The Bond novel, Moonraker, is a much different story than the Bond film of the same name. Set in the early 1950's, Bond discovers that the Sir Hugo Drax, a boisterous, self-made-businessman, and chief rocket designer is planning on using Britain's newest nuclear rocket, the Moonraker, to fire an atomic warhead into the heart of London. It is revealed Drax is actually a half German megalomaniac, who feigned amnesia after being wounded in World War 2, and now wants revenge against the allies. Taking down Britain from within using a nuclear warhead supplied by the Russians. Drax has been working on this plan for years. Becoming a multi millionaire, buying all the correct metals that are required to build the latest rocket designs, gaining a knighthood, and putting himself in charge of the new Moonraker project with 50 ex-Nazi German rocket scientists.
Seems a bit of an overly elaborate plot, even as Bond stories go. The question is, why does Drax (which is to say Ian Fleming) bother with the Moonraker rocket in the first place? The novel explains Drax and his scientists spent years planning the first test fire of the Moonraker, swapping the dummy warhead for an armed nuclear warhead, and with radio computers based in the middle of London to help guide the Moonraker hitting it's target without fail.
Why bother with the Moonraker project at all? Drax can evidently deliver equipment to his apartment in London and no one noticed or cared. Could Drax not have simply secured a warhead from his Russian allies and armed it somewhere in London, thereby skipping the ridiculously expensive, elaborate, and risky Moonraker project altogether?
I considered that maybe Drax could have used the Moonraker hitting London as a freak accident, wiping away all evidence of any wrong doing by him... but he doesn't. The original test launch was publicly known, dummy warhead, landing position in the North Sea, press and government officials everywhere. And as Drax finishes his obviously evil speech he vanishes into a Russian nuclear submarine, and not using the opportunity to maybe fake his death or anything. ehhh? If Drax had Russian allies and was already a multi millionaire with countless business as his disposal, surely he could have arranged a truck or two to carry a warhead into London?
We have here three of the original James Bond novels by the character's creator, Ian Fleming. I personally rank all three of these among the best, but if you want to grab just one to see if these books are your kinda thing, I recommend Thunderball. It's a fun, very engaging read, and makes for a great introduction to the character and his world. OHMSS is probably the best of the entire series, but it is something of a direct follow-up to Thunderball, in a couple of ways I won't mention since they're rather spoilery.
It's also worth noting that these are included in Kindle Unlimited.
1 1/2 oz tequila, 1 oz gin, 1 oz vodka, 1 oz Cointreau, 1/2 Lillet, 1/2 oz lime juice, pinch of sea salt and sugar, pour over ice and top with a splash of soda water. My favorite drink by far.
It doesn't taste nearly as boozy as it sounds, Potentially a margarita on steroids.
I just wanted to share my thoughts with the book. I know a lot of people consider this the best bond book, but I found unspectacular, although extremely well written. The story and villains to me felt very cliché, with Krebs and Drax feeling like generic disgusting evil Nazis and the whole plot of the Moonraker missile feeling like yet another nuclear war story set in the 50s. Bond and Brand however, are written extremely well in this story. It's interesting to see Bond considering throwing his life away to save London and he feels more vulnerable with him being constantly injured in the book's latter half. Brand is a nice shakeup from the typical Bond girl, with her being more Bond's equal with some romance between the two. It's also awesome how she is the one to clue in on the plan to destroy London and has to guide Bond to redirect the Moonraker in the book's last 30 pages. To me though, it feels unoriginal when compared to Casino Royale and From Russia With Love, both of which had extremely creative and original plots. And purely out of curiosity, I'm wondering why people see this as superior to both Casino Royale and From Russia With Love, because it feels like a cut below those two novels.
Early in the book, Bond plays a game of poker against Hugo Drax at the Blades Club. Bond beats him, and proves that Drax is cheating.
This whole section of the book is terrific, and it establishes an uneasy relationship between hero and villain. Almost every Bond story shows Bond, and the villain having a friendly competition (golf with Goldfinger, for instance).
I hope that we see the Moonraker Poker game adapted into a film one day.
After last summer's chronological rewatch of all the films, I am finally reading the Fleming novels in order. I had previously read Casino Royale, OHMSS, and The Spy Who Loved Me, but for whatever reason, I hadn't picked up any of the others.
Anyway, I just finished Moonraker, and I think it's my favorite so far. I love the sections discussing Bond's day to day life when he's not on assignment, and Drax is a foreboding character (much moreso than the filmed version). I also really liked the relationship between Bond and Gala Brand.
Anyone else love the book? And for the serious Fleming fans on the sub, which upcoming novels do I have to really look forward to?
Adjusted for conversion and inflation, 007's net salary is the equivalent to about $47,200 today.
Not a lot for the world's greatest secret agent.
I would have thought they would be payed better so that money would be less enticing from a foreign entity.
Dolly, Jaws' girlfriend in the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker no longer has braces!
I know people have spoken about this before but I just wanted to say this.
The girl in jaws 100% had braces and this is the Mandela effect I am most certain about. It was the whole premise of the attraction to jaws with his metal mouth.
I remember thinking about it at the time like oh that’s kinda like him and the moment when she smiles at him makes no sense without the braces.
There is currently no footage (I know of) that now exists with her having braces and people have even contacted the actress (Blanche Ravalec) who played her and she states she never wore braces.
There is actually a supermarket advert where the cashier meets jaws and smiles and has braces which could have possibly led to a false memory in people but could also have just been based on the scene in the movie.
Honestly though other Mandela effects can be explained away, for me this one makes me believe there is stuff going on we don’t fully understand yet.
So what are yours thoughts? Does anyone remember her with/without braces?
2 of the most over-the-top, balls to the wall, sci-fi heavy Bond films of all time. Also, 2 that are continuously ranked as the worst from Roger & Pierce's run.
Which 007 adventure do you prefer?
I swear it was a 1930 something
So this is an honest question, does Moonraker get hated on too much? I mean it is by no means perfect but is it as bad as many make it out to be? It accomplished all the things a bond film should do. I look forward to hearing your opinions, thanks everyone!
We're back in business.
In my humble opinion, TSWLM set the template that modern Bond films since then have followed. While we had stunts before, most notably in TMWTGG, this film's iconic ski jump with Bond releasing a Union Jack parachute began an emphasis on stunts. From 1979-1995, every PTS, with the exception of Octopussy, had some kind of stunt that Bond performs in the air. The Lotus Esprit also codified the gadget-ridden car, which had not made an appearance since TB (or YOLT). The car chase brings to mind Dr. No with both taking place on the cliffside. FYEO saw it make an appearance where it blew up, symbolizing the return to more grounded action. TLD brought Aston Martin and the gadgets in the car back to connect Dalton's different Bond to his predecessors. Brosnan's era had a gadget-ridden car in every film. Nostalgia for the DB5 has been milked, but Skyfall executed it perfectly by having it symbolize the return of the classic tropes while also keeping the classic gadgets, which are more believable than those from later films. We also saw the return of the battle between two armies climax that had not been seen since OHMSS (DAF tried to do it with frogmen, but the explosives went off too early) and would return for four of the next six films.
MR, for all its silliness, has some decent sequences. The PTS might be superior to TSWLM's due to the greater stakes. 88 jumps were performed behind the scenes. The "Bondola" chase is a divisive one. The boat chase is a short, but entertaining sequence. Of course, we have a space lazer battle (that's how the score words it) in the climax. For the destruction of the base, the crew shot the model with a shotgun to create the effect.
So, which setpiece is your favourite?
Which Roger Moore movie you rank best to worst
Holly Goodhead: James, you destroyed the last globe just in time! Now we're starting to heat up as our heat shield hits the earth's upper atmosphere!
James Bond: Well, that poisonous nerve gas globe was a bit ... gassy!
HG:....
JB: In any case, I think I'll pop back the crew quarters cabin of Drax's shuttle... care to join me?
HG: James, we're at a critical stage re-entering the earth's atmosphere, and honestly, I am not even sure if we're in position to make it to either Cape Canaveral or Edwards Air Force base, the only places a spacecraft like this is cleared to land. If I don't get this exactly right, we'll burn up on re-entry!
JB: Well, I am willing to bet you've got a landing strip that will make us both ready to go into orbit...
HG: Oh, James......
#AMC is that prisoner who was wrongfully convicted for 30 years! It is planning its great escape to BREAK OUT and explode a sac full of APE JUICE!!!!
I booked this one a couple of days ago and was just wondering if there was anyone else who did.
This topic has been brought up here (and elsewhere) before, but please don't look it up if you don't know about the issue, so that we get spontaneous answers.
So, from memory, if you're familiar with this movie, how would you describe physically the character of Dolly?
Alright everyone we are at Moonraker! Good bad great? You tell me, thanks so much everyone for commenting and debating on these threads! It means a lot to generate good discussions, the next discussion will be on FYEO! Thanks again!
Just wanted to congratulate you all in this first may the fourth for our Moonbase. But remember, it's always Star Wars Day here in the Moon!
https://preview.redd.it/fth59r1z42x61.jpg?width=770&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=50aaec8736d99dd87a0fe9ec47fd8dba4e52d981
Easily the most ludicrous Bond film, Moonraker was inspired by the public's love of space adventures and sci-fi that followed other projects like Star Wars and Star Trek. Though hugely successful, it is looked back on today with a more critical eye, widely regarded as excessive and silly. However, this sub does seem to have a soft spot for it, if for no other reason than Michael Lonsdale's Drax and his tendency to say things like "cucumber sandwich" and "unloved season". So, what do you guys think? Does Moonraker stand up well against these other big films released in 1979, or does it do a giant face plant on top of a circus tent after falling out of an airplane? You be the judge!
- Alien
- Apocalypse Now
- Mad Max
- Rocky II
- Manhattan
- Monty Python's Life of Brian
- The Muppet Movie
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture
- Escape From Alcatraz
- The Amityville Horror
- ...And Justice For All
- The China Syndrome
- Being There
- Cuba
- The Prisoner of Zenda
- The Great Train Robbery
- Hair
- Norma Rae
- The Jerk
- The In-Laws
- Kramer vs. Kramer
- The Warriors
- When a Stranger Calls
- Breaking Away
- Days of Heaven
- 10
do you think it's a bad movie or one of the best.
For me is not as good as the Spy Who Loved Me, but I really enjoy it
Dolly, Jaws' girlfriend in the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker no longer has braces!
I know people have spoken about this before but I just wanted to say this.
The girl in jaws 100% had braces and this is the Mandela effect I am most certain about. It was the whole premise of the attraction to jaws with his metal mouth.
I remember thinking about it at the time like oh that’s kinda like him and the moment when she smiles at him makes no sense without the braces.
There is currently no footage (I know of) that now exists with her having braces and people have even contacted the actress (Blanche Ravalec) who played her and she states she never wore braces.
There is actually a supermarket advert where the cashier meets jaws and smiles and has braces which could have possibly led to a false memory in people but could also have just been based on the scene in the movie.
Honestly though other Mandela effects can be explained away, for me this one makes me believe there is stuff going on we don’t fully understand yet.
So what are yours thoughts? Does anyone remember her with/without braces?
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