Octopussy is Moore's best performance???

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  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,827
    Getafix wrote: »
    The defusing the bomb scene in OP is a highlight in the entire series.
    Quite.
  • Posts: 11,425
    chrisisall wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    The defusing the bomb scene in OP is a highlight in the entire series.
    Quite.

    Remarkable how much we agree on, when we're not disagreeing! ;)
  • Ok. I understand Octopussy has a mixed opinion on Bond fans. Personally, im not a fan. But i think everyone can agree that ''All Time High'' is one of the worst Bond themes of all time.
  • Posts: 11,189
    All Time High is a good enough song. But it doesn't really sound like a Bond song.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,343
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    All Time High is a good enough song. But it doesn't really sound like a Bond song.

    Agreed - it's more of an '80s love song, albeit a rather good one.
  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    Posts: 5,080
    Ok. I understand Octopussy has a mixed opinion on Bond fans. Personally, im not a fan. But i think everyone can agree that ''All Time High'' is one of the worst Bond themes of all time.

    No. Stop assuming what "everyone" thinks.

    I, for one, enjoy it very much and it makes my top ten.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited October 2014 Posts: 23,883
    I recently watched Octopussy again and loved it!

    Moore was excellent in it (although I've always thought he was super as Bond anyway, and deserves a lot more credit than what he gets - note my avatar - lol).

    The opening scene with the little plane sets the right tone for the movie. He played that part brilliantly and was super smooth throughout up to the 'fill er up please' line. The aforementioned nuke part was great too and there was some real tension there. Loved the classic auction scene as well.

    I too found the India scenes his weakest and he did appear older and sweatier in these scenes.

    More than anything, I think the John Barry score for this movie is an underrated gem. He brings in some elements from the much lambasted MWTGG score but also updates his traditional style. "The Chase Bomb Theme", "Yo Yo Fight & Death Of Vijay", & "Bond Look-a-like" are all great but my favourite is "Bond at the Monsoon Palace". Chilling and suspenseful......if only David Arnold could have provided even a sliver of this quality during his tenure I would have been happy.
  • MooseWithFleasMooseWithFleas Philadelphia
    Posts: 3,370
    All Time High is one of my all time favorites! I think it is completely Bondian and always look forward to hearing it.

    Also OP has one of my favorite Moore images in the title sequence with the arms wrapping around him.
  • Posts: 11,189
    All Time High is one of my all time favorites! I think it is completely Bondian and always look forward to hearing it.

    Also OP has one of my favorite Moore images in the title sequence with the arms wrapping around him.

    Well put it this way, if I heard it for the first time on the radio I probably wouldn't associate it with the James Bond series.
  • MooseWithFleasMooseWithFleas Philadelphia
    Posts: 3,370
    That's fair in that its not as clearly Bond as say Goldfinger. I associate it with the ballad era from TSWLM through OP where the songs were no longer about power and brass.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited October 2014 Posts: 15,723
    Any film where Sir Rog pops out from a crocodile-sub gets a 10/10 from :)
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,827
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I may be alone in this, but I think Moore's best performances were in his first two films. My favorite of his outings is TSWLM, however in those first couple he had a darker edge to his take on the character…a little "more" bite. It was after those that he developed the goofy smile and tilt of the head that became so prominent and his trademark. LALD and TMWTGG were full of jokes and gags, but Moore himself played the part straight.
    You're not alone in really appreciating those first two performances, dude.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,343
    chrisisall wrote: »
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I may be alone in this, but I think Moore's best performances were in his first two films. My favorite of his outings is TSWLM, however in those first couple he had a darker edge to his take on the character…a little "more" bite. It was after those that he developed the goofy smile and tilt of the head that became so prominent and his trademark. LALD and TMWTGG were full of jokes and gags, but Moore himself played the part straight.
    You're not alone in really appreciating those first two performances, dude.

    Indeed not. Well said, @Birdleson.
  • edited October 2014 Posts: 11,425
    Overall I love OP. There are a few moments we could have done without. I'm not a big fan of the PTS and would have preferred it if the PTS had been the sequence with 008 being chased, then the titles kicking in after he crashes through the ambassador's window. That would have made for a much stronger start. Although it wouldn't have actually featured Bond, but hey, that could have been an interesting twist.

    And the Tarzan sequence is just inexcusable (although I actually enjoy the rest of hunt sequence).

    And finally, the part where Octopussy's 'highly trained' gang of girls attack the palace at the end is pretty embarassing.

    But apart from those (and which Bond film doesn't have one or two duff moments), I think it's excellent.

    Rewatching it recently I actually thought Rog and Maud Adams were great together as well. She looks about the right age for him and there seems to be a genuine attraction. I can't stand it when they team Bond up with some 23 year old eye candy, who looks like his daughter and everyone has a faint look of disgust on their faces. I'm all for older Bond girls - it should be a rule that they're never more than 5-10 years younger than the guy playing Bond.

    Someone is going to tell me Maud Adams was 20 years younger now.
  • Posts: 1,146
    Getafix wrote: »
    Overall I love OP. There are a few moments we could have done without. I'm not a big fan of the PTS and would have preferred it if the PTS had been the sequence with 008 being chased, then the titles kicking in after he crashes through the ambassador's window. That would have made for a much stronger start. Although it wouldn't have actually featured Bond, but hey, that could have been an interesting twist.

    And the Tarzan sequence is just inexcusable (although I actually enjoy the rest of hunt sequence).

    And finally, the part where Octopussy's 'highly trained' gang of girls attack the palace at the end is pretty embarassing.

    But apart from those (and which Bond film doesn't have one or two duff moments), I think it's excellent.

    Rewatching it recently I actually thought Rog and Maud Adams were great together as well. She looks about the right age for him and there seems to be a genuine attraction. I can't stand it when they team Bond up with some 23 year old eye candy, who looks like his daughter and everyone has a faint look of disgust on their faces. I'm all for older Bond girls - it should be a rule that they're never more than 5-10 years younger than the guy playing Bond.

    Someone is going to tell me Maud Adams was 20 years younger now.

    A lot of this stuff is why I just took back on the Moore era as the completely wrong tone for Bond. There's that skater in FYEO that Moore was 'too old for'. That was when I really knew, in hindsight, that he was the wrong guy.

  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    Posts: 5,080
    [ There's that skater in FYEO that Moore was 'too old for'. That was when I really knew, in hindsight, that he was the wrong guy.

    Yes, but you'll find that it was Bibi who wanted to snog Bond, and that it was Bond who rejected her advances.
  • Posts: 1,146
    You think Connery, Laz or Craig would have rejected her?

    I think not.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,343
    You think Connery, Laz or Craig would have rejected her?

    I think not.

    Perhaps because they were nearer her age when they were Bond though; I think that's the point with the older Moore Bond.
  • Posts: 1,146
    …and that's why that character failed, it grew old and became subject to moral limitations by the general public. In contrast, remember the two young gypsy girls in FRWL? What do you think happened there?

    Just a total erosion of the character. Would have loved to have seen a Lazenby/Jaws fight, at least it would have been more of a fight. Too bad George was such a jerk, that tone from OHMSS would have been awesome throughout the '70's.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,343
    …and that's why that character failed, it grew old and became subject to moral limitations by the general public. In contrast, remember the two young gypsy girls in FRWL? What do you think happened there?

    Just a total erosion of the character. Would have loved to have seen a Lazenby/Jaws fight, at least it would have been more of a fight. Too bad George was such a jerk, that tone from OHMSS would have been awesome throughout the '70's.

    John Gardner did the same thing with having Bond work his friend Felix Leiter's daughter the CIA agent Cedar Leiter in his second Bond continuation novel For Special Services (1982) though.
  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    Posts: 5,080
    …and that's why that character failed, it grew old and became subject to moral limitations by the general public. In contrast, remember the two young gypsy girls in FRWL? What do you think happened there?

    Just a total erosion of the character. Would have loved to have seen a Lazenby/Jaws fight, at least it would have been more of a fight. Too bad George was such a jerk, that tone from OHMSS would have been awesome throughout the '70's.

    What does the Gypsy fight from FRWL have to do with anything?

    When it comes to age, I'd ague that Connery started to look old from Thunderball on! At least Moore didn't wear a wig!

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,827
    At least Moore didn't wear a wig!
    But spray on hair...

  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,359
    I believe Moore did wear a hair piece for AVTAK. In this picture his hair does appear to be thinning.
    Bond%20vs%20Bond.jpg
  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    Posts: 5,080
    I believe his hair was thickened for A View to a Kill.
  • Posts: 1,146
    …and that's why that character failed, it grew old and became subject to moral limitations by the general public. In contrast, remember the two young gypsy girls in FRWL? What do you think happened there?

    Just a total erosion of the character. Would have loved to have seen a Lazenby/Jaws fight, at least it would have been more of a fight. Too bad George was such a jerk, that tone from OHMSS would have been awesome throughout the '70's.

    What does the Gypsy fight from FRWL have to do with anything?

    When it comes to age, I'd ague that Connery started to look old from Thunderball on! At least Moore didn't wear a wig!

    Um, I was not referring to the gypsy fight, but rather what happened between the shootout and the, um, morning after.
  • Posts: 1,146
    So nobody can come up with a memorable Moore fight on par with Connery/Laz/Craig?
    Pretty much sums up his portrayal.
  • Posts: 12,521
    @doubleohdad best one for Moore I can think of would be vs. Tee-Hee on the train.
  • MooseWithFleasMooseWithFleas Philadelphia
    Posts: 3,370
    @doubleohdad Also the fight scene from TMWTGG is pretty solid. Tight quarters, I believe Moore does all the stunts there.
  • edited October 2014 Posts: 11,189
    My thoughts on Moore and the Moore era:

    No one can doubt Rog himself is something of a national treasure. I've seen him do one man shows and even had my picture taken with him. BUT I'd be lying if I said I was always convinced by him as Bond. For me his portrayal, as I've said before, was the most hit and miss of the lot. When he was at the top of his game he was excellent (TSWLM, OP and FYEO). Confident, wordly-wise and gentlemanly. BUT I think he was capable of going too far with the Moore-ism's. Hence, while he never gave a bad performance as such there were times when I simply didn't believe he was playing anyone other than himself (Moonraker and parts of AVTAK).

    Currently though he's third in my rankings. I enjoy him. He's always entertaining to watch if sometimes wince inducing.
  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    edited October 2014 Posts: 5,080
    Although @FoxRox and @MooseSithFleas provided you with suitable examples, I don't see why this has anything to do with his PORTRAYAL of James Bond?

    To be honest, I think you're clutching at straws.
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