Moonraker

[monkfromhavana]

It's a great film, isn't it? Moore a few years past his prime, turbo charged gondola-turned-hovercraft.

Nary a sight of Jaws yet though.

[Blumf]

I think Drax is a pretty good Bond villain. Maybe not in terms of action, but as a character, a genuine cunt.

[Mark Steels Stockbroker]

Dull coincidence: the BBC adaptation of Le Carre's Smiley's People starred the actors who played the villains in 2 consecutive Bond films (Curdt Jurgens and Michael Lonsdale), though not on screen together.

I think it was ok, and the last time when Moore really seems to be making an effort. But I'd quite like a period-set film adaptation of the original Fleming novel.

[Puce Moment]

A flawed Bond masterpiece and easily my favourite of the franchise as a child. Lonsdale is excellent and the 'changing room' device is rather brilliant. There are tons of low points, such as the fake snake and the ray guns, but not as many as in your average Bond film starring Craig.

[Bad Ambassador]

Lonsdale gets all the best lines.

"Look after Mister Bond. See that some harm comes to him."

"James Bond. You reappear with all the tedious inevitability of an unloved season."

But Q's last line is a gem. I caught the last hour at my parents' last week, and had to stifle a giggle. He means his cock!

[monkfromhavana]

I fell asleep during an ad break. Damn you, Bond!

[Kane Jones]

I fell asleep during an ad break. Damn you, Bond!

The best line in the whole film, I reckon.

[biggytitbo]

A View to a Kill is the best Moore Bond but I've always had a soft spot for the outlandishness of Moonraker. It does have essentially the same plot as the spy who loved me though.

[Replies From View]

I fell asleep during an ad break. Damn you, Bond!

They all did.  Don't believe anybody who says they have ever watched one of these so-called "Bond" films from start to finish.

[Mark Steels Stockbroker]

The book version by Christopher Wood does out some effort in to the characterisation, even for the pilots who get killed at the start.

[monkfromhavana]

A View to a Kill is the best Moore Bond but I've always had a soft spot for the outlandishness of Moonraker. It does have essentially the same plot as the spy who loved me though.

Stop getting Bond wrong! A View To A Kill is great, but The Man With The Golden Gun and Live and Let Die are better. If only for Britt Ekland and Jane Seymour.

[mobias]

Definitely still my favourite Bond movie. So many great set pieces. I sort of despair at people who think the space sequence is too silly and I even quite like the redemption of Jaws. But the one really great thing about Moonraker is John Barry's highly underrated score. Really one of the best James Bond scores he did I think.

This is a great passage of music even removed from the film. . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IKahbz75xo

[Thomas]

I'd quite like a period-set film adaptation of the original Fleming novel.

A lot of the original novel is in the film, though. The pigeon, for example.

[mobias]

"James Bond. You reappear with all the tedious inevitability of an unloved season."

Great line. Part of me want to think that sums up the whole Bond franchise from about 1980 onwards, although I did thoroughly enjoy Casino Royale.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

For some reason I often sing Moonraker to the tune of Goldfinger.

He's the man, the man who rakes moons!

[El Unicornio, mang]

The first half is actually pretty good, but the second half is Die Another Day level bad.

[shiftwork2]

The term 'moonraker' refers to the West Country village idiot who would try and retrieve a round cheese from Auntie Ethel's back passage after a night on the sauce.

[Gulftastic]

For some reason I often sing Moonraker to the tune of Goldfinger.

He's the man, the man who rakes moons!

From Rock Profiles? That's why I do it.

[kidsick5000]

A lot of the original novel is in the film, though. The pigeon, for example.

Well, the pigeon in the film is a nice nod to the novel. But I wish they had been totally true to the original text and told the story from the pigeon's perspective.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

From Rock Profiles? That's why I do it.

I only watched 2 episodes of that series. I'm guessing not the bit with that on.

[monkfromhavana]

People say how From Russia With Love is the best Bond film. It isn't, it's shit.

[Noodle Lizard]

Nary a sight of Jaws yet though.

he's in the first scene lol wat?

Opening sequence aside, not one of my favourites, especially coming right after The Spy Who Loved Me which dwarfs it in every way.  I actually remember preferring For Your Eyes Only, though I remember nothing about it except for the bit where a not-Blofeld gets chucked down a chimney at the beginning.

Come to think of it, I don't know what my favourite Bond film is, it's been a while since I've seen most of them.

[monkfromhavana]

he's in the first scene lol wat?

Opening sequence aside, not one of my favourites, especially coming right after The Spy Who Loved Me which dwarfs it in every way.  I actually remember preferring For Your Eyes Only, though I remember nothing about it except for the bit where a not-Blofeld gets chucked down a chimney at the beginning.

Come to think of it, I don't know what my favourite Bond film is, it's been a while since I've seen most of them.

Since falling asleep mid-Moonraker, I've watched Dr. No and today's From Russia With Love. First Bond films I've seen in about 10 years. The best ones are You Only Live Twice, The Man With The Golden Gun, Thunderball & Live & Let Die. The others are all alright.

The end of FRWL, with the setpiece of some elderly woman with a knife in her shoe attempting to kick Bond in the goolies has to be the shittest end to an action/thriller film ever.

[non capisco]

The best ones are You Only Live Twice, The Man With The Golden Gun, Thunderball & Live & Let Die.

Thunderball might actually be in my least favourite pile of the pre-Brosnans. Those underwater action scenes go at a snail's pace.

From Russia With Love is not shit, man, The train fight. Come on.

[monkfromhavana]

Thunderball might actually be in my least favourite pile of the pre-Brosnans. Those underwater action scenes go at a snail's pace.

From Russia With Love is not shit, man, The train fight. Come on.

A half-decent fist fight on a train does not mean the whole film is good. It's crap. Nothing happens. There is zero peril.

[Blumf]

What about that gypsy girl fight?



That's yer peril right there!

[Noodle Lizard]

The end of FRWL, with the setpiece of some elderly woman with a knife in her shoe attempting to kick Bond in the goolies has to be the shittest end to an action/thriller film ever.

Haha, Rosa Klebb!  Even the gun named after her in the Goldeneye game was shit.

[El Unicornio, mang]

The end of FRWL, with the setpiece of some elderly woman with a knife in her shoe attempting to kick Bond in the goolies has to be the shittest end to an action/thriller film ever.

I like that scene. Action scenes in old films always look a bit clunky and daft but it works for me. It's definitely in my top 5 Bond films, and probably the most Hitchockian of them all.

[Noodle Lizard]

probably the most Hitchockian of them all.

Well yeah, it's a direct rip-off at times.

I like it as well, but it's always one I'm surprised to see ranked so highly.  It's probably my least favourite Connery, if I'm honest[nb]not including Never Say Never Again[/nb], despite some good moments and the lovely theme song.

[Bad Ambassador]

Since falling asleep mid-Moonraker, I've watched Dr. No and today's From Russia With Love. First Bond films I've seen in about 10 years. The best ones are You Only Live Twice, The Man With The Golden Gun, Thunderball & Live & Let Die. The others are all alright.

Those are some of the worst ones. You are out of your fucking mind.

My thoughts, at considerable length, regarding From Russia With Love:
http://horsehair-nebula.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/from-russia-with-love-who-is-bond.html