Bond and Bourne: What are the Similarities?

stockslivevan · Post by **stockslivevan** » Fri May 11, 2007 4:50 am

No don't give me some BS answer like their haircuts, initials and other crap. I want REAL answers that concerns with their character.

James Bond? Newly assigned OO-Agent who has no problem with getting his hands dirty to get the job done, has a sense of humor, plays cards, drives Astin Martins, grew an affinity for tailored suits since the Casino assignment and always gets the job done.

Jason Bourne? Man who forgot about his past and refuses to go back to that after learning vague events of his past. Doesn't have much of a sense of humor, broods quite a lot, drives shitty cars and somehow, touble seems to follow him and piss on his mornings.

Captain Nash · Post by **Captain Nash** » Fri May 11, 2007 5:26 am

They have the same haircut...there initials are the same...they have similar fighting styles...they're thugs...they have the same haircut...there initials are the same...they have similar fighting styles...they're thugs...they have the same haircut...there initials are the same...they have similar fighting styles...they're thugs...

Post by **The Sweeney** » Fri May 11, 2007 8:21 am

Both elite spies/agents working out in the field......

er....that's it!

Post by **Skywalker** » Fri May 11, 2007 1:02 pm

Captain Nash wrote:They have the same haircut...there initials are the same...they have similar fighting styles...they're thugs...they have the same haircut...there initials are the same...they have similar fighting styles...they're thugs...they have the same haircut...there initials are the same...they have similar fighting styles...they're thugs...

I agree with 'all' those points.

Captain Nash · Post by **Captain Nash** » Fri May 11, 2007 3:48 pm

Skywalker wrote:
Captain Nash wrote:They have the same haircut...there initials are the same...they have similar fighting styles...they're thugs...they have the same haircut...there initials are the same...they have similar fighting styles...they're thugs...they have the same haircut...there initials are the same...they have similar fighting styles...they're thugs...
I agree with 'all' those points.

All work and no play make Skywalker a something something.

Post by **Kristatos** » Fri May 11, 2007 3:53 pm

I don't think it's so much that Bond himself has become like Bourne as that the Bond films have become more like the Bourne films: more serious, less rooted in fantasy etc.

Post by **Skywalker** » Fri May 11, 2007 4:54 pm

Captain Nash wrote:
Skywalker wrote:
Captain Nash wrote:They have the same haircut...there initials are the same...they have similar fighting styles...they're thugs...they have the same haircut...there initials are the same...they have similar fighting styles...they're thugs...they have the same haircut...there initials are the same...they have similar fighting styles...they're thugs...
I agree with 'all' those points.
All work and no play make Skywalker a something something.

Just for you, I've decided to write a small poem.

Nash has got a problem
He can't crack a joke
His lack of humour is obvious
but he is a decent bloke.

Captain Nash · Post by **Captain Nash** » Fri May 11, 2007 5:21 pm

Skywalker wrote:
Just for you, I've decided to write a small poem.

Nash has got a problem
He can't crack a joke
His lack of humour is obvious
but he is a decent bloke.

Okay so that was rather funny. Thanks Skywalker.
Now I feel I should reply with a poem.

There was a member called Skywalker.
Who was certainly not the runt.
And Captain Nash agreed.
He surely was a cun... nice bloke too.

Post by **Dr. No** » Fri May 11, 2007 7:34 pm

Kristatos wrote:I don't think it's so much that Bond himself has become like Bourne as that the Bond films have become more like the Bourne films: more serious, less rooted in fantasy etc.

right on! but the fantasy is now rooted deeply in the action, like a Jet Li/Transporter movie.
making it ,to me, more unreal.
every one who saw CR knows they ripped off Bourne, and that sucks.

Post by **The Sweeney** » Sat May 12, 2007 2:33 am

Dr. No wrote:
Kristatos wrote:I don't think it's so much that Bond himself has become like Bourne as that the Bond films have become more like the Bourne films: more serious, less rooted in fantasy etc.
right on! but the fantasy is now rooted deeply in the action, like a Jet Li/Transporter movie.
making it ,to me, more unreal.
every one who saw CR knows they ripped off Bourne, and that sucks.

No, Bourne was ripping off Fleming......

A secret agent with amnesia was done in YOLT/TMWTGG. A secret agent in more believable, realistic action-orientated situations was done in just about every Bond book.

Harvey Wallbanger · Post by **Harvey Wallbanger** » Sat May 12, 2007 5:14 am

The Sweeney wrote:
Dr. No wrote:
Kristatos wrote:I don't think it's so much that Bond himself has become like Bourne as that the Bond films have become more like the Bourne films: more serious, less rooted in fantasy etc.
right on! but the fantasy is now rooted deeply in the action, like a Jet Li/Transporter movie.
making it ,to me, more unreal.
every one who saw CR knows they ripped off Bourne, and that sucks.
No, Bourne was ripping off Fleming......

A secret agent with amnesia was done in YOLT/TMWTGG. A secret agent in more believable, realistic action-orientated situations was done in just about every Bond book.

The action is more intense in Bourne. More physical -about tactics & training. JB is more luck than training.
Bourne is deep cover covert, JB is in the office most days. Only TMWGG came close to Bourn even then was still a cousin. The JB books have the high life highlighted -Bourn has the underbelly of civilization.

Harvey Wallbanger wrote: Besides their initials JB they are totally different.
JBourne was all about Carlos the Jackal. The main bady was a bad guy in real life. Very different form the JBond who’s bad guys and SMERSH were unbelievable.
JBourne had psychological training that screwed with his mind, physical training that took over when he didn’t think about it.
Only TMWGG came close. (Which would have been a great story for the second half of DAD.)

JBourne was born out of the post Vietnam turbulence.
Also JBourne married the girl and stayed married to her. –hint she didnt die in the second book.

The JBourne of the movies was different from JBond. JBond has morphed in to Jason, I for one feel we lost something when Bond stops being Bond and impersonates a amnesiac loner.

Bond is big the author can not say he didn't know about him but Moore was the Bond at the time the first Bourne book was published. Reading Both book series I see two different spies.

Post by **The Sweeney** » Sat May 12, 2007 8:39 am

Harvey Wallbanger wrote:
The Sweeney wrote:
Dr. No wrote:
Kristatos wrote:I don't think it's so much that Bond himself has become like Bourne as that the Bond films have become more like the Bourne films: more serious, less rooted in fantasy etc.
right on! but the fantasy is now rooted deeply in the action, like a Jet Li/Transporter movie.
making it ,to me, more unreal.
every one who saw CR knows they ripped off Bourne, and that sucks.
No, Bourne was ripping off Fleming......

A secret agent with amnesia was done in YOLT/TMWTGG. A secret agent in more believable, realistic action-orientated situations was done in just about every Bond book.

The action is more intense in Bourne. More physical -about tactics & training. JB is more luck than training.
Bourne is deep cover covert, JB is in the office most days. Only TMWGG came close to Bourn even then was still a cousin. The JB books have the high life highlighted -Bourn has the underbelly of civilization.

Harvey Wallbanger wrote: Besides their initials JB they are totally different.
JBourne was all about Carlos the Jackal. The main bady was a bad guy in real life. Very different form the JBond who’s bad guys and SMERSH were unbelievable.
JBourne had psychological training that screwed with his mind, physical training that took over when he didn’t think about it.
Only TMWGG came close. (Which would have been a great story for the second half of DAD.)

JBourne was born out of the post Vietnam turbulence.
Also JBourne married the girl and stayed married to her. –hint she didnt die in the second book.

The JBourne of the movies was different from JBond. JBond has morphed in to Jason, I for one feel we lost something when Bond stops being Bond and impersonates a amnesiac loner.

Bond is big the author can not say he didn't know about him but Moore was the Bond at the time the first Bourne book was published. Reading Both book series I see two different spies.

The Bourne films do remind me of Fleming novels though. The way the story focuses on one character, the way he thinks quick to get out of situations, relies on his wits rather than gadgets (Bond smashes someone in the face with his Rolex watch as a knuckle-duster in OHMSS - very Bourne).

I identified more with Fleming in the Bourne films than I did with the past few Brosnan films.

Harvey Wallbanger · Post by **Harvey Wallbanger** » Mon May 14, 2007 1:28 am

The Sweeney wrote:
No, Bourne was ripping off Fleming......

A secret agent with amnesia was done in YOLT/TMWTGG. A secret agent in more believable, realistic action-orientated situations was done in just about every Bond book.

The Bourne films do remind me of Fleming novels though. The way the story focuses on one character, the way he thinks quick to get out of situations, relies on his wits rather than gadgets (Bond smashes someone in the face with his Rolex watch as a knuckle-duster in OHMSS - very Bourne).

I identified more with Fleming in the Bourne films than I did with the past few Brosnan films.

So thats your spin -Bourne ripped of Fleming so ripping off Bourne is perfect.

Bourne is very different from JB –movies -books -whatever. There is a similarity but then so do Jack Ryan & Richard Starks books.

Bourne is a very different adventure, the purpose and writing is completely different from IF's books.

David Webb -Jason Bourne's real name -is not a rehash of JB and Treadstone -is not a MI6 –universal exports- with a new paint job.
David Webb –Bourne's real name -is a foreign service officer and a specialist in Far Eastern affairs -had a wife and 2 kids during Vietnam.

he joins Medusa –a government-funded topsecret death squad to avenge his family's death

Most of the Medusa members are criminals -murderers -drug lords–smugglers-arms dealers - all fugitives from justice hired by the government.

One member of Medusa is a man by the name of Jason Charles Bourne.
Jason Bourne was a double agent into slavery & drugs born in Australia

Webb –David Webb later takes the alias Jason Bourne- he killed the real Bourne when Bourne tried to screw over a rescue mission.

Years later David Webb takes the identity of Jason Bourne to turn Jason Bourne into something more than he really was
Becoming know as Cain assassin for hire -known worldwide for his ability to kill the hardest targets.

The goal for all of this was to create competition for a wellknown assassin named Carlos the Jackal -code named Carlos- the worlds best assassin.
Cain –Jason Bourne- David Webb- would draw Carlos out then kill and replace him.
To help draw Carlos out and piss him off to boot –Cain -Jason Bourne- David Webb- stole the credit for Carlos's kills that Cain had no part in.

Yep that Ludlum ripped off IF

family -his brother then wife & kids- are his strongest motivators.
Bourne Ultimatum only happens because Carlos goes after Webb's family
-after Carlos is dead David Webb having finally killed the Jackal -he goes home to his family in Maine where he is a associate Asian studies professor at the local university.

Bourne and Bond are as similar as Aquaman and Batman

"Cain is for Charlie, and Delta is for Cain"

Post by **The Sweeney** » Mon May 14, 2007 6:30 am

Harvey Wallbanger wrote:
The Sweeney wrote:
No, Bourne was ripping off Fleming......

A secret agent with amnesia was done in YOLT/TMWTGG. A secret agent in more believable, realistic action-orientated situations was done in just about every Bond book.

The Bourne films do remind me of Fleming novels though. The way the story focuses on one character, the way he thinks quick to get out of situations, relies on his wits rather than gadgets (Bond smashes someone in the face with his Rolex watch as a knuckle-duster in OHMSS - very Bourne).

I identified more with Fleming in the Bourne films than I did with the past few Brosnan films.
So thats your spin -Bourne ripped of Fleming so ripping off Bourne is perfect.
Bourne is very different from JB –movies -books -whatever. There is a similarity but then so do Jack Ryan & Richard Starks books.

Bourne is a very different adventure, the purpose and writing is completely different from IF's books.

David Webb -Jason Bourne's real name -is not a rehash of JB and Treadstone -is not a MI6 –universal exports- with a new paint job.
David Webb –Bourne's real name -is a foreign service officer and a specialist in Far Eastern affairs -had a wife and 2 kids during Vietnam.

he joins Medusa –a government-funded topsecret death squad to avenge his family's death

Most of the Medusa members are criminals -murderers -drug lords–smugglers-arms dealers - all fugitives from justice hired by the government.

One member of Medusa is a man by the name of Jason Charles Bourne.
Jason Bourne was a double agent into slavery & drugs born in Australia

Webb –David Webb later takes the alias Jason Bourne- he killed the real Bourne when Bourne tried to screw over a rescue mission.

Years later David Webb takes the identity of Jason Bourne to turn Jason Bourne into something more than he really was
Becoming know as Cain assassin for hire -known worldwide for his ability to kill the hardest targets.

The goal for all of this was to create competition for a wellknown assassin named Carlos the Jackal -code named Carlos- the worlds best assassin.
Cain –Jason Bourne- David Webb- would draw Carlos out then kill and replace him.
To help draw Carlos out and piss him off to boot –Cain -Jason Bourne- David Webb- stole the credit for Carlos's kills that Cain had no part in.

Yep that Ludlum ripped off IF
family -his brother then wife & kids- are his strongest motivators.
Bourne Ultimatum only happens because Carlos goes after Webb's family
-after Carlos is dead David Webb having finally killed the Jackal -he goes home to his family in Maine where he is a associate Asian studies professor at the local university.

Bourne and Bond are as similar as Aquaman and Batman

"Cain is for Charlie, and Delta is for Cain"

Storyline/plot-wise Bourne and Bond are very different (as you elaborately indicated above).

But who is saying that? I certainly wasn't.

CR storyline is absolutely nothing like a Bourne film. The plot itself is taken direct from an entire Fleming novel!!!!

But where the similarities meet are the style in which the action is portrayed. So you think the OTT action, laughable CGI effects, invisible cars and lashings of gadgets is a truer interpretation of the way Fleming described action sequences, as opposed to the more gritty, bloody, realistic way the action is portrayed in the Bourne films then.....

Post by **carl stromberg** » Mon May 14, 2007 1:36 pm

James Bond? Newly assigned OO-Agent who has no problem with getting his hands dirty to get the job done, has a sense of humor, plays cards, drives Astin Martins, grew an affinity for tailored suits since the Casino assignment and always gets the job done.

I'm not sure "my" Bond is a newly assigned agent who has just discovered the finer things in life aged 40, but there we go!

If you were being uncharitable, you could say that Ludlum, Fleming, Deighton etc produced the same sort of pulp, spy potboiler thrillers (I'm of the view that Fleming - like Raymond Chandler - produced something better than the "pulps"). Therefore, Bourne and Bond are bound to be similar, as The Sweeney suggested. I have not read any of the Bourne novels, but I believe they are substantially different from the films

I think people say that Bourne is similar to Bond in that Eon copied the Bourne films for Casino Royale. "James Bond" in Casino Royale seems to be a quiet, everyman character that the film Bourne is.

I'll end this post which didn't go anywhere (!) by saying that I'm looking forward to the next Bourne film.

Captain Nash · Post by **Captain Nash** » Mon May 14, 2007 1:41 pm

carl stromberg wrote:
I'll end this post which didn't go anywhere (!) by saying that I'm looking forawrd to the next Bourne film.

You seem to have missed out...but I'll be looking forward to the next Bond film more!
You know it's true carl.

paco chaos · Post by **paco chaos** » Mon May 14, 2007 3:47 pm

I've never read the Bourne books, or seen the movies. I thought about buying the DVDs last week when they were on sale at best buy, but then I realized that Julia Stiles is in the second one. I really hate her.
so I might read the books at some point, but I'm gonna have to catch the movies on tv, since I don't want to spend my money on Julia Stiles.

Post by **Kristatos** » Mon May 14, 2007 3:53 pm

paco chaos wrote:but then I realized that Julia Stiles is in the second one. I really hate her.

She's in both of them, but she doesn't really have a whole lot to do in the first film. Her part is slightly expanded (though still fairly small) in the second film. What exactly is it you have against Julia Stiles? She seems like kind of a random person to hate.

Post by **The Sweeney** » Mon May 14, 2007 6:36 pm

carl stromberg wrote:I think people say that Bourne is similar to Bond in that Eon copied the Bourne films for Casino Royale. "James Bond" in Casino Royale seems to be a quiet, everyman character that the film Bourne is.

Smartest move EON ever made.

It was so depressing to watch the Bourne films, and for them to remind me more of the Fleming novels than the recent Bond film at that time (I won't mention which film...

)

When I first watched TBI, I remember thinking to myself all the way through it, `this is how a Bond film should be. Gritty, bloody, realistic action.'

Thank heavens EON realised this too.....

paco chaos · Post by **paco chaos** » Tue May 15, 2007 3:34 am

Kristatos wrote:
paco chaos wrote:but then I realized that Julia Stiles is in the second one. I really hate her.
She's in both of them, but she doesn't really have a whole lot to do in the first film. Her part is slightly expanded (though still fairly small) in the second film. What exactly is it you have against Julia Stiles? She seems like kind of a random person to hate.

I don't know, she just seems so bland. I'm sort of kidding about not seeing the film because of her, but she is not my idea of a great actress.