166 replies to this topic

[ronbond]

Part of what rankles is that DAF is bookended with a lame PTS and a lame climax -- and in both instances, he fails to kill Blofeld once and for all. I think a big part of the reason DAF gets such a bad rap is because OHMSS before it set such a high benchmark that was obviously impossible to surpass. If DAF had followed YOLT, it would not seem like such a bad film, I'm guessing.

The problem also was that OHMSS was a flop financially and Lazenby dropped out. The assumption was that with Connery coming back, the next film could do no wrong. But the producers wanted OHMSS to be forgotten so badly that they took DAF too far in the other direction. People criticize Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson, but I think they've been much better at consistency and continuity than Cubby and Harry.

[Scaramanga'74]

It

[Mr. Blofeld]

[quote name='Scaramanga'74' post='838543' date='15 February 2008 - 02:55']The fight sequence could

[JimmyBond]

I'm no fan of Mankiewicz myself, but at least his track record with Moore was better than Connery.

[Chad Cooper]

Regardless of whether you love/hate DAF (or somewhere in between), does anyone other than me find the Diamonds are Forever Pretitle Sequence an absurd mess? The acting is bad, the action is bad, the editing is bad, the sound is off, the music is terrible - what a jumbled mess! It looks like a cheap B movie cobbled together by a couple of teens in their basement.

Yep. And all the film goes on like this !

[tama_drummer91]

Now, I'll grant you that DAF isn't the best Bond. (It's in my top five because it was the first one I ever saw.)

But the PTS? At least there's a plot point to it. Have we forgotten the lamest PTS in the series? MR? It is TOTALLY set up for the stunt, without any effort to establish a reality to it. The circus tent at the end is just thrown in (yeah, I've seen the cut footage -- doesn't help), and could someone explain to me how a guy more than seven feet tall and almost 500 pounds can be HIDDEN in a Lear Jet?

There. Now I feel better.

I am with you. MR has the worst and most silly PTS. DAF's PTS isn't a masterpiece, but it isn't that bad.

[OO4]

Why does the patient have a gun in a mudbath and a revolver at that?

I always assumed Spectre was having finacial trouble at the time. With the recent failures, death benefits paid to henchwidows, destroyed or irradiated lairs, increasing plastic surgeon bills and whatnot they had to relocated to bad neighborhood. Obviously a lair with surgical facilities would have narcotics and be a prime target for burglary... therefor the guy was understandably armed.

Since a revolver's way more tolerant of gunk than any semi-auto made then or since, he of course would choose one.

[Doctor Shatterhand]

DAF does not have the worse PCS. I would vote for TMWTGG and AVTAK. TMWTGG is very long and silly with this fantastic looking tropical island and a cheap amusement park fun house. Not to mention the relationship between Nick Nack and Scaramanga. The audience was completely confused as to who was the good guy and the bad guy (NOTE: one woman, who saw the film with me in 1974, was scared for Scaramanga's life not knowing that he was the main bad guy).

AVTAK starts off great but goes down hill quickly with the song California Girls. Uggh!!! What a way to ruin a great Barry score.

TWINE is third with an overlong boat chase that borders on the ridiculous.

MR is a distant fourth with Jaws landing in a circus tent.

FYEO is fifth with Blofeld being dropped down the chimney.

The rest of the series is fine with just a few seconds of silliness but not too over the top.

But DAF has its dubbing problems with the Asian dude saying "Cairo" without moving his mouth. The same problem happens to Diana Rigg in OHMSS when she speaks the words "James, how do we get out?" during the car rally scene, but her lips don't move.

I would have to say 'no' to this question since the segment moves quickly and does not let the audience think too much about it. Besides, it was to reintroduce Sean Connery to the world again, and that was the best part of the segment.

[Daddy Bond]

DAF does not have the worse PCS. I would vote for TMWTGG and AVTAK. TMWTGG is very long and silly with this fantastic looking tropical island and a cheap amusement park fun house. Not to mention the relationship between Nick Nack and Scaramanga. The audience was completely confused as to who was the good guy and the bad guy (NOTE: one woman, who saw the film with me in 1974, was scared for Scaramanga's life not knowing that he was the main bad guy).

AVTAK starts off great but goes down hill quickly with the song California Girls. Uggh!!! What a way to ruin a great Barry score.

TWINE is third with an overlong boat chase that borders on the ridiculous.

MR is a distant fourth with Jaws landing in a circus tent.

FYEO is fifth with Blofeld being dropped down the chimney.

The rest of the series is fine with just a few seconds of silliness but not too over the top.

But DAF has its dubbing problems with the Asian dude saying "Cairo" without moving his mouth. The same problem happens to Diana Rigg in OHMSS when she speaks the words "James, how do we get out?" during the car rally scene, but her lips don't move.

I would have to say 'no' to this question since the segment moves quickly and does not let the audience think too much about it. Besides, it was to reintroduce Sean Connery to the world again, and that was the best part of the segment.

Hmmm? Agreed, there are flaws in many of the pretitle sequences you mentioned, however, even with the positive aspects you brought up about the DAF PTS, I'll have to respectfully disagree with you there. For example, even if the TWINE PTS is long, it is still (cinematically) of much greater quality than DAF's PTS. Personally, I enjoy several parts of the PTS in TWINE and AVTAK (despite the rediculous music in AVTAK). My main criticism of the DAF PTS is the quality.

[Safari Suit]

I have to disagree with regards to the TMWTGG PTS; I love it. I guess the funhouse isn't for everyone but I think it's a wonderfully inventive design and feel it is used well on screen.

Me, neither; during every frame of this film, I kept yelling "Oh, come on!" in disbelief.

That must have been a real strain on your throat after a while.

[Daddy Bond]

I have to disagree with regards to the TMWTGG PTS; I love it. I guess the funhouse isn't for everyone but I think it's a wonderfully inventive design and feel it is used well on screen.

Me, neither; during every frame of this film, I kept yelling "Oh, come on!" in disbelief.

That must have been a real strain on your throat after a while.

Actually, I don't mind the TMWTGG PTS either. I think it was intended that the audience not immediately know whether Scary was a good guy or bad guy at first.

[Judo chop]

MWGG is a great PTS, even if it's not per formula. I cannot understand the complaint "the real bad guy is ambiguous". I understand THAT the real bad guy is ambiguous, but to make that a complaint is rather lame, IMO. That's what makes Scaramanga so good, or if one can't go that far, at least it is a positive step towards the building of Scaramanga as a multi-dimensional and motivated character.

DAF is the worst PTS of the series. By far. In fact, I'm not certain how they could have made it worse than it already is!

That'd be an interesting thread...

[Daddy Bond]

MWGG is a great PTS, even if it's not per formula. I cannot understand the complaint "the real bad guy is ambiguous". I understand THAT the real bad guy is ambiguous, but to make that a complaint is rather lame, IMO. That's what makes Scaramanga so good, or if one can't go that far, at least it is a positive step towards the building of Scaramanga as a multi-dimensional and motivated character.

DAF is the worst PTS of the series. By far. In fact, I'm not certain how they could have made it worse than it already is!

That'd be an interesting thread...

Instead of "Cai...Cai...Cairo", it could be "Ho...Ho...Hoboken"

[Judo chop]

MWGG is a great PTS, even if it's not per formula. I cannot understand the complaint "the real bad guy is ambiguous". I understand THAT the real bad guy is ambiguous, but to make that a complaint is rather lame, IMO. That's what makes Scaramanga so good, or if one can't go that far, at least it is a positive step towards the building of Scaramanga as a multi-dimensional and motivated character.

DAF is the worst PTS of the series. By far. In fact, I'm not certain how they could have made it worse than it already is!

That'd be an interesting thread...

Instead of "Cai...Cai...Cairo", it could be "Ho...Ho...Hoboken"

Seriously. Why not? The film

[Skudor]

I have to disagree with regards to the TMWTGG PTS; I love it. I guess the funhouse isn't for everyone but I think it's a wonderfully inventive design and feel it is used well on screen.

Me, neither; during every frame of this film, I kept yelling "Oh, come on!" in disbelief.

That must have been a real strain on your throat after a while.

Actually, I don't mind the TMWTGG PTS either. I think it was intended that the audience not immediately know whether Scary was a good guy or bad guy at first.

I think it's also meant to give us the idea that Scaramanga has a big Bond fetish - he wants to be Bond. Or as a minimum we're meant to see him as a Bond like character.

[Mr. Blofeld]

[quote name='Judo chop' post='840156' date='19 February 2008 - 13:49'][quote name='Daddy Bond' post='840141' date='19 February 2008 - 12:30'][quote name='Judo chop' post='840103' date='19 February 2008 - 11:12']
That'd be an interesting thread...[/quote]
Instead of "Cai...Cai...Cairo", it could be "Ho...Ho...Hoboken"
[/quote]
Seriously. Why not? The film

[Daddy Bond]

[quote name='Judo chop' post='840156' date='19 February 2008 - 12:49'][quote name='Daddy Bond' post='840141' date='19 February 2008 - 12:30'][quote name='Judo chop' post='840103' date='19 February 2008 - 11:12']MWGG is a great PTS, even if it's not per formula. I cannot understand the complaint "the real bad guy is ambiguous". I understand THAT the real bad guy is ambiguous, but to make that a complaint is rather lame, IMO. That's what makes Scaramanga so good, or if one can't go that far, at least it is a positive step towards the building of Scaramanga as a multi-dimensional and motivated character.

DAF is the worst PTS of the series. By far. In fact, I'm not certain how they could have made it worse than it already is!

That'd be an interesting thread...[/quote]

Instead of "Cai...Cai...Cairo", it could be "Ho...Ho...Hoboken"
[/quote]
Seriously. Why not? The film