26 replies to this topic

[bondfisher007]

Thunderball is the only bond film that I can't finish watching. It drags too long and there is nothing interesting but it's a very popular bond film for some reason. Connery seemed a little bit bored but his performance is fun. Why is it considered popular?

[marktmurphy]

I think I've only watched it a couple of times, to be honest. There are some great bits in there and I think Sean's on his best form, but my goodness there are some slow bits. The underwater parts are, as you say, some of the worst of those.

[coco1997]

Thunderball is the only bond film that I can't finish watching. It drags too long and there is nothing interesting but it's a very popular bond film for some reason. Connery seemed a little bit bored but his performance is fun. Why is it considered popular?

Ironic coming from someone whose last name is "fisher".

[The Shark]

Why is it considered popular?

Cutting edge underwater choreography and photography, breakneck editing, Fiona Volpe, swirling Barry score, Connery at his most effortlessly cool, good farcical humour, nice cinematography from Ted Moore etc...

[AMC Hornet]

I love Thunderball. It's my second-favorite Connery Bond after DAF. I especially love the underwater scenes, and I wish there were more of them.

Why is it considered popular? You had to be there in '65 (I wasn't quite - being only 6 years old at the time - but my brother was and his enthusiasm was infectious (obviously!). TB has all the Bond elements in spades, and wasn't as far-fetched or as fast-paced as YOLT. It had class, sex, action, sex, cutting-edge technology, sex, well-cast characters, sex, John Barry's score, sex...you get the picture. Plus it had extensive underwater photography, which was still a fairly new innovation in film at the time. Only 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) had as much actual underwater footage in it. As that is another favorite of mine, that may have influenced my tastes.

It takes time to tell a story, and I enjoy the Bond experience - I never want it to end. If you like short, fast, action-packed movies where story comes second, there's always TND and QoS. Or try Titan's reprint of the Daily Express' strip comic of Thunderball: all the stuff that 'drags too long' was truncated on account of the McClory vs Fleming lawsuit.

[DR76]

"THUNDERBALL" is a major favorite of mine. My only problem with it were the underwater scenes. Yes, they were tedious. And John Barry's score during those scenes didn't help. However, the movie's last action scene was the Disco Volante fight and I still love it.

[BoogieBond]

Why is it considered popular ? I think its Bond and Connery at their peak. Great dialogue, like a great number of scenes e.g. The fight and jetpack scene, most of the scenes with Fiona Volpe, has a classic casino scene for me with Bond vs Largo. The shrublands scenes are fun. The underwater scenes for me turn this film into exploring another world underwater and make it more epic. I even like the plot setup of stealing the Bombs etc. Like the Domino character and the scene of Bond with Domino and killing Vargas etc. Like the "Breather" gadget, like the location in Nassau. Those are the reasons I like TB so much. TB has great style and its easygoing pace at times is for me a strength.

[Matt_13]

Why is it considered popular?

Cutting edge underwater choreography and photography, breakneck editing, Fiona Volpe, swirling Barry score, Connery at his most effortlessly cool, good farcical humour, nice cinematography from Ted Moore etc...

Pretty much.

[Biggy1954]

The underwater scenes in Thunderball were completely groundbreaking for that time. It was like the Star Wars of the 1960s. The underwater scenes were filmed in a way that had never been done before; the effects are awesome for 1965. I love the cinematography done for the underwater sequences. I admire the film for this reason, and it remains one of my favorite Bond films.

[elizabeth]

I think that exact reason is why I was turned off to TB in the first place. I recall falling asleep during the underwater scenes! But, like they say, everything gets better when you're older. I recently re-watched again, and now it is one of my favorites.

[Chief of SIS]

TB is awesome for one singular reason; harpoons. Thanks to 'Thunderball' every under water action scene in any movie now has everyone equipped with deadly accurate harpooning weaponry and the world is a better place for it.

Besides that, Sharky nailed it on the head earlier. So much going for the film. So many awesome Bond moments. Also, shooting skeet has never been so sweet.

Do not forget though...harpoons...

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

I wouldn't say it's as bad as all that, but I too dislike the lengthy underwater scenes in Thunderball, and it's always been one of my least favourite Bond films on the whole.

[Matt_13]

TB is awesome for one singular reason; harpoons. Thanks to 'Thunderball' every under water action scene in any movie now has everyone equipped with deadly accurate harpooning weaponry and the world is a better place for it.

This too.

[AViewToAPussy]

I believe they fitted electric shock technology to the cinema seats when this was released in '65. It was an attempt to keep the audience awake during the underwater scenes by giving them shocks en masse.

[Agent Leiter]

Why is it considered popular?

Cutting edge underwater choreography and photography, breakneck editing, Fiona Volpe, swirling Barry score, Connery at his most effortlessly cool, good farcical humour, nice cinematography from Ted Moore etc...

The Shark has hit the nail squarely on the head.

When considering the popularity of a film, we must look beyond our own individual tastes. While I love Thunderball I understand why others may not, just as I get the appeal of a film like the recent Avatar even though I very much disliked it myself. While some people may feel Thunderball has a slow pace, it has fantastic atmosphere and presentation, and features great characters. It was the biggest, boldest Bond film at the time of its release and I feel it holds up well today.

If it doesn't work for you I am certainly sorry and hope that, periodically, you may give it other chances... it may grow on you!

[Turn]

Why is it considered popular?

Cutting edge underwater choreography and photography, breakneck editing, Fiona Volpe, swirling Barry score, Connery at his most effortlessly cool, good farcical humour, nice cinematography from Ted Moore etc...

The Shark has hit the nail squarely on the head.

When considering the popularity of a film, we must look beyond our own individual tastes. While I love Thunderball I understand why others may not, just as I get the appeal of a film like the recent Avatar even though I very much disliked it myself. While some people may feel Thunderball has a slow pace, it has fantastic atmosphere and presentation, and features great characters. It was the biggest, boldest Bond film at the time of its release and I feel it holds up well today.

If it doesn't work for you I am certainly sorry and hope that, periodically, you may give it other chances... it may grow on you!

Well said.

Going off of one of these points, something I love about TB is the underwater atmosphere becomes almost a character in the film. Aided by John Barry's music, the undersea world of Thunderball can be alternately romantic and eerie. Like Stromberg says, "There is beauty, there is uglieness and there is death."

One of the key strengths of all the early Bond films was the ability of the filmmakers to take the locations, such as Japan in YOLT, the Iron Curtain countries of FRWL and the snows of Switzerland in OHMSS, and making them more than just a backdrop.

[iBond]

It just dragged on and on and on and the music wasn't helping either.

[bondfisher007]

It just dragged on and on and on and the music wasn't helping either.

is it true that in the 60's thunderball did not have any music in the underwater scenes?

[J B]

Having watched Thunderball the other day, I think the underwater scenes were good enough for me. Yes, at times the film felt like it dragged on a bit long, but in my opinion there is nothing wrong with more Bond screen time. The score by John Barry did help those scenes for me though, as they conveyed a sense of romanticism and danger, mystery and adventure. The ocena fight scene was one that I did feel went on perhaps two minutes too long, but the last action scene on the Disco Volante was a bit better.

[AMC Hornet]

Thunderball inspired a whole subgenre of spy movies in the 60s, which I refer to as the "Beach Blanket Bonds.' There was 'Come Spy With Me' starring Troy Donahue (feature a title sequence ripped off from reminiscent of Dr No's shadow dancing (with a theme song by Smokey Robinson - it's on YouTube) as well as many others filmed in the Bahamas, Malibu and the Mediterranean. There was even one kooky film about making movies which had a scene re-enacting Bond meeting Honey on the beach (and blowing up a mob of Keystone cops with a miniature derringer). There was no end of imitations and homages inspired by this one film; never underestimate its impact on the culture of its time. Although I did not see it myself until 1972 or 73, it made a hell of an impact on me (obviously).

Thunderball Rules!

Edited by AMC Hornet, 19 April 2011 - 03:58 AM.

[00 Brosnan]

Some of the underwater scenes in TB do drag on a little bit longer than necessary, but they aren't all like that. I love Thunderball, it's only slightly edged out by FRWL as far as Connery's Bond films go.

[LTK_(1989)]

With all due respect to Sub-Lieutenant, I do not think that one "had to be there in '65" to appreciate the underwater scenes in TB.

The underwater photography in TB is, in my mind, absolutely stunning. Some of the smoothest, most stylish scenes that I have ever seen - and I was not alive in 1965, in fact I would not be born for another 20 years.


Of course, TB is more than its underwater scenes. Sean Connery is at his most compelling as Bond (I think people project their own boredom onto Connery's very non-bored performance); portraying a confidence that exceeds his showings in FRWL and GF, a toughness that exceeds his DN showing, and a sense of humor that would not be duplicated. Terence Young, with triple the budget of his previous two Bond films combined, crafted a sizzling visual product with a very cool feel that is both epic yet grounded and has a sense of fun as well as danger; definitely a more leisurely Bond adventure but one with style, attitude, and a real character-driven story to tell. Barry's jazzy score only makes a great film even better.

That is why TB is one of my all-time favorite Bond films - but I can only speak for myself, obviously.

Edited by LTK_(1989), 17 May 2011 - 10:01 PM.

[Biggy1954]

Thunderball is the only bond film that I can't finish watching. It drags too long and there is nothing interesting but it's a very popular bond film for some reason. Connery seemed a little bit bored but his performance is fun. Why is it considered popular?

The underwater scenes were incredibly groundbreaking for the time, and they still look beautifully photographed. There was nothing like that in film before Thunderball. This is one of several reasons for why James Bond was the Star Wars of the 1960s. I think Thunderball (although slow at times) has some good things going for it. It has two strong female leads, the death scenes of Fiona Volpe and Vargas are great, and I think Connery was still good in the role. Plus, it was beautifully shot.

Edited by Biggy1954, 20 May 2011 - 06:55 AM.

[iBond]

Ugh, I couldn't stand the underwater scenes in Thunderball. It just went on and on and the music was pretty annoying too. Do Dadadadada dadada dadada Do Dadadadada dadada dadada... I mean, I prefer the underwater scenes in NSNA than TB.

[ROGERJAMESMOORE]

What underwater scenes do it for you then? These Brosnan era kids never have learned the early and best Bond films and what they were made of and what made them great.

[Dustin]

Truth be told, a lot of the appeal of the scuba/underwater scenes in TB was their sheer novelty and exotic quality. You did not have to put a lot of speed into it to make it worthwhile watching. The pacing was deliberately slower, deliberately set off from the rest of the film to give the eye time to revel in the scenery and make it a feast for the audience.

Back in the day Jaques Cousteau, a pioneer of scuba diving, filming and marine research and one of Fleming's personal heroes, made a series of documentaries about his work and they were quite the rage with TV stations around the world broadcasting them at prime time. A splendid success for many years, entirely without a secret agent, a supervillain and atomic bombs hidden beneath the sea. Underwater footage was a sensational device in and of itself.

[00 Brosnan]

What underwater scenes do it for you then? These Brosnan era kids never have learned the early and best Bond films and what they were made of and what made them great.

I'm 24 and qualify as a "Brosnan era kid" and I love Thunderball and can appreciate the underwater sequences. Some of them do drag on a little bit, but overall they are nice to look at and enjoyable.

What's your deal man? Every post you have made so far has been nothing but you complaining and making generalizations about certain actor (Craig & Brosnan from what I've seen) eras and fan age groups. Just makes you seem old & out of touch, bitter, &/or ignorant. You don't even elaborate at all on what you say, you just make bold generalizations in every topic and then click "post."