Re: Universal Exports - The James Bond Thread

[Patrick]

I really hate having to wait two weeks for it to arrive here.

[Johnstone McGuckian]

I promise that it is worth every second of the wait. You're in for a real treat.

[Patrick]

I think I'm going to have to arrange to Nov. 9th off from work.

[Nick Barlow]

I've got to wait till Monday and it's bloody annoying. Can't imagine what a two week wait would be like.

[Patrick]

...Can't imagine what a two week wait would be like.

Intensely frustrating.

[Patrick]

Apparently, Skyfall set a franchise record for box office sales in the UK on its opening weekend. Mr. Bond raked in $77.7 Million in sales between Friday and Sunday. Although that's a very nice number, it only places 007 in second place behind Harry Potter & The Deathly Hollows, Part 2.

[Patrick]

BBC-America has decided to run a Bond marathon today. They're calling it "Keep Calm And Carry On Bond."

Featured today are:
"Diamonds Are Forever" (I think I gave it a 2/5)
"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (An enthusiastic 5/5)
"The Man With The Golden Gun" (Another 5/5)
"The Living Daylights" (And yet another 5/5)
and "From Russia With Love" (A 3/5)

It's a shame they didn't include Goldfinger. Connery deserves to have one of his 5/5 movies on viewing today.

[Patrick]

I promise that it is worth every second of the wait. You're in for a real treat.

Truer words have never been spoken, Johnstone. That was outstanding. Easily the most character and relationship driven story the franchise has ever produced. Loved the Bond-M-Silva dynamic, loved the theme of time and ageing, loved all the homages to previous Bond films. This was just so well structured as a story. I hate to say it, but I'm starting to think a four year gap between movies is a good thing for this franchise.

Biggest surprise of the movie for me: finding out what Skyfall referred to.

I am definately going to see this movie again, and then I'm picking it up on BluRay.

[The Browncoat Cat]

When I saw the film with my sister, she had to pop out of the cinema towards the end, but came back for the big fight and finale. On the way back to the car, she asked me why they had cast Albert Finney as Hagrid?

[Patrick]

Little bit of triva I recently learned about Mr. Finney's role. Apparently, that part was originally offered to Sean Connery to play, who promptly turned it down. I hadn't thought about the Hagrid comparison. I just figured Mr. Finney has apparently let himself go.

[Johnstone McGuckian]

It's a shame that Connery didnt do it, that could have been a fantastic nod. Although its not surprising that he turned it down.

Looks like I'm going for my second viewing on Tuesday.

[Patrick]

I've been advised that if you can find an IMAX theater playing Skyfall, it is quite definately an experience not to be missed.

Johnstone, I think I'm going to make my second trip to see it tomorrow. Do you know, the last time I went to see the same movie more than once in the theater was when The Empire Strikes Back came out, and that was 32 years ago.

[Johnstone McGuckian]

Where as the last time for me was with Ted this summer. I've never looked forward to seeing a film again more than this though. Are you going to do a review at any point Patrick?

[Patrick]

Oh, I definately plan to review it. But I'd like to get the DVD first, so I can give myself the benefit of the documentary extras, the audio commentary, etc., before I write it. Besides, a certain Eocene publisher is considering a paperbook version of "Licence: Reviewed" sometime early next year, and he's going to want it updated with Skyfall.

[Johnstone McGuckian]

That sounds like an essential purchase to me.

[Patrick]

Well, part of an essential purchase. I've put this particular gem on my Christmas wish list, and it comes fully prepared with a slot for the Skyfall BluRay DVD when it comes out. I hate it when Eon Productions does stuff like this. Haven't they gotten enough of my money of the years, and now they come out this? And they know I am powerless to resist, curse them!

[Johnstone McGuckian]

Seen it for a second time and its just as good of the first. Bar the obvious squees at various reveals it was a fully enjoyable experience again. The jokes still made me laugh, the performances and visuals were impressive and the final couple of scenes were still very emotional. I don't think a Bond has ever stood up to a second viewing with me so well. God, I love this film.

[Patrick]

I had my Writers Critique Group tonight, so going to a movie was off the table. However, tomorrow night, there's a 7:30 showing of Skyfall at a nearby IMAX theater. I'm told by a certain Eocene of our mutual acquaintance that the IMAX experience is not to be missed.

I'll tell what else this film has done for me is make me eager to see Ben Wishaw in Series 2 of The Hour. It premieres over here Nov. 28th.

[Johnstone McGuckian]

Funnily enough I've just got hold of the first series, I'm yet to start watching but it's supposed to be very good.

Something else worth seeing, if you haven't, is Layer Cake. It has Craig and Whishaw in it (as well as hundreds of other brilliant actors, Burn Gorman for example) and is the film that the Bond producers saw that made them decide that they wanted Craig for Casino Royale. It's one of my all time favourite films.

[Patrick]

You will love S1 of The Hour. Nobody does period drama as well as the BBC, and this one is set in 1956, against the backdrop of the Suez Canal crisis, as a fledgling news program starts broadcasting from Limegrove studios. Some great espionage undertones in that first series.

Layer Cake has been shown on BBC-America many times. I particularly like Michael Gambon's performance.

[Patrick]

I can confirm that seeing Skyfall at an IMAX theater is an event not to be missed. Cripes, I was five rows back from the screen, and sitting in the middle of the theater, and I felt like I was IN the movie!

I also went with a more critical eye this time, looking for flaws, plot holes, mistakes. Genuinely, I found none. I mean, I could quibble about why half of Silva's men arrived at Skyfall on foot, and why Silva himself arrived by helicopter, but isn't it obvious? Silva wanted to attack on two fronts.

Brilliant movie!

[The Browncoat Cat]

I can confirm that seeing Skyfall at an IMAX theater is an event not to be missed. Cripes, I was five rows back from the screen, and sitting in the middle of the theater, and I felt like I was IN the movie!

On Monday night I followed your recommendation and went to see Skyfall in the new IMAX cinema in Cardiff Bay. It was an incredible experience. Yes, the Shanghai lift scene was particularly eye-popping, but what surprised me was how much more dramatic it made the final scene in the church at Skyfall.
And the trailer for Les Miserables in IMAX was almost worth the price of the ticket as well.

[Patrick]

True story, Cat. I didn't get to see the trailer for Les Mis when I went to see Skyfall at the IMAX. Instead, I got a preview of "Hansel & Grettle: Witch Hunters."

Not only does strain belief that such a movie even got made, it left the audience I was in the theater with giggling at the abursdity of the trailer.

[Johnstone McGuckian]

Just got my review of your book down on Amazon, Patrick. Read it and loved it. I don't think I've ever agreed with someone so much about Bond. I'm looking forward to added Skyfall

[Patrick]

Why thank you, Johnstone! I really appreciate it!

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