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Spectre 007

Published by citadel on Fri, 04/17/2015 - 02:32
007 Spectre | James Bond faces off against his most dangerous nemesis in this newest adaptation of the Ian Fleming Classic with our music editorial presentation from West Coast Midnight Run.  Starring the music influence and editorial snippets of musicians such as Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Tina Turner, UNKLE, Lady Gaga and Grace Jones with the theatrical talents of Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Christoph Waltz, Dame Judi Dench, and Ralph Fiennes.
 
Our 007 Spectre music video editorial presentation and film review are to start very soon.  Hope you enjoy our efforts.  We are planning a seven-piece music editorial presentation along with our customary film review for the newest James Bond adventure, starring the ultimate British operative from MI6.
 
With the music inspiration and snippets from musicians and artists such as Tiesto, Tove Lo, Armin Van Buuren, UNKLE, and a few more names along with the theatrical talents of Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux (Mission Impossible fame with Tom Cruise), Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw as Q and Ralph Fiennes as the new M at MI6.
 
In the meantime, as we roll out this segment, you might enjoy our earlier efforts with Skyfall, in the 2012 edition of West Coast Midnight Run publication.
 
 
007 SPECTRE MOVIE REVIEW
 
 
 
 
Tired from the action thriller genre?  With a deluge of competition spanning several big name franchises such as Fast and Furious, The Bourne Identity, Mission Impossible and Man from UNKLE (already set for sequel and designed as a highly successful franchise of the cold-era spy genre) the oldest and most experienced name in cool, adult and ultra sexy action thrillers has been dealing friends and foes its best shots in many decades.
 
If you stayed away from James Bond in the most recent years, having bid adieu with the departure of Pierce Brosnan, heralded as the rightful successor to the Sean Connery legacy, you might have missed the efforts of Sam Mendes' signature series, a small set of 007 adventures with a more brutal, gritty and less bombastic style than its predecessors.
 
To boot, each of Sam Mendes' 007 espionage chapters seem to have been influenced by Chris Nolan's Dark Knight character.  Less campy and fancy gadgets and more visceral, bleak action and photography.  
 
The storylines offer an arc that started with Casino Royale and have continued the exposition with each subsequent piece; Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and now SPECTRE.
 
Daniel Craig has been the face and voice of 007 since 2006's Casino Royale from MGM/EON surprised critics and viewers with its latest re-incarnation that many a fan now swears by it as the definitive re-interpretation of the original Bond.
 
 
For those who did not miss Skyfall, it may have been Mendes' finest work yet and may have set an extremely fine mark to shoot down with SPECTRE.
 
It seems the punchline of Skyfall, can James Bond (and the 00 agents) miss a step or falter, became a taunting and haunting line that would revisit the 007 production team in the months ahead and may have provoked film critics to scrutinize harder and fiercer given the jabs thrown at MI6 by none other than the highly successful challenger, MI5 - not the internal domestic division of British Military Intelligence, but the fifth installment of Mission Impossible that endeared itself to Hollywood's movie reviewers and global moviegoers this year.
 
Lea Seydoux' previous collaboration with Mission Impossible may have further sharpened the will of critics and do Hollywood reviewers have their favorites to pine for?  "Of course not!!!" says the bartender serving Bond a Martini, stirred but not shaken.
 
Most of my colleagues have latched on to the opening sequence of SPECTRE in their critiques, the montage itself with Sam Smith's signature Bond song is a paltry follow-up to Adele's classic for Skyfall.  Very true, the montage itself is a trademark James Bond piece, that speaks sexy, erotic adult and exquisitely crafted filmmaking that "preps" the moviegoer for the new adventure.
 
 
The 007 montage, its sublime mix of live action and animation, has defined Bond's brand image since its creation and has set the standard in Cinema since the early 1960s.
 
SPECTRE's montage piece leaves the moviegoer in doubt before the movie starts as to what happened to the skilled creative talents that crafted the bewitching intro from Skyfall.
 
Aside from this immediately discernible gap, SPECTRE moves aggressively along as it did with its previous entries.  James Bond is back to his game, confident, brutal, knowing each move in the field could be his last, and working new relationships with Moneypenny (Naomie Harris).  There is a new Director of MI6, who has his hands full in attempting to adapt to the new threat dealt by an emerging global player that is relentlessly pursuing the destruction of the agency and appears to know the inner workings of its finest agents.
 
SPECTRE is extremely enjoyable Bond and lead femme fatale Seydoux never disappoints.  Remember the sparks thrown by Halle Berry as Jinx opposite Pierce Brosnan in Die Another Day?  This team up of Craig and Seydoux is far better, and has more classic Skyfall/Sean Connery shades of Bond than any of the most recent 007 adventures.
 
If you fell in love with Sam Mendes' efforts with Eva Green in Quantum of Solace, he does it better in SPECTRE.  Seydoux gives Craig something to work with without clipping into his role as 007.
 
 
THE SECRET BOND FORMULA
 
Ever wondered about the secret 007 formula to James Bond thrills and excitement?  It's so simple really it's hiding in plain sight.
 
For the 00 agent, each movie is actually two movies in one.  Have you noticed how each Bond film starts with our favorite spy on a mission?  The viewer catches our hero at the climax of the first movie, there are stunts and action galore, hyper kinetic excitement, adrenaline spikes and a huge thrill ride fraught with death and danger.  The sequence ends, the Bond traditional fanfare breaks the Champagne, the audience cools off with the signature montage and as 007 is back into the office being briefed on his next mission, the one the moviegoer will enjoy in more detail culminating in a series of thrill rides and death defying stunts as our hero meets adversity head on.
 
It takes two hits to make a 00 agent and each 007 movie's signature formula is two spy thriller action adventures rolled into one for double your pleasure and double the adrenaline fix - shaken, not stirred dear reader.
 
 
IT'S PERSONAL, IT'S NOT BUSINESS
 
SPECTRE gives Bond an ultra-loaded Aston Martin but Mendes does his best to downplay gadgets.  The film keeps the tension high strung by keeping the motivation for SPECTRE under the Revenge brief.  The storyline has shades of classic Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes thriller novels.
 
One of the highlights of this film is SPECTRE's hideout in the middle of nowhere.  It has classic X-Files Fight The Future (1998) written all over it, except Mendes relies on his favorite Far East trappings in depicting the place.
 
 
Both X-Files' Mulder and Scully as well as SPECTRE's Bond and Swann follow a train ride to the middle of nowhere in locating their target.
 
 
Built for the 2008 Olympics (and will host the 2022 events as well) the Beijing National Stadium, originally named Bird's Nest, was conceived by French architects Jacques de Herzog and Pierre de Meuron.  Although the SPECTRE hideout is far more "organic" the resemblance is so striking, the viewer is unable to shake the juxtaposition.
 
 
SPECTRE'S LONGEVITY
 
Perhaps the only other significant misstep for 007 SPECTRE that may have displeased die-hard critics is the movie's treatment of S.P.E.C.T.R.E. the global terrorist organization, as it has far less of the shadow and reach of its former re-incarnations.
 
Were critics whining about campy Roger Moore and far-fetched plot lines and plausibility issues?  SPECTRE and Sam Mendes avoid playing into these potholes and push the movie and characters into a more realistic and pragmatic circle, although for some it may result in less hand-wringing and less nail biting cliffhangers.
 
A happy ending for James Bond?  It's not in the cards?  Feels a lot like an atypical counter-culture Hollywood ending?!  We'll let you decide after viewing the film.
 
 
All content © 2015 for West Coast Midnight Run™
and Citadel Consulting Group LLC.  All rights reserved.
 
 

Comments

Wallace_Torrieri - Sun, 11/01/2015 - 00:30

I just viewed your SPECTRE music piece at your own site, (not the same as the edit here) it just blew me off from my chair, complete mind blowing piece, cannot say thanks enough, Oooof back to doing some other stuff now.

biowarelover - Fri, 11/06/2015 - 02:05

Will Bond knock down the IMF?  If you have not seen John Wick, it's the most Bond-movie bad guy without a Bond car or a Bond agency from London backing him up.  Haven't seen John Wick, you owe it to yourself before you enjoy this Bond.

Quinn Huang - Fri, 11/06/2015 - 03:46

This should be the best action movie this year, cant wait to go see it before the big holidays craze.  Thanks so much for the great previews you give us, some are just too good and almost qualify as standalone short-format art films.

Gabrielle Garcia - Sat, 11/07/2015 - 18:26

Bond is as sexy as ever, me and my girlfriend were drooling over the guys in the lobby grandstanding as "007 quality" man meat.  We just didn't meet with them after the screening, putting a little downer on an otherwise fine soiree.

MrDaakman - Sat, 11/07/2015 - 20:07

My choice for sexiest Bond girl is Lea Seydoux but runners up are Eva Green, Denise Richards, and one of my all-time favorites Tanya Roberts was incredibly hot at the time she was featured.

Andres_Hernande... - Sun, 11/08/2015 - 16:39

Hottest James Bond girls?  I would point out Cecilie Thomsen, Talisa Soto, Gemma Arterton, Sharon Stone, Phoebe Cates, Jessica Alba and ... I'll get back with their names later, there is a few of them anyways.

Jake_Smith6493 - Mon, 11/09/2015 - 13:43

You guys are either so outdated or sticking to formal 007 canon, the hottest James Bond ladies as of this year?  Try Cara Delevingne, Adriana Lima, Kate Upton, Charlotte McKinney, Song Hye Kyo, and Kendall Jenner.  But that's just off the top of the crop, there are some serious beauties out there that would scorch the screen as 007 Bond Girls and I dont have their names handy.  Happy holidays and hoping the next 007 will have some serious hotties galore.

Janet574 - Wed, 11/11/2015 - 20:50

I loved the entire montage at your main site http://midnighttracks.net/2015/spectre, the best part about Eye for An Eye Silencer edit is that close to the end the background music has what sounds like a supercharger with NOS firing at several intervals, going full throttle with that thin wispy whistle, like the sound in the Fast and Furious movie series when they push the button and the engines crank into overdrive and the mufflers flare with fiery exhaust.  Just a very super cool piece in your 007 presentation.

SuzannaR - Thu, 11/12/2015 - 19:24

I love the entire new series from Sam Mendes, Skyfall was just great and so was Quantum of Solace, so it's a no brainer for me for a movie pick this weekend, and your work just makes the entire affair much more delectable.  I am waiting on you to publish the entire series.  Been a big fan since your efforts with Interstellar caught my attention.

kevin.mchale5341 - Thu, 11/19/2015 - 14:47

This is one of the best Bond films yet and I love the 007 glamour girls, I won't nominate any as your twitter post had suggested.  Love your work with Natasha.  In my book, she definitely qualifies as a Bond movie girl anytime.

Lattetia Alvarez - Fri, 11/20/2015 - 15:31

I gotta admit Daniel Craig is sexier than Antonio Banderas who is one of my all-time male leads.  But Banderas has never been featured in a big action movie like James Bond or Mission Impossible so the comparison may not be fair to him.

TheEnderTaz25 - Sun, 11/22/2015 - 13:05

Very nice review, have you considered including your article on IMDB and more professional movie review sites?  Well done.

Bryan Nguyen - Sun, 12/13/2015 - 16:05

from Hong Kong and the Far East very entertaining and mesmerizing revue piece of Spectre.  If only Spectre had done as much.  They failed to capitalize on the momentum reached with Skyfall.