christoph404

Goldeneye was very good, Sean Bean was excellent, I did sympathise with his villainous characters motives, unusual for a Bond film.Actually the one problem I had with the Brosnan films was the continual appearance of Robbie Coltrane as Russian Mafia don. No disrespect to Robbie, he is a fine comic actor and was superb in Cracker and good in Harry Potter but I always found his character in the Bond films totally unbelievable, belonging in a " Comic Strip" parody rather than a tense Bond thriller, maybe US audiences appreciated him more as he was less known there but I just thought his thick Russian brogue was pure "Carry on Bond" !!

ChristineCB

And we don't forget Minnie Driver's great singing performance was pure opera, too. (cough cough, gag gag)



Yes, they had to lace Pierce's films with a lot of comedy. Fortunately, I like his wryness more than Roger's, but all of that adds to this new Bond's starkness by contrast.

If they were playing chess, I'd think CASINO ROYALE would be the interesting beginning of a new strategy.

Brett Sinclair

The recent Casino Royale is one of my fave Bond films and this is largely due to the harder edge portrayed by Craig (he could turn out to be the best ever....yup even better than that Scottish chap).

I have a couple of gripes with the screenplay though. The casino action (or complete lack of it) goes on way too long (I know it's got Casino in the title..but come on); and what's with the ending, the film ends three times...or rather you might think it has. Small gripes and just my own opinion. Great film.

However, my main reason for adding this post was that (I am the least PC/namby pamby/write a letter to my local MP person you will ever meet [trust me]) I was absolutely flabbered and ghasted by the certification. There is no way that this film should have had a 12/12A cert with the scene of Craig's torture. No way

I have happily let my kids (all under 12) watch all the Bond films until now. Sure there's violence and a little gore, but that has always been countered with some humour, even when Connery was onboard. Don't misunderstand this, I love the film and the lack of humour, but this means that the film has no redeeming qualities for the younger viewer and as such IMO it should have been at least a 15 cert.

PS. I think the theme tune grows on you the more you hear it. I wasn't taken with it at first, but I quite like it now, especially mixed in with the modern graphics in the title sequence.

There's no need to kneel, I'm a very democratic sort of lord.

Jim

My wife came home with Casino Royale DVD. She had seen it on the flicks; I hadn't. We watched it and I thought that it was unnecessarily violent and noisey. The wastage of those cars was a crime! All of this to make up for a lack of a real storyline.

Craig's face hardly changed through all of the emotions. I'm sorry, I don't think he makes a very good Bond.

Good morning boys.

Brett Sinclair

I'd like to think (and I think that there's a reference to it in the film) that a professional killer would almost be totally devoid of emotion. Hell...he even leaves some hot totty (yes ...I know) lying on the floor of his beach bungalow to fly off to Miami ...without so much as a 'keep it warm'

There's no need to kneel, I'm a very democratic sort of lord.

Jim

That never happened to you in your guise as 077, did it your lordship?

Good morning boys.

Brett Sinclair

Always time for another bottle of Bollinger RD and a roll in the hay...Never say never

There's no need to kneel, I'm a very democratic sort of lord.

Torquemada

I loved the beginning though - Bond caught, imprisoned and in trouble - that I thought was a nice change.

ChristineCB

I get the sense that CASINO R has aged fairly well over these past few months. It's still selling a lot of 2nd-Run theatre tix, and comments around the table are no longer focused on "the new Bond, right or wrong?" but whether the film works, it's slow parts, it's good parts, etc.

I don't believe the Bond series was in real jeopardy, of course, or that any one or a series of films will make or break it - there's always another chance, I think. Still, it's going to be interesting to see if CASINO has opened up a door to "significant changes allowed" in the actor, the character, driving silly Fords instead of Ferrari's (everyone nixes the Ford, by the way, Dear Movie People - if he can't pull up in a DB_, what about finding a Yugo next time, eh?)

Brett Sinclair

The Mondeo was hardly Bond's car, more likely a rental after all, he was in the Bahamas. Did we see him drive it in the UK? There have been plenty of less than excellent cars over the years...but not necessarily JB's.

Carole Bouquet's 2CV, Joe Don Bakers' Brabant (or was it a Polski Fiat?), Dalton's Audi estate, ...Connery's Triumph Stag (Diamonds Are Forever)

There's no need to kneel, I'm a very democratic sort of lord.

ChristineCB

Yes, it was obviously a rental. We moviegoers SHOULD demand that Moneypenny do a better job, however, when she gets his tickets, hotel and car-rental reservations.

Why couldn't they have borrowed Pierce's 6-wheel Jeep-thingy from THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR? That was only an island or two away... don't tell me Rene was driving it EVERY day of the Bond shoot! Surely someone could have bought her a few towels and that would have been enough... good grief - just look at that house! That beach! Why does she want to drive anywhere EVERY day?!!

I really think they should consider replacing Moneypenny.

Marky B

Do you have yourself in mind for the job,Christine ?
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

ChristineCB

Oh, not me. I have enough fun with the men around me to worry about tormenting the Bond du Jour. Besides, I don't see Moneypenny ever having fun in really short skirts and tall heels. I see her enjoying the "grinding them under her heels", but no necessarily the Gloria Grahame flip-of-hair fun.