The 'For Your Eyes Only appreciation thread'

AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
edited November 2015 in Bond Movies Posts: 1,727
To my amazement there isn't one yet - so high time to start it, surely.

FYEO just does what it says on the tin - no more, no less. All too often overlooked for it’s divisive PTS, criticized for being too average or having 'that silly blonde' in it, FYEO is what I like to think of as the very best 'distillate' of a Bond-adventure: it encapsulates both literary Fleming Bond and ‘cinematic’ Bond in one tight, well-paced 120 minute episode.
And yes, it does feel like an ‘episode’, but that’s part of its strength. For a movie that has the tag of being a ‘scaled-down’ 007 film it has a surprising variety of locations and set-pieces, all of which are well-integrated and move the story along. The whole film is focused and there was obviously a very clear vision of what the makers wanted to do.

So, FYEO isn't 'BIG' or particularly dramatic, but it has a unique warmth & charm that the other entries lack - hard to put my finger on what it is, exactly, but it has something to do with the way the story weaves perfectly from well-used locale to the next, whilst both Bond & the audience become invested in Melina’s mournful vengeance. Roger Moore is, arguably, at his very best here - his pensive demeanor whilst standing in front of Tracy's grave at the start really signal that we are in for a more personable kind of adventure.

This film isn’t at the top of my ranking (it’s about 6th or 7th depending on mood, etc.) but I have great affection for it - I feel compelled to revisit it quite often, and it may be the 1st one I show my son when he is old enough…
«13

Comments

  • Hi, new member here. This was the first Bond I saw at the cinema when I was 9, watched it in Dublin and we only saw it because the film my sister wanted to see was booked out, after that I was hooked.

    I enjoy pretty much all the Bonds but this one will always be my favourite. It's got all the elements that make a great Bond, cracking opening, awesome car chase with the 2CV, ski chase, a bit of humour but not over the top, uses his wit over gadgets (mountain climb) although I must admit the Margaret and Denis bit does make me cringe but hey you can win 'em all.
  • AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
    Posts: 1,727
    Hi, new member here. This was the first Bond I saw at the cinema when I was 9, watched it in Dublin and we only saw it because the film my sister wanted to see was booked out, after that I was hooked.

    I enjoy pretty much all the Bonds but this one will always be my favourite. It's got all the elements that make a great Bond, cracking opening, awesome car chase with the 2CV, ski chase, a bit of humour but not over the top, uses his wit over gadgets (mountain climb) although I must admit the Margaret and Denis bit does make me cringe but hey you can win 'em all.

    I actually thought the Thatcher gag was quite funny (unnecessary, sure, but funny). Suppose they had a quota of goofiness and just had to put something silly in at the end to balance out what has to otherwise be the most straight-faced Roger Moore entry...
  • True I guess and I suppose at the time it was pretty funny.
  • Posts: 3,336
    Amazing film in my top 5 bond movies
    My favourite ski chase
    One of, if not my favourite car chase
    A top notch bond girl
    And i also really like the score, in my top 3
    Columbo is also one of the best allies of the series
  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    Posts: 5,080
    Amazing film in my top 5 bond movies
    My favourite ski chase
    One of, if not my favourite car chase
    A top notch bond girl
    And i also really like the score, in my top 3
    Columbo is also one of the best allies of the series

    Pretty much sums the film up for me, as well.
  • edited November 2015 Posts: 154
    I'm a big fan of this one.

    It has more adventure and action set pieces (all very inventive) than any Bond (though I've not yet seen SP) -- and, they're embedded into a very grounded and realistic story. It also had a very adventurous and satisfying finale (& the finale is a weak point in most Bond movies). Loved the Bond women except the dumb blonde. Loved the twisty, realistic, espionage plot. Great theme song too. Title of the movie made no sense (could have been used for any Bond movie) but nothing new there.

    My biggest problem with the movie, even more so than the out-of-place PTS & the few silly moments, is Moore. I was happy with Moore in his previous Bonds but here he's already too old &, more importantly, miscast. This movie rebooted the series to a more serious take (needed) and Bond is almost a completely different character. How can the same camp Bond who dropped a man from the top a building simply for sadistic kicks (TSWLM) warn a woman against killing to avenge her parents (FYEO)!?

    Still love it though. Had this movie starred Dalton instead of Moore, had its silly moments removed & plot faults cleaned-up (though all Bond movies have plot faults, many even worse than those here) & had it had a fitting PTS, it'd be my top favorite Bond.

    Hell, actually, it'd be my number one had it simply starred Dalton.
  • AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
    edited November 2015 Posts: 1,727
    gklein wrote: »
    I'm a big fan of this one.

    It has more adventure and action set pieces (all very inventive) than any Bond (though I've not yet seen SP) -- and, they're embedded into a very grounded and realistic story. It also had a very adventurous and satisfying finale (& the finale is a weak point in most Bond movies). Loved the Bond women except the dumb blonde. Loved the twisty, realistic, espionage plot. Great theme song too. Title of the movie made no sense (could have been used for any Bond movie) but nothing new there.

    My biggest problem with the movie, even more so than the out-of-place PTS & the few silly moments, is Moore. I was happy with Moore in his previous Bonds but here he's already too old &, more importantly, miscast. This movie rebooted the series to a more serious take (needed) and Bond is almost a completely different character. How can the same camp Bond who dropped a man from the top a building simply for sadistic kicks (TSWLM) warn a woman against killing to avenge her parents (FYEO)!?

    Still love it though. Had this movie starred Dalton instead of Moore, had its silly moments removed & plot faults cleaned-up (though all Bond movies have plot faults, many even worse than those here) & had it had a fitting PTS, it'd be my top favorite Bond.

    Hell, actually, it'd be my number one had it simply starred Dalton.

    I think 'miscast', is a tad harsh... for me this has Moore's definitive take on 007.
    Several replacements were apparently discussed in 1980, but eventually they stuck with Roger. The grave visit was, if I recall correctly, intended to 'introduce' the new Bond.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited November 2015 Posts: 23,883
    It's a good point about Moore actually. I did feel this would be better suited to another actor, just because he had visually aged since MR here, and also he was far more serious than he normally is. So, it just comes across much more 'aged' (i.e. the effect is multiplied). It was jarring when I first saw it, but now I've grown to like his performance very much, although it's quite 'muted'.

    FYEO is not one of my favourites of Moore's, because it's a little unbalanced ('series low' weak 'uncharismatic' villains imho, and I wanted some stuntwork with the Lotus rather than the crappy 2CV.....my feelings mirror Bond in that respect). It also drags in some spots, and has one of the absolute worst action sequences in the franchise (that Neptune submarine mashup with some loser in a deep sea diving outfit and geek in some underwater contraption).

    Having said that, it also has a very distinctive score (some parts are excellent if not the dated disco), an incredibly beautiful leading lady (still one of my top 5), out of this world ski sequences, and that superb escape from the sharks and Kristatos.

    I'll forgive & tolerate Bibi for all of that. This is unquestionably an excellent Bond film even if I personally prefer other Moore ones for entertainment. I highly recommend it on blu ray (it just looks absolutely wonderful.....the colour just bounces off the screen.....OHMSS style).
  • Posts: 154
    By "miscast" I don't mean that he was horrible in the role, just that this was a reboot movie & needed a new Bond actor. (It was also a more physical, less button-pushing take on Bond, requiring a more physically in-shape actor.)

    While not as extremely jarring as CR would have been seeing Brosnan in the role after DAD, I still found FYEO to be a completely different Bond, & therefore found it somewhat jarring that Moore was still in the role.

    After witnessing Dalton's phenomenal work later, I found myself forever wishing he had stepped-into the role much earlier, starting with FYEO
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    gklein wrote: »
    After witnessing Dalton's phenomenal work later, I found myself forever wishing he had stepped-into the role much earlier, starting with FYEO

    Dalton was good, but I think Moore gave us two great (and very different) Bond films in FYEO & OP. I personally think he should have called it quits after OP and let Dalton in earlier to establish himself sooner.

  • Posts: 154
    While I like FYEO better than TSWLM as a movie, the still great TSWLM was Moore's quintessential Bond movie (for me). MR followed in the same vein & Moore was great in it -- but, for me, that should have been his last.
  • Posts: 1,098
    FYEO was a very good Bond film.....it does feel sort of out of place in the Roger Moore era, sandwiched between the MR space film, and the more comical OP.........but in its own right, the film had a good story.....and a plethora of action sequences. The music score was a bit hit and miss.........and the villian in the film wasn't a franchise standout character, and the film had a sort of low key ending.........but otherwise it really is a very good film indeed.....and even the Thatchers starred in it, at the end! ;)
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    In 1981 FYEO was amazing. It was Bond back, & less silly than ever. We almost didn't know what to make of it. In MY group we considered "get your clothes on & I'll buy you an ice cream" about the funniest line ever to come out of a Bond movie.
  • Aziz_FekkeshAziz_Fekkesh Royale-les-Eaux
    Posts: 403
    FYEO has been in my top 10 since I got into Bond. I love the spy stuff in it and think the PTS is a riot. Only some typical Moore things (that ending X_X) prevent it from ranking higher than LTK for me.
  • Posts: 154
    FYEO has been in my top 10 since I got into Bond. I love the spy stuff in it and think the PTS is a riot. Only some typical Moore things (that ending X_X) prevent it from ranking higher than LTK for me.

    Ah, a fellow FYEO and LTK fan. Makes me suspect we have other Bond faves in common.
  • Aziz_FekkeshAziz_Fekkesh Royale-les-Eaux
    Posts: 403
    gklein wrote: »
    FYEO has been in my top 10 since I got into Bond. I love the spy stuff in it and think the PTS is a riot. Only some typical Moore things (that ending X_X) prevent it from ranking higher than LTK for me.

    Ah, a fellow FYEO and LTK fan. Makes me suspect we have other Bond faves in common.

    I have FRWL, CR, TSWLM, TLD, DN as my top five.

  • edited November 2015 Posts: 154

    I have FRWL, CR, TSWLM, TLD, DN as my top five.

    Yep, I was right. I'm not sure of my exact rankings (been think'n about that lately) but those are all def in my top 10, for sure, & maybe all in my top five -- except CR, which is a top ten but not a top 5 for me (good Bond movie but I didn't want an origin story).

    You didn't mention TWINE which is in my top 5. For me, it has a similar espionage/character story feel to that of FYEO (and TWINE has the 2nd most action set-pieces of any Bond movie after FYEO -- all very inventive action too).

  • AntiLocqueBrakesAntiLocqueBrakes The edge
    Posts: 538
    Probably the film I will have watched the most in 2015.

    Getting closer and closer to saying this is Moore's best film (TSWLM)
    Love the soundtrack. Conti lets you know the 80s are here.
    Everyone's favorite ski chase.
    Forgettable main villain and Bond girl, unfortunately.
    Bond's best kill (Locque)
    I love the theme song…no apologies.
  • edited November 2015 Posts: 3,336
    Oh i forgot to mention that the song ties for #1 bond song for me aswell, and it just dethroned TSWLM as my favourite Moore bond
  • Aziz_FekkeshAziz_Fekkesh Royale-les-Eaux
    Posts: 403
    TWINE's significantly lower on my list. I think like #17 or #18. I used to like it a lot more but now not so much. The script for me leaves much to be desired.
  • Posts: 154
    For me, it was a great story. For me, TSWLM, which we both like, had much sillier script, a goofy retelling of YOLT, but it's still a fave.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,328
    It's my favorite Roger Moore Bond film. :-bd
  • Aziz_FekkeshAziz_Fekkesh Royale-les-Eaux
    Posts: 403
    gklein wrote: »
    For me, it was a great story. For me, TSWLM, which we both like, had much sillier script, a goofy retelling of YOLT, but it's still a fave.

    I agree. Pretty much a consensus that TSWLM is the best of the OTT Bonds. It used to be favourite to boot.
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    Posts: 7,314
    I love FYEO. In fact, I think it works so well specifically because of Moore's age. A younger actor visiting Tracy's grave and then finally eliminating Blofeld just wouldn't have been as effective in my opinion. It plays into the overall theme of aging, revenge and death just perfectly with an older Bond. A more mature 007 knows through experience that revenge doesn't take away the pain and I buy into Moore's sincerity when trying to convince Melina of this.

    I am so thankful that Sir Rog got the chance to play it (mostly) straight here. I think he gave an amazing performance. It's just such a great little spy thriller with so many memorable moments and characters. Columbo is the best ally since Kerim and I thought Kristatos and Locque were great villains. I love so many scenes but everything in Cortina is just superb and definitely my favorite part of the film.
  • TubesTubes The Hebrew Hammer
    Posts: 158
    FYEO had a tight plot, interesting characters, and a dash of Moore humor to round it out. The only part that really feels off is how a jogging Moore catches up to Locque's car

    A lot of Moore's films are undersold as "jokey" while the good majority of them are taut thrillers. People bring up the clown makeup as a negative while forgetting just how tense the German segments in OP actually were.
  • Aziz_FekkeshAziz_Fekkesh Royale-les-Eaux
    Posts: 403
    Tubes wrote: »
    FYEO had a tight plot, interesting characters, and a dash of Moore humor to round it out. The only part that really feels off is how a jogging Moore catches up to Locque's car

    A lot of Moore's films are undersold as "jokey" while the good majority of them are taut thrillers. People bring up the clown makeup as a negative while forgetting just how tense the German segments in OP actually were.

    OP is criminally underrated
  • edited November 2015 Posts: 162
    I like your assessment, @gklein . The idea of Dalton in FYEO instead of Moore is going to keep me up tonight :) .

    This is actually a good performance by Moore, he's just so visibly aged, and it's awkward with the ladies, to me.

    The best thing about this film is the use of Fleming's material. Melina is one of the more interesting Bond girls because of it, she's the whole package. I also love Topol, he's easily my favorite Bond ally.

    FYEO is my favorite Moore film, behind LALD. If you don't count Spice World ;) . (Kidding, but I do get a kick out of Spice World :)) )
  • Carole Bouquet has talken more and more freely about her experience in this movie in the French media.
    Do you know why she has a weird, attitude of detachment when she gives her exposition speech at the beginning of the car chase ? Well, she wasn't told it would take place during the chase, she played it as if it was just an exposition scene with no danger anywhere.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    OP is criminally underrated

    Yep. There should be actual fines for that. [-(
  • AntiLocqueBrakesAntiLocqueBrakes The edge
    Posts: 538
    Carole Bouquet has talken more and more freely about her experience in this movie in the French media.
    Do you know why she has a weird, attitude of detachment when she gives her exposition speech at the beginning of the car chase ? Well, she wasn't told it would take place during the chase, she played it as if it was just an exposition scene with no danger anywhere.

    Interesting. Honestly, it seems like she carries the air of detachment throughout the film though. Not a lot of visible emotional range.
Sign In or Register to comment.