Casting Call: Next Bond. . . James Bond

[Guest]

Friends of wit and suaveness: Pierce Brosnan is making only one more (currently) Bond film. The NYTimes article (link below) discusses past and future Bonds. I know anyone who loves “Bond” usually has particular, if not vehement, preferences for the body that fills, and takes off, the Saville Row suits. So I ask for your passionate opinions.

Mine: Sean Connery was it, full stop. But I was satisfied to read why Timothy Dalton did not make it (he is “muy hombre” for me; tr., “all man”). I appreciate Brosnan, best after Sean, but he was not Sean.

I larfed to read Mel Gibson was once a real candidate, the pea brain. You'll read interesting goss too about Ian Fleming, an "elitist's elitist".

Perdita. Perdita.

Bond. James, uh...

 

[Guest]

Sean Connery was always my favorite with Pierce a close second. I wish he would sign on to do more. I don't think there's anyone else that I am aware of that would make a good James Bond.

 

[raphy]

Movie Bond: Brosnan, without a doubt. He's the only actor who's managed to capture all the essential elements of what Movie Bond is all about. Tall, suave, sexy, able to deliver very corny one-liners, but at the same time able to be brutal and harsh when the situation demands it.

Book bond: Dalton. Dalton was hampered by terrible scripts, and the bad 80s era for Bond Political Correctness. He's still closer to Fleming's original Bond than any other actor though. He was cold, harsh, unfeeling, and savage. Remember, Bond is supposed to be a womanizing alcoholic mysogynistic cold blooded killer. He's not supposed to be a very nice man.

Other bonds:

Moore: Had the one-liners down, but was too late. Moore gave his best years to the Saint and was well past it by the time he did Bond.

Connery: Sean Connery suffers from the same problem as Jack Nicholson. He's truly amazing, except that he's never anything but Sean Connery. Connery wasn't Bond, he was Connery, which worked, because Connery's so fuckin' cool - But he wasn't Bond. Not the way Fleming wanted it, or the way Bond works in the movies. Connery makes a great secret agent, but it's Sean Connery the secret agent, not James Bond the secret agent.

Lazenby.. Well, we don't talk about him.

 

[raphy]

As for the next Bond... I have absolutely no idea. You need an actor that looks something between 35 and 45 years old, can pull off an authentic English accent, just over average height and build (Bond is officially 5'11 and 185 lbs), can manage to wear both Saville Row suits and kevlar-laced combat jackets with ease and has a rugged, masculine look that manages to be good looking without being pretty, and hard-man enough without being mean.

I have no idea who it would be. Brosnan's shoes will be hard to fill, that's for sure.. I don't envy the next actor to try and play the role.

 

[Guest]

Raffo, you are quite erudite re. Bond, I'm impressed. Glad you like Dalton, he's my favorite Shakespearean Antony, and what a voice to match the bod.

I haven't read the books but you nearly make me want to try 'em.

'dita

 

[Guest]

 

[Parklife]

I have read that Clive Owen was offered the part and he turned it down claiming that the Bond series is played out and he doesn't want drag it on for the sake of dragging it on.

But, he would have made a hell of a Bond.

 

[TheEarl]

My personal favourite is Pierce Brosnan. He's slick, smooth and with just the right air of casual callousness. Raphy is right - Fleming's Bond from the books was not a nice person. He was burned by a woman in the first Bond book (Casino Royale) and shuts off until he gets married very briefly. I personally thought You Only Live Twice was a superb novel just for the characterisation of Bond after he lost his wife.

Most of the books are better than the films - most notably, Dr No.

As for a future Bond, I've heard several stupid names tossed around - Matt Perry, Mat Le Blanc, Robbie Williams, et al. The most sensible one I've heard is Russell Crowe, although I still can't see him as a Bond. Maybe Dougray Scott when he get's a bit older?

Pear: Here's two suggestions that will get your support and disgust respectively - James Marsters and David Boreanaz. Come to think of it, I could see Marsters pulling off a half-decent Bond if he could learn the accent.

Really glad Brosnan was persuaded to do another one after the travesty that was Die Another Day. I wouldn't have liked to have that as my last film either.

The Earl

 

[raphy]

Raffo, you are quite erudite re. Bond, I'm impressed.
'dita

Bella Cara, I'm English - Bond is part of my heart and soul.

You see, James Bond, or at least the movie Bond, is spoof. It's satire. But it's English ironical satire at it's best, and the best thing is, the Broccoli clan don't even have to work hard at doing it.. It just is.

We English are well aware that we take ourselves too seriously. And we're well aware that we have a reputation for it. But obviously, as in Monty Python and the Carry On movies, the English are also no strangers to taking the piss out of themselves for being too serious.

That said, I came to a conclusion a long time ago about the Bond movies, one that's hilighted by such fine moments as the straightening of the tie whilst in the tank in Goldeneye.

James Bond, the movie phenomenon, is the English being serious about taking the piss out of themselves for being serious.

We're not just taking the piss out of ourselves. We're being bloody serious about it when we do it.

 

[Guest]

Come to think of it, I could see Marsters pulling off a half-decent Bond if he could learn the accent.

The Earl

Oooohh, I could see James Marsters as Bond.

 

[Guest]

Raff, luv, I think writing thousands of words a day for the past week and a half have made you a finer writer all round. Your last extempore was very informative for me. Humbly, I admit I never thought of the Englishness of Bond as you so eloquently explained it.

Earl, hon, maybe Marsters but NEVER DB, yuk yuk yuk, he's so F-A-T.

Pierce, you made me grin big.

And yes on Clive Owen, another 'muy hombre'.

Pear'dita

 

[raphy]

'dita - I've always thought of Bond in those terms, using those words. I'm more than able to extemporize in that manner on a number of different subjects.

NaNo hasn't enabled me to do that. I've always been able to- I just don't very often. Just because I don't do it doesn't mean I can't do it ....

*grins*

 

[Mhari]

raph made my head hurt.

My favorite Bond has to be Brosnan. Mmm, so very tasty. Though I think raph is right that Dalton was probably the *best* Bond. (Yeah, I've read all the Fleming books, too.)

But for the next Bond? I honestly can't think of anyone right now. Of course, chosing the Next Bond is just as fraught with contention as choosing the Next Doctor (Who) is...

I might suggest Val Kilmer. Maybe. Though he's blond. He's already done a parody of Bond (and many other people). Check out Top Secret! sometime if you've never seen it.

 

[raphy]

The problem with finding an actor to play Bond is that so many actors come with previous 'baggage' .. On looks alone, Clooney might make a good Bond. Too American. Kilmer? Maybe, But no one's going to take him seriously as Bond after Batman and Willow.

etc etc etc ..

Connery was unknown. Lazenby was unknown. Dalton was unknown (as a movie actor)

Both Moore and Brosnan had played the suave hero-type before, and in fact, it's what they were best known for.. Moore for the Saint, and Brosnan in Remington Steele, so the public had NO problems slipping them into the Bond role.

Gonna be tough to find another well-known actor that hasn't done stuff before that would prejudice him from being taken seriously when playing Bond.

 

[whispering_surrender]

I know who I would pick for the next Bond. *hops up and down* James Purefoy. *swoon* He played, among other things, Edward, the Black Prince of Wales, in "A Knight's Tale". Dark, charismatic, and a verrrrry (read with a purr in your voice) attractive 40ish man.

Probably won't happen, but a girl can hope.

Whisper

 

[raphy]

Okay, whisper just showed me a picture of this Purefoy fellow..

http://uk.imdb.com/gallery/ss/01208..._15.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Purefoy, James

And who he reminds me of, and who might actually make a great Bond would be Hugh Jackman..

Jackman has the build, the look - He's demonstrated that he can do accents without an issue, he's a very talented actor (watch Swordfish - He's wasted in X-men) and he doesn't have that much back-catalogue to bring as baggage to the role....

Hmm, the more I think about Jackman, the more I like that idea.

 

[Guest]

 

[OldnotDead]

Jason Isaacs.

I'm with Raph on this one, the movie Bond is a very different animal from the book Bond. But then so are the plots. They got things so mucked up by Thunderball that other than the titles and characters, most of the stories were completely different.

If you do read the books, Perdita, strongly recommend in order.

I recommend Jason, for of all things his performance in The Tuxedo with Jackie Chan. He's got the 'hard' look and action of Brosnan with the eye twinkle of Connery and Moore.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

In a few years, Christian Bale would make a Bond to blow away all others. I hope he doesn't, but he would.

 

[Seattle Zack]

I'd vote for Hugh Jackman or Colin Farrell, but Guy Pearce (from Memento and LA Confidential) is a very good actor and might be better than either of those two.

 

[fiery_jack]

Friends of wit and suaveness: Pierce Brosnan is making only one more (currently) Bond film. The NYTimes article (link below) discusses past and future Bonds. I know anyone who loves “Bond” usually has particular, if not vehement, preferences for the body that fills, and takes off, the Saville Row suits. So I ask for your passionate opinions.

Brosnan is my favourite of the lot, with Dalton following a half mile behind in second place.

My choice for the next Bond would have to be Jude Law. Was he in the article? That link just seems to want me to register.

 

[Icingsugar]

In a few years, Christian Bale would make a Bond to blow away all others. I hope he doesn't, but he would.

Damn. I was just scrolling down to type that. He's got the looks, the accent (all accents apparently, he's some kind of wiz in that department), the style, the action-experience, and he is one talented fart in general.

btw, what was that about him as Batman?

 

[Guest]

Ooh, I'm so delighted. When I started the thread I could only see Jackman as a possibility. Now I'd love to see how Bale, Law, Farrell or Pearce would do. I think I'd put Farrell l and Jackman last now, but would have a hard time deciding among the other three. Nice fantasy there.

Perdita

 

[Parklife]

Bale is playing Batman (and the movie is being directed by Christopher Nolan of Memento fame).

I believe he was deciding between the Batman series or the Bond series and went with Batman while Brosnan was waffling about doing another or not. And he'd definitely have the accent, he was born in Britain.

I've also heard Ewan McGregor as a possibility but I'm unsure just how serious that was.

I'd stick with Clive Owen... Some great performances already under his belt yet relatively still unknown. (btw... he's starting as King Arthur in a movie to be released in 2005 I think)

 

[raphy]

Christian Bale has the wrong look for Bond. his face is too thin, and he's not old enough, in my opinion...