On her majesty secret service- the biggest hype up on bond

James Suzuki

Here is a question that has been bugging me for as long as I have been interested in Bond. It's On her majesty's secret service. I've seen the movie, well tried to see it, and i rather didn't enjoy it. Slow-moving, not bond. They spent about 40 -50 minutes on Bond meeting the ladies at piz gloria and ages on him bedding them. no offense to you lazenbury lovers, but i dislike this movie. I would rather watch Connery, moore, dalton, Brosnan or Craig any day. Can you please enlighten me how you like this movie.

Higgins

If the main actor was called Lazenbury, you have been watching the wrong movie.... )

Thunderpussy

Not all the Bond films are going to please everyone, I hate QOS. So I wouldn't loose any sleep over it, Just watch the ones you do like. As often Quoted here at AJB, " Tosca is not for everyone" )
I love OHMSS it's very close to the Book and helps show a more Human Bond. The photography is amazing and ground breaking for the late 60's. Just my opinion of course But T Savallas Is my favourite Blofeld with great help from Irma Bunt ( a fantastic villainess ).
IMHO the only film to come close to the feel of it was Casino Royale, where an emphasis was once again place on Bond's character and less on the action and Gadgets, ( Quickly dropped for the Computer game, that was QOS, , Told you I didn't like it ).
So if it's not your cup of tea, simply skip it in your collection, the great thing about the Bond series is that Mabey even if one or two may fail to impress, there will be Plenty of others that you'll think are Fantastic. -{

Number24

Here are some reasons why OHMSS is one of my favourite Bonds:
-It has a very good plot, written by Flemming himself.
-An engaging love story and one of the most interesting Bond girls ever in Tracy.
-Good action scenes that come from story and character.
-An exellent score, one of the best.
-An interesting Blofeld that looks like he could beat Bond in a fight.
-The overall style of the movie.

pyrat

One writer stated that if you poll Bond fans on what they think are the best and worst of the films you will fine every film listed on both ends of the spectrum, so as TP says, different strokes for different folks. Enjoy the ones you find entertaining and skip the others.

thesecretagent

I hated OHMSS when I first saw it - largely because it was Christmas with a house full of people, I was a kid and everyone in the house was slating Lazenby - all being Connery or Moore fans. Years passed and I read all the Fleming books - and then I watched it one afternoon and loved it! I think as TP said, only 2006 CR gets as close to it as the feel of being an original Bond.

oscar rubio

For me it is one of the best Bond movies, I think Lazenby, who was not a professional actor, he did very well the role of Bond.
It's a very realistic movie, in which we see for the first time Bond M face, get married and I think it is another important time to define how to be 007.
Chapeau for OHMSS and Lazenby too

Blackleiter

I couldn't have said it better, TP.

Thunderpussy wrote:

Not all the Bond films are going to please everyone, I hate QOS. So I wouldn't loose any sleep over it, Just watch the ones you do like. As often Quoted here at AJB, " Tosca is not for everyone" )
I love OHMSS it's very close to the Book and helps show a more Human Bond. The photography is amazing and ground breaking for the late 60's. Just my opinion of course But T Savallas Is my favourite Blofeld with great help from Irma Bunt ( a fantastic villainess ).
IMHO the only film to come close to the feel of it was Casino Royale, where an emphasis was once again place on Bond's character and less on the action and Gadgets, ( Quickly dropped for the Computer game, that was QOS, , Told you I didn't like it ).
So if it's not your cup of tea, simply skip it in your collection, the great thing about the Bond series is that Mabey even if one or two may fail to impress, there will be Plenty of others that you'll think are Fantastic. -{

Bodie

I love OHMSS. As a fan of the books this is the film which best captures the world of Bond as envisaged by Ian Fleming. As a movie it had:

The best cinematopgaphy in any bond movie. I was so beautifully shot.
The best editing particuliarly in the fight scenes. The first fight on the beach is a masterclass in how to edit.
A great score and a lovely song.
A believeable plot.
A girl that actually meant something to Bond rather than just eye candy.
The best Blofeld. Charles Grey had all the latent menace of Winnie the Poo.

And Lazenby acquitted himself well. I wish it had been a commercial success and maybe we would have been spared the likes of DAF in later years.

Napoleon Plural

I do have an anti-OHMSS thread I've been meaning to get around to, sometime. First point?

It's one and a half hours until the first action scene. One and a half hours! You could watch all of QoS in that time, though I admit you wouldn't want to...

Sir Hillary Bray

Napoleon Plural wrote:

I do have an anti-OHMSS thread I've been meaning to get around to, sometime. First point?

It's one and a half hours until the first action scene. One and a half hours! You could watch all of QoS in that time, though I admit you wouldn't want to...

Don't forget the swelling saxophones when he meets the girls, Nap. You can always be counted on to point that out.

Napoleon Plural

Oh, do I? Still, we've been on this forum for years now. Guess I'm like the old guy in the bar with the same old stories...

Loeffelholz

thesecretagent wrote:

I think as TP said, only 2006 CR gets as close to it as the feel of being an original Bond.

Agreed, tsa {[] OHMSS is my favourite book, and the film was an excellent adaptation, in my opinion. Flaws? Certainly. But what fun it is.

Number24

Napoleon Plural wrote:

I do have an anti-OHMSS thread I've been meaning to get around to, sometime. First point?

It's one and a half hours until the first action scene. One and a half hours! You could watch all of QoS in that time, though I admit you wouldn't want to...

There is a good fight allready in the PTS, you know. )
Perhaps you ment big stunt scenes? If so, you might be right. But OHMSS has some exellent tense scenes like the break-in at the lawyers office that works dine for me. Not to merntion that the time is spent building story, atmosphere and characters, something QoS should have spent more time on.

spencerline

Number24 wrote:

Napoleon Plural wrote:

I do have an anti-OHMSS thread I've been meaning to get around to, sometime. First point?

It's one and a half hours until the first action scene. One and a half hours! You could watch all of QoS in that time, though I admit you wouldn't want to...

There is a good fight allready in the PTS, you know. )
Perhaps you ment big stunt scenes? If so, you might be right. But OHMSS has some exellent tense scenes like the break-in at the lawyers office that works dine for me. Not to merntion that the time is spent building story, atmosphere and characters, something QoS should have spent more time on.

I must disagree about the lack of action in OHMSS, George Lazenby did an amazing job in the Action/Fight sequences and there were plenty of them as well, he looks slick but tough too as though he could take the average guy apart should he desire and that is important for a licenced killer, lol.

In my opinion he did a sterling job playing Bond and I personally wish he had made more than one Bond Movie.

I also love some of the clothes from the film especially the 6x3 DB blazer he wears, I like it so much I am having one made for myself.
There is no such thing as a poor Bond movie in any case as they are all well above average compared to a lot of the usual fare dished out to us, I think a lot of it depends on your age when you first see a Bond film as to which Bond or Bond Movies you prefer. I love them all and Cannot wait until Skyfall hits the Cinemas.

Napoleon Plural

But that's it - I don't count the many punch-ups Lazenby engages in as fight scenes. I mean, the pts of TB, the action scene is the one with jetpack, not the preceding fight. Even that seems more fun and balletic than Lazenby's, which do convince but to me seem a bit samey. You can have too much of it, and they're all sort of claustrophic and noisy, a fight with clanging lockers, then clanging bells, the hotel room.... ok, the beach scene isn't, but it is a bit repetitive.

No, I mean a car chase, ski chase, foot chase, anything like that. Nothing for 90 minutes.

Number24

Most people would probably consider fight scenes action, but I get what you ment. There are no big stunts or action scenes until late in the movie, true. Personally I don`t mind as long as an engaging story takes up the time up to the big action scenes. Many action movies have big action sequenses poping up without much regard to story or character, just for the sake of having a big action scene. Some Bond movies are guilty of this. OHMSS did not do this, and opted for staying largely with Flemming`s origional story instead. I like the movie like that, you don`t. Let`s agree to disagree.

Napoleon Plural

Let's not.

It's not that the film is like Fleming's novel. It's that it's not sufficiently like Fleming's novel... but I feel I will have to start my mammoth thread to explain...

Number24

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Let's not.

It's not that the film is like Fleming's novel. It's that it's not sufficiently like Fleming's novel... but I feel I will have to start my mammoth thread to explain...

Let`s not agree to disagree? Well, I guess it`s a boring way to go about things...

I have to say I can`t remember any big action scenes in Flemmings novel that didn`t make it to the movie.

Napoleon Plural

Oh, you're right, I slightly misread your post. No Fleming action scenes missed out, but I prefer the feel of the book to the film generally.

BTW like Skyfall starring Judi Dench and Bernard Lee, you have one too many 'm's.

77007

Put it this way, I'd probably watch TLD before watching OHMSS...If TLD got stuck in my Betamax player.

DFGTYODLTTMFOATLGTTDCQ

Sometimes I wish I had been more careful in selecting a username, takes a day and a half to log on ?:)

Anyway, they're having some 'technical difficulties' over at M16 so one Bond forum is as good as another

We was talking about this earlier in fact, the strengths and weaknesses of OHMSS

I actually like Lazenby as Bond, maybe he was a bit young at 29 back in 1969 for the part, and he was scheduled to appear in another six releases, but his Agent soon put an end to that, told George that Bond was for the birds by the start of the 1970s and Lazenby under advice stepped down after the one movie, pity really, I would of liked to have seen the Australian in some more features

Great music by John Barry, neat, if somewhat dysfunctional pre credits sequence, Blofeld makes for a more rounded Blofeld, Rigg was OK as the girl, wasn't either dull or annoying, had some sophistication, sort of like Vesper Lynd you could say

But by the half way point, the film just goes off into this boring tangent and nothing really happens at the Piz Gloria place, except George stealing around in a kilt and trying to get his end away with some of the patients

It's odd, but whenever I watch it, I never really realize I'm watching a Bond movie until it makes a reference or Lazenby introduces himself when he's not Sir Hilary, it just feels like some escapist action movie with some lesser known characters throwing in a bit of action here and there, sometimes I would watch and wouldn't even be aware this is one of the official entries of the franchise

What I mean is, sometimes it just doesn't feel like a Bond movie, no disrespect to Lazenby as I thought he did OK, and all involved too. Peter Hunt put together a good action film and I can appreciate why it's even some peoples favorite 007 adventure, but it's not one of high recognition for me

Number24

DFGTYODLTTMFOATLGTTDCQ wrote:

Sometimes I wish I had been more careful in selecting a username, takes a day and a half to log on ?:)

Anyway, they're having some 'technical difficulties' over at M16 so one Bond forum is as good as another

Since I was just corrected o this thread, I feel the need to correct someone myself. In other words, you are just an inocent victim.
MI6 stands for Military Inteligence 6 and is the British foreign inteligence service. M16 is the American asault rifle. I`m sorry for my pettyness.

Napoleon Plural

Talking of which, can members of MI6 forum ask for no spoilers in the name of posts on the Skyfall thread? Thing is, new posts get flagged up on the home page whether you go into the Skyfall forum or not... I'm not a member there.

welshboy78

Was never a fan of Majesty in my younger days however after a couple of views it became one of my faves. Its a odd ball simply due to Lazenby's appearance (and one off appearance as Bond). He was not that bad, I thought his action scenes in the hotel room were actually very good for the time! The kilt and rather dated clothes in the film are a slight annoyance, regardless of being in disguise, Bond should still look cool!!!!

zaphod

welshboy78 wrote:

Was never a fan of Majesty in my younger days however after a couple of views it became one of my faves. Its a odd ball simply due to Lazenby's appearance (and one off appearance as Bond). He was not that bad, I thought his action scenes in the hotel room were actually very good for the time! The kilt and rather dated clothes in the film are a slight annoyance, regardless of being in disguise, Bond should still look cool!!!!

I think that Georgey boy looks cool even in dated and admittedly ' questionable' clothing. He manages to look kick Ass and not Austin Powers. OHMSS is a corker and a series highlight for me. it's possibly got something to do with the delectable Diana Rigg, plus a great script, class leading photography.

Barry Nelson

All James Bond movies float up and down on my favorite list as I re-watch them over time, some like CR & OP slide down the scale, others like OHMSS slide up. At one time this film would not have been in my top ten, now it is in my top five. I have an extensive review here http://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/32089/on-her-majestys-secret-service/

oscar rubio

In Spain, one of the best appreciated by fans of James Bond, but not for those who have only heard of Sean Connery or Roger Moore, who do not know this film

superado

xboy614 wrote:

Here is a question that has been bugging me for as long as I have been interested in Bond. It's On her majesty's secret service. I've seen the movie, well tried to see it, and i rather didn't enjoy it. Slow-moving, not bond. They spent about 40 -50 minutes on Bond meeting the ladies at piz gloria and ages on him bedding them. no offense to you lazenbury lovers, but i dislike this movie. I would rather watch Connery, moore, dalton, Brosnan or Craig any day. Can you please enlighten me how you like this movie.

On the contrary, I would consider having the "biggest hype" for mainstream blockbusters like Avatar and Titanic. OHMSS, in the mainstream has typically suffered anything from disdain to lack-luster dismissal as the "odd Bond" and has enjoyed appreciation largely from some (and not all, or even most) diehard Bond fans. By "diehard," I would mean those who not only can name the films in sequence, forward and backward, but those who can name each film's director, cast members, production designer, composer, etc. Being from that camp, based on the many merits already mentioned on this thread, OHMSS is actually under-rated and not even remotely "over-hyped." Conversely, and no offense intended, I think anyone who'd wonder what is the big deal with OHMSS would most likely be from the mainstream.

Lastly, I would confidently guess that anyone who likes OHMSS has read the Fleming books, or at least OHMSS the novel; I don't think it's possible for an uninitiated person to like OHMSS "just like that," unlike say, the movies of Connery or Craig, which have been deliberately tooled for the screen to generate instant audience appeal even for first time Bond viewers.

Napoleon Plural

I think the original poster was talking about hype within the Bond community, nowhere else.

Hardyboy

I agree with all the good things people have said about the film--its fidelity to Fleming, its action, its style, etc.--but I also think one of the reasons OHMSS is such a fan favorite is because of its uniqueness. This is the ONLY Bond film to star George Lazenby; the ONLY one where Bond gets married. . .until CR it was also the longest Bond film and it's the only one other than Dr No to have an instrumental title sequence. There really is no other film in the Bond series that's like OHMSS: love it or hate it, you can't take that away!