Excellent tribute, BTW. I don't know how many times I've bought a sports jacket, or shirt because it looked like something Sir Roger had worn. He was a strong influence on my fashion tastes as well.
Thanks! He certainly has influenced the clothes I wear. I like large collars on my shirts because of his large shirt collars (but I also need them to balance my large head).
I only just got around to reading the article. Excellent as per usual, Matt. If only I could've made my own tribute to Roger...
Well, what you said about him being fashion-Bond, granted all Bonds use current trends one way or another, but put those aside and you end up with some excellent and timeless ensembles in there.
I will admit, I also prefer tall collars and wide(r) lapels (which look much better looking to my eyes) because of Roger. Out of all of the Bonds, he was the fashion icon of the time (dare I say even more-so than Connery even if he wasn't a trend setter).
It never really crossed my mind that we might lose one of our elderly Bond's anytime soon, I think in my mind I just imagined that they'd live forever. I guess in the films and in our memories they will. RIP -{
I grew up watching Roger's Bond on VHS, and he'll always have a place in my heart. There's a documentary on Roger included with the Blu-Ray of Gold, one of his best non-Bond films (it was directed by Peter Hunt). In it you can see David Niven's son praise Roger as his father's heir and an underrated player of light comedy.
And this makes me realize that Roger Moore was the last of his kind--the suave, unflappable, lighthearted, kindly, and very English gentlemen, in a line with Niven and Cary Grant. There's no one acting today who has Roger's savoir faire. He was first to deprecate his own gifts, and they're still not fully appreciated. You need talent to project dapper aplomb and skill to play with light touch. Roger did far more than lift an eyebrow: He savored his roles as he played them, knowing when to step slightly outside character to highlight an irony and deploy his charm, that playful complicity with the audience.
Bond would not have survived the 1970s without moving into a more comedic and lighthearted direction, and Roger was the best man for the job. He said The Spy Who Loved Me was his favorite, and there he truly made the role his own. His first two Bond films were still in the Diamonds Are Forever mode--movies that didn't believe in themselves--and they made Roger's style look insubstantial and redundant. The Spy Who Loved Me was, despite its humor, a seriously-done epic, and it allowed Roger to pit his detachment and ironic commentary against the movie's monster-size scale and drama. And when the later Bond films floated down to earth, they allowed Roger to tap into his vulnerability--"the spark in his worried, squinched-up eyes" to quote Pauline Kael--and his good-humored warmth.
The latter quality is why several scenes from his first two Bonds, when he's made to imitate Connery, don't work. We don't buy the idea of Roger's Bond slapping a woman, because Moore isn't given to that sort of enraged brutality. Look instead at For Your Eyes Only, at the scene where he kicks Locque's car off a cliff. His anger is controlled, the usual ironic detachment transmuted to icy, calm vengefulness. The scene is so fine that it reminds you how good some of his films could have been if they'd given Roger more material of that strength, more opportunities to act with sober coolness. Look at that scene in The Spy Who Loved Me, when he admits to killing Anya's lover. The detachment behind his irony is now the bedrock for a moment of direct honesty--no quips or raised eyebrows. Just the admission of responsibility and a statement of purpose.
All this from an actor who delighted in mocking his own abilities! It's also there in his best non-Bond work--The Man Who Haunted Himself, Gold, Shout at the Devil (also directed by Peter Hunt), ffolkes, and much more. The world is much less charming place without Roger Moore.
I grew up watching Roger's Bond on VHS, and he'll always have a place in my heart. There's a documentary on Roger included with the Blu-Ray of Gold, one of his best non-Bond films (it was directed by Peter Hunt). In it you can see David Niven's son praise Roger as his father's heir and an underrated player of light comedy.
And this makes me realize that Roger Moore was the last of his kind--the suave, unflappable, lighthearted, kindly, and very English gentlemen, in a line with Niven and Cary Grant. There's no one acting today who has Roger's savoir faire. He was first to deprecate his own gifts, and they're still not fully appreciated. You need talent to project dapper aplomb and skill to play with light touch. Roger did far more than lift an eyebrow: He savored his roles as he played them, knowing when to step slightly outside character to highlight an irony and deploy his charm, that playful complicity with the audience.
Bond would not have survived the 1970s without moving into a more comedic and lighthearted direction, and Roger was the best man for the job. He said The Spy Who Loved Me was his favorite, and there he truly made the role his own. His first two Bond films were still in the Diamonds Are Forever mode--movies that didn't believe in themselves--and they made Roger's style look insubstantial and redundant. The Spy Who Loved Me was, despite its humor, a seriously-done epic, and it allowed Roger to pit his detachment and ironic commentary against the movie's monster-size scale and drama. And when the later Bond films floated down to earth, they allowed Roger to tap into his vulnerability--"the spark in his worried, squinched-up eyes" to quote Pauline Kael--and his good-humored warmth.
The latter quality is why several scenes from his first two Bonds, when he's made to imitate Connery, don't work. We don't buy the idea of Roger's Bond slapping a woman, because Moore isn't given to that sort of enraged brutality. Look instead at For Your Eyes Only, at the scene where he kicks Locque's car off a cliff. His anger is controlled, the usual ironic detachment transmuted to icy, calm vengefulness. The scene is so fine that it reminds you how good some of his films could have been if they'd given Roger more material of that strength, more opportunities to act with sober coolness. Look at that scene in The Spy Who Loved Me, when he admits to killing Anya's lover. The detachment behind his irony is now the bedrock for a moment of direct honesty--no quips or raised eyebrows. Just the admission of responsibility and a statement of purpose.
All this from an actor who delighted in mocking his own abilities! It's also there in his best non-Bond work--The Man Who Haunted Himself, Gold, Shout at the Devil (also directed by Peter Hunt), ffolkes, and much more. The world is much less charming place without Roger Moore.
That's brilliant! Roger Moore was a superb actor, and he really doesn't get enough credit for that.
I grew up watching Roger's Bond on VHS, and he'll always have a place in my heart. There's a documentary on Roger included with the Blu-Ray of Gold, one of his best non-Bond films (it was directed by Peter Hunt). In it you can see David Niven's son praise Roger as his father's heir and an underrated player of light comedy.
And this makes me realize that Roger Moore was the last of his kind--the suave, unflappable, lighthearted, kindly, and very English gentlemen, in a line with Niven and Cary Grant. There's no one acting today who has Roger's savoir faire. He was first to deprecate his own gifts, and they're still not fully appreciated. You need talent to project dapper aplomb and skill to play with light touch. Roger did far more than lift an eyebrow: He savored his roles as he played them, knowing when to step slightly outside character to highlight an irony and deploy his charm, that playful complicity with the audience.
Bond would not have survived the 1970s without moving into a more comedic and lighthearted direction, and Roger was the best man for the job. He said The Spy Who Loved Me was his favorite, and there he truly made the role his own. His first two Bond films were still in the Diamonds Are Forever mode--movies that didn't believe in themselves--and they made Roger's style look insubstantial and redundant. The Spy Who Loved Me was, despite its humor, a seriously-done epic, and it allowed Roger to pit his detachment and ironic commentary against the movie's monster-size scale and drama. And when the later Bond films floated down to earth, they allowed Roger to tap into his vulnerability--"the spark in his worried, squinched-up eyes" to quote Pauline Kael--and his good-humored warmth.
The latter quality is why several scenes from his first two Bonds, when he's made to imitate Connery, don't work. We don't buy the idea of Roger's Bond slapping a woman, because Moore isn't given to that sort of enraged brutality. Look instead at For Your Eyes Only, at the scene where he kicks Locque's car off a cliff. His anger is controlled, the usual ironic detachment transmuted to icy, calm vengefulness. The scene is so fine that it reminds you how good some of his films could have been if they'd given Roger more material of that strength, more opportunities to act with sober coolness. Look at that scene in The Spy Who Loved Me, when he admits to killing Anya's lover. The detachment behind his irony is now the bedrock for a moment of direct honesty--no quips or raised eyebrows. Just the admission of responsibility and a statement of purpose.
All this from an actor who delighted in mocking his own abilities! It's also there in his best non-Bond work--The Man Who Haunted Himself, Gold, Shout at the Devil (also directed by Peter Hunt), ffolkes, and much more. The world is much less charming place without Roger Moore.
That's brilliant! Roger Moore was a superb actor, and he really doesn't get enough credit for that.
I can't improve on that; rather I'll just agree. Very well said.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Indeed
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I had the good fortune to attend two of Sir Roger's book tours, and he came across as just such a warm, wonderful man. He had a blessed life most of us just dream of. RIP indeed - we won't see the last likes of him again.
This is all rather jarring to me. Even at 89 Sir Roger projected a certain youthfulness that belied his age.
Rest in peace Sir Roger. A kind soul, humanitarian, gentleman and all around great human being.
Just thinking of Sir Rog up there now catching up with his old chums like David Niven, Christopher Lee, Pat MacNee and the like... -{
Japanese proverb say, "Bird never make nest in bare tree".
JG007Manchester , United KingdomPosts: 276MI6 Agent
A lot of respect and time for someone who really put his own stamp on the role. I real gent on and off the screen and incredible generous with his time to assist others with his UNICEF role. His legacy will live on through both his bond films and roles outside the franchise.
A truly sad day indeed a great man, actor, ambassador and of course Bond. He put his own stamp on every role but his interpretation of Bond was a classic. A man with a heart of gold long may he Rest in Peace.
Thoughts to his family, but they should be proud of his fine innings
My name is Bond, Basildon Bond - I have letters after my name!
Came here to mourn with the rest of you. Not a better place to be then with fellow Bond fans who feel the same sadness I do today. RIP to Sir Roger Moore.
Going to be strange without him about. It was great how he still loved / embraced Bond etc
I wont lie, with a lot of Bond cast members passing away of late I have thought a few times recently that one of our 007's would pass sooner rather then later. However for some reason I really didnt expect him to go first
Indeed what a life he had, and he always seemed content and happy with no regrets -{
R.I.P Sir Roger, a wonderful and true gentleman. I loved your movies, especially For Your Eyes Only, and I will keep watching them all over and over until I get old and die one day.
I snapped at someone today at work that knows I'm a Bond fan.
He said "you know Roger Moore died."
I replied a little loudly "Sir! Roger Moore.."
A great man, a great actor, a great Bond, he will be missed
2017 is proceeding much like 2016, they're taking all my heroes away
Roger was my first Bond
like many others here I got on the bus, er the Aston, well I guess the Lotus, with The Spy Who Loved Me, then worked my backwards as the films were shown on teevee and quickly read all the books
so I had to reconcile Connery's version, and Fleming's, with what I'd already seen Roger do ... that's OK they were good too but it was Roger who got me hooked
didn't realise he'd been working since 1954, according to the obits, and he was doing American teevee at that
He may not have been the best Bond by many critics standards but he was my Bond. For those of us growing up in the 70s and 80s, he was our Bond. He was classy and smooth. Here are some good article about Gen X's 007.
RIP Sir Roger. I felt Roger had a good few years left in him yet so this has come as a shock. He was definitely the most iconic Bond of the 6, and the most enjoyable to watch. I never made it to one of his public appearances and I will regret that. A sad day. This is the first time I've wrote anything about an actor or entertainer passing away, it's a big deal. #RIPSirRogerMoore
Daniel Craig tribute:
"Nobody Does It Better - love Daniel."
Pierce Brosnan tribute:
"Dear Sir Roger Moore, it is indeed with a heavy heart that I hear the news of your passing this morning. You were a big part of my life, from The Saint to James Bond... you were a magnificent James Bond and one that led the way for me. The world will miss you and your unique sense of humour for years to come. My sincerest condolences to your family and children. RIP."
Daniel Craig tribute:
"Nobody Does It Better - love Daniel."
Pierce Brosnan tribute:
"Dear Sir Roger Moore, it is indeed with a heavy heart that I hear the news of your passing this morning. You were a big part of my life, from The Saint to James Bond... you were a magnificent James Bond and one that led the way for me. The world will miss you and your unique sense of humour for years to come. My sincerest condolences to your family and children. RIP."
“I was very sad to hear of Roger’s passing we had an unusually long relationship by Hollywood standards, that was filled with jokes and laughter, I will miss him.”
George Lazenby:
“‘I liked Roger, he was a genuine fellow, a really good guy.’
I guess no one in the world is paying attention to the former Bond actor, they are so pre-occupied with the terror attack that happened in Manchester . |)
His passing has been all over the news. I've seen many tributes from all quarters on Instagram and Facebook. I"ve rread online mags posting lots of "Why he was the best Bond" or "Why he was my Bond" type articles. Extensive obits in the international newspapers. Esquire, GQ, etc have published "Moore's best style moments" posts. Other articles about his work with UNICEF. I think there has been a great deal of coverage.
I saw it on facebook, can't find it now, but it was something along the lines of that he was very sad to hear of Roger's passing, and that they had many laughs over the years and that he'll miss him.
The same article mentioned the Brosnan and Craig dedications you posted, and also mentioned that Lazenby is the only bond to not publicly do a dedication, though they didn't even mention if Dalton did or not.
Comments
I have the same memory about A View To A Kill, also at Kensington Odeon!
Well, what you said about him being fashion-Bond, granted all Bonds use current trends one way or another, but put those aside and you end up with some excellent and timeless ensembles in there.
I will admit, I also prefer tall collars and wide(r) lapels (which look much better looking to my eyes) because of Roger. Out of all of the Bonds, he was the fashion icon of the time (dare I say even more-so than Connery even if he wasn't a trend setter). I hope there is some humour in the film so that it would be worthy to be dedicated to Roger...
Moonraker was the first Bond film I saw in the theatre, Sir Roger will ALWAYs be James Bond to me!
Godspeed kind Sir! :x -{ :x
https://twitter.com/MrKenShabby/status/867036448037511169/photo/1
I grew up watching Roger's Bond on VHS, and he'll always have a place in my heart. There's a documentary on Roger included with the Blu-Ray of Gold, one of his best non-Bond films (it was directed by Peter Hunt). In it you can see David Niven's son praise Roger as his father's heir and an underrated player of light comedy.
And this makes me realize that Roger Moore was the last of his kind--the suave, unflappable, lighthearted, kindly, and very English gentlemen, in a line with Niven and Cary Grant. There's no one acting today who has Roger's savoir faire. He was first to deprecate his own gifts, and they're still not fully appreciated. You need talent to project dapper aplomb and skill to play with light touch. Roger did far more than lift an eyebrow: He savored his roles as he played them, knowing when to step slightly outside character to highlight an irony and deploy his charm, that playful complicity with the audience.
Bond would not have survived the 1970s without moving into a more comedic and lighthearted direction, and Roger was the best man for the job. He said The Spy Who Loved Me was his favorite, and there he truly made the role his own. His first two Bond films were still in the Diamonds Are Forever mode--movies that didn't believe in themselves--and they made Roger's style look insubstantial and redundant. The Spy Who Loved Me was, despite its humor, a seriously-done epic, and it allowed Roger to pit his detachment and ironic commentary against the movie's monster-size scale and drama. And when the later Bond films floated down to earth, they allowed Roger to tap into his vulnerability--"the spark in his worried, squinched-up eyes" to quote Pauline Kael--and his good-humored warmth.
The latter quality is why several scenes from his first two Bonds, when he's made to imitate Connery, don't work. We don't buy the idea of Roger's Bond slapping a woman, because Moore isn't given to that sort of enraged brutality. Look instead at For Your Eyes Only, at the scene where he kicks Locque's car off a cliff. His anger is controlled, the usual ironic detachment transmuted to icy, calm vengefulness. The scene is so fine that it reminds you how good some of his films could have been if they'd given Roger more material of that strength, more opportunities to act with sober coolness. Look at that scene in The Spy Who Loved Me, when he admits to killing Anya's lover. The detachment behind his irony is now the bedrock for a moment of direct honesty--no quips or raised eyebrows. Just the admission of responsibility and a statement of purpose.
All this from an actor who delighted in mocking his own abilities! It's also there in his best non-Bond work--The Man Who Haunted Himself, Gold, Shout at the Devil (also directed by Peter Hunt), ffolkes, and much more. The world is much less charming place without Roger Moore.
That's brilliant! Roger Moore was a superb actor, and he really doesn't get enough credit for that.
I can't improve on that; rather I'll just agree. Very well said.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Rest in peace Sir Roger. A kind soul, humanitarian, gentleman and all around great human being.
RIP SIR -{
Thoughts to his family, but they should be proud of his fine innings
RIP Sir Roger
Twitter: @mybudgetbond1
I wont lie, with a lot of Bond cast members passing away of late I have thought a few times recently that one of our 007's would pass sooner rather then later. However for some reason I really didnt expect him to go first
Indeed what a life he had, and he always seemed content and happy with no regrets -{
1. Dalton 2. Moore 3. Connery 4. Lazenby 5. Craig 6. Brosnan
He said "you know Roger Moore died."
I replied a little loudly "Sir! Roger Moore.."
A great man, a great actor, a great Bond, he will be missed
Roger was my first Bond
like many others here I got on the bus, er the Aston, well I guess the Lotus, with The Spy Who Loved Me, then worked my backwards as the films were shown on teevee and quickly read all the books
so I had to reconcile Connery's version, and Fleming's, with what I'd already seen Roger do ... that's OK they were good too but it was Roger who got me hooked
didn't realise he'd been working since 1954, according to the obits, and he was doing American teevee at that
http://www.salon.com/2017/05/23/roger-moore-james-bond-death-movies/
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/23/movies/roger-moore-was-the-best-bond-because-he-was-the-gen-x-bond.html?_r=0
7. LALD 8. TWINE 9. Skyfall 10. AVTAK 11. CR 12. TLD 13. YOLT
14. TMWTGG 15. Moonraker 16. TSWLM 17. Thunderball 18. FRWL
19. Dr. No 20. DAF 21. LTK 22. DAD 23. QoS 24. Spectre 25. NTTD
"Nobody Does It Better - love Daniel."
Pierce Brosnan tribute:
"Dear Sir Roger Moore, it is indeed with a heavy heart that I hear the news of your passing this morning. You were a big part of my life, from The Saint to James Bond... you were a magnificent James Bond and one that led the way for me. The world will miss you and your unique sense of humour for years to come. My sincerest condolences to your family and children. RIP."
Wonder if the others will tribute too ?
Connery did
1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
“I was very sad to hear of Roger’s passing we had an unusually long relationship by Hollywood standards, that was filled with jokes and laughter, I will miss him.”
George Lazenby:
“‘I liked Roger, he was a genuine fellow, a really good guy.’
His passing has been all over the news. I've seen many tributes from all quarters on Instagram and Facebook. I"ve rread online mags posting lots of "Why he was the best Bond" or "Why he was my Bond" type articles. Extensive obits in the international newspapers. Esquire, GQ, etc have published "Moore's best style moments" posts. Other articles about his work with UNICEF. I think there has been a great deal of coverage.
I saw it on facebook, can't find it now, but it was something along the lines of that he was very sad to hear of Roger's passing, and that they had many laughs over the years and that he'll miss him.
The same article mentioned the Brosnan and Craig dedications you posted, and also mentioned that Lazenby is the only bond to not publicly do a dedication, though they didn't even mention if Dalton did or not.
Edit: Ahh I see you've found it
1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby