Live and Let Die (1973) DVD Review – UK

When three British agents die in mysterious circumstances Bond is sent to America, where he uncovers a plot by a Caribbean diplomat and Harlem crime boss to flood the United States with a billion dollars' worth of heroin.

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Runtime

1 Hour 56 Minutes

BBFC rating

Region

Region 2

Sound

Mono

Aspect

1.77:1

Release year

1973

Details

When a number of British agents are murdered in quick succession, Bond is dispatched to New York to investigate. The trail quickly leads him to Harlem crime boss Mr. Big and Caribbean diplomat Dr. Kananga, whose influence appears to stretch far beyond what it should.

After arriving in New York, Bond is soon targeted himself, but a failed attempt on his life provides him with a vital lead. As he digs deeper, he uncovers a vast drug-smuggling operation designed to flood the American market with heroin, effectively cornering the market and creating a monopoly.

Bond's investigation takes him from the streets of Harlem to the swamps of Louisiana and finally to the Caribbean, where voodoo rituals, tarot readings and the mysterious Solitaire all play their part. With a mix of brute force, deception and a little luck, Bond must stop Kananga before his plan takes hold.

Picture & Sound

The picture is a bit of a mixed bag. Although it offers an above average bit-rate with a generally crisp and detailed image, the first ten minutes of the film are quite poor. The print is littered with dust specks and scratches, giving the impression that the source material hasn't been particularly well looked after. Fortunately, these issues soon clear up and the remainder of the film is much cleaner, with only the occasional imperfection.

Menu & Extras

Yet again, the major disappointment with this disc is the mono soundtrack. With all of the action sequences and chases, it would have greatly benefited from a re-mastered 5.1 mix. Given the resources available to MGM, it does feel like a missed opportunity. Ironically, the MGM logo is presented in stereo - a small tease of what could have been.

On the plus side, MGM have included a good selection of extras, with the documentaries once again proving to be the most interesting. The animated menu system is also well presented, and of course there is the iconic soundtrack performed by Paul McCartney and Wings, which deservedly received an Oscar nomination and remains one of the most recognisable Bond themes.

Overall

This film marks Roger Moore's debut as James Bond and, unsurprisingly, the tone shifts noticeably from the Connery era. Moore brings a lighter, more humorous approach to the role, which at times works well with his trademark one-liners, but it also pushes the film closer to action-comedy territory than some fans might prefer. That said, for a first outing he settles into the role quickly and confidently, even if it lacks some of the harder edge that Connery brought to the character.

That said, Live and Let Die does try something different. The blaxploitation influence, voodoo themes and change of setting give it a distinct identity within the series, even if some elements feel a little uneven. The extended boat chase, whilst impressive from a stunt perspective, does feel overly long, and Sheriff Pepper's involvement borders on the unnecessary.

Yaphet Kotto's Kananga is a decent enough villain, although he lacks the presence of the series' more iconic adversaries such as Goldfinger or Blofeld. However, Tee Hee makes for a memorable henchman and hints at the more larger-than-life characters that would follow in later films.

Of course, no discussion of the film would be complete without mentioning the superb theme tune by Paul McCartney and Wings. "Live and Let Die" remains one of the most recognisable and energetic Bond themes ever recorded and adds a real sense of scale and identity to the film, even if the on-screen action doesn't always quite live up to it.

Overall, whilst it may not rank amongst the very best Bond films, it remains an entertaining and important entry in the series. As Moore finds his feet in the role, Live and Let Die lays the groundwork for the lighter tone that would define his tenure, making it a fascinating - if slightly uneven - transition from one era of Bond to another.

Unlike some of the earlier Bond releases, this disc is only encoded for Region 2.