A horrible scene in Moonraker

Jarvio · June 2007

Now, I remember a scene in Moonraker where some people are shooting pheasents, or birds of some sort anyway. Then there's a scene which shows the dead body of a bird that's just been shot.

Now, before you all laugh, I have a big fear of dead animals, ESPECIALLY dead birds lol. Don't ask me why, I just don't know. But it's a pretty bad fear.

So for me, this is, hands down, my most hated scene in any Bond film. Did they REALLY need to show the dead bird? lol. Honestly.

Does anyone feel the same?

DAWUSS · June 2007

I did find the dialogue relating to Bond shooting the sniper to be hilarious, though.

Jarvio · June 2007

I can't remember the dialogue, I admit, it's been ages since I watched the scene - I try to avoid it lol.

Kirk James Kirk · June 2007

Drax says, "You missed, Mister Bond."

Guy falls out of tree.

Bond, "Did I?"

I think that's the way it goes.

taity · June 2007

Thats the dialogue. It was also copied in the simpsons once upon a time.

As bad as that movie is, the dialogue is often above par.

Loeffelholz · June 2007

"Such good sport."

:007)

JennyFlexFan · June 2007

I thought this was going to be about Corrine's death scene. That's probably the most chilling death scene in Bond history, I cringe every time I watch it!

Hardyboy · June 2007

Good grief, Jarvio--every Bond film shows at least one dead human body, and it's dead animals that gives you the heebie-jeebies?

Jarvio · June 2007

Hardyboy wrote:

Good grief, Jarvio--every Bond film shows at least one dead human body, and it's dead animals that gives you the heebie-jeebies?

lol, it's a strange fear I admit.

And what makes it even more strange is that it depends on the animal.

Dead birds are the worst. And for some reason, dead fish don't bother me at all. lol

The Cat · June 2007

There are times when live birds are a lot more horrible than dead ones. Yes, I'm talking about you, double-taking pidgeon!

Loeffelholz · June 2007

The Cat wrote:

There are times when live birds are a lot more horrible than dead ones. Yes, I'm talking about you, double-taking pidgeon!

) {[]

Lazenby · June 2007

Moonraker rules. It's got some silliness, yes, but it's also extraordinarily well done in parts. It was in Moonraker that the filmmakers attained, with Roger Moore, the perfect balance between his and Connery's Bond and between the tone of the ultra-cool early 60s Bonds and the more gimmicky Bonds of the 70s. Much of Moore's performance in MR-- in particular the early scenes when Bond is investigating Drax at his estate and business headquarters-- could have come right out of Thunderball. Even the later, outer space scenes, while over-the-top in some respects, are handled very sincerely and are really no more OTT than much of YOLT and unlike that film you had a lead actor in his (relative) prime.

Loeffelholz · June 2007

I'd only quibble with your premise, here, Laz: IMRO, TSWLM was the distillation of the Roger Moore Era...to me, MR was one step beyond...

There's a lot I like in MR---but, for me, the serious cringing really began here, as well...and it didn't end for a long...long...long time

words · June 2007

Awwwwww bless! What a sensitive flower you are Jarvio!

I love that scene and I must admit the presence of dead birds passed me by. What a callous git I must be!

Dan Same · June 2007

Hardyboy wrote:

Good grief, Jarvio--every Bond film shows at least one dead human body, and it's dead animals that gives you the heebie-jeebies?

In his defence, I think it should be noted that while killing humans is terrible, in Bond films it is always done in self defence or with justification. Killing a defenceless bird is arguably a very different situation. It wasn't done in self defence and the justification, if it was there, was arguably quite slight.

Plus we are talking about harmless animals here; afterall in Fatal Attraction, everybody remembers the bunny scene but not the scene in which Glenn Close tries to kill Anne Archer.

emtiem · June 2007

Dan Same wrote:

In his defence, I think it should be noted that while killing humans is terrible, in Bond films it is always done in self defence or with justification.

Although, and I thought this would be the scene that this thread was about, in Moonraker Bond does kill a couple of people by accident when he leaves that vial full of poison lying about in the lab!

Lazenby · June 2007

Loeffelholz wrote:

TSWLM was the distillation of the Roger Moore Era

That is arguably true, however what I like about certain elements of MR (and this could very well reduce largely to the fact that Barry scored it) is that they were a near perfect hybrid of the best of Moore and elements of the earlier Bonds. No part of TSWLM, for example (or any other Bond of the 70s), is as chilling as the scene where Corinne Dufour dies, and, as I said before, the centrefuge scene-- or at least its tone-- could have come straight out of TB or FRWL.

but, for me, the serious cringing really began here, as well...and it didn't end for a long...long...long time

This is something I've said before, but the elements of MR that are really cringeworthy (the Bondola scene, much of the Jaws stuff, the pigeon, and so forth) could be edited right out of the movie with no loss of continuity in the story, and leaving behind a movie that, to me, tops everything between OHMSS and CR.

Tilly Masterson 007 · June 2007

The scene where Chang sets the dogs on Corinne Dufour, is a very memorable but rather disturbing scene.

Lazenby · June 2007

Tilly Masterson 007 wrote:

The scene where Chang sets the dogs on Corinne Dufour, is a very memorable but rather disturbing scene.

Oh it's totally disturbing...in fact I often skip it because I quite like Corinne. However, I was simply using that scene as an indicator of the comparative (a la the 70s films) lack of campiness that, to me, is at the center of MR.

Dan Same · June 2007

Lazenby wrote:

Oh it's totally disturbing...in fact I often skip it because I quite like Corinne. However, I was simply using that scene as an indicator of the comparative (a la the 70s films) lack of campiness that, to me, is at the center of MR.

I agree that MR was nowhere near as bad as alot of people think it was, however I disagree that it was it was the least campiest Bond film of the 70's (wether you eliminate the material which you mentioned or not.) IMO LALD wasn't campy, while the least campiest Bond film of the 70's was IMO TSWLM.

taity · June 2007

I think any movie that has Bond in a yellow jump suit of any kind is camp. And hey, what was Bond wearing when he did the ski jump!

Truth be told, I do admire Moonraker - great effects, good dialogue and every actor gives a great performance. I also like what Gilbert did with many sections. If it werent played for laughs, it could have been the best of the Moore era.

Barry Nelson · June 2007

Lazenby wrote:

Tilly Masterson 007 wrote:

The scene where Chang sets the dogs on Corinne Dufour, is a very memorable but rather disturbing scene.

Oh it's totally disturbing...in fact I often skip it because I quite like Corinne. However, I was simply using that scene as an indicator of the comparative (a la the 70s films) lack of campiness that, to me, is at the center of MR.

Corinne is one of the Bond girls who was killed off way too soon. A couple others would be Jill Masterson and Solange.

Don't remember the dead bird, it obviousely did not have the effect on me as it did Jarvio.

Dan Same · June 2007

taity wrote:

I think any movie that has Bond in a yellow jump suit of any kind is camp. And hey, what was Bond wearing when he did the ski jump!

I don't think that Moore wearing a yellow jump suit is all that camp. But then campness is probably in the eye of the beholder.

superado · June 2007

Jarvio wrote:

I have a big fear of dead animals, ESPECIALLY dead birds lol. Don't ask me why, I just don't know. But it's a pretty bad fear.

Hmmm, a fear of dead birds...very Freudian indeed, applicable only to the male gender

)

A horrible scene in Moonraker

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