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A View to a Kill. Let's make it better!

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  • TracyTracy
    Posts: 1,770
    Perhaps Bowie would make him even more bizarre/more creepy
    Still Im glad they went with Chris
  • 007HallY007HallY
    edited July 11 Posts: 5,616
    Tracy wrote: »
    Perhaps Bowie would make him even more bizarre/more creepy
    Still Im glad they went with Chris

    Maybe. I think there's something about Walken that's more physically intimidating. But I suppose for most of the film May Day fulfils that role, and to be fair Bowie was quite a physical actor. Both are great choices of actor though, and both really give off that sense of unpredictability Zorin needs.

    From what I understand Bowie didn't much like Bond films, and that was a major reason he turned down this one. Bit of a shame. Would have loved to have seen him play a villain even a bit later (supposedly before he died he was going to play the villain in Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049. That would have been awesome. Better than Jared Leto anyway).
  • slide_99slide_99 USA
    edited July 11 Posts: 794
    I'd keep Moore in the role, as I think his age adds a bit of charm to the movie and makes his conflict with the much younger Zorin more interesting. IMO most of the movie's problems are pacing and "fat" issues, so that's what I'd focus on.
    Trim the scenes at the stud farm.
    Either remove Tibett, as he doesn't do anything that Bond can't do, or combine his role with Chuck Lee. Two expendable sidekicks in one movie is too much.
    Completely redo the fight at the stud farm for obvious reasons.
    Remove the KGB angle, it doesn't lead anywhere. Or keep the KGB but maybe have them help Bond at the end somehow. The way the movie is, their presence in the story isn't justified in any way.
    Related to above, trim the sequence where Bond investigates the pipeline. Maybe Bond himself is captured instead of the KGB agent, but he manages to escape somehow. And the hot tub sequence after it is unecessary and only drags the movie to a halt.
    Remove Moore's "oohhhs." The guy sounds terrified.
    Find a more believable way to get Stacy onto the zeppelin.
    Give Moore a different hairstyle.
    Apart from that, I find AVTAK enjoyable in a quirky way.

  • ringfire211ringfire211
    edited July 11 Posts: 675
    Here is an excellent write-up of AVTAK.

    https://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/opinion-avtak-dynasty-with-dynamite?id=05378

    Can’t agree more with that review! The film certainly has its faults but I’ve always championed it and it never ceases to entertain me in some shape, way, or form. Christopher Walken remains my all-time favorite Bond villain (Walken and Grace Jones are my favorite villain pair) and the Golden Gate finale is my favorite climax in the series! And while the film has gone down considerably in my ratings over the years (it used to be near the top) it’s still a fun Roger Moore outing. And sooooo sooooo 1985, as the article points out.
  • 007ClassicBondFan007ClassicBondFan
    Posts: 2,625
    My admiration for AVTAK has only increased after this last viewing. I certainly find it to be one of the better Bond swan songs - at least it’s 10x better than the likes of Diamonds are Forever and Die Another Day. I probably prefer the film to No Time To Die as well. I used to think Moore’s age was the problem but honestly I kind of like the juxtaposition of having an older, more gentlemen like Bond against the unpredictable chaos of Christopher Walken and Grace Jones. I don’t think Tanya Roberts is as bad as people make her out to be also - she feels quite normal when compared to some of the other Bond girls from Moore’s tenure which I quite liked. Perhaps some of the action leaves a lot to be desired but the final 30 minutes are amongst the best moments of any Bond film from the massacre in the mine to Mayday’s sacrifice and finally the confrontation between Bond and Zorin on the Golden Gate Bridge. Decent film I’d argue.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    edited July 11 Posts: 6,865
    slide_99 wrote: »
    I'd keep Moore in the role, as I think his age adds a bit of charm to the movie and makes his conflict with the much younger Zorin more interesting. IMO most of the movie's problems are pacing and "fat" issues, so that's what I'd focus on.
    Trim the scenes at the stud farm.
    Either remove Tibett, as he doesn't do anything that Bond can't do, or combine his role with Chuck Lee. Two expendable sidekicks in one movie is too much.
    Completely redo the fight at the stud farm for obvious reasons.
    Remove the KGB angle, it doesn't lead anywhere. Or keep the KGB but maybe have them help Bond at the end somehow. The way the movie is, their presence in the story isn't justified in any way.
    Related to above, trim the sequence where Bond investigates the pipeline. Maybe Bond himself is captured instead of the KGB agent, but he manages to escape somehow. And the hot tub sequence after it is unecessary and only drags the movie to a halt.
    Remove Moore's "oohhhs." The guy sounds terrified.
    Find a more believable way to get Stacy onto the zeppelin.
    Give Moore a different hairstyle.
    Apart from that, I find AVTAK enjoyable in a quirky way.

    Remove Tibbett? He's a clear highlight!

    I'd rather remove Stacey!

    If Stacey were killed in the car wash, and then the rest of the movie were Bond and Tibbett in an international buddy movie, I think AVTAK would be a lot better.
  • DEKE_RIVERSDEKE_RIVERS
    Posts: 2,236
    I like Tibbett but it only works with Moore as Bond.
  • BT3366BT3366
    Posts: 1,968
    Good article. Made me think and will keep such in mind on the rare occasion I watch it as a whole, which would likely next be if the Moore films come to the 4K format.

    But even then I know it won't rise any from near the bottom of my rankings. Thinking about all the then-current angles won't remove the Beach Boys distraction, the comedy cops, the mostly lackluster action, the dragging pace once they get to San Francisco, the too-easy allegiance switching of May Day, Tanya Roberts and her character and so on.
  • TracyTracy
    edited July 13 Posts: 1,770
    For some reason I could imagine Bowies Zorin to be gay and perhaps film Bond secretly at the chateau , like Walkens character in Comfort of strangers
    Wouldnt fly today , tho
    Couldve been longer running time if such scenes were in it
  • StirredNotShakenStirredNotShaken Toronto
    Posts: 2,456
    Guys, guys! I've gone through and THOROUGHLY re-broken A View to a Kill beat by meticulous beat, and I've figured out how to make a much better version of the movie.

    MGM LOGO

    UA LOGO

    The gunbarrel BLASTS out with magnificent Barry score. Dots across the screen. Roger Moore's James Bond walks across the screen from right to left, in the sights. As he reaches the center of the screen, he turns to fire and...

    ...is promptly blown away before our eyes. Shot dead on the spot. Blood pools out from his corpse. The gunbarrel fades to nothing and...

    ...ROLL UP CREDITS. You no longer have to endure A View to a Kill.

    I believe this thread can be closed now :))
  • slide_99slide_99 USA
    edited July 13 Posts: 794
    echo wrote: »

    Remove Tibbett? He's a clear highlight!

    Or just combine him with Chuck Lee and not kill him off to provide Bond with motivation that he doesn't need. After Ferrara and Vijay, the expendable sidekick thing was wearing a bit thin.
  • TracyTracy
    Posts: 1,770
    I meant Zorin would be in denial about being gay and perhaps 007 would get under his skin with a comment
  • MinionMinion Don't Hassle the Bond
    Posts: 1,170
    Tracy wrote: »
    I meant Zorin would be in denial about being gay and perhaps 007 would get under his skin with a comment

    We don’t need AVTAK to be reevaluated as the “homophobic” Bond movie.
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 15,262
    I like the film as is. There are a couple of moments which stand out as unBondian, such as all scenes at Stacey's house and the fire truck chase, but a lot of firsts in there too, including snowboarding, airships, soft-shell crab...
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 18,594
    I love it. There's definitely bits which could be tightened up (the fire truck chase is a bit limp, and stuff like the fight in Stacey's house is very uninspired) but I wouldn't make bigger changes. Some folk suggest that Roger shouldn't have been in it, and I certainly can't agree with that!
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 15,262
    I like Roger in it, and his older Bond doing all the things his younger self would do and just as well is part of the fantasy. The PTS in particular has become one of my favourites. Due for a rewatch in this anniversary year.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    edited 10:21pm Posts: 6,865
    The fight in Stacey's house is so bad it's almost...good?

    Looong shot of her pussy cat.

    "What's this loaded with?" "Rock salt."

    "Ahh, the vase!"

    "It's grandpa's ashes."

    But of course Barry's score.
    mtm wrote: »
    I love it. There's definitely bits which could be tightened up (the fire truck chase is a bit limp, and stuff like the fight in Stacey's house is very uninspired) but I wouldn't make bigger changes. Some folk suggest that Roger shouldn't have been in it, and I certainly can't agree with that!

    The oohs and aahs have it.
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