tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post5859717086258868898..comments2024-03-05T21:05:36.848-05:00Comments on CommentaramaFilms: Bond-arama: No. 0016 Octopussy (1983)AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-13219071581435109582013-08-11T16:01:11.284-04:002013-08-11T16:01:11.284-04:00PikeBishop, I agree with that. It's a pretty ...PikeBishop, I agree with that. It's a pretty classless name and it hurts the feel they are going for.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-72491150996569261582013-08-11T11:54:05.633-04:002013-08-11T11:54:05.633-04:00Let's be honest, this film loses a star just f...Let's be honest, this film loses a star just for someone's decision to sniggeringly use the word pussy in the title of a maninstream movie. Can anyone imagine Goldfinger being titled Pussy Galore?PikeBishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05761380937971970762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-5516990446679762412013-08-09T12:12:47.714-04:002013-08-09T12:12:47.714-04:00Backthrow, The minijet is entertaining, but I neve...Backthrow, The minijet is entertaining, but I never bought the whole situation. What exactly could Cuba have that anyone cares about? Also, it's not clear to me what his plan is or how they could be so bad at letting him escape. When he flies into the hanger, it does feel fake to me.<br /><br />Adams is dull. I felt the same way in <i>Golden Gun</i>. Agreed about <i>All Time High</i>. I do like the song a long, but it does feel a touch lite FM for a Bond. I think it's ok, but it's not a great way to get your blood pumping for an action film.<br /><br />I agree with the rest of your criticisms.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-37522284377833312622013-08-09T04:14:02.244-04:002013-08-09T04:14:02.244-04:00I agree... a muddled, mostly-forgettable Bond, wit...I agree... a muddled, mostly-forgettable Bond, with the saving graces of Orlov and his subplot (which should've been the main plot), the train stunt work, and another good John Barry score.<br /><br />Maud Adams is dull, the humor is dumb (the Tarzan yell, "Sit!", etc), the travelogue quality that made the early films shine is missing here, and Q makes another on-location visit where he doesn't belong.<br /><br />'All Time High' is a good song, but a little soft for a Bond theme; it sounds like the sort of 'lite FM' interlude theme that would better fit a movie like oh, say, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bicYP_rdWE" rel="nofollow">CONTINENTAL DIVIDE</a>.<br /><br />Despite some good elements, there's enough that is bad, dull and convoluted about OCTOPUSSY that I'd personally rate it below the two Dalton films, but above the worst of the other Moore films (MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, MOONRAKER, A VIEW TO A KILL).<br /><br />Oh, a minor thing, but it always bugs me when I see it: in the pre-credits sequence with the super mini-jet, some impressive flying and effects work is undercut a bit when the jet enters the hanger, and we see a full-scale mock-up of the jet passing through... moving way-y-y-y slower than it does when entering and exiting. It suddenly looks like 007 is on a kiddie carnival ride. Totally takes me out of the movie for a moment. If they had tweaked the editing of that, sped it up, or just focused on Bond in the cockpit for that shot, it would've made it more exciting and effective, I think.Backthrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02289433396695381105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-29817621414337588832013-08-09T00:36:31.538-04:002013-08-09T00:36:31.538-04:00Rustbelt,
On the egg and the cold war, that is a ...Rustbelt,<br /><br />On the egg and the cold war, that is a problem. The film kind of suggests that Orlov is using the money from the sale to finance the bomb, but that makes no sense since he doesn't need cash to get the bomb. Then it seems like he's doing it just to get rich in the event things go wrong. But that doesn't fit with his radicalism. So in the end, the connection is kind of unexplained.<br /><br />On the travel shots, to me, the minimum was set by films like <i>From Russia With Love</i> and <i>Dr. No</i>, where you get an establishing shot of the city, with some image of a plane landing and just enough to make you feel like he really just arrived in this exotic location. India gets some of that, but not enough, and Germany gets none of it. And then they race to inside sets in India that feel really fake and cheap to me.<br /><br />Agreed on Adams... poor actress. As for her character, I really think the problem is that they divide her character into three parts, when they shouldn't have. They make Magda the muscle and Khan the dark side. That leaves her with nothing to do but say, "Oh James!" over and over.<br /><br />I do like Jourdan, but he also suffers from not having a well-defined role.<br /><br />In the end, what makes me sad is what this one could have been if they had stuck with the NATO plot.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-701266013798051592013-08-09T00:18:55.080-04:002013-08-09T00:18:55.080-04:00This movie is hard to pin down. A lot of wasted po...This movie is hard to pin down. A lot of wasted potential. To be honest, I've always had trouble connecting the Faberge Egg story with the Cold War plot. Maybe I haven't paid enough attention. It just seems as though they said, "we need a cool plot: Cold War!" "And, hey! Faberge Eggs are cool. They're high class, just like Bond's world. We'll fit them in somehow." "And where haven't we shot? Oh, yeah. India! Fit it in!"<br /><br />This thing could have involved the world of antique smuggling and jewelry theft, but didn't. (Similar to how 'Diamonds Are Forever' missed the boat on finance blackmail.) I'm not sure what to say about the location shots. To me, the Taj Mahal and the jungles are enough to say 'India.' So, I'm actually satisfied. Let's face it: as Westerners, they're really aren't too many other landmarks that stick out as 'India'- except for slums, which this movie also has. So, I'll give it a pass on that. (I also have to give credit to the fact that, if you look on a map, the Monsoon Palace and Taj Mahal are, by plane, close by. So, the filmmakers get points on geography.)<br />As for villains, I really don't understand Octopussy's role other than to be the thief with a heart of gold. It seems Bond can't get anything done unless she's on his side. (Plus, Maude Adams is a lousy actress.) Personally, I would've been fine if the villains had been left at Orlov and Kahn. I like Louis Jourdan's performance here. As one Youtube poster put it, it's not every day that the villain outclasses Bond. He did the best with what he had and deserved a larger part. <br />All in all, a mixed and somewhat confused bag. I think they really tried here, but the script needed a few more drafts. <br /> Rustbelthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12190297078043033514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-82065960062068834862013-08-09T00:12:56.496-04:002013-08-09T00:12:56.496-04:00Dave, Agreed. This has within it one of the best ...Dave, Agreed. This has within it one of the best (if not THE best) Bond plots of all time... but they treat that like a subplot. What's more, the "main plot" is a joke... horse's ass, Tarzan scream, women in catsuits, hot air balloon, Amazon cult leader who doesn't even know her assistant is running his own evil empire, etc. It feels ridiculous, like they wanted this to be a comedy, but weren't quite willing to take the plunge. And that's a great analogy to <i>Our Man Flint</i>, because this feels the same in many ways only unintentionally so.<br /><br />It's kind of depressing in hindsight when you realize what this film could have been compared to what it ultimate was.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-67715457963819808072013-08-09T00:04:02.628-04:002013-08-09T00:04:02.628-04:00This film should be ranked higher. It's not, b...This film should be ranked higher. It's not, because as you say, there are too many negatives.<br /><br />The main plot is as good as Bond movies get. In fact, it's Machiavellian as all hell: Stage a nuclear explosion at a US airbase, watch as the political blowback forces America to leave Western Europe, send the troops west in a (whatever is the Russian word for "Blitzkrieg") and extend the Soviet Empire as far as Portugal. From sea to shining sea, as it were. Pretty strong stuff for 1983, when the Cold War was at its absolute iciest, with Reagan declaring the USSR "An Evil Empire" and a succession of ever more enfeebled hardliners, from Brezhnev to Andropov and Chernenko. <br /><br />I'd love to see a Bond movie in which Orlov's plot were the central focus. Instead we got wrapped up in circuses, jewel smuggling, and overall Bond silliness. Hot air balloons, gorilla suits, and a horse's ass. (*sigh*) It's like they couldn't decide if they wanted to be Bond, James Bond or Our Man Flint.Dave Olsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-64885834301762010422013-08-08T14:59:48.510-04:002013-08-08T14:59:48.510-04:00Dwizzum, Thanks. I totally agree with you about t...Dwizzum, Thanks. I totally agree with you about the train chase and that whole scene. That is the heart of this movie and that is by far head and shoulders above the rest. I wish they had focused on that rather than making it an "Oh, by the way, this is happening too" part of the plot. This could have been a tremendous Bond if they'd done that.<br /><br />I hate the Tarzan film. What a way to mock your own film.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-87260129013542645422013-08-08T14:49:47.982-04:002013-08-08T14:49:47.982-04:00I agree this is a middle of the road Bond movie, a...I agree this is a middle of the road Bond movie, and you detail the problems I have with it. (Tarzan yell indeed) I thought the train chase was really well done. I liked the knife throwing twins. The race to de-fuse the bomb was pretty good too. After that it was mostly downhill. Dwizzumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13426076114959867132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-42882910617207364642013-08-08T13:05:05.670-04:002013-08-08T13:05:05.670-04:00The Tarzan yell makes me cringe.The Tarzan yell makes me cringe.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-23470125393086351402013-08-08T13:04:53.510-04:002013-08-08T13:04:53.510-04:00PikeBishop, Same here. The whole thing felt stupi...PikeBishop, Same here. The whole thing felt stupid and unreal. Think about it... he's supposed to be in Cuba. Yet, everyone is driving British luxury cars. All the roads and construction look modern European and well-maintained. There isn't a hint of "the tropics" or "run-down Cuba" or how militant they are. Then the horse's butt looks fake and wouldn't fool anyone. The soldiers don't act like soldiers either. Nothing about it says Cuba. It all says "studio set."AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-57091571042857808662013-08-08T12:43:16.612-04:002013-08-08T12:43:16.612-04:00Another thing or too that really didn't sit we...Another thing or too that really didn't sit well with me was the pre credit sequence with the horrible disguise and the giant fake horse's ass in the trailer. The Tarzan yell and the clown disguise just added to that.PikeBishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05761380937971970762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-34438821083423394802013-08-08T11:55:36.402-04:002013-08-08T11:55:36.402-04:00Scott, They definitely went for more realistic set...Scott, They definitely went for more realistic sets and less fantasy. That's a good thing. But the problem is that they went too small in this film. If you're going to go to India, show us the city before you pop in on Bond, don't just show us an alley, him standing by a river, and a casino that looks like it was filmed in a tiny apartment. Even just a generic skyline would give the film a boost.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-38862942034539881812013-08-08T11:51:39.486-04:002013-08-08T11:51:39.486-04:00PikeBishop, That is a great song, that is true. S...PikeBishop, That is a great song, that is true. Sadly, sometimes the songs are the best part.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-64882088944652103382013-08-08T11:50:49.539-04:002013-08-08T11:50:49.539-04:00tryanmax, When I first began I thought generically...tryanmax, When I first began I thought generically about where each film should go and this is one those that I thought should be quite high... until I started comparing them head to head. Then, the more I thought about it, the film itself didn't really hold up and I realized that I by and large skip it whenever Bond marathons are on television. It doesn't turn me off, it just doesn't hold my attention.<br /><br />As for Moore, I liked him a lot in his first two, but then he became something of a lounge lizard. By this point, he's more like a "British pensioner."AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-12517699990517683732013-08-08T11:48:56.054-04:002013-08-08T11:48:56.054-04:00Thanks Shawn! James Bland it is. I'm the sam...Thanks Shawn! James Bland it is. I'm the same way. If you'd asked me in 1983 how this film ranks, I would have said it was one of the better ones. But the bar wasn't very high at that particular moment, not coming off a string of lousy Bonds until <i>For Your Eyes Only</i>. I think this film worked well at the time because it has the feel of other 1980s films and you had the tension of the air of the struggle against the Soviets. But in hindsight, this film really doesn't hold up well.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-56305995897868754522013-08-08T09:11:13.147-04:002013-08-08T09:11:13.147-04:00This is one of those middle-of-the-road Bond films...This is one of those middle-of-the-road Bond films for me. I remember the guy whistling the James Bond tune, I remember Steven Berkoff chewing the scenery (as per usual), and I remember clown make-up... and that's about it. I should probably just watch it again.<br /><br />Re: locations... I don't know. The previous film marked the debut of Peter Lamont as production designer, taking over for Ken Adam who left the franchise. Their two styles weren't quite the same which meant, in the 80s and 90s, we never saw any truly extravagant sets (no volcano lairs, no exaggerated angles, etc.). I don't know if this has anything to do with the locations, now that I think of it... :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-20618116387252042402013-08-08T08:49:02.827-04:002013-08-08T08:49:02.827-04:00It had one of my favorite Bond songs, "All Ti...It had one of my favorite Bond songs, "All Time High" by Rita Coolidge, which Coolidge herself is on record as hating. Sad to hear that. Of course, I could listen to the Delta Lady singing names out of a phone book and enjoy it. PikeBishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05761380937971970762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-70790806496331549782013-08-08T08:09:04.209-04:002013-08-08T08:09:04.209-04:00Roger Moore is really hard for me to take seriousl...Roger Moore is really hard for me to take seriously as Bond, especially in his older years. I've ranked T-Dal higher than Moore in the past for that very reason. So it's no shock to me at all that <i>Octopussy</i> should only rank 16th.tryanmaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09881154741574720094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-45473733757997388582013-08-08T05:06:05.130-04:002013-08-08T05:06:05.130-04:00James Bland. That about covers it. Another good re...James Bland. That about covers it. Another good review, Andrew. I admit, I liked it at the time, but it, like Moore, didn't age well.shawnnoreply@blogger.com