For those of you who were on 24/7 Obama watch last week, you may not have noticed that the new James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, opened in China last Wednesday, more than one week before its debut in Obamerica — and nearly three months before it opens in Japan. Suckers! (See all release dates here.) Not that we didn't trust earlier reports that Bond would arrive on the Mainland uncut and uncensored, but having been burned by bad government edits in the past (bureaucrats are sloppy with scissors), we wanted to wait and make sure. We have learned from friends that Quantum indeed seems untouched in Shanghai, save for some subtitled Italian that doesn't appear in English. We'll be heading to the theater soon. Here are showtimes (in Chinese).
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Last night Nanjing Pedestrian street was a nightmare, I'm sure others out there have similarly bad e
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I saw it at the Peace Cinema on Xizang Lu.
Huge screen, great sound, and I enjoyed the movie- but suspect they cut out at least a sex scene and some other edits seemed a little jumpy.
There were also several points in the film were some numbers flashed up on the screen 5..4...3...2..1- looked like they were pencilled directly onto the celluloid. Weird.
Actually, it's totally cut. Tell me what happens in the desert scene near the end... It truly boggles the mind. And there are several choppy edits that just make no fricking sense. Anyway, good movie as long as you don't need to understand what the plot is.
I noticed the numbers, too, and a couple strange words as well.
I think they're hoping we all watch it in theaters and then go buy the DVD version to fill in the gaps.
SPOILERS!!!
I was confused by the desert scene, but then reading reviews on IMDB- a lot of people watching in the West were as well.
I don't think there is a scene where we see what is explained to Bond about Quantum, and you're supposed to work out what happened to the guy from what M says in the last scene.
Hmmm. That's bad news. I added a question mark to the headline.
EL JEFE, what theater did you go to? Any chance they have different versions for different theaters?
DVD screener season is almost upon us. So maybe I'll just wait for that.
My gf looked on mtime.com to choose the cinema (http://007.mtime.com/) - she said there were several different running times for different theaters.
SPOILERS
Tell me what happens in the desert scene near the end... It truly boggles the mind
What part? The part where he leaves Greene in the desert with only a can of motor oil to drink?
It's playing at UME Cinema in Xintiandi all day/eve every 30 mins so you don't need to worry about schedules. Interesting that two evening tickets plus a combo of one popcorn and two sodas costs 242rmb, only $35 USD!
Yes, right before the end, when Greene is running away and Bond drives up to him and suddenly Greene mentions answering all his questions about the QOS, but none were ever asked -- that was the thing that struck me as very odd... just watch that cut, from exiting the car to standing over Greene -- obviously something missing. And some of the other cuts, too, really poorly done, and again the weird words and numbers written in the white space like James mentioned. I guess it could have been made that way to show people what hallucinating is like.
I think the "1st ever uncut foreign film" is just BS. How many people are employed in this business here?
EL JEFE,
That desert scene you described is accurate and uncut from the UK version. I watched it here on Saturday 1 November and it is exactly how you described it. Nothing is revealed about the villianous organisation.
El JEFE - I think there's an implication that the questions were asked and answered in the car - its setting it up for Bond 23. I think its a little confusing because Quantum of Solace is looking a lot more like Empire Strikes Back or Back to the Future 2 - the middle film in a trilogy, but confusing to watch by itself.
Bond vs. Quantum is obviously the showdown for Bond 23.
Hmm... I guess the different running times means different uncut versions. Makes sense to me.
I watched it with a particular eye for it being totally uncut, because I heard the same rumor. Maybe the original edit was just that bad. Matrix 2 was worse -- they didn't even try to do a movie there, just a scam to get another $10.
Greene was never in the car!
wait, you're right. um, then I don't know.
I wasn't confused. They don't tell you anything so you have to see the next one. Simple.
I thought the movie was so-so. Too much action, not enough cool.
Also, crappy fight scene with Greene. Not only is it badly filmed but it's improbable from the start - it would take 2 punches from Bond/Craig to finish off Greene/Amaric. And here you see them fighting as if Craig was overwhelmed by Greene's strength. Silly.
I hope the version I just saw in Xintiandi was cut. If not, very bad scene in the desert. Here's how it went:
Bond looks out at the desert and sees Greene stumbling along in the distance.
Cut to Bond in a car driving in the desert and you are wondering, "Where did he get a car?" The whole place was in flames.
Cut to Bond throwing Greene out of the car and you are wondering, "OK, how and when did he get Greene in the car?"
And then Greene says, "OK, I told you everything about Quantum you might want to know." But we never hear him say anything.
And then Bond lets him go and throws him a can of oil.
Is that really how it plays outside of China? Just seems there is a chunk missing between Bond seeing Greene in the distance and then Bond being in the car (with Greene also in the car, although unseen).
There is a scene form the trailer in which Bond emerges over the desert horizon carrying a big machine gun. Is that not in the movie itself? I know stuff like that happens, just wondering if that is the case here.
What a bunch of negative nancies! Can't go to a movie and enjoy it, gotta be all artsy and critical. Did you all wear your black sweaters with grey scarves and let your goatees grow out a bit?
There were some things snipped towards the end apparently, but seemingly a pretty small amount. There was a post sex scene between Bond and another British girl who was later found nude and drenched in oil.
Right, exactly my problem -- he arrives at Greene, and then, all of a sudden, he's tossing him to the ground and talking about the Q.O.S. Is it uncut, though?
Nanny, when you parents said to make friends, they didn't mean to draw them on the wall with your own feces.
Did you even watch the movie shitbird?
Wow! Must've hit a nerve with el jeffrey. I guess we all know your look, detached artsy type.
BTW I did see the movie. Could've used a sequence like the crane chase in the last one.