loogthan
Adventurer
A true career inspiration in the arts to a refined film analyst and screenwriter.
Posts: 62
|
Post by loogthan on Jun 7, 2007 11:47:34 GMT -5
Since we have regretfully lost the opportunity to see Pierce as Bond, I’ve decided to read the novels (or novelizations) of Pierce’s Bond movies. As an English lit major and film student, I’m always impressed by the text and envisioned how the films could be enhanced in quality if they spent more time with the drama scenes over the action sequences. I read On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and felt that Pierce would have done a terrific job with the emotional scenes (i.e. the proposal and the final scene). Before Casino Royale was released, I read the novel (with Pierce in mind)--it would be a stronger film if they followed the structure of the text (I have not seen the film yet). I am curious about other fans’ opinions: if Pierce still had the role, which other Bond novels would be perfect for him to star in (by the other recent authors rather Fleming’s novels)? My plan is to read the suggested novels because I’m not really sure which authors actually capture the original Bond in a similar way to Fleming’s creation.  |
|
|
|
Post by Ace on Jun 17, 2007 13:04:32 GMT -5
I meant to answer this earlier. Sorry.
Raymond Benson has written the novelizations of Pierce's last three films. They deviate a bit from the script, TND more than the others because the script was still being re-written after the noveliation was done. They often read as basically the script with some mediocre prose surrounding. Mediocre is also the best that can be said for Benson's Bond novels. They actually have good plots but he's not really a novelist in my opinion. Yes he's written novels but his writing is probably best appreciated in his Bond Bedside Companion book. He's obviously a fan but I've read much better Bond fan fiction. His attempts at the the Fleming sweep, Fleming's journalist's eye for detail and Fleming's panache for the grotesque and elegant are labored and clunky.
Gardner who wrote most of the continuation novels in the 70s- early 90s and the novelization of Goldeneye (not very good -- he was obviously running on fumes by then) is a far better writer. He'd previously published novels before taking the job. But I don't think his heart is in Bond -- it was too restrictive for him. He did change things, the kind of car he drove, Bond being specifically older (in his 40s as opposed to Fleming's perpetual 37) his rank etc being the most superficial-- but his Bond seems different. Less the dedicated sensualist and more soberly about the work. His plots feature plenty of double/triple and quadruple crosses -- and the first few times it's fresh then you're expecting them. But some of his books are rather good.
Kingsley Amis wrote one book -- Colonel Sun. It's easily the best of the non Fleming titles and better than several of Fleming's. He's also a better writer technically than Fleming though he too misses some of that keen journalist eye attention to detail and the ability to almost seemlessly incorporate it into character, setting and plot which I think separates Fleming from many writers.
My favorite Fleming novels are - Moonraker, Thunderball, OHMSS, You Only Live Twice. My favorite heroine is Tiffany Case from Diamonds Are Forever which is a mixed bag though as a book. I pretty much dislike the Bond character in Casino Royale. It has a GREAT opening line though -- one of the best in all of literature and a marvelous intro of a character. I think Fleming was finding his feet here though (it was his first novel) and the plot and characterizations are clunky.
|
|
