The villains steal the show in A View to a Kill

[@Wolfman1491]

Christopher Walken is the highlight here, he is so much fun and if you told me Walken was built in a lab, I would believe it, because he exists purely as caricature. A View to a Kill is fun when your in the right mood, but Octopussy would have been such a lovely send off for Roger Moore.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Octopussy would have been the perfect final film for Moore. In general, Bond actors tend to overstay their welcome by a film or two.

[@pavelpolonskij6931]

Just found this channel and you've gained a new subscriber. Dalton is also my favourite Bond.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Dalton fans unite!

[@andygold007]

@@AnalyzeThisMisterBondmany say he’s too dark and miserable. I love him being stone cold in License.

[@JayTemple]

Even Roger Moore admitted he was too old. He said, "I'm not just long in the tooth. I have tusks!"

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

He was always charmingly self-deprecating.

[@andygold007]

Yet he still did the role and did it well. I’m 47 and my body aches so not surprised at 57 he needed so much stunt work help

[@robvegas9354]

i absolutely love AVTAK. I would probably say it is my favorite in the seriies. it is so ridiculously entertaining. Awesome music, great cast, fantastic locations, cool action and fun all of the way through. When i was working in San Francisco a few years ago i took a few days off to visit all of the filming locations like city hall and the bridge. Good times. Excellent review!!

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Your favorite! That makes you a rare breed, and all the more worthy of celebration.

[@bryanalstoncoxing]

I think this would’ve been a great movie if it had been Timothy Dalton’s first and had a bit more serious of a tone Zorin and Mayday are fantastic and it would’ve been great to see a fight between Daltons Bond and Mayday

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Dalton's energy would have been very interesting in a story like this one.

[@bryanalstoncoxing]

@@AnalyzeThisMisterBond there’s a lot of dark elements to the story that could’ve been amped up, plus he would’ve been able to be more physical like the fight with the guards in France, an actual fight with Mayday and possibly a longer fight with Zorin on the Golden Gate Bridge

[@frankb821]

A lot of people like to ruminate on "what if Connery had played Bond in OHMSS," but personally, I always envision Roger Moore in that movie. If they'd have scooted Moore forward a couple of films, then brought Dalton in earlier too, best of both alternative worlds!

[@bryanalstoncoxing]

@@frankb821 that’s a great point! I’ve never thought of Roger in OHMSS but when I think more about it I think he would’ve done a wonderful job, especially in the Sir Hillary Bray scenes

[@jamesabernethy7896]

That is an amazing suggestion. Dalton could have done this and as you said, a more serious tone.

[@Bundeskaiser]

AVtaK and Octopussy are my favourite Moore Bonds, despite their flaws, and surely in my top 10 of all Bond films. Even when the plots are a bit all over the place (especially Octopussy) and they didn't handle Moore's age that well (especially in AVtaK - it's not only the chemistry with the Bond girl, it's also not plausible how this guy would beat Zorin, who isn't even much younger but also genetically enhanced. He should wipe the floor with Bond). They have great villains, great sets, I absolutely love them. Und unlike Connery, who looked really bored at some point, Moore always gave his best. I just wonder what would have happened if they had Dalton in this movie. My favourite Bonds are also Moore and Dalton.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Moore always showed up for work, you could say.

[@collinmiller4721]

You have so quickly become one of my leading authorities on Bond in the YT-verse. Great great work! And so bloody handsome to boot. 🙌

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Cheers, Colin! Reading that made my day.

[@IcePakOG]

I've always loved A View to a Kill and appreciate your more positive perspective on it than most.

[@andygold007]

I agree. It’s unique and great fun. Epic theme tune

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Cheers!

[@andygold007]

@@AnalyzeThisMisterBond credit where it’s due. For a young man I’m surprised how much love you give to Rog movies.

[@DafyddBrooks]

This was actually my first Bond movie and it has a alot of childhood nostalgia :) and I will say that there are some clever moments in the movie in how Bond is able to escape certain situation or think on his feet to solve certain problems without using guns and gadgets which is always nice to see. And yes there a lot of laughs about this movie. Saying that however...... after watch all the Bond movies in a row back in 1999, this movie really REALLY went down on my low list and none of my freinds ever wanted to see this movie again hahah. 11:52 I'm glad you mentioned that, I can see what they were trying to do and maybe it could have been earned if they executed it differently ..... perhaps??? 13:01 1000% agree especially since people like Clint eastwood or Harrison ford came back as Harry or Indie at a much older age , so i dount see that to be the films biggest problem. 13:45 Your right again, if however you had someone like Priscilla Presley or some one else maturer then maybe they could have gotten away with it. I feel Denise Richards only just got away with it in TWINE compared to someone like Tanya personally. Hope your well mate, i need to get back to watching your videos. enjoy your summer

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Cheers, bud.

[@frankb821]

I'm beginning to figure out the impetus of your preferences...you definitely gravitate to the quirkier films, and the films with unique, standout characters over plotting. I'm glad to hear you giving some love to a film I find incredibly endearing, hilarious, and perpetually watchable. This is the 1st Bond film I saw in theaters so it will always hold a special place in my heart. I love the scene when Walken drops that guy out of the blimp and you see his body falling...so unceremonious. God, I love Walken. Moore is so damn suave and charming in this entry...Back in middle school (circa 1986/7) I actually used to introduce myself to girls as "James Singeon-Smythe." I thought it was hilarious, even as they looked incredulous and usually just walked away...haha

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

I like big swings, I think. For me, a good Bond film lodges itself in your memory and doesn't let go.

[@jasonholland3837]

The biggest fault with A View to a Kill is that Rodger was too old and Tanya Roberts was too young. For Your Eyes Only is the best Rodger Moore film minus the pre-title sequence.

[@peterstevens9835]

You should go through the continuity of spectre in the early bond films

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

An interesting idea!

[@belloq81]

I completely agree about Walken and Jones. To the extent that the movie is worth celebrating, I think it’s for them and the particular -- and peculiar! -- new vibes they inject into the series here. Jones’ physicality is impressive, and almost every line reading and reaction Walken has is memorable. As for Moore’s age, I always feel conflicted about with this film. On one hand, he’s still bringing all the enthusiasm and professionalism that I love about his time in the role. On the other hand, as you say, the movie does him no favors by pairing him up with women who are, visually, just not at all a match for his age. And whatever subtle work he had done between OCTOPUSSY and this draws attention to that even more. Incidentally, I think he looks much better (and more “natural”) in the HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, 007 special he hosted two years after AVTAK.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Yes, I've heard that Moore's face work hadn't had time to settle by the time AVTAK began shooting. He did look more himself afterwards.

[@fmor4133]

I know some of AVTAK is undefendible but it was my first in a movie theatre so it was, is and probably will forever be my favorite.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

You never forget your first.

[@doubleehseven]

As always, superb analysis! Totally agree with you on that one, the villains are the best part of the movie. I think this is a good film with a good plot, yes, recycled from Goldfinger, but with a modern twist (for the 80's). The problem is not that Moore is too old, it's that the whole movie makes him look too old. Like it was said multiple times before, the whole MI6 looks like a retirement home, and compared to them, the villains look like high school students, Walken having an energy that Moore couldn't compete with. Moore is given clothes that age him while we get Mayday in modern one and Zorin in nice cut suits. And we just come from Octopussy with Maud Adams who looks way more age appropriate to Moore than Tanya Roberts could ever be. It almost feels like the producer tried to put emphasis on Moore's age in every way they could. So, of course the villains are taking all the spotlight here, Moore never had a chance to really shine, even when giving his all.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

I agree with much of this!

[@TheBondLifeSociety]

I agree with the title villains steal the show!

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

This may be the only Bond film in which this is true (at least to such a big extent).

[@DafyddBrooks]

26:46 Agreed and thats why I would say at the very least that moments like that in this movie, makes it more of an legitimate movie for what its worth compared to what sadly 'Die another Day' is really. Ooooooo while there are pictures online, did you ever see the video footage of Grace Jones and Maude Adams promoting 'Goldeneye 64' in a 1997 games exhibition? Its no longer online, but its defintaley out there, someone must still have that footage.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

I have never seen that footage! I need to seek it out immediately.

[@DafyddBrooks]

@@AnalyzeThisMisterBond well i say, theres pics on google of the event but the footage is no where to be found.

[@patrickbarry6273]

I see its flaws, but it's in my top 5. And, this channel does a great job of, well.... analyzing Bond.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Thank you, Patrick!

[@jbjones07]

This was the second Bond film I'd seen as a kid (Live and Let Die was the first). It's not my favorite film of the series, but it does leave a lasting impact on you. The Golden Gate Bridge scene I was obsessed with because it's such a great fight scene. Mayday is a beautifully striking character, the rare secondary villain who has a close fondness with the main villain and then is given an incredibly memorable redemption arc (big fan of Grace, btw). And Duran Duran's song has always been my favorite. From my kid days to adulthood, I've always viewed this film as one of the darker Bond films. As a child, you sometimes see some of the sillier aspects as still being serious (kind of like how a small child watches the Adam West Batman show or the Schumacher films). And when you grow up, you can see the playfulness much more. But I still view it as being pretty unrelentingly dark. Zorin, Mayday, and Scarpine have killed more people than James Bond has within the movie itself (in constrast to, say, Brosnan's films, where Bond mows down more people than his main enemies do). The mine massacre is so gratuitous, it made me, as a viewer, hate Zorin's guts even more than most of the other villains of the series. By the time the film's over, almost all of the main cast is dead, except for, of course, Bond and Stacey, and the Mi6 regulars (and oh yeah, the San Francisco police captain, lol).

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Truth be told, I am a Grace Jones superfan.

[@jbjones07]

@@AnalyzeThisMisterBond "Slave to the Rhythm" is Grace at her best 👍

[@bryanalstoncoxing]

@@AnalyzeThisMisterBond I wish she had indeed filmed her scene for No Time To Die She’s one of the most inspired casting decisions in the entire series, and I love how they didn’t make her tone down her over the top fashions or makeup or hair

[@johnwells5414]

I really wish this was Timothy Dalton’s first Bond film. I enjoyed the film, and I wouldn’t say it’s my least favorite, that would be Diamonds are Forever and Man with the Golden Gun

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

I'm glad Dalton got a stronger script than this one, though.

[@jamesabernethy7896]

Fantastic video. I found your channel recently with your Octopussy presentation. I've got a few videos to watch first but I am really looking forward to check out your channel from the beginning. You mentioned Columbo and that makes me want to give this video 2 thumbs up. Someone in the comments has already suggested a ranking or tier list of Bond Movies and I think that would be fantastic. You could also do ones for Villains and Henchman. I know AI tools can be controversial at times but I suddenly wondered, what if Moore was De-aged for this movie. Approx 40 instead of 56.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Thank you, James! I'm sure we'll see Bond fans do some impressive edits in the future. Maybe we'll get a fan cut of AVTAK that shifts things around.

[@CosmicApe2]

Not Columbo, Matlock. I’ve always said this movie has Matlock energy.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Maybe that's a better reference.

[@FromWilloWithLove]

I’ve always had a hard time connecting with this film. I think the screenplay really lets it down - however I will say that John Barry’s score is fantastic & I love that track that plays as Bond & Zorin fight on the Golden Gate Bridge.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

You gotta love Barry doing his thing.

[@dj71162]

I have to disagree with you regarding the villains, as I'm pretty split on them. Jones is a complete original and is an easy stand out as the best performance in the film. She brought so much intrigue and mystique to the role. Walken, on the other hand, I feel is miscast and just does his usual wacky 'Christopher Walken' routine that we've seen in many other films, except this time he's blonde. I simply never bought him in the role. As for the use of "California Girls", it is actually a cover by David Lee Roth, which was released a few months before the film released, which is pretty bizarre. I can't imagine another occasion where they would use a recent hit song, that isn't the official theme song. The Beach Boys were in talks at one point to perform a title song around 1967, so perhaps for You Only Live Twice. It would have been called "Run James Run". It never happened, but the instrumental for the song survived and appeared as the title track on their acclaimed 1966 album, Pet Sounds.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Interesting that they used a cover! I think Walken finds a uniquely charged energy in this and don't think it's just a repeat of his baseline shtick, so we'll have to agree to disagree on that one!

[@jbjones07]

It would've been interesting if they were able to get David Bowie for the part of Zorin. Who knows how his interpretation would've been, but it would've been a rather "other-worldly" pairing between him and Grace. Both have striking looks.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Even if it hadn't been in this film, Bowie would've been a brilliant Bond villain.

[@MultiCastorFiber]

I sorta feel like a view would be a pretty great bond movie if it was filmed with a moore in his prime and a less screechy stacey sutton

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Yeah, if it had been made a few years earlier, I'm sure it would have been sharper. But then it also would've been a very different movie!

[@MultiCastorFiber]

@@AnalyzeThisMisterBond True. Will you ever do a personal ranking of all the bond films?

[@frankb821]

She is screechy, but soo damn hot I forgave her :)

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

@@MultiCastorFiber Yes, but I think I need to finish my "Unified Theory" series before I do!

[@yestoadventure007]

Great analysis and yes the villains steal the show indeed! The fact that Zorin and Mayday are such wonderfully memorable villains is why unfortunately I rank this film so low (2nd from the bottom). They had great villains in a very silly, overdone and underdone movie. So silly that this is one that very definitely slides into self parody, to the point where I felt Roger Moore wasn't bring humor to James Bond but making fun of Bond and of Fleming. I felt (and this is just my subjective feeling) that Roger Moore was at this point highlighting the absurdity so much that he'd lost all respect for the source material in the Fleming novels. It seemed to me that Moore thought Bond was just a big joke, so why take any of it seriously. His callous attitude toward death and killing made him look like a high functioning sociopath. Bond as the Joker, sans whiteface and cackle. Moore's age was never more on display where he looked like the Stacy's grandfather. With all due respect Tanya Roberts was not a very good actress and her shortcomings were highlighted in the film due to the history of so many wonderful and very sophisticated actresses. She was one of the main reasons why this film was dragged down. The location of San Francisco was uninspiring as was the use of the city, especially in contrast to all the wonderful European location especially Paris! (Great use of SF, Bullitt) Going from Paris to San Fran was emblematic of the films deterioration as it went on. The fire engine scene was the most cringe worthy action pieces in all the Bond films after the pre title sequence. Good points, the villains, the Duran Duran song, Patrick McGee... That's all I have. Of course this is all subjective and I must say I love your reasoning for praising this film, even though I don't share that opinion. I have no desire to convince you or anyone who likes AVTAK that this was a bad film, since you get so much pleasure from it but this is a cinematic analysis channel, so I fear one must give all points of view. For me it's a hard one to watch.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Well, I certainly don't *love* this movie, and I agree with many of your opinions. But I do reach for it over a few others.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

I think Grace Jones was the stand out villain. I don't think Walken was memorable as Zorin. I just felt him going through the motions of the standard Bond villain. I never thought he made a great impression outside of just being Walken who is naturally an attractive personality.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Fair enough!

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@AnalyzeThisMisterBond I think there is a character there. A bratty yet disciplined man who is mad. Unfortunately, I never feel that he truly goes out and let's loose. The machine gunning at the end was so cheap to me, I got nothing out of it. To me, only a few precious moments were good. Something as little as being excited over Bond's profile or putting a gun to his head when he spoke about the secret of genius. Also, I am disappointed to see that the German doctor was such a lame, throw away enemy.

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

The German doctor is a nothing character who could have been so much more.

[@bryanalstoncoxing]

AVTAK was the first Bond movie I saw back in 2001 and I really loved it and still do. There’s a charm that the movie has, the music is some of the best in the series and Zorin/Mayday are so bizarre and fun I can watch them at anytime Plus the Golden Gate Bridge fight is excellent

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

You never forget your first.

[@Paul_Whaley]

Ryan, Loved the analysis, and I understand why you like this film more than FYEO. This is certainly a more ambitious, less safe film than FYEO, but I really think it misses the mark. AVTAK is easily my least favorite Bond film. I think it's pretty bad, but like most things, still has some good elements. In this proverbial crap sandwich, we've got some good bread, in the form of the soundtrack/title track, and the villains. The Barry score is great. It's in my top three of his scores, right there with Daylights and OHMSS. I've been a Duran Duran fan for a long time, so that title track hits the mark too. I think that Walken and Jones are doing their best in the film, and it severely overshadows everything else. I'm happy for that, as otherwise, this would be an even worse film. For me, the writing in this film sucks. The horse-breeding plot is lame, the Nazi-breeding backstory of Zorin is both weird, but not weird enough, and the actual story beats of the film are trite. Zorin would be a more interesting character if he was better written, as Walken could have certainly done a lot more with a better script. Was Roger too old to be Bond? I think so, but I'm also happy to entertain the idea that he was not. However, AVTAK's writing only makes him seem more out of place and older than any other Bond actor's last film. Octopussy would have been a much better cap to his tenure, instead of this boring, made-for-TV feeling film. Some of the action is good, but in no world do I believe that it is Roger's Bond doing these stunts. I loathe most of the characters in this film. Stacey is an easy one to dog on, and I'm not going to change that mentality. She sucks. She's annoying, she's only not got much charisma, and she's just so shrill. Nothing against the late Tanya Roberts, but again, the script likely lead to a lot of the poor moments in the film. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Beach Boys song at the start. I've been showing my lovely girlfriend the Bond films, and we've covered about 8/25 of them. We've watched 3 of Craig's films, 3 of Brosnon's, The Spy Who Loved Me, and OHMSS. I showed her the pre-titles to AVTAK as an example of why I would not be making her watch that film. She was flabbergasted that the production okayed that musical decision, and man, it's probably my least favorite moment in any Bond film. Kills an otherwise good pre-titles. I'm not saying that AVTAK is the worst thing ever. Sure, I'd probably like to take pliers to my fingernails before I watch it again, but hey, this film exists to make every other Roger film seem like they can do no wrong. I'm looking forward to wherever you direct the channel next. Maybe a wristwatch video?

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Analyzing the watches of James Bond! Not a bad idea.

[@masercot]

The Bond-girl in this one (the American agent) was so bland that she barely registered on film...

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

A common complaint!

[@masercot]

@@AnalyzeThisMisterBond Same with the Bond girl in Moonraker, I'm afraid.

[@graysimmo5399]

I rate AVTAK as definitely the weakest Moore entry, and arguably the worst in the whole series. At 57 Moore wouldn't have been too old had the film been made today, as people seem to age much better. Brosnan at 51, and Craig at 53 look miles younger and more believable than Moore in this movie. I haven't seen it in Blu Ray or 4K, which I am sure would only heighten the issue, but its immediately obvious he is too old for this role. I love Walken in general. But in his more understated way. Here he is just cartoon-ish, too over the top. Tanya Roberts has got to be the worst Bond girl of the lot. As for Grace Jones, she couldn't act her way out of a paper bag. She looks like she is just reading auto cue. The earlier Bond girls weren't exactly treated like fully functioning people, and were just damsels in distress and eye candy. But even they had more charisma and personality than this pair. The story in itself isn't terrible, its pretty stock in trade-like most of them. But here there is nothing to elevate it above that mediocrity. I didn't always like the humour that seemed to become more and more in your face from TSWLM onwards. But here if they wanted to get a bit goofy, then making fun of his age may have taken away the notion that we were supposed to be taking his role as an assassin seriously. He looks like he could be defeated by a bout of indigestion, or a stiff breeze. I love Moore, I think he has an effortless charm, good comic timing and is a far better all around actor than anyone else in the role, Particularly Connery who seemed to find his acting chops in his 50's. Poor old Roger had too much to contend with here. I think it was 2 films too far for sure, and FYEO is borderline. But I am loving your series Ryan. Keep up the great work

[@AnalyzeThisMisterBond]

Thank you! I think OCTOPUSSY works well and I'm glad he got to make it, but it probably should've been his last.