It's a film of two halves. The first half is a detective story, with Bond trying to find clues as to who killed Strangways and the 2nd half is a spy thriller when Bond arrives at Crab Key. It has its flaws, such as the jump cut when Trueblood is killed and the obvious rear projection and dodgy sound effects during the car chase.
I think that's part of the film's 60's charm. It makes Dr No a unique film.
Have you ever heard of the Emancipation Proclamation?"
Dr No is not perfect, and it’s not the best, but it certainly is a great movie that has aged well.
I am clearly employing a measure of hyperbole here... but really, DAYUM. For such a short production with such a limited budget this was certainly THE MOST profitable Bond movie AS WELL AS THE finest purely artistic achievement (pound for pound) of the entire series.
I know where you are coming from, and this was just my way to say I could not agree more!
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
If you take into consideration the fact that DN carried the entire future of the franchise on its back...as it took that huge initial risk with the vision of what a Cinematic James Bond ought to be...it's hard to argue against how very huge this film---and its success---plays in the annals of Bond history :007)
With the budget given and the dynamic, bold vision executed...yes. It's pretty effing perfect, all things considered. My second favourite Bond of all time, just behind FRWL.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
A nice, understated film in spite of its overblown finale. From then on the films had something to live up to, but it did get a bit try hard from TB onwards.
And those Three Blind Mice do pop up in the background of another scene featuring Bond, I think Mi6-hq did something on it. More visible in the Blu Ray. It is when Bond is visiting the embassy, I think.
I think when Bond and the policeman visit strangways home. The "three blind mice" can be
Seen walking off in the distance, the Police Captain even looks round at them.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
I think when Bond and the policeman visit strangways home. The "three blind mice" can be
Seen walking off in the distance, the Police Captain even looks round at them.
Wow, I honestly feel like I either forgot or missed this completely in all these years!
I think we're all looking at Connery buttoning his suit incorrectly.
Just looked back at that scene and spotted the blind mice!
I did always notice Connery buttoning up both his buttons, suprised Terence Young didn't scream CUT! at that point! )
I think when Bond and the policeman visit strangways home. The "three blind mice" can be
Seen walking off in the distance, the Police Captain even looks round at them.
I first noticed this when DN was shown several years ago for the 50th anniversary in theaters, a digital presentation, but seeing the three blind mice in the background drew a laugh from the crowd.
I love DN as it brings back special memories of seeing my first Bond film way back in 1962 at our local cinema - my dad had already seen it and took my mum, older brother and myself a few days later - I always remember being so excited at seeing my first real "grown-up" film at the age of 6 We were regular filmgoers at that cinema for many years on an almost weekly basis and when GF was released I cheekily asked the manager for a poster - he told me to come back when the film had finished it's run and true to his word he had saved me one and he also told my dad to take me into the storeroom and I could help myself to any of the older posters that were stored in there in return for some cigarettes - I selected a load of them DN and FRWL amongst them and my dad kept him supplied with ciggies and I got all the posters and lobby stills each week after the films had finished their run for many years. Happy days
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
DR NO is one of my favorites as well. I love the early 60s look and feel. The Jamaica locations, the beach, and Connery is the real deal. In many ways it does feel closer to a 1950s adventure film. Adventure being the key word over action. You could take Connery's Bond in DR NO with his suits, combed back hair with neck taper, his hat and place him in any classic 50s genre- noir, adventure, espionage, romance, and he'd fit right in. The first half really is like a detective film, and I love that.
I first saw this on ABC back in the early 80s and was hooked on Bond. Of course I had seen the Moore films TSWLM and MR, but DR NO really made me hooked.
Then in the mid 80s when my family purchased our first VCR, it was the Bond film we rented the most.
As a kid I loved the scenes in the hotel room, placing the hair on the door, and so forth. All the types of scenes that appear in the novels. To this day I still maintain that the 1st three Bonds feel truest to Fleming. For one- Connery and Terence Young knew Ian and got to spend extensive time with the man who created the character. I'd bet Timothy Dalton would have loved to have spent time with him talking about the character. Also, as was pointed out earlier, it was closest to the time period the books were written.
I never tire of DR NO and it remains in my top 3.
I first saw it on the big screen around 1980 at the now defunct London Pavilion, at Piccadilly Circus if memory serves. Not a full house by any means, whereas now it would be packed, and they had a season of Bonds, but this was the only one I got to see sadly, as this was in the days of black and white telly and no DVD or video. My parents took me, Dr No was on a double bill with Moonraker, and they sort of complemented one another.
In the early 1980s the 60s really was another world, it's hard to explain. They seemed longer ago than they do now.
To this day I still maintain that the 1st three Bonds feel truest to Fleming. For one- Connery and Terence Young knew Ian and got to spend extensive time with the man who created the character. I'd bet Timothy Dalton would have loved to have spent time with him talking about the character.
No Doubt.
Early Connery & Dalton rock the Fleming Bond.
I love DN but for me Sean finessed his Bond in his second outing. In DN he was a little rough around the edges in a couple of moments. Make no mistake, it is a fantastic straight out of the Box first performance though in a super Bond film. The Casino where we first see him is truly iconic, a much overused phrase, but appropriate here. In fact all of the Bonds inaugural shots have been very good indeed. My antipathy to Roger's Bond is irritatingly apparent to many here, but his 'gentlemen in New York' thing suits the film and he looks great (apologies for going off Piste)
Of that of which we cannot speak we must pass over in silence- Ludwig Wittgenstein.
FRWL's Bond was a bit more finessed, and Barry did the whole score, but no Ken Adam...
Plus the Dr. No reveal in the last third was genius. The dinner scene alone would only be equaled (mostly) later in Goldfinger's laser table scene. For a film series to be THAT effective their first time out is amazing.
DN is perhaps the most ambient of Bond films - the urgency of the communications room, the turning off the fan in hot Jamaica, the cab driver 'sent' to pick up Bond, sleeping on the beach at Crab Key and washing in the waterfall. It feels like organic James Bond - this is the world I imagine when reading Fleming. While I like a touch of bizarre in my Bond films (one reason why I rank AVTAK, GE and TWINE so highly), I actually prefer DN's first half to the second. It feels like a Bondman noir film, an authentic spy films where we unravel the mystery as Bond does. No other Bond film develops in such a fashion and it's one of the reasons why I adore this film so much. The second half in Crab Key is great also - Honey's introduction, Bond meeting Dr. No and Ken Adams wonderful sets probably the biggest contributor to my enjoyment of the final part of the film.
Film: Tomorrow Never Dies | Girl: Teresa di Vicenzo | Villain: Max Zorin | Car: Aston Martin Volante | Novel: You Only Live Twice | Bond: Sir Sean Connery
Film: Tomorrow Never Dies | Girl: Teresa di Vicenzo | Villain: Max Zorin | Car: Aston Martin Volante | Novel: You Only Live Twice | Bond: Sir Sean Connery
Having the villian invite the hero to dinner seemed so original.
A very definitive moment for sure. And Bond is just a stupid policeman ) and Dr. No is as cool as a cat.
Dr. No and Thunderball are my two best Bond films and I always find it very hard to split them for No. 1.
Dr. No is a fantastic film and I like the fact that the majority of the film has a great dialogue, 'many' iconic scenes and as many have mentioned it wasn't reliant on a big budget and gadgets. I've already posted pros and cons in the relevant section so I won't go on but would I change anything? The ending could have resembled the book. And confirmation (by Bond) as to what happened to Mary Trueblood and John Strangways; that was his mission.
Overall - a brilliant film and one I watch many times over -{
"Everyone knows rock n' roll attained perfection in 1974; It's a scientific fact". - Homer J Simpson
This movie has probably grown the most on me. It is right up there with the all time greatest. The reason why, is because it contains so many iconic moments:
- The introduction. Bond/Connery in 1 scene became the coolest person to ever hit the screens
- The killing of Professor Dent
- The intro of Honey Rider
Plus, Connery looked the business. He was young, fresh, slim and well dressed. He really hit it off perfectly. Also the story is easy to follow, it is extremely well paced and is one of the few Bond movies where the first half and the second half is of similar high level.
Dr. No is the origin point, and it is rather hard to dislike it just because of that fact - it set the blue print for everything that would follow to some extent. Definitely things could have been changed and tweaked, especially Dr. No himself, would have been nice to have a stronger actor who was more memorable in the part, though that's obviously just my view, I know many like his portrayal.
Comments
I think that's part of the film's 60's charm. It makes Dr No a unique film.
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
I know where you are coming from, and this was just my way to say I could not agree more!
With the budget given and the dynamic, bold vision executed...yes. It's pretty effing perfect, all things considered. My second favourite Bond of all time, just behind FRWL.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
And those Three Blind Mice do pop up in the background of another scene featuring Bond, I think Mi6-hq did something on it. More visible in the Blu Ray. It is when Bond is visiting the embassy, I think.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Seen walking off in the distance, the Police Captain even looks round at them.
Wow, I honestly feel like I either forgot or missed this completely in all these years!
YouTube channel Support my channel on Patreon Twitter Facebook fanpage
Just looked back at that scene and spotted the blind mice!
I did always notice Connery buttoning up both his buttons, suprised Terence Young didn't scream CUT! at that point!
YouTube channel Support my channel on Patreon Twitter Facebook fanpage
I first noticed this when DN was shown several years ago for the 50th anniversary in theaters, a digital presentation, but seeing the three blind mice in the background drew a laugh from the crowd.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Why?
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
I first saw this on ABC back in the early 80s and was hooked on Bond. Of course I had seen the Moore films TSWLM and MR, but DR NO really made me hooked.
Then in the mid 80s when my family purchased our first VCR, it was the Bond film we rented the most.
As a kid I loved the scenes in the hotel room, placing the hair on the door, and so forth. All the types of scenes that appear in the novels. To this day I still maintain that the 1st three Bonds feel truest to Fleming. For one- Connery and Terence Young knew Ian and got to spend extensive time with the man who created the character. I'd bet Timothy Dalton would have loved to have spent time with him talking about the character. Also, as was pointed out earlier, it was closest to the time period the books were written.
I never tire of DR NO and it remains in my top 3.
In the early 1980s the 60s really was another world, it's hard to explain. They seemed longer ago than they do now.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Early Connery & Dalton rock the Fleming Bond.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
"Better make that two."
Plus the Dr. No reveal in the last third was genius. The dinner scene alone would only be equaled (mostly) later in Goldfinger's laser table scene. For a film series to be THAT effective their first time out is amazing.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Now fetch my shoes.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
"Better make that two."
A very definitive moment for sure. And Bond is just a stupid policeman
Dr. No and Thunderball are my two best Bond films and I always find it very hard to split them for No. 1.
Dr. No is a fantastic film and I like the fact that the majority of the film has a great dialogue, 'many' iconic scenes and as many have mentioned it wasn't reliant on a big budget and gadgets. I've already posted pros and cons in the relevant section so I won't go on but would I change anything? The ending could have resembled the book. And confirmation (by Bond) as to what happened to Mary Trueblood and John Strangways; that was his mission.
Overall - a brilliant film and one I watch many times over -{
- The introduction. Bond/Connery in 1 scene became the coolest person to ever hit the screens
- The killing of Professor Dent
- The intro of Honey Rider
Plus, Connery looked the business. He was young, fresh, slim and well dressed. He really hit it off perfectly. Also the story is easy to follow, it is extremely well paced and is one of the few Bond movies where the first half and the second half is of similar high level.
1. Connery 2. Craig 3. Brosnan 4. Dalton 5. Lazenby 6. Moore