Thanks for hosting Higgins. It was good fun, as always :-)
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
Thunderbird 2East of Cardiff, Wales.Posts: 2,816MI6 Agent
edited June 2020
TWINE....
Some Bond films are good, some like CR-06 are brilliant and some are QoS.
TWINE is one of the second category. It is not perfect, no film is, but it has a lot of
balls to juggle at once and for the most part does so with panache.
Brosnan settled into the role in TND, so here there are no awkward moments, no uncertainties in his scenes. Not that there were in GEYE, he’s a pro. Here he is given a leading lady who can carry a film and the plot and Marceau excels. Electra goes from mourning daughter, shell shocked victim, corporate giant, outraged lover and cruel world changing Bond Bitch and does an amazing job of keeping this evolution consistent from start to finish.
Of course the fact M has history with the King family drags her and the other office staff into the story too. Dame Judi practically dances through all her scenes, giving us more backstory and colour to Mawdsley then we ever got fit the Admiral in the earlier films. Here less is more, unlike the woefully turgid use of Mansfield M in the storyline of SF, and to a lesser degree SP. This is an M whose authority and failings, are understandable.
It’s interesting that Kitchen and Salmon get a dialogue split as Tanner and Robertson, and it works. A sharp contrast to the slightly muddled use of Rory Kinnear’s version of Tanner.
There are problems. For all the backstory and exposition that puts Renard in the Oddjob and Jaws category, nothing practical comes of it, and the character seems lacking as a result. However Renard’s lacking is Electra’s benefit, so I am not complaining. Equally, Robbie Coltrane and Goldie make memorable appearances, but Gabor, Davidoff and Arkov are blink and miss characters, given a few lines as plot points then forgotten. Well, shot out really.
As noted I don’t have an issue with Denise Richards. The character is a sciencey Lara Croft (Games Consoles werE kicking off at this point) and she does a decent job of a plot prop character. She also ha S a couple of witty observations that bring a smile.
The action sequences with one exception, are not as taught or tense as they could be, but compared to the “It’s an action sequence?” Mistakes of QoS I’m grateful for that. I like to clearly see what is going on, and here it’s worth it.
The Thames boat chase is EXCEPTIONAL and in my book one of, if not THE best vehicle action sequence in the Bond films. I was living in London for a while and helped friends move their narrow boat from Canary Wharf up the Thames the following year, by tracking the boat on a mountain bike. The music from these scenes was rattling brought my mind at the time. The Q boat itself, is right up there with Little Nellie and The Boatus as a classic Q vehicle. The use of miniatures for the SIS Building and the balloon bicely book ends the scenes too. And all before the title song!
TWINE is my joint fav Bond soundtrack, tied with CR-06. The emotive and dramatic themes are romantic and tense in all the right places and the action ques are wonderful, pumped with energy and vigour. Great to use when cycling, doing the weights or running. John Barry was the original, but to Me David Arnold GETS Bond as a character and a film format. The more recent films have suffered badly without him, and then some.
Like all the Bond films TWINE is a film of its time and it’s a cracking good example of what can be done. To me, it IS Brosnan’s best Bond, and overall second only to CR-06. Not easy when Sir Sean AND Sir Roger are the bulk of the library!
Sometimes the traditional film methods are the best! It’s something The House Of Eon could pay tighter attention to now.
Final note.... Rest in peace Mr Llewelyn. You were and always will be Q.
Wishaw is playing your screen Grandson. Thank You for entertaining us forevermore.
This is Thunderbird 2, how can I be of assistance?
Well said, Thunderbird 2. Particularly your final note.
I'm not sure how coherent Elektra's character is as written - she has so many changing facets, for different situations - but Sophie Marceau's performance is brilliant enough to synthesise it all.
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
I've just browsed the watchalong in pure envy. Look likr you've had fun!
A couple of random comments:
The igloo jacket that saves Bond and Elektra is simply a stupid gadget that wouldn't work. The pressure ofthe packed snow would simply crush the gadget. Actaully the gadget might have worked if the air pressure in front of the avalanche pushes the ball in front of it self. That might work.
Also: If a woman wears a white T-shirt in a movie with long sequences set in water, this says a lot about the mood and quality of the movie.
I've just browsed the watchalong in pure envy. Look likr you've had fun!
A couple of random comments:
The igloo jacket that saves Bond and Elektra is simply a stupid gadget that wouldn't work. The pressure ofthe packed snow would simply crush the gadget. Actaully the gadget might have worked if the air pressure in front of the avalanche pushes the ball in front of it self. That might work.
Also: If a woman wears a white T-shirt in a movie with long sequences set in water, this says a lot about the mood and quality of the movie.
I am sure that the white top was just a coincidence ;%
The avalanche airbag is becoming pretty standard among freeriders now.
It works in a similar fashion but does not give you an inflated enclosed bunker ( that won‘t work).
But it keeps you floating on the very top of the snow and prevents that you are getting digged from snow.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
There are some indications SPECTRE will be next .......
It was commented that Renard wasn't scary enough and his inability to feel pain wasn't used to full effect.I think JBR had a good idea. while Bond and Renard was fighting Renard should've grabbed 007 and pulled him towards a fire while Bond was punching him,. Renard is fully aware that both would be hurt by the fire, but only Bond would feel pain. What do you think?
Comments
Some Bond films are good, some like CR-06 are brilliant and some are QoS.
TWINE is one of the second category. It is not perfect, no film is, but it has a lot of
balls to juggle at once and for the most part does so with panache.
Brosnan settled into the role in TND, so here there are no awkward moments, no uncertainties in his scenes. Not that there were in GEYE, he’s a pro. Here he is given a leading lady who can carry a film and the plot and Marceau excels. Electra goes from mourning daughter, shell shocked victim, corporate giant, outraged lover and cruel world changing Bond Bitch and does an amazing job of keeping this evolution consistent from start to finish.
Of course the fact M has history with the King family drags her and the other office staff into the story too. Dame Judi practically dances through all her scenes, giving us more backstory and colour to Mawdsley then we ever got fit the Admiral in the earlier films. Here less is more, unlike the woefully turgid use of Mansfield M in the storyline of SF, and to a lesser degree SP. This is an M whose authority and failings, are understandable.
It’s interesting that Kitchen and Salmon get a dialogue split as Tanner and Robertson, and it works. A sharp contrast to the slightly muddled use of Rory Kinnear’s version of Tanner.
There are problems. For all the backstory and exposition that puts Renard in the Oddjob and Jaws category, nothing practical comes of it, and the character seems lacking as a result. However Renard’s lacking is Electra’s benefit, so I am not complaining. Equally, Robbie Coltrane and Goldie make memorable appearances, but Gabor, Davidoff and Arkov are blink and miss characters, given a few lines as plot points then forgotten. Well, shot out really.
As noted I don’t have an issue with Denise Richards. The character is a sciencey Lara Croft (Games Consoles werE kicking off at this point) and she does a decent job of a plot prop character. She also ha S a couple of witty observations that bring a smile.
The action sequences with one exception, are not as taught or tense as they could be, but compared to the “It’s an action sequence?” Mistakes of QoS I’m grateful for that. I like to clearly see what is going on, and here it’s worth it.
The Thames boat chase is EXCEPTIONAL and in my book one of, if not THE best vehicle action sequence in the Bond films. I was living in London for a while and helped friends move their narrow boat from Canary Wharf up the Thames the following year, by tracking the boat on a mountain bike. The music from these scenes was rattling brought my mind at the time. The Q boat itself, is right up there with Little Nellie and The Boatus as a classic Q vehicle. The use of miniatures for the SIS Building and the balloon bicely book ends the scenes too. And all before the title song!
TWINE is my joint fav Bond soundtrack, tied with CR-06. The emotive and dramatic themes are romantic and tense in all the right places and the action ques are wonderful, pumped with energy and vigour. Great to use when cycling, doing the weights or running. John Barry was the original, but to Me David Arnold GETS Bond as a character and a film format. The more recent films have suffered badly without him, and then some.
Like all the Bond films TWINE is a film of its time and it’s a cracking good example of what can be done. To me, it IS Brosnan’s best Bond, and overall second only to CR-06. Not easy when Sir Sean AND Sir Roger are the bulk of the library!
Sometimes the traditional film methods are the best! It’s something The House Of Eon could pay tighter attention to now.
Final note.... Rest in peace Mr Llewelyn. You were and always will be Q.
Wishaw is playing your screen Grandson. Thank You for entertaining us forevermore.
I'm not sure how coherent Elektra's character is as written - she has so many changing facets, for different situations - but Sophie Marceau's performance is brilliant enough to synthesise it all.
A couple of random comments:
The igloo jacket that saves Bond and Elektra is simply a stupid gadget that wouldn't work. The pressure ofthe packed snow would simply crush the gadget. Actaully the gadget might have worked if the air pressure in front of the avalanche pushes the ball in front of it self. That might work.
Also: If a woman wears a white T-shirt in a movie with long sequences set in water, this says a lot about the mood and quality of the movie.
I am sure that the white top was just a coincidence ;%
The avalanche airbag is becoming pretty standard among freeriders now.
It works in a similar fashion but does not give you an inflated enclosed bunker ( that won‘t work).
But it keeps you floating on the very top of the snow and prevents that you are getting digged from snow.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
+1.
Yeah I'm surprised we haven't had a female villain since. They need to go back to that I think.
It was commented that Renard wasn't scary enough and his inability to feel pain wasn't used to full effect.I think JBR had a good idea. while Bond and Renard was fighting Renard should've grabbed 007 and pulled him towards a fire while Bond was punching him,. Renard is fully aware that both would be hurt by the fire, but only Bond would feel pain. What do you think?