not to read too much into it. It could also be worth mentioning that while filming is complete on NTTD, the film itself is technically still in production....well post production anyway and things can significantly change in the editing room.
I've not seen a lot of Fukunaga's other work. I recall being mostly bored with his True Detective series, which felt derivative, but that in part could also have been because I found the subplot and byplay between the two cops tedious and repetitive.
A lot of directors today have the same or similar visual styles, and it's clear they've been influenced by comic books, video games, and other media. They seem to have studied the film styles of other directors intensely. Some of this seems beneficial. But it also sometimes feels like a like of things are thrown into a blender, and the result, while more complex, is a kind of quilt of recycled ideas and images. That might be why so much in the trailer seems like a Mendes redux.
I too was puzzled by Gassy Man's post. When I saw the trailer I thought it was different from Mendes. Mendes often uses muted colours and has a slower, moody feel to what he shoots. This trailer sparkles with colour, the action scenes are vibrant and full of spectacle. For the first time in Craig's tenure the trailer even has jokes!
What you said about Mendes's shots "like he was trying to compose images for an art magazine" is how I see it too, but that's often a good thing. But I don't see at all how Foster does more of this?? Foster is less conserned with composing pretty, painterly images than most Bond directors, he seemed more interested in shooting like the Bourne movies and cutting every other second.
Everyone has their own personal tastes, preferences and sensibilities when it comes to art/creativity. I found the first season of True Detective to be outstanding as did many others as the show was critically acclaimed and quite popular but that should not discount anyone's different opinion. Something to keep in mind is that unless there was an exception in the case of NTTD, the trailers are not put together by the directors but folks who specialize in that sort of thing. I did not hate SPECTRE but I do believe it was a squandered opportunity and EON twisting Mendes arm to come back for another was a mistake and they should have taken him at his word that he had nothing more to offer. That being said, if Fukunaga delivers a film as good as Mendes first Bond, Skyfall, myself and most others would be pretty happy. Just to be clear, I don't mean a film just like Skyfall but a film of the same quality....there's a difference.
I thought there were independent outfits who made trailers, so it would make sense that NTTD's trailer might resemble Spectre's if they were made by the same people.
I'm sure the director has input and probably the producers, but identifying the auteur of a movie trailer would seem to be tricky business.
I too was puzzled by Gassy Man's post. When I saw the trailer I thought it was different from Mendes. Mendes often uses muted colours and has a slower, moody feel to what he shoots. This trailer sparkles with colour, the action scenes are vibrant and full of spectacle. For the first time in Craig's tenure the trailer even has jokes!
What you said about Mendes's shots "like he was trying to compose images for an art magazine" is how I see it too, but that's often a good thing. But I don't see at all how Foster does more of this?? Foster is less conserned with composing pretty, painterly images than most Bond directors, he seemed more interested in shooting like the Bourne movies and cutting every other second.
It's tough when using screen caps, both because of availability and because the color and intensity can vary according to how the image was displayed and captured, but perhaps these show what I mean. Now, I'm not saying they're literally identical, but the look and in some cases basic idea are similar enough to blur the line. It's not just that the cinematography and camera angles feel similar but even the color schemes, lighting, and costuming:
Even the camera angles when the Aston Martin machineguns deploy are the same (though one scene takes place at twilight but the other in broad daylight).
Comments
Scarne on cards! Amazing.
He's got the same kind of wooden slatted venetian blind style windows Fleming had at Goldeneye.
Also, he's halfway through a chess game.
But Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? thats awfully philosophical reading for CraigBond isnt it? the plot was about a man who had suffered a mental breakdown so complete he woke up with a different personality and different set of memories, but the actual content of the book was mostly a review of the history of western philosophy.
___________________________
(EDIT: actually, that Phaedrus personality disorder thing could be a foreshadowing of the end of Fleming's YOLT, couldnt it?)
Pro's
- Visually the film looks great.
- Bond and Swann separating instead of her dying and him going on a revenge mission. I was super worried they would kill her
off and it would be QOS again. This doesn't seem to be the case and I am happy they have gone a different way!
- Craig looks fantastic and looks to be in fine form. It seems like Bond is going to be put through the wringer on this one and I
am anticipating he will be more angsty than his laidback Spectre performance.
- Action scenes look to be full of energy and spectacle. Hopefully will be an improvement on the action scenes of Spectre.
- Rami Malek looks like he will be a great villian.
Cons
- The personal angle. Yet again, it looks like it will be all personal. I was hoping that this wasn't going to be the case but here we are. Hopefully, this doesn't become pastiche.
- More universe building. I have mixed emotions about having both Swann and Blofeld back. I would have preferred a clean break from Spectre, but let's see how it goes
- Lashana Lynch. The trailer and her GMA segment confirmed to me that she will be 007 in the film. If not, then she is obviously a double 0. Already the lines "the world's moved on Commander Bond" grate me. I suspect that this is the #metoo angle and let's see how it plays out. It could be handled with wit and humour and could make for some great back and forth repartee. But it could also be eye-rolling and tedious.
- Rami Malek could be Dr. No? If this is the case, I honestly won't know how to feel about this.
- The film seems very emotional. This could make it brilliant or tiresome. Will they kill Bond? I'm leaning towards yes at the moment.
So yeah there you have it. I sincerely hope that the film is great but the trailer hasn't made me as excited as I was hoping.
at 1:28 Blofeld says to an unseen visitor "when her secret finds its way out it'll be the death of him" (ie Bond), and as he says this we see the Noh mask.
Next we see Bond and Madeleine again alone in a room, Bond says "what is it", Madeleine says "you don't know what this is?" ... are they discussing an object we cant see? the mask?
which then leads to the ice scene, and then all the scenes with Malik.
Sounds familar re: the YOLT novel...
And CraigBond probably had quite a bit of time off in Jamacia. Lots of time to reflect, in addition to getting into some relaxing water-related hobbies.
Only jesting, I can't make them out either.
It looks good, though not a great departure from anything before it. In fact, a lot of elements look recycled -- the cinematography, costumes, and even locations remind me of QOS and the two Mendes films, right down to flying shot toward the city and the whole under the ice scene. Bond could be wearing some of the same suits.
It seems to carry over the minimalist aesthetic of Forster's and Mendes' approach, too. Bond so often solo, both in mission and in frame. The cavernous spaces with almost nothing in them, or when there is something or someone, it's carefully posed as if in an art exhibit or comic book panel. (Compare the more natural hustle and bustle of the volcanic lair in YOLT to the unnatural, Kubrick-like staginess of the henchmen here.) It's funny that modern movies are often considered more "realistic" when at the same time, the people move and act in such posed and staged ways that are often more distracting than engaging.
That said, this one looks like it wants to have more fun. The bit with the Aston Martin is great. Craig has matured into the role in Connery-esque ways, the women are lovely and don't look like they're going to upstage Bond so much as offer some competitive friction -- a la Fiona Volpe in TB -- Blofeld is back, and Q will provide comic relief without just being comic relief.
Reservations: Like many, I'm tired of gimmicky writing. Just how many times has Bond gone rogue and come back or resigned or retired in some way and come back? Just how much could his professional missions be related to his personal life? It staggers the mind that Bond could be a secret agent who nonetheless appears to have no secrets at all. Speaking of secrets, I truly hope Swann's doesn't turn out to be something soap opery like she is really Blofeld's daughter (and Safin her brother) or some nonsense like that. None of Craig's Bond's after CR have had the same intensity and action, and I'm hoping this one is more than just some choreographed but suspenseless scenes a la the two Mendes movies -- that motorcycle bit looking like it had some CGI help is what I'm talking about.
It would be great if they pull out all the stops for this one, and it not only is a fun ride but encourages Craig to come back for at least one more. He's certainly grown into the role, and because the production people bungled getting them done in a timely matter, we got cheated out of probably two other Craig Bonds in the long hiatuses.
{[]
Another thing, this new timeline Bond is continually getting washed away with stuff happening just because the old Bond did it or had certain items. Daniel Craig's Bond now has Dalton's Vantage I guess just because. It's a cool car, I love that winterizing scene in The Living Daylights. But still another thing that's just odd for now and I bet they don't have much reason for it similar to the changes to the DB5 between Casino Royale and Skyfall. I want to see more new things from Daniel Craig's Bond not homage stuff.
I guess we aren't getting an On Her Majesty's Secret Service remake which is a good thing for me. I didn't want to see that at all. But I am still worried as I read a story about how they are handling the ending and we aren't out of the clear yet. Plus, I doubt they will want to end the movie similar to Spectre. But I like the character of Madeleine and I believe that Daniel Craig's Bond and his series as a whole needs a good ending. I've posted before about Bond actors and their final movies. I don't really like the Madeleine with a secret thing that they are hinting. But as long as she doesn't get kidnapped yet again, that helicopter shot has me concerned, or killed in the field then I might be ok with whatever they come up with. Madeleine is really key because I hate it when characters become incompetent in movies. And I don't want to see an incompetent Bond or MI6 again like I did in Skyfall.
It looks like we are getting back to old school Bond villain hideouts which is a good thing. I'm fine with the new 00. She seems cool and has a new Aston Martin. Overall the trailer has me looking forward to the movie. Which I wasn't before. Also, I'll leave this topic I made a few years back here:
https://ajb007.co.uk/topic/43394/the-abundance-of-personal-missions-in-modern-bond-movies/
Seems like the personal Bond stories are still going and Daniel Craig's whole series is one big personal mission. Maybe for the reboot we'll get some standard missions.
Perhaps Blofeld is talking to Madeleine and he is talking about Bond. Or maybe Blofeld is talking to Bond and Blofeld is talking about Safin?
Let me know if you guys agree but PLEASE no spoilers if you know something specific about the film.
https://youtu.be/4LthA-uCSSc
"Do you expect me to talk? "No Mister Bond I expect you to die"
Welcome to AJB007, DoubleOFleming :007)
You can introduce yourself here: https://www.ajb007.co.uk/post/963295/#p963295
It's not just you. Calvin Dyson and others have commented on the same thing. I hope Q's cats will be safe ….
https://bbfc.co.uk/releases/latest-decisions?field_type_of_media_tid=459
Basically Moonraker, though Moonraker might be a bad example because it was excellent :v
My thoughts exactly. IMHO, Moonraker has the best locations of any Bond films (and I visited a number of them this year), and its use of the locations is one of the best things about the film. I like Moonraker's story and script, but it isn't going to win any prizes.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I would not discount the influence of Fukunaga (a former Pro Snow Boarder who is no stranger to the adrenaline rush) on those action scenes. Fukunaga is known for his very intense, involving and suspenseful action sequences.....and the overall sense of danger and dread he creates in his work. That sense of danger and dread could really benefit Rami Malek's villain, making him a true threat and leaving in question whether or not Bond will prevail. The same could be said for Waltz/Blofeld. Fukunaga is also adept at creating great one to one scenes between both allies, enemies, and those whose intentions and relationship lie in the grey area.
With regards to the teaser trailer in general, the way trailers are edited and put together with little or no real context (not to mention scenes which end up on the cutting room floor) I would caution not to read too much into it. It could also be worth mentioning that while filming is complete on NTTD, the film itself is technically still in production....well post production anyway and things can significantly change in the editing room.
The problem is Mendes has little sense of how to build suspense and release with action. He is more interested in a kind of visual poetry -- not to the degree of Forster, who often seemed more like he was trying to compose images for an art magazine -- where there's lots of staged movement but not necessarily a lot of weight and momentum to it. It sometimes works. The bit in SF where Bond falls through the ice has tension. The train fight in SP wasn't bad. But a lot of Mendes' other work in this regard feels flat, like the car chase in SP.
EDIT: Regarding YOLT and Craig's Bonds -- it's interesting that in the 1960s and, to some degree, the 1970s, the filmmakers never wanted the audience to feel like Bond existed outside of their reality. Yes, Bond lived in a kind of fantasy world -- after all, it was a movie -- but it had the dimensions of this one. That's one of the reasons they relied so much on exotic but real locations. As fantastic as the Bonds could be regarding their plots or gadgets, there were still limits on making the audience feel like too much was manufactured.
As a result, even though Connery was by no means an average man, the average man could still connect to his experiences. Connery was in good shape, but he didn't look like a guy who somehow had two or three hours a day to be in the gym. Bond's masculinity came more from his ruggedness and testosterone than from model-like appearance (though ironically George Lazenby was a model, he, too, had this quality.) His hair looked combed, not styled, and could get mussed. He wore good clothes but not to the degree that they drew more attention than he did. This thinking carried over to the rest of the productions, too. The henchmen were not robotic clones -- in the earliest Bonds, they could actually speak and sometimes had dialogue that sounded more like talking than just commands or speeches. The villains, while colorful, were recognizable.
It's funny how much they got right. YOLT is arguably the most over-the-top of Connery's Bonds, yet Elon Musk has built a rocket remarkably like the one used in that film, for instance. One could argue this is just life imitating art, but I'd be interested to see if there are any supervillain billionaires running around with minions who are virtual clones of one another, don't speak unless spoken to, stand posed in unison, and never tire or err. That is, outside Amazon.com.
A lot of directors today have the same or similar visual styles, and it's clear they've been influenced by comic books, video games, and other media. They seem to have studied the film styles of other directors intensely. Some of this seems beneficial. But it also sometimes feels like a like of things are thrown into a blender, and the result, while more complex, is a kind of quilt of recycled ideas and images. That might be why so much in the trailer seems like a Mendes redux.
I thought the trailer was very non Mendes.
And I loved Maniac and thought it was one of the best shows of 2018! Each to their own.
-Casino Royale, Ian Fleming
What you said about Mendes's shots "like he was trying to compose images for an art magazine" is how I see it too, but that's often a good thing. But I don't see at all how Foster does more of this?? Foster is less conserned with composing pretty, painterly images than most Bond directors, he seemed more interested in shooting like the Bourne movies and cutting every other second.
Any insight as to when America might get it in theaters?
I'm sure the director has input and probably the producers, but identifying the auteur of a movie trailer would seem to be tricky business.
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/film-trailers-editors-interview-create-teasers-tv-spots-a7531076.html
It's tough when using screen caps, both because of availability and because the color and intensity can vary according to how the image was displayed and captured, but perhaps these show what I mean. Now, I'm not saying they're literally identical, but the look and in some cases basic idea are similar enough to blur the line. It's not just that the cinematography and camera angles feel similar but even the color schemes, lighting, and costuming:
https://tenor.com/view/james-bond-skyfall-aston-martin-machine-guns-gif-4028438