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Comments
LTK wasn't really like that imho, although it was filmed partially in Florida.
At least for the first few seasons. Afterwards, it was kind of drab due to budget cuts. Not unlike LTK.
Probably my favorite along with The Sopranos and Sons of Anarchy.
I'm willing to bet an awful lot of money that if we could go back in time and watch the writing of LTK, the literal lighter was not the basis for the plot. The idea that they came up with that, and then noticed how well they were able to incorporate unused Fleming material and a visceral callback to OHMSS just by chance--that seems really, really unlikely.
It was Leiter because Leiter is the only character that can be plausibly called a friend of Bond, and it was a wedding so they could play on Bond's unavenged loss. I find it quite effective.
It was in my memory very stylized but upon getting them on DVD I found that they care a far more dark undercurrent that makes these colours and songs very dark indeed. The MV vibe from LTK is mostly because they chose to do this movie in an era where Miami Vice did the drugs trafficking in their series so much better and cooler with their cigar boats and lovely ladies.
I rate the Tv series very much higher than LTK, which was originally supposed to take place in Asia and China, even the Chinese wall was looked into as a set. Sadly they failed to go there.
I wouldn't say she's forgotten...she's mentioned again in the scene with M, alluded to when Bond confronts Lupe on the Wavecrest, and referred to at Sanchez's death. But yeah, that phone call from Felix at the end...yeesh.
I read somewhere that the ending had originally been a bit more somber, but it didn't play well. I rather like the ending as is (there's a controversial opinion!) but would probably prefer a reference to Felix rather than a chipper phone call. Also, they should have kept in the cut scene where he uses the lighter again in the hotel room.
All in all though, I'd say OHMSS doesn't have very much emotional weight until around minute 135 or so. It's a conventional, albeit very, very good, Bond film. And the weight of the ending was never really cashed in for anything, and I think on the whole LTK makes good use of that capital. I mean, whether they constantly refer to Della (or Felix) or not, Bond's reasons for doing what he's doing always feel crystal clear to me.
I think Koskov and Whitaker are great villains. Not the best, but much better than "not bad".
They're a couple of buffoons just trying to make money for themselves, but the consequences of their actions are deadly serious all the same. Without delving too much into partisan politics, it's a bit of why Donald Trump is mildly scary. He's a buffoon and an idiot who's rather hare-brained in his self-serving schemes, but the consequences are just as dangerous as if he were a more capable villain.
I think the chaos they bring to the plot is well in keeping with the rather confusing narrative of the film, a nice change of pace for Bond villains, and also something of a callback to From Russia with Love, where we had no clear villain, but three characters (Kronsteen, Klebb, Grant, compare to Koskov, Whitaker, Necros) who are all sharing the villain load rather capably.
I'm sure I'm not convincing anyone! But they somehow work for me....
Interesting. I'll have to look into that. Somber would definitely have been the right note, I think.
I don't necessarily think a lack of emotional weight throughout is the problem with LTK. There are other reasons why I have LTK lower on my list. In fact there is definitely emotional weight throughout, but it's always aimed towards Felix. I just think Della and the parallels with Tracy make for something of a missed opportunity.
Just so I don't sound too argumentative defending my favorite Bond film : ) , I have to acknowledge that I can definitely imagine the reasons LTK is lower on your list. I realize they didn't hit everything out of the park. : D
But in QOS, it was really enough to refer to Vesper once or twice at the beginning and then never again, really. It's just on the audience to get why Bond is doing what he's doing.
Also, for Bond, I think it is just more about Leiter. He's giving his friend what he never got (bar the goofy FYEO PTS), and also, on some level, avenging Tracy. I think the movie is really more about Bond and Felix in that sense. Della is called "his wife", because that's her role here, and where Bond relates (and M probably doesn't know Della by name). I think regular references to her would actually be kind of weird. The relationship between Bond and Della in the early parts of the film are already weird enough...not sure what they were thinking there!
Yes, even Lethal Weapon did the drug thing. It seems to have been all the rage in the mid to late 80's.
I wasn't aware Asia/China was contemplated for LTK. Shame they never went there. LTK lacks glamour and exotic style and perhaps this could have helped the film's box office.
You don't need to convince me. I think Dalton 2 movies had some of the best villains. Sanchez being one of THE best, but Koskov and Whitaker and Necros were a great trip.
Agreed. It doesn't help that they've made the USA look shabby and dull every time they've filmed there.
I personally find the scenes in San Francisco to be relatively flattering. The way they frame the City Hall and the Golden Gate Bridge doesn't look dull or uninspired. It almost seems like they were so proud to be given permission to shoot there, that they actually bothered to put it in a good light and I think they pulled it off rather well. Maybe it's just me.
I agree, but not if it takes 4 years to make!
It should take a year at most.
.Dawson/Pohlman (I can't remember if that's spelled right) was the best. Unseen and mysterious.
.Pleasence is the most iconic. He doesn't get much to do but he leaves his mark.
.Savalas is pretty much the perfect Blofeld in my eyes.
.Gray was kind of charming and hilarious. The gentleman Blofeld. Still somewhat menacing though.
.Waltz was very good but had some terrible dialogue and the less said about his back story the better.
He's good but I mainly meant the "official" Blofelds.
Not much will much the themes Barry produced (he's dangerous, Bob sled chase) - he left such a mark that all composers will be compared with him. And that is unfair to Arnold for QoS because it matches and surpasses a few Barry efforts, which while brilliant felt repetitive in the later years (ice chase theme).
If only no good about good bye was the theme song...I must also add here that AWTD is also quite Bondian in this theme and melody (particularly the opening) and for that reason it's already better than the other crap theme songs (DAD, WotW)