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Comments
Conti's score makes my ears bleed.
I beg to differ. I much prefer Conti's version of the Bond theme, and in FYEO the synthesized themes are at least catchy...
Each to their own. 90% of Conti's music doesn't work for me at all - least of all his action cues - though I do like his instrumental renditions of the title theme.
Hamlisch's stuff has a bit more weight to it, and Bond '77 is just straight up cool.
Agree 100%.
Conti's score has more highlights: a superior gunbarrel, the pre-title sequence, "Melina's Revenge," "A Drive in the Country," and "Runaway." I think it also does a better job of folding disco/funk into the Bond sound.
Agreed as well. A Barry score would elevate FYEO immensely in my preferences. It would at least eliminate some of the blandness
Impact of TSWLM way back in 77. It was a blockbuster ! and from chatting with
Non Bond friends etc "Spy" seem to be the one most mentioned. The one with
"Jaws" , " The car " and "The ski jump "
An opportunity that George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton never had.
I favour LALD and FYEO over TSWLM.
The TSWLM is let down by some overtly comic scenes and an uneven tone throughout the film.
Agreed. Particularly in the music department!
I agree with these points whole heartedly, but even with these "deficiencies" I still consider it his best, definitely his most iconic.
I was really taken by the craft of this film. The filmmaking on show is impeccable. All the departments are truly working to the best of their resources and abilities. As a result, TSWLM really wears its age well. Of course, some parts of the film are a little dated. However, the fact that so much was done for real means that this film still looks as spectacular as any modern blockbuster. TSWLM is a lot of MOVIE. For example, I still can't believe they actually filmed an underwater car chase and it that it actually has stakes and is exciting (let alone end the film on a 40 minute siege sequence!). You can see that Nolan was trying to pinch TSWLM's glamorous exoticism with Tenet. There's just something so inherently '70's and cool about seeing speedboats, sports-cars in Sardinia.
The thing that really struck me were Ken Adams' set (I know, I know), but every set in this film is a SET. Even those scenes that last a few seconds where anonymous officials pick up phones in offices are SETS. So when Adam goes for broke with the big sets, its a bloody joy to behold. Also, a huge bow must be taken by the special effects team for blowing things them up so expertly. The same goes for that gorgeous wide-angle cinematography. Every shot is a SHOT. It's obviously helped by the beautiful locations and pretty people that are being photographed. This film has scope.
In many respects, TSWLM feels like a culmination film. This is the movie they have been trying to make since Dr No back in 1962. They now have the money and the technical skill to pull it off.
The strongest element of the film is the one-upmanship between Bond and Anya - a cat-and-mouse game that takes an interesting turn when the whole killing-her-boyfriend thing comes out. I used to think that Bach was bland in this role. But it's clearly a choice, she's playing a cold Russian spy with zero empathy (I actually know a Ukrainian girl and Anya's demeanour, at times, felt familiar). She also looks beautiful. Her hair, make-up and costumes are brilliant. In fact, she was probably my favourite character of the film....
Then you have Roger. He's in fine form. He's a little steelier than I remember in this outing. He's also allowed to play the 'action hero' a little more in the final act of the film and rises to the occasion. He's very convincing (more so than in his 'karate' fight scenes earlier in the film). He's also so pretty and works excellently as the elegant, gentleman spy. His costumes in this film are also beautiful! Though I wouldn't discount the arguments that Moore is a bit of a cardboard-cutout hero. He has the anonymous aplomb of a male model and can - on occasion - play second fiddle to the sets and action.
Sure, you can nitpick (the plot is threadbare/the characters could do with perhaps a little more scripting/Jaws is a bit of a cartoon character/corny sexism), but none of this takes away from the sensory pleasure and sheer joy this film elicited from me. The film, shot in seven countries, is so rich in fantasy, so filled with beautiful scenery, gorgeous women, preposterous villains and impossible situations that's it easy to suspend disbelief entirely and escape inside the gadgetry and glamour.
Agreed. A third outing for Dalton would of cemented his legacy if it weren’t for all the ongoing legal disputes.
TV spot with Roger for TSWLM
Yes, he looks a little more slick in that ad than he does in the film.