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Thanks @JimThompson I never agreed with some Bond critics who said Dalton was humourless. They were so unfair and had he been a straight Connery clone, they would have hanged him for that anyway.
And Craig has humour too, just it is expressed subtly and true to his personality. I like that.
Dalton and Craig to me get misunderstood in the role. They take flack all the time. I know Craig will get his critics once the new Bond comes along.
I wish people would admire them for who they are, not criticise for what they are not or never wanted to be.
I think we live in a world where many are swayed by others negativity. And there is so much ignorance 50 years later about who the Bond of the books is.
I remember Fleming said to the producers to not make Bond too likeable straight away. And Dalton/Craig succeed amazingly well.
I don't think the majority of people really want to see Fleming's Bond to be honest. I like the books very much but I doubt that most of those who have seen SF and loved it will be encouraged to pick up a book. Why else do you think they have put more "one liners" in SF? Because the audience like them.
I've read Fleming's remarks about "not making the audience like Bond straight away" and to be honest I think Craig did it best. Dalton did well but the final few seconds of the PTS in TLD are an attempt to please audiences weaned on Moore.
Bond in the books is an intense, brutalised character. He is edgy and the style added in the later films was there to make him more sellable.
When I was a child, I thought A View To A Kill was a real interpretation of the Bond character. When I read Fleming, it was so bitter the contrast despite the fact he ate well or dressed nicely.
That is what scares me. Because I do not think the producers were expecting the unfair backlash to QOS. He was fine in that film and still a cool character.
What is sad is that going by Youtube reviews, very few are mentioning Craig's acting but stuff like his cuff link adjustment. Personally that is better suited to Brosnan's Bond and really started there in terms of the exageration. The last thing I want is Craig to be a please all Bond. It will dilute all his great work.
I sense that with SF, they are trying to add elements that they were not intending. Some noticed that there are forced aspects in the film. I think Craig is too good of an actor to add baggage when he is interesting without those aspects.
Agreed. Thats why I like Dalton's "you should have brought lillies" and "Craig's "yes... considerably".
@acoppola But Craig still has plenty of acting moments in SF and moments of real drama. I don't think his work is diluted at all. Humour is good if it comes off convincingly. There needs to be a lightness of touch to Bond.
It is no secret that modern cinema audiences have shorter attention spans than an audience of 30 years ago. And what they praise about SF is the superficialities as opposed to the depth of the performance.
I love one liners but not if they are forced on the actor just to tick a box. That is doing it for the sake of it.
Both classics and unique to each actor. I warmed to Craig's Bond instantly because I loved Dalton. I actually warmed to Craig quicker than Brosnan. I like true intensity in a Bond and I don't care if you like me attitude.
And I love the actors who upon casting are seen as the controversial choices for the role. The more people hate them, the more I want to see them. Brosnan who was fine was loved before he even released the film.
Dalton has many lines I really enjoy:
"I've had a few optional extras installed."
"He got the boot."
"Exercise control, this is 007. I'll report in an hour...better make that two."
"They're looking for a foreign car, with a man and a woman."
"And a cello."
Hmm I don't know if he could sell those Moore-esque lines as convincingly. If you look closely "he got the boot" is synced in.
I think the worst example is "looks like he came to a dead end" in LTK. It just doesn't work.
Well who made Transformers Revenge Of The Fallen? Because that is a film that highlights the mentality of the audience it is aimed at. And there a lot of those. Damn you only need 2 brain cells for that film.
For every Dark Knight there are ten turds. Nolan is an exception in Hollywood mentality rather than the norm.
Things like almost getting run through with a swordfish, on the other hand, had me rolling my eyes as just being a bit too cute.
If Brosnan had said the "dead end" line everyone would be jumping on him ;)
The "And a cello!" is very witty and definitely not a Moore line. Moore's lines tended to be longer like "All those feathers and he still couldn't fly!".
Dalton said he had no interest in copying the actors before. To a real actor that would be like a skilled musician joining The Beatles and say being told to be George Harrison.
Dalton in LTK uses dry black humour. The line in the elevator "Give me your gun! Let's make this a proper family reunion!" is classic and sexy.
Took a long time to get there though. I do hear complaints on Youtube that SF is too long. Me personally, I like value and a story that does not rush.
But I do agree that comic book films are superb these days. They go so out of their way for the fans. Harry Potter is fantastic too!
I must admit I don't like that line or the way Dalton delivers it. It sounds a bit...cliche (?) if you ask me.
Dry sarcasm. I actually think Dalton was too intelligent for audiences of the time. That was his crime. Had he played Bond like the persona he had in Sextette, he would have been universally loved.
But I respect any actor who is true to himself or herself. And Dalton was never a corporate c**k sucker! He knew a lot wanted Connery or Moore and that takes big balls as Sanchez would say.
It sounds like the kind of line that would be in a standard American revenge movie of that period.