Dr. No

[Swindle]

I got the itch to check out James Bond films. Can't remember the last time I watched a Bond film. My brother owns some Bond box sets, and then the newer movies on their own.

What these box seats do is mix up all the movies, so if you're a fan of a particular era of Bond, you are forced to buy other films to get the ones you want. It annoys me because it makes it more diffucult to find the movie you want.

So, I went with the original, Dr. No.

* Three Mind Mice is not my idea of a James Bond song, I'd rather some over the top singing of Dr. No. On the other hand, we do get the James Bond Theme, which is very cool.

* Speaking of the Three Mind Mice, I do think them as hitchmen could have gotten more exposure and James Bond could have had a much better showdown with them.

* Now, Bond bedding Miss Taro, being on to her, then turning her over to the police cracks me up.

* SPECTRE is a concept I like because it takes me to my childhood love, G.I. Joe and their longstanding battle against Cobra.

* On thing that bugs me big time is the tarantula as a way to kill James Bond. A tarantula bite will not kill a person. Also, James Bond does not look cool at all killing it.

* I felt bad for Quarrel getting burned to death by the "dragon", but the movie wanted to end with James and Honey alone in a boat, so he couldn't survive. Poor guy, giving Bond a ride and gets burned up for his troubles.

* Yeah, Honey Ryder is a true beauty.

Overall, I'd say maybe 2 and 1/2 stars out of 4. Pretty good, but very much a prototype movie.

[Bravo]

Yeah, Bond films are the early stages of the action movie tropes and cliches.

The opening theme song thing wouldn't become standard until GOLDFINGER.

Henchmen, the next movie FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, the henchman gets more screen time than the bigger bad(s).

A likable ally getting killed is a frequent thing in Bond films.

Bond films ending on or near water is another.

I'd put it in the top ten, though there are just 24 official movies.

[Swindle]

I think I'll make an effort to move through the movies. We'll see how long I can keep with it. LOL

* From Russia with Love is better in scope, guess because it got more a budget.

* It doesn't really fall into bad camp like some Bond movie can.

* Definitely cool to see Ernst Stavro Blofeld's debut, who gets a "?" as his credit name. Face unseen, the cat, so cool.

* I like how we get a nice epilogue action scene where Number 3 has one last chance to complete the mission and Tatiana Romanova proves her loyalties.

* I do like the overall plot of trying to play British and Soviet intel groups against one another.

It's enjoyable and a step up from Dr. No. I'd say 3 out 4 stars.

[Felix]

"A View to a Kill" was pretty much my one and only Bond movie. When I was a kid, during the opening ski battle with the Beach Boys playing, I remember thinking,
"That's Snow Job!"