Casino Royale 007 thread

[Mr March]

I have yet to see the movie (probably will this week), but I gotta say you guys crack me up. All this talk about it "not being a Bond movie" or "Craig is a bad Bond." I can't help but remember the fact that nearly all Bond movies are fundamentally crappy films. Same thing with most of the Bond actors. If it wasn't for the nostalgia and legacy appreciation of the Bond films, they would be viewed for what they really are: campy, often times downright dumb and almost inevtiably always mediocre.

If Casino Royale is really a change from that, that's a good thing, because it means it might not suck.

Granted, the Bond films are largely action films of their time. They aren't great film and even the best of them is just a good action film. But as an action junkie myself, that's a big deal for some of us. Most action films lack a character as strong as Bond and most lack the style of many of the best films of the 007 series. I often find I enjoy them because I love action films and typically a good Bond film will always be worthwhile.

I'll take Casino Royale over crap like The Marine...and go back for seconds.

[JKeats]

Saw it last night, loved it. I have to say, what happened with Vesper left me a bit confused but after thinking about it, it kind of makes sense why she did what she did. I think the actress did a pretty decent job of subtly portraying someone who might end up making the decision that she did.

What was funny to me was that I felt like there were so many throwbacks to old Bond films, moreso than Die Another Day, which if I remember correctly, was supposed to pay homage to all the Bond films that came before it (but didn't do such a good job at that).

[Hoptimus]

Damn I loved this movie. My buddy called it "Bond Begins" since it was such a revamp of the series.

[grss1982]

Just saw it last week.

Man that was one very painful way of extracting information from 007.

I'd take to pulling teeth and electrocution over what 007 went through, any day. Thank You.

Edited November 23, 2006 by grss1982

[CoryHolmes]

One of the nifty things about this film is that throughout it, I was wondering about the music. None of it was Bond music, not the guitar, not the trumpets, nada. Until the final scene, when he really WAS the Bond that we all know and love, and bam! In comes the theme song. I left that theater with a mile-wide smile.

As for all the flak that Craig has gotten as Bond, I'll admit that he did a decent job of filling the role. For this film and character, with it's tone and darkness, Craig did awesomely well. But if the next one is supposed to have a "regular" Bond, with all the wisecracks and grins, then I'd be a little more unsure. Pierce Brosnan has always epitomised Bond for me, and it'll take a lot to convince me otherwise.

[Guvava]

I had hoped Bronsen would of brought more of the Remington Steele Character into Bond, but he turned out to be a bit dry for me. I enjoyed Craig's 007 characterization more, probably cause I had no expectations. The chase scene in the beginning will be pretty hard to top, I was getting acrophobia trying to watch it on the big screen.

[CoryHolmes]

I bring Brosnan up as Bond because he hit that one mark that I feel is vital to any portrayal: In Tomorrow Never Dies Bond is in an parking garage and is chased by the Baddies of The Day. Bullets are flying everywhere, rockets are being shot, his life is near-constant danger... and he's laughing his ass off. Bond is loving every second of it and it shows, and that's the epitome of Bond to me.

Well, that, and the ability to be cool under pressure. In GoldenEye, he's working on setting up a bomb when a bullet hits right beside his head. Bond just tilts his head to one side and keeps on working, not caring much past that.

Both those scenes are the iconic Bond moments to me, and Brosnan filled those just perfectly in my opinion. While I admit that Craig did an outstanding job in this film, I withold my judgement until he can meet that standard in my eyes.

[myk]

I bring Brosnan up as Bond because he hit that one mark that I feel is vital to any portrayal: his life is near-constant danger... and he's laughing his ass off. Bond is loving every second of it and it shows, and that's the epitome of Bond to me.

I agree completely. Even the classic films show Bond as a suave, carefree, wisecracking type of character, and Brosnan's mannerisms match the classic Bond persona perfectly.

People are saying that 'Royale is a "reimagining" or a Batman Begins for the Bond franchise. However, Batman NEEDED to be reimagined and returned to it's darker roots-does everyone recall the neon circus shows that were the last two Batman movies? Bond on the other hand, though long in the tooth in its presentation with Brosnan, was at least true to to its classic form.

If we're really looking at a reimagining of the Bond series it's a mistake, as far as I'm concerned...

[Roy Focker]

From what I gathered on the Bond fan boards they saw Brosnan as just a pretty boy.

Craig was a darling that they wanted. He's okay and all but some of the fans had some really serious man love for him.

[promethuem5]

One of the nifty things about this film is that throughout it, I was wondering about the music. None of it was Bond music, not the guitar, not the trumpets, nada. Until the final scene, when he really WAS the Bond that we all know and love, and bam! In comes the theme song. I left that theater with a mile-wide smile.

Quoted for truth ^

I really liked the ending as well, when we finally get 'the line' and the much more suave Bond... and I think Craig did a pretty good job, better towards the end... the beginning sequence felt very much tacked on, and the last thrid of the movie did seem to have an LotR-esque seven-endings feel, but the open ending was incredible in the end, and really got me going for a sequel...

The stuff that really bugs me are the huge holes this movie blows in the Bond continuity.... I was really hoping for a 60s Bond going into the movie, and the cell phone in the first scene totally phased me... I couldn't stand Brosnan as Bond.... Connery being my only Bond until now, and now I'm confused at how the continuity works out.... instead of a Bond Begins revamp, couldn't we have just cut off Bond after Goldeneye, do this movie and it's likely feeling sequel as prequils, and then maybe get into new stuff? I'm just really kinda turned off by what this movie did to Bond canon, even tho it was an awesomely fun Bond movie.

[CoryHolmes]

I really liked the ending as well, when we finally get 'the line' and the much more suave Bond...

I wasn't that thrilled with his delivery of the The Line. Not terrible, mind you, but not mind-blowing.

The stuff that really bugs me are the huge holes this movie blows in the Bond continuity....

Err... Bond had continuity?

I couldn't stand Brosnan as Bond.... Connery being my only Bond until now, and now I'm confused at how the continuity works out....

All of the non-Brosnan Bond films were before my time, so none of the actors really had a grab on me as "the" way that Bond should be. When GoldenEye came out, I was finally old enough to understand what was going on and why so I wasn't that hamstrined by misconceptions about how he should act or sound.

Edited November 24, 2006 by CoryHolmes

[promethuem5]

Sure Bond had continuity.... how did all those missions take place in the 70s with Connery and Moore and Dalton if he only just became Bond last weekend? Aside from the actors changing, it was always Bond's continuing adventures...

And maybe the reason I liked the delivery of 'the line' at the end was just because I thought Craig was doing a pretty good job by the end more than some people thought...

[bsu legato]

Sure Bond had continuity.... how did all those missions take place in the 70s with Connery and Moore and Dalton if he only just became Bond last weekend? Aside from the actors changing, it was always Bond's continuing adventures...

Bond had "continuity" only in the loosest sense. Considering that he was originally a veteran of naval intelligence in the SECOND WORLD WAR, it's remarkable how he never aged, even in your precious 1970's. Only the early films had any sense of connection to one another, with the ongoing SPECTRE plot. Once Bond blew up that oil platform at the end of Diamonds Are Forever, even that was gone. From then on it was a loosely connected series of films involving the same character. Sure there was a nod here and there, like when a writer decided to point out that Bond was lonely deep down by making some reference to Tracy. But beyond that....?

Casino Royale is a complete "reboot" of the franchise anyway, so this talk of continuty is moot.

[azrael]

Finally got around to watching it. It was good. Although, for some reason, Craig's look doesn't feel right. He's got the attitude and everything, but the face just feels dirty....

[Warmaker]

Finally saw it Friday also.

I enjoyed it alot. It's the first Bond movie I've bothered to see in theaters in many years. The last one was when my Dad took me as a kid to see one of the Roger Moore Bond films... the one with the ski pursuits and he does that spin move with the gun

[Dobber]

I bring Brosnan up as Bond because he hit that one mark that I feel is vital to any portrayal: In Tomorrow Never Dies Bond is in an parking garage and is chased by the Baddies of The Day. Bullets are flying everywhere, rockets are being shot, his life is near-constant danger... and he's laughing his ass off. Bond is loving every second of it and it shows, and that's the epitome of Bond to me.

Well, that, and the ability to be cool under pressure. In GoldenEye, he's working on setting up a bomb when a bullet hits right beside his head. Bond just tilts his head to one side and keeps on working, not caring much past that.

Both those scenes are the iconic Bond moments to me, and Brosnan filled those just perfectly in my opinion. While I admit that Craig did an outstanding job in this film, I withold my judgement until he can meet that standard in my eyes.

I know what you mean. However, I thought Craig did a fine job of that too. Particularly at the scene near the end when the baddie is firing on him with a machine gun and he's just standing there behind a piller not giving a poo! I remember specifically thinking what a bad-ass, it dosen't even faze him.

Chris

[promethuem5]

Finally got around to watching it. It was good. Although, for some reason, Craig's look doesn't feel right. He's got the attitude and everything, but the face just feels dirty....

I kinda agree.... I spent the whole movie thinking that Craig looks like the SPECTRE agent from From Russia With Love

[JsARCLIGHT]

I'm kind of hoping SPECTRE makes a comeback in the next films. We have our new modern Bond, I'd love to see a modern Ernst Stavro Blofeld.

[bsu legato]

I'm kind of hoping SPECTRE makes a comeback in the next films. We have our new modern Bond, I'd love to see a modern Ernst Stavro Blofeld.

Depends on whether they follow the books or the movies for future inspiration. In the novels, it was actually the Russian counterintelligence directorate SMERSH who eventually kill Le Chiffre. And given the recent real-world events implicating Russian spies and assassins, suddenly Russians as baddies would seem to be in vogue again.

[areaseven]

I'm kind of hoping SPECTRE makes a comeback in the next films. We have our new modern Bond, I'd love to see a modern Ernst Stavro Blofeld.

Good luck on that, as SPECTRE is part of a neverending legal battle between EON Productions and Kevin McClory (original co-writer of Thunderball who claimed he came up with the terrorist organization himself). For the videogame adaptation of From Russia With Love, SPECTRE was replaced with a similar organization called "OCTOPUS."

[yellowlightman]

Considering how few people have read the original Bond novels, let alone sat through the more painful Moore or Dalton films, I find it amusing how many people (not just on this forum) have such strong opinions about how the character of Bond should be portrayed.

At this point, the character has received so many different portrayals I'm not sure there is a "real" Bond.

[CoryHolmes]

Particularly at the scene near the end when the baddie is firing on him with a machine gun and he's just standing there behind a piller not giving a poo! I remember specifically thinking what a bad-ass, it dosen't even faze him.

Chris

Good point.

[Warmaker]

And given the recent real-world events implicating Russian spies and assassins, suddenly Russians as baddies would seem to be in vogue again.

Yeah, but it doesn't hold the same feel as the 'ol days... the Cold War days!

[areaseven]

Survey Time. In celebration of Casino Royale's successful release in theatres, here's a survey on the best and worst of the James Bond 007 franchise.

BTW, just to spark things up, the non-canon theatrical films Casino Royale (1967) and Never Say Never Again also count on the survey.

EDIT: Added game and one-liner categories.

Best Bond:

Worst Bond:

Nominees: Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig, and everyone parading as 007 in the Casino Royale parody film.

Best Bond Film:

Worst Bond Film:

Best Bond Villain:

Worst Bond Villain:

Note: If nominating Ernst Stavro Blofeld, specify the actor who portrayed him (if not a faceless guy holding his cat).

Best Bond Girl:

Worst Bond Girl:

Best Name for a Bond Girl:

Worst Name for a Bond Girl:

Best Bond Villainess:

Worst Bond Villainess:

Best Evil Henchman:

Worst Evil Henchman:

Best Bond Car:

Worst Bond Car:

Best Bond Gadget:

Worst Bond Gadget:

Best Bond Outfit:

Worst Bond Outfit:

Best Bond Theme Song:

Worst Bond Theme Song:

Best Bond Director:

Worst Bond Director:

Best Bond Game:

Worst Bond Game:

Best Bond One-Liner:

Worst Bond One-Liner:

Edited November 29, 2006 by areaseven

[Roy Focker]

I'll bite.

Best Bond: Sean

Worst Bond: Woody Allen

Best Bond Film: OMSS

Worst Bond Film: DAD

Best Bond Villain:Who loves ya bady?

Worst Bond Villain: Carver

Best Bond Girl: Teresa

Worst Bond Girl: Tanya Roberts

Best Name for a Bond Girl: Domino

Worst Name for a Bond Girl: Sally Shemale

Best Bond Villainess: That red head italian chic from My Thunderbalz.

Worst Bond Villainess: Mister Witt

Best Evil Henchman: Frau butt Ugly Bunt

Worst Evil Henchman: Tatu

Best Bond Car: DB5

Worst Bond Car: Lotus

Best Bond Gadget: Nuclear Vibator Missile

Worst Bond Gadget: Nuclear Vibrator Missile

Best Bond Outfit: Tux from start of Gold Finger

Worst Bond Outfit: Craig's blue boy speedo.

Best Bond Theme Song: OMMS

Worst Bond Theme Song: Golden Eye

Best Bond Director: Young

Worst Bond Director: DAD

[JsARCLIGHT]

Best Bond: Sean Connery

Worst Bond: Timothy Dalton

Best Bond Film: Goldfinger

Worst Bond Film: Tie: Die Another Day / License to Kill

Best Bond Villain: Ernst Stavro Blofeld (as played by the mystery man in FRWL and Thunderball)

Worst Bond Villain: Every Bond villain from 1973 (Live and Let Die) to 2002 (Die Another Day)

Best Bond Girl: Pussy Galore (and her Flying Circus, Goldfinger)

Worst Bond Girl: Christmas Jones (World is Not Enough)

Best Name for a Bond Girl: Pussy Galore

Worst Name for a Bond Girl: Christmas Jones

Best Bond Villainess: Dominique "Domino" Derval (Thunderball)

Worst Bond Villainess: Tie: Xenia Onatopp (Goldeneye), Bambi/Thumper (Diamonds are Forever)

Best Evil Henchman: Jaws (ibid)

Worst Evil Henchman: Zao (Die Another Day)

Best Bond Car: Aston Martin DB5 (Goldfinger, ibid)

Worst Bond Car: AMC Hornet (Man with the Golden Gun)

Best Bond Gadget: Walther PPK

Worst Bond Gadget: Plastic Explosive Toothpaste (just plain lame) (License to Kill)

Best Bond Outfit: The Black Tux (ibid)

Worst Bond Outfit: Japanese-afied Connery in You Only Live Twice

Best Bond Theme Song: Tie: "View to a Kill" Duran Duran and "Living Daylights" a-Ha

Worst Bond Theme Song: "Die Another Day" Madonna

Best Bond Director: Maurice Binder (Title Sequences 1962 - 1989)

Worst Bond Director: Lee Tamahori (Die Another Day)

[bsu legato]

I'll play along

Best Bond: Sir Sean

Worst Bond: Roger Moore, circa Moonraker - View to a Kill

Best Bond Film: From Russia With Love

Worst Bond Film: tie: Die Another Day/A View To A Kill

Best Bond Villain: Sean Bean as 006 Alec Trevelyan

Worst Bond Villain: Jonathan Pryce as Elliot Carver

Best Bond Girl: Dianna Rigg as Tracy Di Vicenzo

Worst Bond Girl: Halle Berry as Jinx

Best Name for a Bond Girl: Tiffany Case

Worst Name for a Bond Girl: Tie: Dr. Holly Goodhead / Dr. Christmas Jones

Best Bond Villainess: Famke Janssen as Xenia Onatopp

Worst Bond Villainess: Grace Jones as May Day

Best Evil Henchman: Robert Shaw as Donovan 'Red' Grant

Worst Evil Henchman: Lawrence Makoare as Mr. Kil

Best Bond Car: Tie: Aston Martin DB5 / 1971 Mustang Mach 1

Worst Bond Car: BMW Z3, aka the Bond car that does nothing, aka blatant product placement

Best Bond Gadget: killer attache case from From Russia With Love

Worst Bond Gadget: The "Bondola" from Moonraker

Best Bond Outfit: The white tux in Goldfinger

Worst Bond Outfit: The clown costume in Octopussy

Best Bond Theme Song: Goldfinger

Worst Bond Theme Song: The Man With The Golden Gun

Best Bond Director: Tie: Terrence Young / Martin Campbell

Worst Bond Director: Michael Apted

[areaseven]

I'll cast in my votes:

Best Bond: Sean Connery

Worst Bond: Timothy Dalton

Best Bond Film: (tie) Goldfinger and Thunderball

Worst Bond Film: (tie) License to Kill and Moonraker

Best Bond Villain: (tie) Auric Goldfinger and Ernst Stavro Blofeld (played by Donald Pleasance in You Only Live Twice)

Worst Bond Villain: (tie) Drax (Moonraker) and Kamal Khan (Octopussy)

Best Bond Girl: (tie) Holly Ryder (Dr. No) and Wai Lin (Tomorrow Never Dies)

Worst Bond Girl: Dr. Christmas Jones (The World is Not Enough)

Best Name for a Bond Girl: Pussy Galore (Goldfinger)

Worst Name for a Bond Girl: Dr. Holly Goodhead (Moonraker)

Best Bond Villainess: (tie) Xenia Onatopp (GoldenEye) and Rosa Klebb (From Russia With Love)

Worst Bond Villainess: May Day (A View to a Kill)

Best Evil Henchman: Oddjob (Goldfinger)

Worst Evil Henchman: Nick Nack (The Man with the Golden Gun)

Best Bond Car: (tie) 1964 Aston Martin DB5 and 2007 Aston Martin DBS (Casino Royale)

Worst Bond Car: Renault taxi cab (A View to a Kill)

Best Bond Gadget: Omega Seamaster watch (Brosnan-era films)

Worst Bond Gadget: Radioactive lint (Diamonds are Forever)

Best Bond Outfit: Brosnan's tuxedo in GoldenEye

Worst Bond Outfit: Connery's baby blue beach robe in Goldfinger

Best Bond Theme Song: (tie) "James Bond Theme" by Monty Norman, "A View to a Kill" by Duran Duran and "You Know My Name" by Chris Cornell (Casino Royale)

Worst Bond Theme Song: "Moonraker" by Shirley Bassey

Best Bond Director: (tie) Guy Hamilton (Goldfinger) and Martin Campbell (Casino Royale)

Worst Bond Director: (tie) John Glen (License to Kill) and Michael Apted (The World is Not Enough)

Best Bond Game: GoldenEye 007 (N64)

Worst Bond Game: James Bond 007 (Atari 2600)

Best Bond One-Liner: "Japanese proverb say, 'Bird never make nest in bare tree.'" (You Only Live Twice)

Worst Bond One-Liner: "I've always wanted to have Christmas in Turkey." (The World is Not Enough)

Edited November 29, 2006 by areaseven

[myk]

Best Bond Theme Song: (tie) "James Bond Theme" by Monty Norman, "A View to a Kill" by Duran Duran and "You Know My Name" by Chris Cornell (Casino Royale)

I really liked Cornell's song, although guess what? It's not even on the official soundtrack to the movie...LAME...

[Warmaker]

I checked the Soundtrack listing at Amazon.

To my surprise, you're right, Cornell's title song for Casino Royale isn't there. Title songs are usually the first thing on soundtracks but the first thing there is the Africa Rundown track.

Weird

[wolfx]

Just watched it. I enjoyed it more than the past 2 brosnan movies. The only Brosnan one i liked was Golden Eye.

1st impression from the OP.....where are the sexy bond girl silhouttes?? nooooo

Then there are some continuity problems in the movie as the plot gets twisted around....

SPOILER

Whatever happened to the CIA dude? Thought he caught the bad guy and was abotu to extract him.

Edited November 29, 2006 by wolfx

[JsARCLIGHT]

SPOILER

Whatever happened to the CIA dude? Thought he caught the bad guy and was abotu to extract him.

Spoiler response: The MI6 agent Mathis is a turncoat, he tells Vesper on the phone that Felix Leiter and the CIA have captured LaCherrife when they really have not... LaChirrife got the tipoff from Mathis that Felix was going to nab him and he got away. The disposition of Felix Leiter at the end of the movie is that he is alive and well, just without his quarry.

[JKeats]

Best Bond: Connery

Worst Bond: Roger Moore (my favorite Simpsons line is: "That is an autographed picture of Sean Connery signed by Roger Moore")

Best Bond Film: tie - From Russia With Love/Goldeneye

Worst Bond Film: anything with Roger Moore

Best Bond Villain: Alec Trevelyn

Worst Bond Villain: tie - Drax/ Blofeld (Telly Savalas [sp?] from OHMSS)

Best Bond Girl: tie - Tatiana (From Russia With Love)/ Diana Rigg (OHMSS)

Worst Bond Girl: Michelle Yeo (blegh!)

Best Name for a Bond Girl: Pussy Galore

Worst Name for a Bond Girl: Christmas Jones

Best Bond Villainess: tie - Xenia Onatopp (Goldeneye)/ Fiona Volpe (redhead from Thunderball)

Worst Bond Villainess: Irma Bunt (OHMSS)

Best Evil Henchman: Oddjob

Worst Evil Henchman: Jaws

Best Bond Car: threeway tie - DB5 (Goldfinger)/ V8 Vantage (The Living Daylights)/ BMW 750 iL (Tomorrow Never Dies) [edit: thanks A7]

Worst Bond Car: Lotus

Best Bond Gadget: attache briefcase (From Russia With Love)

Worst Bond Gadget: wrist-dart (Moonraker)

Best Bond Outfit: Connery's golf attire (Goldfinger)

Worst Bond Outfit: anything Roger Moore wore

Best Bond Theme Song: tie - OHMSS/ Tomorrow Never Dies

Worst Bond Theme Song: Casino Royale (2006)

Best Bond Director: tie - Terence Young/ Martin Campbell

Worst Bond Director: whoever directed Die Another Day

Best Bond Game: still Goldeneye

Worst Bond Game: Nightfire

Best Bond One-Liner: "Shocking. Absolutely shocking." (Goldfinger)

Worst Bond One-Liner: too many

Edited November 29, 2006 by JKeats

[areaseven]

BMW 5 series (Tomorrow Never Dies)

Worst Bond Car: Lotus

Actually, it was a BMW 750iL.

Worst Bond Director: whoever directed Die Another Day

Come to think of it, has Lee Tamahori directed anything good other than Along Came a Spider and The Edge?

[JKeats]

Thanks for the correction, A7. Also, come to think of it, my hatred for Halle Berry might make her the worst Bond girl but then I remember how I winced every time Michelle Yeo came on screen during Tomorrow Never Dies.