A reboot of James Bond? That's what it seems like from this interview with director Martin Campbell. Interesting notion.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainmen ... 3109c.html

It could work, but then it really gets down to having the right person playing Bond - especially if they are going for less gadgets and more espionage.

I recently watched "The Bourne Identity" and "The Bourne Supremacy," which was even better than the first film. The quality of the Bourne movies convinced me that a James Bond film can be made without all the destructive satellites and power-mad despots and still be an exciting, action-packed film. As you say, though, so much depends on who they cast.

I saw "Dr. No" the other day and although it has its evil despot trying to take over the world and Bond has some gadgets I couldn't help noticing how much of the movie has him skulking around. Connery was in quite a bit of the movie without really doing anything. I enjoy the movie as a whole but had forgotten how much drama there was in this one.

That's what I loved about Dr. No--the skulking around. A lot of what he does in the newer movies is the fun kind of action, whereas in Dr.No we get the impression that being an 00 isn't fun all the time. I also liked the way the early Bond was played as kind of a nasty guy, who had to be nasty to do what he does.

I agree...more espionage and less sci-fi Jerry Brukheimer type action and stunts...

What else has Martin Campbell done??

He's directed a ton of television shows, including "Homicide: Life on the Street," but the most well-known movies he's done are probably "Goldeneye" and "The Mask of Zorro." He also directed an action film with Chris O'Donnell called "Vertical Limit," but I haven't seen that one.

Goldeneye was, for my money, the best Bond film since Live & Let Die, and better than several of the later Connery films.

This news also gives the rumors about casting an unknown more weight, I believe. If the film is supposed to take place at the beginning of Bond's career, then it makes sense to cast a younger actor. I imagine that they'll recast the other principals as well; M, Q, Moneypenny, and so on.

Be a shame if they recast the rest, since they've got such a great cast now with Judi Densch, John Cleese and Samantha Bond.

I especially like Samantha Bond as Moneypenny, since she has the same quality Lois Maxwell had: strikingly attractive in a real-world kind of way, but never done up with enough glamour to catch 007's eye. They had a blonde woman (Caroline Bliss) playing her in the Dalton films who looked like she was out of the Van Halen video (she looks like a Playboy model BUT SHE HAS GLASSES!), which was totally wrong for the character.

Kevin - im a big fan of Homicide life on the street - so thats good news. I enjoyed Goldeneye a lot as well..

Even more rumors around the net this weekend about the new James Bond. One London newspaper reported that Clive Owen and another British actor named Daniel Craig are the finalists for the role. (Craig is probably best known to American audiences for his role opposite Angelina Jolie in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.) Meanwhile, Julian McMahon of "Nip/Tuck" and Fantastic Four movie stated to an Australian paper that he's in contention for the role, and that he was told it was between himself and one other person.



And none of them look right to me. I suppose that, of the three, McMahon comes closest.

I think Julian McMahon would do well if he played Bond EXACTLY like how he plays Christian Troy: a complete bastard who's so cool we love him anyway.

Couldn't agree more, Hank!

I swear, that picture of Clive Owen looks like David Schwimmer.

HEY KEVIN!!!!!

...what'cha doin' on November 17th?

Gee, I dunno. Maybe I'll go see a movie.

We're buying our tickets tomorrow!!!!!!!

I haven't seen one since the first Brosnan.

I used to be such a big fan, too.

...well, except for The World is Dumb Enough, I like all the Brosnan films.

Of course, TWINE has my favourite theme song (oh, let's not get into that debate again - I'll be forced to bring out 'Tomorrow Never Dies' on ya as well, and ask how Culture Club never did a Bond theme...), so I guess I'm happy it got made.

I just coulda done without the, oh I dunno, whiniest Bond villain ever!!!!

Really. Even the two gay villains from Diamonds Are Forever were way more menacing. And Robbie can play such a psycho too...

I liked TWINE a lot. I didn't view Robbie Coltrane as a villain in the movie, though. Just one of those minor adversaries-turned-allies that pop up every now and then. And even though Denise Richards wasn't very believable as a nuclear scientist, well....does that really matter?!

Nope. Didn't bother me none!