Saturday, 28 November 2015

James Bond in review part 1 (1962 - 1971)

This was meant to be done before the release of Spectre, but it wasn't cause reasons, anyway I've decided to post my thoughts on all the James Bond Movies, this first part deals with all of  Sean Connery's films (and the one George Lazenby).
Dr. No (1962)
The film that started it all, creating some of the well known tropes that can be seen throughout the rest of the James Bond series and  popularising the spy thriller genre in general. The film itself is pretty decent but nothing standout, these days, it just feels like a standard spy thriller despite being the one to first to utilize a lot of the genre conventions. Dr No. himself is quite interesting and has some nice dialogue exchanges with Bond, he has a nice slow reveal too and there's a particularly good earlier scene where we can only hear is voice that is certainly effective. All in all, it's a well made solid start for the franchise. ***


From Russia With Love (1963)
 From Russia with Love marks the first appearance of Blofeld (kind of), Q, a credits sequence at the start and a few other tropes in the James Bond series. It also already breaks from the standard formula set by the first film and is one of the few films where the climax isn't set in the villain's lair/base. It has a great opening sequence that introduces the henchman  Donald 'Red' Grant who has a great presence and ends up having a good face off with bond. Although, we mustn't forget Rosa Klebb who is a rather fun villain herself. Overall, the film is really good and much better than Dr No, with an interesting narrative and decent action. Oh and don't forget the gypsy girl fight. ***1/2

Tuesday, 10 November 2015

Inferno (1980)

The second film in Argento's Three Mothers trilogy which are all linked thematically, Inferno is a great example of a film where its style is what helps elevate the enjoyment of the film. Great cinematography and production design make for some very compelling visuals and good atmosphere. The narrative on the other hand isn't so great. We get a small, if muddled, mystery that is sure to leave people underwhelmed and had it not been for its strong visual flair the film probably would have been quite dull.
Peformances aren't too great either but that's usually the case with Argento's films, the musical score however, is pretty good with Goblin being swapped for Keith Emerson, with the song at the end being the highlight and standout track. All in all, Inferno is still a solid movie even if it's mainly for its visuals and atmosphere.
***1/2