137 replies to this topic

[Fawn]

Yes, there is one good thing about MR.

When I was about nine, I had a complicated orthodontial appliance that consisted of a metal plate in my upper palate, strictly for the purpose of widening my extremely narrow jaw. Every night my mom had to stick a key in there and crank it open a few more notches. Not suprisingly, it made eating difficult and I had a bit of a speech impediment during those years. One day, Dad and I saw a bit of MR on T.V., and ever since he's called me "Jaws". I've long since had the thing taken out, but the name stuck.

And that, my friends, is the only good thing about Moonraker. Except for the song, which is so sickly sweet that you love to hate it.

As a nine-year-old, the movie insulted my intelligence. I'm a little leery of trying it again.

[Tarl_Cabot]

The title song is great. The score is great and the locations(Rio) are fun. The french girl who dies early on is stunning as well.

[SteelClaw]

Guess what, I seen MR!

I liked it until the part when they played the cheesy love song between Jaws and the little blond girl, MR's title sequence was more entertaining than TLD's (TLD's was too slow for the song). I agree with those who say that Bond should stay on Earth. My favoite part is the fight scene in the glass museum (It sort of reminds me of a certain music video), My brother loved it though (he liked the lasers), I would have to say that I liked how they explained the special nerve gas also. Bond's boat was nice looking in the river chase too

[Quincy]

Moonraker is indeed good all up until the space station is revealed which is after Bond's fight with the python.

Moonraker is indeed good all up until the space station is revealed which is after Bond's fight with the python.

[dinovelvet]

Moonraker is indeed good all up until the space station is revealed which is after Bond's fight with the python.

Moonraker is indeed good all up until the space station is revealed which is after Bond's fight with the python.

Did you seriously just revive a FIVE and a half year old thread?

[Quincy]

*turns around and looks*
then
*tries to muster a voice only Roger Moore could pull*

"Must have been another chap."

To answer your question, yes I did. I just viewed Moonraker for the first time today and would like to hear some other people's opinions on the film. That okay with you?

[00Twelve]

Up until very recently, I considered it pretty abominable. This was because I was refusing to grow up and chill out.

Just my own reason, mind.

Being a bigger fan of the Fleming novels than the films on the whole, I had a lot of vitriol for the way that the wonderful story that Fleming wrote was abandoned for a retread of a retread and made the film just about as un-Flemingesque as it could ever be.

However, being that there are plenty of things in life that are more important than Bond, I've gained some perspective on it. They were going for an iconic, stylish romp, and in doing so they succeeded brilliantly.

Also, I've found Roger Moore to be one of the more admirable actors I've ever seen and have quite a lot of respect for him. He loved playing Bond and it shows. Much as he's not Fleming's Bond, he's fantastic at what he's going for. Anyone who tells you he's not a good actor hasn't studied the craft very hard IMO.

MR used to rank #21 (when there were only 21 EON films), but it's a little higher now. Probably in the 15-20 range. Don't get me wrong, it's still got some real groaner moments, but it never takes itself so seriously that the groaners are a big deal. Hope you enjoyed it.

[sharpshooter]

I like Moonraker. For me, along with The Spy Who Loved Me, it's Moore at his peak.

The music, dialogue, sets and villain are all great. Because I like the first three quarters, I've managed to overlook the sheer absurdity of the space scenes and put it down to escapist fantasy. With Moore, going into space, armed with laser guns mind you, is quite fine. It's on another level of fantasy and we expect it to be. That's why it's so enjoyable.

[tdalton]

I'm not a huge fan of Moonraker, but it does have, IMO, the best pre-title sequence in the series, so that counts for something. Also, it's got Roger Moore, who was always good as Bond. It wasn't that bad up until Bond went into space, but that was where the film really fell apart on itself.

[Kristian]

I'm not a huge fan of Moonraker, but it does have, IMO, the best pre-title sequence in the series, so that counts for something. Also, it's got Roger Moore, who was always good as Bond. It wasn't that bad up until Bond went into space, but that was where the film really fell apart on itself.

Yeah, I remember hearing about MOONRAKER'S disreputable rep and finally watched it. I rememeber watching the Venice and Brazil sequences (and, yes, that PTS) and thinking, "Well, this isn't so bad."

And then they went into SPACE, which I was hoping was an exaggeration or an urban myth. At which point I vomited.

[tdalton]

And then they went into SPACE, which I was hoping was an exaggeration or an urban myth. At which point I vomited.

If they had made a few changes to the main body of the film, and then stopped the film just before Bond goes to space, MR could have been a great Bond film. It's amazing just how wrong everything went once Bond left the planet, though.

[Bucky]

i almost feel like they put bond in space just so they could set up that great line by Q.

it almost makes up for the whole space sequence that came before it but not quite.

[Agent J.Bond]

One good thing: The End Credits

[dee-bee-five]

Moonraker is great fun, if you're in the right mood. While nowhere near the top for me - I mean, given the sheer quality of CR and QoS, MR hardly feels part of the same series - of all the OTT Bond romps, it's utter bollocks done well on a huge budget. And sometimes you can't ask for more than that. Moore's at the top of his game in this one, equalling his performance in Spy, the chuzpah of the whole production wins one over and the music score is magnificent. More po faced Bond fans treat this one much like they do DAD, drawing attention to the negatives such as double-taking pigeons and invisible Aston Martins (things that are on screen seconds) at the expense of all the positives. And despite what some people will have us believe, the positives in Moonraker far outweigh the negatives, just as they do in DAD.

[Jim]

A man falls to his death, screaming.
A woman is torn apart by hungry dogs.
A man is cut open with piano wire.
A man plans a universal holocaust by gassing everyone on earth and starting a master race, forty years after the start of WW2. How they got away with this plot idea is anyone's guess.
Spectacular dialogue for the villain.
Unashamed spectacle and sound and putting oddles of lovely money right up there on screen. It still looks pretty damn good and damn good pretty.

Moonraker is really, really nasty. And jolly good because of it. Leave it be.

[Harmsway]

Is there anything good about MOONRAKER? Well, I daresay there's plenty. MOONRAKER is superbly fun (perhaps the most fun entry in the entire franchise), and remains the supreme Roger Moore Bond flick.

[Safari Suit]

It delivers the moon

[MkB]

Michael Lonsdale (Drax) is a great actor ! That's something...

[DamnCoffee]

I like Moonraker. For me, along with The Spy Who Loved Me, it's Moore at his peak.

The music, dialogue, sets and villain are all great. Because I like the first three quarters, I've managed to overlook the sheer absurdity of the space scenes and put it down to escapist fantasy. With Moore, going into space, armed with laser guns mind you, is quite fine. It's on another level of fantasy and we expect it to be. That's why it's so enjoyable.

I completely agree Sharpshooter. Moonraker is a classic, one of Moore's best. I can overlook the space scenes just because of the brilliant, entertaining scenes before hand. I may watch it today actually.

[sharpshooter]

Exactly. FRWL is pure thriller, and MR is pure comic book -with a nasty edge. That's probably why it and TSWLM are often referenced in video games, they're just fun to watch and play. Imagination that knows no boundaries.

[Willowhugger]

I mentally rename Holly Goodhead, "Gala Brand", and the movie improves to almost tolerable levels.

[Santa]

The "You missed/Did I?" scene is one of my favourite scenes of all the Bond films.

[bond 16.05.72]

Barry's Score and Ken Adam's sets and let me think, no nothing else!

[BoogieBond]

What good things are there about Moonraker. Hmmm.

Drax
Roger on top form as Bond
PTS
Cinematography and Beautiful look to the film
Locations(Venice, Rio)
Epic scope
Fun
Fantasy OTT element
Extremely enjoyable Entertainment. And a guilty pleasure.
Looks and is expensive and all the money is on screen.

Probably missed a few things out. But always enjoy the OTT action scenes and always laugh at some elements of the film more and more.

And a great Bond film(for me, although I am probably in the minority in this opinion). If, of course you take it for what is, and that it is not Fleming in any shape or form and very silly(in a very knowing way) and camp. And it helps if you turn off the DVD after 1 hr 30 mins and avoid the space scenes
I've loved Moonraker ever since I was a little nipper

Edited by BoogieBond, 23 December 2008 - 02:22 PM.

[sharpshooter]

Barry's Score and Ken Adam's sets

I watched Moonraker last night, and was reminded of Ken Adam’s Bond genius. That futuristic room at Drax’s Aztec lair with table in the centre that shrinks into the shuttle blast pit is magnificent.

[DR76]

The photography was beautiful. So were the locations and John Barry's score. Moore was his usual competent self. And Michel Lonsdale made a witty villain. And the story wasn't that bad . . . until that last half hour in outer space.

[ChrissBond007]

There definitely is!

-Roger Moore is in top form! Sometimes a bit to light, but a really fine peformance.
-Great atmosphere at some moments.
-A nice score from Barry.
-The cinematography
-The brilliant PTS!
-Lois Chiles is a great Bond girl!
-I don't think the outher space scenes are THAT bad.

Altrough a lot of things in the movie could have been much better. The boat chase in Venice is truly ridiculous and it's like Jaws, which was a memorable character in the TSWLM, is just only in the movie for the fun. But it is a bit underrated.

[MrKidd]

In my mind,Moonraker is THE quintessential Roger Moore Bond movie - so if you like his style, which I do, you'll love this movie. Like most of his films its terribly dated but has an amazing PTS and is full-on cheese mode. Agreed that it goes way downhill when it gets to space but don't let that put you off from watching it.

Edited by MrKidd, 25 December 2008 - 07:35 PM.

[Santa]

Drax is fabulous, the score is wonderful, it's mostly a great film. A bit like QoS, in fact, its perfection is only marred by some small flaws.

[Aris007]

I've always enjoyed the Venice scenes! Especially the one with the gondola is hillarious and exciting!