Thunderball

Rating:
Summary: What sharp little eyes ya got. Wait 'til you get to my teeth
Review: After a rousing success the previous year with Goldfinger, the folks at Eon Productions had their work cut out for them, attempting to carry the momentum the Bond series further. 1965's Thunderball was a terrific movie to push the ante and in my opinion, it was Thunderball that cemented the Bond franchise into a "dynasty", so to speak. Following from the Goldfinger formula, Thunderball was loaded with a plot of epic proportions, more gadgets, more action sequences, more engaging villains and of course, more voluptuous women. Probably what makes Goldfinger a rank higher than Thunderball is that in all aspects of the film (gadgets, villains, women) aren't as memorable and captivating as Goldfinger. And not to mention, the movie tends to drag on a bit more and hence, the longer duration (2 hr. 10 min. compared to Goldfinger's 1 hr. 53 min.).

The storyline is pretty straightforward. 007 is recovering at a spa resort as SPECTRE is planning a wild scheme while he's at it. An agent of SPECTRE, Count Lippe keeps tabs on Bond and even attempts to kill him so that our hero doesn't figure out what SPECTRE is concocting. SPECTRE is successful in gassing a test pilot, Francois Derval, otherwise nicknamed Thunderball, and replacing him with a SPECTRE agent, who is known as Angelo, a frontman who has been under the knife extensively to be Derval in every way. Angelo takes Derval's slot in a test flight of a British bomber plane, the Vulcan, which carries two atomic bombs. As expected, Angelo hijacks the Vulcan into Bahaman waters, where Number Two, A.K.A. Largo (Adolfo Celi) retrieves the bombs and holds the U.S. and the U.K. at ransom. All double agents including Bond are called up on the task and when Bond reveals that he had seen Derval's corpse at the spa, he intuitively believes the bombs are elsewhere, perhaps in Nassau. It is there where Bond encounters the lovely Domino (Claudine Auger, who in my opinion is the best-looking Bond girl in the Connery era), who turns out to be Largo's mistress and the sister of Thunderball. With her help, Bond works from within to bring down Largo and his cronies, which leads into a climactic underwater fight off Miami between U.S. Coast Guard divers and SPECTRE.

Thunderball is a very entertaining film although there are some scenes that tend to drag (i.e. the underwater scenes) and even some of the drama is sucked out of the enormous underwater battle. The characters are solid, but again they don't offer as much intrigue as the cast of Goldfinger did. Largo is a suitable villain, ruthless but not as convincing as Goldfinger, although throwing people to the sharks does sound very maniacal. Largo's henchmen, Yanni and Vargas are a little way too stoic, but they serve their purpose. Fiona Volpe is a reckless, fun-loving villainess that likes to floor a 64 1/2 Mustang, in the likeness of Pussy Galore, but she's more of the one you'd love to hate. Despite her good looks and stunning body, Domino lacked the impact that the three previous Bond girls had before her.

However, despite the minor flaws in the film, Connery establishes Bond's status of a superhero and he plays it with an arrogant swagger about himself, as if he were invincible but he maintains that aura of mystery as well. It is his prime peformance that makes Thunderball nothing short of a non-stop action classic Bond flick and to this very day, it stands as one of the very best in the series.

Rating:
Summary: A Must Own on DVD
Review: Explosive action, stunning locales, a tight plot and Sean Connery's most convincing turn as the world's favorite spy make Thunderball one of the finest-- if not the finest -- entries in the James Bond film series. Add to that a DVD package chock full of dynamic extras such as "behind the scenes" documentaries and two highly informative audio commentaries and you've got yourself a must own movie.

The most visually stunning of all Bond films, Thunderball's sheer cinematic beauty comes glistening through on the remastered DVD print. The light, tropical hues of The Bahamas radiate like never before and the vast scope of the dazzling underwater scenes are fully appreciated on the widescreen transfer. Having personally viewed this Bond classic at least 200 times on standard video, I felt as though I was seeing it for the first time via widescreen DVD.

The plot involves Emilio Largo(Adolfo Celi) as sinister SPECTRE baddie #2 who threatens to nuke Miami unless paid a hefty ransom by the British government and NATO. Of course, Bond has just four days in which to save the world -- four days filled with such distractions as an array of willing women, killer sharks, and exploding cars and boats!

Celi is absolutely captivating as Largo,the eye-patched criminal mastermind. Deliberate and understated, Largo catches on to Bond, and his intent, early on. The ensuing cat and mouse chase begins cordially before turning deadly. The pursuit of Bond through the Junkanoo Parade in the streets of Nausau is positively nerve-wracking. Ditto a pair of horrific scenes in Largo's swimming pool which convieniently doubles as a deadly shark tank.

Italian actress Luciana Paluzzi nearly steals the show as Fiona Volpe a femme fatale killer who yearns for Bond in more than one way. Paluzzi lights up the screen, oozing equal parts temptation and evil.

Former Miss France, Claudine Auger turns in a fine performance as Bond's main love interest Domino. The fact the Domino just happens to be Largo's mistress doesn't stop our favorite super-spy from pursuing her.

Rik Van Nutter's portrayal of CIA operative Felix Leiter is perhaps the series' finest. Of course, Moneypenny, Q and M all flawlessly reprise their respective roles.

A perfect blend of From Russia with Love's suspense and Goldfinger's fun-filled explosiveness, Thunderball is undoubtedly one of the best Bond films. MGM did a great job on the DVD, thus making Thunderball a necessary addition to every Bond fan's collection.

Rating:
Summary: Heat and Cold applied scientifically - and slowly!
Review: The 4th James Bond movie. Several of the most intense and most challenging productions in film history involved filming on or under water, as demonstrated from such later films as JAWS, THE ABYSS, TITANIC, and many others. THUNDERBALL goes way beyond all of that with its' magnificent underwater gadgetry, innovative use of camera techniques, and beautifully choreographed action sequences. This is a characteristic example of just one James Bond film that set the stage for later classic themes to follow. Perhaps never to be perfected since that time. There is, of course, the obligatory element of beautiful women with Claudine Auger as slinky Domino, and Molly Peters as randy nurse Patricia.

THE ASSIGNMENT: Despite many recent crime excursions, SPECTRE is going broke, and SPECTRE #2 Emilio Largo has a solution: hijacking a Vulcan bomber while on a NATO exercise by substituting for the real pilot a SPECTRE agent who has undergone plastic surgery. The Vulcan is equipped with two atomic bombs, and they plan to use them against the British as a ransom for 100 million pounds of uncut diamonds against the threat of detonating the bombs in one of the major cities of the Western world. If the British accept, they are to arrange for Big Ben to strike seven times. Having been given two days to decide, every double-O agent is brought together to confer to avoid this from happening. Bond has only one lead; unknown to SPECTRE he was undergoing physical treatment and had encountered the agent undergoing surgery while there. Bond begins investigation in Nassau - and the excitement begins.

THE VILLAINS: Adolfo Celi as Emilio Largo, Guy Doleman as Count Lippe, Paul Stassino as Maj. Derval (and Angelo Palazzi), Luciana Paluzzi as female assassin Fiona Volpe, George Pravda as scientist Ladislav Kutze, Philip Locke as silent killer Vargas, and Michael Brennan as sadistic Janni.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! BUY IT!

Rating:
Summary: You seen the rest now see the best Bond ever in Thunderball
Review: "Thunderball" is the fourth Bond movie in the franchise and after viewing its release on DVD with its restored and remastered print, it can safely be proclaimed that this motion picture is the definitive James Bond flick. Ironically, Ian Fleming had originally wrote "Thunderball" as screenplay and it would have been the introduction of James Bond to the big screen but circumstances forced him to rewrite as a novel and "Dr No" would gain that distinction. It is just as well. When "Thunderball" finally went into production, actor Sean Connery, director Terance Young and the producers were comfortable with the world of James Bond, enabling them to "Thunderball" into a classic film, something that almost certainly would not have happened a few years earlier.

This film included all the important elements such as seeing SPECTRE in action, an excellent villain in the evil Largo as portrayed by Adolfo Celi, and perhaps the best female villain ever, Fiona Volpe as played by Luciana Paluzzi. There were certainly plenty of the beautiful Bond women and the exotic locations in the Bahamas to offset the plot where Bond tries to foil an attempt by SPECTRE to use hijacked nuclear weapons for blackmail. These elements plus the special effects and the extensive use of underwater photography combine to create a fine motion picture.

If there is one Bond movie that should never, never be seen in a standard televsion format, it is this one. It is like comparing night and day. Many scenes were shot at the huge sound stage at Pinewood and uses the full screen to effect, and the underwater scenes where people are swimming horizontally use the entire frame. This widescreen version on DVD is worth its price on this count alone. If you like "Thunderball" and have never seen a widescreen version, get one and you'll agree that you'll never want to watch any other way.

As to the other features on the DVD, the movie trailers, and the TV and radio spots come off as annoying and repetitive. The three documentaries are good but I wish they were a little longer and informative. There are two commentary tracks but neither seem to blend well with the movie.

In this reviewer's humble opinion, if one was had to pick just one movie to introduce someone to the James Bond genre, "Thunderball" would be the best choice. Make sure this DVD gets into your library.

Rating:
Summary: Connery at His Unadulterated Best on DVD
Review: Double entendres abound in this aquatic tale of intrigue, action and adventure 007 style. And make no mistake about it; Sean Connery makes this his picture. This may not have the narrative flow of a "Goldfinger" but Connery's confident and energetic performance and the villain's well-laid out caper makes this one of the most entertaining, realistic and tongue-in-cheek films in the series. This film was made at the pinnacle of the James Bond phenomenon and it shows. No cost was too great. This movie is big and it looks and feels big in every way. The underwater bellicose -ballet is one of the best pieces of action ever put on film thanks to Lamar Boren's colorful and beautiful photography and John Barry's original, innovative and intuitive scoring. The opening fight scene between Bond and Jacques Boitier in the chateau is one the best choreographed and edited of the series. What really makes this film is the dialogue. Connery's one-liners, his banter with Adolfo Celi as Emilio Largo and Luciana Paluzzi as Fiona Volpe and his delivery is brimming with aplomb, wit, humor and confidence all rolled into one. Claudine Auger, Molly Peters, Luciana Paluzzi and Martine Beswick are the ultimate 'Bond Girls.' Production designer Ken Adam, Art design Peter Murton, Cinematographer Ted Moore, Special effectsexpert John Stears, Editor Peter Hunt, Composer John Barry, Screenwriter Richard Maibaum and Director Terence Young make this one of the best Bond films of the series. Bernard Lee as "M," Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny and Desmond Llewelyn as "Q" all give their best performances. One of the best looking Bond films! It sounds better than ever in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound!

Rating:
Summary: Bond at his best!
Review: Sean Connery hit full stride in Thunderball, far and away the most appealing episode in the legendary Bond series. The action focuses principally in the Carribean, giving this movie one of the most exotic feels from the series. Claudine Auger is positively stunning as Domino, quite possibly the most fetching Bond woman of them all. The action is brisk but not forced. Connery never loses stride. The underwater scenes are very realistic as Largo has a fighter jet hijacked and sunk in a nearby reef, keeping the missiles for later use. While all Bond films exist in the realm of fantasy, this one stayed relatively close to home and has a much more visceral than the others. The locations, settings and silver Aston Martin all capture the feel of the mid 60's. This is James Bond at his best!

Rating:
Summary: CLASSIC BOND! CLASSIC CONNERY!!!
Review: 1965's "Thunderball" roared across the movie scene only a year after the 1964 hit "Goldfinger". Some fans tend to believe that this is one of the weaker Connery outings as James Bond. In a sense it is true, the film just couldn't get any bigger than the colossol "Goldfinger" so in a way it is met as a slight disappointment after the 1964 007 adventure.

None the less Thunderball is one of the series most memorable with Tom Jones belting out the classic opening theme. The movie has classic Bond villians, neat gadgets and great settings. Emilio Largo, Fiona Volpe and Vargas are some of the best Bond villians ever!

The acting is very good in this film. Connery plays Bond wonderfully as usual. Adolfo Celi is notorious as the ruthless Emilio Largo. Philip Locke plays the strong silient type with the menacing Vargas. Lucianna Paluzzi plays the evil (but beautiful) Fiona Volpe. Claudine Auger plays a touching role as the innocent Domino Derval. Rik Van Nutter plays Felix Leiter and proves to be one of the best but stil Jack Lord is better. Martine Beswick plays the small role of Paula and Bernard Lee returns as M and Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny.

Thunderball's lot is pretty formulaic. SPECTRE highjacks some nuclear warheads and holds the world hostage for a hefty ransom. Bond is sent to the bahamas to investigate and find the missing nuclear warheads.

In conclusion Thunderball is an underrated 007 outing. The plot is fairly solid and the acting is very good. The villians are classic and the sets are wonderful. Bottom line: get this DVD! It is classic essential Bond! Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: THUNDERBALL = Best Bond Movie
Review: This movie is Awesome. The story is the best and score is fantastic. Sean Connery gives one of his best performances as James Bond along with everyone else in the film. This is truly one of my favourite movies ever and I've only become a mega fan this past year. Make your life better and get this along with every other James Bond film!

Rating:
Summary: borderline classic, borderline franchise popcorn
Review: this is the pivotal bond film because it has enough of the same qualitites that rank it nearly alongside dr no, from russia with love and goldfinger.
but, it also has enough hints of the rot that is you only live twice and diamonds are forever that follows.
the first three bond films can actually be considered good films period and not necessarily 'franchise films'.
thunderball truly is the beginning of the franchise that will become furmulaic popcorn with the next one and that was too bad,
and connery, wisely, knew this himself.

Rating:
Summary: Look Up! Look Down! Look Out!
Review: Advertised as "The Biggest Bond of All" when released in time for Christmas 1965 (one year after "Goldfinger"), "Thunderball" lived up to its tagline by dominating the box-office throughout the holiday season and into the early months of 1966, quickly claiming a position on the list of the all-time top 10 box-office champs, an impressive feat indeed at a time when the chart was still overcrowded with "roadshow" attractions like "Gone With the Wind" and "The Ten Commandments" that had the benefit of several reissues. When inflation is taken into account, this fourth 007 adventure remains the most successful chapter in the series. It also remains one of the best.

More than its three predecessors, "Thunderball" finds the 007 formula smoothly blended and firmly in place. Exotic locales, extravagent special-effects, and women, women, and more women, all beautiful and a few scantily dressed, combined with witty, mildly risque dialogue, opening credits designed by Maurice Binder that were worth the price of admission on their own, and a John Barry score that was exciting yet somehow haunting enough to make you think that this was all pretty serious stuff.

The title song, performed by Tom Jones, may sound like "Goldfinger" sung sideways, and the emphasis on underwater battles sometimes slow things down, but this is the definitive James Bond film with Sean Connery's best performance in the series. (In comparison, the 1983 remake, "Never Say Never Again," made outside the official series, is a B movie.)