By Devin Zydel on 2007-07-07
It’s The Biggest. It’s The Best. It’s Bond and B-E-Y-O-N-D.
30 Years Of ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’
It was 30 years ago on 7/7/77 that Roger Moore’s third James Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me, was released. Proving true to the statement that nobody does it better, The Spy Who Loved Me became the biggest box office hit up to that date in the series and has remained one of the most popular films since.
Taking into account the 30th anniversary of the film, CBn asked forum members to recall their first time seeing The Spy Who Loved Me…
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ – 00Twelve
The Spy Who Loved Me was the first Bond film I ever laid eyes on, at the age of seven.
…and it terrified me! All I could remember were the scenes where Jaws was in the mix, particularly the train fight. The vision of Barbara Bach opening the closet to find Jaws waiting inside is permanently embedded in my memory.
I also remember her knocking out Bond with the cigarette smoke, and I thought she’d killed him. (It was on TBS, and it wet straight to commercial there…)
After that trauma, I swore off Bond, because that’s all I knew it to be. For four years, I’d avoid the TBS marathons, until hearing something about a new Bond film in development. At that point, my dad sat me down and we watched Goldfinger, and I was introduced to Bond good and proper! The rest is history (for me, anyhow!). And yes, I did finally get back to The Spy Who Loved Me, and still love it.
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ – Loomis
The Spy Who Loved Me was my first exposure to Bond. I was about six, it was playing on TV, and I wandered in on the underwater sequence with the Lotus, which had me hooked immediately. I’d never seen anything like it, and asked my father what we were watching. “A James Bond film,” he replied. “Wow,” I said, “Are there any other ones?”
My father chuckled.
I shortly afterwards wrote to JIM’LL FIX IT, asking if my dad could have an amazing car like James Bond’s. Didn’t get a response.
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ – Spurrier
I loved this movie. It’s still among my all-time favorites of all movies. I saw it in Aiken, South Carolina, USA. The PTS was ingeneous… and has never been topped, though tried. Carly Simon’s song is still adapted to many events today. Roger was at the top of his game. Barbara Bach was a “yummy” Bond babe. Jaws and the Lotus became legendary in this movie. The last line by Rog is the most underrated line in all cinema… “Just keeping the British end up.” I saw this movie 4 months after starting my professional work career. Now that I’m a retiree, it sure brings back special memories. I never tire of watching it…watched it last… 11 days ago.
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ – mharkin
The first time I saw The Spy Who Loved Me I was 6 years old, my grandparents brought it back for me when they were at Blackpool, the really old MGM Video Cassettes, that’s what started it all. October 29th 1996 – I even remember the date. Happy Anniversary Spy!
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ – Yellow Pinky
Saw this one opening weekend with my Dad and little brother when I was 15 and he was 8. I was already a big Bond fan, thanks to my Dad having taken me to the double bills of Dr. No/From Russia With Love and Thunderball/You Only Live Twice when I was younger. I’m happy to say I’ve seen all of the Bond movies except for Goldfinger in the theater, although not always on their initial release (after all, I was born the year that Dr. No was released!).
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ – ACE
Yup,
007.007.0077
IT’S THE BIGGEST
IT’S THE BEST
IT’S BOND
AND BEYOND…
I became a Bond fan on holiday in Carnarveon, North Wales in August 1977. A trip to the cinema (it was a rainy day) resulted in me seeing The Spy Who Loved Me. From the ski-chase to the Lotus to the Liparus to the Pyramids, I was hooked. From women with smoke-jet cigarettes to the underwater emergence of Atlantis, I was enthralled. Jaws’ first appearance, cloaked in shadow, was genuinely terrifying. And, to cap it all, Roger Moore as James Bond finally gave me a hero I could respond to; cool, daring, adventurous, funny, assured, sophisticated and, uniquely, British.
Of course, other things struck me too; Ken Adam’s giant, gleaming sets, Marvin Hamlisch’s shimmering, exciting score and the compact and ingenious gadgets (I have never looked at ordinary objects the same way since!). I was too young to appreciate the libidinous quality to the film – that came later – but I did enjoy the humour. The little knowledge I had informed me that there were such things as Polaris submarines and Lotus cars and Pyramids and so the story actually seemed scarily possible to my young mind!
Remember, this was 1977, and in the next few years I was to be bombarded by Star Wars, Star Trek and Superman, all of which I would love. But Bond held me and the damage had been done!
CUT TO:
007.007.007
This Saturday, a friend of mine is getting married. In January, he appeared on national TV to try to win sum of money for a James Bond themed wedding. Alas, he did not win but he got:
Author and ex-con, Jeffrey Archer’s signed First Edition of a Fleming novel
The use of an Aston Martin for the day
And other goodies!
Way to go, J!
Alas, I cannot go to the wedding because I had already booked to celebrate the Seventies in a different manner: I’m going to see Steely Dan play live!
Nobody Does It Better
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ – Sbott
I first saw this on TV a few years after its release. What I do remember 30 years ago, was seeing clips of the film on all the kids programs (Blue Peter and SwapShop, I think), they all showed the underwater sequence with the Lotus. I remember being so excited by this and pestering my mum to go and see the film at the cinema. But to no avail as I was only 8 years old and not allowed (she ended up shouting NO as I did go on a bit).
Happy 30th anniversary The Spy Who Loved Me.
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ – DLibrasnow
I saw it when it premiered on British television in the early 1980s. I remember I was visiting with family at Berwick-Upon-Tweed and watching it on their TV in the living room. I loved it and to this day it regularly vies with On Her Majesty’s Secret Service as my favorite EON-produced James Bond 007 movie.
I had seen Moonraker on the big screen in 1979 and loved it. The thing I remember most about the movie is how amazing Barbara Bach looked and of course the Lotus Esprit rising from the sea bed.
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ – autquisest
The Spy Who Loved Me was one of the first three Bonds I saw, around the time For Your Eyes Only came out. Can’t remember in which order I saw The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only and Thunderball – in that respect they’re still an entity to me.
And what can I say… Jaws scared the hell out of me too – especially his first kill (ok, I was around 12). And although this character stands for the more… well, ridiculous moments of the franchise I really wouldn’t want to miss him. Only thing I didn’t like at the time (and still don’t) is the casting of Barbara Bach – her “I will kill you” comment is just as believable to me as would be a rabbit threatening a snake
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ – CTanner
It was a BIG summer for me. I was 10, The Spy Who Loved Me was my first Bond film, and a certain SciFi movie also came out. Both movies changed my life, as each gave me fuel for my imagination. Of course, each provided a different kind of charge. I saw The Spy Who Loved Me about a mile from my house at a theater in a shopping mall — North Springs Shopping Center in Atlanta, GA. It became a dollar theater at one point, and may have been even at that time. I can’t even get into the list of movies I saw at that place.
The Lotus was incredible and was the coolest most beautiful car I had ever seen, especially given the fact that the Trans Am was considered the hottest car on the road and Porsche had barely come out with the 944. My grandmother bought me the Corgi toy of the Lotus at my favorite toy and hobby shop and I began yet another love affair. I still think that Mrs. Starr is the most beautiful Bond girl ever, and can’t believe how ‘modern’ she looks to this day — her type has never gone out of style. Jaws was great, but I also liked Shandor. I’m still a huge Curt Jurgens fan, too. And the movie itself has a grandness and sweep that has been rare in the series. A CLASSIC, and after seeing it, a couple of my chief joys in life became new Bond movies in the theaters and older ones on the ABC Sunday Night Movie. Until VCRs came out, but that’s another story. I’m glad it was my first.
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ – the photographer
Moonraker was my first official Bond movie in 1979, which I watched in the cinema.
The hunt on older 007-movies began. The Spy Who Loved Me was on No. 5. I saw the movie in the summer holidays in Austria in a small cinema in Grobming (07/26/80) Unforgetable!
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ – zencat
I saw The Spy Who Loved Me at the Topanga Theater in Canoga Park. I remember it was the Summer of Star Wars, so my idea of going to see a movie was going to see Star Wars…again. But my step-dad suggested we see Bond. I wasn’t yet a Bond freak, but I liked Bond films, so I agreed to skip one weekend for a lessor movie experience.
The film blew my mind for the very opening to the very end. How could there be another film that summer just as GREAT as Star Wars!? And this one was…sexy. I remember spending a great deal of time in front of the theater really looking closely at all the imagery on the poster (that classic Peak poster). I felt like I had just cheated with a sexy English mistress, and I liked it…a lot!
Keep watching CBn for all the latest James Bond 007 news and coverage.
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