Re: The Refugee Audiophile thread #1

**Seamaster** Fri Aug 13, 2010 5:31 pm

It's a nice thought, but don't hold your breath.

**Iago** Sat Aug 14, 2010 9:28 am

Well, the concern is that they seem to alternate the "serious" with the "silly." From Lazenby to Moore to Dalton to Brosnan to Craig -- a flip-flop every time! (Connery is unique in that his films went from the serious to the silly without changing actors.)

**Seamaster** Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:27 am

I'm not sure that trend is necessarily tied to the actors, though it is certainly a part (no pun intended). I think it mostly has to do with the era and what directors and writers think the audience wants. Connery's Bond run intersected such a shift where society went from more serious (early 60s) to silly (late 60s and into the 70s). Lazenby's Bond hit right on that transitional period, which is part of the reason why I think he wasn't well received. Half the audience didn't want a serious Bond at that time.

**Iago** Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:35 am

That is certainly true. It is worth noting that Eon retreated after OHMSS and went back to goofball mode with Diamonds Suck Forever starring Connery, the made the shift back semi-permanent by hiring Moore.

No, the shifts in tone are not entirely due to the actors, but it is true that they tailored the material to fit the Bond. That is why there is such a difference between Living Daylights and Licence to Kill. The former was written prior to hiring Dalton, though they did hastily add a few "dramatic" moments to fit his portrayal. Licence was written for him.

Brosnan's films started out more balanced with Goldeneye, but then rapidly deteriorated into oblivion. Obviously, the whole Casino Royale shift in tone was sort of a package deal; they wanted to take the series a more serious direction after the wretched excess of Die Another Day so they hired Craig to fit that change in direction.

**Seamaster** Mon Aug 16, 2010 12:37 pm

Brosnan had such potential. I never really understood what happened with his Bond.

**Iago** Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:11 pm

I suppose it was a combination of Broccoli & Wilson plus Brosnan himself. I really thought that he did a great job in Goldeneye -- and I was skeptical going in to it for the first time. I now give most of the credit for how well that film turned out to director Martin Campbell. It is no accident that the two best Bond films in the last two decades were both directed by him.

Campbell, by the way, is finishing up work on The Green Lantern. I am hopeful that he will give us the first good non-Batman DC universe film in a long, long time.

**Seamaster** Tue Aug 17, 2010 9:20 am

Yes, I haven't been disappointed in Campbell film. I even enjoyed Vertical Limit.

**Iago** Tue Aug 17, 2010 1:19 pm

I did as well. I even liked No Escape. While the film as a whole may have been mediocre, it was the first time that I noticed some nice touches that Campbell adds to action/suspense scene. My favorite moment is when Ray Liotta is first dropped on the island. He hears a noise in the woods, and reacts unlike a typical movie hero -- instead of just standing there like a moron, waiting to see what made the noise, he instantly takes off like a shot and makes for cover. Since he his character is supposed to be a seasoned military man, and that would be what his training would make him do when hearing a noise while out in the open in hostile territory, that would not seem like such a remarkable reaction. However, I have seen countless movies where various supposed "special forces" veterans just stand there and wait to get attacked or killed.

It is one thing to have to scream at a character in a horror movie who blithely walks into danger, but it is harder to take it when the character is trained to know better.

And keep in mind that Campbell directed one of the best fight scenes ever in a Bond movie -- the brutal battle between Brosnan and Sean Bean on top of the radar dish in Goldeneye. While of course the stunt coordinators and fight coordinators deserve credit, they are the same ones that worked on other Bond movies with less interesting results, so I give Campbell much of the credit for how that one turned out.

I stopped by Target today to try to pick up The Arcade Fire's new album, which they did not have, but I managed to pick up the Black Keys new one instead for $10. I will let you know what I think when I get a chance to sit down and really listen to it.

**Seamaster** Tue Aug 17, 2010 4:49 pm

Give the album several listens before you make your judgment.

Talking of brutal fight scenes, I still think the fight scene leading up to the opening credits of Casino Royale was particularly brutal, especially considering it was a Bond film.

Did you ever see Sean Bean in Bravo Two Zero? The movie wasn't very good, but Bean did a commendable job given the sub-par script and dodgy directing.

**Iago** Tue Aug 17, 2010 6:33 pm

I have not seen that.

I love the fight scenes in Royale as well, and I give much of the credit again to Campbell. I just mentioned the fight in Goldeneye because if I had to narrow it down to my favorites from the entire series, it would have to be the train fight in From Russia with Love and the aforementioned fight in Goldeneye. But if I had to look at the action scenes over all, I think that Royale comes out on top.

I just put Brothers on my iPod to listen to at work tomorrow. I will give it a more serious listen later.

**Seamaster** Wed Aug 18, 2010 9:35 am

The thing I prefer about the fight scenes in Casino Royale is that they are more technically accurate. It is still a movie and much of it is still over the top, but, overall, I find the fight scenes to be much more realistic than any of the other Bond films to date.

**Iago** Thu Aug 19, 2010 4:42 am

Well, like I said, Goldeneye is more of a "balanced" film, with the balance being between more down to earth, realistic elements and typical "Bond" spectacle. If you have to have the humor, gadgets and over-the-top elements, Goldeneye is my favorite. But I absolutely prefer the more realistic approach of Casino Royale.

That is another thing that Campbell does better than most Bond directors: making the excessive stuff seem believable. The tank chase in Moscow is ridiculous, but it works anyway -- unlike similar chases in older Bond films. The foot chase in Royale is one of the best action scenes in the entire series, and while the action itself is hardly "realistic," it is filmed in such a way to make it nearly believable. At least, you can suspend your disbelief while watching it (unlike the shakey-cam action in Qauntum.)

**Seamaster** Thu Aug 19, 2010 11:27 am

The chase scene in Casino Royaleis at least rooted in two widely practiced arts: free running and wing chun. Yes, it is very much choreographed and that makes it less believable, but it is at least not some made up fancy that has no ties to the real world.

Regardless, you are quite correct about giving credit where credit is due--namely to the director, fight choreographers and stunt doubles.

**Iago** Fri Aug 20, 2010 5:01 am

Different topic, but I went hunting for the Shout! Factory Corman titles at Best Buy yesterday and could only find Piranha. I picked that one up. I also picked up Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog and The Arcade Fire's new album. I will post a review of Piranha when I get through it this weekend.

I did also listen to Brothers while I was driving, and you are correct: it will definitely require a few listens to pass judgment. My fist impression was that it was a bit more "pop"-sounding like Rubber Factory, while I prefer the rootsy sound of Magic Potion. However, I can tell that it will take more listening to pass real judgment.

**Seamaster** Fri Aug 20, 2010 11:02 am

Magic Potion and Chulahoma remain my favourite Black Keys albums. (If you have not heard Chulahoma, go out and buy it now!) But Brothers has certainly grown on me, even though the first few listens only left me feeling luke warm.

You found the original Piranha on Blu? I will need to look for that!

**Iago** Fri Aug 20, 2010 6:50 pm

I will pick up Chulahoma!

Shout! Factory has released the following Corman titles on Blu so far: Galaxy of Terror, Forbidden World (aka Mutant), Humanoids from the Deep, Death Race 2000 and Piranha. Piranha just came out. I watched it and all the supplements today save the commentary track, which I will finish tonight. (I know that you are not in to commentary tracks, but Joe Dante tracks are usually very entertaining.) I will post a full review tomorrow.

**Seamaster** Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:09 pm

I checked a local Best Buy and I couldn't find any of those titles. I will check a few other locations, but I might have to order via Amazon.

Have you gone to see Piranha in 3D?

**Iago** Mon Aug 23, 2010 1:19 pm

Amazon (US) does have Death Race 2000 for $15.49 right now, so I will probably order it there. I did watch Piranha with all the special features, and it is definitely worth a purchase. I can give more details later.

I stayed home all weekend, but I may try Piranha 3D this weekend. The reviews have actually been pretty decent (at least from those who "get" that kind of movie.)

**Seamaster** Mon Aug 23, 2010 1:41 pm

I might try and see Piranha 3D one evening this week. If I do, I'll let you know what I think.

**Iago** Mon Aug 23, 2010 4:52 pm

Don't take SeaJunior!

**Seamaster** Mon Aug 23, 2010 5:45 pm

I will likely go solo.

**Iago** Tue Aug 24, 2010 3:56 am

All of the reviews point out that it is an absolute nudity and gore fest. Everything in the movie goes one step past over-the-top. If done right, that could be a lot of fun.

**Seamaster** Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:09 pm

Kinda like Hell Ride. Have you seen that film?

**Iago** Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:16 pm

No, I have not seen that yet.

I did just order Death Race 2000 for $15.99 and Gremlins for $11.99 from Amazon. I am keeping the Corman/Dante theme going here! (Now if only we can get The Howling and Gremlins 2, then we will have something! Well, I will have something, anyway, in the latter case.)

**Seamaster** Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:45 pm

I had held off picking up Gremlins, but then I saw it advertised at Walmart for $9.99 CDN. I couldn't resist.

Hell Ride isn't bad for what it is: a biker movie. It's definitely gratuitous throughout, but then biker movies are supposed to be that way. It's written and directed by Larry Bishop, who also stars in the movie, alongside some usual favourites like Michael Madsen, Vinnie Jones, David Carradine and Dennis Hopper. Eric Balfour also does a good job (he's traditionally starred in a lot of TV spots).

Quentin Tarantino was a key player in motivating Bishop to make the movie. The main problem with the movie is that it's not edgy enough and it's pacing is too slow (despite a run time of only one hour and 23 minutes). It's easy to see how Tarantino or someone like Rodriguez could have made something really fun out of this movie, but Bishop just didn't pull it off. Maybe for his next outing.

The Blu-ray quality is fine. Colours are purposely crushed in some scenes, but that is done for effect. The sound, while available in uncompressed HD, didn't stand out. It gets the job done, but didn't sparkle like some of the better soundtracks I've heard.

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