I rate LTK in my top 10 (at No.10) due to it being a daring attempt to do something different. It does mostly work for me- Dalton is far better here than TLD, imho- but there are obvious flaws.
I agree about the 'Miami Vice' feel- that has dated it somewhat now and I'm not surprised purists find it hard to take. My biggest issue with the film is the middle of it where to me, it drops off completely with the scenes in the casino. WAY too long, imho.
I can't agree with you about Dalton's performance in this film Willie. I thought his interpretation was far more successful in TLD where his perfomance struck a balance between the lighter and darker shades of Bond.
Just re-watching LTK i find him wearingly dour and frankly bordering on the psychotic. If that is Fleming then you and I are interpreting the source material quite differently! (which of course is entirely possible )
I completely agree. Although I don't think that Dalton was that great in TLD anyway, what particularly annoys me about his performance in LTK (the worst ever Bond performance IMO) was that it seemed to me that he was already dark and depressed even before the attack upon Felix and his wife occured. It's hard for me to feel for a man out for revenge when his emotional state is no different to even before he set out for revenge.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Although I don't think that Dalton was that great in TLD anyway, what particularly annoys me about his performance in LTK (the worst ever Bond performance IMO) was that it seemed to me that he was already dark and depressed even before the attack upon Felix and his wife occured. It's hard for me to feel for a man out for revenge when his emotional state is no different to even before he set out for revenge.
Timothy Dalton's performance in LTK is not the worst ever Bond performance, IMO. But that's not the main reason for my response. I don't agree that Dalton seemingly/was already dark and depressed before the attack on Felix and Della. In the PTS he only gets serious after he is shot at while being "strictly the observer". When he and Felix parachute down to the wedding ceremony it's all smiles. The smiles continue at the reception party afterwards. When Della makes an indirect reference to Tracy (as he is leaving) his mood changes. Up to this point Dalton's acting and his emotions are suited to what each scene/sequence required.
Timothy Dalton's performance in LTK is not the worst ever Bond performance, IMO. But that's not the main reason for my response. I don't agree that Dalton seemingly/was already dark and depressed before the attack on Felix and Della. In the PTS he only gets serious after he is shot at while being "strictly the observer". When he and Felix parachute down to the wedding ceremony it's all smiles. The smiles continue at the reception party afterwards. When Della makes an indirect reference to Tracy (as he is leaving) his mood changes. Up to this point Dalton's acting and his emotions are suited to what each scene/sequence required.
I rememember having a discussion about this with Klaus. Where is he? :v MNL, I don't agree. In the opening sequences, he struck me as either completely dour and when he wasn't, extremely false. The reason I hate the performance so much (and I realise that my ranking of it as the worst ever is perhaps a minority view ) is that it seemed to me that he was pretty much dour, depressed and overwhelmingly serious the entire time, and when he wasn't, it seemed really false to me.
Of the examples that you gave, I accept that they they may have been his intention (that is, it was Dalton's intention to be happy at the wedding ceremony and reception) but it wasn't convincing to me. So, really, I don't think that Dalton's acting was at all appropiate because when it came time to get revenge, I got the sense that he was already at ground zero (so to speak.) You can't get lower than that so I was never convinced with Dalton's performance.
Plus, I think that the script provided him with moments with which to express his lighter side, but IMO he either never took up the opportunity or was just enormously uneffective. Sorry, Dalton fans, but that's how I feel.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
I rememember having a discussion about this with Klaus. Where is he? :v MNL, I don't agree. In the opening sequences, he struck me as either completely dour and when he wasn't, extremely false. The reason I hate the performance so much (and I realise that my ranking of it as the worst ever is perhaps a minority view ) is that it seemed to me that he was pretty much dour, depressed and overwhelmingly serious the entire time, and when he wasn't, it seemed really false to me.
Of the examples that you gave, I accept that they they may have been his intention (that is, it was Dalton's intention to be happy at the wedding ceremony and reception) but it wasn't convincing to me. So, really, I don't think that Dalton's acting was at all appropiate because when it came time to get revenge, I got the sense that he was already at ground zero (so to speak.) You can't get lower than that so I was never convinced with Dalton's performance.
Plus, I think that the script provided him with moments with which to express his lighter side, but IMO he either never took up the opportunity or was just enormously uneffective. Sorry, Dalton fans, but that's how I feel.
With regards to the opening sequences, I just don't see Dalton as completely dour or completely false. I will say this though, with regards to the wedding reception, it does come across as a bit too lovey dovey. (Dalton's) Bond and Della appear to be too familiar with each other.
Overall, I think Dalton's performance is very good in LTK. However, it's not without fault. An example, in the scene where Q is briefing him and Pam Bouvier enters the room catching him by surprise. He overacts and overreacts in the manner of his facial expression and the way he draws his gun.
Overall, I think Dalton's performance is very good in LTK. However, it's not without fault. An example, in the scene where Q is briefing him and Pam Bouvier enters the room catching him by surprise. He overacts and overreacts in the manner of his facial expression and the way he draws his gun.
Ill bloody say, as I have said before I only really enjoy the movie because of Davi, I do believe however both of the woman act very well and the chemistry is believeable.
I do like licence to kill but dont class it as a Bond.
I think it would be similar to all Bonds with an american feel.....
I must be one of the few who actually think LTK is a damn good movie ( i didnt think so in'89 when i saw it, but i was way younger then and of the Moore generation ) I appreciate its realism, and Tim's portrayal of Bond. IMO LTK is up there with CR in terms of Bond portrayal
LTK was never high on my Bond list but as it was on TV last night and I decided to check it out again. I actually ended up enjoying it quite a bit.
I still have some problems with the movie: Michael Kamen's score is terrible, Bond is way too eager to push everyone away at every opportunity and the locales lack the exotic quality of most of the other entries. But the stuntwork is great and the way Bond plants the seeds of mistrust and picks apart Sanchez's organization from the inside is fun to watch. The girls are gorgeous and the body count is suitably high.
As for Dalton, he is a little dour but that's what the part called for. He definitely brought a lot of conviction to the part and he didn't phone it in; and as I watched it I caught myself several times thinking how great it would have been if he'd had one more outing as Bond.
My fondness for Dalton as Bond has increased over the years, and it really is a shame he didnt do more. If he had done more, i doubt that the series would have needed a re-boot, as Dalton would never have allowed it to get silly
My fondness for Dalton as Bond has increased over the years, and it really is a shame he didnt do more. If he had done more, i doubt that the series would have needed a re-boot, as Dalton would never have allowed it to get silly
I'd like to think you're right, but the rumored version of the thid Dalton film (pre-GoldenEye) involved an army of killer robots. Not that such a concept could not be handled well, but it's an easy concept to go awry!
LTK has always been one of my favorites and I too noticed it was not too popular around here. But I also loved A View to a Kill. To me there is a top 15, and a bottom 5. But the fact is, a lot of people didn't like Dalton. I think that's the main reason. Every actor who takes on the role, adds there own feel to the entire production. The personality of Dalton's Bond films isn't for everyone (even Dalton himself at times with those forced & painfull one-liners).
Maybe he was too hard-edged and not enough fun? I don't know, it's hard for me to find real fault in it. I also liked him as Bond.
My fondness for Dalton as Bond has increased over the years, and it really is a shame he didnt do more. If he had done more, i doubt that the series would have needed a re-boot, as Dalton would never have allowed it to get silly
I don't like Dalton but I want to say that I doubt that he could have 'allowed' the series to do anything. Brosnan has spoken numerous times about how he would have loved for the Bond films to embark on a more serious, darker and more 'adult' direction rather than the direction that the series went with DAD.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Comments
I agree about the 'Miami Vice' feel- that has dated it somewhat now and I'm not surprised purists find it hard to take. My biggest issue with the film is the middle of it where to me, it drops off completely with the scenes in the casino. WAY too long, imho.
Timothy Dalton's performance in LTK is not the worst ever Bond performance, IMO. But that's not the main reason for my response. I don't agree that Dalton seemingly/was already dark and depressed before the attack on Felix and Della. In the PTS he only gets serious after he is shot at while being "strictly the observer". When he and Felix parachute down to the wedding ceremony it's all smiles. The smiles continue at the reception party afterwards. When Della makes an indirect reference to Tracy (as he is leaving) his mood changes. Up to this point Dalton's acting and his emotions are suited to what each scene/sequence required.
Of the examples that you gave, I accept that they they may have been his intention (that is, it was Dalton's intention to be happy at the wedding ceremony and reception) but it wasn't convincing to me. So, really, I don't think that Dalton's acting was at all appropiate because when it came time to get revenge, I got the sense that he was already at ground zero (so to speak.) You can't get lower than that so I was never convinced with Dalton's performance.
Plus, I think that the script provided him with moments with which to express his lighter side, but IMO he either never took up the opportunity or was just enormously uneffective. Sorry, Dalton fans, but that's how I feel.
With regards to the opening sequences, I just don't see Dalton as completely dour or completely false. I will say this though, with regards to the wedding reception, it does come across as a bit too lovey dovey. (Dalton's) Bond and Della appear to be too familiar with each other.
Overall, I think Dalton's performance is very good in LTK. However, it's not without fault. An example, in the scene where Q is briefing him and Pam Bouvier enters the room catching him by surprise. He overacts and overreacts in the manner of his facial expression and the way he draws his gun.
Ill bloody say, as I have said before I only really enjoy the movie because of Davi, I do believe however both of the woman act very well and the chemistry is believeable.
I do like licence to kill but dont class it as a Bond.
I think it would be similar to all Bonds with an american feel.....
"Better make that two."
Q: explosive alarm clock, guaranteed never to wake up anyone who uses it!
I still have some problems with the movie: Michael Kamen's score is terrible, Bond is way too eager to push everyone away at every opportunity and the locales lack the exotic quality of most of the other entries. But the stuntwork is great and the way Bond plants the seeds of mistrust and picks apart Sanchez's organization from the inside is fun to watch. The girls are gorgeous and the body count is suitably high.
As for Dalton, he is a little dour but that's what the part called for. He definitely brought a lot of conviction to the part and he didn't phone it in; and as I watched it I caught myself several times thinking how great it would have been if he'd had one more outing as Bond.
I'd like to think you're right, but the rumored version of the thid Dalton film (pre-GoldenEye) involved an army of killer robots. Not that such a concept could not be handled well, but it's an easy concept to go awry!
Maybe he was too hard-edged and not enough fun? I don't know, it's hard for me to find real fault in it. I also liked him as Bond.
Anybody like Dalton and not LTK?
~Pen -{
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