102 replies to this topic

[Dr. Tynan]

As far as I am concerned LTK is the best Bond film of all.

I've come across so many posts that are negative about it that I sometimes wonder if those of us who like it are very much in the minority, although I suppose that probably doesn't matter.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not being rude to anyone, but some people think that the producers set out to be daring and then chickened out. Did they write LTK's story to be daring and different? Or did they write it because it was a good story and people would find it enjoyable? (I know whether or not a movie's story is enjoyable, is down to opinion) Even if it was to be daring and even if they did chicken out, that doesn't bother me.

[Dr. Tynan]

Who knows? the next one may actually end up being my favourite.

[General Koskov]

The only thing I didn't like about LTK was how Bond kept telling Q to 'Go home, Q!'. How nasty to the nice old man! Sanchez is not the perfect megalomaniac which some of us have come to associate directly with Bond; but he's what Scaramanga would have been if there wasn't all that crap about a solex agitator and the girl in a boot (don't get me wrong, Lee was fantastic as Scaramanga, but the screenplay sucked). In fact LTK was probably a remake of TMWTGG (novel) because it's set in Central America, has a group of 'investors' that are worried about the villain's business, and they have Bond accepted by the villain as a 'bodyguard' (though in both cases homosexuality is only *suggested* (pink shirt on Sanchez)).

[Dr. Tynan]

I have to do this as another post, I apologise.

I feel there is more to LTK than just Bond going after Sanchez. I love all that business about Bond trying to turn Sanchez' men against him. I love the clever way Bond twists the site of him being Bound and gagged and makes Sanchez' believe that he was bound and gagged because he threatened to tell.

I like LTK principally because I think it has some excellent Characters (Sanchez, Dario, Heller, Truman-Lodge, Krest) and some great scenes (The "Felix shark pit scene", the decompression chamber scene, the warehouse scene, the seaplane/Wavekrest scene and others).

Now it does have problems (The boring pre-cred. sequence, Taliso Soto).

However, I feel there are more good things in it than bad.

I hope these posts do not offend anyone, that is certainly not my intention.

[White Persian]

General Koskov (06 Feb, 2002 10:49 p.m.):
Sanchez is not the perfect megalomaniac which some of us have come to associate directly with Bond; but he's what Scaramanga would have been if there wasn't all that crap about a solex agitator and the girl in a boot ...In fact LTK was probably a remake of TMWTGG (novel) because it's set in Central America, has a group of 'investors' that are worried about the villain's business, and they have Bond accepted by the villain as a 'bodyguard' (though in both cases homosexuality is only *suggested* (pink shirt on Sanchez)).

What a very interesting observation, General.
We're speculating at the moment that Bond20 may be the real movie version oif Fleming's Moonraker, but it looks like EON have been doing this unacknowledged adaption trick for a while.

[IGS]

I enjoyed it and thought yes it was a different approach to 007, truth is it's the realistic approach. This film is believable and interesting at the same time. While Dalton wasn't my best Bond, his own style made the part more believable, especially in LTK. There are many aspests of the film that contribute to its success- the fine score from michael kamen, Gladys Knight's pre title song, great women (most notably Pam Bouvier) and a fine (long, thankfully) part for Q. This film is criticised because it falls under the Dalton catergory and because it was made at a time where everyone watched Willis/Ford/Stallone/Arnie in their vests and not the dinner suit. This film is ridiculously written off for no reason, the villains maybe aren't all that great and the action may come in long intervals, but as a package it works well as something different. I doubt we'll see one lie this again. Today it's all about the biggest action scene and huge budgets.

[Dr. Tynan]

No problem, I understand Harmsway. I know that it is all down to opinion. I know that LTK's aggressive,"gritty" style does not appeal to everyone
I like the "Old Style" as well as the "Gritty" style.

My friend hated LTK and said that Sanchez' was like a "Time Share salesman".

[ray t]

LTK is a fine film...its well made, has a strong bond girl, Dalton puts up a true flemingesque portrayal of a bond who wants revenge. There are interesting characters and some well done set pieces between the titles and the last quarter of the movie....its better than DAF, LALD, TMWTGG and AVTAK. but thats it

There was no sense of urgency in saving the world from:

1....an IMMINENT world war;

2....the IMMINENT destruction of a major city and millions of lives; or

3....an IMMINENT meltdown of a vital part of the capitalist/free world's economic machinery

Having been used to seeing bond avert one of these three major catastrophies IN THE NICK OF TIME one can see just why many bond fans dont view this movie as an EPIC in the mould of a Goldfinger or Thunderball or an OHMSS or SPY or even the brosnan movies.

I'm in that boat...For me LTK is the 2nd best dalton movie... and somewhere in the 9th-best-to-15th-best of the canon...

cheers, ray

[The Mole]

You're not alone.

Licence To Kill is a good film, notably for the following reasons.

- Gritty realism.
- The Felix/Shark relationship
- "We gave her a nice... Honeymoooon!"
- Sanchez joking about Valentines Day (cut out heart).
- The wheelie.
- Q's involvement.
- Sanchez's helpless death.
- Dalton's serious Bond. Not that good in TLD, but this is a serious gritty film.
- Head exploding after compression. (Obviously cut to avoid a possible 18 certificate. Wouldn't mind a Directors Cut!)

LTK was not the best Bond film, but it's up there in the top 5 somewhere.

[Alex]

I agree, LTK is a really good Bond film. It's a shame we didn't see anything like this after Tracy was killed. I suppose this was created to make up for it.

Only one thing about the movie bothers me. Felix seems too happy at the end of the movie. I mean, he lost his leg, his wife was raped and murdered, and he nearly lost his arm, and he's talking about going fishing with James at the end of the movie. I don't want him to suffer any more than he has to, and it's nice to see him at the end just so we know he's okay, but couldn't we have seen him bothered by his predicament?

[Mister Asterix]

Licence to Kill was almost a great film. Particularly, if you consider it was made for about the same as GoldenEye's PR budget. I loved the hard-edge. I loved Bond as a rouge agent. I loved Hedison's Felix. I loved everything Bond did. I even liked the pre-titles.

However...

I thought Sanchez was a weak villain and I really wanted to see a Bond villain, not another Latino drug-lord. Eighties films were full of drug-lord villains. The tanker truck doing a wheelie was ignorant. And the scenery during the tanker truck chase was bland. And that Michael J. Fox clone lacky just needed to be slapped.

I rate Licence to Kill somewhere in the middle of the pack.

[OO7Qbranch]

LTK is a great film. I mean how many times has Q gone to help bond when he shouldnt.

[Blofeld's Cat]

I don't have a problem with the attempt of making Bond more serious in TLD and LTK, but not straight after the Moore Bond, which was more light and slightly comical. In my mind, the transition was too grating.

In an alternate universe, if Connery/Lazenby was followed by Brosnan, then by Dalton it would not look too sudden and therefore not cause such an impact on the mindset.

At the end of the day, if all I had to watch was TLD and LTK, then I'd still be a happy man.

After all, Bond is still Bond.

[Jim]

Dr. Tynan (10 Jan, 2002 01:01 a.m.):
As far as I am concerned LTK is the best Bond film of all.

You and I are never going to agree on this one, Dr T., but it would appear that I'm in the minority.

I just can't love it though.

[Dr. Tynan]

Don't get me wrong Jim, I didn't start this topic in an obnoxious or antagonistic way, but sorry if it looked that way. I was just interested to see what others thought of LTK.

[walther]

I thought LTK was good, but yes, it did have it share of problems. I agree with Mr. * on the points he talked about. Sanchez wasn't such a good choice for a villian and when I watched it again on DVD, I cheared when Truman-Lodge was capped, if that's what Mr. * was meaning by the Michael J. Fox wannabe. Overall, I enjoyed LTK a lot, but I wouldn't say it was the best in the series. Definetely not by far.

[RossMan]

LTK is one of my favourites, I thought it was great. I loved the concept of Bond going rouge, that scene with M in the Hemingway house was one of the best and still even had a few Fleming elements to it.

But The Living Daylights is my number one fav. Bond film. Timithoy Dalton was great, why couldn't he have decided to have done more.

[Gringo]

You're not alone - I think LTK is a fantastic film, one of the best in the series, and Dalton is my favourite Bond so far.

Tenuous link time? Yes! The best Licence To Kill review in the world...ever (may be a lie):

http://www.listentom...t/movies30.html

Also: I am new. Sorry.

[rafterman]

this film grows on me the more I watch it, it's good film, a bit different for Bond, but pretty damn good...

[Turn]

Thanks for the info, Plan Omega. I'd like to see this stuff just to see it in its proper context.

And I couldn't agree with your closing remarks. I've said it before that this, Living Daylights (in a lesser capacity) and people's perspective on Dalton will be reevaluated in time, the way it's been with Lazenby and OHMSS.

[Plan Omega]

Turn (29 Mar, 2002 03:09 a.m.):
Does anybody out there know just how much was actually trimmed from this film? I was led to believe just a few seconds from Krest's head exploding and maybe some of Felix being mauled by the shark was all there was. Most director's cuts are like that, missing just a few frames to get a friendlier rating.

(Pre-title) Apparently there was the whipping scene being shown, screaming in the background on some shots, I seem to remember talk of there being a scene of the guy in bed actualy being dragged out of the room for the grisly deed (or the "heart" actually being shown to Lupe as punishment for her mis-behaviour). (Main film) obviously shark attacks being longer - the T.V. versions can be slightly different to video copies - the infamous exploding head being more pro-longed and grisly, and the death of Sanchez was orignally longer with him staggering around engulfed in flames ( I believe filming that was no joke!!) Just remembered - the conveyor belt grinder - another example of a trimmed length for apparently this was longer, and more unpleasant. Could be more of course, but thats all I can think of for now.
I still remember the very smart 'Press Only' ticket, size of a long DL envelope, with Dalton in running mode on front. I now believe with regard to box office taking in U.S. and all, that LTK was to ahead of its time, and pre-cynical, pre-irony.

[Adam]

I like LTK if only for the inclusion of the shark attack scene w/ Felix from the LALD novel. And I like Moneypenny's keeping track of him, and Q working in the field alongside Bond.
However, if Pam Bouvier's a CIA agent, why is she such an idiot? Going up to Sanchez's office at a HIGH risk of getting caught...not very smart

[Turn]

Does anybody out there know just how much was actually trimmed from this film? I was led to believe just a few seconds from Krest's head exploding and maybe some of Felix being mauled by the shark was all there was. Most director's cuts are like that, missing just a few frames to get a friendlier rating.

[Dr. Tynan]

I'd very much like to see the uncut version too.

[Dr. Tynan]

Gringo (Edited) (12 Jan, 2002 01:28 p.m.):
You're not alone - I think LTK is a fantastic film, one of the best in the series, and Dalton is my favourite Bond so far.

Cheers Gringo.

I like the way Dario and Sancez are slightly out of focus to Leiter for a second, after Dario takes the blind-fold off him, in the Shark pitt scene.

[Harmsway]

It comes down more to being that it is not enjoyable to watch the film. It may be daring, and it was good to see that for a change, but it doesn't always work every time, and this is one of those times. Many fans just consider its hard-edged take on Bond too much. I don't like it that much. I prefer to see the more fun to watch Connery or Brosnan (didn't care much for Moore, movies got too ridiculous). Not that the film was poorly done, its just it doesn't set its self out as a Bond film. It could easily be another eighties film. I'm just explaining my opinion on why I don't like it, so please don't take it the wrong way.

Sincerely,
Harmsway

[Plan Omega]

Dr. Tynan (10 Jan, 2002 01:01 a.m.):
As far as I am concerned LTK is the best Bond film of all.

I've come across so many posts that are negative about it that I sometimes wonder if those of us who like it are very much in the minority, although I suppose that probably doesn't matter.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not being rude to anyone, but some people think that the producers set out to be daring and then chickened out. Did they write LTK's story to be daring and different? Or did they write it because it was a good story and people would find it enjoyable? (I know whether or not a movie's story is enjoyable, is down to opinion) Even if it was to be daring and even if they did chicken out, that doesn't bother me.

I hope someone influential in DVD distribution can see this - why can't they bring out the 18 version of LTK which existed in Japan, and to certain extent mainland Europe, on tape or DVD. Think of the marketing opportunities - the first Bond ever to be too hot to handle, "You've never seen Bond like this before" etc.etc. and with some smart packaging and T.V. advertising to re-awaken this Bond film and make it cool again. The pre-title sequence to LTK had me gawping in amazement. I was one of the first people in the country to see it, along with the press, and still remember seeing Cubby and Michael Wilson in the foyer of the Odeon to guage reaction.

[ThomasCrown76]

Oh My God...License To Kill was supposed to be a James Bond film? My God, I thought it was just the British version of Miami Vice with that guy from Flash Gordon playing the good guy and the guy from Goonies playing the villain. Wow..

I'm kidding, I knew it was supposed to be a Bond movie, it's just not a good one.

[Victor Zokas]

I can see why there is a split over LTK. Fans of the novels probably enjoy the fact that many characters and situations are drawn from Fleming but then for those who enjoyed the previous movies, especially the Bond formula, then LTK won't appeal.

I'm not sure that in any Bond we must have all the formula elements every time. There doesn't always have to be an imminent world war, or a bomb counting down. But perhaps so soon after Moore, LTK threw out too many formula aspects to be popular.

That said, I quite like the occasional departure from the norm, as with FRWL and OHMSS, but I don't think it would work every time.

[Affection]

If Licence To Kill didn't have a man called James Bond in it it would have been seen as success. I mean if it didn't come with all the preconceived expectations of a James Bond film.

Overall I feel the film stands up as a good action movie, but against today's competition, less than mediocre.

My problem is with John Glen. He was competent as an action director, but no more than that. He did enough for die hard Bond fans, but he made what should have been exciting and thrilling scenes boring, with unadventurous cutting and camera work. He did a good job on For Your Eyes Only, but they should have brought in new directors after that.