What was the most disappointing aspect of YOLT, in your opinion?

I thought YOLT was the most disappointing Bond film ever made, because it was by no means Ian Fleming's James Bond, no, it was Cubby Broccoli's James Bond. But I can't sit here and honestly say, that I did not see it coming because I did. There are flashes of Cubby's YOLT in Thunderball during the pre-title sequence when Bond was flying around in a jet pack like Ultra-Man...Which was a far cry from the more down to Earth, James Bond in Dr No.

Of course, there are some people who said that Cubby Broccoli never truly captured the spirit, of Fleming's Bond. But I think Broccoli at least captured the down to Earth aspect of the character and the first four Bond films sort of adapted the stories from the respective books while remaining fresh and interesting.
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Comments

  • From Russia with LoveFrom Russia with Love Posts: 39MI6 Agent
    edited September 2010
    Trying to tell us that they could pass a built Scotsman off as a Japanese fisherman on the basis of a Vulcan haircut and some makeup was a bit ridiculous. It's kind of a pointless sequence and I think that the time could have been spent on explaining things like how Blofeld managed to hollow out a volcano and fit it with a functioning rocket pad and the resources to house a sizable army. In a populated area. Without anyone noticing a thing, including space ships shooting out of the mountains.

    I wouldn't call YOLT disappointing, but it's not among my favourites.
    That's a Smith and Wesson, and you've had your six.
  • BlackleiterBlackleiter Washington, DCPosts: 5,615MI6 Agent
    I guess I'm going to be the odd man out here, but I actually enjoyed YOLT quite a bit. In fact, it probably has more repeat viewing of any of my Bond collection except Goldifnger, From Russia With Love, On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Casino Royale. Something about the exotic setting, the Japanese counterpart to MI6, Bond teaming with the Ninjas, the unveiling of Blofeld's face for the first time - all that and more really stood out for me. And I absolutely loved the score (second only to the score for OHMSS for me). Sure, it had more than its share of silliness (Bond in his Japanese disguise, Little Nellie arriving just in time and having just the right accessories to take out the other copters, etc.), and admittedly Connery wasn't at his best, but I enjoyed it nevertheless. I was 13 when YOLT debuted in theaters, so perhaps I'm just clinging to my childhood memories, but this one is still high on my list of favorites. I suppose we all have our guilty pleasures, don't we? Hell, I have even seen a few folks here name AVTAK as their favorite Bond film, so I suppose anything is possible!
    "Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
  • JohnnyJohnny Posts: 7MI6 Agent
    I guess I'm going to be the odd man out here, but I actually enjoyed YOLT quite a bit. In fact, it probably has more repeat viewing of any of my Bond collection except Goldifnger, From Russia With Love, On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Casino Royale. Something about the exotic setting, the Japanese counterpart to MI6, Bond teaming with the Ninjas, the unveiling of Blofeld's face for the first time - all that and more really stood out for me. And I absolutely loved the score (second only to the score for OHMSS for me). Sure, it had more than its share of silliness (Bond in his Japanese disguise, Little Nellie arriving just in time and having just the right accessories to take out the other copters, etc.), and admittedly Connery wasn't at his best, but I enjoyed it nevertheless. I was 13 when YOLT debuted in theaters, so perhaps I'm just clinging to my childhood memories, but this one is still high on my list of favorites. I suppose we all have our guilty pleasures, don't we? Hell, I have even seen a few folks here name AVTAK as their favorite Bond film, so I suppose anything is possible!


    I'm not saying you can't like YOLT, but what I am saying is that YOLT was not James Bond. Well, at the very least, it wasn't Ian Fleming's James Bond. No, Fleming's Bond was the down to Earth fellow, who appeared in Casino Royale the novel and Dr. No the movie.
  • Ricardo C.Ricardo C. Posts: 916MI6 Agent
    Well, everything just involving a plot was dissappointing. However speaking in terms of production value, this is the best Bond film of all time. Ken Adam was on a role here; Blofeld's Volcano lair and apartment, Osato's office, and Tanaka's as well. The John Barry score is just friggin' beautiful to say the least and Freddie Young's cinematography has never been matched. This is how you make a Bond film look good.
  • SilentSpySilentSpy Private Exotic AreaPosts: 765MI6 Agent
    You Only Live Twice is the first true fantasy Bond. Connery did well in it. But it is vastly different in tone than Thunderball. Which is probably the most disappointing thing about the film. This is the film where SPECTRE begins to get silly.
    "Better late than never."
  • HardyboyHardyboy Posts: 5,906Chief of Staff
    I'll admit to finding YOLT something of a guilty pleasure--largely for the good qualities that Ricardo C. pointed out. Still, what I find unforgivable about it is that it contains Connery's worst performance as Bond. He delivers his lines after dispatching the SPECTRE helicopters as if he's reciting a grocery list, and he displays little emotion as he goes through all the events of the film (granted, though, the script gives him few good lines or moments to really act). A close second in my book would be Donald Pleasence's Blofeld. He's impossible to take seriously today because of Dr. Evil; but even before the Austin Powers films came out, I found Pleasence's performance totally out of place in a Bond film. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he wandered over from the Hammer set!
    Vox clamantis in deserto
  • Ricardo C.Ricardo C. Posts: 916MI6 Agent
    Hardyboy wrote:
    I'll admit to finding YOLT something of a guilty pleasure--largely for the good qualities that Ricardo C. pointed out. Still, what I find unforgivable about it is that it contains Connery's worst performance as Bond. He delivers his lines after dispatching the SPECTRE helicopters as if he's reciting a grocery list, and he displays little emotion as he goes through all the events of the film (granted, though, the script gives him few good lines or moments to really act). A close second in my book would be Donald Pleasence's Blofeld. He's impossible to take seriously today because of Dr. Evil; but even before the Austin Powers films came out, I found Pleasence's performance totally out of place in a Bond film. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he wandered over from the Hammer set!

    Yes that is the biggest problem for DP. His Blofeld as been the one that has been subject to much lampooning you can't take it seriously anymore. It's like watching a great actor play Simon Legree.
  • GothamKnight1902GothamKnight1902 Posts: 37MI6 Agent
    edited September 2010
    SilentSpy wrote:
    You Only Live Twice is the first true fantasy Bond. Connery did well in it. But it is vastly different in tone than Thunderball. Which is probably the most disappointing thing about the film. This is the film where SPECTRE begins to get silly.

    One thing that's easy to overlook is Cubby Broccoli's piss-poor lack of loyality to the source material. Dr No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger and Thunderball were all decent film adaptations of the source material that they were trying to bring to life. I think they wanted to do OHMSS after TB, but OHMSS's plot was too similar to TB and so they went off and did their own thing, instead of adapting one of the other novels from Ian Fleming's proverbial liberary...But creating adaptation decay with YOLT, was completely wrong in hindsight 20-20.
  • mrbain007mrbain007 Posts: 393MI6 Agent
    edited September 2010
    SilentSpy wrote:
    You Only Live Twice is the first true fantasy Bond. Connery did well in it. But it is vastly different in tone than Thunderball. Which is probably the most disappointing thing about the film. This is the film where SPECTRE begins to get silly.

    One thing that's easy to overlook is Cubby Broccoli's piss-poor lack of loyality to the source material. Dr No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger and Thunderball were all decent film adaptations of the source material that they were trying to bring to life. I think they wanted to do OHMSS after TB, but OHMSS's plot was too similar to TB and so they went off and did their own thing instead of adapting of the other novels from Ian Fleming's proverbial liberary.

    The thing is the producers "doing their own thing" was probably the very reason the character of JB has lasted so long. The much greater use of gadgets and humour has been what's kept the character going. It all started in GF with the Aston Martin. True the story was similar to the novel but the gadgets were very much an invention of Cubby and Harry. It made the films more "kid-friendly" and the character reached a much wider audience. In turn retailers could exploit this and the "Bond boom" started.
  • GothamKnight1902GothamKnight1902 Posts: 37MI6 Agent
    edited September 2010
    mrbain007 wrote:
    The thing its, thats probably the very reason the character of JB has lasted so long. The much greater use of gadgets and humour has what's kept the character going. It all started in GF with the Aston Martin. True the story was similar to the novel but the gadgets were very much an invention of Cubby and Harry. It made the films more "kid-friendly" and the character reached a much wider audience. In turn retailers could exploit this and the "Bond boom" started.

    I don't care if they have gadgetry in James Bond films or not, but when you're making a Bond film and it's supposed to be based off of one of the Bond novels by Ian Fleming, I WANT YOU to tell that story on the silverscreen. No if's, and's or but's about it. And that's why I hate Chubby Broccoli so much. I wanted him to tell Fleming's definitive take on James Bond until Cubby ran out of Bond novels to adapt, but Broccoli never did that and that's why I dislike the man. After TB and OHMSS, most of EON's films were James Bond in name only. And that's pretty sad.
  • mrbain007mrbain007 Posts: 393MI6 Agent
    You're obviously one of those purists :p I get your point and I do understand that the novels were very different to the films but I would bet a lot of money that many people on this forum wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the likes of GF, TB, YOLT LALD, TMWTGG, TSWLM, MR etc.

    Many of us watched the films before we even read the books, and those are what got us into Bond in the first place. Its only as we have grown up that we have discovered the literary material, which gives us a more in-depth perspective on the character.

    Plus, Ian Fleming wasn't always happy with the books he did himself. If I'm right, he only permitted the title of TSWLM to be used in the film version as he was so unhappy with his finished story.
  • Ricardo C.Ricardo C. Posts: 916MI6 Agent
    mrbain007 wrote:
    Plus, Ian Fleming wasn't always happy with the books he did himself. If I'm right, he only permitted the title of TSWLM to be used in the film version as he was so unhappy with his finished story.


    Yes he did. There was no way anyone would want to still a James Bond film with Bond being absent for the majority of tme. Also it wasn't a good book. I guess Vivienne Michel was a well developed character and all that but it's like "Who the hell cares ?". I don't want to read a story about some whiny ho who wants an abortion. :))
  • GothamKnight1902GothamKnight1902 Posts: 37MI6 Agent
    edited September 2010
    mrbain007 wrote:
    You're obviously one of those purists :p

    You can stick your tongue out at me all you want but it doesn't change the fact that when you adapt something you're supposed to tell that story. You're not supposed to say, "That's a nice story, but we're gonna do something completely different," no, just no, it doesn't work that way....And name calling doesn't change that. Why do you think Batman fans were so divided when Tim Burton released Batman in the Summer of '89? You had one side who was intrigued by the darker, more serious take on Batman and you had another side who was shocked and appalled by the fact that Batman's body count was bigger than The Joker's. That side thought that Michael Keaton wasn't Batman, they thought he was The Punisher in tights. And then you had yet another side who was shocked and disgusted by how un-kid-friendly, Batman's world could actually be. Bottom line, when you adapt something, adapt the core elements of the story while jazzing it up at the same time or don't adapt it at all.
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff
    mrbain007 wrote:

    Plus, Ian Fleming wasn't always happy with the books he did himself. If I'm right, he only permitted the title of TSWLM to be used in the film version as he was so unhappy with his finished story.

    It's more that he was unhappy with the reaction to his story- slated by critics, derided by his circle, etc. Wanting to let the book be forgotten about, he also asked that no paperback edition be allowed (one didn't appear till about 3 years after he died).
  • thesecretagentthesecretagent CornwallPosts: 2,151MI6 Agent
    I find the whole Ninja thing cringeworthy. And some of the martial arts in the training camp was terrible. I've studied karate for over twenty-five years and know good and bad when I see it, and believe me it's bad, but only second to the truely awful TMWTGG karate school. SC as a Jap was laughable. However, there's plenty of good bits - and I love the panned back filming of the roof chase/fight scene - and one of the coolest cars of all time - the Toyota 2000 GT. And don't forget Little Nellie... :D
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  • Colonel ShatnerColonel Shatner Chavtastic Bristol, BritainPosts: 574MI6 Agent
    I really like the volcano lair and Japanese locations, with the action set pieces holding up, and as silly as the movie was, the original and quite different Fleming novel it was based on was pretty daft as well. Aki always struck me as among the more tragic Bond women.

    However, while not as overtly racist as Dr. No (book and novel) its depiction of Japan was dated and simplistic, making the movie sometimes feel like Simpsons episodes set in foreign countries, although it was produced 43 years ago.
    'Alright guard, begin the unnecessarily slow moving dipping mechanism...'
  • Colonel ShatnerColonel Shatner Chavtastic Bristol, BritainPosts: 574MI6 Agent
    What's happened to the editing function?
    'Alright guard, begin the unnecessarily slow moving dipping mechanism...'
  • HardyboyHardyboy Posts: 5,906Chief of Staff
    What's happened to the editing function?

    ? I don't see anything wrong with it. Or were you referring to the double post, which has been a common problem of late? You can't delete a double post, but, using my magical mod powers, I did it for you.
    Vox clamantis in deserto
  • JohnnyJohnny Posts: 7MI6 Agent
    edited September 2010
    Everybody has complimented You Only Live Twice, on Ken Adams' production design and John Barry's music but that's not saying much. Any film can have great production design and great music...Look at Batman '89 it had great production design and great music too, but what else did it have? Personally I felt like they were dumbing the stories down with YOLT (1967) and Batman (1989) because you really have to not care about stories in general in order to enjoy these films.
  • chrisno1chrisno1 LondonPosts: 3,599MI6 Agent
    Well, given your original question, I'd second the posters who mention that Connery was all at sea in this one.
    YOLT is a truly bonkers 007 movie, whether you love it or loathe it, it has plot holes all over the place and some dreadful performances (IMO) from the likes of Pleasance, Dor, Shimada, to name 3. That the project succeeds is all to do with with the production values, which are very high, the excellent music and the stunning locations - IMO one of the best & most beautifully photographed Bond's ever.
    The problem is, Connery is clearly disinterested in the movie. He's treats much of it like a big joke (well, I guess he wasn't far wrong, as it has a very bizarre plot) and at other times he seems completely switched off. I don't blame him totally, after all when the dialogue is as poor as Roald Dahl's, I'd defy any actor to muster interest, but Connery is the lead actor, the central focus for the audience, and if he isn't going to take it with a moment of seriousness, professionalism if you like, then how is the project going to triumph?
    Sean Connery IS James Bond, was what the posters had been telling people, but if James Bond doesn't seem to care, why should the audience?
  • JohnnyJohnny Posts: 7MI6 Agent
    edited September 2010
    I really can't blame Sean Connery for being disinterested in You Only Live Twice, because the writing began to get repetitive, and the stories were becoming totally outlandish with a capital O. The overall plot was just, too outlandish to be taken seriously. And two decades later, Harrison Ford found himself in the position that Sean Connery was in, near the end of his 007 run, Harrison was pretty much forced into being Han Solo one last time when he didn't want to. Ford wanted Lucas to kill Solo off and that fat ass jew, was all like, "Nooooooo! We're gonna do this my way! And that's final!"

    But George Lucas's idea to keep Han Solo in the entire movie, really hurt Return of the Jedi in the long run because then it just became a cheesy story where EVERYBODY and I mean EVERYBODY has a happy ending. (Anakin didn't count because the audience didn't even know the guy back then!)
  • HardyboyHardyboy Posts: 5,906Chief of Staff
    Johnny wrote:
    . . . that fat ass jew, was all like. . .

    This has just been reported as offensive, and it is. Any more slurs like this, and you're gone.
    Vox clamantis in deserto
  • JohnnyJohnny Posts: 7MI6 Agent
    Hardyboy wrote:
    Johnny wrote:
    . . . that fat ass jew, was all like. . .

    This has just been reported as offensive, and it is. Any more slurs like this, and you're gone.


    *Sigh.* I wasn't even saying that about somebody who ferquently visits this site but *sigh* I guess that was offensive even though I was trying to prove a point....*Sigh.*
  • perdoggperdogg Posts: 432MI6 Agent
    Johnny wrote:
    I thought YOLT was the most disappointing Bond film ever made, because it was by no means Ian Fleming's James Bond, no, it was Cubby Broccoli's James Bond. But I can't sit here and honestly say, that I did not see it coming because I did. There are flashes of Cubby's YOLT in Thunderball during the pre-title sequence when Bond was flying around in a jet pack like Ultra-Man...Which was a far cry from the more down to Earth, James Bond in Dr No.

    Of course, there are some people who said that Cubby Broccoli never truly captured the spirit, of Fleming's Bond. But I think Broccoli at least captured the down to Earth aspect of the character and the first four Bond films sort of adapted the stories from the respective books while remaining fresh and interesting.

    I think what you said is true. I also think the following


    1) I think Sean Connery's lack of interest and obvious boredom and hatred of the Bond role cleary showed and ruined the film. The only time Connery showed any life was when he was in bed with Ling and when he hit Osaka's wet bar.

    2) Donald Pleasence role as Blofeld is highly overrated and the bases of every joke in Bond spoofs.
    "And if I told you that I'm from the Ministry of Defence?" James Bond - The Property of a Lady
  • Ricardo C.Ricardo C. Posts: 916MI6 Agent
    perdogg wrote:
    2) Donald Pleasence role as Blofeld is highly overrated and the bases of every joke in Bond spoofs.

    I think Pleasance did a good job but what counts against him is his ridiculous scar and disposing of his enemies merely by pushing buttons, sans shooting Osato.
  • BlackleiterBlackleiter Washington, DCPosts: 5,615MI6 Agent
    Come on, man! What difference does it make whether or not it was directed towards someone who frequently visits this site? You know better than that!
    Johnny wrote:
    Hardyboy wrote:
    Johnny wrote:
    . . . that fat ass jew, was all like. . .

    This has just been reported as offensive, and it is. Any more slurs like this, and you're gone.


    *Sigh.* I wasn't even saying that about somebody who ferquently visits this site but *sigh* I guess that was offensive even though I was trying to prove a point....*Sigh.*
    "Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
  • Dalkowski110Dalkowski110 Posts: 1,314MI6 Agent
    "Come on, man! What difference does it make whether or not it was directed towards someone who frequently visits this site? You know better than that!"

    Yep. Especially since some of us happen to be Jewish (well, Jewish father and I was Bar-Mitzvah'ed before converting to Roman Catholicism, though culturally, I still identify as a German Jew)...

    But anyway, what disappointed me about the film, as both an NRA Life Member/gun collector and amateur firearms historian, was the huge explosions we saw when the 13mm Gyrojet cartridge impacted against anything. Bob Mainhardt realized very early on that the only type of ammo capable of functioning in a gyrojet was a full-metal-jacketed slug. Mainhardt only claimed that his gun was capable of producing knock-down power (on the Taylor Knockdown Scale) twice that of a .45 ACP pistol cartridge. And even those claims proved rather dubious when tested by The American Rifleman and Guns & Ammo when the gun first came out; it just barely beat out the .45 ACP.

    Coming in a VERY close second was turning Connery into a Japanese guy. The end result looked more like Connery trying to do Spock minus the ears. Whilst I found many of the vehicles ("pre-import era" Japanese cars have always fascinated me with their odd mix of British, American, and German design features) interesting and found both Akiko Wakabayashi and Mie Hama gorgeous (I find East Asian women very attractive on the whole...), plus the awesome Little Nellie scene, I was let down by a lot in YOLT.
    By the way, are you gonna eat that?
  • Ricardo C.Ricardo C. Posts: 916MI6 Agent
    But anyway, what disappointed me about the film, as both an NRA Life Member/gun collector and amateur firearms historian, was the huge explosions we saw when the 13mm Gyrojet cartridge impacted against anything. Bob Mainhardt realized very early on that the only type of ammo capable of functioning in a gyrojet was a full-metal-jacketed slug. Mainhardt only claimed that his gun was capable of producing knock-down power (on the Taylor Knockdown Scale) twice that of a .45 ACP pistol cartridge. And even those claims proved rather dubious when tested by The American Rifleman and Guns & Ammo when the gun first came out; it just barely beat out the .45 ACP.

    Yeah...that sure got my goat too ! :))

    Just kidding. ;)
  • Dalkowski110Dalkowski110 Posts: 1,314MI6 Agent
    Hmm...put it this way then...it would be like seeing every Bond villain that falls victim to Bond's Walther PPK (and PPK/S, since that made a few apparenaces as a stand-in for the PPK during the '70's and '80's) spontaneously combust when they get shot, despite Bond not using anything resembling incendiary ammo.
    By the way, are you gonna eat that?
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,467MI6 Agent
    This is a great film for catching on telly, or on a Bank Holiday Monday (you don't have those in the US...) It's not so great for sitting down with a DVD however, or at the big screen oddly, as it seems a bit laborious, esp the plodding beginning. When we watch Connery amble out of the sumo wrestling match it all seems incredibly slow.

    I've never found it disappointing save when I saw it at the National Film Theatre and it just seemed flat on the big screen. I agree Connery as a Jap just doesn't work at all, that's an area where you adapt Fleming true to book and they shouldn't have bothered.

    Anyway, if you tell the story of YOLT the novel you don't have much! There isn't any action until the final scene and confrontation with Blofeld.
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
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