Moonraker


release year: 1979
genre: James Bond
viewing setting: home Bluray 1/22/19 and 12/17/12 and home laserdisc 12/14/99

synopsis: 007 is sent to find out why a space shuttle was hijacked and stolen.

impressions: This one was clearly trying to cash in on the Star Wars craze, and the result was a corny but surprisingly entertaining Bond movie. Notable: centrifuge trainer, killer dogs, kendo attacker, glass factory in Venice, Carnivale in Rio, adaptable Jaws, cable car fight, an instance of the "Magnificent Seven" theme as Bond rides by in poncho and hat, Drax' empire of beautiful people, anaconda, multiple space shuttles, hidden space station, laser guns.

acting: Roger Moore did fine; for example, after the centrifuge scene he looked genuinely pissed. However, this movie had several good supporting players. Drax, the main villain, was a cultured and intelligent foe who openly mocked Bond and the British. Lois Chiles as Holly Goodhead...well, at LAST we have a female CIA agent who is beautiful, smart, and competent! Richard Kiel did a good job with Jaws, too; this was the transition of the character from bad guy to good guy (or at least not so bad guy.) At one point, Jaws is menacing Bond and gets swept away in a crowd of revelers, fights it for a few seconds, then gives up and starts dancing along with them.

chase scenes: 1 skydiving, 1 gondola, 1 on-foot-during-Carnivale, 1 boat

mass fight at end: U.S. astronauts vs Drax' astronauts - in space!

neat gadgets: wrist dartgun, speedboat, watch w/plastic explosive

confirmed Bond kills: 3

confirmed Jaws kills: 0

confirmed Bond seductions: 3

obnoxious female names: Holly Goodhead

defining Bond moments: 

quotable: 
Corinne: "Welcome to California, Mr. Bond."
Bond: (staring at her cleavage) "I like it already."

Drax: (to henchman) "Look after Mr. Bond. See that some harm comes to him."

Drax: "You missed, Mr. Bond."
Bond: "Did I?" (sniper's body falls out of tree) "As you said, such good sport."

glass-shop lady: "Can I interest you in something?"
Bond: "Well, I'm tempted to say yes immediately...but I'd better have a look around."

Holly Goodhead: "Do you know him?"
Bond: "Not socially. His name's Jaws. He kills people."

Q: (referring to the exploding bolas) "Good. Have that ready for Army Day."

M: (watching Bond in bed on the big screen) "What's Bond doing?"
Q: "I think he's attempting re-entry, sir."


final word: Corny at times, but fairly entertaining.

back to the main review page