When you rate a Bond movie, so much of it depends on who you prefer in the lead role. I grew up with Roger Moore, but I prefer Connery. Moore's bond is a little too smooth and a little too old most of the time. "Live and Let Die" features a lot of good things, including a killer boat chase, an alligator bridge, and the best theme song of any Bond movie. Nothing's wrong with Moore as Bond, it's just that his presence always makes things lighter, which is out of place when you're dealing with Kananga's (Yaphet Kotto) ruthless gang.
Would this movie be made today; probably not, not in the same way anyway. Far too many cultural and political hot potato elements.
For me, watching this today for probably the 20th time, I find the New York backdrop of the early 70's more interesting following a recent visit there; it's wonderful to see how the place has been regenerated. I should have gone to see 33 65th street; but didn't
Well they certainly get their worth from the theme track!
Roger Moore gets off to a solid start, creating some new tropes for his stint.
It's interesting to see a little of Bond's home-life and how barista equipment has been around for decades before Starbucks started charging a fiver for some bitter water!
The middle hour of this is as tight as anything since the best of the Connery years. Moore brings a different energy, he's suave and the comedy is out front for sure. His interaction with Miss Moneypenny suddenly makes her look much older than him.
There are some excellent action pieces and it seems like they threw everything at this one in a way that Diamonds had lacked. A plot, an energy, a freshness.
What is missing is something intangible when the decisions that the producers have made are as they are - is this how we imagine Bond to be? Have we strayed too far from the assassin? Is he cold enough? Existentially, I don't buy Moore but I appreciate what he brought that Connery had lost and Lazenby only promised to perhaps achieve.
7.5/10
I wish someone would kill Bond.
Finally, we get to see Roger Moore as our favorite MI6 operative, as he was to busy to join the franchise earlier, and we also have voodoo, snakes, and, of course, the theme song.
Live and Let Die is a bit slow in parts, and the plot is so absurd it only really works in a James Bond movie, but it picks up and eventually becomes rather exciting. Especially that "little" boat chase.
To be honest, Live and Let Die is far from my favorite Bond movie, but it has its charms, and yes...Jane Seymour is certainly one of them.
When I was young, and my heart was an open book
I used to just 'meh' about Live and Let Die
You know I did, you know I did, you know I did
But now this ever changing life in which I live in
Lets me think its pretty fly...
'Cause this Roger Moore guy!
Yea, Roger Moore has grown on me over time, even if he still isn't high on my list of favorite Bonds. He starts off in a pretty solid film too. It's pretty fun, good action, and some interesting side characters. What knocks it down to a 4 for me though, is Sheriff JW Pepper, lack of Q, and a, uhh, strange battle in the climax. Those elements certainly don't stop me from watching it if I find it on TV though.
Another great Bond movie and I even like Roger Moore in this one!
And I think the Voodoo theme was s really cool idea.
The James Bond Films
1 Eon films
1.1 Dr. No (1962) https://trakt.tv/movies/dr-no-1962
1.2 From Russia with Love (1963) https://trakt.tv/movies/from-russia-with-love-1963
1.3 Goldfinger (1964) https://trakt.tv/movies/goldfinger-1964
1.4 Thunderball (1965) https://trakt.tv/movies/thunderball-1965
1.5 You Only Live Twice (1967) https://trakt.tv/movies/you-only-live-twice-1967
1.6 On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) https://trakt.tv/movies/on-her-majesty-s-secret-service-1969
1.7 Diamonds Are Forever (1971) https://trakt.tv/movies/diamonds-are-forever-1971
1.8 Live and Let Die (1973) https://trakt.tv/movies/live-and-let-die-1973
1.9 The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) https://trakt.tv/movies/the-man-with-the-golden-gun-1974
1.10 The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) https://trakt.tv/movies/the-spy-who-loved-me-1977
1.11 Moonraker (1979) https://trakt.tv/movies/moonraker-1979
1.12 For Your Eyes Only (1981) https://trakt.tv/movies/for-your-eyes-only-1981
1.13 Octopussy (1983) https://trakt.tv/movies/octopussy-1983
1.14 A View to a Kill (1985) https://trakt.tv/movies/a-view-to-a-kill-1985
1.15 The Living Daylights (1987) https://trakt.tv/movies/the-living-daylights-1987
1.16 Licence to Kill (1989) https://trakt.tv/movies/licence-to-kill-1989
1.17 GoldenEye (1995) https://trakt.tv/movies/goldeneye-1995
1.18 Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) https://trakt.tv/movies/tomorrow-never-dies-1997
1.19 The World Is Not Enough (1999) https://trakt.tv/movies/the-world-is-not-enough-1999
1.20 Die Another Day (2002) https://trakt.tv/movies/die-another-day-2002
1.21 Casino Royale (2006) https://trakt.tv/movies/casino-royale-2006
1.22 Quantum of Solace (2008) https://trakt.tv/movies/quantum-of-solace-2008
1.23 Skyfall (2012) https://trakt.tv/movies/skyfall-2012
1.24 Spectre (2015) https://trakt.tv/movies/spectre-2015
1.25 No Time to Die (2021) https://trakt.tv/movies/no-time-to-die-2021
2 Non-Eon films
2.1 Casino Royale (1967) https://trakt.tv/movies/casino-royale-1967
2.2 Never Say Never Again (1983) https://trakt.tv/movies/never-say-never-again-1983
Roger Moore's debut as Bond is one for the ages. I enjoyed the theme song as it was a nice break from John Barry's overuse of the brass and the movie righted virtually all the wrongs from Diamonds are Forever (namely getting rid of a bored Sean Connery). I will say this mvoie does have some wrongs here and there, but the wrongs are more in terms of some bad continuity moments (namely in Harlem and when Bond rescues Solitaire).
The first Roger Moore Bond is good. I feel they know what they want to be in the post-Connery era, but the execution was pretty average. It is certainly a step up after the last Connery nonsense.
Rating: 2.5/5 - 70% - Worth Watching
"Live and Let Die" welcomes Roger Moore as James Bond and takes the franchise into the 1970s. Truth be told, and you may not agree, I like Moore better. Now, that's mainly because he was the Bond of my generation, he was also the first Bond I knew. And you never forget your first, don't you ? Compared to Connery I also find him less arrogant. Now, please note I said I like him more not I think he was better. In the end every era had its own Bond up to Daniel Craig.
The script seems to be rather thin as there isn't so much happening but there is a lot of entertaining action. And the adorable Jane Seymour. Katanga is not the best Bond villian and his plan is litreally not the end of the world. But all things considered the movie is a solid action flick for Bond fans and casual watchers alike.
A classic Bond movie. With many memorable scenes just in the first few minutes: The deadly earpiece! The N'orleans death march! The snake at the Voodoo festival! One of the most iconic title songs ever! And that's only the start. Plus: I really like Roger Moore. He doesn't take himself to seriously (only rivaled by Pierce Brosnan in this category). Is it full of sexism? (The post defloration scene is particularly creepy). Is it its own cliche? Is it full of cultural misappropriation? Yes! Yes! Yes! It's two hours of fun though. And reasonably exciting. I was entertained.
Best scenes: The crocodile bridge. The boat chase. The shark scene (rightfully parodied in Austin Powers). The bed in the sleeper train scene.
First of the James Bond movies starring Roger Moore. Not bad. There were some eyeroll-worthy moments throughout but overall, it wasn't a bad movie. I kept thinking "Tee Hee" (played by Julius Harris) looked an awful lot like Michael Clarke Duncan but it finally became obvious that this was someone different. The boat scenes were a bit outlandish but a fun change from the usual car chase scenes. All in all, just another James Bond movie...not great, but not horrible. Worth watching at least once.
As far as James Bond flicks go this one was pretty fun. It maybe wasn't as good as Goldfinger or Skyfall, but it's one of the few James Bond pictures I've seen thus far that I can foresee myself rewatching.
The highlight of the movie is the infamous Boat Chase. You should see it.
and
Solitaire
The where every African-American is after Bond. Okay okay, the one with the badass theme tune. This edition of the Bond series has 007 face a group of voodoo worshiping, tarot reading drug dealers after they kill... I'll be honest I forgot midway though. I dunno, maybe my complete inexperience with blaxploitation doesn't help matters but this one didn't hold my interest. Also, when it came to villains, while the main villain Kananga is certainly a disappointment compared to prior main villains, I rather enjoyed Tee Hee's company. One of the best henchmen so far. The airplane sequence was a legit highlight in the movie for me. And Moore certainly did the job well in his first Bond outing. Not a complete waste of time as it did have it's moments, I couldn't really care for the plot or the majority of characters.
Kananga/Mr. Big: "What shall we drink to, Mr. Bond?"
James Bond: "Well, how about an earthquake".
OK I got to get this off my chest, Roger Moore is not the greatest Bond in my opinion, but let's not forget that Roger Moore is not a terrible actor. Well actually, he's pretty damn good and in this movie he did a good job, but I'm sorry but his no Bond (to me).
The theme song to this movie 'Live and Let Die' was just like the other bond intros. There are always getting stuck in my head and this one got stuck to.
The villains in this movie are such fun villains and you know I have a big soft sport for villains. The movie went dark at times which I liked in the film, but it tried to add humor into the mix and I didn't work for me.
Overall rating: 'Live and Let Die' is a decent Bond film with weird voodoo added to the mix, which didn't hurt the Bond series.
The Moore Era of Bond begins with a bold new adventure in Live and Let Die. When several MI6 agents are killed in the United States and Central America, James Bond is sent to investigate, starting with New York crime lord who calls himself Mr. Big. Roger Moore steps into the role of James Bond and delivers a solid performance that puts a slight spin on the character. And Jane Seymour makes her film debut as one of the most compelling and enchanting Bond girls of the series. Additionally, Paul McCartney provides a powerful and thrilling theme song. However, the plot is especially convoluted and gets a bit ridiculous at times. Live and Let Die starts a new chapter for Bond that’s a bit campier, but still delivers the action and adventure.
Roger Moore is surprisingly adept in his first run as legendary super-spy James Bond. While failed replacement George Lazenby may have better looked the part, Moore's understanding of the nuances and intangibles that define the character are dead-on. He feels cocksure, smooth and cunning, albeit not quite as deadpan as Sean Connery, and that makes him quite easy to swallow as the new leading man. Unfortunately, his first outing is not among the character's best.
Overwhelmed with trendy stereotypes from the blaxploitation era, those connections seem mismatched and strained, as if the series is trying too hard to be fresh and contemporary at its own expense. Far too many outlandish characters crowd the screen, too, from the body-painted voodoo lord Baron Samedi to the gimmicky, iron-clawed henchman Tee Hee Johnson (who, naturally, giggles in every single scene). We've got a tarot card-reading virgin dubbed Solitaire, a soft-spoken behemoth named Whisper, an overzealous hayseed sheriff plucked straight from The Dukes of Hazzard and a villainous mastermind who specializes in Mission: Impossible-styled makeup effects. It's too much, a wash of color so rich that the picture turns grey.
Bond's gizmos are sadly downplayed (poor Q doesn't even get to show his face), while the plot seemingly exists only to transition Moore from one drawn-out chase to the next. I'm still not entirely sure where Mr. Big's endgame was meant to carry him. Even the classic McCartney theme song, which I love on its own merit, is a bad fit for the series. An effective opening statement for Roger Moore's validity in the role, it's otherwise a groan-worthy batch of bad ideas and missed connections.
I liked Roger Moore's James Bond. New Orleans is a cool setting but the plot and villains is weak. This is probably the best Bond song so far.
"Live and Let Die" isn't Roger Moore's best Bond outing, but not his worst, either. It's definitely better than his next one, the thoroughly tiresome "The Man with the Golden Gun".
Review by benoliver999BlockedParent2015-06-07T23:05:28Z
The saga continues. After a false fresh start, it’s Roger Moore’s turn to step into Bond’s shoes with Live and Let Die.
007 is tasked with solving the mystery of three murders across the globe, all MI6 agents. As ever this takes him all over the world and he meets bad guys, women, shoots guns etc etc. This is the eighth film in the series and we’ve learned by now that it’s not about what he does, it’s about how he does it.
Despite being superficially the same as the others, this is a genuine change of direction for the franchise. The camp tone that was so irritating in Diamonds are Forever actually works in Moore’s hands.
He’s the definition of nonchalant. While Connery was always ready, clenched fist and hand on gun, Moore gets out of danger with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. It sounds silly but he’s so good at it one can’t help but be charmed.
The other changes they make are more hit and miss. There’s no crazy villain trying to take over the world, just a gangster running a drug business. However, even with the apparent simplicity of the story it still manages to be overly convoluted.
Trying to ‘get real’ hurts the film too. The villains simply aren’t that threatening. Not that everyone should be Dr. No but it’s hard to imagine why they send Bond on a errand that frankly should be a matter for the local police.
The producers also clearly attempted a shameless cash grab by imitating the then popular Blaxploitation theme. Bondsploitation. It can be fun to watch at times for the fish-out-of-water value but mostly it makes the film feel too much of its time. No one really wants to see Bond tackling the ‘issues’.
There’s a lot of good though. Jane Seymour stands out as the ‘Bond girl’. She’s only 20 years old here and it really shows. She manages to lend a genuine vulnerable air to the role without hamming it up. However, it is slightly unsettling to watch Bond shamelessly try to screw a teenager using some rigged tarot cards. He’s only one step away from slipping a pill into her drink…
Also good is the theme tune. It’s the first break from a big band style song and it’s a true classic. McCartney still plays it live on stage.
There are some very slick action sequences in Live and Let Die. It’s a shame they are often swamped by really boring ones or just wind up being overly long and losing our interest.
The boat chase is the best example of this. It feels like it’s never going to end, we don’t really know why there even is a boat chase, never mind where it’s actually supposed to be happening (the Bayou I presume?). A shame, because it is punctuated by moments of true greatness. One of the boat jumps broke a Guinness world record. It’s ambitious footage spoiled by a very poor edit.
Live and Let Die has not aged well. It’s confusing and keeps trying to bring race into the plot for no reason. However, one can’t help but enjoy Moore’s performance and if this film does anything, it makes us want to see where he goes with the character.
http://benoliver999.com/film/2015/06/05/liveandletdie/