Which way to watch "The Blofeld Trilogy"

AllStarNemesis · March 2013

I'm doing a Bond-athon with several of my friends who have never seen more than one James Bond film. I had this idea though for TB, YOLT and OHMSS. The Blofeld Trilogy in the novels is TB, OHMSS and YOLT but the films is different. Do you think it works better thematically to watch OHMSS after Thunderball? The continuity issues of Bond and Blofeld not recognizing eachother in OHMSS also. What are some opinions? I tried watching the 3 films in the same orders as the novels are and it did flow better.

James Suzuki · March 2013

It might make sense but the problem is that because YOLT was made before OHMSS there is no mention of his wife Tracy. Connery's Bond seems happy and well in YOLT, so your friends will be wondering why he didn't avenge her.
The Blofeld story has been mucked up in the films with Blofeld appearing in more than 3 films so show them, in this order....
2. FRWL
3. Thunderball
4. You Only Live twice
5. Diamonds Are forever
6. FYEO (or just the start of it)

Muston · March 2013

As long as you watch OHMSS then DAF as they are the two films that really link. YOLT is just a waste, which is a shame because Donald Pleasence is the best Blofeld.

Dutchfinger · March 2013

If you wanted to show them the Blofeld trilogy you were probably best of to let them read the novells :P... The films are just done in the weirdest order and the continuation is sometimes off.. OHMSS shows memories from all the previous missions yet they show it as if Blofeld and Bond first meet. it's almost like a stand alone adventure, also because his wife isn't mentionend again untill FYEO. (And maybe subtile in TSWLM) DAF is almost like the follow up to YOLT.

I also like to introduce the Bond movies to friends, you're probably best of to simply watch them in order of release. If you think Dr. No and From Russia With Love wouldn't exactly blow your friends away (great movies, but very slow and hard to get into for first time Bond viewers) you are probably best of to start from Goldfinger onwards! Can't go wrong there!

AllStarNemesis · March 2013

Dutchfinger wrote:

If you wanted to show them the Blofeld trilogy you were probably best of to let them read the novells :P... The films are just done in the weirdest order and the continuation is sometimes off.. OHMSS shows memories from all the previous missions yet they show it as if Blofeld and Bond first meet. it's almost like a stand alone adventure, also because his wife isn't mentionend again untill FYEO. (And maybe subtile in TSWLM) DAF is almost like the follow up to YOLT.

I also like to introduce the Bond movies to friends, you're probably best of to simply watch them in order of release. If you think Dr. No and From Russia With Love wouldn't exactly blow your friends away (great movies, but very slow and hard to get into for first time Bond viewers) you are probably best of to start from Goldfinger onwards! Can't go wrong there!

Yeah.. Getting people who aren't fans of the movies to read the novels which are themselves chores to get through at first. Not happening.

I do agree with the notion about Dr. No. I recently rewatched it and man is it slow. Not bad just compared to all the other movies in series. Dr. No just isn't as compelling and or engaging. The only film my friends have seen is Skyfall. They're used to go get'em action films. From Russia With Love is slow but i feel it's a must.

Thing about OHMSS is there is no direct/indirect reference to YOLT outside 2 pictures during the opening title scene. Dr. No, FRWL, TB all get token mentions in that one scene in Bond's office. I think my friends won't really wonder about Bond avenging Tracy since to non fans she'll be just another Bond girl.

Jimmy Bond · April 2013

Like fellow Dutchfinger mentioned, there IS no Blofeld trilogy, really... Mainly, because Blofeld is in more films than he was in Fleming's novels.Add to that, the fact that they reversed the order of OHMSS and YOLT, which to this day makes NO sense.

Thing is, Bond might be said to be the first franchise with an intent on reboot. Because DAF was, among other things, a strict effort NOT to continue on from OHMSS. The film wasn't the gigantic success they wanted it to be, and with Lazenby out, and Connery back IN, they knew all they had to do was, basically, continue on from YOLT. Thats why DAF begins in Japan - a sly reference to the film's intended sequence. Fans have argued for years that this was Bond going after Blofeld for revenge, but bollocks to that - this is Bond on a mission, not on a personal vendetta. The fact that Tracy is not even slightly refered to is a good indication too, and a clear reminder that the last thing this film is, is a sequel to OHMSS.

As a result of YOLT's earlier placement, fans have been robbed of the intended conclusion to the Blofeld saga. As it stands, there's only Blofeld in NSNA (whose appearence in it is so minimum, that begs the question of having him at all), and the bald guy in a wheelchair in FYEO's opening pre-title sequence. Sure, at least he got an ending in FYEO, and one that was more in-line with OHMSS, but still...

Charmed & Dangerous · April 2013

Thing about OHMSS is there is no direct/indirect reference to YOLT outside 2 pictures during the opening title scene.

What makes the whole timeline even worse is that there does seem to be a reference to YOLT.

After Bond is knocked unconscious in Ruby's bedroom, having been confronted by Irma Bunt, he awakes to see Blofeld, who says "It'll take more than a few props to turn 007 into a Herald".

To me this implies that Blofeld has realised it's Bond (despite looking like Connery when he last met him....)

Awkward

davidelliott101 · April 2013

I figure in OHMSS Blofeld plays along with Bond's flimsy disguise.

Sir James Moloney · April 2013

Jimmy Bond wrote:

Thing is, Bond might be said to be the first franchise with an intent on reboot. Because DAF was, among other things, a strict effort NOT to continue on from OHMSS. The film wasn't the gigantic success they wanted it to be, and with Lazenby out, and Connery back IN, they knew all they had to do was, basically, continue on from YOLT. Thats why DAF begins in Japan - a sly reference to the film's intended sequence. Fans have argued for years that this was Bond going after Blofeld for revenge, but bollocks to that - this is Bond on a mission, not on a personal vendetta.

I don't agree with that interpretation but it's very interesting, particularly your point about opening in Japan.

davidelliott101 wrote:

I figure in OHMSS Blofeld plays along with Bond's flimsy disguise.

That's the best way of reconciling the total lack of continuity but then it does raise the question of how Bond (and M) thought he could possibly get away with masquerading as Hilary Bray by just putting on a pair of glasses, a kilt and a funny voice.

Charmed & Dangerous · April 2013

A bit like Superman's cunning disguise as Clark Kent... Remove your glasses and puff your chest out a bit

)

Thunderpussy · April 2013

Still workes for actors. If you have to play
a high Tec boffin type, then slip on a pair
of glasses. Like Ben Whishaw as Q.

)

Which way to watch "The Blofeld Trilogy"

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