Live and Let Die

Live and Let Die (1973)

Runtime: 122 minutes

Directed by: Guy Hamilton

Starring: Roger Moore, Yaphet Kotto, Jane Seymour, Julius Harris

From: United Artists

My apologies for this being up late but I ended up watching the end of the big baseball game between Washington and St. Louis.

Finally, after months and months, I watched another Bond movie. The last one I did was the lame Diamonds are Forever, the last official Bond film Sean Connery did. Here, this is the first flick Roger Moore did as 007. I'll be lazy and steal the plot synopsis straight off the back of the DVD:

“James Bond battles the forces of black magic in this high-octane adventure that hurtles him from the streets of New York City to Louisiana's bayou country. With charm, wit, and deadly assurance, Roger Moore steps in as Agent 007 and takes on a powerful drug lord with a diabolical scheme to conquer the world.” Yep, that sums things up pretty well. Bond goes from his apartment in London to New York City (Harlem, in particular), the fictional country of San Monique (filmed in Jamaica), and then Louisiana to do battle with Kananga and his memorable band of villains.

Overall, I'll say that this was real up and down. There definitely are memorable moments (Bond escaping a thorny situation by running across the back of crocodiles, the bitchin' boat chase, and how this was a de facto Bond Blaxploitation movie. But, there are also some dumb moments. I mean, you have to believe that all this voodoo/tarot cards/mumbo jumbo is actually legit. For me I can't as I know it's all poppycock. The movie doesn't feel that way on those paranormal aspects, though. Then, there's Sheriff J.W. Pepper, who is odious comic relief. A little of him goes a long way; there's more than a little of him you see. Sure, him calling Bond “A doomsday machine” is funny, but otherwise... but to me the story just felt slight, you know. And wow what a poorly done, ridiculous poppycock silly villain death.

At least there are such things as Jane Seymour looking pretty hot, and an awesome title song/opening credits sequence, involving Paul McCartney and Wings. The score from George Martin is groovy, which is surprising considering it's a white dude from Britain, but there you go. I'll talk about where I rank all the Moore Bonds once I finish them who knows when, but I think this'll be somewhere in the middle.

I'll be back Sunday night.