You Only Live Twice (1967)

You Only Live Twice (1967) Plot In A Paragraph: James Bond (Connery) is dispatched to Japan after American and Soviet manned spacecraft disappear mysteriously in orbit.It's a bit of a bore for me this one I'm afraid!! The best things about this movie is Nancy Sinatra's title track and the set designs including the huge hollowed out volcano. Even Donald Pleasence appearing as Blofeld isn't enough to bring this movie above average. Sean Connery is James Bond screamed the poster, but in could have read James Bond is Sean Connery, as it would appear that is all audiences wanted from him. With the exception of Marnie (which was considered at flop at the time) which no doubt was helped by a Hitchcock movie, none of his work outside of Bond made a dent at the Box Office. During the filming in Japan, it was announced that Connery would retire from the role of Bond after this movie.You Only Live Twice stopped the run of the latest Bond movie grossing more than the last. It still did very, very well ending 1967 as the 7th highest grossing movie of they year with a $43 million dollar haul from a $10 million budget.

Typical but effective Bond adventure, this time set in Japan to distinguish it from all the others. The movie benefits from the bizarre imagination of Roald Dahl (!) who was commissioned to write the script and who injects some of his own wit, style, and an ounce of darkness into the story. Otherwise, it's business as usual, with a fun helicopter battle, some tense outer-space action (spoilt by some very cheesy model effects - the special effects in the Bond series don't seem to have progressed at all since DR. NO, except by becoming a little tighter) and a good finale, in which Bond infiltrates the enemy base (inside a volcano) and comes face-to-face with his arch enemy Blofeld for the first time.At this point the series was less occupied with screen realism than with out-and-out in-your-face bravado and scenes bordering on the incredible - take that whole "volcano base" thing. Other highlights include Bond narrowly escaping from a plane taking a dive and the elaborate ploy at the beginning of the film to convince the world of his death. Would he really go to all that trouble? This is a fast-paced movie with lots of action and near-death scrapes for Bond - love that scene where he is nearly killed by a hidden assassin pouring poison down a thread to his mouth.Sean Connery returns as Bond and is looking a little older this time - although nowhere near as aged as he appeared in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER and then NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN. The Japanese supporting cast is very good, especially the two love interests and Tetsuro Tamba as the secret agent "Tiger" Tanaka. Donald Pleasence appears briefly but memorably as the hideously scarred Blofeld, a role which was to be played by lots of people over the years. Series regulars Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, and Desmond Llewellyn also put in welcome appearances, along with Charles Gray as an ally. Gray returned as Blofeld in the next Connery Bond! Euro-starlet Karin Dor turns up briefly as a femme fatale. THE BRIDES OF FU MANCHU fans may note cast members Tsai Chin and Burt Kwouk as minor villains - I guess they had the advantage of being in Britain when this film was made and so were cast easily.Strangely enough my favourite scene in this movie is one of the least spectacular - namely, the dockyard scene where Connery and his girlfriend are stalked by a gang of thugs. There's a fantastic aerial shot of the bad guys closing in on Connery which I really liked, and the choreography is really good here. The one-liners are cheesier than ever, and among the many (unintentionally) funny scenes is one where Connery has to go "Japanese" in order to disguise his true identity - a less Japanese-looking person I can't imagine! In all, good clean fun and a solid addition to the series, unique in setting if nothing else.

You Only Live Twice is a great movie with a well developed plot and a good cast. It is a very fun film in the 007 franchise as we see James Bond team up with Japanese agents to take down an organisation that have been destroying spacecraft. It has a sense of humour and never takes itself too seriously, which makes it an easy, relaxing viewing. It is, on the other hand, very typical, it does not really offer anything new or exciting to the franchise, which is why I chose to give it an eight over a nine. There is an overly large focus on gadgets, to a degree that it comes across as lazy writing. Bond rarely uses his own skills to get out of certain danger, as he has a gadget specifically made for the peril he is in almost every time. Sean Connery still shines in the lead role, even in his fifth portrayal of the character, his wit, charisma and screen presence is still highly evident, as well as stellar chemistry with love interest Mie Hanna, he holds the whole film together and makes it worthwhile. It is certainly flawed, but the imperfections of You Only Live Twice can be easily overlooked as it is an enjoyable, action packed installment of the James Bond franchise. James Bond is sent to Japan to investigate the disappearance of an American spacecraft. Best Performance: Sean Connery

007 and the Japanese secret service must find and stop the true mastermind of a series of spacejackings before nuclear war is forced.Of course this is the one where Bond makes some ethnic cringe educing remarks in the opening before he is killed on a retracting bed and as my son said 'it's the one where he dresses up as Mr. Spock,' when he literally turns Japanese. While it's known for its expensive awe inspiring volcano sets and the 'Little Nellie' gyrocopter dogfight, for me the better stand out moments are the fight in one of Ken Adams lavish set that packs a punch. And there's a genius segment by director Lewis Gilbert where Bond fights on a roof top all captured from a bird's eye view.Sean Connery is on his usual cool form as James Bond, at one point he sports his Royal Navy uniform when he's buried at sea and later seemingly jumps off a building thanks to an old school stunt double switch. Roald Dahl's (yes the children's writer) screenplay has Bond shooting and killing without remorse which Connery pulls off effortlessly. It features one of the better Bond themes "You Only Live Twice" by Nancy Sinatra and John Barry's music is delightfully fitting. Charles Gray in his pre own turn as Blofeld is memorable as Henderson. Donald Pleasence is excellent as unblinking S.P.E.C.T.R.E head Blofeld, his incarnation defined the character and a place in pop culture. Bond girls Aki and Kissy do their best but lack screen presence of their predecessors. Actor Tetsurô Tanba (Tanaka) is notable. Burt Kwouk also famous for Kato shows up as Spectre 3. Regulars Bernard Lee's 'M', Lois Maxwell's Miss Moneypenny and Desmond Llewelyn as 'Q' are on usual great form.You Only Live Twice is plenty of fun, while not as dark as From Russia with Love and arguably more exotic that Goldfinger, with safe-cracking gadgets and explosive lipstick to name a few it's another must see Bond adventure.