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5 Reasons Lazenby Should've Stayed

DoubleOhhSevenDoubleOhhSeven
edited February 2013 in Bond Movies Posts: 1,778
Well everyone after a prolonged absence, yours truly is back. I thought the comment I made on Skyfall's U.S. opening night was my 1000th but apparently I was one shy. Anyhow I suppose this will have to do.

I saw this article today and figured I'd post it. What are your thoughts? Personally I would've only wanted one more film out of Lazenby as I enjoyed Moore's tenure but still think we deserved a proper resolution to OHMSS.

http://whatculture.com/film/james-bond-5-reasons-george-lazenby-deserved-more-movies-as-007.php

Comments

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    Great thread on an excellent article, and I agree with every point!
    My *ONLY* qualm with it is that Moore might have been bumped off the Bond map entirely, and this new timeline could have disrupted my FAVOURITE Bond actor (Dalton) from ever being pressed into service.
    But oh, how GREAT DAF would have been!!!
  • DoubleOhhSevenDoubleOhhSeven
    Posts: 1,778
    Had Lazenby even signed the smallest contract offered to him (4 films after OHMSS) there's no doubt Moore would've been phased out. He was already 45 when he debuted and I really couldn't have seen him being cast in his 50s.

    However I could easily have seen Dalton being cast after Lazenby. I doubt Lazenby would've went any further than Octopussy (if even that) and Dalton would've been primed to pick up the torch. Assuming Lazenby would've endeared himself to audiences the way Moore was able to.
  • Master_DaharkMaster_Dahark
    edited February 2013 Posts: 4,813
    So the question is: would you take more (improved) Lazenby and more Dalton and in turn lose Moore?

    Everyone knows I LOVE Dalton, and I've always said that Lazenby should have done 1 or 2 more. But I have to admit- when the article stated how if Lazenby played Bond as many years as Moore, Lazenby would have finished around the same age Moore began, that really made me consider the notion
  • DB5DB5
    Posts: 408
    There are some who believe that had it not been for Roger Moore the James Bond franchise would have died by the mid to late seventies. That Moore's humorous take on 007 invigorated the series. So if Lazenby had stayed on he may well have been the second and last actor to play James Bond!
  • mrnate8mrnate8
    edited February 2013 Posts: 65
    Are there any old stills of a young Dalton available at the time he was considered to be Connery's successor?

    Agree on all points in article.
  • GlennGlenn
    edited February 2013 Posts: 12
    You can find Timothy Dalton in the movies The Lion In Winter (1968) and Cromwell (1970) he has good supporting roles in both films and you can clearly see he is young, but certainly old enough to have taken on the role. If Lazenby had continued the whole franchise would've ended up in limbo for years, i just don't have any empathy for his Bond at all.
  • SharkBaitSharkBait
    Posts: 2,107
    Part of me wishes he would have done a couple of more. Even if we, the audience, would have not gotten Moore. And Moore is actually one of my three favorite James Bonds actors.

    But what could have been? Three tragedies of the franchise ; Laz not getting his second film, Dalts not getting his third and Quantum of Solace being such a rush job, cutting away the original ending, and not finishing the Quantum storyline properly leaving it somewhat incomplete.
  • GoldenballGoldenball United States
    Posts: 74
    I missed every JB film after LALD, never really caring to see Moore's spin on my Bond until AVTAK which my kids wanted to see. Sure, I caught up with most of those films either on TV or video, but didn't get caught up in the Bondmania of my youth until Dalton arrived. And again, after GE, I passed on the Bond movies until CR. Extremely happy with the way the Bond films are going today. IMO Craig owns the role, but wish Dalton would've done more.
  • TriggerTrigger
    Posts: 183
    The article makes a good argument but for me I'm glad he only did one, he has always been my least favourite Bond (not that he was terrible, I just think he was "decent").

    He was in a great film and did a good enough job not to ruin it, but nothing more in my opinion. Watching him in OHMSS is like watching a good Leauge 1 football player playing for Barcelona - the overall result would still be Barcelona playing beautiful football, but you wouldn't want to keep him in the team!
  • GermanladyGermanlady
    Posts: 6,601
    No way I would switch Lazenby for Moore. Like someone said - IMO Moore did a lot more for the franchised then some care to admit now. I'd rather loose Dalton, but that's another story. Moore did a great job with that lightness of touch that was well received by the public back then.
  • myworldisenoughmyworldisenough
    Posts: 1,143
    As much as I do believe Lazenby had more to offer, the thought of that being at the expense of National Treasure Sir Roger Moore just shows that fate got it right.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,124
    I don't like the whole of Moore's tenure, but I have to say he was necessary for Bond to survive and strive. Had Lazenby stayed for more, I think Bond would have remained a character of the 60s, regardless of Lazenby's qualities.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited February 2013 Posts: 28,694
    Ludovico wrote:
    I don't like the whole of Moore's tenure, but I have to say he was necessary for Bond to survive and strive.

    I think I could even agree with this. Putting my distaste aside, moviegoers knew they would at least have fun at the movies when they went to see a Moore Bond film. Well, most of the films...
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    moviegoers knew they would at least have fun at the movies when they went to see a Moore Bond film. Well, most of the films...
    After MR, me & everyone I know were incredibly *meh* concerning Bond, even FYEO barely blipped on our screens. TLD was the first small flicker of hope for the franchise in those dark days.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    chrisisall wrote:
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    moviegoers knew they would at least have fun at the movies when they went to see a Moore Bond film. Well, most of the films...
    After MR, me & everyone I know were incredibly *meh* concerning Bond, even FYEO barely blipped on our screens. TLD was the first small flicker of hope for the franchise in those dark days.

    As it has probably been said by some wise scholar from days of old:

    "We must first experience the worst to spot and therefore appreciate the best."
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    "We must first experience the worst to spot and therefore appreciate the best."
    I would accept that as an axiom.
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    He should've done another film or two but I wouldn't want him cutting into Moore's era.
    Germanlady wrote:
    No way I would switch Lazenby for Moore.

    Have you seen OHMSS? I really don't think that would work with Moore.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,124
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    He should've done another film or two but I wouldn't want him cutting into Moore's era.
    Germanlady wrote:
    No way I would switch Lazenby for Moore.

    Have you seen OHMSS? I really don't think that would work with Moore.

    I actually started a thread asking this question, and many of the people who posted there wrote brilliant analysis that made me rethink this whole idea. It may have worked, although not as the same OHMSS, but it would have also radically changed Moore's tenure.
  • OHMSS69OHMSS69
    Posts: 2,341
    Great article. thanks for posting.
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