A View to a Kill

Tags

007, 1980's, A View to a Kill, Christopher Walken, Desmond Llewelyn, Fiona Fullerton, Grace Jones, James Bond, John Glen, Lois Maxwell, Patrick Macnee, Robert Brown, Roger Moore, Spy, Tanya Roberts, Walter Gotell, Willoughby Grey

Film Title

A View to a Kill

Director

John Glen

Starring

• Roger Moore as James Bond
• Christopher Walken as Max Zorin
• Tanya Roberts as Stacey Sutton
• Grace Jones as May Day
• Patrick Macnee as Sir Godfrey Tibbett
• Willoughby Grey as Dr Carl Mortner
• Fiona Fullerton as Pola Ivanova
• Robert Brown as M
• Desmond Llewelyn as Q
• Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny
• Walter Gotell as General Gogol

Roger Moore finally bowed out of the role of 007 with A View to a Kill, which was his record seventh appearance as the spy. Whilst there are parts that are entertaining, it isn’t really a worthy farewell to the Moore era.  Octopussy would have been a much better swan song for Moore to go out on than this underwhelming effort that ranks as one of the weaker Bond entries.

After discovering a microchip on the body of a fellow agent who was killed in Siberia and narrowly escaping, MI6’s best agent James Bond investigates the case. The chip leads him to Max Zorin, an industrialist with the microchip business as well as horse racing. The seemingly respectable Zorin is actually a psychopath, who along with his loyal but deadly assistant and lover May Day,was the result of a biological test by Dr Carl Mortner, a Nazi doctor . 007 traces Zorin from Ascot, then Paris and for the grand finale San Francisco, where the full extent of Zorin’s scheme comes into a disturbing light. Aided first by fellow MI6 agent Godfrey Tibbett and later by geologist Stacey Sutton, who has history with Zorin, Bond attempts to foil the twisted psychopath’s dastardly plan to flood Silicon Valley and gain a monopoly on the world microchip market. Coming up against the fearsome May Day and other cronies of Zorin’s along with many life and death situations, Bond knows the mission is going to be far from easy if he is to successfully take down this psychopath.

Part of the problem with Moore’s last entry is the overuse of comedy that detracts from many effective sequences. I don’t mind a bit of humour in the Bond movies, but here it just goes overboard with it and never really recovers. Other entries have successfully combined humour, suspense and action, but A View to a Kill doesn’t fall into that category. John Glen is once again in the director’s chair, but his touch isn’t as assured as it has been and A View to a Kill isn’t glowing in terms of greatness. The fact also is that Roger Moore looks too old for the part now and the suspension in disbelief of him as 007 really waned with this entry, which proved to be his last. With those negatives out of the way, here come the positives. The locations used are once again stunning, from the snows of Siberia, the finery of a French Chateau to the use of San Francisco in sun-bathed glory as Bond attempts to stop Zorin and his plan. John Barry is thankfully on hand to compose the beautiful score, which harks back to the classic Bond feel and succeeds in giving this entry something worthy of praise. Duran Duran provide the electrifying title song, which marries 80’s rock riffs with classic strings and the result is impressive. The title sequence has a rebellious edge, with seductive women sporting Mohawks and neon-body paint.

Although he still has style and panache, Roger Moore is just too old for the role in his last installment. Which is a real shame as he had made the role his own and deserved much better material for his final entry as 007. Christopher Walken is an inspired choice for the role of Zorin and he plays him with unhinged menace, cunning smile and odd sense of humour. Tanya Roberts may be gorgeous to look at but her role isn’t the best example of a Bond girl and the character of Stacey is just not that interesting. It’s hard to take her seriously as a geologist and her constant screaming for help really does become annoying after a while. Far more effective is Grace Jones as the villainous May Day, Zorin’s sidekick and deadly weapon. Jones imbues May Day with an unusually intimidating demeanor, brute strength and an Amazonian glamour, which really makes her an excellent female villain to add to the series. Patrick Macnee contributes old-school wit and upper-crust knowledge as a fellow MI6 agent, but Willoughby Grey is too over the top to be believable as the crazed doctor whose experiments resulted in Zorin and May Day. Briefly appearing but oozing sex appeal is Fiona Fullerton as a KGB honey trap who tries to outsmart Bond on his mission. Robert Brown and Desmond Llewelyn are respectively great as M and Q. Lois Maxwell signs off in style as Moneypenny and her contribution to the series can really be felt in her last outing as the loyal secretary. Walter Gotell is back as Gogol, this time helping MI6 in their pursuit of Zorin as he was once a member of the KGB who has decided to go renegade.

So despite some moments of greatness, A View to a Kill sadly ranks as an unworthy way for Roger Moore to bow out on.

Octopussy

Tags

007, 1980's, Desmond Llewelyn, James Bond, John Glen, Kabir Bedi, Kristina Wayborn, Lois Maxwell, Louis Jourdan, Maud Adams, Octopussy, Robert Brown, Roger Moore, Spy, Steven Berkoff, Vijay Amritraj, Walter Gotell

Film Title

Octopussy

Director

John Glen

Starring

• Roger Moore as James Bond
• Maud Adams as Octopussy
• Louis Jourdan as Kamal Khan
• Kristina Wayborn as Magda
• Kabir Bedi as Gobinda
• Steven Berkoff as General Orlov
• Vijay Amritraj as Vijay
• Robert Brown as M
• Desmond Llewelyn as Q
• Walter Gotell as General Gogol
• Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny

It may be something of a conundrum within the Bond community on the opinions of Octopussy, some see it as an effective spy yarn, others see it as too outrageous and too confusing. But for me, I fall into the former category and consider Octopussy a really excellent entry into the series, full of exotic locales and interesting characters. It may be a little convoluted and silly at times, but there is more than enough enjoyment to be had with Octopussy.

When British agent 009 turns up dead at the British Embassy in Berlin, dressed as a clown and clutching a fake Fabergé egg, MI6 begin to investigate. Bond is assigned with finding the seller of the fake egg and comes across Kamal Khan, an exiled Afghan prince who bids for the real egg at auction. Following him to India, Bond investigates Khan and his association with Russian General Orlov, with the help of fellow agent Vijay. Khan and Orlov have been forging valuable jewels and replacing them with replicas, allowing them to smuggle them into various countries. Orlov is power-crazed and wants the Soviet Union to take back more control over the West, which alarms KGB chief and sometimes helper to the British General Gogol. Collaborating with the two in the diamond smuggling is the mysterious Octopussy, a fabulously wealthy woman who lives in a highly guarded palace on the river, guarded by athletic and dangerous women . Meeting Octopussy, Bond sees that her circus business is being used as the front for the scam. Yet Octopussy is unaware of the more sinister motives of Orlov and Khan and just thinks that they are just smuggling priceless jewels across the border. Orlov plans to detonate a bomb at an American military base in West Germany. He believes that this will cause the US to pull out of Germany and leave it open to Soviet invasion, fulfilling his maniacal scheme. Coming up against Khan’s henchman Gobinda, the lithe Magda and the various foes that stand in his way, Bond teams with Octopussy to stop the nefarious scheme before it is too late and bring down Khan and Orlov in the process.

The first thing to praise in Octopussy is the visuals which are beyond stunning. India, with its colourful saris, opulent palaces and exotic mystique makes for a perfect location for a Bond movie. The production design, especially in Octopussy’s palace is breathtaking to say the least and is done to the highest golden standard there is. John Glen directs with a fun and adventurous quality, that also gives the series its fair share of suspense. Nowhere is this more apparent that in the opening when 009 is chased by knife-wielding twins to his eventual death. Yet in comparison to the subdued and grounded For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy has more of an excitement and fantastical quality to it, which always adds to my personal enjoyment of it. The plot, while very interesting, can become a little complex for its own good, but with stunning action and surroundings, you may hardly notice. Standout action scenes are Bond being pursued as the prey in a safari, a tense train fight and a chase through the marketplace on tuk tuks. While the humour is kept to some excellent one-liners, some over the top moments do seep into Octopussy, (need I mention Bond swinging from the vines in the jungle a la Tarzan?) John Barry triumphantly returns for musical duties with a sweepingly romantic score, peppered with exotic strings and drifting flutes. Rita Coolidge sings the main song, entitled ‘All Time High’ with conviction and makes it one of the more romantic of the Bond theme songs.

Roger Moore is still as charming as ever as 007, perfectly balancing humour with the necessary action that is thrown in his way in this tangled web of intrigue. Maud Adams, returning to Bond after her role in The Man With the Golden Gun, makes for a formidable and independent Bond girl. Adams plays the eponymous character as an intelligent businesswoman, who knows her own mind and what she wants. Adams has excellent chemistry with Moore and they really do make a great couple as Bond and Octopussy realize that they are ‘two of a kind’. The late Louis Jourdan exudes suave charisma and villainous glee as Kamal Khan, who is skilled in the art of double-crossing those around him. Khan is such a slimy villain and Jourdan plays him with charm and oily slyness to the hilt. I would like to say here rest in peace Louis Jourdan, you will be certainly be missed. Kristina Wayborn shows off athletic prowess and stunning sexuality as Magda, a member of Octopussy’s women who acts as the linchpin between Khan and Octopussy. Kabir Bedi is intimidating and frightening as the loyal henchman Gobinda, while Steven Berkoff clearly relishes the theatrical role as the unhinged General Orlov. Tennis pro Vijay Amritraj makes for a likable ally to Bond in this exotic adventure. We have a new M in the form of Robert Brown, who while never going to rival the impression left by Bernard Lee, is suitable for the role of the gruff boss of Bond. Desmond Llewelyn supplies Q with an eye-rolling and confounded humour as Bond wrecks more of his effective gadgets in the line of duty. Walter Gotell returns as General Gogol, who this time is worried about Orlov’s delusions of the future. Unfortunately Lois Maxwell isn’t given enough to do this time around as secretary Moneypenny.

Apart from the sometimes long-winded plot and dips into silliness, Octopussy stands as an exciting and enthralling Bond movie.

 

 

The Spy Who Loved Me

Tags

007, 1970's, Barbara Bach, Bernard Lee, Caroline Munro, Curd Jürgens, Desmond Llewelyn, James Bond, Lewis Gilbert, Lois Maxwell, Richard Kiel, Roger Moore, Spy, The Spy Who Loved Me, Walter Gotell

Film Title

The Spy Who Loved Me

Director

Lewis Gilbert

Starring

• Roger Moore as James Bond
• Barbara Bach as Anya Amasova
• Curd Jürgens as Karl Stromberg
• Richard Kiel as Jaws
• Walter Gotell as General Gogol
• Caroline Munro as Naomi
• Bernard Lee as M
• Desmond Llewelyn as Q
• Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny

After the negative reception towards The Man with the Golden Gun, the Bond producers knew that they needed something great to get 007 back on track. And that is precisely what they did with The Spy Who Loved Me, an exciting and high quality entry into the canon.

British and Soviet missile submarines have disappeared and it is up to our man Bond to look into the matter. After an outstanding pre-title sequence in which Bond escapes assassins by jumping off a snowy mountain with his skis only to reveal a parachute emblazoned with the Union Jack, the main plot comes into focus. Bond is tasked with recovering a tracking device that could in the wrong hands could cause the submarines to attack major cities. He is partnered with tough KGB agent Anya Amasova, in an attempt to ease the tension between East and West. Although they are supposed to work together, both know that each of their respective countries wants to claim finding it and have the glory. Unbeknownst to Bond, he killed Anya’s lover when fleeing from attack and she plans to kill him when the mission is over. The inquiries through Egypt and Sardinia lead the two to Karl Stromberg, a supposedly respectable shipping magnate. In reality, he is behind the theft of the submarines and has his own plans on causing war between nations to create new life under the sea. Despite their differences, Bond and Anya must work together to bring this plan to a standstill. Getting in the way of this is sinister henchman Jaws, who has metal for teeth and super strength and the fact that Anya is contemplating revenge for her slain lover.

Unlike Golden Gun, the humour in The Spy Who Loved Me is more controlled and balanced with the action in a much better way. Lewis Gilbert, who had earlier directed You Only Live Twice, is an ideal choice for director as he brings a spirited and adventurous quality to the movie, but never lets it slip into ridiculous hokum for too long. Genuine suspense is generated in many scenes, including Jaws stalking someone with information with murder in mind among the pyramids of Egypt. It is also created because the audience is aware of Anya’s motives for taking the mission and her plans for revenge. No Bond film would be complete without exotic locations, The Spy Who Loved Me boasts many beautiful locales for our hero to work his way through as he uncovers the scheme. This film ups the action and has many great chase scenes, I mean who doesn’t love that iconic Lotus that can swim underwater? And who can forget the ski chase at the beginning which screams iconic and memorable? Marvin Hamlisch is on score duties this time around and gives Spy an electrifying pulse, partly inspired by the disco craze at the time of filming. The main theme, entitled ‘Nobody Does it Better’ is one of the best Bond songs, as it clearly encompasses all the qualities that we love about 007 and Carly Simon’s vocals are outstanding in conveying the excellence of the hero.

Roger Moore gives one of his best performances as 007 in this movie, clearly comfortable with the humour and action and obviously enjoying himself. If anyone was unsure about Moore’s portrayal of Bond before, they weren’t questioning it after seeing his work here. The beautiful Barbara Bach is excellent as the hard-edged and able Anya, who can clearly handle herself and knows exactly how to succeed in her job. Playing her with formidable control, sex appeal and self-assurance, Barbara Bach makes Anya one effective Bond girl who is by no means a damsel in need of rescue. Curd Jürgens as Karl Stromberg may not be the best villain glimpsed in the dangerous world of foes that Bond faces, but he does have a stately quality which is used to hide his inner megalomania. More effective on the villain front is the hulking Jaws, whose metal teeth and extraordinary height even have Bond panicking. Walter Gotell is great as KGB head General Gogol, who is working with MI6 but still has reservations about it. Caroline Munro makes an impression in her brief role as the bikini-clad pilot who attempts to kill Bond. Bernard Lee has some great scenes of banter with Gogol as the two act courteously around one another but are still very much wanting their own country to locate the device first. The other regulars of the 007 universe, Desmond Llewelyn and Lois Maxwell are well-used in this adventure.

Filled with sinister plots, a gorgeous and reliable leading lady and stunning locales, The Spy Who Loved Me proves that nobody does it better than Bond.