I would agree. I think the only thing that was new that Brosnan brought to the role was perhaps schoolboy glee. He was perhaps the only actor who had that sense of "fucking hell I'm 007, this is awesome!"
The James Bond Film Discussion Thread (With Bonus Lazenby!)
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Absolutely. That’s why I think he was the right man at the right time - 1990s audiences wanted to be reminded of what they loved about Bond, they didn’t necessarily want a reinvention or something indistinguishable from other action movies. And by the time Craig came around, they were ready for something new. The question is what the audience wants now.
James Bond has an Andrew Tate problem. The answer is to set it in the 1960s | Ben Child
Whoever plays the role, it would be wise if the franchise rebooted in period costume – so that 007’s sexism and toxic masculinity seem less anachronistic
www.theguardian.com
I came across this article and thought it an intriguing idea for a new James Bond. Instead of setting Bond as a contemporary (for many of the issues suggested in this article it becomes increasingly difficult to do so), put him back in his element: The Cold War.
Set the films in the 50s and show Bond's missions before Dr. No. This does not mean the story tellers have to foreshadow (in fact I would hope they wouldnt), but it does allow the films to grow. I also don't think it is neccesary to show another Bond "beginning", this could be referenced in a couple of flashbacks through out the films nor do the producers need to remake any of the films. As Bond is a Cold War Warrior we could see him be witness to fictionalized events in the 50s with stories set against the backdrop of Cold War hotspots: Suez Canal, Czechoslovakia, Cuba, etc. Further I don't believe it is necessary to see Bond age: he can be 36 in 1950 and still be 36 in 1962. This would follow much the same as we saw from 1962-2002 where the age of the Bond actors was not referenced but yet all of them had a shared experience.
Anyway just my thoughts about how a new series of Bond films could work.
Whilst I'd be lying if I said part of me wouldn't be intrigued by a period Bond (setting aside that six Bond films were made before I was born and that realistically now the majority of Bond films are technically period films) it seems like a poor excuse to let Bond be a sexist misogynist dinosaur, plus if you make things period accurate you're faced with a choice when it comes to the female characters. Either they're period specific as well, or they're anachronistic (though you could argue that someone like Tracy has more agency than a lot of more modern Bond girls have had). And of course if it's a period Bond then a BOC is an absolute no no, which given the kinds of great actors who could be Bond now seems to be cutting your nose off to spite your face.
If they were to do it then I think it'd work as a TV series. In fact what would be fun would be a TV series with the same actor as Bond, but with each episode set in a different era. Episode 1 = 1950s, Episode 2 =1960s etc. I suspect that would be prohibitively expensive though.
I don't see why Bond can't be Bond while also reflecting modern sensibilities. In many ways Craig's 007's attitude to women was way more toxic than his two predecessors. Take slipping into the shower with Severine (victim of sexual exploitation) in Skyfall, or shoving Lucia Sciarra up against a wall and having his way with her minutes after she was nearly murdered and on the same day she buried her husband! Even before you get to his attitude towards Solange/married women in CR and not forgetting one of the overriding messages of Skyfall (and I love Skyfall) that it doesn't matter how competent a field agent you are maybe you'd be better off as a secretary!
Bond can still be Bond, he can still be a masculine exemplar without needing to shove widows up against walls, slap Andrea Anders, lie on top of Pussy till she gives in or blackmail women in health spas into having sex with him.
Look at The Living Daylights. Dalton smokes, he drinks, he's a coldhearted bastard, and he also manages to have one of the best romances in the entire series with Kara. Or look at Goldeneye where Natalia manages to have her own agency and save Bond's life without it ever feeling like she's stepping on his toes as the hero.
I guess my point is that if you get the script right, and hire the right actor, it's entirely possible for James Bond to feel like Bond whilst also feeling like a man in the 21st Century. Meanwhile rather than addressing the 'Andrew Tate' problem by setting him in the past, I think you'd be exacerbating the problem and in fact pandering to Tate acolytes.
If they were to do it then I think it'd work as a TV series. In fact what would be fun would be a TV series with the same actor as Bond, but with each episode set in a different era. Episode 1 = 1950s, Episode 2 =1960s etc. I suspect that would be prohibitively expensive though.
I don't see why Bond can't be Bond while also reflecting modern sensibilities. In many ways Craig's 007's attitude to women was way more toxic than his two predecessors. Take slipping into the shower with Severine (victim of sexual exploitation) in Skyfall, or shoving Lucia Sciarra up against a wall and having his way with her minutes after she was nearly murdered and on the same day she buried her husband! Even before you get to his attitude towards Solange/married women in CR and not forgetting one of the overriding messages of Skyfall (and I love Skyfall) that it doesn't matter how competent a field agent you are maybe you'd be better off as a secretary!
Bond can still be Bond, he can still be a masculine exemplar without needing to shove widows up against walls, slap Andrea Anders, lie on top of Pussy till she gives in or blackmail women in health spas into having sex with him.
Look at The Living Daylights. Dalton smokes, he drinks, he's a coldhearted bastard, and he also manages to have one of the best romances in the entire series with Kara. Or look at Goldeneye where Natalia manages to have her own agency and save Bond's life without it ever feeling like she's stepping on his toes as the hero.
I guess my point is that if you get the script right, and hire the right actor, it's entirely possible for James Bond to feel like Bond whilst also feeling like a man in the 21st Century. Meanwhile rather than addressing the 'Andrew Tate' problem by setting him in the past, I think you'd be exacerbating the problem and in fact pandering to Tate acolytes.
Two of my favorite Bond women ever (and my favorite Bond in Dalton).
And you're spot-on to highlight Bond's romance with Kara. Dalton and d'Abo have terrific chemistry, and IMO it's the most natural and convincing romance in the series (perhaps because it's not trying as hard as OHMSS and CR).
While I myself am not necessarily against a period Bond film, the main issue I see is that such a movie would probably be "woke history," meaning that despite the year being referenced as 1950 or 1960 or whatever, it would probably be in a 50s or 60s where sexism and racism don't exist, you got women and people of color on equal standing to white men, and ultimately it would just be a modern film anyway just with everyone cosplaying in retro clothes and talking about the Soviet Union in the present tense. Which is not something I have an issue with in principle, "woke history" certainly has its place in the entertainment world. But if you're going back in time because you want Bond to be toxically masculine, you really should embrace all of the past's ugliness. Otherwise just have the movie set in modern times.
Hell, I can think of some ways of having toxic masculinity in a modern Bond and still working. You'd probably be an older Bond who is viewed by many to be a dinosaur of his toxic masculinity would be a symptom of. Which itself could have potential.
Hell, I can think of some ways of having toxic masculinity in a modern Bond and still working. You'd probably be an older Bond who is viewed by many to be a dinosaur of his toxic masculinity would be a symptom of. Which itself could have potential.
Here's an idea: just not have the toxic masculinity. The idea that those traits are inherent to the character is reductive at best. A cold-hearted jingoistic bastard, yes. A misogynist, ass-grabbing womanizer, no.
My biggest complaint with the Craig era was how regressive it was in this era. The Dalton/Brosnan eras were by no means perfect, but they did make huge strides in their treatment and representation of women, only for the Craig era to do a complete 180. Worst of all, the entire franchise plot hinges around a moment that was about as close to a literal fridging as one could hope to write without the need of Freon.
*Edit*: I will add that I do agree that Bond works better as a Cold War-era character. However, I think the best thing to do would be to rehash the Moore era in a way. For one, I don't think the anachronisms @The Wormhole mentions would be nearly as big of a deal. Plus, I think it would be a much more fun sandbox to play in, geopolitically speaking.
And one way to subvert the topic at and would be to cast a woman of equal standing to whomever they cast as Bond as am Anya Amasova type recurring character (With a much better codname.) who is really more of Bond's foil than object of affection. I mean I guess they sort of had this with Yeoh until they ruined it with the last scene. Then end the first film with her getting the better of Bond. (This would also explode the woke trolls heads as an added bonus.)
My biggest complaint with the Craig era was how regressive it was in this era. The Dalton/Brosnan eras were by no means perfect, but they did make huge strides in their treatment and representation of women, only for the Craig era to do a complete 180. Worst of all, the entire franchise plot hinges around a moment that was about as close to a literal fridging as one could hope to write without the need of Freon.
*Edit*: I will add that I do agree that Bond works better as a Cold War-era character. However, I think the best thing to do would be to rehash the Moore era in a way. For one, I don't think the anachronisms @The Wormhole mentions would be nearly as big of a deal. Plus, I think it would be a much more fun sandbox to play in, geopolitically speaking.
And one way to subvert the topic at and would be to cast a woman of equal standing to whomever they cast as Bond as am Anya Amasova type recurring character (With a much better codname.) who is really more of Bond's foil than object of affection. I mean I guess they sort of had this with Yeoh until they ruined it with the last scene. Then end the first film with her getting the better of Bond. (This would also explode the woke trolls heads as an added bonus.)
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I love the idea of a foil or even a rival!
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The stuff at the end really shows what a disservice they did to Seydoux by constantly linking her character to two much better ones (in both films). I'm surprised they didn't go for the hat-trick and make her a computer wiz.
I am sorry I wasnt able to follow up on my initial post sooner, I was on vacation and just got back.
Without saying as much, I think this would be how I would envisage a Cold War Bond. Bond is already fictional so setting the series in 50s without explicitly showing the toxic masculinity, sexism or racism would not neccesarily be detrimental to the character.
We have seen spies in fiction from that Era that do not have those overt traits and still work (Harry Palmer, George Smiley and agents in the Circus, Man from UNCLE, the first season at least, etc). My thought is still that Bond is a Cold War Warrior and setting the next movies in that era would allow for more flexibilty in stories.
FWIW I've read the Fleming Bond Novels backwards and Forwards many times and there are some very cringe-worthy moments. Even the novel TSWLM in which Fleming writes from a woman's perspective still comes off as sexist in the end.
They're both bad.
George Lazenby announced today on his social media feeds that he's officially retiring from public appearances, signing autographs and any further acting work. He says he wants to spend more time with his family. I hope it's not because of some serious health issue or issues that he's not yet revealed to his fans, but he does turn 85 this year and is the oldest living Bond actor.
He's earned a quiet retirement and sunset.
He's earned a quiet retirement and sunset.
On Her Majesty’s Secret Pension
I haven't listened to it yet, but thought this might be of interest.
The Secrets of a James Bond Classic Revealed
The Secrets of a James Bond Classic Revealed
Didn't they cover the first one in that Bond-themed episode of Mythbusters?
I wouldn’t be against a Bond TV series.
The villain would actually be a janitor in the background most of the time…perhaps commenting on how Bond was such a dinosaur…little different than the high roller the villain had as a front.
And then Bond surprises everyone in the end.
The villain would actually be a janitor in the background most of the time…perhaps commenting on how Bond was such a dinosaur…little different than the high roller the villain had as a front.
And then Bond surprises everyone in the end.
There is apparently a shortlist of directors for the next 007 film. The original telegraph article is paywalled, so I’m linking to this summary of it from Den of Geek.
I wonder will Martin Campbell make a hat-trick of launching new Bonds or is he just there to make up the numbers? Few of his non-Bond films are of any merit IMHO, but he has certainly made two of the best Bond films.
www.denofgeek.com
I wonder will Martin Campbell make a hat-trick of launching new Bonds or is he just there to make up the numbers? Few of his non-Bond films are of any merit IMHO, but he has certainly made two of the best Bond films.
James Bond 26 Directors List Includes the Best 007 Relaunch Director
A familiar name is reportedly on Eon's list of potential directors for the next James Bond movie.
www.denofgeek.com
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