Thomas Newman wins Grammy for “Skyfall”

And, finally, Thomas Newman wins the top prize for his spectacular score of the latest James Bond film.  No, not for the upcoming BOND 24 but for “SKYFALL”. (The beginning of the eligible time period for a Grammy was starting in late 2012.)

This might also conclude “Skyfall”´s run in the awards race.  Although… there might be that odd online festival looking back at the current decade.

In other news, Adele´s title song also got a Grammy.  Good thing, since Adele was in desperate need of another one.  Just kidding, of course.

Out of the blue: Skyfall’s 007th Minute

original artwork by Mike Mahle/mikemahle.com (c),
used with kind permission

So here we are, in the end, reaching our destination after a journey of 14 months, countless blunders on my side and a few prematurely published ‘drafts’. The water surface is coming nearer most rapidly. This is now definitely the moment to make an impact. If not now, when?

This final 007th Minute comes to you with original artwork by designer & illustrator Mike Mahle. Further works from Mike can be found at his own site. Grateful acknowledgements for the kind permission to use this marvellous image.

Oh, opinion. Jim’s. Yours can be aired here. Thank you for flying with CommanderBond.net.

 

This is the end. Beautiful friend.

 

Hold your breath and…

 

No, don’t. Asphyxiation might be your jolly – not judging (I am a bit) – but you’d be tucked up in dead before you finished this; it has girthbloat. If bidding for oblivion, bore yourself to death reading it. Still, I don’t want your sticky end on my hands (fnarr). The guilt I’ll cope with, via the medium of indifference; it’s that I’ve always found grinding my heel into an upturned face far more satisfying. Or, as I age, paying someone else to do it. It’s murder on the knees.

 

Judi Dench snuff movie Skyfall is where we start. A billion-dollar Bond behemoth, so one little prick on the internet (hi there) isn’t going to burst it. Still, all that tremendous, oddly heartwarming success (albeit having had no stake in the film beyond “going to see it”) does lead me to contemplate blockbusters. Or, more precisely, Blockbusters.

 

For those blessed with ignorance, Blockbusters was a tiffin-time British quiz programme of the 1980s, broadcast via the harlotry of commercial television, aimed at a beteenaged audience. One could tell that because of the prizes, habitually a “programmable” ZX Spectrum (48K “ram”, no less), a box of coloured pencils or a cultural weekend in tropical Cannock (go for the pencils). Doubtless a modern equivalent would have to dole out fake tan, mobile telephones or Tablets. Can’t help feeling tablets in those days were more fun: when one dropped them, it wasn’t the machine that got itself shattered. Halcyon days. If only I could remember them.

 

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Skyfall’s effects – Cinefexed en détail

Cinefex cover April 2013

THE leading special effects magazine – I’m talking about Cinefex of course – took a long hard look at Skyfall’s lush action and visual effects content. And in its April issue came up with a 28-page  coverage, complete with interviews with the special effects and visual effects teams who worked on the film. The article comes with over 30 full-color behind-the-scenes photos and movie frame clips, many of them exclusive to Cinefex. If you don’t feel like taking the walk to the newsagent through the snow you can purchase the issue on their website at www.cinefex.com. Just go to the “Back Issues” button and look for #133.

And while you’re there, check out some of their other back issues available for purchase in the Cinefex store. You’ll find equally in-depth coverage of Casino Royale (Issue # 108) and Quantum of Solace (Issue #116).

EXCERPT FROM CINEFEX ARTICLE ON SKYFALL:

Tube-jam, ‘Skyfall’ style

“Sam Mendes agreed that there should be a big, jaw-dropping moment during a chase in the London Underground,” said special effects supervisor Chris Corbould. “I came up with the idea for the Tube train crash, which Sam liked a lot, but then I started to realize the enormity of what I’d dreamt up. A real Tube train carriage is 60 feet long and weighs in excess of 25 tons. We decided to make our own carriages, and brainstormed a way to make them crash.” Corbould’s senior special effects technician, Dan Homewood, and special effects designer Jason Leinster oversaw construction of two full-scale carriages on an overhead monorail rig. “We fitted a track in the ceiling that ran two-thirds of the whole length of the 007 Stage. That gave us room to get the train up to speed, then have it dip down into the set, like a rollercoaster ride. We hung the train on steel linking arms, and connected it via cables to a tractor unit that towed the train into the set at about 30 miles per hour.”

Grateful thanks to Cinefex and Athena Stamos for providing this.

Bond 24 will still root Bond in reality.

John Logan, the soul director of the next two Bond films, and co writer of Skyfall, has said that Bond 24 will still remain Faithful to Ian Flemings original incarnation. Speaking to the Financial Times, Logan said that “Fleming’s courage in showing Bond’s fear and vulnerability and depression was really interesting and something that a modern audience can accept,” said Logan. “I think Skyfall demonstrated that they want more layers to that character. And those are the layers that Fleming wrote.”. You can view the article here, via IGN, or if you so wish, catch up with Logan’s stage and film work on the like supplied for the financial times.

Another Oscar for Skyfall!

After marking the very first live performance of Skyfall tonight, Adele, fought off top rivals Les Miserables and Life of Pi to claim the number one spot for best original song. James Bond is back on track.

Skyfall: An Oscar Winning Bond film.

After sadly missing out to Cinematography and Sound Design, The James Bond franchise has picked up it’s first Oscar in 46 years. Tied with Zero Dark Thirty, Skyfall has managed to secure it’s first Oscar for Sound Editing. Congratulations to all involved! Remember, there’s still ‘best original song’ and ‘best soundtrack’ to go. Will Skyfall go away with three Oscars in one evening?

SKYFALL’s props reveal M’s real name

Comingsoon.net has posted a very interesting article on the various details of SKYFALL´s props.

Including the real name of Judi Dench´s “M”…

Be surprised here: http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=100663

Official Unveiling of Skyfall Train

Skyfall writers talk Bond.

In a new article by IGN, Skyfall writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade sit down and discuss the past, present and future of James Bond, and don’t rule out the possibility of working on future Bond outings. You can read the full article here

SKYFALL collects BAFTA and ASC Awards

SKYFALL has not only won over world wide audiences – it now has been awarded the prestigious BAFTA award,  in the category OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM.

Thomas Newman also got the BAFTA for BEST ORIGINAL SCORE.

Also, Roger Deakins was honored as Best Cinematographer for SKYFALL by the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC).

See the whole list of nominees here:

http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/bafta-awards-2013-winners-list/

http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/cinematographer-awards-2013-asc-winners-list/