There’s a true fact: the
amazingly successful and long-running James Bond franchise will never stop, and
for good reason. They are the “Star Wars” fantasies for adults of every age. “Octopussy,”
the 13th in the series that started with “Dr. No” in 1961, is
actually better than most and how people say of it.
The film, released in
1983, makes no invention of being based on anything except the Ian Fleming
character and the huge good humor and fun of the filmmakers. Vincent Canby
stated in his review, “Agent 007 faces a succession of unspeakable dangers and
obliging women with the absurdly overstated, indefatigable waggishness that has
outlived all imitations.” Roger Moore, reprising the role of 007, is now aging,
which also evident of the character. The two have gotten kindly blended.
Canby stated, “Much of
the story is incomprehensible, but I'm sure that the characters include a crazy
Soviet general (Steven Berkoff), who is as feared by the Russians as by the
Allies; a decadent Afghan prince (Louis Jourdan), who gambles with loaded dice
and would not hesitate to blow up the world for personal profit, and the
glamorous tycoon of the film's title (Maud Adams), who lives in a lake palace
in Udaipur, India, from which she runs an international business empire of
hotels, airlines and an East German circus.”
The point of any Bond
movie is the amazing gadgets – this film includes a surprisingly pocket-size
jet plane – and the variations made on the chases, scenes that, like hilarious
vaudeville acts, shows one surprise to the next to find out the villain. In “Octopussy,”
the best of these is a funny, pre-credit scene where Bond escapes Cuba, another
in India where Bond is going up against a tiger at a part of an unusual “shoot”
and one across East Germany that has a car, a circus train and an atomic bomb.
George MacDonald Fraser,
Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson are the people on the story and
screenplay, which was directed by John Glen, who does much better job here than
on “For Your Eyes Only.” However, the stuff is completely better, and the
budget seems like it is more. Peter Lamont’s production design is both excessive
and funny.
This is another highlight
in the franchise. Octopussy is my friend’s favorite protagonist Bond girl, and she
kills it in this movie. If you have seen all the ones before this, definitely
don’t skip this one. You will actually find yourself thoroughly enjoying it, I
promise.
Look out tomorrow for a
welcoming return of a previous actor in “James Bond Month.”
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