Friday, November 09, 2012

Skyfall: Bond's Dark Knight



There is much to be said about Skyfall, the 23rd James Bond film. Let me share some initial items and images to begin the pondering. (There are no spoilers in such an early posting about this film. I just saw it tonight, as it opens in the USA.)




It is remarkable how the tone and underlying themes of The Dark Knight Rises and Skyfall overlap. I have already discussed the Aurora backdrop in Skyfall.

Skyfall's Silva, the psychopath, is this film's Joker. Bond is Batman.


James Bond: Everyone needs a hobby... 
Raoul Silva: So what's yours? 
James Bond: Resurrection.
Skyfall, 2012


M: Quoting Tennyson's poem Ulysses: Though much is taken, much abides; and though 
We are not now that strength which in old days 
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are... 
One equal temper of heroic hearts, 
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will 
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
Skyfall, 2012



In a scene where Bond and M first reach Scotland (shown here), the following exchange occurs, as noted:


M: Orphans make the best recruits. 
Bond: There's a storm coming.
Skyfall, 2012

BMT 216A ~ The same registration for this vehicle in Goldfinger and Thunderball.


Sarah Connor: What did he just say? (asking about what a Mexican child said)
Gas Station Attendant: He said there's a storm coming in. 
Sarah Connor: [sighs] I know.
~ The Terminator, 1984.


The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming. 
Harvey DentThe Dark Knight, 2008.

Selina Kyle to Bruce Wayne: You think this can last? There's a storm coming, Mr. Wayne. You and your friends better batten down the hatches, because when it hits, you're all gonna wonder how you ever thought you could live so large and leave so little for the rest of us. The Dark Knight Rises, 2012

Later...

Selina Kyle: There's a storm coming. 
Bruce Wayne: You sound like you're looking forward to it. 
Selina Kyle: I'm adaptable. 
~ The Dark Knight Rises, 2012


9 comments:

  1. There's an old sailor's proverb:

    Red sky at night, sailor's delight
    Red sky in morning, sailor's warning.

    Seems to fit.

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  2. Anonymous4:13 AM


    Rubeus Hagrid: It's changing out there. Just like last time. There's a storm coming, Harry. And we all best be ready when she does.

    Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

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  3. BMT (in the license plate): Bane/Mitt/Trump? ;)

    What do you make of the use of Hashima island as the lair of this movie's Bond villain?

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  4. re: BMT 216A

    Something even more interesting about that reg-tag on the Aston Martin DB:

    Adding the LETTERS we see,

    B+M+T+A (or 2+13+20+1) = 36 in their simple gematria value.

    In Old English gematria, which is ('simple value' x 6)
    it's

    36 x 6 = 216

    Just as the remaining digits indicated on the plate...

    216

    BARACK = 36 in simple gematria

    The President "BARACK" was born on day # 216 (August 4th) of the calendar.

    216 is also the product of:

    6 x 6 x 6

    If we sum the whole plate we get B+M+T+A (or BAT M, whichever you prefer!) as
    36 + 216 = 252
    252 = 42 x 6


    MATH = 252 in Old English Gematria and 42 in simple.

    ~SE~

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  5. Probably should add this too!

    BATMAN is 51 simple gematria and also 306 old english

    In occult math a Zero can be discarded, leaving us with,
    in the case of BATMAN, only the 3 and 6

    and we see "BAT M" anagrammed on the plate
    and "M and a MAN" standing in the foreground.
    Convenient!

    Sure would be interesting if that scene were filmed on the
    Isle of MAN

    ~SE~

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  6. And Batman and James Bond are both orphans.

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  7. Good eye on the Aurora sighting. You're right on the money with the comparison to Dark Night. It might as well have been the same movie. But, then again, all movies are the same movie lol. The use of darkness and light in the camera work at the end of Skyfall was very powerful. I feel like I need to watch it again.

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  8. A lot of "There's a storm coming" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AStormIsComing

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  9. Anonymous5:17 PM

    What do you make of this in Batman AND Skyfall: An uncanny similarity in the logistics of the villains. They both use the UNDERGROUND system of tunnels etc to do their thing.

    Its interesting that with chemtrails the conspiracy-aware are looking to the skies with concern but meanwhile it seems that theres plenty afoot underground,whether fracking, or DUMBs

    ReplyDelete