Let’s just turn this into a Moonraker appreciation thread, shall we?
I, too, love Moonraker. It’s like a meandering summer drive along the gorgeous coastline of northern California, albeit on a road littered with nasty potholes. Some people lose concentration of the many visual splendors at each jarring bump, and conclude that the whole trip was a waste. Others, however, deal with the bumps, keeping their senses locked on the better things, and conclude with a recharged spirit that the trip was a pleasant adventure. Of course they wish Governor Schwarzenegger would just fix the blasted thing – it’s not as if they like whacking the out of their shocks like a LeChiffre Speciale to Bond’s nards - but the bumpy ride is nothing to tarnish the memory.
The reason why I didn’t claim Moonraker as an object of my defense, is because I have to agree with the criticisms leveled at it. It’s campy. Campy, campy, campy. In many places. There’s no denying it or defending it. It’s just a matter of whether those campy elements infect the whole film, which is otherwise a great and beautiful adventure.
Tell me which other Bond film features a stunning beauty being chased by savage dogs through a dark, menacing forest. Campy indeed!