45 replies to this topic

[Trey]

This is a great Bond film, hands down. It has one of the best Bonds, IMO, a superb Bond girl, a fantastic plot, extraordinary gadgets, and no one can forget Jaws!

But in my opinion, the submarine battle finale was a bit boring, as was the last half or so. The first part of the film started off great with Bond's ski jump, a great title song, and one of the best plot setups, but after Egypt, it just seemed to drag on. Is it just me?

[moorebond82]

I think it's one of rogers better bonds and i think it's one of the best bond films period.Stromberg is a little boring as in he doesn't really do much. It's funny this movie has a major water theme and water is my favorite element but i am in the small group who likes-prefers Moonraker.Not my favorite roger moore bond film but it defintley ranks in the top 10 overall.

Edited by moorebond82, 17 December 2006 - 04:29 PM.

[Professor Dent]

The ski jump off the mountain in the PTS really set the standard for the rest of the films. When the parachute opens & the Bond theme starts playing, it's just sweet. It also has one of my favorite title songs & Carly Simon has the perfect voice for it. Plus, we also get the introduction of Jaws which plays well into the next movie. Yes, I'm also one of those few people who like Moonraker. What can I say, it was the very first Bond movie I saw in a theater as a kid & your first time is always special.

[MR. BOND 93]

The first half of the movie was great, but the rest of it was terrible IMO.

[00Twelve]

I, on the other hand, really enjoyed TSWLM. Moore really did come into his own here, and the locales were absolutely breathtaking. In addition, Jaws was a spectacular idea, and the over-the-top plot worked very well for the time. It's really the first time they said, "You know what? Yeah, the last few were silly, but we're gonna make this big and still have a few laughs, and we're proud of it!" (I'm not saying that's my favorite approach, but it worked then, and this story was much more impressive than that of the novel.) Still, I will admit, I enjoyed FYEO just a little bit more, for the famed "down-to-earth-ness."

But try beating XXX walking across the room in that evening gown.

[Qwerty]

[moorebond82]

[quote name='Qwerty' post='671452' date='17 December 2006 - 14:20']

[DaveBond21]

Yes, I love it!!

Easily one of the best of the entire series, it is like a greatest-hits package of everything that is good about 007. I watched it alot as a kid. That is important to every Bond fan.

I love the serious side to Moore in this - especially his dispatching of Sandor, changing the subject when XXX mentions his dead wife, and explaining why he killed Anya's lover.

Great stunts, great car, wonderful locations and Jaws!!! What more could you want in a Bond film.

[Qwerty]

The first half of the movie was great, but the rest of it was terrible IMO.

What was wrong with the second half?

[YOLT]

The first half of the movie was great, but the rest of it was terrible IMO.

I totally agree. TSWLM and GE are the most overrated films in the series.

[dodge]

I started a new thread earlier today regarding Barbara Bach (General Bond Forum: Who was the hottest AND dumbest Bond girl?) Sorry if the header offended anyone, but I was serious: Bach, imo, gave a delightfully dumb performance in a lead role that called for a tough, brainy woman. I really do believe that she was channeling Terry Southern's Candy. She spoke as if English were not a second language, but one she was inventing as she went along. Enough said. The thread gives specific examples.

The film itself, though? Magic. For the past two weeks, after taking shots at Roger Moore, I've been rewatching his Bond films. TSWLM thrilled me. Moore had settled into the role and I found his take refreshing. He did it his way, God love him, and made the part his own. This one goes right on the shelf alongside Sean's top three.

And now I really do intend to view more of Miss Bach's work.

[DamnCoffee]

Spy is my favorite moore-bond and its the first 007 movie i ever saw so it will also have a special place in my heart.

[Mr_Wint]

"The Spy who Loved Me" is Moore's best and one of the best Bondfilms ever made. As someone else said, "Magic".

[manfromjapan]

A great film. A perfect Roger Moore Bond film, one of the most entertaining of the series, if not one of the most entertaining flicks ever. One of the best of the series too!!!
I think Eon would kill to make another film as entertaining as this (oops they just did!). But you know what I mean!!

[DLibrasnow]

I started a new thread earlier today regarding Barbara Bach (General Bond Forum: Who was the hottest AND dumbest Bond girl?) Sorry if the header offended anyone, but I was serious: Bach, imo, gave a delightfully dumb performance in a lead role that called for a tough, brainy woman. I really do believe that she was channeling Terry Southern's Candy. She spoke as if English were not a second language, but one she was inventing as she went along. Enough said. The thread gives specific examples.

Bach is my favorite Bond girl and she's still very beautiful today. Ringo Starr is a lucky, lucky man!

[Kiss Kiss Bang Bang]

Heh, I liked Moore for his distance for all of the characters he played which resulted in many commedy reliefs in the films. There is the most hilarious and kinda... sweet cartoon-like scene when Bond and Amasova are driving back through dessert from pyramids in Jaws' van. The moment the engine coughs and fails Bond smiles for a short moment and a sound (i believe it to be a triangle) ending a soundtrack music. I always laugh at this one

[Qwerty]

Welcome to the CBn Forums, Kiss Kiss Ban...

[PrinceKamalKhan]

If films like From Russia With Love, The Living Daylights and Casino Royale perfectly illustrate and epitomize accurate onscreen depictions of Fleming's Bond as written then The Spy Who Loved Me is one that perfectly illustrates and epitomizes the OTT and fantasy aspects of Bond. Despite it's deja vu elements left over from You Only Live Twice, it's a very well structured Bond film that seems to balance the elements we love in a Bond film: action, romance, suspense, and fantasy very well. Moore's grown into the role very well by this time and Barbara Bach(the real XXX) is gorgeous. The "Bond meets his female counterpart from a rival espionage agency" was done for the first and best time here(an idea that had long outstayed its welcome by Die Another Day, but here it was fresh. The added tension of the Sergei Barsov plot element was another plus. Curt Jurgens is highly underrated as the megalomaniac Stromberg. My only complaints would be that I miss John Barry(though Marvin Hamlisch's "disco Bond" score makes for retro-fun) and that the amazingly hot Caroline Munro's Naomi has such a short screen life(see my sig).

Tomorrow Never Dies is entertaining but is essentially The Spy Who Loved Me for viewers with short attention spans. I rewatched The Spy Who Loved Me when I got the DVD and I found myself thinking this is so much better than TND. Also, I have a found childhood memory of my dad taking me to see this on a double feature with Moonraker.

[Qwerty]

...to see this on a double feature with Moonraker.

Now that would be enjoyable.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

Also, I have a found childhood memory of my dad taking me to see this on a double feature with Moonraker.

Now that would be enjoyable.

Believe me it was. Those were the days before most folks had cable TV and/or a home video machine. MR and TSWLM were the first 2 Bond films I ever saw on a big screen and I'll always have a fondness for both of them.

[Vanish]

For the most part, I really enjoy TSWLM. I do feel that there are several Moore films that are far superior to this one, but then again I've found that the Moore Bonds in particular seem to sharply divide people more than the films of any other actor in the series.

My main issues with TSWLM revolve around the boring "typical" battle in the Liparus toward the end of the film, any gag involving Jaws, and the general weak threat that Stromberg presented.

Other than that, Moore is in peak form, the film moves well, the action is fun (save for the endless battle in the Liparus at the end) and Barbara Bach is one of the best Bond girls. I even dig the disco-Bond score.

Edited by Vanish, 24 December 2006 - 04:34 AM.

[Vauxhall]

Whenever I refresh my list of Bond movies, THE SPY WHO LOVED ME always seems to find it's way into my Top 5, but thinking about it, I'm not entirely sure why. I think my main attraction to the movie is undoubtedly the pre-title sequence and the Egypt scenes; after that, I often find my interest waning. It does suffer somewhat in terms of pacing which is a shame, but based on the first half of the movie it is almost a perfect balance of what a Bond movie should contain.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

Just rewatched some of TSWLM: the opening ski chase sequence and the chase and subsequent underwater scene with the Lotus Espirit. Definitely put me in good mood. TSWLM is definitely one of the best "comedy/fantasy" Bond films and makes a good contrast to serious Bond films like CR. Makes me glad we have both types of Bond films.

[Agent 0015]

It is a great movie, this movie and Octopussy are my favorite pre-title sequence. And remembering that TND and TSWLM seem very similar.

[zencat]

TSWLM...my favorite Bond film of them all. It's Bond and B-E-Y-O-N-D, baby!

[Bondian]

TSWLM...my favorite Bond film of them all. It's Bond and B-E-Y-O-N-D, baby!

Gotta agree with a fellow Rogey fan.

[Tiin007]

Second only to Octopussy as my favorite Moore Bond film.

[DanMan]

Aside from Die Another Day, it's probably my least favorite entry in the series. I find both Live And Let Die and The Man With The Golden Gun to be superior entries.

[Kiss Kiss Bang Bang]

Thanks for the welcome, Qwerty

I'm not quite sure, but TSWLM was the very first Bond movie which shown in Poland in 1977. Earlier on Communists didn't allow to show Bond movies because of their "imperialistic nature". That's quite weird as "The Saint" was aired in the mid '70s, and Simon Templar actually fought Communist agents while James Bond didn't (in the movies)...
Who said Commies were logical?

[Mr.Kiss Kiss Bang Bang]

This one "TSWLM" will always be special to me!
I watched it in the movie theatre with a girlfriend (oh..we where young then!)And got my first real kiss...!