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I've never noticed that before...

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  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 16,079
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    Well, she knew how to handle a submachine gun. Plus, they could have easily written her as possessing the necessary physical prowess.
    Maybe, but it's Blofeld Bond goes mano a mano, not her.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,876
    Ludovico wrote: »
    I feel silly for noticing it only now, but there you go: when there's a main villain who is more than a capable fighter, or looks like he could take on Bond mano a mano, then he doesn't have a particularly formidable henchman. When he is not physically menacing or capable, or simply not particularly physically threatening, then he's generally accompanied by a powerhouse of a henchman. Pleasance's Blofeld has Hans, but Savalas' Blofeld only has mooks. Trevelyan being a former 00, still in his prime, he has Onatopp, true, but she's more like a level boss and dispatched way before the climax. There's a few exceptions to it, like in QOS, but they confirm the role. In any case, having Greene fight Bond in the climax was a conscious subversion of expectations and, as much as I like the movie, I don't think it quite worked.

    I think indeed that's been done on purpose. And I think they deliberately veered away from that in QoS. IIRC Amalric in interviews before release hinted at an opponend very different from the ones we'd seen before. Personally, I love that about the film. Greene is far more unhinged, and thus menacing, than many 'standard' villains.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,941
    CommanderRoss wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    I feel silly for noticing it only now, but there you go: when there's a main villain who is more than a capable fighter, or looks like he could take on Bond mano a mano, then he doesn't have a particularly formidable henchman. When he is not physically menacing or capable, or simply not particularly physically threatening, then he's generally accompanied by a powerhouse of a henchman. Pleasance's Blofeld has Hans, but Savalas' Blofeld only has mooks. Trevelyan being a former 00, still in his prime, he has Onatopp, true, but she's more like a level boss and dispatched way before the climax. There's a few exceptions to it, like in QOS, but they confirm the role. In any case, having Greene fight Bond in the climax was a conscious subversion of expectations and, as much as I like the movie, I don't think it quite worked.

    I think indeed that's been done on purpose. And I think they deliberately veered away from that in QoS. IIRC Amalric in interviews before release hinted at an opponend very different from the ones we'd seen before. Personally, I love that about the film. Greene is far more unhinged, and thus menacing, than many 'standard' villains.

    Yes, he based Greene on Sarkozy.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,876
    echo wrote: »
    CommanderRoss wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    I feel silly for noticing it only now, but there you go: when there's a main villain who is more than a capable fighter, or looks like he could take on Bond mano a mano, then he doesn't have a particularly formidable henchman. When he is not physically menacing or capable, or simply not particularly physically threatening, then he's generally accompanied by a powerhouse of a henchman. Pleasance's Blofeld has Hans, but Savalas' Blofeld only has mooks. Trevelyan being a former 00, still in his prime, he has Onatopp, true, but she's more like a level boss and dispatched way before the climax. There's a few exceptions to it, like in QOS, but they confirm the role. In any case, having Greene fight Bond in the climax was a conscious subversion of expectations and, as much as I like the movie, I don't think it quite worked.

    I think indeed that's been done on purpose. And I think they deliberately veered away from that in QoS. IIRC Amalric in interviews before release hinted at an opponend very different from the ones we'd seen before. Personally, I love that about the film. Greene is far more unhinged, and thus menacing, than many 'standard' villains.

    Yes, he based Greene on Sarkozy.

    Haven't seen that one running around with an axe (yet) ;-)
  • MalloryMallory
    Posts: 2,356
    I do enjoy trying to find the reoccurring stunt performers in the Bond films. For a while I wasn't sure if Gary Powell was in Casino Royale. I think I have now noticed him in very much a blink and you'll miss it moment.

    I think he is the driver in the car that Bond stumbles into whilst he is poisoned, and trying to make it to his Aston.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 19,018
    Oh yes, Derek Lea is my favourite; I feel like Daniel Craig has killed him a number of times.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 41,149
    You and I both, @Mallory! I do so enjoy spotting repeat faces throughout the series.

    Lea's a nice chap. He also appears in the sub in TWINE and also in DAD.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 19,018
    Lea’s one of those who can do a bit of acting, so if you see him pop up on telly in a minor role, you know his character is just about to have something violent happen to him! :D
  • MalloryMallory
    edited September 8 Posts: 2,356
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    You and I both, @Mallory! I do so enjoy spotting repeat faces throughout the series.

    Lea's a nice chap. He also appears in the sub in TWINE and also in DAD.

    Yes, he is most notable in Quantum, and then when he appears in the sub in TWINE, I must admit I did the Leo meme :))

    I'm also *pretty* sure Gary Powell is in Goldeneye as well.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 6,098
    I often wonder why they even have Elvis in the movie. He serves no real story purpose, other than Fields tripping him down the stairs. Unless in a previous draft and played a more predominant role? Le Chiffre didn't have a henchman, why both giving Greene one if he never really does anything?
  • LucknFateLucknFate 007 In New York
    Posts: 2,129
    thedove wrote: »
    I often wonder why they even have Elvis in the movie. He serves no real story purpose, other than Fields tripping him down the stairs. Unless in a previous draft and played a more predominant role? Le Chiffre didn't have a henchman, why both giving Greene one if he never really does anything?

    I took that as the joke, in a very weird movie with some bad ideas. But the joke is that, yeah he's a useless henchman. Weak loser with a freak hair cut who gets obliterated. I don't even mind that they queer-coded him for no reason with that strange scene where he smiles at the other guard.
  • 007HallY007HallY
    Posts: 5,890
    I think they were trying to do a Vargas type henchman (who's also pretty lame). Creepy but quite slight. Something of a punching bag for the writers too.

    It could have worked, but there's not much going for him. I think a showdown between Greene and bond was necessary, but having it really needed to up the stakes. Greene swinging an axe around and howling really isn't a match for Craig's Bond. It needed Bond at a proper disadvantage. I suspect it's due to the lack of development time.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,372
    Elvis is superfluous except as a supposedly amusing sidekick (ha, ha, what a funny haircut). Same goes for Mr. Kil in DAD, who is there only for Bond making the (BAAAAD!) pun about his name. We'll find more examples where the idea of a henchman is wasted. I'd include "Mr. Hinx" among the failed opportunities.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited September 8 Posts: 19,018
    To be fair, Bond does at least have a fight with both Kil and Hinx (and a pretty good one with Hinx: I think he's pretty effective). Elvis is presumably a subversive joke about the henchman trope (sorry to use that word!), but just so poorly directed that it's not quite clear how the joke is supposed to work. Is he funny because he likes opera? Because he has a subliminal wig? Because his clothes all blow off? Are any of those funny? I do think there's an argument to say QOS is the worst-directed Bond film.
  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    Posts: 14,717
    Every appearance on screen by Elvis is comic relief. He got laughs in the theaters i was in.

  • LucknFateLucknFate 007 In New York
    edited September 8 Posts: 2,129
    RichardTheBruce wrote: »
    Every appearance on screen by Elvis is comic relief. He got laughs in the theaters i was in.

    I almost wonder if they had cast a more known comedic actor, similar to the couple on the train platform in Skyfall, if the joke would land a bit better as it's someone we're used to laughing at. Like if Martin Freeman showed up with the same energy as Hinx, it would be hilarious.

    The evil scientist in NTTD that gets the "Time To Die!" line from Nomi feels like a v2.0 of Elvis almost.
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