Sorry for the delay: the snow and the recent loss of a pet have been sapping my will to blog.
Why Found-Again? Free association from seeing someone throwing knives on TV, as a matter of fact.
Octopussy was the second James Bond movie I ever saw (the first being Live and Let Die, which still has my favorite opening sequence of any Bond movie ever) and is regarded by a surprising number of people as one of the worst. Helpful empirical tip: nothing that starts with a clown murder can be completely bad. That… is just science.
The Premise: Following a trail that begins with a Fabergé egg, James Bond foils a nuclear plot by the evil Kamal Khan (the late Louis Jourdan) with the help of nefarious smuggler/entrepreneur/cult leader Octopussy, whose dealings with Khan are going sour and who has a pet poisonous octopus. Who are these people who hate this movie??
I will concede that it’s a bit formulaic, and I know Mr. Moore isn’t everyone’s favorite glass of shaken-not-stirred. As a freshly minted young fan, though, I found this an excellent Bond 101: exotic locale, tuxedos, beating the bad guy at a game of chance, scheming Soviets, chase scenes, bizarre weapons…and the women! I’ve always wondered whether Magda using her sari to escape Bond on the balcony would get old for me, and recent viewing has proved it probably never will.
The Verdict: Those of you who remember the scenes of Octopussy fighting bad guys with a sword can hardly doubt my verdict. It’s one of the few times I’ve watched a Bond movie and not wanted to be Bond: who needs MI6 when you have an octopus cult?
Might go well with: Sushi, Indian food, and a look at some Fabergé.
Next time: You know. Sword stuff.
