Daniel Craig Backs Amy Winehouse For James Bond Theme

The BBC News reports that Daniel Craig is now putting his support behind singer Amy Winehouse for the title theme to Quantum of Solace.

‘That would be fantastic,’ he said. ‘I am a huge fan of hers, and I don’t know what has been going on because I’ve been busy doing other things.’

Despite all the rumours that have persisted since late 2006 that Winehouse would be performing the title song to the 22nd James Bond film, it was confirmed last month by producer Mark Ronson that the two had come up with a ‘demo [that] sounds like a James Bond theme.’ This news was then quickly followed by reports that this specific track was unlikely to ever be finished because, in Ronson’s words, Winehouse was ‘not ready to work on music yet’.

Quantum of Solace director Marc Forster was recently questioned about the Winehouse situation at the Bregenz set in Austria. He refused to comment specifically on the singer, but did confirm a new search was under way. ‘We are looking, seeing what is out there. It’s a tricky one because it has to be right,’ he said.

Craig, however, remains hopeful: ‘It would be amazing if she could, she’s got an amazing voice and would blend herself beautifully to this. But…we’ll see.’

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for the most up-to-date and complete coverage of Quantum of Solace.

'I saw the trailer the other day and went, "Wow. Did we do that?"'

WARNING: Spoilers

Speaking from the floating opera stage set in Bregenz, Austria, director Marc Forster spoke to MSN Movies about how the production eventually ended up at the location and what’s next for Quantum of Solace.

A Metaphor For Bond

While a performance of ‘Tosca’ will be taking place in the finished film as 007 tracks down villains at the location, the producers were originally interested in the set for the previous production, Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘The Masked Ball’ (which featured a giant skeletal hand turning pages of a book). However, this particular opera had just finished its two-year run at the Seebühne stage and the sets had been destroyed.

As a lucky turn of events, the next production, Giacomo Puccini’s ‘Tosca’ struck a similar chord of interest with its giant moving eye.

‘I just loved the location, and I think the eye just has a great metaphor for Bond,’ said Forster. ‘Eyes and titles of Bond films and the gun barrel in the circle at the beginning. And I liked that it was “Tosca.” And Puccini’s opera is also a metaphor of what is going on as well. I thought the whole thing was convenient.’

As previously reported, Bond comes across a meeting between villains Dominic Greene, Mr. White and others during a performance at the film and ‘after realizing that the organization is speaking to each other through earpieces, steals one and brazenly tips off his foes that he can hear them.’

A confrontation between Bond and Greene reportedly follows in the nearby festival house.

Next Stop: Pinewood

It may be hard to believe, but filming on Quantum of Solace is actually heading nearing the end. With work at Panama and Chile completed, and filming in Italy and Austria moving along steadily, the next major stop is also the last one: Pinewood Studios back in the UK.

Forster commented that he was looking forward to the editing process in post-production. ‘I saw the trailer the other day and went, “Wow. Did we do that?” So, I’m feeling good.’

‘Quantum’ Rumour Control

A few recent rumours were also put to the test with the film’s cast and crew.

Daniel Craig denied the first one which stated that this film would see 007 behind the wheel of a Ford Bronco. That pleasure belongs to Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, he said.

The never-ending Amy Winehouse title song issue was also brought up. Forster wouldn’t comment specifically on the singer, but did confirm a new search was under way. ‘We are looking, seeing what is out there. It’s a tricky one because it has to be right,’ he said.

Head over to MSN Movies for more Quantum rumour control.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for the most up-to-date and complete overage of Quantum of Solace.

Different Challenges For Daniel Craig's Second Turn As James Bond

Casino Royale may top the charts when it comes to success with the critics and box office in the 007 series, but as Daniel Craig has pointed out several times before, that only means a greater challenge in making the next one even better.

Speaking from the Quantum of Solace set at the floating opera stage along Lake Constance in Bregenz, Austria, Craig spoke to MSN Movies about making his second James Bond film as good as possible.

Keeping The Momentum

‘There was never a point where I punched the air,’ Craig said of the worldwide success of Casino Royale. ‘The movie worked, but I did everything I could to make my part in the movie work, so there is no kind of, “See, I told you so.” I kept on saying, “We make the best movie we can,” and thankfully that worked.’

Continuing in this vein for Quantum of Solace was one of the film’s unique challenges, according to Craig. ‘I just try to apply the same rules as last time, and hopefully that will work out,’ he said.

The actor mentions he ‘jumped’ upon first hearing Marc Forster, who was then know for his success with films like Finding Neverland and Monster’s Ball, was on the shortlist of directors.

‘I want the audience to be involved with the characters,’ Craig continues. ‘The action and the explosions, everything that goes along with the Bond movies, they can be taken care of, but I want the audience to be pulled in and involved.’

New Faces And Possible Returns Of Familiar Ones

Along with Forster’s own vision for 007, Craig applauds the other new talent that has joined the series, including production designer Dennis Gassner and Roberto Schaefer (the latter having been a longtime associate of Forster). ‘I’m a huge fan of the early Ken Adams’ films,’ said Craig, ‘because they looked stunning. That’s much more what I want to do.’

And while Q and Miss Moneypenny will once again be absent from this Bond film, Craig did point out this could change in the future.

‘The answer is ‘No’ at the moment. We’re not going back,’ Craig said. ‘It’s not that we’re avoiding it; it’s just that this story hasn’t taken it on. I’d like to bring those back in, but we have to be intelligent about it.’

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for the most up-to-date and complete overage of Quantum of Solace.

Not Your Typical James Bond Baddies

WARNING: Spoilers

Mathieu Amalric, Anatole Taubman and Jesper Christensen recently discussed their villainous roles in Quantum of Solace with MSN Movies and if what they had to say is anything to go by, 007 won’t be dealing with your typical Bond baddies.

Starting things off, Jesper Christensen remained relatively tight-lipped about what to expect from his character, Mr. White, who was first introduced in Casino Royale.

While he admitted an interrogation scene between James Bond and his character does take place, Christensen wouldn’t go into details about exactly how brutal it is: ‘Ask Daniel,’ he answered. ‘I can’t tell you.’

On trying to make Mr. White as realisitic as possible, Christensen said: ‘The modern Bond is slightly dumb, very violent, very efficient and very sort of going his own way. And you’re not quite sure you can trust him with anything because, obviously, he’s not that clever. So, if you compare him to the Roger Moore version, which was always sort of on top of everything carrying a drink, Daniel’s is a much more angry person.’

Mathieu Amalric also spoke about lead villain Dominic Greene and the goal of not making him as transparent as previous adversaries 007 has gone up against.

‘Of course, they could have made an occidental film and said, “The villain is al-Qaida,” but it’s so stupid and easy, it wouldn’t surprise people and I think people would get bored,’ he said.

As previously noted on CommanderBond.net, Amalric also revealed that another characteristic that sets Greene apart is the complete absence of any special mark or skill. While the original script originally had Greene being quite adept in martial arts, this was changed in order to make the character more believable.

Why should I know kung fu?’ said Amalric. ‘He’s just a guy who works in ecology. That’s how I can surprise Bond, because he’s used to fighting people who are professionals. It’s Tai [bo]. It’s boxing. He knows how to deal [with that], but a guy who doesn’t know how to fight? It’s like a schoolyard [brawl].’

Last, but certainly not least, was Anatole Taubman as the henchman Elvis, and reportedly, Greene’s cousin.

Describing the relationship between Greene and his character, Taubman said: ‘In previous Bond films, there was this big rift between the villain and the henchman. There is more of a balance now. He can’t do without me and I can’t do without him.’

And while Greene may appear to be the model of calm according to Taubman, ‘the devil I think is an angel compared to Elvis if he ever gets mad.’

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated with all the latest news and complete coverage of Quantum of Solace.

More 'Quantum' Spy Shots From Carrara And Tuscany

More photographs capturing scenes from the 22nd James Bond film have made their way online.

The first set, available to view at KataWeb, shows more of the action-packed Aston Martin chase that will be apart of the opening of Quantum of Solace in Carrara, Italy.

Click Here To View The Photographs (Carrara)

The second set, also posted at KataWeb, shows 007 arriving by water at Tuscany’s Tower of Talamonaccio.

Details on this latter sequence first emerged in April when it was revealed that Bond and Camille (Olga Kurylenko) would reportedly be arriving at the location for a meeting with Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini).

Click Here To View The Photographs (Tuscany)

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for the most up-to-date and complete overage of Quantum of Solace.

'Quantum' Cast And Crew Soundbites From Bregenz

The official Quantum of Solace EPK website has been updated with cast and crew soundbites taken during the press day at Bregenz, Austria earlier this month.

‘We’ve done two months in Central America, we’ve been down to Chile, spent quite a lot of time in Italy and here we are in Austria,’ begins Daniel Craig.

‘This is amazing,’ he says refering to the nearby floating stage set which plays a key role in the film. ‘It sort of just gets better and better every day.’

‘For me, it was about getting deeper into the psyche of Bond and also to create a Bond film visually that I really hadn’t seen before. Trying to find locations that speak for themselves and try and visualize something that really hadn’t been done in a Bond film before.’ – Marc Forster on the appeal of directing Quantum of Solace

On working with director Marc Forster, Craig could only offer praise. ‘[He’s] been essential for this movie. I mean, having him involved, for me, it’s just been a huge weight off my mind because we had a very strong story going in Casino Royale–a journey–and Marc’s storytelling ability is just second to none.’

When asked exactly what brings James Bond to the opera in the film, Forster explained: ‘It’s basically Bond following someone to the opera, it’s not that he’s going to the opera. So he follows Greene, the villain, to the opera and is trying to figure out what is going on behind the organization that Greene is involved in.’

‘In the old Bonds, what I always loved was the style and the set design and production design and I felt they were some of the key elements I wanted to bring back.’ – Marc Forster on the appeal of directing Quantum of Solace

‘He’s been so great,’ said Bond girl Olga Kurylenko on working alongside Craig. ‘You know, it’s been so helpful to work with someone who’s done that before. He’s done the previous Bond, so it wasn’t new for him, while for me it is.’

Like Craig, Kurylenko had similar kind words for Forster: ‘He’s a very sensitive person. That’s why I think his movies are very touching. It’s great that they took a director like that for Bond because suddenly it’s not only an action movie, but it becomes something more personal and touching. It’s beyond action.’

Anatole Taubman was also on hand to speak about the latest addition to henchman in the 007 series: Elvis.

‘Elvis is Dominic Greene’s associate, cousin, family, tapestry who makes him shine and perform in the best way possible to save the world,’ said Taubman. ‘So Elvis is here to play to the king. And my king is my family member, Dominic Greene. [Elvis] is vain, colourful, and self-absorbed. He will definitely–hopefully–make a very colourful tapestry.’

Head over to the EPK website for additional interviews with Mathieu Amalric (Greene) and Jesper Christensen (Mr. White). A two-minute long B-roll highlighting filming at the Bregenz Festival House near the opera stage.

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated with all the latest news and complete coverage of Quantum of Solace.

Photographs: 'Quantum of Solace' In Carrara

WARNING: Possible Spoilers

While the principal cast and crew on Quantum of Solace have been working in Austria for the majority of May so far, the second unit continues on the action-packed sequence in Siena, Italy.

A set of nine new photographs posted at KataWeb show James Bond’s Aston Martin DBS put to work during the car chase currently being filmed at the quarries at Carrara.

Click Here To View The Photographs

In related news, filming preparations continue at Siena’s Piazza del Campo as the Bond crew is expected to arrive very soon.

Filming at this location is expected to last until 19 May and will involve more than 1,000 extras for the Palio race.

For further, in depth details about the Quantum of Solace filming in Siena, check out CBn’s overview: Part I | Part II.

'Quantum of Solace' – Official Blog Report #8

The official Quantum of Solace blog has been updated today with another crew member from the 22nd James Bond 007 film: DC-3 pilot Skip Evans.

On location in Baja California, Mexico, Skip Evans assists the aerial filming unit for Quantum of Solace.

‘The DC-3 [plane] has got quite a bit of power, but it’s got a 95-foot wing so it takes some leverage to control that wing.’

‘To work this airplane at the bottom of the canyons, you’ve got to be physically strong just to move the airplane … there’s very little room for any error whatsoever.’

Stay tuned to the CommanderBond.net main page for the most up-to-date and complete coverage of Quantum of Solace.

Snakehead Camera System Soars In 'Quantum of Solace'

A camera system known as Snakehead is ‘resetting the boundaries of cinematography’ and aerial filming action and was recently put to use during the Quantum of Solace filming in Baja Caifornia, Mexico.

Snakehead Camera System, Designed in SolidWorks, Soars in New Bond Film

A breakthrough movie camera system called the Snakehead, designed entirely in SolidWorks® 3D CAD software, is resetting the boundaries of cinematography, immersing viewers more deeply than ever in hair-raising aerial action. With the Snakehead, pilots for the first time can fly as aggressively as they dare without sacrificing the drama of the shot. SpaceCam Systems, Inc. of Los Angeles debuted the Snakehead last month in the canyons of Baja, Mexico, for the upcoming James Bond film Quantum of Solace.

The month-long shoot was “wildly successful,” according to veteran aerial cinematographer Dwayne McClintock, also a mechanical engineer who co-designed the system. “We shot some astonishing footage, like nothing you’ve seen before,” he said. The Snakehead also worked “flawlessly” on a TV commercial in which a Jeep rolled out the door of a cargo plane 10,000 feet above the desert sand.

With a 360-degree remotely controlled spherical range of view, the patented Snakehead is the first plane-mounted gyroscopically stabilized periscope, compatible with various movie and HD cameras and providing super high quality resolution. The lens system maintains a level horizon, solidifying a frame of reference to keep viewers in the story. Traditional aerial cinematography approaches – for example, a fixed periscope on a Lear jet – distract and sometimes sicken viewers by depicting a seemingly lurching horizon. If the filming plane needs to adopt the point of view of a chasing aircraft, however, Snakehead operators can turn off the stabilization to convey its maneuvers.

“As they will see in the Bond film, the Snakehead puts moviegoers in the middle of the action instead of just observing, or worse, being virtually tossed around in the theater,” said McClintock. “The Snakehead is by far the most challenging design I’ve ever attempted. SolidWorks software’s efficiency made the work so much easier than it could have been. SolidWorks let us design a better product by cycling through dozens of iterations and working with flexible subassemblies. We had many original crazy and weird-looking parts that, thanks in large part to SolidWorks, went together seamlessly the first time. The Snakehead exceeded our expectations.” In the Bond filming, a Piper Aerostar 700 with Snakeheads on the nose and tail filmed two planes in a aerial chase sequence and dogfight. SpaceCam collaborated on the design with engineers at Ballista Inc. of Westlake Village, Calif., which engineered the optics, also using SolidWorks software.

The Snakehead posed several significant design challenges for the combined team, including battering from weather and debris, mechanical rotation, and image inversion (Ballista used SolidWorks to create a fourth, “derotation” prism to keep the filmed image upright in the periscope). “What I like most about SolidWorks is the flexibility,” said Walt Caldwell, vice president of production and operations for Ballista. “Whenever you start a project with nothing but an idea you wind up in a different place than you thought you would, constantly making multiple iterations with major changes. SolidWorks lets us quickly change a component and replace it with a new one, and all the mates and parent/child relationships are intact. SolidWorks makes major changes easy, without having to start the model all over again.”

“The Snakehead is a revolutionary product,” said Rainer Gawlick, vice president of worldwide marketing for SolidWorks Corporation. “It’s inspiring to see our software help launch an innovation that will have a resounding impact on cinematography and entertainment.” Ballista and SpaceCam rely on authorized SolidWorks reseller GoEngineer for ongoing software training, implementation, and support.

About SpaceCam

SpaceCam Systems, Inc. is the leader and industry standard in aerial and specialized gyro-stabilized cinematography. Its office, design, and manufacturing facility is located in Westlake Village, Calif. SpaceCam Systems provides: gyro-stabilized camera equipment services to the film, television, large format, and commercial industry; SpaceCam camera systems; specialized helicopter bracketry; and Snakehead camera systems for fixed-wing applications. A variety of camera options are available, including 35mm-4 perf, 35mm-8 perf, 65mm-5 perf, 65mm-15 perf, and numerous HD cameras. For more information visit www.spacecam.com or call 818 889-6060.

Ron Goodman, the president of SpaceCam, was the chief engineer and inventor of the Snakehead. His career-long commitment and dedication is to the advancement and betterment of gyro-stabilized image capturing.

About Ballista, Inc.

Ballista is a privately owned company that specializes in the development of display products, medical devices, and illumination-based systems. Its offices and manufacturing facilities are located in Westlake Village, Calif. Ballista provides custom product development and manufacturing services for the assembly and test of optical systems. Included in these services is the qualification and management of suppliers and warehousing of finished goods and order fulfillment services. Current products include high-performance display systems and light delivery systems for medical, scientific, and entertainment applications. For more information, contact: [email protected], (805) 497-6541 Ext. 222.

About GoEngineer

GoEngineer represents market-leading products such as SolidWorks, CAMWorks and COSMOS software, which deliver the 3D CAD and CAM tools that enable design teams to create innovative products; PDMWorks software, which provides the control of up-to-date design information; Z Corporation’s 3D Printers, which help teams quickly and effectively communicate product concepts to create better products faster. And Agile Advantage is distinguished by its ease of use and implementation. These products are leveraged by GoEngineer’s unique JumpStart Services designed to bring streamlined engineering processes to businesses with support from local application engineers and a toll-free hotline. GoEngineer has 11 training centers and offices throughout the Western United States. For information, visit: www.goengineer.com.

About SolidWorks Corporation

SolidWorks Corporation, a Dassault Systèmes S.A. (Nasdaq: DASTY, Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) company, develops and markets software for design, analysis, and product data management. It is the leading supplier of 3D CAD technology, giving teams intuitive, high-performing software that helps them design better products. For the latest news, information, or an online demonstration, visit the company’s Web site (www.solidworks.com) or call 1-800-693-9000 (outside of North America, call +1-978-371-5000). SolidWorks is a registered trademarks of SolidWorks Corporation. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright (c) 2008 SolidWorks Corporation. Bookmark with de.li.cious Submit this story to digg Submit this story to slashdot Technorati tags SolidWorks, CAD, 3D CAD, MCAD, Design, Tech, Autodesk, AutoCAD, SolidEdge, COSMOSWorks

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated with all the latest news and complete coverage of Quantum of Solace.

Connecting The Villains Of 'Quantum of Solace'

WARNING: Plot spoilers

Stax at IGN and Rotten Tomatoes recently visited the Quantum of Solace set in Austria for a closer look at the villains in this 22nd James Bond film.

‘The way we finished up in Casino Royale was with a man who’d lost something that was taken away from him. The woman that he loved killed herself because he thought she was guilty because she was double-crossing him. And he never had the chance to go: “Why?”,’ said Daniel Craig during during a roundtable interview. ‘That’s where we start the story and he’s looking for that quantum of solace. He’s looking for that little bit, but he can’t be open about it because it’s a sign of weakness. It gets very complicated but then [the title] also ties in to who the bad guys are.’

Explaining what sets the villains of Quantum of Solace–including Dominic Green (Mathieu Amalic), Elvis (Anatole Taubman), Mr. White (Jesper Christensen) and General Medrano (Joaquín Cosio)–apart from others in the Bond series, director Marc Forster said: ‘I just find it interesting that everyone today–and that’s why I wanted to have Greene in there when Paul [Haggis] and I were working on the script together–everybody presents themselves today as green is so fashionable. Everyone’s trying to be green, every corporation … so I think it’s something one has to look at very carefully.’

‘To be a James Bond, 007, you have to have killed two persons. So you are an assassin and you are also a secret agent but you’re also a broken heart. They wrote the script with that concept.’ – Mathieu Amalric on the character of 007

In one of the scenes observed at the Seebühne floating stage on Lake Constance in Bregenz, 007 is tracking down Mr. White early on in the film. Bond observes his target making contact with other villains in the audience as the Tosca performance continues.

Quantum Of Solace Bregenz Set Visit

Summing up the scene, Forster said: ‘Bond is trying to figure out who these people are and what is the relationship between them, because he’s realizing just how many there are. He’s trying to figure out how they are connected because the interesting thing is we have several bad guys in this movie. Dominic Greene is the lead one but there are a couple of other ones and he’s trying to connect them all.’

‘Tosca has a parallel to the story I’m telling,’ Forster added as a reason for choosing the location for Quantum of Solace.

‘Last time Bond spent the whole of Casino Royale learning the lesson that you don’t kill people before you ask them the important questions. He learned that; he shot me in the knee,’ said Christensen of his character ‘Mr. White’ in the film. ‘So we start the next one with him asking me the questions. And then he screws up and stuff happens.’

‘We’ve got a single character who’s trying to make some sense of the world and fighting against perceived evil. But he’s also very independent and therefore he should always remain non-political.’ – Daniel Craig

On comparing the intricate mix of reality and fantasy that make up the film, Amalric said: ‘If it was realistic the evil would win because that’s what would happen today. That’s why I think it’s called Quantum of Solace. It’s quite ironic. It’s as if Bond was saying, “Please, can I stop running? Maybe if the evil wins I can have some peace and go home and just sleep.” And I like that because everybody knows there’s going to be a 23rd film. The poor guy will just keep running and searching for the next villain and the next evil.’

There’s much more. Check out the following two set reports for further information on the involvement of Mr. White and all the villains in the film, the low-key approach taken with the Bond baddies, Craig on 007, Forster on locations and classic Bond, and several other Quantum-related details.

Quantum of Evil
(IGN)

For Your Eyes Only: RT in Austria with James Bond
(Rotten Tomatoes)

Additionally, 13 new behind-the-scenes photos of Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Amalric, Christensen, and others have been added online: Click Here

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated with all the latest news and complete coverage of Quantum of Solace.