Bond Goes Casual for 2008

[Edward]

I heard on the Radio news this morning that the Italian(?) tailors who have supplied Bond's tuxedos "for the last thirteen years" have not been retained for the next Bond, due out in 2008. Apparently, Craig's second Bond will be sporting "more of a jeans and T shirt look."

I'm horrendously behind with cinema, and have not managed yet to catch Craig's first outing. I do welcome, though, what I've heard viz that it has taken a turn away from a lot of the gadgetry - I love a good gadget, but really it had gotten silly. An invisible car, I ask you.... Really, it seemed to me that Bond (in common with the rest of Hollywood) long ago dropped substance in favour of smoke and mirrors. I'm not the biggest fan of the franchise in the world, but I did find the Connery era entertaining, more recent Bonds less so. Part of the appeal for me was always the sharp tailoring - okay, I'm sure a "real life" spy would dress down to blend into the background more. Even so, Bond films were always escapist fluff - he moved in high society, had the best tailoring, looked sharp at all times. It seems to me it would be a loss if that goes. On the other hand, we might argue that Bond only looks sharp becasue he has stayed with the standards of a previous era - was his tailoring really so stand-out from the norm in the era when the books were originally written (even though there's never been a film set during that particular period)?

 

[Flitcraft]

You really should check out the latest one with Daniel Craig. I wasn't real interested in it either and hadn't seen a Bond movie in years, but I have to admit, Daniel Craig did a great job.
As far as contemporary, but cool fashion goes, you should check out LayerCake, if you haven't already. I think you'll also see some inspirations for Casino Royale.

 

[Ecuador Jim]

Sign of the times...

I heard on the Radio news this morning that the Italian(?) tailors who have supplied Bond's tuxedos "for the last thirteen years" have not been retained for the next Bond, due out in 2008. Apparently, Craig's second Bond will be sporting "more of a jeans and T shirt look."

I'm horrendously behind with cinema, and have not managed yet to catch Craig's first outing. I do welcome, though, what I've heard viz that it has taken a turn away from a lot of the gadgetry - I love a good gadget, but really it had gotten silly. An invisible car, I ask you.... Really, it seemed to me that Bond (in common with the rest of Hollywood) long ago dropped substance in favour of smoke and mirrors. I'm not the biggest fan of the franchise in the world, but I did find the Connery era entertaining, more recent Bonds less so. Part of the appeal for me was always the sharp tailoring - okay, I'm sure a "real life" spy would dress down to blend into the background more. Even so, Bond films were always escapist fluff - he moved in high society, had the best tailoring, looked sharp at all times. It seems to me it would be a loss if that goes. On the other hand, we might argue that Bond only looks sharp becasue he has stayed with the standards of a previous era - was his tailoring really so stand-out from the norm in the era when the books were originally written (even though there's never been a film set during that particular period)?

It seems the Bond franchise has always been sensitive to the market instead of being true to the character. I totally enjoyed Sean Connery's interpretation of 007; his dry wit and believable action sequences.

In an interview, Roger Moore admitted being intimidated by the Connery legacy, and chose to take a more overtly humorous route to the character.

Poor George Lazenby; I guess if you appear too bookish and cry on screen, you don't get a second chance.

Pierce Brosnan was originally selected to replace Moore, but the Remington Steele folks wouldn't let him out of his commitment to that series.

As you look at the progression of characters to play Bond, you also see an increased reliance on the gadgets to hold viewers interest. I suspect this was due in part to poor writing; Fleming was a hard act to follow.

Craig makes an excellent Bond. I suspect younger viewers just can't relate to a tux, so the franchise will make the character fit the times. I also heard that whoever signs on to be Bond agrees never to wear a "tuxedo" outside the script. Perhaps this will change as well.

 

[The Wingnut]

As far as contemporary, but cool fashion goes, you should check out LayerCake, if you haven't already. I think you'll also see some inspirations for Casino Royale.

Layer Cake was brilliant. I rented it not knowing what to expect, having only seen Daniel Craig before in Road to Perdition, and was very pleasantly surprised. Craig did a terrific job as Bond, as well. I suppose if more of the last movie is what we're to expect, it shouldn't be a disappointment. He still looked sharp throughout the film. It's just not Bond without at least one black tie scene, though. Hopefully they'll keep him classy looking.

Off topic, I'm impressed by the USA series Burn Notice, which is a still highly 'Hollywoodized' picture of a covert operative's life, but hits far closer to reality than most efforts so far have. Bond writers should take notice, including the wardrobe. Michael Westin's a sharp dresser even if he's hardly ever seen with a tie.

 

[carter]

Originally posted byThe Wingnut
Layer Cake was brilliant.

Ditto. fftopic:

Let's hope that 'Bond in Blue Jeans' doesn't come to pass. Ian Fleming would be rolling.

 

[Dagwood]

According to MI6 (a Bond-fan website), Bond 22 will take place mostly in the Swiss Alps. Think On Her Majesty's Secret Service. More skiing - less tux wearing.

Craig was brilliant as Bond.

Lazenby was well received, but demanded too much money to make future Bond films. Hence he was dropped.

 

[KL15]

The Italian tailor that has been used for the last 13 years on the James Bond films is Brioni. As a huge fan of this series I was always afraid the role would turn this direction. I will say that I'm interested in how the writers plan on going forward from here. The last film I knew was going to be great because it was based on an Ian Flemming novel. From now on the crew has to go it alone. Unless, God forbid, they decide to re-make the old films. That's a bad enough trend in Hollywood and is one of many reasons why I haven't seen a new American film in about 7 years. I've gone to see films that are from across the pond because, lets face it, they're better at it than we are.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Speaking of skin, rather than clothes ... I predict that the next Bond (after Craig's version) will be a British citizen of West Indian, African or Caribbean descent. Oh, and he'll be of mixed race.


I'm looking forward to that.

.

 

[VegasMike]

Lazenby was well received, but demanded too much money to make future Bond films. Hence he was dropped.

I'd always heard it was because he didn't want his career to be solely associated with the part of "James Bond", hence only doing one film. Ironic since that's the only film anyone knows him for...

 

[KL15]

Speaking of skin, rather than clothes ... I predict that the next Bond (after Craig's version) will be a British citizen of West Indian, African or Caribbean descent. Oh, and he'll be of mixed race.


I'm looking forward to that.

.

Are you basing this stictly off of social measures? Curious why you think that. Nothing wrong, just curious

 

[imoldfashioned]

You really should check out the latest one with Daniel Craig. I wasn't real interested in it either and hadn't seen a Bond movie in years, but I have to admit, Daniel Craig did a great job.
As far as contemporary, but cool fashion goes, you should check out LayerCake, if you haven't already. I think you'll also see some inspirations for Casino Royale.

I had a similar experience--I've only ever seen bits of the Brosnan films, which I hated, so I wasn't really interested in the movie. I agreed to go as a favor for a friend and ended up really loving it mostly due to Craig. I hope they don't eliminate the formal wear altogether.

(scoots off to add Layer Cake to her Netflix queue).

 

[Diamondback]

If I was the producers, I'd definitely be exploiting CGI to do a remake of the entire series as period pieces, in the sequence and setting Fleming wrote them in, only altering them to make them fit with history and to tone down the really raunchy stuff--believe me, comparative to Fleming's original novel (which should be definitely an NC-17 and maybe a XXX-rating), Moore's The Man With The Golden Gun was an improvement...

 

[Mr. 'H']

Layer Cake was brilliant.

fftopic:

Ditto!

 

[HadleyH]

Sean Connery = First and best OO7

 

[VegasMike]

Ironically enough, Layer Cake is starting RIGHT NOW on HDNET Movies

EDIT: Yes it was quite good
Also, Chief O'Brien and Owen from Torchwood were in it

 

[Dr Doran]

Speaking of skin, rather than clothes ... I predict that the next Bond (after Craig's version) will be a British citizen of West Indian, African or Caribbean descent. Oh, and he'll be of mixed race.


I'm looking forward to that.

.

I've been thinking this for a few years. I hope he will be well-dressed. I would like to see Don Cheadle doing it. He can master any accent. Handsome and good in action movies, too.