Watched Thunderball the other day. Incredible. Would’ve loved to have seen it on the big screen. Although lots of it takes place under water, it never gets boring.
1 Like
Saw it on the big screen a couple of years ago …wow it was stunning
I just watched Goldfinger the other night, so it has to be Thunderball next
1 Like
I’ve decided to watch FRWL when I finish work tonight
1 Like
In the mood for something totally bonkers… gonna watch Casino Royale '67 tonight…
1 Like
I succeeded in watching Spectre for only the second time ever this past weekend. I’ve owned the Blu-Ray since it was released and honestly have never once felt the urge to revisit it. I walked out of the theater thinking it was a disjointed mess. So, it was with some degree of relief and surprise to discover that it was not nearly as bad as I’d remembered on a second viewing. In fact, I genuinely enjoyed the vast majority of it right up until Bond’s escape from Blofeld’s desert lair, at which point it completely fell apart for me. From the ridiculously easy escape from what appears to be a grand total of 5 guards, all of whom are dispatched at great distance with simple shots, to causing the entire installation to blow up with a few simple shots to taking down a helicopter in flight with a pistol while riding in a speeding boat on the Thames, everything plays out like lazy fan fiction. Such a sad way for a decent but flawed entry to end. I mean, what were they thinking? Anyway, glad I re-watched it finally and happy to have enjoyed the majority of it.
3 Likes
Indeed! It’s as though an entirely different team of writers and crew of tv-movie hacks made that final act, since most of which precedes it is generally pretty classy…!
Here’s a theory that just popped into my head - it’s all about the budget:
Spectre originally ended with the escape and destruction of Blofeld’s lair, but done in much grander fashion with far more guards and obstacles to overcome for higher levels of plausibility and the requisite nod to realism expected from Craig’s Bond. Blofeld escapes and there’s a short epilogue in London with the humiliating arrest of C and Bond’s retirement/marriage (more class, less melodrama)
However, a feeble minded Hollywood Exec demanded more for their money - ANOTHER ACT, DAMMIT!!!
The budget was about to balloon out of control… Something had to give.
So in order to financially facilitate another ‘blockbuster’ final act after the desert lair final act which already existed in the script, they had to curtail the desert finale and destruction of Blofeld’s lair severely.
Hence we get 5 guards and a very large explosion.
2 Likes
The original finale (in pounding rain, with Irma Bunt attacking etc.) was already set in London in previous script versions but considered too pricey, so everything had to be scaled down. Way down.
Also, Q was captured in Austria and Bond had to escape with him from a torture chamber in the lair. Which makes much more sense than Q´s easy escape in Austria.
One day, Charles Helfenstein should be allowed to write a “Making of Spectre”- book in which the thinking behind all these chances could be revealed.
3 Likes
Wow, thanks for the info - the complete opposite to what i suggested, then 
Bunt in the rain sounds superb. I’d love to have a gander at that script!
1 Like
I wound up watching Never Say Never Again the other day… Once in a while I will give it a view though its by no means my favorite. It has it’s moments.
It’s nowhere near as bad as fans say. Klaus Maria Brandauer does a fantastic turn as Max Largo. And it’s interesting now to compare its “new” M taking over MI6 to Judi Dench’s M and Ralph Fiennes’. Before SPECTRE, I used to think NSNA made a nice followup to Skyfall.
1 Like
After reading The 007 Diaries: Filming Live and Let Die, it will definitely be LALD next up for me 
Oh I definitely loved Barbara Carrera and Klaus Maria Brandauer as the villains. Wasn’t such a fan of Edward Fox as “M” though…too grumpy for my taste! LOL.
1 Like
Skyfall
Bond 25.
1 Like
I think you’re in for an extremely long wait on that one. 
1 Like
Even longer now…
Spectre may end up being my favorite Craig film. It helps that it builds off the previous excellent to good films, it did everything I wanted from a Bond vs Blofeld film despite still not quite nailing the gunbarrel.
1 Like
Reminds me of the original end of Die Another Day featuring a massive battle at the ice palace before Lee Tamahori changed it to the airplane North Korea finale.
Decided to watch TMWTGG–I am on a Guy Hamilton jag have just watched GOLDFINGER.
2 Likes