Octopussy: Original MGM Motion Picture Soundtrack [Enhanced CD]
WhileOctopussy, 13th installment of the highly successful James Bond series was the second largest grossing film in America in 1983 (the year ofReturn of the Jedi), it hardly springs to mind as one of the classics of the series--or of Roger Moore's sometimes-spotty tenure as Bond for that matter.But divorced from filmic proceedings neither as over-the-top fun asLive and Let Dieor as refreshingly down-to-earth asFor Your Eyes Only, John Barry's score (his 10th of the series) holds up quite well, carrying on his masterful tradition of reinforcing even the silliest plot turn with the familiar, emotionally gripping orchestrations that are perhaps the most underrated element of Bond's ongoing appeal.Rita Coolidge gives a game effort on the commercially disappointing main "title," "All Time High," one of the series' rare instances of the title song not being named after the film--but thenyoutry writing a song with "Octopussy" in the lyrics!--Jerry McCulley