SirHenryLeeChaChing's For Original Fans - Favorite Moments In NTTD (spoilers)

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  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    If you improve the action sequences as well, there was definitely something there. Of all of Brosnan's films it had the potential to be the best one.
  • Posts: 19,339
    This is #10 on my list so it has my respect and personally i like the film.
    What i cant understand is why so many people dont like the attack on the Caviar factory which i think is a brilliant scene !
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,423
    Thanks guys.

    As @Samuel001 said it had the most potential of the Brosnan films. Perhaps that why TWINE has no love round these parts - wasted potential.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited February 2014 Posts: 12,480
    Well I am waking up to see some nice activity on this thread - that's great! =D>

    As for TWINE, some of us may find fault with it in certain areas, yes, but I find a lot of good fun in it, too ... but keep in mind this time is for simply sharing our favorites and why and not getting into a back and forth critique of any particular film. Sure say you disagree, and sure you can mention briefly some bad CGI or something like that, but then move on. If the poster shares his own critique, then yes we can comment a bit. But it's a tricky balance this week; this isn't really film critique time. I just don't want a lot of back and forth critique/argument. So far we are all good. I just wanted to reaffirm that, though, as I hope others post soon, too. Let's keep this thread as one place, especially during this one special week of posting, where you can talk about your favorite Bond films and not get criticized or come up against a lot of arguments. Easier said than done, I know. But let's do it that way, please.

    For example, I can wholeheartedly enjoy reading about members' appreciation of OHMSS or LTK without needing to give my criticism of those two films, which are lower on my personal rankings.
    I can do that because:
    a) I am genuinely interested and pleased to read about everyone's personal favorites.
    b) I greatly enjoy reading about your personal experiences with those films and what gives you the most enjoyment from a particular Bond film.
    c) I respect that people have vastly different takes on films than I do at times; I respect their personal tastes as just that - their personal tastes
    d) I want that freedom myself on this thread, this week, to say whatever I really love and appreciate about my favorite Bond films. I don't have to really defend my views, but I do want to share why they are my favorites.

    And for @Birdleson and other Originals who join us here - you are VERY welcome here; I am so glad you are posting and contributing to our thread. I think what @Samuel001 was suggesting was that you review each of the Bond films, using the categories that were established by SirHenry, and you can give us a full review that way. @BeatlesSansEarmuffs, for example, joined us a bit after we had begun, but he gave all his reviews and that was great reading for everyone who enjoys this thread. Also, you do not have to do all of the films if you do not feel like it. Please PM me and I can talk to you about doing that, if you'd like. I would welcome your reviews, for sure.

    I adore FRWL and will try to say why it is one of my favorites soon. And I am going to mention a third one, but narrowing that down is tough for me! I will, though.

    Carry on, everyone - and thanks for sharing about your favorite Bond films!

  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    @Royale65, I love what you have said about FRWL! You have captured its essence well. I will have to put a bit of thought into what else I can say about it. It is fresh still, you are right. It is one Bond film for the ages, I believe. And @Sandy, I absolutely love the title, too! It is my favorite Bond title; I just think its cool. Fleming was inspired with that title. It is my favorite Bond novel, too.
  • Posts: 2,341
    I like FRWL. This cold war spy thriller has aged entremly well. Unlike DN and GF that look cheap and dated in some parts, FRWL has survived the test of time and it has a very polished look and feel. Perhaps it was the settings in SE Europe.
    Seeing Robert Shaw as a young handsome and virile assassin (see how he aged by the time 1975 Jaws, what alcohol does to the body). His Red Grant is iconic.
    Kronsteen is a ice water in his veins mastermind and Lotte Lenya as KGB officer Rosa Kleeb is priceless.

    My only complaint would be the weak opening credits rolling off a belly dancer's body parts. Just didn't do it for me. They are not as slick as Maurice Binder's titles for DN.

    That being said, I give thumbs up, high fives to this second film in the series.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Thanks for sharing, OHMSS69! Yes, FRWL holds up very well, doesn't it?
    I love the Cold War feel and for me Lotte's Rosa is a perfect villain! She is an awful, spiteful, toad of a woman. Hardly a woman, really; a vicious and twisted piece of evil.

    Most of my friends, in general terms now, tend to like the newer Bonds - meaning Brosnan through Craig. Some like one or two of Moores. But I think all of them like Goldfinger and FRWL. Most comment that FRWL was "different" somehow, but they like it.

    I love it; I can watch it again and again. I wish it had better opening titles art design, too, and a great theme song at the beginning - the closing song is very "crooner's classic" style by Matt Munro and is fun, though.

  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited February 2014 Posts: 12,480
    Thanks for those insights, @Birdleson. FRWL is iconic, yes. It really stamped Bond into our public consciousness more indelibly. And a different film from Dr. No. I think the producers and everyone involved were either lucky or quite smart, or probably both, to have made the films in this exact sequence. Because I think the first 3 do cement Bond, James Bond and give us all the basis, the foundation, for continuing this character on for decades.

    Again, I envy that you had Bond toys. I didn't. Wish I did. And now they would cost a pretty penny!
  • edited February 2014 Posts: 11,189
    For me FRWL is my pick for "best" Bond film as I think it captures the dirty world of espionage during Fleming's era more than any other instalment in the series. It always has a sense of style and atmosphere, going to exotic places and putting the viewer in the middle of the action with some terrific cinematography (you can almost smell the musty air of the Istanbul mosque yourself).

    Some brilliant villains too. As much as I enjoy Connery in the film I think Shaw and Lenya give the best performances overall (I love how Lenya goes from an utterly vile woman intimidating a younger girl to someone shaking in her uniform when she thinks she's about to be killed). Connery would give his best Bond performance in GF incidently.
  • I apologize for my ignorance, but can us "non-original" fans comment on the happenings of this thread or are we forced to watch from the sidelines?

    Thanks!
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited February 2014 Posts: 12,480
    You are all welcome to comment, yes! Of course just keep it spam free and no combative arguments and on topic. We want to hear from other members, not just the Originals.

    This thread really welcomes all members, it simply has a focus on Originals, too. It has all along had really thorough and thoughtful discussion without deteriorating like other threads have, regrettably, at times.

    Please feel free to share your favorite Bond film. :)
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    My second favourite Bond movie, Licence To Kill, might just have been my #1 Bond film had John Barry been able to score it; as it is Michael Kamen's work on it is very nice indeed, if a bit too reminiscent in spots of some of his previous scores (Lethal Weapon, Die Hard).
    I love Pam, I love Lupe, I REALLY love Sanchez, I love the underwater stuff, the action, the small things like "He was married once", actually pressed to point out anything I DIDN'T like I'd have to say the pop-goes-the-Krest scene. It was just a bit gross AND silly at the same time.
    And yes, I even liked the winking fish.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Well, you have several member agreeing with you on this one, @chrisisall. Oh yes!
    I will add that Pam is one of my favorite Bond girls and I liked Dalton very much in this one, too, as far as his personal portrayal goes.
  • edited February 2014 Posts: 2,341
    I enjoyed LTK and I loved Dalton as JB. EON recognized that the light humor and one liners were not Dalts' strong suit so in his second outing they played to his strengts.

    This film let us know from the get go they were not fooling around. Lupe's lover has his heart cut out, Sanchelz proceeds to beat his misbehaving mistress with a crude and nasty looking whip.

    The body count of sacrificial lamps is the highest in this film: Della Leiter, Sharkey, the Mi6 man and Hong Kong drug agents in Istmus to name a few. Kwang's death is particullary graphic and horrific then his girlfriend is gunned down by Heller.
    Then the bad guys get some gruesome deaths dealth to them: Killifer, Krest, Dario. Heller. Truman Lodge, and finally Sanchez. when Bond lit his fire, it made my day....

    It was a ;pity that this turned out tlo be Dalton's final outting because after seeing it, I just wanted to see more of Timothy Dalton.

    The film has been criticized for (1) overly violent and (2) veering too far from the formula. I don't think any of that hurt this supreb film.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    Well, you have several member agreeing with you on this one, @chrisisall. Oh yes!
    Another thing, I still have the feeling that Krest's death was inspired by a Connery flick from the early Eighties- Outland! As if there were some kind of subliminal Bondian connection to be made...
  • Posts: 11,189
    I think it's worth bearing in mind that even Dalton has criticised the tone of LTK.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    So what? He's just an actor. b-(
  • Posts: 2,341
    Final note on the criticism of the tone in LTK:
    many critics had been panning the Moore films for being too juvenile with the humor, then the same talking heads started to blast Dalton's films for being too serious.

    Goes to show, can't please everyone...especially when its the same people.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    Yes. Absolutely.
  • Posts: 1,817
    From Russia with Love is my favorite. It isn't on the early ones I saw but it was love at first sight. It's just a perfect Bond movie: perfect story, flawless Bond, great Bond girl, the best of the allies, the best of the villains, amazing score, exciting locations... Pure Fleming, pure Young, pure Connery. That's what I like. If only all the Bond outings were like this...
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    OHMSS69 wrote:
    Final note on the criticism of the tone in LTK:
    many critics had been panning the Moore films for being too juvenile with the humor, then the same talking heads started to blast Dalton's films for being too serious.

    Exactly. Critics eh?

  • Posts: 19,339
    chrisisall wrote:
    And yes, I even liked the winking fish.

    Aaah how can you like that @chrisisall ?!

    #-o
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited February 2014 Posts: 12,480
    Because he was so crazy happy about the entire film by then, that nothing bothered him: he was in the "Dalton zone!" B-)
  • Posts: 19,339
    Because he was so crazy happy about the entire film by then, that nothing bothered him: he was in the "Dalton zone!" B-)

    Haha so was i,i love the film,its # 9 on my list,but it still shocked the **** out of me when i first saw it in the cinema.

    Bloody annoying !

    X_X
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    The winking fish debacle/debate/fiasco/bit of humor can be found discussed on numerous other threads for those who would like a full discussion of the merit or lack or merit of that particular part of LTK. I do think some people didn't mind it, actually. I rather did, but that's me.

    @barryt007, would you care to share something about your favorite Bond film? That's what we are serving this week. I'd like to get new and different members to post their favorites, too, even though our main focus is on Originals.
  • edited February 2014 Posts: 19,339
    @4EverBonded I did a really long blog on the original website before we moved to this one but cant find where i stored it.
    Anyway,my favourite Bond film is the same as many members on here,FRWL.

    It's a proper spy film,with Connery's best performance,one of the best allies in the series in Kerim Bey (can't believe he was dying of cancer during the role,he plays it so well).

    When you add Grant,Klebb,Kronstein,Blofeld etc into the mix then you realise Bond really has his hands full.
    But for me the train scenes are the best in the whole series,from the very moving death of Kerim Bey and the policeman,Grant taking the personality of Captain Nash,Bond and Tanya's simple relaxed discussions in their berth,Bond handing Kerim Bey's cigarette holder to his son(revealing the code sentence to Grant who was lurking in the shadows at the end of the train,listening.)

    The dining car experience with Grant trying to drug the sulking Tanya's wine,Bond subtly noticing him,and the expression on Bond's face when Grant orders red wine with his sole are all little traits that make this film unique,it never tries to treat viewers like children,in so much as the characters reactions being less subtle and more obvious to the viewer.

    As for the dialogue between Grant and Bond before the big fight,i know this by heart because i love it so much,each man trying to goad the other and out-psych them,Grant being finally caught out due to his greed for the gold sovereigns in the agent's briefcases.

    The fight itself ? in a word thrilling and stunning,i actually find myself wondering if Bond will win it,even though you should know that he will.Considering this was filmed in 1963 makes it even more exceptional and the 2 actors give their all to give it a 'fight to the death' feel.
    I could go into the fight more but what is there left to be said in such a perfect scene ?

    And of course Rosa Klebb,in her desperation,and the now famous shoe,rounds things off perfectly,with Tanya forced to choose her future in a split second,naturally choosing our boy.

    Thats a brief sypnosis of my favourite film,i've held back from writing a blog !!



  • edited February 2014 Posts: 11,189
    barryt007 wrote:
    chrisisall wrote:
    And yes, I even liked the winking fish.

    Aaah how can you like that @chrisisall ?!

    #-o

    I've never been too bothered by the winking fish. More Felix's unusual happiness and the fact that Bond seems to quickly be offered his job back by M after going rogue.

    Weren't some of M's last words in the film" he's got to be stopped"?
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Very nice write up of FRWL, barryt007! I still have not put mine together, but I will. It is a splendid film, and different from all the others. A real gem.

  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    My main gripe with LTK isn't the approach of the film - nothing wrong with a hard nosed Bond movie. It's just not particularly well directed (IMO). People like Terence Young and Peter Hunt, and later Sam Mendes, stamped their styles on their Bond pics. Glen never really had any individual style to stamp. And although TLD was a good film, and with OP he captured the opulent feel of the film, LTK was simply flat (until the terrific tanker chase that is).

    My favourite pics have always tended to be FRWL and OHMSS, which is in line with several others here. I concur with Barry's comments about FRWL.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    OK, here is my appreciation (briefer than my review on this thread) for From Russia With Love:

    Major point: FRWL gives me everything I wanted from the Bond novel - something I find so rare when I read books and then see the movie.

    James Bond is Sean Connery and Sean Connery is James Bond.
    Sean is fully Bond; he came completely into the role in this one and cemented it as forever his - confident, intelligent, oozing sexual charisma and a subtle charm. He gives a strong, commanding, and nuanced performance. He has never been better. He is finely tuned to his character and to the full story.

    All the elements in this film combine to make it a fine espionage thriller that still holds up well. It has amazingly great villains (award worthy performances), a sublime supporting cast, a build up of suspense, a very satisfying confrontation and fight on the train (classic is the right word) and an appropriate ending. I was wondering how they would end the film, as I read the book first. I am quite happy with how it was handled.

    The only thing I would like improved is the music! But that's all. Top notch, really stellar performances, lovely chemistry between Bond and Tania (Daniela gave a lovely and heartfelt performance; I wish she did not have to be dubbed). This film is an accomplished, polished, and precise film ... one that really helps you feel a part of that world. It is forever Bond for me and a near perfect Bond film. Top marks all around!
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