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Comments
This is probably more fun that some care to remember. Like Moonraker without the space scenes there's so much to get involved in and the interest never really dissipates. Scaramanga is a truly memorable lead adversary and Nick Nack provides an element of humor, suspense and intrigue, it's all those things.
Clifton James' return as JW Pepper is disliked by many but it's a really fun character here and the movie just wouldn't be the same without it. Ekland's Goodnight can prove insipid or bland whenever on screen, she's far from the most glamorous or beautiful of all who have appeared throughout the series but somehow I wouldn't now switch her in the role for another.
Moore plays it mostly straight here, the over-emphasis on slapstick in later appearances isn't quite here but the climax in the funhouse (mirrors etc) could have extended longer. It always seem to be over before the viewer can really take in or enjoy the experience.
Lulu's theme song is kind of memorable but far from the best. Sometimes distracting to see previous or future Bond actors or characters such as Marc Lawrence's Rodney or indeed Maud Adams in the one picture when you know they're only to appear someplace else but it's only a minor issue. It's a really fun watch throughout that keeps the interest although it's not a view or Bond title for everyone. You can call it absurd or banal, perhaps devoid of entertainment (of what a Bond film should represent) but having viewed it once more just recently, got to say it's a fun two hours spent.
Overall score : 8/10 in all truth.
As for me:
LIVE AND LET DIE
This one will certainly go up in the list. Oh my. I used to not like it too much, but this rewatch was superb.
A hilarious film with excellent stunts, funky music and a pinch of Hammer-style creepiness. Baron Samedi, Tee Hee and that cab driver are all unforgettable foes. It's not without its problems, but given how entertaining it is, I don't mind. It also has what is probably my favourite M scene too, Bond has just made him what is probably the best coffee that you could find in 70's Britain and he just says: "Is that all it does?".
Rating before rewatch: 6/10
Rating after rewatch: 9/10
Used to be penultimate in my rankings, even last a while ago, it will be battling for a top half finish now.
Glad you liked it this time @GoldenGun
Always been one of my favourites!
Regarding the opening briefing scene, it's very good indeed and well written! I do however think Bond was quite sloppy pouring M's coffee! Spills it all over the saucer 😅
It may have been a brand new machine, he could have been in need of a little bit more practice 😆
If ever I watch this particular Bond (which is rarely!!) I'm always reminded of the panic about The Millenium Bug coming up to the year 2000 rather any of this! That's not saying much for this film! As for Brossas third effort, yes, its pretty dull, but it's probably the most tolerable of his. It had quite good potential. Great title, (OHMSS vibes) Michael Apted helming ( 'The Squeeze', 'Gorky Park') The usually excellent Robert Carlyle as the villain, Robbie Coltrane returning, interesting locales, Arnold back on scoring duties, and Garbage singing the theme ( Love Shirley Manson, get well soon Shirls!) Where did it all go wrong? Well Brossa still there for starters, with some toe curlingly bad acting, and apart from the smugness, I noticed another irritating habit of his, smacking his lips just before he says something "profound", what's that all about? The much heralded boat chase on the Thames, turned out to be a bore ( and why the film makers thought it would be enough of a thrilling opening just having Bond jump out a window is baffling, hence them having to include said boat chase, which nearly made me forget we hadn't had the title sequence yet!!) On a slightly more positive note said title sequence is up to Kleinmans high standard, and Sophie Marceau is wasted and probably the best thing about the movie! Anyway, the penultimate 007 movie for Brossa ( little did we know 😁) Onwards and downwards for Brossa after this!
As for me:
NO TIME TO DIE
Another pleasant surprise as this was my best watch of it yet. I still think there's too much going on though, there are four events here that each deserve an entire film being decaded to them. For closure's sake they're now all crammed into one, making them feel slightly forced and less impactful. Having said that, it's a well-paced good-looking film with fine action, a great title song, fun nods to the series' past -finally some Dalton era recognition- and a few excellent performances, most notably Léa Seydoux, Ana de Armas and a more frivolous Craig than in the Mendes films.
Rating before rewatch: 6/10
Rating after rewatch: 7/10
TOMORROW NEVER DIES
I appreciate that Tomorrow has a sense of fun and excitement at its core, though not without touching upon something even more relevant today than back in 1997: mass media and the possible effects of manipulative news framing. This film observes the above rather than ramming its message down our throats, which I applaud. It also observes that Wai Lin is as competent as Bond without having to tell us explicitly via forced dialogue. Tomorrow is an interesting film, but it's also full of action, stunts, successful oneliners ("they'll print anything these days") and not-so-successful oneliners (something about an edifice-complex). I had a great time with it.
Rating before rewatch: 7/10
Rating after rewatch: 8/10
The lack of a gunbarrel sequence, the James Bond Theme and a colourful title sequence, in combination with an overall less expensive look, give this one a bit of a Bond B-side feel. However, Brandauer-Carrera make for an excellent villain duo, Bernie Casey remains one of the very best Felix's and Sir Sean seems to have a good enough time too. The dialogue here is also quite witty and a few action scenes are certainly well done. Not the best 007 film, obviously, but definitely not the worst either.
Rating before rewatch: 7/10
Rating after rewatch: 7/10
The best film overall, but LTK has the best ending!
My two favourites still, I will finish my Bondathon with them.
You mean the winking fish?
I'm admittedly nostalgic about this much-maligned entry -it was my first theatrical Bond after all-, which makes me able to be more forgiving towards many of its obvious flaws. As such I can also enjoy the good things more; like the Hong Kong hotel scenes, everything with the hilarious Raoul, the fencing club, Rosamund Pike, the ice palace design and the Aston v Jag chase. I can even extend that leniency to some controversial likes: Jinx and Madonna's techno song. I know I'm supposed to hate this one, but I'd be lying if I'd say that I do.
Rating before rewatch: 7/10
Rating after rewatch: 8/10
You're lying 🤥
😂😂😂
No worries, mate. My Dalton praise will follow at some point, also without lying ;)
Judt kidding g @GoldenGun 😁
I've noticed.this group of reviews have all been more positive watches! Great when that happens!
Yep, disregarding one exception, I've enjoyed all of them so far and even enjoyed most of them more than I used to. Maybe it's because I'm watching them in a completely random order instead of the usual chronological one...
Top marks for location work, production design, music and cinematography. Alas, no such marks for writing, with numerous contrivances that include Bond being turned into a Japanese fisherman in a highly questionable manner and for no purpose whatsoever. I suppose this one would have been more enjoyable for me if the absurdities could have been accompanied with a more natural sense of fun and / or self-awareness. Aki is a great Bond girl though, and Charles Gray is always a joy to watch.
Rating before rewatch: 7/10
Rating after rewatch: 7/10
Believe what holds it back is Bond (and a viewing audience) being restricted to just the one location being Japan. It's a long time since taken in a watch but just the one country offered for nearly the entire movie duration kind of just doesn't keep the interest. In other words, there just isn't the same location variety with just about all others in the series.
We get properly introduced to Blofeld for the first time, there's a supply of stunts and action to get involved with but minor intrusions such as Henderson is going to be Blofeld in DAF a picture or two later, Hans is yet another (early) addition or clone to the Red Grant persona from FRWL and as mentioned, Bond turning Japanese was ill-advised although guess we need to realize it was necessary so the audience could understand the need for Bond to fit in with the environment and the objectives of what he was sent out to accomplish. All told it's a good watch, actually one of the best of the early entries but for reasons already stated, there's a certain dead weight that simply holds
it back or from being elevated to greater status.
There's a lot going on in YOLT yet I don't quite feel much energy at times, it misses a sparkle it seems. It feels like not everyone is fully committed and some people would rather be somewhere else...
It's one of the few Bond films, perhaps the only one, that give me that feeling.