Posts with tag 007
Posted Jul 21st 2008 4:32PM by Christopher Campbell
Filed under: Animation, Music & Musicals, 20th Century Fox, James Bond, Harry Potter
Further ensuring that the band Pulp should have new fans in the future, front man
Jarvis Cocker continues to seek younger listeners. This time,
in an interview with Time Out Chicago, he claims to have written a few tracks for Wes Anderson's stop-motion-animated film
The Fantastic Mr. Fox, which is based on the novel by Roald Dahl. He says there are three or four songs and then some music that could become part of the film's score. Additionally, in response to questions regarding his solo track "Disney Time", he notes that writing music for a kid's movie is his chance to "do better" than Disney films, at least in terms of corrupting young minds.
A few years ago, Cocker contributed to the soundtrack for
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and even appeared in the movie as a member of the fictional group The Weird Sisters, performing the songs he composed, "This is the Night", "Do the Hippogriff" and "Magic Works." Pulp has also written songs specifically for movies in the past, including a rejected theme song to the 007 movie
Tomorrow Never Dies (both the original version of "Tomorrow Never Dies" and a retitled version called "Tomorrow Never Lies" were later released as a bonus track and a B-Side, respectively). In the interview, he suggests that
Quantum of Solace could now use his solo effort "Quantum Theory", to which he'd change the lyrics appropriately.
When
QOS arrives in theaters this fall, don't be surprised if Cocker's song isn't heard. As for
Fantastic Mr. Fox, we'll have to wait until November 2009 to see if the man's music makes its way to impressionable ears.
[
via I Watch Stuff]
Posted Jun 11th 2008 12:33PM by Christopher Campbell
Filed under: Action, Sony, RumorMonger, James Bond, Remakes and Sequels, Daniel Craig
The producers of the latest Bond movie,
Quantum of Solace, may want to just pack it up and give us what they've got, whether or not the thing will make any sense. First
they lost an Aston Martin. Then a
stuntman was seriously injured during a crash. Then another. Last week,
Daniel Craig (aka 007) was treated for a facial injury (requiring stitches). Over the past weekend, there may or may not have been a fire at Pinewood Studios, where the film is currently shooting. And finally (let's hope), on Tuesday, Craig went to the hospital after cutting his hand. Who knows what else will go wrong before principal shooting finishes next weekend? Oh, and there's always a chance that accidents can happen during post-production, too.
According to the BBC, Craig's hand injury was minor enough that he returned to the set Tuesday afternoon, and he only received medical treatment "as a precautionary measure."
Other reports claim that he actually sliced off the tip of his finger, which probably sounds worse than it actually is. Regardless of how serious, this incident is being viewed as just the latest evidence that the film is cursed. Some of the stories coming out that I hadn't previously read about include Craig suffering a rib injury in Panama and a technician being stabbed by a woman at a bar in Austria. Wow.
As long as nothing too serious prevents its scheduled release,
Quantum of Solace hits theaters November 7.
Posted May 12th 2008 1:53PM by Erik Davis
Filed under: Action, Fandom, Movie Marketing, Remakes and Sequels, Images
A whole new batch of images from the next James Bond flick,
Quantum of Solace, have just arrived online. So, in honor of a badly beaten-up
Daniel Craig, we've decided that now is definitely the right time to launch our official
Quantum of Solace photo gallery -- complete with good guys, bad guys and women who may or not be good or bad. (Can I just say that I absolutely love this photo above. Obviously they've had a long night -- and even though he's all sorts of damaged, Bond has that "I bet I could still tap that" look on his face.)
What do we know about
Quantum of Solace? Well, it picks up right where
Casino Royale left off, and it follows 007 on a mission to figure out which moron came up with the name for this film. I kid, I kid. Actually, we're with Bond as he attempts to figure out more about the organization that blackmailed Vesper -- a mission that ultimately leads him to several countries and to a couple of men; one of which, Dominic Greene (
Mathieu Amalric), is conspiring to take total control of one of the world's most important natural resources. There's double the action, double the intensity and (we hope) double the love-making.
Quantum of Solace arrives in theaters on November 7. Check out our brand new gallery below.
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Posted Apr 20th 2008 4:15PM by Eric D. Snider
Filed under: Action, James Bond, Daniel Craig
Brace yourselves for some horrific news from the set of
Quantum of Solace, the new James Bond film due in theaters this fall. In a tragic accident early Saturday morning, the film's star plunged into Italy's Lake Garda and was destroyed. No, not Daniel Craig, silly. I mean the
real star: the $250,000 Aston Martin DBS that 007 drives.
Yes, this is terrible news, even worse than the news that the movie would be called
Quantum of Solace. As a stuntman was delivering the car to the northern Italy set in rainy weather, he lost control of the vehicle on a curve, went through a guard rail, and plummeted into the lake. (That's the recovered vehicle in the picture.) The stuntman, who wasn't named in any of the news reports I found, escaped with just some scratches and bruises; his job experience probably means he knows how to react in an auto-related crisis. It sounds like it would have been a spectacular sequence for a movie, if only there had been cameras rolling.
The reason this is such a big deal is that Aston Martins ain't exactly cheap, nor are they plentiful. It's not like it was a Honda Civic and the producers can just go grab another one off the lot. London's
Sunday Mirror says the film had acquired five Aston Martins for the Lake Garda sequence. Two were already sprayed with bullet holes (on purpose), and it was the third one that went into the lake. The filmmakers presumably had other intentions for the remaining two cars; no word yet on whether they'll have to adjust their plans, or whether they'll be able to make do. Obtaining a replacement car on short notice doesn't appear to be an option.
Continue reading Terrible Tragedy Strikes 'Quantum of Solace' Set
Posted Jan 25th 2008 12:02PM by Christopher Campbell
Filed under: Action, Sony, James Bond, Remakes and Sequels, Images, Daniel Craig
Just in case you weren't paying attention yesterday,
Quantum of Solace is the title of the latest James Bond movie (previously referred to as "Bond 22"), which arrives in theaters this November. Yes, it sounds a little Supermanish, but
as Jessica pointed out, the title does come from 007 creator Ian Fleming himself. So, we mustn't make too much fun of it, even if 2008 is fast becoming the most ridiculous year for movie titles (
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull;
Repo! The Genetic Opera). Yesterday, we also received the
official plot synopsis of the sequel, a direct follow-up to
Casino Royale. Now, as if the new installment was coming out this month instead of nine months from now,
Empire has put up some
new cast photos in order to acquaint us with the main characters of
Quantum of Solace.
Of course, if you've seen
Casino Royale, you're already familiar with at least four of the seven characters, and there isn't much that's new or interesting about the looks of Bond (
Daniel Craig), M (
Dame Judi Dench), Rene Mathis (
Giancarlo Giannini) or Felix Leiter (
Jeffrey Wright). But it is quite exciting to see the beautiful new Bond girls, Agent Fields (
Gemma Arterton) and Camille (
Olga Kurylenko), and the new villain, Dominic Greene (
Mathieu Amalric), who
Empire describes as being refined, as if he "could almost be Bond with madder eyes." I guess I was jokingly half-hoping Amalric's villain would have a fat lip and one of his eyes sewn up, but that would just be preposterous. These Craig-starred Bond films are certainly less hokey than that, and most of us agree that they're better that way.
Posted Dec 5th 2007 10:02PM by Christopher Campbell
Filed under: Classics, Comedy, Documentary, Tom Cruise, Cinematical Seven, James Bond, Lists
Happy Prohibition Repeal Day! One year from now will be the 75th anniversary of the ratification of the 21st Amendment, which lifted the ban on manufacturing, distributing and selling alcohol in the United States. Always a fan of pre-gaming, I've decided to start celebrating early with a look at some favorite movies that celebrate wine, beer and liquor.
Certainly I am no fan of alcoholism, and I encourage all Americans to drink responsibly. That is why most of these movies (not all, though) are about the appreciation of the taste of alcoholic beverages rather than about getting drunk. Also, I'm sorry to disappoint fans of
Strange Brew, but that hilarious brewery-set comedy was shot in Canada and so it doesn't seem to fit the focus of this list.
Sideways (Alexander Payne, 2004)
Imagine what California's wine country would be like if Prohibition were still around. Whatever would be there in place of vineyards would sure be a waste. Just ask Miles (
Paul Giamatti), everyone's favorite wine
expert snob character. The movie didn't exactly allow me to have a great appreciation of fine wines -- I can't afford to -- and it didn't make me tolerate people like Miles any better, but it was interesting to see a story set in that world, which could only exist thanks to the 21st Amendment.
Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Movies Celebrating Alcohol
Posted Dec 5th 2007 1:32PM by Christopher Campbell
Filed under: Action, Casting, Sony, James Bond, Remakes and Sequels, Daniel Craig
It still doesn't have a title, and it still doesn't
officially have a Bond girl, but
according to Empire magazine,
Bond 22 has found its villain. Of course, we don't know the character's name nor anything about him, except that he will be played by French actor
Mathieu Amalric (
Munich). The casting of Amalric was actually
announced a few weeks ago by
Fox News, but it couldn't be confirmed until
Empire today got it out of the actor himself. He did hint at one loose detail about the movie, that it would be about childhood. Now, in the context of the quote, it actually appears that Amalric is saying that the desire to play a Bond villain stems from his childhood, but
Empire understood his words differently, or at least spun them so that it seems like he said
Bond 22 will focus on 007's childhood (as if
James Bond Jr. and
Agent Cody Banks weren't bad enough, now we may get a precocious young Bond).
Empire also points out that
Eva Green has dropped hints that
Bond 22's villain will be her
Casino Royale character's boyfriend, which would make sense now that
we've heard Green will not appear in the next film, though photos of her character will.
This news would indicate that the
Denver Post was wrong in
claiming Robert Knepper would be playing the next Bond villain. Unless, of course, there's multiple bad guys -- a trend Hollywood has been a fan of lately. Either way, Amalric is an excellent choice to play the (or a) Bond baddie, and not just because he has that same foreign creepy look that
Casino's
Mads Mikkelsen has. The actor is receiving rave reviews for his starring role as a paralyzed sufferer of locked-in syndrome in Julian Schnabel's critically acclaimed new film,
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Fans of Amalric's need not worry that because of
Bond 22 he will be more sought after for big Hollywood movies (as if any Bond villain actor ever was). The actor told
Empire that taking the role is simply funny to him, it's not necessarily what he wants to do with his career and he will continue doing "very small French film[s] for free with [his] friends."
Posted Oct 1st 2007 7:02PM by Christopher Campbell
Filed under: Obits, James Bond, Cinematical Indie
Sally Brophy (1928-2007) - Actress who played Veronica Cartwright's character's mother in The Children's Hour. She also appears with Bette Davis in Storm Center. She died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma September 18, in Princeton, New Jersey. (NY Times) - Michael Evans (1926-2007) - Actor who appears in Bye Bye Birdie, Time After Time and The Sword and the Sorcerer. He died September 4. (BBC News)
- István Gaál (1933-2007) - Hungarian filmmaker who tied for the 1970 Cannes Jury Prize with Magasiskola (Falcons). He also wrote and directed Sodrásban and Cserepek and wrote the novel A Ménesgazda (Stud Farm), which András Kovács made into a 1978 film. He died September 25 in Budapest. (Odeon.hu)
- Richard T. Heffron (1930-2007) - Director of Futureworld, Foolin' Around, and the concert doc Fillmore. He also wrote the screenplay for and was an associate producer on The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery, which starred Steve McQueen. He died August 27 in Seattle. (son-in-law)
- Christine Hewett (?-2007) - Model and actress (pictured) best known for appearing in the Mos Eisley cantina sequence in Star Wars as the character "Brea Tonnika" (or technically another character impersonating that character, apparently). She also appears in Die Another Day, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Bridget Jones' s Diary. She most recently doubled for Vanessa Redgrave in the filming of The Riddle. She of died of cancer September 19, in England. (Wookieepedia)
Continue reading RIP: Reel Important People -- October 1, 2007
Posted Sep 11th 2007 12:32PM by Christopher Campbell
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Warner Brothers, Box Office, Family Films, George Lucas, James Bond, Harry Potter, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
There are still two
Harry Potter movies to go, but the franchise is already the top-grossing series of all time with $4.47 billion in worldwide earnings. This figure puts it above
Star Wars and its sequels and prequels ($4.23 billion) and the 21 official James Bond movies plus the unofficial
Never Say Never Again ($4.44 billion). The success came over Labor Day weekend as
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix reached a worldwide box office gross of $923.7 million. With it continuing to take in money overseas, that number will only get bigger. And then there's the next installments,
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which will add at least another billion to the franchise total. Of course, the Bond series will also continue once the
Potter films are done and could regain the spot -- still, at only a quarter of the number of 007 installments, those more-family friendly
Potters are doing some serious business.
Then again, there's always the issues of inflation and rising ticket prices. According to inflated adjustments, the Bond films have made $10.9 billion (
provided by Wikipedia, minus
Never Say Never Again). Also,
according to Variety, the
Star Wars movies have actually out-grossed the
Harry Potter series domestically ($2.18 billion vs. $1.41 billion -- without inflation adjustments). So, as usual with box office records and announcements, this is only big news if you want it to be. Warner Bros. COO Alan Horn told
Variety that it isn't about competing with franchises like
Star Wars and 007; it's just bragging about a "fun number." Anyway, it never should be about what franchise makes the most money; it should be about which franchise is the best, and we all know what
that is.
Posted Aug 20th 2007 11:08AM by James Rocchi
Filed under: Action, MGM, Cinematical Seven, Lists, Daniel Craig
So, the 22nd James Bond film is in pre-production, with director Marc Forster already talking about locations and Bond Girls and more. But there have been disquieting notes and murmurs from the Bond camp -- filling Bond fans with dire contemplation of slightly grim possibility that Casino Royale's excellence may not be so easy to recapture. As a long-time Bond-watcher, I thought I'd draft a sort of open letter to the Bond production team about some very specific things they could do to make sure that Bond 22 maintains 007's freshly-renewed license to thrill. ...
1) Bulk Up the Bad Guy
If one thing hurt
Casino Royale's air of excellence, it was the fairly disappointing physical mis-match between
Daniel Craig's hulking, burly Bond and Mads Mikkelsen's pallid, frail Le Chiffre. Whoever your bad guys is this time around, please -- cast someone who looks like they could offer Craig's Bond a fairly even match in a fight. (One of the reasons
GoldenEye worked as well as it did was
Sean Bean's scary-competent, lean and wicked rogue 006 -- an extremely credible nemesis in both the brain and brawn departments.) Film-closing throw-downs aren't just fun, they're necessary -- we all want to see good and evil mix it up -- and nothing deflates the tension in an action film faster than knowing, at one glance, that our villain would fold up like a cheap tent after taking one punch. The producers of Bond 22 could try to save on the budget by hiring an unknown, but they shouldn't skimp on the tension by hiring someone who has less physical presence and capability than the formidable Mr. Craig.
2) Keep it Real ...
The Bond films at the end of the Brosnan run felt less like spy movies and more like idiotic variations on Saturday morning TV -- Die Another Day's plot of gene-spliced villains wearing electricity-shooting exoskeletons felt less like Ian Fleming and more like Stan Lee. And it's hard to imagine audiences accepting something like the plots of The Spy Who Loved Me or Moonraker, either, where the entire world was in peril and every life on the planet depended on Bond saving the day. Casino Royale had the balance right: lives were at stake, yes, but not millions of them; the stakes were comprehensible, and thereby much more affecting than grandiose, Dr. Evil-style schemes.
3) ... But Not Too Real
At the same time, the Bond films can't be too ripped-from-the headlines; escapism (which, at the end of the day, is what the Bond films are) is enhanced by realism, but poisoned by reality. Or, put another way: Do you really want to see Bond in the mountains of Pakistan, hunting Al-Quaeda? Of course not; it's an insult to the audience, the people actually trying to do that job, and pretty much everyone involved. Bond 22 should take place in a world that feels like our own; it should not take place in our world.
Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Seven Pieces of Advice for the Makers of Bond '22'
Posted Aug 2nd 2007 1:32PM by Tommy DiChiara
Filed under: Action, Thrillers, Universal, James Bond, Remakes and Sequels, Hold the 'Fone, Daniel Craig, Summer Movies
James Bond -- when played by Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and now Daniel Craig (and a bit less so when played by Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby) -- has long been the gold stanard by which all other cinematic spies have been judged. He's smooth, aloof, quick-witted and charming. Guys want to be like him and women with names like Pussy Galore want to sleep with him. But these days, 007 has some serious competition from a more reserved, grittier and -- dare we say -- more likeable amnesiac spy named Jason Bourne (Matt Damon).
When The Bourne Identity came along in 2002, it pretty much reinvented the action-spy genre, placing its hero, Jason Bourne, squarely in the real world (where things like Bond's invisible car do not exist) and dealing with the unheard of (in the Bond world, at least) issues of moral accountability, character metamorphosis and even vulnerability. Clearly influenced by his neophyte rival, a new Bond was born in 2006's Casino Royale, with Daniel Craig stepping into the tux of a more down-to-earth, relatable and gadget-free 007. Even so, the gap between these two men remains enormous.
From the cars they drive to the villains they battle to the way they fight to the women they bed, Moviefone compares the two most badass spies ever to grace a movie screen in a Jason Bourne vs. James Bond gallery. Check it out and then tell us: Who do you think is the more super spy?
Posted May 21st 2007 2:02PM by Patrick Walsh
Filed under: Action, Thrillers, RumorMonger, James Bond, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Daniel Craig
The producers of the James Bond series have historically taken on very traditional directors -- guys who got the job done solidly, with little innovation or originality. It seems, though, that the huge success of Casino Royale has the producers understanding that shaking (not stirring) up the formula can be a good thing. LatinoReview is reporting a rumor (and it is, at this point, still a rumor) that an offer has gone out to Marc Forster to helm Bond 22. Forster made his name with Monster's Ball, solidified his status as a major player with the entertaining but overrated Finding Neverland, and his last project was the interesting Stranger Than Fiction. According to LR, several major directors have met about the possibility of directing Bond 22, including Tony Scott (Top Gun, True Romance), Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City), and Jonathan Mostow (the excellent Breakdown, T3).
This isn't the first time Forster has been offered a major franchise. He was asked to direct Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, but chose to work on Finding Neverland instead. I would imagine taking on a Bond film creates the same concerns in a director that it does in the actor who steps into the tuxedo. You don't want to get pigeonholed. But each of these guys has established himself, and each would bring a completely different take to the material. Considering all the love for Casino Royale, it's a little strange Martin Campbell is not in the running, but I think fresh blood is definitely the way to go. Out of the candidates above, I personally would want to see Tony Scott's take most, just because his trashy pop sensibilities might just be what the often stuffy Bond series needs. And I know it's wishful thinking, but wouldn't you love to see what Spike Jonze, Darren Aronofsky, or Alfonso Cuaron would do with the superspy?
Posted May 8th 2007 9:02PM by Kevin Kelly
Filed under: Action, Thrillers, Mystery & Suspense, MGM, James Bond, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Bondcast, ComicCon, Daniel Craig
Click image for the big and right side up version of this photo.
Bondcast is finally back! We had some faulty equipment from Q Branch that led to this podcast being late. Q warned us that it was last used in the field by a certain Double 0 agent, and it might be a bit worse for wear. He was right, and we had to return it for servicing. Thankfully we didn't set off the embedded flamethrower or tear gas cannisters by accident.
In this episode Athena and I cover a very wide range of subjects, touching on everything from Daniel Craig's swimsuit, Pierce Brosnan's birthday, James Bond video games, and even Neil Gaiman ... which happens when you venture into tangent-ville. There's a slew of information in this episode, including upcoming DVD commentaries, events, book news, and more. Check out some of the highlights after the break, and be sure to give it a listen.
Continue reading Cinematical Presents: Bondcast -- Episode Five
Posted May 8th 2007 2:31PM by Christopher Campbell
Filed under: Action, Thrillers, Casting, MGM, Sony, James Bond, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Daniel Craig
The problem with every Bond Girl rumor that pops up from now until "Bond 22" goes into production is that none will be as exciting or hopeful as last week's Carice van Houten rumor. Certainly this week's mention is not even close to as good. According to the UK's News of the World (via IGN, via WENN), singer Amy Winehouse has been offered a part in the next 007 film, which will be released in November of next year. The report doesn't specify that she is being sought as a love interest for Bond (Daniel Craig), or as a Bond Girl at all, but the anonymous source claims that producer Barbara Broccoli, who loves Winehouse's album, "Back to Black", thinks the singer embodies that "retro glamour" of the old Bond films.
The first tip that this rumor doesn't hold up is that since Casino Royale, the Bond films don't seem to be looking for any embodiment of the original films. Rather they are now focused on the modern and real world. And never mind the fact that Winehouse doesn't have movie acting experience (she is also rumored to be cast in St. Trinian's, though), I honestly don't agree with Broccoli's supposed statement in the least. There is nothing about Winehouse, in fact, that I would imagine suitable for the part of a Bond Girl. What may have happened, and what has likely been confused for this rumor, is that Broccoli mentioned she'd like Winehouse to sing the next Bond theme. That would definitely make more sense. The '60s style of the title track from "Back to Black" is perfect for Bond, if the producers want a return to that beloved Shirley Bassey sound. Of course, it would be interesting if the theme were sung by someone appearing in the film, but alas I don't believe this will be the case.
Posted May 1st 2007 6:02PM by Patrick Walsh
Filed under: Action, Classics, Fandom, James Bond, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Daniel Craig
Are you a big James Bond fan? Do you have a few thousand dollars to spend on a trip across the pond? Then have I got a party for you! On the oh-so-perfect date of July 7th -- that's right 07/07/007 -- a huge James Bond themed charity ball will take place at the Winter Gardens near Bristol in England. In addition to heated debates with other 007 freaks about which Bond girl was the hottest (Barbara Bach, baby!), what's in store if you pony up for a ticket? The ball will have Casino Royale tables for gambling. There will be aerial performers, fire eaters, living statues, Aston Martins, and KGB agents. There will be live music from bands with names such as -- hoo boy -- "From Russia With Loveshack" (Do the B-52's know about this?).
Tickets for the event are 25...uh...pounds? I've never been to England, sorry. It's the symbol that looks like the squiggly "E." Yes, pounds. In addition, there will be a charity auction, which includes "an Ultimate Edition DVD Box Set signed by Sir Roger Moore, Maud Adams, Shirley Eaton, and more." Profits will benefit charities for prostate cancer, breast cancer, CLIC - Sargent, and Bristol Children's Hospital. Please head over to
commanderbond for more info and to view the hilarious flyer -- which announces in huge letters the "Red Carpet Arrival" of Jaws, Oddjob, and Sean Connery! And then in the tiniest print imaginable lets you know that they will in fact be look-alikes! Maybe if they serve enough shaken martinis, nobody will know the difference.
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