So too Martin Scorsese with our Howard Hughes biopic, “The Aviator.” A topic like Mr. Hughes naturally invitations controversy and excessive emotion. The push from exterior the artistic circle was for the lurid and sensational, however Marty stared down each problem that threatened our extra humane model of the story. He typically stated, “Sure, that might make an fascinating Howard Hughes film, however it’s not our Howard Hughes film.” Considerably, within the case of each “Gladiator” and “The Aviator,” we had been working with courageous producers who defended our decisions. They cared extra in regards to the artwork than in regards to the backside line.
While you’re making a film, you want a champion to combat battles like these. Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson are the champions of James Bond. They preserve the company and business pressures exterior the door. Nor are they motivated by them. That’s why we don’t have a mammoth Bond Cinematic Universe, with infinite anemic variations of 007 sprouting up on TV or streaming or in spinoff motion pictures. The Bond motion pictures are really essentially the most bespoke and handmade movies I’ve ever labored on. That’s why they’re unique, thorny, eccentric and particular. They had been by no means created with attorneys and accountants and e-commerce mass advertising and marketing pollsters hovering within the background.
That is additionally why they’ll afford to be daring. Right here’s an instance from “Skyfall” — my favourite day engaged on the film, in reality.
Sam Mendes, the director, and I marched into Barbara and Michael’s workplace, sat on the household desk and pitched the primary scene between Bond and the villain, Raoul Silva. Now, the second 007 first encounters his archnemesis is commonly the enduring second in a Bond film, the scene round which you construct plenty of the narrative and cinematic rhythms. (Take into consideration Bond first assembly Dr. No or Goldfinger or Blofeld, all traditional scenes within the franchise.) Effectively, Sam and I boldly introduced we needed to do that pivotal scene as a homoerotic seduction. Barbara and Michael didn’t must ballot a spotlight group. They didn’t must vet this radical concept with any studio or company — they cherished it immediately. They knew it was recent and new, provocative in a approach that retains the franchise modern. They weren’t afraid of controversy. In my expertise, not many massive motion pictures can work with such freedom and dangerous pleasure. However with the Broccoli/Wilson household on the helm, Bond is allowed to impress, develop and be idiosyncratic. Lengthy might that proceed.
James Bond has survived the Chilly Conflict, Goldfinger, Jaws, disco and Ernst Stavro Blofeld, a number of occasions. And I can solely hope that the powers-that-be at Amazon acknowledge the distinctiveness of what they only acquired and permit and encourage this particular household enterprise to proceed unobstructed.
Bond’s not “content material” and he’s not a mere commodity. He has been part of our lives for many years now. From Sean Connery to George Lazenby to Roger Moore to Timothy Dalton to Pierce Brosnan to Daniel Craig, all of us grew up with our model of 007, so we care deeply about him.
Please let 007 drink his martinis in peace. Don’t shake him, don’t stir him.
John Logan co-wrote the screenplays for the James Bond movies “Skyfall” and “Spectre.” He was nominated for Academy Awards for greatest unique screenplay for “The Aviator” and “Gladiator” and for greatest tailored screenplay for “Hugo.” He received the Tony Award for greatest play for “Purple.”
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