zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

: Yes we in the UK were amazed and damn right
: shocked at the choice! I thought it was a
: joke right up until the press conference in
: London. Brosnan had at least one more film
: in him. How is this guy going to age??? He
: looks worn out now at 37!
: The instant Brosnan walked in the room I
: thought one word "Bond!".
: I'm trying to keep an open mind but this is the
: first time I have not looked foward to a new
: Bond film. Like Dell I always go at least
: 2-3 times when they open.
: We live in interesting times!

There are so many new factors at play here that I have to wonder if Our Man isn't about to "jump the shark." Whether or not the fans were ready to let Sean Connery go the first time, at least George Lazenby was not faced w/ a former star who had, himself, not let go: Connery drove a lot of that, and Brosnan complained. I think that was sorely underestimated.

Also don't forget that he was all but annointed to the role. He had such high visibility coming out of Remington Steele, had the role "stolen" from him when those TV producers required him to do another season. After Licence to Kill, the Bond franchise was stumbling w/ Dalton (who I'm not complaining about, simply speaking in terms of marketplace realities) - and was out of theaters for 6 years w/ the last Kevin McClory lawsuit. Brosnan was perceived to have resurrected it w/ GoldenEye.

Michael Wilson was involved w/ his step-father, Cubby Broccoli since Goldfinger (1964). He's now older and looking at retirement, while Mr. Broccoli's daughter, Barbara, is in hear 40s, and eager to take over. Interst in Bond? I've always doubted that. She's not even referenced in any Bond material until GoldenEye.

It's my opinion that she bided her time w/ screen producer credit on the last few Bonds to build her resume, seized the reigns on this one. Made casting and script changes in service to something quite apart from the franchise - to position herself for something ... else.

Thus, again, w/ quite an ironic twist, Casino Royale has become an increasingly large crap shoot.

No series lasts forever. Would anyone have guessed that the TV series Dallas would become what it did when cancelled at the height of "Who Shot JR?" Jumped the shark w/ Bobby's "dream" season.

To bring this back to the key concern I've expressed so vocally here and several other places, this is why Omega is on such dangerous ground w/ its advertising, um, "inaccuracies" with regard to "the Bond watch." They've changed their site yet again this month. And if that's not bad enough, the press is now eager for bad press on Casino Royale - and here's Omega saying, "scrutinize us!"

It's coming.

And, to your point: If you own the Seamaster 2531.80, as I do, you may have seen the Pierce Brosnan "Bond" promotions in the store. In my case, it was a large back-lighted display. Elegant store, elegant Bond. They went together. How do they pull that off w/ a Daniel Craig watch? Surely there will be folks interested in the new Bond watch. But they're going to look at Craig and say, "yeah, just like him?" Or the girlfriend or wife they bring w/ them will?

Continued use of the Brosnan Bond image despite readily available Craig Bond images by Omega makes a lot of sense to me right now....