If there is any reason why Sean Connery wanted out of the Bond series, this is the one. You Only Live Twice, although based -partially- on an Ian Fleming novel, was in short a Bond film that missed its mark. It was for the sixties too incredible a story for a James Bond vehicle.
True, Flemings story was not entirely filmable but some things that were added are simply beyond what was reasonable for Bond at the time. Bond becoming an astronaut was exactly that: Too much. The same goes for Bond : Autogyro Pilot. The entire sequence with the Little Nellie contraption is so outrageous, it would have violated multiple laws in Japanese airspace.
Nevertheless, the film does start with a great teaser opening. Bond is shot dead, apparently and buried at sea. It turns out he is not quite as dead though when he shows up to pick up his orders. The nonsense this film puts him in goes as far as to state : ninja school! For crying out loud, I hear you thinking. Sorry, I was thinking that.
The organisation of Spectre is now seen to man a huge volcano crater set, ingeniously designed by Ken Adam for a ludicrous budget at the time. And naturally, when you mention Ninja School, no it is not the Ninja Turtles who come and help Bond out.
Donald Pleasance had the honor of portraying Blofeld in his first onscreen appearance but Pleasance is ludicrously over the top and sports a ridiculous scar over his face.
Well, there is one good thing. The brilliant music of John Barry manages to save the day and keep this film from being so ludicrous as it pretends to be. Nancy Sinatra sings the title song and makes a good effort of bringing atmosphere in a film that otherwise fails to keep your tongue out of my cheeck. Bleh!
It is also a shame that the technical demands could not keep up with Roald Dahls inance screenplay. The end results is a film replete with shots that make you go Oh No, How Could They? Well, they could and did.
Bad Film, is all I can say.
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten