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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mr Bond, it's good to see you again, 31 Jul 2006
Roger Moore's tenure as James Bond lasted from 1973 to 1985, during which time the Bond series turned more towards a comic style and Bond became more known for one-liners than for being a spy and assassin. Some of Moore's films were, on the other hand, much more balanced with regars to humour. Live And Let Die is my favourite Roger Moore James Bond film. Although much of Ian Fleming's novel is abandoned, the film still carries a Fleming-esque flavour. This is in part due to the Caribbean setting. Filmed in Fleming's beloved Jamaica, LALD is Moore's first effort as Bond and he is most convincing as Ian Fleming's secret agent. He is a little more ruthless here, and although he has some tongue in cheek dialogue, it doesn't go overboard. The only time the comic side of the picture gets out of hand is when Clifton James is on screen hamming it up as Sheriff J.W Pepper. Also the death of the villain, Kananga is very far fetched, and doesn't look convincing on screen.
The film's strongest points are probably the score and the henchmen. The score was composed by Beatles producer George Martin and really gives the film an interesting. The title song is used as the main action theme and Martin also composed some other good themes which appear regularly in the score. As much as I am a fan of John Barry, I'm not convinced that he could have done a better job than Martin on this film. In fact, I can barely imagine the picture with a more traditional Barry score.
The villain's henchmen are excellent. Tee Hee, a tall sadist armed with a mechanical hook. Baron Samedi, a voodoo priest with a wonderful sadistic laugh. Whisper, an overweight, almost mute henchman. The villain himself is Dr. Kananga, a politician who also operates as a Harlem gangster. The plot revolves around heroin, and Kananga's efforts to gain the monopoly in the heroin trade.
The DVD itself is very good. I didn't own the Special Edition, but I really like this Ultimate Edition. Although, looking at which features were present on the previous release. I'm not sure whether it would be worth buying this if you already have the previous version. But if, like me, you only had the VHS previously, this is a must buy. The library of extra features is rather good. The usual 'Making Of' documentary, narrated as always by Patrick Macnee. Also, worth looking at is the 'Bond 1973' documentary. Another behind the scenes look at LALD, but not as good as the Patrick Macnee one. Also of interest is the Bond circa 1964 piece, showing Roger Moore appearing as 007 in a 1964 TV program. It is a very nice comic piece between Bond and his Russian female counterpart, both just trying to have a holiday, but enable to shake off their suspicions about each other.
Overall, this is one of my favourite Bond films and an equally good DVD release. One thing that puzzles me though, why did they put a picture of Roger Moore in Octopussy on the label of Disc 1. He barely looks like the same person that he did in LALD, as the pic was taken a decade later. Oh well, a minor slip, but it cerainly doesn't ruin this very good DVD set. Go on, buy it. You won't regret it.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Less is Moore...?, 18 Sep 2007
Moore's first movie successfully makes the transition into 70's, with flares, jazz, afro's and all, intact. It's an extension of the Americanisation that started in Diamonds are Forever, and a lot of it works - at least well enough to establish Roger Moore as the new Bond quite painlessly. His is a different Bond - more suave, less fisticuffs, more one liners. But the story lurches from new ideas to old standards in hesitant fashion, ultimately ending unsatisfyingly.
There are some very memorable set-pieces, but there is a lot missing from the mix too. The plot line meanders and never seems to present a particularly threatening atmosphere. SPECTRE and Blofeld are rather missed, as the franchise struggles to find a replacement protagonist for the new decade. After megalomaniacs trying to achieve world domination, a drugs baron (Mr Big, played by Yaphett Koto) somehow seems tame by comparison.
Moore is often criticised for bringing too much levity to the series - but the one liners roll easily from his tongue (amazingly, given how firmly entrenched it is in his cheek). However, for every plus in the humour stakes, something is lost in the action stakes - Moore was never convincing in the running and fighting. The final train compartment fight in the coda is ok, but pales compared to the classic similar scene in `From Russia...' In this movie, although older than Sean Connery, with careful editing, he just about holds his own as a credible action hero.
It is over half way through the movie as your eyelids may be drooping, that the movie really kicks into gear, with `that' boat chase. It's action packed, with great stunts and humour throughout, in large part due to Sheriff W Pepper. Other than the colourful Sheriff, in terms of characters, women are given a bit of a bum deal, either whimpering Jane Seymour falling instantly for Bond's charms thanks to a rather ungentlemanly piece of cheating, or Rosie Carver who is portrayed as the most useless CIA agent ever (although Bond gamely offers to `lick her into shape'). Yaphet Koto however is a credible Bond villain- even when he cannot decide whether to be something from a Blaxploitation movie, or the Blofeld clone he sounds like in the final few scenes of the movie, in the inevitable underground lair.
It is this switch from high octane powerboat chase to disappointingly old fashioned finale, that ultimately lets the film down.
For this ultimate edition, the usual professional job has been done in restoring both picture and sound, with the dts mix being near flawless and never too clver, and the picture just perfect. All the extras from the Special Edition are present, with just a couple more - this time, an interesting curio - an excerpt from a 1964 comedy sketch where Moore plays Bond! Also a vintage but quite well done 1973 vintage documentary. The original `Inside Live and Let Die' and the feature commentary are still the must see highlights.
As a package then, good enough to introduce a new Bond, while Moore was still young enough to fill Bond's shoes. It has scenes worth waiting for, but is certainly not one of Bond's finest moments.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quick Reviews!, 8 Dec 2007
My personal favourite Bond Movie (largely because of nostalgia) and along with Moonraker, the most bizarre outing for the secret agent. Where Moonraker failed though, Live And Let Die succeeds. There are good set pieces, fights, girls, funny moments (not as over the top as they would become) and unusually for a Bond film, it is actually quite scary in parts, especially for the younger viewer.
When Bond is sent to America to investigate the deaths of several British Agents, his search leads him to Mr Big, a Harlem crime lord. With further investigation, Bond finds a drug-smuggling link between Mr Big, and Dr. Kananga, a mysterious man from a Caribbean island. Bond flies to Kananga's island to stop the massive Heroin dealing. There he meets the beautiful Solitaire played wonderfully by Jane Seymour, a virgin who has been enslaved by Kananga as her mystical powers bring him success. Bond soon finds himself entwined in voodoo forces he can barely fight, and struggles to complete his mission.
Plenty of stunts and action sequences, chases and humour make this an instant Bond classic, but the characters and performances of Yaphet Kotto and his various goons make it one of the best. Tee Hee is mysterious, Whisper is memorable, and Baron Samedi is a strong Villain as he seems to be immortal. This marks the appearance of Sheriif GW, and his comic escapades which are either annoying or very funny depending on your point of view. Moore gives a good performance, bringing the series in a different direction, and Seymour is one of the most beautiful Bond girls. There are many memorable moments, including the famous train fight, and Kananga's explosive end. Probably the most scary Bond film so far, in fact there has not been another one like it, and when i was young it was always the one i most looked forward to seeing. There are flaws- it does have more slapstick humour than previous outings and Bond does not seem as tragic or cold a character as before.
The features, like all of the Ultimate Editions are excellent, along with impressive picture and sound restoration work. There are trailers, documentaries, and an interestin early sight of Moore as Bond.
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