Showing posts with label terence young. Show all posts
Showing posts with label terence young. Show all posts

Monday, June 25, 2012

007 James Bond Marathon: Thunderball



Based on Ian Fleming’s story that was written with Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham, Thunderball is the story of James Bond trying to stop SPECTRE from destroying two major cities with nuclear missiles as he faces off against SPECTRE’s second-in-command. Directed by Terence Young and screenplay by Richard Maimbaum and John Hopkins, the film has James Bond taking on more expansive locations including underwater along with an increased use of gadgets as Sean Connery plays Agent 007 in the fourth of his seven appearance as Bond. Also starring Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi, Rik Van Nutter, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell, and Bernard Lee as M. Thunderball is a thrilling and stylish film from Terence Young.

After the death of an associate, SPECTRE plans to steal bombs from NATO to threaten the world as heading the operation is its second-in-command in Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi). With the help of his associate Count Lippe (Guy Doleman) to organize the plan, Lippe goes to a health spa where James Bond is attending to recover from a recent mission where he notices Lippe’s tattoo as well as a man whose face is covered in bandages. After a failed attempt on Bond’s life, Bond later finds a dead man named Francois Deveral (Paul Stassino) who had been killed by the mysterious man pretending to be him to steal two nuclear bombs from a plane. The mission is a success as Largo eventually takes care of a few loose ends with help from his associates.

After a briefing from M on what to do, Bond notices the picture of Deveral with a woman who is revealed to be his sister Domino (Claudine Auger) as Bond travels to Nassau to find her thinking she’s connected to Largo. Arriving at Nassau with his assistant Paula (Martine Beswick), Bond finds Domino as he learns she’s Largo’s mistress as he later meets Largo in a game of cards. Needing to find the bombs, Bond’s CIA friend Felix Leiter (Rik Van Nutter) aids him with some gadgetry assistance from Q (Desmond Llewelyn). While Bond goes on the search for the missing bombs, he meets up with a mysterious woman named Fiona Volpe (Luciana Paluzzi) whom Bond notices is an associate of Largo.

After what was supposed to be a night with Domino and Largo, Bond learns something goes wrong as he’s eventually captured by Volpe and Largo’s men only to escape once again. A breakthrough is eventually made when Bond and Leiter find the plane but realizes the bombs are missing as Bond decides to make an unexpected move. The move would have Bond realize what Largo is up to as it’s up to him to stop Largo from destroying the world.

The film is another James Bond story in which he faces off against another member of SPECTRE where he tries to stop another dastardly plan to destroy the world. Yet, what makes this film different from its predecessors is that Bond is facing a new foe whose ambition is to take nuclear weapons to destroy the world unless he can get 100 million pounds in white uncut diamonds. That’s pretty much as the plot is simple to tell although the screenplay is much more drawn out as it features more scenes of how Largo’s heist is planned and executed as well as new foes who prove to be great challenges to Bond.

Emilio Largo may not have the ambition or intelligence of Goldfinger nor the physicality and killing skill of Red Grant. Yet, he is interesting because he is someone who can create grand schemes and lead the way as there is a reason why he’s SPECTRE’s second-in-command. He’s a man that keeps the job simple though he knows he has to find some way to outwit Bond. He would find that in Fiona Volpe who is aware of Bond’s seductive attributes as she goes head on to be seduced but knows that it’s also Bond’s flaw for always going after women. What happens would present great challenges to Bond as he remains the same but also more sensitive in how he handles things including having to tell Domino about what really happened to her brother.

Terence Young’s direction is much broader than in previous films due to big action sequences set underwater as well as a thrilling prologue where Bond kills a SPECTRE agent in grand style. It would set up this meeting with an amazing set piece where the mysterious Blofield (Anthony Dawson with Eric Pohlmann’s voice) is there looking at all of his people as they would plot the next big move. Young’s direction does succeed in creating a lot of suspense and building it up where it would include some amazing action sequences.

However, there are a few flaws in the direction where part of the film does take place underwater. Even though the scenes are beautiful and do establish key moments for the story to set up the plot. They go on for a little too long where it would drag the film a bit despite some of the exciting action sequences that do happen. With some beautiful locations shot around Nassau and Paris plus set pieces set in Pinewood Studios, Young’s direction is truly extraordinary to get the James Bond story into bigger places and bigger moments where the results do live up to the grandeur as Young does an excellent job.

Cinematographer Ted Moore does superb work with the film‘s cinematography from the gorgeous look of the underwater sequences to the beautiful sunny locations of Nassau in the day time exterior scenes. Editor Peter R. Hunt does amazing work with the editing in creating stylish jump-cuts for some of the film‘s action sequences including transitional wipes to keep the film moving. Production designer Ken Adam, with set decorator Peter Lamont and art director Peter Murton does incredible work with the set pieces such as SPECTRE‘s Paris meeting room, Bond‘s Nassau hotel room, and the home of Largo.

Special effects supervisor John Stears does nice work with some of then-primitive visual effects created such as Bond escaping a rocket in the film‘s prologue as well as other gadget-related stunts. Sound recorders Maurice Askew and Bert Ross do terrific work with the sound from the location setting such as the carnival scene where Bond tries to escape Volpe and her men along with some moments in the film‘s underwater sequences. The film’s score by John Barry is brilliant for its bombastic score filled with soaring orchestral arrangements to play up the suspense and action as well as a mixture of Caribbean-based music for the scenes in Nassau. The title song written by Barry and lyricist Don Black is a wonderful song that plays up to the grandeur of the film as it’s sung by Tom Jones.

The film’s cast is outstanding for the ensemble that is assembled as it includes some memorable small roles from Bill Cummings and Michael Brennan as a couple of Largo’s henchmen, George Pravda as Largos’ physicist Kutze, Earl Cameron as Leiter’s assistant Pinder, Molly Peters as Bond’s health spa therapist, Martine Beswick as Bond’s Nassau assistant Paula, Philip Locke as Largo’s top henchman Vargas, Paul Stassino in a dual role as Domino’s brother Francois and the double who pretends to be Francois for SPECTRE in the plane raid, and Guy Doleman as the agent Count Lippe who tries to kill Bond at the spa. Lois Maxwell is wonderful as M’s secretary Miss Moneypenny as she gets more things to do with Bond and M while Desmond Llewelyn is superb as the witty inventor Q.

Rik Van Nutter is excellent as Bond’s CIA associate Felix Leiter who aids in the search of the missing plane while Bernard Lee is very good in his small role as Bond’s superior M. Luciana Paluzzi is great as Largo’s associate Fiona Volpe who tries to outwit Bond with her sensuality and arms skill as she proves to a formidable opponent. Claudine Auger is wonderful as Largo’s mistress Domino who is charmed by Bond while becoming aware that something isn’t right about Largo in relation to her brother’s disappearance. Adolfo Celi is great as the ambitious Emilio Largo who is trying to organize a great scheme while dealing with Bond as he tries to find his way to outwit Bond.

Finally there’s Sean Connery in the role of Agent 007 James Bond where Connery definitely seems more comfortable in playing the role as he exudes the same kind of charm and professionalism the character needed. There’s also a new sensitivity to the way Bond deals with a few things such as loss as it includes a very tender moment where he reveals to Domino about what happened to her brother. It’s Connery at his best as he definitely gives another solid performance as Agent 007.

Thunderball is a fantastic film from Terrence Young featuring another superb performance from Sean Connery as James Bond. While it is a bit of a step-down in comparison to its predecessors due to a few pacing issues. It is still a very fun and adventurous film that allows its audience to be entertained while getting involved with all of its suspenseful moments. In the end, Thunderball is a spectacular yet exhilarating film from Terence Young.




© thevoid99 2012
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Monday, June 11, 2012

007 James Bond Marathon: From Russia with Love



Based on the novel by Ian Fleming, From Russia with Love is about James Bond protecting a Soviet defector where they team up to retrieve an encryption device from SPECTRE as they’re also seeking to kill Bond. Directed by Terence Young and screenplay by Richard Maibaum (with additional contributions from Johanna Harwood), the film has James Bond becoming a target just as he also steps up his game to fight against the organization he discovered about in the previous film Dr. No as Sean Connery returns to play the role of Agent 007. Also starring Daniela Bianchi, Lotte Lenya, Pedro Armendariz, Robert Shaw, Desmond Llwelyn, Lois Maxwell, and Bernard Lee as M. From Russia with Love is a thrilling and exhilarating film from Terence Young.

Seeking revenge for what James Bond had done in Jamaica, SPECTRE hires former SMERSH colonel Rosa Klebb (Lotte Lenya) and Czechoslovakian chess master Kronsteen (Vladek Sheybal) to create a plan to steal a Soviet cryptographic device to intensify the Cold War. Klebb brings in assassin Red Grant (Robert Shaw) to aid in the plan while she also has a beautiful Soviet embassy clerk from Istanbul in Tatiana Romanova (Daniel Bianchi) as a pawn to seduce Bond as Romanov is unaware of her role. Learning about Romanova wanting to defect with the cryptographic device, M sends Bond to Istanbul to meet her as he meets his contact in Turkish station head Ali Kerim Bey (Pedro Armendariz).

Bey reveals a long-standing tension between the Soviet and the Turks where the Bulgarians are involved to help the Soviet as they spy on the Soviet consulate where Bond gets a look at Romanova. Bond and Bey also learn that ruthless Bulgarian assassin Krilencu (Fred Haggerty) is involved as he would later attack Bond and Bey at rural gypsy settlement where Bond is unaware that Grant is there to keep him alive. After aiding Bey in ridding Krilencu, Bond finally meets Romanova where the two are unaware of SPECTRE’s involvement. After a rendezvous that Romanova was supposed to meet where Bond realizes something isn’t right as he got the floor plan to steal the cryptographic device.

After succeeding in getting the device with Romanova and Bey, the trio board a train where they stop a Russian agent as things seemed to go well as planned. Unfortunately, something happens as Bond realizes that something strange is happening as Grant boards the train pretending to be Bond’s contact. Eventually, Bond and Romanova realize what is really going on forcing Bond to do something to stop SPECTRE and their plans.

The film is essentially the story of James Bond trying to aid a Russian defector in bringing in a device that could help them in the Cold War only to be unaware in their role as pawns in a game by an organization that is trying to heat up the Cold War and target James Bond. The film is partially a revenge tale from the point of view of SPECTRE and their secretive leader in a man that is known as Number 1. Yet, it’s also an adventure film from Bond’s perspective as he’s trying to do his mission for the British while having his time to kick some ass and score with women all at the same time. Richard Maimbaum’s screenplay does play to the formula of how Bond conducts his adventures but it does take its time to play with it. Notably the opening scene to reveal Grant’s professionalism as an assassin as well as the next scene where SPECTRE plan their next move following the events of Dr. No.

One of the key differences in Maimbaum’s script is how Bond is willing to play the role of a pawn so he can figure out what is going on. While Romanova may not be aware of what she’s doing as she’s just a clerk that is willing to defect. She isn’t some damsel-in-distress as she is quite an interesting woman who is playing a part for Klebb but is unaware of the role she’s really playing. When her relationship with Bond starts to grow, she becomes more concerned of a life outside the Soviet Union and away from conflict only to be aware of the stakes that is happening around her and the cryptographic device she’s to hand over to the British.

Then there’s the villains as their motivation are very clear from the beginning as they are definitely aiming for revenge and power. Having Bond be the pawn of what they want and then kill him add to the element of suspense the story needed as they’re trying to pit Soviets/Bulgarians against Turkish agents just so they can get Bond to play with the Turks so he can steal the device and eventually get it from with the help of a very intelligent and powerful assassin who doesn’t say a word until the third act. Of course, the villains would practically underestimate Bond who isn’t some typical secret agent who has a lot love for the ladies and is willing to play the fool.

Terence Young’s direction is amazing for the way he plays out the suspense such as the opening prologue scene before the opening credits to display Grant’s skills as an assassin. With a lot of gorgeous compositions of the location in Istanbul with some amazing set pieces such as Bey’s home office and Soviet embassy. Young’s direction is always thrilling while he takes his time to let the action sequences play out where it does create a moment of excitement such as the battle scene in the gypsy settlement.

Since the film is an action-adventure spy thriller, Young is also aware that the story is balanced by Bond playing a sleuth to discover what is going on while being part of an element of suspense. One key scene that is a mastery in the air of suspense is where Bond finally meets Grant for who he really is as it’s a great scene of how to build up the suspense. It’s all about the battle of wits and Bond killing time so he can make his move. It’s a scene that is presented wit such simplicity and patience where it sets off a great payoff that would lead to more adventures for Bond as he faces SPECTRE. Overall, Young creates a truly spectacular and fun film that creates a standard of what James Bond film should be.

Cinematographer Ted Moore does excellent work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography to play up the beautiful locations of the Istanbul exteriors along with some amazing lighting set-ups for the scenes inside the church. Editor Peter R. Hunt does amazing work for the film‘s stylized editing that is filled with rhythmic cuts for the film‘s action sequences along with a transition wipe and other stylized cuts to help maintain a leisured rhythm. Production designer Syd Cain does brilliant work with the set pieces created such as the home base where Bond is briefed to the interior places in Istanbul and the Orient Express train.

Costume designer Jocelyn Rickards does nice work with the costumes such as dresses that Romanova wears to complement her sensual style and beauty. Sound recorders C. Le Mesurier and John W. Mitchell do terrific work with the sound such as the intimacy of the church along with the raucous atmosphere of the gypsy settlement. The film’s music by John Barry is incredible for the way it plays up to the suspense and drama while creating various uses to Monty Brown’s famed theme to help keep the flow going. The title song sung by Matt Monro is a truly exquisite ballad that plays in the film’s final credits to emphasize Bond’s love for Romanova.

The casting by Weston Drury Jr. is superb for the ensemble that is created as it features some memorable small roles from Eunice Gayson reprising her role as Bond’s semi-girlfriend Sylvia Trench, Fred Haggerty as Bulgarian assassin Krilencu, Aliza Gur and Martine Beswick as a couple of gypsy women who fight each other only to be a couple of women Bond sleeps with, Vladek Sheybal as the Czech chess grandmaster Kronsteen who tries to organize a fail-safe plan to get rid of Bond, and in the mysterious role of Number 1 aka Ernst Stavro Blofield, the voice of Eric Pohlmann and the body of Anthony Dawson who previously played Dr. No in the preceding film. Other notable roles of people who would be Bond regulars include Walter Gotell in an early appearance to the franchise as a SPECTRE henchman, Lois Maxwell as the flirtatious secretary Miss Moneypenny, and Desmond Llewlyn in his debut appearance as Bond’s gadgets man Q.

In his final film role, Pedro Armendariz is excellent as the helpful and witty Ali Kermin Bey who aids Bond in the mission while grounding him on what he should do. Bernard Lee is terrific as Bond’s superior M who briefs Bond on what he should do while being frustrated with Bond’s other activities. Lotte Lenya is great as the cunning villainous Colonel Rosa Klebb who wants to ensure Bond’s end while Robert Shaw is fantastic as the eerie yet very low-key killer Red Grant as there’s a cool silence about Shaw’s performance in the first two acts only to be even cooler when he speaks. Daniela Bianchi is wonderful as Tatiana Romanova who unknowingly becomes a pawn in SPECTRE’s schemes as she finds an ally in Bond where she aids him in her role as a defector as it’s a part that has charm and wit though Bianchi’s voice is dubbed by Barbara Jefford.

Finally, there’s Sean Connery as Agent 007 James Bond where Connery definitely shows more of his skills as a badass to play Bond while exuding the same kind of charm and professionalism that the role required. Connery also maintains Bond’s low-key sense of humor while the scene he has with Shaw shows Connery just playing it cool and not putting pressure on himself as he maintains that kind of masterful way to restrain himself as what Bond needed. It’s definitely Connery who just ups the ante in his role as 007.

From Russia with Love is a fantastic and entertaining film from Terence Young that features Sean Connery in an incredible performance as James Bond. The film is definitely among one of the great films of the James Bond film series thanks in part to the way it plays out its suspense and featuring great supporting characters who are quite complex in the way they interact with Bond. In the end, From Russia with Love is a phenomenal action-adventure film from Terence Young.




© thevoid99 2012
Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Monday, June 04, 2012

007 James Bond Marathon: Dr. No



Based on Ian Fleming’s novel, Dr. No is the story of a British secret agent who battles a mysterious scientist who intends to destroy the U.S. space program. Directed by Terence Young and screenplay by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkley Mather, the film marks the first of many adventures by Agent 007 James Bond as he’s played by Scottish actor Sean Connery in his first of many portrayals. Also starring Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman, Jack Lord, and Bernard Lee as M. Dr. No is a suspenseful yet mesmerizing film from Terence Young.

After the death of an agent named Strangways (Timothy Moxon) and his secretary in the hands of assassins, British Secret Service head M sends Agent 007 James Bond to Kingston, Jamaica to investigate Strangways’ death. Arriving into Jamaica where Bond deals with a chauffer (Reggie Carter) working for a mysterious organization, Bond begins his investigation at Strangways’ home where he finds a picture with a man named Quarrel (John Kitzmiller) whom Strangways had been fishing with. After Quarrel and CIA agent Felix Leiter (Jack Lord) reveal what Strangways found in an island known as Crab Key, Bond decides to ask a professor named Dent (Anthony Dawson) if he knew about the rocks Strangways has found. Dent claims they’re nothing though Bond believes something is up as he continues his investigation with help from Quarrel and Leiter.

After a failed assassination and seducing a secretary named Miss Taro (Zena Marshall) where he eventually gets a few answers from Dent. Bond and Quarrel travel to Crab Key island where Bond later meets a beautiful marine zoologist named Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) who collecting seashells on the island. Realizing that the island is filled with men trying to find Bond, Ryder helps Bond trek through as they’re eventually captured where Bond and Ryder enter a lab filled with nuclear contamination. At the secret lab with lavish rooms, Bond finally meets the elusive Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman) who reveals his plans to disrupt the U.S. space program’s Mercury project as well as more revelations forcing Bond to try and stop him.

The film is about a British secret agent who goes to Jamaica to investigate the death of a fellow agent only to discover something even more nefarious as he confronts an evil scientist who plans to create chaos around the world. Yet, this film isn’t about some British secret agent since his name is James Bond. A character that would become the epitome of what a hero should be. A man who is very intelligent for what he does but also can kick some ass. He’s also a charming man who can get his way in and out of any situation. He’s a man who can seduce a woman and make them feel a bit dumb if they’re trying to use their sex appeal against him. He’s the archetype of the film action hero that can look cool but also be someone guys would love to be and women want to be with.

The screenplay that is created by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkley Mather does set up a formula of what is expected for a James Bond film. Bond goes to some rich locale, find out what is going on, meet a beautiful woman who could be good or bad, deal with some bad guys, saves the day and gets the girl. It’s a formula that would later be toyed around in later films but it’s the way they play out is what keeps the story so interesting. The writers understand that Bond is a man who is just doing his where the job requires a lot of wit and determination. Especially since he’s also a man of humor through the funny one-liners the writers give him.

While Bond is easily the most fully-developed character of the film, the supporting characters aren’t as developed as Bond yet they do manage to be quite interesting. Notably the titular villain who is finally seen in the film’s third act as it helps create the momentum for his arrival. Dr. No is this brilliant scientist who sports these black metallic hands who is just hell-bent on wanting to destroy the world as he’s also part of an organization that Bond will have to face in future adventures to come. Though Dr. No is a man of great intelligence, he isn’t the kind of villain who can fight Bond physically as he’s really more of an obstacle Bond has to face. Characters like Quarrel, Felix Leiter, and Honey Ryder are interesting individuals since they do provide something to help Bond defeat someone like Dr. No.

Terence Young’s direction is definitely brilliant for the way he can create scenes where he can set up moments of suspense or an action sequence that is truly spectacular. Still, Young knows when to take a break from all of that so he can make sure that Bond is doing his job as a spy investigating and take his time with the investigation. Through these amazing wide shots of the Jamaican location creating a sense of beauty where someone like Bond can go to these places. Young also knows how to use these locations to create some intense sequences like a couple of car chases where the second one is more intense as it’s up to Bond to evade the bad guys. Young knows how to maintain that air of suspense for that sequence including the climatic meet-up with Dr. No.

Through these gorgeous set pieces, Young creates an atmosphere where it is quite unsettling yet beautiful where it establishes the kind of world that Dr. No wants to be in but also make Bond feel comfortable before he’s to be dethroned. Still, it’s about the element of suspense where Young has the camera follow Bond around and create these moments where there could be a feeling that Bond might not pull it off. Even as he uses close-ups to reveal what Bond could be thinking amidst all of the danger he’s facing. Another key element to the Bond film that should be noted is the stylish opening credit sequence with shadowy women dancing around as it features some amazing title design work by Maurice Binder. Overall, Young creates a truly exciting and entertaining action-suspense film that kicks the James Bond franchise with a bang.

Cinematographer Ted Moore does fantastic work with the film‘s very colorful Technicolor photography to capture the beauty of the Jamaican locations as well as the wonderful interiors for the set pieces that includes Dr. No‘s secret lab building. Editor Peter R. Hunt does incredible work with the editing by creating lots of rhythmic cuts to play out the film‘s suspense as well as stylish dissolves for transitions or other scenes such as a phone conversation between Bond and Miss Taro. Production designer Ken Adam and art director Syd Cain do amazing work in the set pieces such as the home apartment Bond lives in London to the Dr. No lab building that is very lavish and also quite vast as it‘s definitely a gorgeous set to look at.

Sound recorders John Dennis and Wally Milner do terrific work with the film‘s sound from the way guns are fired to some of the layered sound work in the lab scenes where Dr. No is conducting his big experiment in the climatic face-off between himself and Bond. The film’s score by Monty Norman, with additional work from John Barry, is brilliant for its thrilling orchestral score as it includes the famous theme with a driving guitar riff and sweeping arrangements. The film’s soundtrack includes some calypso pieces to play out the island atmosphere of the locations as it includes contributions from Byron Lee and the Dragonaires.

The casting by James Liggat is superb for the ensemble that is created as it would feature characters who would be part of the Bond story. Among these characters who would be staples of the Bond franchise include Lois Maxwell as M’s secretary Miss Moneypenny whom Bond always flirts with and Peter Burton as an early version of Q in an arms specialist known as Major Boothroyd. Other notable small roles include such Dr. No goons like Reggie Carter as the chauffer who tried to take out Bond early on, Marguerite LeWars as a freelance photographer, Anthony Dawson as the corrupt geologist Professor Dent, and Zena Marshall as the secretary Miss Taro who tries to woo Bond into a trap. Timothy Moxon is pretty good in a very small role as Strangways while Eunice Gray is also good as the woman known as Sylvia Trench whom Bond meets at a card game.

John Kitzmiller is excellent as the islander Quarrel who aids Bond in his mission to go to Crab Key island while Jack Lord is superb as the CIA agent Felix Leiter who would become one of Bond’s key allies in the course of his adventures. Bernard Lee is great in his one-scene performance as Bond’s superior M who informs Bond on what to do as there’s a great sense of prestige in a character whom Bond reveres. Joseph Wiseman is terrific as the villainous Dr. No who has this great sense of restraint as a man who is quite intelligent and ambitious in his plans despite not being the kind of villain to fight against. Ursula Andress is wonderful as the marine zoologist Honey Ryder who helps Bond explore Crab Key island while proving to be a very cunning though Andress’ voice is dubbed by Nikki van der Zyl which does add to the exotic being of Ryder.

Finally, there’s Sean Connery in his breakthrough performance as Agent 007 James Bond. Connery brings a real sense of cool to his character from the way he’s introduced where he just says, “Bond… James Bond” as well as a charm that is just intoxicating to get into. While Connery may not look like a badass, he can definitely pull in some punches and is not afraid to look beaten up as he definitely sells Bond as a badass. Yet, there’s also a wonderful sense of humor that Connery brings that is quite subtle as he definitely brings the archetype of what a cool spy should be as it’s a true iconic performance from Connery.

Dr. No is a marvelous film from Terence Young that features a truly engaging performance from Sean Connery as James Bond. The film is definitely one of the best films of the James Bond film series while it’s also a great place to start for anyone who is new to James Bond. It’s also a great spy film that allows the audience to get to know the man and how he conducts his work with great professionalism while having the time to score with the ladies. In the end, Dr. No is a thrilling and fun film from Terence Young.


Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)