Last Bond Movie You Watched? 1.0

This is will always be my Top 3 as well although I would have Dr No above Goldfinger. i

I don't think any Bond films in the future would be able to match the quality of the first three.

"And the kitchen sink."

THUNDERBALL

Oh dear. I really wanted to like THUNDERBALL. It was one of the first Bond films I've ever watched and has all the elements of a first rate Bond adventure. Instead, THUNDERBALL just drags on forever. It's less of a movie and more of an endurance test. Those that make it to the end get t-shirts that say "I survived THUNDERBALL without falling asleep". It's even more heart-breaking when you see a good movie hiding underneath the tedium.

Sean manages to get some of Bond's bite back and turns in one of his better performances as Bond (quite possibly his last good one). With his menace back on parade, Bond suddenly becomes a more interesting character to watch than in GOLDFINGER. The villians whip up some appropriate menace, with Largo and Volpe standing out from the lot. Volpe in particular is the first true femme fatale in the franchise and remains irresistible. The ladies are smoking and Auger's potrayal of Domino gives her a strong enough backbone that her killing of Largo in the final act isn't out of character like some other Bond girls.

The scale and fisticuffs are all on full display, with Bond's battle with Colonel Boviar and the Disco Volante fight being particular highlights. The pieces never really come together, however. The movie is exciting during Bond's stay in Shrublands and the Vulcan hijacking. Once Bond gets to Nassau, however, the movie grinds to a halt. When the stakes are at it's highest, Bond wanders around Nassau, gambles, and hits on Domino. The biggest failure of THUNDERBALL is in it's editing. The movie feels disjointed and cobbled together and pacing drags horribly in areas that it shouldn't. For all it's spectacle and glamour, it's sex appeal and action, THUNDERBALL cannot rise above how boring it is.

2 out of 5


"I just might retire to here."

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE

A prime example of a movie that's all style and no substance, yet it's the best style money can buy. Despite all it's flaws, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE remains a dynamic adventure that throws Bond straight into the turbulent late 60's in style. More surprising is YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE accomplishes this with failures at casting and a lead actor who clearly doesn't care anymore.

Connery has obviously had it with Bond when filming began and it shows. The athleticism is gone and Bond has all the enthusiasm of a zombie. It's as if Sean was rolled out of bed and shoved on set without the decency of a cup of coffee or similar stimulation. The rest of the acting department doesn't compensate much, with only Tanaka being anywhere near an interesting character. The leading ladies are boring, Blofeld lacks the menace of his previous incarnations, and Helga Brandt is a poor Fiona Volpe knockoff.

All these failures at key positions and YOU ONLY LIVES TWICE still manages to be entertaining. Why? It's loaded with action. Action from all angles. We get car chases, a no holds barred fist fight in an office, the memorable Little Nellie aerial dogfight, and the massive assault on Blofeld's volcano lair. Shit blows up everywhere. This was probably the film Michael Bay saw when he decided to become a filmmaker. It never feels like the pressure is off either. Add to that one of Barry's best musical works and the positives manage to just outweigh the negatives and redeem YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE.

3 out of 5

Current rankings:

1) FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
2) GOLDFINGER
3) DR. NO
4) YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE
5) THUNDERBALL

Thus marks the first time TWICE has outranked THUNDERBALL.

Let us hope it's also the last.

Diamonds Are Forever

I enjoyed it slightly less this time round, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Connery's performance is much more energetic than in YOLT, and his delivery of the comedy is impeccable. But do I want so much comedy from Bond? There is a lot of benign bizarre in the movie, but I think there is just a little too much. Bond comes off as foolish at times, such as when he escapes the pipeline in the desert. It's a great line and it's funny, but it's too comical for OO7. Jill St. John and Charles Gray do very well, up until they meet that is. But the music is exceptional, the cinematography and locations are wonderful and the dialogue is super sharp. However, it's the characterisation of Bond, and a partial lack of focus on the story itself which puts this in the bottom third of my ranking.

8/10

2012 Bondathon Ranking:

From Russia With Love
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Thunderball
Dr.No
Goldfinger
You Only Live Twice
Diamonds Are Forever

Next up, Live and Let Die.

Thunderball.
It is too infected by the island sense of sleepiness, but I think that major problem with the film is its desire to top everything and the extreme rush that was made to have the film out by Christmas 65. Also, has it ever been confirmed why the rough cut was four hours, and what Peter Hunt had to do in editing? The well-known continuity errors were lamentable, but I read somewhere that possibly Young got so fed up that he walked off the picture after shooting. As far as I know poor Hunt was cutting the film right up until the premiere and had to do that silly credit wipe to remove the OHMSS tag as the next film.
Still a classic Bond film, and damn if it I can't ever find out about the alternate audio mixes. Notable for being the first widescreen Bond. Also, one of the most problematic for modern engineers to transfer for video. One of Barry's finest scores.

YOLT
Could have been a much better film, and if you look at anything closely it all starts to unravel. The right ingredients are all there, but everything is so woefully developed that nothing comes to fruition. Dahl seems to have seen bits of the earlier films and tried to emulate them as much as possible but without knowing how to flesh them out in a script. Hence things like the beyond tame Fiona knockoff Helga Brandt. The plot becomes ludicrous at times, WHY DOES BOND NEED TO STAY AND TRAIN TO BE A NINJA? IF WWIII IS POSSIBLY LOOMING SHOULDN'T HE BE OUT LOOKING FOR THE DAMN ROCKET? LIKE THUNDERBALL THERE'S A TICKING CLOCK DAMMIT!
However, the film is still so inventive and charming that it is possible to overlook all of these major flaws. Barry gives his most romantic score, Connery is at least present if sleepwalking, The great Freddie Young contributes some stunning visuals, Lewis Gilbert does a very credible job with what he was given, and Ken Adam surpasses himself again. The title song is not only one of the best in the series, but IMO one of the greatest songs ever.
Note: This is the film that suffered horribly at the hands of the "restoration" team. The UE DVD all but bleached out all the original color for a more "naturalistic" timing. I about cried when I first saw this.
Note 2: I've seen some versions of the film with subtitles for the untranslated Japanese dialogue. Is this supposed to be there?

OHMSS
Every time I see this, I find more and more to pick out from it. There's enough to enjoy for both Fleming and film Bond die hards. There is a substance and a thematic content that was never seen before or since in the series, and Lazenby honestly gives one of the best Bond performances especially considering what he has to play is far more dramatic than what the others had to deal with. The key to film's success is what I constantly refer to as the secret weapon: the work of Hunt and Maibaum. For Fleming's best and possibly most intricate story, the decision was made to remain as faithful as possible and they do this wonderfully, even managing to incorporate the love story which admittedly doesn't work as well as in the novel. Draco is the best ally since Kerim Bey, M is wonderfully pissed throughout, Q is proven useless as are the gadgets, Moneypenny has more rapport with George than even some of Connery's, we see Bond's office, there is actual spying and danger, the locations are stunning, the photography excellent, Hunt's rapid editing increased, and Barry's finest score all contribute to the film that I'm hard pressed to not name the best of the series.
Note: Was there ever concern over the longer runtime? T\I've read numerous accounts that the producers wanted a lower time so they made a bunch of tiny little edits throughout to ensure a time under 2.5 hours.

DAF
I used to think this was terrible. I used to think it was the worst of the EON Bonds, a raunchy 1971 travelogue. But then I realized that it was as Connery said: "a comic strip fantasy for adults." It's meant as a big Guy Hamilton pleasure romp filled to the brim with insanely darkly funny Maniewicz one liners. Taken on this idea, the film is a rousing success and fully achieves it's goal of making a simple crowd pleaser for 1971. Connery looks very rough but has enough fun to turn in his best performance since TB, the score is again brilliant and slinky, some of the supporting cast is great-especially Jimmy Dean and some of the best Bond henchman ever-the film version of Wint and Kidd. i could write for ages on the pleasure I get from watching them bump people off. Just wonderfully played for laughs. Gray's Blofeld is great for the revealing one liners but isn't really a threat, nor is the plot but it isn't meant to be. This was Bond coming to America and having a caper in the glittering neon of Vegas. It doesn't matter that one of Fleming's best women is reduced to a bimbo, that the locations are uninspired, that the script is very low key. This was a bit of a breather for everyone all around. they got Sean on board so there was then no one left to stress over. They simply went in and made a profitable little 2 hour escape for audiences. (A FREAKING AQUARIUM BED!?!?!)

All 4 stars out of 4 of course. I watched all of them on LD letterbox 2.35 mono, except TB which was from the 1995 CAV Collector's box set which debuted the Dolby Stereo surround remix.

Live and Let Die

I think today's viewing provided me with the best viewing I have EVER had with this film. I really enjoyed it! Not the best Bond film, and certainly not in the top half of my rankings, but definitely not the bottom three. Some great shots in there - how did I miss them? The boat chase is fantastically shot, could have been just that little bit better had the majority of it been scored, but it didn't drag like it usually did for me. Jane Seymour is an absolute babe. I love her look especially at the end of the film. And the score is fucking cool.

8.5/10.

2012 Bondathon Ranking:

From Russia With Love
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Thunderball
Dr.No
Goldfinger
You Only Live Twice
Live and Let Die
Diamonds Are Forever

Tomorrow Never Dies for the second time (first after reading the book), more than a year after the first time I watched it and finally as a true Bond fan.
I don't care what everybody says. Yes, it's not the best, but I like it. I found it enjoyable, not boring, an amazing soundtrack, very funny (They print everything nowadays! LOL), and a good plot after all.

Love reading praise for TND! :)

Just finished TMWTGG. I have a massive soft spot for this one, but in terms of enjoying it this time, I actually enjoyed LALD better. The cinematography is as gorgeous as LALD's. Moore is much better here, but there is a level of goofiness that almost matches DAF. Scaramanga just may be my favourite Bond villain. Lee does extraordinary work as the villain, and he is so aptly supported by some fantastic dialogue and an amazing residence. The score is quite good, with some lovely moments (Bond flies to Scaramanga's island, when Scaramanga and Nick Nack walk to his junk, the piano when Bond attempts to seduce Goodnight), but overall, it's just not as good as Barry's other efforts. That's not to say it's bad, but Barry surpasses himself on almost every other occasion that we expect more from him).

8.5/10

Forgot to mention that LALD's titles are incredible. Definitely one of the top title sequences - the visuals and track blend remarkably well. While I like Lulu's 'The Man With The Golden Gun', the only visual that really stands out for me in the titles sequence is when the silhouetted girl dances in front of the red background. Apart from that, it isn't as good as LALD's.
2012 Bondathon Ranking:

From Russia With Love
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Thunderball
Dr.No
Goldfinger
You Only Live Twice
Live and Let Die
The Man With The Golden Gun
Diamonds Are Forever

Looks like Steven Seagal.

It's on screen for 1 minute, tops. I prefer that than Bond squeezing wrestler's arses and getting beat up by two two girls - you know, the same guy that bashed Red Grant a few missions earlier... Or even Peter Franks on that very same mission.

Unlike TND, those were actually fun. And John Barry > David Arnold.

For the most part I quite like TND, but the gun battle on board the stealth boat IS a bit much ... Bond is striding about blowing away all and sundry in a manner more akin to Rambo or the Terminator than 007.

I've maintained my policy of not watching Bond movies for about 6 months now...which means I'll really be keen for Skyfall.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

For the most part I quite like TND, but the gun battle on board the stealth boat IS a bit much ... Bond is striding about blowing away all and sundry in a manner more akin to Rambo or the Terminator than 007.

There isn't much different between Bond and Terminator. Both will be back.

FieldsMan wrote:

It's on screen for 1 minute, tops. I prefer that than Bond squeezing wrestler's arses and getting beat up by two two girls - you know, the same guy that bashed Red Grant a few missions earlier... Or even Peter Franks on that very same mission.

No, no, Sean was just getting their measure. He's not a brute. He wasn't going to pummel two girls into submission. The plan all along was to get them in the pool, and "play" with them.

Actually squeezing a sumo wrestlers butt cheeks is probably as effective a ploy as any when said sumo has you in a death squeeze.

Unlike Machine-Gun Brozzer, Sean and Rog didn't alway have an Uzi handy to go rat-a-tat-tat with. :geek:

Just got done watching On Her Majesty's Service Service.

I forgot how great this film is and, after reading a few of the Bond novels lately, how well Lazenby portrays Bond. Great stuff.

Last night I saw a couple Bonds as I slowly see 'em all again before SKYFALL.

Goldfinger, which I wouldn't call the "best" Bond film, but it's essentially my favorite. I dig it. I like how it's directed. I like it's jovial tone mixed with a very slight hard edge. It's got my favorite use of a score in a Bond film, though OHMSS is my favorite score musically. FRWL and GF are basically my two favorite Bonds, tied, and I like them each for totally different reasons.

Thunderball. Hmmm. Odd note before I forget, does anyone else see this:



...and in their head go, "Oh no, it's Tony Curtis!"? Anyone?

I'd say TB doesn't feel as tight to me as the first three. I love what it's where, but it feels like a mess at times. It just doesn't feel cohesive, and there are stretches were I'm honestly not that interested after having seen the film before. Like when Bond is snapping pics of the boat, or when Bond and Felix are flying around. That whole investigation in the Bahamas is a fog to me. But I roll with it most of the time. It's got my favorite bevy of buxom Bond babes, Largo seems like a cool and professional villain, and I love the SPECTRE meeting room set.

TB reminds me of the first Trek movie, in that it feels like they were too rushed putting it together to meet a release date.

Oh yeah, TB also has what I think is a slightly unsung henchman. Kutze. Not Vargas, the rather bland murderous David Hyde Pierce lookalike, but Kutze. I always laugh when he busts in on Largo after hearing Domino's sounds.

If I catch YOLT tonight I can go to a one-every-third-night schedule until the SKYFALL's belated release in the states.

The Spy Who Loved Me

There are plenty of iconic elements and scenes (Wet Nellie, Jaws, Bond/Anya's relationship, ski chase, car chase, locations, Bond/Anya searching for Jaws in Egypt) in this film and when observed in isolation, they work wonders. But as a film, they don't gel together as well as they could have. Moore isn't as great this time round, and Bach isn't a good as a I remembered (though highly bangable). Regardless, they do feature in some great scenes, such as the aforementioned scene with Jaws in Egypt, and Moore's confession (However, anyone who says Brosnan and Hatcher can't act in their scenes really appear to ignoring this scene. It's just not as good). I like Stromberg more this time round, and still think his death scene is one of Moore's best moments. I liked the score a lot more too, though again in parts. Still don't like that cue after they kill Naomi. Anyway, grossly overrated. I didn't care enough for the story. It seemed to be loosely strung together, and hence minimal tension is built - something FRWL and TB did well (in terms of films that came before TSWLM).

2012 Ranking:

From Russia With Love
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Thunderball
Dr.No
Goldfinger
You Only Live Twice
Live and Let Die
The Man With The Golden Gun
Diamonds Are Forever
The Spy Who Loved Me

You Only Live Twice

Young, Adam, and Barry really carry the load here. It's pleasant entertainment, if dramatically inert.

I guess I can do a ranking thus far...

1. GOLDFINGER
2. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
3. DR. NO
4. THUNDERBALL
5. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE

Or I may stack them up in a tier system.

Dramatically inert is an excellent way to describe YOLT. You may have a career in film crit, Tuxinator.

Watched Gun last night. Certainly an enjoyable Bond film. One of the most visually arresting Bond films, even more so than Bond's more cinematographically-lauded Oriental adventure, YOLT. Very good script as well. And I like Moore in his tough-guy guise. I think he carries it well, and that Cubby/Harry erred in thinking Moore was too much of a nice guy to play the rough Bond as Seanery did.

As an aside, I prefer the first half of Gun to the second.

I find the first half (or 30-40 mins or so) of Gun to be among the better parts of 1970s Bond cinema. I like the brisk set up. The harder-edged style gives off a Dr. No vibe that LALD could not successfully replicate. Once the film hits Thailand, things go downhill. Thankfully the villain-Bond dynamic is among the better ones in the whole series.

The best part of Gun is the title song of course.

Otherwise a really good Bond film. I won't call it great but its darn fun to watch. The benign bizarre (PK) permeates the narrative, enhanced by Barry's sometimes ominous score. I don't think Rog quite pulls off the Seanesque nasty though. I found him unconvincing in the scene with Lazar, whereas the scene in which he slaps around Anders is cringeworthy. However I don't think Cub and Saltz should have given up on him based on the Gun experience. Instead of surrendering to his Saint tendencies, they should have worked with him to find his inner Sean. Instead they gave up, and we got van hijinks at the pyramids with Jaws and Anya in the next film. Groan.

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Dramatically inert is an excellent way to describe YOLT. You may have a career in film crit, Tuxinator.

I'm not always the best at corralling my thoughts, though.

Anyway, I've been considering adding CR'67 and NSNA to my pre-SKYFALL run. But I really don't think I can stand the torture of CR'67.

Die Another Day, like TND, second time and first after I read the book. Well... it's not bad.
Is the CGI overused? Yes. But the movie was great. Probably not a good Bond movie, but a good movie. The jokes made me laugh a lot, the soundtrack is good (except of course the theme song, but... oh well), and the part in which Bond opens Graves' parachute and Bond's theme plays is so epic.
The whole movie felt to me like a grand finale (not necessary in the meaning it was good) for Bond series, and the homages to past movies made it even more evident.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

Oh, what this film could have been with a real leading man. But everything around him is amazing. This is the film I'd use as a model of the kind of Bond film I'd like to make.

1. GOLDFINGER
2. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
3. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
4. DR. NO
5. THUNDERBALL
6. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE

I'll take one Ruby please, and show her my four balls.