For Your Eyes Only in Review

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Been watching all the Bond's on Blu Ray *AND* on a 65 inch 4k screen with a 4k UHD player. I don't know if they've been upconverting the data and I'm getting an even crisper, cleaner image, but either way it feels like I've seen some things about these movies that I haven't seen before.

I'm seeing a lot of background color, richness in texture and detail, that I'd not noticed before in both OP and FYEO.

The 65 inch screen really helped sell the scope and size of the rock-climbing sequence. For the first time I was really on edge and nervous about Bond's predicament. Thanks to the expansive size of the screen, I felt slightly agoraphobic just watching it.

So, anyway, this was the one pre-title sequence I never cared much for. Was the weakest of all of Moore's. In fact, why was "Blofeld" still in a neck brace? He was perfectly fine in DAF. I get why EON chose to use "Blofeld" in this movie, but they didn't make it pay off. Using gas works and rusted out warehouses as your pre-title sequence is a non-starter for me.

Good title song. The Blu-Ray combo with the 4k player/tv brought out some color and details that I've never seen in the title sequence before. Made it more colorful and not so bland as I've recalled it over the years. Still, I'd put it somewhere in the middle of Binder's Moore-series.

I like the plot and I like the use of locations. FYEO puts you right there in Cortina or in Greece. I like it when the films make extensive use of remote locations rather than doing it all on the soundstage.

Good mix of action as well: motorcyles, dune buggies, ski chases, underwater fights, rock climbing. Bond Girls were just....okay. Obviously Carole Bouqet was a beautiful woman, but maybe too young for Moore. I thought Lynn Holly-Johnson was good as light comic relief. If Bibi was the worst thing that you can say about the movie then I think we're okay. Didn't care much for Countess Lisl either way.

Film score holds well in some areas but sounds dated in others.

Decent villains; all well-acted, but none with the sort of signature dialogue or scene that'll make a clip reel when entertainment outlets do their retrospectives each time a new film comes out.

Maxwell is a treat, as always, but seeing her flirting at her age with 007....are we totally sure her character wasn't married at this point? I like to think that she was, and she and 007 just had a friendly flirtation going on, knowing it was never going to be anything more. Otherwise it comes off as kind of sad that she'd still be pining over 007 instead of having a real relationship with someone outside of work.

Not sure where Brink and Bibi were planning to go. Did they plan on using the winch to get off the rock? I remember growing up and thinking Brink may have had the hots for Bibi....was that implied or did I just imagine all of it?

I'd give the film a 7.5 out of 10.

No mention of Colombo, the best ally in the entire series?

Sarai wrote:

I always wondered what was with the scene with the Priest blessing Bond as he left the grave site. It came across as so creepy as if he were in on the plan.

Me to. The series has always had strange moments that just stuck out from the rest of the movie. The other one that came to mind was the dramatic music and odd delivery of the concierge giving Bond a telegram in TSWLM.

Perilagu Khan wrote:

No mention of Colombo, the best ally in the entire series?

He was good. But one thing I began thinking of when watching the movie: what War did he and Kristatos serve in? Was it something post-World War II? Because both of them would have been too young to be in World War 2.

Both Glover and Topol were born in 1935. I realize the film age may not always reflect the real-life age, but in this case the age gap would probably be too severe to ignore.

I believe it is WWII. I always imagined Columbo and Kristatos to be at least a decade older than Bond, which would make it plausible.

I, too, feel Bouquet isn't quite up to the task but she's certainly not the worst. I feel Camille is actually quite an improvement on the vengeful daughter. Maybe not as strong a character but a better actress and more beautiful. There, a Craig-era compliment. FYEO far outranks any of his movies though.

FYEO improves immeasurably on a big screen. However it has this low key flavor to it that underlines it is an editor's film and operating a back to basis edict. I also think it ties into the number of WWII throwback era British films from this time like Eagle Has Landed, Escape to Athena, Eye of the Needle etc.

You will see new things on the BD though as its too bright and suffers from being an upconversion of the same master from the UE DVD. Darn Lowry masters....

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Sarai wrote:

I always wondered what was with the scene with the Priest blessing Bond as he left the grave site. It came across as so creepy as if he were in on the plan.

Me to. The series has always had strange moments that just stuck out from the rest of the movie. The other one that came to mind was the dramatic music and odd delivery of the concierge giving Bond a telegram in TSWLM.

I'm glad I am not the only one who felt that. I thought maybe I was just freaked out by Priests.



I love the music in this movie too, that song playing by the pool at the beginning has me up dancing.

Make It Last All Night might just be both the worst and best song ever written.

Conti's score is full of exciting tracks... 'Runaway' in particular.

Sarai wrote:

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Sarai wrote:

I always wondered what was with the scene with the Priest blessing Bond as he left the grave site. It came across as so creepy as if he were in on the plan.

Me to. The series has always had strange moments that just stuck out from the rest of the movie. The other one that came to mind was the dramatic music and odd delivery of the concierge giving Bond a telegram in TSWLM.

I'm glad I am not the only one who felt that. I thought maybe I was just freaked out by Priests.



I love the music in this movie too, that song playing by the pool at the beginning has me up dancing.

You must give me the name of your otologist...

I had to look up 'otologist.' I'm just happy I know the name of the song now so I can crank it up!

hey I already admitted The Phantom Menace was one my favorite movies today so I really had nothing to lose at this point by confessing that too

that might be a good idea for a thread too...movies you don't normally admit to liking

Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang wrote:

I believe it is WWII. I always imagined Columbo and Kristatos to be at least a decade older than Bond, which would make it plausible.

I, too, feel Bouquet isn't quite up to the task but she's certainly not the worst. I feel Camille is actually quite an improvement on the vengeful daughter. Maybe not as strong a character but a better actress and more beautiful. There, a Craig-era compliment. FYEO far outranks any of his movies though.

My sentiments exactly. I thought of Camille when watching FYEO and felt Camille was the Melina Havelock FYEO deserved.

I just had a flash of what a darker 50's version of FYEO would have been like with a fiery and revenge driven Grace Kelly in the woods on the Canadian border....
No wait scratch that-since Judy Hevelock is English in Fleming's story-imagine the amazing Peggy Cummins from GUN CRAZY staking out the villain's hideaway to put a crossbow bolt in his back!

ironpony wrote:

I can't decide if I like the movie or not, since it has so many pros and cons.

Mainly the cons are, it does have what is probably weakest Bond villain of the series.

SPOILER

He has a very weak character backstory, cause his main goal in life is to get Bibi Doll in the Olympics, hoping that she will bang him one day for it. Need I say more on that one?

The bond girl, is a strong character, but the actress plays her kind of wooden and bored, as if she really didn't want to be in the movie it seems.  I also don't like how Bond keeps telling Melina that revenge is not the way, and tries to talk her into turning over the villains to the police, when Bond seems to be being a hypocrite cause he himself killed Blofeld and Locque in cold blood to avenge the murders of previous characters.

But on the plus side, I do like the overall plot and action and I really like the Columbo character. So what do you think?

Well I've watched the movie a few more times, because there are things to enjoy about it, such as the locations, action and columbo, and just the overall mood and tone of the movie. So maybe I was a bit harsh, when I say the woman and villain are monotone. Because I don't want them to be, and want them to be as good as the pros in this movie. So maybe I am too harsh on them and maybe they are better than I give them credit for, if I keep watching it?

ironpony wrote:

ironpony wrote:

I can't decide if I like the movie or not, since it has so many pros and cons.

Mainly the cons are, it does have what is probably weakest Bond villain of the series.

SPOILER

He has a very weak character backstory, cause his main goal in life is to get Bibi Doll in the Olympics, hoping that she will bang him one day for it. Need I say more on that one?

The bond girl, is a strong character, but the actress plays her kind of wooden and bored, as if she really didn't want to be in the movie it seems.  I also don't like how Bond keeps telling Melina that revenge is not the way, and tries to talk her into turning over the villains to the police, when Bond seems to be being a hypocrite cause he himself killed Blofeld and Locque in cold blood to avenge the murders of previous characters.

But on the plus side, I do like the overall plot and action and I really like the Columbo character. So what do you think?

Well I've watched the movie a few more times, because there are things to enjoy about it, such as the locations, action and columbo, and just the overall mood and tone of the movie.  So maybe I was a bit harsh, when I say the woman and villain are monotone.  Because I don't want them to be, and want them to be as good as the pros in this movie.  So maybe I am too harsh on them and maybe they are better than I give them credit for, if I keep watching it?

A few points if I may:
1. It is based on the short story and the central concept is great. While I do wish both Kristatos and Columbo were more fleshed out-I think the performances are sublime.
2. Bibi and the skating sponsorship is at first window dressing for the character but the reveal of his real control issues and desires are very much characterization reveals.


I just re-read my earlier post and am swooning over the idea of a pure Fleming adaptation in the 50's with Peggy Cummings as Judy Havelock....

Yeah, Bibi doesn't really bother me. I think had she been written as a Bond girl instead of a younger supporting character, she'd be seen more favourably. But it's something different in the series and don't find her annoying. As you say, she reveals a different shade to Kristatos.

Columbo is one of the most successful transfers from book to screen, and much of it has to do with Topol.