The Johnny English Thread

I'm hungover so I can't be bothered looking for an existing thread today. 

That said, cameras have begun rolling on a third instalment based on Purvis and Wade's character. It's due for release next year, so it might be nice to see some Bond-esque action between now and Bond 25. 

I'd also love to see how they poke fun at the Bond series/spy genre.

The first one was a right laff. I saw the second one but once and, from memory, it was a bit shit and tried to be pseudo-serious.

Dunno if I'll see the third one, but I hope it's non-shit. Are white male microaggressors allowed to be funny anymore?

The Pike alone makes the second one watchable.

I hope Atkinson and team poke fun at the Bourne editing style, and satirise the 'origins' narrative structure that is diluting cinema.

Looks like... yeah.

A lot of Bond stuff as expected. GE-esque scene with the cyclists, DAD-esque virtual reality goggles, QOS-esque Helga who's not one for typecasting.

Looking forward to the new Johnny English. The first two were breezy fun and this looks no different. Also pleasantly surprised to see Bough back from the first film.

"Strikes again?"
It is "You only live three times" in German. It works better in German, a quite nice YOLT-variation. And it is a Bondian reference, whereas "Strikes again" could be pretty much everything. That's disappointing.

The hacker who reveals the identity of secret agents is SF, the digital threat is SP...The only agent who can take on the cyber criminals because he was not digitalised is, well, I'd say, a "dinosaur" (which would combine Craig-Bond and Brosnan-Bond)?
This is very Bondian...

I liked best when he had the cocktail umbrella in his nose...

The character is spun off from a series of Barclaycard ads that starred Atkinson as an inept (but unnamed) secret agent.

If anything, as far this new trailer goes, I am pleased to see the choice of Aston. Something that made the first JE special.

Kath wrote:

"Strikes again?"
It is "You only live three times" in German. 

That would have been a much better title, I agree.

FieldsMan wrote:

Kath wrote:

"Strikes again?"
It is "You only live three times" in German. 

That would have been a much better title, I agree.

Especially because he's reborn in the preceding film. And it is the third part of the film series.
This is a very clever "translation".

Just back from seeing Strikes Again. Heavily inspired by Skyfall (in premise and themes), which should have been funnier and more focused then what we get. I laughed and had fun, but not something I'd rush to see again soon.

One thing I like from the new trailer or old trailer, is his make of Aston he's driving. Since Living Daylights my absolute favourite Aston. Shame his is not black or racing green. In lieu of no Bond, Johnny English might be my only hope.

Vic Armstrong does make decent use of the Aston.

So Armstrong's gone from Bond action-arranger to Bond-parody action-arranger?

Oh well, beats directing that Nic Cage Apocalypse movie I guess.

Let's not lament that... MP would have a field day.

MP?

Johnny English sounds like it should star Anthony Weiner in the lead...

Vic Armstrong's doing the Johnny English films? Cor. Dare we hope George Lazenby in the fourth film? No? Oh well.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

MP?

Makeshift Python.

Hilly wrote:

Vic Armstrong's doing the Johnny English films? Cor. Dare we hope George Lazenby in the fourth film? No? Oh well.

Stranger things have happened. Beside Olga, another of the Bond family was poached, albeit briefly, for Strikes Again.

And it will mean another sequel. I'm hoping the eighth one will be called OctoJohnny.

Ah.

The bit from the Strikes Again trailer where English drops over the side of a boat, only to land on a lower deck instead of in the water ... couldn't help but be reminded of when one of the Naked Gun flicks did the same gag.

Speaking of, where are all the Naked Gun/Airplane!/Hot Shots! style comedy films these days?

Killed off by the terribleness of those Date Movie/Epic Movie/Not Another Teen Movie etc. things would be my guess.

CJB wrote:

Speaking of, where are all the Naked Gun/Airplane!/Hot Shots! style comedy films these days?

I believe all of those were written by the team of Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker (as well as "Police Squad" which was the origins of "The Naked Gun" series), so the issue is probably that they no longer write them?

Salome wrote:

I believe all of those were written by the team of Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker (as well as "Police Squad" which was the origins of "The Naked Gun" series), so the issue is probably that they no longer write them?

Right you are. More's the pity.

BI wrote:

Killed off by the terribleness of those Date Movie/Epic Movie/Not Another Teen Movie etc. things would be my guess.

Ah yes, those were pretty bad.

The first couple of Scary Movie films had their moments, but there was certainly a generational gap in terms of target audience between them and the slapstick parody films of the 80's and 90's. The former seemed to be squarely aimed at teenagers and 20-somethings (late era Gen X-ers, early Gen Y crowd) while the Zucker/Abrahams numbers had broader appeal and knew how to be crude and clever.

"Oh Stewardess, I speak Jive."