As you (should) know, Bond 22, Quantum of Solace, is coming out this November 14th. In honor of this momentous occasion, I have decided to spend a little time each week digging into my James Bond DVD collection and talking about the best and worst of the series up until now. I also like to compare the movies to the source material, when it exists. I find all of this very entertaining, but if you don’t, the scroll button is still right over there. >>>>>

If you would enjoy seeing James Bond dressed as a clown, then Octopussy is the movie for you.

If you would also enjoy seeing James Bond in a gorilla suit, doing a Tarzan yell, or risking his life for a Fabergé egg, then Octopussy is definitely the movie for you.

However, if you find these things frightening and demoralizing, then you might be frightened and demoralized by Octopussy. It’s a very strange film - I can’t quite decide if it takes itself seriously or not. The plot’s serious enough, with murder and stolen stuff and…an all-female carnival that lives on their own island? Okay, maybe not.

You might think I’m making up the clown, or the gorilla suit, or the Tarzan yell. Believe me, I wish I wasn’t. And also try to believe me when I say that, in spite of all this, Octopussy is not a terrible film. There are some moments that will make you smile, or groan, but at least you’ll be smiling. An Indian tennis star named Vijay basically plays himself, and he’s a lot of fun and has nice chemistry with everyone in the cast.

But nothing can erase the horrible memory of that Tarzan call.

Looking back at movies like Octopussy, it’s hard to believe that this and Casino Royale are from the same universe.

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