Which of these films should a non-Bond fan see?
Bond Beginner:
Moonraker is the only film worth recommending from the Moore era. But, I admit, the Jaws build-up in The Spy Who Loved Me is a vital prerequisite. So my answer is The Spy Who Loved Me, a.k.a. the safest and least obnoxious Moore entry. It’s like the sillier ’70s sequel to From Russia With Love. It won’t scare new Bond watchers away nor bore them to tears (real risks in this era). If you survive the shallows, you can fast-track to the weird wonderful deep end that is Moonraker.
Bond Veteran:
Definitely Live and Let Die. Even if it’s not necessarily a quality classic like some of the Connery films, it is so fascinating to see a Bond movie borrow from Blaxploitation. It’s truly a relic from another era, one that is deeply flawed and offensive but also fascinating for what it tells us about what popular cinema looked like at the time. The Bond franchise has always borrowed from pop culture and followed trends. Putting aside the entertainment value (which I think the film absolutely has), it also illuminates what these trends looked like and how they were consumed and regurgitated through a British lens. The film should be seen in its context: one that is problematic, and worthy of study.
What element from these films would you like to see come back in future Bonds? What do you want to see left in the past?
Bond Beginner:
It is nice — dare I say refreshing — to see a big dumb action star not take himself so seriously. And I really do mean dumb. Because Moore’s Bond is an idiot. If you sent this man to the grocery store for carrots he’d come back with potatoes. So, yeah, Moore kisses like a concussed lamprey and has an awkward amount of geriatric energy, but he’s willing to play the fool. And it’s a damn shame that accomplished goofball and self-aware ham Daniel Craig is not allotted similar freedoms. There are enough brooding brutes out there and it’d be nice if Bond could turn that frown upside down again.
When we discussed what we wanted to leave in the past from the Connery and Lazenby eras, we said things like “assaulting women” and “being very racist.” There are fewer yikes moments in the Moore era (low bar cleared). But instead of bemoaning something problematic, I’m going to say goodbye to something I like: I think Jaws needs to stay in the Moore era. Jaws works because he exists in a goofy universe where massive men with metal mouths make sense. So as much as I want more Jaws, it is with a heavy heart that I acknowledge that he is best left in his own era. Goodbye, sweet, chompy prince.
Bond Veteran:
More Beach Boys tunes, please and thank you.
Also, will second what Meg said: it’s fun that Moore doesn’t take himself too seriously. I also like how impersonal most of the missions are. Moore’s Bond is never really out for personal revenge. I’ve enjoyed some of Craig’s personal revenge plots, but I grow tired of them after a while. I want mission stakes, not personal stakes. There’s a difference. Give me Bond just doing his job.
As far as what can be left, that plot point in For Your Eyes Only where Bond is pursued by a teenage girl doesn’t go down super well. Let’s leave stuff like that in 1981.
What’s your favorite so far? Least favorite?
Bond Beginner:
Favorite: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Least favorite: You Only Live Twice.
Bond Veteran:
Favorite: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Least favorite: Thunderball
The End.
But Meg and Anna will return in Bondathon Part Four: The Dalton Era!
Related Topics: Bondathon, James Bond
