12 Things You Learn Rewatching Live And Let Die

9. Kananga Is A Total Bore

Live And Let Die Kananga
United Artists

Yaphet Kotto is one hell of an actor, so while he was perfectly cast in the role of Kananga, the character as written is unfortunately a bit of a drag, and Kotto can only do so much to bring him to life.

Despite his stature as the mastermind dictator of San Monique, Kananga is an oddly subdued character whose presence pales in comparison to the several Blofelds who came before him. Even in his own movie, he struggles to compete with the far more memorable Tee Hee (Julius Harris) and Baron Samedi (Geoffrey Holder).

It's a waste of an actor of Kotto's caliber, honestly, and a shame considering he's the only frontline black Bond villain to date. The charm and sense of danger are both sorely lacking in this overly verbose windbag. Disappointing to say the least.

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.