Variations on a theme

Re-viewing Bond - LICENCE TO KILL (1989)

Because of an unexpected Christmas gift (from someone who I should expect such things from already) came the Blu-Ray disc of LICENCE TO KILL. This was given to me in response to my re-evaluation of QUANTUM OF SOLACE on the format and the idea was that perhaps LTK was the QOS of the 1980’s. I immediately disagreed with this description of the second Timothy Dalton Bond film as I really liked it when I saw it in a Cookeville, TN movie theater in 1989. I liked it a lot more than a much bigger hit from that year that is much better regarded- INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE. To this day I think the third Indy film is a mess and hold TEMPLE OF DOOM up as superior just before I duck my head to avoid the rocks thrown by the Movie Police.

Back to LICENCE TO KILL. I liked the film then and I thought it would be a blast re-visit it with the new format (‘Blu Was Made For Bond’ insists the packaging). I was right- it was a blast- but one that left me sadder than it should have.
The beef against the film for years has always started with those who despised Dalton in the role. I am NOT one of those folks. I read the Fleming books long ago and know that in looks, manner, attitude and general bearing Dalton comes much closer to the character on the page than anyone before him. I will always love Connery above other Bonds as he was fantastic and defined the role but Dalton was just what this lover of the books was more than thrilled to see onscreen after Moore’s series of movies declined into intentional and unintentional jokes. Thank God, said I, for a serious James Bond throughout an entire film instead of one that turned into a cartoon character on occasion for the sake of a dumb joke.

But the second usual complaint about LTK turned out to be something I had to end up more or less agreeing with. Namely that by 1989 the series was trying to be too much like the other action movies being made at the time. Immersed in the period at the time myself I didn’t see that as a problem- bring on the violence; kick some drug lord ass; destroy a major re-occurring character to set up a standard revenge plot- full steam ahead! At the time it seemed like a new, bold direction for a single adventure- the ultimate ‘This time it’s personal’ action movie BS grafted onto Bond. And for the most part this element still holds up today. I like the idea of putting Bond on the vengeance track and Felix was certainly the way to do it but 20 years later it does seem a bit too … 80s. Don’t get me wrong- one of the things I love most about the series is the flavors of the movies from the different decades. The cool of the 60s as the films defined a new screen style and aesthetic and the more detached snark of 70s as the character morphed into a parody of itself too often than was smart are part of the reason I love revisiting these movies. They reflect the prevailing cinema winds of those times in a way that is both fun and educational for any with a mind to pay attention. But with LTK I think the series may have made the mistake of following the trends rather than trying to set them. Parts of it feel like they could be from just about any action film of the late 1980s. Far too many times the movie doesn’t feel like a Bond picture. It’s always well done with solid storytelling and a fairly interesting plot but it feels kind of generic in ways it should not. And that’s a shame because Dalton is quite good here as are the supporting cast. Two very gorgeous ladies add to the long list of fabulous Bond girls and even if Q should never have been wedged into the script Desmond Llewelyn does what he can.


The action scenes are good except for the opening DEA assault which begs the question ‘Where the Hell are all the other agents?’ Much has been made of the amped up violence that was eventually cut to avoid a possible R rating but it isn’t any more bloody than average as it stands.

Overall, I’m glad to have re-watched this one but it lost a notch or two in my opinion this time around. It’s still a good Bond film but it only falls into the middle range for the series and just barely at that. I still wish Dalton had gotten the chance for at least one more film but maybe a hiatus is what the series needed.

Movies I am ashamed to admit I haven't seen

Over my many years as a cinema nut I have always championed trying to see as many of the great classics as possible if for no other reason than it gives a film fan different perspectives and insights into what inspired today's movies and filmmakers. But also some of the best movies in the world are the type rarely seen by the general public just looking for whatever is on the New Release rack right now. I wouldn't give up my viewings of Kurosawa, John Ford, Sam Fuller or Anthony Mann movies for anything. But I have been thinking recently about the ones I haven't yet seen. The big and small movies held up as ones well worth seeing for more than just their fine stories. Those held up as good examples of movie making at its best on one level or another. Here is my hastily compiled list of movies I haven't seen that I feel I really should.

MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1949)
SHANE (1953)
GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)
ALL ABOUT EVE (1950)
42ND STREET (1933)
THE LADY EVE (1941)
NASHVILLE (1975)
SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959)
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953)
GIANT (1956)
DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965)
BRIEF ENCOUNTER (1945)
LA STRADA (1954)
8 ½ (1963)

Some of these might be a surprise to my friends but I swear I have never seen them. How I've kept from watching all of MIGHTY JOE YOUNG is beyond me but there it is! So in the next year I intend to cross some if not all of these off the list.

And if there are some others I can think of I'll add them as I go. Come to think of it, there are a few Kurosawa's that I haven't caught up with yet.....

Merry Christmas!

Everyone knew this was going to eventually happen after what the Easter Bunny said about Mrs. Claus.

Images of Santa

With Christmas only a couple of days away my thoughts are on the white bearded guy Santa Claws...uh...Claus. Here are some of my favorite images of the big fellow.



And one comic panel showing how the season can still be a time of repelling alien invasions with the tools at hand! Even those made of snow.

Weird Christmas movie tradition

Each December for almost a decade and a half I've watched the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version of this film-


(and I'd love to see this comic book!)
Or, because I love a good rumble between Santa and Satan, this one-

But this year I'm having trouble deciding which one to view. I think some more strange Christmas music is in order. Maybe from this compilation--

Doc Savage saves Christmas!

(click to embiggen)