42 replies to this topic

[bond4life]

But back then everybody hated it. Times has changed

[dinovelvet]

Times has changed

Yes they has.

[OmarB]

People in large groups are usually stupid and get a large enough group you'll have a mob who will do or say anything.

[jaguar007]

I think OHMSS is one of the top 4 Bond movies, but to play devil's advocate, I think it is mainly regarded as a "classic" by Bond fans. I think that to the public in general (although it has improved it's perception since 1969) regard it as "a James Bond movie, the one that had the guy who played Bond once"

As far as being regarded as a "classic" to the general public, I think it is just the first 4 Bond films that fit into that category.

[rb1harpo]

I didn't get to see it until 1973 at a rerelease in New York on a double bill with Diamonds Are Forever. I hadn't even known of its existence until I read John Brosnan's book. I think it was/is a classic. I took my wife of 26+ years to see it in the early 80s when we were dating and she loved it too. Don't get me wrong, I think Sean is great but Lazenby did a great job because he had a great director. OHMSS and Casino Royale prove that you can make good Bond films closer to the source material no matter what era it is, whether it is the 60s or the 2000s.

[darthbond]

I agree with jaguar007. Everyone I talk to only counts the Sean Connery ones as classics. As for the reception to it, I have yet to find one person who doesn't like it upon first viewing.

darthbond

[Major Tallon]

Everybody hated it? Not the people I knew. I had a fairly wide circle of friends, and nobody I knew disliked it.

In addition, I recall reading a survey article at the time, sort of a newspaper precursor to Rotten Tomatoes, indicating that the film was much more popular with the general public than with critics, though most of the critics didn't really hate it.

I've got some quibbles with OHMSS, but it's a great movie.

[Double-0-7]

The only thing I hate about it is the last minute or so. It is enough to make a hardened old spy shed a tear.

[Mr. Blofeld]

As for the reception to it, I have yet to find one person who doesn't like it upon first viewing.

Same for me, darthbond; I introduced it to a friend who had only watched the Craig movies, and she was able to follow along and liked it immediately (although I still cry like a baby every time I watch the ending).

[Syndicate]

As a Bond fan, I never hated OHMSS at all. It's different from the Connery ones, because they had make it fit Lazenby as Bond. Lazenby did Bond then Connery, but I wonder if Connery went on to do OHMSS, how would it have been done. What would be in there what would not be in there. Would they still have the kilt wearing scence in,even when they know that Connery is a Scott. How would the ski scence have been done. Would they still have the same ending, where Tracy gets kill by SPECTRE driving by?

[Tybre]

I agree with jaguar007. Everyone I talk to only counts the Sean Connery ones as classics. As for the reception to it, I have yet to find one person who doesn't like it upon first viewing.

darthbond

Alas, all of my non die-hard Bond fan friends saw it once. Most hated it and intend to never see it again. One didn't much care for it and will only see it again if he has two. Well, I suppose that's what happens when you try to show a very good film, and easily one of the best films, to a room full of Brosnan and Connery fans who've probably caught about forty minutes of a few films here or there on Spike and USA and all that.

Now, as a Bond fan, I will say first viewing, I was somewhat unimpressed. Did I still cry at the end? Oh you bet. But I didn't love the film. I found it to be mediocre. It had a lot of good things going for it, but it felt a bit lacking. And yet, three viewings later, all over the next three days, it rose to my top five. OHMSS is a bit like fine wine, coffee, and the stronger Sri Lankan teas -- an acquired taste that, sadly, not everyone has the patience to acquire.

[Mr. Arlington Beech]

I think OHMSS is one of the top 4 Bond movies, but to play devil's advocate, I think it is mainly regarded as a "classic" by Bond fans. I think that to the public in general (although it has improved it's perception since 1969) regard it as "a James Bond movie, the one that had the guy who played Bond once"

As far as being regarded as a "classic" to the general public, I think it is just the first 4 Bond films that fit into that category.

I agree.

There's a tendency among some Bond fans to believe that what is popular, or particularly what has increased drastically its popularity inside the fandom, has got the same luck outside i.e. Dalton and his films especially LTK.

P.S. I love OHMSS and TLD

Edited by Mr. Arlington Beech, 04 August 2009 - 07:02 AM.

[col_007]

But back then everybody hated it. Times has changed

my dad told me he disliked it so much back in 1969 he nearly walked out of the cinema

[Orion]

People just wherent able to accept change, and this was a MASSIVE change, new lead, new style of story, new sound. All new.

[trs007]

A few months back, we did a screening of this film at our club. Mostly men in their 30's-50's. Aside from a few of us that were fans of the film, the overall opinion was that it was slow moving and was not that well receieved.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

A few months back, we did a screening of this film at our club. Mostly men in their 30's-50's. Aside from a few of us that were fans of the film, the overall opinion was that it was slow moving and was not that well receieved.

I thought it was too slow as well the first time I watched it (at the age of, I think, 10-12), but upon repeat viewings it grew to become my favourite of the entire series. I think it's brilliant.

[Bucky]

A few months back, we did a screening of this film at our club. Mostly men in their 30's-50's. Aside from a few of us that were fans of the film, the overall opinion was that it was slow moving and was not that well receieved.

I thought it was too slow as well the first time I watched it (at the age of, I think, 10-12), but upon repeat viewings it grew to become my favourite of the entire series. I think it's brilliant.

My experience with it was exactly the same. I had bought it on VHS when i was younger and watched it once and thought it was pretty slow so i didnt watch it again for a long while. Eventually I would watch it more and it is also my favorite of the series.

[sthgilyadgnivileht]

I think OHMSS is one of the top 4 Bond movies, but to play devil's advocate, I think it is mainly regarded as a "classic" by Bond fans. I think that to the public in general (although it has improved it's perception since 1969) regard it as "a James Bond movie, the one that had the guy who played Bond once"

As far as being regarded as a "classic" to the general public, I think it is just the first 4 Bond films that fit into that category.

I agree.

There's a tendency among some Bond fans to believe that what is popular, or particularly what has increased drastically its popularity inside the fandom, has got the same luck outside i.e. Dalton and his films especially LTK.

P.S. I love OHMSS and TLD

I agree with this. (I also think LALD and TSWLM might also be regarded as a classics by the public here in the UK, perhaps even more so than TB). However, OHMSS is no Bond classic as far as the public are concerned. Reappraised - yes. A Bond movie worth watching - definitely. Classic - no. The fact that Lazenby was 007 and not the familiar Connery or Moore will always bring the movie down as far as the public are concerned,

[Eric Stromberg]

Not coincidentally, it's also a very entertaining book. Of the 007 I have read (CR, YOLT, TB, OHMSS) it is the best by a good margin.

[tdalton]

I think OHMSS is one of the top 4 Bond movies, but to play devil's advocate, I think it is mainly regarded as a "classic" by Bond fans. I think that to the public in general (although it has improved it's perception since 1969) regard it as "a James Bond movie, the one that had the guy who played Bond once"

As far as being regarded as a "classic" to the general public, I think it is just the first 4 Bond films that fit into that category.

Agreed. I don't think that it's regarded at all as a classic outside of the fan community.

I think, though, that I would have to agree with those outside of the fan community in regards to its "classic" status. OHMSS is a good film, but I don't see it as a classic at all.

[Mark_Hazard]

I first saw it aged 17, when it was released in 1969. The press had prepared me for it not being Sean Connery, and I enjoyed it, I thought that he was a decent replacement.

Although again prepared by the press, my shock/horror was a few years later when The Saint started pretending to be 007.

[Professor Dent]

jaguar007 hit this nail on the head - Bond fans think this is a classic. Casual fans think a movie like Goldfinger is a classic or iconic Bond movie. With that being said, I don't know anyone who hates On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

[Turn]

I've thought of OHMSS as a classic for nearly 30 years now.

I've told the story before about seeing it for the first time when I was 7 on the double bill with DAF, and being surprised to find a different Bond I knew nothing of, his getting married and the guy who played Kojak playing the villain. And that ending. That stuck with me for a while even at that age.

I looked forward to that infamous butchered ABC showing in 1976. But it wasn't until early in 1980 I formed a full appreciation of OHMSS. I was riding the high of the recently released Moonraker, which made me a hardcore Bond fan. The gadgetry and such made it a favorite, and I was also a huge fan of DAF. By contrast, the previous year I shunned a telecast of FRWL as being too dramatic and stuffy.

But by the time of the OHMSS broadcast, I was into all things Bond and remembered how much it intrigued me. This time it was the regular version in a 3-hour slot and it was that night my love for OHMSS was formed. Everything just seemed right. And it's been in my top 3 Bond films since.

It also helped that I was becoming a fan of The Avengers, which ironically was being shown on another network later that night.

[O.H.M.S.S.]

A friend of mine borrowed OHMSS, TLD and LTK from me, because I told him they were must see Bond adventures. This friend is a movie fan in general and he liked all three of these 'lesser known' Bonds. He even liked Lazenby's and Dalton's portrayal of the character.

I've shown OHMSS to my girlfriend as well and she was surprised that a Bond film could have so much emotional depth and be so intelligent. She was very positive of Lazenby and Rigg, too.

Edited by O.H.M.S.S., 05 August 2009 - 09:06 AM.

[Piz Gloria 1969]

Let's hope that they'll return to the greatness of OHMSS (script/music & set wise) one day but I have a feeling there will *never* be another Bondmania like the 60s !

Edited by Piz Gloria 1969, 16 August 2009 - 08:07 AM.

[sharpshooter]

I have a feeling there will *never* be another Bondmania like the 60s !

I agree. Though I think what we currently have with Craig is the next best thing.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

Let's hope that they'll return to the greatness of OHMSS (script/music & set wise) one day but I have a feeling there will *never* be another Bondmania like the 60s !

That's quite natural, I guess. We are after all talking about a movie franchise that will soon reach its 50th anniversary.

[Aris007]

People hated it that much back in 1969 because they were used to Connery! A change is never easy especially when it's related to maybe the best Bond ever. People hated Lazenby, not the film! That's what I think. And as a result as the years passed everybody loves teh film while the majority of the fans(in my point of view) are still a little doubtfull about Lazenby.

[Turn]

People hated it that much back in 1969 because they were used to Connery! A change is never easy especially when it's related to maybe the best Bond ever. People hated Lazenby, not the film! That's what I think. And as a result as the years passed everybody loves teh film while the majority of the fans(in my point of view) are still a little doubtfull about Lazenby.

I think fans are more accepting of Lazenby these days. It probably helps that he's out on the convention circuit quite a bit (I got his autograph myself recently, although not in person) and doesn't shy away from his association with the series.

He's still probably the least of the Bond actors, but that's pretty good company and not bad at all on his part considering the shoes he had to fill and the film he had to do it in with no prior film experience.

[O.H.M.S.S.]

If people watch that last scene, in which Lazenby performs so great (don't think anybody could have done it better and it's possibly one of the most crucial scenes in the series), how can they say he can't act. I just cannot understand the criticism. Thankfully most fans and even critics admit he did a great job.