Length of Thunderball.

DieAnotherDay

I just recently re watched Thunderball and it is certainly one of my favourite James Bond films, it has all the ingredients: Sean Connery in good form, an entertaining villain, excellent - but infrequent - action sequences, good plot and bond girl and stunning locations. What I feel lets the film down terribly is the Length - especially the part with the bombs being stolen from the plane underwater and the unbelievably long finale. I just can't help but think that if Thunderball was shortened by 15-20 minutes it would be the ultimate bond thriller and wonder if it was a particularly extended length purely for the fact that they were showing off many of the underwater achievements.

chrisisall

It could stand to lose 10 minutes easily, but no more than that IMO. It's just a matter of tightening up sequences, and taking out some obviously beloved & expensive shots. )
It's my favourite Connery film, btw.

DieAnotherDay

chrisisall wrote:

It could stand to lose 10 minutes easily, but no more than that IMO. It's just a matter of tightening up sequences, and taking out some obviously beloved & expensive shots. )
It's my favourite Connery film, btw.

Yeah, it's mine as well. The 2nd act of the film is excellent - from Bond arriving at Nassau to the death of Vargas but I feel that everything besides from this could really do with being cut down....maybe except from the fight in the P.T.S, that was probably over edited/cut and could of done with some longer shots. Great Film overall, the death of Fiona was my personal favourite part.

James Suzuki

It's pretty good, and I prefer it to Goldfinger. The water fight scenes look dated now and are a little boring. I agree about the length, the three longest Bond films CR, OHMSS and SF don't seem to drag as much as this one. But, it's still a great film, I admit.

DieAnotherDay

James Suzuki wrote:

It's pretty good, and I prefer it to Goldfinger. The water fight scenes look dated now and are a little boring. I agree about the length, the three longest Bond films CR, OHMSS and SF don't seem to drag as much as this one. But, it's still a great film, I admit.

I felt that OHMSS seemed quite long and that some parts of Skyfall were a bit to elongated but somehow Thunderball just seems like the longest film of them all and I think it's those tedious underwater scenes that cause this.

James Suzuki

That is right, that's what does it. NSNA water scenes are that great either. But now, like the water scenes in SF, they've mastered it.

DieAnotherDay

James Suzuki wrote:

That is right, that's what does it. NSNA water scenes are that great either. But now, like the water scenes in SF, they've mastered it.

Yeah, they were a great achievement for 1965, no doubt but I don't think there can be any doubt that they milked them a little too much

James Suzuki

That's right, they tried to make it look like,a huge epic battle scene too much.

Blackleiter

I agree a little tightening wouldn't have hurt. But still one of the better Bond films (although I prefer Goldfinger).

chrisisall wrote:

It could stand to lose 10 minutes easily, but no more than that IMO. It's just a matter of tightening up sequences, and taking out some obviously beloved & expensive shots. )
It's my favourite Connery film, btw.

chrisisall

DieAnotherDay wrote:

Yeah, they were a great achievement for 1965, no doubt but I don't think there can be any doubt that they milked them a little too much

Yeah, I got the scope of epicness without the extra shots that seemed a little repetitive. But I grew up on reruns of Flipper & Sea Hunt and loved Man From Atlantis... too much underwater stuff ain't THAT bad a thing! )

DieAnotherDay

chrisisall wrote:

DieAnotherDay wrote:

Yeah, they were a great achievement for 1965, no doubt but I don't think there can be any doubt that they milked them a little too much

Yeah, I got the scope of epicness without the extra shots that seemed a little repetitive. But I grew up on reruns of Flipper & Sea Hunt and loved Man From Atlantis... too much underwater stuff ain't THAT bad a thing! )

Certainly doesn't ruin the film for me but just slows it down quite a bit

James Suzuki

In the novel, what was the ending scene?

Mr Beech

My favorite Connery film, as well. Second favorite film of the whole series behind Casino Royale.

The OP mentioned the exact two sequences that I always feel are too long. Definitely could cut 10 minutes of that movie out, but it is really alluring and exciting as a film, none the less.

DieAnotherDay

James Suzuki wrote:

In the novel, what was the ending scene?

sorry to say but I havn't read any of Ian Flemings novels, I am just a huge fan of the films

chrisisall

James Suzuki wrote:

In the novel, what was the ending scene?

Bond & Domino in hospital, being naughty (or attempting it I believe).

DieAnotherDay

Mr Beech wrote:

My favorite Connery film, as well. Second favorite film of the whole series behind Casino Royale.

The OP mentioned the exact two sequences that I always feel are too long. Definitely could cut 10 minutes of that movie out, but it is really alluring and exciting as a film, none the less.

yep, don't get why some people hate this film with a passion

James Suzuki

chrisisall wrote:

James Suzuki wrote:

In the novel, what was the ending scene?

Bond & Domino in hospital, being naughty (or attempting it I believe).

I meant the ending finale, was it like the films underwater climax?

chrisisall

James Suzuki wrote:

chrisisall wrote:

James Suzuki wrote:

In the novel, what was the ending scene?

Bond & Domino in hospital, being naughty (or attempting it I believe).

I meant the ending finale, was it like the films underwater climax?

Bond was wounded and Domino killed Largo with a spear shot through his neck, actually more like the end of NSNA, if memory serves.

welshboy78

Mr Beech wrote:

My favorite Connery film, as well. Second favorite film of the whole series behind Casino Royale.

Plus 1 - though in my case I love both equally and can't decide, OHMSS close third!

chrisisall

Thunderball ties with TND for 2nd place for me (Dalton's 2 tie for first). :v
Then the DN/ OHMSS/GE tie for third...

ChromeJob

After GOLDFINGER's PTS, the mold was set -- HAD to have a rock 'n rolling PTS to kick off with. I wonder if Young was thinking, "Take this, Hamilton. See? Not so tough to do...." I could do without the jet pack though.

The film is long, but then there's a few too many "exciting" scenes. Like Fiona's high speed drive with Bond back to the hotel? What the hell was that for, anyway? Was she waiting for him? Trying to test him?

It's funny how simple the novel is, and how complicated and blown up they made the script.

raptors_887

I have Thunderball dead last on my list. I just thought the whole point of the movie was to show off the new under water camera they just bought.

And also by the end of it I realized I had no idea what the story was about.

It does have probably the funniest line out of any of them though. "Mind if my friend rests here? She's just dead."

Firemass

raptors_887 wrote:

I have Thunderball dead last on my list.

Same here man. Although TB has quite a few classic scenes, it's also the only 007 film that I dread re-watching.

James Suzuki

Firemass wrote:

raptors_887 wrote:

I have Thunderball dead last on my list.

Same here man. Although TB has quite a few classic scenes, it's also the only 007 film that I dread re-watching.

YES nice to see at last some hate for a Connery film. I find TB okay as said before but Connery is overrated.

Napoleon Plural

As TV trims the film it may be better watching it on telly! Like NSNA it has pacing issues.

It might be better at times with an more classic, understated Dr No vibe, it's all a bit breathless but bogged down, a bit cluttered.

Blackleiter

I get that Connery is not high on your list of Bonds, but why is it "nice" to see some hate for his films? I really don't like the Roger Moore Bonds, but I'm just expressing my opinion, not rooting for others to hate them. Just wondering.

James Suzuki wrote:

Firemass wrote:

raptors_887 wrote:

I have Thunderball dead last on my list.

Same here man. Although TB has quite a few classic scenes, it's also the only 007 film that I dread re-watching.

YES nice to see at last some hate for a Connery film. I find TB okay as said before but Connery is overrated.

Napoleon Plural

Well, I think he just means it's balancing things out a bit, it's not all pro-Connery propoganda. That said, plenty of fans hate YOLT, DAF and certainly NSNA. And even GF has its critics.

Blackleiter

Perhaps. But all of the Bonds have their critics and their defenders, and I have certainly seen plenty of criticism of Connery's films, especially DAF and YOLT. So I'm not so certain where the notion of "pro-Connery propaganda" comes from unless the fact that many fans happen to believe Connery was the best automatically qualifies as propaganda. But in the end I guess that's why we're all here, isn't it? To discuss and debate these things. So carry on! -{

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Well, I think he just means it's balancing things out a bit, it's not all pro-Connery propoganda. That said, plenty of fans hate YOLT, DAF and certainly NSNA. And even GF has its critics.

DieAnotherDay

James Suzuki wrote:

Firemass wrote:

raptors_887 wrote:

I have Thunderball dead last on my list.

Same here man. Although TB has quite a few classic scenes, it's also the only 007 film that I dread re-watching.

YES nice to see at last some hate for a Connery film. I find TB okay as said before but Connery is overrated.

I don't really think Connery is overrated but maybe the fact that many people just can't see any other Bond being better that him because he was the first Bond.....he is Bond I s'pose but aI have to agree that he never seemed to have much love for the role after GF, and even though this doesn't hurt TB much it certainly hurts the two Connery bonds which followed.

The Domino Effect

TB is one of my favourite Bonds but I wouldn't mind at all if the underwater fight scenes were tightened a bit. Other than that, I like the whole thing from the great title song to the inclusion of the fantastic Vulcan. Great movie.

chrisisall

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Like NSNA it has pacing issues.

Compared to the pace of NSNA, TB seems like QOS.