Moonraker (1979)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Lewis Gilbert

Writer:

Christopher Wood (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

29 June 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Moonraker Is Out Of This World

Plot:

James Bond investigates the mid-air theft of a space shuttle and discovers a plot to commit global genocide.

Plot Keywords:

Space | Space Shuttle | James Bond | Jaws | Brazil

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Roger Moore	...	James Bond
Lois Chiles	...	Dr. Holly Goodhead
Michael Lonsdale	...	Hugo Drax
Richard Kiel	...	Jaws
Corinne Clery	...	Corinne Dufour
Bernard Lee	...	'M'
Geoffrey Keen	...	Sir Frederick Gray
Desmond Llewelyn	...	'Q'
Lois Maxwell	...	Miss Moneypenny
Toshirô Suga	...	Chang (as Toshiro Suga)
Emily Bolton	...	Manuela
Blanche Ravalec	...	Dolly - Jaws' Girlfriend
Irka Bochenko	...	Blonde Beauty
Mike Marshall	...	Col. Scott (as Michael Marshall)
Leila Shenna	...	Hostess Private Jet
Anne Lonnberg	...	Museum Guide
Jean-Pierre Castaldi	...	Pilot Private Jet (as Jean Pierre Castaldi)
Walter Gotell	...	General Anatol Gogol
Douglas Lambert	...	Mission Control Director
Arthur Howard	...	Cavendish
Alfie Bass	...	Consumptive Italian
Brian Keith	...	U.S. Shuttle Captain
George Birt	...	Captain - Boeing 747
Kim Fortune	...	R.A.F. Officer
Lizzie Warville	...	Russian Girl
Johnny Traber's Troupe	...	Funambulists
Nicholas Arbez	...	Drax's Boy
Guy Di Rigo	...	Ambulanceman
Chris Dillinger	...	Drax's Technician
Claude Carliez	...	Gondolier
Georges Beller	...	Drax's Technician
Denis Seurat	...	Officer - Boeing 747
Chichinou Kaeppler	...	Drax's Girl - Signora Del Mateo
Christina Hui	...	Drax's Girl
Françoise Gayat	...	Drax's Girl - Lady Victoria Devon (as Francoise Gayat)
Nicaise Jean Louis	...	Drax's Girl
Catherine Serre	...	Drax's Girl - Countess Labinsky
Béatrice Libert	...	Drax's Girl - Mademoiselle Deradier (as Beatrice Libert)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jean-Louis Airola	...	Drax Radarman 2 (uncredited)
S. Newton Anderson	...	Samuel (uncredited)
Jenny Arasse	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Michel Berreur	...	Venice Boat Pilot (uncredited)
Daniel Breton	...	Fighting Monk / Spatial Base Guard (uncredited)
Albert R. Broccoli	...	Man at St. Marks Square (uncredited)
Dana Broccoli	...	Woman at St. Mark's Square (uncredited)
Guy Delorme	...	Tree Assassin (uncredited)
Benoît Ferreux	...	Moonraker pilot (uncredited)
Patrick Floersheim	...	Moonraker pilot (uncredited)
David Gabison	...	Technician in Drax launching site (uncredited)
Lewis Gilbert	...	Man at St. Mark's Square (uncredited)
Rika Hofmann	...	Model (uncredited)
Peter Howitt	...	Rio de Janeiro Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Dominique Hulin	...	(uncredited)
W.C. 'Chunky' Huse	...	Sailor at St. Mark's Square (uncredited)
Carlos Kurt	...	Airport Metal Detector Guard (uncredited)
Melinda Maxwell	...	Drax's Girl (uncredited)
Marc Mazza	...	Technician in Venini laboratory (uncredited)
Patrick Morin	...	Painter at St. Mark's Square (uncredited)
Ralph Morse	...	Astronaut (uncredited)
Daniel Perche	...	Drax Radarman 1 (uncredited)
Jacques Pisias	...	Waiter at St . Mark's square (uncredited)
Jean Rupert	...	Technician in Venini laboratory (uncredited)
Marc Smith	...	Tannoy voice (uncredited)
Victor Tourjansky	...	Man with Bottle (uncredited)
Jean Tournier	...	Painter at St. Mark's Square (uncredited)
Nikki Van der Zyl	...	Corinne Dufour (voice) (uncredited)
Herma Vos	...	Astronaut (uncredited)
Michael G. Wilson	...	Man outside Venini Glass / NASA Technician / Man on Bridge (uncredited)

Directed by
Lewis Gilbert

Writing credits
Ian Fleming		(novel) uncredited
Christopher Wood		(screenplay)

Produced by
Albert R. Broccoli	....	producer
William P. Cartlidge	....	associate producer
Michael G. Wilson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Jean Tournier

Film Editing by
John Glen

Casting by
Margot Capelier
Weston Drury Jr.

Production Design by
Ken Adam

Art Direction by
Charles Bishop
Max Douy

Set Decoration by
Peter Howitt

Costume Design by
Jacques Fonteray

Makeup Department
Monique Archambault	....	makeup artist
Paul Engelen	....	makeup artist
Mike Jones	....	hair stylist: Roger Moore
Pierre Vadé	....	hair stylist (as Pierre Vade)
Jacques Michel	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Robert Boulic	....	assistant unit manager: France
Terence Churcher	....	production manager
Chris Kenny	....	unit manager: UK
Robert Saussier	....	unit manager: France
Jean-Pierre Spiri-Mercanton	....	production manager
Roberto Bakker	....	production manager: Latin America (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Bennett	....	assistant director: second unit
Meyer Berreby	....	assistant director: second unit
Chris Carreras	....	second assistant director
Michel Cheyko	....	assistant director
Ernest Day	....	second unit director
John Glen	....	second unit director
Gareth Tandy	....	assistant director: models
Lamar Boren	....	underwater unit director (uncredited)
Barbara Broccoli	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Mike Higgins	....	second assistant director: space battle (uncredited)
Stefano Priori	....	additional assistant director: action unit (uncredited)

Art Department
Ernest Archer	....	assistant art director (as Ernie Archer)
Pierre Charron	....	set dresser
Jacques Douy	....	assistant art director
Serge Douy	....	assistant art director
Louis Duquenne	....	construction manager
John Fenner	....	assistant art director
Marc Frédérix	....	assistant art director (as Marc Frederix)
Alain Guyard	....	buyer
André Labussière	....	set dresser (as Andre Labussiere)
Harry Lange	....	space art director
John Lanzer	....	buyer
Raymond Lemoigne	....	props (as Raymond Le Moigne)
Jean-Pierre Nossereau	....	buyer (as Jean Nossereau)
Michael Redding	....	construction manager
Pierre Roudeix	....	props
John Chisholm	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Daniel Brisseau	....	sound mixer
Gérard de Lagarde	....	sound assistant (as Gerard De Lagarde)
Dino Di Campo	....	dubbing editor
Graham V. Hartstone	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Iles	....	consultant: Dolby
Catherine Kelber	....	dialogue editor
Jean Labourel	....	sound assistant
Jean-Pierre Lelong	....	sound effects (as Jean Pierre Lelong)
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gordon K. McCallum	....	chief sound re-recording mixer
Colin Miller	....	dubbing editor
Allan Sones	....	dubbing editor
Nigel Galt	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
René Albouze	....	special effects (as Rene Albouze)
Charles-Henri Assola	....	special effects (as Charles Assola)
John Evans	....	special effects
Serge Pouvianne	....	special effects (as Serge Ponvianne)
John Richardson	....	special effects
Anton Furst	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jean Berard	....	visual effects: France
Robin Browne	....	optical effects cameraman
Bill Hansard	....	process consultant
Peter Lamont	....	visual effects art director
Louis Lapeyre	....	process effects: France
Derek Meddings	....	visual effects supervisor
Paul Wilson	....	visual effects cameraman
Keith Holland	....	visual effects camera operator (uncredited)
Jon Sorensen	....	visual effects assistant camera (uncredited)

Stunts
Michel Berreur	....	stunts
Daniel Breton	....	stunts
Claude Carliez	....	stunt arranger: France
Claude Carliez	....	stunts
Guy Di Rigo	....	stunts
Dorothy Ford	....	stunts
Martin Grace	....	stunts
Richard Graydon	....	stunts
Bob Simmons	....	action sequence arranger
Paul Weston	....	stunts
Don 'Tweet' Caltvedt	....	skydiving stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Howard Curtis	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Eddon	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Terry Forestal	....	stunts (uncredited)
Martin Grace	....	stunt double: Richard Kiel, cable car sequence (uncredited)
Martin Grace	....	stunt double: Roger Moore (uncredited)
Richard Graydon	....	stunt double: Roger Moore, cable car sequence (uncredited)
Reg Harding	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Jake Lombard	....	skydiving stunt double: James Bond (uncredited)
John Long	....	stunt glider pilot (uncredited)
Ron Luginbill	....	skydiving stunt double: Jaws (uncredited)
Peter Munt	....	stunt double: horse stunts (uncredited)
Dinny Powell	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Simmons	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Smart	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Paul Weston	....	stunt double: Richard Kiel (uncredited)
B.J. Worth	....	skydiving stunt double: pilot (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Guy Delattre	....	camera operator
Michel Deloire	....	camera operator
James Devis	....	camera operator
W.C. 'Chunky' Huse	....	camera grip (as Chunky Huse)
Alec Mills	....	camera operator
John Morgan	....	camera operator
Patrick Morin	....	still photographer
Jacques Renoir	....	camera operator: second unit
René Strasser	....	key grip (as Rene Strasser)
Jacques Touillaud	....	gaffer (as Jacques Touilland)
Pierre Boffety	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Lamar Boren	....	photographer: underwater unit (uncredited)
Rande DeLuca	....	aerial parachute photographer (uncredited)
Phillip Grosvenor	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Phil Pastuhov	....	aerial camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Peter Versey	....	assistant camera: model unit (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Colette Baudot	....	wardrobe mistress
Jean Zay	....	wardrobe master

Editorial Department
Peter Davies	....	assistant editor
John Grover	....	assembly editor
Luce Grunenwaldt	....	assistant editor (as Luce Gruenwaldt)
Mike Round	....	assistant editor (as Michael Round)

Music Department
Monty Norman	....	composer: James Bond theme
Dan Wallin	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Andy Armstrong	....	assistant location manager: Brazil
Dominique Bach	....	secretary to producer
Brian Bailey	....	production accountant
Reginald A. Barkshire	....	production coordinator
Paul Beugin	....	production accountant: France
Maurice Binder	....	title designer: main titles
Albert R. Broccoli	....	presenter
Eric Burgess	....	space consultant
John Comfort	....	location manager: USA
Gilles Durieux	....	unit publicist
Frank Ernst	....	location manager: Brazil
Simone Escoffier	....	production secretary
Josie Fulford	....	continuity
Gladys Goldsmith	....	continuity
Marguerite Green	....	production assistant
Vernon Harris	....	script editor
Philippe Modave	....	location manager: Italy
Elaine Schreyeck	....	continuity
Steve Swan	....	unit publicist
Marie-Christine Adam	....	stand-in: Ms. Bochenko (uncredited)
J.W. 'Corkey' Fornof	....	consultant: aviation (uncredited)
Steve Gadler	....	stand-in: Mr. Moore (uncredited)
A.N. Other	....	stand-in: Mr. Llewelyn (uncredited)
Eugene Rizzo	....	unit publicist: Italy (uncredited)
Denis Seurat	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Doris Spriggs	....	assistant: Roger Moore (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Danjaq
• Eon Productions
• Les Productions Artistes Associés

Distributors

• United Artists Corporation (1979) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1979) (USA) (theatrical) (as United Artists A Transamerica Company)
• Les Artistes Associés S.A.B. (1979) (France) (theatrical)
• C.B. Films (1979) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1979) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Tuschinski Film Distribution (1979) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (as Nova)
• United Artists (1979) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1979) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1979) (Italy) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Australia) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1983) (USA) (video)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (1981) (USA) (TV) (cable television)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• RCA (1981) (USA) (video) (Selectavision videodisc)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2006) (worldwide) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Warner Home Video (1983) (Australia) (video)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Les Films Michel François (optical effects: France) (as Michel Francois Films)

Other Companies

• Eclair Studios  studio
• Paris Studio Cinéma, Boulogne-Billancourt  studio
• Paris Studios Cinéma  studio
• Pinewood Studios  studio
• Studios de Billancourt  studio
• Studios de Boulogne  studio
• Studios Éclair, Épinay-Sur-Seine  studio

Also Known As:

Ian Fleming's Moonraker (UK) (complete title)
Moonraker (France)

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

UK | France

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Ireland:PG | South Korea:15 | Brazil:12 | Germany:12 (re-rating) | West Germany:16 (original rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1979) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | UK:A (original rating) | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

"The Canals", Venice, Veneto, Italy

Company:

Danjaq

Trivia:

Continuing an in-joke used in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979) marks the second appearance of Victor Tourjansky as the "man with bottle". He would return a third and final time in the next Bond film For Your Eyes Only (1981), as the "man with wine glass".

Goofs:

Continuity: Jaws pops the champagne cork with his teeth. His girlfriend is holding the glasses. It cuts away for about a second and it cuts back, and both champagne glasses are filled already.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Captain: How are we doing, Richard?
RAF Officer: We should pass over the English coast 15 minutes ahead of time, sir.
Captain: Wow! With this load on our back, that's good going.
RAF Officer: Just trust the RAF, sir.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Happy Anniversary 007: 25 Years of James Bond (1987) (TV)

Soundtrack:

MOONRAKER

I LOVE IT!!!

Please, don't judge me too harshly, but I love Moonraker, the peak of all things Roger Moore. Never again would the Bond films be this over the top or overtly silly, but the truth is that Moonraker does it right. It will never win awards for being the most subtle Bond film ever made, but it should not be trashed in the way that it usually is because deep down Moonraker is just great fun. Roger Moore's Bond is just fun to be with, the on going joke that everytime Jaws tries to kill Bond he almost gets killed himself, complete with close ups of his exasperated face are brilliant (not subtle, but guaranteed to get you chuckling) and one of the loveliest Bond girls, CIA agent Holly Goodhead.

The script here is definitely not in the same league as the likes of From Russia With Love, The World is Not Enough, Licence to Kill or For Your Eyes Only, but Bond films never set out to be thought provoking pieces of art, they are meant to be grandiose fun pieces of entertainment and if you take Bond films on those levels then Moonraker succeeds admirably. Sure none of the acting is award worthy, and its frequently over the top in every regard. Over the top humor, over the top action sequences (a fight scene in a glass shop sees every bit of glass get destroyed) while the space sequences features a gigantic space battle complete with laser beams.

However there is a lot to like here. The pre title sequence is superb, featuring some of the best stunt work you will ever see in a pre-Brosnan Bond, the special effects are magnificent and lastly John Barry's music is quite simply the best he has ever come up with. For a film so over the top his music is beautiful and would set the hallmarks for his future scores. The sweeping orchestra and beautiful theme song by Shirley Bassey are classics.

Once again I end my review with a note not to judge me, but Moonraker is simply wonderful entertainment and one of my favorite Bond film of all time.