The BJMDDS General Discussion Thread......

[bjmdds]

As Red says to Andy Dufrain in The Shawshank Redemption, "Hope is a dangerous thing". Craig does not appear cut out for a 'polished' James Bond performance. The final scene in CR shows him looking quite uncomfortable, and much less formidable in appearance, once cleaned up. The 2008 script awaits, probably being penned as we debate.

[Skywalker]

As Red says to Andy Dufrain in The Shawshank Redemption, "Hope is a dangerous thing". Craig does not appear cut out for a 'polished' James Bond performance. The final scene in CR shows him looking quite uncomfortable, and much less formidable in appearance, once cleaned up. The 2008 script awaits, probably being penned as we debate.

The begining and ending are the two best parts of the film to me. Those two scenes as mentioned in my previous post are the only scenes were I feel Craig delivers a cinematic Bond performance.

[James]

But CR is fantasy and escapism. How many times do you climb up a 200 feet crane and fight someone, or leap from building to building, or sleep with exotic women after beating her boyfriend at cars and winning an Aston Martin DB5, or stop a baddie at an airport by jumping onto the roof of a truck, or playing a high poker game involving millions of pounds to stop an evil baddie, or cause an old Venice building to completely disappear under water, etc. etc.

Some of you are making out as though CR is some kind of gruseome, harrowing, all-too-real documentary which makes Schindler's List look like DAD

It doesn't concern me if they make a fantastical film or a more down to Earth one. Some Bond films are sillier than others, some attempt to be less flippant. Apart from Craig, who is my biggest problem, I absolutely hated the pretentious cobblers that surrounded CR. The "these are serious times so..." speech. Please. Just make a sodding James Bond film. And calling Craig the best actor to ever play Bond. That's a subjective statement that can be debated but it is also disrespectful to the other actors and the series. Campbell even said the other Bonds would agree with that. They would? Why doesn't he phone Sean Connery up and ask him for a quote. Barbara Broccoli saying fans don't know who Craig is yet but they'll love him and he's the best Bond ever. I've known who Daniel Craig is for over ten years now and I didn't love him. I thought he was absolutely tedious. And Die Another Day. They act as if they didn't make that film. Who did then? Pixies? Little elves from the garden?

I agree with Jet Se- I mean The Sweeney that CR was, in its own way, as stupid as any Bond film ever made, but to insert scenes that could have come from a British lottery funded film where Daniel Craig plays a chef with rabies and a drinking problem, with indestructible Bond running through walls and avoiding a billion bullets does smack of wanting to have your cake and eat it with some custard.

[Kristatos]

I agree with Jet Se- I mean The Sweeney that CR was, in its own way, as stupid as any Bond film ever made, but to insert scenes that could have come from a British lottery funded film where Daniel Craig plays a chef with rabies and a drinking problem, with indestructible Bond running through walls and avoiding a billion bullets does smack of wanting to have your cake and eat it with some custard.

Mmmm...cake! With custard!

[bjmdds]

As Red says to Andy Dufrain in The Shawshank Redemption, "Hope is a dangerous thing". Craig does not appear cut out for a 'polished' James Bond performance. The final scene in CR shows him looking quite uncomfortable, and much less formidable in appearance, once cleaned up. The 2008 script awaits, probably being penned as we debate.

The begining and ending are the two best parts of the film to me. Those two scenes as mentioned in my previous post are the only scenes were I feel Craig delivers a cinematic Bond performance.

The beginning and end total about 7 minutes, of the 2 hour and 20 minutes of CR. That is 7 minutes more enjoyment than I received from CR, Skywalker.

[bjmdds]

But CR is fantasy and escapism. How many times do you climb up a 200 feet crane and fight someone, or leap from building to building, or sleep with exotic women after beating her boyfriend at cars and winning an Aston Martin DB5, or stop a baddie at an airport by jumping onto the roof of a truck, or playing a high poker game involving millions of pounds to stop an evil baddie, or cause an old Venice building to completely disappear under water, etc. etc.

Some of you are making out as though CR is some kind of gruseome, harrowing, all-too-real documentary which makes Schindler's List look like DAD

It doesn't concern me if they make a fantastical film or a more down to Earth one. Some Bond films are sillier than others, some attempt to be less flippant. Apart from Craig, who is my biggest problem, I absolutely hated the pretentious cobblers that surrounded CR. The "these are serious times so..." speech. Please. Just make a sodding James Bond film. And calling Craig the best actor to ever play Bond. That's a subjective statement that can be debated but it is also disrespectful to the other actors and the series. Campbell even said the other Bonds would agree with that. They would? Why doesn't he phone Sean Connery up and ask him for a quote. Barbara Broccoli saying fans don't know who Craig is yet but they'll love him and he's the best Bond ever. I've known who Daniel Craig is for over ten years now and I didn't love him. I thought he was absolutely tedious. And Die Another Day. They act as if they didn't make that film. Who did then? Pixies? Little elves from the garden?

I agree with Jet Se- I mean The Sweeney that CR was, in its own way, as stupid as any Bond film ever made, but to insert scenes that could have come from a British lottery funded film where Daniel Craig plays a chef with rabies and a drinking problem, with indestructible Bond running through walls and avoiding a billion bullets does smack of wanting to have your cake and eat it with some custard.

Craig running through walls was a bit "Hulkish", and I guess Craig being beefed up added to the scene.

[carl stromberg]

James is right in that Casino Royale was surrounded by lots of pretentious cobblers with po-faced individuals saying that it would be a very serious film; that Craig is the only actor with the skills to play Bond in Casino Royale; that all the other Bond films are rubbish so they are going to make a serious one.....

Those people supporting Casino Royale last summer stated that the film would be very serious, devoid of mindless action, unsubtle humour and all those other Bond staples they seem to hate.

When Casino Royale came out, it emerged that it had lots of mindless action and cheesy one liners interspersed with some "gritty scenes" which consisted of bland sentimental scenes with all the artistic merit of an Australian soap opera and Daniel Craig gibbering in front of a mirror.

Maybe they should have had the courage to make the really stripped down Bond film with Daniel Craig as they suggested they were going to. They didn't - and Casino Royale was a complete muddle. A Pierce Brosnan style film with lots of boring bits and a charisma free James Bond. Fascinating.

[James]

Craig running through walls was a bit "Hulkish", and I guess Craig being beefed up added to the scene.

Very un-Bondlike, to run through a wall.

Casino Royale was surrounded by lots of pretentious cobblers with po-faced individuals saying that it would be a very serious film; that Craig is the only actor with the skills to play Bond in Casino Royale

Another thing that annoyed me. The idea that Craig is the only actor in the British Commonwealth capable of walking and speaking at the same time.

Daniel Craig gibbering in front of a mirror

That's great acting apparently.

Mmmm...cake! With custard!

Please stop talking about custard Kristatos and get back on topic.

[Skywalker]

As Red says to Andy Dufrain in The Shawshank Redemption, "Hope is a dangerous thing". Craig does not appear cut out for a 'polished' James Bond performance. The final scene in CR shows him looking quite uncomfortable, and much less formidable in appearance, once cleaned up. The 2008 script awaits, probably being penned as we debate.

The begining and ending are the two best parts of the film to me. Those two scenes as mentioned in my previous post are the only scenes were I feel Craig delivers a cinematic Bond performance.

The beginning and end total about 7 minutes, of the 2 hour and 20 minutes of CR. That is 7 minutes more enjoyment than I received from CR, Skywalker.

To be fair, it was a good 7 minutes.

[Connery007]

What about the scene when Bond lost the first poker game and went outside while Vesper joined him.
Bond to Vesper: "Look at my eyes. You know I can beat this man."
What the hell was that?
Since when does James Bond needs to justify himself to anyone. The real James Bond in that situation would give a comic line to Vesper because he knows that he will win no matter what.

The real James Bond? Are you referring to the Fleming Bond when you say that, because this scene was exactly like the Bond of the novels....with not a comic line in sight.

The James Bond of the movies we're accustomed to.

[bjmdds]

Each week in the USA, 24, one of Broccoli's 21st century spy muses, has fallen off in the ratings, quite dramatically from it's inception. In August, we will see how The Bourne Ultimatum, Broccoli's other 21st century spy muse, does at the USA box office. If it does not come close to Bourne 2, it may be that that this style of spy genre has waned in interest, and if so, will Broccoli continue her Craig duet, or trilogy, down the same path as CR?

[stockslivevan]

Each week in the USA, 24, one of Broccoli's 21st century spy muses, has fallen off in the ratings, quite dramatically from it's inception. In August, we will see how The Bourne Ultimatum, Broccoli's other 21st century spy muse, does at the USA box office. If it does not come close to Bourne 2, it may be that that this style of spy genre has waned in interest, and if so, will Broccoli continue her Craig duet, or trilogy, down the same path as CR?

Perhaps that just means the show itself is losing steam? Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Hell, CR isn't dour and humorless like 24 and Bounre.

[Kristatos]

Each week in the USA, 24, one of Broccoli's 21st century spy muses, has fallen off in the ratings, quite dramatically from it's inception. In August, we will see how The Bourne Ultimatum, Broccoli's other 21st century spy muse, does at the USA box office. If it does not come close to Bourne 2, it may be that that this style of spy genre has waned in interest, and if so, will Broccoli continue her Craig duet, or trilogy, down the same path as CR?

Yes, because CR was a hit. I think the only thing that would deter her would be if Bond 22 did worse at the box office than CR. Then, it'd be time to dust off that script for The Property of a Lady, aka Dalton vs. The Robot Assassin.

[paco chaos]

one thing pro-Casino Royale that I will say is that we are fortunate that EON decided to imitate Bourne instead of Mission Impossible, although I believe that may have been the idea behnd the last couple of Brosnan films. MI really blows.

[bjmdds]

Do you think Dench as M will last as long as Craig portrays Bond, be it film 22,23,etc., or should she be replaced now, with the storyline she went into retirement?

[bjmdds]

one thing pro-Casino Royale that I will say is that we are fortunate that EON decided to imitate Bourne instead of Mission Impossible, although I believe that may have been the idea behnd the last couple of Brosnan films. MI really blows.

MI:2 is not watchable Paco, horrid spy film, poorly directed.

[Skywalker]

one thing pro-Casino Royale that I will say is that we are fortunate that EON decided to imitate Bourne instead of Mission Impossible, although I believe that may have been the idea behnd the last couple of Brosnan films. MI really blows.

MI:2 is not watchable Paco, horrid spy film, poorly directed.

Agreed, although MI3 was a return to form.

[The Sweeney]

Another thing that annoyed me. The idea that Craig is the only actor in the British Commonwealth capable of walking and speaking at the same time.

Face it, if Jackman was given the role, or Cavill, or Owen, or whoever, they would come out and say exactly the same thing.

They are not going to say `Hmmmm....it was quite a tricky decision to make. There were a number of actors we wanted, some where too expensive, others were not interested, some were very good in fight scenes, others were very good in the kissing scenes, but in the end we decided to choose Craig, although there are still very good actors out there who could possibly play Bond too.....'

It's called PR.

[Skywalker]

Another thing that annoyed me. The idea that Craig is the only actor in the British Commonwealth capable of walking and speaking at the same time.

Face it, if Jackman was given the role, or Cavill, or Owen, or whoever, they would come out and say exactly the same thing.

They are not going to say `Hmmmm....it was quite a tricky decision to make. There were a number of actors we wanted, some where too expensive, others were not interested, some were very good in fight scenes, others were very good in the kissing scenes, but in the end we decided to choose Craig, although there are still very good actors out there who could possibly play Bond too.....'

It's called PR.

Very true Sweeney.

Even if someone had performed better (easily possible. ) but for whatever reason did not accept it, EON would never disclose it as you stated.

[bjmdds]

Another thing that annoyed me. The idea that Craig is the only actor in the British Commonwealth capable of walking and speaking at the same time.

Face it, if Jackman was given the role, or Cavill, or Owen, or whoever, they would come out and say exactly the same thing.

They are not going to say `Hmmmm....it was quite a tricky decision to make. There were a number of actors we wanted, some where too expensive, others were not interested, some were very good in fight scenes, others were very good in the kissing scenes, but in the end we decided to choose Craig, although there are still very good actors out there who could possibly play Bond too.....'

It's called PR.

But Campbell should never have denigrated the prior 5 Bonds inferring Craig was superior to them as an actor. That is the difference.