Moonraker [Blu-ray] [1979]

Moonraker was an attempt to make a Science Fiction James Bond movie to very mixed results. First, it continued the trend of bigger and bigger and more unrealistic plots. This time the bad guy was Hugo Drax (Michael Lonsdale) Who had a plan to wipe out the Earth’s population and re-start society in outer space. This was almost the same as the previous movie the Spy Who Loved Me when another rich man intended to end humanity and re-start it, but that time underwater. Moonraker also started making fun of itself such as the killer Jaws who was also introduced in the previous film falling in love. Overall, Moonraker was a sign that the Bond films were becoming a parody of itself.Things don’t start off so bad. In fact, they follow the usual Bond pattern. A space shuttle gets stolen. Bond is sent to investigate. He meets Drax. He meets the main Bond girl Dr. Goodhead (Lois Chiles). Drax tries to kill him. Then half way through things start going south. That begins with Jaws trying to kill Bond and Goodhead in a tram. Jaws walks out of a crash, sees a woman who smiles at him, and then he’s in love! Then Jaws does some more ridiculous things later on. Plus there's a giant space battle with shuttles and lasers, etc. If youconsider it within the history of Bond films it showed things were going off the rails.c

Starring: Roger Moore (James Bond), Lois Chiles (Dr. Holly Goodhead), Richard Kiel (Jaws) Runtime: 2 hours, 6 minutes Another globetrotting extravaganza in another Bond film. This time we trek with Sir Roger Moore as 007 on location to Paris, London, Guatemala, Italy, Brazil, the USA, as well as outer space. Moonraker has a Sci-fi bent, so if you enjoy Space Shuttles, you are in luck! Dr. Goodhead and James pilot a shuttle called a Moonraker to save earth's human inhabitants from a megalomaniacal space dictator Hugo Drax plotting to decimate humanity on earth while also colonizing space.Sadly, During the filming of Moonraker, Sir Roger Moore needed a kidney operation, but production only halted about a week while he had the procedure. You would never know while enjoying this film that he had had a medical affliction pop up during the production, as he carries himself with a Brit's fortitude.Jaws the giant from the prior film "the Spy Who Loved Me" shows back up in Moonraker, and is still after Bond but quite unexpectedly the two- Jaws and 007- reconcile at the end. You don't see reconciliation that often in good guy vs. bad guy films, but it lends a unique dose of humor to Moonraker.In summary, I'm especially glad to have seen this for the fabulous scenery and action.

Moonraker (1979) attempted to cash in on the sci-fi craze that was sweeping the country after the enormous success of Star Wars. In fact, after The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), the next film announced was For Your Eyes Only, but that film was shelved until 1981 in order to make this goofy (yet respectable) Bond film. If the goal was to make a sci-fi experience through and through, then the creators failed, because the 'sci-fi' element is present only toward the end of the film. And why (WHY) was Jaws brought back? He has no place in this film, and his sophomore outing threatens to diminish the great performance in The Spy Who Loved Me, as he's goofy here, and even expresses infatuation for a woman. That's not the Jaws we know; he was much more serious and intimidating in the previous film. While this film has its share of over-the-top and unrealistic scenes, it still manages to sport some serious scenes, and the settings are first-rate. The special effects are good for the time as well. The blu ray picture and sound quality are pristine, and the special features are very good. Overall, I recommend this blu ray for fans of the James Bond franchise; I wouldn't say this film is for die hard fans only- it's essential.

The title says it all! I was surprised that the movie didn't do well at the box office but it's probably because it came out during the "Star Wars" craze. I actually enjoyed this film a lot because I like Roger Moore as James Bond. I also liked the role of Holly Goodhead, played by Lois Chiles, who is, not only beautiful but also brave and smart, just like James Bond. I also like the fact that Richard Kiel returns as the steel-toothed henchman, Jaws. It's good, though, that he finds love during the movie and at close to the end, changes sides & even speaks. I also enjoyed the gadgets that Bond is given during the movie. Also, the crew did a fantastic job in working on the film, especially when it shifted to outer space. I also liked the special features, especially the "Inside MOONRAKER" and "The Man Behind The Mayhem" featurettes. So, I recommend this movie to anyone who is a fan of James Bond, Roger Moore or both because, believe me, it is OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!

Not the best Bond film (in my opinion On Her Majesty’s Secret Service wears the crown), but in spite of its flaws, this film provides plenty of lighthearted (if rather silly) fun throughout. The various filming locations are great and the action scenes are fun. The acting is quite awful at times, and the plot is totally unbelievable. Yet, in spite of its numerous flaws, I can’t help but enjoy this film in a mindless nonsensical sort of way. Fun to see Jaws switch to the good side (reminds me of Darth Vader’s transition in Return of the Jedi). Very silly movie, so only for those times where you can put your logical side on hold and are willing to dive head-first into totally campy mindlessness.

All Bond movies are ridiculous. His good fortune is outrageous. Coincidences, timing, happenstances, ubermensch prowess at almost everything, successful sexual aggressiveness, etc. A male hormone caricature.So when people say Moonraker jumps the shark cuz space laser fight, I say they're being arbitrary.Thumbs down to the pigeon double take, just silly in 1979 and silly now.Thumbs up to most of the rest. Quality production.anecdote: I saw Moonraker and The Black Hole in 1979, as a preteen. For years afterward, I mixed up Michael Lonsdale & Maximilian Schell in my memory. Deranged bearded nemeses in space.

I love this Roger Moore Bond movie, it's perfect pulp matinee entertainment: crass, dumb, and great fun.The collars are enormous, the dialogue as lightweight and wooden as balsa, i.e. perfect, the locations are exotic, the girls gorgeous, the gadgets range from the coolly preposterous to the real gone gonzo (a turbo-powered hovercraft gondola, fleets of space-shuttles, and an invisible space-station!), the villain's blackguardly plot perfectly dastardly (a 'flying stud-farm' where the evil Drax plans to conceive his 'new master race', is how Bond describes it!), the evil henchmen/women have ridiculous butt-hugging yellow outfits, and there are some fabulous stunts and set pieces.You get everything from a skydiving punch up for a parachute, to a sword fight in a glass-museum in Venice, and we traverse - and even leave - the globe, as Bond ventures into the jungles and mountains of Brazil, with a spot of tourist-brochure carnival fun in Rio, before heading into outer space! Jaws turns good and pulls a terrific little Heidi-like dollybird with fab hooters (who, it turns out, is called Dolly!). And Q delivers the classic 'oo-er missus' line: 'I think he's attempting re-entry'.

James Bond investigates when a space shuttle disappears and discovers a man named Hugo Drax may be behind it."James Bond goes into space" so the ads proclaimed in 1979, and boy does he ever, in possibly Roger's weakest 007 outing. Firstly the negatives, the story itself starts off very well and is very entertaining but as it goes along it becomes more & more silly culminating in the space adventure. Lois Chiles who plays Bond girl "Dr Goodhead" isn't a particularly warm character as she comes across quite cold and as a viewer I didn't really like her all that much and I would also say that the Shirley Bassey theme song is one of the weaker efforts. There is plenty to enjoy about the film however, the action is superb, the gondola through Venice is excellent as is the pre credits sequence and there are many others (Bond & Chang's fight, Bond's gravity experience, etc) plus John Barry's operatic score fits in perfectly with the grand scale of the film. Roger Moore's fourth turn as 007is another strength, the film suits his style very well and he delivers his (many) one liners brilliantly, Michael Lonsdale as "Drax" is a very good villain and Corinne Clery as one of Drax's assistants is excellent and her exit is memorable. The special effects are (for 1979 anyway) actually very good, in fact the whole production design by Ken Adam is excellent, Lewis Gilbert (directing his last James Bond movie) does a stellar job keeping the pace and action moving, that is probably the best thing about the film is never gets boring or uninteresting. There are two small things, Jaws getting a girlfriend and that final line by Q "I think he's attempting re-entry Sir" both add so much charm to the overall feel of the film meaning repeated viewings are always a pleasure.Overall I would say that although it does have a couple of issues this a easy to enjoy, stunningly produced & well made Bond adventure, Roger's weakest but still a lot of fun. 4/5

Moonraker has all the things James Bond and general action film fans expect. Not only does it have the boldest bad guy plot of genocide and involve outer space, but it is one of the most beautifully shot, superbly scored, and technically impressive in terms of special effects... and full of humor too! A real treat for families to show their kids :)

The five star rating is for the product, not necessarily for the film. The remastered DVD is first class. And the extras included in the Ultimate Collection (2 disks) are plentiful.If you like the film or not is a matter of personal preference and probably even depends on your mood on the day. This is Bond at its campiest. It is actually great fun to watch, and Jaws' romance is almost touching and utterly un-Bondian. Moonraker is a product of its time. A Star Wars it is not, but hey, the next year gave us that campiest space opera of all time: Flash Gordon.I loved this film when it first came out (at a time when the dark and intense Bond of Dalton and Craig was still in the distant future), then over the years more or less forgot about it. When I watched it again lately in the course of a Bond marathon I was aware of the very low regard for the film these days. Thus it came as a pleasant surprise that I found myself hugely entertained. Just as long as you don't expect anything other than silly laughs with high production values you may enjoy this one more than you'd like to admit.

I have always loved this movie since I first saw it on its original release at the cinema.It is hard to believe that it was made before the first space shuttle had even lifted off.The effects are great and the whole thing is played with humor.Jaws makes a return as the hired killer who of cause comes to blows with bond and his American rival and love interest.The baddie, played by Micheal Lonsdale, has some great lines.