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Last Bond Movie You Watched

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  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    The score makes a huge difference to a film, and that NSNA clip above proves it. So much better.
  • GBFGBF
    Posts: 3,197
    Excellent indeed. Yes the score is important and works so much better. And the title song of course too :-) Never Say never again works Maybe well over the credits but not as the title song.
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,423
    If the chap can do the entire film with a Barry score, I may be able to watch it!
  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    Posts: 6,432
    NSNA It's currently on TV somedays I think this is tolerable and even OK, somedays like today I think this film is utter garbage. Probably does not help that DN was the last Bond film I watched, the films are so far apart it's unreal.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    Well I am very glad my review of NSNA on page 222 is kind of responsible of making some of you watch and appreciate NSNA!

    After reading all your posts since then is watering my mouth and I will probably watch NSNA pretty soon again!
  • DRush76DRush76
    Posts: 533
    The last one I saw was "ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE". I had not seen it in a long time. Still love it.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    royale65 wrote: »
    If the chap can do the entire film with a Barry score, I may be able to watch it!

    Didn t someone do just that?
  • ThrasosThrasos
    Posts: 1,469
    Last one I was watching was Moonraker but only made it halfway through. I'd watched my old VHS of it about 3 weeks earlier, bought the DVD of it (and updated several other Bond films to DVD), but couldn't get through it the second time...I probably should've waited a few more months. However, a few nights ago I watched the "making of Dr. No" documentary--great stuff!
  • ToTheRightToTheRight
    Posts: 16,055
    MOONRAKER

    On the anniversary of Richard Kiel's passing I thought I'd watch this one. First Bond I ever saw and I really enjoyed this viewing!
    Quite a few similarities to AVTAK- Bond staying at Drax's estate is akin to the Zorin chapeau sequences. Even the dialogue: "Are you referring to people or skills" reminds me of " Are you talking about people or horses".
    The fight in the glass museum is hilarious. As over the top as the film is with the emphasis on humor, I'll say MOONRAKER is pretty damn funny.
    The visuals are stunning as is the color palate and Derek Meddings' effects are superior to ANY CGI Marvel/DC crap you see today.
    Moore is great, and is as smooth and charming as ever. Although many feel he should have quit after FYEO or OP, I, for one, am glad he stayed as long as he did. Anytime I watch a Moore Bond I almost immediately feel like watching another after the credits roll. The cool thing about his longevity, it gives so many other of his Bonds to choose from.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited September 2016 Posts: 15,708
    @ToTheRight What really helps MR and AVTAK (apart from being extremely entertaining and fun films) are the splendid soundtracks from Barry and the ever so charismatic Sir Rog.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    @ToTheRight, I was in the mood for a classic & epic Bond film tonight. Thanks for reminding me of the anniversary of Kiel's passing. MR represents the end of an era in many respects (last Adam set, last Bassey title song, last Lee appearance, last Gilbert Bond). It goes in the player tonight.
  • ToTheRightToTheRight
    Posts: 16,055
    @DaltonCraig007 , indeed- Barry gave those films that extra special touch which makes them timeless Bonds.
    @bondjames, that's right the last of the old team. I do still have hope that one day Bassey comes back for another, though.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Currently watching the pretitles as I type this @ToTheRight. The colours are superb on blu ray.....and Bassey's magnificent, ethereal track just kicked in. I hope she does one more too, but she's getting on. It's unlikely.
  • ToTheRightToTheRight
    Posts: 16,055
    bondjames wrote: »
    Currently watching the pretitles as I type this @ToTheRight. The colours are superb on blu ray.....and Bassey's magnificent, ethereal track just kicked in. I hope she does one more too, but she's getting on. It's unlikely.
    True. I saw a 35mm print of MR screened about 3 years ago. It had the US Transamerica logo and was great to see in the cinema on a double bill with TSWLM. The print was pretty clean and the colors vivid.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    ToTheRight wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Currently watching the pretitles as I type this @ToTheRight. The colours are superb on blu ray.....and Bassey's magnificent, ethereal track just kicked in. I hope she does one more too, but she's getting on. It's unlikely.
    True. I saw a 35mm print of MR screened about 3 years ago. It had the US Transamerica logo and was great to see in the cinema on a double bill with TSWLM. The print was pretty clean and the colors vivid.
    Now that is a double bill which I would have liked to have seen! Lucky you.
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,423
    Darn tootin'! @ToTheRight is a very lucky chap.

    MR is the end of an era, thats why, in part, I feel very bittersweet. Any Sir Rog film is a win for me.
  • ToTheRightToTheRight
    Posts: 16,055
    bondjames wrote: »
    ToTheRight wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Currently watching the pretitles as I type this @ToTheRight. The colours are superb on blu ray.....and Bassey's magnificent, ethereal track just kicked in. I hope she does one more too, but she's getting on. It's unlikely.
    True. I saw a 35mm print of MR screened about 3 years ago. It had the US Transamerica logo and was great to see in the cinema on a double bill with TSWLM. The print was pretty clean and the colors vivid.
    Now that is a double bill which I would have liked to have seen! Lucky you.

    There was a Bond marathon. I didn't get to see all of the films shown, just those 2 and YOLT. But they had also screened FRWL, GF, and OHMSS all on 35 mm. It's great to catch the Bonds on actual film after having watched the DVDs and Blu-rays so often.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited September 2016 Posts: 23,883
    MR

    This was one of my best viewing experiences of this film in many years - in fact perhaps since the teenage years. Everything clicked tonight. Moore, Barry's magnificent score, Chiles, Lonsdale, the action sequences (even though as always they are spoiled by silly gadgets) etc. etc. Even Jaws and Dolly were tolerable tonight. Perhaps I've just been to harsh on this film over the years. Who knows?

    One of the more impressive aspects of tonight's viewing was appreciating how absolutely stunning the film looks on screen. The colours pop beautifully and there really is a grandeur to everything, from the interiors (Drax's mansion, the Venini Glass building, Adam's sets for the Moonraker launch pad, Moonraker control room and space station) to the exteriors (Drax's mansion again, the space station, Sugar Loaf mountain cable car, Venice etc. etc.). The space station deserves special mention because it really is a work of art. It looks modern even by today's standards, and the Amazon Control Room with all its screens is still a sight to behold, and is as contemporary as ever.

    Roger Moore is in his element in this film. It's a casual, laid back performance from him no doubt, but it's also incredibly effortless. One gets the impression that Moore is having a blast here, because he's just so darn cool about everything. The definition of unflappable. However, he still puts in the requisite level of seriousness when the occasion demands it (centrifuge, lab sequence, confronting Chang, shooting down the pods etc.). I think his approach to this film was spot on, and fits the tone they were going for perfectly. This film is the slightly more laid back and humorous twin of TSWLM, and Moore was smart to act it in this more relaxed manner, as opposed to the more serious tone he brought to the prior film.

    Lois Chiles impressed me this time around. She's always lived in the shadow of the more amply endowed Barbara Bach and the more youthfully beautiful Carole Bouquet for me. However, tonight, I couldn't take my eyes off her. Although she is a bit monotone in delivery and not the most expressive actress by any means, Chiles imbues Holy Goodhead with a modern intelligence, resourcefulness and coolness that I don't think we see again until Scorupco's Natalya in GE.

    The rest of the cast is stellar too. Lonsdale has the best lines and delivers them in memorable fashion. His speech to the troops at the space station is as megalomaniacal as they come, and we don't see his kind of lunacy again until Elliot Carver.

    The late great Richard Kiel owns the screen as Jaws. I much prefer his more serious portrayal in TSWLM, but he's just too charismatic (and large) to ignore here either. I'm glad that the character (as iconic as he is) didn't die (the only villain not to, I believe).

    Normally, the thing I find most annoying about MR is the action scenes. I usually get frustrated by all the gadgetry that gets Bond out of a fix just when it's getting interesting (gondola chase, python encounter, Amazon boat chase, centrifuge wrist dart, exploding watch etc. etc.). Well, tonight I just went with the flow, and found myself enjoying these scenes (to a degree) as well. They are all beautifully filmed, so there is always something to focus on and appreciate.

    This is the last of the great, larger than life Bond films that only Lewis Gilbert knew how to deliver to perfection. YOLT, TSWLM & MR represent a trilogy of beautiful excess in the Bond canon. I believe TSWLM was his peak, but there is a lot to enjoy in YOLT (the first) and MR (the most extravagant and outlandish) as well. I respect his contributions to the franchise, as they are all iconic and highly memorable films.

    I understood tonight why this film remains, inflation adjusted, the most successful Bond movie in the US in the past 37 years (except for SF). It's just an entertaining blast from start to finish.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    edited September 2016 Posts: 9,020
    DR. NO

    I always wanted to watch DN - SP back to back.

    Started with DN and once more and again I have difficulties putting the movies in my ranking into the "right" spot.

    My Top 8 is cemented. So is my bottom 6.
    That leaves 10 movies from 9th to 18th place that are extremely close together.

    DN is one of them.

    Right after seeing it, it would feel right to put it on spot No 9, but that goes for the others as well and so it happens DN is on 18.

    Maybe it's because of the finale that is way too short, while I can see Ken Adams genius in DN I don't really like Dr. No's commando center. Other sets are far superior in DN.

    Also the plot seems a bit weak for a Connery Bond movie.

    Having said that, for a first James Bond movie they got almost everything right from the get-go.

    DN features my favourite Bond girl. While Tracy, Onatopp, Tiffany and Goodhead are in my VIP list this one tops them all.

    <iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0xDj3NRYTU8"; frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    "Trench. Sylvia Trench."

    It's the most perfect introduction to a Bond girl. Trench furthermore has class to the max, she is stunningly beautiful and in that casino scene she comes across as being equal to James Bond. I LOVE THAT.

    Many things are established in DN that were kept up to Spectre.

    Bond's drink Martini, shaken not stirred.
    His introduction, Bond, James Bond.
    His interaction with M.
    Moneypenny. Perfect from the very first encounter on screen. Perfect dialogue and Maxwell looks awesome in that blue dress.
    And much more.

    What a shame, it didn't feature Desmond as Q.

    Overall I always enjoyed watching DN. It belongs to the 18 Bond films I would call flawless, which means I can't really find anything to grumble about. Nitpicking is always possible but that's not for me.

    Of course I do have to mention Ursula Andress. Not only is she Swiss (like I) but she set the bar for a typical Bond girl impossibly high and she still is unrivalled to this day really.
    Pussy Galore is the only other Bond girl that ever got similarly or evenly popular.

    One word to the Blu-ray (High Definition).

    Dr. No looks awesome in high definition. The colours are wonderfully bright, the contrast levels are fantastic and it looks like it was shot with the newest technology one day ago.

    Edit: Additionally I want to say that DN's Felix Leiter Jack Lord is my favourite in the series until David Hedison arrives.

    A big opportunity was missed in re-casting Jack Lord for subsequent Connery Bond movies.
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,838
    The best Roger Moore film and almost the best in the franchise

    Let's talk postives I love the realistic Cold War feel I love how Moore is at the op of his game I love the almost John Le Carre feel Wilson and Mailbaum give a perfect script even kristatos is great

    The only cons

    Bibi Dahl is annoying as hell and the music feels too 70's for 1981

    Outside of that a near perfect film and definitely a highlight after Moonraker

    1. Quantum of Solace
    2. From Russia with love
    3. For Your Eyes Only
    4. On her Majesties Secret Service
    5. Live and let die
    6. Skyfall
    7. Goldeneye
    8. Spectre
    9. Dr. No
    10. Thunderball
    11. The Spy Who Loved Me
    12. Goldfinger
    13. You only live twice
    14. The man with the golden gun
    15. Diamonds are forever
    16. Moonraker
    17. Casino Royale 1954
    18. Casino Royale 1967



  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,865
    FYEO with Barry doing the score would've been a beautiful thing and would probably make the film jump in my ranking. Even still, it's one of my favorites of Moore's, so many great scenes and characters within.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    That's the thing...for me ,FYEO almost has a depressing feel to it...i cant explain why,but thats how i feel about the score...
  • barryt007barryt007
    edited September 2016 Posts: 19,339
    Birdleson wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    That's the thing...for me ,FYEO almost has a depressing feel to it...i cant explain why,but thats how i feel about the score...
    Sometimes there is an environmental root to this things. Like, were you by any chance being raped in prison when you first saw it?

    What ? WTF are you talking about ?

  • barryt007barryt007
    edited September 2016 Posts: 19,339
    no probs...
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    that'll do...
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited September 2016 Posts: 23,883
    It's depressing because it's so darn awful in parts (like the disco rubbish), but it's magnificent in other areas, like the gunbarrel, the bits that incorporate the title track, the 'Submarine' track, and this piece of genius (I look forward to this scene every time I view the film because Conti's work here is so damn brilliant):

  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,865
    @bondjames, that's how I feel with GE's score at times, too: horrible in some scenes (Bond and Xenia car chase), yet terrific in others (the graveyard scene). There are most certainly some great bits to enjoy in particular moments of FYEO's score, but the music in the Citroen chase as they flee Gonzalez's place is very cheesy.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited September 2016 Posts: 23,883
    I agree @Creasy47. FYEO & GE are such a mixed bag score wise. Lots of ups and downs and the bad bits are highly annoying. The ski sequence for instance is great as Bond goes up the skilift followed by Charles Dance's character and Loque, and then descends into that disco nonsense once the ski chase begins.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,865
    That's quite a good moment, absolutely. I love the finale of that bit of the score, right as Bond and Claus launch off the ski slope in unison.
  • ToTheRightToTheRight
    Posts: 16,055
    I always loved Conti's version of the Bond Theme during the gunbarrel. Makes you want to dance to it. Had Barry scored FYEO, the film would certainly feel more timeless like OP and AVTAK. Still there are some great moments in Conti's score IMO. Some scenes in which the music perfectly compliments the scene and adds atmosphere. The underwater fight is intense, if not a little too long. The rock climbing sequence is impressive for it's lack of music as is the keel hauling torture..
    FYEO almost has the feel of a World War II espionage film. It could have been set during that period.
    I tend to pop this one in pretty often, and it has always been one of my favorite Moore Bonds. I should watch it again soon............
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