The Books of Nicolas Suszczyk

Having seen some great success with The World of GoldenEye and The Bond of the Millennium, Nicolas Suszczyk will return with Beyond the Ice, an analysis - of the good and bad - of Die Another Day. Check out his announcement here:

https://ns-writings.blogspot.com/2020/05/its-not-secret-its-surprise.html

Well that sounds quite intriguing.

Hi fellas, thank you for this thread - I really feel honoured.

The post is pretty much explainatory, I'm working on a Die Another Day book ;)
It's not the 20th yet, but DAD has had a lot of critticism. I was one of them. I remember loving the film a lot when I first watched it, then feeling a bit disappointed by the overabundance of CGI and slo-mo effects. But in these 18 years I started taking another look at the film and I said: hey, this is a post 9/11 film, not the Craig ones. I mean, the Craig films have their merits (can't say I dislike them) but everyone seems to focus on the invisible car and the CGI tsunami and forget how relevant the DAD story is: NSA, North Korea, Cuba, infiltration on the enemy field, the first proper mole in the series (Miranda Frost), Brosnan's Bond at its grittiest... I think DAD is certainly different in tone to GE, TND, TWINE and anticipated a lot of what we saw in the Craig era.

And those posters... how colorful and eye-popping they were!

NS wrote:

I was one of them. I remember loving the film a lot when I first watched it, then feeling a bit disappointed by the overabundance of CGI and slo-mo effects. But in these 18 years I started taking another look at the film

I was the same. I'd include it near the bottom of my ranking because I felt that's what was required as a Bond fan. Then I realised I'd readily reach for DAD over the likes of the 70s films and had more fun than CR06, QOS and SP.

NS wrote:

But in these 18 years I started taking another look at the film and I said: hey, this is a post 9/11 film, not the Craig ones.

Yes. For me it embraces what James Bond is about in a post 9/11 world without feeling any sense of shame which has plagued Craig's era, particularly CR06, QOS and SP. The main issue in DAD lies with allowing Tamahori an extensive rewrite, but even then it's superficial. That sadly stops people from seeing what it really is... under the skin.

NS wrote:

everyone seems to focus on the invisible car and the CGI tsunami

Exactly! DAD is over 2 hours long and yet the CGI tsunami lasts 45 seconds. Get rid of the scene and jump straight from Bond escaping the bio-dome to the car chase and not a lot is lost. Still, I can ride the wave with the tsunami scene (pun intended! ) because Bond's character isn't compromised. It's one of the last examples of Bond using his wits to get out of a tricky situation; assembling what he needs from the ice yacht's wreckage and his emergence with Arnold's cracking Bond theme rendition is fun. The CGI is the modern equivalent to some of the dodgy green screen/back projection work like the MR cable car fight - we all seem to be able to roll with that and have fun.

Similarly, the Vanish. If a Bond fan can buy the Wet Nellie then the Vanish, something rooted in real stealth technology, is just as plausible. Perhaps the flaws of the technology should have been exploited more to make the most of such gadgetry (explore the cons, such as the track marks, motor running, etc.) but it's excellently employed in the car chase and the technology is perfectly exploited in the final moments of Zao's life.

The other issue is the dialogue, but again, it's a surface problem. Much of the hate directed at Jinx, for example, because of some of her lines. But she has solid chemistry with Brosnan and has an excellent physicality showcased in the action scenes. Her dialogue just seems to stem from Tamahori's rewrite and his idea of 'cool'. But given the tone of the film, it's not something that should detract too much from overall enjoyment.

NS wrote:

everyone seems to... forget how relevant the DAD story is: NSA, North Korea, Cuba, infiltration on the enemy field, the first proper mole in the series (Miranda Frost), Brosnan's Bond at its grittiest

Quite. The through line of the film is great, and Bond up against the communists in the shape of North Koreans is very interesting. Good point about Miranda Frost. Had the film focused more on her character as per Purvis and Wade's original script, it would have gone down as one of the best. Because given all of Tamahori's faults with technology, outlandish ideas and dialogue, he brings the ballsiness of old-school espionage to the forefront (particularly in the first half) and some very ambient images (prisoner exchange, streets/factories of Cuba, how he captures Brosnan throughout).

As for the posters - if only they'd be as colourful these days (though NTTD has returned to that I believe with their latest poster). I quite like this one:

Hi guys!



BEYOND THE ICE is out now: bit.do/beyondtheice

Great cover art! I'll certainly be making a purchase soon.

This one intrigues, look forward one day to getting my mits on it.