20 Things You Didn’t Know About Octopussy (1983)

5. James Bond’s All Time High

Even though Cubby Broccoli loved the way that his friend and the film’s Bond villain, Louis Jourdan pronounced the name “Octopussy”, he instructed long-time Bond composer, John Barry that it could not be used in the film’s title song due to its controversial connotations.

Instead, Barry collaborated with lyricist, Tim Rice on an original song entitled “All Time High”, which was inspired by dialogue in the script about James Bond and Octopussy being “two of a kind”.

Rice wanted Elaine Page to sing the theme, but Barry and Cubby considered asking Dame Shirley Bassey to return for a fourth Bond outing until Cubby asked his daughter, Barbara Broccoli (his executive assistant and an assistant director on the film) who she considered to be appropriate. Barbara suggested Rita Coolidge, whose rendition of the song reached number 75 in the UK charts and number 36 in the US charts.

It remains the lowest-charting Bond theme, but received an award for one million radio plays, perhaps due to the cross-promotion with the film naming Octopussy as "James Bond’s All Time High”.

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I started writing for WhatCulture in July 2020. I have always enjoyed reading and writing. I have contributed to several short story competitions and I have occasionally been fortunate enough to have my work published. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I also started reviewing films on my Facebook page. Numerous friends and contacts suggested that I should start my own website for reviewing films, but I wanted something a bit more diverse - and so here I am! My interests focus on film and television mainly, but I also occasionally produce articles that venture into other areas as well. In particular, I am a fan of the under appreciated sequel (of which there are many), but I also like the classics and the mainstream too.