Rewatching Bond films

[Guest 85555]

This thread got us back on our Bond kick (was showing the wife the Connery years). Last night we watched Thunderball. I forgot how much underwater action there is in this one. I might have just been in a funny mood but the overall silence during those scenes and the slower motion of being underwater created kind of an odd effect for me (and I noticed my wife getting a little drowsy when they underwater action went on too long at points). Largo is a fun villain. The locations were all great. I liked watching all the underwater sequences simply because it made me wonder what kind of technological developments they may have been capitalizing on this film (I have no idea, but I remember watching a lot of movies and shows from this era where underwater action was important). My wife commented on how modern she thought Domino looked (just in terms of appearance, meaning her features struck her more like a model or actress we would see today than in the 60s). I do think it got a little lost in some of the locations at times.The movie is around 2 hours and 10 minutes, and I think it would have been a better movie if that had been edited down (maybe it would have lost something, as it kind of allows you to hang out in the Bond universe but I just felt this was a film where some scenes could have been shorter)

 

[Guest 85555]

Huh. I think he's one of the weakest Bond villains. He's not particularly interesting, or intimidating--and his evil plot is a bit meh.

Different strokes. What villains we like are very subjective. I do think he is more subdued than some of the others (he is almost more about what he doesn’t do than what he does). I found him to be calmly chilling and his overall look meticulous and menacing (certainly in more civilized sort of way). I also liked how he was patiently measuring Bond the whole time and hoping to turn him. He just struck me as a sophisticated villain, and intelligent. I like scenes where the villain and hero get to have a polite conversation and that is largely what his appearance in the movie is. Plus the hand for me was a very effective visual which the actor used well (and I liked that it was used to demonstrate that despite being well mannered, he was still dangerous when wished to be). He was also, I believe, the first Bond villain I ever saw so the movie and the character certainly left a lasting impression that colors my reaction

 

[Zardnaar]

Do No was me for me. He's just there.

Thunderfall liked it a lot. Thought it was good.

For Your Eyes Only. One of the better Moore efforts, one of my favorite Bond cars with 2CV The bond girls a heart breaker as well.

 

[Starmaster]

The 2CV does the slapstick and pratfalls.

I'm generally not a fan of car chases since they're ubiquitous in film & TV and are usually rather boring. But, as silly as this one was, it's still one of my favorite car chases of all time. Even though the scene is nearly five minutes long, I still like to re-watch it from time to time. Love Moore's shock when he first lays eyes on the thing and freezes in place. What they did to that poor, poor sweet innocent little car. Actually, I suppose they probably burned through a dozen of them to film the entire sequence.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I forgot how much underwater action there is in this one.

There are a number of Bond movies (well, three maybe?) where they really go overboard on the underwater sequences, which I suspect were kind of like extended CGI sequences in terms of cost/budget/audience novelty, but now tend to border on the tedious, or as you noted actively soporific!

 

[Ruin Explorer]

As I recall, that was all Moore's decision. The script called for Bond to be into her, but he pushed back as the age difference made him very uncomfortable.

That's exactly what I've heard too. IIRC (which I might not) he ends up taking her out for an ice-cream or something a bit more grandfatherly or age-appropriate!

and his evil plot is a bit meh

It really is - I believe Kill James Bond summed it up fairly accurately as "making rockets fall over", hardly a terrifying threat.

 

[Guest 85555]

There are a number of Bond movies (well, three maybe?) where they really go overboard on the underwater sequences, which I suspect were kind of like extended CGI sequences in terms of cost/budget/audience novelty, but now tend to border on the tedious, or as you noted actively soporific!

Yeah, unfortunately the pace of this one killed my wife's interest in more Bond. That is always the risk with older movies (I am usually more patient than her with that stuff)

 

[Paul Farquhar]

It really is - I believe Kill James Bond summed it up fairly accurately as "making rockets fall over", hardly a terrifying threat

It was in 1962, when the west was struggling to catch up with the USSR in rocketry, and where at risk of loosing the territory of “space” completely.

 

[Zardnaar]

It was in 1962, when the west was struggling to catch up with the USSR in rocketry, and where at risk of loosing the territory of “space” completely.

Soviet rocket threat was overhyped.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Soviet rocket threat was overhyped.

We know that now. We didn't know it in 1962. Soviet nukes in space was considered a very real threat.