James Bond In Skyfall - Part 5

[AnneFan]

Suddenly Albert Finney's casting seems suspicious.

For some reason I have the feeling he could be this guy:

All right... by the cut of your suit, you went to Oxford or wherever. Naturally you think human beings dress like that. But you wear it with such disdain, my guess is you didn't come from money, and your school friends never let you forget it. Which means that you were at that school by the grace of someone else's charity: hence that chip on your shoulder.

 

[Gianakin_]

For some reason I have the feeling he could be this guy:

Like an "uncle", huh? Not bad. I don't even want to see blood relatives, just some people outside his boss, his women, or his enemies.

Also, I'd kill to watch a Bond movie where another 00 agent has a big part. GE was a step closer, but this time I don't want him to be a bad guy, or a punk who dies during the intro. I want to see two 00s operate together, like a tag team.

 

[Roose Bolton]

It's funny because the Books tend to show more of those moments where he's not "on" he even goes Golfing with Tanner on occasion haha

 

[Gianakin_]

I'm one click away from bying the Fleming novels. And I wish the movies showed "off" moments.

 

[Dark Raven]

Well if we go by the books Bond does have an aunt still alive, whether they use that though is anybody's guess.

Maybe Bond could live with his aunt, while still feeling responsible for his uncle's death.

 

[Roose Bolton]

t:

 

[Gianakin_]

Oberon, would you suggest I buy the Fleming novels in chronological order of publication, or should I use another criterium?

 

[Roose Bolton]

Chronologically, each story is about it's own thing but some elements do tend to carry onwards, especially with Blofeld and SPECTRE. so yeah that'd be your best bet.

 

[Gianakin_]

Thanks! Are the latter novels any good? Or are they glorified fanfics?

 

[Roose Bolton]

Some are, the ones "Colonel Sun" by Kingsley Amis felt like Fleming novel and had some interesting stuff about M. John Gardner's books were mostly great stories. Didn't care for the Raymond Benson stuff personally. The newest Book "Carte Blanche" was a fairly good modernization.

 

[Gianakin_]

Nice, thanks a bunch!

 

[Roose Bolton]

Happy to help

 

[Webhead2006]

Even if quatum isn't mentioned bby name. They could still imply they are after them still and javier character could beb assoicated with them. As for finnes I agree he probably will be a political person after m job. And if dench does leave he becomes new m and we see a different m/bond dynamic played out.

As for blofied I thought eon has no rights to him/spectre name still. I am pretty sure on that.

 

[ChickenScratch]

Thanks! Are the latter novels any good? Or are they glorified fanfics?

I would recommend you read them all. Chronologically they are arranged as:

Young Bond - Charlie Higson. These are set in the 20's-30's when Bond is a teen and it expands upon all the biographical elements that Ian hinted at. You saw his family, home, school, friends, the "incident" with the maid that got him kicked out of private school.

Bond - Ian Fleming's Books.

Colonel Sun - Robert Markham (Kingsley Amis). Amis was Ian's friend and even helped edit TMWTGG when Ian's health was failing.

John Gardner - His books ran in the 80's=90's. His Thing was to continue where Colonel Sun left off but ignoring the fact that Bond was born in the 20's. This is the point where they stopped refering to when he was born in the books or stopped referencing WW2 and just saying that he served in many conflicts as to not tie down the date.

Raymond Benson - He wrote the books in the 90's. He also ignored Amis and Gardner's continuity (except for the female M). This is the guy who write Bond novels like Bond movies, so yes they are the weakest of the entire run.

Devil May Care - Sebastian Faulks. Set a year after Colonel Sun it fits in right between Amis and Gardner and is pretty good if you are reading them in series. If read as a stand along it's weaknesses shows.

Carte Blanch - Jeffrey Deaver. Kinda like Gardner's run where all the biographical information is the same, except that instead of being born in the 20's it's the 80's. Everything else remained the same.

Outside Main continuity -

The Moneypenny Diaries - Kate Westbrook. Not much a fan of these. Take a side charater from the books who was given way too much screen time and create a whole bunch of stuff that didnt happen. It's also written as a diary from MP's perspective so Bond does come up.

Christopher Wood - He wrote the novelizations for The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker (because those movies are so unlike the books that they got their own novelization). Imagine that moment in the 70's being a kid walking into a book store and seeing a book that says "Ian Fleming's James Bond in Moonraker" and seeing that shadowy figure on the cover. Or seeing "James Bond's Moonraker by Christopher Wood" with Rog blasting off into space.

You can read them in the order I listed since that's pretty linear. All build upon Ian's continuity or follow it with the exception of Benson who was writing the movie character for the most part. All the biographical info stays the same except the year he was born.

 

[Gold Samurai]

I prefer my Bond novels with Bond in the present/modern times. I really enjoy "The Man with the Dragon Tattoo"

Is there any spoiler-ish kind of plot summary that people might have put together thus far? How does this movie feel like to you? Does it have potential? The official synopsis sounds great, tbh.

Look back at my posts in this thread for a plot point

"The Bond manor is more than just bricks and mortar"

 

[ChickenScratch]

I prefer my Bond novels with Bond in the present/modern times. I really enjoy "The Man with the Dragon Tattoo"
Look back at my posts in this thread for a plot point
"The Bond manor is more than just bricks and mortar"

Not a bad book, even for Benson. But modern is subjective, I consider them all modern. Certainly Gardner's run in the 80's and 90's was. He was the one he went totally for realism, all the toys worked and all the spycraft was real.

 

[redhawk23]

So have you guys heard about the fact that Bond is opening the 2012 olympics?

Directed by Danny Boyle!

 

[AnneFan]

So have you guys heard about the fact that Bond is opening the 2012 olympics?

Directed by Danny Boyle!

At first I was apprehensive about this, thinking it could be April Fools. But it could be true. Hope so.

 

[redhawk23]

Its being widely reported, even by entertainment weekly.

 

[Gianakin_]

I would recommend you read them all. Chronologically they are arranged as:

Young Bond - Charlie Higson. These are set in the 20's-30's when Bond is a teen and it expands upon all the biographical elements that Ian hinted at. You saw his family, home, school, friends, the "incident" with the maid that got him kicked out of private school.

Bond - Ian Fleming's Books.

Colonel Sun - Robert Markham (Kingsley Amis). Amis was Ian's friend and even helped edit TMWTGG when Ian's health was failing.

John Gardner - His books ran in the 80's=90's. His Thing was to continue where Colonel Sun left off but ignoring the fact that Bond was born in the 20's. This is the point where they stopped refering to when he was born in the books or stopped referencing WW2 and just saying that he served in many conflicts as to not tie down the date.

Raymond Benson - He wrote the books in the 90's. He also ignored Amis and Gardner's continuity (except for the female M). This is the guy who write Bond novels like Bond movies, so yes they are the weakest of the entire run.

Devil May Care - Sebastian Faulks. Set a year after Colonel Sun it fits in right between Amis and Gardner and is pretty good if you are reading them in series. If read as a stand along it's weaknesses shows.

Carte Blanch - Jeffrey Deaver. Kinda like Gardner's run where all the biographical information is the same, except that instead of being born in the 20's it's the 80's. Everything else remained the same.

Outside Main continuity -

The Moneypenny Diaries - Kate Westbrook. Not much a fan of these. Take a side charater from the books who was given way too much screen time and create a whole bunch of stuff that didnt happen. It's also written as a diary from MP's perspective so Bond does come up.

Christopher Wood - He wrote the novelizations for The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker (because those movies are so unlike the books that they got their own novelization). Imagine that moment in the 70's being a kid walking into a book store and seeing a book that says "Ian Fleming's James Bond in Moonraker" and seeing that shadowy figure on the cover. Or seeing "James Bond's Moonraker by Christopher Wood" with Rog blasting off into space.

You can read them in the order I listed since that's pretty linear. All build upon Ian's continuity or follow it with the exception of Benson who was writing the movie character for the most part. All the biographical info stays the same except the year he was born.

Thank you, too, CS. I don't think I can afford all of them (and I don't have enough space in my house), so I'll go for the Fleming ones and those you recommended as good. Definitely not the Young Bond novels. Nope, no siree.

 

[Ajendo]

The young bond novels are excellent pieces of literature and are an enjoyable read. Stand out books especially are, blood fever and double or die. In fact all the books in the series are magnificent.

 

[Gianakin_]

Really? Huh.

 

[AnneFan]

Really? Huh.

They are good books. Blood Fever, Double or Die and By Royal Command are the best IMO.

 

[Roose Bolton]

So have you guys heard about the fact that Bond is opening the 2012 olympics?

Directed by Danny Boyle!

Finally a reason to give a damn about the Olympics

 

[Sebastos]

Love the Olympics, Bond opening is cool news.