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Comments
It's one of those Bonds we were told was bad by various writers and critics, too silly, underperformed at the box office, etc.
But its low-key, smaller scale style works for me and the villains are fun to watch. I also like Moore's approach, it's more Connery-like, less nonsense. I think he's really underrated here.
Agree re. the final duel. Although the way it ends is interesting, Scaramanga's fun house lacks something, IMO. The island location in itself though, is iconic.
I would even argue it features Rog's best performance in his entire Bond career.
Ah, it's for all of these reasons that I find it a frustrating movie. Great locations, Rog on form, Lee and Eklund are outstanding, etc. But there's so much silliness and camp, and at times laziness. The funhouse climax is dull and ugly to look at, Goodnight is a useless 'ditz' character, the script has Moore involved in a few slightly ugly situations, the stupid bloody return of Sheriff JW bloody Pepper, the goddamned bloody slide whistle, and so on.
Here again with the Moore-era EON dilemma of just refusing to leave anything on the cutting room floor. Take out the slide whistle, JW Pepper, the sumo gag, the NicNac weirdness . . . and you've already got a way better film.
I ought to enjoy this movie much more than I do.
LALD seems like one long chase movie in cars, planes, buses, boats. But it has the atmosphere with the voodoo theme that helps make up for it and an interesting collection of villains. TMWTGG has better suspense, two interesting villains and a more assured Moore performance and more exotic setting. LALD doesn't do much as far as its locations.
+1.
Even tho there is some cool stuff in and there.
Specifically the "humiliated tailors" line.
I wish they had given this movie a bit more time to come together. Why the rush to get it out a year after LALD I am not sure why. Was it studio pressure or was Harry's problems so acute that he needed a payday quicker? They could have polished up some of the weaker points of the film. Overall a satisfying romp!
Indeed she is!
I don't know how many will be willing to cross this bridge with me, but I'm going to say it: I prefer her to Britt Ekland.
As for the film, it is jam packed with good things, which makes the fact it is sometimes a little schizophrenic in tone quite forgivable. The character of Scaramanga is brilliant, as are the parallels and contrasts between him and Bond's character.
I adore them both really. I'd say TMWTGG is just behind TB in terms of female beauty.
Yes! And the cinematography in the funhouse is also reminiscent of the giallo films of the era. Speaking of the funhouse, I also feel an obvious House of Wax vibe. Add the The Lady from Shanghai homage and I'd say this is one of my favourite sets in Bond history.
Oh, I'm totally with you preferring Maud Adams to Britt Ekland, both the on-screen performance and in the looks department. She's no doubt my favourite Moore era actress, and we even got to see her with him twice!
On a side note; I wouldn't mind owning this poster! :-D
Firstly the period they are set in. I love the early 70's feel, particularly the style, locations, hotel rooms, etc. These 2 films belong with DAF as a Guy Hamilton triology. They all feel very similar in tone, and its easy to imagine Connery playing in all 3 films, or vice versa with Moore instead.
Secondly Moore's performance. His first 2 films involves Moore playing the character with a harder edge, possibly a hangover from Connery, before he found his own relaxed style, occasionally bordering on comedy routine from TSWLM onwards.
Thirdly it would be the last time we would hear the retro Barry sound (also features in DAF, OHMSS and YOLT).
Fourthly it has one of the coolest badass villains ever in Lee's Scaramanga, always one step ahead of Bond.
Finally the storyline isn't that outlandish or OTT, considering the bad press the film often gets. Its actually quite a down-to-earth script for most part, and I think it is highly underrated.
I think, along with Diamonds Are Forever (which I consider to be the second worst Bond film), there is a very good film in there. The last time I watched DAF, the whole pipeline plot angle seemed really intriguing and would work better if the film was of a more serious tone a la Dalton/Craig. Similarly, if the goofiness was taken out and the tone was consistent with Moore's portrayal (he had qualms about kicking Locque off a cliff, but here is seen smacking a woman around!) there would be a great Bond film here.
Yes I agree. Neither film is perfect. They both need tweaking to make them top 5 classic entries.
Yeah, the song opens with a Catchy Electric Guitar Spy tune....but I just feel it lost it's way, after the Prominent Bass Guitar.
I rather enjoy it actually.
Yes, definitely the worst song at that point in the franchise.
Of course, there would be plenty more stinkers later on to beat it (mainly in the Brosnan and Craig era). :)
I also could never figure out why Jack Palance was a candidate for Scarmanaga. It was Tom Mankiewicz I think who had him in mind when he was writing this. I guess if they were going for the book version of the character he'd be right, but it would've fallen flat as that's one of Fleming's worst characters. Lee was perfect.
I also wonder why they rushed this film into production. Moore actually mentions in in one of the entries in his James Bond Diary book when LALD was still in production. Since LALD made a nice profit, you'd have thought they'd have been able to up the budget some and take a bit more time.