12 replies to this topic

[Pierce - Daniel]

Last week after having such a great time watching MR I thought it was only fit to watch the films sequel today and thusly watched For Your Eyes Only earlier.
First of all I though the film was great, in terms of actual movie it by far surpasses MR. First of all the pre-titles are a nice way of the film makers saying this will be a more down to earth movie. But what really makes FYEO work is that the action does still really work in the same ways that the big set pieces of MR work. By stripping down the whole structure and focusing on the raw ingredients the awe of the sequences are still maintained. There is something brilliant about watching Bond hang from a helicopter, and also simple ideas like Bond being chased on skis by some motorbikes are really fleshed out well. The film dosent rely on effects and does it all in-camera which is so refreshing to see. By making the action more raw it still encourages the audiance to watch in shock, regardless og how many model effect shots the action in FYEO is still as exciting as that in MR.
The plot of the movie is also very interesting and well done, it isn't Drax's genocide from earlier or anything else its smaller based more on greed and internal relations between the British and the Russian, underneath FYEO is a terrific cold war spy movie. The film though does have a probelm as the first hour does seem to drag slightly and it isn't till Colombo is introduced does the story spice up, otherwise it seems to run on the simple ideas established in the first established in the 2 opening scenes after the main titles.
Another probelm I had with the film is that the writting isn't as sharp, witty or zinging as before and at times is rather bland, maybe this fits the more serious tone of the film, but Bond works when there is an underlying sence of wit throughout the script, instead the film feels a need to compensate with comedy characters, ie Bibi hits a flat note, and the Thatcher scene is only passable as the film had already carried a lot of good will by that point in my books.
the acting in the film is also great, Topol is great as the ally, show-stealing. Julian Glover makes a great slimy villian. Melina is such a great character giving a great human edge to the story, the way she confronted death and those injured around her is very interesting, for instance tneding to the man she shoots with the crossbow at St.Cyrils, its a interesting human angle on the character gicing the film clear depth. Roger Moore really stands out here. He really gives it his all and really acts very well showing some struggle and pain throughout the story, he's still Roger's Bond but with a much harsher dark undertone which i enjoyed watching alot, potentially his best work as the character.
I was surprised how much I took to Glen's direction, he really makes the audinence fall in love with the locations and captures all of them very well (and what great locales they are), but whislt adding that more humane touch to the characters in the story what Glen does so well is that action, he nows how to stage a sequence. Most directors feel a need to throw everything in fire at most and produce somethign that looks frantic in an attempt to keep us 'at the eedge of our seats', Glen is smart, maybe due to his time as a 2nd unit director and editor, he stages the action sets up different devices and small narrative tricks to tell a story in the action, for instance look at how the ski scene develops, Bond is shot at by Eric Whatshisname then the ski ramp, then a chase, then the bobsleigh, its a well staged art form that takes the action and really broadcasts it by breaking it up into components and once again letting the auidence get there money's worth. Also i found Glen to also have a very visual sentiment throughout the film which I found pleasantly surprising from a first time director doing a big summer action film.
I enjoyed the raw edge tot he film, I liked that the movie dosnt need gadgets or the flashy Ken Adam production design it works better being morfe rustic and going to locations and getting out of the studio. Like I've stated the film stripped down the action taking what was needed, a 2CV chase is fine as it takes the ingredients of the chase and says they can still make it Bondian even without all the bells and whistles, also scenes like the warehouse shootout show just how stripping something back really improves the story and makes the action more fun as you can invest in the characters and story throughout. The underwater photography also is amazing as is the Neptune scenes, I found these very tense
The music is a little hit and miss, Conti's score is at times great and at other times dire. The main title song though is excellent. I felt John Barry was missed here. Though Conti does really use the Bond theme at times to great effect.
In coclusion I found FYEO to be as bold and proud a Bond adventure then any of the bigger louder Bond movies, a real love letter back to Dr No and FRWL, a great gritty tough and rough film but with the big thrills attached.

[AMC Hornet]

Well said, P-D.

The same can be said of Casino Royale after Die Another Day.

("...like Peking duck is different from Russian Caviar, but I love them both.")

Edited by AMC Hornet, 16 September 2010 - 06:19 PM.

[plankattack]

Always enjoyed FYEO. It's a good effort at a small-scale Bond "thriller" rather than epic. Personally like Sir Rog's performance in the film - there's still that twinkle in his eye, but he's as tough and as ruthless as the character demanded. Also thought his interplay with all the female characters was spot on, and my only regret that they weren't more scenes with Topol.

I read somewhere (Steven Rubin? Raymond Benson?) that Sir Rog was quoted as telling Glen that he wasn't all that thrilled about "toughening up" his Bond; if that was the case it doesn't show - Sir Rog, true professional that he is, turned in a performance that put his Bond at the very centre of the film, rather than just another prop or punchline.

P-D is right about the music and I do feel that the action scenes lack just lack a little something. But Glen gets the suspense right. But to me it's all about Sir Rog. My favourite performance of his from start to finish.

[jaguar007]

One of my top 3 Moore Bond movies and it beats all 4 of Brosnan's films. The cinematography is great as is the supporting cast (although I could have done without Bibi at all in the film, it just reminded us how old Moore really was). The action scenes were top notch. It was with the release of FYEO that I went from being just a casual Bond fan, to start collecting stuff and really became Bond obsessed (first Bond I saw in the theater was TSWLM but had seen some on TV prior to that).

[Pierce - Daniel]

your right the action is so well handled, i think the film had a huge influence in the direction of Martin Campbell's Casino Royale, and the throw back to the harder edge Terence Young films is evident.

[DaveBond21]

I always like to see some FYEO-Love, as it's my favourite Bond film, along with FRWL.

It has great locations, a ski chase, underwater battles, dune buggies, runaway helicopters, the nerve-wracking rock climb, beautiful women and great characters.

It also has a Cold War plot.

[Lachesis]

I like FYEO but its certainly the point where Moore's age seemed to become an issue for me. As a film, the revised scale was a definite plus but there is still a lingering excess that pushes one or two sequences to the detriment of the overall effect. Like MR just a bit more restraint would have gone a long long way imo....but tremendous fun none the less

[BoogieBond]

Notch me up for a supporter of FYEO Pierce-Daniel.
As you mentioned I like the scale back of FYEO, the incorporation of some of the short story elements, Moore's performance, and the fact they still had the great locations and Action sequences in there, the ski sequence, the keel hauling sequence, the Helicopter in the PTS and the rock climb to remind us that the exciting action has not left the Bond series even though the silliness of Moonraker was scaled back. Hell I even like Citroen car chase. And I like some of the more standard scenes like Bond playing baccarat and of course the Locque kicking off the cliff.

[David_M]

I like the emphasis on action, but it's unfortunate it comes just as Rog is beginning to slow down, physically. You almost wish they'd put this one earlier in the queue and saved the more laid-back, wise-cracking entries for his advanced years.

That said, his age actually works for me in the scene where he kills Locque. Sometimes I like to imagine that as he kicks the car over the cliff, he's thinking, "And THAT's for making me run up all those bloody stairs!" LOL

Seriously, its obvious the script was originally tailored for a new (and younger) leading man, but something in the way Roger plays it makes it work in his favor. Visiting Tracy's grave, playing mentor to Melina, mourning Lisl and Ferrara, voicing at the end the futility of the whole spy game ("that's detente, comrade") and various other scenes suggest a 007 who's starting to feel the years catching up with him. It gives the whole thing a certain depth, without ever really making an overt deal of it. In contrast, NSNA would dance around the whole "Bond getting older" angle only briefly, then jettison it for the second half of the film.

FYEO is a fine film, even if as a 16-year-old I was let down by the subdued finale. It also gave me my sig line, one of my favorites Rog ever uttered.

[Double-Oh Agent]

I love For Your Eyes Only. It's my third favorite Bond film behind Licence To Kill and Octopussy. Just about everything works great in FYEO. The plot, the stunts, the music, the acting--it's all good. I also enjoy Bibi Dahl and the Thatchers at the end. I even buy Max the parrot since the filmmakers set his key part up in a believable way. About the only bits I'm not enthused about are the "I'll buy you a delicatessen in stainless steel!" line. Ugh. Also, the hockey rink fight is not very good due in large part to the scoreboard tallying. If they would have just had a straightforward fight and eliminated the "goal scoring" part, I think it would have worked fairly well. As it is, it's not very good. The other thing I have a problem with is that we don't see what happens in the Columbo/Kristatos guard fight at the monastery. One minute Columbo's fighting him with a boot to the face and the next he's chasing after Kristatos. But other than those three things, FYEO is a very entertaining and enjoyable movie. A very big thumbs up.

[DaveBond21]

Also, the hockey rink fight is not very good due in large part to the scoreboard tallying. If they would have just had a straightforward fight and eliminated the "goal scoring" part, I think it would have worked fairly well.

I agree. It's as if they thought it was too dark and brutal for a Moore film; or that they just thought there hadn't been enough laughs for a while. The hockey fight starts off really menacingly. The lights are turned off, and the sound of the skates heading towards Bond sound ominous.

[Double-Oh Agent]

Also, the hockey rink fight is not very good due in large part to the scoreboard tallying. If they would have just had a straightforward fight and eliminated the "goal scoring" part, I think it would have worked fairly well.

I agree. It's as if they thought it was too dark and brutal for a Moore film; or that they just thought there hadn't been enough laughs for a while. The hockey fight starts off really menacingly. The lights are turned off, and the sound of the skates heading towards Bond sound ominous.

I love the ice skate thudding into the boards after just missing slicing into Bond in the initial attack. It's by far the highlight of the fight. The scene itself starts out dangerous and suspenseful with the three masked goons on skates vs. a skateless Bond but quickly loses its edge (pun intended) after that first attack.

[ChristopherZ22]

Last week after having such a great time watching MR I thought it was only fit to watch the films sequel today and thusly watched For Your Eyes Only earlier.
First of all I though the film was great, in terms of actual movie it by far surpasses MR. First of all the pre-titles are a nice way of the film makers saying this will be a more down to earth movie. But what really makes FYEO work is that the action does still really work in the same ways that the big set pieces of MR work. By stripping down the whole structure and focusing on the raw ingredients the awe of the sequences are still maintained. There is something brilliant about watching Bond hang from a helicopter, and also simple ideas like Bond being chased on skis by some motorbikes are really fleshed out well. The film dosent rely on effects and does it all in-camera which is so refreshing to see. By making the action more raw it still encourages the audiance to watch in shock, regardless og how many model effect shots the action in FYEO is still as exciting as that in MR.

I agree with you and think the action is far more exciting than what we saw in Moonraker. For Your Eyes Only had the best action scenes since On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Roger Ebert felt differently, however. Here is a portion of his review of the film:

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY is a competent James Bond thriller, well-crafted, a respectable product from the 007 production line. But it's no more than that. It doesn't have the special sly humor of the Sean Connery Bonds, of course, but also doesn't have the visual splendor of such Roger Moore Bonds as THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, or special effects to equal MOONRAKER. And in this era of jolting, inspired visual effects from George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, it's just not quite in the same league.—Roger Ebert

Edited by ChristopherZ22, 05 October 2010 - 03:41 AM.