[Movie 294 / Day 312]
Way back in 1983, when I was a mere 5 years old, we were on our yearly family holiday. I don’t remember where we were on holiday, or in fact, any details of the holiday at all apart from one abiding memory – my first trip to the cinema. We were walking around whatever seaside resort we were in when we walked past the local cinema and my father spotted the poster advertising OCTOPUSSY, the latest James Bond film. My father took me and my older brother in to watch it. I don’t remember much about my reaction to the movie, apart from loving the opening sequence with the mini-jet appearing from the horse box. I loved that sequence so much, I begged my parents for the cash-in toy Range Rover/horsebox for the rest of the holiday.
So, when I spotted it was on TV, and I was at home with my 5 year old son, it seemed like I didn’t have a choice but to dim the lights and fire up the projector for it. I’m glad to report he also giggled with pure glee when the horses arse lifted up and Bond appeared in a tiny jet with folding wings. The rest of the movie, alas, wasn’t such a hit. Apart from the tuk-tuk chase and visit to Q’s lab, which we both loved, my son didn’t seem to be that interested in the lengthy stretches of talking. To be expected really, after all, they are also the only bits of the movie I remember from that first viewing!
The story revolves around a plot by a crazed Russian general and an Afghan prince to detonate a nuclear weapon on a US Air Force base in West Germany. Part of their plan involves faking and selling Russian art (including Fabergé eggs) – they transport the art around using the beautiful, but mysterious, Octopussy’s travelling circus as cover… That’s also how they plan to smuggle the bomb from East to West Germany. It’s down to Bond to solve the puzzle and save the world. Again.
Not having seen OCTOPUSSY for years, I quite enjoyed it. It’s definitely one of the campest Bond movies made and absolutely stuffed full of innuendo. At 55, Moore was getting pretty long in the tooth to be playing Bond and as such, he looks a bit clanky at times… To make up for that however, his eyebrow arch has reached unprecedented heights. There are some bits that just don’t work however – like Bond swinging from a tree using a vine while the famous Tarzan cry is played. That was cheap and nasty. As was Bond’s contact in India, posing as a snake charmer, who plays the opening bars of the Bond theme tune to attract Bond’s attention. That was just plain stupid.
It’s still a lot of fun in places and if you’re in the mood for Moore’s camp take on the character, OCTOPUSSY isn’t a bad choice.
My Rating: 
[ IMDB rating: 6.6 / 10 | IMDB link | Running time: 131 mins ]
