I know the type. I've seen my mother talking sternly to the weather gods during the weather report on TV and the low preassure center coming in from Ireland and Scotland (as they usually do) split in two and avoided where we live
Really? Here it's linear. The clouds start a que over the Atlantic, travels north-east before it rains some on TP, then on Barbel, then the clouds cross the North Sea and dump all the rain that's left on my neighbourhood.
Asp9mmOver the Hills and Far Away.Posts: 7,535MI6 Agent
I think its the quickest book-to-film turnaround of all the Fleming books, so especially odd the film used so little of the books plot.
People who read the book when first published (which was after the first two films had been released) must have been quite surprised so much important plot was missing and replaced.
To be fair, the crew did spend some time scouring Japan to see if they could find a site that would serve as Blofeld's Castle of Death, as described in the novel, but none such was found. The decision to reverse the order of Fleming's 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' and 'You Only Live Twice' for the films would obviously compromise any notion of using Fleming's plot, since one novel is partly a sequel to the other. But the main consideration here is the kind of book that 'You Only Live Twice' really is: it's a travelogue, first and foremost, with a James Bond revenge plot integrated to its second half. One can see why the film-makers wanted to build a substantially original story for the movie.
As for YOLT being more an exercise in cartoonish spectacle than a serious espionage thriller: well, yes; of course... putting it at the heart of mid-60s Bondmania, and standing it up as a memorable and influential part of Bond's rich tapestry/legacy!
While Fleming wrote 'You Only Live Twice' in the prose style of heightened realism that he used for all of his Bond books, Bond's conflict with Blofeld in The Castle of Death has the narrative structure of a fairy story. That aspect of the novel arguably gave the film-makers a cue to go large on fantasy elements for the movie.
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
As we will not have the time when watching the movie, let me say, that I absolutely love YOLT!
Whenever I am in the mood for a beautiful 007 movie, YOLT comes to mind.
In the 1980s, I have started traveling East Asia, including Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan.
I‘ve not been in Japan for almost 20 years now, but back then while being overly modern and futuristic, I always had a very exotic vibe from the country.
The super-modern metropoles with the amazing food, the bullet-trains and the good manners of the people have always made my stays there enjoyable.
And this vibe must have been much stronger at the time of YOLT, when Japan was almost an insolated society and not many westerners have experienced it.
Good to read of your love of this film, Higgins, and its associations for you with memories of your own travels in Japan.
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
So, one year later, I was back to Japan and with more knowledge the goal was still to make it to Akime.
That time, I left Tokyo a bit later - but not too late to match 2 goals:
1 and most importantly: Arrive in Ibusuki in the evening - stay there overnight and catch the 7.00 morning train
2 I wanted to have a longer stop in Kagoshima to visit Tanaka's garden (which exact location is mentioned in Kocian's book).
Having arrived in Kagoshima, I had to take a tram and then quite a long walk on one road (which is the road, where Little Nellie takes off), I reached Tanaka's garden (which is a traditional hotel (Ryokan)) and further I went to Ibuzuki again.
I've arrived quite late there and from the little train station, I tried to find a hotel.
Followed a neonsign and saw what seemed a reception - nobody, but I could hear loud japanese music coming out of an illuminated room. When I entered the room, there was a bizarre scene:
2 drunk women in their late 40s dancing with 2 older men.
When I entered the room, one of the women recognized me, came to me, wrapped her arms around me and started dancing with me.
I was somehow reminded of a Fleming novel.
I politely stopped her attempt and said "hotel" and somehow she managed to find someone who gave me a room for that night.
The room was funny. One big bed with a massive Blofeld style switchboard on the head where I could control everything down to the window blinds, but all very 60s. Remarkable was, that a large part of the switchboard where buttons with pics of very naked japanese women, obviously with the purpose to watch some movies for a fee.
The problem with the switchboard (all written in japanese) was, that I could not manage to switch one last light off.
I tried to get the bulb out which failed because that bulb was too hot.
So, I've spent a very short night without much sleep because of that f*cking light.
Next morning, I was at 7.00 sharp at the trainstation and a very small and slow train took me to Magurazaki.
The landscape was beautiful and we soon drove around a perfect and green volcano, which could be easily host Blofeld's lair.
You can see it from the satelite image from its perfectly round shape.
So, after a long and slow train ride, I was in Magurazaki and the number of japanese people where low and my chances that I find someone that speaks english where zero.
I went to the bus "terminal" and asked all drivers "Akime??".
2 or 3 drivers made clear that they don't go there, the last one pointed me to another bus and I asked "Akime??" and he said "hai".
I tried to tell him, that he should tell me when to leave the bus in Akime and seemed to understand this.
So the bus went on and on and on, more and more people left the bus and in the end the bus stopped at a final stop at a small bus terminal.
I went to the bus driver, asked "Akime??" and he said some words in japanese which I did not understand but seemed not having any idea about what I wanted.
So, I left the bus at a totally empty final stop and my only chance was a little building, where they obviously sold bus and train tickets.
3 men in uniform worked there, one at the counter and 2 in the background.
I was asking him with the only sentences that I knew "Gomme na sai" (excuse me), "Akime??".
He looked confused and replied in japanese but not in an ecouraging way.
I've tried on and on "Akime?" "Akime!" and he basically shook his head.
He talked to the guys in the background, noone seemed to be able to understand or to help me, so the entire conversation lead to nowhere.
Suddenly one of them said "Aaaaaah, zerozeroseven", and pointed on the book which I had in my hand, Erich Kocian's James Bond Book with Moore and Connery on the cover.
Everybody cheered, the ice was broken and immediately they turned into very helpful chaps.
So, my new zerozeroseven buddy, grabbed me and guided me to a lonely bus.
He told the bus driver what to do (in japanese) obviously and after some minutes, the bus left.
The busdriver talked to me (I had no idea what he was about) but my impression was, that he knew how to bring me to Akime.
I remember that a thunderstorm came up when I was waiting in the bus, it stopped soon, but it was a beautiful and energizing experience.
So the bus went off, the driver continuously chatting with me with many "Akime" and "zerozeroseven".
After 25 minutes, the bus stopped at a lonely house in the middle of the street. Bus driver asked me to stay, he went off, entered the house and some minutes later came back with another guy.
Turns out, that this was the local taxidriver who had a nap and he was the one, who could finally bring me to Akime.
The ride was around 40 minutes and knowing that Akime had no touristic infrastructure, I had to explain the guy, that it was absolutely necessary that he picked me up from Akime 3 hours later.
When we arrived ion Akime, I was mostly convinced that he'd do that and I left the taxi.
What a beautiful sight, the harbor was almost the same like in the movie. Up on the hill with a little creek below, I could see Kissy's little house, but I did not bother to go there, the trail was very bad.
I went up the main road on the other side and found the memorial stone for YOLT, which is located in front of a graveyard.
It started raining again and I waited it out in a little shelter in front of the yard.
This is when I first saw that blue Suzuki Jimmy and the driver kind of waved at me as he passed by.
After the rain stopped, I went down to the harbor and I saw the Jimmy again. I waved, the driver waived and he started chatting with me in japanese. Nobody understood anything, so he asked me "coffee?". I said "hai" and off he went to a little vending machine at the street. He came back with a tin can of hot coffee (those vending machines are phantastic!!) and a big smile: „Present“
He told me that he was fishing, he did not understand that I've asked him if he's caught anything. His english was as limited as my japanese.
It started raining again and as I've previously seen everything, I told him, that I was now waiting for my taxidriver, who would be taking me back to Kagoshima. "Ahh, Kagoshima", he said, and he offered me a ride back to Kagoshima.
As it started raining again this sounded like a good option because my taxidriver was supposed to pick me up in 1 1/2 hours.
I somehow managed to tell my new friend (he was around 40, very tanned for a japanese guy, longer grey hair, Surfer-type) that I needed to find the taxidriver to call him off and (I am still amazed that I've found my way back) so we started moving.
I recognized the taxi driver's house, rang the bell and he obviously had another nap.
I told him, that it was not necessary to pick me up again (obviously) and off we went to Kagoshima.
The ride was beautiful, at one time it started snowing (in summer) and though there was a language barrier, we chatted the entire time during the car ride. My new buddy was divorced, had 2 kids and lived in Kagoshima.
When we finally arrived there, I tried to invite him for lunch, which he refused because the kids where waiting for him, so I gave him the only thing that I had with me (with the exception of my Video 8 cam) - Erich Kocian's german James Bond Book.
Happy that I've managed the goal albeit so many obstacles, but having met some extremely kind people who went out of their way to help me, I arrived back in Tokyo with some lifetime memories.
One more thing: When watching the videos that I've shot in Akime, you can see that little blue Jimmy driving around everywhere.
Not sure if and why he was stalking me, but on almost every shot, the Jimmy can be seen.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Thanks, Shady {[]
The great experience that is connected to this hobby is the casual locationscounting that I’ve done over the years, and I came across with some beautiful places!
More importantly than the places have been the people that I came across with on that long journey - well - and there is Asp9mm 8-)
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Comments
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
If he is caught looking at that by his better half, he is headed for a major shouting at
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
But will it be worth it?
Hah, you wish.
Seriously... No. You’ve never met Mrs Higgins have you
Mods: please contact Mrs Higgins and invite her to become a member of AJB. Pay her if necessary!
I know that it‘s hard to believe, but I m the good guy in that relationship
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
... and you and everybody else
Pete is so afraid of her that he‘s taking calming pills when we meet
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Nah, I’m bored bullying him now. I’ll switch to texts
That's very noble of you
It‘s obvious that you have no ground and that I am the sensible and reasonable one here.
No need to make you even look more like a total moron
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
To be fair, the crew did spend some time scouring Japan to see if they could find a site that would serve as Blofeld's Castle of Death, as described in the novel, but none such was found. The decision to reverse the order of Fleming's 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' and 'You Only Live Twice' for the films would obviously compromise any notion of using Fleming's plot, since one novel is partly a sequel to the other. But the main consideration here is the kind of book that 'You Only Live Twice' really is: it's a travelogue, first and foremost, with a James Bond revenge plot integrated to its second half. One can see why the film-makers wanted to build a substantially original story for the movie.
As for YOLT being more an exercise in cartoonish spectacle than a serious espionage thriller: well, yes; of course... putting it at the heart of mid-60s Bondmania, and standing it up as a memorable and influential part of Bond's rich tapestry/legacy!
While Fleming wrote 'You Only Live Twice' in the prose style of heightened realism that he used for all of his Bond books, Bond's conflict with Blofeld in The Castle of Death has the narrative structure of a fairy story. That aspect of the novel arguably gave the film-makers a cue to go large on fantasy elements for the movie.
...and quite apt as prep for watching a movie in which the world is brought to the brink of atomic war!
Good to read of your love of this film, Higgins, and its associations for you with memories of your own travels in Japan.
Attempt 2:
So, one year later, I was back to Japan and with more knowledge the goal was still to make it to Akime.
That time, I left Tokyo a bit later - but not too late to match 2 goals:
1 and most importantly: Arrive in Ibusuki in the evening - stay there overnight and catch the 7.00 morning train
2 I wanted to have a longer stop in Kagoshima to visit Tanaka's garden (which exact location is mentioned in Kocian's book).
Having arrived in Kagoshima, I had to take a tram and then quite a long walk on one road (which is the road, where Little Nellie takes off), I reached Tanaka's garden (which is a traditional hotel (Ryokan)) and further I went to Ibuzuki again.
I've arrived quite late there and from the little train station, I tried to find a hotel.
Followed a neonsign and saw what seemed a reception - nobody, but I could hear loud japanese music coming out of an illuminated room. When I entered the room, there was a bizarre scene:
2 drunk women in their late 40s dancing with 2 older men.
When I entered the room, one of the women recognized me, came to me, wrapped her arms around me and started dancing with me.
I was somehow reminded of a Fleming novel.
I politely stopped her attempt and said "hotel" and somehow she managed to find someone who gave me a room for that night.
The room was funny. One big bed with a massive Blofeld style switchboard on the head where I could control everything down to the window blinds, but all very 60s. Remarkable was, that a large part of the switchboard where buttons with pics of very naked japanese women, obviously with the purpose to watch some movies for a fee.
The problem with the switchboard (all written in japanese) was, that I could not manage to switch one last light off.
I tried to get the bulb out which failed because that bulb was too hot.
So, I've spent a very short night without much sleep because of that f*cking light.
Next morning, I was at 7.00 sharp at the trainstation and a very small and slow train took me to Magurazaki.
The landscape was beautiful and we soon drove around a perfect and green volcano, which could be easily host Blofeld's lair.
You can see it from the satelite image from its perfectly round shape.
So, after a long and slow train ride, I was in Magurazaki and the number of japanese people where low and my chances that I find someone that speaks english where zero.
I went to the bus "terminal" and asked all drivers "Akime??".
2 or 3 drivers made clear that they don't go there, the last one pointed me to another bus and I asked "Akime??" and he said "hai".
I tried to tell him, that he should tell me when to leave the bus in Akime and seemed to understand this.
So the bus went on and on and on, more and more people left the bus and in the end the bus stopped at a final stop at a small bus terminal.
I went to the bus driver, asked "Akime??" and he said some words in japanese which I did not understand but seemed not having any idea about what I wanted.
So, I left the bus at a totally empty final stop and my only chance was a little building, where they obviously sold bus and train tickets.
3 men in uniform worked there, one at the counter and 2 in the background.
I was asking him with the only sentences that I knew "Gomme na sai" (excuse me), "Akime??".
He looked confused and replied in japanese but not in an ecouraging way.
I've tried on and on "Akime?" "Akime!" and he basically shook his head.
He talked to the guys in the background, noone seemed to be able to understand or to help me, so the entire conversation lead to nowhere.
Suddenly one of them said "Aaaaaah, zerozeroseven", and pointed on the book which I had in my hand, Erich Kocian's James Bond Book with Moore and Connery on the cover.
Everybody cheered, the ice was broken and immediately they turned into very helpful chaps.
So, my new zerozeroseven buddy, grabbed me and guided me to a lonely bus.
He told the bus driver what to do (in japanese) obviously and after some minutes, the bus left.
The busdriver talked to me (I had no idea what he was about) but my impression was, that he knew how to bring me to Akime.
I remember that a thunderstorm came up when I was waiting in the bus, it stopped soon, but it was a beautiful and energizing experience.
So the bus went off, the driver continuously chatting with me with many "Akime" and "zerozeroseven".
After 25 minutes, the bus stopped at a lonely house in the middle of the street. Bus driver asked me to stay, he went off, entered the house and some minutes later came back with another guy.
Turns out, that this was the local taxidriver who had a nap and he was the one, who could finally bring me to Akime.
The ride was around 40 minutes and knowing that Akime had no touristic infrastructure, I had to explain the guy, that it was absolutely necessary that he picked me up from Akime 3 hours later.
When we arrived ion Akime, I was mostly convinced that he'd do that and I left the taxi.
What a beautiful sight, the harbor was almost the same like in the movie. Up on the hill with a little creek below, I could see Kissy's little house, but I did not bother to go there, the trail was very bad.
I went up the main road on the other side and found the memorial stone for YOLT, which is located in front of a graveyard.
It started raining again and I waited it out in a little shelter in front of the yard.
This is when I first saw that blue Suzuki Jimmy and the driver kind of waved at me as he passed by.
After the rain stopped, I went down to the harbor and I saw the Jimmy again. I waved, the driver waived and he started chatting with me in japanese. Nobody understood anything, so he asked me "coffee?". I said "hai" and off he went to a little vending machine at the street. He came back with a tin can of hot coffee (those vending machines are phantastic!!) and a big smile: „Present“
He told me that he was fishing, he did not understand that I've asked him if he's caught anything. His english was as limited as my japanese.
It started raining again and as I've previously seen everything, I told him, that I was now waiting for my taxidriver, who would be taking me back to Kagoshima. "Ahh, Kagoshima", he said, and he offered me a ride back to Kagoshima.
As it started raining again this sounded like a good option because my taxidriver was supposed to pick me up in 1 1/2 hours.
I somehow managed to tell my new friend (he was around 40, very tanned for a japanese guy, longer grey hair, Surfer-type) that I needed to find the taxidriver to call him off and (I am still amazed that I've found my way back) so we started moving.
I recognized the taxi driver's house, rang the bell and he obviously had another nap.
I told him, that it was not necessary to pick me up again (obviously) and off we went to Kagoshima.
The ride was beautiful, at one time it started snowing (in summer) and though there was a language barrier, we chatted the entire time during the car ride. My new buddy was divorced, had 2 kids and lived in Kagoshima.
When we finally arrived there, I tried to invite him for lunch, which he refused because the kids where waiting for him, so I gave him the only thing that I had with me (with the exception of my Video 8 cam) - Erich Kocian's german James Bond Book.
Happy that I've managed the goal albeit so many obstacles, but having met some extremely kind people who went out of their way to help me, I arrived back in Tokyo with some lifetime memories.
One more thing: When watching the videos that I've shot in Akime, you can see that little blue Jimmy driving around everywhere.
Not sure if and why he was stalking me, but on almost every shot, the Jimmy can be seen.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
The great experience that is connected to this hobby is the casual locationscounting that I’ve done over the years, and I came across with some beautiful places!
More importantly than the places have been the people that I came across with on that long journey - well - and there is Asp9mm 8-)
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Start = 19:10 GMT
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!