AJB live commentary on CASINO ROYALE 06

2456716

Comments

  • Shady TreeShady Tree London, UKPosts: 2,965MI6 Agent
    edited June 2020
    My misgivings about CR - which is a very good Bond film - are not to do with its principals' performances but with its lumpen structure: we have two extended action sequences, and a detour via TB territory (Nassau), before getting into the adaptation of 'Casino Royale' proper. The plot is coherent but the structure is odd. Also, I think some of the general audience may have been disoriented by the 'early' death of Le Chiffre, the main villain, since this comes well before the film is over with: faithful to the book, certainly; but not faithful to the established (cosy) formula of Bond films.

    Craig is a mid/mid-to-high ranking Bond, imho, and a skilled actor. MGW and Barbara Broccoli were certainly going out of their way to break the mould but, particularly when watching CR for the first time, I realised how much I missed a Bond with a 'likeable' personality. (Step forward Sir Roger!) On a positive note, I liked CR's instrumental music as a Barry-esque David Arnold score finally unencumbered by the distracting excesses of his 90s electronica stylings.
    Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    One of the Bond series' strengths compared to Mission Impossible is Craig and his co-stars great acting ability. MI can show Tom Cruise's face during spectacular action scenes, but the Bond films can show emotionally complex drama while MI often can feels empty and without strong emotional connestions to the characters doing the stunts.
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,686MI6 Agent
    Shady Tree wrote:
    My misgivings about CR - which is a very good Bond film - are not to do with its principals' performances but with its lumpen structure: we have two extended action sequences, and a detour via TB territory (Nassau), before getting into the adaptation of 'Casino Royale' proper. The plot is coherent but the structure is odd. Also, I think some of the general audience may have been disoriented by the 'early' death of Le Chiffre, the main villain, since this comes well before the film is over with: faithful to the book, certainly; but not faithful to the established (cosy) formula of Bond films.

    I don't think that's a problem because by the audience is genuinely interested in the story being about Bond and his relationship with Vesper- we want to know what happens next with them. Seeing Bond happy with a woman and actually walking around giggling arm-in-arm is a pretty groundbreaking moment- we've never seen him in a real loving relationship before (sure there's Tracy, but by the time he's fallen in love with her we barely see them together).
    The lumpy structure really kicks in when they feel they have to have a big action climax and so we get the sinking building, but I found that really frustrating because I was far less interested in seeing Bond beat up another load of guys than I was to see where his relationship with Vesper was headed: that was the interesting climax, not action. I think that sinking building setpiece is a bit of a loss of confidence from the producers to trust in the film they were making.
    Shady Tree wrote:
    Craig is a mid/mid-to-high ranking Bond, imho, and a skilled actor. MGW and Barbara Broccoli were certainly going out of their way to break the mould but, particularly when watching CR for the first time, I realised how much I missed a Bond with a 'likeable' personality.

    I think he's certainly likeable and we enjoy seeing him do cool things and getting victories. But he's also fallible and we actually see him get it wrong several times, even wincing for him when he takes the wrong path. He's actually human in this and that can't be understated.
    I loved that trailer for this that ended on him crashing the Aston Martin. That's a proper 'you've not seen Bond do this before' moment: a real cliffhanger to see the film. This Bond gets in real trouble.
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    The CR06 score has a LOT of cues- 25 on the OST CD, plus about 15 more from other sources (eg downloads)- compared to its predecessors. If I named them all with a comment or two during the movie it would be tedious ("No!" I hear you cry :p ) and leave me little time for anything else, so this time I'll only mention some of them.
  • JTMJTM Posts: 3,027MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    The CR06 score has a LOT of cues- 25 on the OST CD, plus about 15 more from other sources (eg downloads)- compared to its predecessors. If I named them all with a comment or two during the movie it would be tedious ("No!" I hear you cry :p ) and leave me little time for anything else, so this time I'll only mention some of them.

    Speaking of the OST, I had “Blunt Instrument” as my morning alarm for years—it was a fantastic way to wake up!
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Good choice! :))
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    There's been a lot of focus on Eva Green here lately, and that's allways a good thing. But let's not forget about Caterina Murino!


    272180.jpg

    740full-caterina-murino.jpg

    hot%20Caterina%20Murino%20sexy%20pics-2.jpg

    Hot+Caterina+Murino+Pictures+%252813%2529.jpg
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    :x :x applause

    Take that, Eva Green! :D :D
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    I have no doubt Eva Green can take that, whatever that means :v
    But we should take care and not forget Ivana Milicevic!


    Ivana-Milicevic-002.jpg

    1694870-ivana_milicevic_05.jpg

    Ivana-Milicevic-25.jpg

    banshee_p1.jpg

    ivana-milicevic-hot-hd-wallpapers.jpg
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    I've seen a couple of seasons of Banchee and I think she's great in it!
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,686MI6 Agent
    Number24 wrote:
    There's been a lot of focus on Eva Green here lately, and that's allways a good thing. But let's not forget about Caterina Murino!


    272180.jpg

    Come on Caterina, use the loo like a normal person, you're not an animal.
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    :))
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,686MI6 Agent
    I genuinely don't know how anyone signed off on that shot. There's even a bucket on the floor! :D
  • Thunderbird 2Thunderbird 2 East of Cardiff, Wales.Posts: 2,774MI6 Agent
    She is wonderful in CR-06, but I thought she got a delicious part to play as the French Mistress
    in St Trinians. Brilliant reboot that film. Pity about Frittons Gold.
    This is Thunderbird 2, how can I be of assistance?
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    Gymkata wrote:
    Number24 wrote:
    I've seen a couple of seasons of Banchee and I think she's great in it!

    Season 1 is really good. Seasons 2 and 3 are awesome. Season 4 is a tad weak but still ends the story in a satisfying enough way.

    edited to add: for those of you who have seen the Amazon Prime adaptation of THE BOYS, the actor who plays Homelander on that show is the lead on BANSHEE. He's awesome on both and, if I'm being honest with myself, he'd make a pretty decent Bond.

    Antony Starr has some of the qualities we look for in a Bond actor, but he's already 45 years old. I also suspect the reason he usually has beard is the way he looks like he's trying to hide that he just took a large bite of the food. :))

    banshee-antony-starr-01-428x600.jpg
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    Antony Starr was born in 1975, so I'd say he's too old. I seem to remember reading somewhere that he was considered for James James Bond in 2006.
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    He looks young for his age, yes. But Bond26 won't be launched before 2024(at best). Bond actors start up with a three movie deal, so he won't bee finished playing Bond until 2030 at the earliest. He'll be 55 by then and who knows how he'll look then?
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Roger Moore was 45 shooting LALD. Didn't look it at all. He was 3 years older than Connery and looked 10 years younger.
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Number24 wrote:
    He looks young for his age, yes. But Bond26 won't be launched before 2024(at best). Bond actors start up with a three movie deal, so he won't be finished playing Bond until 2030 at the earliest. He'll be 55 by then and who knows how he'll look then?

    I've never minded a Bond actor getting to 50 or so provided he started younger. Moore wasn't too old in TSWLM, for instance.
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,686MI6 Agent
    He does look quite a lot like Peter Mandelson in that first one, but I can dig it.
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    Yes, it's entireøy possible Antony Starr looks young enough in 2030, but is it a bet worth taking? And remember that's a best case scenario. At the pace they're making Bond movies now he's likely to be at least 60 when he makes Bond28. Do you remember how Roget Moore looked in AVTAK?
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Young for a man pushing 60. Too old to be James Bond.
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    That's right. When we discuss actors who can be James Bond we have to remember to think 15-20 years ahead, not just how they are today.
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    ...which is allegedly why Charles Dance didn't get to play Bond.

    Higgins, I've amended your opening post....
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    {[] But will Higgins approve?
  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent
    BANSHEE was one of the greatest TV series of all time. 4 seasons of raunchy sex and undiluted violence with a fabulous villain portrayed by Ulrich Thomson, who would be perfect for a Bond adversary.

    The gorgeous Lili Simmons played his niece - surely a Bond girl in the future?


    21-A6-B368-DBC4-4-F68-9976-C4-BF48737022.jpg

    859-FBDCA-1757-4-C99-B55-F-693471-D1-EB51.jpg

    FD8-A2-F83-CC23-4-B57-B1-B4-45-CF3-FB8-AC80.jpg
    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    edited June 2020
    Barbel wrote:
    {[] But will Higgins approve?

    I appreciate the decency how you have executed it and in general that you‘ve stayed away from any personal bias :D
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    :)
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    BANSHEE was one of the greatest TV series of all time. 4 seasons of raunchy sex and undiluted violence with a fabulous villain portrayed by Ulrich Thomson, who would be perfect for a Bond adversary.

    The gorgeous Lili Simmons played his niece - surely a Bond girl in the future?


    21-A6-B368-DBC4-4-F68-9976-C4-BF48737022.jpg

    859-FBDCA-1757-4-C99-B55-F-693471-D1-EB51.jpg

    FD8-A2-F83-CC23-4-B57-B1-B4-45-CF3-FB8-AC80.jpg


    Banchee was very good, but isn'tthe lady in the third photo Scarlett Johanson?
  • JTMJTM Posts: 3,027MI6 Agent
    Number24 wrote:
    FD8-A2-F83-CC23-4-B57-B1-B4-45-CF3-FB8-AC80.jpg


    Banchee was very good, but isn'tthe lady in the third photo Scarlett Johanson?

    It sure is :x

    00f92f1ccaac6e58e6d1f17e68a75c1d.jpg

    Completely unrelated to Casino Royale and Bond, but I'm sure no one's complaining :D
Sign In or Register to comment.