Harry Palmer Somewhere in the past ...Posts: 325MI6 Agent
Sincere thanks to Dan Same and Weezer 12 for the encouraging comments. Here goes the first installment:
From a View to a Kill (virtual 1st Timothy Dalton Bond Film, 1985)
MISSION: High ranking British politician, Geoffrey Glower, is kidnapped during a gala benefit in Paris; Bond is sent to find him and bring him back.
VILLAIN I: Zheng Ye Tsei, a Hong Kong mafia boss
VILLAIN II: Max Zorin, American millionaire of Hungarian origin, living between San Francisco and Paris (horse-breeder). Does not appear in the film.
ZORIN’S SCHEME: Kidnap Glower to secure financial deal with the Hong Kong mafia, and gain exclusive access to Hong Kong’s and China’s underground drug market.
TSEI’S MOTIVE: Use Glower and other high placed agents in British and Chinese politics to sabotage Britain’s agreement with China over Hong Kong handover, and help him establish an independent State of Hong Kong.
Starring
JAMES BOND: Timothy Dalton
MAX ZORIN: N/A (does not appear in the film)
ZHENG YE TSEI: Chow Yun Fat
WING PAI (TSEI’ SECRETARY): Wu Ma
GEOFFREY GLOWER: Michael Gough
MARIANNE ROUSSE: Kristin Scott Thomas/Laura Morante/ Anne Parriauld
TESSA STRADDLER: Fiona Fullerton
M: Robert Brown
Q: Desmond Llewelyn
MONEYPENNY: Alison Doody
MAY DAY: Grace Jones
GORDON BARREL (MAN IN A WHITE TUX): Lewis Collins
TSEI’S BUSINESS ASSOCIATE I: David Yip
TSEI’S ASSOCIATE II: Anthony Chin
PTS, PARIS (BRITISH EMBASSY AND EXTERIORS):
A little after midnight a motorcycle speeds through a deserted Parisian boulevard. The camera alternates between shots of the tarmac rushing back past the driver’s gaze and medium shots of the motorcycle. Like a rapidly rewinding film Parisian buildings are reflected in the driver’s crash helmet. The sequence is protracted long enough to establish a sense of urgency and present danger. Then it shifts to a lavish Parisian interior where the atmosphere is much more relaxed: a party is being held in honour of Geoffrey Glower. The camera moves amidst an elegant party crowd, and the occasional waiter bearing champagne glasses, until finally it picks a man wearing a white tuxedo sitting by the bar. We see him only from the back mixing with people, exchanging pleasantries with a guest and then flirting with two elegantly dressed women. Outside the building, the rider comes to a stop, mounts off his bike and walks urgently up a flight of stairs through the catering area and in to the party hall. Without breaking a stride he takes off his helmet (revealing himself as James Bond) and unzips the black riding gear to emerge in a suit. As he makes his entry he brushes with the man in the white tux going out the same way. At this precise moment Geoffrey Glower is accepting a heartfelt applause and beginning his speech.
Suddenly a shot is heard and the lights go out. A few moments of confusion ensue and by the time the lights come back on, Glower has vanished. Thinking fast, Bond rushes to the back exit looking for the man in the tux. He hears screeching tyres and just manages to see an SUV turning a corner. He mounts on his bike and sets off in hot pursuit. A short high-octane chase on the streets of Paris follows. Bond manages to catch up with the SUV at a clearing by the Seine. But while he is busy exchanging gunshots, and finally killing the driver and a bodyguard, the man in the white tux slips away carrying an unconscious Glower to a helicopter standing by. As the helicopter takes off, Bond throws himself in the air and hangs on to the landing skids. The man in the tux tries to shoot Bond down but the pilot warns him against hitting the gas tank. So he steps out onto the skids to fight Bond off before the latter can find his footing and pull out a gun. They struggle and fall a few yards onto a roof. A chase over the Parisian skyline ensues, with plenty of running, punching and sliding on the iconic steep tiled rooftops. Finally Bond manages to overcome his man and to shove him off the roof to his death. The sequence ends with a crane shot of the man falling down to the ground and Bond looking over. Then a dove alights on a chimney-ledge nearby, half-startling Bond, who turns to the bird and says: “Isn’t that a killer view.”
TITLE SEQUENCE: Rather similar to the original movie, including the song by Duran Duran. Add the concept of a camera that zooms twice into the model’s eye, zooming out again to reveal once a Champagne glass (seen first from the top, then in full profile) and once a round shooting target which in turn shatters into shards of glass and spilled drink.
PARIS: Bond is waiting at a Cafe, drink in hand, when suddenly a screeching of tyres is heard and we see a Peugeot coming to a sudden stop amidst angry hooting. Double parking outside the Cafe, Marianne Rousse emerges from her car and walks up to Bond. They exchange passwords briefly; then Bond asks if he can buy her coffee but she curtly replies that they have no time, grabs his arm and escorts him to the car. Inside the car Bond is surprised to see M who starts explaining Bond’s mission. We learn that Glower is a high ranking British politician, and the Bond’s mission is to find him and bring him back with minimum fuss, before the political fall-out becomes unsustainable. Shaken and jolted by Marianne’s reckless driving (and constantly interrupted by traffic noise) Bond and M continue to talk about the mission, keeping their discussion rather vague.
Finally the car comes to an abrupt stop outside a small art-nouveau building and M steps out with Bond in tow. They walk up a staircase with M still talking; he explains that at this stage they do not expect to receive a ransom request and, for all they know, Glower may already be dead—in any case, Bond will have to act fast. Then they enter an apartment where Moneypenny is sitting at her desk. Bond and Moneypenny exchange the usual flirtatious remarks while M walks straight into an inner room. Bond quickly catches up and now, inside the room, the tone of the conversation changes: We learn that M is feeling the heat for the security failure leading to Glower’s kidnapping. Indeed bad faith has already been suggested in Whitehall (M hastens to deny rumours that he and Glower shared an unpleasant past and Glower was thinking of abolishing the 00 section). Bond asks about Marianne, and M explains that she is an agent M’s French counterpart sent as a condition for allowing M to set up shop and conduct investigations on French soil. Next Bond asks about the man in the white-suit. M sits down at his desk, takes out a file and hands it to Bond. The camera zooms on the folder that reads: Operation Skylight.
Outside the room Bond takes a minute to catch up with Moneypenny. Then he asks her to find out anything she can about Glower’s movements over the last ten days, before turning to Marianne to ask her if he can borrow her car. Marianne assents, but only if she can tag along. Bond agrees but insists he will drive. At the embassy Bond begins his investigation. He questions the embassy’s security officer about the ambassador’s guest list and asks if he can talk him through the security protocol. He manages to dig up a potentially suspect invitation, issued at the last minute to one Gordon Barrel, listed as a “market researcher” from San Francisco. Bond has no trouble confirming Barrel is the man with whom he fought the previous night.
FRENCH COUNTRYSIDE, LUXURIOUS CHATEAU AND STABLES:
We next find Bond and Marianne driving to a luxurious chateau outside Paris. [In terms of plot-advancement this sequence has more or less the same function as the corresponding Chantilly sequence in the original movie, though it is intended to be less OTT and more suspenseful. There will be no over-complicated attempts to kill Bond by involving him in a useless horse-race. Nor will the scene test the limits of Bond’s omnivorous sexual appetites. In some ways Bond’s and Marianne’s dynamic will parallel that between Bond and Tibbett in the original, with a little sexual innuendo thrown in the mix.] The chateau is hosting an equestrian exhibition and Bond and Marianne pretend to be a journalist and a photographer covering the event for a British magazine. Their actual reason is to make contact with Max Zorin, a well-known billionaire (also from San Francisco) who is expected to attend the event. From Bond’s conversation with Marianne we learn that Bond suspects Zorin to be the man behind the kidnapping. We also learn that his suspicions were prompted by Moneypenny’s report, which showed that Zorin’s movements had overlapped with Glower’s at least four times in the past month.
At the event Zorin is a no show but Bond’s attention is caught by a heated conversation two Asian gentlemen are having with May Day. Bond overhears one of the Asians saying it is unacceptable for Zorin to send an assistant in his place; then he sees May Day hand them a brown envelope. He tells Marianne to take pictures of the group, making sure to get as clear a shot of the faces as possible and to do so unobtrusively. Cut to Q sitting at his work station and we find out that the camera is in fact a gadget from Q branch; as soon as the photos are taken they are automatically entered into a database in Q’s computer and matched. Later that night Bond leaves his room to snoop around. He breaks into an office from which he had seen the Asians emerge after the exchange with May Day. He finds the envelope and is disappointed to note that it contains only pictures of horses. Alerted by footsteps, and still clueless as to the significance of the photos, he takes a couple out of the pack and quickly photographs them with Qs special camera photographs [or scans them using a camera concealed in cigarette-case provided by Q branch], before returning them to their place. Then he waits in the shadows for the security guard to leave. When the latter enters the room Bond has no choice but to attack him from behind, knock him unconscious and escape through a window that gives onto an internal courtyard. Soon enough the alarm goes off. Bond steals through various passageways trying to make it back to his room. He is almost there when, just as he turns the corner, he sees May Day guarding the stretch leading to his door [the way this particular scene is shot closely parallels the corresponding scene in the original movie]. For an instant Bond feels trapped; then, unexpectedly, a door opens behind him and we see him being brusquely pulled in. Next we see May Day knocking and entering to find Bond and Marianne embracing under the covers.
PARIS:
Back in the Parisian apartment Bond is briefed by M and Q.
First M tells Bond that they have finally heard from the kidnappers. Taking responsibility for the coup is the Hong Kong People’s Army, a recently established terrorist group thought to have the backing of the Republic of China. An image of glower holding the morning paper is shown on several TV screens, while a voice over reads out a text decrying the corruption of the west and calling for the restitution of Hong Kong to China. The story is all over the news. M tells Bond that Q branch is already at work on an analysis of the tape, but he adds that there is something fishy about this lead, and though Q branch have confirmed its face-value authenticity M believes it to be a red-herring. Next they get to the matter of the evidence collected by Bond. M explains who the Asians are and what their business with Zorin and Glower might be. We learn one of them is Hong Kong mafia Kingpin Zheng Ye Tsei and the other one of Tsei’s business associates; Tsei enjoys a monopoly over Hong Kong domestic trade and this monopoly is being threatened by a trade agreement Glower is promoting. M speculates that Tsei had Glower kidnapped to prevent him from implementing the policies. Bond wonders: if that is indeed the case, why involve Zorin in the kidnapping? And why bother to kidnap at all? Why not kill Glower right away?
Next, Q tackles the mystery of what lies behind the pictures of horses Bond copied. Using the usual technical jargon he explains that the photos are in fact digitally scrambled images concealing instructions about how to handle Glower. He relishes the chance to add that Q branch has managed to recover the data despite the fact that it was encrypted using a very sophisticated cipher. Unfortunately, the info is only partial because Bond had the presence of mind to bring back only two photos.
The scene ends with Q opening a folded portmanteau to show Bond his new gadgets; he pulls out a suit and a few accessories (a pair of glasses a tie-pin and shoes) and starts to demonstrate their use, but the picture fades out before the explanation gets under way.
HONG KONG:
Q’s brief takes Bond to Hong Kong. At this point Bond knows only that Glower is currently being held in a barely furnished warehouse, and that he is scheduled to be moved on the next day. Whilst snooping around the harbour area, Bond’s attention is caught by a couple of dock-workers whose demeanour and style of clothing make them look rather suspect. Bond follows the dock workers and finally comes upon a row of warehouses which look rather like the place where Glower might be held. Just as he is about to start investigating the warehouses one by one Bond finds out that one of them is guarded, so he steps back and decides to bide his time. At this point the picture fades to a slightly darker lighting to indicate a time lapse; Bond, still spying on the warehouse, notices some movement inside and then sees two motorcycles and a limousine approaching. May Day and one of Zheng Tsei’s associates emerge from the vehicle, then come back out with Glower in tow. Acting fast Bond ambushes the party while creating a diversion; then he shoots Tsei’s associate, and breaks away on a motorcycle with Glower holding on tight. A chase through the Hong Kong fish market ensues (it is evening, just as the fishmongers are beginning to pack up). We get to see plenty of fish flying, and motorcycles skidding in the debris: numerous stalls are overturned, but finally Bond manages to get Glower to a safe apartment.
Waiting for them inside the apartment is Tessa Straddler who, in addition to making tea, is in charge of researching Tsei’s set up and running communications with Europe. She talks to Bond about the little luck she’s had so far in trying to map the channels through which Tsei runs his smuggling operations. After the brief, Bond sends her out on an errand. Then he starts questioning Glower about what he remembers of his captivity, asking him if he can venture a guess as to why he was kidnapped and who ordered the kidnapping. Glower says he has no idea. Bond then tells him that it won’t be long before they find out and reveals a tracer which he had fixed under the limousine just before the ambush. Then Glower goes to the kitchen and turns on the light. Suddenly a shot is heard and two or three men, in commando-gear, hurl themselves through windows into the apartment. Bond reaches for his pistol and tells Glower to lock himself in the bedroom. While Bond keeps the intruders at bay we see Glower trying to escape through a window that gives on to the back alley. Bond shoots one intruder and kills a second one with a kitchen knife after a prolonged hand-to-hand fight during which the apartment gets trashed. Then just as he is catching his breath he is knocked unconscious by a blow on the head from behind.
Bond comes to in a neon lit cell. Two Asians are looking over to make sure he’s conscious. Then Zheng Tsei steps into the frame and holds a syringe up to view. He and Bond exchange polite but hostile remarks. Bond says something like “killing me will get you nowhere. We know you’re behind this operation and others will follow me.” Tsei answers in the same vein: “Surely Mr. Bond! If I had intended to kill you you’d be dead already... but don’t worry, a decision on the matter will be taken shortly.” Bond tries to get Tsei to talk about his plans. Tsei leaves the room and all Bond manages to surmise is that Glower managed to get away and Tsei is not too frazzled by it. Then Bond blacks out.
Hours later Bond is still held captive in the cell. We see him fiddling with his watch for a few moments trying to activate a radio device, but the signal is dead. From the window he sees a limousine pull up and May Day come out of the car. He takes off his shoe and twists the heel to reveal a secret compartment from which he pulls out two magnetic devices and a small metal card. He places these on the door just above and below the lock. Then he calls the guard and hides in a corner out of sight with the card in hand. As soon as the door handle begins to turn he presses on the card and detonates the device thus electrocuting the guard. Then he steals out of the cell and makes his way through an air-conditioning vent towards the room where Tsei is meeting with May Day. He overhears their discussion and understands that they are debating whether to kill him or use him the same way they used Glower. At this point the camera moves back, so that we see Bond still listening to the conversation but we cannot hear further.
Suddenly a woman enters the room and walks up to Tsei. She whispers something in his ear, at which Tsei orders security to check all the rooms and sound the alarm; Bond leaves his vantage point, runs into a guard and fights him, knocking him out and taking his gun. During the struggle a curtain catches fire, and the place is quickly surrounded in smoke. Bond then leaps out of a window to a courtyard and, dodging bullets, disappears down a staircase. This leads him to a network of underground corridors that look a little like the Vienna sewers from The Third Man. Bond tries to find a way out of the maze, all the while pursued by hollow footsteps coming from different directions. He kills two guards by sneaking up from behind them and suffocating them (or twisting their neck); finally he comes to an exit, opens a hatch and starts to climb out; at this moment we see the dial on his watch coming back to life. Bond is almost out of the tunnel, when he is grabbed by the feet and dragged back down. Landing heavily on the ground he pulls out his gun but May Day knocks his arm against a metal boiler that hangs by the wall, forcing him to lose the weapon. They fight, with May Day sporting some impressive karate moves. During the fight the gun goes off accidentally. May Day tries to strike at Bond but the latter ducks and May Day’s wrist crashes against the metal. The fight goes on until she manages to pin Bond down against the boiler and is about to strangle him when suddenly Bond manages to yank open one of the levers attached to the piping and a cloud of steam hits May Day in the face. This gives Bond enough time to free himself from May Day’s grip and to knock her down with a piece of metal that had been dislodged during the fight. Then he scrambles to reach the gun and, aiming it towards May Day, tells her they need to talk.
HONG KONG, APARTMENT INTERIOR (AUSTERE):
Bond and Tessa are in video conference with M. M informs Bond that May Day is in the hands of her interrogators. He starts briefing Bond with the information they’ve managed to squeeze out of her so far, but Bond knows most of it already. We learn that Tsei had counted on MI6 to rescue Glower, and that this rescue was in fact all part of his plan. Glower, M explains, was just one in a network of highly placed politicians acting under Tsei’s influence—the tip of a huge conspiratorial iceberg. During the time of Glower’s captivity Tsei had gotten Glower addicted to a synthetic drug, developed by Zorin labs. This turned him into a pawn in Tsei’s hands, as Tsei (through Zorin) was the only man who could supply him with the drug. Once Glower returned to public life, with his political career still on the rise having survived such a terrible ordeal, he could play a crucial part in Tsei’s conspiracy by promoting and implementing policies that would strengthen Tsei’s monopoly over Hong Kong domestic trade. Tsei’s ultimate plan was to wield enough influence in British and Chinese politics to sabotage Britain’s handover of Hong Kong, get Britain to cancel its agreement with China and establish an independent State of Hong Kong, of which he (Tsei) would be the Puppet-Master. The video conference ends with M telling Bond that his mission is now to find out what Zorin is hoping to get from Tsei in return for his services, as he is no doubt that May Day is keeping something big from them.
HON G KONG, INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: An aeroplane lands and some important personages disembark, with their entourage. They are welcomed by a press crowd in the midst of which we recognize Marianne. Among the VIPs is Glower.
HON G KONG, HARBOUR:
Bond and Tessa are inside a parked car. Bond is holding a pair of binoculars and spying from a distance on a pier where a ship has just docked. He watches on as a number of horse-carts (with horses in them) are unloaded and lined up in a file. The scene ends with Bond preparing to tail the carts.
HON G KONG, HIGH LUXURY BUILDING, AND APARTMENT INTERIOR:
The camera swoops from a bird’s eye view of down-town Hong Kong to the top-floor of the highest and most luxurious building. Inside, Tsei and Glower are having a heated discussion, while Tsei’s personal secretary stands in the background. We understand their disagreement is about whether to go ahead with their plan or put everything on hold. Tsei wants to push ahead but Glower is having second thoughts, complaining that the capture of May Day has jeopardised everything and they should probably wait a little until things have cooled down. Tsei says that Zorin will have none of this and reassures Glower that May Day will only give MI6 information they already possess.
The scene shifts to the exterior where we see Glower walking out of the building and Marianne, on the opposite curb, preparing to tail him. Back in the apartment Tsei’s secretary asks Tsei if he thinks Glower can be trusted to do the right thing. Tsei smiles knowingly and says not to worry, Glower is just a prop. No part of this plan has been left to chance.
HON G KONG, HARBOUR:
Bond and Tessa tail the caravan to a Polo club with adjacent stables. Following at a distance they become suspicious when a couple of carts veer from the main train toward a secluded building. Bond decides to follow, and soon enough we see him spying on the two drivers as they carefully unload a few boxes and disappear into the building. He then inspects the carts, looking inside some boxes, but all they contain is straw, and some paper with Chinese script on. Bond and Tessa now steal inside the building and to their surprise they find the building is empty too. They explore, and, after poking around a little, find a secret entry to a downstairs lab (this plays out like the stable-elevator in the original AVTAK). After Bond and Tessa enter the frame and the elevator comes to a slow stop, the camera turns to three baffled faces watching on from within the underground lab. One man is wearing a lab coat and holding a test-tube. The other two are wearing jump-suits, and we recognize them as the drivers from the previous scene. Reacting somewhat slowly, one of them pulls out a gun and points it at the intruders, asking them to identify themselves. The other walks towards Tessa and Bond to search them.
Bond buys time with a quip, while he is being searched. The man removes a couple of items from his jacket—among these a silver cigarette case which he throws to the floor behind him. It lands at the feet of the guy holding the gun. Slowly drawing his hands together behind his head Bond casually presses a button on his watch, releasing a small explosion from the cigarette case and stunning the guy with gun; this gives Bond time enough to overcome the man who is searching him, steal his weapon and turn the tables on his captors, shooting one of the men (the stunned one) with the other’s pistol.
Now pointing the gun at the scientist, Dr. Oiliger, Bond asks some questions about the purpose of the lab. At first Oiliger refuses to answer but we can see he is intimidated. Tessa points at a row of sealed test-tubes; Bond takes one of them and threatens to ram it down Oiliger’s throat. Terrified, the man begs for his life and explains these are highly toxic materials and must be disposed of very carefully; should Bond do anything stupid all of them would die.
At this point Bond and Tessa learn that the lab had been used by Zorin’s scientists to prepare a highly toxic nerve-gas which had been delivered to Tsei’s men no more than 24 hours earlier. Tessa realizes that Tsei’s plan is to use the gas to attack the international delegation at the Sino-British conference, possibly planting evidence (as he’d done once already) that this was the work of the Hong Kong People’s Army. As Oiliger further explains, the gas was stored in vials and concealed inside hollow pens to be placed on the conference-table in front of each candidate. At the push of a button, all the pens would wwexplode and release their poison.
HON G KONG, LUXURY HOTEL CONFERENCE CENTRE:
The camera lingers on the interior of a luxurious hotel lobby, then moves to a closed area where delegates are passing through a security check to get inside a conference hall. Glower is already inside. The room fills slowly and the tension rises. A few minutes after the start of the proceedings, while the chairman of the committee is speaking, four masked men storm into the room; one of them announces that the honourable delegates are now guests of the Hong Kong People’s Army—that the hall is rigged with bombs, and should anyone move from their seats they would all die. An assault commando storms into the hall. Bond is among them. A confused struggle ensues. The leader of the terrorists tries to detonate the pens but nothing happens (later Bond will explain to Marianne that he had replaced the nerve-gas containers with empty ones). The terrorists are forced to surrender, but as they are being rounded up Bond sees, reflected on the window pane, the glint of the telescopic lens of a sniper-rifle, pointed at Glower. Before he can react, the glass shatters and Glower falls to the ground, dead.
Bond rushes out of the hall (possibly through the shattered window) and makes his way to the high-rise on the other side of the street, from where the shot was fired. The fire alarm has been set off and people are streaming out in a panic. Bond hears a few shots coming from upstairs and as he climbs up he is surprised to run into Marianne (who has meanwhile cornered the sniper on one of the higher storeys). While they shoot their way up the staircase Marianne explains she had been tailing Glower for a few days and had realized he was being set up. Then she asks Bond what happened in the conference hall and this is where we learn he had replaced the pens containing the nerve-gas with regular ink cartridges. The scene ends with a shoot-out in which Marianne is wounded in the arm. Bond follows the sniper to the roof and finds it is Wing Pai. On the roof, with nowhere to go and out of ammunition, Wing Pai refuses to surrender to Bond and lets himself fall backward to his death.
SEYCHELLES, HOTEL ROOM AND LOBBY
Bond and Tessa are enjoying their vacation at a luxurious seaside hotel. They camera finds them kissing on the bed. Bond steals a glance at his watch and then whispers something about going down for a late night swim. Tessa is reluctant. They exchange sweet nothings and leave the room. Once in the lobby, Bond looks at his watch again, then tells Tessa to wait for him there. He turns back and walks to the elevator. As the sliding doors open, we recognize Tsei dressed in a suit and sporting thick sunglasses. Bond quickly steps in the elevator, body-blocks Tsei and pushes him back into the cabin, muttering something like “I think this belongs to you.” In a split second, he presses the “G” button and steps out again as the doors close behind him. Inside the cabin we see Tsei, the air knocked out his lungs, retrieving a pen from the inside pocket of his jacket. Then a low hiss, suggesting the release of nerve gas, is followed by the image of Tsei collapsing to the floor. Back in the lobby Bond is reached by Tessa who asks “what happened?” Bond replies: “he’s going down”; then the two make their way to the beach.
END CREDITS roll on a distant aerial shot of Bond and Tessa hugging in the water, probably skinny-dipping.
Wow!! Great story, Harry! I love the alterations from the original story. Here are my favorite bits:
- The PTS, which borrows from the original "FAVTAK" short story, was action-packed and a fun way to introduce Dalton's Bond.
- The cast--using Chow Yun Fat and Michael Gough especially. Batman's Alfred in a Bond film!
- Replacing Tibbett with a younger, female counterpart to Bond would really alter the dynamic of the film. I loved Tibett/Patrick Macnee, but I don't think he'd work as a counterpart to Dalton's Bond.
- The pen plot device at the end.
One of the things I would definitely change with the first 16 films is to have Felix Leiter played by one or two of the same actors to keep within series continuity.
One of the things I would definitely change with the first 16 films is to have Felix Leiter played by one or two of the same actors to keep within series continuity.
Yes or at least have a consistent demeanor. He started off as such a cool guy then he became everything from a laid back old man to a fat, beat cop. )
Dr. No: The Same, Connery as Bond, but I'd intro Desmond Llewellyn as Q a film earlier and use Barry Nelson as Felix Leiter.
From Russia With Love: Exactly the same!
Thunderball: I'd put it ahead of Goldfinger and connect the two films through the bombs, having Bond recover only one of the two stolen by Largo. Also, Domino would DIE she annoyed me so much!
Goldfinger: Auric Goldfinger would become a SPECTRE agent, succeeding Emilio Largo as Blofeld's Number Two, and his bomb would be the one not recovered by 007 in Thunderball. Different ending with 007 killing Goldfinger BEFORE disarming the bomb.
You Only Live Twice: Exactly the same, this film was awesome and needs no changes!
On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Same plot, only keeping Connery as Bond and Pleasance as Blofeld. Also Tracy survives.
Diamonds Are Forever: Diamond mission is a ruse by Blofeld to lure 007 into a trap and kill him, Tracy is revealed to be a SPECTRE agent. Blofeld finally killed by 007. Last film for Connery and Pleasance.
Live and Let Die: Very few changes, except Q is added to the film and Harrison Ford is intoduced as Leiter to Moore's 007.
The Man With the Golden Gun: No Changes except for Mary Goodnight is put into her role from the books as Bond's assistant.
The Spy Who Loved Me: Stromberg replaced by Hugo Drax, plot from Moonraker book used. Mary Goodnight returns.
For Your Eyes Only: Few changes, except for Mary Goodnight killed trying to help Bond find The Dove. Last film for Moore.
Moonraker: Patrick Stewart as 007, Ford replaced by James Brolin as Leiter. Completely new plot involving an orbital weapons platform taken over by terrorists. Agent XXX returns to team with Bond again as does Kissy Suzuki (You Only Live Twice).
Octopussy: No changes. Last film for Stewart as 007.
A View to a Kill: Timothy Dalton as Bond, Grace Jones replaced by Sade as May Day, Tanya Roberts replaced by Jamie Lee Curtis as Stacey Sutton. Same plot, with Zorin surviving the film.
Smient Spionem: A rogue KGB faction, secretly led by Zorin, who is believed dead, begins killing major world intelligence leaders. Original M and General Goegel killed before all of the faction save for Zorin is wiped out by 007 when they attack NORAD.
The Living Daylights: No changes except for Whitaker replaced by Max Zorin. Zorin killed by 007, ending the Zorin trilogy. Larry Manetti (Rick from Magnum, PI) as Felix Leiter. Sir Anthony Hopkins as the new M.
License to Kill: No changes, last film for Dalton, Manetti, and also the Leiter character.
Goldeneye: No changes. Brosnan's first film as Bond.
Tomorrow Never Dies: Jack Wade returns, Bond retires at end to marry Wai Lin, who defects to England. John Cleese introduced as R.
Never Say Never Again: Bond pulled out of retirement when Wade and Wai Lin are murdered by the Chinese, Zao introduced. John Cleese becomes Q.
Die Another Day: Same plot, just put ahead of "The World is Not Enough." Last film for Brosnan.
The World is Not Enough: HUGE CHANGES NEEDED! Daniel Craig as Bond, Jinx returns, Denise Richards replaced as Christmas Jones by Catherine Zeta Jones, plot made to make more sense.
Casino Royale: Made a part of the regular continuity instead of a reboot. Judy Dench becomes M. Jinx replaces Felix Leiter in the plot. Q added to film.
Quantum of Solace: No changes except for a better song, possibly something else by Chris Cornell. Also Q added to film.
Another thing I would do if I could change the Bond films is have an older actor play Trevelyan. I felt that, by casting Sean Bean in the role, the character would've been too young to remember such events that caused his parents' death whereas it would've worked better with an older actor.
Plus, I would have George Lazenby, Telly Savalas and Peter Hunt stay on in their respective roles for DAF as they probably would've had a better idea on how to follow the film up from the events of the previous film.
I think DAF should be followed by OHMSS, then YOLT in which Blofeld(always Savalas) is killed halfway through in a very emotional scene, Lazenby plays Bond in all three films before Moore steps in for LALD.
Dalton's first film is AVTAK in which Zorin becomes the new Blofeld and survives until the end of TLD. Alec Trevelyan also appears briefly in these two films as a work colleague and friend of Bond's, although they don't work on the same mission. LTK with flashbacks of Tracy, perhaps played by a different actress. And we see Bond rejoin MI6 at the end. In GE(still Dalton) we see a flashback of Bond and Trevelyan as old friends before Alec dies and Bond briefly mourns him before getting on with the job. Janus are suspected of causing Alec's death and Bond is motivated partly by revenge only to get a shock at Trevelyan being the villain. we see another flashback of Trevelyan not quite fitting in at MI6 Bond's fight with him is the end of an era. The tank chase is even more destructive.
Next the new young energetic Bond is played by Christian Bale up to the present day and DAD is just a bad dream.
“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to a better understanding of ourselves.” - Carl Jung
How about this.
Connery does the Bond films of the 60's
Sir Roger does the films of the 70's
Tim Dalton does the 80's Bond films
Brosnan does the films during the 90's
and Craig does the 2000's films
"You're in the wrong business... leave it to the professionals!"
James Bond- Licence To Kill
Sweepy the CatHalifax, West Yorkshire, EnglaPosts: 986MI6 Agent
Sean Connery
Dr No (1962) - No Q or reference to Bond's Beretta
From Russia With Love (1963) - Same.
Goldfinger (1964) - Directed by Terence Young.
Thunderball (1965) - Trimmed down.
Connery announces that the next Bond film will be his last so an extra year is spent making the film 'extra special'.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1967) - Directed by Terence Young. No refrence to previous Bond films
After the enormous success of OHMSS the Bond producers cannot find anybody good enough to fill Connery's shoes so they leave the Bond series to rest for a few years.
Roger Moore
Moore is finally free from TV contracts and so producer Albert R Broccoli decides to cast him as the all-new James Bond in LALD.
Live and Let Die (1973) - Kananga gets proper send-off
(Eaten by sharks), Bond watch isn't magnetic
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) - Bigger climax.
Due to more legal battles which Kevin McClory there is a 3-year gap between TMWTGG & TSWLM.
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) - Same
Moonraker (1979) - Jaws doesn't return & Bond doesn't go to space
For Your Eyes Only (1981) - Cut out Blofeld in the pre-creds & replace with boat blowing up, M's funeral also features, Bond is asked to take over as head but declines. Cut out ending with Margaret Thatcher.
Moore leaves with Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell to persue other roles.
Timothy Dalton
Octopussy (1983) - Edward Fox as M & Caroline Bliss as Moneypenny. Trimmed down, less camp.
From A View To A Kill (1985) - Different plot. No California Girls music in pre-creds. Better titles. Bond doesn't sleep with MayDay. Bigger climax. To hell with it, change the whole bloody film :*D
The Living Daylights (1987) - No cello-chase.
Licence Revoked (1989) - Different pre-creds. Less Q. No Moneypenny.
The Bond series is put to rest on a high with LR which sees Bond leave MI6 for good.
Daniel Craig
After winning the rights to make CR in the early 00's, Albert R Brocooli's step-son, Michael G Wilson decides to make it as the first of a brand-new, rebooted Bond series.
Casino Royale (2007) - New M. Trimmed down.
The Property of a Lady (2008) - Same as QOS.
Risico (2010) - Wraps up the loose ends of CR & TPOAL. Reintroduces Moneypenny and Q.
Comments
From a View to a Kill (virtual 1st Timothy Dalton Bond Film, 1985)
MISSION: High ranking British politician, Geoffrey Glower, is kidnapped during a gala benefit in Paris; Bond is sent to find him and bring him back.
VILLAIN I: Zheng Ye Tsei, a Hong Kong mafia boss
VILLAIN II: Max Zorin, American millionaire of Hungarian origin, living between San Francisco and Paris (horse-breeder). Does not appear in the film.
ZORIN’S SCHEME: Kidnap Glower to secure financial deal with the Hong Kong mafia, and gain exclusive access to Hong Kong’s and China’s underground drug market.
TSEI’S MOTIVE: Use Glower and other high placed agents in British and Chinese politics to sabotage Britain’s agreement with China over Hong Kong handover, and help him establish an independent State of Hong Kong.
Starring
JAMES BOND: Timothy Dalton
MAX ZORIN: N/A (does not appear in the film)
ZHENG YE TSEI: Chow Yun Fat
WING PAI (TSEI’ SECRETARY): Wu Ma
GEOFFREY GLOWER: Michael Gough
MARIANNE ROUSSE: Kristin Scott Thomas/Laura Morante/ Anne Parriauld
TESSA STRADDLER: Fiona Fullerton
M: Robert Brown
Q: Desmond Llewelyn
MONEYPENNY: Alison Doody
MAY DAY: Grace Jones
GORDON BARREL (MAN IN A WHITE TUX): Lewis Collins
TSEI’S BUSINESS ASSOCIATE I: David Yip
TSEI’S ASSOCIATE II: Anthony Chin
PTS, PARIS (BRITISH EMBASSY AND EXTERIORS):
A little after midnight a motorcycle speeds through a deserted Parisian boulevard. The camera alternates between shots of the tarmac rushing back past the driver’s gaze and medium shots of the motorcycle. Like a rapidly rewinding film Parisian buildings are reflected in the driver’s crash helmet. The sequence is protracted long enough to establish a sense of urgency and present danger. Then it shifts to a lavish Parisian interior where the atmosphere is much more relaxed: a party is being held in honour of Geoffrey Glower. The camera moves amidst an elegant party crowd, and the occasional waiter bearing champagne glasses, until finally it picks a man wearing a white tuxedo sitting by the bar. We see him only from the back mixing with people, exchanging pleasantries with a guest and then flirting with two elegantly dressed women. Outside the building, the rider comes to a stop, mounts off his bike and walks urgently up a flight of stairs through the catering area and in to the party hall. Without breaking a stride he takes off his helmet (revealing himself as James Bond) and unzips the black riding gear to emerge in a suit. As he makes his entry he brushes with the man in the white tux going out the same way. At this precise moment Geoffrey Glower is accepting a heartfelt applause and beginning his speech.
Suddenly a shot is heard and the lights go out. A few moments of confusion ensue and by the time the lights come back on, Glower has vanished. Thinking fast, Bond rushes to the back exit looking for the man in the tux. He hears screeching tyres and just manages to see an SUV turning a corner. He mounts on his bike and sets off in hot pursuit. A short high-octane chase on the streets of Paris follows. Bond manages to catch up with the SUV at a clearing by the Seine. But while he is busy exchanging gunshots, and finally killing the driver and a bodyguard, the man in the white tux slips away carrying an unconscious Glower to a helicopter standing by. As the helicopter takes off, Bond throws himself in the air and hangs on to the landing skids. The man in the tux tries to shoot Bond down but the pilot warns him against hitting the gas tank. So he steps out onto the skids to fight Bond off before the latter can find his footing and pull out a gun. They struggle and fall a few yards onto a roof. A chase over the Parisian skyline ensues, with plenty of running, punching and sliding on the iconic steep tiled rooftops. Finally Bond manages to overcome his man and to shove him off the roof to his death. The sequence ends with a crane shot of the man falling down to the ground and Bond looking over. Then a dove alights on a chimney-ledge nearby, half-startling Bond, who turns to the bird and says: “Isn’t that a killer view.”
TITLE SEQUENCE: Rather similar to the original movie, including the song by Duran Duran. Add the concept of a camera that zooms twice into the model’s eye, zooming out again to reveal once a Champagne glass (seen first from the top, then in full profile) and once a round shooting target which in turn shatters into shards of glass and spilled drink.
PARIS: Bond is waiting at a Cafe, drink in hand, when suddenly a screeching of tyres is heard and we see a Peugeot coming to a sudden stop amidst angry hooting. Double parking outside the Cafe, Marianne Rousse emerges from her car and walks up to Bond. They exchange passwords briefly; then Bond asks if he can buy her coffee but she curtly replies that they have no time, grabs his arm and escorts him to the car. Inside the car Bond is surprised to see M who starts explaining Bond’s mission. We learn that Glower is a high ranking British politician, and the Bond’s mission is to find him and bring him back with minimum fuss, before the political fall-out becomes unsustainable. Shaken and jolted by Marianne’s reckless driving (and constantly interrupted by traffic noise) Bond and M continue to talk about the mission, keeping their discussion rather vague.
Finally the car comes to an abrupt stop outside a small art-nouveau building and M steps out with Bond in tow. They walk up a staircase with M still talking; he explains that at this stage they do not expect to receive a ransom request and, for all they know, Glower may already be dead—in any case, Bond will have to act fast. Then they enter an apartment where Moneypenny is sitting at her desk. Bond and Moneypenny exchange the usual flirtatious remarks while M walks straight into an inner room. Bond quickly catches up and now, inside the room, the tone of the conversation changes: We learn that M is feeling the heat for the security failure leading to Glower’s kidnapping. Indeed bad faith has already been suggested in Whitehall (M hastens to deny rumours that he and Glower shared an unpleasant past and Glower was thinking of abolishing the 00 section). Bond asks about Marianne, and M explains that she is an agent M’s French counterpart sent as a condition for allowing M to set up shop and conduct investigations on French soil. Next Bond asks about the man in the white-suit. M sits down at his desk, takes out a file and hands it to Bond. The camera zooms on the folder that reads: Operation Skylight.
Outside the room Bond takes a minute to catch up with Moneypenny. Then he asks her to find out anything she can about Glower’s movements over the last ten days, before turning to Marianne to ask her if he can borrow her car. Marianne assents, but only if she can tag along. Bond agrees but insists he will drive. At the embassy Bond begins his investigation. He questions the embassy’s security officer about the ambassador’s guest list and asks if he can talk him through the security protocol. He manages to dig up a potentially suspect invitation, issued at the last minute to one Gordon Barrel, listed as a “market researcher” from San Francisco. Bond has no trouble confirming Barrel is the man with whom he fought the previous night.
FRENCH COUNTRYSIDE, LUXURIOUS CHATEAU AND STABLES:
We next find Bond and Marianne driving to a luxurious chateau outside Paris. [In terms of plot-advancement this sequence has more or less the same function as the corresponding Chantilly sequence in the original movie, though it is intended to be less OTT and more suspenseful. There will be no over-complicated attempts to kill Bond by involving him in a useless horse-race. Nor will the scene test the limits of Bond’s omnivorous sexual appetites. In some ways Bond’s and Marianne’s dynamic will parallel that between Bond and Tibbett in the original, with a little sexual innuendo thrown in the mix.] The chateau is hosting an equestrian exhibition and Bond and Marianne pretend to be a journalist and a photographer covering the event for a British magazine. Their actual reason is to make contact with Max Zorin, a well-known billionaire (also from San Francisco) who is expected to attend the event. From Bond’s conversation with Marianne we learn that Bond suspects Zorin to be the man behind the kidnapping. We also learn that his suspicions were prompted by Moneypenny’s report, which showed that Zorin’s movements had overlapped with Glower’s at least four times in the past month.
At the event Zorin is a no show but Bond’s attention is caught by a heated conversation two Asian gentlemen are having with May Day. Bond overhears one of the Asians saying it is unacceptable for Zorin to send an assistant in his place; then he sees May Day hand them a brown envelope. He tells Marianne to take pictures of the group, making sure to get as clear a shot of the faces as possible and to do so unobtrusively. Cut to Q sitting at his work station and we find out that the camera is in fact a gadget from Q branch; as soon as the photos are taken they are automatically entered into a database in Q’s computer and matched. Later that night Bond leaves his room to snoop around. He breaks into an office from which he had seen the Asians emerge after the exchange with May Day. He finds the envelope and is disappointed to note that it contains only pictures of horses. Alerted by footsteps, and still clueless as to the significance of the photos, he takes a couple out of the pack and quickly photographs them with Qs special camera photographs [or scans them using a camera concealed in cigarette-case provided by Q branch], before returning them to their place. Then he waits in the shadows for the security guard to leave. When the latter enters the room Bond has no choice but to attack him from behind, knock him unconscious and escape through a window that gives onto an internal courtyard. Soon enough the alarm goes off. Bond steals through various passageways trying to make it back to his room. He is almost there when, just as he turns the corner, he sees May Day guarding the stretch leading to his door [the way this particular scene is shot closely parallels the corresponding scene in the original movie]. For an instant Bond feels trapped; then, unexpectedly, a door opens behind him and we see him being brusquely pulled in. Next we see May Day knocking and entering to find Bond and Marianne embracing under the covers.
PARIS:
Back in the Parisian apartment Bond is briefed by M and Q.
First M tells Bond that they have finally heard from the kidnappers. Taking responsibility for the coup is the Hong Kong People’s Army, a recently established terrorist group thought to have the backing of the Republic of China. An image of glower holding the morning paper is shown on several TV screens, while a voice over reads out a text decrying the corruption of the west and calling for the restitution of Hong Kong to China. The story is all over the news. M tells Bond that Q branch is already at work on an analysis of the tape, but he adds that there is something fishy about this lead, and though Q branch have confirmed its face-value authenticity M believes it to be a red-herring. Next they get to the matter of the evidence collected by Bond. M explains who the Asians are and what their business with Zorin and Glower might be. We learn one of them is Hong Kong mafia Kingpin Zheng Ye Tsei and the other one of Tsei’s business associates; Tsei enjoys a monopoly over Hong Kong domestic trade and this monopoly is being threatened by a trade agreement Glower is promoting. M speculates that Tsei had Glower kidnapped to prevent him from implementing the policies. Bond wonders: if that is indeed the case, why involve Zorin in the kidnapping? And why bother to kidnap at all? Why not kill Glower right away?
Next, Q tackles the mystery of what lies behind the pictures of horses Bond copied. Using the usual technical jargon he explains that the photos are in fact digitally scrambled images concealing instructions about how to handle Glower. He relishes the chance to add that Q branch has managed to recover the data despite the fact that it was encrypted using a very sophisticated cipher. Unfortunately, the info is only partial because Bond had the presence of mind to bring back only two photos.
The scene ends with Q opening a folded portmanteau to show Bond his new gadgets; he pulls out a suit and a few accessories (a pair of glasses a tie-pin and shoes) and starts to demonstrate their use, but the picture fades out before the explanation gets under way.
HONG KONG:
Q’s brief takes Bond to Hong Kong. At this point Bond knows only that Glower is currently being held in a barely furnished warehouse, and that he is scheduled to be moved on the next day. Whilst snooping around the harbour area, Bond’s attention is caught by a couple of dock-workers whose demeanour and style of clothing make them look rather suspect. Bond follows the dock workers and finally comes upon a row of warehouses which look rather like the place where Glower might be held. Just as he is about to start investigating the warehouses one by one Bond finds out that one of them is guarded, so he steps back and decides to bide his time. At this point the picture fades to a slightly darker lighting to indicate a time lapse; Bond, still spying on the warehouse, notices some movement inside and then sees two motorcycles and a limousine approaching. May Day and one of Zheng Tsei’s associates emerge from the vehicle, then come back out with Glower in tow. Acting fast Bond ambushes the party while creating a diversion; then he shoots Tsei’s associate, and breaks away on a motorcycle with Glower holding on tight. A chase through the Hong Kong fish market ensues (it is evening, just as the fishmongers are beginning to pack up). We get to see plenty of fish flying, and motorcycles skidding in the debris: numerous stalls are overturned, but finally Bond manages to get Glower to a safe apartment.
Waiting for them inside the apartment is Tessa Straddler who, in addition to making tea, is in charge of researching Tsei’s set up and running communications with Europe. She talks to Bond about the little luck she’s had so far in trying to map the channels through which Tsei runs his smuggling operations. After the brief, Bond sends her out on an errand. Then he starts questioning Glower about what he remembers of his captivity, asking him if he can venture a guess as to why he was kidnapped and who ordered the kidnapping. Glower says he has no idea. Bond then tells him that it won’t be long before they find out and reveals a tracer which he had fixed under the limousine just before the ambush. Then Glower goes to the kitchen and turns on the light. Suddenly a shot is heard and two or three men, in commando-gear, hurl themselves through windows into the apartment. Bond reaches for his pistol and tells Glower to lock himself in the bedroom. While Bond keeps the intruders at bay we see Glower trying to escape through a window that gives on to the back alley. Bond shoots one intruder and kills a second one with a kitchen knife after a prolonged hand-to-hand fight during which the apartment gets trashed. Then just as he is catching his breath he is knocked unconscious by a blow on the head from behind.
Bond comes to in a neon lit cell. Two Asians are looking over to make sure he’s conscious. Then Zheng Tsei steps into the frame and holds a syringe up to view. He and Bond exchange polite but hostile remarks. Bond says something like “killing me will get you nowhere. We know you’re behind this operation and others will follow me.” Tsei answers in the same vein: “Surely Mr. Bond! If I had intended to kill you you’d be dead already... but don’t worry, a decision on the matter will be taken shortly.” Bond tries to get Tsei to talk about his plans. Tsei leaves the room and all Bond manages to surmise is that Glower managed to get away and Tsei is not too frazzled by it. Then Bond blacks out.
Hours later Bond is still held captive in the cell. We see him fiddling with his watch for a few moments trying to activate a radio device, but the signal is dead. From the window he sees a limousine pull up and May Day come out of the car. He takes off his shoe and twists the heel to reveal a secret compartment from which he pulls out two magnetic devices and a small metal card. He places these on the door just above and below the lock. Then he calls the guard and hides in a corner out of sight with the card in hand. As soon as the door handle begins to turn he presses on the card and detonates the device thus electrocuting the guard. Then he steals out of the cell and makes his way through an air-conditioning vent towards the room where Tsei is meeting with May Day. He overhears their discussion and understands that they are debating whether to kill him or use him the same way they used Glower. At this point the camera moves back, so that we see Bond still listening to the conversation but we cannot hear further.
Suddenly a woman enters the room and walks up to Tsei. She whispers something in his ear, at which Tsei orders security to check all the rooms and sound the alarm; Bond leaves his vantage point, runs into a guard and fights him, knocking him out and taking his gun. During the struggle a curtain catches fire, and the place is quickly surrounded in smoke. Bond then leaps out of a window to a courtyard and, dodging bullets, disappears down a staircase. This leads him to a network of underground corridors that look a little like the Vienna sewers from The Third Man. Bond tries to find a way out of the maze, all the while pursued by hollow footsteps coming from different directions. He kills two guards by sneaking up from behind them and suffocating them (or twisting their neck); finally he comes to an exit, opens a hatch and starts to climb out; at this moment we see the dial on his watch coming back to life. Bond is almost out of the tunnel, when he is grabbed by the feet and dragged back down. Landing heavily on the ground he pulls out his gun but May Day knocks his arm against a metal boiler that hangs by the wall, forcing him to lose the weapon. They fight, with May Day sporting some impressive karate moves. During the fight the gun goes off accidentally. May Day tries to strike at Bond but the latter ducks and May Day’s wrist crashes against the metal. The fight goes on until she manages to pin Bond down against the boiler and is about to strangle him when suddenly Bond manages to yank open one of the levers attached to the piping and a cloud of steam hits May Day in the face. This gives Bond enough time to free himself from May Day’s grip and to knock her down with a piece of metal that had been dislodged during the fight. Then he scrambles to reach the gun and, aiming it towards May Day, tells her they need to talk.
HONG KONG, APARTMENT INTERIOR (AUSTERE):
Bond and Tessa are in video conference with M. M informs Bond that May Day is in the hands of her interrogators. He starts briefing Bond with the information they’ve managed to squeeze out of her so far, but Bond knows most of it already. We learn that Tsei had counted on MI6 to rescue Glower, and that this rescue was in fact all part of his plan. Glower, M explains, was just one in a network of highly placed politicians acting under Tsei’s influence—the tip of a huge conspiratorial iceberg. During the time of Glower’s captivity Tsei had gotten Glower addicted to a synthetic drug, developed by Zorin labs. This turned him into a pawn in Tsei’s hands, as Tsei (through Zorin) was the only man who could supply him with the drug. Once Glower returned to public life, with his political career still on the rise having survived such a terrible ordeal, he could play a crucial part in Tsei’s conspiracy by promoting and implementing policies that would strengthen Tsei’s monopoly over Hong Kong domestic trade. Tsei’s ultimate plan was to wield enough influence in British and Chinese politics to sabotage Britain’s handover of Hong Kong, get Britain to cancel its agreement with China and establish an independent State of Hong Kong, of which he (Tsei) would be the Puppet-Master. The video conference ends with M telling Bond that his mission is now to find out what Zorin is hoping to get from Tsei in return for his services, as he is no doubt that May Day is keeping something big from them.
HON G KONG, INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: An aeroplane lands and some important personages disembark, with their entourage. They are welcomed by a press crowd in the midst of which we recognize Marianne. Among the VIPs is Glower.
HON G KONG, HARBOUR:
Bond and Tessa are inside a parked car. Bond is holding a pair of binoculars and spying from a distance on a pier where a ship has just docked. He watches on as a number of horse-carts (with horses in them) are unloaded and lined up in a file. The scene ends with Bond preparing to tail the carts.
HON G KONG, HIGH LUXURY BUILDING, AND APARTMENT INTERIOR:
The camera swoops from a bird’s eye view of down-town Hong Kong to the top-floor of the highest and most luxurious building. Inside, Tsei and Glower are having a heated discussion, while Tsei’s personal secretary stands in the background. We understand their disagreement is about whether to go ahead with their plan or put everything on hold. Tsei wants to push ahead but Glower is having second thoughts, complaining that the capture of May Day has jeopardised everything and they should probably wait a little until things have cooled down. Tsei says that Zorin will have none of this and reassures Glower that May Day will only give MI6 information they already possess.
The scene shifts to the exterior where we see Glower walking out of the building and Marianne, on the opposite curb, preparing to tail him. Back in the apartment Tsei’s secretary asks Tsei if he thinks Glower can be trusted to do the right thing. Tsei smiles knowingly and says not to worry, Glower is just a prop. No part of this plan has been left to chance.
HON G KONG, HARBOUR:
Bond and Tessa tail the caravan to a Polo club with adjacent stables. Following at a distance they become suspicious when a couple of carts veer from the main train toward a secluded building. Bond decides to follow, and soon enough we see him spying on the two drivers as they carefully unload a few boxes and disappear into the building. He then inspects the carts, looking inside some boxes, but all they contain is straw, and some paper with Chinese script on. Bond and Tessa now steal inside the building and to their surprise they find the building is empty too. They explore, and, after poking around a little, find a secret entry to a downstairs lab (this plays out like the stable-elevator in the original AVTAK). After Bond and Tessa enter the frame and the elevator comes to a slow stop, the camera turns to three baffled faces watching on from within the underground lab. One man is wearing a lab coat and holding a test-tube. The other two are wearing jump-suits, and we recognize them as the drivers from the previous scene. Reacting somewhat slowly, one of them pulls out a gun and points it at the intruders, asking them to identify themselves. The other walks towards Tessa and Bond to search them.
Bond buys time with a quip, while he is being searched. The man removes a couple of items from his jacket—among these a silver cigarette case which he throws to the floor behind him. It lands at the feet of the guy holding the gun. Slowly drawing his hands together behind his head Bond casually presses a button on his watch, releasing a small explosion from the cigarette case and stunning the guy with gun; this gives Bond time enough to overcome the man who is searching him, steal his weapon and turn the tables on his captors, shooting one of the men (the stunned one) with the other’s pistol.
Now pointing the gun at the scientist, Dr. Oiliger, Bond asks some questions about the purpose of the lab. At first Oiliger refuses to answer but we can see he is intimidated. Tessa points at a row of sealed test-tubes; Bond takes one of them and threatens to ram it down Oiliger’s throat. Terrified, the man begs for his life and explains these are highly toxic materials and must be disposed of very carefully; should Bond do anything stupid all of them would die.
At this point Bond and Tessa learn that the lab had been used by Zorin’s scientists to prepare a highly toxic nerve-gas which had been delivered to Tsei’s men no more than 24 hours earlier. Tessa realizes that Tsei’s plan is to use the gas to attack the international delegation at the Sino-British conference, possibly planting evidence (as he’d done once already) that this was the work of the Hong Kong People’s Army. As Oiliger further explains, the gas was stored in vials and concealed inside hollow pens to be placed on the conference-table in front of each candidate. At the push of a button, all the pens would wwexplode and release their poison.
HON G KONG, LUXURY HOTEL CONFERENCE CENTRE:
The camera lingers on the interior of a luxurious hotel lobby, then moves to a closed area where delegates are passing through a security check to get inside a conference hall. Glower is already inside. The room fills slowly and the tension rises. A few minutes after the start of the proceedings, while the chairman of the committee is speaking, four masked men storm into the room; one of them announces that the honourable delegates are now guests of the Hong Kong People’s Army—that the hall is rigged with bombs, and should anyone move from their seats they would all die. An assault commando storms into the hall. Bond is among them. A confused struggle ensues. The leader of the terrorists tries to detonate the pens but nothing happens (later Bond will explain to Marianne that he had replaced the nerve-gas containers with empty ones). The terrorists are forced to surrender, but as they are being rounded up Bond sees, reflected on the window pane, the glint of the telescopic lens of a sniper-rifle, pointed at Glower. Before he can react, the glass shatters and Glower falls to the ground, dead.
Bond rushes out of the hall (possibly through the shattered window) and makes his way to the high-rise on the other side of the street, from where the shot was fired. The fire alarm has been set off and people are streaming out in a panic. Bond hears a few shots coming from upstairs and as he climbs up he is surprised to run into Marianne (who has meanwhile cornered the sniper on one of the higher storeys). While they shoot their way up the staircase Marianne explains she had been tailing Glower for a few days and had realized he was being set up. Then she asks Bond what happened in the conference hall and this is where we learn he had replaced the pens containing the nerve-gas with regular ink cartridges. The scene ends with a shoot-out in which Marianne is wounded in the arm. Bond follows the sniper to the roof and finds it is Wing Pai. On the roof, with nowhere to go and out of ammunition, Wing Pai refuses to surrender to Bond and lets himself fall backward to his death.
SEYCHELLES, HOTEL ROOM AND LOBBY
Bond and Tessa are enjoying their vacation at a luxurious seaside hotel. They camera finds them kissing on the bed. Bond steals a glance at his watch and then whispers something about going down for a late night swim. Tessa is reluctant. They exchange sweet nothings and leave the room. Once in the lobby, Bond looks at his watch again, then tells Tessa to wait for him there. He turns back and walks to the elevator. As the sliding doors open, we recognize Tsei dressed in a suit and sporting thick sunglasses. Bond quickly steps in the elevator, body-blocks Tsei and pushes him back into the cabin, muttering something like “I think this belongs to you.” In a split second, he presses the “G” button and steps out again as the doors close behind him. Inside the cabin we see Tsei, the air knocked out his lungs, retrieving a pen from the inside pocket of his jacket. Then a low hiss, suggesting the release of nerve gas, is followed by the image of Tsei collapsing to the floor. Back in the lobby Bond is reached by Tessa who asks “what happened?” Bond replies: “he’s going down”; then the two make their way to the beach.
END CREDITS roll on a distant aerial shot of Bond and Tessa hugging in the water, probably skinny-dipping.
- The PTS, which borrows from the original "FAVTAK" short story, was action-packed and a fun way to introduce Dalton's Bond.
- The cast--using Chow Yun Fat and Michael Gough especially. Batman's Alfred in a Bond film!
- Replacing Tibbett with a younger, female counterpart to Bond would really alter the dynamic of the film. I loved Tibett/Patrick Macnee, but I don't think he'd work as a counterpart to Dalton's Bond.
- The pen plot device at the end.
Fantastic work! :007)
Yes or at least have a consistent demeanor. He started off as such a cool guy then he became everything from a laid back old man to a fat, beat cop.
From Russia With Love: Exactly the same!
Thunderball: I'd put it ahead of Goldfinger and connect the two films through the bombs, having Bond recover only one of the two stolen by Largo. Also, Domino would DIE she annoyed me so much!
Goldfinger: Auric Goldfinger would become a SPECTRE agent, succeeding Emilio Largo as Blofeld's Number Two, and his bomb would be the one not recovered by 007 in Thunderball. Different ending with 007 killing Goldfinger BEFORE disarming the bomb.
You Only Live Twice: Exactly the same, this film was awesome and needs no changes!
On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Same plot, only keeping Connery as Bond and Pleasance as Blofeld. Also Tracy survives.
Diamonds Are Forever: Diamond mission is a ruse by Blofeld to lure 007 into a trap and kill him, Tracy is revealed to be a SPECTRE agent. Blofeld finally killed by 007. Last film for Connery and Pleasance.
Live and Let Die: Very few changes, except Q is added to the film and Harrison Ford is intoduced as Leiter to Moore's 007.
The Man With the Golden Gun: No Changes except for Mary Goodnight is put into her role from the books as Bond's assistant.
The Spy Who Loved Me: Stromberg replaced by Hugo Drax, plot from Moonraker book used. Mary Goodnight returns.
For Your Eyes Only: Few changes, except for Mary Goodnight killed trying to help Bond find The Dove. Last film for Moore.
Moonraker: Patrick Stewart as 007, Ford replaced by James Brolin as Leiter. Completely new plot involving an orbital weapons platform taken over by terrorists. Agent XXX returns to team with Bond again as does Kissy Suzuki (You Only Live Twice).
Octopussy: No changes. Last film for Stewart as 007.
A View to a Kill: Timothy Dalton as Bond, Grace Jones replaced by Sade as May Day, Tanya Roberts replaced by Jamie Lee Curtis as Stacey Sutton. Same plot, with Zorin surviving the film.
Smient Spionem: A rogue KGB faction, secretly led by Zorin, who is believed dead, begins killing major world intelligence leaders. Original M and General Goegel killed before all of the faction save for Zorin is wiped out by 007 when they attack NORAD.
The Living Daylights: No changes except for Whitaker replaced by Max Zorin. Zorin killed by 007, ending the Zorin trilogy. Larry Manetti (Rick from Magnum, PI) as Felix Leiter. Sir Anthony Hopkins as the new M.
License to Kill: No changes, last film for Dalton, Manetti, and also the Leiter character.
Goldeneye: No changes. Brosnan's first film as Bond.
Tomorrow Never Dies: Jack Wade returns, Bond retires at end to marry Wai Lin, who defects to England. John Cleese introduced as R.
Never Say Never Again: Bond pulled out of retirement when Wade and Wai Lin are murdered by the Chinese, Zao introduced. John Cleese becomes Q.
Die Another Day: Same plot, just put ahead of "The World is Not Enough." Last film for Brosnan.
The World is Not Enough: HUGE CHANGES NEEDED! Daniel Craig as Bond, Jinx returns, Denise Richards replaced as Christmas Jones by Catherine Zeta Jones, plot made to make more sense.
Casino Royale: Made a part of the regular continuity instead of a reboot. Judy Dench becomes M. Jinx replaces Felix Leiter in the plot. Q added to film.
Quantum of Solace: No changes except for a better song, possibly something else by Chris Cornell. Also Q added to film.
Plus, I would have George Lazenby, Telly Savalas and Peter Hunt stay on in their respective roles for DAF as they probably would've had a better idea on how to follow the film up from the events of the previous film.
Bringing him back might be the worst mistake of the series
Dalton's first film is AVTAK in which Zorin becomes the new Blofeld and survives until the end of TLD. Alec Trevelyan also appears briefly in these two films as a work colleague and friend of Bond's, although they don't work on the same mission. LTK with flashbacks of Tracy, perhaps played by a different actress. And we see Bond rejoin MI6 at the end. In GE(still Dalton) we see a flashback of Bond and Trevelyan as old friends before Alec dies and Bond briefly mourns him before getting on with the job. Janus are suspected of causing Alec's death and Bond is motivated partly by revenge only to get a shock at Trevelyan being the villain. we see another flashback of Trevelyan not quite fitting in at MI6 Bond's fight with him is the end of an era. The tank chase is even more destructive.
Next the new young energetic Bond is played by Christian Bale up to the present day and DAD is just a bad dream.
Connery does the Bond films of the 60's
Sir Roger does the films of the 70's
Tim Dalton does the 80's Bond films
Brosnan does the films during the 90's
and Craig does the 2000's films
James Bond- Licence To Kill
Dr No (1962) - No Q or reference to Bond's Beretta
From Russia With Love (1963) - Same.
Goldfinger (1964) - Directed by Terence Young.
Thunderball (1965) - Trimmed down.
Connery announces that the next Bond film will be his last so an extra year is spent making the film 'extra special'.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1967) - Directed by Terence Young. No refrence to previous Bond films
After the enormous success of OHMSS the Bond producers cannot find anybody good enough to fill Connery's shoes so they leave the Bond series to rest for a few years.
Roger Moore
Moore is finally free from TV contracts and so producer Albert R Broccoli decides to cast him as the all-new James Bond in LALD.
Live and Let Die (1973) - Kananga gets proper send-off
(Eaten by sharks), Bond watch isn't magnetic
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) - Bigger climax.
Due to more legal battles which Kevin McClory there is a 3-year gap between TMWTGG & TSWLM.
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) - Same
Moonraker (1979) - Jaws doesn't return & Bond doesn't go to space
For Your Eyes Only (1981) - Cut out Blofeld in the pre-creds & replace with boat blowing up, M's funeral also features, Bond is asked to take over as head but declines. Cut out ending with Margaret Thatcher.
Moore leaves with Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell to persue other roles.
Timothy Dalton
Octopussy (1983) - Edward Fox as M & Caroline Bliss as Moneypenny. Trimmed down, less camp.
From A View To A Kill (1985) - Different plot. No California Girls music in pre-creds. Better titles. Bond doesn't sleep with MayDay. Bigger climax. To hell with it, change the whole bloody film :*D
The Living Daylights (1987) - No cello-chase.
Licence Revoked (1989) - Different pre-creds. Less Q. No Moneypenny.
The Bond series is put to rest on a high with LR which sees Bond leave MI6 for good.
Daniel Craig
After winning the rights to make CR in the early 00's, Albert R Brocooli's step-son, Michael G Wilson decides to make it as the first of a brand-new, rebooted Bond series.
Casino Royale (2007) - New M. Trimmed down.
The Property of a Lady (2008) - Same as QOS.
Risico (2010) - Wraps up the loose ends of CR & TPOAL. Reintroduces Moneypenny and Q.
Colonel Sun (2012) - Based on novel.