Just my personal opinion, but this actually had the potential to be one of the best scenes in the film. The problem was, in my mind, Tanya Roberts dragging it down.
fire engine chase
Again, in my opinion, it was too hammy in spots (you can only have so many gags) to truly give a sense of urgency. Still, this was the only one I truly found boring, and even then, had Bond "borrowed" a smaller EMS vehicle like a fire ambulance, it would have been much more convincing and eliminated the potential for gags.
mine sequence
Actually, I liked the mine sequence quite a bit and if you were to ask me what my favorite scenes in the latter half of the film were, they'd probably take place here.
golden gate bridge fight
Not so much boring as it felt out of place to me. Zorin almost broke character here; while Walken's portrayal of him through most of the film was nothing short of brilliant, the reason I thought it was brilliant was because he was largely accomplishing his goals via henchmen or just shooting people. He wasn't a physical bad guy. Going after Bond with an axe just didn't seem right to me. If he were alternately shooting at Bond or, better, trying to take Bond out with sticks of dynamite while boasting about how he knows the fuses (while Bond has to get the blimp free and blow Zorin to smithereens, or alternately try and knock him free of the blimp completely; you could even have him make the decision to endanger everyone aboard the blimp to take out Zorin, including a tough choice to risk Stacy's life, which I'm sure would have worked had the character been better-written and she been not so weak), I think that would have been spectacular. I think there were some very good components to this fight (the blimp being caught being the best), but I just don't think they should have used Zorin resorting to hand-to-hand combat.
By the way, are you gonna eat that?
BIG TAMWrexham, North Wales, UK.Posts: 773MI6 Agent
Two bits I always laugh at:-
1. Bond & Stacey finding that elaborate electronic map conveniently spelling out Zorin's scheme. Stacey's utterance, "I think I've found something." is the icing on the preposterous cake.
2. Dr. Mortner & Scarpine fighting over the lit stick of dynamite on Zorin's airship. It always reminds me of a Wile E. Coyote escapade.
The first half of AVTAK is always the better section for me. Once it gets to San Francisco it becomes a bit of drag, as if John Glen & co don't know how to wrap things up.
But, I do like the expression of disbelief on Zorin's face when he sees May Day coming out of the mine on the bomb, realising his masterplan's been well & truly scuppered.
The brilliant (?) city hall fire and especially the fire engine chase were absolutely boring. Not so the mine sequence, which was fairly interesting. And the Golden Gate Bridge fight just didn't work for me, primarily because Moore's age and yes, lack of convincing physicality, made it very hard for me to suspend disbelief and believe he could hold his own in such a fight. Sorry to dump on a movie you are obviously very fond of, but AVTAK is just a dud for me.
The absence of Tanya Roberts might have given it a slight uptick (depending upon who was cast in her place), but AVTAK would still be at the bottom of my list. For me, the biggest problem besides the way too old Roger Moore, who was no great shakes Bond when he was younger, is that the movie is BORING!
Did you really find the brilliant city hall fire, fire engine chase, mine sequence, and golden gate bridge fight boring?
I think One of the reasons the fight on the Bridge wasn't one of the best.
Was, I think to get permission to use it they couldn't throw any Punches on
the Bridge . So it's just a bit of Pushing and shoving.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
I did like the way the major got shot, a nasty moment foreshadowing the Craig era, only gent Moore has a better sense of contained outrage, as he did with Tibbett, than Craig's "Damn, it's me who should be killing someone" schtick.
I think One of the reasons the fight on the Bridge wasn't one of the best.
Was, I think to get permission to use it they couldn't throw any Punches on
the Bridge . So it's just a bit of Pushing and shoving.
It's not so much a fight as a struggle. They are standing on the bridge support which is round and narrow which means they have not really got a firm footing. They are also having to hold on to the ropes to stop themselves from falling into the bay. I think it works well, there is no way they could have a proper fight in that situation.
Moore Not Less 4371 posts (2002 - 2007) Moore Than (2012 - 2016)
I hate to argue Moore than, But I think take away whatever restrictions they had
and a good Fight cordinator would come up with some brilliant fight scenes.
God you should see some of my Moves after a few pints of snakebite. )
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
I hate to argue Moore than, But I think take away whatever restrictions they had
and a good Fight cordinator would come up with some brilliant fight scenes.
God you should see some of my Moves after a few pints of snakebite. )
Take away whatever restrictions they had and they would both have ended up in the bay. The fight co-ordinator would really have struggled to earn his money in that situation.
I don't know why but my instincts are telling me that it would be wise for me not to be anywhere near you after you have drunk a few pints of snakebite.
Moore Not Less 4371 posts (2002 - 2007) Moore Than (2012 - 2016)
I hate to argue Moore than, But I think take away whatever restrictions they had
and a good Fight cordinator would come up with some brilliant fight scenes.
God you should see some of my Moves after a few pints of snakebite. )
"Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
Thunderbird 2East of Cardiff, Wales.Posts: 2,819MI6 Agent
Stacey was more Penelope Pitstop than Lady Penelope! (Lady Penelope's a FAB character for whom I have nothing but admiration!) :-)
When I say 'The Perils Of Penelope' I'm thinking, really, of all those damsels-in-distress of the silent movies era... the ingenues who were tied down to railway tracks by dastardly, moustache-twiddling villains but rescued in the nick of time by matinee idols.
For me it is. I fell in love with her from her first appearance in the movie - her arrival at Zorin's chateau, underscored by a John Barry 'glamour' signature as Bond looks on appreciatively. Barry's enchanting instrumental 'love' arrangement of the AVTAK main theme lends atmosphere, too, to Stacey's romantic scenes with Bond.
My misunderstanding, and fair play. I agree Ms Roberts looked lovely, and there are a couple of character moments that almost work. But flim flam writing and silly visual moments, (such as the afore mentioned electronic map and the whole "James, don't leave me!" business was cringeworthy. Def not the same territory as Pussy G, or Tracy before, or Pam Bouvier, Wai-Lin or (CENSORED FOR SKYFALL SPOILERS) Since! Plus - those blimps are quite noisy. Could one REALLY sneak up on somebody?
Tam - good call on the "Loney Toones" business with the dynamite in the blimp! The cut in two twice taxi in Paris has a Bugs Bunny element to it too. A mockery of the well executed double decker bus scene in LALD.
Still, the locations are great and the rest of the cast are effective.
This is Thunderbird 2, how can I be of assistance?
One additional thought that hasn't been said yet, but I think needs to be said.
Many times when Bond spends significant time in the US, the movies tend to start feeling more like a high budget US television show rather than a Bond movie. Maybe I only feel that way because I'm an American and don't really consider any of the US Bond locales that interesting.
Maybe I only feel that way because I'm an American and don't really consider any of the US Bond locales that interesting.
Yeah, y'know, I never really thought about that, but you're right. I mean, Vegas was kinda cool in DAF, but all other American locations were always pretty *meh* for me. Especially New York in LALD- it's where I grew up! 8-)
I'm watching AVTAK as I type this. There may be a lot wrong with it, but still for me one of my favourite Moore films. It isn't full of daft gadgets and Moore tries to play it straight (FYEO style) and though Moore is on the wrong side of 50, he looks as good as he was ever going to get. Also I think Chris Walken is just fantastic in it.
"Thank you very much. I was just out walking my RAT and seem to have lost my way... "
Also I think Chris Walken is just fantastic in it.
Actually, I liked him better in Batman Returns; in AVTAK I got this heavy TV-movie vibe from him... though even Walken phoning it in is still Walken B-) !
Comments
Just my personal opinion, but this actually had the potential to be one of the best scenes in the film. The problem was, in my mind, Tanya Roberts dragging it down.
Again, in my opinion, it was too hammy in spots (you can only have so many gags) to truly give a sense of urgency. Still, this was the only one I truly found boring, and even then, had Bond "borrowed" a smaller EMS vehicle like a fire ambulance, it would have been much more convincing and eliminated the potential for gags.
Actually, I liked the mine sequence quite a bit and if you were to ask me what my favorite scenes in the latter half of the film were, they'd probably take place here.
Not so much boring as it felt out of place to me. Zorin almost broke character here; while Walken's portrayal of him through most of the film was nothing short of brilliant, the reason I thought it was brilliant was because he was largely accomplishing his goals via henchmen or just shooting people. He wasn't a physical bad guy. Going after Bond with an axe just didn't seem right to me. If he were alternately shooting at Bond or, better, trying to take Bond out with sticks of dynamite while boasting about how he knows the fuses (while Bond has to get the blimp free and blow Zorin to smithereens, or alternately try and knock him free of the blimp completely; you could even have him make the decision to endanger everyone aboard the blimp to take out Zorin, including a tough choice to risk Stacy's life, which I'm sure would have worked had the character been better-written and she been not so weak), I think that would have been spectacular. I think there were some very good components to this fight (the blimp being caught being the best), but I just don't think they should have used Zorin resorting to hand-to-hand combat.
1. Bond & Stacey finding that elaborate electronic map conveniently spelling out Zorin's scheme. Stacey's utterance, "I think I've found something." is the icing on the preposterous cake.
2. Dr. Mortner & Scarpine fighting over the lit stick of dynamite on Zorin's airship. It always reminds me of a Wile E. Coyote escapade.
The first half of AVTAK is always the better section for me. Once it gets to San Francisco it becomes a bit of drag, as if John Glen & co don't know how to wrap things up.
But, I do like the expression of disbelief on Zorin's face when he sees May Day coming out of the mine on the bomb, realising his masterplan's been well & truly scuppered.
Was, I think to get permission to use it they couldn't throw any Punches on
the Bridge . So it's just a bit of Pushing and shoving.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
One of the things I like most about Craig!
It's not so much a fight as a struggle. They are standing on the bridge support which is round and narrow which means they have not really got a firm footing. They are also having to hold on to the ropes to stop themselves from falling into the bay. I think it works well, there is no way they could have a proper fight in that situation.
and a good Fight cordinator would come up with some brilliant fight scenes.
God you should see some of my Moves after a few pints of snakebite.
Take away whatever restrictions they had and they would both have ended up in the bay. The fight co-ordinator would really have struggled to earn his money in that situation.
I don't know why but my instincts are telling me that it would be wise for me not to be anywhere near you after you have drunk a few pints of snakebite.
My misunderstanding, and fair play. I agree Ms Roberts looked lovely, and there are a couple of character moments that almost work. But flim flam writing and silly visual moments, (such as the afore mentioned electronic map and the whole "James, don't leave me!" business was cringeworthy. Def not the same territory as Pussy G, or Tracy before, or Pam Bouvier, Wai-Lin or (CENSORED FOR SKYFALL SPOILERS) Since! Plus - those blimps are quite noisy. Could one REALLY sneak up on somebody?
Tam - good call on the "Loney Toones" business with the dynamite in the blimp! The cut in two twice taxi in Paris has a Bugs Bunny element to it too. A mockery of the well executed double decker bus scene in LALD.
Still, the locations are great and the rest of the cast are effective.
Many times when Bond spends significant time in the US, the movies tend to start feeling more like a high budget US television show rather than a Bond movie. Maybe I only feel that way because I'm an American and don't really consider any of the US Bond locales that interesting.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS