A View to a Kill Appreciation Thread- Anybody else want to drop out?

MayDayDiVicenzo

I am sure that this will cause controversy, naturally, but I would like to reach out to those (perhaps the minority) who rank A View to a Kill highly or just plain enjoyed it. A View to a Kill for me is definitely in my top 5, and I find that it is one of the most re-watchable Bond films. It has one of the best title songs, villain, henchwoman and locations (San Francisco is just a beautiful city). And even if it has its flaws (which Bond doesn't? Which film for that matter?), A View to a Kill is, along with Goldfinger and The Spy Who Loved Me, a fun Bond, which to me is what they should be. And please don't mention Moore's age, as I'm sure we are all tired of hearing that statement....

Sir_James_Moloney

MayDayDiVicenzo wrote:

And please don't mention Moore's age, as I'm sure we are all tired of hearing that statement....

Seems a little unfair to open a thread about AVTAK and rule out discussion about one of its major issues.

I quite like the film. It's fun and harmless. Christopher Walken is excellent and Grace Jones is one of the few interesting henchmen in the series. Nice to see Patrick Macnee too.

But...

The plot is a shameless rip-off of Goldfinger (albeit one that doesn't make as much sense), the supporting characters (Stacey, Chuck Lee, Pola Ivanova, Scarpine, Jenny Flex, the Police Chief, The Mayor) are weak and two-dimensional and the set-pieces are shoe-horned-in to the story.

Moore's age (sorry!) is a perfect example of what's wrong with the film. The problem isn't that an older man is playing Bond... that's not necessarily a problem at all and films like NSNA, SF, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and The Dark Knight Rises have all shown how that can be dealt with in an interesting way... it's the fact that Moore's age is never even acknowledged. It betrays a carelessness and complacency that is evident throughout the entire production. It's the closest the Bond series has ever felt to just coasting along.

MayDayDiVicenzo wrote:

And even if it has its flaws (which Bond doesn't? Which film for that matter?)

Chinatown.

WillyGalore

Because I've just written about this film in another thread:

A VIEW TO A KILL (Or how I stopped worrying and learned to love the zimmer frame)
Roger, Roger, Roger. I love you. You are my childhood hero. I worship the ground you walk on. You are one of the greatest human beings alive. But when your stuntman gets more screentime than you do, it would have perhaps been a good idea to have retired earlier than you did. But hey it’s not all down to you. We also have “Stacey and the Blimp”, “The Keystone Cops Wreck San Francisco”, “Grace Jones. Sexual Goddess”. So it’s not all your fault Roger. It really, really isn’t! On the plus side it has a great theme song, Barry’s score is superb and the climax atop the Golden Gate Bridge is very good.

I don't have anything else to say about AVTAK. Thank God!

Dragonpol

Count me in too as I've two blog pieces to write on AVTAK. As you say, one of the most re-watchable Bonds for sure. There's just something about AVTAK. Christopher Walken is a master villain and is very entertaining indeed as the deranged Zorin throughout. Roger Moore gives a good performance too, often showing a different side to his James Bond.

MayDayDiVicenzo

Sir_James_Moloney wrote:

MayDayDiVicenzo wrote:

And please don't mention Moore's age, as I'm sure we are all tired of hearing that statement....

Seems a little unfair to open a thread about AVTAK and rule out discussion about one of its major issues.

I quite like the film. It's fun and harmless. Christopher Walken is excellent and Grace Jones is one of the few interesting henchmen in the series. Nice to see Patrick Macnee too.

But...

The plot is a shameless rip-off of Goldfinger (albeit one that doesn't make as much sense), the supporting characters (Stacey, Chuck Lee, Pola Ivanova, Scarpine, Jenny Flex, the Police Chief, The Mayor) are weak and two-dimensional and the set-pieces are shoe-horned-in to the story.

Moore's age (sorry!) is a perfect example of what's wrong with the film. The problem isn't that an older man is playing Bond... that's not necessarily a problem at all and films like NSNA, SF, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and The Dark Knight Rises have all shown how that can be dealt with in an interesting way... it's the fact that Moore's age is never even acknowledged. It betrays a carelessness and complacency that is evident throughout the entire production. It's the closest the Bond series has ever felt to just coasting along.

MayDayDiVicenzo wrote:

And even if it has its flaws (which Bond doesn't? Which film for that matter?)

Chinatown.

Well this is an appreciation thread. If you have criticism for the film, why don't you start a thread?

SirHenryLeeChaChing

Zorin and his manic cast of henchmen are always the best reason to show AVTAK a little bit of love. I love the Walken/Gray "Dr. Frankenstein and his monster" references, and Jones isn't that bad as a henchperson when she's killing people (note to Grace from Sir Roger- in future love scenes please leave the big black dildo at home). Very nice locations and the usual great music from Barry. That's about all from me.

Dragonpol

SirHenryLeeChaChing wrote:

Zorin and his manic cast of henchmen are always the best reason to show AVTAK a little bit of love. I love the Walken/Gray "Dr. Frankenstein and his monster" references, and Jones isn't that bad as a henchperson when she's killing people (note to Grace from Sir Roger- in future love scenes please leave the big black dildo at home). Very nice locations and the usual great music from Barry. That's about all from me.

I like the bit about Frankenstein and his Monster layering in AVTAK. I might even use that in my review myself, with your approval of course, @SirHenryLeeChaChing!

DarthDimi

AVTAK offers one of Barry's better scores and one of my favourite one night stands in the persona of Stacey (but with most of my brain shut down). The Golden Gate fight scene looks surprisingly real and Zorin killing a hundred or so people was a bold move on behalf of the film makers.

I will need to get paid in order to speak more fondly of AVTAK than that.

chrisisall

DarthDimi wrote:

The Golden Gate fight scene looks surprisingly real

Could that be the same model Meddings used in Superman?
Edit to add: Apparently not; never mind.

thelivingroyale

I'm not a huge fan of it but there are things I can enjoy. I love the score, Walken is a brilliant villain and Moore is still great as Bond (outside of the action scenes). The BASE jumping stunt is very cool and I like the theme song.

If it was made a few years earlier with a better plot and a hotter actress as May Day then I'd like the film much more than I do.

boldfinger

Sir_James_Moloney wrote:

MayDayDiVicenzo wrote:

And please don't mention Moore's age, as I'm sure we are all tired of hearing that statement....

Seems a little unfair to open a thread about AVTAK and rule out discussion about one of its major issues.

I quite like the film. It's fun and harmless. Christopher Walken is excellent and Grace Jones is one of the few interesting henchmen in the series. Nice to see Patrick Macnee too.

But...

The plot is a shameless rip-off of Goldfinger (albeit one that doesn't make as much sense), the supporting characters (Stacey, Chuck Lee, Pola Ivanova, Scarpine, Jenny Flex, the Police Chief, The Mayor) are weak and two-dimensional and the set-pieces are shoe-horned-in to the story.

Moore's age (sorry!) is a perfect example of what's wrong with the film. The problem isn't that an older man is playing Bond... that's not necessarily a problem at all and films like NSNA, SF, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and The Dark Knight Rises have all shown how that can be dealt with in an interesting way... it's the fact that Moore's age is never even acknowledged. It betrays a carelessness and complacency that is evident throughout the entire production. It's the closest the Bond series has ever felt to just coasting along.

I must strongly object, even though I´m repeating myself from various other threads: Moore looks younger than ever in AVTAK. Not his face, but his manner, the way he strolls along in that sweat suit, he appears more like a youth than the senior he was at the time. A blazing example of how fit an elderly gent can be physically! A beautiful inspiration for the future!
The belief that age equals weakness and sickness is sick.

BeatlesSansEarmuffs

I'll be posting a full review of AVTAK over in the "For Original Fans" topic line in a few weeks -- I've recently posted my review of FYEO and Octopussy is up next. In the meanwhile, I'll just say: AVTAK is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. As a long-time resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, it's great fun to see Bond tooling around these parts. Zorin is wonderfully over-the-top, Grace Jones is a total animal, and let's not forget Patrick Macnee's role in the film as well! His Tibbet is very enjoyable part of this movie, one that's too often forgotten in appreciations like this. As for Stacy... well... okay, she's annoying. But just use her as the focus of a drinking game. Every time she screams, "Jaaaaaaames!" just take a sip from your shaken-not-stirred, and pretty soon you'll be enjoying the heck out of this movie!

SirHenryLeeChaChing

Dragonpol wrote:

SirHenryLeeChaChing wrote:

Zorin and his manic cast of henchmen are always the best reason to show AVTAK a little bit of love. I love the Walken/Gray "Dr. Frankenstein and his monster" references, and Jones isn't that bad as a henchperson when she's killing people (note to Grace from Sir Roger- in future love scenes please leave the big black dildo at home). Very nice locations and the usual great music from Barry. That's about all from me.

I like the bit about Frankenstein and his Monster layering in AVTAK. I might even use that in my review myself, with your approval of course, @SirHenryLeeChaChing!

Feel free, I'm sure I'm not the only person to ever draw that conclusion.

Dragonpol

SirHenryLeeChaChing wrote:

Dragonpol wrote:

SirHenryLeeChaChing wrote:

Zorin and his manic cast of henchmen are always the best reason to show AVTAK a little bit of love. I love the Walken/Gray "Dr. Frankenstein and his monster" references, and Jones isn't that bad as a henchperson when she's killing people (note to Grace from Sir Roger- in future love scenes please leave the big black dildo at home). Very nice locations and the usual great music from Barry. That's about all from me.

I like the bit about Frankenstein and his Monster layering in AVTAK. I might even use that in my review myself, with your approval of course, @SirHenryLeeChaChing!

Feel free, I'm sure I'm not the only person to ever draw that conclusion.

Thanks. It is an interesting idea, though, regardless of its originality.

ggl007

1) One great soundtrack;
2) one great villain with an amazing background history;
3) beautiful Bond girl;
4) great action scenes: Alaska, Paris, San Francisco;
5) great new things: Bond on horse, Bond meet an old friend spy, le Tour Eiffel!...
6) it´s a James Bond film. Nothing more to say.

Samuel001

Bond was on a horse in Octopussy and that's no way to talk about May Day.

boldfinger

Samuel001 wrote:

Bond was on a horse in Octopussy and that's no way to talk about May Day.

=))

Baltimore_007

I realize this is an appreciation piece about the film in question, but all said, it's a very disappointing adventure, with wasted actors of potential and often enough, makes Diamonds are Forever resemble Citizen Kane or Gone with the Wind for example

But - there are one or two redeeming qualities

Moore, despite blatantly being wholly inappropriate for the part by this stage, still does well here and there, Tanya Roberts' Sutton maybe isn't as bad as some insist and does contribute, and there's an array of interesting characters on show. Duran Duran's now outdated 1980s theme intro was a big hit at the time and one of the most memorable, and there's one or two 'exciting' action sequences to get involved with, but that's about as generous as I can be on this release for now I'm afraid

StirredNotShaken

Sir_James_Moloney wrote:

MayDayDiVicenzo wrote:

And please don't mention Moore's age, as I'm sure we are all tired of hearing that statement....

Seems a little unfair to open a thread about AVTAK and rule out discussion about one of its major issues.

I quite like the film. It's fun and harmless. Christopher Walken is excellent and Grace Jones is one of the few interesting henchmen in the series. Nice to see Patrick Macnee too.

But...

The plot is a shameless rip-off of Goldfinger (albeit one that doesn't make as much sense), the supporting characters (Stacey, Chuck Lee, Pola Ivanova, Scarpine, Jenny Flex, the Police Chief, The Mayor) are weak and two-dimensional and the set-pieces are shoe-horned-in to the story.

Moore's age (sorry!) is a perfect example of what's wrong with the film. The problem isn't that an older man is playing Bond... that's not necessarily a problem at all and films like NSNA, SF, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and The Dark Knight Rises have all shown how that can be dealt with in an interesting way... it's the fact that Moore's age is never even acknowledged. It betrays a carelessness and complacency that is evident throughout the entire production. It's the closest the Bond series has ever felt to just coasting along.

MayDayDiVicenzo wrote:

And even if it has its flaws (which Bond doesn't? Which film for that matter?)

Chinatown.

Oh god I love you.

CriticAndProud

I really liked AVTAK. It had humour, a great villain, a semi-realistic plot and Roger Moore (and his Stunt Double, ahem)!

identigraph

Of course AVTAK has it bad moments and could have been so much better, I'm a huge Rog fan but I can admit he was too old to play the part as it was written in this film. If the age thing had been part of the plot and they hadn't dressed him such unflattering clothes then I don't think it would have been an issue.

But when all is said and done it is still a decent Bond adventure, the scenes in Paris are great, Zorin is a great villan and the dynamic between Bond and Tibbet is class as are most of the scenes within the stables. It's kind of an old fashioned film set within a very 80's feel so it's a really odd mix.

ggl007

7) Patrick McNee
8) the "discovery" of Alison Doody: you´re late Indiana Jones, again...
9) the "discovery" of Dolph Lundgren

pachazo

My first ever Bond movie in the theater so of course I'll always have a soft spot for it. All things considered, Roger Moore did well with what he had to work with here. Christopher Walken is always entertaining and Grace Jones is... unique. Tanya Roberts is phenomenal when she's not speaking and who doesn't love Patrick Macnee as Sir Godfrey?

It has the benefit of being scored by the man himself so the soundtrack is amazing. The Golden Gate fight and the City Hall fire sequence were very well done. We said goodbye to Lois Maxwell, who made her final appearance in this film. We said hello to Alison Doody and I really, really wish we could have seen more of Jenny Flex!

barryt007

Baltimore_007 wrote:

I realize this is an appreciation piece about the film in question, but all said, it's a very disappointing adventure, with wasted actors of potential and often enough, makes Diamonds are Forever resemble Citizen Kane or Gone with the Wind for example
But - there are one or two redeeming qualities

Moore, despite blatantly being wholly inappropriate for the part by this stage, still does well here and there, Tanya Roberts' Sutton maybe isn't as bad as some insist and does contribute, and there's an array of interesting characters on show. Duran Duran's now outdated 1980s theme intro was a big hit at the time and one of the most memorable, and there's one or two 'exciting' action sequences to get involved with, but that's about as generous as I can be on this release for now I'm afraid

There is no way IMO that DAF is better than AVTAK,let alone as much as you have mentioned !!

Dragonpol

barryt007 wrote:

Baltimore_007 wrote:

I realize this is an appreciation piece about the film in question, but all said, it's a very disappointing adventure, with wasted actors of potential and often enough, makes Diamonds are Forever resemble Citizen Kane or Gone with the Wind for example
But - there are one or two redeeming qualities

Moore, despite blatantly being wholly inappropriate for the part by this stage, still does well here and there, Tanya Roberts' Sutton maybe isn't as bad as some insist and does contribute, and there's an array of interesting characters on show. Duran Duran's now outdated 1980s theme intro was a big hit at the time and one of the most memorable, and there's one or two 'exciting' action sequences to get involved with, but that's about as generous as I can be on this release for now I'm afraid

There is no way IMO that DAF is better than AVTAK,let alone as much as you have mentioned !!

Very much agreed. DAF is near the bottom of the pack for me. I've always had a sneaking high regard for AVTAK myself.

barryt007

Absolutely.AVTAK is a predominantly serious Bond film,holding back on the spoofiness and the tongue in cheek,almost winking at the camera approach,to most of DAF. (Which is 2nd bottom of my listing last time i checked,AVTAK being 11th).

Dragonpol

barryt007 wrote:

Absolutely.AVTAK is a predominantly serious Bond film,holding back on the spoofiness and the tongue in cheek,almost winking at the camera approach,to most of DAF. (Which is 2nd bottom of my listing last time i checked,AVTAK being 11th).

That sounds about right. AVTAK has one of the richest villain backgrounds of the series, and that in itself is a very Flemingesque trait, of course.

DarthDimi

barryt007 wrote:

Absolutely.AVTAK is a predominantly serious Bond film,holding back on the spoofiness and the tongue in cheek,almost winking at the camera approach,to most of DAF. (Which is 2nd bottom of my listing last time i checked,AVTAK being 11th).

@barryt007, Long time ago, friend. Good to have you with us. ;-)

barryt007

DarthDimi wrote:

barryt007 wrote:

Absolutely.AVTAK is a predominantly serious Bond film,holding back on the spoofiness and the tongue in cheek,almost winking at the camera approach,to most of DAF. (Which is 2nd bottom of my listing last time i checked,AVTAK being 11th).

@barryt007, Long time ago, friend. Good to have you with us. ;-)

Indeed...how are you Dimi ?!

pachazo

barryt007 wrote:

Absolutely.AVTAK is a predominantly serious Bond film,holding back on the spoofiness and the tongue in cheek,almost winking at the camera approach,to most of DAF. (Which is 2nd bottom of my listing last time i checked,AVTAK being 11th).

What?
If you prefer AVTAK over DAF then that's fine (I do too) but there are more than a few spoofy and tongue in cheek moments to be found within it.

barryt007

I said holding back on it not cutting it out altogther eh ? ;)