Scene in Dr. No

ericlik · December 2006

I'm new to this site, and I'm here to clarify one thing. I recently re-saw Dr. No on DVD, and at the climax of the spider scene, Bond walks into the bathroom and shuts the door. But my memory of this scene, from earlier viewings, is that we see him retching into the toilet bowl. Am I right about this?

s96024 · December 2006

On my copy he just goes into the bathroom and closes door. Can't remember him doing anything else.

Fatsnbul · December 2006

Every version I have has the scene ends with the door closing. I think that him wretching is what is being conveyed but they never show it. But if you think you saw it, then they did a good job.

s96024 · December 2006

Fatsnbul wrote:

Every version I have has the scene ends with the door closing. I think that him wretching is what is being conveyed but they never show it. But if you think you saw it, then they did a good job.

Indeed. He does hold his stomach as if he might be going to throw up.

ericlik · December 2006

I'm thinking that perhaps the scene has been excised for video, and that it did appear in the original theatrical release??

s96024 · December 2006

Can't comment on that considering I was not alive, infact nowhere near it.

Found this though

Sean Connery is morbidly afraid of spiders. The shot of the spider in his bed was originally done with a sheet of glass between him and the spider, but when this didn't look realistic enough, the scene was re-shot with stuntman Bob Simmons. Simmons reported that the tarantula crawling over Bond was the scariest stunt he had ever performed.

Can't find any other references about it.

caractacus potts · December 2006

in the book its a centipede not a spider
and he totally woofs his cookies after it finally crawls off his head

jetsetwilly · December 2006

I can't imagine that they would have shown Connery throwing up; in 1962, just showing a toilet onscreen was still something of a taboo, never mind having your leading man praying to the porcelein god over it...

taity · December 2006

1960's Physco was the first film to feature a toilet, so I'd agree with Jetset that it was too soon to see him hurling.

Anyone know why it was changed to a tarantula?

s96024 · December 2006

Are centipedes dangerous? If they are they are not as widely regarded as dangerous or "scary". So I guess a tarantula is a more realistic creature which would be used. I think I would have laughed if a big centipede crawled up his arm!

Hammerfist · December 2006

That's what I thought. Centipedes are not as widely known to be venomous as tarantulas (even though they are) and plus tarantulas are "less disgusting" and were probably easier to get into a movie.

So, to viewers it's "less disgusting" AND "more threatening". I do actually think it's a better choice than the original.

Mark65 · December 2006

In Ian Fleming's book Dr. No he writes that Bond was violently sick but after the spider incident but, as you say, that would probably have been too much for the film audience back then.

Mark

jetsetwilly wrote:

I can't imagine that they would have shown Connery throwing up; in 1962, just showing a toilet onscreen was still something of a taboo, never mind having your leading man praying to the porcelein god over it...

Scene in Dr. No

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