Emily Gordon joins the Matts to discuss Quantum of Solace!
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James Bonding #004: QUANTUM OF SOLACE with Emily Gordon
Episode 004:
James Bonding
Quantum of Solace with…
Quantum of Solace with…
Hi Matts,
I just recently discovered this podcast via the “I was there” podcast, and it has brought me massive amounts of joy over the past couple of weeks while nursing turkey and egg nog hangovers.
I’ve decided to chime in on this one, because I think the main point why this move was so bad was missed; it’s not what it was, but what it wasn’t and could have been. Casino Royale setup so many awesome plot-points and little mysteries waiting to be unraveled, that could have been done over the course of at least four or five films…instead the anticipation was paid of with a dry film that only offered a little bit…no… a QUANTUM of entertainment.
Who was the manipulative mastermind that infiltrated high-levels of government by charming the beautiful and sharp Vesper Lynd? A man who might prove to be Bonds match? Perhaps even a younger Bloefeld who’s cunning is only just being apparent but only truly unfold after bond follows the thread over several films? Nope… it’s some run of the mill douchebag…some dude who probably bought Vesper a Jagerbomb in a club to get her to betray her country (because really, no detail is offered how he manages to pull these women in).
Who are these all powerful and mysterious people who call themselves Quantum? Shall we explore this organization, one step at a time, one film at a time ultimately leading us to a gratifying reveal that allows us to grasp how influential and terrifying this organization is? No! Let’s just name them all after colors, send them all to the opera at once and have Bond identify them all; that should save some time. Besides, after they bribed M’s guard, would anyone have any doubt as to their capabilities.
And finally, what about all of these great characters that are introduced and re-introduced in Casino Royale? How about, for example, the mysterious Mathis, who’s allegiances are never truly clear when Casino Royale concludes? A wild card who still has some unknown hand to play in Bond’s destiny with the mighty Quantum! No… let’s just throw him in for someone to psychoanalize Bond and have him dispatched quickly. This is actually the most beautiful allegory for how this film failed…they took a character from Casino Royale, shot him and threw him in the dumpster… just like they took everything good with Casino Royale, killed it, and threw it in the dumpster. It’s almost as if they put it in just to tease you with it, like…”yeah Bond fans, we know this is killing you inside ;)”
Also… Terrible cars. Terrible Bad Guys (Domenic Greene? Elvis? c’mon). Terrible chemistry between Bond and Girl. Terrible shoe-horning of things that Casino Royale did well (“well, people seemed to enjoy Bond chasing a guy around and getting roughed up…let’s throw some more gritty in there”). Terrible shoe-horned in danger (An exploding hotel? You’re fucking kidding me). Terrible homage to past Bond films (I almost puked when the Goldfinger reference was made … “OH SO YOU MEAN LIKE OIL IS THE NEW GOLD? WOW! SO DEEP! SO TOPICAL!”
Having said that, I’ll agree it did some things well. Daniel Craig is still a fantastic Bond, Dench is still a wonderful M. The car chase scene was hands down the best in the franchise. Gemma Aterton was (too) briefly a good Bond girl. Marc Foster did add some nice artsiness to it, even if it was horribly misplaced. Definitely not the worst Bond (did some one say Die Another Day?), but like I said at the start of this post… it’s the wasted potential. Like everyone’s Mom has no doubt said at some point “I’m not Mad…I’m just disappointed”.
I’ll mention too that Charlie Chaplin’s grad-daughter is actually panty-rape-beer girl, not the airport lady, because, hey, I’m sure you guys love being corrected.
Anyway, thanks for humouring me in my rant and thanks for the great podcast…Nobody does it better.
How is it possible to say this movie is humorless?
“I don’t think he smoked.”
“Florists use that expression!”
“Not in the slightest.”
The humor is just delivered very drily.
Chaplin’;s grand-daughter is not the Austrian receptionist for Ocean Sky – it’s the nearly-raped girl from Game of Thrones.
great podcasts guys, being a brit ex pat i’m so happy there are americans who appreciate bond on such a microscopic level as we do!
just a quick note:
the reason bond puts mathis in the dumpster and goes through the wallet is quite simple: to make it seem like he was robbed and killed by local thugs. it’s a dodgy part of town and would be easiest way to cover up his death and not draw any suspicion onto bond or on the mission at hand. this way any local cops that find him will just write it off as another dead mugged tourist who wondered into the wrong part of town but it seems cold to camille since he doesn’t bother explaining his motives to her. he’s thinking on his feet.
I like Emily and generally respect you, but A View To A Kill is the dumbest song EVER. Try to step out of the ‘child of the 80s’ mode. The music from the 80s is horrific.
Thanks.
The MI6 Headquarters building is their HQ in real-life, and it is located in central London.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIS_Building
It’s great to hear some love for Quantum on James Bonding. Many critics dismiss Quantum too casually, it’s a subtle and singular Bond film that rewards multiple viewings and close attention.
Pah! This is my favorite Bond film.
If watched immediately after Casino Royale, so the continuity of the actors & characters helps explain who and what is going on, it’s as close to perfect as any bond film gets.
The pacing of the action scenes shot almost POV seemed a little too frenetic when it came out, but in the years since, as we’ve started to become more accustomed to seeing such quick moves and cuts, it’s starting to look like it was just a bit ahead of its time. As well, the sound work and photography is from slightly left of heaven on this one. Love the sound work.
My only complaint is… James bond saves the villagers from the evil corporate anti-environmentalists? I just can’t even begin to imagine Fleming sitting down to write this.
Well, Fleming wrote a lot of racist, sexist garbage, so I think it’s probably okay to stop asking what Fleming would have done.
Did you guys actually forget that Mathes’ offer of a pill(and all the worry/trepidation on Bond’s part) was because, in a rare instance of a Bond film really staying with the novel, Bond’s main worry in surviving Le Chiffre’s torture was that he’d be permanently impotent? Granted, it was a much grimmer prognosis when Fleming wrote it than it is now, but still–for some guys, there is no cure.
I know you guys like the Bond-as-detective, but he’s not; once again, Fleming was basing him on a real sub-class of operative. Having a license to kill means he’s not to be wasted doing the normal intelligence work that the other field agents, covert or not, can do(probably better). He’s there to confirm or refute an analysis that requires assassination &/or sabotage.
Lastly, two pronunciation notes: it’s Eva BROWN(same word, same meaning, same pronunciation–just a variation in spelling between two Germanic languages. The only reason the German appliance manufacturer’s ads use that incorrect, French “brawn” is that they started selling to the Brits first–notice the VO is always a British speaker–who cannot bear to pronounce any foreign word correctly).
And, in the name of all that’s holy, the word is “SAHL-ess”, not “SOHL-ess”(the short “o” of “hot”).
Off-topic but even before you said what the message was Matt was reacting to, I am pretty certain everyone knew what it was.
“Eagle Eye Gorley… what is he doing with that cat? Oh my God!”
I laughed so hard I bothered my co-workers. No mention of the woman from Castle in it? Still really enjoyed it. I may have a trilogy of these films in Blue Ray in the very near future.
Loving these podcast. Keep up the fun.
This was a great podcast. And I am also one of the few that enjoys this movie. Watched Casino Royale about 4 hours before seeing QoS and so I was able to feel like they were one long movie. It works so well that way.
Anyway, I love this podcast and I wish every episode was three hours. It’s hilarious. Thank you!
Fat Felix: Diamonds Are Forever.
I’ve always considered QOS a loose remake of Licence To Kill.
Definitely imagine that which you said. Your favourite reason appeared to be at the net the easiest factor to take
into accout of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed at the same time as other people think about worries that they
plainly don’t recognize about. You managed to hit the nail upon the highest and also outlined out the whole thing without having side-effects , folks can take a signal. Will likely be again to get more. Thanks
First) I get to actually listen to this fine podcast today. Yeah to hiding my laughter at work.
Second) Glad there are other fans giving this movie the love it so rightly deserves.
woo-hoo
So glad to see other QoS fans out here alone in the fields. The only problem I have with this film is the “too quick” editing in some action set pieces. Other than that, it’s a damn fine Bond.
Love the podcasts but have a bone to pick with this one. Another Way to Die is a great song for the Craig era of Bond and a good song overall. It didn’t seem like you guys really gave it a chance or even understood the lyrics.
They perfectly fit Bond, with a lot of appropriate imagery and several of the instrumental moments are as Bond as any song has been since Live and Let Die.
I can’t wait to hear how much fun the two Matts are going to have with Casino Royale…
also: Another Day to Die is an excellent song, as a Bond theme & as a song. the Adele song is (like the movie it kicks off) dull, by-the-numbers crap. imho. fwiw.
i know i’m alone on this, and that my opinion is likely to be considered invalid being that i do not really like Bond, but i consider Quantum the best Bond movie (that i’ve seen – & yup that includes Casino Royale, as much as this depends on that), among other things an excellent critique of both the franchise & action movies of its ilk in general.
HR: “Yes, Mr. Bond, we’ve received a few office complaints about you.”
Bond: “Like what?”
HR: “Well, it seems every time you ride in an elevator, you are the only one who ever exits.”
Bond: “I suppose that’s true.”
HR: “Yes, but that includes your co-workers. Just last week you put Jerry from accounting in a triangle choke — For no reason — Just because he had the ill fortune to be in the same elevator car.”
Bond: “I bet he didn’t account for that.”
HR: “And that’ll be quite enough of your quips, sir. You are going on report if this happens again.”
Here’s Cec Linder next to Sean Connery from Goldfinger:
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1028036608/nm0511695?ref_=nm_phs_md_1
Draw your own judgments.
I like this one too. It’s hard to call it truly “bad.” Dull at worst, and wins the franchise some rare points in the feminism department.
You three doing the Brooklyn Stunt School should be a video.
The more I watch Quantum of Solace the more I enjoy all the aspects of it (aside from every character pshyco-analysing Bond every two seconds)
The director knows how to end an action sequence (every way definitive and different), there’s a lot of different serious beats that keep in line with Casino Royale’s lead, and the fact the main ‘bond girl’ is no such thing is quite refreshing!
i agree i like this one as well
I am looking forward to listening to this. I love Emily V. Gordon! I know I am in minority, but I really enjoyed this Bond. I like the sequel feel of this. I thought the “douriness” fit, but I thought it felt lithe. I liked the locations, and action. Again I know I am in the minority in this opinion. I am glad I have this and Casino in Blue Ray.
I expect I will laugh very hard. Thanks Matts!