Live and Let Die Appreciation

13»

Comments

  • Love it. It's fast and furious, gritty, funny, screams 70s in its aestethics and music (Sir Paul and George Martin did a great job. Martin even manages to capture some of the feel and funk of blaxplotation soundracks, but, hey, don't try to compare this with Shaft, Superfly, Trouble Man or Across 110th Street. Comparisons are odious), the ensemble of black actors is fantastic: the only guy I miss here is Fred Williamson. Kotto is good enough, but those two great, legendary, character actors, Julius W. Harris and Geoffrey Holder, steal all his scenes. Gloria Hendry is a charm of a lady. Sir Roger wisely tried from the first moment to establish himself as a different Bond, but still needed a bit of polish. Very good performance, though. I'm actually fond of J.W. Pepper, Quarrel Jr. and Hedison's Leiter. Jane Seymour nails his part of an innocent but capable young woman.

    AND... One of the best ending scenes of the whole series IMHO. Mr. Bond, did you think it was so easy to kill... A God? Now i want to drink a gallon of that un-cola nuts beverage, hahahahahaaaaaaa...
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 15,205
    50th anniversary of Live and Let Die - a personal favourite of mine. One of the first couple I owned on VHS.

    I read through all the comments here - not a lot more I can add regarding how great this film is, except I really liked Roger's haircut and wardrobe, the colourful and memorable soundtrack, and the fictional location of San Monique. There's a creepy-sounding area at the north end of the island called Snake Point - not referenced in the film, but gives off a sense of danger, much like Crab Key.

    Some of the props from this film would soon after appear in episodes of Doctor Who, such as the Morse code hairbrush and control panels from Kananga's lair.
  • Posts: 2,210
    Best of the RM films. No substitute for SC & GL, but a good first outing, followed by a less impressive TMWTGG before deciding Bond-lite was the way go.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,301
    As I may have said before on this board (though not on this freshly revived thread from before I even joined here), I have a special love for LALD since it was the first Bond movie I saw three times in a cinema (in 1974 - "summer blockbusters" usually came out before Christmas over here since nobody felt like sitting in a theatre in summer...not craving air conditioning in our climate but rather spending the nights in beer gardens). I'm sure I saw Goldfinger before this one once (although belatedly), but LALD was an entirely more captivating thing under the circumstances. And I still think it is one of the best RM movies (beating TSWLM and maybe MR and maybe FYEO and certainly OP and definitely AVTAK and TMWTGG). And every Bond actor, by the way, is a good substitute for "GL", however good his single Bond movie turned out overall in spite of his presence, IMO.
  • ShakenNotStirredShakenNotStirred San Monique
    Posts: 1,427
    Always loved LALD as it was one of the first Bond films I owned on VHS before the DVD Special Editions. Still my favourite Bond film. Happy 50 years!
  • I thought I'd revive this thread as I've had a rewatch of Live and Let Die recently and it’s always been one of my favourite Moore films. Roger's debut has a lot going for it including the fantastic theme song and score.

    Speaking of Roger's performance, I've started a silly little project analyzing his kissing technique throughout the Bond films Here's my take on his first romantic scene with Miss Caruso...

    undefined


    The Roger Moore Kiss Files [001] - Live and Let Die: “Sheer magnetism, darling.”

    Someone once pointed out that Sir Roger Moore has a very unique and charming way of kissing on screen. He no doubt learnt this old-fashioned technique of puckering his lips and sucking in his cheeks during his dramatic studies. So I have taken on the insane task of reviewing every kiss that Roger Moore delivers throughout the James Bond film series.

    Where better to start than with Roger’s first 007 flick, Live and Let Die (1973)? We focus on the very first time we see him in the role, in bed at his London apartment with the lovely Italian agent, Miss Caruso.

    Now, my memory failed me on this one, as I was sure Roger managed to get in multiple pecks. But there’s just one solitary kiss in the whole scene!

    To set the scene: Agent Caruso is spending the night with James Bond after a successful mission together. M interrupts their slumber by ringing the intercom buzzer as he’s popped by to give Bond a new mission briefing and his repaired magnetic Rolex Submariner. We’re treated to a funny sequence as M looks for the ‘missing’ Agent Caruso around the flat while 007 and Miss Moneypenny try to misdirect him.

    As for the kiss? For a first outing, it’s poor. Roger seems completely uninterested. He misses the mark entirely, and it’s clear his priority lies with wondering whatever had just woken him up. The kiss suffers as a result. It’s actually a bit hilarious, Miss Caruso wakes at the same time as Bond, and she clearly thinks they are going to get intimate (not for the first time that night, apparently) and she shows that she’s up for it by going in for a kiss on Bond. Alas, their lips barely brush against each other as James ponders at who is at his door. Just as the lacklustre kiss ends, James jumps out of bed, leaving the poor Miss Caruso wanting.

    Final Verdict: This is not the best example of a kiss from our charming gentleman spy. No real effort is given here and the contact is minimal. But due to his sheer magnetism Miss Caruso is still keen despite the lack of interest.

    Rating:
    🐟 🐟
    2/10 Puckering Fish
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited June 29 Posts: 25,993
    My first Bond film, LALD will always be top five for me and the score is awesome. Going to listen to my CD expanded LALD soundtrack now.
  • AnotherZorinStoogeAnotherZorinStooge Bramhall (Irish)
    Posts: 725
    First Bond movie to attempt a capture of other box-office trends.
  • LeonardPineLeonardPine The Bar on the Beach
    Posts: 4,389
    Watching it recently, I wondered if the PTS could have ended after Bond crashes the driverless car in NY..?
  • zebrafishzebrafish <°)))< in Octopussy's garden in the shade
    Posts: 4,435
    Speaking of Roger's performance, I've started a silly little project analyzing his kissing technique throughout the Bond films

    Congratulations, you are taking Bond fandom to unforeseen new extremes! I am expecting nothing less than a full analysis of all the Bonds kissing techniques by the end of this little project. ^:)^
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 18,383
    Watching it recently, I wondered if the PTS could have ended after Bond crashes the driverless car in NY..?

    Interesting idea, I guess you could probably lose the scene in his flat, although it is a lot of fun.
  • Posts: 8,326
    Watching it recently, I wondered if the PTS could have ended after Bond crashes the driverless car in NY..?

    Interesting idea mate...but that meant dropping the opening with the lovely Madeleine Smyth!!!
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 15,205
    It's an interesting idea but I don't see the crash as dramatic enough to end the PTS and lead into the titles unless Bond appeared to be dead in the car. Which then changes the following scene/s.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited 1:56pm Posts: 18,383
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Watching it recently, I wondered if the PTS could have ended after Bond crashes the driverless car in NY..?

    Interesting idea mate...but that meant dropping the opening with the lovely Madeleine Smyth!!!

    I guess it would have been nice to have seen the Italian mission Bond had met her on as a PTS!

    Maybe they're on their mission and sort of stumble across the assassination of the UK ambassador to the UN who gets murdered in the PTS (why is that guy killed again?).
Sign In or Register to comment.