Continuity & SKYFALL

I don't think they're really considered a part of the film canon, though.

No, I don't either, I'm just using it as an example of the idea that Bond has gone on many adventures between QOS and SF that have brought him closer to the Bond we know, and that the notion expressed by the games that CraigBond has had his own version of the classic Bond adventures by now semi-explains SKYFALL's "have its cake and eat it to" attitude towards the two Bond timelines.

And that, for the last time, EON will not be remaking the earlier films.

I did get the feeling that SKYFALL was a lot like INGLORIOUS BASTERDS in that it seemed to exist outside itself. And by that I mean SKYFALL wasn't limited to its own story; anything and everything that crossed its path had its own story to it, even if that story was never detailed.

Who, for instance, is Patrice? We know he is a silent mercenary with an earring who uses bullets made of depleted uranium. Even if no backstory was given, we can fill in the blanks ourselves and make the film a richer experience. I like to think that Patrice is a French-Canadian who joined the French Foreign Legion and was sent to the Congo, only for he and his unit to get screwed over for political reasons. Years later, he re-emerged as a kickboxer in the underground fighting circuit in Thailand where he met Raoul Silva. Silva saw the same qualities in Patrice as he did himself, and gave shelter to Patrice and his unit, which is how he got his own loyal band of followers.

That's just one possible explanation for it, something straight off the top of my head. But whether intentional or not, I like the way SKYFALL is populated with characters that I can engage with like that. It tells its own story, but parts of it are open-ended and I find those open ends can extend beyond the story for the audience.

Why is there a big fuss over continuity? Why don't people question why Bond fluctuates in age, exists in a youthful fashion during the Cold War, and is a new OO agent in 2006 post 9/11?

Seriously, aside from CR/QOS and arguably DN/FRWL, there isn't really a timeline. There are references (i.e. Tracy's grave popping up in FYEO, recurring characters such as Tanner and General Gogol), but a sense of continuity cannot be justified. And if it can, there is usually something else to counter it.

Put it this way: the James Bond franchise is different to the Harry Potter franchise.

FieldsMan wrote:

Why is there a big fuss over continuity? Why don't people question why Bond fluctuates in age, exists in a youthful fashion during the Cold War, and is a new OO agent in 2006 post 9/11?

I suspect it might be conditioning. When was the last time we had a Bond film that most people could honestly say they enjoyed? CASINO ROYALE came close, but there were a few hold-outs. Based on the reactions I've seen so far, pretty much everyone who liked CASINO ROYALE, plus most of those who did not, enjoyed SKYFALL. Even Lazenby. - he says he likes it in the "those who like it and those who don't" thread - which I didn't think was possible given that he's been so pessimistic about it for the past year.

So we've got this film that everyone is enjoying, but for a lot of people, the usual reaction to a new film is to grip about what they don't like. The problem is that there are no critical flaws with the film, so people are having to go to extraordinary lengths to find something to dislike.

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

Even Lazenby. - he says he likes it in the "those who like it and those who don't" thread - which I didn't think was possible given that he's been so pessimistic about it for the past year.

Despite a lot of issues with them, I'm fairly sure Laz is in the "liked it" camp for both CR and QOS. The most surprising convert is Ambler..

Also, CR was a clean break from the old series, so there is sort've an expectation for continuity now. Frankly I dont see any problems other than the GF DB5 being in SF but at the end of the day a lot can happen in six years.

Control wrote:

There's not only this, but as Silva, M, and even Q mention Bond's past, along with Mi6's past, it seems as if James Bond has more than just 6 years of double-o experience under his belt. He was working for Mi6 in the 80s, as he knew of Silva and his section, although I understand that that information doesn't prove that he was promoted to double-o status before 2006. In Bond's obituary, M also refers to him as commander; therefore, we're supposed to believe that Bond was granted this rank in just 6 years? And I suppose he had the Aston DB5 that he won from Dimitrios outfitted by Q Branch following CASINO ROYALE?

Just to follow this up...

Bond knows of Silva's work at Section H. That information could have been easily obtained, I suppose.

Silva claims he worked there from '86 to '97.

Largo's Shark wrote:

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

Control wrote:

He was working for Mi6 in the 80s,

I don't recall that ever being mentioned.

Yeah. Craig's Bond would have been a teen at Fettes in the 80s.

This is still probable and a possible continuity flub.

Bond and Silva don't look too far apart, as far as age goes.

Largo's Shark wrote:

Control wrote:

Largo's Shark wrote:

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

Control wrote:

He was working for Mi6 in the 80s,

I don't recall that ever being mentioned.

Yeah. Craig's Bond would have been a teen at Fettes in the 80s.

Then I guess Bond studies ex-Mi6 agents on his spare time?

When they first meet, Bond recalls that Silva was Head of Section H (I believe) in the 80s.

Quote :

42 INT. MI6 BUNKER -- DAY

BOND is on a treadmill doing a physical examination and TANNER continues to debrief him

TANNER
We've attempted to trace the computer message, but it was sent by an asymmetrical security algorithm, which bounced the signal all over the globe through over a thousand different servers. And now that they've accessed M's codes it's only a matter of time before they're able to decrypt the list.

We then see Bond doing sit-ups as Tanner continues

TANNER
Q Branch have been analysing the picture, but so far nothing. General feeling is it's probably someone from her past, perhaps when she was running things in Hong Kong. She's no idea what it all means.

Quote :

BOND
Station H. Am I right? Hong Kong?

SILVA
Um-hmm. '86 to '97. Back then, I was her favorite. And you're not nearly the agent I was, I can tell you that.

There is no flub you are receding...

A distant ship, SMOKE ON THE HORIZON!

You are only coming through in waves!