Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

The seventh James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever featured the return of Sean Connery and a sense of the absurd that would characterize the franchise as the 1970s evolved. The tonal shift from On Her Majesty's Secret Service from serious action and romance to a camp approach. The plot involves diamond smuggling and Bond once again on the trail of Blofeld. 

The tonal shifts within Diamonds Are Forever are quite jarring. The cold open has Bond on a revenge quest after the events of the last film, when he apparently dispatches Blofeld without much fanfare. Played Charles Gray, an upper class Englishman, Blofeld gets reduced to a sitcom villain. 

Screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz created a variety of characters to populate the film. Jill St. John as Tiffany Case starts out the movie as an interesting character, but by the end is a damsel in distress spouting off one liners. There's the mobsters out of central casting and the male couple who happen to be deadly assassins. Connery as Bond borders on glacial as he walks around Las Vegas casinos and rides a moon buggy.

Still, it is cool to see Las Vegas in the early 70s. It seems the producers just wanted fans to have fun, and the movie serves as just that - pure escapism. 

***

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

On Her Majesty's Secret Service is my favorite Bond movie. Mostly known for being George Lazenby's one and only appearance as 007, it also combines all the elements of a great Bond film. There's everything from compelling characters, thrilling action, and memorable set pieces. Many will also recall the unorthodox ending with Bond suffering a tragic loss, but apparently audiences were not keen on Bond showing emotion. Unlike other Bond films, various entries go in and out of fashion, OHMSS has aged well. Everything from John Barry's stunning score to impressive European locales to Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas giving memorable` performances as the leading lady and villain. 

The cold open joyfully breaks the fourth wall with 007 in a car chase with a beautiful woman, only to be rebuffed at the last minute, allowing Lazenby to address the camera, "this never happened to the other fella." Then the credit sequence featuring the Moog synthesizer theme, the futuristic sound as if setting the series on a new course. 

The film begins with Bond meeting with European gangster Ange Draco who offers him a million dollars to marry his daughter Trac (Diana Rigg(. Bond refuses, but agrees to give the relationship a chance if he learn the whereabouts of his nemesis Blofeld. Bond and Tracy end up falling in love, while Bond pursues a lead in Switzerland. Undercover as a Professor, he discovers a mountain retreat with 12 young ladies there to have their allergies cured. The film makes light of the preposterous situation with Bond alone with 12 girls. He learns they are being brainwashed to implant bacteria that will endanger the world's agriculture if they do not meet Blofeld's ransom.

The action scenes are some of the best in the series. Setting the action sequences in the snow allowed for chases on skis and bobsled, influencing Christopher Nolan's Inception. The wedding of Bond and Tracy remains one of the unique sequences in the series, especially the bittersweet farewell between Bond and Miss Moneypenny. 

It's interesting to think of an alternate series of Bond films with Lazenbee, who at 29 could've easily carried on with the role into the 1980s. There's multiple reasons why he did not return, mostly due clashes with the Producers and a belief the character was an anachronism. The follow up entry Diamonds Are Forever with Connery would lack the emotional and dramatic energy of OHMSS. 

****

Return of the Jedi (1983)

The highly anticipated grand finale to the original Star Wars trilogy ruled the summer of 1983 and while it disappointed some, it delivered the answers audiences were seeking after three years of speculation.

So many questions at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. Will the rebellion survive? What will be the fate of Han Solo? What new characters will be introduced, including the often mentioned Jabba the Hut? Most importantly, is Darth Vader the father of Luke Skywalker?

While the film faithfully answered all those questions, there's a strange blend of weariness and euphoria to the film. George Lucas was exhausted from the amount of time and work it took to make these movies, leading to a divorce and long hiatus from directing. Although he hired Richard MarQuand to direct, a British director who had impressed Lucas with his 1981 film Eye of the Needle, Lucas was present for much of the filming. The special effects and array of creatures gave audiences a lot to feast their eyes on - almost to the point of excess. The minimal feel of the original Star Wars and sense of desperation in Empire gave way to dwarfing sense of extravaganza in Jedi.

The cast were starting to tire of the saga. Harrison Ford as Han Solo returned, but the movie gives him little to do except run around with his blaster. Granted, he's now a respected leader in the alliance, but his unpredictability has mellowed. The same for Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia who deserved more of a role here as well, mostly relegated to comic relief and not to mention Jabba's servant girl for a time - not aged well! Mark Hamill gave by far the best performance, the script giving him a real arc and a satisfying conclusion. Even the villains appear a little long in the tooth, but we do get to meet the Emperor memorably played by Ian MacDiarmid. Despite all this, there's a cheery "let's get the band together one last time" prevailing over the shortcomings. 

The first act returns to Tatooine. Mostly set at Jabba's palace. Han is still frozen in carbonite, but his friends have gathered to rescue him. The opening with R2-D2 and C-3PO also calls back the original. Jabba is introduced as a giant slug mobster surrounded by sycophants. What would David Lynch have done? Lucas originally wanted Lynch to direct, Lynch went off and made Dune instead. It's actually quite a dark world, even more so in the original version, before Lucas added a cheesy music sequence. But it does bring all the characters together and is very within the tradition of serials which inspired the films.

Once the business of rescuing Han is completed, Luke returns to Dagobah to complete his training with Yoda. In maybe the best scene in the movie, Yoda passes away and implores Luke to trust in the force. Then in a notorious scene, Obi-Wan appears and provides an overload of exposition, including the infamous sibling reveal. Meanwhile the Rebellion learns of another Death Star and is preparing for one last battle with the Empire.

Then the action shifts to the forest planet of Endor where we meet the friendly Ewoks, little Teddy Bears who will take down an Empire. Ewoks served Lucas's purpose depict a low technological society defeating a high tech one, an obvious parallel to the Vietnam War. While much of the last act would focus on the antics of the Ewoks, they also serve as a reminder these movies are made for children. Irvin Kershner brought such a mature tone to Empire, the whiplash back into more kiddie entertainment proved unbearable for some.

The heart of the film hinged upon the confrontation between Luke and Darth Vader, this time as father and son. What plays out is mostly tragedy with a hint redemption added into the story. The powerful mythological motif of the father/son confrontation is brought to dramatic conclusion. The tone of these scenes is so striking it feels like a different movie.

At the same time Lucas cut the last act with three major narratives going, taking the American Graffiti approach even further. The rush of story has a certain narrative appeal and did anticipate the future of American cinema, also setting the template for the way Lucas would structure the prequel films.

There are so many ways to look at Jedi, in a way it's a movie more fun to talk about than actually watch. The original script was far more ambitious and was similar in tone to Empire with a more subdued ending and a better character arc for Leia. A full synopsis appears in Star Wars: FAQ by Mark Clark. Kids will always love Jedi because it's episodic and pleasing to the eye. The high amount of creatures and makeup is also a remarkable feat.

As for myself, it's hard not to feel some letdown with Jedi as an adult. But nostalgia is powerful, and the merits of the film overcome the flaws. The special effects and set pieces are spectacular. Lucas and his team took film technology as far as it could go at the time, raising a high bar for the future - creating a mystique persisting to this day. 

****

You Only Live Twice (1967)

You Only Live Twice is a middling Bond film, part travelogue and part spectacle. Sean Connery is still in his prime and there are many memorable moments. Set in Japan, the film is the first of a quasi trilogy of Bond squaring off with Blofeld, although Blofeld is played by a different actor in each film. With a comic book plot and a sometimes uncomfortable racial politics, the film has not aged as well the other Connery entries in the franchise, but still packs in the thrills.

The script by Roald Dahl made major changes from the source novel which followed Bond's descent into darkness after the murder of his wife. Of course that would not happen until the film to follow On Her Majesty's Secret Service. But the film did take the Japan setting and used some of the characters from the novel, but the similarities end there. The film centers on SPECTRE attempting to start a world war by disrupting the American and Soviet space programs.

The impressive first act has MI-6 faking Bond's death, an idea taken from the novel. Sent to Tokyo on a lead where he works with the Japanese Secret Service led by Tiger Tanaka. In another twist, Bond must disguise himself as a Japanese fisherman (also trains to be a ninja and gets married) in order to infiltrate the SPECTRE base inside a volcano - all in the midst of an international crisis!

The volcano lair was designed by Ken Adams and the final battle impressive is impressive, but also borders on overkill, dwarfing Bond and the movie. The plot borders on incoherent so not everything appears to make sense. Pleasence as Blofeld plays him as conniving and even a little cowardly.

Connery was tiring of the role and was ready to move on, but would return to the role in Diamonds Are Forever. The theme arranged by John Barry and performed by Nancy Sinatra remains one of the most iconic in the series. 

***

Never Say Never Again (1983)

The year 1983 is remembered as the "battle of the Bonds" since two films were released by different production companies. Octopussy starred an aging Roger Moore, while Never Say Never Again would feature Sean Connery's return to the role he had made iconic. A remake of Thunderball, NSNA stemmed from a lawsuit dating back to the 1960s. Writer Kevin McClory had written a screenplay with Ian Fleming which never got made, but Fleming used the script as a source for his novel Thunderball. McClory sued and won the rights to make his own version.

While it's great to see Connery back in the role after a 12 year hiatus, everything in the film feels gimmicky. In his early 50s, Connery plays the character as older, but still pretty much the same. There's no sense of time passing, except with a few references to being out of shape. He's still cracking jokes, flirting with the ladies, and outwitting his adversaries with ease. The later Moore films were not all that different in terms of lack of character development - thus pointing to the way to the more complex interpretations of Timothy Dalton, Daniel Craig, and to a lesser extent Pierce Brosnan.

So what's left in NSNA is a dusty story line from the 1960s they tried to update for the 1980s. Different actors playing the regular characters gives the film a bizarro feel. Max Von Sydow appears all too briefly as Blofeld, while Klaus Maria Brandauer is a more fey version of Largo, first name Maximillian this time. Kim Basinger isn't given much to do as Domino (she did not get along with the director Irvin Kershner). The one inspired casting choice was Bernie Casey as Felix Leiter. 

Neither does the production value match the Broccoli/Saltzman films. Attempts to update the story included a ludicrous video game sequence. The generic climax of the film was obviously shot on a soundstage, standing in contrast to the memorable underwater battle in Thunderball. The film's also flabbier with unnecessary additional scenes slowing the movie down. The Lorenzo Semple script leans more towards camp at times, but the final result is a dull experience, a lackadaisical reunion you might say.

Criticisms aside, NSNA works best as a curio. Connery appears to be having fun. His career was stalling in the early 80s and a return to playing Bond was probably a smart choice. He would go on to a number of memorable roles and earn an Oscar for The Untouchables. One last thing, this was not Connery's final appearance as Bond, he would voice the character in a 2005 video game based on From Russia With Love.

**1/2

Thunderball (1965)

The fourth James Bond film Thunderball had a budget equal to three previous films put together. And it shows. A significant portion of the movie was filmed underwater, including the climatic battle at the end. Connery appears most at ease in the role this time around, as if he could play the character in his sleep. An extravaganza making a move away from the espionage intrigue of the previous three in favor what could be considered an early blockbuster.

The cold open is fierce and violent with 007 getting into a fight with a SPECTRE operative and escaping by way of a jet pack. The main plot involves the sinister SPECTRE organization stealing two nuclear weapons to extort the British government. Bond and all the 007 agents are called into action to retrieve the bombs. Bond has a lead in the Bahamas, where most of the film's action takes place. 

Thunderball reveals a little more about SPECTRE. We see one of their meeting at the beginning, a sort of corporation dedicated to disrupting the world. Their leader Blofeld is brutal and will execute anyone on the spot who displeases him - famously parodied in the Austin Powers movies. But the main villain here is Emilio Largo played by Italian actor Adolfo Celi, an eye patch wearing goon who hatches the extortion ploy. Largo managed to set up a double to impersonate a NATO officer to deliver the nukes (in villain fashion Largo immediately dispatches him once the mission is accomplished.)

But Bond learns the pilot's sister Domino (Claudine Auger) happens to be Largo's mistress. Once in the Bahamas Bond romances Domino and manages to infiltrate Largo's plot. While Bond seems to have an easier time than usual this time, even spouting off one liners at will, there's also a nice pace to the film. The rituals of a Bond movie are all here: a meeting M, flirting with Miss Moneypenny, Q supplies gadgets, and some help from Bond's CIA friend Felix Leiter. 

Thunderball is doubt an entertaining film and one that improves with multiple viewings. It was also the most violent one up to this point, with an array of sphere guns and sharks. Water sports also play a key role with lots of scuba diving and boating sequences. Part of the appeal of every Bond film, even a saving grace for the lesser ones, is how they always serve as travelogues. The theme song sung by Tom Jones and score from John Barry are both memorable as well, kicking the franchise going at high gear.

****

Great Scenes 6: Paths of Glory (a tour of the trenches)

Stanley Kubrick's fourth film Paths of Glory remains unforgettable over 60 years later. Set in the trenches of France during the First World War, the story explores the dehumanizing nature of war. General George Broulard played by Adolphe Menjou will order a pointless attack. After it predictably fails he decides to execute three random soldiers for cowardice just to set an example. Kirk Douglas in in one his iconic roles stands up for human decency by defending the wrongly accused soldiers. In this scene General Broulard inspects the trenches for a brief visit. With Kubrick's trademark tracking shot, allowing us to observe the conditions of the trenches, we're thrust into this world. The martial drumming adds to the sense of absurdity and war weariness among the troops. The cruelty of the general also speaks to Kubrick's recurring theme in his films on the irrational nature of hierarchies.