On Her Majesty's Secret Service

Rating:
Summary: A great movie gets restored to greatness!
Review: Many lambaste this film as an inferior product of the Bond series: I'm personally of the opinion that it is in a dead heat with "From Russia With Love" as the best of this series. George Lazenby does as good a job as he can following in the footsteps of Sean Connery - and is perhaps the only Bond actor capable of properly playing the emotion seen at the end of this film. While not the best Bond ever, he does his job capably. Diana Rigg, however, steals the show here as the best Bond girl ever.

But enough about actual content. This DVD version is phenomenal. I'm of the belief that, transfer-wise, it even tops the job that MGM did with "Goldfinger". The movie looks ten years old instead of the thirty-one it is in actuality! I say this with authority as I am the owner of the rather sub-par 1992 VHS pan-and-scan version of this film, and the DVD version is like watching an entirely different movie! Plus, MGM has done the usual fine job of packing in great extras (trailers, radio spots, television adverts) that make splurging on these DVD versions very worthwhile.

If you've passed on this movie before because of Lazenby, give it another go...this is Bond at his best (and there is none better)!

Rating:
Summary: Good movie. . .
Review: On Her Majesty's Secret Service would have been a great movie- if it was a bit shorter, and it didn't have a sad ending... oh well, don't want to spoil it for you. Also, I hated the jarring camera angles. In fights, and other exciting scenes, the camera angle will change about 5 times in 5 seconds.

The movie is really exciting. A lot of people will love the ski and car chase through the alps, which takes about 1/2 hour. Other great scenes are the bobsled chase, and the fight at the beach at the beginning.

It's a great movie- if you have a lot of time.

Rating:
Summary: BEST BOND AFTER GOLDFINGER AND SPY WHO LOVED ME
Review: On Her Majesty's Secret Service emerged as one of the best of the series after its disastrous debut. George Lazenby had the bad luck to be the first to replace Sean Connery, and the only actor after Sean to be a complete unknown when he took over the role. Lazenby seems to be an awkward Bond in the movie's first half hour...but eventually he seem to grow into it (it is as if they were filming the movie in sequence). The film itself is helped by a great storyline and script (which actually delve deeper into Bond's relationship with M and Moneypenny), Peter Hunt's direction, John Barry's rousing score, a great supporting cast in Angela Schoular, Ilse Steppat, Gabriele Ferzetti, and Telly Savalas. But special mention must be made to the great Diana Rigg. She can actually make you beleive that Teresa di Vicenzo can actually steal James Bond's heart. One critic said that every time when they try to make Bond more human, it doesn't work. Well, she was WRONG. One of the complaints about OHMSS was its excessive length, but it is neccessary because of the storyline regarding Bond's relationship with Teresa. It need time to develop realistically and the film more than deliver it. The end is touching... almost uncharacteristic. Sometimes you may have to remind yourself that this is a Bond film. It is my favorite Bond film after Goldfinger and The Spy Who Love Me. I am glad to see that years later, this movie has been reconsidered and vindicated.

Rating:
Summary: The best James Bond movie?
Review: That George Lazenby didn't want to be Bond in the midst of the hippie era--well, who could blame him? The pity is that he wasn't as bad as everyone said--and he starred in the one Bond movie that could have awakened Sean Connery's slumbering interest in Our Hero. This movie duels with Goldfinger as the best of the Bond films--it has a cosmic plot, faithful to Flemings' original; supposedly director Peter Hunt glued pages of the book to the script, or so he claimed. It has Diana Rigg and a classic ski chase, and a magnificent villain's lair in the Swiss alps. John Barry's score is the most dramatic in the series...I've always considered this one of the most cinematically beautiful films I've seen and I can't wait to see the DVD version.

Rating:
Summary: This Never Happened to The Other Fellow
Review: George Lazenby's brief outing as 007 is wonderful. Lazenby is mediocre as Bond, but does have an admirable quality, which is necessary of Bond. This film sets off at a fast pace, and keeps your attention until the tragic end. Although there were a few more locations, atop a Swiss Alp was where half of the film takes place. The terrain was taken advantage of by the film crew, to provide for great stunts.(not to mention beautful scenary)This time around, 007 faces his arch-enemy Ernst Stavro Blofeld. (excellently played by Telly Savalas)His enemy is planning to poison the world's food supply, with the help of his "Angels of Death" and Irma Bunt. (Wonderfully played by Elsa Steppat, who died shortly after filming) Bond foils Blofld's plan, and begins to show a love interest for Diana Riggs "Tracy", they marry, and it provides for a tragic ending. This film was not well-recieved by the general public, but to a die-hard fan, is one of the best in the series.

Rating:
Summary: One hit wonder
Review: OHMSS is a unique Bond film in many way's. Firstly we have a new Bond ( as Connery retired from Bond temporarly) in the form of George Lazenby. Lazenby in his first ever acting role does a grand job as Bond, not due to his acting ability but to the fact that he has the right look of Bond (more so than Roger Moore, but that's not saying he wasn't a good Bond). Lazenby had the luck of having a good script and director in the form of debutant Peter Hunt. But even great action scenes couldn't stop this Bond film doing poorly at the box office in retreospect to previous Bond films but cast and crew at least have the comfort that they made one of the best Bond films ever.

Rating:
Summary: UNQUESTIONABLY, ONE OF THE GREATEST ACTION FILMS EVER!
Review: "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" is perhaps the most seldom seen of the Bond films. A sadly ironic observation considering it's such a superbly-crafted, white-knucke thrill ride that stands out high above even the best films in the Bond series. Unless, you are a die-hard fanatic of "Goldfinger" and Sean Connery, I can't imagine how any action fan could not be dazzled by "OHMSS". I strongly disagree with those who say that Connery's absence prevents this from being the best Bond film of all time. This is a different Bond film than the others, so it requires a diffferent Bond. Surprisingly the film makers used Connery's absence to take great risks with the series. We see Bond rebel against his orders from "M"; Bond decide to retire from the Secret Service and get married; Bond, finding himself being chased by killers and getting scared; and - the most shocking change of all - the film's tragic ending. As unpopular as this opinion is, I think George Lazenby actually works in this movie. He's certainly better than Roger Moore and the awful Timothy Dalton. Lazenby, for one, is the most muscular of all the Bond's (The guy can really throw a punch.). Lazenby, the actor's, huge ego begins to slip sometimes which helps when Bond finds himself in over his head. And I could not believe Connery playing a Bond who falls in love with one woman and become saddened by her death. I perceive, Lazenby as the Bond Ian Flemming intended. Lazenby was a male model; so, he looks like the kind of guy who would pose for the cover of one of Flemming's books. And like Flemming's Bond, Lazenby's Bond is flawed, which creates tension; because he's imperfect we root for him when he get's in deep trouble. But, even if you dislike Lazenby, this picture is so well-crafted in every department, it hardly matters. Peter Hunt, rapid-fire action direction blows it's predecessors away, and can be seen as an influence on action films to come. The score is terrific from the pulse-pounding theme to romantic chords of "We Have all the Time in the World". The cinematography is positively top-notch, (get the widescreen version.). The screenplay is one of the most intelligent of the series. And the performances by Bond's love interest, ("The Avenger's" Diana Rigg.), and Telly Savalas, (giving the only realsitic performance of Blofeld.), are terrific. What I love about this film is how Bond is driven by motive, first by duty to his job and then by love for the woman he falls for, Tracy. I love the way the picture breaks into an exciting action scene unexpectantly and then creates a nervous tension when things are quiet. As soon as Bond begins his escape from Blofeld's fortress, it leaps from one incredible action scene to the next. At times, the action appears to stop and then leaps into another exciting set piece. For example, Bond escapes down the mountain on ski's with Blofeld's guards in hot pursuit, when Bond loses them and re-unites with Tracy, he asks her to pull over to a phone booth so he can contact London; As soon as Bond picks up the phone, he is shot at by machine-guns and has to escape in a dazzling car-chase. When, Tracy is captured during an avalanche and Bond escapes and returns to London, he is only seen in his office for about a minute before he returns to Blofeld's fortress with a fleet of helicopter's ready to blow the place up and get Tracy back. This is an amazing action picture! And, at last, it has arrived on DVD. If you cannot get the DVD, then make sure you get the "letterboxed" VHS tape. Hmmm...on second thought, just see this movie!

Rating:
Summary: On 'Her Majesty's Secret Success'
Review: The reviews of 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' generally agree on the following points: (1) That George Lazenby as James Bond does not match up to his predecessor, Sean Connery; (2) That Telly Savalas was an odd casting choice for the role of Blofeld; (3) That the action sequences in the film are without equal across the rest of the series, and; (4) That many Bond fans, for whatever obscure reasons, consider this to be the best James Bond film ever made.

The reasons for this film's popularity with these aforementioned fans may not be as obscure as many critics think. The action scenes are a success primarily because they seem real, and--as far as such things can be--they are, because George Lazenby actually performed most of them himself. Though his dialogue may be unconvincing at times (after a near-death experience, we might all crave a stiff drink, but few of us would care whether it was shaken or stirred), it is nevertheless consistent with the rest of the series. Those who say Lazenby wasn't 'British' enough fail to acknowledge that Connery's accent was often suspiciously reminiscent of a person of his Scottish background. If we are now suddenly expecting a 'fautless' English accent, perhaps we should consider casting Gwyneth Paltrow in the title role.

Criticisms of Telly Savalas as Blofeld are similarly inconsistent. Savalas at least was as bald as his predecessor, Donald Pleasance, in 'You Only Live Twice'; whereas Savalas's successor, Charles Gray, who played Blofeld in 'Diamonds are Forever,' sported a full head of hair. No matter, Blofeld is not a hairstyle, or an accent: he is, symbolically, the evil to Bond's good--he is a 'presence'.

'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' is a successful Bond film because it includes all the necessary ingredients that define it within its canon, and is instrumental in the evolvement of that canon by introducing a new Bond with a new style (one that, it might be added, was borrowed and re-applied with much greater box office success in the subsequent Roger Moore films). It is a 'must-see' Bond film and remains, in the opinion of this reviewer, the best one so far.

Rating:
Summary: My personal favorite 007 adventure
Review: James Bond returns in this 007 adventure, but Sean Connery does not.It is George Lazenby that takes the reins from Connery and takes thehelm. A lot of people found this to be a weak entry into the Bondcollection, but I think this actually strengthens the character of Bond with the marriage of Contessa Theresa DiVicenzo. I reall don't think that Sean Connery could have portrayed Bond the way Lazenby did. Every Bond actor brought something fresh to the role, and Lazenby brought out the softer side of Bond. ...... Most people don't like Lazenby's portrayel of 007, but I am forced to agree with other people that George Lazenby did a great job. I can't wait to watch the documentary on the making of the movie. I love watching the extras and the discography that are included on each disc. Another thing that I'm looking forward to is the trailer. When watching the theatrical trailer, I get a sense of the media anticipation for the movie in 1969. Another thing I'm looking forward to is the presentation of the movie. I love the widescreen format because it gives you more vista and panaroma, especially the 2.35:1 variation. You get to see more of the action, as you did when the movie was first released.

This is my personal favorite and am awaiting its arrival soon. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a fast-paced action-adventure storyline with James Bond 007 at your service.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I thought that this movie was disappointing, although Lazenby wasn't as bad as some people make him out to be. It was too long, and the casting of Telly Savalas is a puzzlement to me. The only thing I liked about this movie was Diana Rigg. She is great.