Tarantino on tackling 007

[DB7]

Quentin, bloody Quentin

"Someday I'm going to get the rights to do 'Casino Royale,' the first James Bond novel, and do it the right way. I really wanted it to be my followup to 'Pulp Fiction' and do it with Pierce Brosnan, but have it take place after the events of 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' - after Bond's wife, Tracy, has been killed."I want Bond to be in mourning when he falls in love with Vesper Lynd, the woman in the novel. From what I know of Brosnan and read in interviews, I think he'd want to go in the direction I'd want to take Bond, though I'm not certain producers of the series would agree."

[Hackett]

Tarantino Tackling 007? God forbid!.

[DB7]

I'd like to see what he'd do with the role, and expect it would be closer to Fleming's character than some of the ‘comedy’ Bond’s that have appeared down the years. Tarantino's one for dark humour and retro culture so it would likely be the ruthless, sexist, Aston Martin-driving Bond rather than today's politically-correct BMW-advertising hoarding 007.

Apart from Brosnan and Connery’s earlier outings many of the 007’s have been wooden actors that look like they wouldn’t harm a fly, or the likes of Roger Moore that have more in common with Austin Powers.

[Russ]

Let's face it with a superb director like Mr Tarantino at the helm it must be better.

Well let's face it, it surely couldn't be any worse ?

[Hackett]

True it could't get any worse, but in what direction would Tarintino take it, down a better one or a new one?. I don't think so.
40 years ago when Ian Fleming sold most of the film rights to Broccli and Saltzman's EON Produtions he made stipulations about storylines so as not to hurt his book sales. Fleming had sold CBS the rights of his first Book "CASINO ROYALE" in 1954 which they made into a one hour TV adaptation. They cast Barry Nelson as Bond, Linda Christian as Vesper Lynd the love interest and Peter Lorre as Le Chiffre the Villain with a narration by William Lundigan. Tragically no copy of this TV production exists today because it was transmitted live.
Ten days for Fleming in the High Court determing an action brought by Film Producer Kevin McClory in which he claimed, along with Hollywood screenwriter Jack Whittingham, to have created the basis of the Bond adventure later novelised by Fleming as "THUNDERBALL". It concluded that he was left with the book rights while agreeing to assign McClory all film rights to the story.
The first Director of the EON Produtions Terence Young got the style right from film one with "DR NO" 1962. In Connery's view, and most other people I would think, the second "FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE" 1963 he got as close to the written Bond of all films to date. Guy Hamilton next with "GOLDFINGER" 1964 introduced fantasy. Back to Young With "THUNDERBALL" 1965. Then came Lewis Gilbert "YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE" 1697 with the epic set and high speed action. 1969 and "ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE" gives us another Director former Bond Editor Peter Hunt and a new Hero George Lazenby. Hunt makes his mark By taking out a little fantasy and adds a bit of character. 1971 Lazenby and Hunt gone Connery and Hamilton return "DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER" character out fantasy in. Hamilton directs the next two "LIVE AND LET DIE" 1973 and "THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN" 1974 which heralds the Rodger Moore Bond era. LALD first and another change of pace. Its Saturday morning pictures serial time (Indiana Jones before Indiana Jones) good start.
TMWTGG next and oh dear! Harris Tweed meets Kung Fu. Is this the worst EON Bond?. It is for me. Even the theme song is naff ("he's got a lethal weapon charges a million a shot"). Three years later and the big news is no Harry Saltzman. "THE SPY WHO LOVES ME" 1977 Lewis Gilbert is back at the helm with his epic sets, how far can he go?. The answer "MOONRAKER" 1979 blasts Bond into orbit. Back to Earth John Glen takes over the reins for the next five. The first three "FOR YOUR EYES ONLY" 1981, "OCTOPUSSY" 1983, "A VIEW TO A KILL" 1985 with Moore's Bond persona firmly set. Between "OCTOPUSSY and "A VIEW TO A KILL" Sean Connery was tempted back to play Bond by Taliafilm produtions to remake "THUNDERBALL" as "NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN" 1983 Directed by Irvin Kershner. I like this film more than the 1965 vertion. The un-credited script by Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais is excellent.
Glen introduces us to the fourth 007 Timothy Dalton in "THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS" 1987. I'm possibley in a minority saying this, but I put Dalton second only to Connery as Bond. Connery played Bond with style and an alert edge but also a flaw, he was reckless. Dalton's Bond has the same flaw and more insubordination than any of the other five actors. Its a shame he never started his time as Bond with a different Director. Dalton needed a Terence Young touch Glen was carrying to much of Rodger Moores Baggage and it was still there in "LICENCE TO KILL" 1989.
1995 a long time to wait for "GOLDENEYE" and Pierce Brosnan makes his bow. New Director Martin Campbell sets the mould for all who follow. That brings us up to date as I don't think you can see the join on the last three Brosnan Bonds. Could Tarantino take it further and would EON let him?, No. Why not?, because of copyright, its a franchise, and it aint broke so why fix it. That leaves only "CASINO ROYALE". What would he do with it if he got hold of the rights?. Something extreme I would imagine. He is after all an extreme film maker. Bond has already been extreme with "MOONRACKER" and Charles K Feldman's Prodution for A Famous Artists Production of "CASINO ROYALE" 1967. If you want to do something different with Bond why not take him back to 1953 where it all started but please not with Clive Owen as 007.

[DB7]

Sorry Hackett but I disagree with a lot of what you say. Some directors may be called 'extreme' but the likes of Leone, Tarantino and Peckinpah get far more depth from their screen villains than the 007 franchise has for a long time (that it would turn into a bloodfest is a bit insulting to a director's intelligence), and Bond films rely upon that axis of good vs evil to work; the idea that Jonathan Pryce might take over the world was just too fanciful far many too accept.

XXX was a vacuous wannabe film but the trouble is that it's closer to Bond than it should be; only recently I saw Lewis Gilbert questioning why Bond was being dumbed-down with over-elaborate stunts that appear to be just bolted on and have no particular bearing on the story. Hardly a surprise that Lee Tamahori is directing XXX2!, and the scripwriters did Johnny English!

I have to disagree on Dalton too, he was so wooden they must have starched his suit in fibreglass resin. Where was the dry wit and sex appeal? I'll watch any of the Bond films bar his which simply send me to sleep.

I thought Clive Owen was very good in Croupier and Gosford Park, and his role as the hitman in The Bourne Identity was similar to Brosnan's dry run in a couple of US TVM thrillers. He wont be any worse than Moore or Dalton.

[Gibbie]

The Cold War is over. Bond should be laid to rest.

The last time I saw a Bond picture was in LA. The formula is the same, but the social setting has changed and makes the stories now seem absurd.

While the fiction was for entertainment, the ones that succeeded had a sense of the belivable like the early Connery versions. By the late-70s when it became a send up of itself it should have stopped then.

[locust]

</div><div class='quotemain'>Gibbie: The Cold War is over. Bond should be laid to rest.[/b]

I guess that's what they call casus belli. wink

[Gibbie]

</div><div class='quotemain'>locust I guess that's what they call casus belli. wink [/qb][/b]

Perhaps a cause of war, but I was thinking more of a period piece.

Actually, I think Danger Man was better espionage.

How about casus belli du jour.

[locust]

</div><div class='quotemain'>Gibbie: How about casus belli du jour. [/b]

"Tut, tut. Come into my boudoir."

[Steve Crook]

</div><div class='quotemain'>Gibbie: How about casus belli du jour. [/b]

And I thought causus belli was eating too much
Causes belly? Oh all right, I'll get me coat :)

Steve

[Gibbie]

</div><div class='quotemain'>SteveCrook: </div><div class='quotemain'>Gibbie: How about casus belli du jour. [/b] And I thought causus belli was eating too much Causes belly? Oh all right, I'll get me coat :) Steve [/b]

That's a great one! I think you just started a new vernacular phrase. thumbs_u

[Carterh]

I agree with Hackett and think that Dalton was second only to Connery in his portrayal of a more seasoned and brooding Bond, if somewhat lacking in charm. He is also correct in saying that he would have benefited from a different director. I have to say that I’m not a fan of the smug and wooden Pierce Brosnan. I thought that ‘Die Another Day’ was not only the worst Bond movie ever made (yes even worse than ‘Moonraker’ or ‘the Man With The Golden Gun’) but also one of the worse movies I’ve ever seen. The plot would not have looked out of place in an X-men movie.

Too often in recent years the franchise has relied on, easily controllable, hack directors such as Martin Campbell and Lee Tamahori. In my view Tarentino would kick some life into the old b*****d.

C

[Carterh]

New Bond

Colin Salmon. debonair, sophisticated. He has already appeared in a Bond movie 'The World is Not Enough' as Charles Robinson a members of Bond M16 team. Not Clive Owen, too working class.

C