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Yes but that is about all P&W have come up with since they got the gig... lousy return on investment.
1000% Agree. A nice definition of what has been missing from the films for such a long time now. Those scenes that show Bond's quick witted intelligence and ability to turn adversity into highly entertaining opportunity. The waterskiing sequence in LTK is one of the last great Bond action sequences IMO and classic John Glen style action.
I miss that audacity.
I'm referring to the quick witted intelligence.
Can any two films boast the nr of superb sequences that TLD and LTK have?! Dismissing Dalton's entries (which many casual fans do...) means missing out on some of the best staged action in the series.
And to get back to the original point - Dalton also brought believeability to his physical scenes, something that Brosnan did not (painface followed by smirk, etc etc...), so another area where he would have improved GE
That's because Nolan has a s(l)ickness: he needs all his action to be hyper slick. Which removes all degree of verisimilitude, as Richard Donner put it so well.
John Glen allowed his stunts to remain unpolished, retaining a degree of realism - which is why the best Bond action is to be found in the films that he either directed or where he was 2nd unit boss.
For several years it was one of my favourite Bond films and even managed to be in my top 5 for a good while.
It was only when I did a double feature a few years ago of OHMSS and LTK did I first notice that LTK seemed very generic in comparison to Peter Hunt's classic (which as you also know also featured Glen as an editor). It made me question the film's cult reputation amongst fans.
Thinking about it now, I feel that the last 30 minutes or so (after Dalton wakes up in Sanchez's bed) is easily the best part of the film in terms of suspense.
Well, you're comparing it to one of the very best there, so your setting the bar pretty high to start with, which is fine.
For me personally, even though I'm a Dalton fan, LTK has always been a mid table entry for me. I enjoy it now a lot more Than I used to as well.
Any way, a Bond film where the last half hour is the strongest?! That's pretty high praise IMO. Most Bond films flag towards the end.
It certainly is amongst the very few Bond films that has a better second half (I think I can probably count the number of films on my hand). It's not without several strong aspects and Sanchez is certainly one of the best acted villains in the series.
I just think that sections of it feel quite generic 80s (certainly the opening half hour and parts in the middle),
I've also said that I've grown to not hold Della in particularly high regard. Shame as she's the main catalyst for the film.
The intelligence of the script, including Bond playing on Sanchez's insecurities, is just brilliant. If they'd only had a more impressive female lead, and dropped some of the Q nonsense, I'd have liked it even more. Still, I think it's a superb Bond film (top 10 for me) despite the poor production values and lousy secondary actors.
I didn't like the truck finale either back when, but given what we've got recently, even that is superb to me now, with vintage Glen non-CGI aerial work.
There are generic 80s elements. But there's a lot that's good as well. We seem to agree that it's a decent mid-table Bond?
I think we probably do.
@bondjames. I must admit i'm not too keen on the Desmond Llewelyn stuff either. I appreciate that he was needed to lighten the intense mood, but when I last saw the film his appearance felt contrived. He shows up just after Bond realises he needs "a cannon" to get to Sanchez. How convenient!!
It doesn't bother me.
Every time I watch the film I wonder why they can't come up with something as good again.
It's original (probably that was the problem at the time since it was too original) and it's intelligent. No having to explain away to much contriving, as we've had to do lately. Superb work imho.
I suppose :p
The last act particularly with Bond "befriending" Sanchez is very good...as is Sanchez being taken in by Bond and killing Krest, but I think a lot of the stuff before that explains why I rank it mid-tier.
I see solid middle tier as being quite a strong commendation.
There is a lot about it that I like but perhaps not one of those that gives me the most enjoyment.
One thing that does bug me is the going rogue scenario. For me that was the beginning of a slippery slope.
What did you think of it before out of curiosity?
and it just seems flat all the way through. Even the much admired tank chase doesn't thrill, and pales in comparison to the tanker finale of LTK. Its not the worst of Brossas films of course (DAD will forever be, in mind, the worst Bond movie EVER!), but it still lingers at the bottom of my list with all his others!