Something of a Must With Me ~ OHMSS Appreciation

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Comments

  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    edited April 2022 Posts: 3,800
    This movie, The first time I've watched it I fell in love with it, and it became my favorite Bond film, Lazenby wasn't that bad, Diana Rigg is still my favorite bond girl up to this day, and yes! Because of this, she became one of my favorite actresses. Telly Savalas is the best Blofeld, Pleasance is decent but has been parodied many times (Austin Powers). The John Barry Score, the cinematography, all were excellent! Magnifique!
    Near perfect in my eyes, the flaw of this film? Was not getting a follow up/revenge sequel as a closure.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,602
    Watching it the other night, I still couldn't tell if the PTS takes place at sunrise or sunset.

    Ha! Yes I assume it's sunrise and they've been out all night, but it's certainly not easy to tell from watching it :D
  • CharmianBondCharmianBond Pett Bottom, Kent
    Posts: 558
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    This movie, The first time I've watched it I fell in love with it, and it became my favorite Bond film, Lazenby wasn't that bad, Diana Rigg is still my favorite bond girl up to this day, and yes! Because of this, she became one of my favorite actresses. Telly Savalas is the best Blofeld, Pleasance is decent but has been parodied many times (Austin Powers). The John Barry Score, the cinematography, all were excellent! Magnifique!
    Near perfect in my eyes, the flaw of this film? Was not getting a follow up/revenge sequel as a closure.

    Couldn't've said it better myself. Watching the series chronologically really did sour my experience of Diamonds Are Forever, going from one of the best films with a very grounded tone to the campy mess was such a disappointment.
  • Last_Rat_StandingLast_Rat_Standing Long Neck Ice Cold Beer Never Broke My Heart
    Posts: 4,600
    mtm wrote: »
    Watching it the other night, I still couldn't tell if the PTS takes place at sunrise or sunset.

    Ha! Yes I assume it's sunrise and they've been out all night, but it's certainly not easy to tell from watching it :D

    Well I assume they're in Portugal and beaches face west which would indicate a sunset but I still don't know.
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    Posts: 3,800
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    This movie, The first time I've watched it I fell in love with it, and it became my favorite Bond film, Lazenby wasn't that bad, Diana Rigg is still my favorite bond girl up to this day, and yes! Because of this, she became one of my favorite actresses. Telly Savalas is the best Blofeld, Pleasance is decent but has been parodied many times (Austin Powers). The John Barry Score, the cinematography, all were excellent! Magnifique!
    Near perfect in my eyes, the flaw of this film? Was not getting a follow up/revenge sequel as a closure.

    Couldn't've said it better myself. Watching the series chronologically really did sour my experience of Diamonds Are Forever, going from one of the best films with a very grounded tone to the campy mess was such a disappointment.

    Agreed!
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,602
    mtm wrote: »
    Watching it the other night, I still couldn't tell if the PTS takes place at sunrise or sunset.

    Ha! Yes I assume it's sunrise and they've been out all night, but it's certainly not easy to tell from watching it :D

    Well I assume they're in Portugal and beaches face west which would indicate a sunset but I still don't know.

    I didn't realise for years that it's set in Portugal. There's nothing at all in the film to place it; they're just sort of in a vaguely continental place. The closest you get is the horse stuff and the bullfight, and that makes it seem like Spain! :)
  • Posts: 1,870
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    This movie, The first time I've watched it I fell in love with it, and it became my favorite Bond film, Lazenby wasn't that bad, Diana Rigg is still my favorite bond girl up to this day, and yes! Because of this, she became one of my favorite actresses. Telly Savalas is the best Blofeld, Pleasance is decent but has been parodied many times (Austin Powers). The John Barry Score, the cinematography, all were excellent! Magnifique!
    Near perfect in my eyes, the flaw of this film? Was not getting a follow up/revenge sequel as a closure.

    Couldn't've said it better myself. Watching the series chronologically really did sour my experience of Diamonds Are Forever, going from one of the best films with a very grounded tone to the campy mess was such a disappointment.

    Agreed!

    Agree to agree on all of the above. I grew up on the Connery's but OHMSS won me over in the first ten minutes. I was on the set for a lot of DAF and even appear in the film, which made it so much worse when I finally saw the horrendous end product.
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    Posts: 3,800
    delfloria wrote: »
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    This movie, The first time I've watched it I fell in love with it, and it became my favorite Bond film, Lazenby wasn't that bad, Diana Rigg is still my favorite bond girl up to this day, and yes! Because of this, she became one of my favorite actresses. Telly Savalas is the best Blofeld, Pleasance is decent but has been parodied many times (Austin Powers). The John Barry Score, the cinematography, all were excellent! Magnifique!
    Near perfect in my eyes, the flaw of this film? Was not getting a follow up/revenge sequel as a closure.

    Couldn't've said it better myself. Watching the series chronologically really did sour my experience of Diamonds Are Forever, going from one of the best films with a very grounded tone to the campy mess was such a disappointment.

    Agreed!

    Agree to agree on all of the above. I grew up on the Connery's but OHMSS won me over in the first ten minutes. I was on the set for a lot of DAF and even appear in the film, which made it so much worse when I finally saw the horrendous end product.

    True! The first time I've watched it, this film got my heart.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,343
    delfloria wrote: »
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    This movie, The first time I've watched it I fell in love with it, and it became my favorite Bond film, Lazenby wasn't that bad, Diana Rigg is still my favorite bond girl up to this day, and yes! Because of this, she became one of my favorite actresses. Telly Savalas is the best Blofeld, Pleasance is decent but has been parodied many times (Austin Powers). The John Barry Score, the cinematography, all were excellent! Magnifique!
    Near perfect in my eyes, the flaw of this film? Was not getting a follow up/revenge sequel as a closure.

    Couldn't've said it better myself. Watching the series chronologically really did sour my experience of Diamonds Are Forever, going from one of the best films with a very grounded tone to the campy mess was such a disappointment.

    Agreed!

    Agree to agree on all of the above. I grew up on the Connery's but OHMSS won me over in the first ten minutes. I was on the set for a lot of DAF and even appear in the film, which made it so much worse when I finally saw the horrendous end product.

    That's great, @delfloria! Can you tell us move about your involvement with DAF and whereabouts you appear in the film?
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    delfloria wrote: »
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    This movie, The first time I've watched it I fell in love with it, and it became my favorite Bond film, Lazenby wasn't that bad, Diana Rigg is still my favorite bond girl up to this day, and yes! Because of this, she became one of my favorite actresses. Telly Savalas is the best Blofeld, Pleasance is decent but has been parodied many times (Austin Powers). The John Barry Score, the cinematography, all were excellent! Magnifique!
    Near perfect in my eyes, the flaw of this film? Was not getting a follow up/revenge sequel as a closure.

    Couldn't've said it better myself. Watching the series chronologically really did sour my experience of Diamonds Are Forever, going from one of the best films with a very grounded tone to the campy mess was such a disappointment.

    Agreed!

    Agree to agree on all of the above. I grew up on the Connery's but OHMSS won me over in the first ten minutes. I was on the set for a lot of DAF and even appear in the film, which made it so much worse when I finally saw the horrendous end product.

    That's great, @delfloria! Can you tell us move about your involvement with DAF and whereabouts you appear in the film?

    G section.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited April 2022 Posts: 18,343
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    delfloria wrote: »
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    This movie, The first time I've watched it I fell in love with it, and it became my favorite Bond film, Lazenby wasn't that bad, Diana Rigg is still my favorite bond girl up to this day, and yes! Because of this, she became one of my favorite actresses. Telly Savalas is the best Blofeld, Pleasance is decent but has been parodied many times (Austin Powers). The John Barry Score, the cinematography, all were excellent! Magnifique!
    Near perfect in my eyes, the flaw of this film? Was not getting a follow up/revenge sequel as a closure.

    Couldn't've said it better myself. Watching the series chronologically really did sour my experience of Diamonds Are Forever, going from one of the best films with a very grounded tone to the campy mess was such a disappointment.

    Agreed!

    Agree to agree on all of the above. I grew up on the Connery's but OHMSS won me over in the first ten minutes. I was on the set for a lot of DAF and even appear in the film, which made it so much worse when I finally saw the horrendous end product.

    That's great, @delfloria! Can you tell us move about your involvement with DAF and whereabouts you appear in the film?

    G section.

    Could be.
  • Posts: 1,870


    That's great, @delfloria! Can you tell us move about your involvement with DAF and whereabouts you appear in the film? [/quote]

    I was a college student at the time in Los Angeles and skipped classes occasionally to hang out on the set because they were shooting relatively close by in Las Vegas, Palm Springs and Oceanside. I also helped a friend shoot a UA approved student documentary about the film and got a chance to interview Sean Connery. I was on set for sequences like Bond and Plenty having dinner at the dome, Bond arriving at Slumber Mortuary, the Bond, Bambi and Thumper fight, Bond discovering Plenty's floating body, flipping the Mustang up on two wheels, the battle on the oil rig and Bond playing craps with Plenty which is where I appear in the background as one of the extras. Oddly enough having been a BIG fan of OHMSS I expected DAF to have somewhat of the same tone and seemed that it would from being there during the shoot. It is amazing how different it turned out after all was said and done though I should have known things were not going well after the director caught a cold during the climax on the rig and the scrapped half the sequence and the one on one battle between Blofeld and Bond in the salt processing plant that followed.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Awesome, @delfloria . Must have been a very interesting experience.
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,694
    delfloria wrote: »

    That's great, @delfloria! Can you tell us move about your involvement with DAF and whereabouts you appear in the film?

    I was a college student at the time in Los Angeles and skipped classes occasionally to hang out on the set because they were shooting relatively close by in Las Vegas, Palm Springs and Oceanside. I also helped a friend shoot a UA approved student documentary about the film and got a chance to interview Sean Connery. I was on set for sequences like Bond and Plenty having dinner at the dome, Bond arriving at Slumber Mortuary, the Bond, Bambi and Thumper fight, Bond discovering Plenty's floating body, flipping the Mustang up on two wheels, the battle on the oil rig and Bond playing craps with Plenty which is where I appear in the background as one of the extras. Oddly enough having been a BIG fan of OHMSS I expected DAF to have somewhat of the same tone and seemed that it would from being there during the shoot. It is amazing how different it turned out after all was said and done though I should have known things were not going well after the director caught a cold during the climax on the rig and the scrapped half the sequence and the one on one battle between Blofeld and Bond in the salt processing plant that followed. [/quote]

    Lucky you! I still think that the salt processing plant could be used someday for Bond, maybe even with Blofeld. That’s also the first time I hear about Guy Hamilton getting sick.
  • Posts: 1,870
    Awesome, @delfloria . Must have been a very interesting experience.

    Memories that have lasted a lifetime.
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    Posts: 3,800
    MaxCasino wrote: »
    delfloria wrote: »

    That's great, @delfloria! Can you tell us move about your involvement with DAF and whereabouts you appear in the film?

    I was a college student at the time in Los Angeles and skipped classes occasionally to hang out on the set because they were shooting relatively close by in Las Vegas, Palm Springs and Oceanside. I also helped a friend shoot a UA approved student documentary about the film and got a chance to interview Sean Connery. I was on set for sequences like Bond and Plenty having dinner at the dome, Bond arriving at Slumber Mortuary, the Bond, Bambi and Thumper fight, Bond discovering Plenty's floating body, flipping the Mustang up on two wheels, the battle on the oil rig and Bond playing craps with Plenty which is where I appear in the background as one of the extras. Oddly enough having been a BIG fan of OHMSS I expected DAF to have somewhat of the same tone and seemed that it would from being there during the shoot. It is amazing how different it turned out after all was said and done though I should have known things were not going well after the director caught a cold during the climax on the rig and the scrapped half the sequence and the one on one battle between Blofeld and Bond in the salt processing plant that followed.

    Lucky you! I still think that the salt processing plant could be used someday for Bond, maybe even with Blofeld. That’s also the first time I hear about Guy Hamilton getting sick. [/quote]

    What a great memories of yours! You've been on the set, interviewed Connery, what an amazing experience!
  • Posts: 1,870


    Lucky you! I still think that the salt processing plant could be used someday for Bond, maybe even with Blofeld. That’s also the first time I hear about Guy Hamilton getting sick. [/quote]

    Yeah, I'm not sure anyone has spoken about that. At the time it was very disappointing to hear they were cancelling a sizable section of the attack on the oil rig because Hamilton was under the weather and the schedule could not be changed. Trivia; As Bond's hamster ball approached the oil rig it inexplicably went of course and production discovered that the stuntman inside had gotten severely sea sick and thrown up all over the inside the ball. Very un Bondian.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited April 2022 Posts: 18,343
    delfloria wrote: »
    I was a college student at the time in Los Angeles and skipped classes occasionally to hang out on the set because they were shooting relatively close by in Las Vegas, Palm Springs and Oceanside. I also helped a friend shoot a UA approved student documentary about the film and got a chance to interview Sean Connery. I was on set for sequences like Bond and Plenty having dinner at the dome, Bond arriving at Slumber Mortuary, the Bond, Bambi and Thumper fight, Bond discovering Plenty's floating body, flipping the Mustang up on two wheels, the battle on the oil rig and Bond playing craps with Plenty which is where I appear in the background as one of the extras. Oddly enough having been a BIG fan of OHMSS I expected DAF to have somewhat of the same tone and seemed that it would from being there during the shoot. It is amazing how different it turned out after all was said and done though I should have known things were not going well after the director caught a cold during the climax on the rig and the scrapped half the sequence and the one on one battle between Blofeld and Bond in the salt processing plant that followed.

    Thank you for sharing your fascinating experiences on the set of DAF with us, @delfloria. It must've been the experience of a lifetime for a Bond fan! I think I've vaguely heard about Guy Hamilton being sick on DAF before but I didn't realise the implications it had for the shoot. The finale on the oil rig has always been something of an anti-climactic damp squib for me and now we know why. It's a pity the confrontation with Blofeld in the salt plant was excised from the film as with the ending we have Blofeld's fate is quite literally left dangling.

    It's interesting how issues with the director can affect the finished film. Terence Young left Thunderball early to work on his next film and that affected the editing, which was left entirely to Peter Hunt without any directorial guidance. It goes some way to explaining the unrealistic supersonic speed of the Disco Volante in the finale and some of the other odd editing choices in the film.
  • Posts: 2,171
    Having just returned from OHMSS in (glorious) 4K at the cinema, it has set in stone my feeling it is the best Bond film, very deserving of my number one spot, and wont be even remotely challenged until Casino Royale comes along.

    Diana Rigg is phenomenal. Whatever they paid her, she delivers 100 times more.
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,694
    Mallory wrote: »
    Having just returned from OHMSS in (glorious) 4K at the cinema, it has set in stone my feeling it is the best Bond film, very deserving of my number one spot, and wont be even remotely challenged until Casino Royale comes along.

    Diana Rigg is phenomenal. Whatever they paid her, she delivers 100 times more.

    They should have hired Telly Savalas for Blofeld from the beginning. And I like the others. John Barry was robbed of a Oscar nomination for James Bond in general, but this music score not getting one was the biggest crime.
  • Posts: 4,300
    MaxCasino wrote: »
    Mallory wrote: »
    Having just returned from OHMSS in (glorious) 4K at the cinema, it has set in stone my feeling it is the best Bond film, very deserving of my number one spot, and wont be even remotely challenged until Casino Royale comes along.

    Diana Rigg is phenomenal. Whatever they paid her, she delivers 100 times more.

    They should have hired Telly Savalas for Blofeld from the beginning. And I like the others. John Barry was robbed of a Oscar nomination for James Bond in general, but this music score not getting one was the biggest crime.

    My somewhat unpopular opinion is that despite how iconic the appearance of the character has become, Pleasance's performance as Blofeld in YOLT isn't his best work, to put it politely. Savala's casting kind of follows in the Pleasance mould (ie. menacing bald guy) but weirdly works a lot better in the film for some reason. Probably because Savalas seems to be putting the effort in and has more natural charisma.

    Completely agreed about Barry.
  • Posts: 7,616
    Mallory wrote: »
    Having just returned from OHMSS in (glorious) 4K at the cinema, it has set in stone my feeling it is the best Bond film, very deserving of my number one spot, and wont be even remotely challenged until Casino Royale comes along.

    Diana Rigg is phenomenal. Whatever they paid her, she delivers 100 times more.

    Yes, my number 1 for a very long time! Off to see it on the big screen on Tuesday! Bond at his best!
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,382
    Also, Savalas and Rigg have undeniable chemistry in their few scenes together. Love it.
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