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On Her Majesty's Secret Service

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An underappreciated gem
Review: This is one of the most underrated films I've ever seen. OHMSS is much better than almost all of the other Bond films. Its reputation suffers mainly because it was George Lazenby's only Bond movie. Lazenby did a solid job, but he wasn't Connery. (It's to his great credit that there are several moments when he really looks scared; Roger Moore never attempted that.) Too bad for him and the series that he let his frustration with a difficult film and his immaturity cloud his judgment. Rigg is outstanding as the doomed wife and Savalas is an excellent Blofeld, the character that inspired Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers films.

The story is mostly down to earth, but interesting throughout (it is a little long, but it's hard to find a scene that should be cut). A revealing scene is where Bond breaks into a lawyer's safe. This may seem mundane, but when you think about it this is probably more representative of actual spying than what's normally shown on screen. The plot is intelligent with grown-up humor.

Not that the movie is lacking in thrills. The skiing was performed by Olympic caliber skiers, and it shows. The film pioneered new photographic techniques to capture the action. In addition to the skiing there is a bobsled fight on a run that had been closed because it was dangerous. Other impressive action scenes include an avalanche (part real, part studio), cable car stunt, stock car race, bull fight, and beach fight.

Photography is also impressive in the non-action scenes. While one can't go wrong with a camera in the Jungfrau region, I can't think of any film that's done a better job of capturing the awesome beauty of the Swiss Alps. The Portuguese locations are also impressive.

John Glen did an excellent job with second unit photography and editing. John Barry contributes his usual excellent 007 score. Director Peter Hunt deserves a lot of credit for pulling it all together in a demanding film.

Many say that if Connery had stayed on this would be the best James Bond movie. It might be anyway.

The DVD has a nice documentary on the making of the movie.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Who Loves You Baby
Review: A great deal has been said about this film - for what its worth I agree that its the closest in tone to Fleming and that Lazenby is actually excellent in the role, but the main thing I want to raise here is how utterly marvellous Telly Savalas is as Blofeld.

IMHO he is the definitive Ernst - neither the pantomine villain of Donald Pleasance or the camp demon king of Charles Gray, he is suave, sinister and ruthless - indeed when I read the Blofeld books its always Telly's face that I see, his snarl that I visualise on the devastating last page of O.H.M.S.S., his face I see choking to death at the end of You Only Live Twice.

This man is certainly NOT the Diet Coke of Evil!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best 007 Film
Review: Until recently, I had always thought of OHMSS as a horrible film. I recently decided to try to get the whole series on DVD (it's really nice once you have them all on VHS that the DVDs come out). One of the few I found was OHMSS. I watched it since it had been years since I last viewed it. I realized that this was the BEST 007 movie ever made. The story line is incredible, and for once we actually learn more about bond. If you ever saw For Your Eyes Only, you probably noticed the grave stone. We also learn the Bond family motto translated "The World Is Not Enough". The film is also very close to the book version. Unlike the modern bonds which are all the same, and are just about the gadgets and action sequences. I love the action in bond movies, but sometimes it gets repetitive and there can be too much. None of those problems here. OHMSS is the perfect mix of action, depth, a real plot, and a love story that isn't corny! I repeat THIS IS THE BEST BOND!

The extras on the DVD are very nice considering the age of the film. (Still better than most modern DVDs!)

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: One of the worst Bond films ever.
Review: This movie might have had a character named James Bond in it. But he sure does not look and act the part. In fact all the performances in this film seem forced and unfocused. Peter Hunt was a poor choice as a director and the ending was just plain sad.This film was just as bad, if not worse then those Bond films where Timothy Dalton played the role.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The great ensemble Bond film
Review: I first saw 'On Her Majety's Secret Service' while I was a teenager in the 70s. I had always been very curious about it, having seen the record soundtrack in stores, but never the film itself (either in theaters or on television) or hearing my friends speak of it. In the 1970s when a local theater ran it on a double bill with another Bond film (I think it was showing with 'Diamonds Are Forever') I was finally able to satisfy my curiosity. I was awestruck. Great story, great cast, fantastic stunts and breathtaking aerial cinematography. I tried to convince my friends that this was one of the best Bond films, but they all shrugged it off since Connery was absent. After a while I started to believe them, but some years later I caught it on ABC (I think it was the TV premiere) and quickly I was reassured that I had been right all along. This was among the handful of the truly great Bond films!!! I'll agree, though that had Connery been in the starring role, this would be unanimously regarded as THE greatest Bond film, but Lazenby is not bad as Bond, and in fact portrays 007 with a degree of uncertainty and vulnerability which gives the story a lot of its heart. Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas give superb performances and the production is nearly flawless. Still, sadly, the Connery comparison persists making this probably the greatest 'but what if...' motion picture ever!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Amazing DVD!
Review: Poorly this movie is been underestimated by many people. I really cannot understand it.
Great story, good actors and the very best music which is been written for any Bond movie in my oppinion. Great work by John Barry!! Unforgetable the main theme!!
The DVD contains a lot of bonus material, good sound and very good picture quality! This new cutted version explains many open questions from the theatrical release.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The best 007 film...
Review: New James Bond, George Lazenby, but he played in only one 007 film. This film is little different from other 007 films. First, this film does not show any action scenes until latter half. In addition, even James Bond gets married... Anyway, it shows humane aspect of James Bond. Perhaps, Because of these differences, this film seems to fail and Gorge Lazenby could not return to James Bond after this film. However, some fans of 007 think this film is the best one of James Bond films. I agree with that as I see some wonderful scenes. There are fantastic skiing scenes with the beautiful Alps for a background of this film. I think it is best of the best skiing scenes in film history. In addition, I saw tremendous avalanche that made by explosion of three bombs at the top of the mountain for this scene. It is a spectacular scene. The scene of 007's marriage also was shocking. James Bond was never married until this film and after this film. Anyway, it was taken a shot in a lovely small village of Portugal where is decorated by incredibly a great number of flowers. In every 007 films, James Bond always has many beautiful women who are just a device for visual pleasure of film and a one-night stand to James. However, he married in this work, it is a peculiar thing contrary to other 007 films. Therefore, I like this work.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: The worst Bond film I've seen (sad but true)
Review: After growing up on the Bond films I decided recently to rewatch the series on DVD, especially in light of the bonus materials available. I just watch "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" last night and I can't believe some of you think so highly of it. By far it had the worst acting, the worst camera work, the worst editing, the worst writing, the worst stunts, the cheapest-looking sets, and one of the the most boring plots of any Bond movie I've seen so far (I've rewatched about 3/4 of them). Lazenby was completely unbelievable as Bond to the point where, in combination with all the other factors I just mentioned, I almost turned the movie off after the first 30 minutes. In short, watching this movie is like being forced to eat a rubbery burger at a fine steak house.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: OHMSS: The best of the Bond films
Review: This DVD is outstanding, with documentaries and commentary which help to enrich the experience of watching a movie that has everything: great action, love, humor and even heartbreak. The only thing that's missing on the extras is the presence of Diana Rigg. Her comments would have rounded-out the story of the film.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Very Underestimated
Review: This Bond film practically saved the series in my mind. Unlike others who say this film and its star nearly killed it, I feel that George Lazenby's performance was a first rate effort, especially for his first time out,and no acting experience on top of that, that took alot of guts to do on his part, and George I salute you for it! I loved how George made it known that he was the new guy when he said "This never happened to the other fella". I was in stitches when I heard that. Diana Rigg was perfect in every way as Bond's one and only true love. She had the sex appeal and finese, and it was good to see Bond meeting his match in a woman with "brains". This was the last Bond film of the 60's, and alot of people fail to realize that the series was a baby starting to grow, and sometimes growth is painful. The series was experiencing growing pains when this film was made, and this growth was needed at that time. OHMSS forced the series to grow and face reality for a minute. It felt good not being bombarded by gadgetry and unnecessary humor. For once we saw that Bond was a cutting edge character that was capable of feeling love, and this adventure proved that he could be taken seriously. This was also the most psychadelic film of the 60's Bond era. It was about time we got to see that. It felt good to get away from opening songs by famous singers too. The instrumental opening sequence fits perfect, and displays that this is a different Bond film. I like it so much I play it in my car when I'm running late for work. For anyone to say that this was a box office failure needs a hole in their head, the masses are the final critics,and as time has proven the film remains outstanding because we finally got to see a visual of one of Fleming's novels in pure form, no adaptations,or additions that digressed from Fleming's literary vision. I only wish George Lazenby would have hung in there. The 70's would have been a coming of age for him as Connery's successor, and for the series as well.


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