{"id":312,"date":"2014-09-26T21:06:54","date_gmt":"2014-09-26T21:06:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cinemacocoa.com\/?p=312"},"modified":"2014-09-26T21:06:54","modified_gmt":"2014-09-26T21:06:54","slug":"saga-review-james-bond-no-1-no-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemacocoa.com\/?p=312","title":{"rendered":"Saga Review: James Bond (No.1 – No.5)"},"content":{"rendered":"

That’s right, with Skyfall <\/em>releasing later this year I am opting to give you my thoughts on all of the Bond films! There’s twenty-two films, and when I started this challenge there were twenty-two weeks before Skyfall<\/em>, sounds good to me!
\nI grew up in the six year drought of Bond films, between the Dalton and Brosnen Eras, so my definition of Bond is Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights<\/em> and License to Kill<\/em>, while Goldeneye <\/em>is one of my top favourites. It took me a little while to watch all of the other James Bond films, but they were regularly shown on television, and while the Brosnen films quickly worsened I would never grow to like the Roger Moore era. At least not yet.<\/p>\n

Because there are twenty-two films I am breaking my reviews down into eras as best I can. Today’s post is all about the original Bond, Sir Sean Connery, and the first five films.<\/p>\n

So without further ado, let’s find out what bowler hat throwing, jet-packing and\u00a0scuba-diving excitement we can expect!<\/p>\n

Dr No<\/strong> (1962)<\/p>\n

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\nI hadn\u2019t appreciated how the \u201cfirst James Bond film Adventure\u201d had aged until now!<\/div>\n

Oh it is still Bond, wonderfully so, all the classic elements are here; car chases, double-crosses, world-domination-obsessed villains, beautiful women around every corner. Less on the gadgets mind you.<\/p>\n

While sent on a rather simple assignment to locate the whereabouts of a missing operative, secret agent James Bond uncovers a secretive mastermind bent on controlling the world. With few allies, Bond must use his wits and cunning to find out what is going on.<\/p>\n

The film itself is remarkably slow paced (by today\u2019s standards) much of the film has Sean Connery\u2019s Bond sneaking about on his own, which has a convincing atmosphere to it. He is a spy after all. But Connery is an excellent Bond, aggressive, sophisticated and more than a little selfish.<\/p>\n

Despite how I knew it was coming, the soundtrack to the film still irks me. I guess I am too accustomed to the later, flashier Bonds, but Dr No\u2019s<\/em> opening with Three Blind Mice, and the constant use of \u201cUnderneath the Mango Tree\u201d throughout the film really bewilders me!<\/p>\n

But still, it is classic and I have no overwhelming problems with it at all. Bond couldn\u2019t have had his debut any better.<\/p>\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=CgtKpFBxl9s<\/a><\/p>\n

From Russia with Love<\/strong> (1963)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\nCertainly compared to Dr. No<\/em>, From Russia with Love<\/em> has a much stronger identity and personality; it is clear that the future films\u2019 formula began with the second film.<\/div>\n

After the defeat of Dr. No, the criminal organisation S.P.E.C.T.R.E plans to entrap James Bond by baiting him with a decoding machine. Bond must go undercover, yet the woman he is accompanied by (and the assassin pursuing him) works for S.P.E.CT.R.E, and could get the better of him.<\/p>\n

The film\u2019s pacing maintains the first film\u2019s slower structure; most of it takes place onboard a train where Bond and Tatiana are undercover as a married couple. Earlier scenes include a detour to a gypsy camp (with included a cat-fight and belly dancing) and the first appearance of \u201cQ division\u201d at MI6.I like the supporting characters here a lot more here than in Dr. No<\/em>, Tatiana actually has some depth and loyalties (unlike Honey Rider) and Bond\u2019s associate Kerim is great at parrying Bond\u2019s transparent womaniser nature. However I have to say the actual storyline isn\u2019t too memorable; there aren\u2019t set pieces and it is heavy with espionage, probably the most spy-like Bond movie ever made! It also started with a terribly deliberate false surprise.<\/p>\n

But, it is a solid spy movie. The pride in the Bond theme is apparent; they really enjoy using it here! It is slow, but it is intelligent and feels more honest than most (even with some of Bond\u2019s first proper quips!)<\/p>\n

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