Dirty Benny's Weekly Rant

[dirtybenny]

Just a couple of mini rants today, just to keep you appetite whetted for the longer ones to come.

These stem from a few articles found on “legitimate” Bond fan site MI6-HQ links Here Here and Here.

Craig was asked who should replace him when he (mercifully) leaves the role. His response? “I don’t give a s**t”, you stay classy Danny!

I mean on the one hand I get it, when I leave a job, I don’t really care who takes my place, but on the other hand, you’re in the entertainment industry Dan. This means you are responsible for PR especially when you’re the current face of a film franchise like Bond. If you don’t have an opinion, fine, but you need to voice that in a slightly more respectful way!

Lea Seydoux says about Oberhauser:
“He’s mean. But he has a human side. I don’t know if I can say touching, but you can have a real attachment to him. You have empathy (for him), and that’s why he’s going to be great in this role."

Yes I’m sure I’ll be shedding more than a few tears as he recounts how dear old daddy loved Bond more than he! Boo hoo hoo!

Dave Bautista says “Hinx is a complex henchman”.

Here’s this old chestnut, another way to say “Bond’s mirror image”, next to “A different kind of Bond Girl” and its companion “A female James Bond” this one runs a close third.

"What I really like about him is he’s not just there to fight – he has a sense of humor with it," says the Hinx actor. "He comes across as the sort of man who holds the door open for people. But beneath that he is a highly trained, cold-blooded killer."

"On the surface Mr Hinx isn’t a monster. He is very well-dressed. He is very charming. And he never forgets his manners."

Yeah I’m sure we’ll all be impressed by your “complexity” as we watch you silently scowl and frown your way across the screen, like every other henchman before!

A few housekeeping items from this particular article:
Highly trained was written one word as in “highlytrained”, guess we didn’t use spell check, or use a proof reader did we.
And Bond is described as racing around Rome in a “DB5” rather than the much promoted DB10 which is actually in the movie.

Just an example of what passes for “journalism” today.

[Veronica]

Oh boy,now we have a "complex" henchman as well! What's going to be next? A complex stuntsman? A complex watch that Bond wears? Shoes? I don't know really.
This "sympathise with a villain" stuff I bet is going to be used as something comletely new and revolutionary when infact you could make arguments for villains like 006 and Elektra King. Its not like we actually sympathise with them but they had tragic histories-parents murdered,kindapped and therwfore changed etc. They didn't...want to kill Bond because they felt their daddy prefered him. Gosh,really? Is this an actual plot?

This lack of class doesn't suprise me . He seems to be vulgar a lot. Chack the Anne Hathaway story.

[dirtybenny]

Oh boy,now we have a "complex" henchman as well! What's going to be next? A complex stuntsman? A complex watch that Bond wears? Shoes? I don't know really.

Actually V. it'll be "a different kind of watch" and "a shoe version of James Bond"!

This "sympathise with a villain" stuff I bet is going to be used as something comletely new and revolutionary when infact you could make arguments for villains like 006 and Elektra King. Its not like we actually sympathise with them but they had tragic histories-parents murdered,kindapped and therwfore changed etc.

I guarantee it'll be "new" and "revolutionary" "like something we've never seen before in a Bond film" pathetic!

They didn't...want to kill Bond because they felt their daddy prefered him. Gosh,really? Is this an actual plot?

Oh its a real plot alright! Straight from the leaks and from what I've seen, production stills, on set write ups, and most convincing the trailers, its gonna happen!

This lack of class doesn't suprise me . He seems to be vulgar a lot. Chack the Anne Hathaway story.

I've gotten used to his vulgarity too, unfortunately, just a sign of the times we live in, and if what we've heard of his... shall we say contract perks are true, just the tip of the iceberg.

[Veronica]

"A shoe version of James Bond"
For me "a different kind of Bond girl" phrase is sooo ridiculous. I mean they all end up having a roll in a hay with Bond(Pussy Galore literally!) anyway. It's even more ridiculous when actresses like Teri Hatcher say "that kind of role isn't fullfiling". Yes,because you have a talent of Meryl Streep
and when they went with "female version of James Bond"
up to eleven in DAD...I mean seriously how laughable it was...I always thought Miranda Frost was far more of a Bond's equal. But writers were something like "we wanted people to ask whether Bond beds her or she beds him" ummm... yeah I wonder

And anyway they say how it's "something we have never seen before" for anything that is in Craig movies. It has become comical.

Contract perks...yes,thats a nice way to put it.

[The Saint 007]

There seems to be quite a bit of talk in regards to Craig's successor, almost as if people are in a hurry to get rid of him. I don't remember there ever being this much talk about replacing Brosnan.

As for the whole "complexity" thing, it's all fluff to cover up for the ridiculous script. I've been seeing people comparing Spectre with Austin Powers, which is funny since it's the parody that supposedly killed the series according to Craig and the filmmakers.

[Veronica]

Yeah,like there were no parodies of James Bond before Austin Powers. I mean really. Please,now they blame parody franchise. That's pathetic.
The question is how much more money is Barbara going to be ready to throw at Craig. Since she so obviously is not objective at all when it comes to him. And I am wondering what are other spineless people at EON. I mean,at least one person needs to see this new direction is not the best thing that ever happened to James Bond franchise.
Once she said how her father didn't want to sell the rights to another studio because he thought the recipe that made Bond so successful would be changed.
And what exactly did you do Barbara?

[mcbride007]

There seems to be quite a bit of talk in regards to Craig's successor, almost as if people are in a hurry to get rid of him. I don't remember there ever being this much talk about replacing Brosnan.

As for the whole "complexity" thing, it's all fluff to cover up for the ridiculous script. I've been seeing people comparing Spectre with Austin Powers, which is funny since it's the parody that supposedly killed the series according to Craig and the filmmakers.

If Daniel Craig has decided that Spectre is his last Bond film, when would he announce he is standing down?

[Kristatos]

There seems to be quite a bit of talk in regards to Craig's successor, almost as if people are in a hurry to get rid of him. I don't remember there ever being this much talk about replacing Brosnan.

As for the whole "complexity" thing, it's all fluff to cover up for the ridiculous script. I've been seeing people comparing Spectre with Austin Powers, which is funny since it's the parody that supposedly killed the series according to Craig and the filmmakers.

If Daniel Craig has decided that Spectre is his last Bond film, when would he announce he is standing down?

If CR is any indication, it'll be when his successor is announced.

[Veronica]

So,I just read something along the lines "The bow tie represented the abnormal elegance that led the franchise towards the desctruction/parody.The one thing I need is some 50 year old with a charming smile in a tux saving the world.*sarcasam*" Ok,I don't know where to begin with this. I guess the bow tie is never worn by anyone in the real world. "Abnormal elegance"??? No comment.
Even better,that someone has the picture of Robert De Niro from Godfather. If I remember correctly he wore the tux and a bow tie in that movie. As were many others for that matter. Not to mention that the tux/bowtie element is still being used for PR for Craig movies. He even wears a very similar tuxedo as Connery in Goldfinger.
And I don't know how can one single element lead to destruction of anything-especially a bow tie,one of the most recogniseable and iconic James Bond elements.

[dirtybenny]

That is one stupid comment you found there V. They don't want a "50 year old in a tux". What's preferable? a 15 year old in an Ed Hardy/Tap out T-shirt and baggy pants? In regards to the bow tie, I don't know how it is in your neck of the woods but here in the states bow ties have made a huge come back and I don't mean just on tuxedos, but as a replacement for the standard four in hand neck tie. Mind you most of these folks are "Hipsters" the bane to my existence, but that doesn't change the fact the ties are popular.

[Veronica]

I know bow ties made a huge come back and its not related only to tuxedos.
What stuns me is the comment. I mean,I have read many stupid comments over the years but this just tops them all.
And this even wasn't James Bond related discussion,it was about Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and some people said how they found the movie confusing and this "smart" person said that you can find the movie confusing if you think James Bond is a top example of espionage-basically it meant "this is a serious spy film,James Bond is not,this is good,Bond is crap." I stepped in and said those are different things and should not be compared.
Others made their opinions how "new Bond movies are crap" and that someone asked what is so great about the old Bond movies and then we got to this piece of comment...

[dirtybenny]

...someone asked what is so great about the old Bond movies...

Perfect example of the "Johnny come lately", a "Bond fan" who doesn't like Bond, because if you have to ask that question, you just don't like Bond.

[Kristatos]

I know bow ties made a huge come back and its not related only to tuxedos.

Bow ties are cool.

[Veronica]

...someone asked what is so great about the old Bond movies...

Perfect example of the "Johnny come lately", a "Bond fan" who doesn't like Bond, because if you have to ask that question, you just don't like Bond.

He didn't outirght state he loves movies with Craig but the fact that he obviously puts them on the same level as le Carre's stories says a lot. How he pretty much bought the "girtty,realistic" story we've been hearing since 2006. PR does wonders. The awesome moment was when someone replied :"Maybe you should ask yourself what you have against old Bond movies..."

[Blowfeld]

I know bow ties made a huge come back and its not related only to tuxedos.

Bow ties are cool.

What is this whole aversion to the tuxedo? In Casino Royal it was a big deal with vesper handing him his first big boy cloths. Because Ian's 007 is such a Cro-Magnon the operation of buttons eludes him
If I remember correctly there was a scene with him stealing a Tuxedo from a bouncer at the opera. All part of 'Bond Begins' nothing to see here, please ignore EON's inconsistencies.

[Veronica]

Now I've remembered that weeks ago I've been buzzing on Henry Cavill topic on general forum(Alessandra would love it there ) and anyway one guy voiced his opinion how Cavill is a great example how women want classically handsome men in leading roles,but there is this trend in the last years that average looking joes get the main roles because then majority of men can indetify with them. His own words which connects with my theory that the vast majority of Craig fans are guys nicely.

[dirtybenny]

[quote="Blowfeld" Because Ian's 007 is such a Cro-Magnon the operation of buttons eludes him [/quote]


Read this on the train, had me laughing out loud! Got a few looks!

[Veronica]

I just read article something like "48 things we learned from Casino Royale commentary" and it said Campbell said Craig is the best Bond ever. This contradicts his statement he did Casino Royale solely because he had no other projects at the time as well as the statement he wanted Cavill for the role. Wasn't he disatisfied because he had to work with Craig?
This just seems to me like another atempt to make people believe he is the best Bond ever. With Craig they just pull everything they have from the hat. From actresses,to changing stetements from ex-Bond actresses(ex. Honor Blackman) to directors and articles from respected newspapers. With other actors they didn't have to do that much(not nearly as much,sometimes nothing at all) to make people believe this actor truly is a good Bond.

[dirtybenny]

Rant 31: Oh Danny Boy!

After reading these two posts which are apparently from the same article, I had to jump to action push my previously dreamed up rant ideas aside and put pen to paper on this topic!

Misogynist is thrown around quite a bit in this article so let’s start with its definition. From non-other than Miriam Webster.
Misogyny: A hatred of women.
When have you ever felt 007 hated women? I’m quite sure Dan and the author don’t know what this word means. I think what they were going for was chauvinist.
Chauvinism: An attitude that the members of your own sex are always better than those of the opposite sex.
That is a little more apropos.

As I have previously done in other posts, the original text is standard and my commentary is in bold.

The current 007 has revealed the frailties of the secret agent he’s played for four movies now in a frank interview with Esquire magazine.

He’s also spoke about his future in the role, which may end sooner than expected.

Hooray!!!!

But Craig added that there is perhaps a hidden plus side to presenting Bond’s unreconstructed male.
Huh??

“My Bond is not as sexist and misogynistic as [earlier incarnations].
No? I’d say you’re the most misogynistic “Bond” of all! I don’t remember any of the previous Bonds helping themselves to a former child sex slave under the pretext of freeing her from her evil master then standing by while she’s murdered before demonstrating how easily you could have saved her just moments later after commenting what a waste of good scotch it was. Nor do I remember any of the others bedding a woman he just met with such weak lines as “finding the stationary”. Then there was the implication you wanted to personally kill your supposed “true love” when you discovered her handing over the money in CR. One eyed agent: “Stop! Or I’ll kill her”, Craig: “Allow me”.

The world has changed. I am certainly not that person.
The world’s changed? Since when, what is the time line you’re using? Has the world changed in the 65 years since Fleming created the character and now? Yeah, the world has changed a lot in that time, but so has Bond. He hasn’t existed in a vacuum all this time with only the great Danny Craig under the tutelage of the fantastic Babzy Broccoli finally able to just now break it open to change. Feminism hit full force in the 70’s, and even before then Bond movies have featured some uncharacteristically bold and strong women, and each successive decade marked more change, this is nothing new! I’d say if anything your “new” and “improved” “Bond” has set the character and perhaps even women back decades!


“But he is,(he is????) and so what does that mean?(yeah Dan what the bloody hell does that mean??) It means you cast great actresses and make the parts as good as you can for the women in the movies.” Oh is that what it means, we’ll remember you said that!

In recent years, the film franchise has endured criticism over its treatment of women, with critics calling for the role of the Bond Girl to be updated.
Recent years? But I thought the Craig era helmed by Babzy ushered in a new feministic point of view?!

So it’s not all bad, then. At least not for the strong female characters who surround 007.
Bad? If it was so bad then how the hell are Bond movies making so much damned money then?
Ah yes the strong women in the great roles you mentioned above! Yes let’s explore those women and roles!
1. The nameless Mexican operative foisted upon you by the Mexican Government and who encapsulates all of two minutes of screen time!
2. Monica Bellucci’s character a woman who jumps in to bed with you the night of her husband’s funeral and also only appears in the movie briefly.
3. Finally the grand dame, the main Bond girl the one you’re hanging you hat on. A character so complex, so strong, a role so great, the studio heads had to ask why Bond feels compelled to throw away his gun and run off with her at the end. If this role were so great shouldn’t that have been obvious?

This time, director Sam Mendes has cast Monica Bellucci,( So Sammy is making casting decisions? With so many decisions being made by cast and crew I wonder what Babzy is even doing at EON?) the oldest actress to fill such a role. He is reported to have told her: “For the first time in history, James Bond is going to have a story with a mature woman. The concept is revolutionary.”
Revolutionary eh? I suppose 38 year old Honor Blackman, and Maud Adams were thumb sucking children? Just because she’s 50 doesn’t mean a thing! From what I see in the trailer she’ll be offering up the same trite dialogue and pouty performance we’ve come to expect from the previous 3 films.

“He’s very f**king lonely,” he added.
Ah yes the F-word, it wouldn’t be a Danny Craig interview without it! Lonely eh, yeah I suppose the Bond of your incarnation.

“There’s a great sadness. He’s f**king these beautiful women but then they leave and it’s… sad.
Classy Dan, you’re a true poet!

“And as a man gets older it’s not a good look. It might be a nice fantasy – that’s debatable – but the reality, after a couple of months…”.
Where have we heard that before? I don’t flatter myself that Dan and EON read my rants but wasn’t my last one about exactly this? Is this a counter point to my own? Naw, I just hit the nail on the head as to where they were going with “get a life” theme.

Whether he’d be chums with his own character is also open to debate.
“I don’t know if I’d like to spend too much time with him,” he went on.
Well I know I don’t! Wow you’ve transformed James Bond, every man’s fantasy in to a man even you wouldn’t want to hang around, nice work!

“But I don’t judge him. It’s not the job of an actor to judge your character.”
No just destroy his’s mythos!

Craig said that, following Skyfall, the cast and crew were “understandably daunted” after creating the “biggest British movie of all time”, and asking themselves: “Where do we go from there?(straight down apparently) How do you process that?” I can’t!

He said: “It could have been an albatross around everyone’s necks. It turned out not to be, but there was a massive amount of pressure at the beginning.” He added: “It’s Skyfall times 10!(Great a tremendous, steaming pile of garbage to the tenth power!) A celebration of all that is Bond.” I though Bond was a “sexist” “misogynist” who didn’t deserve celebrating?!

I leave you with this. The thing I find most disturbing though all of this feminism talk from Craig’s mouth is the allegations that he requires a willing co-star to satisfy his shall we say baser needs on set, and when the first one didn’t comply a second more willing starlet was acquired!

[dirtybenny]

Post Script

Just found this paragraph on another site, couldn't let it go.

Bond has now "got weight and meaning," adds the actor. "Because I don't know another way to do it.(you don't know any way to do it!) However big and grand it is, however boisterous the script is, you look for the truth in it,(the truth is EON has no idea what their doing) and you stick to that, and then you can mess around with it.(I'd say you've messed around with it enough) And if you have that and you have the car chases and the explosions as well, then you're quids in.(yeah I know what I need in my action adventure movies is more melodramatic Mommy issues painfully drug out over two hours) But there have to be consequences.(why?) He has to be affected by what happens to him.(he does?) It's not just that he has to kill the bad guy, there has to be a reason for it."(yeah, the reason for it is the bad guy is trying to take over the world, corner the narcotic market, launder terror money, etc. what the reason doesn't need to be is a pant load of cry baby daddy didn't love me, I still suck my thumb nonsense!)