Sam Mendes - Appreciation thread

TripAces

I seriously doubt Mendes will come back. But I really like his vision for Bond. He and Forster get my awards for "Best Directing in a Most Difficult Situation."

Univex

Pierce2Daniel wrote: »

I rewatched 1917 and it is a tremendous film - probably Sam Mendes' best. This is truly such an experiential and engrossing film that really puts you alongside the characters. I enjoyed Dunkirk, but there was always something chilly and mechanical about the character work. The difference between Mendes and Nolan is that the latter is preoccupied with the 'epic.' Meanwhile, Mendes is more insightful and poetic. By narrowing the perspective of the film to a few characters, Mendes builds a true emotional connection. In addition, Mendes is also able to make an effective, mostly silent action film. There is a feeling from the opening frame that Mendes is strapping you on a rollercoaster and he is setting you rapidly down a track. This is accomplished in 1917 through the impression of a continuous take, which I found to be truly immersive and rarely distracting. There is meticulous attention to detail here; Roger Deakins' camerawork proving to be elegant and graceful. Thankfully the film never succumbs to 'shaky cam' grittiness; nonetheless, we share in the characters' anxiety.

Thematically, the 'war is hell' adage is a little trite. However, I cannot think of a better recent film which has so potently articulated this point. There really is no nobility in this fight, the men are not conventionally heroic or brave. These are desperate, scared and overwhelmed young men trying their best to survive. One can hardly fault them for being afraid. If anything, the tension they feel makes the characters more relatable. Dean-Charles Chapman was cheated out of an Oscar nomination and George Mackay provides a really haunting performance. You cannot help relating to his struggle, and wishing him through this ordeal.

If they go with a younger actor for Bond 26, I could see them adopting the model used in 1917's action sequences to accentuate 007's vulnerability. You could make an argument based on 1917 that Mendes is the man for the reboot. Personally, I think all Craig-era directors should not be considered, but the work by Sam Mendes in this film provides food for thought.......

Very good review, @Pierce2Daniel, thanks. Sam Mendes, Deakins and George Mackay for Bond 26. I'd watch that.

mtm

TripAces wrote: »

I seriously doubt Mendes will come back. But I really like his vision for Bond. He and Forster get my awards for "Best Directing in a Most Difficult Situation."

Yeah I would like to have him back because I thought he was great and had a real handle on how a Bond feels, whilst still adding to that and making it something more (he struggled with the plot to Spectre but I think there are all sorts of pressures going into a film like that so I don't blame him solely), whereas I think Fukunaga essentially didn't manage to evoke that Bond feel.
But he himself said that he'd said it all with Skyfall and had to be heavily persuaded to do one more, and as Spectre didn't turn out very successfully I would say the chances of him wanting to do another one, especially as Craig is now literally out of the picture, are pretty much zero.

007HallY

mtm wrote: »

TripAces wrote: »

I seriously doubt Mendes will come back. But I really like his vision for Bond. He and Forster get my awards for "Best Directing in a Most Difficult Situation."

Yeah I would like to have him back because I thought he was great and had a real handle on how a Bond feels, whilst still adding to that and making it something more (he struggled with the plot to Spectre but I think there are all sorts of pressures going into a film like that so I don't blame him solely), whereas I think Fukunaga essentially didn't manage to evoke that Bond feel.
But he himself said that he'd said it all with Skyfall and had to be heavily persuaded to do one more, and as Spectre didn't turn out very successfully I would say the chances of him wanting to do another one, especially as Craig is now literally out of the picture, are pretty much zero.

I know what you mean about Fukanaga not really being able to evoke that same Bond 'feel' in the same way Mendes could. I do wonder how Mendes would have handled NTTD in an alternate universe and what story adaptations he would have pushed for.

mtm

007HallY wrote: »

mtm wrote: »

TripAces wrote: »

I seriously doubt Mendes will come back. But I really like his vision for Bond. He and Forster get my awards for "Best Directing in a Most Difficult Situation."

Yeah I would like to have him back because I thought he was great and had a real handle on how a Bond feels, whilst still adding to that and making it something more (he struggled with the plot to Spectre but I think there are all sorts of pressures going into a film like that so I don't blame him solely), whereas I think Fukunaga essentially didn't manage to evoke that Bond feel.
But he himself said that he'd said it all with Skyfall and had to be heavily persuaded to do one more, and as Spectre didn't turn out very successfully I would say the chances of him wanting to do another one, especially as Craig is now literally out of the picture, are pretty much zero.

I know what you mean about Fukanaga not really being able to evoke that same Bond 'feel' in the same way Mendes could. I do wonder how Mendes would have handled NTTD in an alternate universe and what story adaptations he would have pushed for.

Yeah that's a nice thought. In many ways I think NTTD had a more solid overall story than Spectre did, so it would have been very interesting to see it with Mendes' style.

Denbigh

I think the script and the carry over from Spectre was a hindrance to Fukunaga somewhat so I don't really feel fair comparing Mendes and Fukunaga that much when Fukunaga had to kind of play with Mendes' toys in a very tight narrative corner.

SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷

I think it's still very possible to make a Bond film feel like a Bond film, even if it's a sequel and from another director's work.