Christoph Waltz as Blofeld - Hit or miss?

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  • JNOJNO Finland
    Posts: 137
    He was extremely good and I can´t wait to see him again.

    With Savalas he´s the best Blofeld ever.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,120
    IMO he was a straight HIT. I can see him come back as Blofeld.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    Waltz is brilliant, bloody brilliant.

    Not only is he clearly the best villain in the Craig-era but he is the best villain in the whole series, or at least one of the very best.

    He has a decent amount of screen-time and luckily does appear quite early in the movie for the first time.
  • edited November 2015 Posts: 582
    This is how I would rank the villains in the DC era

    1. Silva (Javier Bardem) - Skyfall
    2. Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz) - Spectre
    3. Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) - Casino Royale
    4. Dominc Green (Matthieu Amalric) - Quantum of Solace

    Waktz as I said above, definitely a hit.
  • Posts: 15,051
    Most definitely a hit for me and the best "physical" Blofeld. With all the twists they made from the literary Blofeld, I do think he remains one of the closest, of not the closest to his literary roots of all his cinematic incarnations.
  • A definite miss. Why did he have to get an assistant to do all his talking in the boardroom, like he was infirm?

    No menace, no comeback to Craig's quips. He can see into MI6 but doesn't know they make gadgets like exploding watches, which blows up his entire headquarters??
  • Posts: 486
    I really enjoyed Waltz's performance. Far more nuanced than Javier Bardem whom really grates on me now when I watch SF.

    Waltz gets two great entrances too - the Rome boardroom and then Morocco.

    I really hope we see him again.
  • Posts: 582
    A definite miss. Why did he have to get an assistant to do all his talking in the boardroom, like he was infirm?

    No menace, no comeback to Craig's quips. He can see into MI6 but doesn't know they make gadgets like exploding watches, which blows up his entire headquarters??

    For me that made him more like a Fleming villain to me - it was something quite odd about him. Fleming named some of the villains after people he disliked, so this felt quite Fleming to me to have him have this curious oddity of not talking there.
  • Posts: 15,051
    A definite miss. Why did he have to get an assistant to do all his talking in the boardroom, like he was infirm?

    No menace, no comeback to Craig's quips. He can see into MI6 but doesn't know they make gadgets like exploding watches, which blows up his entire headquarters??

    Why would he bother to do all the talking? He's Blofeld! He is a man of few words, he speaks when it is necessary and every word counts. Just like, I might add, his literary counterparts. He sure was menacing, did you see how scared were everyone in his presence? As for the watch, it's called hubris: Blofeld became overconfident. Had he decided to take it off, Bond would have died of torture sooner or later.
  • Posts: 1,068
    I think the nods and whispers with an entourage watching and instantly responding to every mannerism spoke more of a quiet menace. It seems everyone who knows him quakes and fears his every move certain it will spell disaster for them. An economy of effort and measured light fluid movement show a side of ESB that is pure control freak. When he speaks it seems a shock of momentous event for all that are assembled.

    Would anyone like to see the female lead chair/narrator of the Rome meeting assume that of no2 Bunt!?
  • Posts: 582
    I completely agree with the last 2 comments @Ludovico and @andmcit
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    A definite miss. Why did he have to get an assistant to do all his talking in the boardroom, like he was infirm?

    No menace, no comeback to Craig's quips. He can see into MI6 but doesn't know they make gadgets like exploding watches, which blows up his entire headquarters??

    Your inability to grasp the concept of character and story is becoming legendary. I may write a book on it.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,120
    My listing of the Craig baddies:
    1) Blofeld
    2) LeChiffre
    3) Green
    4) Silva

    Let me start by stating, for the record, that I really love SF. But Silva came off as prototype psychopath and unfortunately not all that original or "Flemingesque". Green I like better as a character. I know very few people do but there's something pretty enigmatic about him that I really enjoy. LeChiffre was excellent. Not entirely the character from the book but a deep and full character altogether. Now Blofeld... There it is. I was sold on Waltz from the first second, and not merely because of the hype or because he was great - and I mean great - in other stuff, but because of his calm demeanour contrasted with his ruthless nature. At the same time, his philosophy on how to create a better world somewhat speaks to me. Not that I condone the things Spectre does, but there's a level of thinking behind it that even Silva couldn't achieve IMO. Hey, I might follow this guy if I had a disdain for human life.
  • Posts: 486
    andmcit wrote: »
    I think the nods and whispers with an entourage watching and instantly responding to every mannerism spoke more of a quiet menace. It seems everyone who knows him quakes and fears his every move certain it will spell disaster for them. An economy of effort and measured light fluid movement show a side of ESB that is pure control freak. When he speaks it seems a shock of momentous event for all that are assembled.

    Would anyone like to see the female lead chair/narrator of the Rome meeting assume that of no2 Bunt!?

    Absolutely. These people were intimidated by him.
  • Posts: 1,098
    RogueAgent wrote: »
    I thought he was brilliant and want to see him more!

    I second that.............there's an awful lot of potential material for the future with this character!

  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    -Le Chiffre was just perfect also thanks to the great actor Mads.
    -Green was absolutely ok and probably the most realistic of all the villains in the Craig-era.
    -Silva was too over the top for a movie like Skyfall and Bardem's acting was embarrassing except for the scene in the church where he shined.
    -Oberhauser is bloody brilliant and perfect. I wouldn't change one word or one move. Waltz was born for this role.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Cowley wrote: »
    andmcit wrote: »
    I think the nods and whispers with an entourage watching and instantly responding to every mannerism spoke more of a quiet menace. It seems everyone who knows him quakes and fears his every move certain it will spell disaster for them. An economy of effort and measured light fluid movement show a side of ESB that is pure control freak. When he speaks it seems a shock of momentous event for all that are assembled.

    Would anyone like to see the female lead chair/narrator of the Rome meeting assume that of no2 Bunt!?

    Absolutely. These people were intimidated by him.

    Absolutely. I think we can all agree the whole scene was superb.
  • Posts: 15,051
    andmcit wrote: »
    I think the nods and whispers with an entourage watching and instantly responding to every mannerism spoke more of a quiet menace. It seems everyone who knows him quakes and fears his every move certain it will spell disaster for them. An economy of effort and measured light fluid movement show a side of ESB that is pure control freak. When he speaks it seems a shock of momentous event for all that are assembled.

    Would anyone like to see the female lead chair/narrator of the Rome meeting assume that of no2 Bunt!?

    I completely agree. And I would add: you read the description of Blofeld in the novels. Even in TB, where Blofeld is depicted as a large brutish man, there is this bit of description that fits Waltz in the movie to a t:

    Blofeld's own eyes were deep black pools surrounded -totally surrounded, as Mussoloni's were- by very clear whites. The doll-like effect of this unusual symmetry was enhanced by long silken black eyelashes that should have belonged to a woman. The gaze of these soft doll's eyes was totally relaxed and rarely held any expression stronger than the mild curiosity in the object of their focus. (...)Blofeld's gaze was a microscope, the window on the world on a superbly clear brain, with a focus that had been sharpened by thirty years of danger and of keeping just one step ahead of it (...)

    One of the many reasons why it is a hit for me and why I find Waltz's portrayal opf Blofeld far superior to the previous ones.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Ludovico wrote: »
    andmcit wrote: »
    I think the nods and whispers with an entourage watching and instantly responding to every mannerism spoke more of a quiet menace. It seems everyone who knows him quakes and fears his every move certain it will spell disaster for them. An economy of effort and measured light fluid movement show a side of ESB that is pure control freak. When he speaks it seems a shock of momentous event for all that are assembled.

    Would anyone like to see the female lead chair/narrator of the Rome meeting assume that of no2 Bunt!?

    I completely agree. And I would add: you read the description of Blofeld in the novels. Even in TB, where Blofeld is depicted as a large brutish man, there is this bit of description that fits Waltz in the movie to a t:

    Blofeld's own eyes were deep black pools surrounded -totally surrounded, as Mussoloni's were- by very clear whites. The doll-like effect of this unusual symmetry was enhanced by long silken black eyelashes that should have belonged to a woman. The gaze of these soft doll's eyes was totally relaxed and rarely held any expression stronger than the mild curiosity in the object of their focus. (...)Blofeld's gaze was a microscope, the window on the world on a superbly clear brain, with a focus that had been sharpened by thirty years of danger and of keeping just one step ahead of it (...)

    One of the many reasons why it is a hit for me and why I find Waltz's portrayal opf Blofeld far superior to the previous ones.

    Yes, yes and yes.
  • Posts: 7,507
    @Ludovico: Some great points. Waltz is definitely the closest we have got to Fleming's original vision of Blofeld.
  • Posts: 7,507
    So why is it, with the mostly eupforic assessment of Waltz expressed by members here (with a few exceptions), that the reaction by critics is so luke warm? I don't get it.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,120
    But some know-it-alls are already screaming that Blofeld has to be bald. ;-)
  • Posts: 486
    jobo wrote: »
    @Ludovico: Some great points. Waltz is definitely the closest we have got to Fleming's original vision of Blofeld.

    You could say that's not exactly difficult though but yes I was pleased with the casting and he does a fine job in the film.

    I don't think he necessarily needed the scar though. I acknowledge Pleasance is the most iconic Blofeld but he's always been my least favourite and Waltz was sinister enough earlier on in the film without it.
  • Posts: 15,051
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    But some know-it-alls are already screaming that Blofeld has to be bald. ;-)

    You hit the nail right here. Most critics know little about Bond to begin with. It's all blurry to them.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,120
    Ludovico wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    But some know-it-alls are already screaming that Blofeld has to be bald. ;-)

    You hit the nail right here. Most critics know little about Bond to begin with. It's all blurry to them.

    Yeah. I mean, I don't mind if people criticise Gray as Blofeld because of his performance (though he is a good actor), but the argument that Pleasence and Savallas were better simply because they were bald, is just stupid.
  • Posts: 7,507
    Cowley wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    @Ludovico: Some great points. Waltz is definitely the closest we have got to Fleming's original vision of Blofeld.

    You could say that's not exactly difficult though but yes I was pleased with the casting and he does a fine job in the film.

    I don't think he necessarily needed the scar though. I acknowledge Pleasance is the most iconic Blofeld but he's always been my least favourite and Waltz was sinister enough earlier on in the film without it.


    I thought the scar was a nice nod to the character's cinematic history. Cheesy yes, but fun.
  • Posts: 15,051
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    But some know-it-alls are already screaming that Blofeld has to be bald. ;-)

    You hit the nail right here. Most critics know little about Bond to begin with. It's all blurry to them.

    Yeah. I mean, I don't mind if people criticise Gray as Blofeld because of his performance (though he is a good actor), but the argument that Pleasence and Savallas were better simply because they were bald, is just stupid.

    And shallow. And uneducated.

    It struck me that I was sold about Waltz as Blofeld the moment he was rumored to be cast. And it is only then that I thought the rumor of the return of Blofeld might be true after all.

    Now if like some people here thought Andrew Scott had been Blofeld, my reaction to the whole casting would have been very very different. But they went, as I expected, for a Jekyll & Hyde/Dracula twist.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,120
    Had Scott been Blofeld, the simple association with his character in Shelock would have gravely annoyed me.
  • Posts: 15,051
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Had Scott been Blofeld, the simple association with his character in Shelock would have gravely annoyed me.

    It would have been Gustav Graves all over again.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    -Le Chiffre was just perfect also thanks to the great actor Mads.
    -Green was absolutely ok and probably the most realistic of all the villains in the Craig-era.
    -Silva was too over the top for a movie like Skyfall and Bardem's acting was embarrassing except for the scene in the church where he shined.
    -Oberhauser is bloody brilliant and perfect. I wouldn't change one word or one move. Waltz was born for this role.

    I pretty much agree with this except I'm not as critical of Silva as you are. I thought Silva's entrance was also pretty excellent.
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