Movies…with a little bit of obscure culture and sports mixed in
The Man With The Golden Gun throws the viewers into the fray using the same introduction as From Russia With Love: a hitman training other hitmen to be better killers.
“James Bond is targeted by the world’s most expensive assassin, while he attempts to recover sensitive solar cell technology that is being sold to the highest bidder.”
Director: Guy Hamilton
Writers: Richard Maibaum, Tom Mankiewicz, Ian Fleming
Cast: Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Maud Adams, J.W. Pepper, Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, Desmond Llewelyn
Release Date: December 20, 1974
IMDB
What an absolute delight. After the disappointment of Live And Let Die, expectations were low for this sequel a year later. However, Roger Moore finds his footing as 007, and Guy Hamilton delivers the goods in his final go-around as the director of Bond.
The Man With The Golden Gun throws the viewers into the fray using the same introduction as From Russia With Love: a hitman training other hitmen to be better killers. Christopher Lee’s calm and confident Scaramanga is a fantastic foil to Bond because they are essentially the same person but deployed differently. Bond works for Queen and Country while Scaramanga works for himself. We have seen Bond act on his own impulses before, but never just for money.
Scaramanga’s patented gun reminds me of an outstanding scene in Skyfall, where young Q hands Bond a new toy: “The Walther PPK/S nine-millimeter short. It’s been coded to your palmprint, so only you can fire it. Less of a random killing machine, more of a personal statement.”
The Man With The Golden Gun also sticks out with a trend-breaking ending. There isn’t a massive gunfight at the conclusion; rather, it’s a one-on-one duel that returns full circle to the movie’s start. Seeing Bond match brains and not just brawns against a worthy villain allows the characters to take the focus and not the flying extras being flung by explosions.
STANKO RATING: B
Stanko Excel Lists | Movies, Books, Podcasts. TV Shows
Stanko Letterdbox Account
There is a lot happening in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning. One could argue that there is too much going on.
Much maligned as the worst of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible II doesn’t do itself any favors upon rewatch.
MaXXXine (2024) “In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.” Director: Ti WestWriter: Ti WestCast: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Halsey, Lily Collins, Kevin Bacon, Bob Cannavale, Michelle…
Stanko's Stance 