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"It's gone berserk!" ~ Diamonds are Forever appreciation

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  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,723
    YOLT also gets alot of flak, but sincerly doesn't deserve it. The locations and cinematography is top notch, the score is simply amazing. Connery may be a bit bored, but he is still the epitome of cool. You've got the awesome Tiger Tanaka, the only ally to compete with Kerim Bey and Draco. And of course how can you not like the volcano attack, which is just pure fun, and impressive in it's scope. Henderson is probably the greatest 2-minutes-screentime character in the franchise. Pleasance is a joy to watch, and is pure silly camp... but atleast it's entertaining camp. Some great lines, lots of girls in bikinis... Really YOLT is a top flick. I just watched it recently, and believe me, I really tend to enjoy it more and more as I give it more viewings. Awesome Connery is awesome, so, contrary to popular belief, his tenure ended on 2 highly entertaining flicks, which really hold up next to his other 4 outings. I salivate at the thought of watching a Moore outing soon !!
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Whilst the film has never been a big favourite of mine, I do like the title song
  • AgentJamesBond007AgentJamesBond007 Vesper’s grave
    Posts: 2,634
    I like DAF. It seems in my mind comic relief for the traged of OHMSS's ending
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,482
    The dialogue in this film is top notch. So many lines that I can quote from this film. "I have a brudda", "Named after your father perhaps?", "As long as the collars and cuffs match" Great stuff! Connery did look like he was having a ball with this movie! All in all a top notch piece of entertainment. Love it!
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited March 2011 Posts: 13,356
    @DarthDimi You Only Live Twice.

    Re-reading my post perhaps I could've made that clearer. Hopefully my post makes more sense now.
  • 007Mach1Mustang007Mach1Mustang Australia
    Posts: 2
    There's a rumour that one of the only remaining Mustangs used in the filming of Diamonds Are Forever has been sold for an undisclosed amount and will be leaving the USA!
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    Posts: 1,497
    Of all the Bond films, this is the one that roller coasters through my rankings the most. On a post a few days ago I declared this to be my favorite. About a year ago, it sat at about #10 and today on further reflection, I'm not sure it's #1 (either FRWL or OHMSS), but maybe #5. But perhaps why I love it, is because of it's flaws--it's daring, which gives it character.

    This Bond is easily the most unique of the bunch.

    A few highlights for me: The amazing Peter Franks/Bond fight in the lift--I love that it's in such close quarters; The Vintage-Sherry scene; the Morton Slumber scene; Blofeld's Penthouse suite; and you know what? I actually really enjoy the moon buggy heist with the astronauts going after Bond in slow motion--hilarious!
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    I've always thought DAF was very unappreciated. It has way too much greatness to be turned away!
    -A great performance by Sean Connery, whether he was out of shape or not
    -Lots of interesting villains: Blofeld, Wint and Kidd, Bambi and Thumper, Peter Franks, Bert Saxby
    -Fantastic music by John Barry, namely, 007 and Counting and Wint and Kidd's theme
    -Some worthy locations, like The Wyte House and the oil rig
    -Loads of funny one-liners and quoteable dialogue
    -Started the trend of having the henchmen survive after the main villain's death
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    Posts: 1,497
    Thought I'd revive the original thread on this topic...

    Just saw "Chinatown" with Jack Nicholson, also starring Bruce Glover! El paterno de Crispin "George McFly" Glover.

    Bruce Glover is the man as Mr. Wint, an example of over-acting actually put to good use.
  • DoctorKaufmannDoctorKaufmann Can shoot you from Stuttgart and still make it look like suicide.
    Posts: 1,261
    Just happened to watch the deleted scene when Wint and Kidd kill Shady Tree. Pity they cut it from the final version, I quite liked it. IMO DaF is a little inconsistent as a whole, but it has quite funny and hilarious moments, great one-liners and puns, OTT-acting, the elevator fight with Peter Franks, Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, Klaus Hergesheimer (brilliant( etc. Connery's performance maybe is his most relaxed one (apart form NSNA), and maybe it is true, that DAF is THE Roger Moore Bond movie without Moore. In YOLT Connery seemed to be bored and annoyed, but in DAF he gives a cool performance. Ths movie grows on you over the years. When I watched it first in 1986, I did not like it, but now I find servaral things I can appreciate. Oh, and of course THE classic goof with the car chase and the car changing from left to right in the narrow alley...
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited November 2011 Posts: 13,356
    It's annoying to think of all the films since Diamonds Are Forever we have not got any deleted scenes for: Live And Let Die, The Man With The Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker and Octopussy.

    That makes only 9 out of 22 films to date. I bet there are some great scenes hidden away in the vaults.
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    Posts: 1,497
    I also mentioned this on the "Deleted Scenes" thread. There is another deleted scene of extended footage of the oil tanker explosion. It seems like this footage is ONLY found on the Ultimate Edition of DAF. Surely there's a lot of unused footage out there. Hopefully it is still in good shape.

    As I've said many times before, I would love if they could do a DAF re-edit, inserting in all the deleted scenes back in.
  • DoctorKaufmannDoctorKaufmann Can shoot you from Stuttgart and still make it look like suicide.
    Posts: 1,261
    And, of course, John Barry's score is one of his best in the franchise (well, tghey all have been verxy good, though), incuding Dame Shirley's wonderful theme song. BTW, the German title is "Diamantenfieber" ("Diamond Fever"). Probably firstly it was the German title of the novel, and then they used it for the movie as well... And "Diamonds Are Forver" sounds like an jeweler's ad.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,387
    The third act is one of EON's major weaknesses, you see, as it often boils down to dumb action and some over-the-top Rambo stuff from Bond.
    Yes! That's the case with most of the Bond films.

  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    edited November 2011 Posts: 7,584
    It's annoying to think of all the films since Diamonds Are Forever we have not got any deleted scenes for: Live And Let Die, The Man With The Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker and Octopussy.

    But we do have a scene that needed to be re-shot in TSWLM where Roger's arse gets blown up! ;-)
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    edited November 2011 Posts: 1,497
    The third act is one of EON's major weaknesses, you see, as it often boils down to dumb action and some over-the-top Rambo stuff from Bond.
    Yes! That's the case with most of the Bond films.

    Echo's got it right. DAF's ending compared to a good dozen of the other Bond films hold's up well. Some may say the third act of DAF is weak. I am not one of those, but I see the argument.

    By third act though, you have to consider the whole of the plot during this act. The oil tanker part isn't the only part of the third act, just the finale. The third act really begins once the laser satellite is realized. This brings everything, including the MacGuffin of the film, the diamonds, into focus. Blofeld starts destroying nuclear bases at will and we see the full destructive force of the weapon. Bond, with Leiter amass a military fleet to take out the control room station. There is a heightened tension as the laser continues to destroy targets, all the while oil tanker faces destruction and Bond and Tiffancy must get out.

  • TopGearJB007TopGearJB007
    Posts: 624
    I don't see why people say DAF isn't a proper revenge movie. Blofeld kills Tracy. Bond spends the entire movie trying to kill Blofeld. How is that not revenge? Sure they don't specifically say "Tracy" but they make it pretty obvious that Bond was out for revenge.

    M- "Sir Donald has convinced the PM otherwise. May I remind you 007, that Blofeld is dead. Finished! The least we can expect from you now is a little *plain*, *solid*, *work*. "

    I always took from that that between OHMSS and DAF Bond was a little sloppy at his job since he was so devastated that his wife was killed.

    Love DAF by the way. 2nd Favorite.
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    Posts: 1,497
    Love DAF by the way. 2nd Favorite.
    Good man! :-bd
  • TopGearJB007TopGearJB007
    Posts: 624
    Love DAF by the way. 2nd Favorite.
    Good man! :-bd
    There's just that element about it that makes it so good. The thing you just can't quite put your finger on.

  • DoctorKaufmannDoctorKaufmann Can shoot you from Stuttgart and still make it look like suicide.
    edited November 2011 Posts: 1,261
    BTW, some more funny things about the German dubbed version: Dr. Metz actually does have a thick German-saxonion accent (spoken by the inhabitants of Saxony (i.e. Leipzig, Dresdeen, and the like), which actually makes him a complete goofy character. Saxonian accent and Swabian accent (my "mother tongue" so to speak :O ) are regarded as the most silly and laughable German accents.
  • DoctorKaufmannDoctorKaufmann Can shoot you from Stuttgart and still make it look like suicide.
    Posts: 1,261
    And I just again realized, that the German dubbing hammed things up when giving Mr. Kidd a very OTT camp voice. In the original version, Kidd has a quite normal voice... BTW. I just found out, that mentioning Woolworth as Tiffany's other possible birthplace (unlike Van Cleef & Arples) could be an in-joke, as Jill St. John at the time of doing DAF was betrothed to the Woolworth's heir. But I am possible over-interpreting om ,y nehalf. And the changed Plenty O'Toole to Penny O'Toole... And instead of "Named after your father perhaps" Bond says ":Oh, though Irish dairy shop..." when lookin at O'Toole's boobs...
    And maybe something would liek to correct the DAF files. It is not Sahdy Tree who tosses Plenty out of the window, Tree is already killed at the point of time...
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    Samuel001 wrote:
    It's annoying to think of all the films since <i>Diamonds Are Forever</i> we have not got any deleted scenes for: <i>Live And Let Die</i>, <i>The Man With The Golden Gun</i>, <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i>, <i>Moonraker</i> and <i>Octopussy</i>.

    That makes only 9 out of 22 films to date. I bet there are some great scenes hidden away in the vaults.

    Agreed indeed! I haven't gotten lucky with deleted scenes, as since the majority of my Bond collection is on Special 007 Edition DVD, which really doesn't have any deleted scenes except the Magic Carpet Ride in TLD and the Paris Police Station in AVTAK. I really don't think there are any others.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    I have a real love for DAF.

    - PTS with one of the best Connery lines of all time

    - Iconic theme tune (IMO the best)

    - A sophisticated and effortless performance from Connery

    - Two of the franchises most distinct villains in Wint & Kidd

    - Some exquisite production design from KA (Penthouse in particular)

    - Impeccable humour

    - An outstanding Barry score - my favourite musical moment of the entire Bond cannon is '007 and Counting' from this soundtrack

    - Bond in a frickin Moonbuggy (my favourite corgi toy)

    Obvious flaws aside there's nothing I like better than a Sunday afternoon that features a cheese board, a bottle of red and DAF.





  • timmertimmer
    edited December 2011 Posts: 4,622
    Diamonds Are Forever is one grand homage to the glorious classic era Bonds that preceded it. It's greatest skill is in mixing high camp with palpable danger. Berry's score helps very much in this regard . Only an actor of Sean's gravitas and talent could keep such a picture grounded. Sean looms large throughout. He provides a deadly foil for the cast of eccentrics that surround him;Tiffany Case, Blofeld, Wint and Kidd, Willard Whyte.
    This is Bond at its best. Escapist fantasy tempered by palpable danger and supsense. It only works though if the Bond actor doesn't degenerate into Flint or Helm. Connery was the master at finding the balance.
  • BritishChap007BritishChap007
    Posts: 555
    timmer wrote:
    Diamonds Are Forever is one grand homage to the glorious classic era Bonds that preceded it. It's greatest skill is in mixing high camp with palpable danger. Berry's score helps very much in this regard . Only an actor of Sean's gravitas and talent could keep such a picture grounded. Sean looms large throughout. He provides a deadly foil for the cast of eccentrics that surround him;Tiffany Case, Blofeld, Wint and Kidd, Willard Whyte.
    This is Bond at its best. Escapist fantasy tempered by palpable danger and supsense. It only works though if the Bond actor doesn't degenerate into Flint or Helm. Connery was the master at finding the balance.

    My biggest problem with it is the dragging in the middle and the dullness of featuring Vegas for the majority of the film.

    Love Connery's relaxed quipping (some of the best in the series).

  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    @BritishChap007: Yeah, Connery's quips were quite awesome in DAF. And I like the balance that timmer was talking about; Connery could be crackin' one-liners like no one's business one minute, and then getting down to that business another minute, like at Tiffany's house. That's one of my favorites in DAF when he just out-right slaps her across the face.
  • GeorgeLazenbyGeorgeLazenby
    Posts: 295
    BritishChap007 wrote:

    My biggest problem with it is the dragging in the middle and the dullness of featuring Vegas for the majority of the film.

    I disagree strongly-- the ambiance of the Vegas setting coupled with Barry's eerie score and Connery's assured performance give this Bond film an atmosphere like no other. It's the third act of this film which really favors to deliver imho.
  • BritishChap007BritishChap007
    Posts: 555
    GeorgeLazenby wrote:
    BritishChap007 wrote:

    My biggest problem with it is the dragging in the middle and the dullness of featuring Vegas for the majority of the film.

    I disagree strongly-- the ambiance of the Vegas setting coupled with Barry's eerie score and Connery's assured performance give this Bond film an atmosphere like no other. It's the third act of this film which really favors to deliver imho.

    I don't know. I feel like Bond shows up in Neveda and then....meh. Some poor back drops, some drab Vegas streets, the plot stands still. Vegas just isn't exotic enough IMHO
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    edited December 2011 Posts: 1,497
    BritishChap007 wrote:
    GeorgeLazenby wrote:
    BritishChap007 wrote:

    My biggest problem with it is the dragging in the middle and the dullness of featuring Vegas for the majority of the film.

    I disagree strongly-- the ambiance of the Vegas setting coupled with Barry's eerie score and Connery's assured performance give this Bond film an atmosphere like no other. It's the third act of this film which really favors to deliver imho.

    I don't know. I feel like Bond shows up in Neveda and then....meh. Some poor back drops, some drab Vegas streets, the plot stands still. Vegas just isn't exotic enough IMHO

    I doubly disagree. Vegas is the perfect backdrop for Bond and the brink of the end of the world. The glitter and neon-lights look alluring, especially during the Mustang chase. Also, it's a real treat to see vintage Vegas, being that the city has changed so much over the years: it's a real timepiece. I don't find the middle to drag at all. We get Bond breaking into the lab, the Klaus Hergesheimer/Dr. Metz bit, additional clues about the plan, followed by the biggest action sequence of the film. The Fremont Street car chase still looks great, because we get a lot of overhead aerial shots and mostly all sound effects and no music (if I recall correctly). I think having this vantage point, along with straight sound effects gives the scene a realism. Rather than music, lots of explosions, and quick cuts as you see in a modern chase scenes, you get chase and it's the bright neon fixtures that give the scene the 'color' it needs.

  • BritishChap007BritishChap007
    Posts: 555
    You had me at
    JBFan626 wrote:
    the Klaus Hergesheimer/Dr. Metz bit

    Love that part ;)


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