Last Bond Movie You Watched.

Interesting point, Somerset.

If you view MR as the Zardoz of Bond movies, Chiles fits right in.

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Moonraker

On this viewing, it occurred to me that this film's chief problem--along with a stretch of gratuitous silliness beginning with the Rog Eastwood scene--is the dialogue between Bond and Goodhead. It's generally very stilted, and does nothing to enhance the chemistry between them. The fact that Chiles is such a horrid actress only compounds the problem.

Aside from this animadversion, I must reiterate that MR contains the greatest female eye candy of any Bond film, and maybe any film, period. Clery and Bochenko--yum, yum. I can only imagine Sarai has MR on a constant loop on her telly.  

Moonraker...anytime, anywhere I'm down but which one is Lois Maxwell's daughter?

Sarai wrote:

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Moonraker

On this viewing, it occurred to me that this film's chief problem--along with a stretch of gratuitous silliness beginning with the Rog Eastwood scene--is the dialogue between Bond and Goodhead. It's generally very stilted, and does nothing to enhance the chemistry between them. The fact that Chiles is such a horrid actress only compounds the problem.

Aside from this animadversion, I must reiterate that MR contains the greatest female eye candy of any Bond film, and maybe any film, period. Clery and Bochenko--yum, yum. I can only imagine Sarai has MR on a constant loop on her telly.  

Moonraker...anytime, anywhere I'm down but which one is Lois Maxwell's daughter?

What, seriously?

Why, is it common knowledge? I couldn't even find a picture of her on imdb or google images so that I could look for her.

The Living Daylights - Dalton's dynamic, 'Fleming-friendly' (right down to the 'comma' of hair) Bond proves to be the shot in the arm that the series needed after the tired AVTAK. TLD balances a more down-to-earth, properly 'espionage-y' story with the familiar elements (globe-trotting, gadgetry, eye-popping stunts, lovely ladies etc) very well. Having John Barry's final score for the series doesn't hurt, either.

As for the humour ... well, Dalton's strengths in this department lie more with dry sarcasm ('Why didn't you learn the violin?' 'Correct ... you should have brought lilies') than the likes of the 'punny' 'He got the boot'. He's also very good at amused reactions.

"Boot" line suffered from dodgy editing. The dry humour, as you say, was delivered admirably.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

The Living Daylights - Dalton's dynamic, 'Fleming-friendly' (right down to the 'comma' of hair) Bond proves to be the shot in the arm that the series needed after the tired AVTAK. TLD balances a more down-to-earth, properly 'espionage-y' story with the familiar elements (globe-trotting, gadgetry, eye-popping stunts, lovely ladies etc) very well. Having John Barry's final score for the series doesn't hurt, either.

As for the humour ... well, Dalton's strengths in this department lie more with dry sarcasm ('Why didn't you learn the violin?' 'Correct ... you should have brought lilies') than the likes of the 'punny' 'He got the boot'. He's also very good at amused reactions.

Barry's score dramatically elevates the action sequences in this film. Even more so than usual. See the "salt corrosion" chase as a prime example.

I think the Barry score works well, especially the romantic stuff (which I wish we'd used for our marriage) and the 'time to execute Pushkin in the hotel' cue, but I always thought Dalton would have been better served by a less electronic, more bare-guitar kind of music. I know they wanted a contemporary feel, but by going retro/traditional with the characterization, it almost seems like a misstep. I kind of feel that if Dalton's Bond had to have a sort of pop/contemporary sound, it might as well have been Conti's whacky stuff from the FYEO PTS.

I guess that's my version of Everything Or Nothing ... go all the way back to the 62 JB theme or else go nutso with it, but the drum machine just seems very middle-of-the-road. (I've actually played Barry's "He's Dangerous" from VIEW against various Dalton scenes and that also works well.)

CJB wrote:

"Boot" line suffered from dodgy editing. The dry humour, as you say, was delivered admirably.

Yeah ... much like the earlier line about the steel-tipped bullets, it actually looks like an overdub as Dalton's mouth doesn't appear to be moving at the time.

Not many people in Bondom (actors, directors, or anyone really) tend to go out on a high, but Barry is the rare exception; TLD's score equals and often exceeds his best work.

CJB wrote:

Not many people in Bondom (actors, directors, or anyone really) tend to go out on a high, but Barry is the rare exception; TLD's score equals and often exceeds his best work.

I wholeheartedly agree. The man's creative well just never ran dry. And that's a dam' rare thing for musical types.

No great series has ever had a bad score, so who knows where the Bond franchise would be without Barry. Honestly, the man single-handedly created "The Bond Sound." What a legacy.

Barry should have won an Oscar for TLD not Dances With Wolves. His TLD score is a summation of all of his Bond scores and could arguably be the finest. It certainly is the most complex and far reaching in its composition with no less than three original songs for themes. He as always focuses right in on the actor's portrayal, finds the right tone to support them and perfectly fills every sequence with intensity.

It's a more three dimensional look at Bond and so it is a more three dimensional score. If it weren't for OHMSS this would be considered the most romantic Bond film. To be honest I think its more romantic overall than OHMSS because of just how the love story is woven into the majority of the film and allowed to blossom over time.

Well said.

'Course, standards have since fallen when it comes to music in movies (and, well, everything else in movies), hence Craig title tracks win Best Original Song every time.

Watched NSNA on blu. It's kind of strange how my opinion on every aspect of it has stayed largely the same over nearly 40 years. I think I've maybe built up a grudging appreciation of Carrera, but that hasn't diminished my strong appreciation for how Brandauer channels both normal and crazy, sometimes even in the same sentence. There's too much fill light and the diffusion makes you think somebody is trying to hide age spots on Margot Kidder and Susannah York, even though neither of them are even in this movie. Several brief moments work just fine, but because the film isn't cut like a typical Bond film, I don't think there's any way to do-your-own-post with it to get it reflecting a proper tempo, and as a result any attempt to track Barry music onto it seem doomed for failure.

Watched FRWL last night. Been a while.

Two main thoughts:

First, for however many people seem to summarize it with that favorite word of Bond fandom “gritty” it is so much more fantastical than any of the other spy stories used as touchpoints. The Marienbad garden maze hunt, the strangulation wrist watch, the blade shoes, the SPECTRE island training, the nifty briefcase, the escape hatch in Anita’s mouth on the billboard, the periscope into the enemy’s meeting, and more. Whenever I hear fans (or Eon actually) talking about wanting to make another FRWL I get nervous they think it is like The Constant Gardner or something.

Second, Brownjohn deserves more credit. He’s the guy responsible for bringing in the staple of the dancing women. Those opening titles are amazing.

I like Kleinman and I hope they keep him but he’s been a bit samesay the last three films. Be interesting if they’d put some constraints on him, like “pretend it’s 1963, and you’re only allowed to use tech available then.” I bet he’d come up with some great stuff.

Somerset wrote:

First, for however many people seem to summarize it with that favorite word of Bond fandom “gritty” ... Whenever I hear fans (or Eon actually) talking about wanting to make another FRWL I get nervous they think it is like The Constant Gardner or something.

Ha, well said and very true.

Completely forgot that movie existed until you mentioned it.

Somerset wrote:

Watched FRWL last night. Been a while.

Two main thoughts:

First, for however many people seem to summarize it with that favorite word of Bond fandom “gritty” it is so much more fantastical than any of the other spy stories used as touchpoints. The Marienbad garden maze hunt, the strangulation wrist watch, the blade shoes, the SPECTRE island training, the nifty briefcase, the escape hatch in Anita’s mouth on the billboard, the periscope into the enemy’s meeting, and more. Whenever I hear fans (or Eon actually) talking about wanting to make another FRWL I get nervous they think it is like The Constant Gardner or something.

Second, Brownjohn deserves more credit. He’s the guy responsible for bringing in the staple of the dancing women. Those opening titles are amazing.

I like Kleinman and I hope they keep him but he’s been a bit samesay the last three films. Be interesting if they’d put some constraints on him, like “pretend it’s 1963, and you’re only allowed to use tech available then.” I bet he’d come up with some great stuff.

FRWL is an extremely colorful film, and as you say, far more fantastic than most people think. Kronsteen, for instance, is a rather bizarre figure, and makes quite an impact. The section in St. Sophia's with the docent speaking about the ablution fountain taken from Pergamum, is quite droll, and we see somewhat similar scenes in Spy and MR. Then there are the Gypsies, of course. One could go on in this vein.

Well, chaps, Bond's in the cinema here and though I missed TSWLM last week, tonight my tired legs got me over for...

"A little premature, isn't it?"

Moonraker

Now, let's before I do a summary (honest), get the crap out the way. Portsmouth, in spite of being a city and a busy university one at that, has one cinema (two if we count the one inside the Historic Dockyard but it's not open daily and well, I saw NTTD already) and it sits in this wretched outlet/shopping centre.

Vue have no working self service machines, so the time I turned up early were wasted in a queue up until kick off. But oh muchahos...I get to this young chap at the till. Ask for MR, after I select my seat he says:

"What kind of film is it?"
I frown. "What?"
"What kind of film is it?"
"It's a James Bond film."
"Oh? I didn't know."

Pups.

NTTD was the last Bond I saw in the cinema and if it's not Star Wars or Bond in the past few years who make me spend money on a ticket, well, it's...well it's Bond.

I've seen it to death but in a cinema is special. Even if the middle aged couple on the end of your row kept doing that snort-laugh with the nose ("pfff! pfff!") and did so at anything even if it was Drax's men getting into the shuttle seats in the PTS.

Anyway. It is a film as I've said before that feels at odds. Good precedes goofy or vice versa.

A fantastic stunt, followed by Jaws flapping his arms.
The chilling death of scientists followed by Chang wading through Venice in a medieval getup.
The return (and last outing) of the 007 theme followed by goofy Jaws face.
And so on.

(And the bad guys find Bond as if he has GPS on him. The ambulance people, maybe they were meant to be at the other end etc)

I will always find M's last scene with Bond, even if M reappears at the end, somehow poignant knowing Lee died in the runup to FYEO.

Lonsdale is excellent.

But my mind, wondered in places about things. I gather Drax's butler was to be wiped out in the holocaust and what about the group at the temple base? They're still there giving Moonraker 6 launch details. Maybe they would go into a bunker, I mean good shuttle people are hard to find but also, surely not everyone was killed on the station? Those babes? Telling me the Marines or Drax's troops killed them in the crossfire?
I know, I have a mind that doesn't quit :D

Amidst it all though, great model work and music.

I left with a smile on my face and that's what Bond sometimes does.

I was in a Vue 6 years ago whilst on holiday and seem to recall not being overly impressed, so hearing of the faulty self-service machines and 'unaware' staff isn't a surprise.

If this chain is in the habit of screening Moore Bonds, then their marketing department can't go past "A Vue to a Kill."

Blunt Instrument wrote:

I was in a Vue 6 years ago whilst on holiday and seem to recall not being overly impressed, so hearing of the faulty self-service machines and 'unaware' staff isn't a surprise.

Forget about competent "shuttle people," merely scaring up a bloke who can run a cash register these days is a borderline exercise in futility.

As for Hilly's review of MR, he gets it right. The silly bits--Bond as an Eastwoodian gaucho in Brazil is the worst, IMO--severely detract from what should have been a minor classic.

Thanks PK. Watching it last night I did shake my head at the Magnificent Seven bit. It might've worked elsewhere but by this point in the film I was wondering.

CJB, I should've thought of that pun. Might have helped me get past the till :D

Well, Blunty, when I saw NTTD they were working but it seems for the past month they've been U/S, the self service machines so damned if I know. Confess, it's not making me want to see FYEO next week.

Think I’m on a slow burn Bondathon. Over the last week I watched TMWTGG and MR.

TMWTGG - I think it’s my favorite Rog performance. Bond is an a-hole but there is something in his performance which really reminds me of a certain strain of the literary character (the more blunt side that turns up more in CR and the short stories).

I recall Fleming saying that Connery didn’t play Bond as he wrote him but if Fleming could start over again he would’ve written the character to be more in line with the way Connery did play him. Fleming was worried from the start about films of the books being too “staged” and “English.” He seemed to aspire to remake the British hero in the mold of an urban cowboy but I wonder if he recognized he hadn’t gone far enough when Connery showed up on screen. Rog though has that classical Englishness that Connery kind of shed and as a result ends up striking closer home.

If that makes any sense.

I also think the soundtrack is great. Is it fair to call this the pivot point between Barry’s early jazzy and brassy approach vs. his later more lush stuff? Either way I think it flys under the radar. At this moment I’d take it over probably all the 80s soundtracks.

MR - I can’t say enough about how technically amazing this movie is. My favorite photography in the series. Adams and Barry working together. Glen’s editing is great. Thank god they didn’t use ILM — there is a real artisanal quality to the effects, a uniqueness. I’ve commented before on the somnambulant Chiles fitting exactly into a film that is so mesmerizing to look at and hear. Again, I think this is the Bond with the least dialogue per minute of film.

The goofy bits are seconds long, I’m long past letting them “ruin” any experience I have with the film.

Everyone says the space part is the low point in the movie but I say it’s the stretch from the cable cars to the boat chase.

Bond hunting down the globes is great tension. Several moments of genuine horror. Great bit of spying work at the top of the film at Drax’s estate, and overall a film really driven by a detective Bond who follows one clue to the next around the globe.

I love MR.

Somerset,

Delightful and provocative thoughts, as always.

I agree wholeheartedly that Rog is easily the most quintessentially English Bond. Then, too, the only competition is Dalton and Craig. (The others are not English, per se.) But is Fleming's Bond more English than the filmic character? I daresay he probably is, and therefore you are correct that Rog, in that sense, is more Flemingesque than any of the other actors. This is a shrewd and orginal observation on your part.

I also agree on the merits of Gun's score. Now while the title track is fairly dreadful, Barry manages to salvage something from it and make excellent use of it in the score.

Regarding MR, I've never had a problem with the space scenes. The revelation of Drax's "floating stud farm" is arguably one of the most breathtaking moments in all of Bondom. The section I rather dislike is the bit in Rio where Bond and Jaws duke it out on the cable car and the ambulance section. But with the Q scene, and Bond on the Amazoco, MR picks up again mightily and basically sustains the pace to the final frame as he attempts reentry.

I fully understand the Bond fan's criticism of MR, but I find it hard to imagine him actually disliking the film.