322 replies to this topic

[Mr. Blofeld]

I love Thunderball.

It's a great Connery Bond movie and probably my favourite.

Here are the elements I love about it:-

Connery - although in public he was sick of the role, on the screen he is on top of his game.

Blofeld - the scariest Bond villain, just from his voice. Look how scared Largo is of him!

Largo - a big bear of a man, just like in the novel.

The hijacking plot - realistic and far ahead of its time!

The gunbarrel - in colour and with the actual Bond.

Felix Leiter - back in action.

Fiona Volpe - a very naughty lady!

The underwater battle

The fight with Bouvar in the chateau

The boat chase

Bond's swim with the sharks

Fiona Volpe's motorcycle antics


Who else loves Thunderball? Name your favourite elements of this movie. Please, fans only; let's celebrate this classic film!

[BoogieBond]

Got to agree with you. Thunderball is Ace.

Connery is so good as Bond in this one. It is my favourite performance of his. Some may say FRWL, but I just like the little extra humour he has in this one.

Some of the lines are great.
"Do you mind if my friend sits this one out, she's just dead"

Also after having a character assasination from Fiona Volpe, Bond quips
"You can't win them all"

The Jet pack sequence. So enjoyable, and must have been thrilling to watch in 1965.

Vargas, of course, especially his death and the Connery one-liner payoff.

The scene in the Casino with Largo.

The underwater breather. a really cool gadget. And have to agree the fight at Largo's pool was really good too. Although you would think there would be at least one guard as Connery is getting out (aside from the shark )

Its all good, and doesn't go too far from Flemings book.

Edited by BoogieBond, 01 April 2008 - 08:24 PM.

[FLEMINGFAN]

Totally agree with you! While it did have some problems when they were making it, I think the final product is just great:

It has the best colour of the series

One of the best John Barry scores

Death of Fiona

Van Nutter's Felix was just like the book.

Underwater and Disco fight

Shrublands

A plot that has not dated

Everything about the film looked big and was played with confidence. After GOLDFINGER, they could have made the same or smaller film (like so many other film series do), but they just did what they do best....make it bigger and better.

[broadshoulder]

I waxed lyrically about the underwater scenes in another thread so now is the time to talk about the actual film. Believe it or not there are people out there who dont like Thunderball - these poor strange souls are under the impression that it is "slow", "boring" and "predictable". Perhaps, bless 'em, they should get back to their Van Diesal movies or dare I say it? Die Another Day?

Thunderball 1965

Possibly one of the most anticipated films of all time. After the worldwide global success of Goldfinger Bond became a phenemenon. The only one to touch him in the sixties was the Beatles. They had to choose something just as big and exciting out of the Fleming canon and when this one came along they grabbed it with both hands.

Its ace in the hand is the underwater scenes. Like nothing ever seen before on the big screen - not even matched by Disneys Captain Nemo movie. It was the first time a big screen thriller had been set underwater. As the shallows of the Bahamas become not just the backdrop to the action but a protagonist as much as SPECTRE. Bond must navigate their reefs, wrecks and caverns which remain as much of an obstacle as anything on dry land. It almost seems as if the ocean is aiding Largo and his crew. The sharks guarding the wrecks even seem to be employed by SPECTRE such is their menace.

And then there is the Bahamas. This one has the feel of Flemings novels and the Caribbean - the smell of hibiscus and frangipani, the warm sun as Bond and Domino walk up the beach, the starched Bahamian waiters bringing conch chowder, the women in evening dress decked in jewells at the casino. You really get a feel of the tropics. There is a scene when Bond steps off the launch into the casino another boat rolls away and the occupants wave and shout to friends "see you tomorrow!" Terence Young really captures the idle life of the Bahamian rich.

The plot is just as terrifying in 2008 as 1965 as the world trembles at the thought of an independent terrorist organisation getting hold a nuclear bomb. SPECTRE is a wonderfully shadowy organisation plotting in darkness in the centre of Paris. Adolfo Celi fits Flemings description of Largo wonderfully with that shock of white hair, deep tan and piratical eye-patch. He is wonderfully cool like Flemings villain and has a nasty streak such as when he begins to torture Domino. Claudine Auger is good as Domino and may be the loveliest woman ever in a Bond film. You get the impression of the "bird in a gilded cage" without overdoing it.

But the film belongs to Luciana Paluzzi as Fiona Volpe. In every scene she is in she simply sizzles. When she is taken out the film stumbles for a moment such is the impact of the character. Connery has had enough but it doesnt show too much - there is a lovely bit of Fleming when he throws back "You dont think it gave me any pleasure do you?" spitefully to make sure it is not going to be a painless victory for her.

The action is spectacular. The Junkanoo chase is exciting and the climactic underwater battle is one of my favourites. Its certainly bloody - spears through arms, aqualungs being wrecked and actual sharks ending up with spears in their sides for getting too close. The music builds and builds to a shattring climax. In fact all of Barrys music for this is beautiful. The lush piano cords of "Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" as Domino and Bond dance, the eerie music as the chariot comes through the gloom or even the swing reggae at the Kiss Kiss club. One of Barrys finest scores.

So there you have it. To me Thunderball has always been five stars. It should be seen on the big screen where you get encompassed by the blue gloom of the underwater scenes. Theres an otherworldly feel to Thunderball, an ethereal quality enhanced by the atmospheric music.

Let the backlash against the backlash begin...

[sark]

Fiona Volpe - a very naughty lady!

Thats enough for me right there!

It always cracks me up when Bond is at Shrublands and he's leaving a room. "See you later...[closes door] Alligator." It's not a big one, but for some reason Connery's Bond always gets me.

[dee-bee-five]

I waxed lyrically about the underwater scenes in another thread so now is the time to talk about the actual film. Believe it or not there are people out there who dont like Thunderball - these poor strange souls are under the impression that it is "slow", "boring" and "predictable". Perhaps, bless 'em, they should get back to their Van Diesal movies or dare I say it? Die Another Day?

There are, indeed, people who don't rate Thunderball highly. I am one of them. I find it the dullest official Bond. But it's all subjective and I cheerfully acknowledge I'm possibly in a minority. However, it's ingenuous to suggest not raving about TB means I, or anyone else who happens not to like it somehow belong to some sub-species of Bond fandom capable of only appreciating DAD. I have read and re-read the Fleming novels more times than I care to remember since I was in my teens. I was brought up on the Connery Bonds, being old enough to have seen YOLT and DAF in cinemas when first released and the earlier ones in the blessed double-bills when re-released. For many years, OHMSS was my favourite Bond movie until I saw Casino Royale. With all respect, I would submit that I have a liking for the more substantial and grown-up Bonds (although I can enjoy the more cartoon entries), but TB just doesn't do it for me. Sorry.

Edited by dee-bee-five, 01 April 2008 - 09:42 PM.

[Mr. Blofeld]

It always cracks me up when Bond is at Shrublands and he's leaving a room. "See you later...[closes door] Alligator." It's not a big one, but for some reason Connery's Bond always gets me.

Actually, he says, "See you later... irrigator"; that's the sign above the door, if you look closely.

[Leon]

What stands out most about Thunderball IMO is the snappy and sharp dialogues. Very well written dialogues.

[Mr. Blofeld]

What stands out most about Thunderball IMO is the snappy and sharp dialogues. Very well written dialogues.

Indeed; not just by Maibaum and Hopkins, but also kept-over dialogue from the original treatment by Whittingham.

[Leon]

What stands out most about Thunderball IMO is the snappy and sharp dialogues. Very well written dialogues.

Indeed; not just by Maibaum and Hopkins, but also kept-over dialogue from the original treatment by Whittingham.

I don't know much about the make-up of the script.

[dogmanstar]

Young's direction and Hunt's editing. Just perfect in about every scene.

[Professor Dent]

This one has grown on me a lot over the years. Barry's score is excellent & Connery's one-liners are perfect. He just looked & acted like Bond. The ladies in the movie looked pretty good too. Everyone should have an assistant like Paula.

[dogmanstar]

Speaking of Paula, just watched her the other day and it seems strange to me that when she encounters Fiona in the hotel room, right before she opens the door to SPECTRE's men, she checks her hair in the mirror! Some people's vanity! Shouldn't she be a little more concerned--I mean, she's an agent isn't she? Just struck me as kinda funny.

[Major Tallon]

I don't think this was major vanity. She'd been lounging in the room while waiting for Bond and just wanted to touch up her appearance a bit before she opened the door. It was just a little move and strikes me as entirely natural.

[Qwerty]

My favourite Sean Connery James Bond film.

Just love it. Breezy, sophisticated and witty.

Thunderball collects a Bond actor on top of his game, a nasty and effective group of villains, some of the most beautiful Bond girls in the series, magnificent locations, tense and action-packed music and a near-perfect plot and the result is one of the most enjoyable films in the series.

[Turn]

Turn would like to share in the Thunderball love fest.

As I stated in an earlier thread, for me TB has the best blend of Bond elements. It still has the feel of the early Bonds with Terence Young at the helm, but is also the first real epic without going too far over the top into fantasy. The two mesh to make TB unlike most everything else in the series, save for maybe OHMSS.

[Mr. Blofeld]

What stands out most about Thunderball IMO is the snappy and sharp dialogues. Very well written dialogues.

Indeed; not just by Maibaum and Hopkins, but also kept-over dialogue from the original treatment by Whittingham.

I don't know much about the make-up of the script.

You should read The Battle for Bond, then; it's got summaries of all the original Xanadu Productions screenplays, from Ernest Cuneo's original note all the way to Whittingham's second draft.

[dogmanstar]

Major Tallon, You're probably right. It's just amazing to me how many times I watch these things and always see something I never noticed before!

[Turn]

I waxed lyrically about the underwater scenes in another thread so now is the time to talk about the actual film. Believe it or not there are people out there who dont like Thunderball - these poor strange souls are under the impression that it is "slow", "boring" and "predictable". Perhaps, bless 'em, they should get back to their Van Diesal movies or dare I say it? Die Another Day?

There are, indeed, people who don't rate Thunderball highly. I am one of them. I find it the dullest official Bond. But it's all subjective and I cheerfully acknowledge I'm possibly in a minority. However, it's ingenuous to suggest not raving about TB means I, or anyone else who happens not to like it somehow belong to some sub-species of Bond fandom capable of only appreciating DAD. I have read and re-read the Fleming novels more times than I care to remember since I was in my teens. I was brought up on the Connery Bonds, being old enough to have seen YOLT and DAF in cinemas when first released and the earlier ones in the blessed double-bills when re-released. For many years, OHMSS was my favourite Bond movie until I saw Casino Royale. With all respect, I would submit that I have a liking for the more substantial and grown-up Bonds (although I can enjoy the more cartoon entries), but TB just doesn't do it for me. Sorry.

I think we've debated TB before and I doubt we'll agree in the future. But I wanted to give you props for being a long-time fan of the series and finding a newer film like Casino Royale as their favorite. It's currently top 3 for me. What other series' can boast claims its 21st entry as one of the best?

[dee-bee-five]

I waxed lyrically about the underwater scenes in another thread so now is the time to talk about the actual film. Believe it or not there are people out there who dont like Thunderball - these poor strange souls are under the impression that it is "slow", "boring" and "predictable". Perhaps, bless 'em, they should get back to their Van Diesal movies or dare I say it? Die Another Day?

However, it's ingenuous to suggest...

This should, of course, read "disingenuous". Apologies. Blame the rather fine wine I was supping last night.

[Mr. Blofeld]

Blame the rather fine wine I was supping last night.

A nice Chianti, I presume?

[RJJB]

Fiona Volpe - a very naughty lady!

Thats enough for me right there!

It always cracks me up when Bond is at Shrublands and he's leaving a room. "See you later...[closes door] Alligator." It's not a big one, but for some reason Connery's Bond always gets me.

I always took the line to be "See you... irrigator". Bond is leaving the Irrigation room. Subtitles say "alligator", but given Bond's glance up at the sign and my own hearing, I took the the word to be "irrigator".

[Skudor]

Fiona Volpe - a very naughty lady!

Thats enough for me right there!

It always cracks me up when Bond is at Shrublands and he's leaving a room. "See you later...[closes door] Alligator." It's not a big one, but for some reason Connery's Bond always gets me.

I always took the line to be "See you... irrigator". Bond is leaving the Irrigation room. Subtitles say "alligator", but given Bond's glance up at the sign and my own hearing, I took the the word to be "irrigator".

Isn't the whole alligator thing a quote from a song or something?

[00Twelve]

It's just a call-and-response euphemism.

"See you later, alligator."
"Afterwhile, crocodile." (Or, "In a while, crocodile.")

And yes, he said "irrigator". Cute line.

[sark]

Fiona Volpe - a very naughty lady!

Thats enough for me right there!

It always cracks me up when Bond is at Shrublands and he's leaving a room. "See you later...[closes door] Alligator." It's not a big one, but for some reason Connery's Bond always gets me.

I always took the line to be "See you... irrigator". Bond is leaving the Irrigation room. Subtitles say "alligator", but given Bond's glance up at the sign and my own hearing, I took the the word to be "irrigator".

Well, it wouldn't be half as clever for Bond to simply say what was on the door. Based on your subtitles, I'm sticking to alligator.

[RJJB]

Fiona Volpe - a very naughty lady!

Thats enough for me right there!

It always cracks me up when Bond is at Shrublands and he's leaving a room. "See you later...[closes door] Alligator." It's not a big one, but for some reason Connery's Bond always gets me.

I always took the line to be "See you... irrigator". Bond is leaving the Irrigation room. Subtitles say "alligator", but given Bond's glance up at the sign and my own hearing, I took the the word to be "irrigator".

Well, it wouldn't be half as clever for Bond to simply say what was on the door. Based on your subtitles, I'm sticking to alligator.

Except that the use of the word "alligator" makes no sense, but using the phrase with the word "irrigator" is a play on words of the original phrase.

I have 2 DVD versions of the movie. The first version uses "irrigator" in the subtitles, the second uses "alligator". So the debate rages.

Edited by RJJB, 02 April 2008 - 05:40 PM.

[SPOTTER]

THUNDERBALL is classic Bond. I've always loved the film. I think that it is one of those Bond films that (along with DR. NO, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, GOLDFINGER, LIVE AND LET DIE, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, CASINO ROYALE)are not just great Bond films but great films in their own right.

The pre credit titles sequence is great and the opening shots of Largo in Paris with SPECTRE as well as the shrublands scenes set the film up nicely. The plot is simple but effective, the locations are great and the girls are some of the best.

The best bits:

Connery has got the balance of Bond just right here. He plays it quite straight but with the right amount of humour.

Pre credit titles.

The shrublands scenes.

Clay shooting at Largo's estate.

Swimming with the sharks at Largo's estate.

The junkanoo chase.

I better stop there as i'm naming near enough every scene.

What Bond actually says as he comes out of the Irrigation room is "see you later IRRIGATOR" If you watch the scene closely it's quite obvious why.

[Mr. Blofeld]

I have 2 DVD versions of the movie. The first version uses "irrigator" in the subtitles, the second uses "alligator". So the debate rages.

I have the UE, and there it says "irrigator"; 'nuff said.

[HH007]

Thunderball was crap. They got it right with Never Say Never Again.

[dee-bee-five]

Thunderball was crap. They got it right with Never Say Never Again.

Personally, I think the one thing Thunderball has got going for it - the fabulous Fiona notwithstanding - is that at least it isn't its ghastly, inept, grave-dancing remake.

Edited by dee-bee-five, 02 April 2008 - 07:37 PM.