Brandon Peters dissects the 007 series part 13: Octopussy.

With Skyfall dropping in theaters in just a couple 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 thirteenth entry, with a full review of  Octopussy. 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...

Octopussy

1983

Director:  John Glen

Starring:  Roger Moore, Maud Adams, Louis Jordan, Desmond Llewelyn, Kristina Wayborn

Rated PG

You must be joking! 007 on an island populated exclusively by women? We won't see him till dawn!

                        ~Q

STATS

Kills: 10 + unknown amount in a hangar explosion

Bond Girls:  Octopussy, Magda

Car:  Bond steals an Alfa Romeo GTV6

Locales:  India, West Germany

Odd Villain Trait: Gobinda, a big strong muscle man who wears a turban

Song:  “All Time High” performed by Rita Coolidge

Octopussy marks a complete step in the opposite direction of its predecessor.  Gone is the gritty reality and in comes the goofball.  On paper, Octopussy could have been a notable achievement in the series.  In execution, Octopussy is an effort fueling the Roger Moore era as a laughing stock or embarrassment in the series.  Soviet General Orlov, exhiled Afghan prince Kamal Khan and jewel smuggler Octopussy are running a series of Faberge Egg purchases and swapping them with fakes.  Somehow this winds up in Orlov and Khan plotting to set off a nuclear warhead at a US Air Base in West Germany during a circus, making it look like the US did it themselves.  James Bond is on the job, per usual, filling in for 009 who is killed after recovering one of the fake eggs from the circus.