7 replies to this topic

[Kara Milovy]

I'm wondering if there are any really long-time fans here.

I have become very curious about the advertising, promotion, and rumors surrounding the release of YOLT in 1967. Specifically, I'm wondering if the audience knew that Blofeld's face would be revealed. The preview doesn't show it or mention it, but that's to be expected.

I'm wondering if fans knew it was coming, though, if reviews mentioned it, or if Donald Pleasance's role was stated in promotions. Pleasance at that time was a well established actor, and had two rather high profile roles in The Great Escape and Fantastic Voyage. If his name had been mentioned as playing Blofeld, surely audiences would have guessed the rest.

[Turn]

I was only three months old at the beginning of '67, so I can't really speak for Kara's question as far as experience. I will offer a few guesses, though.

I have an issue of Famous Monsters Magazine from that year that boasts on its cover about James Bond's new enemy. Since I am not sure when this mag was released, I don't know if it was any spoiler or anything. As Kara said, there seems little interest in showing who the villain is, and I think that the producers were trying to focus more on the fantasy aspect and give the villain a lesser role. That's why Blofeld's hollowed-out volcano was probably more memorable than he was. Austin Powers and other things have told us we haven't forgotten the Pleasance Blofeld, though. The first four films had great or near great villains to begin with and Blofeld, despite his evil genius demeanor, seems less interesting when not the mysterious figure in the shadows.

There was no internet and few ways of getting information aside from movie magazines or a newspaper story. I doubt anyone really knew or cared unless they remembered the guy stroking the cat. Maybe those who read the books were curious. But the scarred mad scientist Blofeld wasn't much like him.

It seems we are more interested these days in such things as how a character will look in a movie. Remember all that hype a few years ago with the new Godzilla movie with the producers not showing it, and the way it is now with The Hulk.

[Kara Milovy]

Thanks, Turn.

I was six in '67. I am quite certain that the audience found the unseen villain with the cat memorable in the prior films. In fact, if you look at the preview (on the DVD), you'll see this is an important part of the film.

Without the Internet, rumors certainly spread more slowly, but you'd be amazed how much gossip there was. My mother (not a Bond fan), can tell you all sorts of Hollywood scuttlebutt from her youth.

I am going to ask some older friends and relatives, but most aren't Bond fans, and might not have paid attention.

[Paul Keats]

I was around for the very first films. Blofeld's presentation in From Russia With Love was, in my opinion, the very best. I think they made a huge mistake when they gave him a face. The ominous voice, hand with SPECTRE ring and Persian cat were all I needed to know about him. I think Donald Pleasance was a great actor but NOT a very threatening Blofeld. Just one more reason why I thought FRWL was the best of the movies.

[[dark]]

The linear notes in the Best of Bond CD has a list of the various rumours surrounding the release of You Only Live Twice, all of which turned out to be true in one way or another.

May or may not be an accurate source, and it may or may not help, but thought I'd point it out.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by Kara Milovy
I was six in '67.  

Our birthdays are only seperated by less than 4 months, so don't worry about it my Dear.

In '67 I was living on a rubber plantation in the middle of the Papua/New Guinea jungle with only shortwave radio to entertain ourselves.

Watching topless native girls walk past our landing all day was my only true recreation in those days. I had to wait another seven years before I discovered anything about that chap Bond.

The fact that Blofeld was to be fully revealed inYou Only Live Twice is an intrigueing way to see how the campaign was conducted. If they used the same ploy as they did with Lazenby (ie: blacked out face, sillouette, etc) I wonder how differently the On Her Majesty's Secret Service campaign wouldv'e been.

[Kara Milovy]

That liner notes tip is very helpful!

btw, both my father (a Bond fan) and my ex-boyfriend (10 years older than I) agree that there were no rumors at all about Blofeld being revealed. Memory is a funny thing, though, I'll look for those liner notes.

[kevrichardson]

Kara Milovy i was also 6 years old . Still You Only Live Twice was my first James Bond Film with my father . I still have good memories of that time and of the film. YOLT was the first Bond soundtrack i got as a gift . The film would have been more intresting had the Original actor chosen to play Blofeld stayed .