It is the difference between the traveler and the tourist.
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So true. And so sad.
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I know people will probably take exception to this - but my choice would be The Spy Who Loved Me. That must have absolutely dazzled audiences back in 1977. Even today the colours of that movie just pop & I think Lewis Gilbert got the absolute best out of Claude Renoir. Theres just something epic about the clarity & warmth of the cinematography that, OHMSS aside, the franchise had lacked for a decade or so. I suppose a great deal of my affection is due to what is ON film as well as HOW it was filmed but from the pre-credits alone the movie goes from the claustrophobic submarine atmosphere to an epic Dr Zhivago-esque take on Russian espionage in Moscow. And when a movie boasts as luscious 2nd Unit direction from John Glen capturing Willy Bogner’s ski action & Rick Sylvester’s parachute jump - Cinema’s all time great stunt sequence - then it’s a very special movie indeed & we haven’t even got to Egypt & the Pyramids yet or the beautifully filmed Nighttime scenes on the barge with Bond & Anya. Even the model units look amazing. I still have difficulty believing the Liparus & Lotus underwater scenes aren’t real.
But what I love most is that Gilbert & Renoit managed to get the audience fall in love with Bond & Anya falling in love. This is a very romantic movie without overdoing it with too much soft focus lensing. Theres a warmth there. Theres a sexiness there too.
It still looks terrific today & a large part of that is thanks to Ken Adams’ art direction, for me the greatest of the franchise. Stanley Kubrick’s idea to light the super tanker as part of the set was genius on a practical level & we get to see just how amazing an artist Ken Adam was
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OHMSS is fantastic but i think id give it to Skyfall.
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While my love for TSWLM is eternal, the best looking Bond for me has to be… what’s the one with the space shuttle again?
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Good choice. Venice looks great in Moonraker, particularly the last conversation M and Bond have around the canals. Rio is one of the most spectacular locations we’ve ever had in the series and I just love the complete adventurousness of the river and jungle sequences.
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I agree, Moonraker literally sparkles & I’m not just referring to the outer space scenes either.
I was gonna create a separate post about MOONRAKER but I’ll use this space 
to raise this. I know it all comes down to opinion - but I think the movie came very close to being amongst the greatest in the Bond movie pantheon. Dont get me wrong I LOVE the movie as it is but I also understand where the criticism comes from too. Here are a few tweaks that could have accelerated the movie to a Goldfinger level of respect:
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SPECTRE/Blofeld. I think their inclusion as either the main threat with Blofeld in place of Drax OR Drax operating for them would have been brilliant. It’s a shame that the Kevin McClory lawsuit had such a negative impact on the official franchise.
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The Eiffel Tower parachute jump made by Mayday in AVTAK was created by Christopher Wood for Moonraker & i think given the french/Parisian DNA of the movie it would have suited it much better than AVTAK. Had it made its way into the movie it would now be considered one of the most iconic & revered hallmarks of the franchise.
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The Acrostar Jet sequence from the Octopussy pre-credits was likewise created for Moonraker. It would have been a mind blowing inclusion
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The Musical Score/Theme song. I’m gonna contradict myself somewhat by saying I love both John Barry’s score & the Shirley Bassey theme song - but neither suit the movie IMO - although beautiful in their own rite. I think the score Marvin Hamlisch created for TSWLM really enhanced the tone & pace of the movie whereas Barry’s music for Moonraker slows the movie down a great deal. Ditto the Bassey theme song. Can you imagine how incredible the movie would have been had Bill Conti been its composer & created something similar to what he would go on to with FYEO?
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Lynda Carter as Holly Goodhead. Apparently it came very close to happening but despite of or maybe IN spite of the movies huge (for 1979) budget, UA were being measly & tight assed & were only prepared to pay her a quarter of her asking price & her agent said no on her behalf. By 1979 she had to be the most desired actress in the world because of Wonder Woman & I think she would have had great chemistry with Roger. I don’t feel much of a rapport between Roger & Lois Chiles who is kinda bland in the movie. Carter on the other hand I can see having a similar spark to Honor Blackman & Dianna Rigg
Ok so those are just a few suggestions that I think Moonraker would have benefited from. Having said that, I love the Moonraker we have all the same
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Completely disagree about the score. It’s what makes MR stately and grounds it despite its inherent silliness.
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Some really good points. I felt an instinctive defensiveness to your point about the score because I like it so much, but I sort of see where you’re coming from. As in: the ethereal quality lends itself well to a space scene in a film – but MOONRAKER? Well done for at least making me question it!
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I am in 2 minds about the score. On one hand I agree with you & think it does as you said. On the other hand I think it goes against the movie.
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It goes against the movie…with profound effect. If the score went against the film in a simple this-is-just-wrong way, then the movie would fall apart. The wonderful thing is that MR coheres so well–Sir Roger’s finest two hours as Bond.
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I consider MR to be Barry’s finest moment, really. In particular I am forever in awe of “Flight Into Space,” with 007 venturing into Earth orbit in a Derek Meddings model for Pete’s sake in potentially the ultimate “Jump the Shark” moment for the franchise, but Barry makes it work 100%. Yes, the score can be slow and even sedate in action scenes, which seems counter-intuitive, but IMHO it’s genius. Other films pile on the bombast with loud, urgent, blaring, fast-paced scores timed to already outlandish action, pushing things even further over the top, but Barry was smart enough to know MR didn’t need to go any further OTT; what it needed was something to ground frivolity in grandeur and provide gravitas even in the absence of gravity. No one else would have thought or dared to do what he did, and it’s a far better film for his efforts.
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I do love Moonraker. The 1989 Warner Bros VHS release with the artwork of Roger in space with the tuxedo under his space suit was key to me falling in love with the franchise as a kid
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I have an original of that teaser poster hanging in my den. It pretty much represents the apex of my personal Bond fandom, with TSWLM fresh in the rearview mirror and MR coming up just around the bend. For me it didn’t get any more thrilling than that. You might have guessed as much from my avatar.
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MOONRAKER was the moment for those born in the 60s where Bond had maybe the biggest impact as a fantasy/superspy and the grittier espionage element took a backseat. Older fans refuted it for just that quality - but if we look closer there’s quite a nasty horror core hiding inside the family entertainment, genocide on a global scale, a master race ready to reign from above over a planet whose former several billion inhabitants decompose in a short while and whose resources are then the property of the new leader and emperor.
One could imagine this plot as a splatter/horror sf thriller and the film’s biggest achievement is how good it hides that horror element underneath its shiny exterior and jolly good fun atmosphere. It’s a major cornerstone of film Bond and if BOND 26 comes anywhere near in being as entertaining and as gripping that would be a huge step towards recruiting new fans for James Bond.
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Excellent.
Sounds like what Right wingers are doing today around the globe:
Baginski rarely seems to stray from her rehearsed script. She smiles frequently as she speaks. Of course she rejects violence, she says. Every people has a right to exist. Just not everywhere. “If I’m interested in Turkish or Arab culture, I can travel to those countries.”
Full at:
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2026/10/11/germany-afd-youth-far-right-01108326
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