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CBn Reviews 'You Only Live Twice'


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Poll: Rate 'You Only Live Twice'

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#61 Lachesis

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Posted 12 February 2010 - 10:16 PM

It gets a cool 8 from me and vies with Dr No for a place in my top 5 (depending on my mood).

It is very easy to be cynical and dismissive toward films like this today as they appear cliche, or corny or cheesy...but such criticism is a little unfair as in 1968 it wasn't really the case, indeed that so many aspects permeated culture so long after, is a true testerment to the quality and influence of this particular film.

I agree Connery is not on best form here and there is an overreliance on gadgets to deal with every problem rather than wit or skill (imo todays reliance on the superhuman physical monster Bond has become is just as guilty of substituting for real thought or imagination), but other elements like John Barry, Ken Adam and newcomer Lewis Gilbert arrive to make an unpretentious, lean and above all entertaining movie.

As for rehashed plots its something the series is often guilty of, but rarely as blatant as between Yolt and TSWLM...even down to those shutter commands ^^.

#62 sthgilyadgnivileht

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Posted 12 February 2010 - 10:22 PM

Its a film that probably knocks your socks off if you are seeing it for the first time (especially in the Cinema). But when the wonderful sets and cinematography wear off, you have a below par Connery and a film that's style over substance, (not that there necessarily anything wrong with that).
I like YOLT. The whole cinematic feel that Gilbert gave was a move forward for the action adventure genre and the sustainability of the series, but there are other Bonds out there that I much prefer.

#63 elizabeth

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Posted 12 February 2010 - 11:12 PM

5. I love the Japanese locales and the whole wedding, but the storyline to me is a bit lacking, so it gets 5 points for the scenery and loses 5 points for the plotline. B)

#64 General G.

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Posted 13 February 2010 - 07:55 AM

It is very easy to be cynical and dismissive toward films like this today as they appear cliche, or corny or cheesy...

I don't think it has anything to do with modern cynicism to be appalled by the utter stupidity of having rockets taking off from a supposedly "secret" base -- at night -- and nobody seeing them. When I was a kid my dad and I watched a nighttime NASA launch from a vantage point at Satellite Beach, Florida, and I can tell you such an event is plainly visible to the naked eye for a hundred miles around.

A radar "jamming" system would be utterly worthless. Everybody on the island would see it, as would any ships at sea or aircraft within that hundred mile radius.

There is simply no excuse for such a ridiculous plot hole. It's sub-par Saturday morning kiddie cartoon-level writing.

Edited by General G., 13 February 2010 - 07:56 AM.


#65 Lachesis

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Posted 13 February 2010 - 01:58 PM

It is very easy to be cynical and dismissive toward films like this today as they appear cliche, or corny or cheesy...

I don't think it has anything to do with modern cynicism to be appalled by the utter stupidity of having rockets taking off from a supposedly "secret" base -- at night -- and nobody seeing them. When I was a kid my dad and I watched a nighttime NASA launch from a vantage point at Satellite Beach, Florida, and I can tell you such an event is plainly visible to the naked eye for a hundred miles around.

A radar "jamming" system would be utterly worthless. Everybody on the island would see it, as would any ships at sea or aircraft within that hundred mile radius.

There is simply no excuse for such a ridiculous plot hole. It's sub-par Saturday morning kiddie cartoon-level writing.


There were a tiny fraction of the number of satellites we have today in the sky back then and their efficiency was considerably less than now, there are massive and unpopulated areas in Japan, China, Russia, Middle East, Africa, South America and Canada more than remote enough to ensure no prying eyes and indeed even were if witnessed their remoteness also infers the local populace had few if any forms of communications to report it (assuming they believe ANYONE should know the business of their superiors). The visible range of someone 100feet above sea level is around 20 miles due to the curvature of the earth. Is a plume of smoke from a volcanic region really noteworthy....But these things are not the point - the aim was really to give audiences of the time adventure and entertainment in line with the mood of the time and events of that time, to take the real events of the day and project them into the future just a bit for the purpose of escapist fantasy rather than documentary fact. I am sorry you didnt enjoy the film but it is modern cynicism and our modern technological familiarity which allows such revisions.

#66 Turn

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Posted 13 February 2010 - 03:16 PM

Its a film that probably knocks your socks off if you are seeing it for the first time (especially in the Cinema). But when the wonderful sets and cinematography wear off, you have a below par Connery and a film that's style over substance, (not that there necessarily anything wrong with that).
I like YOLT. The whole cinematic feel that Gilbert gave was a move forward for the action adventure genre and the sustainability of the series, but there are other Bonds out there that I much prefer.

Well said, echoing a lot of my thoughts on the film.

Another thought, aside from maybe Tiger and Blofeld (the latter for a lot of people), are there any really memorable characters in YOLT? Repeat redheaded villainesses, evil industrialists, bland Bond girls, faceless henchmen, etc. The focus is on the spectacle, but I'd rather have some interesting interaction going on in between and people to relate to. No wonder Connery looks so unengaged.

I was watching FRWL last and I noticed how the scenes with Blofeld, his face hidden as he sits behind the desk, stroking the cat, worked so well. That commanding voice and the way he strikes fear into his subordinates, at least for me, works much better than the YOLT reveal with the scarred eye and all that.

#67 O.H.M.S.S.

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Posted 13 February 2010 - 06:48 PM

I would say Henderson is a memorable character. One of my favourite allies for sure. I do think the girls were pretty mediocre and Blofeld was horribly miscast.

#68 sthgilyadgnivileht

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Posted 13 February 2010 - 07:01 PM

I was watching FRWL last and I noticed how the scenes with Blofeld, his face hidden as he sits behind the desk, stroking the cat, worked so well. That commanding voice and the way he strikes fear into his subordinates, at least for me, works much better than the YOLT reveal with the scarred eye and all that.

Yeah It works because his subordinates are so afraid of him as well, but by the time YOLT arrives, as wonderfully watchable as Pleasance is the threat of real menace is all but gone.

I would say Henderson is a memorable character. One of my favourite allies for sure.

Yes, but just as the audience are settling down to this engaging character he is killed mid sentence!

#69 Colossus

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Posted 13 February 2010 - 08:52 PM

I disagree about Pleasence not being menacing, sure the voice Blofeld was really good but of all the Blofelds that had shown faces he was the best as this cold Himmleresque character whom you really felt would be the guy behind this global evil organization.

#70 Guy Haines

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Posted 14 February 2010 - 12:44 AM

It is very easy to be cynical and dismissive toward films like this today as they appear cliche, or corny or cheesy...

I don't think it has anything to do with modern cynicism to be appalled by the utter stupidity of having rockets taking off from a supposedly "secret" base -- at night -- and nobody seeing them. When I was a kid my dad and I watched a nighttime NASA launch from a vantage point at Satellite Beach, Florida, and I can tell you such an event is plainly visible to the naked eye for a hundred miles around.

A radar "jamming" system would be utterly worthless. Everybody on the island would see it, as would any ships at sea or aircraft within that hundred mile radius.

There is simply no excuse for such a ridiculous plot hole. It's sub-par Saturday morning kiddie cartoon-level writing.


A plot hole that occured to me as well. As an aviation and space enthusiast I envy your views from Satellite Beach, by the way.

I suppose that SPECTRE could have bribed or scared the locals to avert their eyes when their intruder missile took off. Otherwise it's hard to understand how even the simplest island fisherman could have failed to notice the rather unusual activity going on around an inactive volcano!

That aside, I still like YOLT, even though I can no longer watch Donald Pleasance (my home county's very own Bond villain - either born or brought up in Worksop, I believe) without thinking of Mike Myers.

By the way have you considered another oddity? How did they have live TV coverage of SPECTRE's rocket about to swallow that second US spacecraft from the outside unless another spacecraft was up there filming it?

#71 Mr. Blofeld

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Posted 14 February 2010 - 01:16 AM

he was the best as this cold Himmleresque character whom you really felt would be the guy behind this global evil organization.

I could buy Savalas's cultured thug portrayal, but the bald midget in a Mao jacket? Are you joking? B)

#72 RJJB

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Posted 14 February 2010 - 02:19 AM

If you want an accurate measurement of Donald Pleasance as Blofeld, just listen to him as he shrieks "Kill Bond. Now!" or his last line in the movie "Goodbye, Mister Bond." I cannot hear those lines without either laughing or groaning. Sorry but he comes across as an annoyingjoke of a character, not at like the menacing criminal mastermind of FRWL and TB. He was very easily parodied in the Austin Powers movies because he is already a farce in YOLT.

#73 Colossus

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Posted 14 February 2010 - 11:29 PM

Nope, Pleasence was a good sinister villain. It is the YOLT Blofeld that has entered cultural parlance not the others. Savalas was a good Bond villain but too gangsterish, he would have made a fine leader of the Goldfinger hoodlums! So we agree the no-face Blofeld is the best right? Then of the onscreen Blofelds who comes closer to meeting that same sinister tone of the FRWL/TB Blofeld? It is the YOLT Blofeld, who maintains a similar subdued detached feel, unlike OHMSS's Blofeld whose more of the swinging cat, he was set for the Kojak role.

#74 chrisno1

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Posted 15 February 2010 - 12:40 AM

I agree about the 'no face Blofeld' - even in YOLT Pleasance is better when we can't see him. The problem for me with Pleasance is two fold: he's not big enough to threaten Connery and his voice really grates when he raises it.
Doesn't stop me enjoying YOLT though. It's still a Top Ten Bond for me.

#75 Mr. Blofeld

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Posted 15 February 2010 - 03:24 AM

unlike OHMSS's Blofeld whose more of the swinging cat

I don't think the OHMSS Blofeld was much of a "swinging cat", but at least he could let go of the cat when he had to! B)

#76 right idea, wrong pussy

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Posted 15 July 2011 - 01:03 AM

6/10 Recommended to Bond fans, and a good film to watch on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Not great overall though.

Pros:
Freddie Young's photography is simply gorgeous, and the whole film takes its time on locations, giving a nice travelogue feel
Long before Bond films put unbelievable women spies opposite Bond and trumpeted about how they were "Bond's equal" when they clearly were not, Aki was a very competent and likeable female sidekick for Bond, without all the trumpeting.
John Barry's score is as lush as Young's cinematography, and a joy to listen to.
Lewis Gilbert stages good action, from an excellent fight between Bond and a much larger enemy in a confined office to a climatic battle in a hollowed out volcano between Blofeld's men and ninjas. The whole thing is pretty trippy sometimes and doesn't make much sense, but it's done with panache.

Cons:
While Connery is perhaps not as bored as people sometimes claim, he's neither the focused agent of his first four pictures nor the delightful jokster of his last two. He does okay, but he seems a little lost in the madness around him.
There's a reason why this movie is the Bond film most often parodied - it's totally ludicrous. If you're in the right mood and not inclined to be too critical, it's a fun watch, but if you're looking for something more substantive from your Bond films this one will disappoint you. Hollowed out volcanos, ninja armies, deadly toy helicopters and secret agents who just happen to carry around bulky safe cracking equipment in their jacket pockets not only strain credibility, they don't even try to be credible in the first place! And while I'm not one of those people who thinks Bond films should always imitate Fleming, having at least a little connection to Bond's creator would be nice. Neither Lewis Gilbert nor screenwriter Roald Dahl seems to have even read Fleming before, judging by the product they put on screen.

All and all, an entertaining improvement over Thunderball, but by no means a great movie.

Edited by right idea, wrong pussy, 15 July 2011 - 01:05 AM.


#77 DaveBond21

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Posted 17 August 2011 - 07:07 AM

he was the best as this cold Himmleresque character whom you really felt would be the guy behind this global evil organization.

I could buy Savalas's cultured thug portrayal, but the bald midget in a Mao jacket? Are you joking? B)



Well we should remember that Pleasance was a replacement for Jan Werich, who, with his beard and full head of hair, would have made a much better Blofeld.

However, nothing beats just hearing his voice, and the worried look of his subordinates as in FRWL and TB.

-

#78 Miles Miservy

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Posted 17 August 2011 - 03:52 PM

The concept of YOLT, for it's time was pretty cool. We can forgive the cheesy special space effects. If there was any one flaw the film could've done without, I'd have to say it was the lava flow upon the destruction of Blofeld's lair. I admit, when I was a kid, it was amazing to see, but as I got older, the scene just beckons the question, "Really??? Seriously???"

#79 Andy Bond

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Posted 15 February 2012 - 03:35 PM

The most parodied of the Bonds and for good reason. It's still decent entertainment but if you actually sit down and think about it, it is quite flawed. It lacks any truly memorable characters and the story just takes elements from the previous four films really. It is very over the top and was the first indication of the campy nature the films were going to have going into the 70's.

The middle stretch, with Bond going undercover and ''becoming Japanese'', is pretty awful and definitely takes the film down a notch. This is also the film where Blofeld is finally revealed too. I remember loving the fact that he was finally revealed when I first watched this as a kid but in truth, the reveal is a letdown Pleasance doesn't really have the required menace for the role.

6/10.