Roger Moore - first three vs last three

The Wicker Man

Which set of three films do you prefer :
LALD, TMWTGG and TSWLM or
FYEO, OP and AVTAK?
Or in other words which is better - Roger Moore's first three Bond films or Roger Moore's last three Bond films - there's only one way to find out .... fight!

Matt S

Though I don't care much for AVTAK, I'll take the last three. FYEO and OP are both excellent.

AlphaOmegaSin

I'm going to mix it up and go with TSWLM, FYEO and AVTAK

The Wicker Man

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

I'm going to mix it up and go with TSWLM, FYEO and AVTAK

That's cheating AOS!

AlphaOmegaSin

Sorry

But I will go with LALD, TMWTGG and TSWLM -{

Absolutely_Cart

I feel like his first 3 films are kind of bound to the keeping true to the Connery era, whereas his last 3 films were a bit more experimental and wanted to bend the rules a bit.

Barbel

Oddly enough I'd say it's the other way round, even though TSWLM is perhaps the most formulaic Bond film of all.

Absolutely_Cart

OP and FYEO were experimental. AVTAK wasn't.

I don't think Moore ever had a prime. He had great movies sandwiched in between mediocre movies.

Barbel

FYEO was an attempt at returning to the the spirit of the earliest 007 movies, to rekindle the past.It was deliberately designed that way after the perceived excesses of MR, not as an experiment.
LALD was intended to set distance between Moore and Connery. It's more experimental.

Matt S

Barbel wrote:

FYEO was an attempt at returning to the the spirit of the earliest 007 movies, to rekindle the past.It was deliberately designed that way after the perceived excesses of MR, not as an experiment.
LALD was intended to set distance between Moore and Connery. It's more experimental.

Quite true.

Absolutely_Cart

Barbel wrote:

FYEO was an attempt at returning to the the spirit of the earliest 007 movies, to rekindle the past.It was deliberately designed that way after the perceived excesses of MR, not as an experiment.
LALD was intended to set distance between Moore and Connery. It's more experimental.

LALD was basically a formulaic movie in every way, shape and form, except with a different atmosphere and more gags. But even Connery's later films got quite silly. Immediately after DAF, it doesn't seem like a stark difference in artistic direction.

FYEO was a break in formula in many ways. Less gags, gadgets, corny one-liners, dumb broads and just a plain story mostly grounded in reality. The only Connery movie that did anything like this was FRWL (which I can't say FYEO copied), but otherwise FYEO went against the grain.

Matt S

FYEO didn't follow the 70s Bond films, but it followed the 60s Bond films instead. It broke the conventions of the Bond films of the previous decade to instead follow the conventions of the 60s Bond films. LALD did a lot to change the character. No dinner jackets, more adventurous clothing, Bourban instead of a vodka martini, Bond now smokes cigars (though probably since Roger Moore quit cigarettes a few years earlier more than anything else), Bond isn't briefed in the office and Bond has a much different personality. In FYEO, Bond is more like the Connery character but still with Moore's charm.

AC, how many times have you watched these films, and how much have you read and watched documentaries about their backgrounds?

Absolutely_Cart

Matt S wrote:

AC, how many times have you watched these films, and how much have you read and watched documentaries about their backgrounds?

Okay, I wasn't going to say anything but questions like this have come my way so many times. I may as well answer it now.

I understand that the issue is that I've only been a fan of the series for one year, and I've posted on this forum for less than that. I've only watched each movie once or twice, and haven't read all of Fleming's books. I also haven't watched the other films/documentaries of the respective Bond actors to get a full glimpse of who they are.

Yet, at the same time, I express strong firm sometimes-abrasive opinions, making statements about the film's merits and intentions without having a deep-rooted understanding of them, which can only come through years of being a humble fan. I'm a know it all who knows nothing. This makes it easy for trolls like Higgins to try and rub their thumb in my eye.

I'm young. I have plenty of room to mature and grow. I have a lot to learn about the Bond series and life in general. It's a phase. But years down the road, it'll be fun to look at my older posts to see what I got right and what I didn't.

Younger inexperienced people just have a natural intensity about them to fight and sort of rebel, whereas older people, wiser, more experienced, people tend to want to settle down.People, I guess, tend to start out here with the hot fiery opinions (and lists), then calm down and chill out at the Memorabilia forum.

This is the last time I'm going to address these questions on my knowledge of the series. But does what I'm saying make sense?

Barbel

As I understand it, Cart, you've watched the films in a fairly random order and of course retrospectively. The perspective that approach causes is not going to be the same as that of someone who has watched the series unfold chronologically and in real time.
Again, as I understand it, you've only seen the Bond films a few times, perhaps twice? Repeated viewings over many years again brings a different perspective- in this case it's a swings and roundabouts situation since one loses the first time excitement of discovery along the way.
I agree with what Matt said above re LALD/FYEO and would add that their successor movies TMWTGG/OP were both intended to continue their approaches with variations.

AlphaOmegaSin

Have you watched Everything Or Nothing Cart?

I highly recommend it -{

Higgins

Absolutely_Cart wrote:

I'm a know it all who knows nothing.


This makes it easy for trolls like Higgins to try and rub their thumb in my eye.

So you admit that you know nothing and make silly statements?
And then you are calling me a troll for pointing them out? Who can see the error here? :v

"A stupid statement is easily made and quickly written doesn't need much brain power - something intelligent takes it's time"

Higgins

Absolutely_Cart wrote:

But does what I'm saying make sense?

No!

It's prejudiced and immature imo

I could give you various further explanation - but doubt that you will understand. So carry on, Easy Rider

Higgins

Absolutely_Cart wrote:

I feel like his first 3 films are kind of bound to the keeping true to the Connery era,

Quite the contrary happened. In LALD they did everything to differentiate from the Connery era.

002

First three for me. Two superb Moore films and one... that could have tried harder.

Silhouette Man

FYEO, OP and AVTAK for me although I like LALD and especially TMWTGG too. TSWLM is where the rot set in for me.

broadshoulder

I like all six

All equally as good.

Golrush007

It's a difficult choice for me. I think LALD and TSWLM are Roger's two best films.

So the first three seems to be the obvious choice. And yet I have a particularly soft spot for the 80s Bond films, and they are the ones that I tend to rewatch most often. I enjoy the down-to-earth feel of FYEO, the complicated plotting, exotic locale and standout action sequences of OP, and the villains, locations and climax of AVTAK. Additionally, they feel like they are of a piece, not surprising since they were all directed by John Glen who gave them a more grounded feel. In the first three you can sense the filmmakers wrestling with what direction they were going with Moore's Bond, whereas the last three feel more assured and focused.

So as a sum-of-its-parts, I'll go with the last three Roger Moore films even though I think TSWLM is the best Roger film.

Thunderpussy

Very tough choice as in both choices I have two I love and one, I'm not too
hot on. Also I think Roger gave his best performance as 007 in FYEO and
OP. I'll have to follow Broadshoulder's example and say I like all six. )

Higgins

Given that choice and not cheating :v , I'd take the first 3.

I prefer
TMWTGG over OP and
LALD over AVTAK

though I love FYEO and TSWLM is a close second in that race

Thunderpussy

OK, after a lot of soul searching ( still can't find one), I'll go for the last three
As I love FYEO, OP and don't have the hatred for AVTAK, that some have.

AlphaOmegaSin

Moore had a varied Bond CV. Comedy and seriousness -{

Absolutely_Cart

I saw Everything or Nothing. It was really good.

Higgins wrote:

So you admit that you know nothing and make silly statements?
And then you are calling me a troll

Yes, because both are true.

Barbel

We have an excellent PM service on this site. More advantage could be taken of it, and indeed should by anyone wishing to bandy insults about.
Stop me if I'm being too subtle.

Charmed & Dangerous

Last three for me are the better ones.

Although I love TSWLM probably most out of Sir Roger's films, the more 'grounded' and character-driven FYEO and Octopussy are better with repeated viewings than LALD and TMWTGG. In particular Golden Gun is the weakest entry in the series. That scene where the girls beat up the Kung Fu school while Bond watches was the low point for me.

AlphaOmegaSin

Moore didn't really find his Feet until TSWLM. Both LALD and TMWTGG are him settling gently into the Role -{

Silhouette Man

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

Moore didn't really find his Feet until TSWLM. Both LALD and TMWTGG are him settling gently into the Role -{

Very much agreed, I particularly like Moore's performance as Bond in TMWTGG though. -{