32 replies to this topic

[dinovelvet]

So, I watched Moonraker last night as part of my pre-QOS training regimen, and I found something interesting. When Drax's space station is attacked, we never see any of the perfect, beautiful people wearing white that he's brought up there to start his master race. The last time we see any of them is when Drax is giving his speech about law and order in the heavens, from then on its just the non/semi beauties wearing yellow who do all the shooting and such.

So, your thoughts on what happened to the perfect specimens? Were they killed by the Americans? Did they hitch a ride back home? Were they actually "evil" themselves for going along with Drax's plot, or were they innocent pawns caught up in a madman's scheme? Obviously this kind of deep moral issue is what keeps Moonraker so compelling after all these years

[sthgilyadgnivileht]

Maybe they are still floating around the heavens in one of the Moonraker shuttles looking for a perfect planet somewhere in the galaxy!

[Bondian]

They were probably being treated to a pre-shag luncheon.

Good question, which deserves a better answer.

[00Twelve]

They fell into a plot black hole.

[ACE]

Prolly too busy ing their brains out.
Let's hope they attempted re-entry.

(BTW, LOL at the idea of watching Moonraker "as part of [your] pre-QOS training regimen," dinovelvet Are we gonna get a thread of how similar both films are? South American settings, French-acted, hidden-in-plain sight villains, Bond attending a genteel social function hosted by same, female secret agent under cover in the villain's organization, secret space related base, skydiving sequences, latin-based female agent who is an attractive, easy floosy whom Bond seduces in a swanky hotel room, actions sequences on land, water and air - er, waidaminute, this is gathering steam... )

[Colossus]

They're currently burnt/frozen chunks and pieces floating across the galaxy.

[sharpshooter]

Funnily enough, I've never thought about this. They would have been blown to smithereens.

[jamiah]

That is a good question. There were other Moonraker shuttles attached to the station as well, correct? It's been awhile since I've seen that one.

http://jamiahsh.tangents.org

[Roebuck]

I wonder what Drax's definition of perfection was? We can assume they had above average levels of athleticism and intelligence. They'll also have needed a rare skillset that equipped them to operate/maintain a space station, fly spaceships and jump-start civilisation on an Earth that's been kicked back to Year Zero. These don't sound the type of folks who just disappear without being noticed (wasn't there at least one countess and a British aristocrat in the group?) or slip back easily into their old lives. Sounds to me these were true believers who'd try and keep the dream alive in some way. Maybe they crept back to Drax's Amazonian bolthole and tried to start a model society there? Its these kinds of loose ends that gave birth to fan fiction.

[dinovelvet]

I wonder what Drax's definition of perfection was? We can assume they had above average levels of athleticism and intelligence. They'll also have needed a rare skillset that equipped them to operate/maintain a space station, fly spaceships and jump-start civilisation on an Earth that's been kicked back to Year Zero. These don't sound the type of folks who just disappear without being noticed (wasn't there at least one countess and a British aristocrat in the group?) or slip back easily into their old lives. Sounds to me these were true believers who'd try and keep the dream alive in some way. Maybe they crept back to Drax's Amazonian bolthole and tried to start a model society there? Its these kinds of loose ends that gave birth to fan fiction.

It appears that Drax's idea of perfection was just in physical appearance; the people on Bond's shuttle basically look like models. I assumed that a lot of the people on the space station weren't necessarily part of this Master Race, but were there to do some of the menial tasks and help get this new society started. A lot of the astronauts we can see have some "flaws", e.g. balding, paunchy etc. My theory is that Drax brought them aboard to help start the Master Race, but they would not be allowed to reproduce and thus "pollute" his new superior society. Drax does say that anyone not up to the high physical standards would be exterminated, so I'm not sure where that leaves the regular looking people on the space station. The people dressed in white don't look like they do much thinking or heavy lifting, so there'd have to be others to lay the groundwork.

And who'd be cleaning up several billion bodies lying around on Earth? I guess animals would take care of some of them, but what about apartment blocks and skyscrapers full of dead people? I'd like to hear Drax's explanation for this

[Roebuck]

It appears that Drax's idea of perfection was just in physical appearance; the people on Bond's shuttle basically look like models...

And who'd be cleaning up several billion bodies lying around on Earth? I guess animals would take care of some of them, but what about apartment blocks and skyscrapers full of dead people? I'd like to hear Drax's explanation for this

I hadn’t considered that Drax might be reseeding the planet with useless Eloi rather than big brained superhumans. It’s the Golgafrinchans all over again.


I’ve been reading Alan Weismans ‘The World Without Us’ and it has some sobering predictions about natures capacity to clean up after humans. The book reckons that corrosion resulting from Manhattan’s rising water table and burst sewers will cause steel support columns to buckle in less than twenty years. Coupled with high North Easterly winds, that should be enough to take care of the skyscrapers. If Drax’s beautiful people had been able to wait it out on the space station, then begin repopulating in the more remote parts of the planet, the cities could actually be quite fertile when they return(There’s plenty of usable soil under those roads and pavements).

[DrNoNo]

I watched Moonraker last night and was wondering the same thing. MR is just an awful movie.

[Colibri]

I'd always just assumed (probably incorrectly) that the beautiful people slipped into those yellow spacesuits and joined the regular crew as soon as they got aboard - that they'd simply been flown up there in first class seats, that's all!

Maybe the less attractive staff were hand picked by Drax for their abilities and intelligence?

Anyway, they probably all got blown up in the big finale...or, most likely, what 00Twelve said!

[SecretAgentFan]

There actually was a test screening of the original version before Lewis Gilbert butchered it. There was a scene with the "Perfect People" in the back of Bond´s shuttle. Holly was only one of those who wanted Bond to take them once more around the world.

[David_M]

In the novelization, I think they make for the boudoir pretty much immediately. I seem to remember Bond peeking in a couple "in the act." So probably they were all in mid-orgy when all hell broke loose, and perished in flagrante delicto, as it were.

Maybe the Space Marines smuggled home some of the females?

Anyway, at least Drax had enough sense to bring women, unlike Stromberg who apparently thought you could repopulate the Earth with an all-male workforce.

[plankattack]

Funnily eough, it was late September in 1979. I was a young teenager living with my family in East Cheam and this large group moved into the house across the street. My mother said they were squatters, but they were the best-looking squatter I've ever seen. Noise all night there was, and always people cavorting about behind the net curtains. As a youngster, let me tell you, I was glad there were there. Non-stop it was! The things I saw.....

[Judo chop]

Anyway, at least Drax had enough sense to bring women, unlike Stromberg who apparently thought you could repopulate the Earth with an all-male workforce.

Actually, what we don’t learn from the TSWLM script is that, in addition to webbed hands, Stromberg was also born with a uterus and ovaries. HE was intending to birth the new race! It’s a better plan than Drax’s in fact, since it would guarantee that the mastermind's own genes (the best genes ever) would be passed on to the future generations.

A very well-laid plan, indeed.

So to speak.

[DaveBond21]

I assume they were all in their quarters, paired up starting to procreate to create the new Master race. And so I think they got blown up in the spaceship.

[scaramunga]

It is odd that they all seem to disappear.

If you have the Topps Moonraker card set there is actually a picture of Bond and Holly discovering the where abouts of the perfect people. I can't recall what the card # it is. It's a cut scene not in the film and since the DVD hasn't had any deleted scenes as extras....

In addition to the Topps card set, a pic of the scene can be seen here:

http://www.shatterha...dInterview.html

[MajorB]

Very cool find, Scaramunga!

Like most everyone else, I figure they blowed up real good.

[Double-Oh Agent]

In the novelization, I think they make for the boudoir pretty much immediately. I seem to remember Bond peeking in a couple "in the act." So probably they were all in mid-orgy when all hell broke loose, and perished in flagrante delicto, as it were.

You're right, in the novelization they immediately went about having sex. And I believe they died doing that too--perhaps in the wing that broke free from the space station.

[Hitmonk]

They went through the same plot hole as the air hostess in the opening reel!

[DaveBond21]

Did they put space soldier suits on and fight the Americans?

[JimmyBond]

Anyway, at least Drax had enough sense to bring women, unlike Stromberg who apparently thought you could repopulate the Earth with an all-male workforce.

Actually, what we don’t learn from the TSWLM script is that, in addition to webbed hands, Stromberg was also born with a uterus and ovaries. HE was intending to birth the new race! It’s a better plan than Drax’s in fact, since it would guarantee that the mastermind's own genes (the best genes ever) would be passed on to the future generations.

A very well-laid plan, indeed.

So to speak.

That's the most disturbing thing I've ever read. I don't think I'll ever look at Stromburg the same way again

[DaveBond21]

Anyway, at least Drax had enough sense to bring women, unlike Stromberg who apparently thought you could repopulate the Earth with an all-male workforce.

What about Naomi, who he later replaced with Anya?

[Santa]

Anyway, at least Drax had enough sense to bring women, unlike Stromberg who apparently thought you could repopulate the Earth with an all-male workforce.

What about Naomi, who he later replaced with Anya?

I always thought Naomi had a rather masculine air about her. There's a definite hint of a 'tache on that lip.

[Scottlee]

I prefer to presume the 'perfect people' died in the explosions rather than hitched a lift in the back of a military craft (Or Bond's).

They were a callous bunch weren't they, prepared as they were to watch Bond get squeezed to death by a poisonous snake without so much as changing their facial expressions.

[Jaws0178]

Its really quite simple. They survived and became the crew of Battlestar Galactica.

[Daddy Bond]

I prefer to presume the 'perfect people' died in the explosions rather than hitched a lift in the back of a military craft (Or Bond's).

They were a callous bunch weren't they, prepared as they were to watch Bond get squeezed to death by a poisonous snake without so much as changing their facial expressions.

And, they were willing to participate in the extermination of the earth's population at that time. They deserved to die without mention.

[Blofeld's Cat]

I don't have my copy on hand but perhaps this mystery is explained in Christopher Wood's novel(isation)?