#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 One of the best Bond films ever made. if only they had gotten a better actorConney as Bond was a huge star, so it's actually rather a strange choice to replace him with Lazenby, a model with no experience what so ever when it comes to acting.Lazenby often looks the part, but he is lacking both any kind of acting experience, and that almost natural charisma that Conney had.An Bond, Lazenby is too often trying too hard to act. For instance if there's a shot of him looking at his watch, he's really looking at his watch. All the casual attitude that the character had when being played by Connery, Moore, Brosnan, Dalton and especially Craig is gone.Also, he fails at the "my name is Bond...James Bond line" Delivering it with a huge smile on his face even after just saving a women from drowning...Throughout most of the film Laenby doesnt find the right notes. But there strangely are moments where he does. And it's usually when the film is allowing him to be more human then Connery was. His scenes with Tracey (played to perfection by the stunning Diana Rigg) are uniformly good, and his marriage proposal has a simple earnest nature to it that simply works. Also the almost boyish wave he gives Moneypenny as he goes out for a faithful drive with his new wife. Simply charming. And the final scene feels like a hammer blow, partly because of Lazenby.He had a down to earth quality that, in a few scenes at-least, made up for not quite having the sardonic charisma of many of the others. He's more convincing being vulnerable then Conney or Moore would have been.Sadly it's not quite enough to pull him though this whole film. But if he had done more films, he might have improved...Diana Rigg is outstanding as the difficult, petulant Tracy. Stunning to behold, like most Bond girls, but with actual depth as a character. Here sudden appearance where she basically saves Bonds ass is excellent, and for the first time the death of a Bond girl actually has an emotional impact. Diana Riggs Tracy Bond remains one of the best characters from this 50+ year old series of films. Virtually unmatched till decades later by Eva Green.Peter Hunt worked as an editor on several Bond films before being promoted to director. This film looks amazing. Taking place mostly in the alps it truly has some sumptuous visuals. Hunts experience as an editor is significant in the fight scenes. OHMSS really puts the boat out and goes for a highly stylized way of shooting and editing. Not only is the footage slightly sped up and deliberately cut very fast. Often the actors (stuntmen) exaggerated their movements in the fight scenes. Sp punches are pulled with huge strokes. If a baddie is jumping at 007, he's really jumping at him etc.This style if fight scene could have looked comical, yet for some reason it doesn't.Sadly taut, hard hitting fight scenes would become much rarer in subsequent films.Telly Savalas takes over the role as Blofeld. Playing him rather as a hood then an aristocratic super villain. Bond and Blofeld being played by different actors only partly disguises this films huge continuity error, the biggest in the series. Both characters already met in the previous film, yet Blofeld doesn't recognize Bond.Savalas isnt much worse or much better as Donald Pleasance.Like Felix Leiter, Blofeld is an essential Flemming character that the films never did justice. Perhaps SPECTRE will.The stunts in this film are top notch. The first ski chase of the series is still one of the best. And the stock car race is exhilarating. Always ashamed to see so much obvious back projection though.John Barry delivers one of his most sumptuous scores for the series. His instrumental main theme is fantastic, and the song "We Have All Time In The World", while not being much like a traditional Bond song is still marvelous in the way the orchestra gently supports Louis Armstrong raw, yet silk as honey voice.I do feel Barry made a mistake blaring out the Bond theme loudly after the depressing finale. But otherwise another sterling effort.OHMSS is the last film to be truly faithful to it's corresponding novel. Though with some additional action scenes. Ironically it's the first of the books Flemming wrote when the movies were actually starting to be made. Not even Casino Royale would stick this close to the source material (essentially the first half of CR has almost nothing to do with the book).People often say that OHMSS would be the best Bond film if it has Connery in it. Bit the very fact that this film was made the way it was is because Connery left the role.So it's an eternal catch 22.I'm also not sure if Connery's Bond would have been as convincing in the few moments where 007 is vulnerable, and in love.Watching OHMSS I started thinking how much this film seems suited to Daniel Craig's interpretation of the character!Daniel Craig is James Bond 007 in Ian Flemming's On Her Majesty's Secret Service!That would have made this film perfect!As it is it's still a rather excellent ***1/2 out of **** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 On Her Majesty's Secret ServiceInsightful review! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 What do you mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,378 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 At the time he wrote that, your main post did not have a review in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bespin 8,484 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I love all the Sean Connery JB movies... and this one.Very good :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 At the time he wrote that, your main post did not have a review in it.Really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,378 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 Anyway, have you seen this movie Jason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,378 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I think I saw most of it in college, but I don't really remember anything about itMarcy and I are making our way through the blu ray box. We've seen the first four now, so have one more to go before getting to this one. I neglected to write about any of them so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeping Strings 2,365 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I wonder what sort of 70s Bond films we would've had if Lazenby had stayed on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bespin 8,484 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I wonder what sort of 70s Bond films we would've had if Lazenby had stayed on? As ridiculous as they actually are, but at least played by a real man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Hilary Bray 235 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I wonder what sort of 70s Bond films we would've had if Lazenby had stayed on? Hard, tough, Bond. Sweeping Strings 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 Do hard, tough men really stare at the Playboy centerfold and steal it from the mag for later use?Maybe in the 60's that scene looked suave, but these days it just screams "wanker"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Why doesn't the hard, tough Steef tell us what he does with the centerfold? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I wonder what sort of 70s Bond films we would've had if Lazenby had stayed on? As ridiculous as they actually are, but at least played by a real man.There's no way DAF would've been as silly and campy as it was if they continued the OHMAHMAS way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 DAF is where things really started to go wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 As much as I enjoy it and it's one of my favourite Connery Bond films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeping Strings 2,365 Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Yeah, those who don't like the overt emphasis on campy humour often blame the Moore era for bringing it in. But it starts with DAF. Sir Hilary Bray 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 DAF is actually more camp then some of the Moore ones. With Willard Whyte, Bambi and Thumper, a moon buggy and those ridiculous gay villains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 But damn it's a cheeky fun movie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 It's quite fun, yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeping Strings 2,365 Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 DAF is actually more camp then some of the Moore ones. With Willard Whyte, Bambi and Thumper, a moon buggy and those ridiculous gay villains.Not forgetting the pose Connery strikes when being searched in the pre-credits sequence, his pink tie in the Bambi and Thumper scenes, or Blofeld in drag! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 The drag was a low point!How did Tifanny even know about Blofeld and his cat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,556 Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 "OHMSS" has the best Bond-score ever. This point is not - repeat not - up for discussion! Sir Hilary Bray 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 Right buddy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 It ends with a punch to the gut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I found Tracy irritating in the first half of the movie, but after she reappears at the skating ring, she's pretty damn awesome throughout the rest of the film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Hilary Bray 235 Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Tracy coming to the rescue at the rink must be one of my favourite if not top-3 moments in a Bond film. Much like in the book. Bond running for his life and there comes this angel to his aid."What about someones way of saying thank you?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 Yes! It also works because Bond seriously looks in danger here. Fatigued, helpless.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeH 768 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 My favorite Bond film and favorite Barry score. Doesn't get any better than this! I just watched it again a few nights ago.Blofeld says that the slip-up of mentioning the Augsburg Cathedrals is what gave Bond away, but does anyone feel like they knew way before that? Fraulein Bunt seemed like she knew something was up from the moment she picked him up at the station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Hilary Bray 235 Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 I sort of figured as I do with the book, that Bond was surely rumbled before the cathedral slip. In the book Bond sees Blofeld and seems confused as to whether it really is him but is certain it is and surely in the film Bond would be the same. So, I always figured Blofeld had the same thing -"That's James Bond, spectacles and fake voice notwithstanding".Blofeld effectively had Bond at his whim once he got to Piz Gloria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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