You Only Live Twice vs. Live and Let Die

After watching all the Bond movies, I have to say these two are right in the middle between good and bad Bond movies, and it's hard to decide on them.

The problem I have with YOLT is that the middle section drags, and Bond getting married makes no sense to the plot whatsoever. The movie is too bogged down with Japanese culture and tries to force it into the movie instead of being about the mission. The two Japanese Bond women are also way too much alike, without much characteristics to set them apart, and makes me think why didn't they just have one instead of two therefore…

LALD has the opposite where as with YOLT has a dragging problem, LALD is too rushed and the whole story of the movie is just rescusing solitaire from being kidnapped, and that's it… There is no other plot besides that. The villain introduces his plan about giving away all this free heroin, but after he explains it, the movie instantly forgets about it, and it's never continued, unlike other villain plots in the series. So the movie has no real plot and is on autopilot in service of action sequences and is thus just a basic kidnap and rescue action romp. So the stakes aren't as high therefore.

But the two women are technically stronger in a way, in the sense, that they have more characteristics. So I feel that both movies have their pros and cons.

But what do you think?

Both on the lower end of the spectrum for me. In my opinion YOLT is a largely forgettable affair in its own right and, seemingly, is remembered for the parodies it inspired more-so than its quality. LALD is at least quirky but, as I've often said, is let down by a boat chase that chews up screentime like nothing else.

I'd probably say LALD was the better film.

What does your girlfriend think? Any eruptions at SPECTRE HQ?

Bond plants explosives and destroys Kananga's/Big's poppy fields to prevent the heroin distribution scheme, so it's hardly 'forgotten about'.

LALD is markedly superior to YOLT, IMO, because it is at least colorful--so to speak--and humorous. It is among the very best popcorn Bonds.

YOLT, OTOH, is grievously weighed down by Seanery's catatonic performance. You know a Bond film's got problems when the lead is the third coolest and most interesting guy on screen--in this case, behind Tiger and Dikko.

LALD is the best straightforward mission action-adventure film and the straight ahead drive perfectly mirrors the structure and design of the novel. It never lets off the gas and has the added touch of the exotic/supernatural. The only thing I will acknowledge is that there is perhaps a bit too much time spent with ol' JW and co plus the boat chase goes on for a tad bit too long before the climax of the sequence.

YOLT suffers from losing Maibaum, having less Harry Saltzman, focusing on the spectacle above everything and Connery along with Bond himself getting sort of lost in the shuffle. It is a film about spectacle above all. This makes it iconic but doesn't hide the inherent slow feeling that creeps in despite Peter Hunt taking over editing and getting it under two hours.

I see what some poeple are saying that they like LALD because it's an action packed race, but in other Bond movies that are action packed such as YOLT, FYEO, or OP for example, Bond is always pulling on a thread leading from clue to clue, plot point to plot point, unraveling a bigger plot. In LALD there is no pulling on a thread for a bigger plot, and aside from some heroin growing, the whole plot is fighting over Solitaire otherwise it seems, with her and her virginity being the main mcGuffin pretty much.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

Bond plants explosives and destroys Kananga's/Big's poppy fields to prevent the heroin distribution scheme, so it's hardly 'forgotten about'.  

That's true, but it just feels anti-climatic, as with most villain plots, there is plot in the villain plot, that Bond has to wrestle though, which I didn't find here though.

I see what some poeple are saying that they like LALD because it's an action packed race, but in other Bond movies that are action packed such as YOLT, FYEO, or OP for example, Bond is always pulling on a thread leading from clue to clue, plot point to plot point, unraveling a bigger plot. In LALD there is no pulling on a thread for a bigger plot, and aside from some heroin growing, the whole plot is fighting over Solitaire otherwise it seems, with her and her virginity being the main mcGuffin pretty much.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

Bond plants explosives and destroys Kananga's/Big's poppy fields to prevent the heroin distribution scheme, so it's hardly 'forgotten about'.  

That's true, but it just feels anti-climatic, as with most villain plots, there is plot in the villain plot, that Bond has to wrestle though, which I didn't find here though.

I see what some poeple are saying that they like LALD because it's an action packed race, but in other Bond movies that are action packed such as YOLT, FYEO, or OP for example, Bond is always pulling on a thread leading from clue to clue, plot point to plot point, unraveling a bigger plot. In LALD there is no pulling on a thread for a bigger plot, and aside from some heroin growing, the whole plot is fighting over Solitaire otherwise it seems, with her and her virginity being the main mcGuffin pretty much.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

Bond plants explosives and destroys Kananga's/Big's poppy fields to prevent the heroin distribution scheme, so it's hardly 'forgotten about'.  

That's true, but it just feels anti-climatic, as with most villain plots, there is plot in the villain plot, that Bond has to wrestle though, which I didn't find here though.

I see what some poeple are saying that they like LALD because it's an action packed race, but in other Bond movies that are action packed such as YOLT, FYEO, or OP for example, Bond is always pulling on a thread leading from clue to clue, plot point to plot point, unraveling a bigger plot. In LALD there is no pulling on a thread for a bigger plot, and aside from some heroin growing, the whole plot is fighting over Solitaire otherwise it seems, with her and her virginity being the main mcGuffin pretty much.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

Bond plants explosives and destroys Kananga's/Big's poppy fields to prevent the heroin distribution scheme, so it's hardly 'forgotten about'.  

That's true, but it just feels anti-climatic, as with most villain plots, there is plot in the villain plot, that Bond has to wrestle though, which I didn't find here though.

I see what some poeple are saying that they like LALD because it's an action packed race, but in other Bond movies that are action packed such as YOLT, FYEO, or OP for example, Bond is always pulling on a thread leading from clue to clue, plot point to plot point, unraveling a bigger plot. In LALD there is no pulling on a thread for a bigger plot, and aside from some heroin growing, the whole plot is fighting over Solitaire otherwise it seems, with her and her virginity being the main mcGuffin pretty much.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

Bond plants explosives and destroys Kananga's/Big's poppy fields to prevent the heroin distribution scheme, so it's hardly 'forgotten about'.  

That's true, but it just feels anti-climatic, as with most villain plots, there is plot in the villain plot, that Bond has to wrestle though, which I didn't find here though.

Poor ol' Admiral Farrell. Chucked to death.

They need to reboot the Admiral and get Paul Giamatti to play him.