20th Century Bond vs. 21st Century Bond

chrisisall · October 2013

Can we contrast differences, similarities, likes & dislikes between the 'older' Bond and the 'newer' Bond in movies and books?

For instance, do you like Bond incommunicado on the train with Tatiana in FRWL, or on his tricked-out cell phone in Carte Blanche?

The light humour of Moore or the seriousness of Craig?

The Cold War struggle or the New World Order complexities?

John Barry music, or music... that he didn't do... 8-)

...that sort of thing. :007)

ZorinIndustries · October 2013

It's way too early in the 21st century for me to form an opinion of it, but I would say 20th century. I feel like the Cold War era especially fit 007 and it provided a lot of terrific plots involving European countries. One of the better ones was YOLT in my opinion, next to OP with Orlov's plan. It seemed to have fit the time well. I don't know for sure since I wasn't born yet.

chrisisall · October 2013

ZorinIndustries wrote:

I don't know for sure since I wasn't born yet.

So young...

)

To me, Her Majesty's loyal terrier, defender of the so-called faith (best line P&W ever wrote IMO) is a bit lost in present day. Bond today MUST be less conflicted to be a 'hero'. A bit more PC. Less a problem eliminator and more a problem solver.
Sure, they can do angst (it's in vogue now), but real inner conflict?
Off the bridge, sleep with the island girl, scoff at the scorpion, back to work. Just a little too easy. Same as beaten for months, shave & a haircut fixes it. But then, same writers...

IMO, without the background provided by Fleming, Bond becomes more generic, less the hero/anti-hero he was designed as.

But then, maybe that's what Faulks & Boyd are for... ?:)

ZorinIndustries · October 2013

Hey I was born in '94! Easy now!

chrisisall · October 2013

ZorinIndustries wrote:

Hey I was born in '94! Easy now!

Ha ha, okay.

)
Have you read any early Fleming books?

ZorinIndustries · October 2013

chrisisall wrote:

ZorinIndustries wrote:

Hey I was born in '94! Easy now!

Ha ha, okay. )
Have you read any early Fleming books?

I've started up Casino Royale! I intend to read through em all. CR is pretty good so far! I just don't know how to picture Bond in my head!

chrisisall · October 2013

ZorinIndustries wrote:

I've started up Casino Royale! I intend to read through em all. CR is pretty good so far! I just don't know how to picture Bond in my head!

They are a great picture of the time they were written, given Fleming's personality & quirks. And literary Bond should always be mentally pictured as Timothy Dalton.

screename · October 2013

I agree. In CR and LALD I distinctly pictured either Dalton or Craig, but as the books go on and Bond gets softer, it starts moving towards Connery more and more.

chrisisall · October 2013

screename wrote:

I agree. In CR and LALD I distinctly pictured either Dalton or Craig, but as the books go on and Bond gets softer, it starts moving towards Connery more and more.

I've never really pictured Connery for more than the first few novels. And before re-discovering Dalton's movies I pictured Lazenby for the rest.
These days, it's more or less strictly Tim.

20th Century Bond vs. 21st Century Bond

Comments