Bond #24: SPECTRE

is it worth seeing '.. Solace' if you loved the 2 slices of Bond-bread either side? it got such a kicking that i never bothered.

CR is still easily the best Bond i've ever seen.

QoS is the least essential of the Craig Bond films.

Is this the last Craig Bond?

I think he signed up for two more, so next to last. (Unless it's extended after that -- could be, Roger Moore's run remains the longest at 8 films/12 years and Craig's currently at 4 films/9 years with one more to come, so who knows?)

QoS is the least essential of the Craig Bond films.

And yet oddly Spectre is clearly playing on the fact that the escape of the Mr. White character in QoS is a key part of the whole thing; it's been an element of both trailers now. I wonder how much if any direct flashback/explanation they're going to put into the film.

QoS I just thought was bad in kind of a boring way, but Skyfall I really hated. My reflexive disgust for the Mendesian pomposity of it was a major contributing factor though I'll admit

i'd said it elsewhere but i think skyfall, for all its really impressive staging, really diminishes the more you think about it. not just for the gross sexual politics and the half-hearted winks at bond tropes but for the actual stupidity of the characters, and of course the blandness and unoriginality of silva as a villain (in terms of persona, motivation, and execution of his goals) that is only masked by bardem being an incredible actor.

I didn't mind QoS - it is pretty humourless and brutal, though, and not the traditional kind of crowd-pleasing Bond film. It's Craig's Licence to Kill or For Your Eyes Only, if you like - both of which I have a soft spot for, so. Personally, I thought it looked better than the over-praised Skyfall, too.

you want Skyfall remake? we got Skyfall remake!

pretty blatantly On Her Majesty's Secret Service remake, down to the quotes from the original score in this one

I've said it before, but the plot of Skyfall is completely nonsensical once you think about it, it's all just an excuse to show pretty locales and cool pictures. Which of course makes it the best Bond in a loooong time. QoS is pretty forgettable, but the scene at the opera is great as mentioned upthread. Especially because Mr White is the only one with the cool to simply stay and slip away with the rest of the audience. Mr White is so amazing, and I only partly say that because I'm such a big fan of Jesper Christensen.

I think I love the fact that nothing in Skyfall makes sense. Most action films just have plotholes. Skyfall really is one of those rare films that just don't care.

I bet you're a Prometheus fan

I've actually just dvr'ed it. But from what I've seen of it, clips and trailers and such, I think it's ugly. I mean, the point of Skyfall is that it discards plot to focus on imagery.

Well Sam Smith's done the theme tune and it's bloody awful.

I don't care for Sam Smith but a Bond 'I Will Survive' kinda works.

Really doesn't imo.

I'm not really into Sam Smith, but this seems very dull.

It's crap.

was lana del rey in a tunnel when they called

annoying to have this a spotify only release (for what, like a week?) end these stupid streaming service wars

shit song

I know Smith's voice is held in high regard but on this one it's plain annoying, maybe song could have been salvaged if George Michael sang it

i like this, i expected it to be awful after everyone's griping.

was lana del rey in a tunnel when they called

yeah seriously. using someone else for a bond song in a world where ldr exists is like shaving with a spoon.

can't believe they never used Goldfrapp at her peak either.

The answer for "What is the worst Bond theme?" will always be the Jack White and Alicia Keys one.

can't believe they never used Goldfrapp at her peak either.

^^^^^^ on this.

Listening to it again, the main hook ("how do i live, how do i etc.") is pretty good. Shame about the rest.

"can't believe they never used Goldfrapp at her peak either."

Only 3 movies released during that era, and they went with the charts on 2 of them.

I don't mind the White/Keys one but didn't it follow one by Chris Cornell of all people? Even if it was tolerable, why the hell would you call him?

for a gritty reboot.... of the theme song

UK tabloids running that Damian Lewis is likely next in line, which I reaaaalllly hope isn't the case.

I think he should die in this new one.

I never used to like the Cornell theme but I think it was bc I wasnt into the movie at first

I've warmed up to it now that I enjoy the movie more

I like the movie quite a bit and that theme is ok, but why is Chris Cornell singing it

I will always give a partial pass if the band/singer is from the UK, at least.

"And with your newest Bond theme song, Mumford and Sons."

you know my naaaaaaaaaaaaaame

special place in hell for you on that one, Ned

Given that the greatest heights to which the theme songs have ever risen is Indelible Kitsch, perhaps never an occasion for gnashing of teeth.

like really, how high was Anthony Newley when he wrote those "Goldfinger" lyrics?

have we polled best Bond theme on ILM? probably a shitshow like all song polls, but maybe an entertaining one

the man with the midas touch, the spider's touch? xp

:)

ok now I'm listening to the "A View to a Kill" theme

can't believe they never used Goldfrapp at her peak either.

She could totally still do it!

Cornell makes sense to me, a classic rock bellower and the song is pretty good. I'm a Soundgarden fan, mind you.

such a COLDfinger

always wakes me right up

omg I forgot that line

It'll be interesting to see how much SPECTRE sticks to the semi-plausible villain schemes of the Craig films.

So far we've had:
Casino Royale: off-screen puppetmasters implied, but the main plot is about the money man for international criminal enterprise (plausible), it's personal for Bond in that he falls in love
Quantum of Solace: leads in from last film, group of villains is introduced and main plot is about manipulating the water market in south america for profit (semi-plausible, maybe boring?). Ties up Bond's love dying.
Skyfall: detours from vast conspiracy to have a one-off villain that is a magical global hacker type (very of the moment, much less plausible). Personal for Bond in that it ruminates too long on his "family" (dead parents, surrogate mother in M).
SPECTRE: who even knows the real plot yet, trailers seem to be all about secret group behind all villain groups who are VERY PERSONAL to Bond. Maybe a plausible threat to counter that?

The movies always veered away from any realism to give giant secret bases (esp in late Connery/Moore films) but the scope of things probably hit the top ridiculous point in "A View to a Kill" when a _single_ evil capitalist was going to sink part of California... to corner the microchip market!

which probably means the new film is going to jump all sharks and have Bond's long-lost cousin/brother/bff nuke scotland off the map to kill one man (Bond, naturally)

will there be cat stroking?

I think Waltz could definitely pull that off

"Franz Oberhauser"?

There's going to be a scene where he sez "Mein name is ECKtually...!" Right?

Interesting angle would be Bond peeling back the curtain and finding out about this powerful conspiracy only to be convinced to help them defeat some second group

dude has definitely done his time
i wondered to mr veg if he’ll throw a party when his official post-release duties are completed.
i mean as we know from prev bonds, money-truck aside, it’s one hell of a gulag

He filmed TWO Benoit Blanc flicks in between making No Time To Die and having to promote it on release

Damn.

More later, but best since CR.

I would very much like a post-apocalyptic HBO show set in the, uh, island lair

yes plz

#onethread?

we are only allowed to talk about spectre in this thread, #spectrethoughtsonly

Radiohead got robbed

fukunaga did an amazing job, whole thing looked amazing and was super varied in terms of color lighting

rami malek was terrible. not remotely scary, idiotic accent, everything he said was so groanworthy pretentious and vacuous (even by Bond villain standards), also for some reason his skin condition improved throughout the movie? by the end it just looked like mild acne scars

léa seydoux is insanely beautiful and every moment she was on screen i was jaw agog. however daniel craig and ana de armas have the best chemistry, wish she was in it more. havana scene was so fun

plot was so dumb. when ralph fiennes is like “we didn’t mean for this bio chemical weapon capable of exterminating entire races of people to become a WMD” lol

overall i loved it. i think italy was my favourite action setpiece (i was hooting and hollering in the movie theatre when he started motorcycling up stairs and flying over bridges) but they were all very entertaining

Lol at his name being Lyutsifer Safin

i haven’t seen it since it was in theatres and was really high when i saw it so this might be totally inaccurate but i remember the action in quAntum being peak shaky cam era disorienting blurry close combat. and i am grateful of how far we are from that now. loved the scene at the end on the stairwell (the shadow!). felt kinda like a first person shooter

I just watched it and yes, it was def like that

quantum’s lone flaw for me is the action directing

everything else about that movie rules tho

fyi flopson there is a No Time To Die thread, you'll find more discussion there! which also, some of us are consciously avoiding until we've gotten to the film.

oh sorry i looked through SNA but didn’t see it so i figured ppl were just talking here. if a mod wants to delete it that’s ok. sorry for spoilers

you're all good! i pulled my eyes away once I registered the type of information the post contained, but before any of it actually reached my brain lol