49 replies to this topic

[BONDFINESSE 007]

i just got through watching moonraker, i really enjoy that movie and wanted to hear from those who like it as well. if you do not like moonraker dont reply. what do u like best about it?

[Red Grant]

I have to agree that Moonraker is hugely enjoyable as entertainment (not a full blown Bond movie by any means!). I watched it recently after many years and have to say it has improved with age. The pre-credit sequence is still pretty cool, the score is excellent, and the photography lush and uses the locations well. Derek Meddings and SFX still stand up well. On the down side we have far too many jokes, Jaws and some particularly bad special effects...but hey, so did Die Another Day! Ken Adam's sets still set the film apart from anything that came after it and much of the team that made the Bond films what they used to be were still in place. Moore has fun and that is all that can be expected from the film. On it's release I thought this was the worst film of the series and that it had runied the franchise for good. How wrong can you be. The box office was phenomenal but the negative response from true fans prompted a far better next film and a return to basics that paved the way for deleopments in future movies.

[zencat]

I love Moonraker! I think it's grossly underrated. I've said this before, but some fans "learn" they're supossed to hate Moonraker from the "experts." I think people need to watch Moonraker and forget what they've heard and decide for themselves. It's held up very well and doesn't seem that far out at all. It also moves along very nicely. Yes, some of the humor goes OTT, but I don't let this ruin the movie for me. Like I said, I love Moonraker.

[BONDFINESSE 007]

good, i am glad to hear i am not alone on my love for moonraker, cause its a very good fun movie

[mi6spy005]

I also really enjoy Moonraker. The funniest of the Bond pictures, I think.

"Ooh! A woman!"
"You missed." "Did I?"
"I think he's attempting re-entry, sir."

[jwheels]

Moonraker is great. It is fun, and even though Bond went into space, the set for those scenes looks believable. My favorite part is the sword fight. I just love sword fights, in any movie, and seeing one in a Bond movie (now 2 Bond movies) is great!

[BONDFINESSE 007]

but who can forget....."take me around the world again james" i love that line

[mrmoon]

Moonraker is a brilliant film, it always was for me as a child and still is to this day. I find it a kind of extension from The Spy Who Loved Me, the two movies always seemed to co-exist as the 'big' Bond films when I was younger, Ken Adams work on both is unrivalled and Moonraker in particular has an abundance of grandeur sets that leave you in awe.

[Felix's lighter]

The sum of Moonraker's parts are far greater than the whole. Great opening sequence, some of the most beautiful girls, the best gadgets (if the cyanide gun was "standard issue" where is it now?) and the best Bond (although not his best performance). Downside: generally too much silliness; the plot could have held up better if some realism was added in the on-Earth scenes. It drags in the middle too - this is definitely the most "travelogue" of the Bonds with too many scenes showing travel, the location etc. with no noticable advancement of the plot.

Anyone notice that DAD has beat Moonraker's adjusted-for-inflation gross? This is a major coup - Moonraker was the highest-grossing (inflation adjusted) of the post-Connery Bonds.

[General Koskov]

Originally posted by Felix's lighter
The sum of Moonraker's parts are far greater than the whole.

Well said. While I can only point to the silly laser fight* and Bondola as cringworthy moments (perhaps I forgot some others) the whole film lets me down.

So I finally I realised what made the film 'feel' wrong to me: the fact they never used Fleming's excellent story. The film's plot was good, but to abandon such a wonderful story (which is easily updated) just to follow Star Wars is appalling.



*Just as in DAD--methinks lasers do not bode well for Bond unless they are cutting through metal (GF, TLD, GE).

[Kingdom Come]

its my fav bond film

[zencat]

Originally posted by mrmoon
Moonraker is a brilliant film, it always was for me as a child and still is to this day. I find it a kind of extension from The Spy Who Loved Me, the two movies always seemed to co-exist as the 'big' Bond films when I was younger, Ken Adams work on both is unrivalled and Moonraker in particular has an abundance of grandeur sets that leave you in awe.

Perfectly said, mrmoon.

[Double-Oh-Zero]

I've always loved Moonraker. I think it was one of my first Bond films, and I always thought the boat chase in the jungle (with the original Q-Boat!) was really cool, except for some of the shots where dummies are obviously used in the boats. That was one of the best chases of the series, IMO. Michael Lonsdale's Drax was one of the best villains, who had some of the best one-liners of the villains. Jaws wasn't all that bad, but I think he should have disappeared after the pretitles. The locations are great, and used well. And the swordfight rivals GF's golf game. The only things I didn't like about it were all of Jaws and Dolly's scenes together, the obviously fake snake Bond was wrestling with, and the Bondola. The chase itself was good, but I won't get into the inspid ride through the city. In all, Moonraker is one of my top ten Bond films.

[zencat]

The snake scene

[Martini]

I too love Moonraker. Everytime I look at my DVD collection to choose a film my finger goes to MR. The film has an atmosphere like no other Bond. One of my favourite scenes is when Bond trys out all these gadgets in Hollys room and then says totally serious "CIA standard equipment". Or when the space shuttles fly to the orbital station. Barrys MR score is one of his greatest.

[Double-Oh-Zero]

[quote]Originally posted by zencat
The snake scene

[BONDFINESSE 007]

yeah, but take me around the world again james, that line says it all i think >i am waiting for a bond girl tell pierce that in one of his movies as bond

[AAMD11]

I really like Moonraker, its a good film. Nightfire reminds me alot of this movie both Drake and Drax are insane.

[Jamie007]

Good movie, ending was a little too much but the scene where Bond shoots the sniper in the tree is one of my favorite scenes of the entire series.
Jim

[WarBird]

I liked the fact that Jaws helped Bond detatch from the space station at the end. I think it was a great way for him to die. I also liked the fact about the space station and space centered Bond movie.

[Mr. Big]

I think the fight scene outside the space station looked pretty cheesy, but of course sometimes I forget it was 1979. Somehow Star Wars never seemed to have that cheese factor in the battles, that's why it's timeless.

I like Moonraker though as pure entertainment. Enough action and story to keep me in to it. I know most people pan the hell out of it, but I find it enjoyable even with the obvious flaws. I mean James Bond movies aren't supposed to be Citizen Kane or something, they're supposed to be fun.

[jamie wilkins]

Out of all the bond films MOONRAKER is the easiest to watch, it flows from one location to another and the viewer just has to sit back and enjoy. I LOVE IT. Much more enjoyable to watch than FYEO and LTK. The majority of fans hate it but it did break box office records. Lewis Gilbert is a great director for bond he has big scope and imagination and if it wasnt for TSWLM and MOONRAKER i dont think their would be bond films today. MOONRAKER is in my top five bond films.

[goldengun]

I dont think that JAWS dies in this film, remember that James BOnd says that he should get a lift with the US astronauts.

The G-FORCE scene is great! I especially like how Roger stumbles out, with his suit and hair all screwd up looking at Drax's henchman...I can just imagine Bond thinking - "you rotten prick...just you wait!!!"

[zencat]

Yes, Jaws and Dolly lived. In the control room at the end one of the technicians reports that they've rescued two survivors; "a tall man and a short blonde girl."

[kevrichardson]

Yes , i like Moonraker . It a little to bad that it did not follow the book . Hugo Drax was one of Ian Fleming 's best villians. Michal Lonsdale just remind's one of a spineless creep . once read that the great James Mason was originally cast to play the part . But dies before or during pre-production. Now that would have been great casting. Love the pre-title sequence , the "freefall" mid -air fight for the parachutes and the Space Station fight are priceless Bond. John Barry's film score is great . Moore had some great lines . The draw back is the over uses of slapstick. still it made a great deal of money in 1979 . I think it's still was the top grossing Bond film outside of Thunderball until DAD. In fact 1 question was the sword fight in DAD a nod to the 1 in Moonraker ? In 1979 that fight was just as good one of Moore's better ones. Sadly it was also the last title song by Shirley Bassey . Disco version not too bad also. Last time the unused 007 theme by John Barry appeared .

[Simon]

Moonraker gave the world the best line in the entire series, and I quote;

"What's Bond doing?"
"I think he's attempting re-entry sir"

For that alone it remains, to this day, a classic in my eyes.

[DLibrasnow]

In a word NO

[11 11]

It is a good Bond and a good movie. One thing though I used to watch the Bond movies with my sister and I remember the first time she saw MR she well half way through the movie she was like, Damn what is this guys deal? He has got to be the horniest bastard on earth.

Strange but I guess if you think about from a woman's point of view, this is sort of the Bond where Roger started to become a dirty old man.

I feel this is coming with Brosnan as well.

Personally I like MR and Roger was at his best, a top performance for Roger.

[Spectre001]

You only have to look at how many times Roger got caught in the act.

[deth]

This is the film that truly made me appreciate the term "suspension of disbelief". Now, I look for this in every Bond film. Moonraker is one of the best for this reason imho.