Word In Stone-Review of Octopussy

[tstone]

Ok, let's preface this with the fact that although I'm a Bond fan, I'm generally not a fan of the Moore era. The kiddified, family friendly approach to the series, way over-the-topness, Bond's embrace of his own cliches and shameless goofiness firmly took hold in this era, though some say it got it's start in latter Connery films. Ok, be that as it may, it's the Moore films, whoever is to blame, where it became an embarrassing institution. Slapstick. Pratfalls. Doubletakes. Goofy sound effects, sheer stupidity.

Now, don't get me wrong. There are some good films that come out of the Moore era, The Spy Who Loved Me standing out as a great case in point. I used to think that Octopussy was one in that category. Well, it's been a long time since I viewed that film. Saw it again today. You know? I used to say that A View to a Kill was one Moore film too many. Now, I see that view was too generous.

Ok, convoluted setup (and one of my favorite Bond themes, Rita Coolidge's 'All Time High') with Bond in Cuba, then you see another double 0 agent dressed as a clown, mortally wounded, making it to the British Embassy in East Berlin with a fake Faberge egg. This gets MI-6, and Bond, involved in investigating a case of jewel smuggling and forgery. The ringleaders are a corrupt Soviet general and an Indian criminal mastermind named Kamal Khan. Ok, this is convoluted enough, but then, there is Khan's tie to the mysterious Octopussy, a cult leader of sometime, and her bevvy of beautiful, babe-licious accolytes.

When I was a youngster, I didn't understand hardly any of what was going on. But when they got around to it, they got to what seemed to be thrilling action sequences. The girls were hot, too.

Now, I'm older. And, hanging on an overly, unnecessarily convoluted plot, like cheap Christmas tree ornaments, are goofy action sequences, full of all kinds of forth wall breaking moments. When Bond got a tiger to sit by telling it so, then, finally, he goes swinging through a tree with a Tarzan yell, I had had enough. I turned that crap off.

Excrement.

Next, going to be seeing "For Your Eyes Only". Maybe THAT one should have been the last Moore Bond.

[UNCLEagent]

Agreed.

My son and I started pulling out the Moore library a few weeks ago. I tried to shelter him - I could only do it for so long before he started asking questions.

Our last was AVTAK - where, without any prompting - he kept asking "Isn't this supposed to be a JAMES BOND movie???!!!" "My God - how often do they have to keep on with that annoying AVTAK score??!!" "God - that Stacy is annoying!!!" and my favorite: "Why does Bond keep looking so creepy at the girls?"

I concur with your OCT review - except that All Time High is (was until DAD) my All Time Low fav theme :-)

I found the ninja circus girls - in their absolutely SILLY red suits, along with Q's embarassing insertion into the action to be on the par of the cartoon Jmaes Bond, Jr.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

I always thought that, like most of Moore's films, it had promise and potential along with a good set up and some great parts. It just kinda imploded under it's own weight sometime around the half way mark.... like DAD !

But God, I loves me some FYEO ! (until the Faith Brown / Mrs. Thatcher cameo).

[Boromir006]

Never liked "All Time High." Sounds like a random 80's ballad plucked from adult contemporary airplay and mistakenly slapped on a James Bond movie. Rita Coolidge's delivery sounds like she's fighting to stay awake. Like me as an older man trying to get through this movie. :)

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

I do think Maud Adams in this movie is solely responsible for, how can I say this, a certain MILF fascination that developed for me as a very young man !

[WhiteKnight]

Octopussy is actually my favorite of the Moore era. Easily more believable than TMWTGG, TSWLM, Moonraker of AVTAK and without the disco sort of vibe that really bugs me about LALD. That's small consolation, however, since I think it's pretty well known how much I despise his interpretation of the character.

Maud was looking pretty damn fine in this movie, though, and Kristina Wayborn as Magda wasn't hard to look at either.

[Kara Milovy]

There's a lot to like about Octopussy, and a lot to dislike. One of its biggest disappointments, for me, is that it travels to one of the most interesting and (for Westerners) inaccessible countries in the world and films nothing but clichés. Leave it to John Glen! It totally looksl like in-studio filming instead of taking advantage of the real color and texture of India.

[tstone]

See, that's another thing. This film looked distinctly cheap. Not the pocket change of the Dalton films, but the increasing cheapness of the films was inexcusable, considering they rake in the dough.

[LeiterCIA]

I might need to sit down and watch this one again, straight through. This was was always one of my all-time favorites, and the one that first turned me on to Bond. It's been a while though, I wonder if my feelings would change.