Live and Let Die
Published 2015-07-31
Roger Moore is James Bond
Film info
- Director
- Year / Run time 1973 · 2hr 1m
- Series James Bond (8 of 25)
- Genres Action, Adventure, Thriller
- Cast
James Bond battles the forces of black magic in this high-octane adventure that hurtles him from the streets of New York City to Louisiana's bayou country. With charm, wit and deadly assurance, Roger Moore steps in as Agent 007 and takes on a powerful drug lord with a diabolical scheme to conquer the world.
Live blog
| Time | Comment |
|---|---|
| 2:24 | Like a good bit of cable switching to get a film started. |
| 5:00 | Chooooon! |
| 11:58 | Wasn't sure about Moneypenny before but she is awesome. |
| 14:10 | It's like the fifth different Felix. You wouldn't think a character could change faces more than Bond. |
| 22:20 | Loving (and by that I mean hating) the heeled seventies shoes. |
| 26:01 | "Names is for tombstones, baby." |
| 29:26 | There's some seriously dodgy facial hair going on in this film. |
| 34:11 | Too much snake stuff! |
| 40:21 | That doesn't so much seem like spying as just fishing to me. |
| 43:46 | "Up in the hills down there." |
| 53:16 | Physical violation is the very definition of rapey, James. |
| 59:11 | It's all gone a bit Cliff Richard. |
| 1:03:51 | You can't call him Jim! |
| 1:09:48 | "I once had a nasty turn in a booth." Best line yet. |
| 1:19:43 | That man was clearly just employed for his laugh, and I can see why. Terrifying! |
| 1:30:24 | Carboat! |
| 1:33:24 | The sheriff is hilarious. This is like a whole other film. |
| 1:40:17 | "SECRET AGENT!" |
| 1:48:17 | Yay, there's always a bunker somewhere! |
| 1:58:15 | Excellent job of getting her out the way - folded up in a bed! |
Thoughts
Ahhh, our first Roger Moore film and phew! Sean Connery was good but this is Bond as I first saw him. Immediately, everything felt like it had taken a step up in the lightness stakes. From the instant Moore appears, it seems like he's having more fun with the gig and that really comes across. However, it is a film made in the 70s and that means there are oranges/browns/flares agogo and I hate that.
It was long, too long really, and convoluted in places. Why take Bond to your secret hideout to kill him, and then just abandon him without checking the job is done? Dude escapes an alligator pond by jumping on alligators! Also, some implicit drugs knowledge - maybe that was default in the 70s but I had no idea what was going on until Bond explained it some time later.
However, it did have the best boat chase ever, and the brilliant Sheriff made the last half of the film amazing.
Overall, it's a different beast to those that have gone before, but one that certainly has it's own highlights. I enjoyed it, but I think there is better to come.
Rating: 3 / 5
