What If Plot Involves a Virus?

OOWolfOOWolf Savannah
in No Time To Die Posts: 140
I've been curious for a while, to ask others on this blog, about the potential of the film involving a virus. Do you think after all of this uncertainty and uneasiness, people might be put off by this being a potential part of the plot? Seems the way the future is going, a lot of films have hit close to home, and might disinterest or put off viewers.
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Comments

  • M16_CartM16_Cart Craig fanboy?
    Posts: 538
    It's already been filmed. And they're not going to re-film during a pandemic.

    And I sure as hell don't want Bond 26 coming in 2024 coming in super-late to try to catch on an old trend.


  • Posts: 1,545
    I think it does, but somehow with a "smart-link" -- witness the scene where a bunch of people suddenly, at the same moment, drop dead around Bond. There's something in or about them allowing the villain to kill them right then and there. Were it merely a virus, everyone would pass in their own time. Were it nano-technology (tiny, microscopic robots) then there'd be no need -- but for some vague explanation perhaps for a hybridization of biological and manufactured) for the shallow ponds of water in which the minions are working, as shown in the previews. [Note, by the way, that the villain is not masked as are the minions...perhaps, for some reason, he is immune and is not concerned ? Or is he already dying, and it would not matter ? Were already "condemned", so to speak, to die (aren't we all ?), perhaps Bond will thwart his plan, and leave him to die on his own ?] So -- perhaps a virus, but with a "smart-link" which responds to the villain sending out a signal to effectuate the killing action of the virus ? What's that you say ? Sounds a LOT like the villain's plan in the first Kingsmen movie ? Well, don't be surprised, though certainly disappointment would be understandable. The Bond films have resorted to re-using plot points from Bond SPOOFS -- Austin Powers, Kingsmen -- a great lately. Not to mention borrowing from many a groaner melodrama, including an until number of soap operas, with the "but wait ! this character really is related to another character because ---" plot "twists." Quite unfortunate that they've become so very unoriginal, and particularly since Bond films don't need twists. They just need good characters and a good villain's plan, great action and excitement.
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 13,879
    To answer the thread's question, yes. I have seen a vial of the poison. There are different types: red, green, orange etc. that no doubt have different effects - and by the looks of it, affect some people and not others.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 7,890
    I’ve wondered if there will be a brief disclaimer which reads that the film was conceived and filmed prior to the events of the past year. There will be those who, out of ignorance, will accuse filmmakers of capitalizing on the pandemic; they may want to get ahead of that.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited April 2021 Posts: 17,728
    talos7 wrote: »
    I’ve wondered if there will be a brief disclaimer which reads that the film was conceived and filmed prior to the events of the past year. There will be those who, out of ignorance, will accuse filmmakers of capitalizing on the pandemic; they may want to get ahead of that.

    An interesting idea which could well come to pass. If so that would be the third such disclaimer to appear in front of a Bond film in either cinema or home release. The other two being A View to A Kill and The Living Daylights.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 7,890
    I don’t recall those. What are they ?
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited April 2021 Posts: 17,728
    talos7 wrote: »
    I don’t recall those. What are they ?

    You may remember this famous disclaimer that appears at the start of A View to A Kill and that was retained on home releases of the film on VHS, DVD and Blu-ray:

    5skofq9j31301.png?width=960&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=0c8561e11817442569540514bb62f8b289cdb0a3

    See more details about the reasons behind this disclaimer in the following article:

    https://screenrant.com/james-bond-view-kill-zorin-disclaimer-legal-reason/

    Lesser known perhaps is the disclaimer that appeared at the start of The Living Daylights and that has I think since been removed in home releases of the film. I believe it used to appear on older VHS releases of the film.

    Here are the details of this second Bond film disclaimer from the Wikipedia page on the film:

    In the film, Koskov and Whitaker repeatedly use vehicles and drug packets marked with the Red Cross. This action angered a number of Red Cross Societies, which sent letters of protest regarding the film. In addition, the British Red Cross attempted to prosecute the filmmakers and distributors. However, no legal action was taken. As a result, a disclaimer was added at the start of the film and some DVD releases.

    [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Living_Daylights ]

    It's been noted elsewhere online that the filmmakers thanked the Red Cross for the use of their vehicles in the end credits so perhaps this also helped to smooth over any legal difficulties with the organisation regarding the use of the Red Cross insignia.

    In fact, under UK law such unauthorised use of the Red Cross insignia is proscribed so its use in The Living Daylights could well have ended in a criminal prosecution for the filmmakers. Thankfully of course that didn't happen. See the relevant part of Section 6 of the Geneva Conventions Act 1957:

    Prevention of abuse of Red Cross and other emblems

    6 Use of Red Cross and other emblems.
    (1) Subject to the provisions of this section, it shall not be lawful for any person, without the authority of the Army Council, to use for any purpose whatsoever any of the following emblems or designations, that is to say—
    (a) the emblem of a red cross with vertical and horizontal arms of the same length on, and completely surrounded by, a white ground, or the designation “Red Cross" or “Geneva Cross"


    See also subsection (3) which states:

    (3) If any person contravenes the foregoing provisions of this section he shall be guilty of an offence and be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [level 3 on the standard scale] and to forfeit any goods upon or in connection with which the emblem, designation, design or wording was used.

    [ https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/5-6/52/crossheading/prevention-of-abuse-of-red-cross-and-other-emblems/1991-02-01#commentary-c966014 ]
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 7,890
    Ah, thanks, so there is precedent .
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,728
    talos7 wrote: »
    Ah, thanks, so there is precedent .

    Yes, there is indeed. One of the reasons I know a fair bit about this area is because I've been researching it on and off for an article. It's fascinating stuff.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    I'd forgotten about that Red Cross disclaimer, yes indeed. You can't mess around with them! :)

  • edited April 2021 Posts: 631
    Thank you @Dragonpol, I had completely forgotten about the TLD disclaimer. Now that you come to mention it I think I saw it before a TV showing of TLD in the UK a couple of decades ago (but may be wrong)
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,378
    Never heard about the TLD disclaimer before and thanks for the link for the background info about the Zorin disclaimer @Dragonpol.
  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    Posts: 12,914
    So it's good the Red Cross apparently never saw OHMSS. Likewise the Olympic Committee.

    216a93c3addef4d9e40da9056788a948--secret-service-james-bond.jpg
    On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-0453.jpg
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,728
    mtm wrote: »
    I'd forgotten about that Red Cross disclaimer, yes indeed. You can't mess around with them! :)

    No, you can't indeed. You evidently mess with them at your peril, especially since they have the force of UK statute law behind them! One can understand why the Red Cross was upset at the unauthorised inclusion of the Red Cross emblem in The Living Daylights and especially how their organisation was used as a cover by the villains. However, as we know, Bond villains and real world villains often conduct their nefarious deeds under the cover of an organisation that strives to do good to those most in need around the world. Of course the Red Cross were quite within their rights to defend the misuse of their symbols but I know the producers weren't setting out to upset them and it was just an unfortinate oversight on their part. I don't think it was something they could have reasonably foreseen. Thankfully the issue was resolved amicably via the disclaimer and without recourse to legal action.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    So it's good the Red Cross apparently never saw OHMSS. Likewise the Olympic Committee.

    216a93c3addef4d9e40da9056788a948--secret-service-james-bond.jpg
    On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-0453.jpg

    Ooh yes, good point: the Olympics guys are another one who defend their mark extremely actively.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited April 2021 Posts: 17,728
    Thank you @Dragonpol, I had completely forgotten about the TLD disclaimer. Now that you come to mention it I think I saw it before a TV showing of TLD in the UK a couple of decades ago (but may be wrong)

    To be honest I myself only found out about the TLD Red Cross disclaimer in recent years after I did some more in-depth research into the AVTAK disclaimer which I'd of course known about for years. The reason for this lack of knowledge about the TLD disclaimer is easy enough to discern. It's simply because unlike the AVTAK one the TLD disclaimer was removed from later releases of the film to the home market. I was only little when the film was released in cinemas so never got the chance to see the disclaimer at the time.

    You're no doubt right about seeing the disclaimer on TV years ago. I believe that it was included on the older prints of the film. Perhaps the agreement with the Red Cross on the disclaimer had some sort of sunset clause that it would precede the film for only so many years. Perhaps that explanation is too complex and it was simply felt it was alright to omit it from home releases after a certain point by the distributors of the VHS or DVDs. I know that it was at one point included on some older VHS releases of the film. In fact when I researched this subject a few years ago I'm pretty sure that a picture of the TLD disclaimer screen message was available online. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find it now to share with you all here in this thread.

    Never heard about the TLD disclaimer before and thanks for the link for the background info about the Zorin disclaimer @Dragonpol.

    Yes, it's understandable given what I've written above that the TLD disclaimer is much less well known than the AVTAK one. It's my pleasure to share some information about it and the AVTAK disclaimer. Glad you found it interesting too, @goldenswissroyale.

    So it's good the Red Cross apparently never saw OHMSS. Likewise the Olympic Committee.

    216a93c3addef4d9e40da9056788a948--secret-service-james-bond.jpg
    On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-0453.jpg

    That's a very good point, @RichardTheBruce and something I also missed along with those two prestigious organisations! :)
  • Posts: 14,800
    So it's good the Red Cross apparently never saw OHMSS. Likewise the Olympic Committee.

    216a93c3addef4d9e40da9056788a948--secret-service-james-bond.jpg
    On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-0453.jpg

    In OHMSS the Red Cross was depicted in a positive light I guess.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,728
    Ludovico wrote: »
    So it's good the Red Cross apparently never saw OHMSS. Likewise the Olympic Committee.

    216a93c3addef4d9e40da9056788a948--secret-service-james-bond.jpg
    On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-0453.jpg

    In OHMSS the Red Cross was depicted in a positive light I guess.

    Yes, that's what it ultimately most comes down to. If there are negative associations with the symbols being used in the Bond films then that's a different story of course, as we have seen.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    I don't know if it is positive though: it's a militia travelling under the red cross as a disguise- I doubt that they would have wanted that to be a suggestion associated with their mark. I guess they just weren't protecting it as toughly as they do now.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,728
    mtm wrote: »
    I don't know if it is positive though: it's a militia travelling under the red cross as a disguise- I doubt that they would have wanted that to be a suggestion associated with their mark. I guess they just weren't protecting it as toughly as they do now.

    Yes, well that's true about the Red Cross one. As you say, perhaps they weren't as ready to protect their insignia as they were some 18 years later with TLD. Perhaps the fact that the militia was ultimately on the side of the Angels and not the villains had something to do with it though. Thereby, the filmmakers were given the benefit of the doubt and a free pass on that one.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited April 2021 Posts: 14,861
    Yes, I guess the TLD one is worse as it's drug-running using their logo as cover, but I doubt they particularly enjoy the suggestion that people travelling under the identity of their organisation could be either drug smugglers or mafia hitmen! :)
    They're purely humanitarian and non-partisan, I doubt they'd want to be associated with a commando raid, and the whole point of them is that they don't deal with who's good or who's bad :)
  • Posts: 14,800
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    So it's good the Red Cross apparently never saw OHMSS. Likewise the Olympic Committee.

    216a93c3addef4d9e40da9056788a948--secret-service-james-bond.jpg
    On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-0453.jpg

    In OHMSS the Red Cross was depicted in a positive light I guess.

    Yes, that's what it ultimately most comes down to. If there are negative associations with the symbols being used in the Bond films then that's a different story of course, as we have seen.

    Glock does things differently: every exposure is good exposure for them, so they are happy to see their guns featured in movies, whether they are used by heroes or badguys.

    Back on topic: if the plot involves the release of a virus, I think it will show NTTD as being borderline prophetic and thus very relevant.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited April 2021 Posts: 14,861
    Yes if it is virus-based then it would have felt very insensitive and tone deaf last year; this year we're all kind of used to this being the situation so I think we can take it as the escapist fiction it was intended to be.
  • Posts: 1,879
    A virus is an old plot anyway. OHMSS used it. MR had a form of it. MI2 used it and countless others have.
  • Posts: 14,800
    BT3366 wrote: »
    A virus is an old plot anyway. OHMSS used it. MR had a form of it. MI2 used it and countless others have.

    It might have felt like an old plot before the pandemic. Not anymore.
  • phantomvicesphantomvices Mother Base
    Posts: 469
    I personally think that, given the scene at the SPECTRE ball with all the agents falling all except for Bond, it's going to be like a targeted virus that only affects people with certain genes - or rather, spares people with certain genetics, simulating what appears to be something like a heart attack - the virus appears to be something along the lines of Metal Gear Solid's FOXDIE, as a reference.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Watching Spooks on Britbox, Series 6 episodes 1 and 2 Deal with Britain under attack
    from a weaponised virus. Odd to think that only a few years later, we'd be in Lockdown
    as a country for real.
  • Posts: 14,800
    I personally think that, given the scene at the SPECTRE ball with all the agents falling all except for Bond, it's going to be like a targeted virus that only affects people with certain genes - or rather, spares people with certain genetics, simulating what appears to be something like a heart attack - the virus appears to be something along the lines of Metal Gear Solid's FOXDIE, as a reference.

    Do we know it's a Spectre meeting/ball for certain?
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I believe SPECTRE is know for having Big Balls. ........ or is that The Prisoner ?
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