It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
^ Back to Top
The MI6 Community is unofficial and in no way associated or linked with EON Productions, MGM, Sony Pictures, Activision or Ian Fleming Publications. Any views expressed on this website are of the individual members and do not necessarily reflect those of the Community owners. Any video or images displayed in topics on MI6 Community are embedded by users from third party sites and as such MI6 Community and its owners take no responsibility for this material.
James Bond News • James Bond Articles • James Bond Magazine
Comments
LALD is a fan favorite, but I don't quite understand why. It certainly didn't feel like a Bond movie, so it should be in the "controversial films" category.
I suspect it has a lot to do with it being Moore's first. But, while it has many flaws, I do like it, mostly because of its low key atmosphere.
Not to the extent LTK does. It's usually castigated for being 'American', especially outside this forum.
Some of the stunts in this film, from the PTS lets-go-fishing, to the underwater battle/waterskiing behind a plane, to the tanker chase climax (thank you Ms. Broccoli), are some of the most celebrated of the series.
If anything, I remember people back in 89-90 saying how dour and too serious and too un-Bond-like they felt Dalton was (I personally loved the portrayal, and even today I think and Davi and he are perfect foils (I believe Davi elevated Dalton)).
Your first paragraph explains the 'American' criticism neatly.
Paragraph two is apt, but the stunts in this film are usually lost on people who think 'it isn't Bond' and compare it unfavourably to contemporary American films of the era.
Not sure how you can quantify it. DAF is probably more criticised overall, although its "Americanism" is only one small flaw among many bigger ones. Same with AVTAK: I'd wholeheartedly agree that too much time is spent in the US, but that's only one problem the movie has. LALD, like I said, probably gets a free pass because of Roger Moore, a Bond actor far more appreciated among the general public as Dalton.
For Bond being patriotic. To me he should be. Though it is interesting how the character in the last 25 years has become someone who will openly defy orders. Can one be patriotic if you are going against what your superior in British Intelligence wants? I do long for the days when Bond got a mission and saw it through. Maybe with a stern talking to if he bungled it. Apparently that is not complex enough for movie audiences and so our hero must defy orders of the out of touch boss.
Bond and civil servants may choose to do the right thing, in contradiction of their own boss. In spite of them, even. It's their duty.
Bond should act accordingly to doing the right thing, not 'the British thing'.
Some films merge the notion. It gets ugly.
I guess nowadays there's a certain distrust and contempt towards institutions that has influenced many genre movies. It's an era of mavericks and freelancers, where people of rank are perceived as pesky bureaucrats at best, incompetent legalists at worst.
Bond has always been pretty much the red-headed stepchild not going along with the bureaucrats. That won't change.