The team at Time Out have written an open letter to Bond 23 writer Peter Morgan, with a couple of Dos and Don’ts. Included are — find interesting and exciting locations, do not copy the Bourne series, make the Bond girl a pivotal role, give characters room to breathe.
The letter openly praises Casino Royale’s approach, but is quick to point out the flaws in Quantum of Solace.
Dear Peter,
While we at Time Out are thrilled that you, one of our country’s most talented and inquiring screenwriters, have accepted the challenge of penning the next James Bond movie, there are a few salient points we feel you might like to keep in mind while writing what will inevitably become one of 2011’s most important and, we hope, enjoyable movies. We trust you accept our advice in the friendly spirit with which it’s intended…
Please give the characters room to breathe
Perhaps the greatest stride writers Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and erstwhile colleague Paul Haggis made with ‘Casino Royale’ was giving Bond and his companions a real sense of life, depth and emotional conflict. We’re used to Bond the wisecracking automaton, but with an actor like Daniel Craig in the role this approach is a terrible waste. ‘Quantum of Solace’ reduced Bond to little more than grunts and sneers – a smart thug who faces off against a loquacious but rather pathetic villain. You’ve already proved your worth as a master of verbal sparring in your previous scripts, so we’re sure you’ll have the murderous banter down pat. The challenge will be to make us care about Bond again.Please respect your audience
There’s no doubt that the best of Bond is revealed when there’s a strong storyline packed with twists, switchbacks and double crosses: just think of Sean Bean’s deception in ‘Goldeneye’, or Vesper’s betrayal in ‘Casino’. As long as your action sequences are gripping and your characters convincingly motivated, there’s no crime in keeping the viewer guessing.Please don’t waste your Bond girls
Another of the great pleasures offered by ‘Casino Royale’ was the chance to see Bond confronted by female characters who could hold their own: not just Eva Green’s scheming Vesper, but Judi Dench’s fractious, commanding M. Dench was the best thing in ‘Quantum’, but she was let down by Olga Kurylenko’s fiery but underused Camille. It’s a lesson the makers of Bond have been long in learning: these women can be more than just eye-candy. A strong female lead doesn’t just centre the film, she allows writers and audiences a chance to get to the core of Bond himself.Please don’t remake the Bourne series
Both ‘Casino’ and ‘Quantum’ were clearly inspired by the downbeat realism of the Bourne trilogy, but while the former balanced gritty action sequences with a wry streak of self-deprecating humour, the writers and director of ‘Quantum’ seemed content with an endless parade of repetitive shakycam punch-ups in grimy locales. So, while action is clearly the lifeblood of the series, remember that Bond always benefits from a moment of levity amid the mayhem.Please show us something we haven’t seen before
It’s hard to think of anywhere Bond hasn’t been (Antarctica? Everest? Leamington Spa?), but one of ‘Quantum’ director Marc Forster’s better accomplishments was picking some stunning international locations, from the seedy streets of Panama and the barren Atacama Desert in Chile to the grandiose opera house at Lake Constance in Austria. While the old Bonds were increasingly confined to traipsing between MI6 and Moscow battling the same faceless, jabbering Russkies, the global nature of the new films’ mysterious conspiracy means that Bond can now head just about anywhere, and beat up just about anyone.Finally, we await the Bond producers’ choice of director with bated breath. Some interesting names have been rumoured, though we understand Danny Boyle has officially denied all knowledge and Christopher Nolan is busy with all that Batman business. But the Bond films have never been about the big-name directors; in fact, with names like Ian Fleming, Roald Dahl and Paul Haggis, you could say it’s one of the few major film series where the choice of writer actually matters more than the choice of director. Which is where you come in, Mr Morgan.
Good luck!
Yours in anticipation,
Tom
Comments 9 Responses to “Time Out write an open letter to Peter Morgan, Bond 23 writer”
I loved Quantum,and i also loved Royale. For the exception of everything being,Ford and Sony. I couldn’t really find any faults?
well, these are good tips only following all the tips doesn’t always make sense;) I’d stick with “impress us with locations we’ve never seen before” and making Bond more human, less automatic; everything else depends on the inspiration of the writer and keeping the plot reasoned. am really looking forward to the next film.
MOVIES COME AND GO.
BUT AS IT IS EVIDENT,TWO KINDS OF MOVIES HAVE BEEN SURVIVING IN HOLLYWOOD: WWII AND JAMES BOND MOVIES.
THEREFORE TO CREATE “007” DURING THE NAZI’S ERA WOULD BE,I THINK,
A SMASHING SUCCESS.
The next movie should be called, KILLING YOURSELF TO LIVE. I think thats a really cool name, there is an old Black Sabbath song that sounds James Bondish have Black Sabbath redo the song. For the new movie. I would at least like to meet the rest of the 00s.
Please dont use some of the old titles it weakens the franchise. Need to keep using those cool titles of the old days.
No! No! the best choice for the next bond artist has to be “SEAL” his raw vocals are just crammed with energy and tension.
He has the ability to capture audiences and listeners with his electically charged vocal talent. Just listen to his track ” loaded like a gun” on his album SYSTEM if you need convincing or any number of his fast moving or slower ballads. He must surely be considered a real contender for the next Bond movie. He may even play a cameo role such is his presence and dramatic artistry.
Think about it surely it makes a lot of sense.
Bond Producers PLEASE TAKE NOTE!
Quantum was easily the worst Bond film to date, hands down. I love the Bond films, but have only seen Quantum once. Two reasons it stunk were the movie itself and the title song made me sick.
1. The first thing that comes to mind was the terrible song. I was embarrassed, even more so when I heard the song that was rejected. Time to let the fans take over and have some say, to vote for the song. Who is approving this stuff? That person is one who needs to be sat down and spoken to.
2. Mr. Craig is OK but they messed up the traditional dark-haired actor playing Bond, otherwise his is fine.
3. In Casino, the famous (and my favorite part) gunbarrel into was missing. Right from the begining without that, it was hard to get excited. We got lucky at the end of Quantum to see it, but at the end. How is that supposed to excit you of about what’s to come?
3. More Bond music too, it has disappeared the last two films basically.
4. Eva Green was very very nice, she grew on me, but Caterina Murino was pretty hot and I hated to see her make an early exit.
5. Lets not forget about the great gadgets, the awesome car was hardly used in Casino. There was nothing in Quantum.
6. The torture scene in Casino was totally unnecessary. The worst I have seen in a Bond film.
7. The beginning of Quantum was so bad with the film “jerking” around, being too fast, just made you dizzy sort of, just sssslllooow it down please.
So yes, there are many lessons to be learned from the past 2 screw-ups, especially Quantum. It was so bad that anything is an improvement.
Looking forward to Bond being back as he should!!!!
I think Mr. Craig if Great as the latest James Bond, and hope to see in more Bond films to come. There are many books written about James Bond which have not as of yet been made into films. It must be very hard to have to try to make each new Bond film, better than the last. With the new Mr. Craig, we have now an opportunity to explore what he was like, when new in the service. On that note, there is a series of 5 books called the Young Bond series, all of which should be turned into movies. (this would call for another new actor of course!) Best of luck in your future endeavors
There are plenty of flaws in both Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace. One thing that is absent from both of these movies is the good taste in music. Yes I did like You Know My Name and No I didn’t like Another Way To Die but the songs are not important at this point. The score is and David Arnold just managed to compose to of the most nonmelodic and uninteresting Bond scores of all time. This is embarrassing. Listen to OHMSS and TLD and DAF. These are maybe the best film scores ever done. Bringing back the Walther PPK as Bonds weapon of choice was a major bonus for Quantum Of Solace. I like the darkness of the new Bond movies but maybe we should look at Timothy Daltons movies. He is probably the best Bond so far. Either him or Connery. The villains were awesome and the ladies mattered — As mentioned before. I didn’t think the Quantum organization was very interesting. The idea of making another Spectre failed completely. Of course the writer can’t do anything about the music but Bond is an intelligent man. Not a brainless thug. That is what makes both CR and QOS kind on uninteresting. Bond is simply too stupid. And yes. I agree on the fact that the next Bond movie should not be a Jason Bourne rip off — Even though Jason Bourne is a rip off from Bond — Amnesia? Read “You only live twice” and “The man with the golden gun” to find out where that idea came from. Bourne sucks. Yes the locations have always mattered. Also the casting. DAD and QOS had the two worst casting I have ever experienced in the Bond movies. Also give the villains some trait marks. I liked Le Chiffres bleeding eye like i Liked Oddjobs hat and Scaramangas third nipple. That is the only way to make a decent movie. The henchmen in both CR and QOS were very weak. If that is realism than it doesn’t suit Bond very well even though I don’t think we should go back to another Jaws or Mayday. I must confess that I don’t like Daniel Craig that much — Due to his look, but that is beside the point. Bond shouldn’t be so primitive. Give him sme gadgets but keep it down to earth a bit. No Sci-Fi like invisible cars and cars that turn into sub marines and stuff like that. I really liked the stunts in the old Bond movies. Action has to be kind of original. The villains in the Bond movies all had originl ideas on how to kill Bond but in the two latest movies they were very primitive. I want another scene like the laserbeam scene in Goldfinger or the scene in For Your Eyes Only where Bond and Melina are being dragged behind a big boat through a reef full of sharks and YES — I do miss the sharks in the Bond movies. Watch Licence To Kill to get some cool ideas. The last thing I want to say is this: It could be nice if Bond didn’t turn into a roque agent for once. He is professional. He is not to be very imotional all the time even though there should be some depth in the love scenes — Just as there is in the books. These are the words and yes — Do read: The man with the golden gun, Moonraker, The Spy Who Loved me, Diamonds Are Forever and Live and Let Die for inspiration. There is plenty in these books that has not yet been used.
I am a Bond fan who sees great potential in more Bond Movies.
With our technology, an new Q being R needs to be deveolped as a charactor. R would have sound wave, internet,and even more futuristic gadgets.
I recommend using a double, double Bond. A secret 007 agent with a twin !!! There are so many options that could since Bond into the future. Maybe even a female bond with femanist overtones !!!
Please keep Bond in our future.