Ah, if you mean the editing then I agree. But in between that, like the junkanoo and Disco Inferno finale, it's very languid and needs to get off its arse.
Yes. A few years back I watched NSNA, then watched TB the same week, and WOW did TB seem to move by quickly. )
Haven't seen NSNA in a while but I remember it was pretty slow paced. Tbh I thought it was no match for TB, perhaps because of the villain (who was awful in my eyes), Connery's age or that stupid video game section...
....and the best he ever managed was a sermon on the mount.
TB is my favorite Bond movie of all, and I love it when people complain that it's "too long." As if I should be in a hurry for a vintage Bond movie to end! (As for the modern so-called "Bond" movies, they can't end soon enough...though I actually stopped watching them with CR, the only Bond movie I ever gave up on halfway through...)
TB is my favorite Bond movie of all, and I love it when people complain that it's "too long." As if I should be in a hurry for a vintage Bond movie to end! (As for the modern so-called "Bond" movies, they can't end soon enough...though I actually stopped watching them with CR, the only Bond movie I ever gave up on halfway through...)
If I'm enjoying a film, or am gripped by it I don't notice how long it is. Blade runner 2049 flew by, but Black Panther dragged. The litmus test for me is have I looked at my watch or not. For me TB does not drag, but the denouement is weak which Mars it slightly.
Of that of which we cannot speak we must pass over in silence- Ludwig Wittgenstein.
It could easily be trimmed, but some of the extra time is unnecessary. Never Say Never Again was able to clean up some of the excess and make certain moments seem faster-paced without losing meaning in the story, though I can't say its changes are improvements overall. When Thunderball finally gets to the very end on the Disco Volante, it's brilliant!
Was going to post on this thread, then found I had already done it some years ago...
What's with trying to post pictures these days? You go on to Google for a pic, and you can't just select the image and copy the web address - it starts banging on about Copyright stuff.
Was going to post a picture of Bruce on Zed's chopper - can you guess the gag?
I think DAD didn't need the end sequence. The car chase with Brozzer doing his best "Sean Connery-Pre DB5 Crash" face is one of the few scenes that stuck out from DAD, a villain's gadget car fighting Bond's Q-issued one? It was brilliant.
I do not really like the under water fight in thunderball. It is not very entertaining to me. Yes I think the film is perhaps too long but still good to watch.
I'm always amazed at how quickly CR passes.
Same with Thunderball. I always enjoy looking
At backgrounds and extras. It's all part of the
Great 60s vibe -{
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
Exactly, who knows what happened to these people after that?
I like looking at extras, like the girl in Scarface, they might've even disappeared after their scene.
They were captured and preserved forever in film.
I love the fashion and cars even things like telephones and
Tape recorders. Are all wonderful to watch. Also anyone
Who's read up on what it took to film the underwater
Sequences could only be impressed. It was like filming an
Epic WW2 movie ...... underwater ! :007) -{
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
I never really had a problem with Thunderball's length besides the underwater fight. But even then it's such a impressive undertaking that I don't blame them for making it as long as it is. I quite like the leisurely pace of the film even if it contradicts the urgency of the plot. It's great watching Bond doing all the things he usually does but not in a rushed manner, especially in a setting so perfect for the character. Most Bond films , especially now, rush from place to place but since the majority of the film takes place in the Bahamas we get a great sense of the atmosphere, culture, and people of the place.
I never really had a problem with Thunderball's length besides the underwater fight. But even then it's such a impressive undertaking that I don't blame them for making it as long as it is. I quite like the leisurely pace of the film even if it contradicts the urgency of the plot. It's great watching Bond doing all the things he usually does but not in a rushed manner, especially in a setting so perfect for the character. Most Bond films , especially now, rush from place to place but since the majority of the film takes place in the Bahamas we get a great sense of the atmosphere, culture, and people of the place.
I mean, Sean walking across the casino and dancing with Domino felt like forever.
Only when he talked did he appear quite urgent in his manner, particularly when Domino left with Largo.
Die Another Day and Quantum of Solace are most guilty of this out of the modern films.
Never Say Never Again ground to a halt after Fatima Blush's death. I couldn't really say the remake tightened up any pacing issues. Domino does kill Largo underwater in the remake, that's fixed.
I never really noticed any issues with the underwater scenes in Thunderball, even when watching it on a fuzzy old teevee in the 70s. They have figured out how to film underwater scenes better since, that's true. when adapting Fleming its important to film those scenes correctly, he was into his scuba diving! There should always be lots of underwater scenes in James Bond movies, with lots of tropical fish!
Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was made 15 years earlier. Did that have better or worse underwater photography?
also, did McClory have final cut approval over how the film was put together, rather than the usual producers? could that account for any perceived pacing issues, the fact there was actually a different guy in charge?
I don't think so. During the editing of the final cut, Terence Young abandoned the task and left it to Peter Hunt to make the decisions- perhaps that might be the cause? Hunt did say he had some problems during the edit (well-documented ones such as Felix's trousers not matching, Bond's facemask changing colour, etc).
Never had a problem with the length. I think the Bond films work better when they are longer. The problem is the underwater sequences are just so boring and repetitive. They couldn't think of anything better to show us, so they just kept showing essentially the same imagery again and again.
Never had a problem with the length. I think the Bond films work better when they are longer. The problem is the underwater sequences are just so boring and repetitive. They couldn't think of anything better to show us, so they just kept showing essentially the same imagery again and again.
I think the underwater stuff looked cool and technolocaly advanced at the time, all those cool toys and crafts. Now of course it looks less so which allows us to notice the drag. I'm old enough to remember being blown away by it as a kid. I even had a Bond bath toy figure with a craft powered by elastic and a Harpoon! Simpler times. :007)
Of that of which we cannot speak we must pass over in silence- Ludwig Wittgenstein.
I think the underwater stuff looked cool and technolocaly advanced at the time, all those cool toys and crafts. Now of course it looks less so which allows us to notice the drag. I'm old enough to remember being blown away by it as a kid. I even had a Bond bath toy figure with a craft powered by elastic and a Harpoon! Simpler times. :007)
I must agree. Those sequences were veritable masterpieces for their day and age I would say. Thunderball is so spectacularly stunning for all its deep sea scenes.
I think the underwater stuff looked cool and technolocaly advanced at the time, all those cool toys and crafts. Now of course it looks less so which allows us to notice the drag. I'm old enough to remember being blown away by it as a kid. I even had a Bond bath toy figure with a craft powered by elastic and a Harpoon! Simpler times. :007)
I must agree. Those sequences were veritable masterpieces for their day and age I would say. Thunderball is so spectacularly stunning for all its deep sea scenes.
Yeah, I agree...I know most complain about TB due to these very scenes, and I can see their point, but I just love them. I enjoy the epic feel of this endless underwater fight, and I think Barry's music perfectly suits it. Plus I've always been fascinated by scuba diving (due to watching TB and FYEO as a kid!), even though I personally have never done it...I'm sure I will someday...
I enjoy the epic feel of this endless underwater fight, and I think Barry's music perfectly suits it.
Barry's music really elevates this scene and is appropriate to the whole weird underwater vibe.
Last time I watched FYEO I was noting those underwater scenes were much more clearly filmed, and there was more of a sense of meaningful events happening in a logical order ... but that nonBarry 80s music was really bugging me, and made a better filmed scene much less impressive as an experience ... the murkier scene with the Barry music wins that compare & contrast.
Barry's music is so specific to the imagery of the films: a dreamlike journey to japan, a doom-laden tragedy where the heroine dies, the twinkling diamonds. His music could tell the story even if the picture is turned off on your teevee set.
The latter-day composers just don't achieve that at all.
Barry's music is so specific to the imagery of the films: a dreamlike journey to japan, a doom-laden tragedy where the heroine dies, the twinkling diamonds. His music could tell the story even if the picture is turned off on your teevee set.
The latter-day composers just don't achieve that at all.
I'd imagine that he could've really shined if the Bonds were proper B-movies with a very low budget.
He'd do most of the work to travel you to a magical place of fantasy, mistique and trouble. Innit lied his special talent.
Many serious film reviewers would disagree, but Barry is/was one of the best film composers ever.
Barry's music is so specific to the imagery of the films: a dreamlike journey to japan, a doom-laden tragedy where the heroine dies, the twinkling diamonds. His music could tell the story even if the picture is turned off on your teevee set.
The latter-day composers just don't achieve that at all.
This is a perfect description of the power of those Barry soundtracks -- and, I think, many of those older soundtracks in general. To me I think the big difference between talented composers of yore like Barry and Lalo Schifrin and others was that they did music that was proactive, whereas the composers of today turn in soundtracks that are mostly reactive to what's happening onscreen. They're almost like guidelines to the film: "This is where you get scared," "This is where you laugh," "This is where you cry." In comparison, as you so aptly put it, composers once did scores that practically told a story on their own, without the necessity of any images.
I'm glad to see the appreciation for John Barry, whose music I have adored and collected for about 50 years now. I won't add to the praise above, having covered that subject many times during my years here, but I will say that IMHO he was at least as important to the success of the James Bond series as anyone... except of course Ian Fleming ) .
TB is right up there as one of the best in the series - it's strange but sometimes I think the underwater battle is too long and other times such as in my most recent viewing I find it flies by so depends what mood I'm in I suppose. Will add my plaudits for Barry's score which is simply magnificent.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Comments
Roger Moore 1927-2017
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Haven't seen NSNA in a while but I remember it was pretty slow paced. Tbh I thought it was no match for TB, perhaps because of the villain (who was awful in my eyes), Connery's age or that stupid video game section...
If I'm enjoying a film, or am gripped by it I don't notice how long it is. Blade runner 2049 flew by, but Black Panther dragged. The litmus test for me is have I looked at my watch or not. For me TB does not drag, but the denouement is weak which Mars it slightly.
What's with trying to post pictures these days? You go on to Google for a pic, and you can't just select the image and copy the web address - it starts banging on about Copyright stuff.
Was going to post a picture of Bruce on Zed's chopper - can you guess the gag?
Roger Moore 1927-2017
The two Bond films that go on too long are CR (as you've called out) and DAD. DAD didn't need the whole car chase within the ice palace.
"Better make that two."
Same with Thunderball. I always enjoy looking
At backgrounds and extras. It's all part of the
Great 60s vibe -{
I like looking at extras, like the girl in Scarface, they might've even disappeared after their scene.
They were captured and preserved forever in film.
Tape recorders. Are all wonderful to watch. Also anyone
Who's read up on what it took to film the underwater
Sequences could only be impressed. It was like filming an
Epic WW2 movie ...... underwater ! :007) -{
Only when he talked did he appear quite urgent in his manner, particularly when Domino left with Largo.
Die Another Day and Quantum of Solace are most guilty of this out of the modern films.
I never really noticed any issues with the underwater scenes in Thunderball, even when watching it on a fuzzy old teevee in the 70s. They have figured out how to film underwater scenes better since, that's true. when adapting Fleming its important to film those scenes correctly, he was into his scuba diving! There should always be lots of underwater scenes in James Bond movies, with lots of tropical fish!
Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was made 15 years earlier. Did that have better or worse underwater photography?
also, did McClory have final cut approval over how the film was put together, rather than the usual producers? could that account for any perceived pacing issues, the fact there was actually a different guy in charge?
I think the underwater stuff looked cool and technolocaly advanced at the time, all those cool toys and crafts. Now of course it looks less so which allows us to notice the drag. I'm old enough to remember being blown away by it as a kid. I even had a Bond bath toy figure with a craft powered by elastic and a Harpoon! Simpler times. :007)
I must agree. Those sequences were veritable masterpieces for their day and age I would say. Thunderball is so spectacularly stunning for all its deep sea scenes.
Yeah, I agree...I know most complain about TB due to these very scenes, and I can see their point, but I just love them. I enjoy the epic feel of this endless underwater fight, and I think Barry's music perfectly suits it. Plus I've always been fascinated by scuba diving (due to watching TB and FYEO as a kid!), even though I personally have never done it...I'm sure I will someday...
-{
Last time I watched FYEO I was noting those underwater scenes were much more clearly filmed, and there was more of a sense of meaningful events happening in a logical order ... but that nonBarry 80s music was really bugging me, and made a better filmed scene much less impressive as an experience ... the murkier scene with the Barry music wins that compare & contrast.
The latter-day composers just don't achieve that at all.
He'd do most of the work to travel you to a magical place of fantasy, mistique and trouble. Innit lied his special talent.
Many serious film reviewers would disagree, but Barry is/was one of the best film composers ever.
+1 -{
This is a perfect description of the power of those Barry soundtracks -- and, I think, many of those older soundtracks in general. To me I think the big difference between talented composers of yore like Barry and Lalo Schifrin and others was that they did music that was proactive, whereas the composers of today turn in soundtracks that are mostly reactive to what's happening onscreen. They're almost like guidelines to the film: "This is where you get scared," "This is where you laugh," "This is where you cry." In comparison, as you so aptly put it, composers once did scores that practically told a story on their own, without the necessity of any images.