It was good to see Connery back as 007 and a relief that "Never Say Never Again" avoided the self-parody of the Roger Moore Bonds; that's if you ignore Rowan Atkinson's character, Nigel Small-Fawcett.
"Thunderball" is one of my favourite Bond movies despite the crappy rear projection at the end. Although "Never Say" had the benefit of more modern effects,"Thunderball" loses nothing in comparison.
A plan by SPECTRE sees two atomic bombs stolen from NATO by Maximilian Largo. One of the bombs ends up under the president's bed or somewhere, the other is taken by Largo to the South of France. Bond is sent to sort things out. Along the way he meets two stunning women: the dark and dominating Fatima Blush and the blonde, dominated Domino.
Barbara Carrera played a lot of femme fatales, but her Fatima Blush tops them all. She could always steal a scene just by being in it; the film sagged after she exited with a bang. Kim Bassinger as Domino totally dazzles with her fitness, especially when she works out with a dance instructor.
The best Bond adversaries are ruthless and larger-than-life: Dr No, Blofeld, Goldfinger and definitely Emilio Largo in "Thunderball". But Klaus Maria Brandauer as Largo in" Never Say" doesn't so much project danger as petulance. Although he tells Domino he'll cut her throat if she ever leaves him, she actually looks like she could lay him out with a classic shoulder throw.
It's hard not to compare Connery here with his younger self in "Thunderball", but you get the feeling that he was over his typecasting reservations, and actually seemed to be having fun.
There are strong sequences in "Never Say". The fight in Shrublands health resort with Lippe, played by the awesome Pat Roche, ends with one of the funniest scenes in a Bond movie when Bond totally incapacitates Lippe by splashing a container of liquid in his face only to discover it was a urine sample he'd given earlier.
However the stealing of the bombs isn't a patch on the capture and concealment of the Avro Vulcan bomber in "Thunderball".
The holographic videogame that Largo and Bond play is confusing. Bond is more at home sitting at a baize-covered table in a casino, drawing cards from a baccarat shoe surrounded by tuxedoed dudes with glamorous women looking over their shoulders; "Bond, James Bond".
But where "Thunderball" is unbeaten is in the Caribbean setting; clear blue water pervades the film. It's where Bond belongs, not being chased by Arabs in North Africa.
Finally there's an aural emptiness, absent is the 007 theme. Michel Legrand did the soundtrack, I love his "Summer of "42" and "The Go-Between", but this wasn't his forte. This is John Barry territory, and the theme song at the end fades next to Tom Jones' tour de force.
"Never Say Never Again" is very watchable, but opportunities and some basic Bond colours were missed - no fabulous poster by Robert McGinnis or Frank McCarthy either.
"Thunderball" is one of my favourite Bond movies despite the crappy rear projection at the end. Although "Never Say" had the benefit of more modern effects,"Thunderball" loses nothing in comparison.
A plan by SPECTRE sees two atomic bombs stolen from NATO by Maximilian Largo. One of the bombs ends up under the president's bed or somewhere, the other is taken by Largo to the South of France. Bond is sent to sort things out. Along the way he meets two stunning women: the dark and dominating Fatima Blush and the blonde, dominated Domino.
Barbara Carrera played a lot of femme fatales, but her Fatima Blush tops them all. She could always steal a scene just by being in it; the film sagged after she exited with a bang. Kim Bassinger as Domino totally dazzles with her fitness, especially when she works out with a dance instructor.
The best Bond adversaries are ruthless and larger-than-life: Dr No, Blofeld, Goldfinger and definitely Emilio Largo in "Thunderball". But Klaus Maria Brandauer as Largo in" Never Say" doesn't so much project danger as petulance. Although he tells Domino he'll cut her throat if she ever leaves him, she actually looks like she could lay him out with a classic shoulder throw.
It's hard not to compare Connery here with his younger self in "Thunderball", but you get the feeling that he was over his typecasting reservations, and actually seemed to be having fun.
There are strong sequences in "Never Say". The fight in Shrublands health resort with Lippe, played by the awesome Pat Roche, ends with one of the funniest scenes in a Bond movie when Bond totally incapacitates Lippe by splashing a container of liquid in his face only to discover it was a urine sample he'd given earlier.
However the stealing of the bombs isn't a patch on the capture and concealment of the Avro Vulcan bomber in "Thunderball".
The holographic videogame that Largo and Bond play is confusing. Bond is more at home sitting at a baize-covered table in a casino, drawing cards from a baccarat shoe surrounded by tuxedoed dudes with glamorous women looking over their shoulders; "Bond, James Bond".
But where "Thunderball" is unbeaten is in the Caribbean setting; clear blue water pervades the film. It's where Bond belongs, not being chased by Arabs in North Africa.
Finally there's an aural emptiness, absent is the 007 theme. Michel Legrand did the soundtrack, I love his "Summer of "42" and "The Go-Between", but this wasn't his forte. This is John Barry territory, and the theme song at the end fades next to Tom Jones' tour de force.
"Never Say Never Again" is very watchable, but opportunities and some basic Bond colours were missed - no fabulous poster by Robert McGinnis or Frank McCarthy either.