Why is Q just leaving his lunch out in an area where weapons are going off, also why is his lunch just a sandwich you’d think he’s also have a cup of tea and a packet of crisps to go with it at least
Llewellyn last appearance in "The World Is not Enough " was so perfect, I still find it hard to believe that It was not intended as his finally appearance as Q . Q giving Bond , his last bit of fatherly advice and then leaving, saying "Always have a escape route " left no doubt when I saw the film , that this was the last time we would see Llewellyn as Q. It was the perfect wrap up of the Character .
According to one of the guys in the Oliver Harper review, Llewelyn apparently said Licence To Kill was his favourite Bond film because he actually got to go out and film on location.
Fun fact: all four of the first actors to play Q were all appeared in the same Titanic movie, A Night To Remember. Peter Burton played a steward, Desmond Llewelyn played a crew member at the third class gates, Geoffrey Bayldon played Californian wireless operator Cyril Evens, and Alec McCowen played Carpathia wireless operator Harold Cottom.
Micheal Goodlife (who played Bill Tanner in “The man with the Golden gun”) played Thomas Andrews Jr (1873-1912) in A night to remember. A night to remember is my favourite movie of all time since I am an Titanic historian.
I know Licence to Kill gets a lot of negative reviews for being more dark and violent, but I actually quite like the film because of Q helping Bond when he goes rogue. Even when Bond tells Q to leave, he refuses and stays to help him. I will be curious to see if Ben Whishaw does manage to play Q as long as Desmond Llewelyn did as he is indeed quite young.
that's a reason why it's one of my favorite films. Q helping bond out in every way as well as kind of be a conscious of sorts to bond. i like what ben whishaw is doing with the role as it fits in with the modern world as well as provide the humor that we need in bond films.
He might get to play him for more than 36 (years emphasis on might), hell he’s almost hit ten years, but especially given the rate that they’re making films, there’s no way he’ll hit 17 films. Hell Desmond was in 2/3 of the franchise, and that includes No Time To Die
@@thevoid99 Problem is, of course, that the way he was caught with his pants down in Skyfall should have led to him being transferred to installing printers for the rest of his careers.
I doubt Desmond is in more than 15 minutes of Licence to Kill if you added his screen time together [similar to Octopussy] but it feels like he's a bigger part of the story than he actually is because of how great Desmond was in the role.
Llewelyn was easily the best Q, he had some of the funniest scenes in the entire series. Q is such a basic character, simply to give gadgets to Bond, yet Llewelyn made this a character you looked forward to seeing every time you watched a Bond film.
Desmond Llewelyn was eighty-five when he died. He didn’t even die of old age, he died in a car accident. This guy was a boss! Aside from Llewelyn, I’m also gonna go with Whishaw, as I like how Q has been brought into the modern day, not as a seemingly mad scientist running around in a laboratory, but as a modern tech genius and I think he brings as nice new energy to the part. Also, I like how the fiftieth anniversary is what encouraged them to get Q.
"I think he's attempting re-entry, sir." Favorite films were the Dalton Bonds and in Octopussy. "Cut it out! We don't have time for that. Later perhaps."
100 percent agreed. Desmond was a national treasure. It's impossible to watch one of his Bond films and not feel a little heartbroken that's he's not still around.
I was about to say that, too. You never know, it might be intentional. Certain aspects of Metal Gear were very heavily inspired by 007, so it makes sense that 007 proper would pay tribute.
I wish Ben whishaw continues to play the role of Q, it's so cool and refreshing to watch the typical young genius. Maybe and with a hard training it could be a perfect 007
Although Desmond is the best Q, I'm also applauding Ben Whishaw. I think turning the character from a wise old man into a young computer nerd is a very creative and the right decission for the modern times. Desmond represents the idea we had of a smart person in classic times, Ben represents the idea we have of a smart person in modern times.
Exactly, a mechanical engineer like Desmond’s Q would not thrive in the digital age where knowledge of computer science can go a long way. A mad scientist can’t do shit against a cyber attack siphoning away the organization’ s funds, for example.
Even so, it's really hard for me to accept a young nerd a Q. I don't mind a female M or a blonde thug a Bond, but I would really like to ee Ben Whihaw replaced when they get a new actor to play Bond in the next decade.
@@placeholder1546 I agree about the difference between a mechanical engineer and computer nerd. On the other hand, given that Q stands for Quartermaster, should the Quartermaster actually be a computer nerd at all? One wonders why there wouldn't be a separate division for cyber-related things, and a completely distinct division for, well, the gadgets that the field agents require, which would seem to be less of a task for a computer nerd, and more of a job for more of a mechanical/electrical engineer. Personally, one thing I miss in the Craig films is the gadgets. Oh, they don't have to be completely over the top. But the films seem a bit bland for Bond films without the gadgets which have been a trademark of these films since Dr. No.
Great video Calvin! Yes would have ranked these pretty much exactly the same, and wouldn't ever expect a fellow Bond fan to rank any other Q above Desmond Llewelyn. I think you did say 1966's Casino Royale, instead of '67, but hey - that happens to the best of us, I muck up all the time! (Guess it takes a group of Bond geeks like us to actually notice small little useless information like that! :P ) Anyway, great video as always Calvin, have a good night!
I absolutely loved John Cleese as Q, partly because of my Fawlty Towers bias. It was a shame he didn’t do a few more, although without Pierce Brosnan he might have felt a bit out of place. Ben Wishaw and Desmond Llewelyn were both wonderful too - I love Wishaw’s humour in the role - and I didn’t even know about the other actors, so thank you for enlightening me. :)
Best Q quotes: " I always taught you two things 007...1) Never let them see you bleed 2) Always have an exit plan." "I did say bring the car back in one piece, not bring back one piece" (Lol this scene was funny) "Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don't go in for that anymore" "I can do more damage from my bedroom sitting in my pajamas than you can do in a week in the field"
My favorite Q scene has to be from Goldfinger. I love the look of the old 1960's Q lab, the interplay between Bond and Q, and the fact that Q introduced us to what has to be the most famous car on screen!!! Rest in Peace Desmond Llewelyn.
I loved this vid, it serves as a nice tribute to the character but a very warm insightful piece about Desmond and his contributions to the franchise. His last seconds on screen, being lowered into the floor, is so much more poignant knowing it's his last seconds on screen.
So satisfying to see how Llewelyn went from a strict character in FRWL to a very happy and enjoying one in the rest of the franchise. Personnally Q is the first character that comes to mind when I think of Bond movies as a whole, before Sean Connery or Roger Moore
Also, great tribute to Llewelyn by the way. You even gave me some things to dwell on and appreciate that I hadn't before. The man was in the first film I ever remember seeing on the big screen: GOLDFINGER.
It was, it was but whats more important - your video was stellar as always. You`re doing a phenomenal job with your channel. Even though I often have a completly different opinion than you about many things in the Bond universe I still enjoy your videos like hell because your research is topnoch, your knowledge and your passion for those movies is incredible and you`re a great host. Keep up the good work.
Flip-flop Burton and Bayldon and I agree with the list. I also agree with you point that, although Ben Wishaw is a fine actor, we're starting to get too much over-saturation with the MI6 regulars. SPECTRE felt more like a Mission Impossible film than a James Bond film. But I digress...Of course Desmon Llewelyn is Number 1 and nobody will ever dethrone him.
I won't rip Ben Whishaw because he's done a very creditable job in the role. But a big part of me thinks that it seems rather unrealistic for such a young person to head such an important department in a spy agency. At his age, Whishaw seems like he should be a technician/engineer in the department, rather than the head of the department.
Ben Whishaw is my favourite I always thought he bought more of a modern approach like a tech guy in an intelligent agency would look like all the other q look like they need help opening Google
Great video Calvin I completely agree that Desmond is by far the greatest Q. I do love Ben Whishaw as well, regarding the others they're okay but make little impression but Desmond Llewellyn will go down for decades more. Will you rank the 6 James Bond actors in order of personal preference?? :) Great video again
@@rokaanalzeer I completely agree that Rush can play one hell of a villain, especially given his work in Pirates of the Caribbean. However, his performance in The King's Speech really conveys a rt-of fatherly figure that would have, in my opinion, been a perfect succession to Llewelyn's take on Q. I'm kind of embarassed that I didn't realise this before now.
Desmond Llewelyn is indeed the literal definition of Q, but I think Cleese was a very ideal replacement. Cleese is a great actor and had the comic skills to make Q branch scenes work, but sadly he wasn’t given much time to ease into the role or to let fans ease up to him.
Desmond is my favorite Q. He was just so perfect and what the scenes with him and Roger Moore great is they were good friends and the ribbing was much good natured.
It was a real case of 'careful what you wish for' for me... In so many other installments I've loved the use of the MI6 regulars in larger roles. M in TWINE, Q in LTK etc... But for some reason it did feel too much like super-friends-team-up in Spectre. Especially considering Tanner and Moneypenny didn't really do anything in the climax.
Watching James Bond since I was little, despite it's a bit weird for a kid to watch James Bond, I love Desmond Llewelyn, he's the best Q! Also love Ben too! He's so cute. Great video!
Thanks Calvin. Love your review series. Great mixture of fan enthusiasm, humour and smart analysis and insight into film making. I thought Cleese's casting was a mistake, because he's too well known a celebrity (you can't have two iconic personalities / actors in a Bond film - it undermines the Bond universe's core suspension of belief) and the script writers couldn't shape his Q into a credible character. They just relied on Cleese and the audiences' goodwill to Cleese. After the irreplaceable Llewelyn, I think the best approach would be a more low key, believable Q (at least for the first few appearances of the replacement actor) who is not consciously trying to be a bigger screen personality. Llewelyn always grounded the characterisation even when the scripts were making his part more gimmicky.
Late to the party, but glad you included one of my favourite Desmond Q scenes at 14:20, half a dozen beauties celebrating his arrival as if *he* is Bond 😂
Cool video thumbs up! I'm a fan of John Cleese and he's work over the years but it's a shame he wasn't in more bonds as he was great. But Desmond will always be the best Q no one can take his spot.
Great video as always Calvin? When will you do your rankings of Bond actors? And do u ever consider re doing your ranking of bond films, as your opinion as changed of them?!
Suggestions for future videos: 1- Best non-fiction books about James Bond. 2- Review of the books - and how they differ from the films. 3- Top 5 actors you would like to take the James Bond role now that Daniel Craig confirmed he won't come back.
It's actually not confirmed yet. I know, I believed it myself a few months ago. But everything (including that article about him turning down 67 Million pounds) right now is just rumors and Calvin has said the same on facebook and that until he gets official confirmation from a reliable source, he doesn't believe it. I really do hope they can convince him to come back for at least one more movie, just to give Waltz the opportunity to give us the perfect Blofeld that we have yet to have. Others are hoping they can convince him to come back for two more movies and do another Blofeld trilogy (which would be ideal, but I'm not holding my breath. I think we'll be lucky to get one more).
Keep in mind, though - the Geoffrey Bayldon Q scene laid the groundwork for what Desmond's would become. By 1967, the standard Q scene wasn't "Q walks Bond through the lab while a bunch of background gags happen" - Casino Royale set that standard.
I wonder if we will be oversaturated with Ben Whishaw as Q in the future.... Something tells me after the end of No Time to Die...these roles will be recast.
I'd love for the next Q to be on the younger actor, but a slightly more irritable one, one who won't take any of Bond's crap and will happily tell him how much money all the cars, computers and guns cost. I'd love to see one struggling with management, basically.
The missing template/formula in Dr. No is one reason why I like Dr. No so much, because none of the characters is written to say typical lines or be in a certain usual way, so there is more room for realistic characterisations of the main characters in that scene in M's office. I don't know any other Bond movie where we get to see so much of who Bond is as a private person and as a professional in just a few scenes from the casino to his apartment. When we meet Major Boothroyd, he comments on 007's choice of gun and issues the Walther to him. There is nothing else to do for him in that setting. I guess Boothroyds function storytelling-wise is to further our knowledge of Bond and M. Bond is pigheaded. He wants to keep his favorite gun, although the jammed Beretta caused six months in hospital. M has to threaten him with office work to change guns. Bond shows consent, then steals the Beretta from M's desk. But M knows Bond and can't be fooled. All of that happens subtly, almost routinely. But I also know that series usually grow to become formulaic, which isn't necessarily bad, when the writers keep the series fresh by adding something new. The sitcom Cheers comes to my mind, unfortunately as the only series I know so far, whose characters have become stereotypical and the stories formulaic, but which imho is constantly enjoyable.
I always thought David Mitchell (of Mitchell And Webb) would actually make a good Q. He's geeky, appears meticulous/detail specific, seems like he has a vast array of knowledge (he's a Cambridge graduate), and can play tetchy wonderfully well. Although it might seem like he'd be better at playing Q in a spoof (Johnny English?), or it'd recall his character in Peep Shop too much, I think he could nuance it to be realistic, while still being funny. Funnily enough Robert Webb would actually make a good Bill Tanner, as he can play straight-ish, and has the right persona. And to cap it off, if we're casting from Peep Show, Olivia Coleman as M! She's a bit younger than previous ones, but would convince as being qualified and wise, while also perhaps having a bit of well placed wit.
Before Jim Steranko took over the series, the early "Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD" stories from Marvel Comics had an armorer named Boothroyd* (modern sources give him the full name of Desmond Boothroyd in the actor's honor) pop once or twice to supply Fury with exploding cigars, EMP cufflinks, etc. He was later replaced by the character Sidney Levine; coincidentally, Sid's first project was a sportscar that could turn invisible, which was also the first big Q Branch device post-Llewelyn. In another coincidence, the real life Boothroyd (first name Geoffrey, btw) during his correspondence with Fleming was employed by a company named Imperial Chemical Industries, a name very similar to a fictional corporation, Imperial Industries International, which unknowingly was the chief financier of the comic version of HYDRA at the time that Fury's Boothroyd made appearances. *Stan Lee was never one to eschew stealing names from other sources, as Captain Marvel can attest.
Fun fact, in the Dr No book the man who gives bond his walther is the armourer... a while seperate character to Q so maybe thats why he wasnt written as well as some of the others!
