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UK Mall 1 - The Living Daylights [1987]
![The Living Daylights [1987]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/410Q8VKQEGL._SL160_.jpg)
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List Price: £9.99
Our Price: £7.99
Your Save: £ 0.00 ( % )
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Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
Starring: Timothy Dalton, Maryam d'Abo, Jeroen Krabbé, Joe Don Baker, John Rhys-Davies
Directed By: John Glen
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Audience Rating: Parental Guidance
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 5050070000603
Format: HiFi Sound
Label: MGM Entertainment
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
Number Of Discs: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: MGM Entertainment
Release Date: 1996-05-28
Running Time: 126
Studio: MGM Entertainment
Theatrical Release Date: 1987-07-31
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating: 
Summary: A GREAT SPY THRILLER
Comment: While many will debate and argue over Timothy Dalton for years to come, in much the same way as over George Lazenby, I going to put my foot out and say Dalton is one of my favorite Bond's, along with Brosnan and Connery. There never really has been a bad Bond actor, but Dalton, I believe is up there with Connery and Pierce and I love The Living Daylights. Dalton was my first 'new' Bond in many ways. I was four when this film was released, and was developing a love for the Bond movies at the time. I had grown up watching the Moore and Connery movies on television and Dalton was the first new actor in the role that I seen, which is why I have special affection for this Bond movie. I love it. Not only do we have a great Bond movie, but it is also a great espionage thriller that eventually turns into the kind of epic Bond adventure we all know and love. The plot involving the double-double cross of a KGB agent defecting to Britain called Georgi played brilliantly by Jeroen Krabbe, and Bond's attempts to find him when he is 'kidnapped' by playing on the trust of his girlfriend, Kara, a beautiful cello player performed magnificently by Maryam D'abo, is enthralling, and the way it leads from the London countryside, to the ferris wheels of Vienna and eventually to Afghanistan is superbly done. The film is mixture of the thriller elements of the Ian Fleming novels and the epic adventure scope of the movies.
As James Bond Timothy Dalton is excellent, a fantastic choice to play the part. His decision to play the part more akin to the novels of Fleming than the humor of Roger Moore is an inspired choice. He is a mixture of the Fleming character and Sean Connery's Bond. While there is a serious nature here (the darker elements would be at the forefront more in the equally brilliant Licence To Kill), there is still room for humor as seen in the car chase ("I've had a few optional extras installed" when talking about the gadgets). Coming off the Moore films, it may have been too soon for a return to the serious roots, but it works well in the long run. The film doesn't feel like some far fetched action film, it feels like a great spy movie with great actors. Adding to this a wonderfully 80's theme tune from A-Ha, a great score from John Barry and a plethora of great baddies as well as some great set pieces (the battle on the runway at the end is great as is Bond's climactic battle with henchman Necros hanging from the back of an airplane).
I love this film a lot. It's dark, yes, although not as dark as the film that was to come, and is still cracking great entertainment. It is a forgotten Bond classic and it is nice that as time has went on, Dalton's movies as the character have remained as great as they were in the late 80's.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good plot, tedious execution
Comment: An excellent plotline is the only strength of The Living Daylights, the last Fleming novel from which a film was based upon. However, Timothy Dalton's feeble performance as Bond spoiled the film immeasurably. The pre credit sequence where he lands on the boat and calls HQ is not only cheesy, but in addition to that, his line 'Bond, James Bond' is just lame. It is a shame to say that this debut performance is little better than the dire finale for Roger Moore in 85, A View To A Kill. On the other hand there is a good casting, by actors such as Joe Don Baker, Jeroen Krabbe, Maryam D'abo and John Rhys Davies. However tedious action sequences, and Timothy Dalton's lack of both charm, wit and sexual aggressiveness, both of which Moore and Connery had in abundance- hence what Bond should have, makes this a very forgettable Bond movie.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A good action film, but a poor Bond film
Comment: If I was judging this along the lines of a normal action thriller I'd give this easily 4 maybe even 5 out of 5. But the fact that Timothy Dalton stars as Bond, and delivers the most unbelievably wooden and drab performance as Bond sadly, leads me to only give it 1 out of 5 while judging along Bond criteria. People claim that Dalton's interpretation of Bond was more realistic in that in followed more in the footsteps of the original Fleming novels, but frankly I don't agree. Bond, though a tough, resourceful individual often as we've seen with Connery and Moore, meets his adversaries with suave, cool, dry wit as well some steel. Take Moore's 'For Your Eyes Only'. He was witty, suave, definitely looked like a Bond yet had tougher qualities too. Dalton takes this idea of 'toughness' and living on the edge to a ridiculous extreme. He doesn't look like a Bond, and certainly doesn't act like one. A good actor yes, that is Shakespearian actor, not Bond. Connery and Moore, good as they are, may not be Shakespearian actors, but they did what they did best. Dalton hits many points as a good actor just not a Bond.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A good achievement
Comment: A much needed replacement for Roger Moore is found. Timothy Dalton steps in as Bond and delivers a satisfactory performance in The Living Daylights. Although by no means as funny or as entertaining as Moore, Dalton does manage to successfully incorporate at least some humour with the mainly hard edged approach he took to the part. The action- particularly the car chase with the Aston Martin V8 Volante, the scene with the chello and the concluding face off at the end between Bond and Koskov are of particular excellence. However I believe the main reason for the film's success is the culmination of good actors, i.e. Jeroen Krabbe, John Rhys Davies, Maryam-D'Abo, Joe Don Baker and of course former Shakespearean actor Timothy Dalton, the outstanding musical score by John Barry and the excellent title song by A-ha make this the one of the most memorable 80's Bond films. However I don't think it has the edge that 'The Spy Who Loved Me', 'Goldfinger', 'You Only Live Twice' and 'Live and Let Die' had, i.e. it's no where near as fun or funny to watch. Timothy Dalton starts on a high note with this film, but sadly never gets the chance to prove his real worth due to his absolutely shameful performance in the following film 'License To Kill.' If Dalton had made a few more films to this standard, he might have even come closer to the unbeatably excellent standards set by Moore and Connery.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Good Bond film
Comment: The two Timothy Dalton films are very underrated. Lacking the big plots, and humour of the Moore and Brosnan films, they stand as a more realistic interpretation of the spy. It is such a shame that Dalton elected to resign from the role in 1994, following the series being in limbo for some years. Following one of the very best pre-title sequences, we are then transported to the Czech republic, with Bond assigned to smuggle out a Russian Agent who has decided to defect. In some ways this film has dated more than the other ones of this era, the cold war ended soon after it's release, making the plot somewhat old fashioned in this day and age. Nevertheless it boasts terrific locations, and some very good acting is demonstrated by both Dalton, and Thomas Wheatley as the somewhat stuffu agent Saunders. In contrast to his other films as Director, JOhn Glen has particularly unmemorable villains here. Joe Don Baker fresh from his success in Edge of Darkness, is miscast as the villain Whitaker, being unable to replicate the excellence of Christopher Walken's Max Zorin in the previous film in the series, A View To A Kill. Nevertheless there is a freshness to The Living Daylights, which helped take the series in a new direction, albeit briefly
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Editorial Reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: A GREAT SPY THRILLER
Comment: While many will debate and argue over Timothy Dalton for years to come, in much the same way as over George Lazenby, I going to put my foot out and say Dalton is one of my favorite Bond's, along with Brosnan and Connery. There never really has been a bad Bond actor, but Dalton, I believe is up there with Connery and Pierce and I love The Living Daylights. Dalton was my first 'new' Bond in many ways. I was four when this film was released, and was developing a love for the Bond movies at the time. I had grown up watching the Moore and Connery movies on television and Dalton was the first new actor in the role that I seen, which is why I have special affection for this Bond movie. I love it. Not only do we have a great Bond movie, but it is also a great espionage thriller that eventually turns into the kind of epic Bond adventure we all know and love. The plot involving the double-double cross of a KGB agent defecting to Britain called Georgi played brilliantly by Jeroen Krabbe, and Bond's attempts to find him when he is 'kidnapped' by playing on the trust of his girlfriend, Kara, a beautiful cello player performed magnificently by Maryam D'abo, is enthralling, and the way it leads from the London countryside, to the ferris wheels of Vienna and eventually to Afghanistan is superbly done. The film is mixture of the thriller elements of the Ian Fleming novels and the epic adventure scope of the movies.
As James Bond Timothy Dalton is excellent, a fantastic choice to play the part. His decision to play the part more akin to the novels of Fleming than the humor of Roger Moore is an inspired choice. He is a mixture of the Fleming character and Sean Connery's Bond. While there is a serious nature here (the darker elements would be at the forefront more in the equally brilliant Licence To Kill), there is still room for humor as seen in the car chase ("I've had a few optional extras installed" when talking about the gadgets). Coming off the Moore films, it may have been too soon for a return to the serious roots, but it works well in the long run. The film doesn't feel like some far fetched action film, it feels like a great spy movie with great actors. Adding to this a wonderfully 80's theme tune from A-Ha, a great score from John Barry and a plethora of great baddies as well as some great set pieces (the battle on the runway at the end is great as is Bond's climactic battle with henchman Necros hanging from the back of an airplane).
I love this film a lot. It's dark, yes, although not as dark as the film that was to come, and is still cracking great entertainment. It is a forgotten Bond classic and it is nice that as time has went on, Dalton's movies as the character have remained as great as they were in the late 80's.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good plot, tedious execution
Comment: An excellent plotline is the only strength of The Living Daylights, the last Fleming novel from which a film was based upon. However, Timothy Dalton's feeble performance as Bond spoiled the film immeasurably. The pre credit sequence where he lands on the boat and calls HQ is not only cheesy, but in addition to that, his line 'Bond, James Bond' is just lame. It is a shame to say that this debut performance is little better than the dire finale for Roger Moore in 85, A View To A Kill. On the other hand there is a good casting, by actors such as Joe Don Baker, Jeroen Krabbe, Maryam D'abo and John Rhys Davies. However tedious action sequences, and Timothy Dalton's lack of both charm, wit and sexual aggressiveness, both of which Moore and Connery had in abundance- hence what Bond should have, makes this a very forgettable Bond movie.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A good action film, but a poor Bond film
Comment: If I was judging this along the lines of a normal action thriller I'd give this easily 4 maybe even 5 out of 5. But the fact that Timothy Dalton stars as Bond, and delivers the most unbelievably wooden and drab performance as Bond sadly, leads me to only give it 1 out of 5 while judging along Bond criteria. People claim that Dalton's interpretation of Bond was more realistic in that in followed more in the footsteps of the original Fleming novels, but frankly I don't agree. Bond, though a tough, resourceful individual often as we've seen with Connery and Moore, meets his adversaries with suave, cool, dry wit as well some steel. Take Moore's 'For Your Eyes Only'. He was witty, suave, definitely looked like a Bond yet had tougher qualities too. Dalton takes this idea of 'toughness' and living on the edge to a ridiculous extreme. He doesn't look like a Bond, and certainly doesn't act like one. A good actor yes, that is Shakespearian actor, not Bond. Connery and Moore, good as they are, may not be Shakespearian actors, but they did what they did best. Dalton hits many points as a good actor just not a Bond.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A good achievement
Comment: A much needed replacement for Roger Moore is found. Timothy Dalton steps in as Bond and delivers a satisfactory performance in The Living Daylights. Although by no means as funny or as entertaining as Moore, Dalton does manage to successfully incorporate at least some humour with the mainly hard edged approach he took to the part. The action- particularly the car chase with the Aston Martin V8 Volante, the scene with the chello and the concluding face off at the end between Bond and Koskov are of particular excellence. However I believe the main reason for the film's success is the culmination of good actors, i.e. Jeroen Krabbe, John Rhys Davies, Maryam-D'Abo, Joe Don Baker and of course former Shakespearean actor Timothy Dalton, the outstanding musical score by John Barry and the excellent title song by A-ha make this the one of the most memorable 80's Bond films. However I don't think it has the edge that 'The Spy Who Loved Me', 'Goldfinger', 'You Only Live Twice' and 'Live and Let Die' had, i.e. it's no where near as fun or funny to watch. Timothy Dalton starts on a high note with this film, but sadly never gets the chance to prove his real worth due to his absolutely shameful performance in the following film 'License To Kill.' If Dalton had made a few more films to this standard, he might have even come closer to the unbeatably excellent standards set by Moore and Connery.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Good Bond film
Comment: The two Timothy Dalton films are very underrated. Lacking the big plots, and humour of the Moore and Brosnan films, they stand as a more realistic interpretation of the spy. It is such a shame that Dalton elected to resign from the role in 1994, following the series being in limbo for some years. Following one of the very best pre-title sequences, we are then transported to the Czech republic, with Bond assigned to smuggle out a Russian Agent who has decided to defect. In some ways this film has dated more than the other ones of this era, the cold war ended soon after it's release, making the plot somewhat old fashioned in this day and age. Nevertheless it boasts terrific locations, and some very good acting is demonstrated by both Dalton, and Thomas Wheatley as the somewhat stuffu agent Saunders. In contrast to his other films as Director, JOhn Glen has particularly unmemorable villains here. Joe Don Baker fresh from his success in Edge of Darkness, is miscast as the villain Whitaker, being unable to replicate the excellence of Christopher Walken's Max Zorin in the previous film in the series, A View To A Kill. Nevertheless there is a freshness to The Living Daylights, which helped take the series in a new direction, albeit briefly
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