I have officially hit the one-third mark for existing films in the official franchise. I also received my Japanese-release No Time to Die single in the mail today. We are getting so close to a new Bond film in the world. I've been waiting since 2015 for this and am so excited.
Here is what's great about the eighth Bond film, Live and Let Die.
1. Although I am an American and live one state over from Louisiana, I have no idea if this is how New Orleans funerals are done. It is exciting and colorful. I hope they do actually celebrate a person's life in this manner instead of the dower black suits and moody music/eulogies of other locations around the globe.
2. Although we got a new actor playing 007 two movies ago, we get another new one after Sean Connery returned for a record-making payday in Diamonds are Forever. Roger Moore, while not one of my favorite portrayals of the character, was a fabulous man who loved playing the part of Bond and was the ultimate ambassador for the franchise after he left the series. He brought a lighter touch to the role and certainly stood apart from his predecessors.
3. Not since Dr. No have we seen Bond's flat. This new set gives us a little more lay of the land, but it is a short scene and other than hosting beautiful foreign female agents overnight we don't get much of Bond's home life.
4. John Barry is the king of Bond music, but getting a new composer is certainly welcome. Especially when it is the Beatles' producer. George Martin made a groovy soundtrack that incorporates some interesting musical beats that we probably wouldn't have gotten from Barry had he done the music for Live and Let Die.
5. Other than Jeffrey Wright playing Felix Leiter in a rebooted series that takes continuity much more seriously, only one other actor has portrayed Felix Leiter more than once. This is David Hedison's first appearance as the CIA ally and his humorous banter with Bond shows why the producers were willing to bring him back later.
6. "Hey man, for 20 bucks I'll take you to a Ku Klux Klan cookout."
7. Live and Let Die has the largest and most memorable rouge's gallery of henchman in a single film. Kanaga's posse is made up of Whisper, Tee-Hee, Baron Samedi, and Solitaire, all of whom have unique characteristics that make them stand out in the franchise.
8. Speaking of Solitaire, this isn't Jane Seymour's feature film debut, but she was only 21 at the time of filming. My wife knows her best from Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, but I consider this movie to be her apex in fame (of course, I am a little biased).
9. For some of the problems this movie has (especially through the lens of 2021), action set pieces is not one of them. The bus chase that leads into the airport chase are super exciting, but it still isn't the best set piece of the movie.
10. That is reserved for the alligator escape and boat chase. I'm not even going to attempt to opine about this part of the movie. Just watch it and you'll see what I'm talking about it.
11. The 007 franchise has never delved into mystical themes, but when Baron Samedi shows up on the front of the train, it is a great tag at the end of the film that is similar to what the Marvel Cinematic Universe would consider a post-credits scene in its franchise.
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