Cody, Robert, and Nat go mainstream this month with 1979’s MOONRAKER, the first – and so far only – James Bond film we’ve covered on the podcast.
MOONRAKER came out on the heels of Star Wars, and the last third of the movie definitely throws its jaws into the sci-fi ring, but it doesn’t stop there: MOONRAKER borrows from 2001, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, martial-arts movies, and even previous Bond films.
Spectacles abound, and the Watchers delight in many of the practical stunts, luxurious settings, quirky wildlife, and, of course, the scientific accuracy of Jaws’ anatomy and Drax’s master plan.
While its reception and legacy is mixed, the film was a huge hit for United Artists and was the top-grossing entry in the Bond franchise for 16 years, as well as the 8th-highest-grossing film of 1979.
Today we remember it for space battles, Jaws, the opening sequence, and pigeon-double takes as well as its outright absurdity – but does it all come together for the boys or fall like a 300-pound henchman into a circus tent?
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Time tracks:
0:00:00 – MOONRAKER Discussion
1:27:06- Next Movie and Outro
Next month, we take a look at one of the universally acclaimed classics of the genre with Robert Wise’s THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. We hope you’ll join us.
