Octopussy: Your 3 Favourite Scenes

No end credits answers.

1. Train Sequence
Some genuine intrigue and suspense which matches the ingenuity of the film's plot, which is a welcome change of pace after the goofy Indian stuff.

2. Bond races to the circus.
As I've said countless times here, it's brilliant. This, combined with the above sequence ranks as the most intense portion of any of Rog's Bond films, if not all Bond films.

3. 009's death.
Such a intriguing way to open the film. Moody and atmospheric with a touch of bizarre. One of Glen's best scenes, IMO.

Honourable Mentions.
PTS, Orlov's death, Bond on the plane, the auction.

FieldsMan wrote:

No end credits answers.

1. Train Sequence
Some genuine intrigue and suspense which matches the ingenuity of the film's plot, which is a welcome change of pace after the goofy Indian stuff.

2. Bond races to the circus.
As I've said countless times here, it's brilliant. This, combined with the above sequence ranks as the most intense portion of any of Rog's Bond films, if not all Bond films.

3. 009's death.
Such a intriguing way to open the film. Moody and atmospheric with a touch of bizarre. One of Glen's best scenes, IMO.

Honourable Mentions.
PTS, Orlov's death, Bond on the plane, the auction.

#1 The Auction
Had the audience in stitches; very cool and mysterious, and Roger at his best.

#2 The backgammon game
From Magda and Bond's dialogue at the bar to the actual game, everything was on point

#3 Assault on Kamal's Palace
Most of the great Bond films end with the good guys launching an assault on the evil villains lair; this was even better. Big-breasted women in skin-tight outfights beating the crap out of men long before this current wave of feminist-oriented films (like The Hunger Games, Divergent, etc..) came around. Best line from Q: 'Cut it out! We don't have time for that! Later perhaps.'

Fine choices, GS. I've always enjoyed the assault on Kamal's palace. I like a bit of stealth, Octopussy getting in on the action and above all, Barry's score.

FieldsMan wrote:

Fine choices, GS. I've always enjoyed the assault on Kamal's palace. I like a bit of stealth, Octopussy getting in on the action and above all, Barry's score.

I like the humour as well.

"I trust you can fly this contraption, Q?"

"It goes by hot air!"

"Oh, then you can!"

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

FieldsMan wrote:

No end credits answers.

1. Train Sequence
Some genuine intrigue and suspense which matches the ingenuity of the film's plot, which is a welcome change of pace after the goofy Indian stuff.

2. Bond races to the circus.
As I've said countless times here, it's brilliant. This, combined with the above sequence ranks as the most intense portion of any of Rog's Bond films, if not all Bond films.

3. 009's death.
Such a intriguing way to open the film. Moody and atmospheric with a touch of bizarre. One of Glen's best scenes, IMO.

Honourable Mentions.
PTS, Orlov's death, Bond on the plane, the auction.

#1 The Auction
Had the audience in stitches; very cool and mysterious, and Roger at his best.

#2 The backgammon game
From Magda and Bond's dialogue at the bar to the actual game, everything was on point

#3 Assault on Kamal's Palace
Most of the great Bond films end with the good guys launching an assault on the evil villains lair; this was even better. Big-breasted women in skin-tight outfights beating the crap out of men long before this current wave of feminist-oriented films (like The Hunger Games, Divergent, etc..) came around. Best line from Q: 'Cut it out! We don't have time for that! Later perhaps.'

I'd go with a Gestalt of these

1. The Auction....great work from Roger and Douglas Wilmer.

2. The race to the Circus - has real context and urgency...in fact I even think the clown infiltration works very well - what better way to disguise oneself in a circus?

3. The train sequence - Lots of inventive and engaging action here, really mines the potential of this setting well.

There are a lot of good or great sequences in OP sadly I tend to feel they just don't integrate/flow too well and are generally get let down by the dramatic moments (which seem to reveal Glen's limitations as much as anything). The assault on kamal's palace is a bit 'Our Man Flint' but would be ok had the film not really climaxed with the defusing of the Bomb...likewise the excellent stuntwork outside the plane suffers by feeling a bit tacked on and anticlimactic. This is a film I warm to more with each viewing mind.

lachesis wrote:

There are a lot of good or great sequences in OP sadly I tend to feel they just don't integrate/flow too well and are generally get let down by the dramatic moments (which seem to reveal Glen's limitations as much as anything). The assault on kamal's palace is a bit 'Our Man Flint' but would be ok had the film not really climaxed with the defusing of the Bomb...likewise the excellent stuntwork outside the plane suffers by feeling a bit tacked on and anticlimactic. This is a film I warm to more with each viewing mind.

Despite it being one of my favourite Moore flicks, I do find it the most schizophrenic of the Bond films. I think had it stuck to a tone akin to FRWL or FYEO, or on the flip side, was as lighthearted as DAF or MR, the film would flow much better. But instead, we get the goofiness expected from a Moore film, edging its way into something that could have been one of the best Bond films.

I don't mind the way Glen handles drama - it's more the writing of one particular scene that sticks out a little as a bit clunky - that being the "I don't have to answer to you, a paid assassin, for what I am" scene. It's a good idea, but it doesn't quite develop as good as it could have. Probably indicative of the entire film, really. I've seen you mention Glen's handling of drama a few times here. What is it exactly that doesn't gel well with you in those scenes?

But I've always said, the strongest part of the film, and perhaps the entire Moore era, is the German/US Airbase segment, and I will gladly put up with the gorilla, tarzan yell and other goofy Indian gags to get to that part. It's a great payoff to a brilliant plot premise.

FieldsMan wrote:

I don't mind the way Glen handles drama - it's more the writing of one particular scene that sticks out a little as a bit clunky - that being the "I don't have to answer to you, a paid assassin, for what I am" scene. It's a good idea, but it doesn't quite develop as good as it could have. Probably indicative of the entire film, really. I've seen you mention Glen's handling of drama a few times here. What is it exactly that doesn't gel well with you in those scenes?

But I've always said, the strongest part of the film, and perhaps the entire Moore era, is the German/US Airbase segment, and I will gladly put up with the gorilla, tarzan yell and other goofy Indian gags to get to that part. It's a great payoff to a brilliant plot premise.

For me the majority of the slower character moments of both FYEO and OP fall short or else can be downright excruciating to watch, reliable stalwarts like Julian Glover and Louis Jordan come away looking quite hammy at times, dialogue is awkward, cues seem sloppy etc, Topol just about eeeks by on charisma alone while the poor women of these films are all basically left hanging and vacant at multiple moments - Maud Adams, Carole Bouquet, Lynn Holly Johnson, Cassandra Harris and later the likes of Tanya Roberts ie both major roles and minor. It may be the writing, it may be a factor of Moore's age (the Dalton films are not entirely immune however) but the type and consistency of the problem for me indicates Glen as the likely culprit.

I'd also suggest that film on film through the Glen era the most notable change is that the characters around Bond steadily improve in both quality and quantity. For 'A View to a Kill' both Walken and MacNee score memorable roles and by the time we arrive at 'The Living Daylights' it is improved upon again as we get the first genuinely engaging Bond Girl in a while and the whole ensemble begins to feel a bit more fleshed out.

I think the discussion of Octopussy's 'tonal schizophrenia' is spot-on; it certainly has fine moments of mood, suspense and action, unfortunately undermined by the daft bits.

One bit that strikes the right balance for me is the 'slide 'n' shoot' down the banister ... it's a proper Bond Moment in which he's improvised a way out of a tricky situation, there's a nice (but not overdone) humorous moment when 007 spots what fate awaits his 'man-bits' unless he does something sharpish, and the fact that Moore appears to be performing the stunt himself helps immensely.

1. General Orlov's "The West is Decadent" speech in front of the committee
Steven Berkoff's performance here is over-the-top goodness and the meeting room might be one of the best sets in the post Ken Adam era of Bond movies.

2. The Pre-Titles Sequence
The pre-titles in Moore's era were particularly fantastic and this one is no different. Spectacular stunts with a good explosion followed by a corny "fill her up" joke to top the scene off. Everything classic movie Bond in mere minutes.

3. Kamal's car refuses to start
A short but tense scene that I often forget about until I rewatch the film. Nice to see the villain sweat a little at his own deed.

Runner-ups would be the Tuk Tuk chase, Gobinda's "Out there?" after being told to climb out of the plane to fight Bond, and Orlov's death scene.

Strangways&Quarrel wrote:

1. General Orlov's "The West is Decadent" speech in front of the committee
Steven Berkoff's performance here is over-the-top goodness and the meeting room might be one of the best sets in the post Ken Adam era of Bond movies.

Hmm not sure about this... I suppose it depends on my mood, but I can either really enjoy it, or cringe at Berkoff's acting. It seems disconnected, or Berkoff is playing an idea of a madman, whereas Pryce's performance as Carver and/or Bardem's performance as Silva are a little OTT, but their insanity is emotionally connected and you could buy into the characters.

The rest of Berkoff's scenes are great though. Particularly, as you mentioned, his death scene.

Tricky, as I like Octopussy and like more than I'd care to admit.

1) 009's death

frightfully chilling as a boy it still has this power for the sight of 009 moving through the woods before being killed. His crashing into the British Embassy shocking.

2) Vijay's Death
Again, packs a punch and being a well-liked ally quite sad. One of Moore's more serious moments of course and something about Q being here with the body when Bond returns.

3) Bond gets revenge

Not a scene as such but for Moore's Bond like with FYEO, his finishing of Grischka/Mishka. For a moment Bond looks done for but he turns the table, flicks the knife and concludes with: "That's for 009."

Honourable mentionL Bond and Octopussy
I like the chemistry between Adams and Moore, from the moment they meet when he finds out who her father is to Bond grabbing her and his: "We really are two of a kind."

Humour has been mentioned and my favourite might be at the auction room when Bond almost gives Wilmer a heart attack with his messing about or Bond to the American woman when he's rescued: "I'm with the economy tour, madam." Other scenes involve Berkoff in terms of favourites. His death yes but prior when he is held at gunpoint by Bond. "Retal-i-ate...against...whom?"
And Q with the ladies: "There's no time for that...well, later perhaps!"

And John Barry. OP might not be his best score but there's enough here such as Bond's entry into India, the train chase and the palace fight.

Oh, and the PTS...

On the PTS, in a way I wish I'd never watched the making-of documentary on the DVD ... I had never spotted before watching it that the plane flying close to the ground vertically through the hangar was achieved with it being attached to a pole. The docu reveals this, and although they did their best to hide it with the wing and the crowd in the hangar it can still be spotted ... and when you've noticed it once, it cannot be unseen.

I do agree with that BI. Hence why it has slipped a little in my PTS ranking since then. But there is still lots to love, including the shots that bookend the said interior shot - the plane entering and exiting the hangar are quite thrilling moments. And I do love the model work!

I'm a sucker for the shots in the PTS where Rog can be seen in the cockpit and the sky behind him isn't back-projected in ... OK, I know it's sitting on the ground but filmed at an angle that makes it look like it's not with engine noise sound effects added, but still.

1. Bond confronts Orlov on the train

2. The backgammon game

3. The auction

Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang wrote:

No end credits answers.

1. Train Sequence
Some genuine intrigue and suspense which matches the ingenuity of the film's plot, which is a welcome change of pace after the goofy Indian stuff.

2. Bond races to the circus.
As I've said countless times here, it's brilliant. This, combined with the above sequence ranks as the most intense portion of any of Rog's Bond films, if not all Bond films.

3. 009's death.
Such a intriguing way to open the film. Moody and atmospheric with a touch of bizarre. One of Glen's best scenes, IMO.

Honourable Mentions.
PTS, Orlov's death, Bond on the plane, the auction.

I'd keep these but want to give special mention to Orlov's death, which I suppose takes place in the train sequence. Riddled with bullets at the border and his excellent line as his last breath really lends the film with the Cold War intrigue that should have enveloped the film in India, especially after such a strong start with the PTS, 009's death, the excellent M scenes, Orlov's briefing and of course, the auction.

Actually, I might swap out 009's death with the auction scene.

Off the top of me head:

The blue octopus sucking on the dude's face

Vijay breaking the fourth wall with the Bond theme on the snake-charming flute

Bond scaring the shit out of those guys by rearing up in the body bag

Nice selection PK.

I'd throw in Octopussy on the massage table for my top -3 (well, sort of).

Thanks, Hillster!

And, yes, that is certainly an...er...arresting scene.

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Thanks, Hillster!

And, yes, that is certainly an...er...arresting scene.

No worries PK and thanks. As I've said many times Maud Adams left an impression on me when I saw that film nearly thirty years ago ( ) and that scene or moment helped. She looked good in Golden Gun but in OP, better.

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Off the top of me head:

The blue octopus sucking on the dude's face

Vijay breaking the fourth wall with the Bond theme on the snake-charming flute

Bond scaring the shit out of those guys by rearing up in the body bag

This selection is indeed of a very rare breed...

Wonder if that blue octopus scene was inspired by Alien's face-hugger. The tiger hunt certainly indicates that Raiders Of The Lost Ark had been an inspiration (might even have been a deliberate 'tip of the hat' to Spielberg making Raiders because he wanted to direct Bond but was denied).

Wasn't the tiger hunt scene originally scripted for TMWTGG? Maybe it was resurrected simply because of success with a similar scene in Indiana Jones.

Quite possibly.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

On the PTS, in a way I wish I'd never watched the making-of documentary on the DVD ... I had never spotted before watching it that the plane flying close to the ground vertically through the hangar was achieved with it being attached to a pole. The docu reveals this, and although they did their best to hide it with the wing and the crowd in the hangar it can still be spotted ... and when you've noticed it once, it cannot be unseen.      

THIS A THOUSAND TIMES!

Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang wrote:

I do agree with that BI. Hence why it has slipped a little in my PTS ranking since then. But there is still lots to love, including the shots that bookend the said interior shot - the plane entering and exiting the hangar are quite thrilling moments. And I do love the model work!  

The model explosion with all the flailing tiles is a legendary one so it makes up for everything.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

Wonder if that blue octopus scene was inspired by Alien's face-hugger. The tiger hunt certainly indicates that Raiders Of The Lost Ark had been an inspiration (might even have been a deliberate 'tip of the hat' to Spielberg making Raiders because he wanted to direct Bond but was denied).  

It's possible about the octopus shot. OP is very much Raiders inspired but ironically inspired Temple is several ways-though I'm sure they were already prepping it when OP was set in India. The one direct influence is the dinner table scene which Spielberg loved so much that he tried to one up it with the Temple scene featuring eye soup, monkey brains and bugs.

He's indicated as being a super fan and one of these days I'd like to find out exactly how much.