This was Roger Moore’s fourth outing as 007 and a departure from the content of Fleming’s original novel, moving from terra firma actually into space. Generally regarded as one of the least favoured Bond films, largely due to many continuity and factual errors, it still did quite well at the box office. Certainly the budget for the film was considerable and nearly as much as all of the previous eight Bond films combined and it was nominated for an Oscar 1980 for Best Visual Effects. Bond investigates the mid-air theft of a space shuttle, which evolves into the discovery of a plot to commit global genocide, with Moore later referring to the plot as “absurd”. It was the first movie to feature a space shuttle concept and was meant to coincide with the first space shuttle launch, but that did not happen until two years later and when filming began the final design had not yet been formally adopted. Directed by Lewis Gilbert (his third Bond film), regulars returning were Bernard Lee (his final as M), Desmond Llewelyn and Lois Maxwell, with the title song for the third time going to Shirley Bassey following her success with Goldfinger & Diamonds are Forever, the only singer to have returned on the title songs. Also returning was Richard Kiel following the popularity of his character Jaws from the previous The Spy Who Loved Me, and Walter Gotell as General Gogol of the KGB. Also starring Michael Lonsdale as the main villain Hugo Drax, with Lois Chiles, Corinne Cléry and Emily Bolton providing the glamour as Bond’s girls. Filmed on location in Seine-et-Marne & Paris & Paris Charles de Gaulle, Val-d’Oise & Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine & Seine-et-Marne, France; ; Tikal National park, Guatemala; Parana River, Parana & Mariana, Minas Gerais & Rio de Janeiro & Rio de Santa Catarina & Amazonas, Brazil; Parana River, Paraguay; Venice, Italy; Iguazu Waterfalls & National Park, Misiones, Argentina; Port St Lucie & Silver Springs & Cape Canaveral & Kennedy Space Centre, Titusville & Ocala, Florida & Los Angeles airport & Palmdale & Napa Valley & Mojave Desert & Palos Verdes Peninsula, California, USA & Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Bucks, England.
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