I'd keep May Day, but I don't like how Prince Kamal killed off Jenny Flex! (Great story though). Also I hate Pola very much so I don't want her included in any rewrite, in a rewrite she should be taken OUT! Like Doody's larger part though in this version.
I figured you would like Miss Doody's larger part. Jenny would be gone but Alison would get a lot more screentime in my version. I'm surprised about your dislike of Pola considering your love for AVTAK. I've always found Pola one of AVTAK's high points(not as high as Jenny/Alison perhaps but still much higher than May Day or Stacy).
I do! And my posting has become a lot more cleaned up than it was then, I can't believe I called it Dalton's roll, though I would've preferred a piece of bread being Bond instead of him...
I would take a bigger part for Doody and change the name of Roberts's character. May Day could be a minor henchman as well as Pan Ho, but I've warmed up to Pola since then, so keep her.
Harry Palmer Somewhere in the past ...Posts: 325MI6 Agent
I like this script very much, and I think it would have been good for Dalton. I especially like the re-introduction of a cold-war setting, which I always appreciate in Bond films (maybe that's why I like TLD so much).
As JFF pointed out, though, the resolution is a little Goldeneyesque...
And I'd have liked a more detailed description of how Zorin is killed in your movie.
Do you know if there is an alternative universe DAD somewhere? It would have to be very alternative, but it might be an interesting exercise.
I like this script very much, and I think it would have been good for Dalton. I especially like the re-introduction of a cold-war setting, which I always appreciate in Bond films (maybe that's why I like TLD so much).
Thanks, Mr. Palmer. I definitely would have liked AVTAK to have played up the Cold War elements more and I think it would have been a far more satisfying picture. And like yourself, I am a huge TLD fan(it's currently occupies my #3 spot on my list).
As JFF pointed out, though, the resolution is a little Goldeneyesque...
I actually thought of the microchip thing long before GE. I remember when watching AVTAK thinking the discussion they had at the beginning about "one burst in outer space over the U.K. and everything with a microchip in it would be rendered absolutely useless" and wondernng why didn't they make this the plot instead of the whole lame destroying Silicon Valley business. I think both the GE writing team and myself probably were "influenced" by MR(the novel, not the film).
Do you know if there is an alternative universe DAD somewhere? It would have to be very alternative, but it might be an interesting exercise.
Why don't you write one, Mr. Palmer? Make sure and include what was initially rumored concerning the female leads, i.e., Miranda Frost is the good girl and Jinx is the bad girl but the script was changed when Halle Berry won the Oscar.
I may undertake that one Prince Kamal, I loathe DAD and think it could be much improved with Jinx's death.
Go for it, dude! I'll be anxious to read it. Maybe you can resurrect the beautiful Miss Flex in your version as well. Maybe she only faked her drowning in the mines.
If Roger hadn't done it, would Timothy Dalton have done it?
The production crew may have felt Dalton might not be ready for it and cast somebody else, who may also have gone onto AVTAK and LTK.
I felt Roger Moore was too old in the last two or three films he did, and he himself said he couldn't take the character seriously, someone who saved the world that many times a secret agent. It shows.
Dalton wouldn't have suited AVTAK. His portrayal of Bond is too dark, and AVTAK is more light-hearted.
I think Roger was fine in AVTAK anyway. Seriously, I don't think he looked that bad. But if ANYONE would replace him in the film it would be Brosnan, because like Moore, Brosnan brings a bit of comedy into it.
What if John Gavin had played James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever?Cubby Broccoli signed him to do just that; and it was United Artists who insisted on using Sean Connery.Cubby wanted Gavin, and after Gavin graciously stepped aside for Connery,Cubby insisted on paying Gavin the exact salary he'd have recieved had he played 007 in DAF[/i.In 1971,Gavin was an established actor in his early 40s--tall,dark and ruggedly handsome.He's an American,but that really shouldn't be a reason to invalidate him as a potential James Bond.
Let's remember that that's also the case for Patrick McGoohan*,who was one of Cubby's earliest candidates for 007, prior to Eon discovering and signing Sean Connery.
*Born in New York to Irish parents who had both become naturalized US citizens.
If AVTAK was written for Dalton I am sure Mayday would have been removed. Still any actor in this film wouldn't have been able to do much, it was a generally bad film.
"...he (Dalton) portrayed Bond as a vicious killer in LTK. I know he was avenging Felix, but it was still brutal, setting Sanchez on fire!"
You sound as if it was a bad thing!
It IS a bad thing. Bond is not a cold-hearted killer.
Well, actually, I think, it has been part of the Bond films. Bond killing Dent in Dr. No or Dr. Kaufman in TND or Elektra in TWINE or the fat henchman on the roof in TSWLM all happened in cold blood. I think there are even more examples for that. Furthermore, especially Sanchez' death scene in LTK was more in self-defense than the situations I mentioned above.
I can, in fact, easily imagine Roger in TLD. I have heard that at the time they were writing the script they were unsure whether he would agree to come back or not. So though it introduced Timothy Dalton's harder-edged Bond in theory it was a little watered-down to suit Roger's light comedic style. I don't know whether they considered changing it when they knew who they were working with, but maybe they just didn't want to delay shooting any more.
So it wasn't until LTK that Dalton had his one and only chance to play Bond as Fleming envisaged him. Roger would definitely not have sat well in that dark, violent movie.
Comments
I figured you would like Miss Doody's larger part. Jenny would be gone but Alison would get a lot more screentime in my version. I'm surprised about your dislike of Pola considering your love for AVTAK. I've always found Pola one of AVTAK's high points(not as high as Jenny/Alison perhaps but still much higher than May Day or Stacy).
I would take a bigger part for Doody and change the name of Roberts's character. May Day could be a minor henchman as well as Pan Ho, but I've warmed up to Pola since then, so keep her.
As JFF pointed out, though, the resolution is a little Goldeneyesque...
And I'd have liked a more detailed description of how Zorin is killed in your movie.
Do you know if there is an alternative universe DAD somewhere? It would have to be very alternative, but it might be an interesting exercise.
Thanks, Mr. Palmer. I definitely would have liked AVTAK to have played up the Cold War elements more and I think it would have been a far more satisfying picture. And like yourself, I am a huge TLD fan(it's currently occupies my #3 spot on my list).
I actually thought of the microchip thing long before GE. I remember when watching AVTAK thinking the discussion they had at the beginning about "one burst in outer space over the U.K. and everything with a microchip in it would be rendered absolutely useless" and wondernng why didn't they make this the plot instead of the whole lame destroying Silicon Valley business. I think both the GE writing team and myself probably were "influenced" by MR(the novel, not the film).
I'll have to work on that. Since in my version they would stay in Europe there would be no Golden Gate Bridge fight.
Why don't you write one, Mr. Palmer? Make sure and include what was initially rumored concerning the female leads, i.e., Miranda Frost is the good girl and Jinx is the bad girl but the script was changed when Halle Berry won the Oscar.
Go for it, dude! I'll be anxious to read it. Maybe you can resurrect the beautiful Miss Flex in your version as well. Maybe she only faked her drowning in the mines.
The production crew may have felt Dalton might not be ready for it and cast somebody else, who may also have gone onto AVTAK and LTK.
I felt Roger Moore was too old in the last two or three films he did, and he himself said he couldn't take the character seriously, someone who saved the world that many times a secret agent. It shows.
I think Roger was fine in AVTAK anyway. Seriously, I don't think he looked that bad. But if ANYONE would replace him in the film it would be Brosnan, because like Moore, Brosnan brings a bit of comedy into it.
Here's a question, what if Lazenby did DAF?
1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
Let's remember that that's also the case for Patrick McGoohan*,who was one of Cubby's earliest candidates for 007, prior to Eon discovering and signing Sean Connery.
*Born in New York to Irish parents who had both become naturalized US citizens.
James Bond- Licence To Kill
Sir Roger would have needed a stunt man for most of the film in The Living Daylights.
James Bond- Licence To Kill
So it wasn't until LTK that Dalton had his one and only chance to play Bond as Fleming envisaged him. Roger would definitely not have sat well in that dark, violent movie.