8 replies to this topic

[Richard]

Although I remember the Bond films in the 1960s, my parents would not let me see them until I was older. I got some of the toys each Christmas -- the suitcase, a Connery action figure, an Odd-job action figure, a car chase board-game, some trading cards - but I didn't actually see the Sean Connery films until they were re-released as double-features in June and August of 1970. I had such a great time with these double-features that I stayed all day to watch each film twice. I returned to the theater at least three times to repeat the experience. That means I saw each film at least 12 times. The following year, in June and August of 1971, the double-features were back, and once again I spent entire days in the theater cheering on Sean Connery as James Bond. Later I would see the films again at repertory screenings throughout the years, but nothing was quite so special as seeing the double-features for the first time at an impressionable age. This was in the NYC area.

After all these viewings you'd think I could remember which film was paired with which in 1970 and in 1971, but I can't. Does anyone recall? Anyone save the special double-feature posters or the newspaper ad-mats?

In 1973, Diamonds Are Forever was re-released on its second run. The co-feature was On Her Majesty's Secret Service. This was the only Bond film I had not seen, so I would go in for the start of that one, sit through Diamonds Are Forever, and then stay for a second helping of OHMSS. Although Diamonds Are Forever soon became tiresome, I repeated the experience several times because OHMSS really blew me away. It was a powerful experience on the big screen.

[Richard]

Okay, it occurred to me that maybe I should check the supplements on the DVD's. I found part of the answer in the trailers for the double-features. The pairings are:

Dr. No / From Russia With Love
Thunderball / You Only Live Twice

Goldfinger / Dr. No
From Russia With Love / Thunderball

I can't guess which which year or which part of the year.

Richard

[MarkA]

Hi, I grew up on the Bond double features, it is when I mostly saw all the early films. YOLT was the first Bond I saw on its original release. Then after, it went:

Thunderball/Goldfinger
You Only Live Twice/Dr. No

That was the late sixties:
In the early seventies:
Goldfinger/From Russia With Love
Thunderball/Dr No
Diamonds Are Forever/Dr No
The Man with the Golden Gun/Live and Let Die.

All the above films were shown with the newest film first.

OHMSS never seemed to come round again. I saw it once on it's initial release. The second time not until it's first showing on TV in 1978. It was a revelation to me the second time I saw it. I couldn't believe how good it was.

This was in England by the way. Really wonderful times. The Bond's were truly special films then. They were way above the other action films. It will never happen again.

[Col. Sun]

Hi, I grew up on the Bond double features, it is when I mostly saw all the early films. YOLT was the first Bond I saw on its original release. Then after, it went:

Thunderball/Goldfinger
You Only Live Twice/Dr. No

That was the late sixties:
In the early seventies:
Goldfinger/From Russia With Love
Thunderball/Dr No
Diamonds Are Forever/Dr No
The Man with the Golden Gun/Live and Let Die.

All the above films were shown with the newest film first.

OHMSS never seemed to come round again. I saw it once on it's initial release. The second time not until it's first showing on TV in 1978. It was a revelation to me the second time I saw it. I couldn't believe how good it was.

This was in England by the way. Really wonderful times. The Bond's were truly special films then. They were way above the other action films. It will never happen again.

As I mentioned in one of my other posts, I was lucky enough to see all the Bonds on the big screen.

OHMSS being the first at Butlins Holiday camp of all places, I think in 71 or 72.

In '75 there was a Bond marathon at a local cinema (Horley in Surrey, Uk) and each day for a week they ran a different Bond double bill. I recall seeing Goldfinger (for the first time) and OHMSS in a double bill (brilliant pair of films), TB and YOLT, Dr.No and DAF --all in the same week, then a year later or so I saw FRWL and DAF in a double bill in the Horsham ABC Classic. And LALD and TMWGG double bill at the village of Cranleigh, a few miles from Horsham. Great times.

[Turn]

When I was just a little preschool kid, I recall going to Bond double and maybe triple, features with my uncle. I was into Planet of the Apes at that age, but I was always up for a Bond movie too.

I remember the Thunderball-You Only Live Twice one double feature. What stood out for YOLT was the song as I kept humming it for days, the volcano and the scene where Bond kills the fake ninja. My dad went to that one with us. That was in 1970 or 1971 and it seems like it was around Christmas, although I really have no idea. I have the poster from that rerelease, it's one of my favorite pieces in my collection as my wife got it for me for a Christmas present one year.

I thought I recall a triple feature with TB, FRWL and GF, but I could be wrong. I just remember it was at a drive-in.

The double feature that stands out for me is the DAF/OHMSS one, which I saw in the summer of 1974 right after I finished first grade. I didn't really want go at first as I didn't want to miss 'Batman', but I made it in time.

I knew DAF well having seen it when it was new, but I wasn't prepared for OHMSS. The first thing that struck me about OHMSS was why was Kojak the bad guy? The ending hit me hard at that age and I never forgot that.

It wasn't long after that the double features faded away except at drive-ins. Occasionally you'd see a Bond film as the second feature at a drive in, but never as a double feature.

Those were the days.

[DamnCoffee]

I really wish they had more Bond re-releases these days. They're doing it with The Dark Knight.

Imagine a double bill of Dr. No/From Russia With Love and Thunderball/On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. It would be heaven.

[john.steed]

I had already enjoyed the movie OHMSS in December 1969 and the book Thunderball arround the same time. However, it was a double feature of Thunderball and You Only Live Twice that really turned me into a Bond fan. I am pretty sure that this was during my spring school vacation of 1970. A couple months later there was a Dr. No/From Russia with Love double feature. (This was in Boston by the way.)

Whether it was the double features or the new releases, I did enjoy those old days when you stay and catch the films a second time.

[sharpshooter]

Imagine a double bill of Dr. No/From Russia With Love and Thunderball/On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. It would be heaven.

Sure would be. I want to see all those, plus Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice, at the cinemas one day.

[dee-bee-five]

Hi, I grew up on the Bond double features, it is when I mostly saw all the early films. YOLT was the first Bond I saw on its original release. Then after, it went:

Thunderball/Goldfinger
You Only Live Twice/Dr. No

That was the late sixties:
In the early seventies:
Goldfinger/From Russia With Love
Thunderball/Dr No
Diamonds Are Forever/Dr No
The Man with the Golden Gun/Live and Let Die.

All the above films were shown with the newest film first.

OHMSS never seemed to come round again. I saw it once on it's initial release. The second time not until it's first showing on TV in 1978. It was a revelation to me the second time I saw it. I couldn't believe how good it was.

This was in England by the way. Really wonderful times. The Bond's were truly special films then. They were way above the other action films. It will never happen again.

Great memories of my childhood/early teens. I also saw YOLT with DAF. I also, oddly enough, saw DAF and Roger Moore's Gold together (if memory serves, sometimes between the release of LALD and TMWTGG).

Edit: Oh and I DID see OHMSS with YOLT... alhough I can't now recall when it was.