I completely agree with you both, it’s my favorite Bondmovie, but basically Gilbert made the same movie three times with Twice, Spy and Moonraker.
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The flow is great, it really is a joy to watch. I love the little scene of Bond and Holly in the ambulance. Apart from Moore saying “sorry about that”, it’s all visual filmmaking. Holly’s flirting, Bond’s sliding bed, his hilarious wink and the ‘we’ll take more care of you’ sign. The same visual filmmaking is on show during the boat chase. Just the visuals, natural sound and Barry’s score taking you away right up until Jaws drags Bond out of the python pool. Magnificent.
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What’s also strong in this movie and what all the Bondmovies from the Connery and Moore area have (maybe not AVTAK), is the holliday/vacation feeling, when you’re watching it as a viewer. You realy feel you’re in Venice, or Brasil. It looks so colourfull and exotic.
I don’t have this with the current movies at all.
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Because cheap airlines and online killed the vicarious tourism element, not just in Bond, but all of cinema.
Yes, but the most important reason is the budget of the movies.
You just can’t make that “globbetrotting/traveling all over the world” movies anymore, or they don’t want to invest that kind of money.
Today the movies are on a smaller scale.
I read somewhere here that LtK had the same budget of Moonraker and that was just ten years later, nowadays the difference would be immense.
But it’s also the look of the oldmovies: Dr. No, From Russia, Thunderball, You only live twice, Spy who…, Moonraker etc. they all look so bright and colourful. Almost like an old postcard. You don’t have this in today’s movies.
I think AVTAK still has that. Much of the film takes place in Paris and San Francisco. They may not be as exotic as Brazil or Egypt or Japan, but the film still has its travelogue.
I think Paris was kind of underutilized, although I think they did a really good job with San Francisco. When I think of AVTAK, I hardly ever remember that that early section takes place in Paris (and this despite the Eiffel Tower).
That’s kind of true. It has a stunt off the Eiffel Tower (that caused a lot of controversy and nearly caused the French government to revoke EON’s permits to film in Paris) and a truly bizarre car chase. France has been very underutilized in the films when compared to the books.
Right…Octopussy…a decidedly meh film at the hands of extremes. It veers between some of the best work the series has seen (Kamal Khan, the PTS) to its worst (it’s theme, the tuc-tuc chase)
It doesn’t know what it wants to be.
Should also say; my wife, who is Punjabi, finds the film’s depiction of India “errrm, fairly, offensive”
Edit: oh dear god, Koskov is Putin…
Tonight would be a good night to put on Live and Let Die in honor of the late, David Hedison R.I.P.
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Feeling like LICENCE TO KILL to honor the late David Hedison. Hopefully there will be time for that in the next day or two.
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Just broken up for summer and it’s roasting hot: it’s just got to be Thunderball. A classic, epic afternoon movie if ever there was one.
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So after the sprawling spectacle of Thunderball, today I fancied something a touch punchier and turned to QOS, a film I’d never normally go to. I was pleasantly surprised…
The bad:
AWTD could have been great, but just isn’t. The guitar riff and brass opener sounds epic, but soon things descend into a bit of a mess. If only Jack White had realised that less is more.
Yes, the editing is a bit much in places and clearly borrows from Bourne. That said, 10 years on with this style commonplace, it didn’t bother me so much this afternoon.
The villains’ scheme is a bit low key, though in a way I do see that fitting for this modern take on SPECTRE. That said, I can see how some would be underwhelmed by an evil plan to become an expensive utility provider!
The fx in the sinkhole jump are verging on tsunami surfing bad. Oh for the days of Moonraker, where things were actually filmed!
The Mathis body dump still jars. It’s not awful, but I’m just not sure it’s Bond’s style.
I love Craig as Bond, but here more than at any time, he just comes off as petulant. Connery would never have been so disrespectful to M.
Also, he isn’t quite there with the one liners yet: the seasick line falls totally flat. One of the things that delights me about Spectre is how Craig has found the perfect balance in this essential art of being Bond.
Please, please, please can we stop saving Bond with an exploding canister. It’s getting beyond a joke!
The good:
The opening double punch of the car and then foot chase is breathless and serves tension by the bucketload. When Craig finally shoots Mitchell it is brilliantly done.
I love how the beginning of the film sets up Quantum as this super sinister threat that leaves M visibly rattled. The colour coded villain names is a nice update on SPECTRE numbers and shows an evil organisation with real potential. This is something that could’ve played out so well over several more films… leading all the way to Mr Black as the head of the organisation. Oh well!
If I’m less than keen on Craig’s interaction with M, I love how he moves in that unmistakeable Connery/panther like way as he skirts the balcony of his hotel… and Arnold ramps up the Bond theme to perfection! The film is littered with little Bond moments: the breaking off of the door handle at the opera, the kicking in of the arm in the lift of the hotel. To me, it is those little moments that make me feel I’m watching Bond.
Mr Greene is a great villain. Yes, his scheme may lack ambition, but he is played beautifully as a study in self serving, slimy greed. He is believably evil. His ending may be stolen from The Eiger Sanction, but it fits the film brilliantly and IMHO is one of the great villain demises, further setting up Quantum ready for the follow on film that never came.
David Arnold is at his best with the score. A Night at the Opera is hands down my favourite piece of his work.
Speaking of which… this 21st update on the SPECTRE boardroom is one of the most Bondian scenes in years: perfection, though I suppose Tosca isn’t for everyone!
Dennis Gassner revives the Ken Adam vision of set design after the blandness of the Lamont years. The interior of Perla de las Dunas is stunning and 24 karat Bond. Futuristic glamour is back! I will be sad if he doesn’t return for Bond 25.
Overall Verdict:
I’m really glad I revisited Quantum. It’s aged well in light of the wider Craig era and set up a new organisation as a serious threat, even though this never quite materialised. For so long, I wished for the return of SPECTRE and Blofeld, and though I do love Spectre the film, watching this I can’t help but think of what could have been if they had stuck with Quantum and put SPECTRE on ice for the next Bond actor once they had retrieved the rights, rather than the somewhat rushed and clumsy shoehorning we ended up with. I won’t be leaving my next viewing of this film nearly so long. Apologies for the rather rambling write up, but I just wanted to share my thoughts!
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Good review, and I agree with most of your points. My issue has always been the editing, especially the PTS and rooftop chase. I always compare it to the Skyfall PTS where an extra second or two of breathing space lets us take in the action and work out what is going on.
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I’m starting to get the Bond itch again and have been meaning to watch something the last couple of days but sadly the tragic events of the shootings in the the U.S. over the last week have really put a damper on my ability to properly enjoy watching a Bond. However, tonight I am raring to go and will put on Casino Royale, accompanied by a martini or “maybe I’ll even stretch to two!” 
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What a good idea! I always feel like skewered lamb and red wine with Casino Royale, though!
You could always try CR’67 instead, Dove. 
I was just posting on another thread how two scenes from AVTAK and TND play differently today than in 1985 and 1997.
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I was back home in Ireland and my Mum has one of those ridiculous big screen TVs 60 inch monster , we happened upon AVTAK , oh my the larger screen was pretty unforgiving to Sir Rogers facial “work” . But , I still find the movie fascinating.
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(CR’67 will definitely require MORE than two martinis in order to make it through that movie… and yeah, it is one of those films that will definitely lighten the mood) 
Koskov from TLD? Or do you mean Orlov?