The BJMDDS General Discussion Thread......

[Blowfeld]

Speaking of Top Gun

Chinese 'used Top Gun footage' in broadcast on real air force exercise

Chinese state television has been accused of broadcasting a clip from the film "Top Gun" and claiming it was from a real air force exercise.

The footage broadcast by China Central Television was said to show a Chinese J-10 fighter plane firing a missile during manoeuvres and destroying another aircraft.

But film buffs noticed distinct similarities to an aerial combat scene from the Hollywood blockbuster, in which Tom Cruise plays a maverick airman at an elite school for US Naval aviators.

The image of the targeted aircraft exploding looked identical to an explosion towards the end of Top Gun, when Cruise's character hits a Russian plane with a missile.

The footage, which has been taken down from the CCTV website, will prove an embarrassment for the state broadcaster.

In a previous case in 2007, China's state-run Xinhua news agency issued a news story about a discovery related to multiple sclerosis, which was accompanied by an X-ray showing the head of cartoon character Homer Simpson.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... rcise.html

[bjmdds]

Welcome Mulli! You are here as we approach the 700th page of this thread and you seem just the right mix for this website. Eon and especially Broccoli have ruined Cubby's franchise and their writers and directors have had little to work with as Bond. There is no 'passable' Bond to me. Either an actor fits the part exactly or he doesn't and there were many others who should have been chosen. Which other sites have you migrated from? Enjoy your hopefully new home. 2011 has been good to this website with new top notch posters as well as ridding itself of a chronic nuisance. Enjoy

[Mulli]

Welcome Mulli! You are here as we approach the 700th page of this thread and you seem just the right mix for this website. Eon and especially Broccoli have ruined Cubby's franchise and their writers and directors have had little to work with as Bond. There is no 'passable' Bond to me. Either an actor fits the part exactly or he doesn't and there were many others who should have been chosen. Which other sites have you migrated from? Enjoy your hopefully new home. 2011 has been good to this website with new top notch posters as well as ridding itself of a chronic nuisance. Enjoy

When I say passable, I'm being nice. Daniel Craig is a decent actor, and I must confess to somewhat enjoying Casino Royale. But if they were going to reboot it, then they should've used a younger actor. Henry Cavill being the obvious choice. And I believe director Martin Campbell's choice for the role.
Hugh Jackman would be great in an un-rebooted Bond film. If Pierce couldn't come back after Die Another Day (Highest grossing Bond film) then Jackman could've continued the series, without the need to reboot and confuse.
As far as other sites go, I have / had an account at CommanderBond.Net , but it's very crowded and difficult to read I find. The smaller size and overall good discussion I have read here (lurking for a day or two ) prompted me to sign up.
Thanks for the welcome by the way.

[FormerBondFan]

If Pierce couldn't come back after Die Another Day (Highest grossing Bond film) then Jackman could've continued the series, without the need to reboot and confuse.

If not another Bond, Pierce can still do another action film as a different action hero. And welcome aboard, Mulli.

[JackWade CIA]

When I say passable, I'm being nice. Daniel Craig is a decent actor, and I must confess to somewhat enjoying Casino Royale. But if they were going to reboot it, then they should've used a younger actor. Henry Cavill being the obvious choice. And I believe director Martin Campbell's choice for the role.
Hugh Jackman would be great in an un-rebooted Bond film. If Pierce couldn't come back after Die Another Day (Highest grossing Bond film) then Jackman could've continued the series, without the need to reboot and confuse.
As far as other sites go, I have / had an account at CommanderBond.Net , but it's very crowded and difficult to read I find. The smaller size and overall good discussion I have read here (lurking for a day or two ) prompted me to sign up.
Thanks for the welcome by the way.

For what Casino Royale was suppsoed to be it was brilliant. Different enough to be offensive to long time fans and challenging enough to win over the complacent masses after 40 years of the same movie remade in different ways. Not that there was anything wrong with Bond almost half a century later. If Casino Royale was not a Bond movie I doubt there would be an outcry, then again if it wasn't a Bond film it would not have been noticed. It wasn't any more thrilling than any other spy movie out there. Gambling to fight terrorism? Only in the world of Bond could it be consider plausible.

In retrospect a younger actor would have made a better choice. The shocking brutality of rough neck Bond yet to be come the smooth cat Connery was was wasted with the follow up. Indeed some of the shock value that Casino banked was forfeited in the very next hand. I can remain hopeful the next movie will be a redemption for the choice of casting Craig, I am not convinced it will play out as worthwhile endeavor in the end. I wish they had recast when they had the chance. If Bond 23 comes out and it is anything less than spectacular......... it doesn't merit thinking about.

[English Agent]

But the biggest problem in my mind is not the casting of Daniel Craig. But the producers lack of vision. The poor writing and story development, and the long gaps we as fans have to endure because they can't get it right.

.

Hi Mulli

Good to see a new poster

I agree with your sentence............the Producers need to get their act together, as the Bond franchise has been see-sawing up and down over the last few films!

EA

[bjmdds]

If we all know the problem, what the heck is Broccoli thinking with MGW? There is a missing piece to this puzzle called a casting couch in reverse I would bet.

[katied]

Welcome, Mulli! We have a welcome thread in the off topic section but most people just jump right in and post on this thread!

[shaken not stirred]

Welcome to the forums mulli.

[Alessandra]

Speaking of Top Gun

Chinese 'used Top Gun footage' in broadcast on real air force exercise

Chinese state television has been accused of broadcasting a clip from the film "Top Gun" and claiming it was from a real air force exercise.

The footage broadcast by China Central Television was said to show a Chinese J-10 fighter plane firing a missile during manoeuvres and destroying another aircraft.

But film buffs noticed distinct similarities to an aerial combat scene from the Hollywood blockbuster, in which Tom Cruise plays a maverick airman at an elite school for US Naval aviators.

The image of the targeted aircraft exploding looked identical to an explosion towards the end of Top Gun, when Cruise's character hits a Russian plane with a missile.

The footage, which has been taken down from the CCTV website, will prove an embarrassment for the state broadcaster.

In a previous case in 2007, China's state-run Xinhua news agency issued a news story about a discovery related to multiple sclerosis, which was accompanied by an X-ray showing the head of cartoon character Homer Simpson.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... rcise.html

seriously?

I take it no Chinese had ever seen Top Gun before? Considering the amount of fans Tom Cruise has in China, that seems weird But really? Had I or Sweeney or BJ seen that, we would have called BS on it right away!

Welcome, Mulli.

Re: CR. I think it is a WAY overrated film (by the critics). It's possibly the most boring Bond movie EVER. I think not only Craig was obviously miscast in the part, and of course Henry Cavill would have made a lot more sense for a rookie Bond, and for BOND in general, but also Eva Green was a DREADFUL Vesper. I actually think ALL the casting for the movie, with the only exception of Caterina Murino, was absolutely awful. I love Giancarlo Giannini but he doesn't fit the description of Mathis at all. With Cavill as Bond, they clearly would have needed a totally different type to play Vesper (much younger and MUCH prettier than Eva Green, more of a Kurylenko type to keep up with the latest). Not to mention that horrid Le Chiffre they had would have had to look way different too (Cavill is tall and built, that guy would by no means have looked like an even remote threat to him). I really think, other than the story which was boring and not good, that the whole casting part for the movie was entirely wrong.

The fact I am re-reading CR and getting beyond pissed at every description and bit of story I read doesn't help With how much I love Cavill, he would certainly greatly improve my perception of CR, but I don't think he'd manage to make it really good if the rest of the cast wasn't changed as well. Still, of course with him in the part I would watch the movie and think that I AM actually watching rookie Bond and that he DOES have the style, charm and looks James Bond is supposed to have.

I agree EON is greatly at fault for all this. Not Campbell. Campbell wanted Cavill, and of course that made sense. The choices EON has made in terms of directors (other than Campbell of course) and script writers are the reason why we got the awful movie we got with QoS. And sadly, it doesn't look like Bond 23 will be any better, at least for now. I hope that won't be the case, but so far the news indicate a replica of QoS. Which would be an absolute stinker

I DO think Daniel Craig is a big part of the problem as he is completely miscast and incapable of acting and behaving like Bond. But more at fault than him are those who cast him of course... since they shouldn't have made that choice in the first place.

[bjmdds]

On WABC radio 770 in NYC this morning the host was talking about James Bond and said Cr-egg was not suave enough to portray Bond in his opinion. I laughed when I heard that because we all know this, in fact the entire world knows this except Barbara Broccoli who lives in her own ridiculous fantasy world.

[FormerBondFan]

On WABC radio 770 in NYC this morning the host was talking about James Bond and said Cr-egg was not suave enough to portray Bond in his opinion.

You should ask him what he thinks of this individual as Bond.

[English Agent]

Hi 'Ale'

I know you and some other people are voting for 'Henry Cavill' as a future Bond.
Is this just a personal preference or do you think this chap really would be suitable in the role.
Does he have the physical attributes to be able to carry through all the action in a film, and as an actor can
he pull off the emotional scenes and also have a sense of humour.
Do you think he could handle the pressure of being in the publics view day in day out in such a big franchise?
Anyway is he old enough to play the role?
I'am only asking because i don't think i've seen this actor.

EA

[bjmdds]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKqFMxdN3Pc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s3Y1NA2 ... re=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaLBFx5p ... re=related EA, is your question now answered? THIS is Bond material. Jackman IS Bond material.

[English Agent]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKqFMxdN3Pc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s3Y1NA2 ... re=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaLBFx5p ... re=related EA, is your question now answered? THIS is Bond material. Jackman IS Bond material.

'BJ'.............well he certainly looks the part, and i'd imagine he would go down well with the public.

But, has he shown any interest in pursuing the Bond role in the future.............but more importantly do you think EON are interested in this actor?

EA

[bjmdds]

Eon is most interested in him. His name was mentioned along with Worthington prior to the 'egg's' selection after Bab's rendezvous with the eggster. How can he not be considered? Campbell would have loved him as his actor in CR. Anthony Hopkins could play M to him for 2 films then get another M.

[Kristatos]

'BJ'.............well he certainly looks the part, and i'd imagine he would go down well with the public.

But, has he shown any interest in pursuing the Bond role in the future.............but more importantly do you think EON are interested in this actor?

EA

He was one of the shortlisted actors for Casino Royale, along with Daniel Craig and Sam Worthington, and was Martin Campbell's preferred choice. So yes and yes.

[bjmdds]

'BJ'.............well he certainly looks the part, and i'd imagine he would go down well with the public.

But, has he shown any interest in pursuing the Bond role in the future.............but more importantly do you think EON are interested in this actor?

EA

He was one of the shortlisted actors for Casino Royale, along with Daniel Craig and Sam Worthington, and was Martin Campbell's preferred choice. So yes and yes.

Imagine Campbell's thoughts scene by scene through the camera, knowing full well how much better CR would have been with Cavill instead of the 'pile of hulk' he was left with?

[Mulli]

Hugh Jackman was the obvious choice to replace Pierce Brosnan, who still had at least a fifth film left in him.
If the producers had put Jackman in the tux, they could have watched the money roll in. For that it would seem is all they are interested in.
They have lost their way, and merely try new things in an attempt to make a James Bond film.
This is not the way to do it, in my opinion. Too bad Cubby isn't around anymore. His children were obviously not paying as much attention when it came to producing these films as he probably hoped.
Gone is the suave and charming gentleman spy. Irresistible to women and the biggest threat to any villain he encounters.
Gone are the action scenes, and the Bond signature stunt. In it's place, CGI and highly edited bland action.
Gone are the over the top villains, with super-strong henchman, living in a hollowed out volcano.
Gone is James Bond.
He's become just like any other so called action hero. If you took the infamous James Bond theme out of these newer movies, you wouldn't know you were watching a Bond movie.
We can only hope that the producers either find the James Bond we all yearn for. Or that the studios demand a better Bond movie from the producers. And therefore a change of actor, storyline and style.
Once again thank-you for all the warm welcomes. This site is very friendly and is wonderful for a longtime fan to discuss with like minded individuals.

[Alessandra]

Hi 'Ale'

I know you and some other people are voting for 'Henry Cavill' as a future Bond.
Is this just a personal preference or do you think this chap really would be suitable in the role.
Does he have the physical attributes to be able to carry through all the action in a film, and as an actor can
he pull off the emotional scenes and also have a sense of humour.
Do you think he could handle the pressure of being in the publics view day in day out in such a big franchise?
Anyway is he old enough to play the role?
I'am only asking because i don't think i've seen this actor.

EA

Oh my bad I assumed you knew who he is. I take it that back then when people were cast for CR you didn't much follow the casting process? Cavill was the last man standing against Craig for the part. So clearly it is not only my preference, but he ranked way high in EON's (and especially Campbell's) preferences, too.

He is a very good actor, Shakespearean training ever since he was 12, he's played rugby most of his life (stopped because of injuries), had ACTUAL arms training in boarding school (not for movies, FOR REAL), he also plays tennis. He loves horse riding as well. Also, he has shot MANY movies and scenes with both swords and guns (as I said, the guns part is covered since he had actual arms training in boarding school). He's got his own action movie (where he is the lead) being released later this year, co-starring Bruce Willis (who plays his dad) and Sigourney Weaver. His character uncovers a conspiracy once his family is kidnapped while they are on vacation in Spain. And this happens due to his father's many secrets. I have seen (and I believe I linked this in the thread regarding him) scenes with him doing his own stunts (jumping onto a balcony) and scenes with him shooting. He does great.

Again, since he was the last man standing to do CR against Craig (and of course he would have made a lot more sense than Craig as a rookie Bond) I think your answer about producers/Bond is there. Plus the above. He is bloody PERFECT for the role. It's not just a personal preference I have, I do believe he would be great as Bond. He's also got the natural charm that Brosnan had, a great way of dealing with people/press. He's 6 ft 1, built, as I said very much of a sports person. Oh and, hadn't he been an actor? He would have joined the forces (his brothers are in the forces). So... I would think this guy is a natural fit for Bond, on top of having the perfect looks (tall, dark, handsome) and being good with the humor too.

Here are a couple of scenes from "The Tudors" (very successful TV series in the US) where I believe he looks and behaves much more like Bond than Craig ever will (sorry, I don't mean to offend But I truly feel this way). And he isn't either shooting anyone or fighting... yet this is pure Bond attitude IMO. And you can see the sarcasm, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD8BGFh_GP8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckYABlBjQrQ

Not to mention:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKqFMxdN3Pc

Last one is just so you can see him in contemporary clothes, and even without uttering a syllable he is totally James Bond here.

And I completely agree with BJ... Jackman is Bond, Cavill is Bond... Craig, I'm sorry, truly isn't.

He's definitely already shown interest in pursuing Bond, seen as he was the last one standing with Craig And, he was crushed when he didn't get the part.

Imagine Campbell's thoughts scene by scene through the camera, knowing full well how much better CR would have been with Cavill instead of the 'pile of hulk' he was left with?

I can't even imagine what Campbell must have thought. Just the way Cavill says things and moves... and I doubt he would have gone for that horrific Martini scene. He knows his Bond stuff (Cavill I mean)... I bet he would have played it differently. All I know is just imagining the same horrific scene with Cavill instead of Craig makes it a lot better for me. I would still have insulted the script writer for it most likely, but I think Cavill would have managed to make it sound like more of a humorous scene, or like a spur of the moment thing. Which, Craig didn't. It actually amuses me to rethink the movie with Cavill in the part. I laugh thinking at how Eva Green would have looked at him As I said previously, I don't think that without quite a few changes it would have been a great movie, BUT it surely would have greatly improved with Cavill as Bond.

He's become just like any other so called action hero. If you took the infamous James Bond theme out of these newer movies, you wouldn't know you were watching a Bond movie.
We can only hope that the producers either find the James Bond we all yearn for. Or that the studios demand a better Bond movie from the producers. And therefore a change of actor, storyline and style.
Once again thank-you for all the warm welcomes. This site is very friendly and is wonderful for a longtime fan to discuss with like minded individuals.

Sadly, you are completely right. No Bond theme, we wouldn't even know we are watching Bond in these new movies. Our hope right now resides in the studios I believe... the new partners will demand someone who brings in more people and more money than Daniel Craig is able to do. (he's clearly not popular in the US, while making up for it internationally, that's still not enough since QoS made the studio book a loss).

Completely agree on Hugh Jackman too, in fact back then I didn't yet know Cavill well and thought he was too young (MY MISTAKE.. I recovered quickly though haha). So I was all for Jackman as Bond (and Cavill could have taken over after him). Really, I think if they cast Jackman first and Cavill after Jackman's three movies, we would be talking about a completely different story now. Apparently Babs's couch needs trump even better business. While CR did very well, I am convinced it would have done way better with Jackman. Nobody could have saved QoS, it's too horrid, but I also think with another actor things wouldn't have quite gone the same way in terms of script either. To think they would have done a favor to THEMSELVES first and foremost by casting Jackman/Cavill and instead they went for this out of left field Craig idea...