The BJMDDS General Discussion Thread......

[English Agent]

Apparently the actor who was first cast as Blofeld in YOLT didn't work because he was "too teddy bear like" so they replaced him mid-shooting. I'd like to see the footage of him, that's something EON is probably holding out for another DVD (or Blu-Ray) release.

From what i remember a Czech actor named 'Jan Werich' was hired to play Blofeld in YOLT, but apparently he fell ill during the filming and was replaced. He somewhat was similar i belive in appearance to Max Von Sydow, who played Blofeld in NSNA.

Looking forward towards the QOS teaser trailer, so we can have something appropriately upto date to talk about.

AB

[Kristatos]

From what i remember a Czech actor named 'Jan Werich' was hired to play Blofeld in YOLT, but apparently he fell ill during the filming and was replaced. He somewhat was similar i belive in appearance to Max Von Sydow, who played Blofeld in NSNA.

Google Image Search is your friend.

Jan Werich:

[bjmdds]

The fluffy cat worked until Donald Pleasence hammed it up.

I agree Stocks, the white cat worked when we didn't see Blofelds face. When little old Donald Pleasance was seen as Blofeld the effect was gone. This is Spectre number 1.
Really.
Worst casting ever I'd say. Pleasance is a fine actor, but not Blofeld. He looked more like someones uncle with a penchant for cats than the leader...and feared by all who know him of a worldwide network of terrorists.
I still wish we could've found out the cats name.
Blofeld "Fluffy...come here fluffy."
Goon "Umm number 1."
Blofeld "Have you seen fluffy?"
Goon "We last saw him under the spacecraft."
Blofeld "Noooooooooo"

It's a very grey area for me. It works to set up character. But apart from Telly Savalas (and even he's not perfect) Blofeld has been miscast everytime we've seen his face. The cat actually seemed more menacing than the actors playing him.

I could ask you why Pleasence's look was all wrong for Blofeld, looking like someone's uncle with a penchant for cats, yet those who oppose Craig for his 'looks' as Bond should not be afforded the same opinion, thus being the central theme of this website:Daniel Craig is NOT Bond.

[FormerBondFan]

Donald Pleasence does look sinister as Blofeld.

[Kristatos]

I'd like to see Blofeld done right, but I think whoever played him would have to give a very different performance to Donald Pleasence's. Also, thanks to Dr. Evil and Mr. Bigglesworth, the filmmakers would have to find something other than the cat to convey his "poofy" fastidiousness (which is an integral part of his character, making him Bond's shadow or "evil twin" in a way), if they want him to be taken seriously.

[stockslivevan]

It's amazing to me how often the "Bring Blofeld back" discussion comes up.Not here,though

What part of "It's been made fun of so much people won't take it seriously" do people not get,seriously? I don't know what's more irritating:The people lobbying to get Blofeld back in the movies

I wouldn't mind that, but they would totally have to reinvent him for the times, especially when Blofeld has been made a joke by Dr. Evil in many people's eyes.

[stockslivevan]

I could ask you why Pleasence's look was all wrong for Blofeld, looking like someone's uncle with a penchant for cats, yet those who oppose Craig for his 'looks' as Bond should not be afforded the same opinion, thus being the central theme of this website:Daniel Craig is NOT Bond.

Everyone has their opinion. Some think Brosnan looks like the perfect looking Bond while I think he looks more like a soccer mom's fantasy. To me, James Bond is supposed to be handsome yet rough looking just like Connery, Dalton and Craig, not a pretty boy Brad Pitt type. A certain vocal minority doesn't agree with Craig looking like Bond, but that's fine by me.

[katied]

Problem is,bald Blofeld+ cat is the ONLY Blofeld for a lot of the pro-Blofeld people.I would welcome a reimagining of Blofeld,sans cat.

[stockslivevan]

Problem is,bald Blofeld+ cat is the ONLY Blofeld for a lot of the pro-Blofeld people.I would welcome a reimagining of Blofeld,sans cat.

Wow, for once Katied, détente!

[katied]

Ciaran Hinds' name comes up frequently as a possibility for a reimagined Blofeld,and I have to agree.

[bjmdds]

Ciaran Hinds' name comes up frequently as a possibility for a reimagined Blofeld,and I have to agree.

Wasn't he is HBO's Rome K-T'd? James Purefoy was also in Rome, and could have done Bond very nicely IMO.

[Kristatos]

Problem is,bald Blofeld+ cat is the ONLY Blofeld for a lot of the pro-Blofeld people.I would welcome a reimagining of Blofeld,sans cat.

Agree about the bald bit, Charles Gray played him with hair and it seemed wrong, but then Gray's performance was so different from Pleasence's and Savalas's that it was hard to think of him as being the same character anyway. Yes, Savalas played him differently to Pleasance, but it still seemed like a variation on a theme rather than a complete reinvention. I don't think that baldness in itself will be sufficient to invite comparison with Dr. Evil, unles you think of him every time you see a shaven-headed villain in a movie. After all, I don't remember Renard being compared to Dr. Evil.

[bjmdds]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_of_Solace With a PREMISE similar to Bourne government treachery,a concept that Craig,Haggis, and Forster probably relish, and a budget of $224.87 million USA dollars, will this be a net profit, both creatively and numerically, for EON? Spectre-01 will have to wait 1 month to see it, while our UK friends will be the first to see it.

[Captain Nash]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_of_Solace With a PREMISE similar to Bourne government treachery,a concept that Craig,Haggis, and Forster probably relish, and a budget of $224.87 million USA dollars, will this be a net profit, both creatively and numerically, for EON? Spectre-01 will have to wait 1 month to see it, while our UK friends will be the first to see it.

You know what assuming does BJ.
As for waiting, I think not. I've got friends in various places. I didn't have to wait a month for CR. I'm hoping / thinking the same can be said of QOS.

[katied]

Problem is,bald Blofeld+ cat is the ONLY Blofeld for a lot of the pro-Blofeld people.I would welcome a reimagining of Blofeld,sans cat.

Agree about the bald bit, Charles Gray played him with hair and it seemed wrong, but then Gray's performance was so different from Pleasence's and Savalas's that it was hard to think of him as being the same character anyway. Yes, Savalas played him differently to Pleasance, but it still seemed like a variation on a theme rather than a complete reinvention. I don't think that baldness in itself will be sufficient to invite comparison with Dr. Evil, unles you think of him every time you see a shaven-headed villain in a movie. After all, I don't remember Renard being compared to Dr. Evil.

Yeah,but enough people have seen the Austin Powers movies to make the connection.

[English Agent]

As 'Blofeld' has crept into the discussions.............i personaly prefered Telly Savalas portrayal of Blofeld, an intelligent man,
but also a man who had a strong physical presence, this is how i thought Blofeld should be!!!

My question to members here, as i have only followed the cinematic Bond (shame on me)........is what did Fleming describe Blofeld as?................and do any of the cinematic Bonds compare to this?

AB

[English Agent]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_of_Solace With a PREMISE similar to Bourne government treachery,a concept that Craig,Haggis, and Forster probably relish, and a budget of $224.87 million USA dollars, will this be a net profit, both creatively and numerically, for EON? Spectre-01 will have to wait 1 month to see it, while our UK friends will be the first to see it.

Good find 'BJ'..........those figures sound about right.

Incidently....its strange, how there still is no decisive business info for CR on the web.

'Wikapedia' state they sourced 'CRs' budget from 'The numbers' which was $102 mil.

Below is a response i had some time ago from 'The numbers' about that figure!!!

I believe we got our production budget figures
for Casino Royale from an article about the production from Screen
International. I think the 60 million pounds is the original
production budget. The $102 million figure we cite I believe takes in to account
some tax incentives that reduced the overall cost to the studio.

Personally i think this figure is too low..............and is some way off the mark, as cited by other sources

Boxofficemojo = $150 mil
Showbizdata = $122 mil

DAD had a quoted budget of $142 mil 4 years earlier...............now CR didn't have all that expensive CGI stuff in it
or perhaps as much action, but it was a very slick film and i believe the truer figure of the budget was closer to $150 mil.

Just thought i'd mention that.........as looking at the budget for QOS the film studio is going all out for this film, i wonder
what is making the film so much more costly than CR..........the trailer soon may give us some idea!

AB

[carl stromberg]

As 'Blofeld' has crept into the discussions.............i personaly prefered Telly Savalas portrayal of Blofeld, an intelligent man,
but also a man who had a strong physical presence, this is how i thought Blofeld should be!!!

My question to members here, as i have only followed the cinematic Bond (shame on me)........is what did Fleming describe Blofeld as?................and do any of the cinematic Bonds compare to this?

AB

Ernst has the mad eyes of a Hitler in Thunderball. He is 20 stone with a squat nose and wiry black short hair. A fat Hitler perhaps!

Have a look at chapter 5 of Thunderball.

[retrokitty]

As 'Blofeld' has crept into the discussions.............i personaly prefered Telly Savalas portrayal of Blofeld, an intelligent man,
but also a man who had a strong physical presence, this is how i thought Blofeld should be!!!

My question to members here, as i have only followed the cinematic Bond (shame on me)........is what did Fleming describe Blofeld as?................and do any of the cinematic Bonds compare to this?

AB

OH yes Arthur, shame on you.. .I've not reached a book with Blofeld yet... Just finished MR and starting DAF. But they are excellent. I've read bits though of several others that I've not read... and the description of Dr. No is awesome... and very close to the movie I think.

Savalas was my fave of the movie Blofelds too.... for the reasons you stated.

[007]

I liked Kojak quite a bit as Blofeld too. I thought he was less polished/refined than the other actors who have played the character and came across as more of a gangster type trying to be smoother than he actually was in reality.