He started in a professiona stunt team when he was 12, learning to swordfight with both hands, ride and do stunts. In his late teens Standen was a former international Muay Thai Boxer and later Fencing gold medalist. He hasan advanced gold certificate in sword fighting from the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat.
He was trained as an actor at LAMDA and stars in TV series such as Robin Hood, Camelot and Vikings.
I'm not sure about Standen as a movie star, but when it comes to looks and stunts he must quallify.
Haven't actually seen him in anything but just judging from stills and photos another 5 or 6 years of maturity would serve him well for Bond....even at 31 he looks a little too baby faced. I try to keep an open mind these days when it comes to future Bonds.
superadoRegent's Park West (CaliforniaPosts: 2,656MI6 Agent
"If you dislike Daniel Craig, as James Bond, tell me something.... "
What’s the point of your post, anyway, as if you're calling people out?
Did you see them try to make Roger Moore look like Sean Connery in Man With The Golden Gun? It was when Roger was manhandling Maud Adams. And they tried to make Pierce Brosnan look like Timothy Dalton, with this particular exchange in GoldenEye: "Well, don't just stand there, get us out of here!" followed by a, "Yes sir." in fact they had the 'Yes sir," line in there twice.
The point is; nobody else can be Sean Connery, nobody else can be Timothy Dalton, nobody else can be Roger Moore, and nobody else can be Daniel Craig. Everybody has brought something new to the role of James Bond except for Pierce Brosnan because his films never allowed him the opportunity to do that.
Even if Ray Stevenson or Jason Statham were doing what Daniel Craig was doing, people wouldn't say that Stevenson or Statham were imitating Craig, they would say that Stevenson or Statham were being Stevenson or Statham.
Actually, before this recent post of yours, it was already me in my first response to this thread who pointed out that each Bond film was tailor made for whichever actor played Bond, but with this reboot such a drastic and radical direction was taken so much so that Bond became a thug and DC perfectly fit the part. So extreme was this direction, what I also said that none of the past Bonds, nor any other contender fitting the "traditional" suave movie Bond mold including Connery would have been remotely suitable.
My contention with your premise particularly how you articulated the ifs and whos of your proposition, is that it simply was a loaded question. Therefore, the nature and direction of the past 3 movies shouldn't be included in the equation if you want a truly fair and rational response. A question you should rather be asking must be more fundamental like, "If you dislike DC, as James Bond, tell me...why not?" ...without adding qualifiers like "who else has bigger pectoral muscles than his leading lady," or "who else can run after a car faster than a crazy dog...and actually catch it?" 8-)
I like DC as Bond or more rather, this experimental iteration of "James Bond" perhaps with hints of the infamous "code theory" ) The reboot afforded us with a clean and guilt-free break from the Bond saga's continuity like an alternate timeline that branched off, allowing us to see exciting and interesting things that would be alien to James Bond; therefore, I'm conceptually conditioned to accept what ever new character twist that might come along, such as Bond's choice of dress at home looking something out of Joe Strummer's closet, or his confirmed bisexuality, or Moneypenny revealing herself as the revenge-bent daughter of LeChiffre.
With that said, it's my turn to ask your thoughts on the most often online declaration of love over DC's Bond, "DC is the best cinematic Bond of all time and is the closest ever to Fleming's concept of Bond... " Do you agree or disagree, and why?
"...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
"If you dislike Daniel Craig, as James Bond, tell me something.... "
What’s the point of your post, anyway, as if you're calling people out?
Did you see them try to make Roger Moore look like Sean Connery in Man With The Golden Gun? It was when Roger was manhandling Maud Adams. And they tried to make Pierce Brosnan look like Timothy Dalton, with this particular exchange in GoldenEye: "Well, don't just stand there, get us out of here!" followed by a, "Yes sir." in fact they had the 'Yes sir," line in there twice.
The point is; nobody else can be Sean Connery, nobody else can be Timothy Dalton, nobody else can be Roger Moore, and nobody else can be Daniel Craig. Everybody has brought something new to the role of James Bond except for Pierce Brosnan because his films never allowed him the opportunity to do that.
Even if Ray Stevenson or Jason Statham were doing what Daniel Craig was doing, people wouldn't say that Stevenson or Statham were imitating Craig, they would say that Stevenson or Statham were being Stevenson or Statham.
Actually, before this recent post of yours, it was already me in my first response to this thread who pointed out that each Bond film was tailor made for whichever actor played Bond, but with this reboot such a drastic and radical direction was taken so much so that Bond became a thug and DC perfectly fit the part. So extreme was this direction, what I also said that none of the past Bonds, nor any other contender fitting the "traditional" suave movie Bond mold including Connery would have been remotely suitable.
My contention with your premise particularly how you articulated the ifs and whos of your proposition, is that it simply was a loaded question. Therefore, the nature and direction of the past 3 movies shouldn't be included in the equation if you want a truly fair and rational response. A question you should rather be asking must be more fundamental like, "If you dislike DC, as James Bond, tell me...why not?" ...without adding qualifiers like "who else has bigger pectoral muscles than his leading lady," or "who else can run after a car faster than a crazy dog...and actually catch it?" 8-)
I like DC as Bond or more rather, this experimental iteration of "James Bond" perhaps with hints of the infamous "code theory" ) The reboot afforded us with a clean and guilt-free break from the Bond saga's continuity like an alternate timeline that branched off, allowing us to see exciting and interesting things that would be alien to James Bond; therefore, I'm conceptually conditioned to accept what ever new character twist that might come along, such as Bond's choice of dress at home looking something out of Joe Strummer's closet, or his confirmed bisexuality, or Moneypenny revealing herself as the revenge-bent daughter of LeChiffre.
With that said, it's my turn to ask your thoughts on the most often online declaration of love over DC's Bond, "DC is the best cinematic Bond of all time and is the closest ever to Fleming's concept of Bond... " Do you agree or disagree, and why?
Just off the top of my head, unless a Bond film was done as a period piece, it would be almost impossible to capture Fleming's Bond.
Just off the top of my head, unless a Bond film was done as a period piece, it would be almost impossible to capture Fleming's Bond.
I somewhat agree in the strictest sense since Fleming's Bond was truly a product of his time, but I think that if the changes since then were factored into today's context, it is still possible to see a fair approximation. IMO, Dalton came close but he fell short of conveying the bearing and privilege from Bond's class and although he didn't really seem to assert being those things, I feel that some of those traits still showed in the novels. With that said, I don't necessarily think that DC's "attitude" and comptemptuous demeanor automatically becomes...voilà! ...Fleming's Bond. However, DC's Bond is merely a reflection of the trendy irreverent "attitude" of today and many fans mistakenly make that leap that he's Fleming's Bond. Internally, literary Bond didn't suffer fools lightly but rather it seemed that he internalized this comptempt and wasn't really as outwardly petulant. Observe also how Fleming's Bond converses with the "Bond girl" at their first meeting; sure there is sometimes subtile and playful flirtation, but he for the most part is polite and galant as seen in his first encounter with Domino in TB.
"...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
There's no doubt to DC's box office and he richly deserves his payday. His popularity is right up there with Gangnam Style!
"...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
There's no doubt to DC's box office and he richly deserves his payday. His popularity is right up there with Gangnam Style!
Yes he is 'proper Gangsta'
) yeah, gangsta in a tux! Now I don't feel bad that I've stopped saving up for a tuxedo
"...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
Clive Owen absolutely could have done all this, but was presumably smart enough to realize CR was written for a 20something and that a rookie double0 pushing 40 (and in Craig's case, looking older than that to start with, to say nothing of his 'lost an acid fight' face) was a wrong call. Owen's physical, and can probably vary the 'class' aspect, but looks like he is ready for a punch-up without starting off looking like he has lost (which, I must point out, is the case for CR and SF, with Bond pretty much failing his prime goals in both films.)
Also, I think Dalton could have probably held his own on this type of action in his day, or at least convincingly acted it.
(forgot I was registered here, haven't posted in nearly a decade.)
"Achievement is it's own reward - pride obscures it."
Major Garland Briggs, in TWIN PEAKS
Clive Owen absolutely could have done all this, but was presumably smart enough to realize CR was written for a 20something and that a rookie double0 pushing 40 (and in Craig's case, looking older than that to start with, to say nothing of his 'lost an acid fight' face) was a wrong call. Owen's physical, and can probably vary the 'class' aspect, but looks like he is ready for a punch-up without starting off looking like he has lost (which, I must point out, is the case for CR and SF, with Bond pretty much failing his prime goals in both films.)
Also, I think Dalton could have probably held his own on this type of action in his day, or at least convincingly acted it.
(forgot I was registered here, haven't posted in nearly a decade.)
Welcome back. I'm pretty sure there is a story with Owen that we are not being told. He denies having any conversations with EON but the rumour mill believes that he wanted points on the movie and that's a big no-no with the legendary tight as a Gnats -chuff EON. However their gamble paid off, they got Craig real cheap, and his popularity is undeniable. He'll never be my Bond (Dalton has the right mix of Gentlemen thug for my tastes) For me Craig lacks class, and looks like a nightclub Bouncer, but despite this he has surprised me with how good he can be.
That said Owen goes down as one the Bonds who never was.
It took me a while to realize it, but now that I've done a little research I believe that if Vinnie Jones had been James Bond in Casino Royale and if Casino Royale had come out in 2007 instead of 2006, we would have heard and seen an inverted line of dialogue from X-Men: The Last Stand.
Instead of, "Don't you know who I am?!?!?! I'M THE JUGGERNAUT BITCH!!!" I believe we would've gotten, "Don't you know who I am?!?!?! I'M JAMES BOND BITCH!!!"
"Goodbye, my son. Our hopes and dreams travel with you." Jor-El ~ Man of Steel (2013)
Again referring to the opening sequence of CR, practically a foretaste of what to expect with DC's Bond, zeroing in on those indelibly lingering seconds of Bond's grimmacing face as he tries to violently drown some guy...who comes closer to mind, Sean Connery ( Lazenby, Moore, etc.) or Vinnie Jones?
I see your point here, but I thought Connery’s strangling of Grant in FRWL was similar. In such a situation, I don’t think any one would be smiling.
However, DC's Bond is merely a reflection of the trendy irreverent "attitude" of today and many fans mistakenly make that leap that he's Fleming's Bond. Internally, literary Bond didn't suffer fools lightly but rather it seemed that he internalized this comptempt and wasn't really as outwardly petulant.
I agree, totally.
Also, I wouldn’t go as far as to say Craig is thuggish as Bond but he’s certainly no “gentleman”. Connery, had a rough edge, too, but he managed to suppress it in the scenes that didn’t involve fighting. In the casino scenes in Dr No, for example, he is the epitome of elegant nonchalance, yet not as effete as the other men in the casino, who come across as typical British stiff-upper-lip types of that era—as, indeed, do most of the staff at MI7 (standing in for MI6, in the film).
Whilst I think Craig is a very good actor generally, it would be a pity if his portrayal of Bond is seen as the series’ best, which seems to be the case according to the press, who never have any misgivings about his suitability for the part.
To answer the original question, there's no actor that I know of who would have brought the proper combination of qualities that Daniel Craig brought to the role, and I still think that if they'd dyed his hair and brows darker, he would have been much more easily accepted as James Bond. I was watching Saturday Night Live this weekend, and Craig was made up very differently in some scenes, including one where he wore a gray "crew cut" wig, and his appearance can be significantly different. While blond is his natural color, the decision to go with it for Bond seemed more a gimmick to seem "fresh" than anything else.
I was a big supporter of Clive Owen to replace PB as the next Bond (I barely knew who Daniel Craig even was before he was cast as Bond). What sold me on Owen was seeing him in the film "Croupier" in the theater. At that age, he had that lean, hungry, but classy look in a tux that reminded me of Connery in DN. The Owen of that time would have been fine for the CR reboot. However, by the time EON decided to replace Brosnan IMO Owen had aged to where he would have been fine as a mature Bond, but not convincing as a brand new "00". Ironically, as I recall there were alot of folks who post on AJB who were not very keen on the possible casting of Owen as Bond when PB was "retired" and for many of the same reasons as DC (height and hair color not withstanding). Owen was considered by many as "not handsome and too thuggish looking" more of a cockney gangster type who could not be charming or classy enough for Bond.
Owen looks a bit like George Lazenby in some recent photos of Owen. He would still make a good Bond, despite his age. Craig looks much older than 44, so Owen might still have a chance.
Owen looks a bit like George Lazenby in some recent photos of Owen. He would still make a good Bond, despite his age. Craig looks much older than 44, so Owen might still have a chance.
I just don't get the Craig looking so old stuff. I know he does look pretty funky at times in photos, but in the Bond films he looks fine, albeit a little craggy.
I like Clive Owen, but I do think in comparison to actors who have played Bond, he does have a bit more of a thuggish boom than a sharp bite. He would have made for a very different Bond, in my opinion.
I just don't get the Craig looking so old stuff. I know he does look pretty funky at times in photos, but in the Bond films he looks fine, albeit a little craggy.
He looked old in SF, I thought. Not ancient--just older than he is. He reminded me in some scenes and from some angles of a younger Sid James from the Carry On films, especially when he smiles. At other times he looked like Jon Pertwee's son, Sean Pertwee.
I like Clive Owen, but I do think in comparison to actors who have played Bond, he does have a bit more of a thuggish boom than a sharp bite. He would have made for a very different Bond, in my opinion.
He does look thuggish in some photos in other not. Any Bond director could film him in such a way as to minimise the thuggish look. Connery, in his pre-bond films, also looked thuggish. Maybe that’s why Fleming had initial reservations bout him playing Bond.
Could you see, ANY OTHER ACTOR doing what Daniel Craig did in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and Skyfall? Now, I'm NOT talking about the stupid, petty, romantic, subplot thing that you people seem to crave, to have done properly...Because I don't care about that. None of the James Bond films have the witty repartee that movies like Charade (1963) To Catch A Thief (1955) and North By Northwest (1959) had--Or maybe they used to have it, but now it's long gone.
No, what I'm talking about is; can you see any other actor doing the kinds of stunts and action scenes that Daniel Craig, did? I don't know about you but maybe I could see Jason Statham or Ray Stevenson, doing the Daniel Craig stunts and the Daniel Craig action set pieces but I couldn't see anybody else doing it. And I especially couldn't see an actor SIMILAR to Pierce Brosnan, (in acting style and appearance) doing those kinds of stunts and those kinds of action set pierces either.
Daniel Craig is not the issue, Mike and Babs are.
"And if I told you that I'm from the Ministry of Defence?" James Bond - The Property of a Lady
It would be interesting to know which of the two has the more power in influencing the direction the Bond films go in. I have a feeling it’s Mike. I don’t know why, just a hunch. I think Babs would probably want to be more loyal to her father’s vision of the series—again just a hunch.
It would be interesting to know which of the two has the more power in influencing the direction the Bond films go in. I have a feeling it’s Mike. I don’t know why, just a hunch. I think Babs would probably want to be more loyal to her father’s vision of the series—again just a hunch.
In the documentary "Everything or Nothing" Mike G Wilson said that Bond had to adapt to the times or get left behind. Adapt yes, but not copy Bourne or Batman.
"And if I told you that I'm from the Ministry of Defence?" James Bond - The Property of a Lady
This is my opinion. "Skyfall" is a very good Bond film....for any era. Daniel Craig is a fine actor and an excellent "cinematic" Bond.
EON (Michael Wilson/Barbara Broccoli) may not be the innovative visionaries that that Cubby and Harry Saltzman were but they are far from stupid and had the wherewithal to understand what it would take to propel Bond into the present and beyond. Despite what one's personal tastes and preferences may be (and of course that's what counts) they have probably far exceeded even their own expectations with CR and Skyfall (QOS may have been a bit of a misfire, but still a financial success).
More importantly, EON (at least privately) saw the writing on the wall once again with QOS and did not repeat the same mistakes with Skyfall and it certainly has paid off handsomely.
Comments
Haven't actually seen him in anything but just judging from stills and photos another 5 or 6 years of maturity would serve him well for Bond....even at 31 he looks a little too baby faced. I try to keep an open mind these days when it comes to future Bonds.
Actually, before this recent post of yours, it was already me in my first response to this thread who pointed out that each Bond film was tailor made for whichever actor played Bond, but with this reboot such a drastic and radical direction was taken so much so that Bond became a thug and DC perfectly fit the part. So extreme was this direction, what I also said that none of the past Bonds, nor any other contender fitting the "traditional" suave movie Bond mold including Connery would have been remotely suitable.
My contention with your premise particularly how you articulated the ifs and whos of your proposition, is that it simply was a loaded question. Therefore, the nature and direction of the past 3 movies shouldn't be included in the equation if you want a truly fair and rational response. A question you should rather be asking must be more fundamental like, "If you dislike DC, as James Bond, tell me...why not?" ...without adding qualifiers like "who else has bigger pectoral muscles than his leading lady," or "who else can run after a car faster than a crazy dog...and actually catch it?" 8-)
I like DC as Bond or more rather, this experimental iteration of "James Bond" perhaps with hints of the infamous "code theory"
With that said, it's my turn to ask your thoughts on the most often online declaration of love over DC's Bond, "DC is the best cinematic Bond of all time and is the closest ever to Fleming's concept of Bond... " Do you agree or disagree, and why?
Just off the top of my head, unless a Bond film was done as a period piece, it would be almost impossible to capture Fleming's Bond.
I somewhat agree in the strictest sense since Fleming's Bond was truly a product of his time, but I think that if the changes since then were factored into today's context, it is still possible to see a fair approximation. IMO, Dalton came close but he fell short of conveying the bearing and privilege from Bond's class and although he didn't really seem to assert being those things, I feel that some of those traits still showed in the novels. With that said, I don't necessarily think that DC's "attitude" and comptemptuous demeanor automatically becomes...voilà! ...Fleming's Bond. However, DC's Bond is merely a reflection of the trendy irreverent "attitude" of today and many fans mistakenly make that leap that he's Fleming's Bond. Internally, literary Bond didn't suffer fools lightly but rather it seemed that he internalized this comptempt and wasn't really as outwardly petulant. Observe also how Fleming's Bond converses with the "Bond girl" at their first meeting; sure there is sometimes subtile and playful flirtation, but he for the most part is polite and galant as seen in his first encounter with Domino in TB.
Obviously someone likes him
There's no doubt to DC's box office and he richly deserves his payday. His popularity is right up there with Gangnam Style!
Yes he is 'proper Gangsta'
Also, I think Dalton could have probably held his own on this type of action in his day, or at least convincingly acted it.
(forgot I was registered here, haven't posted in nearly a decade.)
Major Garland Briggs, in TWIN PEAKS
Welcome back. I'm pretty sure there is a story with Owen that we are not being told. He denies having any conversations with EON but the rumour mill believes that he wanted points on the movie and that's a big no-no with the legendary tight as a Gnats -chuff EON. However their gamble paid off, they got Craig real cheap, and his popularity is undeniable. He'll never be my Bond (Dalton has the right mix of Gentlemen thug for my tastes) For me Craig lacks class, and looks like a nightclub Bouncer, but despite this he has surprised me with how good he can be.
That said Owen goes down as one the Bonds who never was.
It took me a while to realize it, but now that I've done a little research I believe that if Vinnie Jones had been James Bond in Casino Royale and if Casino Royale had come out in 2007 instead of 2006, we would have heard and seen an inverted line of dialogue from X-Men: The Last Stand.
Instead of, "Don't you know who I am?!?!?! I'M THE JUGGERNAUT BITCH!!!" I believe we would've gotten, "Don't you know who I am?!?!?! I'M JAMES BOND BITCH!!!"
I see your point here, but I thought Connery’s strangling of Grant in FRWL was similar. In such a situation, I don’t think any one would be smiling.
I agree, totally.
Also, I wouldn’t go as far as to say Craig is thuggish as Bond but he’s certainly no “gentleman”. Connery, had a rough edge, too, but he managed to suppress it in the scenes that didn’t involve fighting. In the casino scenes in Dr No, for example, he is the epitome of elegant nonchalance, yet not as effete as the other men in the casino, who come across as typical British stiff-upper-lip types of that era—as, indeed, do most of the staff at MI7 (standing in for MI6, in the film).
Whilst I think Craig is a very good actor generally, it would be a pity if his portrayal of Bond is seen as the series’ best, which seems to be the case according to the press, who never have any misgivings about his suitability for the part.
I just don't get the Craig looking so old stuff. I know he does look pretty funky at times in photos, but in the Bond films he looks fine, albeit a little craggy.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=clive+owen&start=195&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&tbo=d&biw=653&bih=629&tbm=isch&tbnid=SsJakFF-rYrtpM:&imgrefurl=http://www.poptower.com/clive-owen-picture-66271.htm&docid=TGVPXdGJEznAiM&imgurl=http://img.poptower.com/pic-66271/clive-owen.jpg%253Fd%253D1024&w=730&h=1024&ei=6Z6-UKf-HMSuyQH5i4GAAg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=366&sig=102345558141233063667&page=9&tbnh=145&tbnw=104&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:34,s:180,i:106&tx=30&ty=50
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=nicolas+cage&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&tbo=d&biw=653&bih=629&tbm=isch&tbnid=bw_lniqSusEbwM:&imgrefurl=http://moviemusicnews.com/celebrity/index.php/Nicolas_Cage&docid=XMbZLvClIUZVCM&imgurl=http://moviemusicnews.com/celebrity/images/8/81/Nicolas_Cage.jpg&w=300&h=375&ei=FJ--UL2PBKi3ywGZuYGIDg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=383&sig=102345558141233063667&page=4&tbnh=142&tbnw=113&start=65&ndsp=23&ved=1t:429,r:73,s:0,i:388&tx=50&ty=54
I disagree. Clive Owen is way more handsome than Nicholas Cage, even when Cage was at his prime. Cage is the king of bad hair and rare successes.
He looked old in SF, I thought. Not ancient--just older than he is. He reminded me in some scenes and from some angles of a younger Sid James from the Carry On films, especially when he smiles. At other times he looked like Jon Pertwee's son, Sean Pertwee.
He does look thuggish in some photos in other not. Any Bond director could film him in such a way as to minimise the thuggish look. Connery, in his pre-bond films, also looked thuggish. Maybe that’s why Fleming had initial reservations bout him playing Bond.
Daniel Craig is not the issue, Mike and Babs are.
Too true.
It would be interesting to know which of the two has the more power in influencing the direction the Bond films go in. I have a feeling it’s Mike. I don’t know why, just a hunch. I think Babs would probably want to be more loyal to her father’s vision of the series—again just a hunch.
In the documentary "Everything or Nothing" Mike G Wilson said that Bond had to adapt to the times or get left behind. Adapt yes, but not copy Bourne or Batman.
EON (Michael Wilson/Barbara Broccoli) may not be the innovative visionaries that that Cubby and Harry Saltzman were but they are far from stupid and had the wherewithal to understand what it would take to propel Bond into the present and beyond. Despite what one's personal tastes and preferences may be (and of course that's what counts) they have probably far exceeded even their own expectations with CR and Skyfall (QOS may have been a bit of a misfire, but still a financial success).
More importantly, EON (at least privately) saw the writing on the wall once again with QOS and did not repeat the same mistakes with Skyfall and it certainly has paid off handsomely.