31 replies to this topic

[Shirou]

I think you're taking the criticism a bit too far here. Take a look at the audience. Who of them actually reads the Flemming Books? I think of all franchises/movies from books James Bond has the least connectivity between the two media.

When people think james bond they think of a heroic, seductive, vokda-martini drinking stiff upper lip. I don't get how you can state that nobody has actually played the role. If that is true then what is the role? Who defines it, do you? Fleming? Thats a bit too arrogant for me. James bond is all about the movies, not about the books. If you like the books' incarnation better then so be it, but don't forget it was the movies that made them popular, not the other way around. The movies are a commercial success and have become a legend. Thus, a movie is good. There are the bad ones out there (Die Another Day was atrocious) but there certainly were good ones. A lot.

The same goes for critics of the Avatar movie. No matter how bad you think it is, if the public likes it, then a movie is good. Period. The idea that a bond movie is bad because its no Pulp Fiction or the character isn't like Fleming portrayed it, is an elitist circular argument.

Edited by Trivmvirate, 29 April 2010 - 15:32.

[Wizard]

Trivmvirate, on 29 Apr 2010, 16:28, said:

The idea that a bond movie is bad because its no Pulp Fiction or the character isn't like Fleming portrayed it, is an elitist circular argument.

Arguing for the sake of arguing here, but I never said the movies were bad, I said as films they are bad. I also never said that the character was bad because it wasn't Flemmings version, having never read a Bond book in my life I have no frame of reference. What I have said is that the movie characters are very one dimensional, with the exception of Craigs portrayals where you can actually see some sort of emotional response to the situations the character is placed in.

Movies are entertainment. Bond movies do that well. Films are technical works of, well, art really. As films they fall down, as movies they work. If that is an elitist position, then that is what I get from having been a film student, so be it.

Edited by Wizard, 29 April 2010 - 15:50.

[SquigPie]

Sean Connery,

Really, who can beat this guy?

Did any of you know that Flemming LOVED the first movie? so much that he actually made Bond half-scottish in honour of Connery.

[Shirou]

I may be a bit too worked up on movie critics I guess. I'm someone who loves plain and simple Hollywood flicks next to more sophisticated independent films and pieces of art. I find comparing the two place the critic in a rather elitist corner. Thats not saying you cannot criticize it, of course, but I like to keep things in context. Bond movies are not films nor meant as, so whats the point in criticizing them for it.

Edited by Trivmvirate, 29 April 2010 - 18:15.

[Chyros]

SquigPie, on 29 Apr 2010, 19:58, said:

Did any of you know that Flemming LOVED the first movie? so much that he actually made Bond half-scottish in honour of Connery.

I did, exactly an example of why the movies were a lot more influential to the character than the books ever were.

[BeefJeRKy]

I loved Daniel Craig's Bond personally because he was able to deliver a great performance without the need to resort to all the gadgets, girls and whatnot while still managing a few one-liners. I'd love to keep seeing him in another movie that could see him get closer to the Bond we know from other movies. Bond movies were always fairly corny and this was a refreshing change in my opinion.

I won't even speak about Lazenby.

The Living Daylights was a great movie and I'd say Dalton did a good job. Haven't seen License to Kill so no comment.

Sean Connery is just plain epic. Even if his movies are quite corny they were totally influential upon a number of generations of moviegoers.

Pierce Brosnan is the Bond I grew up with and tbh I don't miss him much. Goldeneye was imo the best Bond movie I've seen, and Tomorrow Never Dies had that nice non-stop action bit going on. But The World Is Not Enough was comparatively toned down and then Die Another Day had the most annoying plot ever!

I haven't seen any Roger Moore movies so no comment.


P.S. It is my opinion that in a hand-to-hand no gadgets fight, Jason Bourne > James Bond

[deltaepsilon]

Jack Bauer wins in regards to being able to tolerate/dish out torture.