I agree with MovieBob

Jedi Master · January 2011

Some of you may have heard of this movie critic from theescapistmagazine.com, he has written a video article about the Bond girls and an 'open letter' to the producers at the time of the MGM bankrupcy fiasco, you can find them respectively here:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/1456-Special-Bond-Girls

and here:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/moviebob/7808-An-Open-Letter-to-the-Producers-of-James-Bond

I for one think he's right about Bond, and the most recent Bond movies: they're good, but they've moved far too close IMO to the likes of Jason Bourne and, well, every other generic, bland, boring, American (no offense*) action hero.

*By highlighting "American" I don't mean to suggest that every American action hero is bland and boring, far from it! I'm just pointing out that Bond is British, and his British-ness is part of, nay is the core of his character. So if we can say that Bond has become in any way "American" then it has to be admitted that something has gone seriously wrong!

Now I don't want to rag on Craig or the recent films, they're all good, I just don't think they're as good Connery's or Moore's films (or OHMSS, which is one of my favourites!)...

Any thoughts?

Thunderpussy · January 2011

Two great Articles and I agree with most of the points made. I love the line about the last two films being ,"films with James Bond in them,as opposed to James Bond Films". Bond is also Becoming just another Generic Action Hero,I myself have pointed this out glad to see it's not just my opinion.
OHMSS, Is also my favorite Bond movie. Jedi Master -{

superdaddy · January 2011

Thunderpussy wrote:

Two great Articles and I agree with most of the points made. I love the line about the last two films being ,"films with James Bond in them,as opposed to James Bond Films". Bond is also Becoming just another Generic Action Hero,I myself have pointed this out glad to see it's not just my opinion.
OHMSS, Is also my favorite Bond movie. Jedi Master -{

Was he in the last two, I didnt see him.
Tall,dark hair, sauve ,handsome,stylish secret agent.
Are you sure James Bond was in the last two.

Thunderpussy · January 2011

) Well Put superdaddy

Jedi Master · January 2011

Glad it's not just me then! I really hope they find their way again, in a way I was glad when I heard about it being put on hold cos I thought it meant a long wait, a new bond and a complete rethinking of the series (ala LTK-GE), but alas I don't think the next film will be any different! They say it's going to "pick up Where QOS left off"... great!!!

HowardB · January 2011

The 60's Bond films with Connery were classics (well at least the first four IMO) and I saw them all in movie theaters in the 60's so I experienced the block long box office lines, packed theaters and Bondmania first hand...but folks the 60's are long gone (as is most of my hair). I won't even comment on the good old days of the Roger Moore Bond parodies oops Bond films (they were not the good old days for me). But I do agree that a little more (not Moore) classic Bond in the films would be a good thing and I actually believe that may be coming in Bond 23 based upon what has been inferred in the past by DC and others relative to the charactor development of Bond. Craig's Bond could just use a little dash of lechery, vanity and black humor. In that vein, Mendes may be a good choice as director to bring that out without it looking nostalgic, out of place, and forced. Checkout Kevin Spacey in Mendes "American Beauty" for lots of lechery, vanity and black humor. We also don't want to see Bond turned into some kind of "metrosexual" which is what trying to accomplish this could turn out to be in the wrong hands. As far as the comments re Craig's looks are concerned ...alot of folks around here react like they cast Danny Devito as Bond and are gonna jump on Craig at every opportunity and nothing will change that.

HowardB · January 2011

Re: I agree with MovieBobGlad it's not just me then! I really hope they find their way again, in a way I was glad when I heard about it being put on hold cos I thought it meant a long wait, a new bond and a complete rethinking of the series (ala LTK-GE), but alas I don't think the next film will be any different! They say it's going to "pick up Where QOS left off"... great!!!

I wouldn't get my knickers in too much of a twist about what is said on any internet movie site. Much of it can be inaccurate, based upon dubious "sources" and more reflective of the opinions, projections and theories of the writer. The truth is I don't think EON has really said much about Bond 23 at this point except the release date, Craig will be back, Mendes is the director, who the scriptwriters are and Arnold will be scoring. Too much "they said" stuff. Like my Dad used to say "Who the hell are "they"?. This is a bit off topic, but speaking of Mendes, how about Eva Mendes as a Bond Girl? Way hot, super exotic and not Denice Richards dumber than a bag of hammers...can act too.

Loeffelholz · January 2011

It's a good argument that MovieBob made, back in July of last year(!)---essentially the same argument many of us here at AJB have been making for quite a while now. Possibly the biggest difference is that some of us still recognize James Bond when we see him

...even with the lamented reboot and backstory of the character. What MovieBob doesn't mention is that the literary James Bond did have a tragic backstory---it's just that Fleming never shared it except as a passing mention in Bond's YOLT obituary, choosing instead to have the character keep it to himself (a trick I've chosen for my own literary protagonist, one Oscar Jade).

Yes, the post-reboot Bond has been more serious of late (and QoS has its many well-debated flaws), and yes, Eon needs to wake up and smell the rich and established tradition of the character. The good news is that I've got a feeling they will do just that. I know, some internet poster's 'feeling' isn't any more concrete than "they said," but there we go.

Eon's challenge with #23 might be more profound than in selling Craigger and the reboot back in '06. I hope they realize that. They've got a good actor in the role, and a talented director at the helm. I hope Mendes spends some time watching Terence Young and early Guy Hamilton... :007)

Lexi · January 2011

Loeffelholz wrote:

Yes, the post-reboot Bond has been more serious of late (and QoS has its many well-debated flaws), and yes, Eon needs to wake up and smell the rich and established tradition of the character. The good news is that I've got a feeling they will do just that. I know, some internet poster's 'feeling' isn't any more concrete than "they said," but there we go.

I wasn't sure how to say this....without getting all defensive, but Mark, you have summed up my feelings about this pretty well, thanks {[]

Bond has to move on..... and without falling into the clichéd stereotype 'Englishness' depiction, I see Craig’s version much more subtle. But then the last two movies have been just that - subtle.

Obviously this is not to a lot of tastes.... and I am confident that Bond 23 will be moving that ever swinging pendulum back to more of the middle of the arc..... I just hope it's not a forced sharp grab to the left..... as the direction that the 'reboot' has taken will be all for nothing, but I am sure - or at least hope - that Mendes will do his homework, and get that mixture right.

Just like a good Martini -{

Jedi Master · January 2011

Ah interesting... Perhaps that's the direction they are taking, having established him as a spy he's going to develop into that character that we know and love! If that were the case I'd surely have to eat my words as that would be awesome!!!

j.blades · January 2011

Interesting, lets just say I really don't think anyones ever been so curious as to see where 007 will go from here at any point in history. They have all the potential for a great film, a good Bond, an interesting director, and a new co-writter. Theres so much hope from the fans to top CR and they still have the oppertunity to go back to that after the rushed QoS.

And all they need is to go back to their roots and they'll do fine.

R. Sterling · January 2011

Jedi Master wrote:

I for one think he's right about Bond

I don't.

-{

Jedi Master · January 2011

R. Sterling wrote:

I don't.

-{

Thanks for the contribution!

Mister White · January 2011

Lexi wrote:

Loeffelholz wrote:

Yes, the post-reboot Bond has been more serious of late (and QoS has its many well-debated flaws), and yes, Eon needs to wake up and smell the rich and established tradition of the character. The good news is that I've got a feeling they will do just that. I know, some internet poster's 'feeling' isn't any more concrete than "they said," but there we go.

I wasn't sure how to say this....without getting all defensive, but Mark, you have summed up my feelings about this pretty well, thanks {[]

Bond has to move on..... and without falling into the clichéd stereotype 'Englishness' depiction, I see Craig’s version much more subtle. But then the last two movies have been just that - subtle.

Obviously this is not to a lot of tastes.... and I am confident that Bond 23 will be moving that ever swinging pendulum back to more of the middle of the arc..... I just hope it's not a forced sharp grab to the left..... as the direction that the 'reboot' has taken will be all for nothing, but I am sure - or at least hope - that Mendes will do his homework, and get that mixture right.

Just like a good Martini -{

I agree with both of you.

But remember, Movie Bob makes it quite clear that he likes the movie Bond, not the actual literary Bond.

So come to think about it, it devaluates his whole argument about Bond and Playboy having been created in the same year and thus stemming from the same era...

The Bond he refers to is the Bond of the sixties and seventies, not the Bond from the fifties.

And just to be clear, I love the literary Bond and the new movies, but the Connery movies just the same.

I agree with MovieBob

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