JW was hilarious and fitting in LALD, but unnecessary in TMWTGG. Even though he's still funny in the latter, because he already existed, he's immediately a caricature.
Same thing goes for Jaws, although he's less annoying in MR than JW is in TMWTGG - he just adds to MR's issue of carbon copy elements from the enormous success and perfection of TSWLM.
Jaws in TSWLM (apart from the silly car ripping up scene) is believable and classy (with his suits). -{
The fun of Moore's Bond has such an infectious effect on me that I can't help but smile whenever I get to the Moore era during a Bondathon. My personal favorite performances are MR and OP, with MR and LALD being my favorite Moore films.
Fav Moore Films: MR, LALD, TWSLM, OP, TMWTGG, AVTAK, FYEO
Fav Moore Performances: MR, OP, LALD, TSWLM, FYEO, TMWTGG, AVTAK
A few of my fav Moore quotes (I am sure I'm missing a bunch!):
"Oh, luck? Well, then l shall use player's privilege, and use your lucky dice. lt's all in the wrist... Double sixes. Fancy that."
"Did I?" during quail hunting with Drax.
"I am now aiming precisely at your groin. So speak or forever hold your piece"
"Fill 'er up please!"
"By the way, the name is James St. John Smythe, I'm English"
"I am more concerned about an atomic bomb exploding on a US Air Force base in West Germany! You surely can't be inviting a nuclear war? What happens when the US retaliates?"
Fav Moore Films: MR, LALD, TWSLM, OP, TMWTGG, AVTAK, FYEO
Fav Moore Performances: MR, OP, LALD, TSWLM, FYEO, TMWTGG, AVTAK
And for my 2,000th post on AJB I will write something about my favorite Bond.
Ranking his performance as 007 is a tough one for me because I like his AVTAK and FYEO the best, but he's also too old in these films for it to be considered definitive. (Compared to how dashing he looked in the first four) Here's how I would evaluate his Bond for each film.
LALD
Pros: Handsome and fit. Not a super genius. Resourceful. Good one liners. Wears black.
Cons: Doesn't seem to get frazzled enough. Mission seemed to easy for him. Seems a little wet behind the ears.
TMWTGG
Pros: Handsome and fit. I love how mean he is in this film. Good one liners. Good fight scene. Great conversation with Scaramanga at lunch.
Cons: Too much of a genius with a photographic memory and knowledge of solar operation. Doesn't seem to get frazzled or show enough emotion. For example right after the car jump he says "Neither have I actually" without much excitement for the stunt.
TSWLM
Pros: Handsome and fit. Well dressed. More confident. More ruthless than fans give credit for. Excellent monolog about killing Anya's lover. Perfect reaction when Anya mentions his wife. Looks great in Naval uniform. I also like how he is seen reading a manual instead of knowing what to do.
Cons: Gratuitous one-liners while Jaws is destroying the fan. Rude to Anya when she points out that a car is following. Barely talks to Moneypenny in Egypt.
MR
Pros: Handsome and fit. Well dressed. Wears cool all-black outfits. Sneaks around a lot and does a lot of spying.
Best M office scene ever. Uses the Fleming line, "Just what I read in the papers sir" instead of being an expert on the subject.
Visibly shaken after the centrifuge scene..perhaps his finest moment. Almost all one-liners are perfect. Very confident..especially after shooting the sniper out of the tree. I like the "unless you're a pheasant" line which shows Bond's more sensitive side similar to in the MR novel.
Cons: Rude to Doctor Goodhead when he interrupts her. Too much of a genius regarded the orchid/chemical formula/river.
Slightly offensive they way he so quickly undresses Manuela.
FYEO
Pros: Not a super genius. More subdued and earnest performance. My favorite bits are "I'm writing a book about Greek smugglers, do you know any?" and the way he rejects Kristatos' wine suggestion. His heart-to-heart with Melina in the sleigh is also good.
Cons: Poorly dressed in clunky, dated outfits. Looking too old for the role. (Especially for Bibi)
Octopussy
Pros: Seems to be having fun again compared to the low-key FYEO. Some impressive karate moves in the fight scene.
Excellent acting as we actually feel that Bond is in serious peril for most of the film. Great shootouts and cold blooded kills. Even manages to pull off the clown outfit with a frantic performance. Spot on humor in the right places (i.e offering Gobinda a nightcap) and deadly serious in others (interrogation of General Orlov)
Cons: Knows way too much about faberge eggs. Slightly annoying in Q's lab. Overly aggressive with Maud in the bedroom scene. Showing his age a bit. Forced to wear a clown outfit.
AVTAK
Pros: Overall his best, most likable performance. More emotional, more tender, more real. Dabbles in cooking. Sleeps in a chair rather than hop in bed with Stacy. Great undercover work juggling a variety of aliases. (What did you say your name was?)
I would say this was Roger at his most heroic as well.
Cons: Wearing the track suit. Looking too old for the role. Doesn't blink for the first couple minutes.
I tend to watch the RM films the most frequently and am glad there are 7 to choose from! -{
My current 10 favorite:
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
Excellent post, Firemass! I agree with almost everything, except Moore's outfits in FYEO. I think almost everything he wears still looks great, especially compared to what he wore in the 70s.
Nice one Firemass. Have to agree with your write up, although I do think Moore looks a bit trimmer in FYEO as opposed to MR where he comes across as he's just come back from two weeks in the tropics (lots of sun, booze and food).
I think OP is his finest performance, followed by TSWLM - he carries both films so well.
Excellent post, Firemass! I agree with almost everything, except Moore's outfits in FYEO. I think almost everything he wears still looks great, especially compared to what he wore in the 70s.
You're the expert! I love your Suits of James Bond website. For me, the FYEO gear is either too drab (both blousons) or too pastel (pale yellow shirt). Not a fan of the bulky blue ski jacket and striped hat combo either. The quilted gilet seems like unusual gear for Bond, but I suppose it's appropriate.
In Octopussy, Roger OWNS the role. The PTS is a fine example of Moore's Bond doing what he does best.
"Toro? Sounds like a load of bull."
*Flips the guards unbuttoned pocket as he walks past* (love that bit)
*The salute to judo chop is awesome*
Ends with the classic"Fill 'er up please"
The amount of detail in his later performances shows a clear improvement over his first couple entries with Guy Hamilton.
Another small example would be when Magda says, "That's my little Octopussy" and look on Bond's face is priceless.
Too true! I know I repeat it a lot, but Bond's diatribe about his fellow agent turning up dead and Major St. John Smyth is a brilliant piece of acting when he meets Octopussy and his subdued ('I'm in trouble') at the Monsoon Palace dinner is excellent.
"At the risk of making light dinner conversation..."
I never found Moore' Bond "being too much of an expert" a bad thing at all, to be honest.
Always thought Bond would be a walking encyclopedia of information, so loved it when he spent a lot of time pretty much teaching M about faberge eggs or Scaramanga. As much as I love Firemass' enthusiasm for AVTAK, which has rubbed off on me, I find Moore could possibly me more heroic in OP. How he stopped a bomb in Berlin and saved Octopussy from Kamal.
An excellent 2000th post though!!
I want to see if we could turn this into a sticky thread.
“The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning. "
-Casino Royale, Ian Fleming
I find Bond (not limited to Roger Moore) being an expert on many subjects to be amusing. A very well-educated uncle of mine is knowledgeable on countless subjects in very much the same way Bond is. He's a doctor but his knowledge goes far beyond medicine. I know other people who are like Bond in that way too. It's not unrealistic. Bond spends a lot of time on aeroplanes, and he's likely reading on them. Who knows what he brings to the toilet, especially considering all of the rich food he eats! There's no reason why Bond wouldn't be well-read.
If I had to rank Moore's Bond films strictly by how funny he is/tries to be (from most to least funny)
1. Moonraker
2. Octopussy
3. Live And Let Die
4. The Spy Who Loved Me
5. The Man With The Golden Gun
6. A View To A Kill
7. For Your Eyes Only
In terms of whether I prefer campy, or serious. Definitely serious, however with Roger Moore's Bond I don't mind if he himself is trying to be funny, but if the movie itself does not make sense (The Man With The Golden Gun), that ultimately puts it in last place. In TMWTGG he tries to be a tough person that hits women around and it just doesn't seem to fit his personality.
I'd probably put LALD as his funniest film, there's not an ounce of seriousness in anything about it. The jokes in it are very well written (similar to TMWTGG, part of the Tom M trilogy).
I find his other films are campier in their jokes, but are much more serious in subject matter.
"Oh, a snake. I forgot, I should have told you. You should never go in there without a mongoose."
I'd probably put LALD as his funniest film, there's not an ounce of seriousness in anything about it. The jokes in it are very well written (similar to TMWTGG, part of the Tom M trilogy).
I find his other films are campier in their jokes, but are much more serious in subject matter.
"Oh, a snake. I forgot, I should have told you. You should never go in there without a mongoose."
"I don't suppose any of these potential overnight bags are orphans?"
"Oh no! We have some moms and dads, as well!"
)
Have you ever heard of the Emancipation Proclamation?"
Comments
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
JW was hilarious and fitting in LALD, but unnecessary in TMWTGG. Even though he's still funny in the latter, because he already existed, he's immediately a caricature.
Same thing goes for Jaws, although he's less annoying in MR than JW is in TMWTGG - he just adds to MR's issue of carbon copy elements from the enormous success and perfection of TSWLM.
Jaws in TSWLM (apart from the silly car ripping up scene) is believable and classy (with his suits). -{
"Better make that two."
One of the reasons that Roger is the coolest Bond is that he sometimes wears ALL black. Especially in Moonraker and LALD.
There were a couple missed opportunities such as the dark navy blue outfit in FYEO and the almost all black track suit in AVTAK.
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
It's kinda funny too because he was the fairest Bond other than Craig.
"Better make that two."
Fav Moore Films: MR, LALD, TWSLM, OP, TMWTGG, AVTAK, FYEO
Fav Moore Performances: MR, OP, LALD, TSWLM, FYEO, TMWTGG, AVTAK
A few of my fav Moore quotes (I am sure I'm missing a bunch!):
"Oh, luck? Well, then l shall use player's privilege, and use your lucky dice. lt's all in the wrist... Double sixes. Fancy that."
"Did I?" during quail hunting with Drax.
"I am now aiming precisely at your groin. So speak or forever hold your piece"
"Fill 'er up please!"
"By the way, the name is James St. John Smythe, I'm English"
"A fellow sportsman"
"Better make that two."
And for my 2,000th post on AJB I will write something about my favorite Bond.
Ranking his performance as 007 is a tough one for me because I like his AVTAK and FYEO the best, but he's also too old in these films for it to be considered definitive. (Compared to how dashing he looked in the first four) Here's how I would evaluate his Bond for each film.
LALD
Pros: Handsome and fit. Not a super genius. Resourceful. Good one liners. Wears black.
Cons: Doesn't seem to get frazzled enough. Mission seemed to easy for him. Seems a little wet behind the ears.
TMWTGG
Pros: Handsome and fit. I love how mean he is in this film. Good one liners. Good fight scene. Great conversation with Scaramanga at lunch.
Cons: Too much of a genius with a photographic memory and knowledge of solar operation. Doesn't seem to get frazzled or show enough emotion. For example right after the car jump he says "Neither have I actually" without much excitement for the stunt.
TSWLM
Pros: Handsome and fit. Well dressed. More confident. More ruthless than fans give credit for. Excellent monolog about killing Anya's lover. Perfect reaction when Anya mentions his wife. Looks great in Naval uniform. I also like how he is seen reading a manual instead of knowing what to do.
Cons: Gratuitous one-liners while Jaws is destroying the fan. Rude to Anya when she points out that a car is following. Barely talks to Moneypenny in Egypt.
MR
Pros: Handsome and fit. Well dressed. Wears cool all-black outfits. Sneaks around a lot and does a lot of spying.
Best M office scene ever. Uses the Fleming line, "Just what I read in the papers sir" instead of being an expert on the subject.
Visibly shaken after the centrifuge scene..perhaps his finest moment. Almost all one-liners are perfect. Very confident..especially after shooting the sniper out of the tree. I like the "unless you're a pheasant" line which shows Bond's more sensitive side similar to in the MR novel.
Cons: Rude to Doctor Goodhead when he interrupts her. Too much of a genius regarded the orchid/chemical formula/river.
Slightly offensive they way he so quickly undresses Manuela.
FYEO
Pros: Not a super genius. More subdued and earnest performance. My favorite bits are "I'm writing a book about Greek smugglers, do you know any?" and the way he rejects Kristatos' wine suggestion. His heart-to-heart with Melina in the sleigh is also good.
Cons: Poorly dressed in clunky, dated outfits. Looking too old for the role. (Especially for Bibi)
Octopussy
Pros: Seems to be having fun again compared to the low-key FYEO. Some impressive karate moves in the fight scene.
Excellent acting as we actually feel that Bond is in serious peril for most of the film. Great shootouts and cold blooded kills. Even manages to pull off the clown outfit with a frantic performance. Spot on humor in the right places (i.e offering Gobinda a nightcap) and deadly serious in others (interrogation of General Orlov)
Cons: Knows way too much about faberge eggs. Slightly annoying in Q's lab. Overly aggressive with Maud in the bedroom scene. Showing his age a bit. Forced to wear a clown outfit.
AVTAK
Pros: Overall his best, most likable performance. More emotional, more tender, more real. Dabbles in cooking. Sleeps in a chair rather than hop in bed with Stacy. Great undercover work juggling a variety of aliases. (What did you say your name was?)
I would say this was Roger at his most heroic as well.
Cons: Wearing the track suit. Looking too old for the role. Doesn't blink for the first couple minutes.
I tend to watch the RM films the most frequently and am glad there are 7 to choose from! -{
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
I think OP is his finest performance, followed by TSWLM - he carries both films so well.
"Better make that two."
Why thanks Barbel. Cheers for being such a great chief of staff around here. -{
You're the expert! I love your Suits of James Bond website. For me, the FYEO gear is either too drab (both blousons) or too pastel (pale yellow shirt). Not a fan of the bulky blue ski jacket and striped hat combo either. The quilted gilet seems like unusual gear for Bond, but I suppose it's appropriate.
In Octopussy, Roger OWNS the role. The PTS is a fine example of Moore's Bond doing what he does best.
"Toro? Sounds like a load of bull."
*Flips the guards unbuttoned pocket as he walks past* (love that bit)
*The salute to judo chop is awesome*
Ends with the classic"Fill 'er up please"
The amount of detail in his later performances shows a clear improvement over his first couple entries with Guy Hamilton.
Another small example would be when Magda says, "That's my little Octopussy" and look on Bond's face is priceless.
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
Too true! I know I repeat it a lot, but Bond's diatribe about his fellow agent turning up dead and Major St. John Smyth is a brilliant piece of acting when he meets Octopussy and his subdued ('I'm in trouble') at the Monsoon Palace dinner is excellent.
"At the risk of making light dinner conversation..."
"Better make that two."
Always thought Bond would be a walking encyclopedia of information, so loved it when he spent a lot of time pretty much teaching M about faberge eggs or Scaramanga. As much as I love Firemass' enthusiasm for AVTAK, which has rubbed off on me, I find Moore could possibly me more heroic in OP. How he stopped a bomb in Berlin and saved Octopussy from Kamal.
An excellent 2000th post though!!
I want to see if we could turn this into a sticky thread.
-Casino Royale, Ian Fleming
All those in favour...?
Aye
"Better make that two."
1. Moonraker
2. Octopussy
3. Live And Let Die
4. The Spy Who Loved Me
5. The Man With The Golden Gun
6. A View To A Kill
7. For Your Eyes Only
In terms of whether I prefer campy, or serious. Definitely serious, however with Roger Moore's Bond I don't mind if he himself is trying to be funny, but if the movie itself does not make sense (The Man With The Golden Gun), that ultimately puts it in last place. In TMWTGG he tries to be a tough person that hits women around and it just doesn't seem to fit his personality.
My ranking of the Moore films:
1. FYEO 2. AVTAK 3. TSWLM 4. OP 5. MR 6. LALD 7. TMWTGG
1. Dalton 2. Moore 3. Connery 4. Lazenby 5. Craig 6. Brosnan
I find his other films are campier in their jokes, but are much more serious in subject matter.
"Oh, a snake. I forgot, I should have told you. You should never go in there without a mongoose."
"Better make that two."
"I don't suppose any of these potential overnight bags are orphans?"
"Oh no! We have some moms and dads, as well!"
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF_4SSmpl_I&t=830s
It's well worth a listen. -{
The guys who do the podcast are absolute James Bond Geeks, as well as being professional. Enjoy!
-Casino Royale, Ian Fleming
This was a great episode!
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
Sir Roger has not ruled out a return to the Bond films.
"When I saw Casino Royale, I thought that Daniel Craig did more action in the first seven minutes than I did in seven movies."
Typical Sir Rog - I am happy that he hasn't changed one bit {[] {[] {[]
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK