Review of You Only Live Twice (1967) - The First Swan Song
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- Опубліковано 13 гру 2023
- The first of Connery's three Bond exits (four if you count the 2005 video game), most people think it's the best of the lot. And it often gets roped in with the previous films as being the pinnacle of the series for older fans. Does it deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as From Russia with Love and Goldfinger, or is it a more standard film than those?
Next in the series: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (hopefully before Christmas) - Розваги
I am enjoying your takes on Bond! This film had elements that became iconic, yet the plot, the characters, the situations, etc don’t match up to the set design or shooting location. Except for Blofeld. It would have been a good film for Connery to exit (and not return in 71 or 83). Now you have me stoked for the video on OHMSS and DAF.
TL;DR summary. I love these reviews. Please don't stop making them.
And now, the slog ...
I have a weird relationship with this movie. When I read the Bond novels, this was the *first* one I read. I was ten at the time, and I was sucked in by the characters, all of whom forced me to learn a LOT about World War II just to understand post-WWII global politics. Blofeld's death in the book is violent and awfully described. Fleming's style had me. I wanted more.
The movie was another matter. By the time I saw YOLT, I had seen Thunderball and Dr. No and From Russia, With Love. (Goldfinger was *much* later, unfortunately.) So I saw this movie pre-puberty. It definitely had an effect on me. Unlike you, I loved the soundtrack, and I was grateful for the expanded version that came years later. But remember, it was nostalgia that colored my view of YOLT. I rewatched the movie so many times that it was ridiculous, thanks to being able to record it off of cable. This was one of the first Bond films I memorized line by line. The fight at Kobe docks, the drop of the black sedan into the ocean, and Little Nellie's aerial battle captivated me and my young mind.
I often hear about how bored Connery looks in this film compared to the previous outings, and I sorta see it, but can't fully. I can see Bond looking swamped by all the action near the end, and the gadgets get distracting. I agree with all of your criticisms about the looping/dubbing and the redundant feel of the story. This story has dead zones in it that aren't normal for a Bond film, like Bond's freeing the astronauts or the end battle seeming to go on forever because it was filmed in a way that lent itself to feeling repetitive.
I think you know Mie Hama presented a real production challenge for everyone. She was originally going to play Aki, but her grasp of English was atrocious, and she essentially resorted to emotional blackmail to force the issue of giving her a different role. (She was going to commit suicide to "atone" for not being acceptable for a major role in the movie.) My understanding was that she was also such a sub par swimmer that Connery's wife body doubled for Hama in the swimming scenes. This movie had a troubled production that has its own UA-cam video that deserves a watch.
Your points about the story telling structure are on point, but they are obviously coming from a 21st century reviewer and not a contemporary viewer who would have accepted these shortcomings as part of the overall cinematic experience of the mid 1960s. Things didn't really break out until the following year, and that year was a global sh*t show. I'm amazed creativity wasn't a casualty as well, but that's besides the point. Your listing of the goofs was brief and oh, so welcome. You don't dwell on the negatives; you just note them. It's a huge reason I favor your review style.
Last thing: I went to the cinema in 1978 and saw a different version of YOLT where they played with the opening five minutes before the theme song. The Capsule in Space sequence was shunted to *after* the opening song, and the first thing you saw was a zoom in on Bond dead in the bed in Hong Kong. No additional material, I'm afraid, but they did weird stuff like that back in the days before video recorders and personal computers. It was a savage, wild, wooly kind of world.
I can't tell you what a treat your video reviews are. It's not the subject matter. It's the style. It's the focus of your theses. It's the music cues and the delightful editing. Most of all, you home in on the stuff that's important without sounding like you're parroting another reviewer. Keep it up.
This was my first Bond movie in 67 so I have a soft spot for it great score pretty girls action the volcano set and Little Nellie
Dang, not to comment too early, but I will. YOLT is weird for me- the first four and OHMSS stayed true to Fleming, changing things to fit the screen better. This took so much from the book, just reworking it all into a completely new story. It's one of my favorite Fleming novels, but idk how they'd even adapt it back then. It's a unique, strange yet emotionally charged book where the tone doesn't fit the films at that point.
I take what we got: a beautifully shot, really fun adventure film brimming with imagination and large scale, as well as a great time capsule. I love to show Bond movies to my friends, and YOLT was one of the most fun watches we've had so far. 60s Japan, Little Nellie, the volcano set, the humor, sweeping shots of nature, the origin of Dr. Evil, it was just breezy and fun. Also one of my favorite soundtracks. Connery's presence is still strong enough, even if he's not giving much effort. The positives outweigh the negatives, and to this day it's one of the best looking Bond films. It feels appropriately big, I love M's line "This is the big one", makes the last three Spectre films feel like they were building up to this moment. Probly in the upper middle of my Bond rankings, but always happy to throw this one on.
I noticed that exact shot of Bond on the roof and it zooming out to reveal a helicopter shot. It seems very modern indeed and way ahead of its time, especially as it's so well composed.
EON truly dropped the ball at this stage of the series; they ought to have committed to producing OHMSS then YOLT (namely, both faithfully adapted from the novels). Indeed, Connery would have completed the 'SIX' (4 + Majesty + Twice) and departed from the series for good under that counterfactual !!
*You Only Live Twice* is my second favorite Bond Film, behind *From Russia with Love.* I, for whatever reason, don't notice most of the things you criticize, and absolutely love the things you find positive. Little Nellie is my all time favorite Bond gadget.
One thing I always notice, and wonder about is, when Henderson serves Bond a martini he says, "That's stirred, not shaken, that is right, isn't it?" I have always wondered, was that an error in the script that slipped through, did Gray just muff the line and nobody noticed, or at least the director didn't feel like reshooting the scene over it, or was it done deliberately and we're just supposed to think Bond is too polite to correct him? Anybody have any insights?
I always read it as an intentional joke by the filmmakers.
I'm glad you love this film. One of my favorite things about this series is that there are enough good things in every film that it's conceivable that it's unironically someone's favorite. Continue to enjoy and champion it; it's an enjoyable film.
@@stephenjarvis534 An inside joke, that's very interesting. That thought never occurred to me.
Enough good things up till the Daniel Craig era. he doesn't play James Bond. He plays somebody else with the same name.
My unpopular take is this is the best Connery Bond film
Mine too, hands down. The exotic locale, the awesome volcano lair, and most importantly Aki was phenomenal.
While I agree with all the negatives (and positives) you mentioned, this is still my 2nd favorite Bond film, behind On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
I love the exotic locale, the awesome volcano lair, and most importantly Aki was phenomenal. She's probably tied with Teresa/Tracy as my favorite Bond girl.
Interestingly in both films, Bond is ready to marry the main Bond Girl and it just works so well.
Perhaps Connery's chemistry with her is what makes his performance here so good, despite the negatives you mentioned. But I found it annoying how Aki is so easily forgotten after her death.
I also enjoyed the bad guy music, it fit well with the space scenes and general nature of the volcano/science (fiction) aspect.
I agree the title song isn't the best, although its instrumental pieces throughout the movie work as a great theme.
Great video dude
The theme song is awesome
My third favourite Connery film and when I was young it was one that I really liked, but since my grown-up self prefers Moore and Brosnan this film slips to 10th overall in my ranking. Like you I see more of the holes and strings now than I used to.
Tiger: "my mother always teach me to never get into a strange car with a strange woman..but you mr Bond will step into anything with any women.."
After Goldfinger, this is the Connery film I return to the most. Sure it’s riddled with flaws, but that Volcano set and Pleasence as Blofeld are just outstanding!
Thew Best of all the Bond movies was "From Russia with Love" !
@@HartmutJagerArt In quality, it’s certainly one of the best. But when I want a quick, fun, wham bam Bond Movie FRWL is one of the last movies I will pick up.
@@rhysalexander182 I can certainly understand that. Some of the Bond films I'm mostly likely to watch are often not even my favorite from that actor.
I prefer Pleasence in the role of Henderson. Ηis murder would not be true - like Bond in Hong Kong - and in the volcano he would say that he is Blofeld's half brother. This would explain why Bond and Blofeld doesn't know each other in O.H.M.S.S.
They should have got Yul Brynner to play Blofeld in You Only Live Twice, On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Diamonds are Forever and Sean Connery in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. THe series would have turned out better during Connery's reign as James Bond.
Now do every "James bond theme song" ranked. It's the ranking no one is talking about and i desperately want to see.
Plus how about ranking of major James bond's allies and their deaths. Depending on how they were written and portrayed and how important were they in the movie
Well, you're somewhat in luck.
A ranking of the versions of the Bond theme will be one of the first videos next year. I also plan on doing the Bond Allies, though I'm still trying to decide the criteria for who counts in that category.
@@stephenjarvis534 If your song ranking doesn't have Nobody Does It Better, The World is Not Enough and You Know My Name filling the top three, you aren't being serious 🤣
@darcyj19 Um...I already did that video. I was talking about different versions of the James Bond Theme, like the Moby Remix, Bond 77, and so on.
ua-cam.com/video/kiauTK9uuRc/v-deo.htmlsi=GbaCZPlTGpTIeboD
Be prepared to be pissed, then
Lol😂 Bill Contis version is genius, at least for 1981
@@stephenjarvis534 Hehe. Of course. UA-cam has a habit of not clearly showing what I have and haven't watched. Bond theme? John Barry's treatment in the attack on Piz Gloria in OHMSS.
I agree that Aki and Kissy should have been merged into one character. I also thought that Magda and Octopussy should have been one character.
There are many problems in this film. From here, Connery's relationships with producers are getting very bad, and Connery is mentally and physichally tired by Japanese journalists, the distances for the filming and high temperature (he was dehydrated). The Gemini project (U.S.A. spacecraft stolen from Blofeld) was completed in November 1966, seven months before film's premiere. U.S.A. Space Program has been suspended and is being challenged after the tragedy of Apollo 1 in January 1967. Vietnam War and other social problems have led many people - especially the young - to challenge, deny and break with the world that represents Bond. The reason that two years later Lazenby left the role. For viewers they were very innovative effects (deserve Oscar). Many spy films after Bond success, and another Bond film (''Casino Royale'' April 1967). I would prefer Pleasence in the role of Henderson. Ηis murder would not be true - like Bond in Hong Kong - and in the volcano he would say that he is Blofeld's half brother (In novel, Blofeld's father was Polish, and his mother was Greek, hence his Greek name Stavro). After ten years ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' (a remake of Y.O.L.T.) with more attention to details, had also great success. ua-cam.com/video/fCisJExSWs4/v-deo.html
Yeah, last time I watch this one recently I did not like it. I was pretty bored throughout, despite its spectacular production. Definitely the Bond movie that’s aged the worst in certain respects. I think it suffers to be because I don’t really like the supporting characters. Henderson is fun, but he’s only in one scene. Tanaka is cool, but I just got a bad vibe from him. Like Hugh Hefner. And I think Aki and Kissy are basically interchangeable characters. Kissy gets to be a bit cold and professional with Bond when she’s introduced, but that gets dropped pretty quickly. I don’t think she’s even named in dialogue.
Pleasence is my least favourite Blofeld, compared to the camp fun of Gray and the overwhelming charisma of Savalas. Apart from Waltz, a great actor with a bad script. But I definitely sat up when he appeared. Favourite part is probably when he’s meeting his clients. They accuse him of extortion and he responds “Extortion is my business. Now get out of my office.” Baller move.