The film is better than others, but could have used much more seriousness in tone. The action is good if not first-rate, but overall the film feels like everything was second best. It just seems too average and mundane for Bond.
Kristatos is wonderful though-as is Columbo. There should have been more scenes with these two. Loque really seems as if he is the villain. His death scene is good, but the kick should have been very firm without the slipping rocks.
How is Bibi Dahl in this movie? Her scenes don't fit at all! The hockey scene is jarringly inserted, but it was good to kill off Ferrara.
Kriegler is an idiot. The scene with the 2CV is good, but its sad to see the Lotus blown up. Bond is way too easily captured at Gonzalez's and the umbrella escape is cartoony. Do enjoy the ski chase though.
And yes, the music is waaaay too over the top and way too cheesy. The only good moments are when Loque pulls up in the dune buggy after killing Lisl, the beginning of the gunbarrel, and the scene at Tracy's grave.
The underwater scenes are boring!!! The closeups are unconvincing and I can't believe it took me year to realize that they weren't even underwater!
It was good to finally keel-hauling sequence but even that is done unconvincingly.
Finally, why exactly does Kristatos stiff Ferrara's hand?
I think FYEO could do well with a bootleg treatment - trim the silly, embarrassing scenes and Barryise the soundtrack and you have a better film, though still not brilliant.
With the 2CV digitally coloured a shocking pink...
If that doesn't get Alex's 'don't change a thing!' comment back, nothing will... )
theoretically roger could have acted terribly in this film, because his strength is as a funny actor. just as tim dalton would have been bad in moonraker.
"You're in the wrong business... leave it to the professionals!"
James Bond- Licence To Kill
8-) )
sorry, you are constantly blaming Roger for being silly and now you are unhappy with his serious portrayal in FYEO because his strength is to be a funny actor???
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
im sorry bondtoys. i meant to say roger moore is the most gifted actor to grace this planet, and its a mystery as to why hes not in some of the greatest movies ever made.
"You're in the wrong business... leave it to the professionals!"
James Bond- Licence To Kill
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
"Irony: Leave it to the Professionals. Don't Try This At Home."
- A public service announcement from the Department of Ironical Oversight
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I think FYEO could do well with a bootleg treatment - trim the silly, embarrassing scenes and Barryise the soundtrack and you have a better film, though still not brilliant.
With the 2CV digitally coloured a shocking pink...
If that doesn't get Alex's 'don't change a thing!' comment back, nothing will... )
I did type a sardonic comparison of Senor Plural and Senor Lucas, but fortunately diplomacy, and my solemn duty as a keeper of the peace, sent me spinning back down to earth.
This was actually the first Bond film I saw in the theaters -- they were such regular affairs on TV, my family never really went to see them in the theater. I was in the 7th grade when this movie came out and went to see it with a friend and his dad. I think we were more or less underwhelmed. I remember thinking that it didn't feel as much like a James Bond movie as the ones I watched on TV . . . and though at that age I could easily swap Moore for Connery and vice versa when watching a 007 on ABC, I didn't think Bond was as interesting in this movie as others . . . and the production seemed "incomplete." When I would watch it on cable and video however my opinion changed, and by the end of high school, I recognized it as one of the better Bonds.
Whatever the opinion of FYEO is, it certainly did not suffer at the box office. In the UK it trounced Raiders Of The Lost Ark, which was a very bar-raising action/adventure film, and I would say superior to FYEO in terms of art direction, in the Top 10 box office films of the year. Even Flash Gordon ranked higher than Raiders.
Personally, I was never a fan of FYEO- I always felt that both FYEO and LTK could have benefited from being a little looser than striving endlessly for realism- the merchandise and marketing is more interesting than the film itself. Octopussy however has some good material at work, and at least retains a sense of humour.
The ski chase in FYEO is the best ever filmed in any film ever.
I think the stuntwork in the ski scene was superior in FYEO.
Thunderbird 2East of Cardiff, Wales.Posts: 2,818MI6 Agent
Kronsteen, if you feel let down by FYEO, you will be in tears if you watch Moonraker, or AVTAK!!
Having read The James Bond short stories, I was surprised to see how much of the stories FYEO and more notably Risico are used in the film. Its the Moore film that has conviction and a serious Cold War thriller aspect to it - even if the ATAK, ATAC? ATACK - Electro typewriter is a macguffin! The film does have the essence of Flemmings writing in places, and Moore does a damned good job. Yes the comedy is still there, but it is not as blatent as Moonraker was.
I like TSWLM, and Moonraker, but I am a Sci Fi fan. Moore's bond is narratively at his best in FYEO in my opinion. The chemistry between More and Topol as their colleagues works well and Jullian Glover is very good as Kristatos, one of the few understated villains who has punch. - Devious, charming and snooty, he could be a double agent quite easily.
James Villers is an excellent Tanner, and bear in mind, FYEO was written when Yes Prime Minister was on the air. - Tanner as depicted reminds me a lot of the late Sir Nigel Hawthorne's potrayal of Sir Humphrey Appleby from that series. Stuffy, condescending, bureaucratic, but he gets the job done.
I was puzzled by the incosistent attitude of Sir Freddy Gray. In TSWLM, he psitivlry pally with Bond when they talk in private (Bond calls him "Freddie) but in Mrkr and here he is cold? - He goes back to being affable in TLD? (Scratches head).
The film has its flaws - every Bond film does. (Did I really type that?) But it is NOT one of the worst - either of Sir Roger's tenure, or the Bond films overall.
As a side note: The character of Charles Robinson (Colin Salmon) was created as Michael Kitchen was not available for TND. Liking Salmon's work as Robinson, they wanted to keep both characters for future films (As per TWINE).
This is Thunderbird 2, how can I be of assistance?
Comments
Kristatos is wonderful though-as is Columbo. There should have been more scenes with these two. Loque really seems as if he is the villain. His death scene is good, but the kick should have been very firm without the slipping rocks.
How is Bibi Dahl in this movie? Her scenes don't fit at all! The hockey scene is jarringly inserted, but it was good to kill off Ferrara.
Kriegler is an idiot. The scene with the 2CV is good, but its sad to see the Lotus blown up. Bond is way too easily captured at Gonzalez's and the umbrella escape is cartoony. Do enjoy the ski chase though.
And yes, the music is waaaay too over the top and way too cheesy. The only good moments are when Loque pulls up in the dune buggy after killing Lisl, the beginning of the gunbarrel, and the scene at Tracy's grave.
The underwater scenes are boring!!! The closeups are unconvincing and I can't believe it took me year to realize that they weren't even underwater!
It was good to finally keel-hauling sequence but even that is done unconvincingly.
Finally, why exactly does Kristatos stiff Ferrara's hand?
With the 2CV digitally coloured a shocking pink...
If that doesn't get Alex's 'don't change a thing!' comment back, nothing will...
Roger Moore 1927-2017
For those that are interest I have for sale a prop from FYEO (infact I have two, but I,m keeping one for myself).
I enclose a link;
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=270434324765
The best Roger Moore film is The Spy Who Loved Me......FYEO anoys me because the cool car gets blown up too early in the film!!
~ Casino Royale, Ian Fleming
James Bond- Licence To Kill
sorry, you are constantly blaming Roger for being silly and now you are unhappy with his serious portrayal in FYEO because his strength is to be a funny actor???
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
James Bond- Licence To Kill
- A public service announcement from the Department of Ironical Oversight
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
It was fun for a while though :007)
After murdering Bond's wife, Blofeld thought he could make it up to 007 by getting him a sandwich!
Personally, I was never a fan of FYEO- I always felt that both FYEO and LTK could have benefited from being a little looser than striving endlessly for realism- the merchandise and marketing is more interesting than the film itself. Octopussy however has some good material at work, and at least retains a sense of humour.
I think the stuntwork in the ski scene was superior in FYEO.
Having read The James Bond short stories, I was surprised to see how much of the stories FYEO and more notably Risico are used in the film. Its the Moore film that has conviction and a serious Cold War thriller aspect to it - even if the ATAK, ATAC? ATACK - Electro typewriter is a macguffin! The film does have the essence of Flemmings writing in places, and Moore does a damned good job. Yes the comedy is still there, but it is not as blatent as Moonraker was.
I like TSWLM, and Moonraker, but I am a Sci Fi fan. Moore's bond is narratively at his best in FYEO in my opinion. The chemistry between More and Topol as their colleagues works well and Jullian Glover is very good as Kristatos, one of the few understated villains who has punch. - Devious, charming and snooty, he could be a double agent quite easily.
James Villers is an excellent Tanner, and bear in mind, FYEO was written when Yes Prime Minister was on the air. - Tanner as depicted reminds me a lot of the late Sir Nigel Hawthorne's potrayal of Sir Humphrey Appleby from that series. Stuffy, condescending, bureaucratic, but he gets the job done.
I was puzzled by the incosistent attitude of Sir Freddy Gray. In TSWLM, he psitivlry pally with Bond when they talk in private (Bond calls him "Freddie) but in Mrkr and here he is cold? - He goes back to being affable in TLD? (Scratches head).
The film has its flaws - every Bond film does. (Did I really type that?) But it is NOT one of the worst - either of Sir Roger's tenure, or the Bond films overall.
As a side note: The character of Charles Robinson (Colin Salmon) was created as Michael Kitchen was not available for TND. Liking Salmon's work as Robinson, they wanted to keep both characters for future films (As per TWINE).