105 replies to this topic

[Stephen Spotswood]

"Who in this thread actually saw Moonraker during its theatrical release?"

I did, and I immediately regretted it. By the time marines were fighting in space suits, and Bond was shooting down some kind of weapons orbs in space, I kept expecting to hear Obi Wan Kenobe saying, "Use the Farce James, use the Farce."

Oh yes, and it had that stupid Jaws character, the Jar-Jar Binks of the Moore/Bond films.

I wish the clickable smiles had a barf face.

Edited by Stephen Spotswood, 18 November 2005 - 10:17 PM.

[Darksideoftheschwartz]

Who in this thread actually saw Moonraker during its theatrical release?

I did. It was my first movie theater Bond movie.

Scorpion,

Moonraker was my first Bond movie that I ever saw in the theatre back in 1979. I totally remember it too: we were on a field trip for my class and were going to catch the Muppet Movie, but it was sold out, but Moonraker wasn't and, hence, a new Bond fan was born.

Since then, I would catch every Bond movie that ABC aired until the VHS arrived, and I would count the days until the next movie would come out.

Wait, Wasn't Moonraker rated R? I saw the preview for it on the internet, and it said it was rated R. They took you on a field trip to see an R rated movie. Now we are barely allowed to watch A PG-13 movie in school. Oh yah, I forgot to mention I'm in juinor high, and live in Kansas, which is the laughingstock of the country.

[dinovelvet]

Oh yah, I forgot to mention I'm in juinor high, and live in Kansas, which is the laughingstock of the country.

According to Blofeld, yes it is

[Scorpion]

Oh yah, I forgot to mention I'm in juinor high, and live in Kansas, which is the laughingstock of the country.

Your posts seem to very much reflect precisely that.

We can only hope that you can somehow "up your game", although it might be quite a while 'til that comes to fruition.

Good luck.

[K1Bond007]

Wait, Wasn't Moonraker rated R? I saw the preview for it on the internet, and it said it was rated R. They took you on a field trip to see an R rated movie. Now we are barely allowed to watch A PG-13 movie in school. Oh yah, I forgot to mention I'm in juinor high, and live in Kansas, which is the laughingstock of the country.

What? No. All James Bond films from Dr. No to The Living Daylights are PG. Licence to Kill and on are PG-13.

----
I like Moonraker till about 2/3 of the way in. I don't like all the gadget crap (everybody has one) and I'm upset they made Jaws into comic relief, but other than that it's not so bad. When they go to space then.. well it just gets stupid. I used to love this movie when I was kid though. Now being in my 20s I find it pretty ridiculous, but still a decent flick.

[Qwerty]

Wait, Wasn't Moonraker rated R? I saw the preview for it on the internet, and it said it was rated R.

I do know of some discussion of a more "adult" Moonraker, but the rating it as K1 said: PG.

[Napoleon Solo]

Could someone explain to me how a plane flying from the US to the UK would be flying over the Yukon? 

Not sure about this, but the Moonraker shuttle was supposedly made in California. Would a LA-to-London flight path take you over the Yukon?

[Napoleon Solo]

 

The movie has been accused of stealing from Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die. Anyone seen this?

I bought a copy of Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die on eBay because I was curious. The two do have similar elements. Arguably Kiss the Girls makes better use of the Rio locations by putting an action sequence inside the Jesus statue.

[triviachamp]

[quote name='Mister Asterix' date='18 November 2005 - 10:39'][quote name='triviachamp' date='17 November 2005 - 18:47']Could someone explain to me how a plane flying from the US to the UK would be flying over the Yukon?

Edited by triviachamp, 19 November 2005 - 02:53 AM.

[Bon-san]

[quote name='triviachamp' date='18 November 2005 - 21:45'][quote name='Mister Asterix' date='18 November 2005 - 10:39'][quote name='triviachamp' date='17 November 2005 - 18:47']Could someone explain to me how a plane flying from the US to the UK would be flying over the Yukon?

[triviachamp]

[quote name='Bon-san' date='18 November 2005 - 22:33']Shame about the unfortunate and unlikely "Yukon" reference.

Edited by triviachamp, 19 November 2005 - 04:15 AM.

[ChickenStu]

I like it mainly for nostalgia reasons. It was one of the first ones I can remember seeing as a kid. Yeah ok, it ain't perfect. Parts of it are quite silly, but it is very entertaining and the outer space scenes are truly awesome. It also has one of the most stunning musical scores I have ever heard in any movie.
I think there are far worse Bond films than "Moonraker".

[Moore Not Less]

For me, Moonraker has some of the best highlights and some of the worst lowlights of the series. The PTS is of a high quality, but is slightly spoiled by Jaws flapping like a bird. The centrifuge scene, the pheasant shoot and Hugo Drax's dogs chasing Corinne Dufour through the woods are all excellent. The quality takes a dive during the infamous double take pigeon/Bondola sequence, but then recovers with Bond's sneak visit to the lab and his fight with Chang.

But, from the moment Jaws meets Dolly Moonraker takes a dive from which it never really recovers. I find the whole Jaws/Dolly romance too cringeworthy. I don't really have a major problem with Bond in space, apart from the laser battle. For the most part it's played straight. There are even a few moments that I enjoy, such as Bond and Holly Goodhead's attempt to seek and destroy the globes before they enter the Earth's atmosphere.

Edited by Moore Not Less, 19 November 2005 - 09:42 PM.

[Con Laz Rog Tim Bros Dan 007]

I think Moonraker is great.

[Carver]

To be honest, Moonraker is one of the worst in the series IMO. However, it is still a far more enjoyable film that TMWTGG and DAF. The pre-titles sequences is one of my favourites, mainly for the reason that I believe it's the closest Bond has ever come to death. Michael Lonsdale plays a brilliant villian in Drax, as dinovelvet put it- you don't have to have a huge menacing villian in all the films. Bond's near-death experience on the G-Force machine is also a favourite, and I find Corinne's death to be really chilling- one of the most disturbing in the whole series. Jaws' return isn't really mu cup of tea, and he puts on the comical element too much in this film, which is probably the main reason I don't rate it very highly in my ranking of the series. I haven't read the book so I can't compare, but I don't really like to do that anyway as I prefer not to relate the films to Fleming's original novels.
It seems like Darkside has had a baptism of fire on these forums so far, and I have to say that opening a thread about hating a film without showing any reasons for hating it isn't the best way to go about things. Still, I'm always happy to hear other peoples opinions, just so long as we don't come to internet blows over it.
Like I said, not the best film, but it's certainly a film I wouldn't allow to gather dust in my collection.

[Darksideoftheschwartz]

What I ment by not menacing villan is that when I found out he was the villan I was like whatever. I mean the threat of is plan is minimal espeically when Jaws is now against Drax also.

[triviachamp]

The problem I had with Drax was that I found him rather dull. Lonsdale says everything in monotone (except when he yells "Expel Them!"). I won't deny that the dialogue was amusing but he was just a non-entity to me. I felt they were going through the motions with Drax. I just didn't believe him. I also felt that he wasn't doing what he was doing because he wanted to, just because the script said so.

[Qwerty]

I mean the threat of is plan is minimal

How? He's planning to destroy the world.

[Darksideoftheschwartz]

Well he has to go up against Bond and Jaws

[Publius]

Just thought I'd add my two cents after making it a Moonraker night.

Although it's low on my list, Moonraker is still a rather enjoyable film. It's probably one of the most "family friendly" Bond movies, and makes for a great popcorn-eating, stress-relieving little flick.

Its pre-title sequence is one of the finest, the title song and sequence were respectably good, Roger Moore was still of a believable age for 007, Holly Goodhead is one of the most beautiful Bond girls and certainly among the coolest and toughest, and Hugo Drax has some of the best lines in the entire series.

What kills the movie is the ridiculous "space Hitler" premise, the unbearable laser fight at the end, the complete disregard for the laws of physics (e.g., sound in space), Jaws as comic relief, then Jaws in love, then Jaws as a good guy, in addition to the usual Roger Moore witticisms: "Trouble is, there's never a seven-year-old around when you need one."

[hrabb04]

Well, I live in Kansas. I like it here. You all have the states you live in, I have mine, and I wouldn't want to trade with anyone. That being said, Moonraker works for the time it was made, I suppose. Now, it's camp, like Gil Gerard's Buck Rogers. If you like 70s nostalgia, go for it, dive on in, the water's fine.

[Scorpion]

It seems like Darkside has had a baptism of fire on these forums so far, and I have to say that opening a thread about hating a film without showing any reasons for hating it isn't the best way to go about things.

Especially, Carver, when the chap makes such an anal statement after admitting he has not even seen many of the other Bonds (in another thread).

Are all the junior high kids from Kansas so senseless?

[Carver]

Well he has to go up against Bond and Jaws

Not throughout the whole film. Despite my opinions that Jaws shouldn't have been in Moonraker, I still consider him to be a bad guy in it rather than being on Bond's side. He's trying to capture Bond throughout most of the film, and it's only at the end that he switches sides really.

[Qwerty]

Well he has to go up against Bond and Jaws

I don't follow. All the Bond villains go up against Bond, and Jaws doesn't even turn until the last 15 minutes of the film.

[Scorpion]

Well he has to go up against Bond and Jaws

I don't follow. All the Bond villains go up against Bond, and Jaws doesn't even turn until the last 15 minutes of the film.

My o my.

Qwerty, my dear friend, why are you even bothering with this chap?

He's either pulling your wank or he has his cranium up his schfinct. LOL.

In one case, he's having a laugh at the expense of those in here who are giving him the time of day...in the other, he just comes across as a pure object of derision.

:-)

Edited by Scorpion, 21 November 2005 - 05:07 PM.

[Mr Malcolm]

I have to say that I really like Moonraker. As I've said before with DAD, I wouldn't want to see every Bond film this OTT, but every once in a while (or TWICE in a while!), it's bloody fun! Face it, Bond was always going to have to end up going into space at some point.

I read one review ages ago which said that if you ignore the sillier Jaws-bits and the pigeon doing the double-take, the film stands up much better. I would tend to agree; there's an awful lot of great scenes in there, and a few flagrantly daft bits aren't enough to drag it down for me.

I can sort of see how others don't like it, but I do. Besides, if we all agreed, the forums would be awfully dull.

[ACE]

Isn't everybody taking this a bit too seriously (Yes, I know about Glass Houses...)?

I saw Moonraker in August 1979 and loved it. I still love it.
It is a big fat, juicy, chocolate cake of a Bond movie. With Ken Adam sauce and John Barry filling. It's delicious.

I love the novel too. I love the bridge match. Love the collapsing white cliff murder attempt on Bond (very symbolic). Love the bittersweet ending.

But

The film is what the film is.

Yes, I know what's good for me. The salad of Dr No, the Brussels sprouts of FYEO.

But sometimes you want cake. In thick, fat, film slices.

Moonraker's that.

Take a bite and don't think... just let it happen.

ACE

[Mr Malcolm]

Isn't everybody taking this a bit too seriously (Yes, I know about Glass Houses...)?

I saw Moonraker in August 1979 and loved it. I still love it.
It is a big fat, juicy, chocolate cake of a Bond movie. With Ken Adam sauce and John Barry filling. It's delicious.

I love the novel too. I love the bridge match. Love the collapsing white cliff murder attempt on Bond (very symbolic). Love the bittersweet ending.

But

The film is what the film is.

Yes, I know what's good for me. The salad of Dr No, the Brussels sprouts of FYEO.

But sometimes you want cake. In thick, fat, film slices.

Moonraker's that.

Take a bite and don't think... just let it happen.

ACE

I would have to agree with you there, ACE.

I'm now getting visions of MR the film up on stage in a big sequined tuxedo, singing 'I Am What I Am' by Gloria Gaynor. And I do sincerely mean that in a good way!

[Moore Not Less]

But sometimes you want cake. In thick, fat, film slices.

Moonraker's that.

Take a bite and don't think... just let it happen.

ACE

Yes, I think that I will have a big fat slice of Layer Cake. Maybe, if I take a big enough bite and don't think......then I will just let Casino Royale happen.

[Con Laz Rog Tim Bros Dan 007]

I keep seeing people dis Bond films like MR, OP, YOLT, TMWTGG, DAF, DAD (that one REALLY gets dissed), even films like LTK, TLD, and OHMSS (that's unreal to dis that one).


I cannot understand this and really have never gotten it?


Why people dis films that are good?

There are some Bond films that could be dissed more approriately I think really.

TWINE for example it's utter trash compared to any of those.


TND is quite good overall but what about the ending? If you aregoing to bash MR for the ending what about the hate on TND's ending? Still TND is good overall.

But come on people constantly dissing MR, TMWTGG, DAF, I don't get it at all.

Those are damn good Bond films and DAD, the hate on that simply makes no sense.


It's better than TND, it's leaps better than TWINE, yet it is universally hated?


I think a lot of Bond fans need to get over it.


Pissy people that don't appreciate humor in the films, pissy people that don't appreciate pocorn flicks and pissy people that hate serious and in depth films (see OHMSS/LTK haters)............


really they need to get over it already. I have heard so many people dis AVTAK for instance, yet that is a very entretaining and funny Bond film, so what exactly is the reason people hate it? It's because they lack the humor to even get that it IS funny.

Edited by Con Laz Rog Tim Bros Dan 007, 21 November 2005 - 09:51 PM.