Hilly does Octopussy

Little worse for wear, as it were, but also the first Bond I've seen since NTTD. Though I have the collection (up to DAD as a boxset), that's in storage so I brought OP (and TND) from a charity shop. Anyway, here we go.

Now, I might be wrong, but OP might well be the last Bond film that had a PTS unconnected to the rest of the film.

Before I get going, let's look. The year is 1983, a year my mother said was when the world looked likely to end. Before anyone scoffs, a Korean 747 was shot down, the Soviets thought the West's ABLE ARCHER was a preempt to attack (in East Germany), the Queen prepared a speech post-nuke attack, Mrs Thatcher ditto...so the tension is there.

But...same time, Never Say Never Again is coming out, the so-called Battle of the Bonds (how curious to have these films out with the stars being matey).

Furthermore, 1983...this is, ultimately, Moore's penultimate film. Since say MR, there was talk of will he continue? Well, he continued alright.

This is also Glen's second film. FYEO was a triumph, he says for argument's sake. Following Moonraker, surely anything was a triumph.

So, the OP pre-titles. I believe this is Duxford (he says), now the site of the Imperial War Museum Duxford but also, in 1969, the base for Guy Hamilton's Battle of Britain. It's also Barry's first OST since Moonraker.

I find is fascinating how his music evolved from say 1963 to 1987. Each decade has a 'sound'. And his 80s Bond (OP, VTAK and TLD) has a certain sound. I just wish I could put it into words.

Now...FYEO dragged Moore's Bond back to Earth in more ways than one but in OP, it's chafing at the bit. "Sounds like a load of bull". It's almost as if Glen thought FYEO was such a blast that OP can lapse.

Let's admire the fact that the real 'Toro' looks quite similar to Moore. What was the casting process? An ad in the local paper? "Do you LOOK like ROGER MOORE!"

By now, twenty one years into the franchise, Bond is known let's be honest. As Moore said, some secret agent if every bartender in the world knew him by sight and thus, if I may suggest, Moore's "You're a Toro too" is chuckle worthy but right.

I would also, dare suggest, this whole PTS (and some of what follows), is reminiscent not only of the early Bond's (say 62-65) but also Moore's days as the Saint. As I say, this looks like Duxford, there is no overseas stuff until the jet gets going. Duxford doubles suitably for a foreign base. It all works well, we skip say the jet sequence, return to the hangar and it works fantastically.

Though we know now it's back projection, we still buy it, or at least *I* do.

Nice little touch by Barry after the hangar blows up.

No other Bond film could end its PTS with "fill her up please" let's be honest

Now, here we go. Folk don't like this song but there's something about it that tugs on my strings. It seems right for Moore, at least in this film. It's his sixth film, tying with Connery, he's fifty-odd, he might be thinking how long can he keep going and then there's Maud Adams. She's younger but worthy of Moore's Bond here.

Classic titles though, not my favourite but classic Binder.

In fact, may I blotto-y suggest it's classic Bond song? No? No.

We get a complete contrast to the PTS and song by East Germany. Instinctively cold and depressing but wait there's a clown. IT? No, it's 009.

When I was about six, I went on holiday to Bournemouth (then known as God's waiting room), with my grandparents as well as my family. I got sunburnt, lay on the sofa-bed like Moore post-centrifuge. So bad, apparently, that my grandad stayed with me in the flat as the others went to the arcades. Thus, though I had seen other films Bondwise prior, Octopussy was the first in its entirety I remember seeing. At the time, 009's flight scared the living daylights (no pun intended) out of me. The imagery remains vivid, 009 crashing through the undergrowth, Barry's score etc

Then we have the bloody twins. Perhaps not the most memorable villains in 59 years but they do the job

009 looks like he's made it. He's right on top of the checkpoint but the twins get him. Savagely so for a 1980s Bond film.

However, of course, good ol' 009 has survived. Any 00 beyond Bond can make it hence my half humorous short story about 0011. And yet, that image of 009 crashing through the window still chills, perhaps it's the clown makeup.

Bond returns to Whitehall.

Ah, Smallbone.

"As I used to be..."

Jesus Penny, you know Bond likes you.

I do like how Bond says to Smallbone welcome to Universal Exports. Surely if she's there and he's there, they both know it's MI6?

Brown's first film as M. Now, I personally like the idea of Hargreaves (TSWLM) being M (83-89). For all we know his first name is Michael.

Ah, dear Douglas Wilmer. One of these chaps who did TV episodes, the odd movie but always his damn best. You may chuckle but such actors are sadly missed in todays Britain.

I find it curious that as M says "eyes only 007" he then mentions 009. Surely Bond knows by then 009 has popped his clogs? In one of the books, maybe MR, 009 has come a-cropper in East Ger'.

I love this USSR set. I doubt they had something like this but it's big, spacious and fantastic.

Plus I've since become a firm admirer of Berkoff. I saw him, about 5yrs ago, on BBC24's "Hardtalk" and his frankness over todays world, todays acting etc made me a fan. Even if I last saw him in Man Down!

The chap playing the leader is a dead ringer for Brezhnev.

Dare I suggest, sorry I keep saying that, Gogol comes into his own here? Though he appears in TSWLM in the pyramid in FYEO at St. Cyril's, this film has him doing his most. He's at the USSR leadership thingy, he's at the border, he's at the fake jeweller... Makes a change to see him without a blonde.

This auction scene wouldn't work nowadays. We'd need rapid cuts and some flash OST.

I love this scene for Wilmer and Moore. Wilmer is there for a serious reason but Moore's Bond feels the need to be a bit of an idiot but just push. Wilmer is a chap, not that Bond isn't, but he's there for a reason. Bond's just being a teenager.

I love also Wilmer as Bond subtly winds him up, the shake of the head etc. I bet he returns to SIS bitching, raging whilst Bond has an eyebrow raised.

Barry knew when to do music and when not. That brief Indianesque music post-auction works.

Moore and Brown were mates from the day, though Moore was friends with everyone! and so as Bond explains himself I wonder if after Glen said cut, there were some jokes.

I personally don't think Brown's M gets enough plaudits. He's had to come after Lee's lengthy tenure and comes before Dench's. Yet he ends up doing four films which Bond-wise is enough. He's not an idiot, just sometimes out moved by Bond. I'd love to have seen him with Brosnan's Bond if but once.

Barry's intro music to India is fantastic. The Bond theme bit is a bit too much but then we've had a cleaner whistle Goldfinger (OHMSS) and so on so why not?

Dear Vijay. As I said on the old MI6, I worked at Wimbledon in 2010. I first saw him in an invitational but one day, as the lorry didn't have enough room, I had to walk through the grounds. I wore a knackered hi-vis, was tired (being up from 4am) and there's this trio standing about with one being Vijay. As I walked up I wanted to get his autograph but figured my condition would earn scorn. I walked close past. I wish I had but there we go.
Bond wastes no time in socking it to the bars.
I do love the instrumental.
When I was little, a brunette could stop me dead. I could stare for instance and so Octopussy is that fixture. Though younger than Moore, Adams here feels closer in age to Moore.
Now today I’m sure, Bond would be dubbed a rapist but there’s something about how he goes after her and kisses her: “You’re right, we’re two of a kind.”
On the quiet, she is an equal. Any other time Octopussy might help him out.
And so we get the sacrificial lamb.
Whatever we might say about him, Vijay’s death is felt. It’s executed so well. The shot of the birds flying off cutting to Moore in bed.
Bond is at least on the alert. He’s watching the horizon kind of thing.
Now, at least he’s aware to a drop of sweat
As I’ve said before, Moore is probably the least physical of the Bond’s. His actions reduced to a leg lashing or whatever but here, he does enough. A couple of blocks then slamming his would-be assassin into the tank.
Moore’s classic “ooohhhhh!” as he falls into the water works here. As it at least sounds like Bond is taken by surprise.
How can we not love the instrumental as the camera zooms in on Octopussy thinking Bond is dead. No? Well.
“All he said was it Kamal’s men.”
Even though this the script and he’s long gone from the film, this adds to Vijay. He’s held on as long as he can, until Q shows. He’s kept himself going in the hope someone shows. Isn’t that enough?
And so, the grandeur of India is replaced by the cold blandness of East Germany.
The twins on this viewing feel immaterial. Big deal you can throw knives.
Cue the fat extra
Fuck me it’s Drax’s stunt double about to climb into the cannon
As with earlier, the film is saving its budget by filming in Peterborough!
The Russkie explaining how it works is the classic bad Russian in a film:
Oh look, PKK
Bond thinks he’s snuck in undetected. Ah well
Got to love how in spite of everything Orlov is unperturbed. If anything he seems curious,
Moore’s Bond has a rare moment of coldness by planting a shot between the eyes of an idiot trooper
His Bond at least keeps shooting until the magazine is done
If we think “my God, the car on rails is stupid”…well, it’s the inception of the Bond theme. Barry’s music makes most thing legitimate.
Here Martin Grace earns his pay for the week
Whatever we might think of this film, I love how we see Orlov silently ranting and raving in his car.
Rare case of the Soviets acting quickly, i.e getting the car out of the lake pronto
Orlov’s death feels pointless but is well done on the quiet. It spooks Gogol.
Gorbinda is no mug. At least by the fact he acts casual than swings his whatever.
This is the one time, personally, that Moore and stuntmen blend seamlessly.
Full marks to Grace here.
Aye, aye, Octopussy on the table…
The one time Moore’s Bond doesn’t seem to be taken by a nude female. “Come on woman, help me!”
Love the image of him (or stuntman) running over the top of the train.
“MISHKA!”
Oh you poor wretched idio
It’s a brief few shots but “that’s for 009” works every time.
Somehow Bond knows that the twins killed 009 and he gets revenge.
Oh those cruel Germans playing with Bond. Don’t you know a nuke is about go off?!
Glen spoils me, there’s a white VW Beetle. C’mon Herbie, help Bond!!!
Joking chaps
I’m sorry fraulein but if you’re going to take forever, you pay the price
All of a sudden we enter serious straits
There, briefly, is our Rent-a-Yanks, the general and his lieutenant. One in Empire Strikes Back/Fawlty Towers and one in A New Hope
Always love how Bond romps ups saying it’s urgent and the MP looks up, sees the pursuers and has his gun on Bond
I once defended Bond dressing as a clown as being logical if he was going into a circus. In hindsight I wonder. It’d surely take a few minutes to get the clobber on…oh well, never mind
My God woman listen to me, I know I’m dolled up but it’s serious!
James!
He’’ll destroy…
James!
Takes the fucking thing to be revealed for the general to let Bond have a go
I love the zoom in on Octopussy. She’s been screwed. Not like that
Without planning Octopussy gets into sync
Can you imagine this now? A bunch of women in scant clothing distracting the bad guys with their cleavage etc?
Got to love PKK’s innocence and Pussy’s mane of hair,. What?
“It goes by hot air!”
“There she is! She’s in trouble!”
Besides LTK, this must be the time Q helps out
Bond sliding down the stairs works whatever Bond but best for our Roge.
All of a sudden it’s daylight
“No time for that….later perhaps!” Q you old devil!
By now PKK is quite demented.
Got to love Gorbinda’s reluctance to “go out there”
Only Moore’s Bond can win by slapping an aerial….provoking the idiot scream
This the time when Bond is willing to hurt the girl by flinging her out…
As I say I saw this with my late grandad reading his paper. As the film wound down the family returned. As Bond makes his “oooh” sound, I giggled as a 6 year old might. My mother chided me as I was too young to know why Bond made the sound.
However, I like the movie.

Good write-up.

OP is probably one of the lower tier films for me. Just feels like 90% of the movie is taken up by slapstick misadventures in India, followed by a a rushed bomb plot reveal/Orlov death/circus stuff rush to the finish. Then, of course, the somewhat forgettable attack on the palace and plane fight (which somehow didn't feel as exciting as the one done a few years later in TLD).

Just feel like they veered too far back into self-parody and childish antics after trying to do something slightly more serious with FYEO. Interestingly, I think AVTAK attempts to take a few steps back away from the OP-ish precipice to a tone that's closer to FYEO, setting the stage, of course, for the harder-edged Dalton films.

The real Toro was Moore's stand-in, hence the similarity in appearance. According to JG's book anyway.

Good write up as usual. OP too falls lower for me if I'm being forced to rank the films and I think it's mainly for the disjointed joining of the plots and the holdovers that tonally feel out of place from George MacDonald Frasier's original script. I know of Flashman and the novels sound fun but it's not really Bond material.
The title and some of the silliness get the film derided to this day by some but those who see it are always won over by its entertaining charms and well oiled execution. Comparing NSNA to it is like comparing a tv movie one off to the real thing. And this is coming form someone who likes things in NSNA and still watches it yearly.

Indeed the fellow playing Toro was Roger's longtime stand-in who I think went back to the days of The Saint. Roger recounts his being cast in his commentary.

John Glen's solo commentary is the best solo Bond director commentary. He seems to enjoy talking about it most of his five.

Thanks chaps, I didn't realise Toro was Moore's stand-in.

You're stronger than I, Boots. I won't touch NSNA again.

For me, the trick on NSNA is to take the brightness way down and the contrast up, to offset the overlit look and minimize the diffused gauziness of the Cybil Shepherd closeups on Connery. A side effect of this is that it seems to make Kim Basinger's leotards even more transparlucent, but I swear that discovery was an inadvertent one!

As for the score, veering from sounding like a 66 BATMAN episode to a porn movie or a nighttime soap, I'm afraid there's no quick or easy fix. Maybe I should try playing some Barry against it?

A Barry score is much needed in NSNA. The move just sounds (and looks) like some failed 80's (or earlier) series which you only know about because you're watching daytime TV on a sick day.

OP has always been in my top ten - I never have to re-evaluate it.

NSNA grows on you partially every revisit. Eventually you just slot it in a rewatch after the series every time for the groaning and come away somehow enjoying the experience.

I never didn't enjoy NSNA - I accepted it, warts and all, for what it is.
Although OP won the 'Battle of the Bonds', NSNA shines when compared to AVTAK.