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Did Paul McCartney save LALD?

Arsenal02071Arsenal02071
edited January 2012 in Bond Movies Posts: 162
I recently watched LALD for the first time in a good while and I was thinking: Imagine watching that movie without the great opening theme and soundtrack throughout. Wouldn't be half the film it is now. It is a decent Bond in my opinion but for me that is mostly to do with the music. Thoughts?
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Comments

  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    Arsenal02071 wrote:
    I recently watched LALD for the first time in a good while and I was thinking: Imagine watching that movie without the great opening theme and soundtrack throughout. Wouldn't be half the film it is now. It is a decent Bond in my opinion but for me that is mostly to do with the music. Thoughts?

    Well, not really. The villains are a strong factor in the movie, as well as Roger Moore's performance. The music is a strong factor as well, but those other two could carry the movie without it, but I wouldn't want that to be the case.
  • Dr_MetzDr_Metz
    edited January 2012 Posts: 401
    Arsenal02071 wrote:
    It is a decent Bond in my opinion
    Rewatch it. Now. You must have not been paying attention, which would actually explain why you didn't notice any of the massive plot holes.

  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    Well, maybe it did. Honestly, that's my third favorite Bond song, and it's largely in part to that being my first Bond movie.
  • SharkShark Banned
    edited January 2012 Posts: 348
    Don't forget Sir George Martin, the fifth Beatle who wrote the score and did the superb orchestrations on McCartney's title song.
    Dr_Metz wrote:
    Arsenal02071 wrote:
    It is a decent Bond in my opinion

    Rewatch it. Now. You must have not been paying attention, which would actually explain why you didn't notice any of the massive plot holes.

    Plot holes don't make or break a film.
  • Dr_MetzDr_Metz
    edited January 2012 Posts: 401
    Shark wrote:
    Plot holes don't make or break a film.
    They don't help, and the plot holes in LALD were just awful.

  • Arsenal02071Arsenal02071
    Posts: 162
    Dr_Metz wrote:
    Shark wrote:
    Plot holes don't make or break a film.
    They don't help, and the plot holes in LALD were just awful.

    I don't know which plot holes you would be talking about, I think that the plot is quite well done but we all have our opinions. If you want real plot holes, just watch Quantum of Solace.

  • Dr_MetzDr_Metz
    edited January 2012 Posts: 401
    Arsenal02071 wrote:
    I don't know which plot holes you would be talking about
    In one scene, Dr. Kananga asks Solitare if the registration number he said is the one on the back of Bond's watch. She gets the wrong answer, which in turn means Bond's finger should have been broken. But Dr. Kananga just calls off Tee-Hee, and tells Whisper to "take him to the farm" for no reason other than advancing the plot. It's not only a bad plot hole, it's an extremely lazy one. It doesn't even try to explain itself.
    Arsenal02071 wrote:
    just watch Quantum of Solace.
    Actually, I think that film had less plot holes than Live and Let Die. Maybe they weren't as obvious, I don't know.
  • Arsenal02071Arsenal02071
    Posts: 162
    Dr_Metz wrote:
    Arsenal02071 wrote:
    I don't know which plot holes you would be talking about
    Dr. Kananga asks Solitare if the registration number he said is the one on the back of Bond's watch. She gets the wrong answer, which in turn means Bond's finger should have been broken. But Dr. Kananga just calls off Tee-Hee, and tells whisper to "take him to the farm" for no reason other than advancing the plot.

    Well they were going to kill him at the farm so it does have a purpose. Obviously I see what your saying but every movie is like that, are we to expect that Bond kills Kananga at the beginning of the film? No, you need it to run.
  • Dr_MetzDr_Metz
    edited January 2012 Posts: 401
    Arsenal02071 wrote:
    Well they were going to kill him at the farm so it does have a purpose.
    But why not just break the finger for the hell of it? Or just kill him there? Yes, I know the real life answer to the latter question, but still.
  • Arsenal02071Arsenal02071
    Posts: 162
    It would be annoying to clean up maybe. I dont know haha but I think you have to be fair to the film.
  • Dr_MetzDr_Metz
    Posts: 401
    Arsenal02071 wrote:
    It would be annoying to clean up maybe. I dont know haha but I think you have to be fair to the film.
    Yeah, but the film also doesn't have to be blatantly idiotic. At least with a film like YOLT it wasn't that obvious with it's plot holes.

  • Arsenal02071Arsenal02071
    Posts: 162
    The only part that annoys me about the farm scene is that not only do the bad guys not watch Bond, the alligators line up perfectly for him to skip on to escape.
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    Arsenal02071 wrote:
    Dr_Metz wrote:
    Shark wrote:
    Plot holes don't make or break a film.
    They don't help, and the plot holes in LALD were just awful.

    I don't know which plot holes you would be talking about, I think that the plot is quite well done but we all have our opinions. If you want real plot holes, just watch Quantum of Solace.

    Exactly, QoS has major plot holes, but then again, I really don't care about plot holes as long as the movie is entertaining and is not hurt by them. People say the the GE PTS is a major plot hole, but who cares? It's too epic for words to describe! As for LALD, I see absolutely no plot holes in it. The plot is far too simple for there to be any significant holes.
  • Dr_MetzDr_Metz
    edited January 2012 Posts: 401
    00Beast wrote:
    As for LALD, I see absolutely no plot holes in it.
    You must give me the name of your oculist. Seriously though, I just named a pretty big plot hole.

  • Arsenal02071Arsenal02071
    Posts: 162
    Dr_Metz wrote:
    00Beast wrote:
    As for LALD, I see absolutely no plot holes in it.
    You must give me the name of your oculist. Seriously though, I just named a pretty big plot hole.

    It isnt a big plot hole though thats the thing, I disagree. They take him to the farm (far from the public areas) to kill him. How he escapes is a bit dodgy though.
  • Dr_MetzDr_Metz
    edited January 2012 Posts: 401
    Arsenal02071 wrote:
    Dr_Metz wrote:
    00Beast wrote:
    As for LALD, I see absolutely no plot holes in it.
    You must give me the name of your oculist. Seriously though, I just named a pretty big plot hole.

    It isnt a big plot hole though thats the thing, I disagree. They take him to the farm (far from the public areas) to kill him. How he escapes is a bit dodgy though.
    Yeah, but why does Dr. Kananga not have Tee-Hee break Bond's finger? And why did Dr. Kananga say "on the first question, break Bond's finger, on the second question, move to more vital areas"? What was he planning to ask after that?

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Paul AND Christopher Lee.
  • Dr_MetzDr_Metz
    edited January 2012 Posts: 401
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    Paul AND Christopher Lee.
    Wrong film. Now I'm just imagining Christopher Lee screaming "DID YOU TOUCH THAT!?" at Bond.
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    Dr_Metz wrote:
    Arsenal02071 wrote:
    Dr_Metz wrote:
    00Beast wrote:
    As for LALD, I see absolutely no plot holes in it.
    You must give me the name of your oculist. Seriously though, I just named a pretty big plot hole.

    It isnt a big plot hole though thats the thing, I disagree. They take him to the farm (far from the public areas) to kill him. How he escapes is a bit dodgy though.
    Yeah, but why does Dr. Kananga not have Tee-Hee break Bond's finger? And why did Dr. Kananga say "on the first question, break Bond's finger, on the second question, move to more vital areas"? What was he planning to ask after that?

    Okay, this is a plot hole I'll agree, but it doesn't make much difference to the overall story, so it doesn't really matter. However, I think that Aresnal answered it well, Kananga knew that Tee Hee would kill him anyway, he just wanted him to do it out of the way where it could look like an accident. As for your second question, he said on the second wrong ANSWER, so that probably means that he was going to let Solitaire guess again on the registration number.
  • Dr_MetzDr_Metz
    edited January 2012 Posts: 401
    00Beast wrote:
    he said on the second wrong ANSWER, so that probably means that he was going to let Solitaire guess again on the registration number.
    It was a yes or no question. Even Dr. Kananga mentions that. Either she guesses right or wrong.

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited January 2012 Posts: 28,694
    Dr_Metz wrote:
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    Paul AND Christopher Lee.
    Wrong film. Now I'm just imagining Christopher Lee screaming "DID YOU TOUCH THAT!?" at Bond.

    Oh shite. You are correct. Yes, just Paul...and Jane Seymour. My cold is frying my brain to the point where I can't tell the actors in Moore's Bond films. But, worse things could happen.
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    Dr_Metz wrote:
    00Beast wrote:
    he said on the second wrong ANSWER, so that probably means that he was going to let Solitaire guess again on the registration number.
    It was a yes or no question. Even Dr. Kananga mentions that. Either she guesses right or wrong.

    Yeah you're right, my mistake. I guess that part is a plot hole!

  • Dr_MetzDr_Metz
    Posts: 401
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    Oh shite. You are correct. Yes, just Paul...and Jane Seymour. My cold is frying my brain to the point where I can't tell the actors in Moore's Bond films. But, worse things could happen.
    It's fine. Sorry about the cold.

  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 5,994
    Love McCartney's song, but love Martin's score even more. It elevates several scenes, particularly Bond Meets Solitaire.
  • Baltimore_007Baltimore_007
    Posts: 5,634
    Where's James Bond beard thread gone, haven't seen it for a few days ?

    Obviously McCartney and Wings is a big factor in making Live and Let Die such a success with some people, it's arguably in the top three of all Bond tunes since the series started, as soon as the teaser ends and the agents get killed, here it comes and we can sit back and take in a classic slice of 007 audio. Many parts though make up for a classic Bond and also into the mix we have Moore in his debut playing it for the most part with a straight face and we have Jane Seymour of course. Yaphet Kotto was much better as Mister Big than Kananga, the scare factor and intimidation just waned once he revealed himself. So many more things to include but bottom line being, a theme tune doesn't make or break a film always, McCartney and Wings take plaudits for their contribution here but there are other areas to explore of recognition
  • VolanteVolante
    Posts: 774
    For me it was Jane Seymour, not the music, that made the movie.
  • EllisEllis
    Posts: 224
    I saw a list from Yahoo once about the best franchise movies with a new leading man in the starring role. Live And Let Die made it on the list. That tells me it is underrated by some people.

    I loved the movie. Yes, the Paul McCartney song was fantastic. It is one of the better songs in the Bond franchise. In fact, nearly all the songs in the Moore era were very good. Hopefully, the next one will be much better than the dreadful QS song. I know conventional wisdom has Moore hitting his stride in TSWLM. But I think he got it right the first time at bat and hit it out of the park. Jane Seymour and David Hedison were also good in their roles. The only thing I didn't like in the movie was the villain Kotto. They didn't do a good job in casting there.
  • Baltimore_007Baltimore_007
    Posts: 5,634
    Kotto could of been one of the best adversaries of the entire franchise if only he had not transformed himself into Kananga, Mister Big was actually intimidating and radiated menace for his short time on screen
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Ellis wrote:
    I saw a list from Yahoo once about the best franchise movies with a new leading man in the starring role. Live And Let Die made it on the list. That tells me it is underrated by some people.

    Just because you saw it on Yahoo?! That means not a thing.
  • OHMSS69OHMSS69
    Posts: 2,341
    Sir Paul's title song is good but it is not the best of the title songs and not the worst either. George Martin did a good job with the upbeat soundtrack and would rival some of Barry's. (not the earlier ones of course but the later films for sure)

    LALD is a good movie and timely with the blaxplotation themes of the day. It was good to see some "color" in a Bond film and the bad guys were fun to watch. I have no problem with Kotto and thought he made a good larger than life bad guy. His gallery of rogues were also great. (except maybe Rosie) Jane Seymour was great and she did an outstanding job.

    Plot holes? All films have plot holes and like most of you on this post, I did not even notice them. Other Bonds have much larger plot holes.
    As far as the humor goes, I think DAF kinda paved the way and prepared me for what was coming.

    It was a good start for Roger and got his era off and rolling.
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