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"Attempting re-entry", Moonraker appreciation thread

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  • Last_Rat_StandingLast_Rat_Standing Long Neck Ice Cold Beer Never Broke My Heart
    Posts: 4,603
    It's my favorite Moore film and in my top 5. Any time I need to watch a Moore film, its my go-to along with LALD. It's dumb, silly fun all around and not a slog like it's successor.
  • IGotABrudderIGotABrudder UK
    Posts: 631
    It’s the last Bond movie that feels genuinely like a Bond movie, to me. Everything that has come afterwards is sometimes very good, but it doesn’t feel ... Bondian.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,088
    IGotABrudder wrote: »
    It’s the last Bond movie that feels genuinely like a Bond movie, to me. Everything that has come afterwards is sometimes very good, but it doesn’t feel ... Bondian.
    Now I guess that very much depends on what one considers "Bondian". I expressed my appreciation of MR in this thread above, and my nostalgic love for LALD several times in other places, but I still like the Roger Moore movies mostly in spite of the fact that I consider them the least "Bondian" of them all. When I see Connery, Dalton, Brosnan and Craig in their role, I accept them as being Bond, to different degrees. When I see Moore, I think here is the lovable, affable, funny Roger Moore playing a kind of Bond copy.

    I'd say that even OHMSS is a far more "Bondian" movie than any Roger Moore film although I refuse to "buy" Lazenby as being Bond at all, sinply because of his constantly somewhat dim-witted facial expression (lest anyone protest, I still think that OHMSS is one of the better Bond films, but in spite of its protagonist). When I see or discuss Roger, I still think of Lord Brett Sinclair more than anything else (disclaimer: I never saw a single episode of The Saint, so that might be even more appropriate). In my view, Roger is a lot of fun and entertainment and the guy I'd most like to have a beer with if it were still possible, but he's closest to not being what Bond should be.
  • BT3366BT3366
    Posts: 1,927
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    I would agree.

    Moreover, I like Moore’s Bond better in MR too. In Spy, that one scene with Anya notwithstanding, he acts like total prick sometimes: “Women drivers.”
    That entire scene is one of the low points of the series for me. Aside from the horribly unfunny jokes and being a prime example of why Moore was considered not very threatening, going for the easy joke, it's also the point where Jaws becomes less threatening and frightening. There's no sense of danger, just jokes.

    Needless to say, MR over TSWLM every time for me.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 41,011
    That bit in TSWLM annoys me because he spits out four or five different "you're an incompetent driver" jokes in a matter of seconds. It grows stale very quickly.
  • FrankXavierFrankXavier
    Posts: 678
    Hmm, I actually find that scene really works for me.

    It's the type of humor Marvel movies copy nowadays. Bond was truly a trailblazer in many ways.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 41,011
    The humor's fine, it just becomes very overblown when so many lines are delivered in rapid succession like that.
  • ThighsOfXeniaThighsOfXenia
    edited October 2019 Posts: 1,596
    Thunderfinger wrote: »
    I still loathe it after they go to space, but (almost) everything before that is spectacular.

    What actually occurs in space is incredibly dire. I don't loathe it, but it's certainly decidedly "not good." That said, I can appreciate Barry's music and Adams' incredible production design, so not all is lost.

    I agree with you about everything before. Or, almost. Spectacular is the right word. It is a Moore-Bond picture firing on all cylinders with the budget to support it.
  • LeonardPineLeonardPine The Bar on the Beach
    Posts: 4,116
    Watching this again last night I find the first half is a really good Bond film apart from the Gondola bit right up until Bond gets to Rio, where it loses its way until Bond and Holly's trip into space.

    A massive and entertaining extravaganza where all the money's on screen.

    Unfortunately it also has some of the worst moments in the series.

    I still say the centrifuge sequence is one of the Moore films best moments.
  • MooseWithFleasMooseWithFleas Philadelphia
    Posts: 3,370
    Moonraker is back to my all time favorite. It was bottom 3 when I was in college, and over 2-3 years steadily climbed to the top spot in 2015. It went down to #2-3 recently, but it's back to 1.

    It's just wonderful globetrotting fun. 'Bond Arrives in Rio' is one of my absolute favorite and terribly underrated tracks in the series.

    And I genuinely will tear up when Jaws finds Dolly among the chaos at the space station. I realize it's goofy campy absurdity, but I can't help but love it regardless.
  • Max_The_ParrotMax_The_Parrot ATAC to St Cyril’s
    Posts: 2,426
    MooseWithFleas wrote: »
    And I genuinely will tear up when Jaws finds Dolly among the chaos at the space station. I realize it's goofy campy absurdity, but I can't help but love it regardless.

    I even love their first encounter, complete with Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture - it tickles my bubbles everytime!!

    I sometimes even imagine she’s wearing braces ... but best not to reopen that can of worms again! 😝
  • cwl007cwl007 England
    Posts: 611
    Mandela effect 🤔
  • Max_The_ParrotMax_The_Parrot ATAC to St Cyril’s
    edited October 2019 Posts: 2,426
    cwl007 wrote: »
    Mandela effect 🤔

    I wasn’t one of those who thought Dolly wore braces - I was a little boy when I saw it at the cinema and people wearing braces in 70s Northern England wasn’t something you came across!!

    But I do quite like the thought of her wearing them! I reckon they missed a trick, with the quick cut from Jaws smiling his steel-filled smile to Dolly smiling with her own equivalent metal smile. Still, braces or no braces I’m a Dolly fan! 👍😇
  • cwl007cwl007 England
    Posts: 611
    I wonder why they didn't think to put braces on her, it would have been a nice little touch.
    Love the line about Growing up in Northern England in the 70's.😂 So did I and I don't remember any posh folks with braces on their teeth either now you come to mention it.
  • Max_The_ParrotMax_The_Parrot ATAC to St Cyril’s
    Posts: 2,426
    cwl007 wrote: »
    So did I and I don't remember any posh folks with braces on their teeth either now you come to mention it.
    😝😂
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    cwl007 wrote: »
    I wonder why they didn't think to put braces on her, it would have been a nice little touch.

    With her being so small compared to him, it would have given off some weird lolita associations.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,088
    Thunderfinger wrote: »
    cwl007 wrote: »
    I wonder why they didn't think to put braces on her, it would have been a nice little touch.

    With her being so small compared to him, it would have given off some weird lolita associations.

    Quite frankly, it did so even without any braces. Although I always thought she was meant to represent the cliché of a master-race, BDM-type blonde (not necessarily a minor) since Drax was basically a Nazi.
  • KopperudKopperud Norway
    edited October 2019 Posts: 7
    Moonraker was screened in Oslo last night, and they actually used the original film roll from 1979. What surprised me was the movie was heavily and badly cut, with almost 20 minutes removed.

    Gone were the establishing shots, the gun barrel (!!), the boat chase in Brazil, the bolas, the gondola in the streets (didn't notice it was gone).

    The last two takedowns of the nerve gas was also gone! It was so badly cut, with Roger saying "One down, two to go" and suddenly they were in bed.

    Don't know if all this was an error or if the movie was censored in Norway? Anyone having similar experiences? Anyhow, the movie is a nostalgic treat and I always go back to it.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Kopperud wrote: »
    Moonraker was screened in Oslo last night, and they actually used the original film roll from 1979. What surprised me was the movie was heavily and badly cut, with almost 20 minutes removed.

    Gone were the establishing shots, the gun barrel (!!), the boat chase in Brazil, the bolas, the gondola in the streets (didn't notice it was gone).

    The last two takedowns of the nerve gas was also gone! It was so badly cut, with Roger saying "One down, two to go" and suddenly they were in bed.

    Don't know if all this was an error or if the movie was censored in Norway? Anyone having similar experiences? Anyhow, the movie is a nostalgic treat and I always go back to it.

    I would have asked for my money back.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,088
    Thunderfinger wrote: »
    Kopperud wrote: »
    Moonraker was screened in Oslo last night, and they actually used the original film roll from 1979. What surprised me was the movie was heavily and badly cut, with almost 20 minutes removed.

    Gone were the establishing shots, the gun barrel (!!), the boat chase in Brazil, the bolas, the gondola in the streets (didn't notice it was gone).

    The last two takedowns of the nerve gas was also gone! It was so badly cut, with Roger saying "One down, two to go" and suddenly they were in bed.

    Don't know if all this was an error or if the movie was censored in Norway? Anyone having similar experiences? Anyhow, the movie is a nostalgic treat and I always go back to it.

    I would have asked for my money back.

    Me too.
  • Max_The_ParrotMax_The_Parrot ATAC to St Cyril’s
    Posts: 2,426
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    Quite frankly, it did so even without any braces. Although I always thought she was meant to represent the cliché of a master-race, BDM-type blonde (not necessarily a minor) since Drax was basically a Nazi.

    Ah, poor Dolly. I suppose that was the advantage of watching it at 10 year old, I just saw the juxtaposition between giant Jaws and little Dolly and thought it was very funny,

    As a final word on Dolly, I was just replying to a post on AJB about which villain was most unlucky that Drax has virtually pulled off the greatest feat in villain history by building a huge space station unnoticed by anyone, commandeered a fleet of space shuttles, developed the ultimate biological weapon and recruited an army of perfect specimens only to be foiled at the last minute by Dolly.

    She’s basically the reason that Bond is able to persuade Jaws to change sides and help defeat Drax at the last minute. Although I’m sure our Roger could have rustled up a Plan B if necessary ...
  • Max_The_ParrotMax_The_Parrot ATAC to St Cyril’s
    Posts: 2,426
    Kopperud wrote: »
    Moonraker was screened in Oslo last night, and they actually used the original film roll from 1979. What surprised me was the movie was heavily and badly cut, with almost 20 minutes removed.

    Gone were the establishing shots, the gun barrel (!!), the boat chase in Brazil, the bolas, the gondola in the streets (didn't notice it was gone).

    The last two takedowns of the nerve gas was also gone! It was so badly cut, with Roger saying "One down, two to go" and suddenly they were in bed.

    Don't know if all this was an error or if the movie was censored in Norway? Anyone having similar experiences? Anyhow, the movie is a nostalgic treat and I always go back to it.

    @Kopperud if that is how it was originally shown in 79 then it’s interesting! Those cuts don’t seem to be made on censorship grounds, so it would be interesting to know the thinking behind it. Getting rid of the gun barrel seems particularly bizarre. Assuming it’s not some mistake or some cinema employee’s idea of a bad joke!!

    Investigate and report back 007!!!
  • Last_Rat_StandingLast_Rat_Standing Long Neck Ice Cold Beer Never Broke My Heart
    Posts: 4,603
    Kopperud wrote: »
    Moonraker was screened in Oslo last night, and they actually used the original film roll from 1979. What surprised me was the movie was heavily and badly cut, with almost 20 minutes removed.

    Gone were the establishing shots, the gun barrel (!!), the boat chase in Brazil, the bolas, the gondola in the streets (didn't notice it was gone).

    The last two takedowns of the nerve gas was also gone! It was so badly cut, with Roger saying "One down, two to go" and suddenly they were in bed.

    Don't know if all this was an error or if the movie was censored in Norway? Anyone having similar experiences? Anyhow, the movie is a nostalgic treat and I always go back to it.

    Reminds me of my flight back from Qatar in 2008 in which they screened CR on the plane and cut a solid 20 minutes from it
  • Max_The_ParrotMax_The_Parrot ATAC to St Cyril’s
    Posts: 2,426
    For all you Moonraker fans, James Bond Radio have done a nice little podcast showing plenty of love and affection for the Moonraker soundtrack - well worth a listen to

    http://jamesbondradio.com/moonraker-soundtrack-review-the-music-of-bond-022/
  • Mathis1Mathis1
    Posts: 7,629
    Just received the latest issue of 007
    Magazine, which is dedicated to Moonraker. Some lovely behind the scenes photos and a spirited defence of the film by writer Anthony Jones.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,349
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Just received the latest issue of 007
    Magazine, which is dedicated to Moonraker. Some lovely behind the scenes photos and a spirited defence of the film by writer Anthony Jones.

    Yes, I got that one recently myself. It looks an excellent publication about one of my favourite Bond films (from an entertainment point of view).
  • Mathis1Mathis1
    Posts: 7,629
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Just received the latest issue of 007
    Magazine, which is dedicated to Moonraker. Some lovely behind the scenes photos and a spirited defence of the film by writer Anthony Jones.

    Yes, I got that one recently myself. It looks an excellent publication about one of my favourite Bond films (from an entertainment point of view).

    They certainly know how to put a good magazine together. I got the last one which was dedicated to LTK, and have just ordered the next one which is about Daniel Craig's era, so there should be some good photos of NTTD!
  • Max_The_ParrotMax_The_Parrot ATAC to St Cyril’s
    Posts: 2,426
    I was surprised just how long Anthony’s article was (the bulk of the issue) but it’s well written, plenty food for thought and lots of great photos to go alongside it. I don’t but many issues of 007Mag but that was an enjoyable one.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    This Commodore game was created by three 17 year old Norwegian students in 1984, but never launched commercially.
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,870
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Just received the latest issue of 007
    Magazine, which is dedicated to Moonraker. Some lovely behind the scenes photos and a spirited defence of the film by writer Anthony Jones.

    @Mathis. Do you have a link for their website. My old link doesn't work anymore for some reason.
    Thanks.
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