James Bond Franchise (1962-∞)

[starmanof51]

Xan Brooks at the Guardian digs a bit deeper into the title and finds out that in the actual short story, 007 is nothing more than a bit player. Moreover, he is concerned what bearing the title have on the usually awful theme song.

I say the producers should go for someone in the Philip Glass or Brian Eno sphere to compose the music for such a......interesting title.

Like with Octopussy and On Her Majesty's Secret Service, this might be one of those times when they don't even try to match up the theme song with the title. I sort of wish they would though - the more intractable the title, the generally more amusingly kitschy musical result. Come on, wouldn't you like to hear Shirley Bassey belting out something called "Quantum of Solace"?

[flyonthewall2983]

The title is something of bad sci-fi literature.

[Cinesimilitude]

I just wish the title referenced something that is historically bond-esque. Loot(gold, diamonds, etc.), a Woman, or Death.

Actually, it would be really sweet if they titled this one "Bond, James Bond." since the end of Casino Royale was when he first started saying it and this is a direct continuation.

[teddyleevin]

I just went to check all new posts, and saw this thread and thought, "Ohh a movie with the same title as the old Bond short story?"

Then, I clicked. I'm hyped, now. I loved Casino Royale. This has potential to be immensely entertaining.

[Belmondo]

According to the BBC news the next Bond will be titled The Quantum of Solace.

The article quotes Daniel Craig as saying that Ian Fleming was "writing about relationships and Bond could not find the quantum of solace after his true love dies."

I've read all the James Bond novels and much as I love them, Fleming had little talent in writing about relationships or even writing a female character. His only serious attempt was "The Spy Who Loved Me" which is a huge gimmick. It is written in the first person by "Vivienne Michel" who convinces Ian Fleming to act as a "co-author and obtain clearance for minor breaches of The Official Secrets Act" as she tells her story of her relationship with James Bond.
Most literary critics consider this to be the weakest of the novels and it is clear that Fleming had no clue about writing a convincing woman character.

Not to worry, the movie versions have a long and proud history of taking the titles and damn little else from the novels.

[Mr Sausage]

Producer Michael Wilson said the film would have "twice as much action" as 2006's Casino Royale

This is displeasing. One of the things I liked about Casino Royale was that it was not wall-to-wall action, that it crafted a number of excellent action scenes but made sure that they not only flowed logically out of the story, but that there were long periods in between (how many action films boast a card-game as their major mid-act set-piece?). The above just reminds me of the lunatic lengths previous Bond movie went to in order to best the predecessors, and how that poisonous that was. Plus cramming in more action just leads to the lazy tendency of plot-stopping superfluous moments of kineticism.

That and the title doesn't work.

[MichaelB]

Most literary critics consider this to be the weakest of the novels and it is clear that Fleming had no clue about writing a convincing woman character.

Absolutely agree - that book is so dreadful it's perversely fascinating in the way it inadvertently offers an open window into Fleming's mindset.

It's also arguably unfilmable, consisting largely of a fantasist's uninteresting reminiscences and reveries - as you say, Bond barely appears at all.

On the other hand, I think the film is comfortably the best of the Roger Moore vehicles - this may partly be nostalgia, as it was the first Bond film I saw in the cinema on its original release, but the opening sequence alone still thrilled me when I rewatched it on DVD a few years ago.

[rs98762001]

On the other hand, I think the film is comfortably the best of the Roger Moore vehicles - this may partly be nostalgia, as it was the first Bond film I saw in the cinema on its original release, but the opening sequence alone still thrilled me when I rewatched it on DVD a few years ago.

Alan Partridge's rendition of it is even more electrifying.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

How Bond films are named.

[Magic Hate Ball]

Am I the only one who was somewhat disappointed by Casino Royale? It reminded me too much of the godawful Mr. And Mrs. Smith (2005). Of course, I had watched Goldfinger immediately beforehand, and the shift in tone was a bit jarring (from gorgeous 60's sets to real-world gritty apartment buildings), but surely I'm not all wrong...

[Antoine Doinel]

Very boring teaser poster.

[Mr Sausage]

Very boring teaser poster.

I wouldn't call it boring. Perhaps without any context it would be bland; but considering the context--that is, the unresolved moment at the end of Casino Royale to which the image refers--it carries a bit of weight and communicates clearly what should be expected: the resolution of everything left hanging at the end of Casino Royale. As a teaser I'd say it works.

[Antoine Doinel]

Shilpa Shetty has joined the cast.

[Antoine Doinel]

The film has now jumped the shark. Al Pacino will make a cameo as (one of?) the villains.

[Via_Chicago]

The film has now jumped the shark. Al Pacino will make a cameo as (one of?) the villains.

How is that jumping the shark?

[Fletch F. Fletch]

Here are the specs:

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment have announced the Region 1 DVD release of Casino Royale (3-Disc Collector’s Edition) on 3rd June 2008. Daniel Craig’s first outing as 007 returns to DVD as a 3-Disc set with the following extras…

* The Road to Casino Royale
* Crew Commentary
* Deleted Scenes
* Paying Taxes
* Rescue & Recovery
* Old Boyfriend?
* James Bond in the Bahamas
* The Art of the Freerun
* Death in Venice
* Catching a Plane: From Storyboard to Screen
* Filmmaker Profiles
* Storyboard Sequence: Freerun Chase
* Ian Fleming: The Secret Road to Paradise
* Becoming Bond documentary
* James Bond: For Real Documentary
* Bond Girls are Forever (2006)
* Chris Cornell Music Video

[teddyleevin]

Ugh, Double Dip. This is so disappointing. I'll probably get it though. I'd love that crew commentary.

[King Prendergast]

Quantum in 4k digital: For one shot at least.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

USA Today set visit report.

[Kinsayder]

The film has now jumped the shark. Al Pacino will make a cameo as (one of?) the villains.

How is that jumping the shark?

Didn't they already do that stunt in Live and Let Die?

[Antoine Doinel]

Amy Winehouse will be penning the theme song.

[domino harvey]

Not any more, or in the imaginative words of literally every headline reporting it: "Amy Winehouse says 'No No No'..."

[dx23]

From thedigitalbits.com:

There's BIG Blu-ray news today folks. MGM Home Entertainment has just OFFICIALLY announced that they'll be releasing no less than SIX classic James Bond films on Blu-ray on 10/21, including Dr. No, Die Another Day, Live and Let Die, For Your Eyes Only, From Russia with Love and Thunderball. The exact specs and features are still TBA, but the studio's press release indicates that each will offer "state-of-the-art Lowry process digital frame-by-frame restoration and featuring special features galore" which would seem to indicate that all of the extras on the recent DVD editions will be ported over. This, of course, is happening to help promote the theatrical release of the new Bond film, Quantum of Solace, this November. Very, very exciting news!

[cdnchris]

Yes! Odd selection of titles to be the first batch, but at least they're including most of the Connery titles including my favourite Bond film, From Russia with Love, and the better Moore film, For Your Eyes Only.

[Person]

Perfect time for a Blu-Ray of The Offence, too.