New Bond Movie: Casino Royale - I am really looking forward to this

[nothing to see here]

I remember several years ago, back when it was assumedB Brosnan still had a significant run ahead in the part -- hearing the first rumour of Clive Owen as successor.

It got excited about then...worried through all the rumours of bigger hollywood names...moving up on the list...and feel slightly vindicated now that they are (apparently) returning to one of the earlier favouries.

The stars seem to be in Owen's favour as well. While not exactly box office hits, movies like 'King Arthur' and 'Closer' have moved his name up in the American Psyche. Someone should rerelease 'Croupier' in the states just to demonstrate how 'Bondish' he is.

As for the books: they are good reads. Comparing the books to the movies is like comparing apples to oranges. Or, more precisely apples to apple seads. The books, have their own little niche in the history of pop literature...however the movies they launched have become the biggest franchise in the history of film. James Bond, first, foremost and always is a film character...one whose origins like in print.

Of course, considering the book James Bond's decidely non-PC, and (non super-)heroic qualities...the Bond Novel appleseed has grown into a deicdedly different breed of fruit.

Whatever happened to the Rupert Everett Bond rumours anyway?

With mixed metaphors. NTSH

 

[Crothian]

The first was a made for TV movie where they called him Jimmy Bond. The second was the spoof by Woody Allen. This will be the first theatrical release of a real Bond film using this title.

THe Woody Allen was is a really good and funny film. And jusdging by the lack of quality in the previous Bond films, I stand by beign suprised if it turns out any good. Right now the true Bond movies are the video games.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

Also, if they are going with a younger, (which I dont' know as I thought Clive Owen was in his 40's) rookie Bond are they going to keep what continuity exists in the Bond franchise? John Cleese, Bond's reputation?

I've never read anything by Ian Fleming, and am not in any rush to. I've got a long list of other stuff to read. I did grow up on Bond movies, though, and have always just assumed that the name "James Bond" was issued to agent 007 by the British government when someone new took over the job. A complete fake identity that gets recycled. I never imagined that it was his real name, that even James doesn't lose sometimes, or that one secret agent could remain alive, healthy, undisfigured, and useful for 40+ years. I guess I've always just believed that sometimes things go badly, even un-cinematically, for James, whereupon replacement is warranted. That's the only way I could ever accept his periodically changing face and personality. I assume the same about Q and M and the rest of the alpha-numeric series, too. Honestly, didn't M used to be male? Wasn't Q older in the Cold-war-era movies than he is today?

Edit: I just realized: Next time they know they're going to retire a Bond actor, I'd like to see James get offed. It'd be a nice twist to see James face a villain who doesn't want to slowly torture him while giving away his secret plot, but just shoots him. Now 006 and 009 have to come in and save the day. The movie wraps up and for the next one, we get a new Bond.

I figured that this is sort of what happened to the Lazenby Bond at the end of "In Her Majesty's Secret Service." Who wants to go on doing a dangerous job of self-sacrifice if it's only going to end up getting your wife killed too? Bond goes back to HQ and says "I quit" and is never heard from again.

 

[reveal]

I've never read anything by Ian Fleming, and am not in any rush to. I've got a long list of other stuff to read. I did grow up on Bond movies, though, and have always just assumed that the name "James Bond" was issued to agent 007 by the British government when someone new took over the job. A complete fake identity that gets recycled. I never imagined that it was his real name, that even James doesn't lose sometimes, or that one secret agent could remain alive, healthy, undisfigured, and useful for 40+ years. I guess I've always just believed that sometimes things go badly, even un-cinematically, for James, whereupon replacement is warranted. That's the only way I could ever accept his periodically changing face and personality. I assume the same about Q and M and the rest of the alpha-numeric series, too. Honestly, didn't M used to be male? Wasn't Q older in the Cold-war-era movies than he is today?

M is the Minister of Defense. It's a government position, so it will change. The original Q had been in every single Bond movie, from the beginning, except for the last one. He died in a car crash before they started filming. John Cleese had already been introduced, as Desmond Lewellyn had thought about retiring from the franchise, so he was Q in the last movie.

The other main figures, Bond and Moneypenny, are, AFAIK, the same people. Dramatic license has been taken to update them for each movie.

 

[trancejeremy]

Clive Owen - ick. He has no charisma or humor in him. He's good looking, but that's all.

I still think the guy who played Cat on Red Dwarf is perfect. He's funny, he's suave, he's got style.

 

[trancejeremy]

The later Bond books by people who aren't Ian Fleming are more like the movies. But in the Ian Fleming books, there's a harder edge, and Bond is a real , well, I don't think I can say on these boards.

 

[mmadsen]

I've never read anything by Ian Fleming, and am not in any rush to. I've got a long list of other stuff to read.

Casino Royale, the novel, is only 181 pages.

 

[barsoomcore]

The reason "M" is known by that initial is because his name is Miles Messery. Using his initial is what counted as "Security" in the good old days. "Q" is simply the head of "Q Branch", the secret weapons division of MI6.

MI stands for Military Intelligence.

In the Fleming novels, Bond is definitely the same person -- and his reaction to the death of Tracy is pretty much like what Arbiter of Wyrms suggests, except that Bond goes after the bad guys who killed her. Revenge!!!! The novels are deeply linked to each other -- you have to read them in the correct order (and that's NOT the order in which they were filmed, by the way) or else you really won't understand what's happening. And Bond goes through some very, very unpleasant experiences and he is not by any stretch of the imagination unscathed.

Fleming's Bond is nothing like Broccoli's -- he is scarred and filled with regret, unable to put the past behind him and filled with anger and resentment. A GREAT character.

 

[reveal]

In the Fleming novels, Bond is definitely the same person -- and his reaction to the death of Tracy is pretty much like what Arbiter of Wyrms suggests, except that Bond goes after the bad guys who killed her. Revenge!!!! The novels are deeply linked to each other -- you have to read them in the correct order (and that's NOT the order in which they were filmed, by the way) or else you really won't understand what's happening. And Bond goes through some very, very unpleasant experiences and he is not by any stretch of the imagination unscathed.

Fleming's Bond is nothing like Broccoli's -- he is scarred and filled with regret, unable to put the past behind him and filled with anger and resentment. A GREAT character.

Wow. Makes me want go buy the books right now.

If you like those, I highly recommend the Gabriel Sharon novels by Daniel Silva.

http://www.danielsilvabooks.com/

He's an ex-agent for the Israeli Secret Service Agent whose son is murdered and his wife is in an insane asylum. He has a new jon as an art restorer. But, of course, he keeps trying to get out but they keep pulling him back in.

 

[Ghostwind]

I'll be interested to see who is Brosnan's replacement. Casino Royale was the very first Bond book I ever read and was instantly hooked. The books by Fleming are excellent but there are a few that lack the luster that other books have (Moonraker comes to mind). Fleming's successor, John Gardener crafted a more action oriented Bond but still did a wonderful job. I felt that Bond, as a character, was more fleshed out under Gardner's tenure. The newest Bond writer, Raymond Bensen, has gone back to a more Fleming style of writing. Bond is very cold, calculating and willing to do what it takes to get the job done. I've been quite impressed.

Casino Royale was quite a book because it literally put Bond through Hell and set the tone for the fate of anyone who got to close to his heart. It's a fast but intense read and done right, will stand to be an excellent movie and bring back the hard edge to Bond movies that have been missing for some time.