I'm Happiest, When in the Saddle: View to a Kill at 35 (1985-2020)

It was very fleeting. I re-wound the DVD to look at something else and saw it parked up. Bond would've done well to use that, that thing was built like a panzer in FYEO.

Yes Fields, more's the pity Dante's II can't happen as such. I could imagine Brozzer's face at being asked. I think a Bond cross-over that never was.

I hadn't seen the 2CV either but I'll keep an eye out tonight when I give it a rewatch in honour of Tanya. I'll be honest: I'd probably have preferred if Glen self-referenced and repeated himself with a 2CV chase through Paris instead of the disintegrating taxi. Throw in a bemused Moore expression and a "you haven't failed me before!" quip and it may have been more compelling.

Hilly wrote:

I could imagine Brozzer's face at being asked. I think a Bond cross-over that never was.

"Oh I'd be lost at sea..."

Roger Moore throwing the 2CV through a busy traffic junction, shunted side to side and keeps on whilst quipping: "I so preferred a drive in the country!"

At least Glen didn't have a double-taking pigeon somewhere in that mess and perhaps the drunk with his bottle of wine.

I did spot the 2CV on my latest viewing. It's so brief I'm not sure it was an homage.

Hilly wrote:

At least Glen didn't have a double-taking pigeon somewhere in that mess and perhaps the drunk with his bottle of wine.

How about a double taking pigeon crying out "ooohhh my carrr, ohh!" repeatedly?

Ah yes, The Slightly Recurring Startled Bloke. I can only assume Bond skiing through his food in FYEO was the final indignity and he never went on holiday again.

Different bloke, but still a wino at the SF City Hall fire.

Well chaps, I'm bereft of dvds's here and so, I'm rewatching VTAK. As the late great Bob Monkhouse said: "Join me!?"

I don't care. Sure, I've sunk a few tonight but let's have at it.

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So, imagine. It's 1985, you've just heard Roger Moore (God Bless him) is doing another Bond. Hang a tick isn't he 59? You say but it's Moore so you don't care. FYEO was good you say, OP was good you also say so this can't be bad...

Ignoring certain factors, Barry is off like a shot. I've never heard Barry talk about VTAK (unlike say OHMSS or TLD) so I wonder what the maestro thought as he sat down. "Fuck me, Roge looks ancient so I best go OTT!"

VTAK, to me, exists in a never world. It comes off the back of two fairly serious films, precedes Dalton and yet...well, it's this.

I love the Beach Boys but come on.

What would Craig have skied to? I don't care.

By 1985 dear Sir Roge was fairly rarely in the frame as it were. The stuntmen and doubles did most of the shots it seems. I need more of this sub though. The sub would've fitted well into Brozzer's era.

Our smoky blonde though this right in the 80s let's be honest.

"Five days to Alaska..."

day one nothing but sex
but by day five, they're pissed at each other let's be honest

The song has a rare distinction of being distinctive for ages. I like All Time High, I like Nobody Does It Better but perhaps not since Goldfinger has a song left an impression.

I'd love to know what Binder was smoking. He's a genius, he's responsible for what has followed but he has a certain imagination and VTAK is off the scales. Sure, we have the Moore silhouettes but let's be real, it's bloody surreal.

I think dear Cubby was on something here. "Michael, wake me when 1987 comes"

Any other actor we might snigger or get pissy but it's Sir Roger. He was a chap, a gent.

Now this is "Happy" Freddie Gray. If anyone wants to see dear Geoffrey Keen at his whatever, Doctor in the House (1954) and Sink the Bismarck (1960) is it.

Is Moore in toupee land by now? Probably but such is life.

I do like Brown's M. He seems world weary and fed up of life.

So, a bunch of old white men bugger off to the races but dear Penny is the only one sunk into the race.

"The French jockey club"

I do like how Tibbett addresses M as admiral. Further links Brown's M to his Hargreaves in TSWLM perhaps but also Macnee served in the Andrew during the war.

Someone on twit said lately that Moore's Bond clearly can't stand Aubergine and who can blame him? He's Poirot's idiot younger brother. Plus, anyone else find it hard to place this scene in the Eifel Tower? I've not been sadly but it seems a bit spacious for the tower.

Curious that Zorin/Mayday would want to kill Aubergine. I mean, wouldn't they go after Bond?

Typical Frenchman, I don't speak English but once Bond pinches his car...

Here we go a touch silly, let's be realistic. Though Bond does a half decent job of following a parachutist.

Now you've done it, you've been nabbed by the chefs.

I always love the Macnee/Moore interplay. Moore increasingly enjoying himself and Macnee ready to throttle him. Especially the umbrella bit. It's very brief, but I always chuckle. "Oh thank you, sir"

Full credit to Sir Patrick, that he carries all that shit up the stairs.

That first shot of Roberts. Whatever her acting chops, the eyes, the face, everything...

Conley is a bit brass, being so bold as to ask Zorin about MAIN STRIKE.

A classic Bond moment when he gets in the face of the bad guy: "What about flycasting..."

Bond Meets Stacey must be one of Barry's most sumptuous Bond pieces.

Stacey is brassy:

"I'm English.
-I'd never have guessed!"

She might not be the best actress or character but by God, there was something about Roberts.


On one hand this is two old men going at it with some bonzes but on the other hand it's Moore and Macnee.

I still don't buy Mayday/Zorin as a couple. Yes they appear to be but thus far and after, she feels independent. She's his muscle. She's his Keller or Gobinda or whatever. For all her eccentricities I thik Jones is one of the best henchpersons.

Now back end of May, I was in Brighton for a family getaway. My brothers' and their respective girlfiriends' and my mum. As we flicked channels, VTAK was on and my brother let it stay. As Mayday twigged Bond, I did (apparently) an accurate impression of "we must find him!"

as Walken said the line my youngest brother looked at me. Oh, I know my Bond, my man.

Classic moment when the villain twigs who Bond is and Bond is nonethewiser.

I love Walken either way but this bit is worthy. His sounds are very typical of him.

Again, I remember being 6 or 7 and the music ramping up and asking my parents and being told it means something bad is going to happen.

Poor Tibbett. Apparently Macnee was upset at being bumped off but it works, as much as I'd like to have seen his interplay with Dalton.

The first clash between Bond and Zorin gets a decent Barry piece which still makes me wish the score got a proper release.

Camera work does a decent job for you don't get much of a look at Bond (which means you still think it's Moore).

Good exchange between Bond and Zorin.

Got to love how Mayday appears without much hint to throw the KGB idiot.

I love how Mayday takes the papers as if it matters when you're dumping someone into the Golden Gate.

Now, personally you don't always have to work the title into the film. However, clearly they wanted to here. I personally would've either stuck it when Zorin in the airship takes off after he thinks he's sealed the deal at the end and sees Silicon Valley or when they approach the bridge.

Between VTAK and Star Trek IV, I acquired a passion for San Francisco. I know, I know but anyway, I do like seeing it here but can't help but feel if done post-1985, it'd look pretty damn fine in a Bond film. The bridge, Lombard Street, Coit Tower etc. Imagine if Bond raced over the Golden Gate Bridge etc.

There's still something faintly blood curdling about the KGB's fate in spite of myself.

Full marks to Gotell's acting in the car.

Have to admire Bond's gall. He hits Stacey with a second alias and she doesn't question (but Hilly she's not the best girl in a Bond film!?). Why not just fess up? Bond has earlier in films.

Again, love the music here. The music is as frantic for the Bond theme as it has been since Chateau Flight in TB. The tuck and roll, the blasting, the "now you tell me!"

I saw a Friends cookbook in Waterstones. But no James Bond? No quiche on the quick?

As I doubt myself, in walks Stacey with legs up to her armpits.

Corrrrrrrr.....

But you know, they should've left in the deleted scene where as Stacey is fired Moore quips: "Fuck him!"

On the quiet this is one of my favourite Bond scenes. Zorin setting out his play but the interplay between him and Bond.

"Brilliant, I'm always speechless with admiration."


Bond thinks he can hit Zorin with a zinger (mortner will be proud...) but Zorin is nonplussed if slightly impressed.

She's just a typical girl shouting James but come on.

I'm sorry but it never gets old that shot of Bond on the roof in tune with the fanfare. The misstep on the ladder...If you're going to save a girl, it's to a Barry piece.

By a stroke of luck Bond descends as Howell's body is removed. What about the poor reception bloke?

Now I grew up watching American cop shows, I profess to being a fan of TJ Hooker but this nit is the worst.

"Is he?
-Are you?
-Yes!"

This is why you should fess up sooner my man.

Now, as you do, you pinch a fire truck.

They employ Dodge Monaco's my favourite cop car.

I love how Stacey triggers the alarm and shrugs.

Now...Bond climbing onto the ladder...pointless

Though Bond seeing the two Monaco's lodged together does provide a classic Moore nod of the head.

I do like Stacey swearing as it seems to slip by without notice.

Plus as Bond tells her to keep going, the shot of her looking forward is a favourite.

And as much as I like serious Bond, Moore's expression after they smash the barrier is hilarious.

Ah, Proctor...Harris...but Hilly this is a Bond film! Yes, but it might as well be Police Academy let's be honest. In fact I'd have given anything for it to be Mahoney, Harris and co here.

"You know, Captain Harris, bridges work best when police cars aren't riding them.
-Shut up!"

Dirk Benedict look alike is gullible.

Stacey noble as she is wants to warn people but it's too late.

I do like Zorin as Bond and Stacey buggers off: "GET HIM!" there's a frustration there.

Hang a tick Mayday has her own gang. Mayday's Angels?

The massacre sets the scene for the remainder of the Bond era. Times are a changin'

So Stacey emerges in Peterborough, I mean Marin County...

Got to love how seamlessly Bond and Mayday join forces.

Rounding things out, Mayday sacrifices herself.

Now, I'll throw a spanner in and say Stacey doesn't hear or see this ruddy great airship by the fact the explosion did her ears a mischief.

Martin Grace must be one of the greats.

Says a lot at how a Bond film can open doors. The city willingly allowed the makers to do this scene. In Bullitt the car chase wasn't allowed on the bridge.

MOAR. MOAR POWAH!

Full credit to Stacey here as she goes batshit: "Are you crazy!"

Love Scarpine in response to "go get him!"

Now is she nuts? Well, no personally. Stacey taking a leap onto the bridge rather than stay on the airship seems to place some faith in Bond.

Both stuntmen have balls of steel, the bridge is a good mile or so from the water. That ship makes a return to go under having previously been seen going under.

Just how does this thing come to be carrying dynamite?

Tell you something Gotell did alright for himself. He was German, initially played Germans but became more famous for playing a Russkie.

Did we need the shower scene? No
Did Q have to use a robot to find out if Bond was alive? No

But this was VTAK in a nutshell.

I thank you.

Hilarious insights as always. The first time I heard Roger drop an f-bomb in the outtakes I fell out of my chair and rewound the cut bit about 1000 times.

AVTAK has a more somber mood, a slower pace and is very much akin to one of the slow burning John Gardner 80's novels which makes the apparent lifts and influences stand out more over time like the Ascot scene, villain computer magnate and so on. Of the three Glen-Moore films it's actually my favorite because of these elements and the added character depth due to the simpler storyline. It also has Walken at his best, one of Barry's best scores and the emerging darkness that made the film the perfect lead in for Dalton. Without AVTAK it would be a massive jump between OP and TLD.

The Quiche scene I think was meant as a knock against the book "Real Men Don't Eat Quiche"....written by one Bruce Feirstein.

Thanks, Boots, I have my moments, ha

Like I say I find myself wishing the f-bomb was left in. The way VTAK is, it wouldn't be too shocking.

I didn't know about the Fertstein bit.

I didn't connect it either. I had heard the book title, eventually found out what it was about, saw one book make a point hat the AVTAK scene was a knock against that book's popularity and eventually saw it in Feirstein's resume.