Saturday, April 07, 2007
Shaken and Stirred
Last night I watched CASINO ROYALE on DVD, something I had been looking forward to for some time. Everyone I know who has seen it has said it was superb and that Daniel Craig made an excellent Bond. Trust me to be contrary. I thought it was one of the worst Bond films I have seen (and I think I have seen them all). Too much violence. Too much blood and not enough humour. And as for Daniel Craig - well, he's no Pierce Prosnan. But then again, my favourite Bond remains Roger Moore (he says, raising a sardonic eyebrow). Shall I get my coat?
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40 comments:
They should have got Anne Widdicombe to write the screenplay.
Ah, Ian, I feedl safe disagreeing with you at last. Craig was superb. Brosnan was good, but Craig is in my eyes comparable to Connery as a Bond. Roger Moore's disastrous efforts (I can barely bring myself them) to watch supplied more than enough comedy for the genre, thank you.
I react adversley to anything that is hyped. Its usually a bad sign. You seem to have confirmed my suspicion.
You don't like blood? What the hell kinda Tory are you?
I don't object to blood in films, but in Bond filsm the use of violence has always been somewhat subtle. This wasn't.
Certainly it strikes a different tone to the comic book, over the top nonsense of the previous few films, but the violence is not new - it's a return to how the franchise started.
I love all the Bond actors for all the different attributes they've brought to the role.
And for unsubtle violence, how about Roger Moore's Bond shooting Jaws in the face!?
Agree with all you say except in respect of Roger Moore, he comes a close second to Connery. Who cares about acting - no Bond has ever matched Connery's looks or smouldering charisma.
Auntie Flo'
I loved the opening sequence on the crane and the final sequence in Venice but generally I agree with you. I particularly disliked the scene where a naked Craig was whipped while sitting on a chair. I didn't find it a turn-on; I just found it sordid and sadistic.
It can not be compared to 'A room with a view'
James Bond franchise is dead. Why try to string out this series...Connery made it and it was the era for something new...Lazenby killed it.
It is now so gimmick-ridden as to be a farce
You won't be trading the Audi in for an Aston then?
basically what you're saying is is that it wasn't camp enough! The real Bond was never meant to be the campery of Moore or the oneliner foolery of Connery.
Iain, I do fear you will have opened-up a hornets nest... so I will put in my ramble...
Firstly I agree with you Roger Moore was the best (never found anyone before who shares that point of view!)
Yes Casino Royale is different to other James Bond films (I too have seen them all, and also can press mute and still remember the words and soundtrack at any given moment, sad I know). They have re-invented the franchise and made a different Bond, but I believe that the next one will be a little less bloody. Its a bit like when they did a new recipe for Coke - some loved, some hated it, but it did also attract new viewers to it. Time will tell.
Did you not see it at the Cinema?... shame on you, call yourself a bond fan.... you should have been camping out all night waiting for the first tickets.
have you read the books?
bond is borderline psychopathic - craig managed to hint at this.
Ah,but then again. Roger Moore - what a great actor. You would have thought those legs really were made of tin in that memorable film when he played my all time hero Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader.
If ever you have a burning desire to hear words sung to the James Bond theme... then:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc17zmeMlSI
Well amused me anyway.
Shall I get my coat?
Yes!
I agree Iain. I thought CR was way overrated. I didn't think it was terrible, just not that good.
It is interesting that the parts of the new film that many are objecting to are those that are closest to the original book(s).
The humour was invented for the films - to counter reactions such as yours. They are, after all, the tales of hatchetman who often kills the unarmed.
Yes, if you're a Moore fan you should stick to watching Austin Powers.
Get your coat.
Bit too rough for you was it, princess?
Get your coat Iain. It was a fantastic Bond Film and actually true to the book. Roger Moore was never believable in the role. I suppose it's better enjoyed if you play poker of course
Iain,
You're all blog and no backbone - the film is rated 12 man!
Just as well your political convictions and intellect are a little more robust.
MAC
Roger Moore was unbelievably bad as Bond. It was high camp with the raised eyebrow and woeful one-liners such as, "keeping the British end up sir!" The whole thing was derisory!
Daniel Craig was magnificent as Bond. Casino Royale was much closer to the original material and the essence of Bond than any other film. The torture scene is integral to the plot and is in the book - what would be the sense in taking it out? A review of the book Casino Royale read:
"Most atmospheric of all the novels; most serious and violent of all the novels; Bond at his coldest and most ruthless"
Hence the film being the way it is.
ludicrous, boring, a tedious throwaway comic book story taken very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very seriously. Hopeless, utter crap produced by idiots.
So I suppose I would agree with Mr.Dale and disagree with cc.
I hated hated hated it. I admit I was biased from the start because I never wanted Daniel Craig to get the gig anyway, but it was all downhill from the really nicely done opening credits (the opening music was dire though, really bland). The plotline was incomprehensible, the pacing all wrong, and there wasn't even a big finale crescendo.
Absolutely terrible.
"Too much violence. Too much blood and not enough humour."
I think you've missed the point Iain. Seems like you'd rather have 007 driving round in a Barbie pink Nissan Micra?
Well I Loved it so much I went out and bought the DVD, even though I'd already downloaded previously. The last Brosnan film was way too over the top technology-wise (invisible cars, Koreans becoming English Toffs...) and the old style Bond had run its course. I can't praise this film highly enough. And finally we get to see Bond for what he is: a hard-assed ruthless killer. Craig is brilliant, and I'm looking forward to the next film. Roger Moore was my least favourite.
The problem the Bond films now have is trying to please both the purists who want the films to reflect the dark and gritty style of the Fleming books, and those like yourself who prefer the Moore-style humour. I fall into the first group and thought this was a brave attempt to reflect the first of the books in a modern setting. Lets face it, after the dog of a film that was Die Another Day (Madonna... bleargh!!) the franchise needed a shake-up and I thought Craig did a good job.
nobody could wear a safari suit with the same degree of casualness...
Bond should be a gentleman thug, not a ponce in a nylon safari suit.
Connery was the chap for the job.
I cant for the life of me think of any modern actor who can convey the impression that he really would be a handfull in a fight.
Connery could do that as in his prime he would have been.
Daniel Craig is big mates with Chris Bryant.
I have disagreed with many things that Iain has said on this blog, but he is spot on about Roger Moore...
Initially there was not so much a big hype as an uphill struggle - remember the backlash against Craig, even before the film was made. The latest is different, but the old style Bond film was on its last legs. Crais IS the best Bond, but the best film was The Spy Who Loved Me: the opening sequence, big film studio, great music. Oh, and Jaws!
By the way Iain - you were good on BBC News today.
What, not even the scene where he ruins the Germans Chelsea tractor! ;)
Part of the problem I think (and I liked the film), is that it is close to the Fleming novel and the feel of those original stories. The Bond books and films run along slightly different styles and this one was more along the lines of the books
Yes Iain; get your coat! And you haven't pulled...!
Roger Moore was my favourite Bond.
He brought the right level of humour and lightness to the role, which after all is a bit of a giggle.
Roger Moore was the worst Bond!!
Sean Connery is my favorite James Bond and Daniel Craig is by far the nearest to him. I think that the Bond movies had become bland and needed a facelift, Casino Royale delivered the goods in spades.
Like you I found it a bit violent and bloody for my taste but it did not detract from a cracking yarn about Bond's early years.
it was the pouting i hated. since when does James Bond pout?
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