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Could Moonraker be plausable now?

MurdockMurdock The minus world
edited October 2012 in Bond Movies Posts: 16,359
With Technology like the International Space Station, could Moonraker be seen as "slightly"realistic? Minus the space marines.

Comments

  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Bond should never ever go into outer space.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,359
    doubleoego wrote:
    Bond should never ever go into outer space.
    I know that, but that's not what this discussion is about. it's about whether or not Moonraker could be seen as plausible by today's standards.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Wasn't Moonraker about Drax wanting to start a new civilization is Space? This is Bond not Star Trek or Star Wars. So, no. Moonraker is still as daft and far fetched as it was before.
  • FromCanadaWithLoveFromCanadaWithLove Canada
    Posts: 612
    Moonraker wouldn't be possible. With all of the junk we have floating around the earth's gravitational field, it's impossible to hide a space station. Especially because Drax would have to assume more money than companies like Google, Apple, or Virgin, while remaining a nobody.
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,021
    With all the satelites monitoring Earth, it would be even more impossible to hide a) the launches of the shuttles necessary to build such station, and b) the landing tracks necessary for the shuttles. So no, Moonraker would still be as implausible as it was in 1979.
  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    Posts: 2,629
    It still wouldn't be plausible, but satelites could be used against the Earthlings.

    Like in GE and DAD.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,827
    Murdock wrote:
    With Technology like the International Space Station, could Moonraker be seen as "slightly"realistic? Minus the space marines.

    Heh, No.
  • VirageVirage
    Posts: 1,856
    Umm. Space shuttles out of commission, so much satellites up there now it wouldn't be possible to hide a space station, not to mention sending it up there secretly, The fact the SS NEVER had fuel in them while being transported, UNESCO most likely sticking their nose into those temple renovations, Lack of space lazes and space marines and no man with steel teeth.

    Yeah, likely.
  • oo7oo7
    edited October 2012 Posts: 1,068
    doubleoego wrote:
    Bond should never ever go into outer space.

    In a 100 years when we are all in space and its a normal way of life he will no doubt be as dan dare as anyone.
    perhaps someone should do James bond in the 25th cent where he fights a cold war between earth and mars
    Going into space in todays age for bond seems no more far fetched than him doing a deep sea mission like In FYEO
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    oo7 wrote:
    doubleoego wrote:
    Going into space in todays age for bond seems no more far fetched than him doing a deep sea mission like In FYEO

    I don't think so.
  • oo7oo7
    Posts: 1,068
    doubleoego wrote:
    oo7 wrote:
    doubleoego wrote:
    Going into space in todays age for bond seems no more far fetched than him doing a deep sea mission like In FYEO

    I don't think so.

    Hey now I dont mean a moonraker type of star wars rip off. I merely mean that I could see him having to go to get something or indeed investigate a wreck. Now ive thought about it it still seems a little far fetched.
    if a story was good enough to make me believe he had to go into space then thats fine but otherwise its just

    <object width="420" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/Nkn8n18yS7A?version=3&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/Nkn8n18yS7A?version=3&hl=en_GB"; type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    Posts: 4,399
    oo7 wrote:
    doubleoego wrote:
    Bond should never ever go into outer space.

    In a 100 years when we are all in space and its a normal way of life he will no doubt be as dan dare as anyone.
    perhaps someone should do James bond in the 25th cent where he fights a cold war between earth and mars
    Going into space in todays age for bond seems no more far fetched than him doing a deep sea mission like In FYEO

    there's a bit of a difference though..... while diving into the sea #1 - he's still on earth.. #2 - it was to recover a vital piece of military hardware..... it's not like in MR James just hopped into a space shuttle to go retrieve a satellite in orbit - one seems less laughable, and more plausible than the other...
  • RisicoRisico
    Posts: 97
    Yes, technology has got us spending more time in orbit, but the real world has not yet started sending intelligence officers or government assassins into space. Bond exists most comfortably in the spy-thriller genre and should remain out of space until his real-world counterparts also start taking shuttles up to space stations to partake in shootouts with lasers.
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    I still enjoy MR and with any 007 movie never worried too much about plausibility. Bad CGI does annoy me much more and MR can still claim impressive special effects that made it look good.
  • BentleyBentley
    Posts: 267
    Fellow Agents,
    "Moonraker" the excellent Fleming novel is extremely plausible today. Just change Drax from being a mad nazi to being a mad jihadist and you have a fabulous plot for a DC film.
    On the other hand, Moonraker the movie, remains as ridiculous today as it always has been and should be consigned to the read and laugh file.
    Regards,
    Bentley
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    Posts: 4,399
    Bentley wrote:
    Fellow Agents,
    "Moonraker" the excellent Fleming novel is extremely plausible today. Just change Drax from being a mad nazi to being a mad jihadist and you have a fabulous plot for a DC film.

    here here!

    Bond 24? [-O<
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,021
    Indeed. I used the novel as a blueprint for a James Bond 007 RPG adventure. Except that my villain (a nazi who wanted to avenge his brother killed during the bombing of Peenemünde during WW II) wanted to use the Ariane rocket as a missile to destroy Cape Canaveral, so he could destroy two space programs at once.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,356
    Right here:

    http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/1482/who-else-would-like-to-see-bond-in-space-again
  • doubleonothingdoubleonothing Los Angeles
    Posts: 864
    ^ Thanks for the link, Sam, but I think this is - according to the OP at any rate - a different thread. Not "who wants to see Bond go back to space?" more a "is it actually realistic that he does?"

    Personally, I think you could feasibly have a private individual with enough wealth to have some kind of space program. Wasn't Richard Branson talking about doing low-Earth-orbit shuttle trips? And what is actually Drax's intention? It's not really for Drax and his people to live in Space. They intend to return to Earth as soon as it is safe to do so, presumably leaving the breeding until they get back.

    So, here are the questions:

    1) Could a person feasibly develop a virus type weapon that targeted only humans?

    2) Could a person get a number of people (with a big enough genepool to restart the human race) into space on his own private spaceships?

    3) Could a person own a space station big enough to house these people for a number of months?

    4) Could this station remain undetected and be equipped to defend itself against attack?

    5) Could this person confidently launch/administer their virus effectively enough to kill around four billion people?

    I think the answer to some of these questions is yes.

    1) The virus? Well, I don't see why not. Perhaps something that was genetically modified to be limited to humans only? Maybe he gets his hands on smallpox and modifies it at a genetic level?
    2) I think a space-mad billionaire could feasibly have some kind of shuttle that would get trips up to space. This might be operated out in the open as a "space tourism" venture. He could then just take up his hand picked group of space bunnies to get down and do their business.

    3) I find this one unlikely.

    4) Also, unlikely.

    5) Could he get enough of his virus out there to kill everyone? I suppose it's possible. Released into an airport, for example, an airborne pathogen could spread rapidly and potentially globally.


    So, Moonraker isn't entirely unreasonable. I mean, it would require a hell of a stretch to believe that someone could afford to build a massive space station and keep it defended and undetected for many months, let alone feed and house a large number of people required to restart the race.

    IMO, Drax would be better off spending his money on a vast underground bunker system, hermetically sealed from the surface. Then he could release his viral agent and wait it out underground whilst saving himself a bucket load in jet fuel.

  • thamesiderthamesider
    Posts: 44
    1) Absolutely. Spanish flu would do it... and as luck would have it, the victims in Siberai are buried beneath so much permafrost that the bodies, plus the pathogen, are probably quite well preserved.

    2) Space tourism would take care of this... of course, he would have to ensure that everyone he took was on board or wouldn't run when they found out. It ties in with...

    3) A private space station would require significant billions, plus constant questions over its purpose. It certainly couldn't be kept under wraps.

    4) No.

    5) Yes. If the virus was engineered to spread quickly, and via contact, it would end up spreading itself through interaction.

    ----

    So no, Moonraker probably wouldn't have worked. But then Christopher Wood shouldn't have nicked his own story from TSWLM anyway, so it's ultimately just much of a muchness.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,256
    For purely practical reasons, I say no to the topic's question. No matter how much more advanced our technology has become today, MR faces serious credibility issues in the sense that no one man could possibly have himself a 'secret' space station built without instantly raising the awareness of half the globe.
  • JWESTBROOKJWESTBROOK
    Posts: 5,745
    Governments would track Drax's buy-up of excesses of metals etc. etc.,
    Governments would see every single launch it would take to get the space station built
    Governments, astronomers, astronauts would see the GIANT space station...

    Not the to mention the time it would take to build all the components, the resources required, and money required to buy the parts, assemble the different components, and launch them into space.

    Wan't plausible then, even more implausible now.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Exactly! If Quantum could attract attention by buying up large sums of pipes, there's no way Drax could ever stand a chance.
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    doubleonothing wrote:
    IMO, Drax would be better off spending his money on a vast underground bunker system, hermetically sealed from the surface. Then he could release his viral agent and wait it out underground whilst saving himself a bucket load in jet fuel.

    But then we wouldn't have LASERS!!! ;)

    Seriously though I do agree with you, that's a much better plan. Maybe they could do something similar in a future Bond film? Maybe without the virus idea or the master race since that's been done, but the underground bunker system protecting the villian from his plan is a good idea.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,256
    Space technology could be an incredibly hot and simultaneously credible asset in a Bond script, at least in the hands of a talented screen writer. That means no more killer satellites from outer space, no more space rockets getting swallowed by even bigger space rockets and no more Noah's Ark plots. The truth is we have already built some impressive devises and tools for space missions so why not dig deep in the treasures of science and pull out some of the fine juice? The problem, however, is that most people, when they think space, think big and dangerous, fantastical and sci-fi-ish. Bond doesn't work well in those heavy-handed conceits. Instead we should be dealing with old-fashioned fleminian spying in a modern, space tech related environment. This, by the way, doesn't necessarily include Bond actually travelling to space stations or moon bases. For all I care the search robot on Mars could be the focal point. It's not good enough to start from a really big concept and then make it fit the more down-to-earch film biotope that Bond exists in. You can better start from a slightly more modest yet convincing (and in its own right sufficiently fascinating) concept and add layers of common Bond tropes around that. Things wouldn't feel out of place, space stuff is added but without overdoing it and you might actually be praised for choosing intelligent angles over obvious thrills that render your Bond film into an incredulous and silly mash-up rather than an original assimilation of modern themes by the old school Bond formula.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,359
    DarthDimi wrote:
    no more space rockets getting swallowed by even bigger space rockets

    There is a type of space ship that's front end opens up like Bird One, but I don't know what it's called, but I think it's used for collecting space debris and is much smaller.
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