Well, I just watched “MOONRAKER”. Today, it is considered to be one of the worst Bond চলচ্চিত্র of all times. It has been accused দ্বারা অনুরাগী and critics alike of taking the Bond franchise into a realm of tasteless excess and fantasy. I will not deny there are aspects of “MOONRAKER” that turned me off – including Bond’s final confrontation with the villain aboard the latter’s মহাকাশ station. But after watching it . . . I cannot honestly তালিকা “MOONRAKER” as one of my least পছন্দ Bond films, let alone as one of the worst. Trust me, I have seen a lot worst.
Despite some similarities, the movie did not heavily adapt the 1955 novel. The movie kept the same villain – Hugo Drax. And it did involve rockets and মহাকাশ travel. Also, the villain’s intent did involve the destruction of a place – in the novel, the villain wanted to destroy লন্ডন and in the movie, the human race on Earth. But . . . there were differences. Instead of a British policewoman named Gala Brand, the movie features an American CIA agent/NASA-trained astronaut named Dr. চিরশ্যামল গুল্মবিশেষ Goodhead.
There were several aspects of “MOONRAKER” that made me want to wince. Now, I did not mind the boat/gondola chase in the Venetian canals, but watching Bond’s গন্ডোলা, gondola turned into a land vehicle . . . yeah, it made me want to wince. Along with a few of Roger Moore’s lines. The fact that Jaws’ villainy (last seen in “THE SPY WHO LOVED ME”) came across as less menacing and আরো comic in this movie did not help. The double-take pigeon? I had barely noticed it. But the final battle between American astronauts and Drax’s men turned me off considerably. I felt as if I was watching a second-rate version of “STAR WARS” – blasters and all.
But “MOONRAKER” had its virtues. The movie’s production quality seemed to be among the best in the franchise, thanks to director Lewis Gilbert, and cinematographer, Jean Tournier. The movie took the audience from California to Venice, Brazil and finally outer space. Aside from the latter, the film’s photograph captured these setting beautifully. I especially enjoyed John Barry’s score, along with the movie’s theme song written দ্বারা both Barry and lyricist Hal David, and sung দ্বারা Shirley Bassey. Aside from a few cliché lines, I found nothing wrong with Roger Moore’s performance. He seemed to be at the শীর্ষ of his game. I was especially impressed দ্বারা his take on Bond’s reaction to being nearly killed দ্বারা Drax’s Astronaut Training Centrifuge. Michel Londsdale seemed smooth and villainous as the space-obsessed billionaire Hugo Drax. However, I was a little put off দ্বারা having to deal with another megalomaniac out to destroy the world in order to rule the survivors. I find such storylines rather tiresome. But the rest of the cast seemed adequate.
I do have a few complaints about four cast members. Lois Chiles was in her early 30s and already a veteran of a few চলচ্চিত্র (“THE GREAT GATSBY” and “DEATH ON THE NILE” included) দ্বারা the time she did “MOONRAKER”. As Dr. চিরশ্যামল গুল্মবিশেষ Goodhead, she managed to physically project the image of a memorable Bond leading lady that happens to be a competent CIA agent and astronaut. But despite her experience, she did come off as slightly wooden. Actually, I could say the same for Corinne Clery as the doomed Corinne and Emily Bolton as the Brazilian agent, Manuela. “MOONRAKER” seemed to be filled with beautiful leading ladies with limited অভিনয় skills. I also had a problem with Richard Kiel. As I had stated before, he seemed less menacing and আরো comic than he did in “THE SPY WHO LOVED ME”. However, I was impressed দ্বারা Kiel’s অভিনয় in one particular scene – when Bond convinces Jaws that Drax plans to exterminate him for his imperfections. Kiel had wonderfully captured Jaws’ confusion and growing realization that he might be betrayed and killed দ্বারা his employer.
I had started watching “MOONRAKER” with the belief that I was about to experience one of the worst Bond চলচ্চিত্র in the franchise’s history. As it turned out, I was wrong. I think that Roger Moore had put it best when he ব্যক্ত that “MOONRAKER” was not a bad movie . . . until it shifted to outer মহাকাশ and became a second-rate “STAR WARS”, which only occurred during the movie’s last half hour. This unfortunate shift of setting seemed to have influenced many of the franchise’s অনুরাগী about the movie. Many seemed so focused upon the movie’s last half ঘন্টা and other flaws that they seemed to have forgotten its virtues.
