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OP really holds up after all these years. I enjoy it today as much as I did then. I wish the new films packed as much fun, thrills and excitement as OP. All in 130 minutes too!
Put my name down for the 'fell in love with OP watching it as a kid in the 80s on VHS' club too chaps.
That is really cool to hear for me, because i was born in 1983 and i always wonder about that year in bond history especially with the rivalry between Octopussy and NSNA.
How did you feel about these two movies back then when you compared them the first time?
And how did the public react?
Me three. I'd seen other Bonds but this was the one I rented and replayed endlessly. It created an affection for this film right through to today. A Bond film I've always defended to the last.
That said as an adult and judging objectively I'd still say this is a top tier Bond film. A better thriller than FYEO and a fine Barry score. Great stunt work as usual for a Glen film where less is more.
I thought it was great to have 2 films. I was 8, and remember as we left the cinema after seeing OP, my dad mentioning how light Roger Moore's hair looked, how much action was in the film and that Sean Connery was coming back later in the year with his own Bond film. As I was just getting into Bond this was enormous news. Especially after seeing this film.
Octopussy had a HUGE line around the block, but we finally beat the crowd and got to a Saturday matinee. The Acro-Star jet PTS brought a huge applause from the crowd, as did the many Moore quips. Jourdan eating the sheep's eye brought laughter as well. I thought the funniest scene was the kids offering him a ride and leaving- then Moore's gesture afterwards! OP was great. I also remember constantly hearing All Time High whenever we went to the mall or grocery store.
It was a big summer- Return of The Jedi, Superman III, Jaws 3-D, and OP. So when NSNA came out later in the fall it was nice because there wasn't much else out at the time...maybe the Lou Ferrigno Hercules mght have been playing. NSNA also was huge. Lots of magazine coverage on both films, and numerous TV spots.
NSNA wasn't really looked at as not a REAL Bond film then like it is now. It was just received as Sean Connery's first new Bond film in 12 years. It got mostly good reviews: Siskel and Ebert loved it and even did a 21 years of James Bond special.
I remember the day we saw NSNA quite well. The lack of a gunbarrel was kind of lame, but ABC's recent airing of THUNDERBALL had omitted it, so at 8 years old I kind of assumed maybe not every film featured the gunbarrel. As with OP, the audience was also pretty vocal. They laughed during the Shrublands scenes- especially after he splashes Lippe with the urine speciman. They cheered after he blows up Fatima. Also, I vividly remember the audience cheering during Bond's escape from Palmyra after he runs back, hides, then knocks the guy out. A good example of Connery humor vs Moore humor.
During the summer build up to NSNA's release I wondered what Sean was going to look like, as I had only seen him in DR NO, FRWL, and TB. So when I finally saw his newest Bond look, I thought he was certainly older, but tough. The thing I mostly noticed was how his voice had changed. It was around then he pretty much became my favorite Bond. I remember at school discussing NSNA with other kids who had seen it, and we all loved the motorcycle chase, and believe it or not- Domination game. Video games were huge- and Largo's game looked high tech compared to, say Pac-Man. Of course, now I'd rather see Bond at the chemin de fer table, but it was 1983.
I also remember loving the laser watch. After the film was over I mentioned to my dad about the lack of the James Bond theme, and his guess was, being Connery's own Bond film, it was maybe trying to capture the feel of the books, so blaring out the Bond theme wasn't neccesary. I imagined the general audience might have thought that too.
I loved both films and still do, as they, along with the almost monthly airings of the Bonds on ABC got me hooked on the series. As to which was better- a close tie, but I favored NSNA slightly more at the time. In '85 after we got our first VCR and bought a used copy of OP I loved it just as much. Whenever I watch either film now, I'm nostalgic for that summer/fall of '83 when we were treated to 2 Bonds.
b-(
I'd seen Sean in Outland just 2 years before, and that pushed his cred with me SO over the top.
The fact that the actual FILM was inferior didn't even occur to me until much later.
Thanks! Yeah I remember seeing Outland on CBS or one of those stations sometime in '87. It was kind of weird seeing Connery in an outer space sci-fi flick. Kind of like when Humphrey Bogart got roped into doing the zombie/vampire B-horror film Return of Dr X.
Funny- these days I pretty much rank OP and NSNA on equal levels. NSNA did have a lot working against it, lawsuits, music, dungarees, etc whereas OP had the seasoned team of Bond veterans putting out another reliably high class OO7 adventure. With SP out months ago I'd re-thought my Bond rankings-so to speak- and discovered my most favorite films are the ones I remember out of nostalgia. So I probably rank OP higher than, say GE or CR.
Kamal Khan was so suave though and had some of the most classic lines. If all villains had to be menacing to succeed they'd all be pretty cut and dried.
Although they should have made the knife-throwing twins the main henchmen, that I will say, because they are way more interesting than Gobinda.
The great thing about OP is that it's got one of the best ensemble of villains. Even if you don't like Gobinda, you got the twins, or Orlov, or that saw guy
Hehe that saw guy is great.
They don't have to be terrifying, and I don't mind them being suave, but underneath that class there has to be threat. That's what's going to drive the film - a genuine sense of danger (which we absolutely never had with Kamal Khan) so that we're actually interested in what Bond's going to do.
The brothers would certainly make better henchmen. I love the scene where Moore kills the second brother with a knife to the chest. That might've had a bit more impact if Bond and the brothers actually met more for longer than half a minute.
Excellent post @ToTheRight I recall seeing OP in 1983 at our local cinema with my parents and older brothers and really enjoying it. One of my very first Bond experiences. However at the time I wasn't aware of 12 previous films, or the very least a series of films. Then in 1984 when it would've been released on home video for rental I rented OP every week from our local video store. Every week my parents would beg me to get something different. But I always went back to OP. Occasionally I'd through in DN, FRWL or YOLT. But then they didn't have the thrills that OP gave me. And it still does give me those thrills. I know exactly what's about to happen, I know the film, line for line. But it still thrills me. And as you said, all within 130 minute running time.
I've seen OP well over a hundred times, and even though I've let other films knock it off the top spot (Heaven forbid) it will always be a film I can go back too, at anytime and just enjoy. It's pure entertainment, and a very good Bond film. I wish everyone could enjoy it as much as I do. But then we're all different.
I'm of the mind that OP is definitely the most entertaining Bond film. Like, it just is. And it is the probably the most rewatchable for that reason.
And trust me... the Octopussy ladies are still worth smuggling over to the West for... as our company on the SPECTRE red carpet last year proved...
https://www.facebook.com/catchingbullets/photos/pb.407779922585696.-2207520000.1459258984./1076590059038009/?type=3&theater
What a wonderfully nostalgic post. Well done sir.
There certainly is something great about Octopussy. I really enjoyed it in 1983. It's a thrill ride. A great balance of suspense, action and humour, but most of all it somehow manages to achieve a great rewatchability factor.
The only other Bond I've watched as often as OP is Diamonds, and that was the first Bond I saw. Anytime it is on TV, I end up watching 10 or 15 minutes of it, even if I'd seen it the week before. It has the best ensemble of villains outside of FRWL, the stunts are great, the Acrostar is awesome and I love the PTS and how Bond turns the missile aimed at him against the original target.
You have some great memories of your audience watching NSNA. All I have is a memory of the family in front of me looking at their watches every 10 minutes and saying "How much longer...?" Well I enjoyed it anyway.
I agree that OP is easily Glen's best-paced film, but LTK next? LTK doesn't really bore you at any point, but its acts feel quite disjointed.
LTK clearly feels disjointed somehow and that does ruin the flow somehow. I would have TLD (though there is a bit of a slow-down during Afghanistan) or FYEO next instead, and AVTAK last because the middle section was pretty boring.
Favourites is TLD, OP, FYEO, LTK, AVTAK. But I like the 80's it's my favourite decade overall
The 80s is sort of a dark horse with fans, given how poorly they did at the box office... The clear nadir of Bond in terms of cash-in. I mean, no respect against his films because I like all of them except for AVTAK, but Glen really did almost kill the franchise by the time LTK rolled around. Tonally, they were all over the place.
Check out 2:51.
- I don't suppose you could give away the plot, but what's it about?
- (There's no way I'm explaining that! I guess I'll try to weasel my way out of it...) It's about this agent called James Bond, who is licensed to kill, and his codename is 007.
- Oh, we know all that! (Laughs)
- (Damn, the bastard won't budge...) Well, you see, there is a villain... It's... Well, I don't know, it's very difficult to, uh-- (Haven't they finished setting up the next shot?!) Most of the action takes place, uh, centered around a traveling circus, which is owned by a lady called Octopussy... (I can't believe I'm actually explaining this mess!)
I'll be the first to admit Octopussy's plot is damned complicated to explain!
Or TMWTGG!
OP rotates in and out of my top 10 regularly. I'm a huge fan despite the silly moments. Sir Rog, the charismatic villain roster and the European section (including the UK) elevate it for me. I'm not too keen on anything in India though (except for the backgammon meeting with Kamal). I find it too much of a caricature, and that is where most of the silly stuff occurs.