Yes, there's redeeming value - it's a James Bond film!
Thanks, Big Tam. I needed to read that. Why? Simply because dismissing any Bond as a "wretched piece of filmmaking" (as LegoBatman008 says) brings out the Daltonator in me.
I must be getting old and cranky but a total dismissal of any Bond film (even DAD) on a site dedicated to alll things Bond is getting old and VERY boring.
DAF deserves a lot of criticism, to be sure. But to throw the whole film into the trash heap is, quite simply, lazy criticism of the highest order.
You got it right, BIG TAM. Redeeming value in a Bond film? That's a no- brainer.
To question that is "Shocking. Positively shocking."
I don't consider DAF to be bad filmmaking and I don't have any problems with anyone enjoying it. I personally doff my hat to anyone who can find pleasure in it, because to have a Bond film exist that would be so bad that no one would watch it would be horrendous. If anyone thinks DAF is a bad film, then they need to remember one called Plan 9 From Outer Space - or almost any film skewed in the series Mystery Science Theater 3000.
The main problem with DAF from the beginning was that it was one of Fleming's weakest novels as far as the plot. Involving the the Secret Service in a gem smuggling operation that has no real threat to UK security does not make for a convincing Bond adventure - especially when one considers the Cold War with the Soviets at the time. Mr. Big was smuggling pirate treasure in LALD, but at least he was actually working for the Soviets.
Now they have to bring it up to date to 1970, which makes it even more difficult to turn into a valid screenplay, especially since it follows OHMSS. What to do?
Answer - make it a follow up to hunting Blofeld and use the world blackmail threat from TB and YOLT. The problem is it makes no sense at all. If Blofeld had the amount of diamonds he used to make the satellite (and in the film it's A LOT of diamonds, then why would he need to risk such an operation just to get more money? Also, since he had someone who is obviously supposed to be a Howard Hughes clone imprisoned and was running his empire, again, why the satellite nonsense? Even more strange, his previous blackmail threat in OHMSS made more sense - to get his past crimes forgiven and his title to be count officially approved.
Had they written the plot without a Blofeld and ditched the camp and silliness it would have been a much less maligned film. Even YOLT is superior despite it's flaws. Why turn Tiffany from a strong, sharp character similar to a Pussy Galore (as she was in Amsterdam) into a cringing bimbo character like Bibi in FYEO? For the sake of weak humor? It's as if they took Fleming's novel and gave it to some staff writers of a late night talk show and said "here, make this funny".
The main problem with DAF is it's lost potential. For me, it has only one, true Bond series moment (with a lot of help from Barry's score) - the elevator battle
in Amsterdam. If they had maintained the tone from there and had the smuggling being used for another purpose - obtaing a nuclear weapon or to finance foreign spying operations, etc., the series would have had a better, more polished "gem". However, by then EON believed that all the films had to fit the template established in GF and TB. OHMSS had merely worked out to their template as it already fit it so closely in the novel. Since the novel of DAF did not fit this, they had to throw it out and come up with something that would (and fluffing it up with all the weak attempts at humor). To add to this calamity, they bring back Connery who looks tired and out of shape (compare how he looks in NSNA). Yes, the film made gads of money, but because it was an EON BOND film and because it had Connery - and thats all.
It's a real shame. I don't even own a copy of the film because of it's amount of flaws. Whenever it's shown on TV, I don't even bother to look at one scene.
I wish I wanted to. I'm glad there are those who still enjoy it , but I will never be one of them.
Okay you guys have convinced me that Diamonds Are Forever is worth buying and owning on DVD. So that's exactly what I did this afternoon, I bought Diamonds Are Forever from Amazon.com along with Live and Let Die, The Man With The Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View To A Kill, The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill....I just need to get the Pierce Brosnan films now and my collection will be complete!
"Ahem, you know in the future if you're going to steal cars, don't dress like a car thief, man." - Spider-Man
Outrageously entertaining would be something like Lee vs Norris fight scene in "Way of Dragon"......although 007 vs Wint/Kidd is decent , besides that you make some good points
Cut scene from MR , Drax and Chang are in bed with Drax smoking a cig :
If you don't like the Film, read the Novel. One of Fleming's best as it makes great Use of New York, Las Vegas and surrounding Dessert and a Cruise Liner.
1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
I like the book "Diamonds are forever " some great scenes in it and T Case is much more important
to Bond ( she moves in with him ) than the film version.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
The Cannonball derailing is a Highlight of the Book, and Bond rescuing Tiffany on the Cruise Liner shows that Fleming could create a tense and gripping Scene.
1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
Fleming could drive a story at a cracking pace and like many others here at AJB, If anyone
hasn't read a Bond, you really should. You get to know the character of the Man better than
just from the films. {[]
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
Comments
Eeeeek! You're right!
after this Objectification of these hot chicks.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
"Objectification"? I prefer the term "admiration"!
Thanks, Big Tam. I needed to read that. Why? Simply because dismissing any Bond as a "wretched piece of filmmaking" (as LegoBatman008 says) brings out the Daltonator in me.
I must be getting old and cranky but a total dismissal of any Bond film (even DAD) on a site dedicated to alll things Bond is getting old and VERY boring.
DAF deserves a lot of criticism, to be sure. But to throw the whole film into the trash heap is, quite simply, lazy criticism of the highest order.
You got it right, BIG TAM. Redeeming value in a Bond film? That's a no- brainer.
To question that is "Shocking. Positively shocking."
"Saxby? Bert Saxby? Tell him he's fired."
The main problem with DAF from the beginning was that it was one of Fleming's weakest novels as far as the plot. Involving the the Secret Service in a gem smuggling operation that has no real threat to UK security does not make for a convincing Bond adventure - especially when one considers the Cold War with the Soviets at the time. Mr. Big was smuggling pirate treasure in LALD, but at least he was actually working for the Soviets.
Now they have to bring it up to date to 1970, which makes it even more difficult to turn into a valid screenplay, especially since it follows OHMSS. What to do?
Answer - make it a follow up to hunting Blofeld and use the world blackmail threat from TB and YOLT. The problem is it makes no sense at all. If Blofeld had the amount of diamonds he used to make the satellite (and in the film it's A LOT of diamonds, then why would he need to risk such an operation just to get more money? Also, since he had someone who is obviously supposed to be a Howard Hughes clone imprisoned and was running his empire, again, why the satellite nonsense? Even more strange, his previous blackmail threat in OHMSS made more sense - to get his past crimes forgiven and his title to be count officially approved.
Had they written the plot without a Blofeld and ditched the camp and silliness it would have been a much less maligned film. Even YOLT is superior despite it's flaws. Why turn Tiffany from a strong, sharp character similar to a Pussy Galore (as she was in Amsterdam) into a cringing bimbo character like Bibi in FYEO? For the sake of weak humor? It's as if they took Fleming's novel and gave it to some staff writers of a late night talk show and said "here, make this funny".
The main problem with DAF is it's lost potential. For me, it has only one, true Bond series moment (with a lot of help from Barry's score) - the elevator battle
in Amsterdam. If they had maintained the tone from there and had the smuggling being used for another purpose - obtaing a nuclear weapon or to finance foreign spying operations, etc., the series would have had a better, more polished "gem". However, by then EON believed that all the films had to fit the template established in GF and TB. OHMSS had merely worked out to their template as it already fit it so closely in the novel. Since the novel of DAF did not fit this, they had to throw it out and come up with something that would (and fluffing it up with all the weak attempts at humor). To add to this calamity, they bring back Connery who looks tired and out of shape (compare how he looks in NSNA). Yes, the film made gads of money, but because it was an EON BOND film and because it had Connery - and thats all.
It's a real shame. I don't even own a copy of the film because of it's amount of flaws. Whenever it's shown on TV, I don't even bother to look at one scene.
I wish I wanted to. I'm glad there are those who still enjoy it , but I will never be one of them.
#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
Well, I think Moonraker is entertaining to say the least. There was never a dull moment in Moonraker.
You can add me to your club TP. Not really that attractive to start with and her stupidity on the oil rig only compounded my view.
Welll..... yeah.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Outrageously entertaining would be something like Lee vs Norris fight scene in "Way of Dragon"......although 007 vs Wint/Kidd is decent , besides that you make some good points
Cut scene from MR , Drax and Chang are in bed with Drax smoking a cig :
Drax : Was it good for you too ?
to Bond ( she moves in with him ) than the film version.
hasn't read a Bond, you really should. You get to know the character of the Man better than
just from the films. {[]