Synopsis:

This edit removes all references to Bond being old. Instead, he is simply old-fashioned and off his game due to injury. Additionally, a new gun barrel sequence opens the movie, two scenes are rescored, and the Roger Moore-esque casino brawl is removed, among other changes.

Intentions:

To correct issues in tone and fix ineffective moments in visuals, sound, dialogue and plotting. Also to remove the unnecessary “old man Bond” conceit that makes it difficult to place the story in Daniel Craig’s timeline as Bond.

Change List:

- Added fanedit disclaimer. - Added new gun barrel sequence to opening. Feels right to continue this tradition for the 50th anniversary Bond movie. - Cut discussion of VW Beetles between M and Eve (from here on called Moneypenny). - Trimmed shot of Bond’s Omega watch when he accelerates the digger. - Added additional sound effects to shots of Bond and Patrice fighting on top of train. This gives their fight a greater sense of danger and consequence. The original sound design on these shots is quite minimalist, as the film focuses on Moneypenny setting up her sniper shot. - Reduced artificial zoom that was added to shot of M looking out window. - Trimmed a few frames from shot of Bond sinking underwater, so that Adele’s song “Skyfall” is timed with start of shot. - Added “Reborn” to title. - Cut shot of M reading newspaper in car. She’s starting to feel like the main character now that Bond is supposedly dead. - Cut Bond saying he and M have been in the spy business too long. The idea that Bond is an old veteran who should retire comes to nothing by film’s end, where he is happily accepting a new assignment. It’s also strange considering the character was introduced as a new 00 two movies ago. - Cut Bond’s snarky reply (“Good question”) when M asks why he came back. Instead, he just sighs. - Cut Tanner briefing Bond during his physical tests. This is dry exposition from a dull character and all the info gets repeated later anyway. All we see of Bond’s tests are the shooting range and psych test. - Cut some of Bond and Moneypenny’s long-winded banter (“Not sure I’d survive your best shot” / “Doubt you’ll get the chance”). - Cut Mallory telling Bond “It’s a young man’s game.” Bond may be old-fashioned, and he may be injured, but he’s not an old man. - Didn’t cut any references to Bond’s age during conversation with Q. This scene functions to contrast Bond’s experience and skills with Q’s (or lack thereof), not to suggest that Bond is past his prime. - Cut Q’s line “Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don’t really go in for that sort of thing anymore.” A pointless reference to past Bond films and feels like an apology for the lack of fantastical gadgets. - Cut shots of Bond disguised as chauffeur in airport. Bond rarely uses disguises, so this feels off. - Rescored Bond hanging onto bottom of elevator. Original music sounds like Hans Zimmer’s Batman theme. Music is replaced with “Hinx” from Spectre soundtrack. - Reduced artificial zoom that was added to shot of Bond struggling to hold up Patrice. - Cut M watching YouTube in her house. Not necessary to check in with M here, and we learn about the endangered agents again in the next scene. - Cut lines after Moneypenny shaves Bond (“You look the part now” / “What’s that?” / “Old dog, new tricks”). Combined with the fireworks, this is overly suggestive of a sexual relationship (not intended, according to director). Also removes another reference to Bond being old. - Cut more long-winded, overly suggestive banter between Bond and Moneypenny. (“It’s amazing what one can do with an extra pair of hands” / “You’re telling me” / “Do you gamble?” / “I like a little flutter now and then. Who doesn’t like to take chances?”) - Cut Severine remarking on Bond’s concealed Walther after he remarks on her concealed Beretta. Their skills of observation don’t need to be evenly matched, and Severine smiling is a more interesting response to Bond’s remark. - Cut casino brawl involving CGI komodo dragons, a silly scene that doesn’t suit Craig’s Bond. This change also necessitates removal of Severine explaining that her bodyguards will try to kill Bond and her instructions for boarding the boat. - Cut shot of Severine looking sad that Bond didn’t show up before boat’s departure. - Recut Severine’s shower so that Bond doesn’t sneak up on her. Replaced creepy sounding music with a more romantic track (unused Skyfall track “Old Dog, New Tricks”) and cut all dialogue. - Cut Severine’s line “He made them think there was a leak at the chemical plant. It’s amazing the panic you can cause with a single computer.” Silva’s island is in ruins, and a gas leak doesn’t explain that. Better to leave the reason for the island’s abandonment to the viewer’s imagination. - Cut Silva reading from Bond’s employee file “pathological rejection of authority.” Doesn’t add up – Bond is a patriot, loyal to M and to the Service, and M is cast in the role of his surrogate parent (in this film anyway). Instead, Silva reads “unresolved childhood trauma” with no further elaboration. - Reduced artificial zoom that was added to shots of Severine tied up. - Cut overhead shot of CGI helicopters descending on Bond and Silva. This change makes the music a little awkward, but I couldn’t bring myself to keep the awful CGI. - Cut Silva laughing to himself after showing M his facial deformity. Makes him feel more calculating and manipulative and less like a cliché madman. - Cut Q’s line “This was years in the planning. He wanted us to capture him.” It strains credibility to believe that Silva planned all his actions in advance. Some were planned, sure, but some were down to improvisation and resourcefulness. - Recut train speeding towards Bond in tube so that it feels more exciting. - Cut Bond’s line “Why thank you” when talking to Silva in underground. Bond’s flippancy doesn’t suit the situation. - Trimmed shots of Bond staring at the hole created by Silva’s bomb, so he reacts more quickly to the impending danger. - Cut M mentioning 00 section at public inquiry. The 00 section is a government secret, not public knowledge. - Cut M’s line “So before you declare us irrelevant, ask yourselves: how safe do you feel?” which is an unpersuasive and fear mongering argument. - Added a snippet of Bond theme from track “Granborough Road” after Bond shoots teacups during target practice. This music was cut when I removed the casino fight sequence, so I wanted to use it somewhere else in the movie. - Trimmed a few frames from shot of Bond angry about the DB5’s destruction, so that Bond theme is timed with start of shot. - Horizontally flipped a few shots of Bond fighting Silva’s mercenary underwater so that Bond/mercenary don’t keep switching positions between shots. For some reason, the original sequence horizontally flips several shots, which confuses the fight’s staging. This can be seen by observing Bond’s watch, which switches from his left wrist to right wrist and back again several times. - Reframed shot of Bond in chapel doorway so that Bond is bigger in the frame and also centered. His entrance now has more visual impact. - Cut Bond’s line “Last rat standing” before Silva collapses. This is a clunky callback to Silva’s rat metaphor from earlier, and the metaphor is more intelligently alluded to in other parts of the movie. - Cut Moneypenny introducing herself to Bond. The idea that they went on missions without Bond knowing her first or last name is ridiculous. She simply sits at her desk, and the dedicated Bond fan can deduce she is Moneypenny. - Cut gun barrel sequence from end credits. - Replaced character name “Eve” with “Moneypenny” in cast credits. - Moved “50 Years – James Bond Will Return” logo to end of credits. - Added faneditor credit. - Other minor changes as needed.

Additional Notes:

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Other Sources:

- Spectre - Skyfall Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Thomas Newman) - Spectre Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Thomas Newman)

Special Thanks:

Thanks to Zarius and lapis molari for viewing and providing feedback and also to my brother for assisting with the gun barrel sequence.