O/T James Bond

[phild]

Going to see No time to die tonight I suspect this could be the 'wokeist' Bond film ever. Still it could be the last before Jemima takes on the role, oh for another Roger Moore!

Anyone else seen it yet?

[mickd1961]

Mark Kermode was raving about it on his review on the BBC.

I’m about to travel up to Harrogate to celebrate my 60th birthday and I’m intending to go to the old Odeon picture house to watch it rather than a large modern cinema.

My late dad took me there for my first ever visit to the pictures to see Jungle Book in 1965 so it’ll be quite emotional for me.

I may even go tomorrow night to celebrate my actual birthday.

[Albionic68]

Happy 60th birthday in advance Mick, have a good one.

[mickd1961]

Happy 60th birthday in advance Mick, have a good one.

Thanks Phil.

[billsbest]

Enjoyed the film. A good 7 out of 10. Much more real emotion in the film than is typical for Bond.

[Omegstrat6]

Saw it last Sat morning with my lad. It was good but agree that it was also a bit overlong. Without wanting to spoil it for anyone, I think first 3/4 of film were as good as any of Craig era better ones but much of next bit too much of what we've all seen before. Like the critics, felt Ana de Armas character was underused and more of a proper "bond girl"! As for the next Bond, Barbara Broccoli has not ruled out a change of ethnicity but is (rightly) saying it won't be a female lead. I'm struggling to think of actors that might be a good fit though. Think Tom Hardy could be ok but maybe too close to the Craig version? Rege-Jean Page (the lead from Bridgerton) also said to be in the frame and tbh he seems to have the screen presence for it. The one actor who I think would have made a good Bond at the time (1969) was Ollie Reed. He was touted and auditioned but producers felt they would have to spend too much time trying to improve his public image😃

[BaggieSingh]

Happy 60th birthday Mick
We went yesterday on the 4DX in Birmingham while kids were at school
Brilliant only 4 of us in the whole cinema

Good film really enjoyed it, it was definitely adapted from 5he original with a feminine/ethic volume turned up a bit

Also agree that Ana de Armas should have been in it more, great cameo and absolutely gorgeous

Ollie Reed as Bond, good god would have been some of the worse casting ever, love Ollie but he’s not a Bond, same as Hardy, just not suave enough

I have also heard that Broccoli won’t have a woman, but I’d be surprised if he was white, I think they’ll go for another ethnicity just as a sign of the times

I don’t think the Bond producers ever go with the obvious choice so Idris Elba is out, Rene has a chance though, and he’s been quiet lately, could be for a reason.

[Omegstrat6]

Can see where you are coming from with Tom Hardy but maybe that's because he has tended to play the same sort of characters lately but his range is bigger than that. Bond isn't overly smooth or suave in the books either and think the character needs that kind of edge of danger/cruelty that got lost between the Connery and Craig's tenures in the films. As for Ollie, I agree that you would not see him as a good fit ordinarily but at that particular time I think he would have been. He made "women in love" in 69 and if you take away all the very Ken Russell-y stuff his acting holds up well against some very good actors in it like Alan Bates and certainly few can do the quiet menace that he can bring to the screen. He could also, at that time, pull off the tux look which was always used in the screen tests and so important to the franchise.

[phild]

This was the worst Bond film I have ever seen. Great intro until the Bond dirge came on by Bilie eyelash and that was it. More or less downhill from that point. It was tosh, totally unimaginative and a rehash of OHMSS but far worse. That 007 woman was a shocker and it felt at times i was watching Dempsey and Makepiece. The worse part of the film was dozens of flippin customers going in and out for a p@ss. Anyhow 3/10 from me and glad the Craig era is finally over. What the Producers do after this I doubt I'll be bothered.

[kettering_baggie]

Bond, the saga is way beyond its sell by date, it’s time James Bond was consigned to the cinematographic cemetery. I’ve never liked any of the Bond films.

[BaggieSingh]

This was the worst Bond film I have ever seen. Great intro until the Bond dirge came on by Bilie eyelash and that was it. More or less downhill from that point. It was tosh, totally unimaginative and a rehash of OHMSS but far worse. That 007 woman was a shocker and it felt at times i was watching Dempsey and Makepiece. The worse part of the film was dozens of flippin customers going in and out for a p@ss. Anyhow 3/10 from me and glad the Craig era is finally over. What the Producers do after this I doubt I'll be bothered.

😂 Dempsey and Makepeace 🤣

[Leicesterbaggie]

I haven't watched a Bond film since the Sean Connery days and rarely, if ever, go to the cinema now. What I don't understand though is why should the next actor to play Bond not be white. It is my understanding that Fleming created Bond as a white man so why should it be altered? It's not being racist, it's more like rewriting history. We've already had a black Anne Boleyn. What is the point in that as it is historically incorrect? Some, who don't know their history, might think that it is a fact. What would be said if a white man played Martin Luther King?

[BaggieSingh]

I haven't watched a Bond film since the Sean Connery days and rarely, if ever, go to the cinema now. What I don't understand though is why should the next actor to play Bond not be white. It is my understanding that Fleming created Bond as a white man so why should it be altered? It's not being racist, it's more like rewriting history. We've already had a black Anne Boleyn. What is the point in that as it is historically incorrect? Some, who don't know their history, might think that it is a fact. What would be said if a white man played Martin Luther King?

S h I t isn’t it life’s just not fair is it ?

[Albionic68]

This was the worst Bond film I have ever seen. Great intro until the Bond dirge came on by Bilie eyelash and that was it. More or less downhill from that point. It was tosh, totally unimaginative and a rehash of OHMSS but far worse. That 007 woman was a shocker and it felt at times i was watching Dempsey and Makepiece. The worse part of the film was dozens of flippin customers going in and out for a p@ss. Anyhow 3/10 from me and glad the Craig era is finally over. What the Producers do after this I doubt I'll be bothered.

Admit it, you thought Daniel Craig made a better Bond than Roger Eyebrow. You're loathe to admit this because it makes you feel cheap and dirty. Sussed 😊 .

[WBA1955]

Sorry Phil but Roger Moore was a big girls blouse. He squealed for help after being mugged outside his hotel while doing a Bond film.
Connery on the other hand had a gun shoved in his face by a mob hitman. He promptly took the gun off him and knocked him out with one punch.
Anyway how many secret agents drive top of the range cars, win thousands in casino's, s hag the most beautiful women and everyone has heard of them.
That's what secret agents do, draw attention to themselves.😂

[WBA1955]

Patrick Mcgoohan was the first choice to play Bond but he turned it down to play Danger Man instead. He would have played the character much differently, he hated promiscuity, would have driven a mini and been much more shadowy figure, and more colder and ruthless.
I would have loved to see Mcgoohan play Bond but the franchise probably wouldn't have been as successful.

[phild]

Sorry Phil but Roger Moore was a big girls blouse. He squealed for help after being mugged outside his hotel while doing a Bond film.
Connery on the other hand had a gun shoved in his face by a mob hitman. He promptly took the gun off him and knocked him out with one punch.
Anyway how many secret agents drive top of the range cars, win thousands in casino's, s hag the most beautiful women and everyone has heard of them.
That's what secret agents do, draw attention to themselves.��

If you saw Craig play this latest Bond role you would see a big sobbing t1t blarting and pained and oh so maudlin. He couldn't even fight his own battles in this one without his gaggle of women helping him out. Granted Rog played it for humour which was far better than this sentimental mush - glad its all over as this shyte film as set up the next Bond to be a girlie - I'd accept Connery as a better Bond but if anyone says Craig is better than Rog, you gotsta be jokin.

Loved McGoohan in The Prisoner a series which is very apt for our present times

[Omegstrat6]

Definitely think the series now needs a complete refresh and hopefully one that will rejuvenate it (yet) again just as the Nolan films did for Batman. Quite what that would look like I don't know-a younger Bond earlier in his career? A Bond of different ethnicity? Personally,I would be happy to see one set in the same Cold War period as the original books with more emphasis on a decent storyline/dialogue/acting than overblown set pieces and special effects but doubt that will be the case. Too many movies seem to rely too much On spectacular CGI these days and whilst most of the MCU ones got the balance between that and story arc/character development about right, most dont. As for the Bond movies, IMHO the better ones are From Russia With Love, Goldfinger and then Casino Royale and Skyfall. Don't really rate the later Connery ones and whilst OHMSS is OK, Lazenby is too stiff. As a young ****ager I always went with my mates to the local cinema to watch the latest Bond and whilst I enjoyed some of the stunts and the over the top character of Jaws, I never really rated the Roger Moore ones. He may have had a certain charm but he was too old for the role and the films became too comedic and outlandish. They then tried to change tact and got in a more serious actor but the Dalton movies failed miserably. I enjoyed a lot of the Brosnan ones and getting Judy Dench on board was a good idea but they too soon became too bloated. The success of the early Bourne and Mission Impossible films probably influenced the Craig era with a return to a grittier Bond and better stunts but that's ran its course now. We know "James Bond will return" but quite what that will look like is anyone's guess. Just hope it works as the franchise is kind of a national institution.

[Omegstrat6]

Patrick Mcgoohan was the first choice to play Bond but he turned it down to play Danger Man instead. He would have played the character much differently, he hated promiscuity, would have driven a mini and been much more shadowy figure, and more colder and ruthless.
I would have loved to see Mcgoohan play Bond but the franchise probably wouldn't have been as successful.

Totally agree! Mcgoohan would have made an excellent Bond. Only recently realised that the actor most screen tested for the role was Michael Billington in late 60s/ early 70s. Mostly remembered for his role as Paul Foster in UFO and also in the Onedin Line too I think.

[phild]

Totally agree! Mcgoohan would have made an excellent Bond. Only recently realised that the actor most screen tested for the role was Michael Billington in late 60s/ early 70s. Mostly remembered for his role as Paul Foster in UFO and also in the Onedin Line too I think.

McGoohan was considered for Dr No 1962

Billington was firstly considered in 1967 for OHMSS after Connery left along with - Adam West, Patrick Mower, Ian Richardson, Michael Gambon, Anthony Valentine, Oliver Reed, Timothy Dalton, Roger Moore plus 400 other actors considered for the role. The role went to top male model and Frys TV ad man Lazenby. Billington was screen tested for the second time in 1969 but Connery was tempted back

In 1972 after Connery left Billington was tested yet again for Bond others included Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Julian Glover and John Gavin. Others touted were Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds finally going to the great Roger Moore

Billington was finally given a role in the brilliant TSWLM for all of around 10mins before his character was shot dead on the ski slope apparently to stop him from ever being screen tested again.

[Omegstrat6]

McGoohan was considered for Dr No 1962

Billington was firstly considered in 1967 for OHMSS after Connery left along with - Adam West, Patrick Mower, Ian Richardson, Michael Gambon, Anthony Valentine, Oliver Reed, Timothy Dalton, Roger Moore plus 400 other actors considered for the role. The role went to top male model and Frys TV ad man Lazenby. Billington was screen tested for the second time in 1969 but Connery was tempted back

In 1972 after Connery left Billington was tested yet again for Bond others included Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Julian Glover and John Gavin. Others touted were Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds finally going to the great Roger Moore

Billington was finally given a role in the brilliant TSWLM for all of around 10mins before his character was shot dead on the ski slope apparently to stop him from ever being screen tested again.

Cheers for the info Phild-quite a range of actors considered werent there! Didn't Eastwood turn down the role because (quite rightly!) he thought it should be played by a British actor? Funny how two male models got the part as well (Roger was a knitwear model before he landed his role as the Saint).Wonder what Flemming would have thought of that! 😃 Maybe too much emphasis on how they looked in a tux..

[phild]

The one and only highlight from No Time To Cry

20071

[mickd1961]

I thought it was a decent Bond movie, the action pieces and the camera work were extraordinary, especially in the close up action scenes.

Malik is a very fine actor and made a great baddie.

I thought the black girl playing the 007 role was dreadful though, very “wooden” and the whole thing screamed “tokenism” to me.

If she’s to be the next 007 then I think the franchise is in serious trouble.

I can’t work out if “Bond” as a concept is dead and that they’re changing things to become the “007” franchise?

If Broccoli is going down the “PC” route I think this is a huge mistake.

Bond was written in a certain way by Flemming and there’s nothing wrong with him always being a man, I don’t get the equality angle with this.

If we carry on like this Harry Potter will be using “gender fluid” toilets and wearing a tutu........it’s just becoming nonsense.

[phild]

The Bond as we know it Mick is now jed and buried. Flemings Bond is over that's why we got the ending that we did. James Bond based on the Fleming novels gave the reason to portray him as more or less as per the novel but the Fleming novels ended a long time ago so the new screen writers have had a very difficult time in portraying Bond as the womaniser of old due to todays attitudes.

So Bond is now free to be a he/she or whatever gender and will be a new reimagining based on the wokeist attitudes and ideals that now prevail so Bond as you and me knew him is now finished kaput and no more.

[Leicesterbaggie]

The Bond as we know it Mick is now jed and buried. Flemings Bond is over that's why we got the ending that we did. James Bond based on the Fleming novels gave the reason to portray him as more or less as per the novel but the Fleming novels ended a long time ago so the new screen writers have had a very difficult time in portraying Bond as the womaniser of old due to todays attitudes.

So Bond is now free to be a he/she or whatever gender and will be a new reimagining based on the wokeist attitudes and ideals that now prevail so Bond as you and me knew him is now finished kaput and no more.

Well, if it does end up as you are predicting the answer is simple. Don't go and watch it!

[mickd1961]

The Bond as we know it Mick is now jed and buried. Flemings Bond is over that's why we got the ending that we did. James Bond based on the Fleming novels gave the reason to portray him as more or less as per the novel but the Fleming novels ended a long time ago so the new screen writers have had a very difficult time in portraying Bond as the womaniser of old due to todays attitudes.

So Bond is now free to be a he/she or whatever gender and will be a new reimagining based on the wokeist attitudes and ideals that now prevail so Bond as you and me knew him is now finished kaput and no more.

This is my point though......how can it be “Bond” if there’s no James Bond?

I think they’ve totally f u c k e d this up.

[Johnny on the spot 1]

Not all that good for me & definitely goes on to long my option only of course,

[mickd1961]

James Norton would be a great choice I think.

At 36 year old he’s the perfect fit other than not being black, gay or a woman or both!

https://images.app.goo.gl/JdmnJZsXkZz4u4fKA

[Leicesterbaggie]

Totally agree. If the traditional James Bond image is to continue, Norton is the perfect fit.

[regis80]

Maybe they should rename it Jamie Bond, that way a Jamie can be male and female (Jamie Lee Curtis).
I just think it’s ridiculous with this equality aim that we all get thrown at us, why can’t they leave it as is? How about Lara Croft? Will that be made male.. Larry Croft? Yeah I don’t think that works either.
Perhaps make Wonder Woman a man? 🤣

[baggieal]

If you saw Craig play this latest Bond role you would see a big sobbing t1t blarting and pained and oh so maudlin. He couldn't even fight his own battles in this one without his gaggle of women helping him out. Granted Rog played it for humour which was far better than this sentimental mush - glad its all over as this shyte film as set up the next Bond to be a girlie - I'd accept Connery as a better Bond but if anyone says Craig is better than Rog, you gotsta be jokin.

Loved McGoohan in The Prisoner a series which is very apt for our present times


Just seen the film tonight and agree - worst Bond film ever!! Best part of the film was the pop corn.

Absolute garbage and enjoyed Pulis football more than this wooden acting. That female 007 needs a stick of dynamite up her ring piece!