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What Lazenby & Dalton Nailed where the others mostly Failed

chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
edited February 2015 in Actors Posts: 17,691
In the books there are many moments where Bond is alarmed, scared and/or in genuine fear for his life.
Lazenby and Dalton brought this human quality to their Bonds. When they're in trouble, you see it on their faces and in their mannerisms. It makes their Bonds relateable, and more realistic.
Connery? Mostly he just seems irritated when his life is in danger, demonstrating all the concern one might show anticipating the missing of one's bus.
Moore? He quips his way past the rough spots.
Brosnan? He does his pain face & grits his way through.
Craig? He does the stone cold look even colder.
Only Lazenby & Dalton gave us this sense of immediacy, of being truly in the moment of danger, where all the others fall oh so short.

Thoughts?
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Comments

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,691
    As a kid, the one thing I didn't like about both of them was this very thing I now find so interesting in their Bonds.
    Dalton- well he's a trained Shakespearean actor so I expect no less, but Lazenby? Where did he get that good performance from? Did he just let his inner child loose to 'play-act'? :))
  • JCRendleJCRendle
    Posts: 1,552
    chrisisall wrote: »
    As a kid, the one thing I didn't like about both of them was this very thing I now find so interesting in their Bonds.
    Dalton- well he's a trained Shakespearean actor so I expect no less, but Lazenby? Where did he get that good performance from? Did he just let his inner child loose to 'play-act'? :))
    I think it's precisely because he wasn't a trained actor, he played it more like he would react, rather than how the "character" would react.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    edited February 2015 Posts: 17,691
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I think your being somewhat overly harsh with Craig. I've seen convincing fear and/or panic in his face (trying to get at Vesper-which could not have been easy to pull off underwater, when he first realizes that he's too late to save M, possibly a few other spots). I would add him to that list.
    Oh sure there were moments, like Rog & the bomb in OP too, but they were isolated incidents IMO.
    And not just fear, a sense of tenderness as well.
    I'm trying to imagine Craig saying "We have all the time in the world..." but I have an easier time hearing him say "I know now why you cry, but it is something I can never do."
    =))
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,691
    Birdleson wrote: »
    George just acted like his usual confident, warts and all, real self, and that's what we got; verisimilitude.
    Yeah, I agree we were seeing George up there, and that was pretty close to Bond as-is, strangely.
  • DoubleOhhSevenDoubleOhhSeven
    edited February 2015 Posts: 1,778
    I'd have to disagree. Connery looked legitimately frightened while being chased thru the Junkanoo in TB. And Craig looked scared as hell before the torture scene in CR.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,691
    All right, Craig delivered on the torture scene... I did get some panic in there...
  • JCRendleJCRendle
    Posts: 1,552
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,691
    JCRendle wrote: »
    Precisely! He was more pissed off at having to deal with the problem than he was in fear for his life.
  • JCRendleJCRendle
    Posts: 1,552
    I think he displayed fear quite well here, rather than feeling pissed off at having to deal with the problem...
  • bigladiesmanbigladiesman
    Posts: 1,009
    I'm completely for the theory of fear, especially when it comes to Lazenby: on the scene in Switzerland he's scared to death, and the emotion shows. Connery also fears for his life in TB, but comes across as a man who knows how to restrain himself, much like Craig.

    About the tarantula scenes, I read that Connery suffers from arachnophobia (me too) and was absolutely frightened. Presumably was he who demanded to have a glass sheet between him and the animal. The scenes where the tarantula actually crawls on Bond's skin were done by Bob Simmons.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,691
    JCRendle wrote: »
    I think he displayed fear quite well here, rather than feeling pissed off at having to deal with the problem...
    Yeah, that was about as fearful as we ever see Connery's Bond, but there's still a sense of anger & defiance in that bit. He's still in control.

  • ThomasCrown76ThomasCrown76 Augusta, ks
    Posts: 757
    What's the obsession some of you have with pain faces?
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited February 2015 Posts: 23,883
    I think Connery demonstrated genuine fear (I thought he crapped himself) when trapped in Shrublands.

    867f27a71291c5b75156738b8f22c0ee.jpg

    In all seriousness, I think any of them could have really stepped up and done it (shown real fear) but the scripts didn't really ask for it. Bond was more superman in some of these films. Dalts & Laz had the benefit of acting in movies which actually called for Bond to be vulnerable in a way. Craig has shown it too in CR but with some steeliness (I think the way he did it in the nutcracker scene was pure genius acting - controlled fear without being wimpy).

    CR33_150.jpg
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    edited February 2015 Posts: 17,691
    ThomasCrown76 wrote: »
    What's the obsession some of you have with pain faces?
    We are like... boys with ploys.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    edited February 2015 Posts: 17,691
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I believe what he, and I, have been talking about is a level of humanity that comes through in the performance. Whether through fear, or loss or some other form of vulnerability.
    Yes, quite.
    In my very first exposure to Bond Tiffany referred to Bond as "Superman" (doubly funny since Mank would go on to write a lot of the Supe movie), and it got into my head that he was this super secret agent. The books later showed me his human roots, made them okay, and hence my appreciation for Laz & Dalts.

    And... where does my beloved Brosnan weigh in here?
    Hey, I'll defend Brozz to the hilt, but seriously, in is movies lip service was paid but it was a time for a safety net Bond- big adventure, small humanity.
    And he's STILL my 2nd place favourite Bond (shared with Connery).
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    Posts: 7,314
    JCRendle wrote: »
    I think it's precisely because he wasn't a trained actor, he played it more like he would react, rather than how the "character" would react.
    Perhaps you are right. It's funny to think that his inexperience might have actually bolstered his performance.
    Anyway, after a recent viewing of OHMSS, Lazenby is still the most like Fleming's Bond to me whether he meant to be or not!
  • JohnBarryFanJohnBarryFan
    Posts: 1,405
    chrisisall wrote:
    In the books there are many moments where Bond is alarmed, scared and/or in genuine fear for his life.
    Lazenby and Dalton brought this human quality to their Bonds. When they're in trouble, you see it on their faces and in their mannerisms. It makes their Bonds relateable, and more realistic.
    Connery? Mostly he just seems irritated when his life is in danger, demonstrating all the concern one might show anticipating the missing of one's bus.
    Moore? He quips his way past the rough spots.
    Brosnan? He does his pain face & grits his way through.
    Craig? He does the stone cold look even colder.
    Only Lazenby & Dalton gave us this sense of immediacy, of being truly in the moment of danger, where all the others fall oh so short.

    Thoughts?

    I think you're right. I've seen last week-end, for the 786th times, OHMSS. Lazenby's acting when he's pursued in the village is awesome, genuine fear all over the face of being caught. Same when he pulls up his collar while seating beside the ice rink.
    Can't understand why many people still argue Lazenby's acting as "wooden"...
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Laz shone in three key scenes:

    The second scene in M's office
    The barn proposal scene
    The end.
  • jobojobo
    edited February 2015 Posts: 7,500
    There is a great moment in Casino Royale where I think Craig playes the fear angle perfectly. It is in the dungeon when Le Chiffre tells him that he is more valuable to MI6 than Bond realizes, because 'they need what I know'. Craig's delivery of the line ' The big picture', and his terrified steer when we hear Vesper screaming from the other room, is perfectly played! It is utter, believable fear realization!
  • ThomasCrown76ThomasCrown76 Augusta, ks
    Posts: 757
    That's because daniel Craig is the actor lazenby never was
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,894
    ThomasCrown76 wrote: »
    That's because daniel Craig is the actor lazenby never was

    You can say that again, George was never monotonous.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    With respect I disagree @Major.
  • ThomasCrown76ThomasCrown76 Augusta, ks
    Posts: 757
    Lazenby in his first scene with Draco. Monotonous. Boredom. Borderline hickory oak
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,894
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    With respect I disagree @Major.

    I didn't think he was that bad to watch. I agree with you on those three scenes. And physically, I think he was the best Bond. If only George had stayed, with his martial arts skills, we could have had some spectacular fight sequences.
  • ThomasCrown76ThomasCrown76 Augusta, ks
    Posts: 757
    He can fight, but he can't act
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,691
    MajorDSmythe wrote: »
    ThomasCrown76 wrote: »
    That's because daniel Craig is the actor lazenby never was

    You can say that again, George was never monotonous.

    BurnMeme.jpg
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    Great idea for a thread. Laz nailed it in the ice rink scene - one of the best in the series.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,691
    Getafix wrote: »
    Great idea for a thread. Laz nailed it in the ice rink scene - one of the best in the series.
    There were moments where he was on cruise, but when he nailed it, he REALLY nailed it.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,894
    ThomasCrown76 wrote: »
    He can fight, but he can't act

    To be fair, though, he had little to no experience at the time. Unless we count his Fry's advert. And with more Bonds under his belt, I see no reason why his acting (which I believe was good enough) couldn't have improved.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    A Lazenby DAF would have been truly amazing.
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