Red Riding Trilogy with Spiderman, The Govenor and Full Monty's Mark Addy

Again i am on a tangent form my usual fair. As an actor I usually prefer to act in this sort of work than watch. But the three film series, made for BBC 4, was mesmerizing. If you liked HBO's True Detective you will love this.

Four Books by David Peace -  made into 3 TV Movies - are fiction based on true events with added political corruption and organized crime.

WARNING -No gruesome details below BUT if you have issues with torture and grotesque crime scenes - not to much live slaughter moments - this show will give you the creeps. Maybe Nightmares....

MUSICAL NOTES - The 3 movies are a cool musical time machine Dr Who would be proud of... Music/Sound Director deserves credit for perfectly capturing the time. Same true with costumes etc. Filmed on 16mm the films feel they were made 20-30 years ago - in a good way.

Red Riding 1974 We meet the West Yorkshire Police A highly corrupt sort, that make a serial killer and organized crime seem petty. Andrew Garfield plays young reporter on the case of the Yorkshire Ripper (Based on true story). But he pushes some wrong buttons, falls for the wrong girl (Rebecca Hall) and the police clean it all up (including David Morrissey - The Governor from Walking Dead). Spiderman does not have a happy ending in this one... OH And a young boy toy nick named BJ (no idea why) seems to know more than he lets on before scooting away between buildings no normal person could. (OK I know why)


Red Riding 1977 - Not made into movie

Red Riding 1980 - Less movie star driven of the three... Clean Cop Peter Hunter (Paddy Considine - BBC fans will recognize for sure) is sent in to investigate West Yorkshire. This episode feels more like a TV show. BJ Pops up again. Very elusive this BJ. Peter learns that one of the Ripper murders was not by the ripper, but a cover up for police corruption and organized crime... We meet the Reverend laws who appears to be a comfort to the ladies. I suspect more of him. Maybe in the third movie... But you know hunter is getting close. They burn down his house and he is in the lime light. They put a bullet in him and I think either frame him for the murder of another corrupt cop OR frame the dead corrupt cop for Hunter's Murder. Foreign Films are hard to follow. The whole thing is in British...

Red Riding 1983 -  but so far the Governor - David Morrissey as Det Morris suspects maybe with all their corruption that maybe they got the wrong guy for the actual Ripper murders. With the end of the 2nd and beginning of this film we learn that a pact was made by Sean Bean and the Cops years before. When Spiderman killed them all in revenge, cops came in and killed all the witnesses. But a new girls is dead. And there are obvious similarities - OK it is obviously the same guy. A medium (speaker with spirits not average size lady) seems to know too much. This alarms the Governor and another cop. I do not like her chances in this story. Oh this whole time Mark Addy is back to his Full Monty Character but now a solicitor (LAWYER in American) looking into the original killer's appeal.

1/2 way thru MORE TO COME

SADD PSA + Adultery PSA + 1% Sucks + But you gotta have hope = The Great Gatsby The Movie

Forget my overly simplified summary, as i actually enjoyed this movie. however I fear most will miss the true message of hope. Hope that made Gatsby become a criminal to get close to the one true love.

I have a love hate with Baz Lerman. He is the Zefferilli of our time. A man who invented - at least for modern times - the over production craze on stage and film. But too often I feel story is lost amid lavish sets and costumes.  Zefferilli's one saving grace? He himself said "I would give my right arm to be a tenor" - So being a sing - a tenor - I have to give him some props.

Who am I kidding? I love the work of both these two. Just at times they do take things too far.

HOWEVER, all that being said... Baz Lerman made a Great Gatsby that just might get young Americans excited about a true America Classic. A book that is more a lavish painting with words than story anyway.

And the cheese factor associated with a Baz Lerman production is best suited to the Roaring 20s.

And I love the gate way of Queens - a hellish coal mine the rich and powerful have to pass through to get to "Town". A foreshadow of the Great Depression, perhaps. Not too different form how some still must think of Queens today, except now they have high speed boats and helicopters, so they no longer have to slum it on the roads and trains with the rest of us.

I watched this when I had nothing to do, ill with a stomach virus and wanted to hate this movie. but alas, Old Sport, I did not!

I suppose when done well, hyperbole is not horrible...

Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway
Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby
Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan
Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan
Elizabeth Debicki as Jordan Baker
Isla Fisher as Myrtle Wilson
Jason Clarke as George Wilson
Amitabh Bachchan as Meyer Wolfshiem
Jack Thompson as Dr. Walter Perkins
Adelaide Clemens as Catherine
Richard Carter as Herzog
Max Cullen as Owl Eyes
Heather Mitchell as Daisy's mother
Gus Murray as Teddy Barton
Steve Bisley as Dan Cody
Vince Colosimo as Michaelis
Felix Williamson as Henri
Kate Mulvany as Mrs. Mckee
Eden Falk as Mr. Mckee
iOTA as Trimalchio

Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Clip 1

Finally saw this. I had scene the previous episode of SHIELD so i could follow the (loose) tie ins to the movie. And watched the following SHIELD episode the day after watching movie. All ties in neatly. HAIL HYDRA!!!

I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!

I would almost call this Captain American & SHIELD. As this movie is almost as much a Nick Fury and Black Widow showcase.

The introduction of Falcon was a bit odd to me. Maybe they just had too much going on to do it properly. It was sincere and what they did was well done. But will all the elements it was almost more of a Avengers episode than a CA movie. No complaints I loved it...

The movie stops action just long enough to deliver a little story. Very touching scene with the failing Peggy Carter.   Learning about Robert Redford's true intentions... Captain America visiting his own memorial at teh National Air & Space Museum. Guess FLY closed at the big theater finally.

AND the coda / after thought scene in the credits was very bad ass as well...

GO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!

PS One of the coolest things about the movie - not to take anything away from this project - the trailer ofr XMEN. It seems like a lot for a 2-3 hour movie but with 200 million I think they may have pulled off a huge feat. Look AMAZING!!! And with article i just read in entertainment weekly I am totally stoked!!!



http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/04/12/x-men-25-moments/

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - Trailer 1 (OFFICIAL) (+playlist)

Marvel's The Avengers- Trailer (OFFICIAL)

007 The Other Guys

So there have been 4 major Bond actors of note with 3 or more movies to their credit. Here are the other guys - Barry Nelson, David Niven, George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton

1954 CLIMAX - CASINO ROYALE
 CBS Television purchased rights and included in their live broadcast TV anthology style series CLIMAX. Mostly forgotten, this is why Ian Fleming's first Novel was never a movie made by the original production team of the movies. Being an American show, James first screen adaptation was a CIA (Called Combined Intelligence in movie) agent named Jimmy Bond. Felix Leiter of the CIA was named Clarence Leiter from British Intelligence (Makes Sense).

Ducking form assassin fire, Jimmy Bond dodges into Casino Royale, were e meets up with Clarence Leiter. Bond uses his Baccarat genius to defeat Le Chiffre, forcing him to be pushed out of Soviet Spy circles.Bond former girlfrend, Valerie Mathis (Also French Spy of Deuxieme) is on Le Chiffre's arm.

Le Chiffre captures and tortures Bond, looking for the check of his casino winnings. In a final showdown, Mathis frees herself from Le Chiffre using her as a shield long enough for Bond to shoot and kill.

Ian Fleming was approached to write a series based on the character. That  never happened but many lead to books that eventually became movie ideas for the film series.

BOND - Barry Nelson as Jimmy Bond
BOND GIRL -  Valerie Mathis (Linda Christian)
VILLAIN - Le Chiffre (Peter Lorre)
HENCHMAN -
MAIN ALLY -   Clarence Leiter (Michael Pate)
MONEY PENNY -   NA
M -  NA
Q - NA
MUSIC -
BOND TOYS -

1967 Casino Royale

I love this movie. The perfect spoof, this is Pink Panther meets James Bond - well literally. It is total chaos. Truly not a "great" film except it was performed by some of the greatest comic actors of all time. Producer Charles K Feldman (Who obtained rights through a chain events following TV show) had hoped to produce this as a legit Bond film, similarly to the Thunderball deal with Kevin McClory. Unable to do the deal e decided to go with the Satire.

Sir James Bond (David Niven) is the original. The scene were British, American, French & Soviet  "Inteligence"  begs Bond out of retirement is hilarious. The character list alone sounds like a bad joke waiting to happen. He says NO until his mansion explodes. OK.

To fake out SMERSH (Always love that name - thought it was a spoof of SPECTRE until I saw earlier Bond films LOL) there are six fake James Bonds. Evelyn Tremble (Peter Sellers), Vesper Lynd (Ursula Andress - Also Honey Ryder from Dr No), Miss Moneypenny (Barbara Bochet), Mata Bond (Bond's Daughter from Mata Hari - a real spy killed in WW1), Coop (Terence Cooper) and "The Detainer" (Dalia Lavi).

Like the original book (and other movies/TV) much of the movie involves Bond(s) going after Le Chiffre (Played by Orsen Welles - Who turned down playing Goldfinger a few years before, wanted more money) via the card tables, etc.

Bond finds Jimmy Bond (Woody Allen) disguised as Dr Noah. Jimmy is hell bent on biological warfare to make all women beautiful, kill anyone 4'8" or taller.  Jimmy is forced to swallow and atomic pill. During the final Calvary battle, Jimmy burps into explosion. Every on but Jimmy end up in heaven. Jimmy finds himself in Hell.
BOND - George Lazenby 007
BOND GIRL - Vesper Lynd (Ursula Andress)
VILLAIN- Le Chiffre(Orson Welles) James Bond Jr (Woody Allen)
HENCHMAN / MAIN ALLY See above for important castings
MONEY PENNY - Barbara Bouchet
M - John Huston
Q - Geoffrey Bayldon
MUSIC : Burt Bacharat

BOND TOYS - Cigarette Gun, Sleeping Pills, Suped up Suit,

1969 ON HER MAJESTY's SECRET SERVICE
This is one of the best Bond Films. Often discarded as George Lazenby only made one movie, OHMSS has a more realistic tone and amazing villain (Telly Savalas as Blofeld). Lazenby himself was a no name plays the Bond role on the soft side, this allows for greater romantic story line.

Bond falls in love with Tracy (Contessa Teresa "Tracy" di Vicenzo).  Tracy's father, Draco, agrees to help Bond, after Bond turns down large dowry to marry.

Bond finds Blofeld in Switzerland. Looking to retire and become the "Comte Balthazar de Bleuchamp" (Blofeld in French). In order to retire in peace, Blofeld intends to hold the world's agricultural supply ransom, employing his "Angels of Death". These girls are unsuspecting pawns being brainwashed at Swiss Clinic for Allergies to deliver biological agents to various parts of the world.

The ski chase is awesome. With Blofeld leading the henchmen himself - much more hands on as a main villain than in most Bond films. Bond is trapped under Avalanche while Tracy is captured.

While rescuing Tracy and stopping Blofeld, Blofeld escapes in a Bobsled, although severely hurting his neck.

Bond & Tracy get married, but while stopped on the roadside, Blofeld drives by and kills Tracy sitting in his Aston Martin.

I think this is the only movie with a tragic ending or sorts.

When I watched beginning of Diamonds are Forever the first time in order, the opening scene seems more like a neat revenge / clean up form this movie.

BOND - George Lazenby 007
BOND GIRL - Tracy di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg)
VILLAIN- Blofeld (Telly Savalas)
HENCHMAN - Irma Bunt (Ilse Steppat)
MAIN ALLY - Marc-Ange Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti)
MONEY PENNY - Lois Maxwell
M - Bernard Lee
Q - Desmond Llewelyn
MUSIC : John Barry, Love Song "We Have All the Time in the World" has lyrics by Hal David, performed by Louis Armstrong
BOND TOYS - Radioactive Lint (Homing Device), Safe Cracker, Mini Camera,


1987 LIVING DAYLIGHTS
Timothy Dalton was a great Bond, but only made two movies. Roger Moore was 59. "Remington Steele" forced producers to pass on Pierce Brosnan in the 1980s. Legal disputes delayed third filming and Dalton resigned after two - never all that enthusiastic for the role to begin with. LIVING DAYLIGHTS was the 4th most successful Bond film of all time. Dalton may have been one of my favorites due to the serious and gritty character that seemed more believable. Roger Moore was entertaining but that era got more and more silly...

We meet the new bond in a training mission gone wrong. Someone murders 004. Barely surviving Monkey attack (OK I think it was a Baboon), Bond gives chase, landing on army truck driven by assassin. Falling off cliff, Truck explodes as it hits water below, while Bond floats away and parachutes into yacht with Dalton's first Bond Girl.

Bond helps a KGB Officer defect. General Georgi Koskov (Jeoen Krabbe). Disobeying orders, he does not kill the female cellist / assassin. Bond smuggles Koskov out through Trans-Siberian Pipeline. Meanwhile numerous American and British agents are being killed.

Koskov shares that General Leonid Pushkin - new head of KGB - has revived Smiert Pionam (SMERSH S BACK!!! "Death to Spies") but then gets abducted from Safe House. Bond doubts the claims.

Returning to Chech Republic, Bond reizes Koskov's defection was staged when he finds Kara Milovy - te cellist/assassin that is actually Koskov's girlfriend.  Q has turned Aston Martin into Bat-mobile. And the cello case sled border crossing is very amusing!!!
BOND "We have nothing to declare"
KARE "Just the cello" (cello, lo, lo - echo)

Meanwhile Pushkin cancels deals with American Arms Dealer, Brad Whitaker. Pushkin teams up with bond, faking Pushkin's assassination.  Necros kills Saunders with automatic door after he discovers Koskov and Whitaker have financial history.

Kara drugs Bond. Bond escapes capture with Kara in Afghanistan along with Leader of local Mujaideen. At the Height of the Soviet Occupation of Afghanistan, the locals team up with Bond to stop major Opium Shipment.

Bond slips on board cargo plane with bomb. Locals raid Soviet base on horseback. Naked Russians flee as portable outhouse/showers is pulled off its foundation. Bond flys away with plane. Necros slips on board. Bond fights with Necros - while Kara "flies" plane - throws him and Opium out of plane to his death, then throws bomb at Soviets to help locals win battle. The whole thing is very Indiana Jones if you ask me - in a good way.

Bond finds Whitaker back in Tangiers. In final gun battle, Bond kills Whitaker with exploding key cain activated by wolf whistle. Pushkin arrests Koskov. Kara gives final concert. General Gogol cameos. Bond awaits in dressing room. THE END

BOND Timothy Dalton
BOND GIRL - Kara Milovy (Maryam d'Abo)

VILLAIN - Brad Whitaker (Joe Don Baker - Later CIA Jack Wade in Golden Eye - Felix Leiter type), General Georgi Koskov (Jeoen Krabbe)
HENCHMAN - Necros - Yet another East German tall brooding type
MAIN ALLY - General Leonid Pushkin (John Rhys-Davies), Felix Leiter (John Terry), Saunders (Thomas Wheatley)
MONEY PENNY - Caroline Bliss
M - Robert Brown
Q - Desmond Llewelyn
MUSIC - John Barry's last Bond score. A-ha co wrote and performed theme song. "Take on me" does not appear in film but would have worked as far as I am concerned.
BOND TOYS - Pipeline Cab, Keychain (w/ Stun Gas, Explosive Charge, Lock Pick), Glasses with Binocular abilities, Boombox Rocket Launcher, New Aston Martin (w/Lasars, Missile, Rockets, Skis, Tire Spikes, Self Destruct)

1989 LICENCE TO KILL
Again another stellar Bond film from Timothy Dalton... I love this movie. It is darker and for more packed with stunts and action fitting a modern film. Benicio Del Toro as Dario and Robert Davi as Sanchez are possibly the best 1 - 2 Bond Villians of all time. Ruthless etc

Bond and Felix Leiter - on way to Felix's wedding - are picked up to help arrest drug lord, Franz Sanchez. Felix and James get back to the wedding just in time, dropping in by parachute.

Sanchez escapes, and his henchmen kill Felix's wife and wounding Felix. Bond goes after his own revenge, but is slowed down by M, who revokes his license to kill. Bond escape British watch dogs and goes rogue.

Bond interrupts a major drug deal by Milton Krest aboard the Wavekrest, stealing the money and destroying the drugs. Flying off with money plane as Krest's Men look for Bond in the water.  With Pam Bouvier (who he recently rescued at the bar) they fly to Republic of Isthmus, where Q sneaks in some toys.

Bond poses as a hit man. His cover is helped when Hong Kong drug cops capture bond along with MI6 agent, Fallon (Not Jimmy, no relation). Sanchez's men rescue Bond.

Meanwhile Milton Cross shows up making excuses about the missing money. Sanchex finds the money in the decompression camber - placed there by Bond - and uses chamber to make Krest explode. Bloody!!!

Wayne Newton is hilarious as the womanizing relaxation expert that is the cover for Sancez's operation, where they convert drugs into gas and show buyers how to extract.

Bond sets fire to the factory with plenty of gas around and drags lead henchman Dario into a shredder.
In a major highway shoot out, Bond chases down Sanchez - fleeing in convoy of gas trucks filled with cocaine mixture. Bouvier fly Bond out in a plane.  Bond takes out three of four trucks before final battle, wit Sanchez attacking Bond with Machete. The truck crashes. Oil is spewing. Sanchez is about to cut open Bond with machete. Bond finds the LIGHTER form Felix Leiter that has a very powerful flame thrower quality. Sanchez stumbles back into gas truck on fire. BIG EXPLOSION...


BOND Timothy Dalton
BOND GIRL Pam Bouvier (Carey Lowell) Lupe Lamora (Talisa Soto)
VILLAIN -Franz Sanchez (Robert Davi), Colonel Heller (Don Stroud), Milton Krest (Anthony Zerbe)
HENCHMAN - Dario (Benicio Del Toro)
MAIN ALLY Felix Leiter (David Hedison) , Sharkey (Frank McRea)
MONEY PENNY - Caroline Bliss
M - Robert Brown
Q - Desmond Llewelyn
MUSIC - Gladys Night performs "License to Kill" Loosely based on Horn line from Goldfinger theme.
BOND TOYS - Exploding Toothpaste, Sniper Rifle Camera, Lasar Camera (Not a weapon, takes Xray photos), Exploding Alarm Clock, Broom with Radio, Felix LIGHTER (Mini Flame Thrower), Manta Ray camouflage,




BOND
BOND GIRL
VILLAIN
HENCHMAN
MAIN ALLY
MONEY PENNY - Lois Maxwell
M - Bernard Lee
Q - Desmond Llewelyn
MUSIC
BOND TOYS


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_James_Bond_gadgets

007 w/ Sean Connery

Here is a short summary of the Sean Connery 007 Movies

1962 Dr. No
Sean Connery first says the famous line "Bond, James Bond" at the Baccarat Table before flying off to Jamaica. This movie introduced and hooked us on a love for exotic places, women and villains. Honey Ryder was the first infamous Bond Girl. Dr. No and his metallic hands, minions and evil plot set the tone for many villains of the 007 future. And we all learned how to put pillows under blankets to let others think we were fast asleep. From experience this rarely works in the real world. But then again giant spiders are not really poisonous and yet this movie is one of many why I am terrified of anything with eight hairy legs.
BOND - Sean Connery
BOND GIRL - Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress)
VILLAIN - Dr No (Joseph Wiseman)
MAIN ALLY - FELIX - Jack Lord
MONEY PENNY - Lois Maxwell
M - Bernard Lee
Q - Peter Burton
MUSICAL THEME - The original :JAMES BOND THEME" written by Monty Norman; Performed by John Barry & Orchestra
BOND TOYS -  .32 Walther PPK (replacing the sissy Beretta 418),  Geiger Counter, Self Destructor Bag, Rolex Submariner,

1963 From Russia With Love
SMERSH (acronym for Spetsyalnye MEtody Razoblacheniya SHpyonov meaning Special Methods of
Spy Detection) always seemed less scary than S.P.E.C.T.R.E. More like the parody version you might find in Austin Powers decades later. Funnier, SMERSH actually existed in Russia in the 1940s. KGB sounds better, no? But put SMERSH against S.P.E.C.T.R.E.... well lets just say you never want to be #2. Ever watch  the History Channel's "Cities of the Underworld?" Well we get a great look at the underbelly of Turkey.

We start to learn of SPECTRE's (can you deal w/o the periods - I can) extensive network of spies and maniacal scientist and megalomaniacs. #1 (Later called Blofeld) puts #3 (Ex SMERSH and one of two inspirations for Frau Farbissina in Austin Powers) in charge. #3 / Klebb sends Tatiano Romanova, followed by Donald "Red"Grant.

SPECTRE is playing SMERSH against MI6. Red Grant kills a Russion Driver. Russia bombs Station T in retaliation... etc etc etc Eventually Bond, w/ Ali Kerim Bey (Turkey Station Chief ) meet up with Romanova and a stolen Lektor (Soviet cryptographic device) and escape the back and forth revenge plots on the Orient Express. Grant attacks, kills Bey, almost kills Bond, but trusty exploding brief case from Q allows Bond to get the upper hand.

Bond & Romanova escape to Venice, where Romanova saves Bond by shooting Klebb dressed as the hotel maid.

BOND - Sean Connery

BOND GIRL -Tatiano Romanova (Daniela Bianchi) Voiced over by Barbara Jefford
MAIN VILLAIN - Rosa Klebb (Lotte Lenya)
PRIMARY HENCHMAN Donald "Red" Grant (Robert Shaw)
BLOFELD (#1) - Anthony Dawson (Petting Cat) & Eric Pohlman (Voice)
MAIN ALLY - Ali Kerim Bey
MONEY PENNY - Lois Maxwell
M - Bernard Lee
Q - Desmond Llewelyn
MUSICAL THEME - "From Russia With Love" by Lional Bart (Bway fans perk up) Sung by Matt Monro. John Barry compsed score based on original Bond Theme - adding that famous THE BOMB IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE music that always proceeds the classic surf guitar licks.
BOND TOYS - Exploding Brief Case of Nerve Gas (Disguised as Talcum powder, AR-7 Survival Rifle, Bug Detector, Camera with hidden audio recorded, pager, radio phone in car,

1964 Goldfinger

This is probably my favorite Bond movie of all time. From the BOND CAR, iconic theme, amazing cast etc etc etc this movie is flawless and it is this movie that guaranteed us a life of Bond that seems endless...
FIRST PRE-CREDIT ACTION SEQUENCE
FIRST MAJOR BOND GADGETS / FIRST Q-BRANCH SCENE
FIRST MAJOR POP HIT BOND THEME
FIRST to truly inspire spoofs and knock offs....
FIRST LAZAR to almost cut Bond in half "I expect you to die Mr Bond!"

007 is on the trail of Auric Goldfinger. After catching Goldfinger cheating at the card table, Bond follows to  Switzerland where we see the first ever BOND CAR. Bond is captured and brought to Kentucky - NO not to be tortured by BlueGrass and Moonshine...

Bond meets and hears the most famous Bond Girl name - Pussy Galore - "OF COURSE YOU ARE!" Still wonder how that made it pass the censors of 1964 LOL

In the US Goldfinger assembles the top Mafia Made Men to break in and rob Fort Knox. Captured, Bond seduces and convinces Ms Galore to get word to the Americans. They break in, the Calvary arrives, kills odd job and saves the day. Trying a last ditch revenge effort, Goldfinger fails to hijack Bond's plane and gets sucked out the window. Decompression really sucks...

BOND - Sean Connery

BOND GIRL - Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman)
MAIN VILLAIN - Goldfinger (Gert Frobe)
PRIMARY HENCHMAN Oddjob (Harold Sakata) and his famous deadly hat
MAIN ALLY - FELIX - Cec Linder
MONEY PENNY - Lois Maxwell
M - Bernard Lee
Q - Desmond Llewelyn
THEME MUSIC - CLASSIC SCORE/SONG by John Barry sung by Shirley Bassey
BOND TOYS - Astin Martin DB5 - THE ORIGINAL BOND CAR w/hubcap slashers, ejector seat, bulletproof shield, Machine Gun, Smoke & Oil Slicks - Inspiration for Spy Hunter!!! Dry Tuxedo in dry wet suit, homing beacon, Exploding Attache Case (AGAIN!), Signature Rolex,

1965 Thunderball
Movie open with possibly the funniest of all PreSequence scenes as SPECTRE #6 attends his own funeral in drag (as his own widow). Men in dresses make funny action sequences if you ask me... Might be my least fave of the Sean Connery 7. But unlike most I love the underwater sequences...

On forced vacation (by M) at health clinic , Bond stumbles onto SPECTRE operatives having Angelo (SPECTRE henchman) transformed via plastic surgery to become Francois Derval, French Pilot for NATO. Angelo - as Derval - hijacks a plane (Avro Vulcan) equipped with Nukes.

In the Bahamas, Angelo lands plane on water. Emilio Largo (#2), kills Angelo (trying extort more money) and recoups the bombs and hides plane. Most of the rest of the film as Bond with Felix and crew looking for plane & bombs, while trying to avoid SPECTRE henchman, fast driving killer woman, Mardi Gras type parade and sharks.

Climax features famous underwater battles of CIA Calvary and Largo's team. Complete with harpoon guns, knives, underwater submarine tanks and more.

Largo nearly escapes in his hyper speed boat that ejects from larger yacht (I always watch this and expect to see the scene where Bond & Bond Girls are dragged over coral reef - but that is years later with Roger Moore). Bond sneaks on board, Domino kills Largo, and they both jump off just in time before boat explodes into island chain.... Bond and Domino are flown away by tow line this time.

BOND - Sean Connery

BOND GIRL - Domino Derval
MAIN VILLAIN - Emilio Largo AKA #2 (Adolfo Celi) Voice Dubbed by Robert Rietty (This seems to happen a lot in Bond Films WTF?) - OH AND Kevin McClory - producer that made it hard for us at times to get even more Bond. (Just to see who is really reading and paying attention LOL)
PRIMARY HENCHMAN Fiona Volpe  (Luciana Paluzzi)  & Vargas (Philip Locke) who is killed way to easy considering he gives up "alcohol, smoking and sexual intercourse" to focus on being a killer
BLOFELD (#1) - Anthony Dawson (Petting Cat) & Eric Pohlman (Voice)
MAIN ALLY - FELIX - Rick Van Nutter
MONEY PENNY - Lois Maxwell
M - Bernard Lee
Q - Desmond Llewelyn
THEME MUSIC -  Music by John Barry; Additional Lyrics Don Black; by sung by Tom Jones - not unusual at all if you ask me
BOND TOYS - Rocket Belt, Astin Martin in Opening Sequence now with Water guns, Underwater Camera / Geiger Counter, Under Water breather, Suped up jet pack Scuba tank w/spear gun etc, sky hook, distress beacon, flare gun... Homing Pill, Book with hidden audio recorder,

1967 You Only Live Twice
Another of my top 007 faves, this movie is full of action - Starting with James Bond faking his own death and buried at sea... And teaming up with my favorite Bond ally - Tiger Tanaka. Of course script by Roald Dahl had no Chocolate, Peaches or Foxes. Many complain but I love all the cool gadgets including Autogyro attack copter...

Cold war tension is at its height when both American and Soviet space craft disappear. Bond travels to Japan to find the infamous Ernst Stavro Blofeld himself. Until now we have only seen his cat petting and maniacal order giving skills.

Teaming up with Tiger Tanaka, the Japanese secret service leader who assures 007 Japan is not behind the hijackings, Bond investigates Osato Chemicals. Mr Osato orders Helga Brandt to kill Bond. Bond escapes. Aki is killed as they discover Osato's roll in securing rocket fuel. After Bond escapes, Blofeld kills Helga in pool of Piranha.

Bond now pairs up with Kissy Suzuki. Disguised as a Japanese Man (Not to convincingly if you ask me) Bond pretends to marry Kissy. They discover a secret rocket base in the Volcano (possibly the most parodied set of Bond history) housing BIRD ONE. While Kissy alerts Tiger, bond attepmts to sneak onto Bird One. Blofeld captures 007.

With US/USSR On the brink of nuclear war, BIRD ONE closes in on another American Space Craft. Tanakas ninjas attack the mountain. Bond is able to get the hatch open. Ninjas battle Blofeld's private army. Blofeld kills Osata before escaping. Bond fights and kills Hans. (Eat German Henchman perform great with most evil deeds but never quite get the job done wen it comes to 007). Bond hits self destruct button on BIRD ONE. Blofeld activates the base's self destruct button but all get out in time.

BOND - Sean Connery

BOND GIRL - Aki (Akiko Wakabayasi), Kissy Suzuki (Mie Hama)
MAIN VILLAIN - BLOFELD (#1) - Donald Pleasence (first time we see is face)
PRIMARY HENCHMAN: Hans (Ronald Rich), Mr Osato (Teru Shimada), Helga Brandt (Karin Dor),
MAIN ALLY:Tiger Tanaka (Tetsuro Tamba)
MONEY PENNY - Lois Maxwell
M - Bernard Lee
Q - Desmond Llewelyn
THEME MUSIC -  Music by John Barry; Additional Lyrics Leslie Bricusse; by sung by Nancy Sinatra Oe of my faves for sure!!!)
BOND TOYS - LITTLE NELLIE - AUTOGYRO - Mini Helicopter with lots of ammo. Ninja stuff, Cigarette Gun, Safe Cracker,

1971 Diamonds are Forever
This movie is totally ridiculous. But every time I want to call it my least fave of the SC 7, I realize the ridiculousness as a certain charm.

The opening sequence has Bond fighting and killing Blofeld Clones. Blofeld drowns boiling in hot mud.
Mr Wint & Mr Kidd are sadistically campy.
Willard Whyte is a bit 2 - dimensional as Howard Hughes type reclusive tycoon (Played by Jimmy Dean)
Turns out Blofeld survived and is pretending to be Willard Whyte, using a device to change his voice.
Blofel uses diamonds for a "LASAR" satelite that destroys Nukes in China, USSR and US. Auction is open to highest bidder.
Final Battle on Oil rig used as Blofeld's base.
Not done yet Witt & Kidd fail to kill Bond in the final scene and die trying.

I enjoy this movie bt it feels more like EON's answer to Casino Royale Spoof.

BOND - Sean Connery

BOND GIRL - Tiffany Case (Jill St John)
MAIN VILLAIN - BLOFELD (#1) - Charles Grey
PRIMARY HENCHMAN: Mr Wint (Bruce Glover) & Mr Kidd (Putter Smith),Bert Saxby (Bruce Cabot)
MAIN ALLY - Felix Leiter (Norman Burton)
MONEY PENNY - Lois Maxwell
M - Bernard Lee
Q - Desmond Llewelyn
THEME MUSIC - Music by Jon Barry, Sung by Shirley Bassey
BOND TOYS - Fake Fingertips/prints, Suction cups to scale wall of casino, Grappling Gun, Gambling Ring (Slots Jackpot guaranteed), Grappling Suspenders, Water Sphere,

1983 Never Say Never Again
Remember Thunderball? Pretty Much same movie. I recently caught second half of Thunderball and thought of this movie's first half...

But as I remember I like this movie better. Bond is once again at health clinic, semi retired. This time, Domino's brother (Domino Derval is now Domino Petachi) is coerced into helping SPECTRE rather than replaced by double. He is given a fake eye to resemble US President to gain access to replace practice bombs with real nukes. They steal the nukes and hold ransom for billions.

Remember that classic scene where Bond pretends to be masseuse?

How about comic relief form Rowan Atkinson as Nigel Small-Fawcett (A penis joke I think)

Fiona Volpe is replaced by Fatima Blush, as the femme fatal. Kills Jack Petachi, captures Bond, demanding he write her as his #1 in bed in his memoirs, gets killed by pen gun.
Emilio Largo is replaced with Maximilian Largo. 3D World Domination Game is pretty cool and a bit ahead of its time.

Bond chases Largo to Bahamas, Nice, North Africa and finally to the TEARS OF ALLA. Calvary once again engages in shoot them out battle with SPECTRE. This time under Oasis instead of under water. Well until Bond fights with Largo.

Domino once again kills Largo. Bond and Domino return to Bahamas. Bye Bye Sean Connery as James Bond.... SINGLE TEAR...


BOND - Sean Connery

BOND GIRL - Domino (Kim Bassinger)

MAIN VILLAIN - Maximillian Largo (Klaus Maria Brandauer)
PRIMARY HENCHMAN: Fatima Blush (Barbara Carrera)
BLOFELD (#1) - Max Von Sydow
MAIN ALLY: Felix Leiter (Bernie Casey)
MONEY PENNY - Pamela Salem
M - Edward Fox
Q - Alec McCowen
THEME MUSIC - Music by Michael Legrand, Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Performed by Lani Hall.
BOND TOYS - Pen Gun, Rolex w/Lasar, Cigarette Case w/motion Sensing Bomb

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_James_Bond_films
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_James_Bond_gadgets