The BJMDDS General Discussion Thread......

[bjmdds]

By Nathan Smith Wed., Oct. 10 2012
Categories: Chart Check, Hollywood Shuffle
Fifty years after the release of the very first Hollywood adaptation of Ian Fleming's superspy, James Bond returns to make his 23rd appearance on the silver screen this month in Skyfall, Daniel Craig's third crack at the character. The media blitz for the film's premiere is already in full effect, led by the release of Adele's new Bond theme song, the sensibly titled "Skyfall."
While the new movie's success has yet to be determined, the theme has all the making of a hit. With Adele in the midst of a self-imposed hiatus from music as she carries her first child to term, pretty much anything the "Rolling In the Deep" singer puts out right now is going to be snatched up greedily by her fans. Expect it to make a big splash on the charts. Just don't expect a masterpiece.

Sure, Adele has won the hearts of millions worldwide with her bold, rich tone, but "Skyfall" diminishes her somehow. Falling well short of sultry, her soft cooing on the track threatens to disappear into the lush arrangement instead of blasting it into the stratosphere where it belongs. Chart-topper or no, this one ain't likely to appear at the top of any Bond best-of lists anytime soon.

[bjmdds]

It is not listed in Australia's top 10. Was it available there or do they show good taste to avoid it? This song is pure hype, just like Bond 23 is, with NO rationale to become a hit, except for it being Adele or Bond. If Carrie Underwood sang The Sky Is Falling not much buzz would surround it like it is for overhyped Adele. The reason Adele is as popular as she has become is due to the lack of voice competition of her generation. Rap dominates a decadent USA declining culture and worldwide there are no others who actually sing songs, instead of grunting debasing gibberish into rap trash. Put Adele in an age of Streisand, Warwick, Ross, Bassie, and others like that, and she is mediocre at best. When your main competition his Cher Lloyd, Cheryl Cole, Demi Lovato, Britney Spears, etc., it's not hard to rise to the top. The Sky Is Falling is a dreary, repetitive, and boring ballad and as I said prior, Tom Jones's TB NOW buries this song in effect and vitality. Right FBF?

I am the first to agree that EON have made a mess of many decisions over the past few years, but I actually think the decision to go with Adele was a good one, regardless of who is playing Bond, or what the film is like.

Adele has a voice born to sing a Bond film, and she is the most successful solo singer globally at the moment, so for me EON have done something right for once - and the song is good too, which is a big bonus.

Adele was chosen for 1 reason only----her popularity and fan base, which is a smart attempt by Eon;however, her voice is WASTED in this innocuous and vacuous and boring ballad which describes what will be a mostly depressing underlying psycho-babbled plot, as I can see this film unfolding into. Adele should be in a vibrant and upbeat song to grasp the audience's attention, not set it up for somnambulistic sleep once Cr-egg's mug permeates the screen.

[bjmdds]

The Case Against: BY OLIVER LYTTELTON
We like Mendes more than some ("Jarhead" in particular is underrated), but even we were underwhelmed by his last two pictures, "Revolutionary Road" and "Away We Go." Even if he's got his mojo back by now, he might fall prey to the same issues with action/direction that plagued the similarly inexperienced-in-the-genre Forster last time around. And while he's awards nominated, we haven't been especially wild about John Logan's scripts so far.

That's not to mention the main issue with the Bond series: it's terribly, terribly formulaic. Even the better entries follow a similar template, and it's easy to see the new film following the same pattern. Will there be enough here to separate it from earlier Bond movies, or even rival spy films? Brad Bird raised the bar in terms of pure craft and spectacle in "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" (although that had its own problems), and there's always the risk that Bond will feel like old news up against the competition.

Another risk that's all too common with the franchise: peaking too soon. In films like "The World Is Not Enough," and even "Quantum Of Solace," the highlight of the film often comes in the opening 5-10 minutes, with a cracking action sequence that makes the rest of the film look tame by comparison. The Istanbul-set opening of "Skyfall" sounds spectacular; a car chase turned bike chase, turned train chase, turned train fight. But most of the action highlights in trailers appear to come from that opening scene. Has Mendes got some secrets tucked up his sleeve? Or will this be another Bond movie that's shown its best stuff by the end of the first reel? Screenings start soon, and we'll have our verdict for you close to the film's opening in Europe on October 26th (it follows in the U.S. on November 9th).

[bjmdds]

10 October 2012

Adele's 007 single Skyfall looks set to
fail its mission to top the charts for a second week.

The Grammy winner, 24, was hot favourite to become the first singer to get to number one with a Bond theme.

But the Official Charts Company said Scandinavian DJ supergroup Swedish House Mafia are expected to hold Adele off the top spot.

Skyfall, which debuted at number four last weekend, looks set for second place this Sunday.

The Bond theme tune is being outsold by Swedish House Mafia's Don't You Worry Child by nearly 22,000 copies.

No Bond theme has ever reached number one on the Official Singles Chart, but Duran Duran's 1985 single A View To A Kill also reached number two.

Adele was prevented from reaching the top spot by Rihanna's Diamonds last Sunday, which is now slipping to number three.

Mother-to-be Adele teamed up with Paul Epworth, who co-wrote and produced her massive hit Rolling In The Deep, to write Skyfall for the new film of the same name.

Stars who have missed out on the top spot with a Bond theme include Paul McCartney, Tom Jones and Madonna.

The film, again starring Daniel Craig as Bond, premieres on October 26.

Ellie Goulding is expected to score her second number one album this Sunday with Halcyon. (Sorry Sweeney. If history is any indicator you don't go up as the weeks progress and people tire of a boring ballad.)

[shaken not stirred]

It is not listed in Australia's top 10. Was it available there or do they show good taste to avoid it? This song is pure hype, just like Bond 23 is, with NO rationale to become a hit, except for it being Adele or Bond. If Carrie Underwood sang The Sky Is Falling not much buzz would surround it like it is for overhyped Adele. The reason Adele is as popular as she has become is due to the lack of voice competition of her generation. Rap dominates a decadent USA declining culture and worldwide there are no others who actually sing songs, instead of grunting debasing gibberish into rap trash. Put Adele in an age of Streisand, Warwick, Ross, Bassie, and others like that, and she is mediocre at best. When your main competition his Cher Lloyd, Cheryl Cole, Demi Lovato, Britney Spears, etc., it's not hard to rise to the top. The Sky Is Falling is a dreary, repetitive, and boring ballad and as I said prior, Tom Jones's TB NOW buries this song in effect and vitality. Right FBF?

I am the first to agree that EON have made a mess of many decisions over the past few years, but I actually think the decision to go with Adele was a good one, regardless of who is playing Bond, or what the film is like.

Adele has a voice born to sing a Bond film, and she is the most successful solo singer globally at the moment, so for me EON have done something right for once - and the song is good too, which is a big bonus.

Adele was chosen for 1 reason only----her popularity and fan base, which is a smart attempt by Eon;however, her voice is WASTED in this innocuous and vacuous and boring ballad which describes what will be a mostly depressing underlying psycho-babbled plot, as I can see this film unfolding into. Adele should be in a vibrant and upbeat song to grasp the audience's attention, not set it up for somnambulistic sleep once Cr-egg's mug permeates the screen.

Yep especially if you consider this is supposed to be the bond film bringing back some classic elements why use such a dreary song to go with it, it just contradicts it, some bond themes were pretty sad when they started but soon picked up the tempo (ie live and let die) and that's it they didn't stick with one thing all bond themes need to be upbeat in some part.

[Capt. Sir Dominic Flandry]

I heard the Skyfall theme song is sponsored by Horlicks

[Dr. No]

A lot of sitting and waiting for kids due to after school activities so the radio is on a lot. Still no Skyfall on the radio may not mean a thing I was sure they'd be starting with it after the big opener.

I will say this, not to be mean or anthing, some family members have heard the song on the internet, big Bond fans don't mind Craig as much as I do but haven't bothered to go to the moveis since Pierce left not that they wouldn't its only they were not impressed with the trailers, so so about CR and hated QOS. Anywho they were not impressed with the skyfall theme thought it sounded like every other Bond song. Not that their opinions matters to anyone but me thought i'd mention it since you,me,we live in a bubble and our friends like Sweeney live in a adjacent bubble. Kindof a casual review from some folks not all that in to this.

[Dr. No]

Heard it on the radio today. Very long intro, might be too long.

[Dr. No]

If you crunch the numbers, George is the least violent Bond, killing only 5 people in his one outing as Bond, the lowest per-film average of all the actors. Roger has the lowest kill count for a single movie, where in TMWTGG, he only killed Scaramanga. Pierce is actually the most violent Bond, with an average 33.8 kills per movie.

How did Pierce get 33.8 kills a movie? Ridiculously high IMO.

[bjmdds]

http://www.billboard.com/news/adele-s-s ... 8012.story So the Adele experiment has NOT overwhelmed the public it seems. Her fans will buy it but from where it is now, I see it heading in the wrong direction over time for Eon. There is NO talk of it here in NYC.

[Blowfeld]

I think we should elect someone from this forum to go see Skyfall opening night and review it for everyone else. My votes is for FormerBondFan.
Calm down FBF I'm only kidding

I've already decided that if I do see it in the cinema, it won't be during its first two weeks. That's when the narrative of a film's success or failure is written. After that, the price of my ticket won't affect it much one way or the other. Either it will already be a hit, so withdrawing my money would be a futile gesture, or it will have been written off as a failure, and my going to see it won't make any difference, any more than it did with John Carter.

Why should Kris have to suffer this ignominy. Is this one of this short straw deals? 'Sorry chum you'll have to stay to make sure the bomb goes off in the Jerrys secret lab'

Kris is right after week two it is essentially done. In the past I felt because of my role here I was required to see what it was we were talking about. I am more afraid this time they are taking things too far and dearly do not want to risk the chance of rewarding them for it (not that they'd notice or miss the 5 quid from a poor sod like me). I know people who bought tickets for another movie and walked in to "Bond" movie to "review" it. Not me thou, none too nimble and last time I tried a pimply teen laid down the law

You can never tell about a movie I just watched Prometheus, what the hell was that!? If were to review it I'd call it 'what the hell just happened', disjointed, incoherent, a collection of space exploration memes. And yet people I respect here attest this is a good moive.

Sometimes being "different" is enough to excuse the flaws.

[English Agent]

I think we should elect someone from this forum to go see Skyfall opening night and review it for everyone else. My votes is for FormerBondFan.
Calm down FBF I'm only kidding

I've already decided that if I do see it in the cinema, it won't be during its first two weeks. That's when the narrative of a film's success or failure is written. After that, the price of my ticket won't affect it much one way or the other. Either it will already be a hit, so withdrawing my money would be a futile gesture, or it will have been written off as a failure, and my going to see it won't make any difference, any more than it did with John Carter.

Why should Kris have to suffer this ignominy. Is this one of this short straw deals? 'Sorry chum you'll have to stay to make sure the bomb goes off in the Jerrys secret lab'

Kris is right after week two it is essentially done. In the past I felt because of my role here I was required to see what it was we were talking about. I am more afraid this time they are taking things too far and dearly do not want to risk the chance of rewarding them for it (not that they'd notice or miss the 5 quid from a poor sod like me). I know people who bought tickets for another movie and walked in to "Bond" movie to "review" it. Not me thou, none too nimble and last time I tried a pimply teen laid down the law

You can never tell about a movie I just watched Prometheus, what the hell was that!? If were to review it I'd call it 'what the hell just happened', disjointed, incoherent, a collection of space exploration memes. And yet people I respect here attest this is a good moive.

Sometimes being "different" is enough to excuse the flaws.

Prometheus was an excellent film!

btw:- i think it will be The Sweeney and i who will see Skyfall first, being UK citizens...........and then we can tell u all about the film, and the chap in the lead role Mr Cregggg!

[Blowfeld]

Prometheus was an excellent film!

Rubbish!!!

Not to spoil it for others it suddenly switches tone with no explanation. It is one kind of movie then in last thirty it is another without setting the groundwork for why.
Beautifully shot and wonderful acted it is missing huge chunks of script to make it a good story.

[bjmdds]

I put my order in for the bootleg dvd for Bond 23 already. Hopefully it will be attained prior to November 9 here.

[The Sweeney]

http://www.billboard.com/news/adele-s-s ... 8012.story So the Adele experiment has NOT overwhelmed the public it seems. Her fans will buy it but from where it is now, I see it heading in the wrong direction over time for Eon. There is NO talk of it here in NYC.

That's No. 2 BJ, assuming she doesn't hit the No.1 spot by the weekend.

Which makes it is the highest ever charting Bond song of all time, equivelant to AVTAK.

[bjmdds]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/musi ... s/1624883/

[The Sweeney]

http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-eveni ... -1-2568313

[Kristatos]

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/data/ ... Rabbit.jpg

[bjmdds]

http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-eveni ... -1-2568313

Is Gary Flockhart related to the green vegetable? "Adele’s song is believed to reflect its ‘dark’ and ‘moody’ narrative." NOT what people look for in a Bond film.

[Kristatos]

New trailer is out, featuring the Adele song.

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3960644633/