61 replies to this topic

[dodge]

The first time ever you saw his face...Did you think, My God, they finally got it right? Or, to paraphrase Samuel Johnson, did you cry, "Oh, no, no, no, my dears, this will never do?!"

Has Gorgeous George grown on you or have you drifted apart?

Moi, my original feelings about the film have only grown more powerful: it's the biggest, the baddest, the best of them all. As for GG, he's still my favorite. But, to my infernal sorrow and dismay, Judo may have slipped me a mickey...for now and then I come painfully close to admitting that GG came just the teensiest bit close to being less than absolute perfection in each and every scene. But in my better moments. etc., etc., etc.

[Mr. Blofeld]

Clever of you, mon ami; I agree.

[Judo chop]

Moi? For the longest time, George Lazenby wasn’t worth the cardboard he was printed on. But you know that has changed. Intrigued by the love you (dodger) and others (the donutspy) held for GG, I was compelled to dig deeper into the work of the Great Vanilla Manila, putting myself at risk of the worst kind of papercuts known to man or beast. But as I’ve already confessed, I returned from my journey with a new view of George. It’s not the most sterling accolade, but since that long, hard look at GG, I can say I would have much preferred to see DAF (taken seriously) and given to George Lazenby with a film’s experience under his belt over those shambling remains of Sean Connery we were instead provided. On top of that, I now rank George above Pierce in my hierarchy of Bond actors. Not much, but it’s something.

So I am clearly in the ‘from bad to better’ demographic. And don’t feel too badly about that stain that has suddenly appeared on your angel’s halo, Dodge. It’s simple Newtonian physics really: for every reaction there is an opposite and equal reaction. On that day when I gave the LazBond my undivided attention, I, an avid Laz detractor, suddenly felt a glimmer of love for the man. There is only a finite amount of Lazlove energy in the universe, and what occurred on that fateful day was simply a small transfer of some of that energy from you to me. I’m sure Doublenought felt an unexplained coldness waft over him as well.

[freemo]

Wasn't keen on Laz the first time around. Just didn't think he had "it", whatever "it" may be. Still not sure he does, but he's okay, actually quite good in some scenes.

Saying that, I don't lay awake at night fantasising about an alternative universe where Lazenby went on to do DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER: THE REVENGE FLICK (US title: DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER: THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN).

[Skudor]

People's opinion of Lazenby always starts out extremely low. That's just the way conventional wisdom has it - he's the Bond that never should have been. But, when you actually watch him critically and with an open mind you realise that, although not perfect, and certainly not Connery at his peak, he's really no worse an example of casting than Moore in A View to a Kill or Pierce Brosnan in most of his films.

As I've said before, you really don't have to be a good actor to play James Bond, you just have to make up for the difference with the right sort of instincts and personality.

When I watch [film=99]On Her Majesty

[sharpshooter]

Moi, my original feelings about the film have only grown more powerful: it's the biggest, the baddest, the best of them all.

Precisely. There was a time when OHMSS was my least watched Bond film. Now it is my most watched Bond film. I had an epiphany and saw what a great film we had here and that it was was being unfairly critised.

[Loomis]

I don't lay awake at night fantasising about an alternative universe where Lazenby went on to do DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER: THE REVENGE FLICK (US title: DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER: THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN).

That would be the film in which Laz's Bond has shaggy hair and a drooping moustache, right? In an infamous deleted scene that fans are always calling for Eon to put on the bonus disc of a future DVD re-release, Bond is seen negotiating with the manager of a swanky hotel ("I trust that the Phnom Penh Excelsior is up to its usual high standards, Wu?"/"Well, the bombing has set us back somewhat, Mr Bond, but I daresay we can still accommodate your needs") while puffing on a suspicious-looking handrolled cigarette. Also, for decades, six seconds of the film were denied to audiences in the United Kingdom by the British Board of Film Classification due to the presence of martial arts chainsticks in a fight in Cambodia between Bond and SPECTRE goons.

To answer dodge's question, Laz and I have always had a good relationship. I liked him then (by "then" I mean when I first saw OHMSS on the telly as a child in the '80s) and I like him now. I don't think I ever had an I Hate Lazenby phase - is it an obligatory rite of passage for Bond fans?

That said, I must admit that I didn't tend to lie awake fantasising about DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER: THE REVENGE FLICK.... until, that is, I saw the following thread the other day:

http://debrief.comma...showtopic=45786

This Darker, Harder, Facial Hair-Sporting Martial Artist Bond Of The 1970s Era would almost have been worth not having Rog's THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN for. Almost.

[hilly]

I first saw OHMSS when I was about 10, when it premiered on UK tv. I'd seen the Connery ones in order on tv and had seen TSWLM at the cinema so knew Roger as Bond. I can remember being intrigued by this odd man out (and having seen photos of him in the kilt, assumed that he would be playing it for laughs.) British tv seemed to ignore OHMSS for years, showing GF or YOLT to death instead, so it was probably a decade before I saw it again. By this stage I'd read a lot more about what happened re Laz and the film. I don't think that anyone could have been any better recieved, as Connery was such an icon by this stage. I really wish I was old enough to have seen OHMSS when it was released, and been able to judge Lazenby on his performance at the time, without all the knowledge I have of OHMSS being percieved as a failure and likewise George.

I think that George looks great and acquits himself well. I'm biased because I love the film and everything about it, but I have huge respect for someone who dared to replace Sean. Sure he looks a little wooden at times, but we can find faults with the way all the Bonds deliver the odd line, if we look closely enough. George is heroic and does all that we expect from James Bond and, whilst he lacks the charm and polish of Sean from FRWL onwards, I don't personally think he's any rougher round the edges than Connery was in Dr No.
Its ironic that Daniel Craig recieved seemingly universal acclaim from CR, given all the criticism he took back in 2005. Pierce was often referred to as "the best since Connery(etc etc) and, whilst I think Dan the Man was fantastic, he was helped in no small way by DAD being bloody awful. Had Pierce gone out with a more highly regarded Bond film, I suspect Daniel would have had a slightly rougher ride with the critics.

[HH007]

Ah, good old George Lazenby. I think he did a reasonably good job as Bond. Like Judo, I also rate him higher than Brosnan, and I think DAF would have been a far superior film had he been in it. I don't think he was quite convincing in the scene where Tracy got killed, but I can't see Connery playing that scene at all. So George is overall a good Bond in my book.

[sharpshooter]

George did a great job. I can't picture anyone else in the film. He was athletic and gave a natural performance.

I am outspoken on certain Bond subjects that people perceive to be scars on the franchise - OHMSS and Dalton for instance. They still don't get enough airtime today for some reason. Be it on TV or in the books they release.

[tdalton]

Ah, good old George Lazenby. I think he did a reasonably good job as Bond. Like Judo, I also rate him higher than Brosnan, and I think DAF would have been a far superior film had he been in it. I don't think he was quite convincing in the scene where Tracy got killed, but I can't see Connery playing that scene at all. So George is overall a good Bond in my book.

Agreed. Lazenby did a decent enough job in the role for someone who had never acted before. It would have been interesting to see Connery in the role for OHMSS, just to see what that would have been like, because I think that he could have pulled that off very well. But, Lazenby did do a decent job, and it's a shame that he didn't do DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, because that film with Lazenby (and a revenge plot) would have been the best film that the franchise would have had for quite a while, at least until FOR YOUR EYES ONLY was released.

[HH007]

Ah, good old George Lazenby. I think he did a reasonably good job as Bond. Like Judo, I also rate him higher than Brosnan, and I think DAF would have been a far superior film had he been in it. I don't think he was quite convincing in the scene where Tracy got killed, but I can't see Connery playing that scene at all. So George is overall a good Bond in my book.

Agreed. Lazenby did a decent enough job in the role for someone who had never acted before. It would have been interesting to see Connery in the role for OHMSS, just to see what that would have been like, because I think that he could have pulled that off very well. But, Lazenby did do a decent job, and it's a shame that he didn't do DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, because that film with Lazenby (and a revenge plot) would have been the best film that the franchise would have had for quite a while, at least until FOR YOUR EYES ONLY was released.

I don't know if Connery's Bond could have done Tracy's death scene... for some reason I just don't see it fitting with the way he played the character. Lazenby, to his credit, seemed more human in the role to me (although ultimately I prefer Connery to Laz).

[Safari Suit]

I'm pretty sure OHMSS was the first Bond film I saw in it's entirety so I can say I have always liked him. But count me among those who don't spend much time dreaming of DAF: The Revenge Version, as, for a start, the 500 or so action films with the same plot in the intervening time have filled that void quite nicely.

[Publius]

I liked him from day one. Never saw what the fuss was about, aside from his often stiff acting. He had the physicality, the swagger, and a great deal of charm, so it didn't matter to me if some of his lines were delivered just a little awkwardly, especially when I considered it all in light of the overall weirdness of the other 60s Bond movies (and hell, 60s movies in general). He "cemented" himself as Bond in my mind when he grabbed Diana Rigg's hand and told her he could think of something more sociable to do than her suggestion of killing him for a thrill.

Looking back, I couldn't put it into words then, but now I would say his Bond always struck me as a cross between Connery in Dr. No and Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies. A badass of the old school variety on the one hand, a carefree "overgrown kid" on the other. He really seemed to enjoy it. And then after Tracy rescues him, and especially after she gets kidnapped, he has shades of Dalton and Craig. So, an all-around great Bond that, as best as I can remember, I've never really changed my opinion on.

[Judo chop]

He "cemented" himself as Bond in my mind when he grabbed Diana Rigg's hand and told her he could think of something more sociable to do than her suggestion of killing him for a thrill.

It took a 2-day span of back-to-back, attention-dedicated viewings for me to discover the same thing. Not only is that scene Laz's best moment, it may be a top-3 in the series overall.

And thus the thought of a follow-up LazBond in DAF is intriguing to me. I really don't think he knew what he was doing going in to OHMSS, but he damn sure nailed that scene as well as anybody could have. (Anybody = the likes of Connery/Craig). Which leads me to believe it wasn't all accident. He had some skills buried down in his hull, and I'm sorry I won't get to see what might have become of them, taking his experiences in OHMSS into a second film.

[Mr. Blofeld]

He "cemented" himself as Bond in my mind when he grabbed Diana Rigg's hand and told her he could think of something more sociable to do than her suggestion of killing him for a thrill.

It took a 2-day span of back-to-back, attention-dedicated viewings for me to discover the same thing. Not only is that scene Laz's best moment, it may be a top-3 in the series overall.

And thus the thought of a follow-up LazBond in DAF is intriguing to me. I really don't think he knew what he was doing going in to OHMSS, but he damn sure nailed that scene as well as anybody could have. (Anybody = the likes of Connery/Craig). Which leads me to believe it wasn't all accident. He had some skills buried down in his hull, and I'm sorry I won't get to see what might have become of them, taking his experiences in OHMSS into a second film.

You mean, like this?

[Judo chop]

You mean, like this?

As intrigued as I am, a read of that length and genre requires a concomitant administration of alcohol to my circulatory system. Unfortunately, I'm at work now.
Perhaps later.

[Mr. Blofeld]

You mean, like this?

As intrigued as I am, a read of that length and genre requires a concomitant administration of alcohol to my circulatory system. Unfortunately, I'm at work now.
Perhaps later.

Well, at least look at the PTS; you'll like it.

[tdalton]

Ah, good old George Lazenby. I think he did a reasonably good job as Bond. Like Judo, I also rate him higher than Brosnan, and I think DAF would have been a far superior film had he been in it. I don't think he was quite convincing in the scene where Tracy got killed, but I can't see Connery playing that scene at all. So George is overall a good Bond in my book.

Agreed. Lazenby did a decent enough job in the role for someone who had never acted before. It would have been interesting to see Connery in the role for OHMSS, just to see what that would have been like, because I think that he could have pulled that off very well. But, Lazenby did do a decent job, and it's a shame that he didn't do DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, because that film with Lazenby (and a revenge plot) would have been the best film that the franchise would have had for quite a while, at least until FOR YOUR EYES ONLY was released.

I don't know if Connery's Bond could have done Tracy's death scene... for some reason I just don't see it fitting with the way he played the character. Lazenby, to his credit, seemed more human in the role to me (although ultimately I prefer Connery to Laz).

I think that would have made Connery's interpretation of the end of OHMSS would have been that it would have been somewhat out of character for his Bond. The fact that his Bond was always so cool and so confident would have made the end of OHMSS that much better, because it would have shown just how much Tracy affected him. It would have taken a bit more than a quick montage of clips of Bond and Tracy that we actually got in the film to make me believe in the relationship, but I definitely could have seen his Bond in OHMSS.

[6Joker9]

Personally, Lazenby

Edited by 6Joker9, 28 March 2008 - 05:26 AM.

[MarcAngeDraco]

I really like OHMSS, but for me that is in spite of George rather than because of him.

He's generally so stiff and several important lines are delivered with such embarassing awkwardness, that it's very apparant that he was no actor. At times he seems completely out of touch with the mood of the scene. Luckily, most of his scenes require little to no acting, so his presence (and to some extent his stiffness) are adequate to portray Bond.

That's pretty much the way I've felt about him all along, with only minor changes over time.

[dogmanstar]

Strangely (to me, anyway) is what drew me to Laz was the strength of the fight scenes. I really felt like George could close the deal. He sold every one of his fight scenes in a really brutal way. In the same way, I thrilled at the start of CR because the PTS told me all I needed to know about what we were in for.

I feel that Bond needs a foundation in the basics. It's not all about the gadgets--anyone could use them. I mean, the guy's at the top of his profession! If he can't fight tooth and nail--then why is he a double oh? And I remember how bracing those OHMSS fight scenes were on first watch. It's an admiration for George that I have never lost.

Edited by dogmanstar, 29 March 2008 - 08:30 PM.

[Double-Oh Agent]

He may be #6 of the Bonds for me, but I still enjoy him as 007. I did like him originally, but I do like him better now although I don't know what makes me think so other than possibly being more familiar with his performance. He is unquestionably terrific in his fight scenes--arguably the best of all the Bonds--and I find that he is confident and has a natural charm on screen. He may not be a great actor, but he does have what it takes to be a good, solid 007.

[dodge]

He may be #6 of the Bonds for me, but I still enjoy him as 007. I did like him originally, but I do like him better now although I don't know what makes me think so other than possibly being more familiar with his performance. He is unquestionably terrific in his fight scenes--arguably the best of all the Bonds--and I find that he is confident and has a natural charm on screen. He may not be a great actor, but he does have what it takes to be a good, solid 007.

Well said, dear chum. As the mods necessarily archive old threads now and then, it's good to be reminded of how sensational those fight scenes are. And how stunning they must have seemed at the time. Not to detract in the least from Con and Shaw's great fight, but--man, oh man--Laz puts his whole body into every whiplash move. And I too still warm with every viewing to that natural charm you've praised.

[MHazard]

For me, Laz has some very good and some very bad attributes as Bond. His best is that for me, he looks the most like Fleming's description of Bond of any of the actors who played him. The worst is that he sounds the least like him. OHMSS is my favorite movie and Laz has some very good moments in it. But he's not my favorite Bond, by a longshot.

[dodge]

For me, Laz has some very good and some very bad attributes as Bond. His best is that for me, he looks the most like Fleming's description of Bond of any of the actors who played him. The worst is that he sounds the least like him. OHMSS is my favorite movie and Laz has some very good moments in it. But he's not my favorite Bond, by a longshot.

I disagree but see how your opinion could be easily grounded in a couple of rather off lines. If only the equipment existed to enable me to offer you this truly incredible gift: myself dubbing Laz's lines, in my deep and mellow Irish-Yankee accent...but rendered by computer with Zorin's posh House of Lords tone/

[Mr. Blofeld]

For me, Laz has some very good and some very bad attributes as Bond. His best is that for me, he looks the most like Fleming's description of Bond of any of the actors who played him. The worst is that he sounds the least like him. OHMSS is my favorite movie and Laz has some very good moments in it. But he's not my favorite Bond, by a longshot.

I disagree but see how your opinion could be easily grounded in a couple of rather off lines. If only the equipment existed to enable me to offer you this truly incredible gift: myself dubbing Laz's lines, in my deep and mellow Irish-Yankee accent...but rendered by computer with Zorin's posh House of Lords tone/

Irish? You're from the U.S., mate!

I must admit, though; I can do a fair Connery myself...

[BoogieBond]

When I first saw OHMSS my first reaction was great film, but George was a weak point.

Now, I still think OHMSS is a great film, and rate it higher. And I accept George as Bond, and can see his strengths, athletisism, and great in the action scenes. He doesn't detract from the film at all. And I cannot see any of the 4 succeeding Actors play OHMSS. I realise that the film, especially in certain parts, did not help Laz, and asked a lot of him. And he would be compared, by the general public/media to Sean. Does he fill Sean's shoes ?

Well accoring to the general public(putting my own pride aside here for RM) there is only one actor challenged Connery's hand made shoes, the one we have now, DC. And that is only based on one film so far. The others seemed to be generally well received, and considered "Good" by Joe Public and the Films still did well. But the Films were generally the star, not the actors. I am not talking about my opinion here, or an individuals opinions, but overall, in the media, TV, at work, in the pub etc...just an observation.

So I can understand the pressure Laz was under, and aside from some stiff, uncomfortable scenes in the film(the cheerful chipper Bond, James Bond on the beach), he does OK. And does pretty good in other scenes(the barn scene, the climax of the film)

So time has helped me appreciate Laz more. And he helps he is in a brilliant 007 film and not a so-called stinker

Edited by BoogieBond, 02 April 2008 - 10:35 PM.

[inkling23]

I think timing and luck were kind to George. Imagine if he had stepped in as Bond for YOLT or DAF, he probably would've gotten worse reviews. Instead, he lucked out and got a tremendously solid script--if you're only going to do one movie, it might as well be one of the best. Even though he's not the greatest actor, OHMSS is still one of my favorites and I think it has held up very well over the years.

Edited by inkling23, 04 April 2008 - 09:51 AM.

[Pete]

Well I didn