For Your Eyes Only
Hugo Drax
Leeds, United Kingdom.Posts: 210MI6 Agent
Felt like watching a Moore Bond film and put this in the DVD player last night.
I really enjoyed it. Then I read some reviews online and it seemed to suggest that the film was not well-received on release. I think this is one of Moore's strongest entries. It has a decent plot, one of the most beautiful Bond girls who is no pushover and a strong supporting cast.
Some of the contemporary reviews took the line that it 'didn't compare to the gritty heyday of the Connery films'. However, this argument has always reminded me of those people who get nostalgic about a Britain in which there was supposedly no crime at all and in which society had values: this country never existed!
I liked the relative absence of gadgets and toned down humour. The pre-titles, Bond killing Locque and the cliff climb are the highlights of the film for me.
I really enjoyed it. Then I read some reviews online and it seemed to suggest that the film was not well-received on release. I think this is one of Moore's strongest entries. It has a decent plot, one of the most beautiful Bond girls who is no pushover and a strong supporting cast.
Some of the contemporary reviews took the line that it 'didn't compare to the gritty heyday of the Connery films'. However, this argument has always reminded me of those people who get nostalgic about a Britain in which there was supposedly no crime at all and in which society had values: this country never existed!
I liked the relative absence of gadgets and toned down humour. The pre-titles, Bond killing Locque and the cliff climb are the highlights of the film for me.
Comments
I remember that I 'was walking on clouds' after the screening - could not imagine that a movie could be done better.
It's still my favourite movie - together with OHMSS
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
"that sounds like a dismissal. I was rather looking forward to breakfast"
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
It had boring elements too, with Monique and the icky Bibi scenes. I'm not sure contemporary reviewers compared it much to the Connery films though, they were ancient history back then, even more than now oddly.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I love driving to: Drive in the country Bd Runaway
Monique??
Nap, are you sure that you have seen the movie that you are currently commenting on?
btt: The soundtrack is a masterpiece imo.
It has class while not remotely trying to immitate Barry.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Mind you, if you say Conti's score is a masterpiece, the question is have you ever seen the film!
Roger Moore 1927-2017
FYEO had good intentions and I admire it quite a bit for getting Bond back to earth. However, I would say the true Fleming Bond fan is better off just reading the books. I would rather the cinematic Bond resemble TSWLM and MR. It's more of a "pure cinema" experience without ties to a literary source.
With that in mind I've just started reading the Moonraker novel and I'm expecting a completely different experience than the film.
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
Roger Moore 1927-2017
WTF?! Does it! Can't remember that! Give us a reference on that one, or are you pulling our collective legs there, Mr Plural?!
You're in for a REAL treat there, Firemass. Moonraker is IMHO Fleming's finest James Bond novel!
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
-Casino Royale, Ian Fleming
Though Michael G. Wilson recalled that they decided to "go back to Fleming," I think in reality the producers realized that they couldnt' get any more outlandish than MOONRAKER, and had to reset, partly out of desperation. Unfortunately, the film seems to move dreamily from scene to scene, with the requisite baker's dozen of attempts on Bond's life, and easy clues. The "Risico" twist is nice, made more interesting knowing that Julian Glover was one contender to play Bond many years before.
Another treat is a small role played by Charles Dance, before he achieved recognition in THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN and THE GOLDEN CHILD.
“It reads better than it lives.” T. Case
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For Your Eyes Only is the best Bond film starring Moore - because it incorporates elements from two of Fleming's short stories into a brilliantly written, acted and directed film. I'm not a big fan of Moore, but I love this film.
Everything clicked and it was a proper espionage case.
No super villiain bent on world domination, no "unbelieveable" stunt work, no bedding every girl that passes, one of Bond's best allies in Columbo, a cracking great cast, superb theme song...
...I could go on and on about how much I loved this movie.
"You must give me the name of your oculist."
It was a waste of a brand new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, though
If they had used a car I didn't like or care for so much in that scene, I guess I wouldn't have minded as much
Yes, the banality of evil is best seen in Julian Glover's great performance as Aris Kristatos. -{
Personally, while I like them, and own both soundtrack scores, I think both are products of their particular era. The electric keyboard version of the James Bond theme (Which I think is really cool) and Louie Armstrong's song are very 60s sounding, and I'd have guessed OHMSS was a 60s film, even if I didn't know the date.
The FYEO soundtrack actually sounds a bit more dated than the film actually is, especially the Disco-ish version of the James Bond theme that plays during the helicopter sequence with "Blofeld". It heavily reminds me of "Bond '77" from TSWLM. In fact, if you played them back to back, they might even both sound like they were Marvin Hamlisch's.
The tracks that play during the ski chase and the Citroen chase also sound dated 70s/80s to me (And I listen to a LOT of oldies) However, I really like that kind of music, so I think both tracks rock (As i do the updated Bond theme in FYEO).
Sheena Easton's song and the instrumental versions of it don't sound very dated, however.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Well, I don't have the exact page number to hand, but it was another dream sequence (the first about the annihilation of London with the nurse maids in the park) after which Bond wakes up sweating.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
FYEO is John Glen's first Bond movie as director yet it stands with his last, LTK, as among his most accomplished work. Despite the slapstick manner of Blofeld's send-off in the pre-credits sequence, and Faith Bown's comic impersonation of Margaret Thatcher at the end, FYEO is more consistent in tone than OP, AVTAK and TLD. Like LTK, it's an essentially coherent movie, taking itself seriously. There are some nice little directorial touches, too. For instance, I like the moment when the genial, breathless vicar who explains to Bond that his headquarters are sending a helicopter for him suddenly turns grim and makes the sign of the cross as the chopper takes off. Is he one of Blofeld's men? I also like how, with professional cool, Locque raises his hand to his sidekick to prevent him from getting involved as Bond makes his escape and wreaks havoc in the grounds of Gonzales' villa - and how at this point a heavy snatches back the wad of cash tossed to one of the prostitutes. This attention to detail works well.
It's interesting that both FYEO and LTK successfully use ingenious elements from the same Fleming novel, LLD, which the film version of LLD didn't go near, i.e. the villain's evil idea of binding Bond and the heroine together and towing them from a boat over coral to attract sharks (in FYEO); Leiter mutilated by a shark, and Bond paying back in kind the lackey responsible - The Robber (in the novel LLD)/Killifer (in LTK).
FYEO's cinematography is lush and expansive. Melina Havelock is a beautiful heroine and one of the strongest, most credible Bond women of any era. The Kristatos/Columbo intrigue is entertaining. There are some other compelling supporting performances, too, especially Michael Gothard as the menacing, dangerous Locque and Jack Heady as Melina's Flemingesque father. Some of Bond's greatest stunt artists are at work - Bob Simmons (supervising fights), Willy Bogner and Rick Sylvester. Bill Conti's style of using shrill synthesisers dates FYEO, but Conti does compose some memorable themes which complement the locations and enhance the drama.
Bringing Bond 'back down to earth' after Moonraker was a good idea. Re-establishing the action-adventure orientation, with a healthy dash of Fleming, was a clear instance of what Bond in Skyfall describes as his hobby of "resurrection." Having said that, one can't help feeling the smaller scale of FYEO's climax when compared with the epic, explosive battles of the past (GF, TB, YOLT, OHMSS, TSWLM, MR).
A few comments:
For me, Roger Moore in Moonraker was not as likable due to his know-it-all lines at the centrifuge and again identifying the rare orchid. I consider TSWLM, FYEO and AVTAK to be his finest work in the role. In fact, AVTAK would easily be his #1 except he was too old by that point.
Concerning the tone of FYEO I would say it's actually less consistent than OP and AVTAK.
Once I finally realized the tarzan yell fits Octopussy perfectly the whole movie kind of clicked as a rollicking Indiana Jones type jungle adventure.
AVTAK is the coolest of the 80's Bond films with just the right combination of seriousness and humor much like TSWLM.
FYEO suffers from dated clothing and music, whereas OP and AVTAK have a timeless quality about them.
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK