104 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

From CBn's main page...

CBn Reviews Dr. No
Forum members review the first James Bond film

[PierceConneryMoore]

Dr.No is the first James Bond film & while it's not one of the best, this created a worldwide phenomenon & practically invented what we know today as B-movies. I'm going to rank all the different elements of the formula & then add them up & divide them to get a score & rank it among all the Bond films.

Lead Actor:7.5 Sean Connery was simply the perfect choice to play 007 although he wasn't totally comfortable as Bond when he was appeared in Dr.No. He was a little too cold & not enough suave. But he did say the famous line "Bond, James Bond" just perfectly & the scene where he shoots Professor Dent is classic. He improved in his later Bond films.

Villain:8.5 Joeseph Wiseman set the standard for the Bond villain. He was creepy & sinister with his metallic & creepy way he moves. It's the Dr.No type villain that would be parodied for decades on end.

Henchmen:7.0 Oddjob made the Bond villain's henchmen required in every Bond film, but the henchmen here are good. Along with Professor Dent(Anthony Dawson) we also get the seductive Miss Taro, Mr.Jones who pretends to be Bond's driver & the photographer who tries to take pictures of Bond.

Bond Women:8.5 While Eunice Gayson is just good as Slyvia Trench in the beginning, it's Ursula Andress whose a perfect 10 & still the best Bond girl to date. She's beautiful, she's tough & she's a fabulous screen presence. The scene where she comes out of the water is simply wonderful.

Allies:8.0 Of couse you have to love Bernard Lee & Lois Maxwell as M & Miss Moneypenny, but Desmond Llewelyn doesn't appear as Q until FRWL. Jack Lord is the first person to play Felix Leiter & is one of the best & John Kitsmiller plays Quarrell the local fisherman.

Plot:8.0 Great use of the classic villain who wants to take over the world scheme.

Action:5.5 There aren't that many thrills in Dr.No. This is a very low-key adventure. The car chases are straight forward. However, the scene where Dent puts a spider in Bond's bed is creepy & the xplosion at the end of the movie is nice.

Gadgets:6.5 This is a film where Bond relies on his wit & not gadgets. The only real gadget is the Walther PPK.

Exotic Locales:8.5 This is a great looking movie with Jamica looking fantastic.

Title Song:8.5 The James Bond Theme is possibly the best movie theme ever.

Score:6.0 The music here is pretty lame. John Barry is a much better musical composer than Monty Norman.

Title Sequences:5.0 Maurice Binder is the essential Bond tile designer, but there isn't much evidence of it here.

Total:7.29

Final Thoughts:Dr.No is not a great movie or one of the best James Bond movies, but there are some classic scenes that make the film worthwhile.

[Qwerty]

Welcome to the CommanderBond.net Forums, PierceConneryMoore!

[Qwerty]

[Moderator's Note: Poll added to this thread.]

[mtonline]

No matter how much anyone could say about this, it can NOT be knocked down. This is the movie that set the Bond standards (action and dialogue wise), and if it wasnt for this film, we more than likely would NOT be talking about it this moment.

This movie was also what made Connery a household name, and for that we should all be thankful.

And Honey, oh Honey, standard of bond girl hotness.

I really wish i could review this to more length, but fact is there is to much GOOD to talk about, and i jus recommend people go out and see it if they havent, and if u have, go and watch it again.

8/10

M_T

[Qwerty]

I voted an '8'. My review is in the mainpage story.

[Qwerty]

I voted an '8'. My review is in the mainpage story.

[Dalton's Wendy]

I voted an '8'. My review is in the mainpage story.

Qwerty . . . do Posts #6 and #7 count as two votes?

[Qwerty]

Ah, double post.

[Dalton's Wendy]

Ah, double post.

Ha, Qwerty, my dear!

Just teasing!

[Lounge Lizard]

The lonely hero pours himself a martini in his Kingston hotel room, cleans his gun and picks up a newspaper; the next day, that same hero is fighting a brilliant Chinese scientist with metal hands, on top of a nuclear reactor. It's difficult to imagine how Dr. No was perceived in the early 1960s. Did it strike people as part Hitchcock, part film noir, part Corman Science-Fiction B flick and part Irving Allen action quickie? Or was it received as a break from tradition? Its lack of a clear moral center was probably innovative, as it revelled in Bond's decadent tastes and careless treatment of women and human lives- those characteristics were already at the heart of noir, but Bond wasn't punished for them, he was rewarded. Dr. No has dated pretty badly, that's for sure- more so than, say, Nort by Northwest. It's especially crude in its assumptions: Bond travels 'the West' like a colonial prince, ordering his black associate Quarrel to 'fetch his shoes'; the film was shot quickly and cheaply, which accounts for its many technical and narrative goofs; and at times, the movie itself seems unsure about what it wants to be. That last observation is, in my opinion, most evident in Monty Norman's jumpy score, with its droll cues, Mickey Mousing effects and Fu Manchu motifs.

From a designer perspective, the film still seems fresh however: Dr. No's exotism is shot through with surprising references to German Expressionism, such as the Nosferatu-like shadow that announces Dr. No, and of course there's the stages of Ken Adam, with their use of grids and weird angles. The room where Professor Dent is handed the tarantula spider is most definitely the shape of things to come- it's a study for the Dr. Strangelove war room, Blofeld's volcano from YOLT, etc. Adam's conception of No's world links the SPECTRE scientist to earlier modernist villains, but Adam also does great work with more low-key sets, such as Bond's modish Kingston hotel room and the 'mink-coated prison' (one of my favourite moments in the film is Bond and Honey being welcomed by the efficient Sister Lily and Sister Rose- a pair far creepier than Wint and Kidd).

Together with editor Peter Hunt, director Terence Young invents the characteristic Bond movie 'rhythm': smooth dolly-shots, a measured use of low-angle set-ups, and fast, disorienting cutting that is especially effective in the fight scene with Jones. Scenes of brutal violence are immediately neutered by a dry-laced quip of Bond himself. Most of Dr. No's 'classic moments' don't stand up anymore, however. Take the entrance of Ursula Andress, who (after Fleming's own description and according to movie mythology) rises from the Caribbean like Botticelli's Venus- don't believe a word of it. The 'Bond lured to pyramid' scene in Moonraker tries to achieve the same dream-like effect, and is much more effective.

Connery is a wolf among sheep in his first Bond picture, using his wicked smirk to devastating effect and wearing his hat and jacket like Sinatra, despite his tall, muscular build. The actor moves like a dancer, light on his feet and with incredibly vivid, instinctive physical responses, as if he were trained by Meyerhold. This sense of a dancer in a big man makes the performance a thrill to watch, even if Connery is not as assured throughout the whole movie- sometimes he relies on the pleasant toothy smile from his days of belting out 'There's Nothing Like a Dame' in Darby O'Gill and the Little People. His Bond can certainly be human: in No's headquarters, he admits to Honey that he's scared, and we see him trying to hide his nerves. Dr. No also marks the first (and nearly last) time we see Bond portrayed as a ruthless, cold-blooded murderer, even using his bare hands when necessary. There are moments when Connery encapsulates the character to perfection- when he glances at his watch while kissing Miss Taro, he is seductive and coolly calculating at the same time. The essence of Bond.

Despite Bond having no gadgets, there is a certain man vs. machine dynamic going on here- No's threat is a nuclear one, and the fire-breathing dragon-tank represents a nice paradox. Honey tells Bond she knows the 'secret of nature', so the dragon-tank really stands for a clash of Bond and Honey's worlds. The first image of Bond in the movie is that of a nonchalant lounge lizard with a 'slim jim' bow-tie, he ends up being stripped of his sophisticated clothes, and becomes his true self- an unrestrained animal man, ready for the kill.

Ursula Andress and Joseph Wiseman set the standards for Bond girl and villain respectively, with glossy wet T-shirt contestant Andress frankly forgettable (I always had a soft spot for that little tease Miss Taro), and Wiseman admirably low-key, relying on the intensity of his gaze. We all know Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell are top-notch. Some members of the British support are particularly wooden, for instance the bespectacled MI6 operator. It's not difficult to spot the Jamaican locals in the supporting cast, but some of them are well-cast- the guy that plays Puss-Feller has an ease and naturalism about him, that is at odds with the self-conscious hamming of professional actors in later Bond films. When you watch DAD for example, even the smaller supporting parts (like Dr. Alvarez) are mannered to the extreme. In Dr. No, the local actors ensure the movie feels 'closer' to our world.

Dr. No is a difficult film to review; if you weren't there in 1962, and weren't aware of its impact, you can only review it in terms of what came after it. Still, I have one thing to add, for sentimental value: it's my mother's favourite Bond movie, because it is so pure and simple.

[Loomis]

That, Lounge Lizard, is probably the single best thing I've ever read on DR. NO, and I mean that - full of bang-on points.

I'd disagree with a couple, though: I don't view it as quite as dated a film as you do - in fact, I'd say it's just about the most timeless of all the Bond flicks (leaving aside obvious stuff like "Fetch my shoes", a line that people may have made rather too much of over the years). And it still seems genuinely shocking in places - heaven knows how violent and sexy it was considered in '62. Rather like PSYCHO, another iconic picture of the early '60s, its power has remained curiously intact with the passing of decades.

Neither am I sure that the film was shot quickly and cheaply, or at least it doesn't particularly bear the hallmarks of a speedy, bargain basement shoot, IMO (if you wanna knock a Bond flick for looking as though it was done on a shoestring in five minutes flat, may I humbly suggest the following target: LIVE AND LET DIE). The bright colours and Adam's work make DR. NO look a million dollars (metaphorically speaking, of course, because I imagine it did cost around a million dollars ). Jim has said on a couple of occasions that he enjoys watching DR. NO in black and white - I may give it a go in B&W at some point (since the reasons he gives make a lot of sense, as usual with the Jim-meister's posts), but, frankly, I consider the look of the film ace as is.

The following thread may interest you:

http://debrief.comma...showtopic=15238

[Lounge Lizard]

I'd disagree with a couple, though: I don't view it as quite as dated a film as you do - in fact, I'd say it's just about the most timeless of all the Bond flicks (leaving aside obvious stuff like "Fetch my shoes", a line that people may have made rather too much of over the years). And it still seems genuinely shocking in places - heaven knows how violent and sexy it was considered in '62. Rather like PSYCHO, another iconic picture of the early '60s, its power has remained curiously intact with the passing of decades.

Neither am I sure that the film was shot quickly and cheaply, or at least it doesn't particularly bear the hallmarks of a speedy, bargain basement shoot, IMO (if you wanna knock a Bond flick for looking as though it was done on a shoestring in five minutes flat, may I humbly suggest the following target: LIVE AND LET DIE). The bright colours and Adam's work make DR. NO look a million dollars (metaphorically speaking, of course, because I imagine it did cost around a million dollars ). Jim has said on a couple of occasions that he enjoys watching DR. NO in black and white - I may give it a go in B&W at some point (since the reasons he gives make a lot of sense, as usual with the Jim-meister's posts), but, frankly, I consider the look of the film ace as is.

Thanks very much for your compliments, Loomis! Yes, Dr. No is still shocking in places, that's true- especially in the oft-cited killing of Dent. And the colours are marvellous, I forgot to mention that. I still feel the picture has dated more than a few other films of the era in some respects; I guess the most timeless to me is Goldfinger, because it established the iconography of Bond, more than any other Bond movie- simply because so many Bond movies have emulated Goldfinger, the original will always seem fresher than the knock-offs. The seeming cheapness of Dr. No for me lies in a few shots that don't render the narrative information all that well (I think Benson already mentioned the first appearance of 'Free-Lance', which is of the 'blink-and-you'll-miss-it' variety, as an example), the sound is a little monotonous, and some glaring errors (like the sudden change of Miss Taro's adress) reveal a hurried shooting schedule. Of course, the film is still an example of milking a million dollars for all its worth (Eon chose Ken Adam as their main investment, and that decision payed off more than handsomely), but I can't help noticing the sometimes hurried feel of the movie. And most of Monty Norman's score doesn't help either. But I agree, most of my nitpicks are of a technical nature; the fact that Dr. No is less polished than the others can also be seen as an advantage, as a raw quality. I voted a 7 for Dr. No, by the way. It is still, and will always be, a remarkable achievement.

Black and white? Hm, there's an idea. It would certainly enhance the noir feel, I'll give that a try.

I'll certainly check out the link you provided, but not today, because where I'm sitting, today has already stretched into tomorrow for far too long...

[Qwerty]

Bumping this up.

[MarcAngeDraco]

Dr. No is always at or near the top of my list...

[Icebreaker]

Nine.

Connery IS James Bond in this film. The plot is relatively simple, the locations are gorgeous and the mood/pacing of the film is spot on. A great introduction to the Bond franchise and is on the list for my favorite Bond films.


Take 'er easy
-matthew

[Bond fan since March 2000]

Ok, I'm re-reviewing all 21 Bond films & I started with my least favorite & am working my way to #1. So enjoy!

#16 Dr.No, 1962

Dr.No is not so much a great Bond film, but a special one. It was the first adaption of a Fleming novel & was made before anyone involved has any idea how big James Bond would become. Had it not been for Dr.No, I wouldn't be writing any of these reviews, nor would so many generations of fans have had such great experiences at the movies. While not setting the standard for Bond films in the future (that would be Goldfinger) it is cool to see how it started.

An agent disapears in Jamaica & James Bond (Sean Connery) is sent to investigate. He finds out that there is a man named Dr.No (Joseph Wiseman) who lives on Crab Key & is interfering with Cape Canaveral rockets. He sends several henchmen to kill Bond (and keeps failing) until he goes to Crab Key where he meets Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) & must stop Dr.No at any cost.

Dr.No is a very low-key adventure & there really isn't any great action here. The fight choreography is horrific & a car chase is straight forward. There's only one big explosion during the film's climax & the most thrilling scene in the film is also quite chilling when a henchmen slips a tarantula into Bond's bed (by the way, Sean Connery had a huge fear of spiders & it's stuntman Bob Simmons whose body we see the tarantula walking up).

But Dr.No is about those classics scenes we know & love. Sean Connery's first close-up when he utters "Bond, James Bond" is simply unforgettable. It is perfect & only a few other utterances of that line are in the same league as when Connery says it here for the first time. The other famous scene of course is when we see Ursula Andress come out of the water for the first time & the image is iconic, stunning & dead sexy. It's hard not to feel something "down there" when you watch that scene. There is also the first gunbarrel sequence, the first use of Maurice Binder's titles & the first time we hear the classic James Bond theme by Monty Norman which is outstanding compared to an otherwise crappy score. Also notably is Joseph Wiseman's creepy performance as Dr.No, the first Bond villain who dreams of world domination & Ted Moore's stunning cinematography of Jamaica in it's natural beauty.

So while far from the best, you have to give Dr.No credit for creating unforgettable images & starting a franchise that has been going long & strong for 45 years.

[LadySylvia]

I guess I can give DR. NO credit for starting the franchise and introducing Connery . . . but that's about it. I have to admit that I have never been impressed by this movie.

[LadySylvia]

I meant to post this review of "DR. NO":

[BoogieBond]

Just rewatched this.

The iconic and memorable firsts bump this film up on the overall JB list(lower middle on my list).
The Bond, James Bond introduction is classic. The first gunbarrel is also wonderful to see. Honey Rider coming out of the sea also. Bonds visit to HQ and visiting M and Moneypenny are also great.
But , out of all of the films, this one looks the most dated to me.
One thing I did notice was this was more violent than a lot of the others. The extermination of Strangways and his secretary, bond ellimination of Dent, and Quarrels demise were all suprisingly violent for the time.
Sean Connery's performance in this film is I think pretty good, but in terms , and compared to his following films, I think it could be among his weakest. In some parts he comes across as nervous/agitated rather than suave, Raw , rather than sophisticated. His orders are barked like a seargent major rather than a commander of the RNVR. The scene with the girl in Pussfellers is an example, he not the master Bond yet, but he's sure got potential.
The Action to me , is pedestrian(The tarantula scene is a highlight and bonds reaction afterwards is a high point). The Plot OK. The supporting characters, some of them are Wooden(Jack Lord, Ursula, Sean and Joseph Wiseman excluded).
The music is not the best. Monty Norman did the Bond theme which is great, but some of the other music, doesn't flow like the later films. Noticed John Barry and Orchestra arranged the bond theme.
Amazing to see the team was already in place, Terence Young, Maurice Binder, Ken Adam, Peter Hunt, Richard Maibaum etc... what a team.
I do find it to drag throughout several parts, but overall, cos it started it all, its forgiven.

Edited by BoogieBond, 30 April 2008 - 06:35 PM.

[Unit II]

For some, it may take a few viewings of Dr. No to really come to love it, perhaps because it is a dry film. There's something in the dryness, though, that accentuates the scenery, the jamaican music, the girl, the ominous villain.

On a summer night this is the movie I throw on and enjoy from start to finish.

[Turn]

For some, it may take a few viewings of Dr. No to really come to love it, perhaps because it is a dry film. There's something in the dryness, though, that accentuates the scenery, the jamaican music, the girl, the ominous villain.

Good description and very much how I've felt about the film over the years. It had the curiosity value of being the first Bond film in my view for the longest time, not a whole lot else because it didn't have all the glitz and glamour associated with the later films.

But in the last couple of years it has followed FRWL in becoming the highest climbing film on my list.

[DaveBond21]

For some, it may take a few viewings of Dr. No to really come to love it, perhaps because it is a dry film. There's something in the dryness, though, that accentuates the scenery, the jamaican music, the girl, the ominous villain.

Good description and very much how I've felt about the film over the years. It had the curiosity value of being the first Bond film in my view for the longest time, not a whole lot else because it didn't have all the glitz and glamour associated with the later films.

But in the last couple of years it has followed FRWL in becoming the highest climbing film on my list.

Dr No and FRWL are like fine wines in that respect. But also they get better as we get older, and our need for the spectacular decreases a little.

I love Dr No and I find it very easy to watch. Love the idea of watching it on a hot summer's night too, nice suggestion by Unit II.

[Aris007]

I gave it a 7. It's a good film with a lot of action and I respect it as the first 007 film, but there are some features that I dislike like the hands of Dr.No. He's like a villain from a comix with these metal hands. However, my favourite scene is in the beggining with the camera on the back of Connery...and then he says the line with such a style!!!

[TheREAL008]

I give it a 9 because its the most watched of the Connery outings in my collection. While it's not as good as FRWL, or Goldfinger, I love it because it was the first Bond film I've ever watched and it stays pretty close to Ian's novel.

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

Number 5 in my Top Five Bond movies. Brilliantly directed and by far Connery's best performance as Bond. His scene in Kingston Airport epitomises Bond as an intelligent and observant detective who can outwit any enemy just by listening to a few words. His cool attitude (highlighted when he tells the sergeant to make sure the dead Mr. Jones doesn't get away) was perfect for the franchise and I'm glad to see Daniel Craig try and re-enter some of this into his character of Bond. 8 out of 10.

[Solex Agitator]

DR. NO is always a joy to watch. It is dark. Connery is cool, calculated, perfect. Miss Taro is easily my favorite Bond girl for being impossibly exotic. Honey's monologue is incredible. Leiter is perfectly hard-boiled. This film is always hovering near or at the top of my list. Be sure to check out the commentary track on the DVD as it is terrific, easily the best of the commentaries IMHO.

[MarcAngeDraco]

DR. NO is always a joy to watch. It is dark. Connery is cool, calculated, perfect. Miss Taro is easily my favorite Bond girl for being impossibly exotic. Honey's monologue is incredible. Leiter is perfectly hard-boiled. This film is always hovering near or at the top of my list. Be sure to check out the commentary track on the DVD as it is terrific, easily the best of the commentaries IMHO.

Take all of Solex's points above, add in all of the truly memorable moments in the film, mix in the fact that it 'started it all' (at least film-wise) and you end up with one of my absolute favorite Bond films that I can watch almost anytime and thoroughly enjoy every time.

[singer]

Dr. No is in my top five,one of the best movies of the 60'...

[Golden Claw]

Perfect 10 from me. Just watched it for the first time the other day, and I felt it was absolutely flawless. Just superb. Words completely fail me.