James Bond In Skyfall - Part 8

[Dark Raven]

Yes. I am in fact saying Connery is more imposing than Craig... I'm not sure how that's a bit of a stretch. Connery was something like a 6"2" former bodybuilder who was known for a few dust-ups in his day before ever becoming bond.

DC may be something around 5"10"ish and not really sure he has as much of a hardman background as Connery did. Craig has more of a henchman look than he does the Bondian archetype from the movies (which is what most identify with) and I don't get much of an intimidating sense from Craig at all really when watching him on screen (other than when he stares really hard at people).

I will admit Craig is probably more of a polished actor than Connery ever was.

I agree. Connery is definitely more physically imposing and most of his opponents were also bigger to match. I don't disagree with others that Craig seems tougher than recent Bonds (and certainly Brosnan his predecessor). However, even when you saw Craig walking next to the Queen in the Olympics Ceremony short film, it's not like he was towering over her and seeming so intimidating.

Craig is more like classic comicbook Wolverine - shorter and more of a tough little runt. You wouldn't call that more physically imposing though than someone like Colossus or even Captain America.

And I don't really see Craig picking up armchairs to bash his enemies.

 

[E.NormusJohnson]

I agree. Connery is definitely more physically imposing and most of his opponents were also bigger to match. I don't disagree with others that Craig seems tougher than recent Bonds (and certainly Brosnan his predecessor). However, even when you saw Craig walking next to the Queen in the Olympics Ceremony short film, it's not like he was towering over her and seeming so intimidating.

Craig is more like classic comicbook Wolverine - shorter and more of a tough little runt. You wouldn't call that more physically imposing though than someone like Colossus or even Captain America.

And I don't really see Craig picking up armchairs to bash his enemies.

DC certainly has a toughness factor to him I won't deny that. He's far from the most intimidating Bond that's ever been though... even if they are going for a more gritty/brawler type for this Bond cycle.

 

[Golgo-13]

DC is scrappy. Much less smooth.

 

[ChickenScratch]

DC's ok. Doesnt match Bond as described by Ian, but what ya gonna do. He does a decent job.

Always wished that Dalton had a couple more films.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Rubbish. Have you seen ALL the Bond movies pre CR? If you have you clearly weren't paying attention. Connery and Lazenby were both convincingly physical when it came to fighting and as for the wit? I'm dumbfounded by the fact you find it absent in any Bond film before Craig and yet films like TB alone has more wit in it than both of Craig's Bond movies.

Nope, haven't seen one.

Also, please read the post. I never said it was absent. I said I found Craig's the most witty and it has to do with how he uses it. When Craig's Bond turns on the wit it is usually with an intention that goes beyond the scene and has a specific character building trait, especially in CR.

In CR he uses it with M to stake his claim and to avoid the guilt over his action. With Vesper we learn just how that chip on his shoulder is and how defensive he can be.

It is why I love the final conversation between M and Bond in the film. What has happened to Vesper is so profound for Bond, M can't help but show compassion, even while Bond tries to play it off.

Connery was a bodybuilder before he was an actor and he is also taller than Craig so Connery was more physically imposing than craig.

Hell, Connery was bigger than Robert Shaw in From Russia With Love.

Looking being bigger and looking physically imposing doesn't matter once you start throwing punches. That is the thing, you can look big, but that doesn't matter if you throw a punch worth a damn.

Also look at the actual shape Craig is in CR. Are we really going to argue that any of the others were close to that?

Even how Craig aims his gun is an improve. Now of that ridiculous one arm down by your side crap, though to be fair they started trying to fix that years ago.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

DC is scrappy. Much less smooth.

He is plenty smooth. He can just also be brutal when necessary. Watch his his escape from the hotel in QoS after the elevator fight.

 

[E.NormusJohnson]

Also look at the actual shape Craig is in CR. Are we really going to argue that any of the others were close to that?

Yes.

I hated the shot of him in CR walking out of the water... I thought it made him look awkward and his look screamed more of a pornstar/giggolo than it did tough guy.

Connery was a bodybuilder and for that period in time was in great shape. Bodybuilding has come a long way since the '60's which is why DC has a more "complete" look when showing skin. I agree with an earlier poster that the brawl with Grant is still the best in the series. I also contribute a lot of that to R. Shaw because Grant is my fav. villain and was one hell of a scary dude/badass to face.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

You thought that shot was about making Craig look like a tough guy? That was clearly for the ladies, just like Vesper's dress was for the men.

 

[E.NormusJohnson]

You thought that shot was about making Craig look like a tough guy? That was clearly for the ladies, just like Vesper's dress was for the men.

Maybe so.. but I thought that gratuitous shot was pulled off much better with Connery in TB.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

That maybe so, that doesn't change that Craig looked built.

 

[DJ Kornphlake]

I can't watch that scene without thinking of this stand-up bit Craig Ferguson did:

[YT]aanBjxHwI4A[/YT]

 

[Rowsdower!]

I don't know, I like Connery but I've never found him all that physically imposing, at least not as Bond. Even in his old body builder photos he didn't look any more jacked than Craig; of course the photo quality isn't the best, so perhaps that has something to do with it.

Of course, it might also just have more to do with Craig's intensity, and that's not a knock on Connery. But Connery always seemed to be the type of Bond that never took things too seriously because he was confident enough in himself that he'd find a way out of any situation so you know, sit back and enjoy it. Craig, well... it's not that he's not confident in his abilities but I always get more of a "this is real" attitude from him... as in, "I can kill everyone in this room with my bare hands but one bad move and I'm a corpse so don't f*** this up."

Not sure if that makes sense, or if anyone agrees with me, but that's how I see it.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I like that explanation. Craig's intensity, mixed the character's chip on his shoulder makes him feel dangerous. Like if he was in a random bar in England and some tough guy was giving him trouble, he is the Bond that would headbutt the fools nose into his skull and then finish his drink.

The shot of him drinking in the new Skyfall trailer adds to it or even the train jump. Can't see the other Bonds with perhaps the exception of Dalton looking convincing doing that.

 

[OptimusPrime114]

I don't know if I'm the only one, but I have a feeling that scene where Bond fakes his death, that will be the opening scene.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Bond landing in the water looks like the final shoot before the titles, so it being the PTS makes sense.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Bond/Grant on the Orient Express is still the best fight in the series to me.

It's certainly one of the best, intense and claustrophobic.

 

[Rowsdower!]

I like that explanation. Craig's intensity, mixed the character's chip on his shoulder makes him feel dangerous. Like if he was in a random bar in England and some tough guy was giving him trouble, he is the Bond that would headbutt the fools nose into his skull and then finish his drink.

The shot of him drinking in the new Skyfall trailer adds to it or even the train jump. Can't see the other Bonds with perhaps the exception of Dalton looking convincing doing that.

Yeah, exactly. By the way, the drinking scene is shown so fast I can't tell... but is that some sort of albino scorpion that he traps with the glass? It's hard to tell.

 

[E.NormusJohnson]

I don't know, I like Connery but I've never found him all that physically imposing, at least not as Bond. Even in his old body builder photos he didn't look any more jacked than Craig; of course the photo quality isn't the best, so perhaps that has something to do with it.

Again that has a lot to do with how much training/bodybuilding/nutrition has changed in 50 years or so. Craig really isn't a bodybuilder either he just trains to look a certain way for the role.

To each his own about Connery/Craig, but DC just doesn't really impress me as anything other than a brawler... I don't really find him all that intimidating a guy. Your other thoughts on Connery's Bond are pretty spot on... he did carry himself with arrogance and was very non-chalant about dangerous situations but that's what made Connery great in that respect... no one since has been able to pull it off.

This is going totally off topic now when it comes to Skyfall, but I still think to this day Purefoy could have done everything DC has done with the new Bond and still brought a bit more charisma to the role.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Yeah, exactly. By the way, the drinking scene is shown so fast I can't tell... but is that some sort of albino scorpion that he traps with the glass? It's hard to tell.

It definitely looks like a scorpion. It is on his hand when he first starts to drink and then he captures it under the glass.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Again that has a lot to do with how much training/bodybuilding/nutrition has changed in 50 years or so. Craig really isn't a bodybuilder either he just trains to look a certain way for the role.

To each his own about Connery/Craig, but DC just doesn't really impress me as anything other than a brawler... I don't really find him all that intimidating a guy. Your other thoughts on Connery's Bond are pretty spot on... he did carry himself with arrogance and was very non-chalant about dangerous situations but that's what made Connery great in that respect... no one since has been able to pull it off.

This is going totally off topic now when it comes to Skyfall, but I still think to this day Purefoy could have done everything DC has done with the new Bond and still brought a bit more charisma to the role.

I don't know if Purefoy would have been better than Craig, but I definitely think he could have been a great Bond. Or a great John Carter for that matter. But of course, he got the shaft so Taylor Block of Wood Kitsch could try and fail at another lead role.

It definitely looks like a scorpion. It is on his hand when he first starts to drink and then he captures it under the glass.

Yeah, just froze the video while watching it again and it's definitely a scorpion. I guess its some sort of twisted drinking game where you have to finish the shot before you get stung. THAT'S hardcore.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

I don't know, I like Connery but I've never found him all that physically imposing, at least not as Bond. Even in his old body builder photos he didn't look any more jacked than Craig; of course the photo quality isn't the best, so perhaps that has something to do with it.

Of course, it might also just have more to do with Craig's intensity, and that's not a knock on Connery. But Connery always seemed to be the type of Bond that never took things too seriously because he was confident enough in himself that he'd find a way out of any situation so you know, sit back and enjoy it. Craig, well... it's not that he's not confident in his abilities but I always get more of a "this is real" attitude from him... as in, "I can kill everyone in this room with my bare hands but one bad move and I'm a corpse so don't f*** this up."

Not sure if that makes sense, or if anyone agrees with me, but that's how I see it.

I'll agree with that.

Also, with the criticisms with Brosnan, I actually really liked Brosnan's interpretation of Bond, that all the jokes and cheesiness of Brosnan's Bond is a exterior shield that covers dark interior. Sure, that interpretation was also prevalent in Connery and Moore's Bond, but it really showed much more in Brosnan.

 

[regwec]

Whatever the actual statistics of the two actors' bodies: to me, Craig looks like he could (and would) rip Connery's head off.

 

[Ajendo]

It's certainly one of the best, intense and claustrophobic.

That and Bond's fight with Peter Franks inside the lift in DAF.

 

[Ajendo]

 

[Ajendo]

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