Three decades of dancing into the fire - A VIEW TO A KILL @ 30

Catching Bullets

"Mark’s perfect Bond is A View to a Kill, almost certainly because it was his second and therefore the one he most anticipated." - Mark Gatiss, CATCHING BULLETS - MEMOIRS OF A BOND FAN.

It's A VIEW TO A KILL Week on CATCHING BULLETS FB page!! (I know, right!).

So bring a quiche and a sprinkling of rock salt and forget the naysayers....! A Bond film is a Bond film and every fan has an entry point.

facebook.com/catchingbullets

AlphaOmegaSin

I'm glad that AVTAK is receiving more Attention these Days -{

Despite the obvious Issue of Moore's Age at this Point in his Era, it's wrong to dismiss the Film on the Basis of that.

broadshoulder

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

I'm glad that AVTAK is receiving more Attention these Days -{

Despite the obvious Issue of Moore's Age at this Point in his Era, it's wrong to dismiss the Film on the Basis of that.

I was 16 when AVTAK came out. You don't see me damning Moore's age because of that. All the spies they were turning out in the mid eighties were fifty something anyway..

AlphaOmegaSin

I've personally never really paid much Attention to his Age in the Film.

Thunderpussy

Every year as I get older, Sir Roger looks younger and younger in AVTAK. )

AlphaOmegaSin

I just except getting older )

Gassy Man

Meh. A younger actor might have made the film more interesting, but I doubt it. It's a mediocre redux of Goldfinger, right down to an obsessive rich guy, his powerful non-white henchperson, and a frosty blond that initially does not want to work with Bond. I saw it in the theater, and except for the music, it was mostly a forgettable romp.

Blackleiter

Gassy Man wrote:

Meh. A younger actor might have made the film more interesting, but I doubt it. It's a mediocre redux of Goldfinger, right down to an obsessive rich guy, his powerful non-white henchperson, and a frosty blond that initially does not want to work with Bond. I saw it in the theater, and except for the music, it was mostly a forgettable romp.

Yep!

AlphaOmegaSin

Dalton in AVTAK defiantly would have worked -{ Can you imagine what the last Fight between his Bond and someone as psychotic as Zorin would have been like?

Absolutely_Cart

A big problem with AVTAK is a subtle but insidious one. The James Bond series has an iconic and almost uncanny ability to make the littlest things seem really important and fascinating. The problem is that AVTAK (unlike it's superb theme song and soundtrack) lacks energy. None of the minutia is entertaining in this one.

Gassy Man

Part of the problem is John Glen's generic direction. It was also the mid-80s, and that was a weird time. Movies like the Bond series seemed passe and unable to generate the thrill of R-rated fare like 48 Hours or even the superior competitors, the Indiana Jones films. Filmmakers had lost their sense of narrative (which they still for the most part haven't recovered), as audiences were drawn to highly simplistic stories like Star Wars with one-dimensional characters and lots of special effects, and movies were essentially made like TV shows with bigger budgets, especially as the home video market began to become more important.

AlphaOmegaSin

Was the initial critical Reception of AVTAK?

Higgins

Here the critic voices where that Bond lost his edge and was a bit dated - not only the main actor.

The relatively generic car chase scenes from the french team basically repeated only what Julienne did for decades and the fact that this was a french cooperation did not help the movie much.

Critics here even criticized Barry to repeat himself only.

And the german Bond fanclub was previously "bought" by Warner so OP and AVTAK where used to wipe the Fanclub floor

I remember writing the "president" a spicy letter that he was a corrupt a**hole just walking after the money and demanded to accept my resignation with the club

AlphaOmegaSin

And did he accept ? )

Higgins

of course
Never heard from him back

King Kamal

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

Dalton in AVTAK defiantly would have worked -{ Can you imagine what the last Fight between his Bond and someone as psychotic as Zorin would have been like?

He would have looked more the part psychically but I think they would need to totally change the script, it wouldn't really suit his style to be doing the hot tub scene for instance or any of the puns any definitely not the Grace Jones scene. He need a bit more grit and seriousness to work, I don't personally think he worked well with humour because his delivery was too deadpan.

Higgins

Tracy??

That would be OHMSS

AlphaOmegaSin

stag wrote:

I like AVTAK & I like the cast (yes inc Tracy).

I think you mean Stacey )

broadshoulder

Higgins wrote:

HeCritics here even criticized Barry to repeat himself only.

When and where? Never heard that one before...

MilleniumForce

AVTAK works because it combines all the strangest elements into one Bond film. Old Moore, Christopher Walken, Grace Jones...it sounds like one of those movies where you think 'Did they really make that?'

Absolutely_Cart

Spending 50 minutes on horses really dragged the pace.

AlphaOmegaSin

It all happens to us (But not for a good long while in my Case ) )

Matt S

Absolutely_Cart wrote:

Spending 50 minutes on horses really dragged the pace.

That's the part of the film I like best, when Bond's undercover at Zorin's chateau. The scenes are perfect for an older Bond, plus they have Patrick Macnee!

AlphaOmegaSin

And the Chateua Scenes are brilliantly Filmed -{

Blackleiter

Absolutely_Cart wrote:

Spending 50 minutes on horses really dragged the pace.

Agreed! That's one of the reasons I find AVTAK to be the most boring of the Bond films.

Jarvio

I still can't fathom why AVTAK is so unpopular. A great, entertaining bond film. -{

The Wicker Man

stag wrote:

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

stag wrote:

I like AVTAK & I like the cast (yes inc Tracy).

I think you mean Stacey )

Yes I meant Stacey. I've been watching 'The Avengers' with Mrs Peel & had her 007 name on the brain. An unfortunate side effect of advancing age.

Another example was last weeks Shirley(Tracy) Bassey concert. I saw it advertised half an hour before it was aired then forgot to watch it!

I too have been watching The Avengers over the last few days and its perfectly understandable how you would have Tracy on the brain :x

AlphaOmegaSin

Jarvio wrote:

I still can't fathom why AVTAK is so unpopular. A great, entertaining bond film. -{

This ^

I wish it was given more of a Chance.

The Wicker Man

stag wrote:

Yes she was great (& I mean great in a Tony The Tiger sense of the word).

Matt S

Jarvio wrote:

I still can't fathom why AVTAK is so unpopular. A great, entertaining bond film. -{

I just can't stand Stacey. She's almost as bad as Jinx and Christmas Jones. Roger Moore's portrayal of Bond in AVTAK, however, is one of his best. Like in all of John Glen's film, Moore seems very down-to-earth. There's nothing superhuman about him and he's easy to relate to. He even bakes a quiche!

AlphaOmegaSin

Well Moore said that there was no Chemistry between himself and Tanya Roberts on the Set.