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"You have what the Greeks call thrasos": Let's discuss... For Your Eyes Only (1981)/ Poll

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Comments

  • actonsteveactonsteve
    edited June 2011 Posts: 1,492
    I am sorry but I cannot agree that the cinematography is pretty unattractive. Its the most atmospheric of Bond films. There is a shot where they move to Corfu where the camera pans across the early morning mist to a church on a promontory with lovely music which is just gorgeous. So are the shots of the Dolomites, the Meteora, Corfu Town. I love that Greek atmosphere with the dancers and the sunset view across the harbour.

    As for the pace of the thing. Thats the way things were done in 1981. Same with the villains chasing Bond. That has been a staple of the series since Dr No. The soundtrack may sound dated to the ears of 2011 but as someone who was brought up on eighties sythesisers it has an appeal. Plus there are some gorgeous musical cues. I love the main theme - its a beautiful song. There is a wonderful bit called Fleugal horn solo on the soundtrack where Bond and Melina swim up to the surface past an underwater temple.

    As I said it still is a lovely film today and I still find the St Cyrils climb and the keelhauling (surely the most brutal death given to Bond) pretty gripping. As for context? Well, you have to know the context of Goldeneye to know what they are talking about. And that one leaves me cold.
  • AgentJM7AgentJM7
    Posts: 421
    I really quite like FYEO. For me, the best bit is in Spain, and the collections of scenes immediately after Bond's breifing had huge potential. Sadly, they were a little too brief and Melina's car was a joke a bit too far. She could have had a 'normal' car - which would seem a bit more realistic. I think that Colombo is one of the best characters of the series and would have liked to have seen a deeper focus on the relationship between Bond and Colombo.

    If there was a gripe that I had - it would be the ending. I thought the ATAC thing in St. Cyrils was just a bit too hasty, and leaving the film with Bond and Melina skinnydipping left me thinking that there were loose ends.

    Ah, good film anyway. One of Moore's best.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Agree with all the love poured over this one. Best Bond of the 80s, no doubt. I want to add that it also has the best Gogol scene.
  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    Posts: 5,080
    I don't know why, but the shot of the water plane taking off and the camera panning down to Melina and it following her walking up the steps always catches my eye.
  • Scaramanga12Scaramanga12
    Posts: 562
    I think FYEO is one of the most disappointing ( not necessarily worst) bonds.

    Firstly, the plot makes zero sense when you stop to think about it. The priority is to retrieve the ATAC. Yet instead of sending Bond and others to Havelock's boat (where info about his progress would be) and searching for the wreck, they send Bond to Gonzales. Huh?


    For that matter why the hell is Kristartos in Cortina, and why hasn't he sent people to discreetly search Havelocks boat and search for the wreck?

    His plan seems to be: kill the havelocks, chill out in Cortina for a bit, wait until the British sends one guy to retrieve the ATAC and then steal it from him. If MI6 had gone for the ATAC straightaway, his plan would be toast. The plot seems to have been written for an object whose whereabouts was completely unknown.

    Oh yeah, and another part of his plan. Try to get Bond to kill his rival Columbo. How does he go about doing this? By sending Loque to kill him before he's even had the chance. Great work Kristartos. That dove you left with Luigi was good... but then the writers had to play it safe and get back to the formula so yeah your villainy sucks. Bond finds out Kristartos is the baddie in the dullest way possible: simply by Columbo assuring him that he is the good guy. What a waste of a good idea. If only they had showed more imagination and a willingness to stray from the formula.

    Now I've ranted like it's my most hated film ever. It stands about 17/18 in my rankings actually. I like the car chase (forwards backwards quickly lol), the rock climbing scene is great. The monastery climax is easily the worst in the series. I just wonder if they had only limited filming time at the monastery. Whatever is was the result is dire.

    I even don't mind the score. Wish they had used the submarine version of the bond theme more than once. Epic piece of music.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    It's a decent score, decent script, well cast. Great 80's Bond film.
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    It is a decent enough spy movie and it is far better executed than any of the last three Craig 007 outings which looked either Bourne like of really beautiful without any decent plot or excitement.

    And Roger Moore is actually brilliant in this movie as 007. He does his job and does not go out and does something personal or get his boss killed.
  • MilovyMilovy
    Posts: 676
    Scaramanga12 wrote: »
    Bond finds out Kristartos is the baddie in the dullest way possible: simply by Columbo assuring him that he is the good guy. What a waste of a good idea.
    I would have to agree with this.
    Scaramanga12 wrote: »
    Wish they had used the submarine version of the bond theme more than once. Epic piece of music.
    This, too.

    I enjoyed this review of FYEO, I agree with nearly all of it: http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/james-bond/246147/for-your-eyes-only-the-last-good-roger-moore-james-bond-movie
  • w2bondw2bond is indeed a very rare breed
    Posts: 2,252
    It's vanilla but it's enjoyable.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    I actually prefer OP and AVTAK over FYEO,but I realise im in the minority.
  • w2bondw2bond is indeed a very rare breed
    Posts: 2,252
    barryt007 wrote: »
    I actually prefer OP and AVTAK over FYEO,but I realise im in the minority.

    @barryt007 I'm with you on Octopussy, it was as high as #2 for me but it's dropped to a respectable 7th.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    A journalist here recently called Roger Moore the best 007 ever, and named FYEO as possibly the best film in the series.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    w2bond wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    I actually prefer OP and AVTAK over FYEO,but I realise im in the minority.

    @barryt007 I'm with you on Octopussy, it was as high as #2 for me but it's dropped to a respectable 7th.

    That's where I have it,always hovering between 6-7th spot.

  • patbpatb
    Posts: 4,617
    Saw it last night on the big screen. There is much to like but the tone really changes. The PTS and the stupid Thatcher sketch (plus Bibi) are horrible IMHO but the core of the movie is a proper spy thriller. I do wonder what a great Bond movie it could have been if they had had the guts to keep it a a 100% thriller dump the silly stuff (plus if RM had been a little younger?), its a frustrating movie with much to like and much to find annoying
  • RobertsonRobertson
    Posts: 170
    FYEO gets a C for the lousy music.
  • patbpatb
    Posts: 4,617

    Someties I wonder if David Arnold could not go back and "fill in the gaps" for the movies where Barry was not able to "weave his magic". The main tune is good IMHO and offers much more potential to use it within the sound track which we know Arnold is good at. I bet he has thought about it.

  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Because,although im not fond of it either,other members are,and I wouldn't want it changed.

    And,as a rule,Bond fans don't want the films mucked about with,unless its digital enhancement to save the film etc.
    Changing the score would cause an uproar.
  • DennisonDennison
    edited June 2017 Posts: 1,031
    I've always been quite fond of the FYEO score - I really like Conti's arrangements of the Bond theme - particularly on the gunbarrel, when they go down in the Neptune and during the climb on the mountain.
  • RobertsonRobertson
    Posts: 170
    If there are changes to be made to older Bond films, then they should digitally remove Bond's uncool helmet in Thunderball. That's a more pressing issue than Conti's lousy music.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Robertson wrote: »
    If there are changes to be made to older Bond films, then they should digitally remove Bond's uncool helmet in Thunderball. That's a more pressing issue than Conti's lousy music.

    Haha that is bad,but the film crew had no choice.

  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Dennison wrote: »
    I've always been quite fond of the FYEO score - I really like Conti's arrangements of the Bond theme - particularly on the gunbarrel, when they go down in the Neptune and during the climb on the mountain.

    The gunbarrel is arguably my favourite of the lot.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    patb wrote: »
    Someties I wonder if David Arnold could not go back and "fill in the gaps" for the movies where Barry was not able to "weave his magic". The main tune is good IMHO and offers much more potential to use it within the sound track which we know Arnold is good at. I bet he has thought about it.
    As I responded in the other thread before you deleted the comment, I wouldn't be in favour of this. I actually like some of the non-Barry scores very much (they're quite distinct and make the films stand out more, for good or bad). Arnold is certainly not the man I'd call for such a task either.
  • DennisonDennison
    Posts: 1,031
    Robertson wrote: »
    If there are changes to be made to older Bond films, then they should digitally remove Bond's uncool helmet in Thunderball. That's a more pressing issue than Conti's lousy music.

    There are many many changes to the sound mixes on the early Bonds on the current Blu Ray set. Machine gun sounds are different - eg. Bunt's firing at the end of OHMSS was originally automtic fire and is now single shot. A 'whoosh' has been added to the opening iris on YOLT. The cat sound before the TS on DAF is different. The door that Largo opens to the SPECTRE boardroom has a different sound. The music in the safecracking scene in OHMSS has been considerable dialled down - there are many other examples.
  • RobertsonRobertson
    edited June 2017 Posts: 170
    delete
  • w2bondw2bond is indeed a very rare breed
    Posts: 2,252
    Dennison wrote: »
    Robertson wrote: »
    If there are changes to be made to older Bond films, then they should digitally remove Bond's uncool helmet in Thunderball. That's a more pressing issue than Conti's lousy music.

    There are many many changes to the sound mixes on the early Bonds on the current Blu Ray set. Machine gun sounds are different - eg. Bunt's firing at the end of OHMSS was originally automtic fire and is now single shot. A 'whoosh' has been added to the opening iris on YOLT. The cat sound before the TS on DAF is different. The door that Largo opens to the SPECTRE boardroom has a different sound. The music in the safecracking scene in OHMSS has been considerable dialled down - there are many other examples.

    The door slam sound at the end of the Goldfinger PTS has been removed too. I would love a compilation of these changes. Most of them are pointless and don't add or remove from the experience
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