Highlights of Moonraker
crawfordboon
Posts: 126MI6 Agent
MR is often derided as one of the poorer 007 adventures, despite mass popular and critical acclaim upon its release (a lot of critics still seem to love it).
Most of the people on this board seem to be all for the Flemingesque interpretation of the Bond adventures, rather than the Lewis Gilbert version, but I thought it was worth asking, what, if any, positive scenes or attritubes did you like about the film. For me;
* the brilliant pre-credits as Bond, the pilot, and Jaws fall from the plane. I generally press the 'stop' button as Jaws rips out his ripcord, trying to imagine that the film implies he dies,then later resurrects him, just like his TSWLM Road Runner antics making him seem indestructable, rather than the lame circus tent gag
* another great Shirley Bassey theme song!
* when Bond is put in the centrifuge machine - very well done - he looks totally petrified
* when Corrine is hunted down by the dogs in the woods - very haunting
* Bond and Holly are chasing down the killer globes in the space shuttle, it's actually quite tense as they have to shoot down the last couple
* the "take me round the world one more time" line, especially as it rolls the soundtrack into the title credit music, which has a bit of a disco feel, quite sweetly
* I have a feeling a lot of people will disagree, but when Jaws rebels against Drax, I was impressed. It's very unusual for a Bond villain to do such a thing, and where Jaws was previously quite one dimensional, this makes him a rather more interesting individual. It was a great idea to give a character so beloved by fans of the series a chance of redemption. He didn't die either!
* Also, the film is quite beautifully photographed, and the space scenes in particular are very well realized (until the laser battle, at least). The space station is an impressive set, if not quite as amazing as the submarine dock in TSWLM.
Hope other people can suggest more!
Most of the people on this board seem to be all for the Flemingesque interpretation of the Bond adventures, rather than the Lewis Gilbert version, but I thought it was worth asking, what, if any, positive scenes or attritubes did you like about the film. For me;
* the brilliant pre-credits as Bond, the pilot, and Jaws fall from the plane. I generally press the 'stop' button as Jaws rips out his ripcord, trying to imagine that the film implies he dies,then later resurrects him, just like his TSWLM Road Runner antics making him seem indestructable, rather than the lame circus tent gag
* another great Shirley Bassey theme song!
* when Bond is put in the centrifuge machine - very well done - he looks totally petrified
* when Corrine is hunted down by the dogs in the woods - very haunting
* Bond and Holly are chasing down the killer globes in the space shuttle, it's actually quite tense as they have to shoot down the last couple
* the "take me round the world one more time" line, especially as it rolls the soundtrack into the title credit music, which has a bit of a disco feel, quite sweetly
* I have a feeling a lot of people will disagree, but when Jaws rebels against Drax, I was impressed. It's very unusual for a Bond villain to do such a thing, and where Jaws was previously quite one dimensional, this makes him a rather more interesting individual. It was a great idea to give a character so beloved by fans of the series a chance of redemption. He didn't die either!
* Also, the film is quite beautifully photographed, and the space scenes in particular are very well realized (until the laser battle, at least). The space station is an impressive set, if not quite as amazing as the submarine dock in TSWLM.
Hope other people can suggest more!
Comments
All that said, I have a soaft spot for this film. You have accurately covered many of the films strong points -- my favorite is your identification of the final globe lasering as a scene of very high tension. I would add a few others:
* Beyond the theme song, the whole score is gorgeous and haunting.
* Great to hear a return of the "007" theme song!
* The death of the two scientists is pretty painfult to watch. BTW, these are two deaths directly caused by Bond that never get a mention.
* The pheasant scene is classic.
* The gas mask scene is laugh-out-loud funny.
* "Look after Mr. Bond. See that some harm comes to him."
Roger Moore is also very effective here, moving effortlessly thru the film and delivering humor, compassion and toughness in just the right amounts whenever necessary.
Personally, I never had a problem with the humor in the movie at all, but for those bothered by it a few simple trims and edits would go a long way towards minimizing the jokiness: end the PTS with the scene of Jaws floating away holding the damaged ripcord; trim the gondola scene to minimize the double takes and excise the martyred, oft maligned pidgeon, cut Bond's one-liner after his fight with Chang, trim the scene of Bond on horseback and drop The Magnificent Seven theme; tone down Jaws' scenes with Dolly; and voila all of a sudden there's a lot less to complain about. Those are the complaints I hear the most, yet they add up to maybe 5 minutes of screen time.
Moonraker is Bond spectacle at its finest; more's the pity that we'll probably never see a Bond film of that magnitude again.
The thing I have to admire most is probably Moore's performance as Bond. As crazy as some of the shenanigans are, he plays it very well - mainly the space scenes where he has the right amount of serious skills, right amount of light heartedness. I also liked the scene where he meet up with Holly in Venice - the whole amount of self confidence that he had, acting as if he were superior to the woman astronaut.
Also, I think that the movie had some very good script moments - such as Holly treating Bond as a one night stand, or the scene with Draz and the Minister in Venice.
And I love the line "you missed, Mr Bond." "Did I?"
Only some of MR’s parts are too outlandish and silly, like the Bondola which is taken too far, especially on the St Marks Plaza with the peoples reaction and the music. Jaws has become a parody of himself in MR where he has a silly girlfriend and everything he does, where a non human character becomes human, but in a poorly done way. The movie lacked the James Bond Theme, but with it missing you don’t miss it all that much, it feels like it doesn’t need it too much, maybe this is a reason why people don’t feel its a very Bond movie and possibly why we don’t hear the theme. MR is quite similar to TSWLM in terms of the female lead being from competing but ally forces, this was only used because of how much of a success it was, but it feels unoriginal. The plot is quite outlandish for a Bond movie, but it was originally an Ian Fleming novel, the story has been changed considerably however. The story did match what the hype was at the time and one could argue that a Bond film around Star Wars etc. was boring.
BUT.................................
What makes this movie good:
We see Drax from a very early point in the movie, which makes Drax a very central character in the movie, almost like Elektra in TWINE and Stromberg in TSWLM which makes you really take notice of the villain. Unlike Blofeld in YOLT the Villain is not really a main character and doesn’t mean much. Drax has some of the best dialogue in a Bond movie the whole “Untainted cradle of the heavens.....” speech near the end is the most villain like speeches, which also makes you understand why and what the villain is doing, making him a real threat. He never acts weak or under pressure which makes him even more of a threat, and because of his government and industrial connections he is well respected and trusted in the beginning of the movie. Drax is also sophisticated semi-quoting Oscar Wilde at one point and his dialogue written by Christopher Wood is outstanding. He is a menacing villain, in the beginning words beat Bonds making the situation under his control such as “I'm honoured your government sent you on so delicate a mission................Apologising for the loss of my space shuttle” then Bond immediately brings back the situation to his control. The Villain also makes sure Bond is not made welcome with the centrifuge trainer, but then Bond combats it with a smart Bondish “You missed Mr Bond” “Did I?...as you said, such good sport”.
Roger Moore plays this Bond differently to his previous ones, he still plays it with his usual humour, but because of the added action he must concentrate and use his wits to get him out of situations. In the PTS we see him immediately under pressure only adding the “A little premature isn’t it?” then getting pushed out of the plane, then getting out of it alive. In the centrifuge scene he shows Bond under pressure very well, showing his vulnerability, then pushing Holly out of the way when she looks after him, showing his anger. He is also good at his chemistry between Holly and Corrine. With Holly especially he is quite the original Bond, stubborn, with scenes like “But then I forget that you are more than just a beautiful woman”, even though he just sees her as competition.
Bond clearly shows his skill in many parts, without the use of gadgets, in the final globe hunting scene he survives himself using the manual gun, proving he works well under pressure, again he shows his coolness and Bond like “Did I?...as you said, such good sport” linking this to the smart ass original Bond in TB and others.
The movie was the most expensive Bond yet in 1979, and you can see it. The film feels as if its done in such quality, with its locations, camera work/cinematography, actors etc. Drax’s palace in California is so beautiful it adds an atmosphere to the movie, as do other locations such as interiors and exterior of Venice, the scenes in Rio, the waterfall and even the quality of the space special effects all add an atmosphere of quality to the movie, much like TWINE. The movies budget also meant things did not look cheap, which almost happened in TSWLM with the explosions of the Subs at the end and even the cinematography of the film. The falsest things in MR are the green screens, which is almost a Bond trade mark. John Barry’s score of MR also adds luxury to the movie, with his lush deep moving score, which tends to lack the Bond theme, but reintroduces the secondary Bond theme. Ken Adams sets also add another dimension, almost scene after scene we see a vast amazing Ken Adam set, and its all topped off with the amazing space station at the end. Some of the most memorable and amazing scenes are in Moonraker like the Pheasant Shooting, how Corrine is chased by dogs, Bonds flight into Rio, the lab scene in Venice, and the space scenes.
I consider Moonraker to be a very special Bond film in terms of how different it is to the original Bond movies, almost like LTK, but the difference being we don’t wonder why it was not a success. I would compare Moonraker to TWINE in terms of the movies beauty and attention to detail.
I find that Moonraker is the tipping point in the Bond movies, even though it started in TSWLM this completes it 100%.
Moonraker is my 2nd Favourite Bond film because of this.
Why:
Roger Moore is great
Drax is absolutely fantastic
Special Effects and Beauty of film is breathtaking
Entertaining
I hope u enjoy this!
"Better make that two."
Roger Moore! Roger Moore! Roger Moore! OK I'm biased.
The pre-title sequence is very good overall, despite Jaws flapping like a bird. The parachute fight is a great piece of stuntwork.
The centrifuge sequence is superbly done. For years I thought that was a real centrifuge, probably used by NASA astronauts/pilots. I was stunned when I eventually found out that it was a set and not the real thing.
Talking about sets: There surely aren't many Bond films with better sets than Moonraker. And the beautiful location's, such as Rio and Venice are made very good use of. Not sure about outer space though.
The pheasant shoot and Corinne Dufour being hunted down by Drax's dogs is superbly done. I never fail to laugh at: "You missed, Mr Bond." "Did I?" And the dogs chasing Dufour is very haunting, made more so by John Barry.
Bond and Holly Goodhead chasing down the globes is another big highlight. The special effects in this sequence are good and have stood the test of time well.
Michael Lonsdale is top notch as Hugo Drax. He's menacing, but at the same time his deadpan nature makes for some great humour.
Corinne Clery's wonderful but short lived portrayal of Corinne Dufour is another highlight. Clery's portrayal really makes me sympaphise with her character.
One of John Barry's very best scores. Only beaten by his even greater scores of YOLT and OHMSS. Shirley's Bassey's beautiful rendition of the title song is one of the most underrated of all.
as i said above but no one really looked at
"Better make that two."
Well, I looked at it. And I did enjoy it. No need to feel so heartbroken, mr drax.
"Better make that two."
So TSWLM is in many ways a remake of YOLT whereas MR takes it that bit further.
I agree about Jaws' switch of allegiance, oddly the scene has real gravity (no pun intended!)
Roger Moore 1927-2017
A set Id like to add to the "wow" category was all of the sets in Drax's Mayan temple. The amazing python/rainforest set was amazing. As were all of the rocket facilities.
I must say, this movie does hold alot of support dispite having Jaws survive everything short of a nuke.
"Better make that two."
As Hardyboy identified, Lonsdale's performance of Drax is very good indeed, and his dead-pan delivery of some of his lines ensures that the humour is placed in context. His gibe about the British cultural contribution to the world (afternoon tea and [how common!] cucumber sandwiches) and his declaration of misunderstanding the English humour are stand-out moments of highly successful comedy. In the gas-mask scene in particular, Lonsdale conveys the feeling that this is not played just for laughs, with the result that the dialogue is funnier than it might have been. Moreover, all the incessant nods and winks to other cultural phenomena could get tiring hwever they are executed with such panache that they also are simple, great fun.
Moonraker is one of the classiest and most elegant of the series. Bassey's theme song is a beautiful ballad and one of the strongest of the era, while Barry's score is just sublime. As mentioned previously, the photography is fantastic; all of the locations are realised with plenty of colour and backdrop. Rio, Venice, even space; everywhere Bond goes the viewer gets the feeling that he is there too. This is one of those Bond pictures during which the audience is taken on as much a globe-trotting adventure as Bond himself.
Often ignored is that Moonraker also contains some of the darkest and most ruthless moments of the films. Obviously the centrifuge is great and an example of Roger Moore at his best, and the fight with Drax's man in the museum has an immense immediacy and danger about it. However, the shooting scene and Corinne's subsequent death are incredibly and surprisingly stark. The forboding music slowly makes its way to its crescendo as the poor lamb is being hunted by a pack of dogs, after which she is rather horiffically mauled alive. Pretty daring for an ostensibly 'fun for all the family' Moore Bond picture.
In the end, though, I cannot overestimate just how fun Moonraker actually is. Roger Moore, by this point, was very comfortable in the role and while he may be a million miles from the original conception of the character he succeeds admirably on his own terms. Forgetting the Connery or Lazenby films for a moment, or indeed the books, I find it impossible not to enjoy the film. It is filled with such a vibrancy and exuberance that it is great entertainment and, sometimes, I just want to be entertained.
Possibly the archetype of the Moore approach and the Moore era and a joy to watch at that.
"Better make that two."
And when I compare to its immediate predecessor, TSWLM, I prefer MR. I would prefer it without some of the sillier gags but I still like it as it is. Maybe the St. Marks square scene is taking things too far and playing the Magnificent Seven theme is rather silly, it worked for me when I first saw it! (on that not, I did love the use of Lawrence of Arabia theme in TSWLM!)
Michael Lonsdale remains to this day one of my favourite Bond villains. I especially like his first scene with Bond. His dialogue is very good indeed. I would actually rather have Lonsdale's Drax in this film than the Fleming version.
Also, the score is very good. With regards to the soundtrack, although it is very short (only 10 tracks) it is probably the only soundtrack CD on which I really like every track. It has such a good mood and feel. Pity there is no Bond theme on the CD, but the rest of the music is so good that it doesn't really feel like you're missing anything. Having said that, the addition of the Venice boat chase music would really turn MR into an awesome soundtrack.
So, all things considered, I would include MR is my top 10 Bond films. Probably number 10, but I think that is probably higher than many people on this website rate it.
Ah, but then again, did anyone take the time to look back at my extensive arguments in favour of Moonraker from 4 years ago?
I love Moonraker. I always have and I probably always will. It has mistakes (as do all the Bond films), but as a spectacle, it cannot be beaten.
I defy anyone to say another Bond film has better locations - and they were pretty spectacularly used as well (even if some were recreated in early blue screen glory). The cable car fight was well choreographed and edge-of-the-seat stuff.
I particularly love the sets. Drax's South American lair were particularly good. But the use of the Pompidou center as Drax Industries California base was particularly clever.
However my favourite set was the "crucible" from which Holly and James were just about able to escape from before Drax 5 took off.
I can live with some of the film's silliness ... but that is all it was. It wasn't trying to be anything other than a rollercoaster ride. There were no "let's try and be serious now" moments (I would argue that the "rats and the poison" and "Death of Corinne" scenes were dark relief rather than meant to be overly serious).
It is for good reason that for a long time I could recite every single line from this film ... this became a problem for my flatmates during James Bond drinking games. In fact, they refused to play with me ever again after one session with Moonraker!
Before I state its highlights, I will just mention what I consider to be its two flaws; the OTT silliness and the ending. I also think that after TSWLM (an absolute Bond masterpiece IMO) MR's attempt to compete with and perhaps even surpass its predecessor failed. However these minor issues aside, I think that MR has a lot going for it.
The PTS is IMO among the greatest of all time. Jaws is back and I consider him to be a classic henchman. The dialogue ("Mr. Bond, you persist in defying my efforts to provide an amusing death for you," "I discovered it had a crush on me," "Jaws, Mr. Bond must be cold after his swim. Place him where he can be assured of warmth" etc) is in some cases quite wonderful and in other cases extremely entertaining. The moment at which MR IMO went downhill was just after Bond killed the python and was captured by Drax. However before that, I thought the film was absolutely fantastic. The scenes with Jaws (the chairlift, at the fair) were enormously exciting, I loved Moore's performance whom I thought was superb as usual (including the way he was so patronising towards Holly Goodhead), Drax was a fantastic villain with some great dialogue and who also gave a great performance. I actually consider the 70's Moore villains to be among the best in the series, and second only to the 60's villains. Drax is no exception and was perhaps the last truly great villain. (I say perhaps as I'm still undecided on that point, however I'm edging towards yes.
MR isn't perfect. I wouldn't describe it as a masterpiece in the same way as I would TSWLM, but as an entertaining film, I think it's great! At the end of the day what more can one ask for?!
Totally agree. Lonsdale was simply brilliant.
I also loved the centrifuge scene---one of Sir Roger's finest moments in the role, as far as I am concerned. Enjoyed the skydiving PTS immensely, the fight with Chang in Venice, the Glastron 'Bond boat'...and the concept of Bond in space.
I actually think Bond should (and will) go to the moon, at some point...not in a 'Star Wars'- style, but in an 'Apollo 13'-style. [perhaps I should put this bit in the 'Eccentric Bond Opinions' thread...? ]
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
"Better make that two."
hell yea, well its kinda just a John Barry experimental remix, its pretty funny.
"Better make that two."
The end credits.
Lovely music in this one- one of the best Bond soundtracks.
-Casino Royale, Ian Fleming