You Only Live Twice (1967)

The film looks great on
Blu-Ray

The film begins with the "death" of James Bond (Sean Connery), complete with a burial at sea. But is he really dead? We'll let's just say they don't call the title of this film "You Only Live Twice" for nothing. In the meantime, an American spacecraft and a Russian spacecraft mysteriously disappear in orbit. A "resurrected" Bond is sent to investigate, while the world prepares for World War 3. The British suspect that Japan is involved, so Bond is sent there, and meets his Japanese allies, including Kissy Suzuki (Mie Hama), who helps Bond assimilate into Japanese culture. They also investigate a mysterious volcano that might be a secret base of archvillian Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Donald Pleasance), who has a pet cat and a pool of piranhas. I love the entire sequence with the Japanese secret service ninjas infiltrating the volcano lair. Very enjoyable! Co-starring Charles Gray. Directed by Lewis Gilbert. Great score by John Barry. 

Great set design by Ken Adam

Video review from calvindyson (approx 15 minutes)

Read review from Sidewalk Crossings

Read review from Classic Film & TV Cafe

Thunderball (1965)

The original trailer to Thunderball claimed that it was the most thrilling of the Bond adventures, but I'm not a big fan of it, despite it's intriguing situation: two nuclear bombs are stolen and Bond (Sean Connery) has to find them before they can be used. The main villain is eyepatch-wearing SPECTRE agent Largo (Adolpho Celi - his voice was dubbed by another actor). He's my least favorite of the villains so far (more reviews to come), but I do like the sequence with him gambling with Bond.  A number of scenes take place underwater, but I found most of these to be longer than necessary. (I did, however, enjoy the part when Bond was in the pool with the sharks) Bond has a few allies in this picture, including Paula (Martine Beswick). (The same actress appears as a gypsy dancer in From Russia With Love, and I'd like to think  Paula is the same character)  It's not a bad film; I'd just give it a "C"/average.

Here is an entertaining, 15-minute review from a video blogger and Bond fan calvindyson that I tend to see eye-to-eye with on the Bond films. In this video, he gives his review of Thunderball.  (Visit his YouTube channel here for more Bond video reviews). Parental warning: there is some swearing in the video.

From Russia With Love (1963)

A new James Bond series is underway over at the blog Sidewalk Crossings, so I thought I would join in on the fun and do a few posts, too. Next up on my list is From Russia With Love. 


Bond's mission this time is to investigate the whereabouts of a Russian decoder machine, which is believed to be located in Istanbul Turkey. Among the villains out to stop him: henchman assassin Robert Shaw. In a great sequence - the two come face-to-face on the Orient Express. Another is a beautiful Russian agent (played by Italian model Daniela Bianchi).  Bond has a very trustworthy Turkish associate, played by Mexican actor Pedro Armendariz. There's a cool scene where they're both in an underground tunnel spying on the Russians. They also take down some bad buys in a sequence involving a billboard poster for Call Me Bwana (starring Bob Hope and Anita Ekberg). I wondered why that poster was in the film so prominently; alas, it was produced by Eon Productions, who also did the Bond films.

I really enjoyed this movie; it's exciting and kept me guessing as to what would happen until the very end.

One of my favorite parts is the fantastic boat chase that comes near the end of the film. 

Trivia: 

• This film was screened in the White House for President John Kennedy, who was a fan of the original novel. 
• Daniela's Bianchi's voice was dubbed by another actress because her accent was too thick. 

Goldfinger (1964)

In this installment, less serious in tone than its predecessor, Bond investigates the titular character, a millionaire suspected of wrongdoing. In one of the most memorable sequences, Goldfinger reveals his sinister scheme - to manipulate the world's economy - to a group of mobsters, complete with huge wall maps and small-scale 3D models. One of the mobsters then has a "pressing engagement". You'll have to see the movie to understand.

The film's locales include Miami, London, Switzerland and then finally Kentucky, where Bond's CIA pal Felix provides assistance. He also stops off for some fried chicken at Kentucky Fried Chicken! I love that product placement!

There are so many memorable scenes that it's hard to pick a favorite. Bond and the laser. Bond golfing with Goldfinger. And there's all the great scenes with Bond and his gadget-laden car.

Bond also makes a quip implying he's not much of a fan of the Beatles, that they're too noisy. Bond not liking the Beatles? Really interesting.

With Gert Frobe and Honor Blackman as Miss Galore, an accomplice of Goldfinger's. Cec Linder plays Felix. Harold Sakata plays henchman Oddjob,

Directed by Guy Hamilton. 

Further Reading: Auric Goldfinger Saves Lives (from Man I Love Films)

The first Bond film: Dr No (1962)

The first Bond film is Dr No from 1962, one of my top favorite Bonds.

Immediately following the credits, the film introduces three suspicious characters - all blind - and then there's a murder. Two murders, in fact.  The setting is Jamaica, and Bond is called in to investigate.

With help from CIA agent Felix Leiter, Bond learns of a mysterious nearby island - Crab Key - where people go... and never come back.

What transpires on the island is part of the mystery that continues to unfold until the very end.

I love the villain, Dr. No and his lair, which includes a giant window with a thick glass that magnifies the fish. The sets are so cool in this film.

Overall, I love this movie, and look forward to another viewing soon with the commentary track on.

For a review of the 50th Anniversary Blu-ray and all the special features, click here for a review from the AV Forums site.

Octopussy (1983) and A View To A Kill (1985)

Both directed by John Glen (b. 1932 - ), these films were Roger Moore's last outings as James Bond. Some have said that Moore was a bit "too up-in-age" to play Bond, but it isn't an issue for me. If the producers were OK with Moore as Bond, then so am I. In a bit of wishful thinking perhaps, I like to imagine that Moore felt he had 2 more things to accomplish before he "retired" as Bond: (1) to have an adventure in India (as in 1983's Octopussy) and  (2) to work alongside his friend and Avengers star Patrick MacNee (as in 1985's View, a highlight of the film).  On to the capsule reviews...

Octopussy

In this 007 action-comedy-mystery, Bond is determined to uncover the connection between a jewel-obsessed billionaire (Louis Jourdan) and the titular circus entrepreneur (Maud Adams). For awhile, it's uncertain who the real villain is. It was hard for me to accept Gaston from Gigi as a Bond villain, so I was relieved when another baddie stepped into the picture - a Soviet General Orlov (Steven Berkoff) who wants to set off a bomb in a circus (and comes darn-near close to doing so). If that's not enough, there's also Kamal's dice-crunching henchman, a blond mistress, a pair of knife-throwing circus goons, and a guy with a buzz-saw yo-yo. Phew! How does Bond ever survive all this? You have to see the movie to find out who helps him out (Hint: the answer is in the title). A good deal of the action takes place in India: there's a car chase on the streets and a jungle chase where Bond comes face-to-face with the tiger from The Life of Pi. There's also a cool fight on top of a train. I would have been really disappointed if there were no octopuses in the film, but alas, there is one in a tank, and it attacks a bad guy on the face towards the end of the film. Recommended.

For a review of the Blu-ray and all the cool special features, click here for a review from the AV Forums site.

Read a review from Films On the Box

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A View To A Kill

Christopher Walken plays  Max Zoren, a psychopathic billionaire who wants to take over Silicon Valley for his own computer enterprise. Channeling Lex Luther in 1978's Superman, he wants to create an earthquake to accomplish his evil scheme (and comes darn close to doing so). But unlike Lex, Max is a former KGB agent.  Bond teams with Patrick MacNee (posing as Bond's valet) and infiltrate Walken's estate and shipping plant where they discover a steroid lab. Not surprisingly, Max's accomplice - and lover - is a very muscular Grace Jones as May Day, appropriately creepy. There is some comic relief, too, about as much as there was in Octopussy. But the movie is not all fun-and-frolics. In one disturbing scene, Max guns down his mine workers in cold blood. Max Zoren is pure evil. Plenty of action, including a ski chase, car chases on the streets of Paris and San Francisco, and a cool equestrian race with Bond on horseback in Max's obstacle course of death.. Recommended.

For a review of the Blu-ray and all the cool special features, click here for a review from the AV Forums site.

Read a review from Films on the Box

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

Yes, this the one where longtime bachelor spy James Bond (George Lazenby) finally settles down! And with none other than The Avengers' Diana Rigg, placing Countess Teresa, a billionaire's daughter with ties to Bond's arch enemy, Blofeld (Telly Savalas). Cupid even causes Bond to decide to quit the secret service (but not for long, alas). In addition to the romance in the film, there are some exciting sequences including a stock-car chase scene, a fist fight on the beach with a couple of goons, and several skiing sequences in the Swiss Alps. Blofeld also gets to ski and bobsled, too, sans his white persian cat. Who knew he was such a fan of winter sports? I loved the chase sequence in the Swiss village, and Bond frantically trying to find a pay phone to call London. Sigh. If only cell phones were around back then.

Much of the film takes place around Christmas, so I guess this can be considered a "Christmas Bond film". (??) And yes, there is a scene where a St. Bernard dog comes to the rescue, but I won't say in which scene.

Another highlight of the film is the great musical score by John Barry.

The Blu Ray's special features include commentary by director Peter Hunt (1925-2012) and several short documentaries, include a neat one showing all the different exotic locations of the film. Note: the same special features can only be found on the ultimate-edition DVDs from 2006, not the "Bond 50 DVD" from 2012.

A

Read a review from The Stalking Moon
Read a review from Films on the Box

For Your Eyes Only (1981)

James Bond tries to find a drug smuggler. He's joined by Carole Bouquet Who also wants him dead because he killed her parents.

A thrilling rock climbing sequence is  highlight of this adventure.



My grade: A