Cole Stratton (Pop My Culture!) joins the Matts to talk about Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights!
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James Bonding #023: THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS with Cole Stratton
Episode 023:
James Bonding
THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS with Cole Stratton
THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS with Cole Stratton
SPECTRE!!!
Such a good movie, man. It’s still imitation, but where Licence to Kill and the Brosnans aped 80’s/90’s action fairly poorly, The Living Daylights stands with the movies it imitates. Dumb villains, yes, but at least their plot and the topical tension of the Russian background adds some spy cred to what I’d argue is actually more a globetrotting adventure serial kinda movie. I mean, in the 80’s, if you put your tall dark Anglo hero in a cool turban, you’ve got some straight-up romanticized Raiders shit going on that runs a little deeper than the usual spy formula.
The episodes are best when they are a funny discussion and worse when the devolve into a really bad commentary track, a.k.a. listening to the hosts and guest watch and (sometimes) describe the movie). This one was mostly of the boring commentary track variety, but had a few nice moments, such as the “rhombus shaped 80’s butt”.
Hi guys, just started listening recently and loving what I’m hearing so far! When you’re done with the films, how about a couple of episodes covering the Bond video games (Goldeneye, Nightfire etc.) over the years? I’m playing Blood Stone right now and I think it’s worth discussing. Thanks!
Great episode, guys. Here’s how I saw the villains’ plot:
1. Koskov is using Soviet state funds to buy weapons under the table from Whitaker (at least, that’s what he’s *supposed* to be doing).
2. Instead, Koskov and Whitaker are going to use the Soviet state funds to buy opium from the Afghanis. They bring the money in the form of diamonds because I’m guessing that’s how the Afghanis want to be paid.
3. After they sell the opium for $500 million, their plan is to then buy the weapons like originally planned, give the Soviets their weapons, and split the profits.
The problem is that Pushkin was on to them, so Koskov had to stage the defection so that MI6 will have Pushkin killed (giving Koskov and Whitaker time to pull off their switcheroo).
Thanks for this latest episode. I loved Living Daylights, and to some extent Dalton is my Bond. (Although Craig as now taken that title.) It was the first Bond I saw in the theater. I am glad you guys mostly liked this Bond movie. I couldn’t hear a lot of the conversation in the clips because of the clip audio was too loud. I don’t know if that was my end, or what. I am sadden because now we are near the end of the Podcast, and all that is left is my least favorite Bond, Roger Moore.
Great great episode, keep up the good work
I meant a-ha was had had 6 top 10 hits in Britain not that they had the 6 songs in the top 10 at the same time
Just an FYI, a-ha had 6 top 10 hits in Britain at the time they were chosen to do the theme song.
Was it brought up (and I just missed it) how Dalton says “Bomb” in the airplane both times. “to diffuse a BOMB” and “to drop a BOMB”. It just sounds like a bad reading. I think this is actually a Bond thing as Craig puts the same emphasis on the word “Bomb” in Casino Royale.
this film to me is the beginning of Bond’s identity crisis that lasted until at least Casino Royale (one could argue it’s still going on actually) I was too young to see it in theaters but I remember all the interviews and advertising talking about how “this is not your father’s bond” and how Bond is now cool and edgy.
When out of movies, do the books!! Pleeeeeeeeease? I may or may not be saying that because I’m in the process of reading them. Then do the Daily Express comic strips after that! Okay, a bit of a stretch but still.
OMG yes yes yes, TSWLM is nexttttt! Better be like a 3 hour episode.
Be warned… It’s Gourley’s least favorite Moore!
I have to agree actually, it has a very boring second act.
Yeah, I’ll agree there. I think, though, that it affirms the “third Bond film solidification” theory. Where every third Bond film in an actor’s series is the one that sells him as Bond. Obviously not a universal rule but it’s a fun ride, with this one. Plus, no Sheriff J. W. Pepper, huge bonus!
theeyyyy’rreeee heeerreeee….
Oh…and Joe Don Baker’s Brad Whitaker is more relevant now than ever!
I fucking love The Living Daylights. I was 17 when this came out and it (scuse the pun) blew me away! After growing up with Moore’s posturing, pompadour and man mammaries, Dalton was like a badass blast of fresh testosterone-laden air. This movie also felt epic (Sorry, I loved the desert fight!). Plus it was one of the few Bond flicks to actually feel like a spy film…almost like a companion piece to From Russia With Love. Barry’s drum machine Bond theme rocks too. This was the only Bond soundtrack I had on tape. Good memories…Too bad License To Kill felt like a Bond TV movie.
A couple things I thought about this movie….
First, how much force does an automatic drawer actually have? I mean, when you’re designing a drawer that open via remote control, are you looking for a good 800 lbs of force to open, enough to knock Bond down when he stands too close to it? Or would it just bump him?
Second off, I agree that the plot is a bit confusing. Which is why, if we’re dealing with freedom fighters in Afghanistan in ’88, we’re dealing with Bin Laden or at least his teammates. But since the plot is a bit confusing, where he would fit in is a bit confusing… would he be Bond’s ally in the big final action piece?
Some interesting trivia for you. The buxom Russian pipe-line engineer (Rosika Mislov) is played by Julie Wallace, who was famous in the UK at the time for starring in a TV show called ‘Life & Loves Of A She-Devil’, in which she corrupts a catholic priest and turns him into a sex-beast. The priest was played by the Doctor himself – Tom Baker!
“Rhombus-shaped ’80s butt” has entered my lexicon. Thanks, Matt Gourley!
Was waiting all pod long for that line. Did not disappoint.
I’m so happy there’s a new podcast, but TLD is one of my favourite Bonds. I am apprehensively downloading….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqpvz-yM1wg
Of course someone has helpfully put up the Virginia Hey as distraction sequence. This perhaps didn’t prepare her for all the blue makeup in FARSCAPE…dunno how thankless her role is otherwise here, not having seen it.
“The Living Daylights” was a Bond film that I appreciated more as I got older than when I first saw it (on a VHS tape). I’ve always thought it was unfair that Timothy Dalton gets criticized for what Daniel Craig is doing now.