| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 20-11-2006 03:44 |
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Drunken Fist
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Well, I saw it last night. With some reservations, I can say this is the best Bond since "Goldeneye," and I do feel that Bond has been given his balls back. Although the full-blown James Bond Theme doesn't play until the end, there are hints and echoes of it woven into the score throughout. Honestly, the way the movie ended is perfect. Bond has been rebuilt into a vision of the character more closely resembling Fleming's Bond, and I am happy about that. The way the gun barrel opening was incorporated into the pre-credits sequence was fine, as I don't insist on things being exactly the same in ever movie. There were some changes made from the book that I thought took away from the intensity of the casino scenes, but I'm sure it played fine for people who haven't read the book(the people I saw the movie with confirmed this). The movie is on the long side, and honestly, much of the first 45 minutes or so could have been trimmed without any negative effects, giving us a leaner, more hard-hitting film. The torture scene still pulls its punches a bit; it was even more brutal in the book. I'm actually glad they toned it down some. The action sequences, particulary early in the film, had the same "flavor" as past Bond films. Much of the Madagascar chase feels out of place in the movie for this reason.
Regarding Moneypenny's absence, she in one scene in the book, and Bond isn't even present. I still think they should have at least shown her character in a scene, if only in the background, but it's not as if they omitted a major scene with her or anything when adapting the book.
One of my major gripes with the film-- SPOILER WARNING--
Near the film's end, the movie goes over the top at an innapropriate moment. When we should be focused on Vesper's betrayal and subsequent death, instead we're watching a friggn' building collapse. This robs the scene of the emotional impact and shock felt in the novel.
Overall, it's a very good movie. It's not a knock-it-out-of-the-park home run like "Batman Begins"-- to compare it to another recent "reboot"-- but it's an entertaining and compelling revamp, and successfully lays the foundation for future films in the same vein. I'm terribly excited for the next film.
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 20-11-2006 11:53 |
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spencer1984
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I forgot to mention those two out-of-sequence Bond moments, but now that you've reminded me: I actually like the way they were both done. In the beginning of the pre-title sequence, he was just "James Bond." The gun barrel shot appeared as he crossed the threshold to becoming a double-0, confirming his new status. Then the theme music was held until the very end, when he was no longer "James Bond," he was "Bond, James Bond."
I agree that the spoiler action was a bit over the top, fortunately the scenes on either side of it helped save it. |
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 20-11-2006 19:44 |
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real-dark-knight
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I'm going to see it tomorrow - I've not been so eager to get to a cinema since Superman Returned! And prior to that when Batman Began! |
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 21-11-2006 00:06 |
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Tim Drake
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It basically is the Batman Begins version of James Bond lol. To me every actor who has ever played bond has brought out a certain characteristic better than the other has...To me Daniel Craig is the first to seem the most physicaly fit to do all those stunts that bond does and to me he`s the toughest most intimidating one yet.
"Look, I never wanted this for myself...but I wanted Batman and Robin back together the way they should be. And if Dick won`t become Robin again...Someone else has to!" - Tim Drake, A LONELY PLACE OF DYING Chapter five: Rebirth |
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 22-11-2006 09:10 |
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real-dark-knight
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I saw it last night and I thought it was great!
I loved the theme song and opening credits - I was never potty on Soundgarden but it's a great vocal and works very well with the retro-like opening credits (that was a tip of the hat to the past - one of very few!)
Even with all the things that people had said about it being a back to basics, no gadgets, no puns movie - I was still a little taken by surprise by the sheer lack of recognisable 007 cheesy type stuff.
Gone are the days when 007 is unquestionably the main man of British Secret Service, and despite the barbed comments and sarcasms of M, you know he knows Bond can sort it. This is back to the very beginning; 007 has to prove he can earn his keep (it was actually kinda hard to get your head round that).
It's unlike any other Bond film I can think of. Many are comparing this to Connery's movies - but I don't think thats the case (although it's probably closest). If you didnt know who/what it was - it's got the feel of a (slightly over the top) serious action drama. It really is pretty gritty (in places almost noir-like).
I've never read 007; so I can't say how well it does or doesn't stand up against Fleming's original vision. I know I liked this though;
I must admit, I didn't pick up on Drunken Fist's spoiler criticism when I was watching, but I think he's got a very fair point.
A criticism of my own (and I suspect this won't go down well with everyone!), it's not a great story! The film is made by Daniel Craig (he was excellent), the action, the script, the stunts, the casino scenes (they're like train scenes - for some reason they're always good), the music & just the overall film-making. But then again, as I type - I'm wondering how many great 007 films were great stories..........
I really enjoyed it.
Recommended to all! |
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 24-11-2006 15:49 |
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Phil
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it was good.
the torture scene was pretty...wow. that's all i'm gonna say.
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 25-11-2006 03:31 |
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Drunken Fist
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real-dark-knight wrote:A criticism of my own (and I suspect this won't go down well with everyone!), it's not a great story! The film is made by Daniel Craig (he was excellent), the action, the script, the stunts, the casino scenes (they're like train scenes - for some reason they're always good), the music & just the overall film-making. But then again, as I type - I'm wondering how many great 007 films were great stories..........
I really enjoyed it.
Recommended to all!
That's certainly a fair criticism. Fleming's novels, with a couple of exceptions, all had pretty strong stories, but were mainly character-driven. Casino Royale's story was severely weakened by being padded so much to fill this movie's run time, in my opinion. The actuall showdown at the casino-- in the books, it was bacarat, rather than poker-- takes place in a single night, over several very tense hours. I felt breaking it up so much in the movie spoiled the pacing, but my friends who hadn't read the book didn't really notice.
Anyone who enjoys this movie, I recommend Fleming's novels as highly as possible. If you think Craig's Bond is vicious, he still isn't a match for the literary 007. There are about 100 million of these books in print, so they can be found pretty cheaply and easily. Above all, I'd recommend these books the most:
-Live and Let Die
-Moonraker
-From Russia, With Love (Fleming actually killed Bond at the end of this novel! Interesting story I'll tell you all sometime, if you're interested.)
-Doctor No
-Goldfinger
And the Blofeld Trilogy:
-Thunderball
-On Her Majesty's Secret Service
-You Only Live Twice
That's about half of Fleming's books, and they're all good, but these are the best, in my opinion. Fit reading for anyone who enjoyed this movie.
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 25-11-2006 16:54 |
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real-dark-knight
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Drunken Fist wrote: If you think Craig's Bond is vicious, he still isn't a match for the literary 007. There are about 100 million of these books in print, so they can be found pretty cheaply and easily.
Thats true. Also, (certainly here in the UK at least), you can go in any Charity Shop and you'll regularly see the old Pan 007s (and because there were so many printed and sold, it's not difficult to pick them up for about ?1 each). I've always thought Pans in general and Pan Bond's in particular looked fabulous.............
Although I prefer this..............
Edited by real-dark-knight on 25-11-2006 21:45 |
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 30-11-2006 21:02 |
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bluebeettle22
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i am just about to see it, its been a busy month for me but at least i will see a good movie(at least i think so) i've never been a 007 fan, i saw goldeneye and i like it but then i saw die another day and it was abismal
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 30-11-2006 22:53 |
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Tartan Jack
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So, Casino Royale is ACTUALLY based upon and close in content (though technologically updated) for today's world! Knowing what the francise has done with the Fleming novels, THAT is actually something to say. Some movies (such as The Spy Who Loved Me) have used VERY little of the "source novel" (The Spy . . . " used ONLY the TITLE!!!). On another forum, one poster said that Die Another Day is actually much closer to the Moonraker novel than the Moonracker movie. As I have read NONE of the novels, I have no idea who close one is or is not.
Based on the comments posted here, I'm impressed.
Sum Nox!
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 01-12-2006 13:34 |
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Drunken Fist
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Aside from the extraneous stuff added to the beginning onf the film, "Casino Royale" is actually pretty close to the book. "Doctor No," "From Russia, With Love," "Goldfinger," and "Thunderball" are all pretty close adaptations. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" is the most faithful adaptation, though. Later movies have bits and pieces taken from the novels; for instance, "For Your Eyes Only" combines two of Fleming's 007 short stories with some new material. The scene where Bond's friend Felix gets mauled in "License to Kill" is taken from the book "Live and Let Die."
The reason "The Spy Who Loved Me" takes nothing from the source novel: Fleming tried something different with that book, telling in the first person from the point of view of its female protaganist. The book was net very well-recieved, and Fleming grew to hate it. When the rights to the books were sold, Fleming stipulated that only the title of that particular 007 adventure could be used, and none of the story.
As for why 1983's "Never Say Never Again" is a remake of "Thunderball," well, that's another convuluted story in itself. 
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| RE: Something new and something old... -
Posted on 01-12-2006 20:35 |
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inzo
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The movie worked for me and I could have not done the
directing any better...
Long live James Bond and The Batman...
I did like how he won his classic Aston Martin...
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 02-12-2006 11:34 |
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real-dark-knight
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I've just been looking at Corgi's website for "coming soon" Batmobiles - and noticed they've got a couple of 007 collections coming out (obviously in response to the success of Casino Royale). They've quite a few variations on the Aston Martin too.
Quite a nice collection and they look good in the tin (I've got the roughly comparable Doctor Who film can set and it's well nice).
I've just found a couple of old Bond books of my dads so I'll be reading them............
inzo wrote:
I did like how he won his classic Aston Martin...
I thought that was good too! I don't know if that was in the book, but it was cool.
Edited by real-dark-knight on 03-12-2006 20:13 |
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 04-12-2006 00:37 |
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Drunken Fist
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Nah, in the books Bond owns a Bentley, his pride and joy. The Aston Martin DBIII is issued to him by Q branch for the first time in Goldfinger, but it's not the Batmobile-class supercar we're familiar with from the movies.
Corgi has released quite a lot of 007 cars and sets over the years, and all have been generally excellent. That looks like another nice set. I really like Goldfinger's Rolls.
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 04-12-2006 07:36 |
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Tartan Jack
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Drunken Fist wrote:
Nah, in the books Bond owns a Bentley, his pride and joy. The Aston Martin DBIII is issued to him by Q branch for the first time in Goldfinger, but it's not the Batmobile-class supercar we're familiar with from the movies.
Corgi has released quite a lot of 007 cars and sets over the years, and all have been generally excellent. That looks like another nice set. I really like Goldfinger's Rolls.
In Never Say Never Again, he shows up at the spa in the Bentley.
The "modern" Bond seems "locked" into the Aston now. The Bentley is long gone and forgotten except by fans of the books. Steed, John Steed is now associated with the Bentley.
Sum Nox!
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 04-12-2006 13:33 |
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real-dark-knight
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I remember I had a couple of 007 Corgi's as a kid that I really liked. The Spy Who Loved Me Lotus and the Aston Martin (which I remember had a pop-up bullet proof shield - as seen in Thunderball).
Goldfinger's Rolls is gorgeous - and imagine having Oddjob as your chauffeur. That **** would even give Bane a run for his money (although I don't doubt Darth Vader could sort 'em both out!)
Edited by real-dark-knight on 04-12-2006 13:34 |
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 04-12-2006 15:13 |
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spencer1984
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I like the Corgi cars, but I really wish they would offer more in their 1/24 line. I have not seen any 1/24 Aston Martin Vanquish or DBS replicas anywhere (Bond or otherwise). |
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| RE: The CASINO ROYALE Thread! -
Posted on 01-10-2007 16:33 |
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real-dark-knight
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The fantastic Lois Maxwell, Connery's (and the definitive) Miss Moneypenny exited the stage yesterday.
I dunno why I was surprised to read she was 80, but I was.
Also, I didnt know; she was Canadian......
I liked her.
God bless x |
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