SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN

THE DESIGN SCHOOL

FOUNDATION IN NATURAL BUILD ENVIRONMENT

NAME: HWANG WEI LI

STUDENT ID NO: 0319756

FILMS SELECTED: CASINO ROYALE (1967), CASINO ROYALE(2006)

WORD COUNT: 1324

ENGLISH 2 (ELG 30605)

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 1: COMPARE / CONTRAST ESSAY

LECTURER: CASSANDRA WIJESURIA

SUBMISSION DATE: 5TH DECEMBER 2014

CASINO ROYALE 1967 & CASINO ROYALE 2006

Universally as the tale of legend for over five decades, was sent all around the

world to collect intelligence about his target criminal, the problem solver, a man who

could get out of any situation, irresistible to women, a secret agent who has all the

interesting gadgets and had a “license to kill” anyone who might frustrate the British

government---these hints have clearly lead us to think of the character and name of

the series. Yes, it is indeed the James Bond or better known as “007” from the

James Bond series. Ian Fleming is the writer who created it in 1953. There are 23

Bond movies starting from 1967 to 2012. Each movie series have different directors,

actors, screenplay writers, Bond girls and gadgets with advanced technologies as

years go by. To contrast the two Bond films that have the same title, it is obviously

the Casino Royale of 1967 version and of 2006 version which are from Ian

Fleming’s first novel in year 1953, Casino Royale.

First, I would like to talk about the plot synopsis. Although both have almost the

same genres which are action and adventure, but there are some comedy

aspects in the 1967 Bond-parody. After the death of M in the attack of detonating

Bond’s house to force him out from retirement, Bond take over MI6 and deal with

SMERSH by deciding all MI6 male and female agents will be called as James Bond

to confuse the enemy, SMERSH. Then, it is all about the finding of the Bonds and

how the Bonds battle with SMERSH. While for the 2006 version, it begins

where James Bond achieves his “00” status after killing two enemy agents(Dryden

and his underworld contact, Fisher) and earned his “license to kill”. Bond is given the

first mission, that is to face with the terrorist financier, Le Chiffre by taking part in a

high stakes poker games organized by him. Bond must win against Le Chiffre to

bankrupt him so that he will be murdered by his bankers other than destroying his

own organization. From this two film’s plot synopsis, it can be conclude that the

1967 version is more focus on the SMERSH and the seven Bonds whereas the 2006

version is more attached to the title because it is more focus on poker

games and in casinos tragedy.

Next, I would like to contrast the cast and crews between both versions. For

the Bond-parody, as mentioned earlier, there are seven female and male Bonds

which I think it is too confusing and messy. There are five directors directing different

scenes and ten screenplay writers including seven un-credited ones. I think this is a

total mess like for the screenplay writers, they just create their own part without

any group discussion and just jumbling up all the ideas. While for the directors, they

do have disagreement between and with actors. Both groups do create conflicts

and quarrels due to disagreement with each other. For the 2006 title-related version,

only one Bond, which is Daniel Craig, one director, which is Martin

Campbell and three screenplay writers. From that, I can conclude that this version is

far more organized than the 1967 version and the storyline is smooth and relate to

the title. When there is only one director, there will be no conflict and he can manage

the process smoothly with the actors. Only one Bond will let audience to focus on his

whole action from beginning till the end and that audience will be more satisfied with the

movie.

Pretty and sexy Bond girls,one of the central issue in the movie. There are

the main, the minor and the villain ones. But, I will just contrast the main one, which

is Vesper Lynd in both versions. For the 1967 version is portrayed by Ursula

Andress. She is less outstanding in the movie compared to the one in 2006 version

because the Bond-parody has more focusing between the seven Bonds and the

villains. In the movie, she betray Tremble Bond(the fake one) to Le Chiffre and

SMERSH and killed him using a machine gun hidden inside bagpipe. As for the 2006

Version is portrayed by Eva Green as a complex and intelligent Vesper. She is more

prominent as she involved in various dangerous scenes. She does melt Bond’s cold

characteristics and become Bond’s true love. She also saves Bond’s life after he

gets poisoned by Valenka with digitoxin(a plant-produced toxin that causes heart

attack) through plugging loose wire into the defibrillator. But then, after Vesper die

from drowning, Bond is revealed by M that Vesper actually is a double agent for

Quantum because her boyfriend is kidnapped by Quantum and being threatened to

kill him if she don’t cooperate. M also tells Bond the reason he is still alive because

Vesper make a deal to let him live in exchange for Le Chiffre’s money. All in all,

Vesper didn’t betray Bond from the beginning to end. From this two version,

it can conclude that Eva Green as Vesper Lynd is the right choice as she has

success in bringing out the intense and intelligence side of Vesper.

Then, move on to one of the most highlighted part of every Bond’s films, the

gadgets. For the 1967 version, for instance, the TV and radio watch used by Tremble

Bond (starring Peter Seller) and James Bond (starring David Niven) to communicate

with Vesper Lynd (starring Ursula Andress) other than transmitting audio and video

signals, cigarette gun used by James Bond to kill firing squad who try to execute him,

bagpipe with hidden gun used by Vesper to kill Tremble, poison pen, armored utility

vest and hat gun. Through this list of gadgets, it can be conclude that although the

movie is a parody and more on comedy film genre, it does displays the futuristic

technology on the gadgets in the 60s. As for the 2006 version, almost everyone in

the movie uses Sony Ericsson cell phone like the K800 and M600 models for

detonating the key ring bomb and for communication purposes. Others for instance,

the explosive keychain that lastly kills Carlos himself after the bomb is put on his belt

by Bond which was originally put on a fuel track, explosive phone detonator to

detonate the keychain, portable implant equipment which has the microchip that is

implanted into James Bond’s arm for tracking by MI6 and the field medical kit that is

stored under the passenger-side of the Aston Martin DBS V-12 which comes

complete with defibrillator pads and other life-saving equipments. I can conclude that

the movie is actually the Sony Ericsson extravaganza because of the Sony Ericsson

models that keep appearing on the screen and I am amazed by the field medical kit

as a high-tech first aid kit.

From contrasting these two versions, I can conclude and prefer that the 2006

version is far better than the one in 1967 because the 2006 version is directly related

as of the title, Casino Royale where the storyline is related to poker games and most

scenes are happened at Casino Royale, Montenegro. I think it contains the best

action sequence ever among all the James Bond film series. Also, Daniel Craig as

007 shows us the real soul of the charisma James Bond. Unlike the 1967 version

storyline that is ridiculous where the story is surrounding on SMERSH and the 7

Bonds, which shows obviously it is totally a parody and a total mess up film.

Recently, James Bond films is celebrating franchise’s 50th anniversary and they

reveal the latest news about the 24th James Bond movie. The title, Spectre (also

Bond 24) remain Daniel Craig as the James Bond and Ley Seydaux as the new

Bond girl. It will be directed by Sam Mendes, the same director as Skyfall and it will

be release on November 2015. I truly hope that it will be one of the best action movie

in 2015.

REFERENCE:

CASINO ROYALE 1967:

- MI6 The Home of James Bond 007. [online] Available at <http://www.mi6-

hq.com/sections/movies/cr_1967.php3> [Accessed 27 November 2014]

- Every James Bond Movie 007. [online] Available at <http://everyjamesbondmovie.com/casino-royale-1967> [Accessed 20 November 2014]

CASINO ROYALE 2006:

- Licensed to Kill The Ultimate James Bond Fansite. [online] Available at <http://www.jamesbondwiki.com/page/Craig+Era+Gadgets> [Accessed 24 November 2014]

- Universal Exports Keeping 007 Safe Since 1996. [online] Available at <http://www.universalexports.net/Movies/royale06.shtml> [Accessed 25 November 2014]

- MI6 The Home of James Bond 007. [online] Available at <http://www.mi6-

hq.com/sections/movies/cr.php3?t=mi6&s=cr> [Accessed 27 November 2014]

SPECTRE a.k.a Bond 24:

- MI6 The Home of James Bond 007. [online] Available at <http://www.mi6-

hq.com/sections/bond24/> [Accessed 4 December 2014]