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Sorry but I cannot take this post seriously. Have you read the Fleming novels?
If you had, then you would have seen the Fleming interpretation within Dalton's performance, particularly in LTK. That portrayal is the closest we have seen to Fleming Bond on screen.
I haven't read of all of them, "bruh".
I wasn't talking to you, `bruh'.
I know "brah", but just in case. He's not the only one. ;))
Then I suggest you get cracking. Start with CR and go from there... ;)
+1
Sanity prevails on here....
To say the films wouldn't of lasted is complete nonsense, IMO. Why do you think they went straight back to Fleming on rebooting the franchise with Craig? It's because audiences were wearing thin of a untouchable superman. Casino Royale along with all the other films in the franchise that are widely regarded as the best (DN, FRWL, GF, TB, OHMSS, FYEO, TLD) are all based on Fleming. Alternatively, the films that are widely regarded as the worst typically have little or no Fleming incorporated into them at all.
+2.
I always said that Daniel Craig is more of a fusion of Fleming's cynicism and Connery's machismo. Dalton was certainly delivering Fleming Bond, but why most audiences didn't connect with that particular incarnation of Bond is because Fleming's Bond lacked the swagger that so many associated with cinematic Bond. And it wasn't an accident, that was a very conscious decision by Dalton. Maybe had he come back for a third film he would have re-calibrated his performance to be closer to what people expect of cinematic Bond, but we'll never know. I think the closest we'll see of what a cinematic Bond by Dalton would have been can be found in his performance in THE ROCKETEER.
I don't automatically think of Brosnan when I hear the name Bond.
I think it's clear that those who feel that way about Brosnan were basically those that grew up with his incarnation as their first Bond. Every generation has that. I have a friend who grew up with Roger Moore as Bond during his childhood. He thinks Craig is the best Bond, but deep down he views Moore as his Bond. It's a special childhood imprint that can't be undone, so for those who viewed Brosnan that way, it's understandable that Craig would seem like a horrible miscasting.
On and on, they have said they want Bond to be closer to the original Ian Fleming character. They want him to be grittier, darker and less jokey. What they really want, it seems, is to have Dalton back!!!
I disagree. The difference was that while Craig went darker and grittier, he retained the cinematic swagger. I think that's what really struck me the most during the scenes set in the Bahamas with Craig outsmarting security, charming the receptionist, playing cards, and then seducing Solange for information. That's why I said Craig fused Fleming's cynicism with Connery's machismo. Dalton was closest to Fleming, but Fleming's Bond didn't have the swagger people expect in a Bond film. That's why Dalton didn't connect with audiences.
"Fun" is the last word I'd use to describe the Brosnan era. An interminable slog through some of the most appalling film making in recent cinematic history, more like.
As someone that has three Brosnan films listed in the bottom five in my Bond ranking, I think that's a bit over the top.
Yes I agree with this. Craig brought some charisma and swagger which lacked in Dalton's performance.
The first half of TND is Brosnan's finest hour. Half decent PTS and some nice production design. And Jonathan price is an okay old school pantomime villain. I even think Michelle Yeoh adds a bit of class and Brosnan seems to like her - there's a sense of camaraderie if not a believable romance. The second half degenerates really badly but for me that was the closest they got to the right formula for Brosnan.
TWINE is hands down the worst film in the series for me. Just unwatchable.
DAD has a crazed energy, like Tamahori was trying to end the franchise by totally wrecking its reputation. As a result it is actually more entertaining to watch than TWINE and has a car-crash, through your fingers watchability.
I have nothing against Brosnan the man. He always strikes me as thoroughly charming and decent. And I think he could have been a much better Bond with decent writing and some stronger direction.
Having said this, he has to take some of the blame for the fact he never seemed to get a grip on the character. Who is Brosnan's Bond? I don't know and I am not sure Pierce had much idea either. Just a generic international playboy.
As for the most exciting era to be a Bond fan, no doubt the early 1960s. Imagine the excitement of being a Bond fan in an era when Fleming was still alive and interest was building in the upcoming adaptations of his books. Now imagine seeing Dr. No in the theater and being blown away by Sean Connery and the very first Bond film and wanting more. Now imagine seeing FRWL build upon and surpass its predecessor and make waves, followed by GF and TB setting the world on fire and creating a Bondmania that has never been equaled, an era when the entire planet was crazy for Bond, when the series was something new and tremendously exciting. Next to this era, when Bond became a supernova, everything that followed almost seems like an anticlimax.
I do not share much of the criticism directed at the Brosnan era.
I most certainly disagree with more than a few points made in this thread; But let's be honest, nobody is going to change anybody's opinion here.
I'm not here to argue the validity of his era; But to express my joy for it.
I actually think Pierce was reacting way too much against Dalton and his response to strip away any character depth and just go for the surface. A real shame. Brosnan has got an edge and nastiness that should have been used more for Bond.
Excellent point. In a sense, we're very much spoiled with what we have available out there as Bond fans.
Oh, HAY-yull yeah!
Dalton did actually connect with me. Craig connected with me. Brosnan didn't so much. His Bond and that era were like being told what you have to like rather than finding what you like.
Octopussy: If you're trying to imply that they rebooted Bond because people were tired of Brosnan's Bond isn't exactly correct, in fact I'm pretty sure DAD was the highest grossing Bond film when it released and it's reviews from the time weren't overly negative as they are now.
Getafix: didn't you say you haven't seen GE in full since it came out on VHS? Not to be rude but how does your 20 year old opinion hold up if you haven't revisited the film to think your thoughts again? Maybe I'm wrong about that but I'm quite certain you've said that a number of times. Also TWINE is unwatchable? Bruh no Bond film is unwatchable, as much as I may despise Skyfall even Skyfall isn't unwatchable, it's totally watchable and I'll even watch it to see if my opinion changes as much as I don't enjoy it, where as you can't even watch one film? Yeah I find that hard to believe, I think you're just grasping for straws to come up with complaints broski.
Revelator: yes I agree with this, you're absolutely right that the best era would really be now since everything is available to us at the current moment and surely everyone can find a Bond movie or Bond actor that suits their taste with so many options.
Why not use a few paragraphs? It'd make your replies a lot easier to digest.
Ok bruh...
Shame you don't like the novels. I think they are better than the films. It's a bit hard for you to know what `Fleming Bond' is, if you haven't read the books.
Charisma for Craig? Debatable sure. Maybe swagger is a better phrase. I think he had more swagger than Dalton (even though I still prefer Dalton over Craig).
DAD did receive a lot of bad criticism at the time, and I think EON realised they went to far. Babs had her own Moonraker moment and decided to reboot. The Bourne films and 9/11 also pushed that decision too.