I don't have a problem with Christmas Jones, but I think Renard could be cast better. Someone recently suggested Jean Reno and that really works for me - he's a proper heavy and would have been a match in stature for Brosnan at the end, should be the sort of charismatic baddie who really could conceivably turn Electra bad, plus would have played the slightly sympathetic, exploited by Electra stuff well I think. I'm not sure Carlisle is quite right for it.
Really agree about the Parahawk sequence- I don't know if it's the direction or editing or music what but it really is one of the most leaden action sequences in the series if you ask me.
1 - build a proper fishtank filled with real fish (for some reason this is the detail which has most bugged me in recent years)
2 - give us the giant squid and the migrating landcrabs
3 - edit out "fetch my shoes"
4 - bonus - have Honey's knowledge of local ecology help Bond, as was done in the book
that unconvincing fishtank, blown up from a little tank with its scaled up guppies and angelfish looking as big as Bond, is only exasperated when Dr No brags "one million dollars". wasnt that the budget for the whole movie? so whatd the fishtank effect cost? five dollars at the pet shop plus a bit of trickery in the editing room?
Agree. Jean Reno would have been a good shout for the role of Renard.
I think Carlyle got the role partly based on his chilling performance as Albie in the UK TV Series 'Cracker'. In the same vein, Sean Bean's performance in Patriot Games, Javier Bardem's in No Country for Old Men and Christoph Waltz' in Inglorious Basterds all played a significant part in them being sought out for Bond. All brilliantly terrifying in their roles in those aforementioned films but less so when transposing into a Bond villain.
1) Blofeld's cat should have been dealt with in the pre-credits - maybe have it hanging onto Blofled, distraught and scratching his tunic before being dropped down the chimney. As it is, it turns up again in Never Say Never Again with another Blofeld, totally different - no one ever figures it's the cat that's the villain, it always looks the same.
2) Failing that, Bibi wailing with misery as she opens her wardrobe and finds Blofeld's cat has ripped her clothing to shreds.
3) Ending with Russian bomb destroying Maggie in No 10, setting the scene for the next movie.
3) Bond is still in the Blayden safe house when Necros and a second henchman attack. Bond has to chose between protecting M or Koskov, and he choses M. The fight in the kitchen is between Bond and the second henchman while Necros escapes with Koskoov.
this is a good explanation that clears up a few plotholes and contradictions
the Evil Cat employs various actor/minions to play the part of Blofeld and not even the other SPECTRE agents ever guess who is really in charge. Not only does this theory explain why Blofeld keeps changing his face, but also why Blofeld fails to recognise Bond in OHMSS: Tiddles was probably trying to tell SavalasBlofeld ("mrowrr!! for the twentieth time, thats James Bond! kill Bond now! mrowrr!!") , but SavalasBlofeld wasnt very good at understanding the subtleties of cat language and because of that one weakness screwed up the whole operation
Can't believe no one has mentioned the slide whistle yet for the corkscrew jump. One of the best stunts in Bond history ruined by a goofy whistle. I'm against editing movies, but really wish the stupid slide whistle would be removed in future releases of the movie.
Ensure the screenwriters have seen AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER first to get rid of that whole brothers thing.
Recast Lea Seydoux with someone else. She's a fine actress but sometimes actors simply have zero chemistry. She and Daniel had zero chemistry and their relationship doesn't feel legit.
Redo the car chase and make it exciting instead of a leisurely, comedic romp.
Give David Bautista more to do. The best scenes in the film (apart from the car chase) involve him. Even better, bring him back for NTTD. He was given a vague enough 'death' that this could have been done.
Pussy is interested in Bond from the first time they meet - they’re flirting constantly from then onwards, she’s playing the “hard-to-get” game. Look at the sparkle in her eyes and her seductive smile.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
I don’t really get that, certainly I think pushing him off with all her strength goes a bit beyond that. His films suggest Hamilton had some odd ideas.
Get rid of the invisible car. It's simply not a credible gadget. Almost all of Bond's prior gadgets had a 'that's feasible' patina to them that you could accept their usage without being taken out of the film. The invisible car lacks that feasibility.
Redo the second-half stuntwork and special effects to be practical rather than CGI as much as possible. They pushed the boundaries of what CGI could accomplish too far for that year, rendering a lot of shots laughably incomplete. Know your limitations. Today's CGI technology could probably pull off what they were attempting to do then.
Commit to a tone. The first half of the film is actually pretty great. The film only goes off the cliff when they hit Iceland and the tone shifts into 'ridiculous mode' almost immediately. There's no gradual escalation of the madness ala MOONRAKER where that tonal shift works.
I don't really have an issue with Halle Berry. She doesn't elevate the film or sink it.
The Madonna song isn't a favorite but it's the least of the film's problems.
Die Another Day is actually a pretty good movie up until Bond gets to the ice palace. Then it just goes down hill from there. If Roger Moore thinks a Bond movie is too over the top, then you know its gone off the rails. The invisible car, CGI kite surfing scene, Moneypenny having virtual sex with 007, and Koreans using DNA modification to turn English, its too much even for a Bond movie. Looking back, its hard to believe a movie that starts off with a dark tone and has Bond being tortured morphs into laugh fest that makes Moonraker look like Skyfall.
The first half of DAD is arguably the 'best' Brosnan film. It simply cannot be overstated just how badly the film goes off the rails once they go to Iceland.
Comments
Bad judgement isn't exclusive to the DC era:
Don't have Bond in space
Don't have rapey scenes for Bond
Don't make Bond a comedian
Seconded!
I don't have a problem with Christmas Jones, but I think Renard could be cast better. Someone recently suggested Jean Reno and that really works for me - he's a proper heavy and would have been a match in stature for Brosnan at the end, should be the sort of charismatic baddie who really could conceivably turn Electra bad, plus would have played the slightly sympathetic, exploited by Electra stuff well I think. I'm not sure Carlisle is quite right for it.
Really agree about the Parahawk sequence- I don't know if it's the direction or editing or music what but it really is one of the most leaden action sequences in the series if you ask me.
Dr No
1 - build a proper fishtank filled with real fish (for some reason this is the detail which has most bugged me in recent years)
2 - give us the giant squid and the migrating landcrabs
3 - edit out "fetch my shoes"
4 - bonus - have Honey's knowledge of local ecology help Bond, as was done in the book
that unconvincing fishtank, blown up from a little tank with its scaled up guppies and angelfish looking as big as Bond, is only exasperated when Dr No brags "one million dollars". wasnt that the budget for the whole movie? so whatd the fishtank effect cost? five dollars at the pet shop plus a bit of trickery in the editing room?
Agree. Jean Reno would have been a good shout for the role of Renard.
I think Carlyle got the role partly based on his chilling performance as Albie in the UK TV Series 'Cracker'. In the same vein, Sean Bean's performance in Patriot Games, Javier Bardem's in No Country for Old Men and Christoph Waltz' in Inglorious Basterds all played a significant part in them being sought out for Bond. All brilliantly terrifying in their roles in those aforementioned films but less so when transposing into a Bond villain.
I kept waiting for Carlyle to go into TRAINSPOTTING mode.
For Your Eyes Only
1) Blofeld's cat should have been dealt with in the pre-credits - maybe have it hanging onto Blofled, distraught and scratching his tunic before being dropped down the chimney. As it is, it turns up again in Never Say Never Again with another Blofeld, totally different - no one ever figures it's the cat that's the villain, it always looks the same.
2) Failing that, Bibi wailing with misery as she opens her wardrobe and finds Blofeld's cat has ripped her clothing to shreds.
3) Ending with Russian bomb destroying Maggie in No 10, setting the scene for the next movie.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I'm changing number 3:
3) Bond is still in the Blayden safe house when Necros and a second henchman attack. Bond has to chose between protecting M or Koskov, and he choses M. The fight in the kitchen is between Bond and the second henchman while Necros escapes with Koskoov.
napoleon said:
no one ever figures it's the cat that's the villain, it always looks the same.
_______________________________________________________________________________
this is a good explanation that clears up a few plotholes and contradictions
the Evil Cat employs various actor/minions to play the part of Blofeld and not even the other SPECTRE agents ever guess who is really in charge. Not only does this theory explain why Blofeld keeps changing his face, but also why Blofeld fails to recognise Bond in OHMSS: Tiddles was probably trying to tell SavalasBlofeld ("mrowrr!! for the twentieth time, thats James Bond! kill Bond now! mrowrr!!") , but SavalasBlofeld wasnt very good at understanding the subtleties of cat language and because of that one weakness screwed up the whole operation
Can't believe no one has mentioned the slide whistle yet for the corkscrew jump. One of the best stunts in Bond history ruined by a goofy whistle. I'm against editing movies, but really wish the stupid slide whistle would be removed in future releases of the movie.
SPECTRE:
Yeah that's a fair point! 😁
Pussy is interested in Bond from the first time they meet - they’re flirting constantly from then onwards, she’s playing the “hard-to-get” game. Look at the sparkle in her eyes and her seductive smile.
I don’t really get that, certainly I think pushing him off with all her strength goes a bit beyond that. His films suggest Hamilton had some odd ideas.
Yes, agreed. Welcome aboard, btw.
DIE ANOTHER DAY
I don't really have an issue with Halle Berry. She doesn't elevate the film or sink it.
The Madonna song isn't a favorite but it's the least of the film's problems.
Die Another Day is actually a pretty good movie up until Bond gets to the ice palace. Then it just goes down hill from there. If Roger Moore thinks a Bond movie is too over the top, then you know its gone off the rails. The invisible car, CGI kite surfing scene, Moneypenny having virtual sex with 007, and Koreans using DNA modification to turn English, its too much even for a Bond movie. Looking back, its hard to believe a movie that starts off with a dark tone and has Bond being tortured morphs into laugh fest that makes Moonraker look like Skyfall.
The first half of DAD is arguably the 'best' Brosnan film. It simply cannot be overstated just how badly the film goes off the rails once they go to Iceland.
YOLT
Edit in at least one scene where Kissy’s name is mentioned.
Spend some more money on the visual effects of the volcano blowing up.
Telly Savalas as Blofeld.
YOLT is a terrific romp, especially on the big screen, one of best in the series.