Next time you're bored at the office: A full length audio commentary for Moonraker...

Aaron Neuwurth, on whose fine podcast (Out Now with Aaron and Abe) I occasionally guest, was an early fan of Brandon Peter's nearly-complete James Bond retrospectives.  As such, he invited Brandon and I on to participate in a handful of 007 audio commentaries.  We've done three as of now, having just recorded GoldenEye two nights ago.  But until that one, please enjoy this enjoyable and information-packed chit-chat for one of the most inexplicably underrated 007 adventures, Moonraker.  That's right, Moonraker.  Long story short, it's a rather compelling and dark little Roger Moore film that gets unfairly maligned purely due to the final 15-minutes or so set in space.  It's actually one of Moore's better entries.  Don't believe me?  Give it a watch and a listen.

Scott Mendelson

Brandon Peters dissects the 007 series part 11: Moonraker

With Skyfall dropping in theaters in just a few months, along with the 50th anniversary of the James Bond series, a close friend and fellow film nerd, Brandon Peters, has generously offered to do a comprehensive review of the entire 007 film franchise. Today is the eleventh entry, with a full review of one of the most underrated films in the franchise, Moonraker. I hope you enjoy what is a pretty massive feature leading up the November 9th release of Skyfall. I'll do my best to leave my two-cents out of it, give or take a few items I have up my sleeve (including a possible guest review from my wife as she sings the praises of her favorite 007 film, you won't believe what it is). But just because I'm stepping aside doesn't mean you should. Without further ado...

Moonraker

1979

Director: Lewis Gilbert

Starring: Roger Moore, Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale, Richard Kiel

Rated PG

Well, here’s to us.

            ~ Jaws ?!?!?!

Kills:  16 + 1 Boa Constrictor

Girls:  Holly Goodhead (take a drink every time they say her name before you even are introduced to the character), Corrine Dufour, Manuela

Cars:  Inflatable Gondola

Locales:  California, Venice, Rio de Janeiro, OUTER FRICKIN’ SPACE

Odd Villain Trait:  Jaws (see Who Loved Me, Spy), Chang is…Asian?

Song:  “Moonraker” performed by Shirley Bassey

Since Star Wars did “ok” at the box office, we’re now on to the much maligned Moonraker.  There was a sci-fi surge in the late 70s and of course the 007 franchise jumped on it.  This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, but for some reason this film still gets flack for going this route.  The 70s Bond had already visited the kung fu and blaxploitation genres.  I remind you the series began as wanting to be Hitchcock infused films.  So I ask, why not try science fiction?  The 007 series certainly features outlandish gadgets and villain bases so it seems even more sci fi fitting than blaxploitation and kung fu.  Whether it works or not is beside the point of discussion, Moonraker should not be discounted for the fact that it and other major studios decided to venture into sci fi.  Did we discredit Sony’s Spider-Man coming in the wake of Fox’s X-Men?