26 replies to this topic

[DaveBond21]

Hello Octopussy fans!

I want to first say that I love the pre-titles sequence of Octopussy. The acrostar jet chase is first class and great fun to watch, and what a way to start a Bond movie..."Fill her up, please".

It was the last PTS to have nothing to do with the rest of the movie until Casino Royale (unless you see Bond becoming a double-0 as connected to the plot of that film).

But here is my question. What on earth is the Octopussy PTS all about? Bond is in a South American country, and disguises himself as a general called Toro. He is trying to blow up an air base, but is caught and his bomb discovered. He is arrested and taken away by soldiers but then escapes with the aid of a sexy Bond girl’s legs, and parachute rip-cords. He tells the Bond girl “I’ll see you in Miami” but the mission is far from over? He then flies the jet, and avoids the heat-seeking missile, making it fly into the air base, killing Toro and everyone inside. Mission accomplished.

However, was that always plan B? If the bomb didn’t work, did Bond always plan to use the jet in some way to blow up the base? Why didn’t he at least tell the Bond girl...”Time for plan B”. Or was he so confident about succeeding that he told her she might as well head off to Miami now?!

Or it just a load of cobblers and we should just sit back and enjoy the fun???

Thoughts?

[Tybre]

just sit back and enjoy the fun

[Major Tallon]

The original plan was to destroy the plane, with damage to the hangar being incidental to that plan. So, Bond planted an explosive charge in the forward radar dome of the plane. His mission would have been accomplished when the bomb went off, but he was discovered, and the bomb was taken away.

Bond's "Plan B" was his plan to escape using the little Bede jet. It wasn't originally intended that he fly the plane into the hangar, but when the anti-aircraft missile was fired at him, he needed a way to break the lock of its tracking radar. He did that by flying through the hangar, where the missile detonated, incidentally destroying both the hangar and the jet plane that had been the original target.

[zencat]

Yes, what Major Tallon said.

Brilliant PTS, btw. One of the best.

[DaveBond21]

The original plan was to destroy the plane, with damage to the hangar being incidental to that plan. So, Bond planted an explosive charge in the forward radar dome of the plane. His mission would have been accomplished when the bomb went off, but he was discovered, and the bomb was taken away.

Bond's "Plan B" was his plan to escape using the little Bede jet. It wasn't originally intended that he fly the plane into the hangar, but when the anti-aircraft missile was fired at him, he needed a way to break the lock of its tracking radar. He did that by flying through the hangar, where the missile detonated, incidentally destroying both the hangar and the jet plane that had been the original target.

Good explanation, thanks.

But it still doesn't make sense why Bond is so calm about the plan going wrong, smirking and smiling and the "see you in Miami" line. Shouldn't he have been thinking about another way to do what was supposed to do, or be a little disappointed that his plan A had gone all wrong?

[Double-Oh Agent]

Yes, what Major Tallon said.

Brilliant PTS, btw. One of the best.

I concur. Great explanation Major Tallon.

The original plan was to destroy the plane, with damage to the hangar being incidental to that plan. So, Bond planted an explosive charge in the forward radar dome of the plane. His mission would have been accomplished when the bomb went off, but he was discovered, and the bomb was taken away.

Bond's "Plan B" was his plan to escape using the little Bede jet. It wasn't originally intended that he fly the plane into the hangar, but when the anti-aircraft missile was fired at him, he needed a way to break the lock of its tracking radar. He did that by flying through the hangar, where the missile detonated, incidentally destroying both the hangar and the jet plane that had been the original target.

Good explanation, thanks.

But it still doesn't make sense why Bond is so calm about the plan going wrong, smirking and smiling and the "see you in Miami" line. Shouldn't he have been thinking about another way to do what was supposed to do, or be a little disappointed that his plan A had gone all wrong?

Hey, what can I say? It's Roger Moore. Although I suppose, Roger's Bond could have been thinking that the "Cubans" would likely fire a heat-seeking missile at him that he could use to his advantage to accomplish his objective. Still, I think it's just Roger Moore's unique 007 temperament about being unfazed by anything.

[Mr_Wint]

I agree that it is a great PTS. A long time ago I used to complain about the lack of music in this scene. Well, that was before I had a surround system...

[Royal Dalton]

"Fill her up, please!"

Gotta love Christopher Wood.

[Judo chop]

Awesome PTS.

I never cared about the ‘why’, but the explanations above suit me just fine.

For whatever reason, OCTOPUSSY is one of those Bond films that always looks and sounds better in my memory than it is when I finally sit down to watch it. I think most of the scenes work really well, but that, overall, the film is a little uninteresting, and I think that’s due to a lack of interesting dialogue. Not that there aren’t good lines here and there (and well-delivered ones at that), but the whole piece just doesn’t seem to go anywhere.

[MajorB]

Y'know, I never thought about that plot hole until you mentioned it. Thanks for ruining the PTS for me, DaveBond!!

Just kidding. I agree, it's one of those things one has to shrug off. I like Double-Oh Agent's answer best: "Hey, what can I say? It's Roger Moore."

[tim partridge]

I agree that it is a great PTS. A long time ago I used to complain about the lack of music in this scene. Well, that was before I had a surround system...

The music that plays after the explosion (as the spectators watch on) is about as uplifting as action music comes. Such a sense of wonder, and far more effective than a noisy orchestra and techno drums. Less is more.

[Mr_Wint]

I agree that it is a great PTS. A long time ago I used to complain about the lack of music in this scene. Well, that was before I had a surround system...

The music that plays after the explosion (as the spectators watch on) is about as uplifting as action music comes. Such a sense of wonder, and far more effective than a noisy orchestra and techno drums. Less is more.

Absolutely. The whole scene becomes far more effective when they wait with the music. I wish we could see more of that these days.

[Judo chop]

I agree that it is a great PTS. A long time ago I used to complain about the lack of music in this scene. Well, that was before I had a surround system...

The music that plays after the explosion (as the spectators watch on) is about as uplifting as action music comes. Such a sense of wonder, and far more effective than a noisy orchestra and techno drums. Less is more.

Absolutely. The whole scene becomes far more effective when they wait with the music. I wish we could see more of that these days.

Me too. But it won't be a possibility (or at least not a probability) until Arnold has left the building.

[Harry Fawkes]

That particular scene is supposed to be during the Falkland's Conflict depicting Bond's role in such.

[Turn]

As much as I enjoy the current Craig era, this thread makes me smile in thinking of how well the OP PTS works. It has nothing to do with the plot, but is a perfect example of what worked for Bond at that time. IMO, it's Moore at the top of his game.

Except for that nagging question I still have of why the guards in the back of the truck are wearing parachutes to begin with.

[dinovelvet]

That particular scene is supposed to be during the Falkland's Conflict depicting Bond's role in such.

Too bad nobody told Bond he was on the wrong island! (Cuba).

In case there's any doubt as to where the PTS takes place :

1. There's an obvious Castro lookalike ogling the girl at the beginning
2. Bond says "I'll see you in Miami". Miami is about the only place he could fly to from Cuba in that tiny jet.
3. Er...John Glen says so on the commentary.

Of course, the two, er, "Cuban" soldiers with the parachutes on the truck look very obviously British so I'm not sure what to make of that, other than that they'd run out of Latin-looking extras that day.

[JimmyBond]

"Fill her up, please!"

Gotta love Christopher Wood.

I don't think Christopher Wood had anything to do with Octopussy.

[sharpshooter]

"Fill her up, please!"

Gotta love Christopher Wood.

I don't think Christopher Wood had anything to do with Octopussy.

He didn't. However - for Moonraker, Wood wrote a sequence in which Bond taxies a mini jet into a garage and says "fill her up." This was later used in Octopussy.

[B. Brown]

The PTS is probably my favorite part of "Octopussy".

I like the espionage and the disguises. The action's good too, for a Moore film.

Very fun.

[DaveBond21]

That particular scene is supposed to be during the Falkland's Conflict depicting Bond's role in such.

Too bad nobody told Bond he was on the wrong island! (Cuba).

In case there's any doubt as to where the PTS takes place :

1. There's an obvious Castro lookalike ogling the girl at the beginning
2. Bond says "I'll see you in Miami". Miami is about the only place he could fly to from Cuba in that tiny jet.
3. Er...John Glen says so on the commentary.

Of course, the two, er, "Cuban" soldiers with the parachutes on the truck look very obviously British so I'm not sure what to make of that, other than that they'd run out of Latin-looking extras that day.

Miami gets a few mentions in the Bond films. It also features in the PTS for Goldfinger and of course there is an action sequence at the airport in Casino Royale.

[Double-Oh Agent]

That particular scene is supposed to be during the Falkland's Conflict depicting Bond's role in such.

Too bad nobody told Bond he was on the wrong island! (Cuba).

In case there's any doubt as to where the PTS takes place :

1. There's an obvious Castro lookalike ogling the girl at the beginning
2. Bond says "I'll see you in Miami". Miami is about the only place he could fly to from Cuba in that tiny jet.
3. Er...John Glen says so on the commentary.

Of course, the two, er, "Cuban" soldiers with the parachutes on the truck look very obviously British so I'm not sure what to make of that, other than that they'd run out of Latin-looking extras that day.

Miami gets a few mentions in the Bond films. It also features in the PTS for Goldfinger and of course there is an action sequence at the airport in Casino Royale.

Not to mention the climax of Thunderball.

[sthgilyadgnivileht]

I agree that it is a great PTS. A long time ago I used to complain about the lack of music in this scene. Well, that was before I had a surround system...

The music that plays after the explosion (as the spectators watch on) is about as uplifting as action music comes. Such a sense of wonder, and far more effective than a noisy orchestra and techno drums. Less is more.

Absolutely. The whole scene becomes far more effective when they wait with the music. I wish we could see more of that these days.

Me too. But it won't be a possibility (or at least not a probability) until Arnold has left the building.

Yes, agreed.

[007½]

a general called Toro.

Sorry to seem pedantic, but Toro was a Colonel, hence the soldier answering "Si, mi coronel!"

[BoogieBond]

I agree that it is a great PTS. A long time ago I used to complain about the lack of music in this scene. Well, that was before I had a surround system...

The music that plays after the explosion (as the spectators watch on) is about as uplifting as action music comes. Such a sense of wonder, and far more effective than a noisy orchestra and techno drums. Less is more.

I do really like that whole sequence after the explosion as Bond showboats, Brilliant Barry music, Bond has a little laugh, then flies over the baddies and stutters to the gas station, "Fill her up please" is the coup de grace. Classic Bond

[scaramunga]

First Bond film I ever saw. It was a pretty amazing sequence in 1983 and it still is pretty cool when I watch it now.

: )

[DaveBond21]

First Bond film I ever saw. It was a pretty amazing sequence in 1983 and it still is pretty cool when I watch it now.

: )

Indeed. I didn't see it on the big screen because my parents took me to see Never Say Never Again instead.

[Tybre]

I didn't see it on the big screen because, well, I was born nearly nine years after it came out. Saw it on VHS in '99. First Bond film I ever saw. Hooked right from the PTS. The action was great and Moore's humor, which sometimes is stupid and groan-worthy now, was great when you're a little kid.

Also, found a video of it in very good quality somewhere on youtube. Will post to here if I can find it again...