Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,848MI6 Agent
It's often said that Moore slowly worked his way into the role of Bond in LALD and TMWTGG and was not truly comfortable in the part until TSWLM. There may be something in that but I think he's good in all of his films and ironically he probably has the most range as a Bond actor as LALD-TMWTGG, TSWLM-MR and FYEO-OP-AVTAK all display different versions of his Bond. -{
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
I can't picture any other Bond actor who would be able to pull off both MR followed by FYEO with such aplomb. What a guy. -{
Indeed, Moore's range as an actor is one hell of a lot more than he's mostly given credit for! -{
I agree. I think he's the best at all aspects of Bond save for the more physical ones. He makes a lot of jokes, but overall he isn't silly. A number of his films are silly. LALD's boat chase, for instance, is very silly, but Moore is not silly at all throughout the boat chase.
I guess I should've explained myself a little further - I do feel that he just takes the reins of the role in LALD very quickly and is confident and comfortable in it - but he continually improves in the role to make it even more of his own all the way until the end. LALD, you don't see the full Moore - but there's nothing wrong with that!
Nice points up above about Moore's range and ability. He's bloody awesome! -{
Beautiful, but forgettable IMO. She does have a good storyline as being the card reader and integral to the villain but I prefer non-weak Bond girls, and Solitaire is weak.
Beautiful, but forgettable IMO. She does have a good storyline as being the card reader and integral to the villain but I prefer non-weak Bond girls, and Solitaire is weak.
I do take her over Stacey Sutton, Tiffany Case, Melina (though I'll get blasted for that), and Tatiana Romanova, but yeah, she's not one of my favorites. For me, she falls in the good-but-not-great group of BGs.
No offense meant to fans of Solitaire.
"Hostile takeovers. Shall we?"
New 2020 ranking (for now DAF and FYEO keep their previous placements)
1. TLD 2. TND 3. GF 4. TSWLM 5. TWINE 6. OHMSS 7. LtK 8. TMWTGG 9. L&LD 10. YOLT 11. DAD 12. QoS 13. DN 14. GE 15. SF 16. OP 17. MR 18. AVTAK 19. TB 20. FRWL 21. CR 22. FYEO 23. DAF (SP to be included later)
Bond actors to be re-ranked later
What do you guys think about Kananga posing as Mr. Big and then unmasking himself in that scene with Bond?
"Hostile takeovers. Shall we?"
New 2020 ranking (for now DAF and FYEO keep their previous placements)
1. TLD 2. TND 3. GF 4. TSWLM 5. TWINE 6. OHMSS 7. LtK 8. TMWTGG 9. L&LD 10. YOLT 11. DAD 12. QoS 13. DN 14. GE 15. SF 16. OP 17. MR 18. AVTAK 19. TB 20. FRWL 21. CR 22. FYEO 23. DAF (SP to be included later)
Bond actors to be re-ranked later
What do you guys think about Kananga posing as Mr. Big and then unmasking himself in that scene with Bond?
Considering the nature of his business, it was a good idea to have duel identities. As for unmasking himself, Kananga obliged to the condition of Bond. And he was going to have Bond killed soon so hiding his secret would have seemed pointless in the face of "valuable" info that he was seeking
Btw, Solitaire' role of the fortune teller who is totally controlled by Kananga is unique and would rank amongst the best Bond Girls
What do you guys think about Kananga posing as Mr. Big and then unmasking himself in that scene with Bond?
I think it's pretty cool, but after seeing the film a dozen times I can't remember if I was surprised for the first time I saw the film. I think I forgot who Mr. Big was by the time he reappears in the film. He's not a very well-developed alter ego. And I might have had Mr. Big from Get Smart in mind.
The Paul McCartney song is easily one of my faves.
"Hostile takeovers. Shall we?"
New 2020 ranking (for now DAF and FYEO keep their previous placements)
1. TLD 2. TND 3. GF 4. TSWLM 5. TWINE 6. OHMSS 7. LtK 8. TMWTGG 9. L&LD 10. YOLT 11. DAD 12. QoS 13. DN 14. GE 15. SF 16. OP 17. MR 18. AVTAK 19. TB 20. FRWL 21. CR 22. FYEO 23. DAF (SP to be included later)
Bond actors to be re-ranked later
- Roger Moore steps into the role with originality, excellent delivery of one-liners and very handsome.
- Plot is interesting, and unusual. Voodoo elements bring a level of intrigue.
- Yaphet Koto plays Big/Kanaga brilliantly.
- Locations, particularly Harlem, are good. Louisiana looks good.
- The film manages to get the humour balance correct, unlike DAF.
- Rosie, while useless, is effectively funny as a useless ploy.
- Boat chase is very well done, especially the explosion in the ship.
- Scenes in hotel room are funny and interesting.
- Sheriff J.W. Pepper is well done in this as opposed to his return. He's funny and fits the location with the other overweight cops.
- Well directed and well shot.
- Title song is epic, along with Maurice Binder's titles.
- Hasn't dated.
Cons:
- Roger isn't fully relaxed in the role yet, he puts in a much better performance in TMWTGG.
- Solitaire is beautiful, but ultimately forgettable.
- While it is original, and an escape for the trappings of SC - IMO, it's not a complete "Bond" film.
BluRay:
Crystal clear and a nice restoration, nothing stood out other than its clarity.
Overall:
A great entry into the series, what struck me in particular about watching this again was how original the film is and how intriguing the voodoo elements are. They're well directed, acted and shot - which makes them lighthearted, but still kind of odd and creepy. Baron Samadi on the front of the train in the end credits basically sums this up.
For me the film has its place and I don't really rate it higher because I don't feel this is ultimate Bond - it's not like Thunderball, or Goldeneye or Casino Royale or TSWLM. It sits in the category of the odder Bonds for me. But I still enjoy it each time I watch it, more and more so. Like DAF, I'm aware of its release and the issues at the time in the world calling for such a Bond film.
- Roger isn't fully relaxed in the role yet, he puts in a much better performance in TMWTGG.
- Solitaire is beautiful, but ultimately forgettable.
- While it is original, and an escape for the trappings of SC - IMO, it's not a complete "Bond" film.
The cons appear to be written for the sake of writing them ) .... LALD is a complete (but different) Bond film unless you missed Barry's music
- Roger isn't fully relaxed in the role yet, he puts in a much better performance in TMWTGG.
- Solitaire is beautiful, but ultimately forgettable.
- While it is original, and an escape for the trappings of SC - IMO, it's not a complete "Bond" film.
The cons appear to be written for the sake of writing them ) .... LALD is a complete (but different) Bond film unless you missed Barry's music
I don't agree, they're 3 pretty solid cons for as to why I don't rate the film higher in my rankings.
Looking at the genre, it is hard for me to find serious/major cons in most of the Bond films
What genre are you looking at? Action, thriller, comedy, blaxploitation?
I don't agree, they're 3 pretty solid cons for as to why I don't rate the film higher in my rankings.
You have the pro below:
Roger Moore steps into the role with originality, excellent delivery of one-liners and very handsome.
so obviously, you were impressed by his performance, but then you listed the below as a con:
Roger isn't fully relaxed in the role yet, he puts in a much better performance in TMWTGG.
And he was probably better in TSWLM than in TMWTFF but that does not make it a con for TMWTGG. Similarly, it would not be a con for LALD
Another con that you listed:
Solitaire is beautiful, but ultimately forgettable.
Her character is one of the most unique one - a person who get hints about future, is controlled by a evil man, and her "power" can vanish if she associate herself with a man. Bond tricked her in the movie .... Her character is in fact a memorable one
What genre are you looking at? Action, thriller, comedy, blaxploitation?
"Hostile takeovers. Shall we?"
New 2020 ranking (for now DAF and FYEO keep their previous placements)
1. TLD 2. TND 3. GF 4. TSWLM 5. TWINE 6. OHMSS 7. LtK 8. TMWTGG 9. L&LD 10. YOLT 11. DAD 12. QoS 13. DN 14. GE 15. SF 16. OP 17. MR 18. AVTAK 19. TB 20. FRWL 21. CR 22. FYEO 23. DAF (SP to be included later)
Bond actors to be re-ranked later
Jane Seymour was quite a knockout back in the 70s.
"Hostile takeovers. Shall we?"
New 2020 ranking (for now DAF and FYEO keep their previous placements)
1. TLD 2. TND 3. GF 4. TSWLM 5. TWINE 6. OHMSS 7. LtK 8. TMWTGG 9. L&LD 10. YOLT 11. DAD 12. QoS 13. DN 14. GE 15. SF 16. OP 17. MR 18. AVTAK 19. TB 20. FRWL 21. CR 22. FYEO 23. DAF (SP to be included later)
Bond actors to be re-ranked later
"Hostile takeovers. Shall we?"
New 2020 ranking (for now DAF and FYEO keep their previous placements)
1. TLD 2. TND 3. GF 4. TSWLM 5. TWINE 6. OHMSS 7. LtK 8. TMWTGG 9. L&LD 10. YOLT 11. DAD 12. QoS 13. DN 14. GE 15. SF 16. OP 17. MR 18. AVTAK 19. TB 20. FRWL 21. CR 22. FYEO 23. DAF (SP to be included later)
Bond actors to be re-ranked later
Comments
Indeed, Moore's range as an actor is one hell of a lot more than he's mostly given credit for! -{
I agree. I think he's the best at all aspects of Bond save for the more physical ones. He makes a lot of jokes, but overall he isn't silly. A number of his films are silly. LALD's boat chase, for instance, is very silly, but Moore is not silly at all throughout the boat chase.
Nice points up above about Moore's range and ability. He's bloody awesome! -{
"Better make that two."
Beautiful, but forgettable IMO. She does have a good storyline as being the card reader and integral to the villain but I prefer non-weak Bond girls, and Solitaire is weak.
"Better make that two."
The more I think about LALD, the more iconic it appears
I do take her over Stacey Sutton, Tiffany Case, Melina (though I'll get blasted for that), and Tatiana Romanova, but yeah, she's not one of my favorites. For me, she falls in the good-but-not-great group of BGs.
No offense meant to fans of Solitaire.
New 2020 ranking (for now DAF and FYEO keep their previous placements)
1. TLD 2. TND 3. GF 4. TSWLM 5. TWINE 6. OHMSS 7. LtK 8. TMWTGG 9. L&LD 10. YOLT 11. DAD 12. QoS 13. DN 14. GE 15. SF 16. OP 17. MR 18. AVTAK 19. TB 20. FRWL 21. CR 22. FYEO 23. DAF (SP to be included later)
Bond actors to be re-ranked later
New 2020 ranking (for now DAF and FYEO keep their previous placements)
1. TLD 2. TND 3. GF 4. TSWLM 5. TWINE 6. OHMSS 7. LtK 8. TMWTGG 9. L&LD 10. YOLT 11. DAD 12. QoS 13. DN 14. GE 15. SF 16. OP 17. MR 18. AVTAK 19. TB 20. FRWL 21. CR 22. FYEO 23. DAF (SP to be included later)
Bond actors to be re-ranked later
Considering the nature of his business, it was a good idea to have duel identities. As for unmasking himself, Kananga obliged to the condition of Bond. And he was going to have Bond killed soon so hiding his secret would have seemed pointless in the face of "valuable" info that he was seeking
Btw, Solitaire' role of the fortune teller who is totally controlled by Kananga is unique and would rank amongst the best Bond Girls
I think it's pretty cool, but after seeing the film a dozen times I can't remember if I was surprised for the first time I saw the film. I think I forgot who Mr. Big was by the time he reappears in the film. He's not a very well-developed alter ego. And I might have had Mr. Big from Get Smart in mind.
New 2020 ranking (for now DAF and FYEO keep their previous placements)
1. TLD 2. TND 3. GF 4. TSWLM 5. TWINE 6. OHMSS 7. LtK 8. TMWTGG 9. L&LD 10. YOLT 11. DAD 12. QoS 13. DN 14. GE 15. SF 16. OP 17. MR 18. AVTAK 19. TB 20. FRWL 21. CR 22. FYEO 23. DAF (SP to be included later)
Bond actors to be re-ranked later
Pros:
- Roger Moore steps into the role with originality, excellent delivery of one-liners and very handsome.
- Plot is interesting, and unusual. Voodoo elements bring a level of intrigue.
- Yaphet Koto plays Big/Kanaga brilliantly.
- Locations, particularly Harlem, are good. Louisiana looks good.
- The film manages to get the humour balance correct, unlike DAF.
- Rosie, while useless, is effectively funny as a useless ploy.
- Boat chase is very well done, especially the explosion in the ship.
- Scenes in hotel room are funny and interesting.
- Sheriff J.W. Pepper is well done in this as opposed to his return. He's funny and fits the location with the other overweight cops.
- Well directed and well shot.
- Title song is epic, along with Maurice Binder's titles.
- Hasn't dated.
Cons:
- Roger isn't fully relaxed in the role yet, he puts in a much better performance in TMWTGG.
- Solitaire is beautiful, but ultimately forgettable.
- While it is original, and an escape for the trappings of SC - IMO, it's not a complete "Bond" film.
BluRay:
Crystal clear and a nice restoration, nothing stood out other than its clarity.
Overall:
A great entry into the series, what struck me in particular about watching this again was how original the film is and how intriguing the voodoo elements are. They're well directed, acted and shot - which makes them lighthearted, but still kind of odd and creepy. Baron Samadi on the front of the train in the end credits basically sums this up.
For me the film has its place and I don't really rate it higher because I don't feel this is ultimate Bond - it's not like Thunderball, or Goldeneye or Casino Royale or TSWLM. It sits in the category of the odder Bonds for me. But I still enjoy it each time I watch it, more and more so. Like DAF, I'm aware of its release and the issues at the time in the world calling for such a Bond film.
"Better make that two."
The cons appear to be written for the sake of writing them
I don't agree, they're 3 pretty solid cons for as to why I don't rate the film higher in my rankings.
What genre are you looking at? Action, thriller, comedy, blaxploitation?
"Better make that two."
You have the pro below:
so obviously, you were impressed by his performance, but then you listed the below as a con:
And he was probably better in TSWLM than in TMWTFF but that does not make it a con for TMWTGG. Similarly, it would not be a con for LALD
Another con that you listed:
Her character is one of the most unique one - a person who get hints about future, is controlled by a evil man, and her "power" can vanish if she associate herself with a man. Bond tricked her in the movie .... Her character is in fact a memorable one
A mix of everything. Similar to Indiana Jones
"Better make that two."
In the top 10 in the current ranking
New 2020 ranking (for now DAF and FYEO keep their previous placements)
1. TLD 2. TND 3. GF 4. TSWLM 5. TWINE 6. OHMSS 7. LtK 8. TMWTGG 9. L&LD 10. YOLT 11. DAD 12. QoS 13. DN 14. GE 15. SF 16. OP 17. MR 18. AVTAK 19. TB 20. FRWL 21. CR 22. FYEO 23. DAF (SP to be included later)
Bond actors to be re-ranked later
Classic picture! .... Love how Bond used to wear Rolex .... IIRC, TMWTGG was the last one to feature it as in TSWLM, Bond went digital
New 2020 ranking (for now DAF and FYEO keep their previous placements)
1. TLD 2. TND 3. GF 4. TSWLM 5. TWINE 6. OHMSS 7. LtK 8. TMWTGG 9. L&LD 10. YOLT 11. DAD 12. QoS 13. DN 14. GE 15. SF 16. OP 17. MR 18. AVTAK 19. TB 20. FRWL 21. CR 22. FYEO 23. DAF (SP to be included later)
Bond actors to be re-ranked later
Subconsiciously, she could be one of the big reasons why the film is high on my ranking
Hell, look at her today!
60 +??
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Me too.
Seiko looks funny now, especially the one in FYEO - it looks like a $150 mall jewellery store watch!
"Better make that two."
Bond in a digital watch is a no-go. Omega is acceptable. Ideally, it should be Rolex or higher
Gotta love that boat chase.
New 2020 ranking (for now DAF and FYEO keep their previous placements)
1. TLD 2. TND 3. GF 4. TSWLM 5. TWINE 6. OHMSS 7. LtK 8. TMWTGG 9. L&LD 10. YOLT 11. DAD 12. QoS 13. DN 14. GE 15. SF 16. OP 17. MR 18. AVTAK 19. TB 20. FRWL 21. CR 22. FYEO 23. DAF (SP to be included later)
Bond actors to be re-ranked later