Moonraker (1979)

UK/France (“a Franco-British co-production” – on screen credit), 1979
126m
35mm, 70mm (blow-up), filmed in Panavision (anamorphic), Technicolor, 2.35:1
recorded in Dolby Stereo, English
Production Start Date: 14 August 1978 ¹

A British/French spy thriller directed by Lewis Gilbert, making his third and final James Bond film. It was the eleventh in the series and was the most successful thus far, not being out-grossed until the release of GoldenEye (1995).

Plot Summary

Investigating the mid-air hijacking of a space shuttle, James Bond discovers a plot by the shuttle's designer, Hugo Drax, to use a space station as a base from which to wipe out the world's population and begin the human race from new.

Credits

Crew
Directed by: Lewis Gilbert
© MCMLXXIX [1979] Danjaq S.A.
Metro Goldwyn Mayer [logo] United Artists [logo] Albert R. Broccoli presents. Made by Les Productions Artistes Associés (Paris) and Eon Productions (London)
Executive Producer: Michael G. Wilson
Produced by: Albert R. Broccoli
Associate Producer: William P. Cartlidge
Screenplay by: Christopher Wood
Novel: Ian Fleming (credited with a possessive above the title)
Director of Photography: Jean Tournier
Editor: John Glen
Music by: John Barry
Sound Mixer: Daniel Brisseau
Costume Designer: Jacques Fonteray
Make-up Artists: Monique Archambault, Paul Engelen
Hairdresser: Pierre Vade
Special Effects: John Evans, John Richardson, Rene Albouze, Serge Ponvianne, Charles Assola
Visual Effects Supervisor: Derek Meddings
Production Design by: Ken Adam
Made at Studio de Boulogne, Paris-Studios-Cinema, Eclair Studios (Paris) and Pinewood Studios (London) and on location in Italy [Venice, Veneto], Brazil [Iguaçu Falls, Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná; Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro State], Guatemala, U.S.A. [Kennedy Space Center, Florida; Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California; Palmdale, California; St Lucie County, Florida, USA] and outer space! [Paris, France; Vaux-Le-Viconte, France; London, England, UK – all uncredited]
Action Sequences Arranged by: Bob Simmons

Cast
Roger Moore as James Bond 007
Lois Chiles (Holly Goodhead)
Michael Lonsdale as [Hugo] Drax
Richard Kiel as Jaws
Corinne Clery (Corinne Dufour)
Emily Bolton (Manuela)
Geoffrey Keen (Frederick Gray)
Toshiro Suga (Chang)
Lois Maxwell (Moneypenny)
Irka Bochenko (blonde beauty)
Nicholas Arbez (Drax's boy)
Bernard Lee as ‘M'
Desmond Llewelyn (Q)
Blanche Ravalec (Dolly)
Anne Lonnberg (museum guide)
Michael Marshall (Col. Scott)
Jean Pierre Castaldi (pilot private jet)
Leila Shenna (hostess private jet)
Walter Gotell (General Gogol)
Douglas Lambert (mission control director)

Alternative Titles

007 – Aventura no Espaço – Portuguese title
007 Contra o Foguete da Morte – Brazilian title
Agente 007, Moonraker Operazione spazio – Italian title
Moonraker – Streng geheim – West German title
Kuuraketti – Finnish title

Sequels
For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Octopussy (1983)
A View to a Kill (1985)
The Living Daylights (1987)
Licence to Kill (1989)
GoldenEye (1995)
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
Die Another Day (2002)
Casino Royale (2006)
Quantum of Solace (2008)
Skyfall (2012)
Spectre (2015)
No Time to Die (2021)

Extracts included in
Best Ever Bond (2002)
Happy Anniversary 007: 25 Years of James Bond (1987)
The James Bond Story (1999)
Premiere Bond: Die Another Day (2002)
The Screen Test (1970-1984) episode broadcast on 15 November 1979
The World of James Bond (1995)

Production Notes

Production
Lois Chiles was announced as the new “Bond girl” and Michael Lonsdale as the villain just days before filming began in Paris on 14 August 1978 ²

References

Periodicals

American Cinematographer vol.60 no.10 (October 1979) pp.1008-1009, 1054 – illustrated article
Cahiers du Cinema November 1979 p.59 – review
Cinefantastique vol.8 no.4 (Summer 1979) pp.36-38 – illustrated article
Cinefantastique vol.9 no.1 (Autumn 1998) pp.40-41 – illustrated article
Films and Filming vol.26 no.5 (February 1980) p.41 – review (by Jenny Craven)
Films Illustrated vol.8 no.96 (August 1979) p.468 – review
GBCT News vol.1 no.12 (June 1979) pp.6-12 – article
The Hollywood Reporter vol.271 no.20 (12 April 1982) p.3 – credits, review
The Listener vol.102 no.2618 (5 July 1979) p.26 – review
Monthly Film Bulletin vol.46 no.547 (August 1979) pp.179-180 – credits, synopsis, review (by Tim Pulleine)
Screen International no.151 (12-18 August 1978) – illustrated note (Lois is new Bond girl)
Screen International no.197 (7 July 1979) pp.6, 17 – notes
Screen International no.228 (16-23 February 1980) p.9 – note (World news desk: Germany by Richard Pohler)
Sight & Sound June 1993 p.70 – note
Starburst vol.1 no.12 (1979) pp.24-29 – illustrated interview
Starburst April 1996 p.55 – illustrated note
Telerama 21 January 1998 p.74 (France) – illustrated credits, review
TV Times (Thames/LWT) 24 December 1982-7 January 1983 p.32-33; 34 – illustrated article (Moonraker); illustrated article (Jump on the James Bondwagon by Dave Lanning)
Vanity Fair November 1999 – illustrated article
Variety 27 June 1979 p.18 – review

Books

The A-Z of Science Fiction and Fantasy Films p.186 – review
Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Science Fiction by Phil Hardy (ed) p.350-351 – credits, review
The Espionage Filmography: United States Releases, 1898 through 1999 by Paul Mavis p.210 – credits, review
Horror and Science Fiction Films II by Donald C. Willis 261-262 – credits
The Incredible World of 007 pp.146 – illustrated article
The International Spy Guide 002 by Richard Rhys Davies p.613 – illustrated credits, note
Science Fiction Films of the Seventies by Craig W. Anderson pp.224-228 – credits, review
Trick Cinematography by R.M. Hayes pp.240-241 – article

EOFFTV - The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film and Television