Live and Let Die (Special Edition)
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Movie Reviews of Live and Let Die (Special Edition)
Movie Review: The Moore Era Begins
Summary: 4 Stars
Some people question the inclusion of this title to the James Bond Gift Set, but as the first of the Roger Moore Bonds it ushers in a new era and is important in an historical context. One thing the commentary and 'making of" featurette neglect to mention is that the brass at United Artists, having felt the first non-Connery Bond a big disappointment, was to insist that the film be so entertaining it didn't matter who played Bond. Having Paul McCartney doing your title song didn't hurt either. Although I disagree with many of the things the filmmakers chose to include, it is interesting to hear their reasonings. For example, Bond literally stacking the deck of tarot cards to seduce Solitaire is just wrong, wrong, wrong. Bond should never have to "trick" anyone into bed. Screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz must spend 20 minutes all told saying how Moore differed from Connery. We got it, Tom! Filmmakers' memories can be faulty, but someone connected to this special edition should have told us why veteran Bond composer John Barry and actor Desmond Llewelyn (Q) were unavailable for this outing. Although not my favorite Bond, there is a freshness to this film, and Moore seems more youthful (even though he is 3 years older than Connery!) and very enthusiastic. It is hard to argue with success, and LIVE AND LET DIE was a big moneymaker for the studio and the Bond team.Movie Review: An Extra Star for the Extras
Summary: 4 Stars
I was ten in 1973 and LIVE AND LET DIE was my first James Bond movie, so I have a lot of fond memories of it.
I would go on to discover the Sean Connery films and become a 007 fanatic to this day. LIVE AND LET DIE would drop further down the list of my favorites, but it's still a good one. Definitely one of the best of Moore's. The boat chase through the Louisiana bayous is still exciting. Some people complain about the loud-mouth Sheriff, but I thought he was funny (his appearance in THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN was a bit much though, even though he added some life to that entry).
I loved the cast. Yaphet Kotto is always great. Jane Seymour, at 19 in her debut, is stunning. Geoffrey Holder, whose smooth, deep voice is still heard on radio stations to this day, makes a interesting presence as the ghostly voodoo figure, Baron Samedi. And Julius W. Harris is cool as the "butter-hook" thug, TeeHee.
The title song, by Paul & Linda McCartney, is usually considered one of the best.
But be sure to check out the extras, especially the Making Of featurette. The behind-the-scenes footage of the action sequences is fascinating (why did they feel the need to put poor Jane Seymour in that skidding bus for every shot???). And definitely check out the real Kananga's run across the backs of live alligators! Wow!
Movie Review: Good Movie, but the worse man to play Bond
Summary: 4 Stars
This is one of the first Bond Movies that I have ever seen that did not star the current Bond Bronson. Let's just say that it did not fit up to all of my expectations then and now as a Bond Veteran owning all 20 movies it seems even worse. Don't get me wrong I think this is a good movie and a welcome part to any Bond collection, I just don't really like Moore in any of the Bond films.
This movie had the very difficult task of replacing Connery yet again in this famous series. And instead of finding a man to play Bond as a tough suave hero they put in the somtimes painfully corny Roger Moore. Sadly they could not have chosen a worse book to base it on becuase they set him off right away at destroying the second best book in the series.
Lets move past Moore shall we. The rest of the movie was great, with awesome gadgets, one of the best women in all of the Bond films Solitare, and a very fun villian. This also brought back Felix Lieter, Bond's friend in the CIA who appeares in many of the movies. The man who played Felix this time is the only one who ever plays him a second time in the movie License to Kill.
Out of all the movies that Moore starred in during the Bond series this one is probably the best, so go ahead and enjoy it, just don't expect him to be a Connerry. NUFF SAID
Movie Review: Live and Let Die
Summary: 4 Stars
After Sean Connery left the role of OO7 UA chose Roger Moore to take the role of Bond and his debut is fairly impressive, yet it can't compare to Conery's debut in Dr.No at all. Roger Moore is good but wouldn't actually grow completely into the role until 1977's The Spy who Loved Me. Yaphet Kotto is a good villain as island diplomat Kananga aka Mr. Big. Julius Harris and Geoffrey Holder are great and very memorable as steel-armed Tee-Hee and voodoo man Baron Samedi. The plot is that Kananga will release tons of heroin worth millions of dollars into the streets sold through a chain of Fillet of Soul restaurants to greatly increase the number of users. Bond must travel back and fourth from the San Monique to New Orleans. As in Dr.No, the Caribbean settings are very beautiful. Paul McCartney and Wings perform one of the best OO7 songs ever and George Martin's score is great. The action includes a car chase through the countryside roads of San Monique, a gunfight in a plane garage, a terrific boat chase (my personal favorite in the series) through the rivers of southern Louisiana, and hand-to-hand fghts around a shark train and on a train where OO7 defeats Kananga and Tee-Hee. Jane Seymour is great as Solitaire.Movie Review: 007 meets Superfly
Summary: 4 Stars
Roger Moore's debut as James Bond 007,is the series most action packed movie, yet the beginning of the series more tongue and cheek approach as the intrigue 1960's-era Bond films is replaced by more knuckle headed action adventure of the 1970-era genre and beyond.
Of all the Bond actors, Moore is the most viewer friendly , as he exude charm,and not as ruthless and lethal as Sean Connery.Always a twinkle in his eye when his license to kill is enforced.
Bond's mission this time is to investigate the disappearance of MI6 agents who have been trailing Dr Kananga (Yaphett Kotto), the leader of San Monique and his connection to Mr Big,a big time drug dealer in New York and New Orleans.Bond gets in over his head when he "touches" Kananga's tarot card priestess Solitaire (Jane Seymour).Memorable scenes include An alligator farm escape as well as an overlong speedboat chase.Julius Harris' deadly steel-armed Tee-Hee, ranks with Oddjob and Jaws as the movie series neferious henchmen.
Whether it was made to jump on the popular Blaxpoitation bandwagon of the early 1970's,LALD ranks as one of the best of the Moore era movies.