Review of Octopussy (1983) - The Schizophrenic Riddle
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- Опубликовано: 29 май 2024
- 1983 was the year of the duel between the titans of James Bond: Sean Connery and Roger Moore. For Moore's sixth outing, we have girls, gadgets, villains, great stunts, and a charming leading man, accompanied with a great John Barry score and directed by the man who brought us the previous film. Yeah, we've seen all of this before, but is the EON version of these elements enough to triumph over the legend returning to the role he made famous in the rival picture?
Next in the Series: Never Say Never Again 
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Octopussy is one of my favorite Bond films. It's pure fun and manages to combine that with a solid Cold War story.
So glad to see this up! You prevailed! Going to settle in and enjoy
You said just about everything I would say, so I would like to offer an unusual anecdote.
I used to work at a national laboratory in another life, and saw a stack of videotapes classified as sensitive because they contained scenes of nuclear bombs depicted in movies. The circus bomb from Octopussy was in the stack. This movie must have gotten something right enough to get singled out as plausible.
Thank you for this. Feeling laconic, so this is all I have to offer this time.
I've really been looking forward to this one since I saw your post about the copyright issues since this is such a divisive movie. Your breakdown of the conflicting aspects of this film does a wonderful job of describing how I feel about it too. Whenever I watch this film, I bounce back and forth between thinking "this is a lot of fun!" and then thinking "wow, that certainly was a choice..." just a couple minutes later. It was nice to hear someone actually able to appreciate the circus part and not just instantly dismiss it (since it seems most discussion I see about this movie just goes "Bond dressed up as a clown! Boo!" without putting any consideration into how him being unable to be taken seriously is a truly scary thing in that situation). And I'm 1000% with you regarding Steven Berkoff's scenery-chewing performance. He goes over the top, but in the best possible way. I adore every single moment he's on screen.
The man is back!!!
Fingers crossed: No copyright takedowns!
As a token of my gratitude while you all waited, the next one should be up tomorrow morning. ;)
@@stephenjarvis534 Sweet!
It's a tremendous film, with some serious nasty pieces in it...VJ dying ☹️. Very close to true espionage, Roger is brilliant. Stunts are seriously incredible in this film. The clown v bomb scene is so tense, it's a knock out.
Octopussy (1983) is such a compelling and entertaining watch with a great cast of memorable characters ! It's easily in my Top 3 favorites of Roger Moore's 'Bond' Films.
Fun fact, at the end of the auction scene, you can see Cubby’s 1978 Cadillac Seville parked in the street outside Sotheby’s……..complete with California license plates and “USA” sticker. You can see it at the end of the picture at the US airbase, during the overhead wide shot, but that’s more blink and you miss it.
Very well done. I never made the Goldfinger connection, but as I look at it now, it was pretty obvious. Sorry you had the copyright headache, but it was worth the wait.
Pleased to finally watch this, I was too late to watch it before it got taken down both previous times 😂
It's a great popcorn movie with some of the best stunts of any Bond film the clown scene is tense and exiting
To be honest, I really like Octopussy. It's one of those Bonds you can watch for entertainment as it's got that "laid-back summer blockbuster" vibe to it, especially in many of the gags. Loads of the characters are really good too: Kamal Khan is a delightfully evil villain, Gobinda works for the film's strong henchman, Octopussy is interesting (my favourite of Maud Adams' Bond girls), and Vijay is a wholesome and friendly ally whose death is quite harrowing. You also get Q in on part of the climax. The score is pretty good, Rita Coolidge's song is quite nice, and the train chase is probably my favourite of the series.
I think Octopussy was one of the first movies I saw with my dad at the theater... I might have been about 10 years old, so it has a special place for me. Having said that, and having seen it many times, I can say, to me, it's the most James Bond of all James Bond films. The auction scene and the casino scene.... he's just so in your face. Even the opening sequence, everything goes wrong and somehow he gets the job done. When he's in M's office and he already has his plane ticket. Many little things that make the character what he is.
I plan on watching this as its apart of the 40th anniversary and the 70th anniversary of the bond books.
Thank you for your mostly positive review of this film. I see so many people ranking this one at or near the bottom and I just don't get it. Sure, there are times when it gets a little too silly, but there's so many thrilling moments that more than make up for it. I do think Moore should've bowed out gracefully after this, even though I'm somewhat of an AVTAK apologist, so I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it. Your criticisms of OP are entirely valid and while I also prefer FYEO, I always have a good time when I'm watching this.
Octopussy is actually one of the better Bond movies. It combines humor and Cold War: best elements of James Bond!
Enjoying your bond breakdowns. You do a fantastic job at articulating your views and insights of these classic films. Bravo
One of the most infuriating moments in the film is when after so much has already happened, Bond allows that pushy woman to brush him aside when he desperately needs to use the phone to warn the base there's an ATOMIC BOMB about to go off. So he steals her car, provoking a "comedy" car chase, and all that follows. This is the single most assinine part of the plot.
I've always felt this was addressed at the end of the pre-title sequence in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS when Dalton lands on the yacht, yanks the phone out of that woman's hand, says, "She'll call you back" and dials the office. THAT's how the REAL Bond would do it.
Incidentally, I just noticed yesterday that Dalton references a Connery line from "RUSSIA". When Connery's on the phone with Moneypenny, he says he'll be in the office in an hour. Then he says, "Make it an hour and a half." Later, Dalton says, "I'll be in in an hour." "Won't you JOIN me, Mr. Bond?" "Better make that two."
I love the scene in ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL when Riff Randall & Kate Rambeau race to find a pay phone, and when they do, they physically YANK the guy who's using it out and hurl him to the sidewalk so Riff can call the radio station. Those 2 teenage girls did a better job than Bond, and for less reason.
Before I even watch your review I recall seeing this as a newly released VHS video on my then brand new fairly large screen NEC TV in my NY apartment with my newlywed wife and her cousin. We laughed and laughed and laughed all the way through it. Not because we didn't like it, we did enjoy it. It was just more funny than spy-serious. And, I noticed that my then new wife was having fun while watching a "Bond film". Not certain Craig would be something she would want to see.....
Great fun and not as silly as Craig's Casino Royale.
How on earth is this less silly than the 2006 Casino Royale? 😵💫
@@ricardocantoral7672 I'm curious about this as well. CR 2006 has quite a lot of dry humor, but of all the adjectives you could use to describe it, silly isn't one I'd use.
@@ricardocantoral7672 22:20 mins into this review for how silly: ruclips.net/video/Zoj74-x9_Rs/видео.htmlsi=AeqAVpYeSA_6g2Zd
How did Bond get into the clown suit and makeup in less than a minute? Still, I agree about liking the tension created by Bond not being taken seriously about the bomb which rachets up the stakes in the scene.
And it’s back up! Third time’s the charm!
I think one of the reasons why the producers went for an adventure instead of following up FYEO with similar tone is Raiders of the Lost Ark.
There's a Polish term for action-adventure movies ofnlate 70s and 80s - New Adventure Cinema. And Octopussy fits this mold perfectly. To me it really feels like an attempt to copy the success of Raiders (just as LALD didwith blackxploitation, TMWTGG with kung fu movies, TSWLM with Jaws or most infamously Moonraker with Star Wars). You've got the exotic location, you've got the macguffin (Ark-Faberge Egg) and the overall tone with both big laughs and big scares.
Ironically enough, Spielberg always wanted to make a Bond movie. Indiana Jones himself is his Bond equivalent, especially. And Temple of Doom feels like his response to Octopussy (while in The Last Crusade he casted a previous Bond as a father of his Indiana which is vert telling).
Octopussy is one of my favourites. The way I think of it is that it's a plate Bond buffet, with loads of things you really like even if they don't all go together. Personally I think it was probably closer to FYEO until they knew that NSNA was being made, so more humour was probably mandated as Roger was so good at the comedic elements. The main issue I have with the film is the title song, it's not bad, just very bland. I think it was also a not so subtle attempt at a subconscious message trying to convince them this was much better than NSNA. I think the thing that makes it such a good film for me is that it's proud of the franchise, getting people back, making sure there on top form to show they are still the best. I do find it interesting that I think pride is what made this movie, and hampered AVTAK.
I adore almost everything about Octopussy. The only thing I would get rid of is the Tarzan yell. It comfortably makes my Top 10 Bond films.
Ah, yes. The Battle of the Bonds. 1983. Octopussy versus Never Say Never Again (Never).
I'll be here for Never Say Never Again, because it and the Kevin McClory fiasco it's a part of are far more interesting to talk about, I feel.
I think Octopussy is the superior film but NSNA does score some wins over it's rival in some rather critical areas.
I hope the next iteration of Bond goes back to acknowledging the superhero aspect of the character and less trying to make Bond 'real'. However, whilst I can think of many actors who could have played Bond in the same way as Daniel Craig (serious, tortured), I can't think of any capable of replicating the same lightness of touch and charming self awareness that Roger Moore brought to the role.
Gobinda was the best thing in this film
100% subjective opinion: I never enjoyed Maud Adams as Bond girl bc I found her not really physically attractive (for Bond's criteria).
Magda's actress, on the opposite, is extremely gorgeous.
I loved that movie anyway because it felt so much perfect for 1983's spirit (one of peak's year of cold war). I didn't care how Orlov played, he was perfect for that year. (ahhh, that scene with the red USSR's map😍)
And of course, as a huge Columbo's fan, I enjoyed a lot to see Louis Jourdan. ❤
I think Maud Adams would have been more attractive if she had a magnetic personality. She just doesn't live up to the hype. She was better off as a secondary Bond girl. Magda I wasn't too crazy about but she seemed tougher, more resilient.
Yessss! First one I saw I got a real soft spot for the one most hate
I like about 95% of this film. It's the few moments where it goes too far that annoy me, as I think it would have been SO EASY to edit that stuff out! (The Tarzan yell, "Sit!", and "Having trouble keeping it up, Q?") Perhaps had Bond been disguised as an aerialist instead of a clown, the otherwise-tense BOMB-DISARMNG scene could have played better. Agree on the Bond-Orlov scene. I love how Bond identifies himself as "BRITISH Inteligence!"-- instead of "James Bond". (A secret agent's supposed to be secret, after all.) "GO OUT-- AND GET HIM." "Out there?" remains one of the funniest scenes in any Bond film.
I would describe this as a remake of GOLDFINGER-- heavily disguised. Both start with Bond blowing something up, and climax with Bond trying to prevent an atomic bomb from blowing up. But here, he's clearly had more training in the latter after all these years. Did you notice-- in the novel "Goldfinger", Oddjob is sucked out of the plane, Goldfinger goes down with the plane when it crashes. JUST like Gobinda and Kamal Khan here! I love whenever they use authentic Fleming material. I still with somebody, someday, could do a series of authentic film adaptations from "Casino Royale" on up.
Oddly enough, part of the scene where Roger Moore is on top of the speeding train always reminds me of Sean Connery on top of the speeding train in THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY-- except in that, Connery pissed off his wife by doing ALL the stunt work himself!
Many casual fans often confuse Simon Templar and James Bond. They're VERY different characters. The problem is, personality-wise, Roger Moore is much closer to Templar, and tends to be EVEN when he's in a Bond film. I keep wishing Timothy Dalton had done FOR YOUR EYES ONLY on up.
I can see and understand your preference for Maud Adams as your favorite Moore Bond girl. She is a damned good for his Bond. For myself, MY favorite is Lynn-Holly Johnson... but that has nothing to do with her and Bond. (heh) She's just the one girl in the entire series I most wish I could meet someone like.
Good Film for 1983 007 Octopussy
Octopussy rounds out my overall top 10, and is my 4th-ranked Moore. It has a strong hold on me because it was the first one that I was able to see in the cinema on my own volition. The smuggling plot with the hidden scheme of Orlov is a strong story and I am always happy to watch it again, which can't be said for half a dozen films of the series. Moore is on good form, Berkoff is great, Jourdan is excellent, Adams is good, Wayborn is good, but unlike you I don't like Q getting involved in the action. The head armourer of MI6 is *not* a field agent. He has equipped Bond in the field numerous times since Thunderball but this is the first time that he has entered the fray directly. It becomes a regular thing after this film, and that is not Flemingesque.
This film is probably 3rd with Moore for me with TSWLM & FYEO above this film with Moonraker I guess as 4th as it really is just the previous films' plot redone. I would love to know what your ranking of Moore's films or at least the Top 4-5 to see if your opinion aligns with mine.
@@bjgandalf69 Moore films: 1.TSWLM 2.LALD 3. MR 4.OCT 5. FYEO 6. TMWTGG 7. AVTAK. Overall Top 5: 1. OHMSS 2. TSWLM 3. FRWL 4. GF 5. TWINE.
@darcyj19 Respectable list. It took me a minute to get some of the acronyms you used...lol. I can't argue too much against them. Bond tier lists are basically all about personal tastes so vary from fan to fan but the group as a whole usually can agree what are top and bottom tier choices. The last 2 Moore rankings are interesting in that they are subpar films elevated by top tier villians. I agree with Stephen that one's preference for either Russia or Spy dictates your overall taste in the favorite type of Bond film, thereby setting up what the trajectory of a fan's list will be.
The story is solid. The execution is shaky. This pretty much describes John Glen's tenure with each of his films having dodgy elements.
This could've been one of the greats if they'd just resisted the urge to throw in stupid comedy. The Tarzan yell and most of that whole scene is rubbish. And I'm not too fussed about the tuk tuk and market chase either.
But Octopussy showed that you can get the laughs whilst incorporating tension. Bond dressed as a clown shouldn't work. But them playing it so seriously made it probably the tensest sequence in any Bond film, all the way from the section where he's trying to hitchhike right up to defusing the bomb. And let's not forget that it has some of the finest stunt work in the entire series. Nor does it have any outright terrible performances.
Speaking of Cubby's Mantra, there's something that I forgot to mention about For Your Eyes Only. That previous installment was the first and only time in the series when the villain was working for the benefit of the Soviet Union. In the past, the producers used SPECTRE as a stand-in for the Russians.
Getting back to this film, I think Schizophrenic is definitely the description of this film. There's is a problem with tonal inconsistency but it isn't that big of a deal to me. No, the major issue I have is the poor story construction. The film makes the fatal mistake of starting Bond's mission in India. Why? M says that they had nothing to go on with 009 and the egg. How on earth did no one know why he was there? Had Bond simply started in Germany, he would found out most info he ultimately did in half the time. Unfortunately, when your cognizant of that, the India stuff feels like filler. I think when Bond finally discovers the connection between the egg, Octopussy, Kamal, and the circus, that is when the film is consistently interesting. Before, it was littered with good moments like the backgammon and the auction scenes being absolute delights and mostly carried with filler. Now, something is actually going on that's interesting. The far more thrilling part of the movie, the attempt to foil the bomb plot, is a fun watch topped off with a genuinely thrilling, edge of your seat, chase at the end to disarm the nuke.
As for the characters, Moore as Bond did a good job. He was in his natural element. I still wish he had retired and made way for a younger man like Tim Dalton but he was good. Vijay is one of the more pleasant red shirts. The villains are decent, nothing special. Kamal Khan had a swarthy charm but he isn't much than a pleasant presence, Gobinda has style but a bit derivative of Odd-job, Orlov his hilariously over the top but again, nowhere near the greats. The knife throwing twins really feel like overkill. We already had Gobinda, give him more screen time! In this instance, Never Say Never Again wipes the floor with Octopussy and I will get into that when you cover that movie. Finally comes the title character and, well, she's kinda "Meh". Octopussy just does not live up to the hype. She claims to be a spiritual guru, thief, business woman, a highly extraordinary person that feels smaller than life. Maybe it was Maud Adams' casting because she isn't that impressive of an actress. I heard Faye Duneway was going to play the part maybe, she would have been able to measure up to the reputation of Octopussy.
So overall, I think the film probably gets too much ridicule for it's goofy moments when the bigger problem is the story construction. I would say this film just about passable and slightly above the weaker Moore movies like The Man With The Golden Gun and A View To a Kill.
SO should have been Roger's last.
Glad I'm not the only one who both likes this film and doesn't care for All Time High as a song.
Well, I think older Moore was very good! I think his last 5 films(1977, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985.) are sooooooo much better than the first 2 films. * LALD(1973) & TMWTGG(1974) are very small, weak and weird films to put it mildly! * My Roger Moore started in 1977. Not before. I think Lewis Gilbert and John Glen were the great James Bond directors!
I'd take Live and Let Die over all but one Moore Bond.
Should have been Roger's last.
Pussy I feel is a fantastic entertaining film let down from greatness by stupid crass jokes that turn Bond into a clown without any make up on, and thus spoil the whole effect and impact the film would really have
A Mercedes crashing into a fake loco. 😅
Let's portray Bond as a Clown. No, seriously. Okay. And next Ronald McDonald and Bond track down the Hamburglar. Okay. Can I have a Coke and Fries with that? The early 1960s Bond movies were cool, sexy and influential, after that they just became stupid, monotonous cash-grabs - this dull offering is exhibit No. whatever (lost count at this point).
I would say there are a few winners after the 1960's but for the most part, I agree with you.
It was worse than a Carry on film.
I always had a soft spot for Octopussy. It's nowhere near my favorite Bond movies. But I've always felt like this is basically a greatest hits for Moore's era, even the lesser scenes in the movie feels like a rerun of TMWTGG and Moonraker. So it being a movie summarizing Moore's Bond movie I personally it's a nice treat, even though I know it makes some pretty weird tonal shifts when it goes into the more darker and gritty scenes. Like in some cases it almost feels like this is Moore saying goodbye to the audience before passing the torch to the next Bond. But of course given that A view to a kill exists, my feelings are totally wrong.