The CineFiles - The James Bond 007 Films (1969 - 1977)

[icingdeath1]

I'm not defending MOONRAKER, I think it's crap, but before they actually go into space, it's a regular Bond movie. Yes, it copied THE SPY WHO LOVED ME down to the female pilots getting killed in both films, albeit Bond kills the first one and the other is killed by dogs, but it is still in both. Jaws is turned into comedy relief... crap!

You guys didn't even go over the whole Lana Wood and Jill St. John coincidences in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER... missed opportunity.

[icingdeath1]

Growing up, before VHS, there was no narration in OHMSS that I remember. Could only see it on tv in the early 70's. Had a copy that I recorded off tv probably in 1980 and there was no narration.

[Numinous20111]

The Bond series of shows is still my favourite Cinefiles. There was plenty of time for the discussion (no ticking clock this time) and I think the show works best when there are three members of the Cinefiles. I'm not saying that one member should be left out, but three people (whichever three) is the optimum number for everyone to get enough time to make their points. I agree with Mike about Connery possibly being in OHMSS and Bassy's song in Moonraker.

[knowpassword]

you look at the guy and go "Good God" jump cut... LOL

[ghostmanlostsoul]

I think the 007 series has finally run out of steam.

[metfilmguy2009]

It's interesting because the ending of OHMSS was meant to be saved for the begining of Diamonds are Forever, as Lazenby was signed up for two Bond films, but because he was being awkard the producers decided to bring the ending forward for OHMSS then get rid of Lazenby after. Well this is what I was told, but I could be wrong.

[lynhoward1]

A very good discussion. Look forward to next part. Agree OHMSS was best Bond film.

[milesbjameson]

One thing I noticed after watching Moonraker decades later, the entire script, could fit on 4 to 5 pages! There is no script! It's literally Bond hopping from one expensive Paris set to another with nothing to say! Definately Moore's bored Connery's You Only Live Twice. Despite it's visual look to compete with Star Wars, which was great, the producers completely abandoned the character. That's why the movie sucked!

[milesbjameson]

Hey cine guys, love this special series, but gotta say, do your homework and compare notes before going on air . Mistakes galore! Cohen should be hosting, as he is more knowledgeable and is correcting left and right. 2 things, Barry's music is barely mentioned which has influenced your opinions beyond your self awareness and second, food for thought, Diamonds was an attempt at the comic strip angle which Bond was origianally represented in print. Not my favorite though.

[MrJhamlin]

on her majesty's secret service is one of my favorite.

diamonds forever is okay

live and let die is great

man with the golden gun sucks

spy who loved me great

[dafmurray]

Did American TV really edit the movie and add narration for O.H.M.S.S.?!!! It's always been shown in Ireland and Britain in its original form.

[trexguy]

Do not forget ...Baron Zamedi

[nodoubtisgood]

I agree 100 percent about Diamonds Are Forever. I like that movie. Jill St. John is my favorite Bond girl, and its just a fun movie. If I want a serious Bond I'll pop in From Russia With Love or On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

[ladslad]

Ooh touchy aren't we! As a REAL fan I'd do better if I were going to portray myself on the internet as an 'expert' by making sure I got my all my facts right. Facts are facts - they cannot, by their very definition, be 'fast and loose'. I am not questioning the validity of your 'opinions' to which you are entitled and many of which I agree with. I just take issue with you styling yourself an expert when quite clearly you are not.

[cinefiles]

And you're an expert? Explain how... and what "facts" did we get wrong (actually, yeah, there were some gaffes there. And, no, Eric never claimed to be a Bond expert -- that was Mike's tongue in cheek introduction of him). However, one of the groups in these eps actually knows the assistant editor (worked with Peter Hunt), has held the original screenplays in his hand and has heard all sorts of stories from a source he may trust more than current PR verbiage, supposed film historians, etc....

[BCKLW]

Hi guys, love this. However, I was reading Roger Moore's book ''My Word Is My Bond'' and in the book Moore writes that the producers offered Lazenby a seven picture deal and he turned it down. Lazenby claims he was asked back and he turned it down. He says that he got some bad advise from his agent who told him that the Bond frachise was dead. So Lazenby went on to do The Man From Hong Kong.

[BCKLW]

I agree Bond facts seem to change. I thought Thunderball was suposed to be the first Bond. A screen play was written and then shelved and later would become Never say Never Again.

[cinefiles]

You do realize that the "facts" regarding the Bond films change every five years, right? FIrst Thunderball was never meant to be the first Broccoli/Salzman flick. Then it was "considered." And it's only very recently that Richard Burton's name came out as a contender for the role. Or that Howard Hawks was gonna' do HIS take on Casion Royale with Cary Grant. Next we'll find out that Dr. No was an error, they originally wanted to make a Sam Spade film or somethin' and they lost the rights....

[cinefiles]

In other words: for a person who so joyfully points out how one claims to be an expert, and how one should know what they are talking about, should step back and ask if they don't have their facts in check, nor if they've actually been paying attention to what's being said on the show. In any case, IF you feel so compelled in your approach, it only betrays the fact that you have nothing better to do in your life. Try going outside and getting some fresh air.

[AANever009]

I am assuming the person replaying to ladslad is Edwin. It is more than obvious that although Eric doesn't claim to be a Bond expert, he certainly behaves like he believes he is one of the world's leading experts on James Bond. He comes off as pompous and arrogant. All Eric is doing is regurgitating basic facts we have heard a million times, so it is hard to tell if he is an expert. I do think his points about LTK are interesting.

[Cinefilenumerofunf]

Yo, it's me, Eric. Hey, I'm just a fan who's read the Fleming novels and only some of the Gardners. And I'm a big fan of the film series as a whole. But I'd never consider myself an "expert" no more than some of the responses here are about pointing out my "errors," etc. Of course I'm repeating whatever's been read, reported, etc. Isn't that how we build up a knowledge of these things? Anyway, you're certainly entitled to your opinions. All I care about is whether you're entertained.

[ladslad]

Could have been good if you guys actually knew what you're talking about! Riddled with factual errors and your so-called Bond-expert has clearly read a book about the Bond films (probably Steve Jay Rubin's) and keeps regurgitating other people's opinions as his own. Do more homework guys. 5/10

[Cinefilenumerofunf]

You're an ass. I assume because I may not kow tow to whatever jerk opinions you have about these films, it's easy for you to dismiss 'em as being "regurgitated" from other people's opinions. Let me just lay this out for you...

[Cinefilenumerofunf]

Not only have I read Jay Rubin's book, but I've read The James Bond Encyclopedia, The Bond Files, Future Shock (the classic essay on Sci Fi that covers a lot of the Bond films), all of Fleming's novels, Kingsly Amis' (yeah, I know ass wipe, he wrote it under the psuedonym Robert Markham)...

[Cinefilenumerofunf]

... some of Gardners' novels, read Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, follow the fan sites (and contribute to their forums), rewatched all the movies AND their documentaries, etc. And if you were a REAL fan, you'd know that the facts are fast and loose with the Bond film history by now...

[Cinefilenumerofunf]

... for example, only recently it's come out that Fleming wanted RICHARD BURTON for that initial Thunderball film (yeah, I read the book that bit of trivia came from, too. Bet you don't even know what it's called). Next year we'll find out that GOLDFINGER was supposed to be the first Bond film...

[DAVCOUGAR]

19:35 - it was jw pepper

[tastyspunker]

OHMSS is one of the best Bond films, and you guys are right as it was the 2nd biggest hit movie of that year. I'm glad the bland John Gavin didn't do Diamonds as it would've been terrible.

[11iop]

a lot of bullshit about lazenby. he chose to leave the role. the producers didnt fire him as much as im not a fan of george lazenby

[mysterious780]

"He(Roger Moore)'s about a year older than Connery"

- Actually, more is nearly three years old. Moore's born in October 1927, Connery's born in August 1930. Therefore, Moore was about 45 years old when he made his Bond debut.

[davyjones2001]

you should really be more aware of your screen time

[ClynSvin]

is this a TV show?

[doubleohagent]

Lazenby didn't "fuck up" anything with the film. He didn't get along with the producers but he wasn't canned. Believing poor advice from friends who told him he could do biggger and better things he quit, and it was the stupidest decision of his life since his career ended right there.

[moogmoo]

With respect, the guy saying OHMSS was recut for TV is wrong. TV station cut films for tv broadcast, not the studio or EON Productions. The film was the second highest grossing film WORLDWIDE of 1969, not 68. I don't think Lazenby was wooden, far from it. He seemed natural to me.

[doubleohagent]

I must agree with moogmoo on this. Lazenby never got a fair shake. I think he was great in OHMSS and would only have gotten better had he the brains to stick around for more installments.

[rosakleb]

Umm... nobody placed any blame on anyone specifically interms of OHMSS' initial early TV broadcasts. But it was severely re-cut. Infact, complete scenes were reshifted and a narration was tacked on.

[JoeScaramanga]

Although it was released in Christmas 69, it made most of its money in 1970...

God these replies are a pedants dream!

[Chico16]

By "popcorn" Bonds I mean the Bond movies that couldn't give a damn about Fleming and just did their own thing with massive sets, explosions, gadgets, etc... OHMSS wasn't about that. Had it been produced with Connery in 1967, it would've probably ended with Bond stopping rocket ships from blasting off the Swiss Alps.

[Chico16]

OHMSS is the best Bond film IMO. Lazenby is phisically the best Bond and Diana Rigg is perfect. I also love The Spy Who Loved Me, and consider it the best of the "popcorn" Bonds.

[cz003]

All Bond movies are popcorn films. They are light entertainment.

I like OHMSS, but it is hardly La Dolce Vita.

[cinefiles]

I think it's as close to a real film as you can get in the Bond Universe.

[DynamicDave57]

Diana Rigg was the best Bond girl IMO, just as Sean Connery was and still is the best actor to ever play James Bond. OHMSS is a great film and Lazenby did an excellent job, but there's nothing any better than the fight between 007 and Red Grant aboard the Orient Express in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE.

[royalefreshness]

we think alike (apart from diana Rigg)

[doubleohagent]

Agree 100% Chico16.

[cz003]

"I really really hate R.W. Pepper. Good god..."

Michael got it wrong. It is J.W. Pepper. Sheriff J.W. Pepper from the Lousiana State Police.

[EmilNoldSinclair]

I really really hate R.W. Pepper.  Good god...

[LunarPoet]

I only saw On Her Majesty's Secret Service once when I was like 10-11 years old and I hated it. Mostly because of Lazenby, which sucked compared to Connery. And I thought Diana Rigg was ugly as hell. But after hearing you guys I guess it's worth a second viewing.

[kingcanti]

Good stuff.

[cz003]

cinefiles:

"they remake it a couple of years later as Moonraker, which is the worst James Bond film."

Moonraker is ok and a pleasant film to watch. The problems are that it loses its plot when Bond reaches Rio and it's too light. It is Moore's first good performance and the action and locations are good.

[bobgoran]

lol You are so lost :) TSWLM is the best Bondfilm ever! Did you actually watch the film?

[badhead]

I really like Live and Let Die. It was always on TV when I was a kid. It's so much fun, and I love the fight at the end. I think it should be said that the song from the spy who loved me "Nobody does it better" is very good.

[cz003]

I am not a big fan of The Spy Who Loved Me either. It has some good scenes, but it never explains who is going to live in Stromberg's underwater city. It is almost as if Stromberg just wants the world to be destroyed so that he can be alone and not have anyone bother him. Moore and Bach seem stiff in the film.

[cinefiles]

I wish I could say something good about the film, but its just boring. Ever worse, they remake it a couple of years later as Moonraker, which is the worst James Bond film. I consider it an unwatchable mess. For my complete thoughts on the Moonraker, see James Bond part 3.

[Swoooze]

Good video, but I would strongly argue with you on the value of this film. Fpr me it's easily one of the top 3 best Bond films ever.

Yes, the bad guy is weak, but everything else is perfect. Jaws is right up there with OddJob and Red Grant as the best henchemen, XXX is a great bond girl imo, and the first of the 'Female James Bond' characters that you would later see in TND and DAD. Femme Fatale Naomi has more character in 1 wink than most Bond girls show in a whole film.

[Swoooze]

Then you have the Lotus Esprint, second only to the Goldfinger Aston as Bond's most iconic car and the whole submarine car is great.

Plus it features the single greatest Bond stunt where he skis off the mountain and parachutes to safety.

Other great scenes include the one where he tells Anna he killed her boyfriend and the brutal scene where he kills the bad guy who was holding onto his tie.

Last but not least 'Nobody Does It Better' is the best Bond theme ever.

Great videos though!!

[natewheatshelf]

Great reviews! Upload more; I canna get enough :P!