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I now rank From Russia With Love higher than Goldfinger.
20 years ago Thunderball was my favourite Connery movie. 15 years ago it was Goldfinger and stayed there until 5 years ago when FRWL finally got to No 1!
With each Bondathon I do (every 2 to 3 years when I watch all of them) my ranking gets a little shaked up in places.
1. FRWL
2. DN (close to frwl)
3. GF
Next up, TB. A great cast and the funniest one liners in the series. Let's see if the pacing drags this one "underwater"
It's good fun, but I've always felt that Thunderball is a middling Bond film- not good enough to make into the top ten, but there is not enough wrong with it to make into the lower realms. There mare many great scenes; any scene with Bond and Fiona, the SPECTRE meeting, some of the underwater sequences, the discourse between Bond and Largo at Palmyra- but there also many plodding scenes that are unnecessary in the longer run; Bond being taken for a ride by Fiona, Bond infiltrating Palmyra, the assassination of Lippe (the continuity in this scene is awful, as well), some of the underwater sequences...
I like the score, very reminiscent of the underwater theme. Nassau is a great setting, looking lush and beautiful on Blu-Ray. The PTS is amusing, if a bit silly.
However, I find Domino and Largo quite bland as the leading Bond girl and villain, respectively. Especially coming after the brilliant Pussy Galore and Goldfinger in the eponymous film. I don't think it needs to be said how atrocious the finale is on the Disco Volante- what could have been a great confrontation between Bond and Largo is ruined by that horrid green scene.
Anyhow, where to rank Thunderball...
Mayday's Bondathon Summer 2015- The Run-up to SPECTRE
-FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963)
-GOLDFINGER (1964)
-THUNDERBALL (1965)
-DR. NO (1962)
Next up- You Only Live Twice
The problem with Silva is that he isn't compelling like the Joker was. The Joker's strange mannerisms informed his character. Silva's speech, gestures, tone just seem arbitrary. Like taking cyanide turned him into someone who likes to monologue. Moreover, its never made clear whether Silva wants anarchy or revenge. He wants to kill M, but would he stop there?
He is a bit of a pantomime villian, he just tends to surface to grimace and cackle at the audience. No development is given to the character because he isn't the real villian, just the physical one. Time is the real villian of the piece I suppose.
I get more GE (MI6 traitor) and TWINE (M in danger) vibes in Skyfall. But there's several indirect/vague references to / inspirations from previous films...with 22 other movies it's bound to happen.
- Exploding pen (GE)
- Palmprint gun (LTK)
- Bond is dead! Wait he isn't (FRWL, TB, YOLT)
- Komodo dragon (LALD)
- DB5 (for nostalgias sake...again)
I feel Spectre will have scenes inspired by previous films too
This is the first film where several points in the narrative doesn't make much sense...big budget takes over sense. In GF the only scene that detracts is the killing gangster/solo sequence. Connery doesn't move and act as well as the preceding films; however, he looks like he's having fun.
One thing I love is some of the dialogue, and Fiona Volpe. The score is great but gets too intense sometimes...can irritate when you're about to fall asleep from the underwater scenes. Both the theme songs are great, in the worded versions and the calmer versions heard throughout the film.
It's still a good film, but I feel I may enjoy some of the nonsensical entries more this time around.
Ranking so far:
1. FRWL
2. DN
3. GF
4. TB
Are you still doing this?
"So the suggestions so far are:
# of instances Bond is greeted ("We've been expecting you," etc.) by a villain.
# of instances Bond interrupts a woman's shower/bath.
# of instances Bond says/is told "You're late." to some extent.
# of instances Sir Rog raises eyebrows/smiles at the villains.
I may try out the first two so I have something to constantly watch out for, and save the Moore ones for a different time. Any other suggestions?"
Every time I see your username in a Brosnan related thread. ;)
Haha! That's okay, we all forget sometimes. :D
Actually, since there's one dedicated to Sir Rog's films, I'll try and do a count on how many times he raises his eyebrows/smiles at the villains. Should the former bit also be included for only him raising his eyebrows at villains, or in general?
I'll keep an eye out for it, then! Starting TB now and hoping to watch another one after that so I can play catch up. Haven't watched one in a day or two.
Thunderball
Well, I loved it just as much as I always do! My only complaints are with editing and errors that really stand out to me (like the fast forwarding in certain parts, awkward dubbing and mismatched mouth-to-dialogue moments, the fact that Bond's leg wound changes legs - and disappears entirely, or that some of the Junkanoo festival members have 007 hats on), but they don't necessarily ruin the film for me, just simply moments that awkwardly stand out. Bond is as cool as always and we're given more beautifully scenic locales that he manages to fit right into, along with some great villains and action sequences.
2015 Bondathon Ranking:
1.) DN
2.) FRWL
3.) TB
4.) GF
I was going to tackle YOLT next, but I'm really hooked on a Stephen Hawking documentary right now, so I'll save it for tomorrow.
All in all the film is fine. It's a Moore film in the 90's but still very enjoyable. GoldenEye was a fine steak dinner with champagne. Tomorrow Never Dies was a delicious cheese burger with some soda. Next up is The World is Not Enough and if I'm feeling generous Die Another Day. Until next time.
MURDOCK'S BONDATHON RANKING.
GoldenEye.
For Your Eyes Only.
The Spy Who Loved Me.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Thunderball.
Dr. No.
Live and Let Die.
From Russia With Love.
Tomorrow Never Dies.
Licence To Kill.
Moonraker.
Octopussy.
Goldfinger.
Diamonds Are Forever.
The Living Daylights.
A View To A Kill.
The Man With The Golden Gun.
You Only Live Twice.
High five!
I also must address the criticism of the scene where Brosnan calls out Elektra. I don't find it sappy or melodramatic at all. It's nowhere near as annoying as the many "Trust Issue" scenes with M and Bond in the Craig films, Or Bond and Paris' first scene together. In fact it's more like the scene in The Living Daylights where Bond reveals to Kara he's after Koskov. Whatever weak links this movie has, Brosnan isn't one of them. Now it's closing time. The night is still young and I'm feeling another film is in order. It's time to finish Brosnan's era with Die Another Day.
MURDOCK'S BONDATHON RANKING.
GoldenEye.
For Your Eyes Only.
The Spy Who Loved Me.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
The World is Not Enough.
Thunderball.
Dr. No.
Live and Let Die.
From Russia With Love.
Tomorrow Never Dies.
Licence To Kill.
Moonraker.
Octopussy.
Goldfinger.
Diamonds Are Forever.
The Living Daylights.
A View To A Kill.
The Man With The Golden Gun.
You Only Live Twice.
This is a good point. I also find myself a lot more uninterested once Elektra dies. But TWINE is still a solid Bond film with way too much hate behind it - for me it's easily better than TND and DAD.
What I liked about Die Another Day.
The Pre-title sequence.
Pierce Brosnan. He's the only reason I watch this movie.
The Iceland car chase battle.
The scenes in Cuba. (Excluding scenes with Jinx and the Gene Therapy hospital.
The scene between Bond and General Moon. I wish we could have seen more of them, that was more interesting then almost everything else in the movie.
Bond throwing away his cyanide years ago line.
The use of the Dr. No gunbarrel sound effects when Bond escapes from the British Warship.
David Arnold's Score.
What I didn't like about Die Another Day.
EVERYTHING ELSE!
Yeah...so I'm going to wrap this up. Die Another Day, the curious case of what the hell EON? Okay so I'm exaggerating a little...okay maybe not. It just beats the Living Daylights because it's villains were more menacing than Koskov and Whittaker. I might take a few days off to recharge my Bond batteries and finish up with Craig's films. until next time.
MURDOCK'S BONDATHON RANKING.
GoldenEye.
For Your Eyes Only.
The Spy Who Loved Me.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
The World is Not Enough.
Thunderball.
Dr. No.
Live and Let Die.
From Russia With Love.
Tomorrow Never Dies.
Licence To Kill.
Moonraker.
Octopussy.
Goldfinger.
Diamonds Are Forever.
Die Another Day.
The Living Daylights.
A View To A Kill.
The Man With The Golden Gun.
You Only Live Twice.
I noticed that too, firstly in the fight with Bouvar, or is that Bond, I'm a little confused, when the fight jumps a few frames. It happens a few times during the movie, but doesn't distract. I didn't notice major continuity errors (like in Lippe's death as someone mentioned) that took away from the experience.
There were a few narrative issues/conveniences like Bond punching Felix for saying 007 then saying it himself in front of the henchman moments later. Again not a huge issue.