Comments

  • Posts: 12,506
    Don't you mean pad? ;)
  • brinkeguthriebrinkeguthrie Piz Gloria
    Posts: 1,400
    uh..yes!
  • DariusDarius UK
    edited October 2015 Posts: 354
    This is only the third time we've visited Bond's home, which, according to the novels was a flat just off the King's Road in Chelsea, which is only a short drive from SIS headquarters at Vauxhall Bridge.

    It's interesting to note that the previous visions of Bond's living space revealed rather well appointed and even sumptuously decorated apartments. There was Connery Bond's compartmentalised Regency inspired décor, followed by the Moore Bond's open-plan well-appointed apartment -- it's no surprise that Bond had an espresso coffee maker well before they became fashionable.

    However, this new Craig Bond's apartment is a far cry from both of these. Here, minimalism rules. The walls are unadorned, there is scanty evidence of an ordered book collection (unlike in the Moore Bond's and even the literary Bond's), which hints at an unhappy education, or at least an unstable one. Books on the coffee table and on the floor suggest a questing mind, maybe a mind to whom there are still many more questions than there have been answers. Bare floorboards predominate with just a single rug, an empty fireplace and no other visible heat source, both of which suggest a regime of physical austerity.

    Judging from the open cardboard boxes, either Bond has just moved in or, more likely, doesn't feel one hundred percent at home and prefers to leave that "just unpacking" look. This, I think, is the living space of a man who moves around a lot and rarely lives at home. The lack of creature comforts suggest a troubled past with unresolved issues, coupled with a latent desire for self-punishment via austerity. It's clear that Bond lives his life away from home and feels more comfortable in the well worked out antiseptic environments of hotel rooms where mundane domestic chores are all provided and creature comforts, such as exotic cocktails and fine cuisine, are taken for granted.

    In short, this is definitely the Bond we saw in SF and it is definitely the Bond in SP.
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    edited October 2015 Posts: 13,879
    Darius wrote: »
    Judging from the open cardboard boxes, either Bond has just moved in or, more likely, doesn't feel one hundred percent at home and prefers to leave that "just unpacking" look.
    @Darius I like your lengthy analysis, but he has simply just moved in. M had sold his flat and put all his stuff in storage when he was away 'enjoying death'.
  • zebrafishzebrafish <°)))< in Octopussy's garden in the shade
    Posts: 4,311
    Looking forward to the SP DVD to identify pictures and coffee table books in his apartment. Also, there should be weights lying around for spontaneous workouts.
  • edited October 2015 Posts: 4,599
    I has always thought there was potential for a new regular character in Bond's cleaner/housekeeper. He would hardly be there and someone would be required to check the mail, water the plants etc. When Bond popped back, there would be an opportunity for some light weight banter as the cleaner would nag/remind him about things (similar relationship between Bond and Kincade which I thought worked very well) and she would have think he was a salesman for Universal Exports (or perhaps knew but never said) Remember the Maureen Lipman character from the BT adverts, not as annoying as that but in that area
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 13,879
    zebrafish wrote: »
    Looking forward to the SP DVD to identify pictures and coffee table books in his apartment.
    Same here. One of the books on the fireplace mantle has been identified, for anyone keeping up with the clapperboards. A nice homage there.

    Maybe someone recognizes one of the books on the floor in this larger photo: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2015/10/james_bond_home.jpg
  • Posts: 4,599
    They have missed a trick if a Tennyson books isn't there
  • DariusDarius UK
    edited October 2015 Posts: 354
    QBranch wrote: »
    Darius wrote: »
    Judging from the open cardboard boxes, either Bond has just moved in or, more likely, doesn't feel one hundred percent at home and prefers to leave that "just unpacking" look.
    @Darius I like your lengthy analysis, but he has simply just moved in. M had sold his flat and put all his stuff in storage when he was away 'enjoying death'.

    Indeed, but the open packing cases clearly indicate subconsciously someone who's always on the move. Whilst SP is a direct sequel to SF chronologically, one can't help but feel that Bond is the sort of man who will never be "unpacked".
  • DariusDarius UK
    edited October 2015 Posts: 354
    Bump!

    I find this a fascinating thread because I've always been interested in reading people by their living space. Often, you can learn more about people by observing their home than you can from actually interviewing them.

    So far, we've seen the Craig-Bond's apartment, the Connery-Bond's apartment and the Moore-Bond's apartment. I wonder what the Lazenby, Dalton and Brosnan-Bond apartments would look like?

    Maybe the Lazenby-Bond's apartment would contain more creature comforts than Craig-Bond's, maybe even a picture of the Queen, like he has on his office wall. There would definitely be evidence of physical training, such as weights, boxing gloves, martial arts trophies to go with his evident physicality in OHMSS. paradoxically, there would be a well stocked bar, or at the very least a hospitality trolley. I would also be very surprised not to see evidence of skiing trophies and alpine photos. As his Bond is clearly at home on a horse, maybe a few gymkhana trophies. Above all, there is likely to be evidence of photos of whatever family Bond has (if any), reflecting a man who is growing tired of loneliness and feels an urge for a stable relationship.
  • Posts: 322
    patb wrote: »
    I has always thought there was potential for a new regular character in Bond's cleaner/housekeeper. He would hardly be there and someone would be required to check the mail, water the plants etc. When Bond popped back, there would be an opportunity for some light weight banter as the cleaner would nag/remind him about things (similar relationship between Bond and Kincade which I thought worked very well) and she would have think he was a salesman for Universal Exports (or perhaps knew but never said) Remember the Maureen Lipman character from the BT adverts, not as annoying as that but in that area

    In the books, Bond had an elderly Scottish housekeeper named May
  • DariusDarius UK
    Posts: 354
    @Troy

    Indeed he did, although in the books, she was little more than an ancillary character needed to answer questions about Bond's home life, which featured more in the novels than it does in the movies.

    In the movies, May would have to have a good plot-related reason to make an appearance, unless it was little more than a cameo.
  • Posts: 322
    I've not seen SP yet, but if we're carrying on down the path of fleshing out Bond to be a 3dimensional character, then I would have issue in seeing May in a cameo role if Bond is at home.

    Otherwise I agree that it is difficult to envisage a reason for a May character
  • edited October 2015 Posts: 4,599
    Yes, it would be a cameo but, if paced correctly, it would be a way of balancing the violence and darkness of the climax with a lighter scene at the beginning. Clever and ironic banter is something that works well with the movies IMHO. I dont think we need to go back to his childhood (again) but a visit to his flat and a nag from his house cleaner would be something that would give us a window on another part of his life and a contrast to dealing with men in suits or Bond girls. Holmes had Mrs Hudson and Steed had a cleaner , it would work IMHO. M's Dench played a type of mother role in SF which is obviously over but another role of that type could work. There is also something very traditional about having old fashioned cleaning lady (rather than an agency or service) which harks back to the Bond and culture of the 60s.
  • DariusDarius UK
    Posts: 354
    @patb
    @Troy

    Yes, I think it would work. May could give Bond a little nugget of wisdom -- something that may well help him on his mission to come.
  • edited October 2015 Posts: 4,599
    It could provide potential for naive but well meaning comments that would mean more to Bond and us as we know about his background and remind us that he is human without spending too much time plus some humour:

    "You need to take a break Mr Bond, you're working too hard"
    "No rest for the wicked, Mrs M"

    "How was your trip to Mexico , Mr Bond?
    "Oh, it was a blast, Mrs M"

    etc



  • DariusDarius UK
    Posts: 354
    patb wrote: »
    "How was your trip to Mexico , Mr Bond?
    "Oh, it was a blast"

    ^^

    :))
  • Posts: 12,506
    If when i have seen the film? I may take some of his ideas for my soon to be built Bond room next year!!! :-?
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