Craig's Bond 'markedly different' to Fleming's

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Capt. Sir Dominic Flandry
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Craig's Bond 'markedly different' to Fleming's

Post by Capt. Sir Dominic Flandry »

Daniel Craig's Bond 'relishes killing', professor claims.

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainmen ... 246720.htm
Daniel Craig's James Bond 'markedly different' to Ian Fleming's

A film studies professor has claimed that audiences for Quantum of Solace will see a James Bond markedly different to that created by Ian Fleming.

While Daniel Craig's portrayal of the character is close to that of Fleming's books in his lack of one-liners, the cold-blooded approach to violence seen in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace is unlike that of the novels, according to Professor James Chapman, of the University of Leicester's department of history of art and film.

"Craig is obviously a lot more physical, even brutish, than previous Bond actors," he explains in an article published for the university's online magazine.

"He plays Bond as a 'blunt instrument': he's not yet the polished article, he's still rough around the edges.

"Craig's Bond doesn't do the one-liners that others have done. In that respect - but that respect only - he's closer to the Bond of the books, who doesn't crack jokes and is a rather humourless character," he continued.

"But in other respects Craig's Bond is very unlike Fleming's Bond. Fleming's Bond did not enjoy killing; Craig's Bond seems almost to relish it."

Professor James Chapman also claims that in Casino Royale Bond's body was presented as much as an erotic object as the women's bodies with gratuitous shots of Craig in his swimming trunks.

"Fleming's Bond is not particularly presented as a sexual object: the emphasis in the books is very much on male desire rather than female desire, with the sole exception of The Spy Who Loved Me, in which Fleming experimented with writing from the perspective of a woman who encounters James Bond," he explained.

Professor Chapman's book Licence To Thrill: A Cultural History of the James Bond Films is out now.

Quantum of Solace is released on Friday October 31st.
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stockslivevan
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Re: Craig's Bond 'markedly different' to Fleming's

Post by stockslivevan »

While Craig's Bond hasn't expressed dislike in killing, he never showed any marks of "relishing" his kills. :roll: I suppose you can say that the other actors "relish" their kills since they have occasionally killed even when not necessary such as Professor Dent.
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Re: Craig's Bond 'markedly different' to Fleming's

Post by LilleOSC »

I agree that Craig's beach scene was really unnecessary in CR, but I never felt that Craig's Bond relished kills in QOS or CR.
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Re: Craig's Bond 'markedly different' to Fleming's

Post by Dr. No »

stockslivevan wrote:While Craig's Bond hasn't expressed dislike in killing, he never showed any marks of "relishing" his kills. :roll: I suppose you can say that the other actors "relish" their kills since they have occasionally killed even when not necessary such as Professor Dent.
I felt he did in CR. The killing at the airport was a ugly scene on his face and I'd have to say he relished it.
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Re: Craig's Bond 'markedly different' to Fleming's

Post by stockslivevan »

Dr. No wrote:
stockslivevan wrote:While Craig's Bond hasn't expressed dislike in killing, he never showed any marks of "relishing" his kills. :roll: I suppose you can say that the other actors "relish" their kills since they have occasionally killed even when not necessary such as Professor Dent.
I felt he did in CR. The killing at the airport was a ugly scene on his face and I'd have to say he relished it.
He wasn't smiling because he saw a man blow up in front of his eyes and relished it, he was smiling because of the irony of the situation. It's not like Craig's Bond is a torture porn enthusiast. :lol:

If we were to really look into that with such cynicism, we might as well say Brosnan also relished killing that guy at the newspaper factory, smirking while cracking a one-liner. Or when Moore threw that guy off of the roof in TSWLM, smirked and said "what a helpful chap!" Boy were they sadists or what! :wink:
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Re: Craig's Bond 'markedly different' to Fleming's

Post by Saunders »

Bond would probably have spat, not smirked.
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Re: Craig's Bond 'markedly different' to Fleming's

Post by katied »

I've got to agree with Stocks on this one.The smile wasn't a "thrill kill" thing.
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