The Classic/Retro Pop Culture Thread

[RJDiogenes]

I picture Paul slouching down in his seat.

Hence my surprise that you're good with its origin point here.

Who knew what was to come, and "Jive Talkin'" was a fun song. The problem isn't with Disco as a genre, it's that it just overwhelmed the radio and so much of it was so bad.

Ah...that was probably around '78 off the top of my head. By mid-'79, they were already warming up for the Dark Phoenix saga. That was when I picked up my first random issues of the book, though I didn't get into it until the immediate aftermath of Jean's death. I picked up the funeral issue and subsequently found a copy of the death issue still on a stand.

Okay, looking over the Fandom Wiki, it looks like the book began it's decline with #110, with the following Magneto storyline being kind of mediocre. That was followed by the Savage Land and Moses Magnum stories, which were just awful. Starting with #120, the quality began drifting upward, though it fluctuated a lot, the Arcade storyline being particularly bad, but the Proteus storyline was pretty good, as was the Hellfire Club. Then we got into the Dark Phoenix Saga, which was definitely a big improvement, despite the weird editorial stuff that resulted in last-minute changes. Then, starting with Kitty Pryde joining the team, they were off on another Golden Age for a while.

They scoff at judges and lawyers.

They haven't met Shannon.

Christopher Lee lying with his hands on his torso? I would've thought that was a gimme.

See? Kicking myself. Ouch. I guess I didn't recognize him from that angle.

I will note that I described it as the most mediocre, not the worst; and by "to date," I meant in 50th Anniversaryland. The worst to date in 50A would have to be DAF.

Nah, I'm not arguing. Some things you like just because you were at a certain age.

I read that he neglected to lobby for it in a timely manner.

Ah.

Hot damn--Poitier as any Bond villain would've been pure awesome!

Seriously. There's another guy who's a Pulp character come to life.

There are much better ones than this. "Nobody Does It Better" and "Live and Let Die" are the top of my list.

"Live and Let Die" is definitely at the top of my list, but I don't care for "Nobody Does It Better."

It's a bit extreme...Bond's been persuasive in other situations without threatening to snipe a guy in the groin at close range.

Well, the thing is, would he have really done it? He knew the guy would crack easily.

That was setup for the fake third nipple.

Oh, okay, that makes sense. I guess I just assumed that Bond did that himself.

I neglected to quote the final punchline, when Bond's returning to Hip after having seen Fat. While removing the nipple and tossing it in the bushes: "I think he found me quite titillating."

They had a knack for that in those days. Plenty O'Toole comes to mind.

Yeah, they probably don't do that anymore. Politically incorrect, I'm sure.

I held back on going off on a rant about it, but I imagine that his early Bond films being written by these guys informed Moore's inability to take the character seriously. I've seen Moore in dramatic roles, he could've been a great straight-faced Bond. I'm probably repeating myself from the DAF review a few years back.

I enjoyed the somewhat lighthearted, High Adventure spirit of that era-- and they didn't let us forget that Bond was deadly serious beneath his charm, as with those two scenes noted above.

Resisting the urge to post a screencap, while wondering if it would be a rules violation...

I think it should be a violation of the laws of physics.

There's even a shallow drinking in that clip!

Yes, I saw. Somewhat awkwardly set up, but that's okay.

Except Bond was in the martial arts togs that the school put him in, so he probably didn't have anything on him.

That's what I was thinking. But, of course, the writers are in control, so it could have been done.

Vacationing.

Well, I got that much. But he doesn't seem the type to leave the country, let alone journey to Thailand-- to say nothing of the preposterousness of him being there at the same time and place as Bond.

I'm not quite that far along yet.

Enjoy your youth while it lasts.

That's a given.

Clearly Marvin Hamlisch took note when scoring the most impressive Bond stunt ever:

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That's how you do it! There must've been standing ovations in the theater.

That is definitely very impressive.

Don't get me going--nowadays kids wouldn't even appreciate that somebody really did that. Defying gravity comes too cheaply with CGI. I read that the show Top Gear tried to replicate the stunt, and failed...though the stunt company involved in devising the stunt toured with it in the '70s.

True. I love what CGI and AI is able to accomplish, but they are, like most things, a double-edged sword.

I thought you'd appreciate the freebie! That was the first thing that came up on a general search of the tail number.

Looks like the airplane database is back among the living, though.

It's a very impressive-looking locale.

I love it, and I wouldn't mind seeing it in person myself.

The film even gave us a good implied rationalization for why the dummy had a loaded gun...in the teaser they showed Nick Nack taunting Scaramanga about finding a weapon. In fact, it just occurred to me that maybe it was meant to be another firing dummy, though we didn't see it being used in that fashion.

They must have hired Chekhov as a consultant.

I read, I think from an account by Moore, that afterward some of her body hair was singed.

Still better than the Sumo.

Captain Oveured.

I've long thought the same thing, having watched FI well before seeing TMWTGG.

Google searches deny everything, but I'm having a hard time buying it.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Okay, looking over the Fandom Wiki, it looks like the book began it's decline with #110, with the following Magneto storyline being kind of mediocre. That was followed by the Savage Land and Moses Magnum stories, which were just awful.

I found that part of the run to be relatively weak myself.

Starting with #120, the quality began drifting upward, though it fluctuated a lot, the Arcade storyline being particularly bad, but the Proteus storyline was pretty good, as was the Hellfire Club. Then we got into the Dark Phoenix Saga, which was definitely a big improvement, despite the weird editorial stuff that resulted in last-minute changes.

The Hellfire Club storyline is officially considered part of the Dark Phoenix Saga. The Proteus arc really kicks it off, though, starting with Jean's return in #125.

"Live and Let Die" is definitely at the top of my list, but I don't care for "Nobody Does It Better."

Well, they were both #2's; while "The Man with the Golden Gun" apparently didn't chart anywhere.

Well, the thing is, would he have really done it? He knew the guy would crack easily.

I'd like to think he wouldn't have, but it's hard to tell what they were going for.

Oh, okay, that makes sense. I guess I just assumed that Bond did that himself.

Not his field. As a cosmetic alteration, it brings to mind the false fingerprints in DAF.

Yeah, they probably don't do that anymore. Politically incorrect, I'm sure.

How times have changed. Dalton's Bond was generally perceived as being too PC; and following that, Brosnan's was heavily sold up as being PI.

I enjoyed the somewhat lighthearted, High Adventure spirit of that era-- and they didn't let us forget that Bond was deadly serious beneath his charm, as with those two scenes noted above.

I enjoy Moore's Bond for what he was, but as someone who delved into the books while he was still in the role, I was frustrated by what he could have been.

Well, I got that much. But he doesn't seem the type to leave the country, let alone journey to Thailand-- to say nothing of the preposterousness of him being there at the same time and place as Bond.

Just gotta roll with that sort of stuff.

That is definitely very impressive.

Done only once and there's an accident right there on film...the ski impacting the parachute wasn't intended. The bit of movie fakery going on there is that the ski chase and the jump were filmed at completely different locations. The jump was actually done from a flat-topped mountain.

 

[RJDiogenes]

The Hellfire Club storyline is officially considered part of the Dark Phoenix Saga. The Proteus arc really kicks it off, though, starting with Jean's return in #125.

There were less clear demarcations between storylines in those days, I think. Books were more like soap operas. Nowadays they seem to write for the TPB. Which is fine, really.

Well, they were both #2's; while "The Man with the Golden Gun" apparently didn't chart anywhere.

I don't think "Nobody Does It Better" was terrible or anything, I just don't like it. My opinion is probably colored by my dislike of the movie.

I'd like to think he wouldn't have, but it's hard to tell what they were going for.

The gunsmith couldn't tell either.

Not his field. As a cosmetic alteration, it brings to mind the false fingerprints in DAF.

Hasn't he shown expertise in disguise before? Maybe not, because I can't think of any examples. But you can buy fake nipples in a joke shop. So I hear.

How times have changed. Dalton's Bond was generally perceived as being too PC; and following that, Brosnan's was heavily sold up as being PI.

I don't remember any of those movies clearly enough to have an opinion, but I do remember the female M calling Bond a "misogynist," which made me laugh out loud.

I enjoy Moore's Bond for what he was, but as someone who delved into the books while he was still in the role, I was frustrated by what he could have been.

I have the books, but to date I have only read the first one. The book Bond and the movie Bond are really two very distinct characters who share the same name. I suspect if I had read the books (and liked them) before seeing the movies, I would not like any of the movies.

Just gotta roll with that sort of stuff.

I guess I gotta.

Done only once and there's an accident right there on film...the ski impacting the parachute wasn't intended. The bit of movie fakery going on there is that the ski chase and the jump were filmed at completely different locations. The jump was actually done from a flat-topped mountain.

What kills me is that movies now cost a zillion times what they did back then.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I don't think "Nobody Does It Better" was terrible or anything, I just don't like it. My opinion is probably colored by my dislike of the movie.

We'll be switching shoes in '77. Overall, I consider TSWLM to be the best Bond film.

Hasn't he shown expertise in disguise before? Maybe not, because I can't think of any examples.

Something he noteworthily is pretty much never seen doing. I think in the books he was known to engage in subtle disguise techniques like oral prosthetics to change the shape of his face.

But you can buy fake nipples in a joke shop. So I hear.

Qnion rules.

I don't remember any of those movies clearly enough to have an opinion, but I do remember the female M calling Bond a "misogynist," which made me laugh out loud.

That was my first exposure to the word, and I was well into my 20s then.

I have the books, but to date I have only read the first one. The book Bond and the movie Bond are really two very distinct characters who share the same name. I suspect if I had read the books (and liked them) before seeing the movies, I would not like any of the movies.

I was delving into the two Bond worlds simultaneously, so the books were informing my view of the movies. Part of my coming to peace with the Moore era is that subsequent actors did more to channel the Fleming character. (That's what Dalton was really about, though Joe Sixpack wouldn't have known that.) Moore is very enjoyable for what he does, and he kept the franchise alive and healthy solidly into a new era, where it might otherwise have died in the wrong hands.

I guess I gotta.

I'm reminded of something I learned from DVD extras. Starting with TSWLM, I think, when the car drives up on the beach, there was a tradition of always having a public reaction scene to something Bond was doing, and this scene always included the same extra doing a double-take. E.g., the hover gondola scene in Moonraker, I think he was at a sidewalk cafe. I think he was related to the Broccolis.

A good example of the past not being that long ago just came up...it's being reported that Harrison Rufus Tyler--the grandson of 10th president John Tyler--died this week at 96. No "greats," just the son of a son. Apparently President Tyler had several children late in life by younger wives. Harrison was born over 60 years after John died in 1862.

 

[RJDiogenes]

We'll be switching shoes in '77. Overall, I consider TSWLM to be the best Bond film.

I'll be interested in what you have to say. I don't really remember details at this point, except that I didn't think Barbara Bach had the gravitas for a role like that, unlike Diana Rigg.

Something he noteworthily is pretty much never seen doing.

Okay, so much for that theory.

I think in the books he was known to engage in subtle disguise techniques like oral prosthetics to change the shape of his face.

Maybe I read about that. And I'm just now remembering when he made himself up as a clown, but that was in Octopussy, I think. When I saw MWTGG, I probably just breezed by it as something so simple it didn't need explanation. Certainly not something he would need Q for, unless it had a laser beam in it or something.

Qnion rules.

Qte.

That was my first exposure to the word, and I was well into my 20s then.

Back in the before times it would only come up if you were talking about Jack the Ripper or some such.

I was delving into the two Bond worlds simultaneously, so the books were informing my view of the movies. Part of my coming to peace with the Moore era is that subsequent actors did more to channel the Fleming character. (That's what Dalton was really about, though Joe Sixpack wouldn't have known that.) Moore is very enjoyable for what he does, and he kept the franchise alive and healthy solidly into a new era, where it might otherwise have died in the wrong hands.

Would the book Bond have followed through on his threat to the gunsmith?

I'm reminded of something I learned from DVD extras. Starting with TSWLM, I think, when the car drives up on the beach, there was a tradition of always having a public reaction scene to something Bond was doing, and this scene always included the same extra doing a double-take. E.g., the hover gondola scene in Moonraker, I think he was at a sidewalk cafe. I think he was related to the Broccolis.

Very interesting. Is this still going on? The guy would have to be pretty old by now. Unless he's a time traveler assigned to document certain specific incidents in the life of 007.

A good example of the past not being that long ago just came up...it's being reported that Harrison Rufus Tyler--the grandson of 10th president John Tyler--died this week at 96. No "greats," just the son of a son. Apparently President Tyler had several children late in life by younger wives. Harrison was born over 60 years after John died in 1862.

Remarkable. It's too bad that was not reported more widely.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I'll be interested in what you have to say. I don't really remember details at this point, except that I didn't think Barbara Bach had the gravitas for a role like that, unlike Diana Rigg.

Well, I'm distinguishing between "favorite" and "best" in this case. I just think that overall, as the classic Bond series goes, it's the best exemplar of a Bond film--the one that comes closest to having the "whole package," and the one that you'd show to someone to represent the series.

And I'm just now remembering when he made himself up as a clown, but that was in Octopussy, I think.

Yep, there was that.

Qte.

In the John Gardner revival of the novel series in the '80s (which was my portal to the original Fleming novels), Major Boothroyd had a female assistant whom Bond was shagging nicknamed Q'ute.

Back in the before times it would only come up if you were talking about Jack the Ripper or some such.

There ya go. It wasn't just me thinking that the term as it's become commonly used is an overreach.

Would the book Bond have followed through on his threat to the gunsmith?

Good question. Offhand I'm thinking no, as the whole scenario just seems so "off" to me. One distinguishing feature of novel Bond, which Dalton at least channeled, is that he didn't enjoy his job. He considered killing to be a nasty business, and it affected him. He drank and sometimes popped pills to deal with it. In that scene in TMWTGG, it was probably the result of forcing Moore to do something he didn't want to do, but Bond just seems a little too gleeful about threatening to blow the guy's groin off. TSWLM and FYEO have better examples of Moore in "tough Bond" mode that don't feel so off. Both involve killing killers. Now that I mention it, in TMWTGG, Bond tells Scaramanga that the people he kills are usually killers.

Very interesting. Is this still going on? The guy would have to be pretty old by now. Unless he's a time traveler assigned to document certain specific incidents in the life of 007.

I doubt it's still going on, and couldn't say exactly when it stopped, but I think it may have been going through the Brosnan era. I was unable to find a mention of it in the IMDb trivia notes for TSWLM.