"The Living Daylights" Is...Awesome.

[The Chairman]

I always felt that, despite it bringing on a few important changes to the series (Dalton's first, and the first true attempt at a completely serious Bond film in quite some time), The Living Daylights was always the least recognized of the Bond films. When having a casual discussion of Bond films, I always felt it always slipped under the radar.

Tonight, I decided to watch TLD for the first time since only God knows when. As a matter of fact, tonight may well have been the first time I've ever seen it in its entirety. After finishing it, I can't understand for the life of me why it doesn't get the recognition it deserves, because it's an awesome movie and one of the best 007 movies IMO.

It has by far one of the strongest and most grounded storylines in the series. After the highly enjoyable but at the same time rediculous attempt at villianizing the technology boom in A View To A Kill, it's great to see Bond once again revisit The Cold War, and this one deals with it in the most serious manner since The Spy Who Loved Me (don't get me wrong, Octopussy dealt with it quite well also, but in a more tongue in cheek manner IMO). Considering it came around the time of the Iran Contra scandal (which I sadly wasn't around for), the plotline must especially been strikingly relevant back when it first came out.

The villians in this one are quite entertaining. Georgi Koskov (played by Jeroen Krabbe) is among the most intelligent and crafty of the Bond villians. In the beginning of the film, he truly does come off as someone who seems to be on Bond's side, and it makes the revelation that he was indeed a double crosser all the more shocking. Krabbe really managed to pull it off brilliantly. Joe Don Baker as Whitaker was also quite good. I liked Baker more than when he played Jack Wade in the Brosnan films.

Some of the best action sequences of the entire series are in this. The opening sequence is a great intro for Dalton, and the chase the through Russian ski slopes is quite cool as well. And the fight on the plane with the Russian henchmen when Bond is rushing to diffuse the bomb in the opium packages is one of if not the most intense sequences in any Bond movie.

My last ounce of praise goes to Bond himself. I've always been a bit critical of Dalton, here and in general. I always remembered not fancying him too much because he never felt like Bond to me. I must say after seeing TLD for the first time in a good while, my opinion on him has changed greatly. He nails the Bond persona perfectly in a way not done since Sean (though overall I'd still rank Moore ahead of Dalton, putting TD in third). He manages to include the fun, charming element of Moore but he also brought back the more ruthless element that was lacking in some of his movies (and to an extent, even Connery's). While he may have put on an overall better performance in Licence To Kill, he was by far a much better Bond in TLD. Not sure, if that makes sense, but whatever.

I won't make this another "rate" poll, since it's a bit redundant, but basically, I just thought TLD deserves a bit of appreciation, because it really doesn't get enough IMO.

 

[Furious Styles]

I firmly believe with Craig's portrayal and the advent of these new Ultimate Edition DVD's, that people would go back and revisit Dalton's portrayal as James Bond 007. Great post, I can only leave one with this awesome fan made TLD Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KK1v9HHGxI

 

[Batman Beyond]

Again, I don't see a difference between Dalton and Brosnan's Bond. Brosnan played ruthless and dangerous. So far he remained the coldest of the Bonds. So please, don't go around telling everybody that Dalton and Craig are similar. Because they're not.

Back to topic, I believe TLD is one of the very best Bonds. I love it. Really, I agree with the comments by fellow poster ANTHONYNASTI, only I believ Whitaker sucked. Not the writing, but the actor playing him. He sucked BIG time. Hammiest acting in the series, without getting away with it. I didn't like him as either Whitaker or Wade. He was a bad choice for both, really.

And also, I would like to add the beautiful score... An excellent goodbye by John Barry, the original Bond composer. Its a shame he didn't make at least one Brosnan Bond, but doing this one was fine enough. A glorious send-off for Barry.

Overall, an excellent entry. Bravo!

 

[Furious Styles]

Again, I don't see a difference between Dalton and Brosnan's Bond. Brosnan played ruthless and dangerous. So far he remained the coldest of the Bonds. So please, don't go around telling everybody that Dalton and Craig are similar. Because they're not.

Every actor who came after Dalton was directly or indirectly influenced by his portrayal. Brosnan himself had stated that had he taken over for Roger Moore after AVTAK, he would have continued Roger Moore's more lighthearted portrayal of the character. He believed he needed more time to mature as an actor and the wait all those years helped him grow into the role. Now, it is no coincidence that in that time frame, Timothy Dalton returned to the source material to aid his own portrayal. Goldeneye's tone speaks to that change in guard, where there is a more emotional, darker Bond. You could easily see Dalton playing Bond in GE. In fact, GE could have been written with Dalton in mind. Regardless, it would have been very hard for Brosnan to discard what Dalton had done and return to the lighthearted feel of the Roger Moore films. Even though that is rather sweeping generalization of Moore's work.

In the case of Craig, regardless of what he says, about watching all the Bond movies and throwing out everything he had seen, his portrayal is very reminiscent of Dalton in TLD and LTK. However, Craig just had a much better script and the freedom to diverge from the "formula." It's obvious the filmakers wanted to stay within the parameters of the "Bond formula," although he needed a script that would compliment his portrayal. That's why LTK, while being great is somewhat flawed. Because the script is unwilling to travel in the necessary places Dalton could take it. It clings to the Bond cliches while half heartedily stepping out into uncharted territories.

Dalton's tenure as James Bond caused a great shift in the way Bond actors would tackle the role. No actor could simply disregard the source material and play the role as they saw fit. Every time you watch Brosnan and Craig, from the scathing remarks to the dry humour and cold demeanor, there's a little bit of Dalton in them.

 

[The Chairman]

Again, I don't see a difference between Dalton and Brosnan's Bond. Brosnan played ruthless and dangerous. So far he remained the coldest of the Bonds. So please, don't go around telling everybody that Dalton and Craig are similar. Because they're not.

Back to topic, I believe TLD is one of the very best Bonds. I love it. Really, I agree with the comments by fellow poster ANTHONYNASTI, only I believ Whitaker sucked. Not the writing, but the actor playing him. He sucked BIG time. Hammiest acting in the series, without getting away with it. I didn't like him as either Whitaker or Wade. He was a bad choice for both, really.

And also, I would like to add the beautiful score... An excellent goodbye by John Barry, the original Bond composer. Its a shame he didn't make at least one Brosnan Bond, but doing this one was fine enough. A glorious send-off for Barry.

Overall, an excellent entry. Bravo!

Well, I disagree there, but to each his own. One minor complaint is that the actor who played Felix Leiter sucked. He wasn't David Hedison (or heck, Jeffrey Wright, who hopefully will get a bigger part as the Craig Bond progresses), and he didn't feel like Leiter at all. As a matter of fact, Leiter's whole appearance in the story seemed very thrown together and ruahed, the only real flaw IMO in the storyline. That being said, he played a minor part in this one, so I really have nothing to complain about.

And I love the score as well. I also really love the theme song by a-ha.

 

[Bruce_Wayne29]

It's one of my favourite Bond films ever. I love it and am actually gonna buy the dvd next week. I've always liked Tomothy Dalton as Bond especially in this one. I don't like LTK as much because it feels to much like an action movie than a Bond movie (I feel that the exotic elements that make Bond movies what they are are seriously missing on this one, a bit like in The View To A Kill...)...
I wish this could have been Roger Moore's last movie as I really think it would have been a better ending to his run than AVTAK.

 

[Batman Beyond]

Are you serious? This film as Moore's last? He'd be well about 60 years old! Unless you suggest the scenario was filmed in 1985 in place of AVTAK (frankly the WORST send-off for a Bond actor, ever, and it a shame because Moore was a very good Bond).

Anywho, I'd say an excellent start to a new era, PHASE 2 as I call it. The Dalton/Brosnan era. Craig belongs to PHASE 3, if one wonders...

Now, Furious....

Every actor who came after Dalton was directly or indirectly influenced by his portrayal. Brosnan himself had stated that had he taken over for Roger Moore after AVTAK, he would have continued Roger Moore's more lighthearted portrayal of the character. He believed he needed more time to mature as an actor and the wait all those years helped him grow into the role. Now, it is no coincidence that in that time frame, Timothy Dalton returned to the source material to aid his own portrayal. Goldeneye's tone speaks to that change in guard, where there is a more emotional, darker Bond. You could easily see Dalton playing Bond in GE. In fact, GE could have been written with Dalton in mind. Regardless, it would have been very hard for Brosnan to discard what Dalton had done and return to the lighthearted feel of the Roger Moore films. Even though that is rather sweeping generalization of Moore's work.

In the case of Craig, regardless of what he says, about watching all the Bond movies and throwing out everything he had seen, his portrayal is very reminiscent of Dalton in TLD and LTK. However, Craig just had a much better script and the freedom to diverge from the "formula." It's obvious the filmakers wanted to stay within the parameters of the "Bond formula," although he needed a script that would compliment his portrayal. That's why LTK, while being great is somewhat flawed. Because the script is unwilling to travel in the necessary places Dalton could take it. It clings to the Bond cliches while half heartedily stepping out into uncharted territories.

Dalton's tenure as James Bond caused a great shift in the way Bond actors would tackle the role. No actor could simply disregard the source material and play the role as they saw fit. Every time you watch Brosnan and Craig, from the scathing remarks to the dry humour and cold demeanor, there's a little bit of Dalton in them.

I agree that Dalton had an indelible stamp in the series and the fact that after him prior Fleming knowledge was required, thats a fact. I wouldn't say though Craig had the better script - he simply had time to do what both Dalton AND Brosnan for that matter, craved to do but weren't allowed to - shake things up to the core. Brosnan, producers and screenwriters had a big battle over the torture scene in TWINE - how violent should it be and how could it be new while also not breaking the formula. Over the last 20 years, Bond has tried to return to a more realistic approach - yet as you said, cliches and the lot prevented them from that. Like the tracks in LTK, the battle in the hangar in TLD, most action sequences in TND and the entire second half of DAD are really the series' formulaic past. I'd blame Cubby Broccoli for this, however, because he was always intent on keeping things safe to a certain level and shake them up in another. For one thing, he considered the idea of a reboot insipid and financially not good, as the audience wouldn't want to see a vulnerable rookie Bond. Its funny how the audience craves for such a Bond nowadays.

Anywho, DESPITE these setbacks, I would consider Dalton's film and half of Brosnan's -GE and TWINE- as excellent as the series could've produced. In fact, and you may hate me for this, but I like those four films more than CR. Not necessaraly because I've known them longer - but merely because I still can't get used to Craig being Bond. He doesn't strikes me as Bond at all. And again, I'm a Bond fan that was introduced through the books, and thats well 10 years ago.

Anywho, to say this again, I feel that Brosnan has done great, great justice to the role. He's the third generational Bond after all, and I'm glad that at least in two of his movies he was given material worth exploring.

You know what I'll do next? I'll watch a marathon of the Dalton/Brosnan Bonds. I think it'll be great.

PS: Is that youtube video yours? If it is, would you consider doing a fan trailer of this style for GE and TWINE? I know it'd suit those, brilliantly...

 

[The Chairman]

Are you serious? This film as Moore's last? He'd be well about 60 years old! Unless you suggest the scenario was filmed in 1985 in place of AVTAK (frankly the WORST send-off for a Bond actor, ever, and it a shame because Moore was a very good Bond).

Anywho, I'd say an excellent start to a new era, PHASE 2 as I call it. The Dalton/Brosnan era. Craig belongs to PHASE 3, if one wonders...

Now, Furious....


I agree that Dalton had an indelible stamp in the series and the fact that after him prior Fleming knowledge was required, thats a fact. I wouldn't say though Craig had the better script - he simply had time to do what both Dalton AND Brosnan for that matter, craved to do but weren't allowed to - shake things up to the core. Brosnan, producers and screenwriters had a big battle over the torture scene in TWINE - how violent should it be and how could it be new while also not breaking the formula. Over the last 20 years, Bond has tried to return to a more realistic approach - yet as you said, cliches and the lot prevented them from that. Like the tracks in LTK, the battle in the hangar in TLD, most action sequences in TND and the entire second half of DAD are really the series' formulaic past. I'd blame Cubby Broccoli for this, however, because he was always intent on keeping things safe to a certain level and shake them up in another. For one thing, he considered the idea of a reboot insipid and financially not good, as the audience wouldn't want to see a vulnerable rookie Bond. Its funny how the audience craves for such a Bond nowadays.

Anywho, DESPITE these setbacks, I would consider Dalton's film and half of Brosnan's -GE and TWINE- as excellent as the series could've produced. In fact, and you may hate me for this, but I like those four films more than CR. Not necessaraly because I've known them longer - but merely because I still can't get used to Craig being Bond. He doesn't strikes me as Bond at all. And again, I'm a Bond fan that was introduced through the books, and thats well 10 years ago.

Anywho, to say this again, I feel that Brosnan has done great, great justice to the role. He's the third generational Bond after all, and I'm glad that at least in two of his movies he was given material worth exploring.

You know what I'll do next? I'll watch a marathon of the Dalton/Brosnan Bonds. I think it'll be great.

PS: Is that youtube video yours? If it is, would you consider doing a fan trailer of this style for GE and TWINE? I know it'd suit those, brilliantly...

I disagree, Die Another Day. A View To A Kill, while brimming with cheese and lacking a truly choesive storyline, was still quite entertaining. With the exception of the opening sequence, DAD is abysmal the whole way through.

 

[Batman Beyond]

How can you say that? DAD's first half was Neo-Fleming. Brosnan was as excellent as ever, and I hate to say this, but I prefer Colonel Moon over Walker's Zorin. I don't say Walken's bad. In fact he's one of the better villains. But I liked Moon and the overal theme between him and his father and all.

Plus, DAD is a partial adaptation of Fleming's MR, whereas AVTAK was a cheap rip-off of GF. And I stand by my word of worst send-off, because at least both Connery and Brosnan (With NSNA and DAD) went out with less embarrasing features, films that either hightlighter their strengths or simply just allowed them to walk away with it with a smile. I can't say that for Moore in AVTAK. I mean, 58? Thats lingering for success, isn't it?

Oh, well...

 

[The Chairman]

How can you say that? DAD's first half was Neo-Fleming. Brosnan was as excellent as ever, and I hate to say this, but I prefer Colonel Moon over Walker's Zorin. I don't say Walken's bad. In fact he's one of the better villains. But I liked Moon and the overal theme between him and his father and all.

Plus, DAD is a partial adaptation of Fleming's MR, whereas AVTAK was a cheap rip-off of GF. And I stand by my word of worst send-off, because at least both Connery and Brosnan (With NSNA and DAD) went out with less embarrasing features, films that either hightlighter their strengths or simply just allowed them to walk away with it with a smile. I can't say that for Moore in AVTAK. I mean, 58? Thats lingering for success, isn't it?

Oh, well...

Well, to each his own. I prefer AVTAK.

 

[Batman Beyond]

I just can't see how could AVTAK appeal to anyone. There's nothing redeeming in the film. Nothing. But DAD was, to me at least, enjoyable for the most part. I had fun with the movie. It IS enjoyable once one gets past the bad elements (the invisible car, the CGI crapwork and some other stuff that are present from Iceland and on).

Anyway, how do you feel about LTK and Brosnan's run, ANTHONYNASTI? I know you don't like DAD, so what else?

 

[The Chairman]

Anyway, how do you feel about LTK and Brosnan's run, ANTHONYNASTI? I know you don't like DAD, so what else?

LTK is really cool. It's not perfect, and is probably the least Bondlike of any Bond movie, but it's very entertaining and not worthy of a lot of the hate it gets.

Brosnan's drop in quality with each film. Goldeneye is a masterpiece and easily in The Top 5 Best. Tomorrow Never Dies is also awesome. The World Is Not Enough is cool but feels contrived and forced in a lot of areas. And Denise Richards is terrible. DAD...well you know how I feel.

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

I agree that The Living Daylights deserves more aknowlagement,it was a good movie and..dare i say showed James Bond in a slightly more darker movie atmosphere.Who was the actor who played as the main villain?

 

[Batman Beyond]

Joe Don Baker played Whittaker, Jeroen Krabbé as Koscov.

 

[Cannibal Feast]

TLD is my all time favorite Bond movie. Timothy Dalton is my favorite Bond.
I wish he would have done at least one more movie. He went out on kind of a sour note with Licence to Kill. He would have been great in Goldeneye.
I still haven't seen Casino Royale yet. I can't wait to see it.

 

[jimmy]

I like The Living Daylights a lot. I don't know why Dalton gets a bad rap, but he's great in this movie. The song is awesome, too.

 

[Agentsands77]

Again, I don't see a difference between Dalton and Brosnan's Bond. Brosnan played ruthless and dangerous. So far he remained the coldest of the Bonds.

Dalton and Brosnan had some big differences - Brosnan's Bond had a sincere love of cringeworthy innuendo and something that passed for "wit," as well as an often relaxed demeanor, where Dalton's Bond didn't care much for witticisms and was often on edge.

And so far, I'd say Craig is the coldest of the Bonds. Wouldn't you?

So please, don't go around telling everybody that Dalton and Craig are similar. Because they're not.

They're not entirely dissimilar. I say Craig had what Dalton had, and a hell of a lot more.

But anyway, I love THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS. It's one of the best entries, and Dalton gives one of the best performances as Bond within it (I daresay that his performance here, along with Connery in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE and Craig in CASINO ROYALE makes up the big three of Bond performances).

 

[Agentsands77]

In fact, GE could have been written with Dalton in mind.

It was. Not only was Dalton still attached to the role when France turned in his draft, the role is written as if Dalton himself was sure to star in it (it's the same brooding, intense, and mostly humorless Bond from LICENCE TO KILL). And it's also full of attachments to the Dalton films (Pushkin shows up in France's first draft).

 

[Mr Jide]

I always fall asleep when ever I watch TLD. I've had this movie for a few years and I've seen it in its entirety once. I'll give it another watch maybe tomorrow.

 

[Batman Beyond]

Dalton and Brosnan are playing the same type of Bond, an emotionally turmoiled Bond, who remains cold to survive. Brosnan purposedly followed Dalton's Bond more than the others, because thats the Bond that mattered, the Bond that was closest to Fleming at the time.

And no, Craig ain't the coldest. Hardly - he's the bulliest yet. Brosnan's Bond killed a woman in cold blood, Craig didn't. Need I go on?

I wish GE kept Pushkin in the script, but anyway. I just want to say, I saw in these holidays three Bond films in a row - TLD, LTK and GE - straight on (free time and all). And guess what - they clicked! Its so wonderful. I felt like I was watching an actual series. GE, for some reason, improves upon TLD and LTK - making them EVEN better pictures than they already are. Amazing...

And Craig never picked up on Dalton's Bond, reportedly. He onstensibly tried to differentiate from every other Bond.

Did I make myself clear?

 

[Agentsands77]

And no, Craig ain't the coldest. Hardly - he's the bulliest yet. Brosnan's Bond killed a woman in cold blood, Craig didn't. Need I go on?

Brosnan's Bond killed a woman in cold blood, sure. Craig's Bond would do that too - but he wouldn't lean over her dead body afterwards.

Brosnan's Bond isn't quite as nasty as Craig's is. I can't see Brosnan's Bond shooting Mollaka like Bond did in CASINO ROYALE, or having a smile on his face when Carlos blew up, or being quite so emotionless when viewing Solange's dead body, or barking orders to Vesper in the stairwell, or things like that.

And Craig never picked up on Dalton's Bond, reportedly. He onstensibly tried to differentiate from every other Bond.

Of course. But there's still similarity in their portrayals.

 

[Furious Styles]

Daniel Craig is the James Bond of a post 9/11 world. There are and will be distinct differences between his portrayal and the portrayal of the other actors who came before him.There was a detached sense of danger in the previous films, through no fault of their own, they were simply a product of their time. Much like CR is a product of its time.

Dalton and Brosnan dealt with Bond's cold bloodedness in a sophisticated manner, because they were playing a more mature, even tempered Bond. Hence Brosnan's line in TWINE, "I never miss." He was alluding to the fact that he's been down this cold, dark road before. Like Dalton, when confronting Pushkin, who pleads "you are a professional, you do not kill without reason." We can see throughout the past films that Bond was able to even out his cold bloodedness, murderous insensitivity and loyalty to her Majesty with intelligence, "humanity" and own self assurance.

It will be interesting to see how Craig deals with the evolution of his Bond. Can he segway the Bond of CR into a more sophisticated, calculating Bond we have seen before while keeping the absolute brutish physicality he has brought to the role.

 

[y2jversion1]

I actually thought Tim Dalton was the best Bond. I grew up with Roger Moore as a kid and he was cool at that time, but when I saw TLD & LTK I thought Dalton was much better. Brosnan was good in GoldenEye but that went downhill.

When I saw CR, it reminded me of Dalton's Bond.

 

[Mr.E.Nygma]

^^And like Dalton, Craig seems to endure the same (maybe worse) controversy wrapped stupid debates for his quality as a Bond. Tisk Tisk, that's sad. Definately, Dalton rocked!

Only dumb people can't change their mind. Well this applies to me, as my parents first influenced me when I was young. They kept on bashing Dalton when they watched TLD or LTK on TV. So I had that idea of all Bonds when I discovered every movie in a Bond marathon. I had few expectations on LTK when I first saw it. But, I surprisingly didn't hated Dalton. He was OK in my mind. Then, I discovered TLD and that was a hit!!!!
Since that, Dalton is now my favorite Bond, and The Living Daylights is my favorite Bond movie (GoldenEye in close second)!!!!!!
Beautiful testimony, isn't it? Anyway, the moral is TLD and Dalton ARE amazing!

 

[Mr Jide]

I just watched TLD this morning and it is brilliant. Dalton was geat and although I dont think LTK is as good, I wish he had done GE.