Day 23 of 30 Days of SPECTRE!
We’re going to be discussing the Sony leaks on today’s edition of James Bond Radio. From the two drafts known to be floating around the internet from October and December 2014, to the leaked emails and finally arriving at the finished film.
To help us, we’re joined by Station C’s finest, Linda Zhu. As a Bond fan crazy enough to read the scripts before watching the film itself we get an opportunity to discuss the development of SPECTRE from all angles.
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12 Responses
Shaken and disturbed after the last line from the first and second scripts, fell off the chair and can’t reach my Martini. Fuck me sideways and call me Electra!!!
That was precisely our reaction too Rafael! 🙂
LOL, love your show guys
I’m a newer listener to your podcast, but have quickly become a big fan of you two and your interactions. I have to say that this was probably my favorite episode yet of your 30 Days of Spectre. I was very mixed on the film in general, and a large part of that had to do with the large jumps in convoluted logic the film expected the audience to make, particularly with connecting the other films together. Had those inclusions been kept, I think it would have made the film’s story stronger and I know I wold have had fewer complaints. I also wish the “solar furnace” scene would have been kept, as I loved Q in this film and any more scenes with him would have been much appreciated.
I also just wanted to say that, regarding the last line of the earlier scripts, while it would have been so cool to hear that in the theater, a part of me understands why that was cut out. Having that line in would really cement what the next story arc would be, and that would tie their hands, creatively. Madeline might very well come back, but EON probably also wants the option to do something different. Keeping it more open ended gives them that breathing room than being forced to pick one particular route had that line been left in.
Anyway, just wanted to give my two cents and tell you to keep up the good work guys. It’s great to listen to people who have as much passion about Bond as I do!
I’m glad they didn’t keep that final line in the movie. As much as I like what they did in SP, I feel the filmmakers need to preserve some leeway for creativity (much like Josh Parham wrote in his comment). I recall some conversations being had on podcasts and other platforms in the immediate aftermath of Casino Royale where the question was asked as to whether the next film should be Live and Let Die. At the time, nobody really knew what the producers were going to do next, so a few fans guessed that since CR was a reboot and started with Bond’s first mission, why not just follow the sequence of the books? I was always more on the side that they should continue to do as much original material as possible whilst peppering the films with some Fleming whenever possible. I have faith in Babs and Mick, but in my heart of hearts would prefer something wholly original and not a rehash of Majesty’s.
We’ll see…
Hi Edgar and Josh,
Personally I agree with both of you. If we start down the road of remakes, where will it end? Surely, the writers are creative enough to come up with new material with the odd Fleming nod here and there. Although I think Tom is quite keen, I’m not into seeing a OHMSS remake or anything like that. Fingers crossed it’ll all be, in the majority, original work from here on out!
Chris
Crackin’ Episode!
All the Time in the World?!?!?! Why didn’t they leave it. Why, WWWHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
I think it’s good they cut the line. With “all the time in the world” closing out the film, there would have been no room BUT to go the Majesty’s route. If they decide to go with Tom’s proposed “Blofeld trilogy”, I’ll be happy, but I don’t like locking into that.
I think the final shot of the film implied having all the time in the world, if they go that route, but it also left things open for a standalone film, or any other direction to go with the Bond/Madeleine relationship.
And on that subject, I actually think the relationship worked for me. A lot of people are saying it felt forced or undercooked…but I disagree! I actually think Madeleine quickly rose to one of my favorite Bond girls, and I believe wholly in their falling in love. I buy that she’s the first woman to warm his heart since Vesper, and I think Lea Seydoux held her own with Craig and with the ghost of Eva Green.
Tricky one with Madeleine. I’m one of those who thinks that the Bond/Madeleine relationship needs something more for me to really buy it. But then I don’t see where the action can be (speaking – or typing, at least – unfiguratively) if Madeleine is around for a large part of Bond 25. The only way to get over that I suppose would be some kind of flashforward at the start of the next film. Though I must say I’m all for Madeleine “having a rest”, as George would say, in the next pre-credits. She doesn’t have to be ‘the one’ for Bond to feel like he has to avenge her death, especially if feels some kind of guilt over her death.
Nice work chaps… I found that leaked JBR pod very fasinating. So much of that leaked script was filled with so many practical solutions that many a folk complained about when saying things were missed in the film and it would have certainly helped flesh out a few gaps. I hear many complaints about scenes being underdeveloped and characters underwritten but in the same sentence champion it to have had some of the best scenes they’d ever seen in a bond film (eg opening sequence and fight scene). I feel the issue producing this film was the struggle of having to introduce such a large number of strong important characters into the film, which left little space to fully developed each of those characters, and as a result, they were not given enough time or put in situations that would have allowed them to fully thrive. I sensed we just managed to get a flavour of what’s to come.
When you look at who’s actually cast in spectre, it really is a fine list of extraordinary actors (very arguably the best assembled in a bond film…). If this was to be a one off film (which I don’t think it will), my thoughts are that it would have been a wasted opportunity having booked the team that they had to work with on set. Take Silver in skyfall as the example, it’s hard to argue that as an actor, JB was not used to the best of his capabilities. We also didn’t have a henchmen, a love story and the huge dealing of the SPECTRE/Blofeld to introduce… Let alone connecting all Four films together. What we did have in SF was a few big boys producing big guns. Whereas Spectre felt like it had a lot of big boy producing little guns… I’d love to see a stand alone Bond film again, but not quite next. Next up i want to see a lot of big boys producing big fuck off cannons.
I think we should steer clear of outright remakes ala Star Trek Into Darkness. I’d rather see an original story that embraces its past history rather than pretend the previous 50 years hasn’t happened. Whilst it would be good to see some of the older Bonds remade, it would mean limiting the series to a never-ending cascade of 20-odd remakes…
However, saying that, with the Madeleine scenario, we’re kinda locked into a path that will emulate OHMSS in some way, as there has to be some kind of hook in order to bring Bond back into the fold – if he has truly gone as suggested at the end of the movie. You could have a montage over the first 10-15 minutes where Bond might be ‘truly happy’ followed by a descent into darkness as he learns Blofeld has managed to escape high security detention and has disappeared. It doesn’t mean Madeleine has to die in order to bring Bond back to MI6, but something pretty bad will have to drag him back. Maybe this should be in the Bond 25 speculation bit!
I’m still chowing my way through this podcast though…so I might be back to add more…
All this talk from Mendes & Craig not being sure they want to come back may simply be the same thing Roger Moore did, playing hard to get, to ask for a higher salary for the next film. It’s just business & to be expected. They’ve learned well from Connery’s gripes. It’s a shame he wasn’t compensated more, the series owes so much to him.