In my best Leslie Philips: Hello you chaps.
Well, more-so than any of these things bear with me. I did this over four separate sittings. My dissertation is underway and things have been hectic (several job interviews).
Plus, I happen to be within range of not only the only cinema in this city but the only one of the chain not showing every Bond film. So...thank God for me smuggling my DVDs down...
Well here we go. Before we get going, I used to quite love this film but I was young and stupid (easy). Anyway, here we go.
We open on a space scene. At the time I'm sure this was the business but it's Meddings. In 1967 the Gerry Anderson world is still going and Meddings is thereby untouchable. For 1967 this is pretty good let's be honest. I like the long shots of what must be archival footage. But there he is, Ed Bishop, one of the Rent-a-Yanks (as he and the much missed Shane Rimmer described themselves). When I first saw this and a few years after, that astronaut being cast adrift terrified me.
This being said, one thing about this I find a little off is the archival footage. It works until the other craft approaches, as everyone loses their shit, we see the mission controller (I assume who is the chap on the mike), sort of shrug as if he’s done for the day.
Watch out there he is, Shane Rimmer's first Bond appearance!
We cut to whatever but it's peak ITC. Perhaps the last Bond that has so many regulars from whatever. Dear George Purcell (who did a few turns on the Saint and was one of Christopher Plummer's mates). There's David Bauer who cropped up in Prisoner et al and then DAF. The rather British chap is quite right but never mind.
We cut to Bond in bed. "Darling I give you best duck!" always makes me cackle. I mean come on.
My God, Bond killed!?
Yes but the actors have voice overs etc so fuck it.
Now, I like Sinatra but here's his daughter. I'm sure I've read or was told Barry was not impressed. Whatever the case, I like the song. Plus the images aren't too bad.
As the song plays let's pause. OHMSS was in theory meant to follow Thunderball then YOLT but a lack of locations affected things. Would a 67 OHMSS with Connery be all that? What if he quit and we got a Lazenby YOLT in 1969?
Either way, this is how it works. I always like the Royal Navy stuff here. But the Bond obit thing always jars. A quick google says this was HMS Tenby and they were near Gib at the time.
I'm sure the obit omitted his secret service work but then maybe not enough. RE: when Bond kills Franks in DAF and we get the whole "You just killed James Bond!" mularkey. I mean come on. He's a Double Oh, top secret spy and Tiffany bloody Case knows who he is!?
If I was the skipper of this sub, when Bond says permission etc, I'd get a bit leary: "You can fucking wait mush!"
In Moore’s tenure SIS was based inside the old Queen Elizabeth and a pyramid but it started here. Any submarine is pushed for space, at least in these days but apparently the Andrew has one sub that has all this clobber. Still, I think Maxwell looked her best here. Maybe it was the uniform but her hair looks nice,
Bernard Lee always gave his all, drink or not.
The whole being launched out of the sub is all well and good but let's be real, if a man was launched this way, he'd surely suffer.... (Hilly, it's a Bond film!)
There is always something about the music in Bond's first Japan scene. To me it feels poignant. Knowing this was Connery's 'last' Bond probably aids it.
I do love, as Moore did, Bond speaking the lingo (however briefly). I like to think the sumo he speaks to was an agent of SIS.
But so far, there are hints of Connery's displeasure. It's hard not to watch and not think of the stories that accompanied YOLT (like reporters hounding him into the toilets).
In any film, I appreciate it when it looks real, in YOLT's case, this sumo arena. We see Connery here, there's no whatever.
(Those who say Connery in OHMSS would've been inspired, great etc, I fear personally I don't see it. Even if he got a 'good' script etc, I feel Sir Sean was too jaded by now. He was looking that way in Thunderball.)
Ah, Henderson. Having read YOLT and beyond, as much as I like Gray, Hughes is in my mind. The Dikko of the novel and the film are worlds apart.
Now, before we go on, I admire Charles Gray. He was good in whatever he did, however he did it, be it an episode of Bergerac or dubbing dear Jack Hawkins in League of Gentlemen (1960).
It might have helped if he tried an accent and yet that moment he's stabbed somehow works. A good actor can do so much by doing so little, like Blessed dying in I, Claudius.
In true Bond fashion he bluffs his way into the car etc.
This brute gives his all and Bond is on the wrong foot. Of course this must be Pinewood so this Japanese chap must’ve come local.
"Siamese Vodka!"
It's curious to see how safecracking evolves. Here, Bond has this little device but in OHMSS he has this huge thing and then in MR, a cigarette case.
It is also curious that for OHMSS, Barry gives the safecracking music (granted Barry disliked Lazenby but still). Yet, here, we get an anxious Connery but nothing. Would it have helped? Who knows.
Much like say TMWTGG, we get this rigmarole where she runs off, Bond chases and it turns out they’re on the same side. Yes, it’s a film but come on, it’s also James Bond. The man’s a secret agent, there are surely ways to cut to the chase!
I like Tiger but the voice dubbing is often jarring. You know he's dubbed etc.
I’m always curious how foreign actors sound or got by on stage. I say this as to me Draco is a great character but what did Lazenby hear etc? How they did they interact and so I do the same here. I only say this as I’ve always been fascinated by the technical details.
Love how Tiger has his own train. The idea of M having his own is funny. Way the Underground is, even in 1967. (There remains an urban legend that the BBC at Broadcasting House have their own secret station on the Bakerloo just north of Oxford Circus, barely a hundred or so metres. Had they this ‘station’, we would know by now. Any delay over a few seconds is noted by Londoners).
YOLT surges into un-PC territory for a 21st Century audience.
Tiger is frightfully more prepped than Bond. “Your Miss Moneypenny perhaps?”
At once we go to this building but remain in Pinewood.
I do like how Bond is in this scene. Checking to see if there’s evidence of his last visit. The little statue, the drinks cabinet etc. As if after that time, either the broken statue or thug would still be lying about.
Ah, Karin Dor. Not being a natural redhead once shocked me but a striking woman. After this I saw her in a two part episode of Ironside where she played an ex-flame of Ironside’s in Quebec. Then of course I saw Topaz. A fantastically striking woman.
“He fell into a pulveriser at the works.
-ah so!”
Some say that Connery if presented with the OHMSS we got would be on form. I personally am not sure. By 69 he surely would’ve had enough. Perhaps he might have upped his game but a case of too little too late. But Hilly, you’re an OHMSS obsessive! Yes but I still don’t think he’d have carried it off.
Still, Karin Dor, cor!
Good film or not, Adam could do a set.
Much like VTAK, we have the bad guy scope Bond.
Bored or not, Connery’s Bond does his job in pretending.
Ever since I read someone saying who is filming Tanaka’s men dropping the bad guys I’ve lost my interest as it were. It’s up there with how the UFP gets the footage of the Enterprise’s bridge in Star Trek III.
But here we go. Whatever Conney’s lack of interest, Barry kicks into gear. Some dismiss this scene but there is still something about the long shot, it’s real, it’s not CGI and we see Bond fight his way through.
Except of course he somersaults his way into trouble. But hang on, Osato is there!?
There is of course Helga in a slinky dress on a ship ready to torture Bond.
She’s not entirely stupid. Bond waltzing along and she prepares herself.
Ah, Q.
Good ol Little Nellie.
It does at the very least give us the 007 theme.
If only Laze got this theme.
(for Eon’s supposedly tight purse strings, they still flew dear Llewellyn out to Japan for a few lines. I should be so lucky).
If Bondmania was at a peak by now and what parodies were willingly (and by 1997, still doing) plucking from Bond then black clad copter pilots surely was one aspect.
But great aerial footage all the same.
Irrespective of Connery’s feelings etc, I do love how he wraps up the dogfight.
Aye, aye, the Russkies are launching. These were the days when Russian propaganda was not entirely opposite to what they churn out now. Great set for Russkie mission control. Decent to re-use the music from earlier. Even without subtitles it retains a degree of tension and coldness as with the American capture.
Except of course this time, we see the aftermath (ie, SPECTRE’s craft heading home).
If Thunderball hadn’t quite rammed it home, YOLT by the appearance of the volcano base, shoves home that Bond is in a different sphere now. Yes, this is what most consider Bond’s MO etc but still. If you watch Dr No, FRWL and even GF when they came out, this film surely jarred on a level if you had got into Bond via Fleming’s books. Much as perhaps, muggings here, growing up reading Clancy and the later films simply going far and wide away from the source.
An incredible set all the same, in the days when things were still mostly done for real.
Though something about how Osato and co are working as staff here. I guess it’s how SPECTRE worked but after all we’ve seen of them so far and there they are “arbitrarily pressing buttons.”
Something about this smooth voiced Japanese. Quite how nuclear Armageddon benefits…well, that’s just me. Even Japan would be fucking useless.
Osato acting like Blofeld’s questions are bloody Mastermind. “Walther PPK!”
“Only one person we know uses this gun…”
Come on, SPECTRE is this huge organisation (I guess) and there must be more than Bond facing them.
“She failed!” oh Osato you bastard. Metoo.
Ever since I was little Karin’s death chills. Cat is unperturbed but I must say it’s hilarious how after KILL BOND NOW, Osato scurries off like a little shit.
So, Bond meets Tiger and co again, both of whom seem to be rather living it up. I mean, if shits about to go down,
I’d not be sauntering about in kimonos fanning myself.
Ah, Ninja training school.
If I was Bond, I’d say to Tiger, I’ll take this chap in blue who just took on everyone and see you guys later. I mean, he alone could wipe out Blofeld and his goons.
Japanese Q-Branch seems a more casual place than London’s.
For its faults, this next sequence is immensely helped by Barry. The music, like the theme song and for Bond’s arrival in Japan, has this sound to it that seems meaningful and mournful even. Bond’s time is changing or running out. Aki’s death always bothered me in how disturbing it is. Not the first or last Bond girl who took a bullet intended for Bond.
Bloody hell, take the guy headbutting an iceberg.
“You killed him!”
Yes, well, I have a bloody licence to kill mush.
Tiger knew what he was doing at this ceremony. Parade these poor women and then hit Bond with the one he needs.
Beautiful music.
So, after all that we get going. None of the natives are staring at Bond. I mean that chap has a pasty complexion and weird hair…
“We’re supposed to be married!”
This is Japan sunshine.
Bond working his ninja crap out.
If only the president has this neat set up. Alexander Knox another non-American but one who was Oscar nominated in the day.
It is incredible the scope of the set and all the working bits.
“Détente indeed,” Russkies and Americans having a chat until 007 shows up.
Surprised the copter doesn’t crash considering the pilot’s gawping to see if they got Kissy.
Always makes me wonder. Bond is sneaking onto the rocket. Now I know 00’s are trained to fly, drive, whatever but just where would Bond end here? I find it tricky that he would take this thing into orbit etc. Moonraker, he seemed largely reliant on Goodhead for flying etc.
“Yesh, this is my second life.”
I’m not entirely keen on Pleasance. I don’t know why but it feels off somehow. Great actor.
Hans doesn’t get enough credit. Built like a tank, says nothing and clearly Blofeld rates him. I confess for some reason he reminds me lookswise of Yeltsin.
Anyway, the Japanese are invading. It’s like 1941 all over again.
What a chap letting Bond have a last cig.
Do like how Bond single handedly takes everyone on.
Secret agent man…secret agent man… judo chop! Judo chop!
Sorry…wrong film.
Cat drops as Blofeld shoots Osato and then is gone.
As with say the Liparus fight and the fight on Moonraker, it all goes to pot as everyone shoots willy nilly and things blow up. I don’t quite envy Kissy. Bond manages to change into his ninja garb but she goes through the whole shitshow in her underwear. But Hilly, cor etc…yes, but come on, things could get nasty.
Got to like how the camera pans into Hans as he and Bond zero in.
What is lacking is Hans going: “I owe you unpleasant death Mr Bond!”
CODE WORD IS IMMINENT!
Which for years I thought meant the code word was coming. Come on.
Classic Rimmer here: IT BLEW UP!
So, Blofeld completes his circuit of the base to appear to set off the auto destruct. What the hell was he doing until then? Plus, for someone who looked to be in pain after being speared in the wrist, he seems quite nifty.
Right, well, everyone and their dog swims out of the volcano base. Yes, we get these rafts appear, but Bond and Kissy manage to be by themselves.
I do like the music for the end, that drip-drop sound.
Seems Bond and Kissy managed to drift well away from everyone only to be found by one of HM submarines (good old Navy). Royal Navy sub skippers are trained to an inch and so well done to the captain for surfacing beneath the raft.
And so…and so…
“James Bond will return in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”
Yes he bloody well will!
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