Octopussy [1983]

Product Details

Actor : John Glen (II)|Roger Moore|Maud Adams|Louis Jourdan
Format : PAL, Widescreen
Aspect Ratio : 1.78:1
Binding : DVD
EAN : 5050070002348
Number of Discs : 1
Product Group : DVD
Region Code : 2
Release Date : 2003-11-03
Running Time : 126minutes
Studio : MGM Entertainment

ASIN : B00004SH4X

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

Roger Moore was nearing the end of his reign as James Bond when he made Octopussy, and he looks a little worn out. But the movie itself infuses some new blood into the old franchise, with a frisky pace and a pair of sturdy villains. Maud Adams--who'd also been in The Man with the Golden Gun--plays the improbably named Octopussy, while old smoothie Louis Jourdan is her crafty partner in crime. There's an island populated only by women, as well as a fantastic sequence with a hand-to-hand fight on a plane--and on top of a plane. The film even has an extra emotional punch, since this time 007 is not only following the orders of Her Majesty's Secret Service, but he is also exacting a personal revenge: a fellow double-0 agent has been killed. Two Bond films were actually released in 1983 within a few months of each other, as Octopussy was followed by Sean Connery's comeback in Never Say Never Again. The success of both pictures proved that there was still plenty of mileage left in the old licence to kill, though Moore had one more workout--A View to a Kill--before hanging it up. And that title? The franchise had already used up the titles to Ian Fleming's novels, so Octopussy was taken from a lesser-known Fleming short story. --Robert Horton, Amazon.com

On the DVD: The high standard of these 007 discs is maintained here, with another extra-packed selection. The "Inside Octopussy" documentary details the making of the movie, which faced competition from Sean Connery's Never Say Never Again, as well as being handicapped by a potentially risible title. The initial story was developed by George Macdonald Fraser, author of the "Flashman" books, whose knowledge of Indian history and locales proved invaluable. Roger Moore prevaricated about signing on as Bond, so American James Brolin was screen-tested instead. The movie also produced the worst accident of the series while filming the train sequence and the stuntman involved was hospitalised for six months. Director John Glen provides a solo commentary that reveals a wealth of technical detail and also that this is one of his favourite Bond movies. Rita Coolidge performs "All Time High", and there are also some storyboard sequences and trailers. --Mark Walker

Special Features

2.45 Wide Screen
16:9 Wide Screen
DVD 5
English
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital Surround English
Dolby Digital Surround
Audio Commentary Featuring John Glen
Inside Octopussy An Original Documentary
Designing Bond Peter Lamont Documentary
Animated Storyboard Sequences
Collectable Making of Booklet
Original Theatrical Trailer
All Time High Music Video
English

Synopsis

Agent 007 is as daring as ever in the 13th installment in the Bond series. A maniacal Soviet general (Steven Berkoff) is about to cause a nuclear accident that will cripple Western Europe and make the USSR ruler of the world. In order to stop him, Bond (Roger Moore) travels by hot air balloon and folding miniature jet plane to exotic India, where the perils he encounters include a man-eating tiger--and the equally dangerous female head of an international smuggling ring. Maud Adams plays the fabulous villain, Octopussy. This film was released simultaneously against NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN, in which Sean Connery reprised the Bond role for the first time in 12 years.

Customer Reviews

A great movie, a great actor (2006-02-25)

I might be extremely sarcastic about the role in the world of the closest ally of the United States, the UK, but I admit many British actors are unbelievably talented. Sir Roger Moore is a brilliant performer. Together with Harrison Ford, he's my favourite actor. I enjoy all his James Bond movies very much. A great movie, a great actor, that's all I want to say.

Coming soon - Roger Moore commentary in 2006 reissue (2006-02-02)

Octopussy has had many criticisms leveled at it since it slipped into cinema's in 1983. One complaint is that there are simply too many villains - is the crazed Gen. Orlov the main villain or the suave Kamal Khan? Another objection postulates that its choice of India as a location sends Bond into a pure fantasy land with a depiction of tribal princes, mysterious islands populated entirely of impossibly beautiful women and bungling local thugs. Still more point to its inappropriate rather juvenile schoolboy humor, from Bond's Tarzan yell to our heroes ogling over a young woman secretary's bust as a reason why the movie fails. These objections are perfectly legitimate, but one has to feel that the movies detractors were missing the point. Bond is a fantasy figure who in the past has battled armies inside bases hidden inside hollowed out volcano's (in 1967's YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE) and shot into space to save the world from poisoned orchids globes (in 1979's MOONRAKER). Bond belongs in the fantasy realm and the over-the-top formula is perfectly suited and indeed complimented by the India depicted here. In addition the villains are similarly over-the-top and the movie audience is treated to two wonderful performances. Who can forget the fantastic performance of Steven Berkoff as Orlov in the Kremlin meeting room - "Never, the West is decadent" Orlov states as he struts around one of Peter Lamont's amazing sets. The humor is also perfectly suited to the Roger Moore portrayal of Bond and in fact the adventures had become so fantastical at this point that it was necessary for Moore to not take events too seriously. The only truly embarrassing scene is the one in Q's workshop where Bond focuses a camera in on a woman's bust. But other scenes referred to pop culture of the 1900s, such as Bond doing his Barbara Wodehouse impersonation telling a tiger to "sit-t-t" and swinging through the vines like Johnny Weismuller in an old Tarzan picture. Neither is particularly intrusive and both elicited belly laughs from the audience I saw the movie with. Similarly the complaint that Bond ends up in a clown suit at the end should be taken in context, he is undercover at a circus, a clown outfit is in fact the perfect disguise. The movie starts with one of the most famous action sequences of the 1980s. Captured trying to destroy a spy plane in Latin America 007 escapes by using the worlds smallest jet even flying it through a hanger as the doors close. In fact the jet, called an Acrostar, actually exists and had been originally planned for use in 1979's MOONRAKER, it deserves its place in the Bond movie's pantheon of gadgets alongside the mini helicopter Little Nellie from 1967. Rolling up to a gas station at the end of the sequence Bond delivers my favorite line in the movie, smiling to the undoubtedly amazed attendant and asking him to Fill her up please." Of course this scene has nothing to do with the movie as a whole but it's a nice little mini-adventure to start things off with and set the tone for the rest of the movie. Following the erotic main titles, in which designer Maurice Binder makes full use of lasers and gorgeous women, we are plunged headlong into the main plot with two assassins chasing a British agent in full clown make-up (shades of what is to come later) as he attempts to get a fake Faberge egg to the British embassy. Understandably a little miffed at the death of their agent and curious as to the reason why he was carrying a fake egg the British send Bond to observe the auction of the real egg at Sotheby's. Here is one of my favorite scenes, there are no explosions, no meglomaniacal speeches from super villains and no incredible sets but merely Bond testing the determination of Khan in a standoff which reaches its final conclusion thousands of miles away over a game of backgammon. Here we see shades of Goldfinger cheating at golf in the 1964 movie except this time its loaded dice on the backgammon table. Special mention must go to the very alluring Maud Adams who holds the distinction of being the only actress to play two leading roles in the EON Bond series (Ursula Andress played two, the first in DR. NO and the second in the non-Eon 1967 spoof CASINO ROYALE). Adams is a stunning Scandinavian beauty and plays the title role with a sense of both amusement and conviction. In fact in what is an interesting tip of the hat to the short story from which the movie gets its title, the plot of Bond tracking down a traitor serves as the backstory to Adam's characters father. The plot for what its worth involves jewelry smuggling and nuclear brinkmanship, but that's really not what is important here, that merely serves as a canvas on which to stage fun set pieces and a generous selection of stunt action sequences. What we have here is a fun action adventure movie, just don't go in expecting anything serious. If you approach this movie with the right frame of mind you might find this entry in the James Bond canon to be one of the series most entertaining - for entertainment's sake. The DVD also features a scene specific commentary from Director John Glen. It can be a little dry at times and it might be better waiting for the upcoming remastered DVD releases that will feature a commentary by Bond actor himself Roger Moore.

Just awesome (2005-11-19)

Although his sixth outing, Moore delivers his strongest performance since Live and Let Die, as a cool, suave, calm and sophisticated secret agent. Quite simply, the storyline, the acting, the music and the action are top knotch. It has you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The story ties in with one of the other Fleming books, 'The Living Daylights', which also has an undeniably good storyline and setting. It's a shame that someone as feeble as Timothy Dalton got the part for that film, which frankly ruined it. Octopussy is definitely one of the best Bond films there are. It again reinforces Moore's unchallengable position as James Bond.

Steven Berkoff and Louis Jordan also add to the integrity of the overall plot. Steven Berkoff, although his speciality lies in non-naturalistic theatre, delivered a competent and very pleasing performance as the power thirsty General Orlov. Louis Jordan is a slick yet ruthless villain too.

It goes by hot air... (2005-06-02)

Behold, Roger Moore's sixth outing as 007, but frankly his heart just isn't in this film- he seems tired with older age- which shows evidently. However, there is still a very decent storyline with some very good action scenes- my favourite being the bit where the car gets hit by the train. Some good villains- Kamal Khan I believe to be the best mainly due to his suave inflections/demeanour during the course of the film. The special features are as usual at a very high standard. The documentary is the best is my opinion. A very decent buy.

That's my little Octopussy.. (2005-03-26)

Roger Moore did two wonderful 007 movies in the early 80's back to back. One was For Your Eyes Only, followed by the very entertaining Octopussy.

Octopussy, although not as serious as F.Y.E.O., is filled with everything that makes James Bond movies so much fun: action, exotic locations, beautiful women and that all too familiar Moore's comic touch, which is not overdone. It has an all-women circus act, a great train fight scene and an absolutely killer pre-opening scene.

This was in my opinion Roger Moore's last great Bond flick, as the one that followed "A View to a Kill" was just awful. Bt at least it opened the doors for Timothy Dalton to come in the series with another amazing Bond movie "The Living Daylights"

Octopussy is without doubt one of Roger Moore's best Bond movies and I highly recommend it to any Bond fan or Action-movie fan out there..

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