A View to A Kill - Underrated?

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  • Posts: 170
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    I can't really forgive the awful fire engine sequence either.

    Fire trucks are awesome. Have you SEEN Backdraft?

  • Posts: 170
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    I always thought it was a mistake for Mayday to turn good at the end. They should have echoed Oddjob,

    AVTAK borrowed enough from GF already.
  • edited May 2017 Posts: 128
    I watched AVTAK the other day. Despite loving Roger's portrayal of Bond, I've never been a big fan of the film. In fact, I usually rank it dead last. It's certainly not the most outrageous Bond film, but it's definitely the most boring. I like the PTS, and I don't object to the use of "California Girls," but couldn't they have used the actual Beach Boys recording? The crappy cover really dates the scene.

    One thing that's always bothered me about the climax: As Bond and Zorin grapple with each other atop the Golden Gate Bridge, why don't we see any reactions from pedestrians and drivers below? You'd think someone would have noticed two men fighting with an axe atop the bridge. They would have especially noticed the airship explode in the sky over San Francisco. This small addition could have really upped the stakes and given the scene a lot more weight.
  • Posts: 170
    There were already pedestrian reactions during the City-Hall-rescue and hanging-from-the-zeppelin scenes. We didn't need anymore of them.
  • Posts: 128
    Robertson wrote: »
    There were already pedestrian reactions during the City-Hall-rescue and hanging-from-the-zeppelin scenes. We didn't need anymore of them.

    I get your point, I just disagree. The fallout of the airship exploding over the Bridge seems like it would be much greater than City Hall burning down, in my opinion. Just a few quick shots could have really punched up the entire sequence.
  • Posts: 11,189
    I think reaction shots during the fight itself would have diluted its excitement, but crowd shots as the blimp crashes into the bridge then blows up wouldn't have been unreasonable providing they weren't "comic" moments.

  • Posts: 128
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    I think reaction shots during the fight itself would have diluted its excitement, but crowd shots as the blimp crashes into the bridge then blows up wouldn't have been unreasonable providing they weren't "comic" moments.

    Yep, this is all I would ask for.
  • Posts: 11,425
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    Moore taking the lead and instructing Mayday to lower the winch and "take her up" is one of his best scenes in the film.

    Great music in the background too.

    I have to admit watching AVTAK again the other night I was kind of bored during a lot of it. It just feels rather sleepy and made with relatively little energy or enthusiasm. FYEO and OP are MUCH better.

    I can't really forgive the awful fire engine sequence either.

    OP is marvellous. One of my top ten at all times.
  • edited May 2017 Posts: 11,189
    Saw OP again yesterday. Enjoyable film but it's weakest aspect? Maud Adams.

    She can't seem to talk naturally.
  • Posts: 11,425
    I think Maud and Rog work well together though.

    As with most of the Bonds, they actually have more chemistry with the older Bond girls
  • edited May 2017 Posts: 11,189
    Getafix wrote: »
    I think Maud and Rog work well together though.

    They do. The last scene on the barge is lovely and quite emotional given his passing.
  • edited June 2017 Posts: 337
    Getting more appreciative of A View To A Kill now. It was a blast to watch the last time I saw it. Understandably, it feels a bit more watered down compared to his other films, and to my understanding, Sir Roger was least comfortable with this film out of his seven, but I still reckon it's an entertaining mess at the very least. The pacing is such that you never have the time to dwindle on the absurdities.

    That being said, it probably is Moore's second worst for me. The only movie where Moore's performance might be weaker is The Man With The Golden Gun (though the man still turns in a good performance in all of them), and that one happens to be the only film of Moore's that I think contends with AVTAK for the title of Moore's second worst.

    His worst is FYEO for me, which I imagine is a highly unpopular sentiment given that most people seem to consider it his second best.
  • edited June 2017 Posts: 11,189
    I saw FYEO and AVTAK one after the other more or less a couple of weeks ago (shortly after Roger died).

    FYEO came off as being a lot better IMO. My favourite aspect of AVTAK is still his score.
  • Well, if it's any consolation, I have AVTAK just one spot above FYEO. :)

    For me, it's just better. FYEO feels like a hangover movie and just not at all like Roger's typical Bond flicks. AVTAK is more in line with Roger's style, so it's more entertaining for me. It also has better stuntwork, a vastly superior score, a superior theme song, superior cast, better pacing etc. I don't need Bond to be taken dead serious, so I'm fine with the more campy side of him.

    The main advantage FYEO has is a more structured and original storyline that isn't a mess. It has better straight-up acting and cinematography as well. But it also has a dreadful opening and ending. So on balance, I'd hand it to AVTAK.
  • Posts: 11,425
    All of Rog's films are entertaining. I might be alone in finding LALD the weakest.
  • edited June 2017 Posts: 337
    @Getafix I'm curious as to why you do? I'm definitely biased since LALD was my first, but my case for it would be that the cast is good, the theme song is cracking, the score is excellent and the stuntwork is brilliant. And it's able to have the typical campy Moore portrayal without some sort of world-domination plot.

    I can understand it not being a classic and Kananga's end being a bit jarring and some various minor complaints (Pepper, casual/accidental racism, etc), but surely one would find it a well-rounded film on the whole? Though I'm always open to differing opinions. Perhaps somebody can unseat LALD from the treasured place it holds in my mind. :)
  • SeanCraigSeanCraig Germany
    Posts: 732
    I still like the movie. I don't care if Roger was too old or whatsoever - I liked and liek it. And one of the greatest title songs for sure
  • Posts: 11,425
    @Getafix I'm curious as to why you do? I'm definitely biased since LALD was my first, but my case for it would be that the cast is good, the theme song is cracking, the score is excellent and the stuntwork is brilliant. And it's able to have the typical campy Moore portrayal without some sort of world-domination plot.

    I can understand it not being a classic and Kananga's end being a bit jarring and some various minor complaints (Pepper, casual/accidental racism, etc), but surely one would find it a well-rounded film on the whole? Though I'm always open to differing opinions. Perhaps somebody can unseat LALD from the treasured place it holds in my mind. :)

    I haven't watched it all the way through for a while. Last time I tried I think I fell asleep. I found it a bit dull tbh. Will have to give it a proper rewatch in order to give a fuller explanation. Having said this, I'd probably still choose to watch it over most of the films from the last 25 years.
  • edited June 2017 Posts: 337
    @Getafix Fair enough. LALD and TMWTGG lack the more energetic openings of later Moore movies — mostly because Bond himself doesn't appear. That might set a duller tone for the whole movie.
  • edited June 2017 Posts: 11,189
    Compared to most of his movies beforehand I can't shake the sleepy feeling to the film. Most of the action (other than maybe the final fight on the bridge) lacks any real punch and has a sense of "been there, done that".

    It's got some good scenes (mainly towards the end) but, of the 5 Roger Bond films I've rewatched over the last few weeks (TSWLM, MR*, FYEO, OP and AVTAK) View came off as the overall weakest.

    (*MR may have been a silly parody, but there was at least a more energetic vibe to it).
  • BAIN123 wrote: »

    (*MR may have been a silly parody, but there was at least a more energetic vibe to it).

    Not gonna disagree with that. Whatever Moonraker was, Roger was still turning in a class-A performance. Whereas he seems visibly tired in A View To A Kill; again, I can't think of a lesser performance from him in the Bond canon, except perhaps his uneven portrayal in The Man With The Golden Gun.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited June 2017 Posts: 23,883
    The only Moore film I find a chore to get through (nearly always) is AVTAK, so I don't think it's underrated. There's something a bit tired about the whole thing and nothing really stands out for me except for the Eiffel Tower sequence (which is excellent), Barry's rich score (which though great, can't elevate the film for me) & Duran Duran's punchy title track.

    It also seems a bit low budget tv like in places (although it's also quite Bondian extravagant in Europe).
  • Posts: 11,189
    In both there's something quite un-Bond-like about him. But I'd say he's having more fun in MR. By View he seems to be going through the motions. Even his trademark smirk at the enemy driving next to him (done so well in TSWLM and FYEO) feels despearate when done here.
  • BAIN123 wrote: »
    In both there's something quite un-Bond-like about him. But I'd say he's having more fun in MR. By View he seems to be going through the motions. Even his trademark smirk at the enemy driving next to him (done so well in TSWLM and FYEO) feels despearate when done here.

    Yeah, that's practically unquestionable.

    Where MR is let down (for me, anyway) is the rather anti-climatic ending. Whereas AVTAK at least had the Golden Gate fight. But apart from that and the music, MR is better on virtually every front.
  • Posts: 11,189
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    In both there's something quite un-Bond-like about him. But I'd say he's having more fun in MR. By View he seems to be going through the motions. Even his trademark smirk at the enemy driving next to him (done so well in TSWLM and FYEO) feels despearate when done here.

    Yeah, that's practically unquestionable.

    Where MR is let down (for me, anyway) is the rather anti-climatic ending. Whereas AVTAK at least had the Golden Gate fight. But apart from that and the music, MR is better on virtually every front.

    Ah, while I really like the AVTAK score, MR is probably my favourite Bond score of all.
  • BAIN123 wrote: »
    Ah, while I really like the AVTAK score, MR is probably my favourite Bond score of all.

    I might need to treat myself to another MR viewing. I frequently hear that Barry produces some of his grandest orchestral swells there, but the AVTAK score jumps at me more. Perhaps with a reviewing of MR and closer attention to the score I might change my mind.
  • Posts: 11,189
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    Ah, while I really like the AVTAK score, MR is probably my favourite Bond score of all.

    I might need to treat myself to another MR viewing. I frequently hear that Barry produces some of his grandest orchestral swells there, but the AVTAK score jumps at me more. Perhaps with a reviewing of MR and closer attention to the score I might change my mind.



    To me this is Barry's Bond masterpiece.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    AVTAK is great.
    MayDay is iconic.
    The Golden Gate Bridge sequence is iconic.
    The Eiffel Tower sequence is iconic.
    Duran Duran's song is arguably the best theme song ever.
    Patrick Macnee is an icon.
    Zorin is the last great OTT villain (and Carver).

    Tanya Roberts is my favourite Charlie's Angel. Just saying ha ha...
  • Posts: 11,189
    ViewToAKill3.jpg

    Forget the double-taking pigeon, the clown suit or the Tarzan yell. This (IMO) is Roger's lowest moment as Bond.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I'm afraid I must agree, regrettably.
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