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TLD - The best Bond ever?


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#151 Loomis

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Posted 16 February 2011 - 02:00 PM

So I watched THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS last night for the first time in a few years. I was surprised by how well it still holds up.

It still feels fresh and exciting. In some ways, it seems the least dated of the 1980s Bond films (although that hardly makes the others any less enjoyable). Sure, the "ghettoblaster" moment is nowadays very quaint (Q might as well have given Bond an exploding quill pen), and, yes, 007 buddies up with the people who went on to become the Taliban (just as Sylvester Stallone would do the following summer in RAMBO III), but then again the great strength of THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS when watched in 2011 is this:

*drumroll*

It's now possible to enjoy THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS as a period Bond adventure, with Fleming's hero (interpreted engagingly by Dalton) in his natural environment, namely a Cold War setting (this was, of course, the last of the Cold War Bond films). It's like a cinematic version of DEVIL MAY CARE, but one that actually works (I view Faulks' novel as a tired and unconvincing fudge).

Given the trend over the past few years of taking James Bond either literally or spiritually back to the past (DEVIL MAY CARE, Eon's CASINO ROYALE, the FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE computer game featuring Connery's voice, the Moneypenny and Young Bond novels), THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS no longer seems a relic but just another origin story/prequel/period piece, and one that works beautifully. Bizarrely, age has given it a sort of freshness. It also belongs to a distinguished company of thoughtfully-crafted action movies that came out in 1987 or 1988 and have stood the test of time (DIE HARD, LETHAL WEAPON, PREDATOR, ROBOCOP).

Dalton is excellent, playing Bond as a tightly-coiled spring with impeccable manners. One gets the sense that, in spite of all the violence he's seen inflicting on the opposition, he's always holding back an even greater destructive power that scares him to an extent. He has some very funny moments, too - I love the way that he insists on finishing his "He got the boot" punchline even after realising that the plane is about to crash into a mountain.

But by no means is Dalton the whole show here. For some reason, I'd never before realised just how good the supporting cast is, with Maryam d'Abo and Jeroen Krabbe in particular giving solid and unshowy performances that add emotional weight to the film (the Bond/Kara/Koskov love triangle is arguably the dramatic heart of the whole thing). There's also some deft characterisation from Andreas Wisniewski, John Rhys-Davies, Joe Don Baker and Art Malik. (Although it's hard to believe that Kamran Shah is only the deputy commander of the eastern district! He behaves like the top resistance leader of all Afghanistan!)

Some random thoughts: for a second, I was actually surprised by Bond's "If he fires me I'll thank him for it" line, but then I realised: oh, yeah, M was still a man in those days. And it was a moving experience to listen to the recently-departed John Barry's final Bond score, which is, as ever, splendid stuff.

There's some real wit in the script, and the fact that some of it doesn't jump right out and hit you in the face only makes it more appealing (compare and contrast with the on-the-nose quips of the "cunning linguist" Brosnan era). I love the way that our hero only has to glance at a man playing toy soldiers and knows instantly which battle of which war he's attempting to recreate and which details he's getting wrong. Only Bond. BTW, I'd somehow failed to notice till now that Bond's shootout with Whitaker has strong echoes of Scaramanga's funhouse.

Anyway, THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS is good, solid 007 entertainment with an adult tone (note: being "gritty" and downbeat and ultra-violent doesn't automatically give a film a grown-up or serious flavour, which is one of the ways QUANTUM OF SOLACE went wrong), and it has that good old-fashioned epic feel. Well worth revisiting.

#152 doublenoughtspy

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Posted 16 February 2011 - 02:37 PM

Wonderful review Loomis, I couldn't agree more.

Barnes & Hearn in MKBB call it the best Bond film of the 80s, and that it seems everyone tried a little harder with TLD.

While D'Abo and the villains won't make many "best of" lists for girls or villains - for the film they totally work.

I think Kara being the "innocent" caught up in the story helps put the audience in her shoes.

#153 Loomis

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Posted 16 February 2011 - 03:22 PM

Wonderful review Loomis, I couldn't agree more.


Thanks. :) I must confess that, after Craig was hired as Bond, I went off Dalton for a while. I felt that he'd almost put Dalton out of business, as it were, but I now realise that Dalton should not be dismissed so lightly.

Dalton is not Craig (and, of course, he isn't supposed to be Craig!), and neither, in truth, do I see him as the perfect embodiment of "Fleming's Bond". Again, though, this doesn't matter. What matters is that Dalton is excellent and puts his own unique spin on the character, and one can ask no more of any actor who plays James Bond. His performance in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS has stood the test of time, along with the film as a whole.

Barnes & Hearn in MKBB call it the best Bond film of the 80s, and that it seems everyone tried a little harder with TLD.


Well, they're probably right on both counts, although I'm a very fortunate Bond fan in that I greatly enjoy all of the 1980s outings (yes, even NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN and A VIEW TO A KILL). Objectively speaking, though, yes, THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS does indeed appear to be the best of the bunch as a film.

(Although it's interesting that John Glen considers LICENCE TO KILL to be his best work. As a big fan of LICENCE TO KILL, I can certainly see where he's coming from, and arguably LICENCE TO KILL takes more risks with the franchise and with the character of Bond than THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS does.)

Anyway, I hope that THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS is one of the Bond films that Sam Mendes has been giving a spin on his DVD player. Quality stuff, then and now.

#154 00Twelve

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Posted 16 February 2011 - 04:55 PM

I echo Charles in saying thanks for the apt review, Loomis. :tup:

I remember being a kid and seeing Dalton's steely, annoyed glare at being startled by the monkey and hearing the synth beats of the Bond ostinato as he runs off to get the assassin and thinking just how amazing it all was, like I was watching instantly classic Bond.

So many years later, having read all the source material, I found myself equally amazed at how well the short story had been adapted for the film's opening sequence.

And while I'm not a big fan of Glen's directorial skills, I think his best camerawork can be found in TLD, whether it's the simple street-angle view of Bond & Saunders walking across the street from the concert hall to the apartment building or the shots of the Mujahadin riding out at sunrise. Both are good examples of Glen getting out of his straight on, medium-frame bubble of his Moore-era work.

Finally, having seen some fantastic work on LOST, I changed my formerly low (and naive) opinion of John Terry as Felix a couple years ago, realizing that the dialogue's shortcomings were no excuse to deride him as an actor. He's a very talented man.

All in all, still a top fiver on my list.

#155 sthgilyadgnivileht

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Posted 17 February 2011 - 12:51 AM

So I watched THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS last night for the first time in a few years. I was surprised by how well it still holds up.

It still feels fresh and exciting. In some ways, it seems the least dated of the 1980s Bond films (although that hardly makes the others any less enjoyable). Sure, the "ghettoblaster" moment is nowadays very quaint (Q might as well have given Bond an exploding quill pen), and, yes, 007 buddies up with the people who went on to become the Taliban (just as Sylvester Stallone would do the following summer in RAMBO III), but then again the great strength of THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS when watched in 2011 is this:

*drumroll*

It's now possible to enjoy THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS as a period Bond adventure, with Fleming's hero (interpreted engagingly by Dalton) in his natural environment, namely a Cold War setting (this was, of course, the last of the Cold War Bond films). It's like a cinematic version of DEVIL MAY CARE, but one that actually works (I view Faulks' novel as a tired and unconvincing fudge).

Given the trend over the past few years of taking James Bond either literally or spiritually back to the past (DEVIL MAY CARE, Eon's CASINO ROYALE, the FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE computer game featuring Connery's voice, the Moneypenny and Young Bond novels), THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS no longer seems a relic but just another origin story/prequel/period piece, and one that works beautifully. Bizarrely, age has given it a sort of freshness. It also belongs to a distinguished company of thoughtfully-crafted action movies that came out in 1987 or 1988 and have stood the test of time (DIE HARD, LETHAL WEAPON, PREDATOR, ROBOCOP).

Dalton is excellent, playing Bond as a tightly-coiled spring with impeccable manners. One gets the sense that, in spite of all the violence he's seen inflicting on the opposition, he's always holding back an even greater destructive power that scares him to an extent. He has some very funny moments, too - I love the way that he insists on finishing his "He got the boot" punchline even after realising that the plane is about to crash into a mountain.

But by no means is Dalton the whole show here. For some reason, I'd never before realised just how good the supporting cast is, with Maryam d'Abo and Jeroen Krabbe in particular giving solid and unshowy performances that add emotional weight to the film (the Bond/Kara/Koskov love triangle is arguably the dramatic heart of the whole thing). There's also some deft characterisation from Andreas Wisniewski, John Rhys-Davies, Joe Don Baker and Art Malik. (Although it's hard to believe that Kamran Shah is only the deputy commander of the eastern district! He behaves like the top resistance leader of all Afghanistan!)

Some random thoughts: for a second, I was actually surprised by Bond's "If he fires me I'll thank him for it" line, but then I realised: oh, yeah, M was still a man in those days. And it was a moving experience to listen to the recently-departed John Barry's final Bond score, which is, as ever, splendid stuff.

There's some real wit in the script, and the fact that some of it doesn't jump right out and hit you in the face only makes it more appealing (compare and contrast with the on-the-nose quips of the "cunning linguist" Brosnan era). I love the way that our hero only has to glance at a man playing toy soldiers and knows instantly which battle of which war he's attempting to recreate and which details he's getting wrong. Only Bond. BTW, I'd somehow failed to notice till now that Bond's shootout with Whitaker has strong echoes of Scaramanga's funhouse.

Anyway, THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS is good, solid 007 entertainment with an adult tone (note: being "gritty" and downbeat and ultra-violent doesn't automatically give a film a grown-up or serious flavour, which is one of the ways QUANTUM OF SOLACE went wrong), and it has that good old-fashioned epic feel. Well worth revisiting.


Can't disagree with anything here.

I really like this film as it did so many things so well. I also think it's difficult to get across almost 25 years later just how different and original TLD was when it was released. True, the Ghetto blaster scene could now be described as quaint, but it was an awesome moment in '87 when people actually did walk down the street with one on their shoulder.

I agree with your comments about the wit in the script, but I also think the big advantage of the film is that NOTHING jumps out and hits you in the face. I think some action/adventure films almost seem to take the camera and bump it on the nose of the audience saying 'this is the action scene' or 'this is the romantic bit'. I've said this before but compare the Bond/Kara 'back end of horse' sequence with the Bond/Natalya beach scene in GE and to me the latter feels shoe horned in as 'drama' whereas with TLD it doesn't. Under Glen's very natural direction nothing is overemphasised - it is indeed good old fashioned epic story telling of the highest calibre.

I like what the film gives Bond to do. You see him genuinely spying (Bratislava, the tram scenes and outside the hotel in Morocco). Bond is heroic (saving Kara's life and foiling the villains plan), reckless (disobeying M's orders), sensible (sparing Pushkin's life) and upset (Saunders Death). And yes he also has a sense of humour as the film makers allow him to put a Russian defector in a gas pipeline and ski down a mountain in a cello case. Dalton is in total control of the character from his first scene. He clearly knows what he wants to do and takes everything the script gives him and makes it work portraying a very believable Bond you feel you've always known. By the time Dalton says to Saunders 'need to know, sure you understand' you are with him for the rest of the movie.

The supporting cast is indeed excellent. It's as if everyone was caught up in the buzz of the film as there is no bad performance. A lot of criticism is put on the villains not being evil enough but I don't buy this. They are indeed unshowy, perhaps because this Bond film ain't YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE. It presents a more realistic approach with Krabbe expertly playing a rogue who abuses his position to serve his own ends (something very familiar today). Joe Don Baker works well alongside him as the arms dealer who will take the money and run. The audience knows Bond is in trouble when Necros enters the room after drinking the chloryl hydrate and furthermore when he throws the cargo over Bond's head in the never disappointing climax. What is also amazing is how few scenes John Rhys Davies and Art Malik are actually in, yet we feel we know their characters inside out.

With this film the 25th anniversary of Bond could not have been celebrated better.

#156 Turn

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Posted 18 February 2011 - 02:40 AM

I always enjoy threads like this where an underrated gem like TLD is celebrated. Especially when it goes beyond the usual props and gives me something more to think about as these recent posts have.

TLD and Dalton seemed incredibly fresh in '87 and they indeed have not lost it in the nearly 25 years since. With all due respect, 12 years of Rog and the mainly humorous approach were not getting any better. Whereas they tried to go back to the harder-edged, more serious story with FYEO, it doesn't begin to approach what TLD actually accomplished with it.

I give much of that credit to Dalton. Whereas with many prior Bond films it was about watching what Bond would do, with Dalton it was more about watching Bond, at least for me it was. The first scene I saw of Dalton in action was on the tram in Bratslava where he eyes Kara and I knew instantly he would make a good Bond. He is still my personal standard as far as coming closest to the literary character appearance-wise.

Rather than a reliable quip Dalton often offered a conflicted look or expression after a tense scene. One of the best descriptions I read of Dalton's Bond described him as an agent on the edge with just enough left for one more mission.

Too often overlooked is Dalton's take on humor. From his impatient "Why couldn't you have learned the violin" to his version of the raised eyebrow after the line about "an atmospheric phenomenon" it wasn't about the double entendre.

I felt we were just getting to explore the Dalton Bond when the series went on hiatus after LTK. This is partly why I have never fully embraced Brosnan's take. After something fresh it was back to something familiar. Good for a general audience with a preconceived notion of what Bond should be, but not for myself.

As for the film itself, I like the way the screenplay is played more for story rather than looking for exotic places to stage a huge stunt, although the Rock of Gibralter may be an exception. Although I find the villains and girl lesser lights, as someone else put it, they work. We don't get a female Bond equal nor a variation of Blofeld or some other megalomaniac. And that's refreshing too.

I also like the way you feel for a minor character like Saunders' death more so than, say, Ferrara or Chuck Lee. But he's a bit more developed, another strength of the script, making it more meaningful.

And as someone else said, TLD is also in my top 5 all-time Bond films. Lastly, the late '80s were a great time to be an action movie fan as that was when it all changed and before CGI would take over. Dare we call it a golden age?

#157 Matt_13

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Posted 18 February 2011 - 03:24 AM

I always enjoy threads like this where an underrated gem like TLD is celebrated. Especially when it goes beyond the usual props and gives me something more to think about as these recent posts have.

TLD and Dalton seemed incredibly fresh in '87 and they indeed have not lost it in the nearly 25 years since. With all due respect, 12 years of Rog and the mainly humorous approach were not getting any better. Whereas they tried to go back to the harder-edged, more serious story with FYEO, it doesn't begin to approach what TLD actually accomplished with it.

I give much of that credit to Dalton. Whereas with many prior Bond films it was about watching what Bond would do, with Dalton it was more about watching Bond, at least for me it was. The first scene I saw of Dalton in action was on the tram in Bratslava where he eyes Kara and I knew instantly he would make a good Bond. He is still my personal standard as far as coming closest to the literary character appearance-wise.

Rather than a reliable quip Dalton often offered a conflicted look or expression after a tense scene. One of the best descriptions I read of Dalton's Bond described him as an agent on the edge with just enough left for one more mission.

Too often overlooked is Dalton's take on humor. From his impatient "Why couldn't you have learned the violin" to his version of the raised eyebrow after the line about "an atmospheric phenomenon" it wasn't about the double entendre.

I felt we were just getting to explore the Dalton Bond when the series went on hiatus after LTK. This is partly why I have never fully embraced Brosnan's take. After something fresh it was back to something familiar. Good for a general audience with a preconceived notion of what Bond should be, but not for myself.

As for the film itself, I like the way the screenplay is played more for story rather than looking for exotic places to stage a huge stunt, although the Rock of Gibralter may be an exception. Although I find the villains and girl lesser lights, as someone else put it, they work. We don't get a female Bond equal nor a variation of Blofeld or some other megalomaniac. And that's refreshing too.

I also like the way you feel for a minor character like Saunders' death more so than, say, Ferrara or Chuck Lee. But he's a bit more developed, another strength of the script, making it more meaningful.

And as someone else said, TLD is also in my top 5 all-time Bond films. Lastly, the late '80s were a great time to be an action movie fan as that was when it all changed and before CGI would take over. Dare we call it a golden age?



Great post. Agreed on all points.

TLD was a tremendous step in the right direction. The humor was hit and miss, but more often than not Dalton gets laughs for his expressions and temper, rather than the shoe horned quips and one liners. It really is quite refreshing, despite the filmmakers' previous attempts to turn Moore into something a bit more edgy.

Dalton comes across as, above all else, authentic. He owned that role with subtlety, and unlike his predecessors (and much to the chagrin of many a fan) he comes across as real (probably more so than Daniel, and that's really saying something). The humanity of TLD is seen throughout the work, as with (like Turn mentioned) the tragic death of Saunders, a character we honestly had some sort of connection to, as well as the entire carnival sequence, which is infinitely more romantic than anything seen since the montage in OHMSS. Placing the heart of the story in the middle east (during the Afghan War no less!) just shows how wonderfully grounded this film is, and highlights why it deserves the respect of the fans. You can argue that things went a little astray in LTK (though Dalton remains terrific), but as for TLD, it's definitely up there with the best of them.

#158 sharpshooter

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Posted 23 February 2011 - 02:43 PM

I agree with the comments on this page. I sometimes overlook TLD in favour of LTK, but it's an amazingly good Bond movie, and I appreciate it a lot. As Loomis said, it strikes a good balance. It's quite dark and adult, but it's not overbearingly so. There is a sense that this world is grounded a tad more in reality, but it's accessible and engaging because the tone is still fun. For example, we've still got plenty of gadgets, and they don't seem out of place at all. It works because this is a traditional Bond film with all of the trimmings bursting off the screen, with a serious natured Bond amongst it. Dalton's performance is at the heart of it all. He is the "realism" of the piece, no nonsensically interrogating the world he finds himself in.

#159 Mr. Blofeld

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Posted 23 February 2011 - 11:10 PM

Too often overlooked is Dalton's take on humor. From his impatient "Why couldn't you have learned the violin" to his version of the raised eyebrow after the line about "an atmospheric phenomenon" it wasn't about the double entendre.

I felt we were just getting to explore the Dalton Bond when the series went on hiatus after LTK. This is partly why I have never fully embraced Brosnan's take. After something fresh it was back to something familiar. Good for a general audience with a preconceived notion of what Bond should be, but not for myself.

As for the film itself, I like the way the screenplay is played more for story rather than looking for exotic places to stage a huge stunt, although the Rock of Gibralter may be an exception. Although I find the villains and girl lesser lights, as someone else put it, they work. We don't get a female Bond equal nor a variation of Blofeld or some other megalomaniac. And that's refreshing too.

Fantastic points, Turn, and that reminds me; a few months ago, I put out an offer, to anyone willing to give me their e-mail address, to send a free copy of the first draft of GoldenEye, written by Michael France, and, in his words, tailored specifically for Dalton.

It seems like it's right up your alley; are you interested? :)

#160 Byron

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Posted 24 February 2011 - 08:11 AM

You have a point there Matt 13 with LTK going astray. If Dalton's second outing was more like TLD but with cleansed of the Moore era humour and influence and was perhaps more like CR (globetrotting, glamorous women and locales) i believe he would have been much more successful with the general public, box office and that he would have had a longer run.

Whether we like it or not, LTK due to its dark nature and Bond going rogue, definately divided audiences.
TLD should have been followed up by a more traditional spy film and LTK could have come at a later point (3rd or 4th film).

LTK (although i like it) was just too jarring coming right after TLD. After only one adventure, Dalton Bond went renegade and that damaged his tenure.

#161 Loomis

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Posted 14 March 2011 - 02:22 AM

With my recent viewing (and my first in several years) of THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS having put me in the mood for more Dalton, I decided to revisit LICENCE TO KILL - again, a flick I hadn't seen in a while.

I've always been a big fan (or should I say defender?) of LICENCE TO KILL, and I've always held it to be a better film than THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS, but my views have finally shifted. Now, I still like LICENCE TO KILL quite a bit, but I've come to the conclusion that THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS is actually the superior flick.

LICENCE TO KILL still holds up surprisingly well. I write "surprisingly", because there are several peculiar, goofy aspects to it that work against it somewhat (such is not the case with THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS) - I'm thinking of things like the silly, DUKES OF HAZZARD-esque bar brawl, Carey Lowell's very random adopting of a comical Russian accent, the implausibly cheerful Felix at the end, "I love James so much", and, of course, our old friend the winking fish. If you like, LICENCE TO KILL is THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS with the wisely-cut "flying carpet" scene left in plus a few other such akward moments as well.

In fact, there's so much wrong with LICENCE TO KILL that it's almost miraculous that it works at all, let alone that it still does the trick as an involving and risk-taking thriller (and I still say that it's the most risk-taking Bond film of all). Dalton now seems better than ever, while Robert Davi is sensational - he and Dalton basically carry the whole show, but they're so good as to ably hold the entire dramatic weight of the film on their shoulders.

At its best, LICENCE TO KILL remains meaty and surprising fare, and still feels both fresher and more Flemingian than the tiresomely trendy and shallow QUANTUM OF SOLACE. Twenty years on, it's more and more clear that the Dalton era gave us two extremely strong films that took the series in brave new directions.

#162 sthgilyadgnivileht

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Posted 14 March 2011 - 03:42 PM

With my recent viewing (and my first in several years) of THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS having put me in the mood for more Dalton, I decided to revisit LICENCE TO KILL - again, a flick I hadn't seen in a while.

I've always been a big fan (or should I say defender?) of LICENCE TO KILL, and I've always held it to be a better film than THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS, but my views have finally shifted. Now, I still like LICENCE TO KILL quite a bit, but I've come to the conclusion that THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS is actually the superior flick.

LICENCE TO KILL still holds up surprisingly well. I write "surprisingly", because there are several peculiar, goofy aspects to it that work against it somewhat (such is not the case with THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS) - I'm thinking of things like the silly, DUKES OF HAZZARD-esque bar brawl, Carey Lowell's very random adopting of a comical Russian accent, the implausibly cheerful Felix at the end, "I love James so much", and, of course, our old friend the winking fish. If you like, LICENCE TO KILL is THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS with the wisely-cut "flying carpet" scene left in plus a few other such akward moments as well.

In fact, there's so much wrong with LICENCE TO KILL that it's almost miraculous that it works at all, let alone that it still does the trick as an involving and risk-taking thriller (and I still say that it's the most risk-taking Bond film of all). Dalton now seems better than ever, while Robert Davi is sensational - he and Dalton basically carry the whole show, but they're so good as to ably hold the entire dramatic weight of the film on their shoulders.

At its best, LICENCE TO KILL remains meaty and surprising fare, and still feels both fresher and more Flemingian than the tiresomely trendy and shallow QUANTUM OF SOLACE. Twenty years on, it's more and more clear that the Dalton era gave us two extremely strong films that took the series in brave new directions.

I generally agree here. Although they ushered in a change of direction back in the day there is a certain something to the Dalton films which remain very unique today and they are definitely movies the series can be proud of. I agree LTK holds up well and I can still remember watching it first time round in my early teens and wondering if Felix Leiter might actually be killed off. I never expected anything as hard edged and it took some getting used to (which in part explains why I prefer TLD out of the two as it's more along the traditional Bond film comfort zone, albeit rebooted for Dalton).
For me LTK is best seen as a serious Bond movie with a sole narrative about hero and villain and everything else in the film existing to serve that purpose. Then LTK becomes the only true exception to the formula and is perhaps the most unique Bond film. That may explain why I don't mind the old winking fish because it could be seen as the film makers nodding to all those who accepted and enjoyed how different the film was.

#163 Matt_13

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Posted 14 March 2011 - 04:50 PM

With my recent viewing (and my first in several years) of THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS having put me in the mood for more Dalton, I decided to revisit LICENCE TO KILL - again, a flick I hadn't seen in a while.

I've always been a big fan (or should I say defender?) of LICENCE TO KILL, and I've always held it to be a better film than THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS, but my views have finally shifted. Now, I still like LICENCE TO KILL quite a bit, but I've come to the conclusion that THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS is actually the superior flick.

LICENCE TO KILL still holds up surprisingly well. I write "surprisingly", because there are several peculiar, goofy aspects to it that work against it somewhat (such is not the case with THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS) - I'm thinking of things like the silly, DUKES OF HAZZARD-esque bar brawl, Carey Lowell's very random adopting of a comical Russian accent, the implausibly cheerful Felix at the end, "I love James so much", and, of course, our old friend the winking fish. If you like, LICENCE TO KILL is THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS with the wisely-cut "flying carpet" scene left in plus a few other such akward moments as well.

In fact, there's so much wrong with LICENCE TO KILL that it's almost miraculous that it works at all, let alone that it still does the trick as an involving and risk-taking thriller (and I still say that it's the most risk-taking Bond film of all). Dalton now seems better than ever, while Robert Davi is sensational - he and Dalton basically carry the whole show, but they're so good as to ably hold the entire dramatic weight of the film on their shoulders.

At its best, LICENCE TO KILL remains meaty and surprising fare, and still feels both fresher and more Flemingian than the tiresomely trendy and shallow QUANTUM OF SOLACE. Twenty years on, it's more and more clear that the Dalton era gave us two extremely strong films that took the series in brave new directions.



Another good review. My biggest complaint with LTK is that it feels a bit cheap, and Glenn's direction isn't nearly as interesting as it is in TLD. I do feel as though Dalton has a bit more screen presence this time around. I've always felt that in TLD, he flawlessly pulled off being uncommonly sophisticated and dangerous while also blending in to his surroundings. He never stands out. In LTK Dalton's performance is still wonderfully anchored in reality, however there's something else there. I think it could be attributed to Davi's performance as the villain. He is one of the most formidable enemies Bond has ever encountered, as he has resources and isn't afraid of getting his hands dirty. Pitting Dalton against another charismatic lead I think elevated both performances and gave their characters a weight not seen in TLD. I just wish they had kept the hair style the same... It's nice to see the Dalton films finally being appreciated. They are certainly a highlight in the canon.

#164 AViewToAPussy

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Posted 14 March 2011 - 07:05 PM

TLD is a classic in the series. I hold it up there with Moonraker and Octopussy as one of my faves.

#165 00 Brosnan

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Posted 04 May 2011 - 05:24 AM

Just watched The Living Daylights for the first time in a few months. Still one of the best Bond films in my opinion.

#166 sthgilyadgnivileht

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Posted 08 May 2011 - 08:36 PM

Great video interview here with Dalton just as TLD opened worldwide: Apologies if linked before.



The second video is one with Maryam D'abo:




These videos really take you back and give a sense of how the film was received at the time. It's interesting to know it appears Dalton was originally signed for four films. I also didn't realise some peeps got the impression Dalton and D'abo were dating during filming.

#167 scaramunga

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Posted 21 July 2011 - 03:58 AM

I really wish MGM would hurry it up and get The Living Daylights issued on blu ray. The wait really sux.

#168 univex

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Posted 21 July 2011 - 01:58 PM

Anyway, THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS is good, solid 007 entertainment with an adult tone (note: being "gritty" and downbeat and ultra-violent doesn't automatically give a film a grown-up or serious flavour, which is one of the ways QUANTUM OF SOLACE went wrong), and it has that good old-fashioned epic feel. Well worth revisiting.

:tup: :tup: Absolutely spot on! TLD was the best thing to happen in the Bond cannon (a.OHMSS - b.CR) ;)

#169 Guy Haines

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Posted 21 July 2011 - 02:56 PM

Wonderful review Loomis, I couldn't agree more.

Barnes & Hearn in MKBB call it the best Bond film of the 80s, and that it seems everyone tried a little harder with TLD.

While D'Abo and the villains won't make many "best of" lists for girls or villains - for the film they totally work.

I think Kara being the "innocent" caught up in the story helps put the audience in her shoes.

I agree with you, this was the best Bond of the 1980s. In spite of being made by the same team that produced the last few Moore Bonds, it seems different to what went before, and that is largely down to Dalton. His performance made everyone in the cast raise their game. And in spite of the criticism he has received over the years, John Glen had the good sense, looking at the way his leading man played the part, to drop some of the more outlandish scenes we had expected (the magic carpet scene, for example.)

I remember being bowled over by TLD when I first saw it in 1987. And I think it influenced what followed - not just Dalton's second film, but it can be seen in the Brosnan films (Pierce always seemed, to me at least, to combine Moore's sense of fun with Dalton's depth of character and seriousness when necessary - not a bad mix.). As for the Craig years, we can see, I think, with CR's critical and commercial success that Dalton's approach was perhaps twenty years ahead of his time.

He only made those two films, but Timothy Dalton certainly made his mark on Bond.

#170 scissorpuppy007

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Posted 22 July 2011 - 04:21 AM

It's interesting to know it appears Dalton was originally signed for four films.


I could be mistaken but I think he had the same contract Brosnan and Craig had.
It's was a 3 picture deal with an option for a 4th.

#171 brunoman

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Posted 22 July 2011 - 07:41 AM

The Living Daylights is one of my favorite Bond films because of Timothy Dalton performance as 007. It's too bad that he didn't get the chance to make a third Bond film because the story of Bond 17 (1991) looked so promising and with the right director in charge, it could have been not only Timothy Dalton's best Bond film, but one of the best films in the series.

#172 Miles Miservy

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Posted 22 July 2011 - 03:11 PM

I wouldn't go as far to call it the best Bond film ever, but I would agree that it's a damn good flick. It's definately one of the stronger Bond films.



Too bad the film dates itself. I doubt very much if Brits (or Americans for that matter) are very welcome in Afghanistan.

#173 sthgilyadgnivileht

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Posted 22 July 2011 - 03:24 PM


I wouldn't go as far to call it the best Bond film ever, but I would agree that it's a damn good flick. It's definately one of the stronger Bond films.



Too bad the film dates itself. I doubt very much if Brits (or Americans for that matter) are very welcome in Afghanistan.

Well, it's nearly a quarter century old ;)

#174 DR76

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Posted 23 July 2011 - 08:47 AM

I don't think so. However, TLD is my third favorite Bond movie of all time.

#175 Miles Miservy

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Posted 26 July 2011 - 06:47 PM



I wouldn't go as far to call it the best Bond film ever, but I would agree that it's a damn good flick. It's definately one of the stronger Bond films.



Too bad the film dates itself. I doubt very much if Brits (or Americans for that matter) are very welcome in Afghanistan.

Well, it's nearly a quarter century old ;)

I'd meant within the political realm of the film.



#176 doublenoughtspy

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Posted 26 July 2011 - 07:17 PM

I'd meant within the political realm of the film.


Um, American and British covert operatives were providing weapons, ammunition, money and training to repel the Soviet invaders. Why wouldn't they be popular with Afghans?

#177 TCK

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Posted 26 July 2011 - 07:18 PM

It has all the elements, is it the best Bond film???


Yes, it is.

#178 O'Cookmate

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Posted 27 July 2011 - 03:10 PM

Is it the best? I don't think so. But I do think it's an incredibly strong entry into the franchise. For me, every Bond has at least one stand-out classic and this is Dalton's. It's probably about sixth or seventh place on my list of favourite Bond films, but that's no bad thing - it has a lot of strong competition. Dalton is very good as Bond and this film does feel very fresh after the Moore era. I just wish Dalton had more of a chance to cement himself as Bond; I feel this was his only 'true' Bond film and struggle to enjoy Licence to Kill.

#179 Ozzman313

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Posted 14 September 2011 - 09:19 PM

It's my 2nd favorite Bond film behind GoldenEye, when I watched the movie yesterday I noticed how crappy some of the editing is.