George Lazenby Joins 007 Legends

[Andy Chalk]

George Lazenby Joins 007 Legends

Activision's new Bond game will feature a mission based on the classic On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

I can't quite figure out what Activision is up to with 007 Legends. The game is intended to honor 50 years of James Bond films by tying together six "classic" movies with an "original, overarching storyline" concluding with Skyfall, the new movie that comes out later this year. It's actually a really good idea - but then Activision revealed that the first of those six films would be Moonraker. Moonraker! [http://www.amazon.com/Moonraker-Blu-ray-Roger-Moore/dp/B001PO686K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1340995048&sr=8-2&keywords=Moonraker] That's like telling your dinner guests that the first course will be a punch in the throat.

And now the second movie-inspired mission has been announced, and it's George Lazenby's [http://www.amazon.com/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service/dp/B000LY4J3E/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1340995107&sr=8-5&keywords=on+her+majesty%27s+secret+service] easily forgotten, one-time-only appearance in the franchise. It's pretty much universally derided, and it's joining Moonraker in 007 Legends.

It's interesting that Activision has picked two of the most famously crappy Bond films of all time for its tribute game, but I have to admit that I'm looking forward to seeing how 007 Legends handles the famously sappy/sad denouement of OHMSS. The press release describes the mission as pretty much identical to the film, concluding, "With the help of Tracy's father, players must infiltrate Blofeld's private research facility in the Swiss Alps, thwart the release of the virus and save Tracy before it's too late."

Yeah, and then she dies on their honeymoon! I have a feeling the game may gloss over that plot point just a bit.

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So we've got Moonraker and On Her Majesty's Secret Service. What's next? Moore's already covered, so my money is on either Never Say Never Again or The World is Not Enough. Oh boy, can't wait. 007legends.com [http://www.amazon.com/James-Bond-007-Legends-Playstation-3/dp/B007V9NHMQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340994685&sr=8-1&keywords=007+Legends].


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[Dragoon]

I'm not sure but I think I detected a hint of sarcasm in this article...

OT- I bet it's just going to be another generic shooter with James Bond in it but I guess I'll have to wait and see.

 

[Eleuthera]

Moonraker was the first Bond film I remember seeing as a kid, and is therefore absolutely great. No discussion

OHMSS, I could do without...

 

[redisforever]

I loved OHMSS though! Sure, Lazenby may not be the best Bond, but the story was good, everyone else was good in the movie, and the action scenes were awesome. Remember the skiing action stuff? Awesome.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is a much-maligned film, noteworthy only for the fact that Bond gets married at the end - totally serious here - and of course for George Lazenby's [http://jamesbond.wikia.com/wiki/George_Lazenby] easily forgotten, one-time-only appearance in the franchise. It's pretty much universally derided, and it's joining Moonraker in 007 Legends.

It's funny to read this from The Escapist and yet if we go to Joystiq...

The addition of "OHMSS" means players will get to jump into a film widely considered one of the best in the series.

I propose that Andy Chalk has a skilfully choreographed brawl with Mike Schramm over the quality of this film, since one of you is saying that everyone hates it, while the other is saying everyone likes it. Personally I've never seen it, so I have no opinion of it and hearing two different things from two assertive gentlemen is reason for a double take.

Calumon: Or maybe just talk about it?

 

[thenumberthirteen]

While I don't care much about this game I strongly disagree that OHMSS is a bad Bond film. I'd rate it at least near the middle of the bunch.

 

[Andy Chalk]

Okay, first of all, Mike Schramm obviously doesn't know dick about Bond films. It wasn't the epic disaster of, say, A View to a Kill or The World Is Not Enough, but it's definitely not very well-regarded. The best you can say about it is that history has been kind, and that contemporary critics tend to agree that Lazenby's performance was actually pretty solid. The film also gets cred for its intensely dark ending, as well as blame for launching the more "comedic Bond" epitomized by Roger Moore.

It's not as bad as some folks make it out to be, but one of the best? No.

I forget what my second point was but I'm sure it was equally insightful and biting.

 

[Tanis]

If 'The World Is Not Enough' is in this game they should probably keep the Garbage song.
It was pretty good.

 

[WanderingFool]

but then Activision revealed that the first of those six films would be Moonraker. Moonraker! [http://www.amazon.com/Moonraker-Blu-ray-Roger-Moore/dp/B001PO686K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1340995048&sr=8-2&keywords=Moonraker] That's like telling your dinner guests that the first course will be a punch in the throat.

EXCUSE ME!?

It's interesting that Activision has picked two of the most famously crappy Bond films of all time for its tribute game

MOONRAKER!!!?

Andy Chalk, good sir... I will have to ask you to walk this way...

 

[saintdane05]

I'm hoping for live and let die, just so I can hear this:

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

So we've got Moonraker and On Her Majesty's Secret Service. What's next? Moore's already covered, so my money is on either Never Say Never Again or The World is Not Enough. Oh boy, can't wait. 007legends.com [http://www.amazon.com/James-Bond-007-Legends-Playstation-3/dp/B007V9NHMQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340994685&sr=8-1&keywords=007+Legends].

To be a bit of a stickler, it won't be "Never say Never Again" which isn't an official Bond movie. It is not part of the official franchise, continuity or history.

I didn't dislike OHMSS by any stretch, though I wasn't overly fond of Lazenby. Didn't hate him, didn't particularly like him. But his wedding and the "Bond Family Motto" are both significant things in Bond's life that are reference in other movies (Spy Who Loved Me and World is Not Enough respectively).

Okay, first of all, Mike Schramm obviously doesn't know dick about Bond films. It wasn't the epic disaster of, say, A View to a Kill or The World Is Not Enough, but it's definitely not very well-regarded.

A View to a Kill is a disaster? OMG! That's one of my favourite Bond films.

 

[AlexanderPeregrine]

Saying On Her Majesty's Secret Service is "much maligned" and "famously crappy" as if it's the consensus opinion is just flat-out wrong. While very divisive and definitely flawed, it has quite a few supporters that enjoy it for its relatively more-realistic story (Blofeld launching space shuttles to sabotage the U.S. and Soviet space programs one film earlier is silly nonsense, but his biological warfare plan in this one is pretty chilling) and James Bond having an actual character arc with character growth instead of being some shallow audience surrogate. It took a genuine risk with its famously dark ending. Most of the hate seems to be against George Lazenby himself for his admittedly-wooden acting and some unstated belief that he "stole" the role from Sean Connery (who, keep in mind, hated the character even before he finished playing it and it showed).

As far as which ones I would say are "worst": Thunderball and You Only Live Twice have aged especially poorly, but the latter has some "so bad it's good" charm to it (Roald Dahl of all people worked on the script). The Man with the Golden Gun is groan-inducing (way moreso than Moonraker). Die Another Day is really garish and a display of everything that went horribly wrong with the series. I just hated Quantum of Solace because it was really dour, unimaginative, near-incomprehensible, and didn't feel the slightest bit like James Bond (book or film series).

 

[Woodsey]

I just hated Quantum of Solace because it was really dour, unimaginative, near-incomprehensible, and didn't feel the slightest bit like James Bond (book or film series).

It suffered from the writer's strike quite a bit apparently. I thought the entire film reflected where Bond's character was at that point really well, and I really enjoy the tone and feel of it, and where the character was at that point, but it was hugely limited by the fact that it was something of a footnote to Casino Royale's story. Didn't help that Royale was Suck My Dick fantastic.

And Craig is still the best Bond, in spite of it. Come at me, bros.

 

[DigitalSushi]

but then Activision revealed that the first of those six films would be Moonraker. Moonraker! [http://www.amazon.com/Moonraker-Blu-ray-Roger-Moore/dp/B001PO686K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1340995048&sr=8-2&keywords=Moonraker] That's like telling your dinner guests that the first course will be a punch in the throat.

EXCUSE ME!?

It's interesting that Activision has picked two of the most famously crappy Bond films of all time for its tribute game

MOONRAKER!!!?

Andy Chalk, good sir... I will have to ask you to walk this way...

I'm on Mr Chalk's side on this, Moonraker was and is really shit, the James Bond books and films got utterly preposterous the further Ian Flemming tried to flesh it out.

as an aside, isn't it funny that you can tell how Christopher Walken will act by the hairstyle he's rocking in a film, its like his mental instability is dictated by his hairstyle.

 

[WanderingFool]

I just hated Quantum of Solace because it was really dour, unimaginative, near-incomprehensible, and didn't feel the slightest bit like James Bond (book or film series).

It suffered from the writer's strike quite a bit apparently. I thought the entire film reflected where Bond's character was at that point really well, and I really enjoy the tone and feel of it, and where the character was at that point, but it was hugely limited by the fact that it was something of a footnote to Casino Royale's story. Didn't help that Royale was Suck My Dick fantastic.

And Craig is still the best Bond, in spite of it. Come at me, bros.

Hey, I prefer Roger Moore myself, but I think Craig is a pretty decent Bond. So Im not gonna fight with ya...

I'm on Mr Chalk's side on this, Moonraker was and is really shit, the James Bond books and films got utterly preposterous the further Ian Flemming tried to flesh it out.

BUT YOU can fallow Mr. Chalk out!

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

Well, I didn't know that they were making this game sound like fun. Hmmm, it's being made by Activision, slightly losing interest. *looks at screenshots* OH COME ON!!!! Are you even trying anymore Activision?

OT: Never watched any of the old Bond films anyway (Pierce Brosnan FTW!!!) so I don't really care.

 

[Andy Chalk]

Brosnan was a terrible Bond. Or, to be fair, he was a good Bond in terrible Bond movies.

My personal favourite (let's start a fight!) is Timothy Dalton. His movies are seriously underrated, and his "thuggish" (as I think at least one critic put it) performance in the role comes very close to that of Daniel Craig - the guy basically credited with saving the franchise.

One of the things I love most about the Bond series is that there are so many ways to argue about it.

 

[AnarchistFish]

On Her Majesty's Secret Service is great. Probably better than any of the Roger Moore ones. The Pierce Brosnan films, on reflection, are pretty awful. I enjoyed them cos they were the ones that were coming out when I was younger, but his and Moore's are really overdone. Timothy Dalton is underrated. He'd be remember much more fondly if he'd done more than just two films.

But I will go out on a limb and say that Casino Royale (2006) is the best Bond film ever made. Fuck Connery, that film blows the classic ones out of the water.

 

[MammothBlade]

I'm not sure but I think I detected a hint of sarcasm in this article...

OT- I bet it's just going to be another generic shooter with James Bond in it but I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Going by the FPS images, you're probably not far off with that. On a hunch, it seems like what they did is combine the Black Ops concept with a 007 theme. And so, the vein of terrible games and films ruining the franchise will continue... James Bond adaptations should be inspired by games such as Deus Ex 3, not Call of Duty.