It’s time to get your Octopussy on as JBR reviews part II of Sir Rog’s penultimate 007 adventure! So how does this 80s thriller hold up? Is it all gorilla suits and clown suits or does Bond hold his own against a mad General and a man who might truly be crowned as the Goldenvoiced Prince… “Octopussy… Octopussy.”
We also discuss the latest from the Bond comic book world and have some electrifying news about Q the Music’s upcoming show in November!
Sit back, relax and hopefully you won’t have any problems keeping it up!
[Review Begins at 30:15]
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5 Responses
Download link is part one…
Fixed it!
Fellah’s there was a brief Wilhelm scream in Majesty’s too…
We popped a video of that one on Facebook… I think it’s the first one in the series? Can’t remember it being used before OHMSS?
Hi Tom, hi Chris,
One of your Spectre Last Men Standing here. Always a pleasure listening to your podcast but every time DAD is mentioned I’ve always winced because of the scorn thrown at it. Thus It was a delightful change to hear Tom, in the light of rewatching Octopussy, decide that he’d stop hating on this particular Pierce outing – at least until he saw it again.
Your review did make me smile for a number of reasons. Chris, you were so keen to reclaim the rep of Bond 12 that every scene was ‘brilliant’ or ‘so cool’ which did smack somewhat of over-egging the Octopudding. I should state that I’m really NOT a fan, this being my second worst Bond film (Avtak for many years soaring in that bottom spot). Tom, you astutely pointed out that time plays an important part in how somebody perceives their enjoyment of a Bond film. Chris is a childhood fan, so this is why he holds it in such dear regard. You went on to say – Imagine you were at the cinema in 1983. What effect would Octopussy have had after FYEO? I can answer that. Well. I was a cynical 17 – but still a Bond obsessive. I came out blinking in the sunshine feeling quite miserable. The clown thing had really fucked me off – and still does. And please don’t get me started on Bond being hunted in the jungle. God! If Peter Hunt had directed that – we’d be talking about a sweat-drenched Bond getting torn to shreds as he tries to outrun a bloodthirsty Kamal Khan. Instead we get Barbara Woodhouse, a fake tiger, haunted house spiders and, of course, a Tarzan yell. I know, I know – it’s Roger. For me – maybe that was the point. As Roger’s tenure increased, the films seemed to be less about JB and more about Moore. Tonally, Sir Rog in Octopussy feels identical to his turn in The Cannonball Run. However, this change wasn’t really a dramatic shock. It was just a downward swing in keeping with the increasing slapstick. The Maggie Thatcher sequence in FYEO jarred horribly and, way back then, made me fear for future Bond. Octopussy confirmed it, making AVTAK the one and only Bond film I never saw (and still haven’t) at the cinema. When Tim turned up, I was a euphoric Bond bunny again. I’m guessing that this how YOU felt after seeing Casino, Tom.
You did point out a couple of other things though that I totally agreed with – Berkoff for Blofeld. A great call! Shame he wasn’t the principle villain. i also agreed with the circus angle: Very Fleming. Don’t get me wrong. Octopussy has some good moments. Too much silliness bogs it down though, in my HO.
Ultimately, I can see the Bond producers making the next Bond in the style of any of their illustrious predecessors – gritty and thrilling such as FRWL or Daylights; fantastic and epic – such as Spy or Spectre. Or they take the stylish and funny route – Goldfinger, DAF, LALD. I really can’t see them doing another in the style of Octopussy. The Bond circus, when it rolls into town, is big enough already without adding any more clowns.
See you at Fleet, Chris! Watch out for those Thai octopussies, Tom.
Love on ya! – Sam.