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My own Bondathon has come to an end with the most recent outing: Spectre.
I have made it no secret this one has never been a favourite, though I was surprised it started out as well as it did. Regretfully, the film starts losing that good vibe slowly when they start to tie in the plot with every other Craig Bond film.
When we reach Blofeld's base I find it to go from one bad decision to another until I slowly get frustrated.
Anyway, breaking it down into categories:
SPECTRE
JAMES BOND: 4
I think Craig himself is actually doing a better job than in the previous one. He's a little more sophisticated and a little less brutish.
BOND GIRLS: 4
Can't say Léa Seydoux or Monica Bellucci are at fault either. Two nice additions by two fine actresses. What I don't like is Bond falling in love for the second time in four films. I quite liked how Tracy remained that one love in the old series. And when Bond did find someone with whom it clicked well enough, like Kara for instance, it felt fresh and genuine. This relationship isn't very well motivated and seems to come out of nowhere for a 'serious relationship'.
VILLAIN: 2
The least interesting out of all Blofeld performances and that includes John Hollis' appearance as 'Wheelchair Villain'. Also, what is up with that father-issued nonsense? That's a truly horrid idea. Moreover, it makes you look like you want to be bigger than the legacy of the old series. I'm looking at you Sam Mendes!
HENCHMEN: 3
Hinx isn't half bad, though definitely underused. Andrew Scott is nothing special but he doesn't do much wrong. There's also Sciarra of course, but he doesn't do much for me except wonder why they mispronounce his name the whole bloody film. If you say it like that, it shoud be written as 'Schiarra'.
ALLY: 4
Jesper Christensen just became better and better as Mr. White as the films went along, though I would say he would have made a great Blofeld too.
MI6: 4
Fiennes is better than I remembered and Harris and Whishaw I always liked. I do miss the days these characters weren't the main focus though.
PLOT: 1
There is no excuse whatsoever for Fostergate. I also very much hate how they try to link all the films together as if we're watching a Marvel film. It makes Quantum and Silva suddenly less threatening than they were before. How to negatively affect your predecessors? Just watch SP.
GUNBARREL & TITLE SEQUENCE: 3
The gunbarrel is back at its right place, finally. Not the best of them unfortunately. The main titles are fine though hardly special.
SETS & LOCATIONS: 4
The first half of the film has excellent location work with Rome, the world's most beautiful city, being the absolute highlight. Can't say Blofeld's lair excites me however, or the return to Britain at the end. I like London, I really do, but spending so much time there these last few films makes the films lose their exotic touch.
CINEMATOGRAPHY: 4
I know many fans complain about the yellowish colour pattern but I quite like the look of this film.
PRE-TITLE SEQUENCE: 3
This one is ok, without excelling too much.
CLIMAX: 2
Boring.
VEHICLES & GADGETS: 5
I like the DB10 quite a lot, as do I like Hinx' Jag. Beautiful watch too, Mr. Bond.
ACTION & STUNTS: 3
Neither great nor terrible.
DIALOGUE & HUMOUR: 3
While I appreciate the return to a more humorous approach, the serious dialogue can be really clunky and at times just doesn't make much sense at all.
MUSIC SCORE: 2
Recycling much of SF's score, which wasn't the greatest score to begin with, is lazy and disrepectful really.
ORIGINAL SONG: 2
While it has some fine orchestrations, Sam Smith's intolerable whining sinks this song to the very last place of all the Bond songs ever made.
COSTUMES & ATTIRE: 4
At least Bond is sporting some fine garderobes in this outing. Léa isn't doing badly either on that account by the way.
SNOBBERY: 4
I love how Bond recognises the year and make of that Rolls and I also love how he just can't leave his Aston behind.
IAN FLEMING: 2
Turns around in his grave at the notion of Bond and Blofeld being Thor and Loki.
Overall: 63%
Better than I had expected though still near the bottom. With that in the bag, I have officially ended my very first 100% chronological Bondathon on Blu-ray with my other half. I will now have a look at the results and complete my new rankings.
I thank everyone who took the time to read a few of these, much appreciated. We'll see each other again after the release of No Time to Die, which I look very much forward too.
For now, Golden Gun is out.
January 12-18: DN and FRWL
January 19-25: GF and TB
January 26-February 1: YOLT and OHMSS
February 2-8: DAF and LALD
February 9-15: TMWTGG and TSWLM
February 16-22: MR and FYEO
February 23-29: OP and AVTAK
March 1-7: TLD and LTK
March 8-14: GE and TND
March 15-21: TWINE and DAD
March 22-28: CR and QOS
March 29-April 4: SF and SP
April 8: NTTD
May have to see NTTD twice in the same week!
I haven’t watched a Bond picture in 3 years. So, what better way to eagerly anticipate the release of No Time to Die, by viewing all 24 Bondian adventures?
*Disclaimer -
I’ve been having a gander at Joseph Darlington’s YouTube channel, in which he reviews the Bond movies. He’s got a good method of reviewing them, which I’m going to shamelessly steal. He rates his least favourite as 1 out of 10, his favourite as a ten, and the rest fits in between, kind of like grading on a curve.
So, what order do I watch them in? Well, seen as this year celebrates my 20 year obsession with 007, I’d though it would be rather grand to view them in order in which I collected them on VHS. Plus, nostalgia rocks.
It was the summer of 2000. My mum got back from shopping to reveal a surprise for me – my first Bond VHS’s, consisting of the duo of The World Is Not Enough and A View to a Kill. Back in the day, supermarkets often ran a promotion, “Buy Bond, Get Bond Free!”.
TWINE had just been released, so, naturally my mum got…. AVTAK. Frankly it’s not the most memorable. Why not say, the iconic Goldfinger or The Spy Who Love Me. Perhaps one of the other Brosnan’s films. She’s Duran Duran fan, so maybe that’s the answer.
The World Is Not Enough, 1999
In his third appearance, Pierce Brosnan has matured nicely into the role of 007. He looks spiffy in his tailored suits. Brosnan has the air of a veteran agent, cool and calculating, as demonstrated by his quick dispatching of Lachaise’s goons. Bond picks up an injury. A timely reminder that Bond isn’t a superman.
As Brosnan got comfortable in the role, certain ticks, or foibles started to appear. Such as his “nose touching” before he would move in on the person that was playing opposite him. For me, Brosnan is trying too hard, and breaks the immersion of his performance, slightly. Fleming wrote that Bond was economical with his movements and guarded with his emotions. Whilst Brosnan is too animated. Perhaps the fact that Brosnan is cast alongside the formidably talented Marceau that caused him to try so hard.
Maybe it sounds like I'm being too hard on The Brozz, but he's my childhood Bond, and he carries a special place in my heart. To balance out, then, here are some moments in which Pierce Brosnan is just so smegging cool;
The ways he takes out the goons in the Banker's office;
Sorting out the heavy, gaining access to Zukovsky's office;
During the buzz-saw helicopter attack, Bond opens a trap-door, pushes a goon away, and fires straight up, through the floor, to a second goon.
Ah, Sophie Marceau as the divine Elektra King. Bond thinks he has found found Tracy, but he has actually found Blofeld. From damaged angel with a wing down, to spoilt rich girl with daddy’s issues, Marceau has great fun in the role, going from cold and aloof in the beginning, to hamming in up something rotten during the torture of Bond. Marceau is smouldering and sensual, and for me, she shares a genuine chemistry with Brosnan, and is the highlight to the film.
Other folks have mentioned that the Brosnan era is the kinkiest, what with rampant necrophilia, Xenia and her thighs, and the torture chair. Only reinforced by Elektra’s pleasuring herself with ice, much to Renard distress.
Elektra and Renard are a fascinating double act - Renard is dead, physically and hurts emotionally, while conversely Elektra reveals in her sensuality, yet is dead inside. You feel pity for Renard. He realises Elektra is playing him, but he does not mind. He goes even so far as sacrificing his remaining days to see her happy.
Bond and Renard have a good dialogue scene in the bunker, with Bond barely controlling his contempt for Renard.
Until this -
“How does it feel...
...to know I broke her in for you?”
Bond’s aversion to killing in cold blood is waived for Renard.
- “I usually hate killing an unarmed man.
Cold-blooded murder is a filthy business.”
“A man tires of being executed.”
“But in your case, I feel nothing...
...just like you. “
“She's waiting for you” is a line I’ve always enjoyed. Seeing Bond triumphant and Renard blissfully going onto to see Elektra on the other side...
Ah Denise Richards. Isn’t she just as cute as a button? That’s all I have to say on her character.
It’d be wrong to say TWINE is an exercise in intelligence, but it does offer some interesting subtext at the very least;
the brief pause, as Bond shifts uncomfortably, as Elektra says, “Have you ever lost a loved one, Mr. Bond?”;
Bond is quietly embarrassed when this happens,
“Your father's legacy.”
“My family's legacy...
...to the world. ”;
Bond is reminded of Tracy in Elektra’s reckless behaviour at the Casino,
“You're determined to protect me.”
“From yourself. You don't have to do this.”;
Seeing, what would later be revealed as a pay off, Bond senses something isn’t right between Elektra and Zukovsky. A shadow of doubt perchance?;
and the throwaway line “Mr. Bullion doesn’t trust banks”.
David Arnold said that “there’s a certain lugubrious nature” to TWINE’s editing, courtesy of Jim Clarke. And indeed both he and the director let the film breathe, which is in direct contrast to 90’s action films in general. They give you a great sense of geography, particularly in the action scenes. The action, is decent, verging on good, but it never really hits the heights of the fantastic PTS, though the helicopter buzzsaw attack is entertaining, yet the parahawk assault is a bit on the redundant side. Indeed, after Arnold’s great cue, as Bond and Elektra skiing down the mountain, I was disappointed by another action scene, instead of a really juicy dialogue part. (Fine, I just wanted more of Sophie)
I’ve read complaints that the filmmakers wanted to include the buzzsaws, because they thought it was interesting, leafing through a magazine or something. But that has been the case for a lot of the Bond’s; Dana suggested having a helicopter with a magnet on to dispose the goons car in YOLT; Michael G. Wilson saw an advert in a magazine for some whiskey, leading to the cliff jump in Spy; a stuntman wanted to try “fishing for a plane” so they included it in LTK’s PTS. The Bond’s have always been run by a committee. Calling the Brosnan era out on such things is double standards.
Not to dump on Spectre, but listening to Arnold’s work on the Thames chase puts Thomas Newman’s similar effort to shame. It wouldn’t have fixed the tame climax to SP, but having the James Bond theme blaring out as Bond pursues Blofeld down the Thames, is a start.
Forgive me for going on with my rambly thoughts. Shan't be long now. When I was a young nipper, I just loved the “Bond….. James Bond” as Bond and Christmas are fleeing the nuclear bunker. A fist clenching moment for sure. On reflection, it is admittedly a little cheesy. But as a kid… Amazing. Where are the life fulfilment moments in the Craig era? Cradling your surrogate mother’s corpse? Dealing with a petty foster brother? What are the youngsters getting excited about now? It’s a genuine worry about the long term health of the series. I suppose as long as they are cranking out good quality thrillers, we have nothing to worry about.
Is TWINE a perfect film? Far from it. Does it succeed a being a more emotionally driven story? Not always. Like most of Brosnan’s run there is plenty of good ideas, but the execution is lacking. But TWINE tries its hardest, in amongst the protective bubble of formula filmmaking. However, the overall premise is inspired and all the Bondian attributes abound and in novel fashion. And TWINE was the proving ground for Casino Royale (love story) and the bombing of MI6 HQ and M’s deeper involvement (Skyfall).
*When Tanner is explaining the bombing of MI6 in Scotland, there is a ram’s head on M’s desk. You can see it to the left of her. I found that highly amusing.
2020 Bonadthon Rating -
The World Is Not Enough – 7
A solid 7 for me. It does plenty of things well, but there is an uneasy sense of teenageization. Gives me plenty of wiggle room for future, better films.
James Bond will return in A View to a Kill.
(Again sorry for this wordy, incoherent mess. This was an exercise in random thought gathering, without any bearing on the traditional narrative structure of a “review”)
As I said, TWINE was the film that popped my Bondian cherry, so I could never dislike it. And any film that features Sophie and Denise is all right by my book.
Also: I do like relative grading scale for rating things. It's meaningless if basically everything is rated 8 or above, unless you're the type of person who loves everything...
Seen as this year celebrates my 20 year obsession with 007, I’d though it would be rather grand to view them in order in which I collected them on VHS.
A View to a Kill, 1985
Tonight I viewed A View to a Kill, and I had a lot of fun with it. The charm and comfort of a classic Sir Rog film, always melts my cold heart.
I always find AVTAK to be a schizophrenic film, youthful, dynamic pairing of Zorin and Mayday vs. the aged forces of MI6; inventive action scenes (steeplechase, City Hall) vs. seventies spectacle (Paris chase, Fire truck escape); forward thinking plot vs. 70’s overt humour; well written characters, unfortunately portrayed by weak actors; Moore’s easy going charm vs. cut- throat 80’s business ethos. It’s like the producers wanted to give Roger Moore a spectacular send off, but that conflicts with John Glen’s more pragmatic directing style.
With all these dichotomous elements, one would have thought AVTAK to be a least memorable, but it is in fact, rather pedestrian. The jokes, in the action scenes, fall flat throughout - the exasperated cab driver and the comedy Sheriff especially. And if the film makers wanted to bring back the comedy Sheriff, why not bring back Sheriff J.W. Pepper, of the Louisiana State Po-lice? That would book end the Moore era rather nicely, despite my feelings towards the good Sheriff.
AVTAK is an unfitting way to say goodbye to Sir Rog; I always get a lump in my throat when the end titles come up, it really is the end of an era.
Granted, Moore should have hung up his shoulder holster with Octopussy, a much more fitting way to end Moore's tenure. Moore looked good for his age, but that age is a mite too old to be playing 007. Moore's age is engaging in one sense, as one fears for him. Not the reaction that the filmmakers were going for, but an interesting observation to make, nonetheless.
Regardless, Moore's performance in A View To A Kill is top notch, being suave and charming as ever, mixed in with a little steely determination. As with John Glen's other efforts, the character of Bond is well defined, giving Moore's Bond something to do other than visiting exotic locations and quipping.
For example, at Zorin's party at his French stables, Moore has a fine time posing as an eccentric Englishman, in almost a pastiche of the roles Moore stereotypically played.
There are instances of espionage and detective work scattered throughout the picture, and Bond shows his resourcefulness, when, underwater, he breathes air from a tyre of a submerged Rolls Royce, which was carrying the unconscious Bond and the dead Tibbett.
Since Glen began directing Moore, his interactions with the main heavy of the piece, has gotten colder. This is especially true of Zorin, with an undercurrent of hostility between the two men.
Two prime examples of this are when Zorin orders Tibbett to be killed, and when Zorin murders a City Hall employee right in front of Bond and Stacey, framing Bond in the process. Bond's “It's not mutual” and “Speechless with admiration”, respectively, are practically spat out with Bond's contempt for Zorin.
Bond is his usual provoking self at Zorin's party, and one sees a more paternal figure as he takes care of Stacey. It is a shame that the filmmakers decided to discard this rather novel approach to Bond and Stacey's relationship, in order to have them be romantic at the end of the movie.
Throughout his seven Bond pictures, Roger Moore provided a steady hand, when the films were at their most inconsistent. Moore was essential in ensuring the Bond series had long term success; and indeed Live and Let Die, The Spy Who Loved Me, and Moonraker are amongst the three highest grossing Bond films to date.
The public perception of spies had changed, certain styles had been and gone, but against it all was Roger Moore's Bond - seemingly impervious to cinematic trends, a vital touchstone to this ever changing world in which we live in.
Through Moore's sense of self assurance, his lightness of touch, and haughty indifference, he established his own unique take on the character of 007, with his advancing years being offset wonderfully by his laconic humour. As Moore's original screenwriter, Tom Mankiewicz said, “Moore was the old Etonian dropout that Ian Fleming had envisaged”. Nobody does it better.
The lone chap fishing on San Andreas Lake – is it Martin Grace? He’s named as stunt arranger on the picture. I’m glad they didn’t put him out to pasture after his horrific injuries on Octopussy.
The flooding of the mine, with hapless workers being swept away, screaming, coupled with Zorin’s giggling massacre of said workers, is shocking. A bit incongruous with the tone of the movie and not what one would expect in a genteel Uncle Rog film.
Bond offers to help Tibbet with the luggage by grabbing an umbrella, in the same vein Stacy helps Bond out by picking up the driver’s helmet, after Bond has laid him out cold. Moore and Roberts have a nice comradery relationship, and Stacy herself is a good character – fighting to keep her families name intact – slightly ruined by a poor actress. Watching Sir Rog placate an 80’s starlet is highly amusing. Still, Roberts’ is stunning. Her make up is flawless. The right side of street walker.
Moore’s chivalrous nature is a pleasing counterpoint to the amoral leanings of Zorin and MayDay, and is timeless in 80’s cinema culture. When the Rolls is pushed into a lake by MayDay, the symbolism of the gentlemen spies of Moore and Macnee being dispatched by Zorin and Mayday, is quite telling.
However there is plenty to enjoy in AVTAK; namely Barry's score, so good in fact that I was seriously considering wiping out all of the films flaws; the performances from Walken, Fullerton and Macnee, and of course Moore; the whole climax and having an intuitive Bond doing a nice bit of espionage, keeping in tone with the previous Glen efforts.
2020 Bonadthon Rating -
1. The World Is Not Enough, 7
2. A View to a Kill, 6
An underwhelming 6 from me. Some fine aspects are to be found in this film, sure, but the stench of death, that surrounds all of the Bond pictures of the 80’s, is particularly strong with this one.
*Disclaimer -
I’ve been having a gander at Joseph Darlington’s YouTube channel, in which he reviews the Bond movies. He’s got a good method of reviewing them, which I’m going to shamelessly steal. He rates his least favourite as 1 out of 10, his favourite as a ten, and the rest fits in between, kind of like grading on a curve.
James Bond will return in Diamonds Are Forever.
I’m afraid we’re already at a difference with the ranking, but again I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on the film! For a long time as a Bond fan AVTAK languished in my bottom 3 or so, but has since risen way up and I currently rank it in the middle of Moore’s films. I agree the comedy is mainly a bust, but the serious side of the film is terrific. Despite his age Moore is still good as Bond. Zorin is one of my all-time favorite villains, the score and title song are top-notch, and May Day is among the greatest henchmen/women. This film has really grown on me.
I, too ,would rank it in the middle of the Moore films, @FoxRox. 6 isn't too shabby. What, with Joseph Darlington's method, would you rate AVTAK as?
@w2bond, just the other day, I was listening to a podcast, and Richards role as Christmas came up, to further illustrate your point.
Seen as this year celebrates my 20 year obsession with 007, I’d though it would be rather grand to view them in order in which I collected them on VHS.
Back in the day when VHS’s were still a thing, I was on the lookout for Mr. Bond’s first two cinematic adventures. Yes, I decided to collect them in order. I was very much looking forward to watching the Bond series evolve. No luck in Woolworths, however, but I did find Diamonds Are Forever and Live and Let Die. I enjoyed them when they were on ITV’s “00-Heaven Marathon", so decided to get them. And seen as it was, “Buy Bond Get Bond Free”…..
Diamonds Are Forever, 1971
• “Ca-Ca-Cairo!”. My how this grates. The lax post production on this film is a mite aggravating.
• “Making mud pies 007?”. One of the highlights to DAF is the dialogue between Sean Connery and Charles Gray. Wonderful stuff.
• Shirley Bassey and Maurice Binder come up trumps again. Great to see all the classic crew. Apart from one Mr. Hunt. His absence would be felt most keenly.
• “Are you paying attention 007?” Seeing Connery and Bernard Lee together, for one last time, locking wits and insults, is reason alone to see Diamonds again.
• The sloppy post production continues as there is a bit of looped dialogue when Sir Donald is explaining his “air tight” measures.
• But all in all, it was a clever and fun way to do exposition.
• “Curios how everyone who touches those diamonds seems to… die”. Ah, Mr. Kidd and Mr. Wint. One’s a rejected member of the Beach Boys. The other is a down on his luck taxidermist. Together they make up quite a fine murderous duo, campy and menacing in equal measure.
• “A diamond. In a ring?” My God Moneypenny, Bond’s wife has just died. Show some tact woman!
• The music that plays during the Hovercraft flight is just superb. So is John Barry’s work on this film.
• “Mrs. Whistler did want some pictures of the canal for the children” How very thoughtful of Mr. Kidd. Horrific, yes. But thoughtful.
• Zooms from the horrific duo, to Bond’s car. Great camera movement by Guy Hamilton. He displays a couple of great shots. Runs out of puff by the climax however.
• “As long as the collars and cuffs match..” Jill St. John and Connery have a delightfully mischievous chemistry, which is showcased in this scene.
• The scrap between Franks and Bond is good, but lacking Hunt’s dynamic editing.
• “You just killed James Bond!” Say Blofeld, or ABC, or whoever, told the pipeline to be on the lookout for a chap named James Bond. Problem solved.
• “Alimentary, Dr. Leiter” Good line. Though Norman Burton is by far the worst of the Leiters.
• “A glowing tribute, Mr. Kidd.” The final scene which Connery filmed as Bond. A real tense one at that.
• “Hi. I’m Plenty!” I used to dislike Plenty. But now I’ve grown accustomed to her charm.
• “You sound like a cop” Bond slaps Tiffany. For Connery’s Bond sure, but the tone of Diamonds is a bit too lighthearted for such rough treatment, surely? Still, Bond isn’t messing about. A bit of a the rougher side to Connery’s Bond.
• “I’m Klaus Hergerscheimer”. I do hope that Bond’s borrowing of Klaus’ identity didn’t get him in trouble. Such a nice man.
• Bond tears off in a moonbuggy, driving in a straight line, whilst behind him there is a destruction derby. More sloppy production as an errant moonbuggy wheel rolls into shot as one of the security cars comes a cropper.
• The comedy Sheriff. How I love this trope in the Bond movies.
• Least it gives Bond a chance to show off his driving manoeuvres, sans gadgets.
• Bond heading up on the lift to see Willard Whyte. Elan and badass, thy name is Connery.
• “Try, try again” This is one of the more egregious examples of the villains not putting a bullet in Bond’s head.
• Jimmy Dean is a great fun as Willard Whyte. Strange that around him Bond goes passive.
• The nuclear explosions looked as if they were created by a child’s home chemistry set.
• “Baja?!” The oil rig finale is rather lackadaisical. OK, the shot was rather more explosive.. but one of the crew messed up, mistaking the run through of the explosions for the main take.
• The monotone countdown announcer. Was he meant to be a parody of the other countdown announcers?
• And how do you get those diamonds down?
So, in conclusion, and some of the films highlights, Jill St. John is a delight - she brings dignity to the role of Tiffany Case, where none should exist; Charles Grey is a hoot – at this point in the Bond oeuvre the character of Blofeld has been shown no respect by the filmmakers, so I just go with Gray’s engaging wit; the John Barry score is a magnificent; the tacky, gaudy nature of Las Vegas contrasts nicely with Bond's world, and Tom Mankiewicz serves up some sizzling one liners.
It is so good to have Connery on point. Tom Mankiewicz said about Connery, that he “has an old graces pro” about him, mirroring that Connery is maturing in the role. He can still knock the living hell out off someone, as exemplified by the lift fight, but Connery has the air of a veteran agent about him; calm, collected and authoritative.
Bond is satisfied with his life, seemingly content to live out his life as a secret agent until he is killed. But Bond is going to have some fun before his luck runs out. Bond’s world has changed. The 60’s are most definitely over. In comparison, the 70’s appears to be an eccentric dream. The whole of Diamonds has this dream like quality too it. Bond’s clubland values are passé. While the tourist are around Bond in their jeans and t-shirts, Bond is resplendent in his ivory dinner jacket at the casino, seeming not to care in the slightest. The world has changed. James Bond has not.
2020 Bonadthon Rating -
1. The World Is Not Enough, 7
2. A View to a Kill, 6
3. Diamonds Are Forever, 5
Diamonds succeeds as an entertaining comic strip Bond adventure, being fun and often quite bizarre entry into the cinematic world of Bond. Yet a Bond film should aim to be much more than that.
*Disclaimer -
I’ve been having a gander at Joseph Darlington’s YouTube channel, in which he reviews the Bond movies. He’s got a good method of reviewing them, which I’m going to shamelessly steal. He rates his least favourite as 1 out of 10, his favourite as a ten, and the rest fits in between, kind of like grading on a curve.
James Bond will return in Live and Let Die
So many moments like this, which puts DAF in the so bad it's good category. I always enjoy its quirkiness. Also what helps greatly is Ken Adam and John Barry.
RE:Denise Richards, it was also through podcasts and youtube reviews that I realised how much impact Denise Richards (and her outfit) left an impression on men everywhere, so that's why the studio's decision was not entirely wrong from a marketing perspective. Feminists, on the other hand...
Different Woolies, but alive and well
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woolworths_Supermarkets
No relation to any other Woolworths worldwide
Not the greatest Bond film but
I too enjoy the Connery-Gray dialogue, the title song and sequence and the overall music score.
Thanks! I'm thinking of going in-depth like @royale65, who has written several excellent posts so far. I think I've shared somewhat extensive thoughts about most of the films at some point, but not as much as that. I suspect / hope other members will be having Bondathons leading up to NTTD?
Seen as this year celebrates my 20 year obsession with 007, I’d though it would be rather grand to view them in order in which I collected them on VHS.
Live and Let Die, 1973
So many elements work well in Live and Let Die.
The simple, yet devious plot, is Flemingsque in its spareness. We follow Bond being a detective. Another parallel to Dr. No, alongside the Jamaican settings and a look and Bond’s house, etc.
The Voodoo atmosphere that permeates the whole movie. Wonderfully, it’s left ambiguous to whether the Voodoo trappings are real or not.
Roger Moore smoothly assumes the mantle. One is fully invested in his take on the Bond persona in the first few minutes, even though he plays the role like a haughty head boy, as opposed to the mischievous bully that was Connery.
But like the early Connery picture, this Bond is still kind of a prick – passing the time with the duplicitous Rosie Carver, like Ms. Taro in Dr. No, and deflowering Solitaire. This Bond is bit of a cad.
Bond takes away Kananga’s greatest asset, Solitaire. But he doesn’t take advantage of Bibi in For Your Eyes Only, despite the closeness to the villain. Character growth for Mr. Bond.
It’s great to see Bond completely out of his depth in Harlem. The griminess of 70’s New York is a nice contrast, similar to the gaudy nature of Las Vegas in Diamonds Are Forever, to the more exotic Jamaican backdrop later in the movie.
The cast is uniformly excellent with the allurement of Jane Seymour, the urbane sadism of Yaphet Kotto, the great and charismatic heavies and the cab driver’s side burns being particular highlights.
George Martin’s score is probably my favourite (it’s Martin’s score here or David Arnold’s score for Casino Royale) non John Barry effort in the series. Whether its the funktastic guitar sounds, the eerie voodoo motifs, or the romantic theme, Martin successfully brings the score out of Barry’s great shadow, yet still including the Bondian DNA. Marvellous stuff. One really misses the Martin’s music during the unscored pieces during the action scenes, especially the boat chase.
The action scenes, whether by car, plane or boat, are unimaginatively filmed, being, for the most part, panning shots on whatever particular vehicle they are using. The boat chase is overlong and, quite frankly boring. There are unscored scenes aplenty, and to add further insult, the chase is broken up every 30 seconds or so to check in on the odious Pepper and his comedy stylings. I understand what the filmmakers were trying to achieve by putting a character like Pepper in the film, but Bond is going to defeat the villains, no matter if they were black, white, green, red or malachite.
At least the idiotic moments, in lets say, Diamonds or Moonraker, were well spaced out. In LALD they all come in a long, not particularly funny, segment of film, from the airport chase right up until Bond returns to San Monique.
2020 Bonadthon Rating -
1. The World Is Not Enough, 7
2. A View to a Kill, 6
3. Live and Let Die, 5
4. Diamonds Are Forever, 5
I do apologise to @Birdleson for being so harsh on LALD.
*Disclaimer -
I’ve been having a gander at Joseph Darlington’s YouTube channel, in which he reviews the Bond movies. He’s got a good method of reviewing them, which I’m going to shamelessly steal. He rates his least favourite as 1 out of 10, his favourite as a ten, and the rest fits in between, kind of like grading on a curve.
James Bond will return in Dr No
Most appreciated @FoxRox. I'll be sure to read your thoughts, whatever direction you decided to take them in.
Your assessment of LALD certainly is more on the negative side than my own. I fall somewhere between you and @Birdleson on that one; not in my Top 10 (it was a long time ago), but safely away from my bottom few - unless something changes in my Bondathon. For me personally it's always a big step-up after DAF; for my own tastes, the camp/comedy meshes much better here with Moore.
I’ve been having a gander at Joseph Darlington’s YouTube channel, in which he reviews the Bond movies. He’s got a good method of reviewing them, which I’m going to shamelessly steal. He rates his least favourite as 1 out of 10, his favourite as a ten, and the rest fits in between, kind of like grading on a curve. But only the Bond movies.
There are so many great things about DN, but the first and most important thing to address is the man himself - Sean Connery as James Bond 007. Everyone knows the introduction: "Bond, James Bond." Forget that I've seen that casino scene a hundred times - I still get chills and grin when I see Connery introducing himself at that table. There is no time required for Connery to settle into the character; he IS James Bond, from the very get-go. No other actor is as cool and convincing as Connery is, from start to finish, as Bond. I don't think even Connery himself ever topped his fine work in DN. He does it all - he's the suave ladies' man, the brutal assassin, and the determined, intelligent agent, all in one. In addition to the effortlessly cool side, DN also touches on Connery Bond's vulnerability; he admits to Honey is scared before seeing Dr. No, and has quite a rough ride through the film's climax. I didn't really consider this aspect so much about DN before tonight, but I do think it showed a little bit more of Connery Bond's vulnerable side than any of his other films. I also feel like he is more tender with Honey than any of the other women he ends up with (Connery's Bond specifically). There are so many awesome moments; the casino introduction, the first interactions with M and Moneypenny, the buddy moments with Felix and Quarrel, the skirmish with the spider, killing Professor Dent, meeting Honey + all their interactions, the conversation with Dr. No, and so on. I could keep on going. Connery is simply brilliant in DN.
To date I think DN still boasts one of the best supporting casts/characters in the series. Honey Ryder is one of my all-time favorite Bond girls (probably Top 5), Dr. No is one of my all-time favorite Bond villains (definitely Top 5), Quarrel and Jack Lord's Felix Leiter are top-tier Bond allies, and M and Moneypenny are beautifully introduced by Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell respectively. I watched the films before reading the Fleming novels, but if any actor perfectly fits one character in my mind from the books to the movies, it's Bernard Lee's M. Every scene he and Connery did together is a gem, and they started things perfectly here. The banter between Connery and Maxwell's Moneypenny also was a success from the start. Professor Dent and Miss Taro are fairly memorable baddies; the way Bond handles both of them is great. I have to mention Sylvia Trench too, because she was the first Bond girl and a good one - the only one to reappear in another film until Madeleine Swann!
Honey is one of the most beautiful and likable women in the whole series; I root for her just as much as Bond to succeed. Her story is a little better-done/expanded in the novel, but they still do a decent job covering some ground in the film. Dr. No, despite only appearing in the film for a few minutes, is still one of the series' very best villains. He is cool, intelligent, and intimidating. I always believed he would certainly have been SPECTRE's leader if not for Blofeld. One of the most dangerous foes Bond has ever faced. The mystery and buildup for the character is handled very well, and the moments he is on-screen are fantastic. SPECTRE is also introduced nicely; we don't get too information about the organization yet, but we know it's got to be serious since Dr. No and his operation was just one part of it. Quarrel is such a likable ally; his loyalty, superstition, and dedication make his character stand out. His death is one of the saddest in the series for me. Jack Lord is definitely one of my favorite incarnations of Felix Leiter; he is the perfect cool, American counterpart for Bond.
DN's plot is one of my favorites; it's a classic spy/detective story with Bond on the case trying to discover what happened to another agent, and though it's simple it works great. Simplicity is one of DN's biggest strengths; it's the smallest, least action-packed film of the franchise, and I've always looked at that as a positive thing. We'll never get a Bond film this light on action sequences again, but DN didn't need a ton of it; there was plenty of intrigue with the story and characters, and the action was still awesome when it did happen. Monty Norman's soundtrack is one of the weaker soundtracks in the series; it's not horrible, but it scarcely captures a Bondian vibe with the obvious exception of the amazing theme song that gets several plays. I do like "Three Blind Mice," "Jump Up!," and "Underneath the Mango Tree." The Jamaican setting is terrific; though the film is mainly set in one country, we get a lot of nice variety including the beach, the nightclub, and Dr. No's lair. Terence Young did a wonderful job directing this classic. Without his and Connery's efforts in DN, I have my doubts this series could have had the longevity and success that it does. Many Bond fans say things didn't fully come together until FRWL or GF, and while not every single trope was established here, I think in getting this franchise started DN knocked it out of the park.
This was one of my best-ever watches of DN, and that says a lot because I've always loved this film and have had countless great watches of it. I find no significant negatives in the film. It was fun and exciting - everything from the gunbarrel to Bond and Honey's thrilling escape from Crab Key. I felt galvanized watching this tonight, kicking off this Bondathon - the classic Bond magic was real and everywhere, and I had the pleasure of losing myself in the adventure.
FoxRox's 2020 Bondathon Ranking
1. Dr. No