Moonraker - 1979

Year Released: 1979
Movie Rating: *** (stars of four)

Movie Notes -

  • US Release Date: 29 June 1979
  • Total Worldwide Gross: $202,700,000
  • James Bond: Roger Moore
  • Locations: California, Rio de Janeiro, Venice, Outer Space
  • Enemy: Hugo Drax
  • Main Bond Girl: Holly Goodhead
  • Bond's Friends: CIA
  • Pre-title Sequence: Sky dive
  • Enemy Plot: Launch poison gas, destroy the population, and create a dynast in space
  • Music: John Barry
  • Title Track: "Moonraker" by Shirley Bassey
  • 007's Car: None
  • Q Branch: Wrist gun, Hydrofoil/Glider, wristwatch w/explosives
  • Produced by: Albert R. Broccoli
  • Directed by: Lewis Gilbert
  • Doug's Ranking: Moonraker is #11 of 18

    The Spy Who Loved Me was such a success, that the writers for the 11th United Artists release decided to do it again. Moonraker is almost a carbon copy of the 1977 Bond film starring Roger Moore, back as 007.

    Moonraker is a great Bond film for a few reasons. First of all, by this time, Roger Moore is finally feeling comfortable in his role as James Bond. Hence he gives yet another good performance.

    Moonraker was not originally scheduled to be the next Bond film but due to the popularity of George Lucas's Star Wars, Albert R. Broccoli decided to make Moonraker first. Remember at the end of Spy, the credits read: "James Bond Will Return in 'For Your Eyes Only'. Well, FYEO can wait.

    Moonraker has good locales and nice looking women, but what brings down this film is its lack of credibility. Moonraker would have been a top-10 Bond film if they could have written the story without 007 travelling to space. With the return of Jaws also signifies that this film is the one that most appeals to the young viewers. ... That's not to say that it doesn't have its customary adult humour. It's a Bond film, come on.

    Moonraker is a good way to pass the time in the Bond series. However, it doesn't match up to its predecessor but it does pave the way to one of the series' finest.

    Overall Rating: B

  • Production Notes -

    Ian Fleming intended his novel Moonraker to be a film before he even wrote it. The novel is about a Moonraker rocket launched to destroy London. However, filmmakers thought this idea was too boring and insisted on the final concept. About the only thing producers kept from Fleming's novel was Drax's name.

    Lois Chiles (Holly Goodhead) was originally considered for the role of Anya in The Spy Who Loved Me.

    The scene where Jaws bites the cable line in two, he is actually biting a prop made of licorice.

    In the scene where Bond falls off the cable car, the stuntman forgot to put on his safety harness and is really hanging on the tram, thousands of feet in the air, endangering his life.

    James Bond Will Return in 'For Your Eyes Only' 1