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Banned
Note: James Bond films have problematic elements to them and are products of the time they were released. Its important to be able to understand that criticism is important intellectual tool in understanding and enjoying art. You can like and enjoy something and still criticize it.
Now that Roger Moore passed away, I intend to do write up of his era next.
Dr No
Holds up really well. There is a clear enthusiasm and love of the source material in this film. Sean Connery is charming as hell as 007. He also does a great job of selling the hell out of these action sequences. Joseph Wiseman is wonderfully sinister as the reclusive Dr No. I appreciate that the overall scale of the movie was pretty small in comparison to other entries in the series. I appreciate that the majority took place in mostly one area of the world. I also love how musical the film is. Along with the Bond themes we have all come to love, I appreciate that the incorporation of Under the Mango Tree into the soundtrack.
Its fun reading about various organizations condemned this movie as filth back in the 60s.
The crown jewel of the Sean Connery era of James Bond. Along with Sean Connery being effortlessly charming, From Russia With Love has a wealth of amazing written and well acted characters. Whether is be Kronstein and Klebb at Spectre, Tanya the beautiful unwitting participant in Spectre's plan, Pedro Armendáriz as Ali Kerim Bey the witty and family obsessed head of MI6 operations in Istanbul, or Grant as the imposing killer. This is also when the production became much more technically impressive with excellent camerawork and bigger choreographed action sequences. I love that this feels most like a more realistic spy movie. The stakes aren't apocalyptic, everyone wants to get their hands on the Russian Lector Decoder.
Daniela Bianchi is the best Bond girl of this era.
Goldfinger
Also really good. This is where Bond's various gadgets were getting introduced along with the beautiful cars. This is where things started getting a bit sillier in the franchise with the ejector seats, lasers, and ridiculous female names. Spectre is also absent this time with Auric Goldfinger, an evil gold obsessed industrialist who reminded me way too much of Donald Trump. The highlight of the movie is the fight between Bond and Oddjob in the vault of Fort Knox. There is a lot of tension here as Bond races against the clock to defeat Oddjob and disarm the bomb. The one major issue I have is a scene where Bond does violate Pussy's consent prior to the film's third act. Its a blemish on an otherwise fine film. Also Bond wears a romper
Thunderball
I don't have much to say about this one. Slow and boring. It is kind of neat to see where a lot of the inspiration for Austin Powers came from. The movie feels like its going through the motions. Sean Connery feels like he is phoning it in.
Tom Jone's opening theme is a great song.
You Only Live Twice
A nice return to form. We have Bond back to investigating and spying in a singular locale of Japan. The stakes have been raised with the US and Russia threatening war. I love several of the sequences is in this movie such as the fight in Osato's office, the fight in the shipyard, the Little Nellie helicopter battle, and ninja's descending into Blofeld's volcano lair. I found myself wondering several times how the hell did they manage to film that. The sequence where they put Sean Connery in disguise/yellowface is weird and a smidge uncomfortable in 2017.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
I don't particularly care for this one but I don't think its bad in anyway shape or form. I dunno, it didn't do it for me. Its not a movie I enjoy rewatching. George Lazenby is fine and Telly Savalas is fun as Blofeld. Lazenby does a great job of making fist fights look realistic.
Diamonds are Forever
Enjoyably stupid. We got Sean Connery back for one more outing as 007 and I am glad the movie is able to make use of his talent and charm. He is out for revenge after Blofeld murdered Bond's wife Teresa. We have diamond smugglers, gay assassins, Bond driving a moon buggie, and a diabolical plot to hold the world ransom. Its gloriously dumb. Las Vegas is a fun setting for Bond. It doesn't reach the heights of the previous Sean Connery films but its still fun
My Ranking:
From Russia With Love > You Only Live Twice > Doctor No = Goldfinger > Diamonds are Forever > On Her Majesty's Secret Service >>>>> Thunderball
Now that Roger Moore passed away, I intend to do write up of his era next.
Dr No
Holds up really well. There is a clear enthusiasm and love of the source material in this film. Sean Connery is charming as hell as 007. He also does a great job of selling the hell out of these action sequences. Joseph Wiseman is wonderfully sinister as the reclusive Dr No. I appreciate that the overall scale of the movie was pretty small in comparison to other entries in the series. I appreciate that the majority took place in mostly one area of the world. I also love how musical the film is. Along with the Bond themes we have all come to love, I appreciate that the incorporation of Under the Mango Tree into the soundtrack.
Its fun reading about various organizations condemned this movie as filth back in the 60s.
From Russia With Love
The crown jewel of the Sean Connery era of James Bond. Along with Sean Connery being effortlessly charming, From Russia With Love has a wealth of amazing written and well acted characters. Whether is be Kronstein and Klebb at Spectre, Tanya the beautiful unwitting participant in Spectre's plan, Pedro Armendáriz as Ali Kerim Bey the witty and family obsessed head of MI6 operations in Istanbul, or Grant as the imposing killer. This is also when the production became much more technically impressive with excellent camerawork and bigger choreographed action sequences. I love that this feels most like a more realistic spy movie. The stakes aren't apocalyptic, everyone wants to get their hands on the Russian Lector Decoder.
Daniela Bianchi is the best Bond girl of this era.
Goldfinger
Also really good. This is where Bond's various gadgets were getting introduced along with the beautiful cars. This is where things started getting a bit sillier in the franchise with the ejector seats, lasers, and ridiculous female names. Spectre is also absent this time with Auric Goldfinger, an evil gold obsessed industrialist who reminded me way too much of Donald Trump. The highlight of the movie is the fight between Bond and Oddjob in the vault of Fort Knox. There is a lot of tension here as Bond races against the clock to defeat Oddjob and disarm the bomb. The one major issue I have is a scene where Bond does violate Pussy's consent prior to the film's third act. Its a blemish on an otherwise fine film. Also Bond wears a romper
Thunderball
I don't have much to say about this one. Slow and boring. It is kind of neat to see where a lot of the inspiration for Austin Powers came from. The movie feels like its going through the motions. Sean Connery feels like he is phoning it in.
Tom Jone's opening theme is a great song.
You Only Live Twice
A nice return to form. We have Bond back to investigating and spying in a singular locale of Japan. The stakes have been raised with the US and Russia threatening war. I love several of the sequences is in this movie such as the fight in Osato's office, the fight in the shipyard, the Little Nellie helicopter battle, and ninja's descending into Blofeld's volcano lair. I found myself wondering several times how the hell did they manage to film that. The sequence where they put Sean Connery in disguise/yellowface is weird and a smidge uncomfortable in 2017.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
I don't particularly care for this one but I don't think its bad in anyway shape or form. I dunno, it didn't do it for me. Its not a movie I enjoy rewatching. George Lazenby is fine and Telly Savalas is fun as Blofeld. Lazenby does a great job of making fist fights look realistic.
Diamonds are Forever
Enjoyably stupid. We got Sean Connery back for one more outing as 007 and I am glad the movie is able to make use of his talent and charm. He is out for revenge after Blofeld murdered Bond's wife Teresa. We have diamond smugglers, gay assassins, Bond driving a moon buggie, and a diabolical plot to hold the world ransom. Its gloriously dumb. Las Vegas is a fun setting for Bond. It doesn't reach the heights of the previous Sean Connery films but its still fun
My Ranking:
From Russia With Love > You Only Live Twice > Doctor No = Goldfinger > Diamonds are Forever > On Her Majesty's Secret Service >>>>> Thunderball
