Thunderball (1965)

Connery is back, better and more buff than ever, as super agent James Bond 007, this time seeing him on a mission in the Bahamas to prevent a nuclear catastrophe from happening. The cinematography is beautiful, as the Bond Girl Claudine Auger, who looks smoking hot in her bikini.

For the acting, Connery is always there to take the spotlight. He zigs and zags his way around friends and foe in order to succeed. He is still the charming, witty, and deadly secret agent we have come to know him for. The villain is also good here, because not only he has one of the most diabolical plans ever, he also looks diabolical (an eye patch).

The action here is non-stop, especially the underwater scenes. Some call these scenes overlong, thus causing the length of the film to be 2 hours and 10 minutes, quite long, but to me, it's just breathless and pulse-pounding. Also, the beginning of the film will want you begging for more Connery. Most of the action sequences rely on the team's special effects, but it's no problem, since the special effects are damn good for a 1965 movie, even by today's standard. Which is why it deserved to win the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.

Crew also reigns here. Producers Brocolli and Saltzman return once again, as well as Terence Young, director of the first two Bond films. This was his final James Bond film before he went on to direct Audrey Hepburn in her Oscar-nominated performance in the 1967 thriller Wait After Dark. It shows that you have a class filmmaker at the helm. John Barry gives us a beautiful and fast-paced score that mounts up the tension every time.

Overall, probably the most entertaining Bond ever.

7.73/10

Delton

Fmovies: This James Bond film was fantastic. The characters in the film were really interesting and every single actress/actress plays his/her part with professionalism.

This film involved a lot of scenes involving water, but I'm not complaining, because it was really fascinating to see that instead of the usual dry land scenes. One interesting note was the scene in which Fiona Volpe fires the rocket at the car chasing 007, Bob Simmons the stunt driver was almost killed in the spectacular scene. Simmons also played the man dressed up as a women in the beginning of the film. Sadly Bob Simmons died in 1988.

Rik Van Nutter (yeah, yeah even I laughed when I seen his last name!) played Felix Leiter in a fantastic fashion. He was cool and when a situation arose he was calm about it. Van Nutter who is now 75 years old was not asked to play the part again, for reasons which are unknown but he will always be remembered for being one of the more memorable actors to play Leiter along with Jack Lord (Dr No, 1962) and David Hedison (Live and Let Die, 1973 and Licence To Kill, 1989).

The man they called Ernst Stavro Blofeld oh yes! was played by actor Anthony Dawson who played Professor Dent in Dr No. Although we don't see Dawson's face in the film his voice was dubbed so it could be more frightening and entertaining. Just seeing Dawson sitting in that chair behind the screen with that little white cat (isn't that cat a legend?!) sends the chills down your spine. Anthony Dawson sadly passed away in 1992 from cancer.

Finally the villain who was wonderfully played by Adolfo Celi - Largo was a fascinating character. Even this SPECTRE agent had his love for a particular animal that being Golden Grotto sharks. As suspected Celi had his voice dubbed for the final version of the film. Unfortunately Celi passed away in 1986 from a heart attack.

This film ranks up there with the best along with From Russia with Love (1963) and Goldfinger (1964) and if you like James Bond you'll like this! Overall Grade - A*

Out of Connery's Bond movies this one is my personal favorite. It has the best location, the best action, and the best women. Sure it also has lots of flaws, but I still really enjoy this one. SPECTRE has hijacked some nuclear weapons and is threatning to use them if they do not get what they want. So Bond has to find the missles and put a stop to SPECTRE's plans once again. Almost the entire movie takes place on a tropical island, much like Dr. No, but this one has a better plot and a great underwater fight scene at the end that make it a much better film than Dr. No. From beginning to end I find this one of the most enjoyable Bond flicks.

Thunderball fmovies. Thunderball is directed by Terence Young and adapted to screenplay by Richard Maibaum and John Hopkins from a story by Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham and Ian Fleming. It stars Sean Connery, Adolfo Celi, Claudine Auger, Rick Van Nutter and Martine Beswick. Music is scored by John Barry and cinematography by Ted Moore.

The fourth outing for James Bond (Connery) sees 007 assigned to the Bahamas to try and thwart SPECTRE's number 2 operative, Emilio Largo (Celi). Largo has hijacked two atomic bombs from NATO and sets about extorting huge ransoms of money. If his terms are not met he will blow up major cities.

It was meant to be the first James Bond film, but Thunderball became part of a long drawn out legal battle between Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham and Ian Fleming. Eventually an out of court settlement was reached and Thunderball rolled into theatres in 1965. After the colossal success of Goldfinger, and Bond as a pop culture phenomenon, producers Albert Broccoli & Harry Saltzman knew that they had to try and up the ante to keep Bond on top. They were also acutely aware that many imitators were springing up on film and TV. These facts led Bond to go epic, with the producers going for a more is more approach, however, Thunderball is a considerable step down from Goldfinger.

As with many other Bond movies, Thunderball polarises opinions amongst the fans. Some are happy to laud the pure entertainment value on offer, the reliance on hardware and gadgets viewed as an aid to the Bond persona and not a hindrance to his humanistic worth. Technically the film is often exceptional, be it on or under the water, director Young really crafts some Bondian quality. The exotic Bahamas locale is beautifully realised by Ted Moore, Barry's blunderbuss score is one of his best for a Bond movie and Connery has charisma in abundance. The girls, too, are delightful, particularly Auger who positively sizzles with sexuality. Bond's by play with M, Q and Felix Leiter (Nutter very enjoyable and more charismatic than Cec Linder in Goldfinger) is well scripted and performed. While for those who adore the gadgets and daring stunts? Thunderball excels with its assortment of trick vehicles, under water weaponry and aids and radioactive pills! Without doubt the near $6 million budget is all up there on the screen.

Yet for other fans, and this is the category I fall into, it's a film of too many flaws to be considered one of the greats. Whilst it's undeniable that when it hits the high points it excites royally (the extended underwater battle is eye popping brilliance), but there's too much languid passages in the overlong running time. Young himself lamented that he couldn't get the pace right on account of the plot structure. The other major problem for me is Celi as Largo. Visually he's striking, with his white hair and eye patch, he well looks villainous, but physically he's wrong and someone you can't buy into as a man able to not only take on Bond, but to overcome him as well! While the finale lacks a grandness to reward those having sat for over 2 hours with the film. But what do I know? Film made a stunning $141 million at the box office! And the fanaticism that began with Goldfinger reached epic proportions here.

The more is more approach worked for the makers, and it ensured that for the time being Bond was going to stay in this epic, gadget effects strewn groove. Connery wasn't happy, he had voiced his concerns about Bond becoming characterless, while he hated the

Over-the-top James Bond movie in which he confronts Spectra and killer hoodlums around the world . World is threatened with destruction James Bond (a magnificent , as usual, Sean Connery) then goes to Bahamas and meets Emilio Largo (Adoldo Celi , as a formidable Bond villain) , a high-ranking nasty agent and involving a beauty (Claudine Auger) in order to retrieve atomic missiles that were stolen by Spectre and its Agent nº 2 . In Bahamas James has an ally character , another agent named Felix Laiter (Rick Van Nutter) . 007 is being lured into a deadly trap , and he will need all of his force , intelligence and cutting-edge technology to triumph over the enemies that seek to destroy him . Bond is pursued by Largo and his hoodlums .

This solid , slick thriller with magic mix of action-packed , dazzling stunts , gadgetry , self-deprecating humor and romance provided by sexy company as Claudine Auger ; in addition , Luciana Paluzzi as a memorably sexy villainess , after being rejected for the role of Domino . This is a very amusing installment , though when was released suffered from comparison to its two admittedly superior predecessor ¨From Russia with Love¨ and ¨Goldfinger¨ . Fourth entry Sean Connery as James Bond is very fine , he does remarkably well , he has toughness , irony, humor and sympathy, however also has coldness ,cunning , intelligence and roughness . Sean Connery said that this movie was his personal favorite out of the Bond films he did . Here Bond is an efficient , relentless agent trying to chase obstinately the criminals , traveling around the world as always , as this time is mostly set in Islas Bahamas . Bond to achieve his aims , along the way uses violent means , pulling off brutal killings against enemies who wreak all sorts of havoc . As always Bond will use "state of the art" and fantastic gadgets provided by ¨Q¨ interpreted , as usual , by Desmond Llewelyn , he would reprise the role of "Q" in 16 subsequent Bond films . In addition , there appears the usual as Lois Maxwell, ¨MoneyPenny¨ and Bernard Lee as M . Here appears four wonderful women ; Claudine Auger , Molly Peters Luciana Paluzzi and Martine Beswick who formerly played in ¨From Russia with love¨ as a gypsy at a memorable fight . This was the second James Bond movie to provide key elements for the series' success ; it was the first of Maurice Binder's opening titles sequences created in the form that they would become most famous for. It was also the first to have movie posters which had panoramic adventure-scene artwork.

The picture contains Connery's stylish acting , comic-strip adventure , sensational pursuits , spectacular set pieces , great stunts , tongue-in check humor , frantic unstopped action , amazing gimmicks and stimulating images like are the spectacular chases , the overwhelming underwater scenes made by Ricou Browning , and the breathtaking fights . As is like a roller-coaster , as is fast-paced , light, excitement, funny and entertaining ; it's a winner for oo7 fans and non-fans alike . The chase and suspense formula wears strong in this entry . The action-packed includes : impressive chase scenes in his Aston Martin , underwater battles and Bond escape in a rocket-propulsion Jet Pack originally designed and invented for military use , it is also known as the Small Rocket Lift Device . Hoping for an end to the Cold War, producer Kevin McClory didn't want James Bond's main enemy to be Russian, so for the film version his nemesis is the fictitious criminal organi

This is one of the TOP Bond movies of all time.

Sean Connery is at his peak of fame as 007 and his character of Bond works in an excellent way. His portrait of the suave sophisticated super spy is tough, ironical, glamorous and a bit cynical; physically he's in great shape. This is the definitive image of Bond -which entered the movie history.

"Thunderball" is the fourth 007 movie. Many things have changed since the small budgeted "Dr.No". Here we a have a larger than life adventure, full of gadgets and jokes.

When SPECTRE steals some nuclear weapons Bond has to investigate everywhere -also under the sea- to avoid World War 3. He does it, as usual, facing a spiteful villain -Adolfo Celi- and a femme fatale -Luciana Paluzzi-. The prize for his effort is Domino -Claudine Auger-.

The film is still exciting... 40 years after its release we always wonder how underwater scenes are so accurate. The film is a mix of revolutionary technology, British humor, sex and gorgeous women. In 1965 it was unbelievable to see such films. "Thunderball" in the Sixties was like "Matrix" in 2000, maybe with a stronger impact than the latter on audiences, popular culture and fashion.

"Thunderball" marks the peak of Bondmania in the Sixties and the beginning of the gadget era for 007 -although for someone the decline of the serious James Bond begins here...