Am I also right (I haven’t read all the novels yet) in thinking that On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is pretty faithfully adapated - if it was, then it was the last one to be before Casino Royale in 2006 :o…
Yes on her Majesty’s was the last one which follows the novel. Actually the other Fleming novels weren’t useful to make a big action Bond spectacle after the Bond formula was established in the first 4 films.
But Casino Royale uses also only a few ideas from the novel, and only in the 2nd half of the films. But more than any other Bond since On Her Majesty’s. The torture scene was taken from the book.
I had not seen any of the new Bonds since Golden Eye or Tomorrow Never Dies but now I saw Quantum of Solace which I found surprisingly good and refreshing. It has the feel of the real Bond movie which i think was missing from the Brosnan Bonds. Daniel Putin Craig is good in his role, best Bond actor since Roger Moore imo.
I didn’t like some of the action scenes though, I think they went too far and were like something out of Marvel hero movies. And the reference to the Goldfinger with the “oil death” was just laughable.
Now I need to finally see Casino Royale.
Haha, this is exactly how my mom calls him! ;D
I genuinely like Daniel, he might be even better Bond than Brosman.
So, Sam Mendes won’t be directing the next James Bond film. I’m glad about that, because( Skyfall) and I still can’t quite put my finger on it, didn’t impress me much.
They should bring back Martin Campbell, he did a great job with Casino Royal and it is by far the best of the three(Daniel Craig’s bond films.
Not for me, but Skyfall is clearly the least of the 3.
I like all three of Craig’s, so it is hard for me to rank them, but I would perhaps give a slight edge to Casino Royale and Skyfall over Quantum of Solace if only because the too rapid editing of action scenes, an unfortunate decision.
I would have been happy if Sam Mendes returned and will be if he comes back to do Bond No. 25, which has been suggested, but I like that now the producers can pull off another eclectic choice, a stratergy that has worked so far.
For me, and for others, by far the best action scenes of the series. And they are connected with Bonds feelings.
Do you think the opening car chase’s editing was connected to Bond’s feelings? I’m not sure that is the case. More the series permanently looking over its shoulder at popular trends, in this case, the hyperactive editing of Paul Greengass’ Jason Bourne films. I would qualify that and say this is only true in Quantum of Solace for the action scenes. Other sequences, like the Opera scene, are excellent and is almost worthy of De Palma. Also, while some praised this approach, it came under quite a lot of criticism as well. The film as a whole has proved to be very divisive.
It better that way and I wouldn’t be averse to a Martin Campbell’s as well as Mendes’ return. Would be cool, he has done a great job with Casino Royale and I really enjoyed Skyfall. Loved the cinematography.
but Skyfall is clearly the least of the 3.
Or not. Depending on your point of view. For me, as you know, the least is clearly Q of S.
It’s simply matter of taste and what you’re looking for.
For me it’s like this:
- Casino Royale - 8/10
- Skyfall - 8/10
[Can’t say which one is better - both are equally impressive although Casino still feels slightly superior]
- Quantum Of Solace - 7/10
[quote=“Phil H, post:511, topic:544”]but Skyfall is clearly the least of the 3.
Or not. Depending on your point of view. For me, as you know, the least is clearly Q of S.[/quote]
As I said, for me.
The fast editing of the action was meant by Forster to reflect the inner emotions of Bond. This makes perfect sense for me. Just watch the last scene of Casino Royale, and then the opening scene of QoS. I even think that the editing becomes slower with every action scene until bond finds at the end not peace (he’s still lying to M) but at least his small amount of solace which allows him not to become a monster.
Actually I think that nearly everything (well at least a lot) in QoS is directly connected with Bond’s inner life. The story about Quantum (the organisation) is only the secondary aspect of the film, the main film is about the quantum of solace of the title. So this is the first bond which is really about Bond.
The fastness of the film also mirrors Bonds restlessness very directly. He is just like the film always in motion, doesn’t stop anywhere, and then when he has his 2 brief quiet moments (in the plane with Mathis and in the bed with Fields), it is with those who will die for him (and he is responsible for their deaths), and who’s deaths will become the only moments where he loses the control over himself, where he is for a short moment distressed. The scenes which show for me that he is at least worth the solace of the ending.
But of course it is his encounter with Camille, which helps him to overcome his inner trauma. Just like he helps her with her trauma by bringing her through the fire, the fire which burned her back and killed her parents.
Meanwhile I would even say that QoS is (probably) one of the most complex films of the last 10 or 20 years. This makes it quite unique for me. Of course this is less important than the fact that it really blows me away by its stylish storytelling and visual brilliance.
A funny thing is that Forster arranged the 4 big action scenes around the four elements. He doesn’t give an explanation why he did this. Obviously earth and water are directly connected with Quantum and their plans. This may be the horizontal level of the film. The fire and air should then be the vertical level which is attributed to Bond and his revenge driven search for the inner peace. The fire of the final scene works perfectly on this level as stated above, but what with the air? Any ideas?
Air - trying to escape from Earth and his worries connected to what “happens” on the ground, his guilt and so on. It’s quite hard for me to answer it because I’ve only seen the film once.
I’d still like to see a completely faithful adaptation of Ian Fleming’s Bond from any story, I’d love to see a 1 hour card game scene unfold, that’s probably why I think Casino Royale is the best. Could Bond or even Sherlock Holmes be done without some some needless action fluff, in any era ever? Has it?
[size=12pt][font=times new roman]While Sean Connery is my favorite 007, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is my favorite Bond movie. Plus Telly Savalas is my favorite Blofeld. [/font][/size]
Hello all
FYI - I have a new CD available called “James Bond on Electric Guitar”, available at
http://www.cdbaby.com/AlbumDetails.aspx?AlbumID=loupecci12
Thanks
Cool, KYHD! Sounds fantastic, I love Dr No theme.
Thanks, Mickey13…just got a review on Amazon per below:
"For those who love Lou Pecci’s `Spaghetti Western Themes on Nylon Guitar’ this solo guitar version of the famous themes from the big James Bond movies will doubtless satisfy. Pecci pays homage this time around to John Barry (1933 - 2011) an English composer and conductor of film music. He composed the soundtracks for 11 of the James Bond films between 1963 and 1987, and also arranged and performed the “James Bond Theme” to the first film in the series, 1962’s Dr. No.
Pecci makes his electric guitar sound like an entire symphony orchestra but adds his own penchant for jazz to make these `transcriptions’ sound fresh and new. In all it makes a delightful visit to the fantasy world of James Bond. In addition to the works composed by John Barry, Pecci adds this own composition to the last track - The Black Path - in the mode of the other works on the tracks but clearly his own sound.
The tracks contained here are as follows:
James Bond Theme (“Dr.No”) - M. Norman
007 (“From Russia With Love”)
Into Miami (“Goldfinger”)
Goldfinger - Instrumental Version
Switching the Body (“Thunderball”)
Death of Fiona (“Thunderball”)
The Wedding (“You Only Live Twice”)
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service - Main Title
We Have All the Time in the World (“On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”)
Diamonds Are Forever - Main Title
Tiffany Case (“Diamonds Are Forever”)
The Black Path - L. Pecci
Settle in with all the memories of the first time you saw these films and let Lou Pecci rev up your nostalgia. As usual, the performances are first class! Grady Harp, October 13"