17 replies to this topic

[B5Erik2]

It's true, but it seems that a lot of people missed the classic Bond moments in LTK.

Like....

In the pre-credits sequence, Bond goes "fishing" and hooks himself the plane being flown by the villain of the movie (Sanchez, of course). PURE BOND!

All the underwater stuff sneaking around the WaveKrest, and the fantastic water skiing behind the plane bit (leading to Bond climbing aboard, throwing the pilot out, and flying off). PURE BOND!

Of course, there's a classic casino scene....

Sanchez' drug plant. So much larger than life, and yet carried off straight and totally believable. PURE BOND!

The tanker truck sequence - no one else does stuff like that! It was PURE BOND MAGIC!

And of course, the film features the best use of Desmond Lewellyn as Q, giving him his largest part in the Bond series.

It's a classic Bond film in a lot of ways, but it also was a classic Fleming-style Bond story, so it departed from what EON had been doing for a while. That threw some people off - but apparantly not the test audiences, as LTK scored the highest test screening scores of all the Bond films test screened up to that point.

[JimmyBond]

Funny you should bring this film up, I just got done watching it. You know what? For all the slagging on this film I've done the past few weeks, its really a great film. I think the thing that most people dislike about it is how real it is at times, it never goes into the absurd like any other Bond film does. To me though, that enhances the film.

[License To Kill]

Well, I totally disagree.. I recognize it as simply as a bad 80's cop flick with a guy that happened to have the name James Bond.

[RevolveR]

I like absurd. I hate Tomothy Dalton's Bond. Enough Said.

[PaulZ108]

I like absurd, but I like Dalton's Bond and TLD is great. However, LTK is near the bottom of my list. As License to Kill said, it feels like a crappy 80's cop movie (Miami, drugs, revenge...it's all there) with Bond stuck in the middle of it.

[B5Erik2]

Come on, LTK has WAY more class and style than ANY other 80's "cop" movie.

You won't find ANY of the kinds of Bond-ian stunts or scenes (as noted in my first post) in any other "cop" movie. And the script is airtight. The characters well rounded - when was the last time you saw a villain who was somewhat sympathetic? Let's face it - Sanchez was capable of unspeakable violence, and yet all he asked for was 100% loyalty. He NEVER did anything to the people who were 100% loyal to him but treat them well. He had his own code of ethics and honor, and stayed true to them throughout. He's a likeable villain. You won't see villains as well rounded as that in very many movies.

LTK has a phenomenal cast (Dalton, Davi, Del Toro, Zerbe), and it is beautifully shot. I honestly can't believe that anyone would just lump it in with the Lethal Weapon movies or something like that. Those types of movies don't have 1/4 the CLASS of LTK, and NONE of the Bond-ian touches I mentioned above.

[Loomis]

LICENCE TO KILL is one of the very best Bond films of all time, and certainly the best since that other "one-off" that stands slightly outside the series, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (I'd rank it higher than any of the Brosnan outings, with the possible exception of GOLDENEYE).

It has two of the sexiest Bond girls ever in Carey Lowell and Talisa Soto. Robert Davi gives a fine performance as credible villain with a sadistic streak that Fleming would have approved of.

Interesting locations with a very exotic feel, and moments of genuine suspense (Bond's "watch the birdy, you bastard" assassination attempt on Sanchez), and great drama (Bond's "job interview" surrounded by Sanchez's thugs). Some superb set design (the casino, Sanchez's house, Professor Butcher's HQ) and cinematography. And perhaps the most awesome action finale of the entire series.

Not to mention a fantastic performance by Dalton, and a terrific story in which Bond becomes a rogue agent.

[RevolveR]

Loomis are u any relation to Bond Purist?? haha

[License To Kill]

Professor Butcher's HQ is an absolute travesty. A monastery as a front for drug running, please! It just reasures that LTK was a lost episode of Magnum P.I./Miami Vice.

~LTK~

[RevolveR]

Hmmm. I think LTK is just the British version of Hawaii 5-0. haha

[1q2w3e4r]

That's okay. I think TWINE is a bad remake of OHMSS

[zencat]

I have a very strange relationship with LTK. In my many years of fandom, it was the ONLY Bond film I walked out of feeling disappointed. I really didn't like LTK in

[Loomis]

Originally posted by RevolveR
Loomis are u any relation to Bond Purist??  haha

No, I just share his excellent taste in loving one of the finest Bond films ever made.

[RITZ]

Originally posted by B5Erik2
It's true, but it seems that a lot of people missed the classic Bond moments in LTK.

Like....

In the pre-credits sequence, Bond goes "fishing" and hooks himself the plane being flown by the villain of the movie (Sanchez, of course).  PURE BOND!

All the underwater stuff sneaking around the WaveKrest, and the fantastic water skiing behind the plane bit (leading to Bond climbing aboard, throwing the pilot out, and flying off).  PURE BOND!

Of course, there's a classic casino scene....

Sanchez' drug plant.  So much larger than life, and yet carried off straight and totally believable.  PURE BOND!

The tanker truck sequence - no one else does stuff like that!  It was PURE BOND MAGIC!

And of course, the film features the best use of Desmond Lewellyn as Q, giving him his largest part in the Bond series.

It's a classic Bond film in a lot of ways, but it also was a classic Fleming-style Bond story, so it departed from what EON had been doing for a while.  That threw some people off - but apparantly not the test audiences, as LTK scored the highest test screening scores of all the Bond films test screened up to that point.

Glad you like it! This film has been underated many times. Dalton is seriously menacing and dangerous - "Make a sound....and you're dead!"

[Citan Trevelyan]

The Living Dalights is a light year ahead License to Kill.

[General Koskov]

Let's face it, Dalton made two of the best Bond films ever. I cannot understand some people's obsession with saying LTK is dirty and too realistic and a lot of other **** because it involves drugs. What if Sanchez was planning to blow up the moon, would it be too realistic still? I can live with some saying they don't like LTK, but this oft-used argument is absurd to me.

PS. I don't much like the title song, though.

[Alexborn007]

Back when I got the VHS set of the Bonds, this was the first to go in. Why? Because, there's a modern and down to earth feel with this movie that works well. Had Bond not driven a cadillac i would have loved it. The score was pretty good, and excluding Soto, casting was spot on. It does its job well, and has plenty of class to boot. This is probably as close to a Fleming Bond we can get without making 007 a raging alcoholic and beaten up agent.

[Trueman Lodge]

I think that Licence To Kill is the best Bond film. In this film Bond is a tough, hard, ruthless killer, just like in the books. It's got great stunts (the tanker chase) and plenty of action. The first half of Die Another Day is a direct copy of Licence To Kill (rouge agent out for revenge) the only thing is Pierce Brosnan can't do the tough serious Bond, Timothy Dalton can with ease.

I also think its great that I'm not the only person who thinks that Licence To Kill is a great Bond film.undefined