178 replies to this topic

[Colossus]

TLD is alright if a bit too boring in its length.

[Tybre]

TLD is alright if a bit too boring in its length.

Yeah, it's not like some other films. Films like CR I can just pop in, kick up my feet, and enjoy any old time. I have to be in the mood for TLD or I get distracted and start focusing on my dog and things instead of the movie. Especially in the third act, at least everything of the third act up until Bond infiltrates Whitaker's estate.

[JimmyBond]

Really? I thought TLD had one of the stronger third acts in the Bond series. What is it specifically that you find dull?

[Tybre]

Really? I thought TLD had one of the stronger third acts in the Bond series. What is it specifically that you find dull?

I dunno, I just get easily distracted from the moment they arrive in Afghanistan until the C-130 takes off. Doesn't hold my attention very well if I'm not in the mood for the film. That being said, TLD still makes my top 10. It's all in all a very good film, and Timothy does fantastic, as he always does. Really I don't think I've ever seen the man do a poor job in anything. Okay, okay, stopping the fanboy ravings for now.

[Peckinpah1976]

Is TLD the best Bond ever?

No, you're on drugs.

Harsh, much?

Mind you, if those drugs wiped out sections of my memory regarding the third act the film might actually make the pole position IMO.

Rather like FYEO, it's a good entry in the series but it tends to be a little over-rated by some fans; neither film is anything like approaching the class of FRWL, OHMSS, TSWLM or CR.

Glen's framing and style of directing is very similar to both Young and Hunt. Apparently, fans can appreciate this toned down directing style when they see it in a 60s movie, but not in a 80s movie...

The difference is that the 1960's films were generally much better crafted than the 1980's ones; set design, photography, editing etc were first rate back in the day but became much more work-man-like as the series progressed. Hunt and Young were also much better at staging action than Glen - one of the reasons I think TLD is a little overrated is precisely because several set-pieces fall completely flat (the car chase being a good example), even allowing for it's 20+ year age.

Edited by Peckinpah1976, 12 June 2009 - 11:45 PM.

[ACE]

Just saw TLD at the cinema recently at the NFT. The film was introduced by John Glen who gave a talk about it afterwards. Gosh what seemed so revolutionary at the time is now par for the course.
I still LOVE Dalton in the film - the finest interpretation of Bond, IMO. Once can see Dalton DNA in the Daniel Craig Bond. 20 years to early, perhaps. I go into great detail below.

The Tarnished Knight - my review of The Living Daylights

[doublenoughtspy]

There are entire Bond films, heck even entire Bond actor eras that I would give up for just 15 minutes of TLD.

[Royal Dalton]

Me too.

It's still the last great Bond film, as far as I'm concerned. And, in some ways, the last proper one, as well.

[Blofeld's Cat]

With all this talk about Afghanistan being a possible location in Bond 23 I've been thinking to see The Living Daylights again, but this thread has committed me to seeing it today sometime.

There are entire Bond films, heck even entire Bond actor eras that I would give up for just 15 minutes of TLD.

Your new sig text, mate?

[JimmyBond]

Me too.

It's still the last great Bond film, as far as I'm concerned. And, in some ways, the last proper one, as well.

I can name three great Bond films since then: Licence to Kill, Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace.

[Tybre]

Me too.

It's still the last great Bond film, as far as I'm concerned. And, in some ways, the last proper one, as well.

I can name three great Bond films since then: Licence to Kill, Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace.

:tup:

[Colossus]

There are entire Bond films, heck even entire Bond actor eras that I would give up for just 15 minutes of TLD.

Damn that's pretty extreme.

[sthgilyadgnivileht]

Me too.

It's still the last great Bond film, as far as I'm concerned. And, in some ways, the last proper one, as well.

Agreed

[Mr_Wint]

one of the reasons I think TLD is a little overrated is precisely because several set-pieces fall completely flat (the car chase being a good example), even allowing for it's 20+ year age.

I think the actionscenes in TLD were first-class. The PTS, the car chase and the fight on the cargo plane were good without CGI or loads of machine guns.

[sthgilyadgnivileht]

one of the reasons I think TLD is a little overrated is precisely because several set-pieces fall completely flat (the car chase being a good example), even allowing for it's 20+ year age.

I think the actionscenes in TLD were first-class. The PTS, the car chase and the fight on the cargo plane were good without CGI or loads of machine guns.

Yes I agree also. The stunts are all done for real, no gimmicks, story driven with one of the best climaxes in the entire series IMO. Certainly impressed me on release.

[tim partridge]

I LOVE TLD. Great mood, breathlessly paced, great Bond, great girl, interesting villains, interesting plot, gorgeous soundtrack and textbook action sequences (QOS, take note)! However I really loathe Whittaker's villa, which looks like it was filmed in someone's front room. A very wasted opportunity there (imagine what Ken Adam/Syd Cain could have done with that one).

I also find some of the old school cinematography a bit charmingly quaint, such as when Saunders is told to switch the lights off by Bond in Czech repub (and it looks brighter but just in a different colour). Great stuff.

Edited by tim partridge, 13 June 2009 - 04:51 PM.

[jaguar007]

I stated earlier that while I don't think TLD is the best Bond film, it is in my top 5. That said, TLD is probably the #1 Bond film I can throw in at any time and enjoy (basically saying it is perhaps my most watched). Damn I can't wait for that to come out on Blu Ray.

[Tybre]

In re-watching TLD I have to say it's much better than I remember. Definitely just went up a few notches in my book. Still not the best, as far as I'm concerned, and overall I do still think LTK was a better film, but it's still damn great.

[Vanish]

Agreed on the Blu Ray sentiments. I can't wait to own the high def version.

TLD is still my favorite Bond film - Almost everything about it just clicks extremely well: the interesting photography, the beautiful score, Dalton's performance, the intriguing plot, and the fun action sequences.

Really, the only thing that gets me about TLD is that the excitement and interest temporarily dries up during the Afghanistan action gun fight. Something about it, from the lack of music to the uninspired way it's edited, just makes the entire sequence seem to go on forever until Bond, Kara, and Necros are in the air.

[sthgilyadgnivileht]

The Tarnished Knight - my review of The Living Daylights

Thats a brilliant review. I agree with your comments especially about needing to be around in the Moore days to fully appreciate what TLD did.

I also find some of the old school cinematography a bit charmingly quaint, such as when Saunders is told to switch the lights off by Bond in Czech repub (and it looks brighter but just in a different colour). Great stuff.

I think Mill's work here is superb (especially considering it was his debut as DP).

I too can't wait for the BR

[tim partridge]

I also find some of the old school cinematography a bit charmingly quaint, such as when Saunders is told to switch the lights off by Bond in Czech repub (and it looks brighter but just in a different colour). Great stuff.

I think Mill's work here is superb (especially considering it was his debut as DP)

It was his Bond debut as DP, not his debut as DP.

I think Mills works is superb too, but as with the example cited, it was quite an old fashioned approach, even for the time. If you look at most films made at the same time, they would have had a nighttime interior lit from outside the window (something like the love scene from Top Gun for example), not with all of the fill light merely gelled in a darker colour, like you can see when Saunders "turns off" the light. On the other hand, I find that old fashioned approach very pleasing and elegant in many other scenes, such as the safehouse scene, where you can see all the detail in that stately home.

[sthgilyadgnivileht]

I also find some of the old school cinematography a bit charmingly quaint, such as when Saunders is told to switch the lights off by Bond in Czech repub (and it looks brighter but just in a different colour). Great stuff.

I think Mill's work here is superb (especially considering it was his debut as DP)

It was his Bond debut as DP, not his debut as DP.

I think Mills works is superb too, but as with the example cited, it was quite an old fashioned approach, even for the time. If you look at most films made at the same time, they would have had a nighttime interior lit from outside the window (something like the love scene from Top Gun for example), not with all of the fill light merely gelled in a darker colour, like you can see when Saunders "turns off" the light. On the other hand, I find that old fashioned approach very pleasing and elegant in many other scenes, such as the safehouse scene, where you can see all the detail in that stately home.

The old fashioned approach seem to work so well, and apt for the last cold war Bond: It made the film look so classic. I would love a Bond to be shot like that today.

Edited by sthgilyadgnivileht, 13 June 2009 - 06:49 PM.

[byline]

Equally Glen has enough insight into the Bond character and universe to make the darker moments like Saunders death and the Pushkin interrogation scene in the hotel alarmingly effective. They are natural and not overemphasised scenes - they don't stand out and say to the audience "hey this the drama scene" - they fit in with the film as a whole.

I agree with this. Maybe that's why "The Living Daylights" ranks up there in my top five Bond films. It's the cohesion of the scenes . . . no small feat, given the complexity of the plot.

Question: How, exactly, was Saunders killed? It's interesting that it's completely off-camera; all we get is the sound and Bond's reaction (one of my favorite moments in the series because Dalton's barely suppressed rage is so utterly convincing). Anyway, am I correct in assuming that he was impaled or crushed by that metal "plunger" thingamajig on the glass door?

[Mr. Blofeld]

Question: How, exactly, was Saunders killed? It's interesting that it's completely off-camera; all we get is the sound and Bond's reaction (one of my favorite moments in the series because Dalton's barely suppressed rage is so utterly convincing). Anyway, am I correct in assuming that he was impaled or crushed by that metal "plunger" thingamajig on the glass door?

I thought it was very evident that he was sliced in half by the glass door; a rather gruesome way to die, wouldn't you think?

[byline]

Question: How, exactly, was Saunders killed? It's interesting that it's completely off-camera; all we get is the sound and Bond's reaction (one of my favorite moments in the series because Dalton's barely suppressed rage is so utterly convincing). Anyway, am I correct in assuming that he was impaled or crushed by that metal "plunger" thingamajig on the glass door?

I thought it was very evident that he was sliced in half by the glass door; a rather gruesome way to die, wouldn't you think?

Ohhhhh . . . yeah. Amazing that I didn't catch on to that! Bleh.

Now, there's an image I won't be able to get out of my mind tonight.

[JimmyBond]

(one of my favorite moments in the series because Dalton's barely suppressed rage is so utterly convincing).

I recall hearing a rumor that after that moment someone in the crowd asks "Should we call for an ambulance?" And Bond would have said "Better make that two" (referring to the fact that he now intends to kill Necros). I'm glad they cut that bit out as it would have lessened the rage in Bond's eyes by having him toss off a quip like that.

A holdover from when the script was written with Brosnan in mind perhaps?

[Mr. Blofeld]

(one of my favorite moments in the series because Dalton's barely suppressed rage is so utterly convincing).

I recall hearing a rumor that after that moment someone in the crowd asks "Should we call for an ambulance?" And Bond would have said "Better make that two" (referring to the fact that he now intends to kill Necros).

Are you sure? Maybe it referred to the fact that Saunders's body is now in two pieces? Blehhhhh...

[Safari Suit]

A holdover from when the script was written with Brosnan in mind perhaps?

Perhaps, but not necessarily it doesn't strike me as particularly Brosnanian.

[doublenoughtspy]

I recall hearing a rumor that after that moment someone in the crowd asks "Should we call for an ambulance?" And Bond would have said "Better make that two" (referring to the fact that he now intends to kill Necros). I'm glad they cut that bit out as it would have lessened the rage in Bond's eyes by having him toss off a quip like that.

A holdover from when the script was written with Brosnan in mind perhaps?

It isn't a rumor, it was filmed. It's in the pirate edit of TLD that was leaked.

[Colossus]

Wouldn't it be Moore since TLD was supposed to be for him originally?