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The Case For the Prosecution:
Yes, yet again, there's a film I don't mind on this list. Now, I'll be the first to admit that Octopussy has its longeurs, chunks of film where nothing interesting happens. But that's not it's main problem.
No, Octopussy's main problem is inconsistency of tone. Really dark horrifying things are right next to slapstick humour. Which is a combo that can be done well, but it isn't in this case. There was an bit in several Roger Moore obituary's that said that all later Bond had to go gritty to provide contrast, but the later Moore films (baring View To A Kill) do the same thing.
The scene itself:
Why The Scene is So Good:
To my mind, this is still the most tense scene is all of Bond. Despite the fact that all it is is two men chasing another one down. No fight scene, just steadily ramping terror until that crash through the window.
The music more than plays it part in building the tension, as does the slow, relentless chase of the knife-throwing twins.
009 being in in full clown suit and make up should make it ridiculous. But it makes it scarier because of the contrast. His desperation, the way his breath catches, and how he almost makes, would make it if it weren't for the clown shoes. In a series of films where the 00 agents seem superhuman, 009 is human and that's what makes the scene terrifying.
Yes, yet again, there's a film I don't mind on this list. Now, I'll be the first to admit that Octopussy has its longeurs, chunks of film where nothing interesting happens. But that's not it's main problem.
No, Octopussy's main problem is inconsistency of tone. Really dark horrifying things are right next to slapstick humour. Which is a combo that can be done well, but it isn't in this case. There was an bit in several Roger Moore obituary's that said that all later Bond had to go gritty to provide contrast, but the later Moore films (baring View To A Kill) do the same thing.
The scene itself:
Why The Scene is So Good:
To my mind, this is still the most tense scene is all of Bond. Despite the fact that all it is is two men chasing another one down. No fight scene, just steadily ramping terror until that crash through the window.
The music more than plays it part in building the tension, as does the slow, relentless chase of the knife-throwing twins.
009 being in in full clown suit and make up should make it ridiculous. But it makes it scarier because of the contrast. His desperation, the way his breath catches, and how he almost makes, would make it if it weren't for the clown shoes. In a series of films where the 00 agents seem superhuman, 009 is human and that's what makes the scene terrifying.
