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Original title: Moonraker
Fanedit title: Moonraker - The "LS" Cut
Studios: Eon Productions, United Artists
Faneditor: Last Survivor
Originally released: 1979
Fanedit release: March 2021
Original running time: 126 minutes approx
Fanedit running time: 118 minutes approx
Cut time: 8 minutes cut
Started edit: January 2021
Finished edit: March 2021
Synopsis and Purpose of Edit:
Moonraker is the film that famously sent Bond to outer space. After the success of The Spy Who Loved Me, the producers wanted to go one step further and go even bigger. That, combined with the obvious influence felt by successful films like Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, led to one of the most successful but divisive films in the series' long history.
Intention… To reign in some of the more ridiculous moments, such as the redundant Gondola chase (double taking pigeons anyone?), remove the terrible product placement and the weird insistence of the producers to reference other films (such as Close Encounters, Magnificent Seven). Some of the more cringe-worthy one-liners are gone too, but fear not, this is still very much a Roger Moore 007 movie which still has his charm and elegance running through the picture. Also, I've attempted to make Jaws more a threatening presence, rather than the clumsy idiot from the theatrical cut. Think of the LS Cut as more of a refocusing, to showcase what is a very entertaining story which is literally out of this world.
Cutlist:
- Trimmed opening sequence, removing the comedy moments where Jaws’ parachute fails and he flaps around like a bird. He no longer falls into the Circus tent, with the scene ending and progressing into the title sequence, as Bond pulls his parachute cord to escape.
- Title sequence reframed so that it is in the correct aspect ratio matching the rest of the film
- When Bond is taking pictures of Drax’s plans he has taken out of the safe, have removed the close ups which show his miniature camera has 007 printed on it
- Removed the entire Gondola chase
- Added music from John Barry’s Diamonds are Forever score, to the scene where Bond is trying to enter Drax’s secret laboratory. Also removed the “close encounters” theme that plays when the security code is entered
- Removed Roger Moore’s quip “Play it Again Sam” after Chang falls to his death and crashes into a piano
- Jaws no longer bites the cable during the cable car scene. Music also added from John Barry’s Diamonds are Forever soundtrack during the earlier part of this sequence
- When the cable car carrying Jaws crashes, have removed all comedy elements and the scene where he meets and falls in love with Dolly straight away. Now Dolly is just seen as another worker for Drax, and there are hints that she has feelings for Jaws, and vice versa when they arrive together on Drax’s space station later in the film
- Cut all production placement during the fight in the ambulance, and added more John Barry music
- Removed The Magnificent Seven theme and replaced with John Barry music as Bond is on horseback and travelling to meet up with Q and M. Involves sound replacement work.
- Music added and rescored existing music during the speedboat chase, utilising the track “007” from the From Russia With Love soundtrack and also added the James Bond Theme as Bond escapes the waterfall in the hang glider. Also removed the over the top moments which make Jaws look silly (i.e. him ripping out the steering wheel of the boat)
- After Bond survives his encounter with the snake and then meets Drax, have removed the quip “I discovered he had a crush on me”
- After Bond places an explosive using his casio watch as a detonator, have removed his line “Bang on time”
- With Bond and Goodhead in the shuttle and viewing the human cargo they are carrying, after he states “and the animals went in two by two”, have removed Goodhead’s reply “What do you mean by that?”… reason for cutting this is that it’s pretty obvious that Bond is referring to Noah’s Ark and it makes Goodhead seem less intelligent
- Removed the brief fight that Bond and Jaws have on board the space station, so that we don’t have the scene where Bond kicks Jaws in the “metal” balls. Now Bond and Goodhead are just caught be Jaws and taken away
- Trimmed some of the laser battle out in space
- After Bond has taken care of Drax by forcing him out of the airlock, have removed his line to Holly that “He had to fly”
- Jaws still helps Bond and Goodhead escape, but the scenes where he speaks to Dolly and they have champagne together have been cut. Oh, and Jaws and Dolly get to live in this edit
- End credits reframed so that it matches the aspect ratio of the rest of the film
- Title sequence reframed so that it is in the correct aspect ratio matching the rest of the film
- When Bond is taking pictures of Drax’s plans he has taken out of the safe, have removed the close ups which show his miniature camera has 007 printed on it
- Removed the entire Gondola chase
- Added music from John Barry’s Diamonds are Forever score, to the scene where Bond is trying to enter Drax’s secret laboratory. Also removed the “close encounters” theme that plays when the security code is entered
- Removed Roger Moore’s quip “Play it Again Sam” after Chang falls to his death and crashes into a piano
- Jaws no longer bites the cable during the cable car scene. Music also added from John Barry’s Diamonds are Forever soundtrack during the earlier part of this sequence
- When the cable car carrying Jaws crashes, have removed all comedy elements and the scene where he meets and falls in love with Dolly straight away. Now Dolly is just seen as another worker for Drax, and there are hints that she has feelings for Jaws, and vice versa when they arrive together on Drax’s space station later in the film
- Cut all production placement during the fight in the ambulance, and added more John Barry music
- Removed The Magnificent Seven theme and replaced with John Barry music as Bond is on horseback and travelling to meet up with Q and M. Involves sound replacement work.
- Music added and rescored existing music during the speedboat chase, utilising the track “007” from the From Russia With Love soundtrack and also added the James Bond Theme as Bond escapes the waterfall in the hang glider. Also removed the over the top moments which make Jaws look silly (i.e. him ripping out the steering wheel of the boat)
- After Bond survives his encounter with the snake and then meets Drax, have removed the quip “I discovered he had a crush on me”
- After Bond places an explosive using his casio watch as a detonator, have removed his line “Bang on time”
- With Bond and Goodhead in the shuttle and viewing the human cargo they are carrying, after he states “and the animals went in two by two”, have removed Goodhead’s reply “What do you mean by that?”… reason for cutting this is that it’s pretty obvious that Bond is referring to Noah’s Ark and it makes Goodhead seem less intelligent
- Removed the brief fight that Bond and Jaws have on board the space station, so that we don’t have the scene where Bond kicks Jaws in the “metal” balls. Now Bond and Goodhead are just caught be Jaws and taken away
- Trimmed some of the laser battle out in space
- After Bond has taken care of Drax by forcing him out of the airlock, have removed his line to Holly that “He had to fly”
- Jaws still helps Bond and Goodhead escape, but the scenes where he speaks to Dolly and they have champagne together have been cut. Oh, and Jaws and Dolly get to live in this edit
- End credits reframed so that it matches the aspect ratio of the rest of the film
Special Features:
Audio Commentary
Technical Details:
16:9 Anamorphic. MP4 .
AAC Stereo.
Software used: Vegas Pro 16, Vocal Remover, iZotope RX-7 Audio Editor, DVD Fab.
Special Thanks:
Musiced921
Sophie Welch
BionicBob
Toodles
and everyone who has shown an interest in the edit on the forum
