Pros and Cons: Dr. No
Absolutely_Cart
NJ/NYC, United StatesPosts: 1,740MI6 Agent
The very first James Bond film. Features Sean Connery. It was a struggle for Eon to get this movie in production, but they did it, and with a sizable but very limited budget of 1 million, they managed to pull it off. Was initially criticized for having too much sex and violence, but now is seen as tame, and the movie that started this massive 007 franchise.
Pros:
[list=*]
[*]One of Connery's best performances[/*]
[*]Connery and Andress had chemistry[/*]
[*]Dr. No is a terrifying villain[/*]
[*]Beautiful colorful island scenery[/*]
[*]The dinner table talk begins "talking villain syndrome"[/*]
[*]Influenced so many aspects of the entire series[/*]
[*]Smart directing and sound emphasizes important subtleties[/*]
[*]Is humorful and creative, but still is overall serious ; well balanced[/*]
[*]It's pure ; Bond as a spy - not an action hero[/*]
[*]First half is suspenseful but surely paced[/*]
[*]Second half is tense/bleak with a nice climax[/*]
[*]Quaint and nostalgic sense of minimalism all around[/*]
[/list]
Cons:
[list=*]
[*]Somewhat of a condescending British "White mans burden" attitude[/*]
[*]The tank "dragon" wasn't very convincing.[/*]
[*]Honey Ryder, as a character was a 10 y/o in a 25 y/o's body[/*]
[*]^^ That's not sexy!! That's borderline pedophile.[/*]
[/list]
Dr. No is a great Bond film. It was one of the very first ones I watched. I thought I would like it less over time once I watched the other films, but this gem really does hold up. I am a fan of the more modern post-Thatcher Bond films, but sometimes it's good to put away the gunshots and explosions for more of a nuanced atmosphere. Sometimes less is more.
Pros:
[list=*]
[*]One of Connery's best performances[/*]
[*]Connery and Andress had chemistry[/*]
[*]Dr. No is a terrifying villain[/*]
[*]Beautiful colorful island scenery[/*]
[*]The dinner table talk begins "talking villain syndrome"[/*]
[*]Influenced so many aspects of the entire series[/*]
[*]Smart directing and sound emphasizes important subtleties[/*]
[*]Is humorful and creative, but still is overall serious ; well balanced[/*]
[*]It's pure ; Bond as a spy - not an action hero[/*]
[*]First half is suspenseful but surely paced[/*]
[*]Second half is tense/bleak with a nice climax[/*]
[*]Quaint and nostalgic sense of minimalism all around[/*]
[/list]
Cons:
[list=*]
[*]Somewhat of a condescending British "White mans burden" attitude[/*]
[*]The tank "dragon" wasn't very convincing.[/*]
[*]Honey Ryder, as a character was a 10 y/o in a 25 y/o's body[/*]
[*]^^ That's not sexy!! That's borderline pedophile.[/*]
[/list]
Dr. No is a great Bond film. It was one of the very first ones I watched. I thought I would like it less over time once I watched the other films, but this gem really does hold up. I am a fan of the more modern post-Thatcher Bond films, but sometimes it's good to put away the gunshots and explosions for more of a nuanced atmosphere. Sometimes less is more.
Comments
Amazing Location
Vibrant Atmosphere
Intimidating Villain
One of the sexiest Bond Girls ever
Cons -
Fetch my Shoes!
Slower then the later Films
Ursula Andress may be very attractive, but Honey Ryder is NOT sexy. She's jail-bait.
As for the speed of the film, I partially agree. I watched this movie a few months ago, and it was too slow so I turned it off. I returned back to it last week and watched the whole thing in full. I guess it just depends on what you're in the mood to watch.
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
The Jamaican locations
Honey's vulnerability when she is in the same room as No. She looks absolutely terrified throuhout.
The soundtrack
Dr No is a great villain
Bond's false exit tecnique when he meets Dent.
A hot femme fatale in Miss Taro
First appearance of a reccurring actor (Milton Reid)
Cons.
The fight between Bond and No was to quick.
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
Cons: The back projection in the chase sequence
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
They were made at a time when films were Movies and not realistic
Documentaries.
We could also travel back in time to teach the mediaeval artists about
Perspective ?
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
But just think how epic the Bayeux tapestry would look!
Yeah, but it was funny how Dr. No couldn't pull himself out of the nuclear waste because he had no hands.
Gosh, I love this movie. Classic.
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
If you find his Film Death funny, then read the Novel Version.
Yeah, I'd love to see that in a film some day!
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
I actually felt sorry for him. Just looked helpless.
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
- Has Fleming's work to base the screenplay on and stays close to it.
- Connery makes an impressive first appearance and makes EON's Bond into
an iconic character.
- Wiseman makes a creepy, robotic like No.
- Andress is perfect eye candy for the first EON heroine.
- Filming in the real Jamaican locations.
Cons:
- Pacing is too slow even for the speed of the films of this era (compare to
North By Northwest - an even older film).
- Connery makes an impression but IMO still seems unconvincing as having an
Eton/upper class history.
- Andress is actually too attractive for the character (who had a crooked
nose) and does not convince me she is the "tomboy/camping out" type of
adventurer her character is supposed to be.
- Wise is a fine actor but I would have preferred Christopher Lee - he made a
great Fu Manchu and would have been a natural for the role.
- A lot of the background music wasn't very good and comes across as music
one is used to hearing in low budget horror films of the time. Only the
calypso music and the Bond theme resonate, though the track that is used
for Bond's voyage to Crab Key is fine.
- Bond humming a tune to Moneypenny in her office. Out of character for him.
- I liked the whole intro of Connery's "Bond, James Bond" except for the
cigarette dangling from his mouth like a gangster or Bogart. Not exactly a
sophisticated action. Damon Runyon's characters did that, not Bond.
- Connery's condescending "Fetch my shoes" line. Ugh. Wish they could just
edit that out.
- John Kitzmiller. He was fine in some scenes (though his accent is not that
convincing - he was an American actor born in Michigan), but in other's
his reactions to being frightful appear almost comical. The actor Roy
Stewart who played "Quarrel Jr." in LALD made a more convincing character
and he was actually born in Jamaica (even though the character is from
the Caymans). Now HE would have been great in the film (had he been
at that age in '62).
- Bond in the tunnels. Not suspenseful enough IMO. Neither is how Honey
is supposed to be killed. They should have shown the water about to
drown her.
- No's hands. I know the pincers were difficult to do then, but they should
have tried anyway. Black rubber cloves are not very scary.
- I still wanted to see No die under tons of bird crap. Oh well...
They taste good, though. ;%
More seriously, I agree that Lee would have been a wonderful No and that most of the music stinks.
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
Whilst I agree with the purity of the story, I see Bond more of an "investigator" than a spy in Dr. No
Cons:
- Bond's attitude to Quarrel. And he's dismissive to people in general which I suppose is a character trait.
- No Barry score
- Ally tailing Bond for no reason instead of saying hello like a normal person (minor issue)
- The torture tunnel could've been something much more sinister...Dr No says he "hasn't finished with him", which isn't elaborated on in the final film but is in the book.
- Dr No's death is not very memorable compared to what happens in the books but is a sensible decision for a first entry.
Pros:
- Establishes all the Bond mannerisms which sadly do not appear much in later films. And has most if not all elements of the "Bond formula"
- Attention to detail. Shoes off when Trench is playing golf, opening new vodka when he knew his room got searched, Quarrel scared of the dragon so drinking rum on the way to Crab Key, pouring two shots of drink on the coffee table when waiting for Dent. Every thing Connery does, every movement is not an accident. He was told exactly how to behave here.
- The introductions of Dr No and of course Bond
Quality wise, one of the best. This will be hard to rank.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
DR NO: Last watched about 5 years ago.
Pros:
Titles
3 Blind Mice scenes
Casino
Bond - Moneypenny - M sequence
Hotel scene where Bond sets intrusion traps - hair on wardrobe etc.
Quarell - Leiter meeting
Dent in spider room
Spider on Bond
Miss Taro seduction
Shooting Dent
Crab Key scenery
Honey Ryder
Danger Sign
Swamp scenes
Dr No's lair
Dinner with Dr No
Tunnel sequence
Dr No fight
Model work explosion
Boat scene ending
Cons:
Music. I think Monty Norman was a poor composer and we have John Barry to thank for arranging the theme into something special. The incidental music is very weak.
Observations:
When Bond introduces himself as "Bond, James Bond" he is mimicking Sylvia Trench's line "Trench, Sylvia Trench" so do we have Sylvia to thank for the most famous line in the series?
Bond has been in the service for 10 years and M says casualties have fallen 40% since he has been in charge so does this mean that M is a more recent employee to the service than Bond is?
Miss Taro's address changes from 239 to 2171 from when she instructs him in voiceover the route to her house to when Bond orders the "taxi".
Conclusion:
A fabulous beginning to the saga and one which will surely rank high in the final table.
Other late 50s or early 60s thrillers, to see how the story grabs you by
The scruff of the neck and drives along, hardly letting up for a second.
The addition of Prof Dent, is brilliant and leads to one of the great cinema
Moments.
I also love the Ken Adam sets, the use of copper in the underground lair is
Remarkably colourful, and compliments the rough rock walls.
Joseph Wiseman is a great villain, his voice so emotionless, yet so commanding.
I saw that recently. He doesn't play it very well, or with much emotion.