Last Bond Movie You Watched.

Thanks fellas! It certainly is underrated, Walecs. To dismiss it as 'formulaic' or worse, a 'dumbass action flick' is to confess a lack of understanding of the film's subtext and wit. Or perhaps to admit an unfounded prejudice against the film. It's one of the few Bond films that successfully adapts Fleming's tendency to include geopolitical and social observations and it has endured because of it. Its recent reappraisal from Bond fandom is certainly welcome and will continue and widen as the years progress, perhaps in a similar vein to that of OHMSS and TLD.

CJB wrote:

Can't fault your enthusiasm for TND, MKKBB. Very nicely written.

TND is a very fun film which will always hold nostalgia value for me as the (IIRC) first EON Bond I saw. Anyone else have the VHS which opened with Desmond spruiking the PlayStation game?

I had a special VHS pack that included a copy of Zero Minus Ten. I also have an hour-long 'making of' VHS presented by Desmond and gathering dust in the house here called 'Highly Classified : The World Of 007' which certainly seems like the sort of thing that would've been in another 'limited edition' pack ... hmm, maybe I bought TND on video twice.

I was in Hawaii in October 79, and escaped the heat for a few hours watching Moonraker at the Pearl Ridge mall cinema.

Since collecting the videos, I tend to save Moonraker to watch on unbearably hot days when it's too uncomfortable to go out of doors.

I watched Moonraker yesterday - with Sir Roger's commentary, of course.

I know the conversation with my wife about " why do you keep buying the same films " I do point out, that it was vhs, dvd , blu-ray and now downloads and 4k discs

I still have the VHS box that includes the Secret World of 007 featurette hosted by Desmond where you see a glimpse of the original version of the PSX game. It also includes a printed copy of the shooting script with a printed Brozzer autograph. It's a really cool set for the era.

Haha don't even get me started on editions. For TND I have: VHS boxset, standard VHS, Laserdisc, DTS Laserdisc, DVD SE, DVD UE, Blu-ray.

Also had a set with the widescreen Goldeneye VHS, branded Parker pen, a brochure version of the 007 magazine issue about the film and the Tina Turner CD single.

Watched Dr No today. Still a film I enjoy greatly. Always have loved the locations and the fact Bond has to do quite a bit of detective work to figure out what’s going on. It does drag a bit towards the middle but beyond that I don’t have a ton of complaints. Norman’s soundtrack is pretty awful even by the standards of the time. Always liked this characterization of Bond. He’s the Bond we know/action hero but at the same time a lot of human elements here that make him relatable. The apartment, love interest, etc. always love the car/wall art in Bonds apartment wall haha.

Moore wrote:

Norman’s  soundtrack  is pretty awful even by the standards of the time.

I dunno, could've done with at least one more instance of the Bond Theme IMO.

"But it's all I have!"

hegottheboot wrote:

I still have the VHS box that includes the Secret World of 007 featurette hosted by Desmond where you see a glimpse of the original version of the PSX game. It also includes a printed copy of the shooting script with a printed Brozzer autograph. It's a really cool set for the era.

Haha don't even get me started on editions. For TND I have: VHS boxset, standard VHS, Laserdisc, DTS Laserdisc, DVD SE, DVD UE, Blu-ray.

Do you watch all the formats or do you have a go-to? In other words, would you pick to view the VHS one day and then on the next viewing, watch the blu ray?

Moore wrote:

Watched Dr No today. Still a film I enjoy greatly. Always have loved the locations and the fact Bond has to do quite a bit of detective work to figure out what’s going on. It does drag a bit towards the middle but beyond that I don’t have a ton of complaints. Norman’s soundtrack is pretty awful even by the standards of the time. Always liked this characterization of Bond. He’s the Bond we know/action hero but at the same time a lot of human elements here that make him relatable. The apartment, love interest, etc. always love the car/wall art in Bonds apartment wall haha.

Can't disagree with a lot of that, especially regarding the locations, Bond's characterisation and how active he is in the story. I have to say though I'm not too against the score. I love the interlude as Bond arrives at his apartment, I love the calypsos at Pussfellas and the dramatic accents as Trueblood is killed/as Dr No's files are stolen. And to be honest, I like the Tarantula-bashing cues.

What do you consider the middle section that drags? I'd say after we meet Honey, the film slows down and doesn't pick up until Quarrel's death scene. And I attribute that largely to Honey's voice work not being strong enough to carry the weight of her back story. I'm nitpicking. It's not a big deal in the scheme of things, but after such an excellent first hour and then later, the intriguing visit to Dr No's lair, it's the weakest part of the film for me.

CJB wrote:

I dunno, could've done with at least one more instance of the Bond Theme IMO.

Might not count as a Bond film, but I finally got round to watching 'Goldeneye' - the Ian Fleming biopic, that is.

Not too bad for a made-for-TV number but not amazing by any stretch. Charles Dance, however, is perfectly cast. Charisma, swagger et al aside, he's the only on-screen Fleming I've seen who actually comes close to resembling the man himself physically.

The bit with the "assassin" doing ninja jumps was truly terrible, but thankfully it doesn't get much worse than that. Well, James Bond the ornithologist rocking up was a bit goofy too.

Did get a kick out of seeing a young Christoph Waltz as one of the German POWs. Let's face it, that's the best Bond-related thing he's ever done.

Didn't realise Christoph Waltz was in it. I recall taping it when it broadcast on TV. I would have been 12 or so. Might be worth revisiting again.

I have a DVD of that, given away with a newspaper once. I had seen it before, but stuck it on one night a while back and proceeded to bow out at the ninja-jumping assassin.

Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang wrote:

Didn't realise Christoph Waltz was in it. I recall taping it when it broadcast on TV. I would have been 12 or so. Might be worth revisiting again.

The movie is free on YouTube, so worth a watch if there's nothing better on.

Here's Waltz with that trademark Germanic smile:

Blunt Instrument wrote:

I have a DVD of that, given away with a newspaper once. I had seen it before, but stuck it on one night a while back and proceeded to bow out at the ninja-jumping assassin.    

I did have to grit my teeth to plough on after that bit, admittedly.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

Also had a set with the widescreen Goldeneye VHS, branded Parker pen, a brochure version of the 007 magazine issue about the film and the Tina Turner CD single.  

Everyone else always got fancy boxes. That TND set was the only special one we ever got.

hegottheboot wrote:

Haha don't even get me started on editions. For TND I have: VHS boxset, standard VHS, Laserdisc, DTS Laserdisc, DVD SE, DVD UE, Blu-ray.

Do you watch all the formats or do you have a go-to? In other words, would you pick to view the VHS one day and then on the next viewing, watch the blu ray?
[/quote]
I've done a demo before to show people the evolution of home video sound and used TND. But if I sit down and watch the film it's always the DTS Laserdisc. No other version will suffice. The LD has the best picture transfer for the format I've ever seen and the audio presentation is without equal. The mix is the same across all versions and all sound excellent but the DTS version combines the larger codec size from the time with that era's lack of messing with theatrical audio levels. The BD audio comes close but still gets edged out. As a confirmed TND addict if you have a home theater you've got to get a copy of this for yourself. Then your neighbors will run for the hills. DTS titles are elusive and pricey due to the collector's market but well worth it when an affordable one appears.


DN is for me the purest Bond experience as it was before the formula, still trying out new ideas, Young at his freshest and ultimately the production was a low budget affair with every team member caring to put in 200% effort and break the mold.

hegottheboot wrote:

Blunt Instrument wrote:

Also had a set with the widescreen Goldeneye VHS, branded Parker pen, a brochure version of the 007 magazine issue about the film and the Tina Turner CD single.  

Everyone else always got fancy boxes. That TND set was the only special one we ever got.

hegottheboot wrote:

Haha don't even get me started on editions. For TND I have: VHS boxset, standard VHS, Laserdisc, DTS Laserdisc, DVD SE, DVD UE, Blu-ray.

Do you watch all the formats or do you have a go-to? In other words, would you pick to view the VHS one day and then on the next viewing, watch the blu ray?

I've done a demo before to show people the evolution of home video sound and used TND. But if I sit down and watch the film it's always the DTS Laserdisc. No other version will suffice. The LD has the best picture transfer for the format I've ever seen and the audio presentation is without equal. The mix is the same across all versions and all sound excellent but the DTS version combines the larger codec size from the time with that era's lack of messing with theatrical audio levels. The BD audio comes close but still gets edged out. As a confirmed TND addict if you have a home theater you've got to get a copy of this for yourself. Then your neighbors will run for the hills. DTS titles are elusive and pricey due to the collector's market but well worth it when an affordable one appears.
[/quote]

If I'm ever in your neck of the woods you'll have to show me that TND DTS Laserdisc.



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