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Comments
OP, TND, DAF, LALD, GF etc.
QOS
DAD
most re-watchable
@BondJasonBond006
I had a Pioneer Laserdisc player in the early 90's. The only Bond film I had was Goldfinger.
My pride and joy though was the Star Wars box-set of the three original films. It was on the 'CAV' format over 9 discs. Cost a bloody fortune at the time!
Unfortunately my player was stolen in a burglary and I never bothered replacing it.
Daltons two are always easy watches! Just viewed LTK again. Man, thats a great Bond movie! I too thought Brossa was going to appear in at least 3 more films, seeing as they were hits, and he still had youthful looks ! It depressed me no end, and frankly after the abomination that was DAD, I wasn't going to go and see the next one if he were in it! Thank God Babs and Co. had the good sense to dump him and hire Craig!
When I was younger AVTAK was one I tended to watch a watch a lot for some reason, now I regard it as one of my least favourites.
In more recent years, CR has been fairly high on my re-watch scale.
QoS isn't one I often re-visit.
I like LTK and used to think of it as very re-watchable, but now I'm a lot more sceptical about its supposed greatness. It got some good aspects, but the plot isn't as convincing as it should be and really seems to play out like a TV show from the period - right up until the contrived ending.
It was tough going. This was always one I had a little soft spot for because it was released just prior to me really getting in to Bond. But this film's pace is tired. Many other Bond films have a really good third or solid half but AVTAK doesn't.
May Day and Zorin are pure evil - even more than most Bond villains because they take first-hand delight in killing and I do like how Walken plays Zorin. It's interesting to see him disregard Bond in so many ways - like he doesn't really rate him. It's not the usual banter - Zorin seems like he doesn't really have time for Bond or see him as a serious threat particularly. Much of the film ignores Bond and this more than any of his films feels like Moore playing Moore rather than 007. Especially his banter with MacNee when he's making disparaging remarks or his fatherly comforting of Stacey. That seems like Moore rather than Bond.
The film is brutal in a way that is only really matched by LTK. But Bond seems to have accepted the world he's entered in to in LTK and he's ready to fight fire with fire whereas Bond in AVTAK appears more disgusted by what he seems, unready for what will happen and unsure how to handle it. 'Bungling around in the dark' Zorin says to him - and he's right.
The film's climax works quite well - it certainly is a better final fight than TLD or FYEO (although the actual rock climbing aspect of FYEO has it beat.) And it is fairly iconic in the series and a great chuckling send off for Zorin - amused even by his own death - as much as all the people he killed.
The soundtrack is very good - and does so much heavy lifting in many of these scenes - but I actually prefer listening to this soundtrack on its own rather than tied to the movie. And when I listen to the soundtrack it doesn't conjure up images of the movie - the way YOLT or even DAF do - I just think more of a Bond montage in general. and if they were going celebratory then I wish they'd used the '007 Theme' for the part where he snowboards across the lake rather than California Girls.
The revelation is good in the sense that until the mine scene we don't know the full extent of Zorin's plans. But I'd say aside from the Paris sequence and the final bridge fight this film just plods along with May Day offing people creepily and not much else to drive the pace.
With the Duran Duran song, the marketing campaign with Grace Jones front & centre and the computer game for the ZX Spectrum 48k and Commodore 64 - this will always remind me of a beloved and specific time in my life. But taken in isolation AVTAK is easily among the weakest of the series and entertainment wise it could easily slide below DAD.
Nice catch!
What?? I never noticed that!!! :-O
I really like AVTAK. Sad that you only partially enjoyed it. There are of course many flaws. Still I think that the film is well paced and has some strong elements... I agree that the horse chasing plot is a bit stupid does go nowhere. But I find the general criticism about this side plot a bit too harsh since this is the case in many other Bond films, too. I also quite like it that there is a clear cut once Bond goes to the US. From that moment on we are steadily introduced to Zorin's main plan, yet we do not know everything already from the beginning, as it is the case in many other Bond films ("Thunderball").
I believe if he had a different disguise for that role (something a little more serious perhaps) it would have helped me to view the film and his performance more favourably.
Agree on Moonraker, disagree on Moore as a whole.
As much as I really like Moore and A view to a kill, I must agree.
It may also have feel like that because Bond in AVTAK is not as relaxed or comfortable but actuallly feels disgusted by Zorin. In all of his other films, Moore's Bond seemed to have more fun doing his job. Therefore, people often complain that Moore is not as energetic and dedicated as he used to be.
The first Bond that I watched on the big screen, has remained one of my favourite Bond film. There are a couple of things that I don't like:
- Robinson's "Get out of it, James" is corny as hell.
- Gupta mentions about Bonds employment record, that of 10 years. So is that, like the PTS of GoldenEye, EON again acting like Dalton didn't happen? If so, that doesn't sit well with me. I shouldn't be that surprised, as they did the same to Lazenby.
- Jack Wade. In an era that was lightweight enough as it was, the buffoonery of Jack Wade wasn't needed. And why was he created in the first place? If EON were going to act as if the Dalton era didn't happen (and Felix wasn't maimed), why not just use Felix?
- The title track and end credits songs should have been switched around.
Everything else i'm fine with. It's a slick, action packed Bond film, great to look at, and has stood the test of time so far. Given the media today, I think that TND is still just as relevant today, as it was in 1997. Like the other 3 films, Brosnan is carried by the film (rather than the other way around), though to be fair, he looks at his best here. His hair style here suits him most, and his frame is noticeably bulkier than in GE. After the experimental soundtrack of GE, it's a pleasure to have a soundtrack with plenty of the Bond theme in it.
My 1996-2016 20th Anniversary Bondathon
1. Tomorrow Never Dies
2. The World Is Not Enough
3. Spectre
4. Die Another Day
5. Casino Royale
6. Skyfall
7. Quantum Of Solace
Was that intentional?
I'm always interested to know from other fans what that was like. While my earliest experience with Bond, was the animated James Bond jr cartoon (1991?), but it wasn't until 1996 wherein I became a fan of the films. So I didn't know what that uncertain 6 year gap was like.
I recall thinking GE was a much classier entry when I saw it upon release. It had a certain cool flair and style.
The film generally moves along swiftly, the focus shifting seamlessly around the assortment of characters. Everyone gets just enough to do, and make the most of their limited screen time. It's probably the last time that there was an ensemble of villains which all really work well together like in FRWL or LALD.
I also think GoldenEye, better than any other modern Bond film, gets the balance between the personal and the professional right. Even though 006 is vengeful, they still take the time to give him an actual plan for the GoldenEye satellite. I also feel it was remarkably brave to have so much importance placed on the Bond girl, when this is supposed to be the introduction of a new Bond. After the PTS, we're really following her story, not Bond. It's not until just before the central action scene of the film, the tank chase, that the two meet.
So much craft went into this film, and yet its completely devoid of the pretension that exists in the Craig era. It's becoming my favourite Bond film since the 60's, and I really hope this is the direction they go to once Craig hands up the tux.
Yes, Natalya is great. She's one of the few Bond girls who feels like a real woman, with a job and work colleagues. Then her life gets overturned and she gets sweft along for the ride. I'd say she is the perfect Bond girl.
Speaking about the personal side of Bond, I always feel like its more interesting when captured through fleeting moments of vulnerability than it is when made the subject of a deeper exploration, as was the case with the Craig era. The example I always jump to is when Lazenby, cornered from all angles, sits down by the side of the ice rink and awaits his fate. Its brief and subtle enough that the viewer might not even catch it, at least the first time, but you can see the resignation set in. To me that's a far more engaging insight into the character than where he grew up, or how he got his 00 status.
I wish Glen had made better use of his foreign locations. India, Paris and San Francisco were done a disservice imho.