78 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

From CBn's main page...

CBn Reviews You Only Live Twice
Forum members review the fifth James Bond film

[Qwerty]

Reviews up.

[DLibrasnow]

Excellent Devin

[Qwerty]

Glad you like.

[Mr. Somerset]

Fun reviews. YOLT is classic 60s epic Bond....with a bored Sean Connery being wishing he had more privacy while on location!
YOLT boasts my favourite Ken Adam set, my favourite title song, and favourite Bond actor....even though he looks like he'd rather be having a root canal than to be agent OO7 again!

[00-FAN008]

YOLT was a cool film indeed. I didn't think Connery seemed all that tired, he was just sitting on the fence between his young, dashing persona (Dr. No) and his cragily, graying, worn-out secret agent (DAF).

Also, which thread do I go to to post reviews?

[Qwerty]

Any of the Countdown threads located in the Gen Bond Film Discussion area, you may have to search for them.

[Loomis]

One of the most entertaining Bond films. And also one of the best.

[licensetostudy]

One of the most entertaining Bond films. And also one of the best.

I totally agree, and YOLT ranks at #3 on my best to worst list for official Bond movies. I enjoy scenes like Bond burglerising Osato's offices, the Little Nelly sequence, the Ninja battle in the hollowed out volcano, the Japanese location, and supporting players like Tiger, Mr. Henderson, and Aki. Definitely the Star Wars of the 60s, and quite groundbraking along with Thunderball.

[rogermoore007]

A very satisfactory review Qwerty-san

[Qwerty]

They're not all mine.

[00-FAN008]

Can't wait for the next Countdown!

[Qwerty]

Going up in a few days.

[rogermoore007]

They're not all mine.

Yes but you put them together and I agreed with yours the most...ok, and I wanted to say Qwerty-san.

[Qwerty]

Ah, gotcha.

[Qwerty]

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

[Kissy]

I still don't get why poeple ussualy say that Connery is acting boring in Yolt.
I think that he gives a great performance!

[DanielCraig007]

Awesome.. Sean's best

[Agent 0015]

I give it an 8. There were some slow parts, but still in my top 5.

[Scottlee]

I think I gave it an 8.

Not one of my favourite Bond films but still a classic.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

I was debating between an 8 and a 9 but I give You Only Live Twice a 9. It's truly an exciting, fast moving, epic and spectacular entry that deserves to be rated higher than it generally is and the blue print for two very popular later entries: The Spy Who Loved Me and Tomorrow Never Dies. It's probably the most beautifully photographed film in the series thanks to Freddie Young. Also, Karin Dor gives a wonderful and memorable performance as ill-fated villainess Helga Brandt a/k/a #11. Like the film she appears in, Miss Dor is highly underrated. Add to that John Barry's unforgetable score and you've got a winner.

[Bond fan since March 2000]

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

#10 You Only Live Twice, 1967

You Only Live Twice came out at a time when spy mania was coming to a close. Spy films & shows were starting to become cliches & audiences wanted something new. Sean Connery also said YOLT would be his last Bond film & althouh he returned for Diamonds Are Forever, You Only Live Twice would have been a great exit film. Even though it doesn't have as strong supporting cast or story as Goldfinger or Thunderball, the action, the sets & cinematography is above what was seen before this.

An American rocket has been kidnapped & the Americans believe Russia had something to do with it. The British know the rocket landed somewhere in Japan & have sent James Bond (Sean Connery) to find out what happened to the rocket before World War III begins with the help of the head of the Japanese Secret Service, Tiger Tanaka (Tetsuro Tamba) & a beautiful agent named Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi).

No Bond uses a location as well as You Only Live Twice uses Japan. Nearly all of the film takes place in Japan & Freddie Young's cinematography is gorgeous with several famous locations in Tokyo shown in the film. That helps in staging some great action scenes including a car chase where a helicopter is brought in, a 4 on 1 helicopter chase with the Little Nellie gyrocopter, designed by Q (Desmond Llewelyn) & a fantastic finale inside a volcano with lots of explosions & ninjas inside a beautifully designed Ken Adam set.

Also worth mentioning is John Barry, whose score is the best he's ever done in a Bond film. It is adventurous, romantic & beautiful to listen to. Despite lacking the fun level he had in Thunderball, Sean Connery still proves what a great Bond he is again with style & elegance. Connery should've made his exit here or should've finished with On Her Majesty's Secret Service instead of returning to do Diamonds Are Forever after this. Here is when we see face of Blofeld for the 1st time, played with great menace by Donald Pleasance, although he should've had a bit more screen time.

If you watch the Austin Powers films (or at least the 1st one) you should notice You Only Live Twice is the Bond film made fun of the most. From the character of Dr.Evil to Austin Powers' hairy chest to the crazy evil lair, this is the one you think of the most while watching that. While You Only Live Twice is silly & more gadget-oriented, it is still great for the eyes & ears.

[manfromjapan]

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (Lewis Gilbert, 1967)
One of the most truly epic of the Bond films (in it's panoramic Japanese setting), this would represent the first time Sean Connery would say 'never again' (he would say it twice more). Australian model George Lazenby replaced him for the next film, the excellent ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (1969). Owing little to the novel and more to science-fiction, Roald Dahl was brought on as a writer, and the result is a film that is sillier and more fantastical than it's predecessors but still a great example of the Bond film when it was still fresh. Connery is effortlessly cool (some would say half-asleep), John Barry's score is one of his best (as is Nancy Sinatra's theme) and Ken Adam's huge sets brilliant. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE is a supremely entertaining example of the Bond series at it's biggest - the films got too jokey and lost their chutzpah for two decades after (bar a few strong entries). Not the best Bond film, but one of the most fun. Donald Pleasence appears as Blofeld, the inspiration for Dr. Evil from the AUSTIN POWERS series.

[Mr. Blofeld]

Connery is effortlessly cool (some would say half-asleep).

I'm afraid I count myself as one of their number; Connery looked bored out of his mind.

Donald Pleasence appears as Blofeld, the inspiration for Dr. Evil from the AUSTIN POWERS series.

It's less inspiration than parody, but, other than that, I think you've got it spot on.

[RazorBlade]

I agree that it was a fun Bond. but I wish that EON had saved the title for a truer adaptation of YOLT.

As for Sean, who knows if he was bored or not. He was definately unhappy with the direction of the series. Fun or not I can't blame him.

[Qwerty]

Topics merged.

[Judo chop]

I

[Cruiserweight]

My least favorite Connery bond film.Which finds itself towards the bottom of the list of bond films for me.

[Turn]

[quote name='Judo chop' post='804028' date='6 December 2007 - 21:16']I

[baerrtt]

[quote name='Turn' post='804197' date='7 December 2007 - 01:23'][quote name='Judo chop' post='804028' date='6 December 2007 - 21:16']I

Edited by baerrtt, 07 December 2007 - 01:39 PM.