MI6 Monthly Bondathon kicks off with `Moonraker`

To celebrate the spate of upcoming Bond film anniversaries and the pave the way to Bond 23, we thought it was high-time the forum (Keeping The British End Up) pulled together for an official review of the whole series.

A film will be presented each month for viewing, discussion and review; running in conjunction with the main site, overall ratings and a selection of the best reviews will be published at the end of the month on mi6-hq.com

Celebrating its 30th Annniversary, the first film up in the Bondathon is Moonraker (1979)...

Introduction
"He's on his last leg, sir"

Far from it. In Moonraker, Roger Moore, Sir Rog, He Of The Hypnobrow, is very much in his prime. Fresh from the success of The Spy Who Loved Me, which critically and financially reinvigorated the Eon Bond films, he moved on to his fourth of the series, Moonraker, giving us perhaps the smoothest, louchest, most libido- and innuendo-driven Bond performance of them all. His is a late '70s British civil servant making the most of the old-fashioned male pursuits of jet-setting, womanising, fine dining and one-lining in an age of economic turmoil and angst-ridden, punk-affected dissatisfaction. Who wouldn't want to be him or be with him back then - or, indeed, now?

And the world of the film around him perfectly compliments Moore's moore-than-ever 007. Director Lewis Gilbert conjures up a universe of luscious beauty (thanks to Jean Tournier's rich, lingering cinematography) and beauties (thanks to the filmmakers' casting of the loveliest group of fillies since Thunderball). The sun of California, the canals of Venice, the glamour of Rio and the waterfalls and ancient sites of South America are Bond's globe-hopping haunts this time out - helping to make this flick, if not the most exotic, then perhaps the most globally diverse epic of them all. In fact, even outer space gets a credit mention as one of the locations, as - yes - of course, this is the one that truly takes Bond beyond. And here's where Bond stalwart and special effects genius Derek Meddings comes into his own. Never again in the series would The Meddingsmeister top his Oscar-nominated work here in bringing the vast emptiness of space to life, perfectly aided by John Barry's stirring and luxurious score (one of his best) and Ken Adams' eye-popping sets.

And this year - in fact, this month - represents Moonraker's 30th anniversary; reason indeed for Jaws to pop a Bollinger cork with his steel molars and reason indeed for you to throw your disc of this larger-than-life classic with all its largesse into the old DVD player. Go on, kick off this collective Bondathon with Mooraker, and let it take you around - and beyond - the world again. For as Sir Rog says, "Why not...?"
- Introduction by St. George

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