51 replies to this topic

[Moore Not Less]

I really like Michael Lonsdale's portrayal of Hugo Drax. In terms of physical presence, he doesn't present a threat. However, he is very intelligent and exudes authority. He is also a generally cold and unemotional man and his droll persona makes for some great humour. There's a real menace about Lonsdale's Drax, you believe that he will do whatever it takes to achieve his evil aim. Therefore, it's easy to see why Drax is feared and respected in equal measure by those under his command.

I agree with that, although I also agree with someone else who already said earlier in this thread that they preferred Fleming's Drax to the one that we saw in the film. Don't get me wrong, the film Drax was a good villain, certainly one of the better ones, but I would have liked to have seen it a bit closer to Fleming's description of the character.

Having said that, it's a shame that the character was wasted on such a poor Bond film.

I don't agree that the character of Hugo Drax was wasted on such a poor Bond film. Drax has some of the best lines in the entire series. Moonraker is not a poor Bond film overall, though it undoubtedly has poor elements, such as Jaws & Dolly, the double take pigeon/Bondola sequence, the laser fight in space. The highlights of Moonraker include the PTS, the centrifuge, the pheasant shoot, Drax's dogs chasing Corinne Dufour through the woods, the sets and the locations.

[Kalel577]

Hugo Drax:

Great Bond villain.

Poor casting choice regarding the actor portraying him.

[dinovelvet]

MAX ZORIN:  He also uttered "Intuitive improvisation is the key of genius," a line that should be studied in colleges or something.

That line by itself, and as delivered by Walken, is indeed spectacular, but it gets even better; when Bond responds "I'm sure Dr. Morton would be proud of his creation", it cuts back to Walken, who doesn't actually answer, but just gives about five different facial expressions showing his brain processing the comment. Great stuff.

[Brian Flagg]

Here's a my quick ranking of the 1973 - 1989 Bond villains:

8. Aris Kristatos - hardly memorable, a snake none-the-less

Good description of Kristatos. He wasn't a great Bond villain, but I did like the past they gave him with Topol's Columbo character. Two ex-resistance fighters who were once good friends but went their seperate ways. I always thought that their early WWII and 1947 civil war relationship would make for some good fan fiction. If anyone knows of any fanfic that might be out there, please let me know.

[Turn]

Here's a my quick ranking of the 1973 - 1989 Bond villains:

8. Aris Kristatos - hardly memorable, a snake none-the-less

Good description of Kristatos. He wasn't a great Bond villain, but I did like the past they gave him with Topol's Columbo character. Two ex-resistance fighters who were once good friends but went their seperate ways. I always thought that their early WWII and 1947 civil war relationship would make for some good fan fiction. If anyone knows of any fanfic that might be out there, please let me know.

That's actually the problem I have with the Kristatos character. A snake character is fine as long as you have others who are more threatening, kind of like Kronsteen in FRWL. But Kristatos never seemed any real threat to Bond. He was just the one pulling the strings.

[Qwerty]

Hugo Drax:

Great Bond villain.

Poor casting choice regarding the actor portraying him.

Why do you say that?

[Glor (009)]

As has been said a few times Drax has some of the best lines of the series.

"Such good sport"
"Look after Mr. Bond, see that some harm comes to him"

He is fun to watch. The end he gets a bit comical and someone that large probably should be a bit more coordinated but I still like him as a villain. Most of the real masterminds do hide behind their henchmen in the movies.

[Qwerty]

He's one of the factors that makes Moonraker all the more better than some people think.

[Hotwinds]

I never found myself really hating Drax that much.

The last bad guy I really enjoyed Bond killing was the henchman that was trying to kill Bond as he was climbing up the mountain in FYEO.
He was so bad and it was such a great scene. I kept thinking to myself
"kill that son of a bitch"!





[quote name='Mister Asterix' date='26 August 2005 - 15:23'][mra]I have held to the contention that Scaramanga was the last great Bond Villain for quite some time now. For me, some have come close (Electra, Graves) some have even been great villains (Koskov, Kristatos), but not really the true throw-the-unsatisfactory-hench-in-with-the-piranha-type Bond Villain.

So then I am watching Moonraker the other day and it occurs to me that Hugo Drax may just be a great Bond Villain. You see, I don

[Qwerty]

I have held to the contention that Scaramanga was the last great Bond Villain for quite some time now.

Slightly off-topic, but I often find it interesting that on the thought that you can usually judge a Bond film on the quality of a villain (this is also mentioned in the Pfeiffer/Worrall book), for me, that is most definitely not the case for Scaramanga. A terrific villain, but a lesser film.

[Brian Flagg]

He's one of the factors that makes Moonraker all the more better than some people think.

Qwerty, I'm going to keep checking your profile info until you validate my hunch that your real favorite Bond film is Moonraker. There's no shame in loving the movie, as it always entertains.

[Qwerty]

It's sooooo close. It's #2 for me, right behind The Spy Who Loved Me.

[Double-Oh-Zero]

Considerably better than villains like Stromberg or Kristatos, who, let's face it, were a bore. One could easily substitute Blofeld for these villains and make a substantially better film out of them.

Drax was easily one of the better villains of the post-Connery era, and unfortunately one of the most underrated, along with Kananga. Splendid dialogue that goes perfectly with the snobbish Space Hitler image (although I'm beginning to doubt that a man of his class would actually own a pet python).

Because of this, he would be a must-have guest at dinner parties. Can't be bothered to explain why, just read Jim's reasoning here.

[Max Zorin]

The guy had some good one liners, that's for damn sure.

[Schnick-Schnack]

To be honest, I'm not sure how to rate Drax. On the one hand Drax has really some of the best one-liners of all Bond villains. On the other hand, the way Lonsdale plays Drax, I always get the feeling that Drax's main concern must be how to stay awake all day. Instead of how to reshape life on Earth.

Edited by Schnick-Schnack, 02 September 2005 - 09:34 PM.

[CMGN]

Well, I sort of agree, since Drax had some very good lines. However, I'm partial to Elliot Carver and Alec Treveleyan. Carver is almost like a Blofeld throwback, adapted for 21st Century digital media, while Alec was pretty much 007's mirror.

[4 Ur Eyez Only]

He was probably the worse Roger Villain

[Qwerty]

He was probably the worse Roger Villain

I'd say that distinction goes to Aristotle Kristatos.

[Brian Flagg]

He was probably the worse Roger Villain

I'd say that distinction goes to Aristotle Kristatos.

I think all of the Roger-era villains have their merits. I wouldn't think of "Uncle Ari" as a horrible villain, because to me his arrogant, snake-in-the-grass and two-faced nature makes him a real rat. Not a great villain, mind you, but certainly someone who no doubt exists in the so-called real world--my neighbor comes to mind... And as I've already posted, I do like the past they established for Kristatos with the (endlessly interesting ) Columbo.

[Qwerty]

Of course, he's not a horrible villain by any means. However, names like Kamal Khan (overlooked too often), Drax, Zorin, etc... stand out more to me.

[Brian Flagg]

Of course, he's not a horrible villain by any means. However, names like Kamal Khan (overlooked too often), Drax, Zorin, etc... stand out more to me.

Kamal Khan is second only to the Voice of Blofeld in my list of favorites. I like Louis Jourdan anyway and around the same time as OP he was good as the villain Arcane in the first Swamp Thing film. A movie I've always loved.

As for Zorin: "MORE POWAH!" Walken was a hoot! At the time of AVTAK's release, my friends and I saw the movie in the theatre about five times, since one of my pals was obsessed with both the film and Max Zorin. IMO, Max "The Steroid Kid" Zorin is the last great Bond villain.

"MORE POWAH!"

[Qwerty]

!!