Monday, December 12, 2022

TODAY'S NUGGET: Goldfinger (1964) - Give the Bad Guy a Memorable Entrance

[Quick Summary: After Goldfinger kills a traitor who has helped Bond, Bond hunts him down and discovers his nefarious plans for Fort Knox's gold.]

With no DVDs or VHS tapes in the 1960s, there were no repeat viewings of films unless you bought another ticket or caught them on tv.

Films were meant to be consumed in (and remembered from) one sitting. 

How you make the bad guy memorable? A clever entrance generally does the trick.

In the first 10 pgs. of this script, this one stood out to me. It makes the audience pay attention to the visuals:

INT. BONITA'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

...He walks to a hook on the wall removing his holster.

BONITA: Why do you always wear that thing?

BOND (hanging his holster on the hook): I have a slight inferiority complex. (he turns to her) Where was I? --Oh, yes.

TRACK IN SLIGHTLY as he embraces her.

ANGLE OVER THEM

As Bond kisses her, an assailant -- CAPUNGO -- approaches from behind a wardrobe in b.g., brandishing a cosh.

FAVORING BONITA

She opens her eyes and looks at him over Bond's shoulder.

CAPUNGO 

approaches raising a cosh.

FAVORING BOND

He leans back from Bonita looking into her eyes.

BOND'S POV - BONITA'S LEFT EYE

The pupil reflects Capungo approaching with the raised cosh.

MEDIUM SHOT

Bond suddenly swings Bonita around. Capungo smashes her on the head.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I did not remember this bad guy's name...but I did remember his entrance via pupil reflection.

Goldfinger (1964)(undated)
by Richard Maibaum & Paul Dehn
Based on the novel by Ian Fleming

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