Thunderball

 

 

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This review is more or less a blanket review for the recent Bond DVD releases (released 2007). If you already own most of the Bond movies from the 2000 DVD releases, do yourself a favour: Sell 'em on eBay and buy these instead. While the 2000 releases do actually include more "bonus" material (endless documentaries, trailers, TV spots, etc.) these discs are the ones to buy for true fans of the films, and of film in general. This is one case where the "frame-by-frame digital restoration" talked about on the box actually MEANS something and is noticable to even the most casual viewer. I have been slowly collecting the latest releases -- in the past month I watched Dr. No and Goldfinger and was blown away by the sharpness, crispness and detail in the picture. But: The other night I watched my 2000 disc of "From Russia With Love" (I haven't replaced that one yet) and could not BELIEVE the difference. The older disc suffers GREATLY in comparison -- less sharp, muddy, poor contrast ratio, etc. True the new releases are more bare bones in terms of extras but they are far superior where it counts -- the actual films. Not only that, but the price point is far lower than the 2000 discs. These are stunning, and a bargain. Buy 'em if you love Bond.

This is the fourth of the Connery Bonds so far.It was released in 1965,hyped to the hilt and once again proved to be box office gold for its' producers Saltzman and Broccoli.
The movie begins with its' usual(by now) prologue.This has Bond attending the funeral of one deceased Colonel Bouvar.After the funeral the grieving widow returns home and James is there to greet her and offer his condolences.He slugs her and she flies backwards over a table.Seems the Colonel is still alive and kicking,disguised as his wife.The fight continues until Bond finally disposes of the Colonel once and for all.
The opening music starts and it is sung by Tom Jones.Jones' masculine,bluesy and no holds barred rendition fits nicely into the Bond cannon of music.Almost a male counterpoint to the previous Bassey sung theme song.
This time around,as usual,the man with the white cat pulling all the strings and Bonds'arch enemy Ernst Blofeld is trying to create a nuclear holocaust.And he/SPECTRE is demanding a hefty ransom of some $280,000,000 from NATO.He places an operative aboard a British Vulcan jet carrying two nuclear bombs who highjacks the plane and lands it into the sea off the Bahamas.
Bond gets his briefing by "M" and NATO and is off.He visits a health spa where at one point is strapped onto an expanding and contracting table that's supposed to be good for the back.But someone lurks nearby,Bond hears a male voice and the switch is set up to the maximum speed.Bond has nearly had it when his masseuse re-enters and turns the device off.Bond has a good idea who it might be and when he discovers his assailant sitting in a steam box,he turns the tables by locking the doors and turning the heat up to the max.James nonchalantly walks off.
The man Blofeld has entrusted his dastardly scheme to is one Emilio Fargo(Adolfo Celi)in Nassau.His lovely assistant Domino(Claudine Auger) would become Bonds' femme fatale in this film and the one he would eventually turn to his side with his usual persuasive "techniques".Fargo has retrieved the bombs by now and has them firmly ensconced in a cave in the area of the bomber which is far underwater and well camoflaged.The world has just six days to pay the ransom(the drop off area just off Burma) or Blofeld will initiate undescribable destruction on the world.
Bond quickly finds Largo's home.He does some scouting and a little sabotage along the way.One scene has James using a jet-pack to escape the clutches of Largos' henchman.Largo also has a fondness for pet sharks...in his pool.Bond would later return and inadvertently get caught in the pool with only one way out,the way the sharks go IN.It's dicey but he eventually makes it out.As the time grows very short and the NATO leaders are about to give in Bond goes back to Largos'place in time to blend himself in with his diving team.He has already discovered the whereabouts of the lost plane but now he aims to find the bombs.He accompanies them to the underwater cave where the bombs are being stored.James is shortly found out and is locked in while Largo and crew carry the bombs off.Bond searches and finally finds his way out of the chamber only to end up at the bottom of a very large but dry sinkhole.Due to a homing pellet he had smartly swallowed before leaving with Largo and company he is soon airlifted out of the hole and back into action.
Bond goes back after the bombs but this time he brings help with him.There is a long and huge underwater struggle between the good guys and bad.Largo flees to a waiting boat and speeds off,with James aboard.Does he manage to overcome Largo? Will the bombs be retrieved in time? Or will the world be forced to pay Dr.Blofeld and the evil SPECTRE?These questions and many more are answered in the final exciting moments of the film.
This film has everything from "Q's" new gadgets,new technology like the Vulcan bomber and the jet-pack and thrown into everything some of the most spectacular underwater sequences ever filmed.And with this new DVDs' remastering the colours give the film just that much greater an impact when you view it.
Also in this film and an aspect I have failed to mention but is present to a greater or lesser degree in all of the Connery Bonds I will review is the fabulous stuntwork.These pictures had some of the greatest stuntmen in the business at the time working on them.Pros all and if memory serves Connery had as great a rapport with all his stunt people,as he did with his co-stars.Thunderball especially drives the stunt work home as some of the sequences are second to none.Underwater sequences always require greater care than most because there just that many more things that can go wrong.And the crew did have a few close calls with those sharks.They were very real.
All in all "Thunderball" is another enjoyable entry in the Connery/Bond line of pictures.All the usual marks of these films were here in abundance from the suave,sophisticated star himself to the usual gadgetry,to Monneypenny to his arch-nemesis Dr.Blofeld and SPECTRE.And we have yet to see exactly who this mystery cat lover is through most of these films.A great audience hook in and of itself.Due to the lovely remastering,this DVD brings this movie home like never before.Why don't you bring a copy home for yourself?

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