Few films have ever had the daunting task of following up a movie that ended up being the type of cultural phenomena that Goldfinger was in 1964. We’re talking the same sort of pressure and expectations associated with films such as The Empire Strikes Back, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom or even a more recent example like Spider-Man 2. That was the type of anxiety the filmmakers behind Thunderball had to face, as James Bond-mania had hit a fever pitch in 1965, and anything less than a spectacular time at the movies would have been hit with a massive backlash from the fans and critics of the era, possibly could have ruined the franchise.
Fortunately for all involved, the movie was every bit as good as it needed to be. While it might not be able to match Goldfinger on an iconic level in the same way that no Batman follow-up is going to be able to equal The Dark Knight in many fans’ eyes regardless how good the film ends up being, Thunderball was and still remains one of the most epic and entertaining 007 adventures of them all. Even as most series start to slow down after their 2nd installment, this fourth Bond film simply proved that 007 had more staying power than any other hero around, maybe in the entire history of Western cinema.
Just as he’d been with the previous Bond pictures, Sean Connery is unforgettable and completely on top of his game throughout this movie, which helped to propel him to becoming one of the most popular stars in the world. Thunderball has the star completely in his element, strutting his stuff around the Bahamas, as 007 searches for two nuclear missiles stolen by S.P.E.C.T.R.E., a secret terrorist organization demanding a ransom of 100 million pounds or they threaten to blow up a major city in either the U.S. or Britain. While Connery’s performance is not the nuanced one he gave in From Russia with Love, this is the star in his full Bond swagger.
Connery is like a mountain lion here, searching for prey, whether it be the beautiful or beastly kind, and dueling either with equal relish. Check out his knock down, drag out scrap with an enemy agent at the film’s outset or the teasing, almost dance-like flirtations with Bond Girl Domino (Claudine Auger) in their introduction with one another and you get a sense of the complete control the man has over his masculine image on screen. The man simply IS Bond here and every other performer to take the role since is just playing catch-up.
The simpler plotting to the film also allows for the filmmakers, including Dr. No and From Russia with Love Director Terrance Young, to have fun and create atmosphere using the unbelievably gorgeous Bahamas locations as a backdrop. Apparently Director Young was so obsessed with creating the ultimate Bond picture while shooting this movie that rumors exist that the original cut of the ran around four hours long, and had to be trimmed to around 130 minutes for its theatrical release. Indeed this movie is one of the more leisurely paced 007 adventures, but that only serves the movie’s buildup, allowing supporting characters like Domino and Bond Villain Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi) time to really develop.
Domino herself is one of the most conflicted and interesting of all Bond Girls. The mistress of the villain and his emotional prisoner, she stays with Largo in order to keep a family member safe, but her hatred for the man cannot help but come out from time to time. Despite her outer beauty and wonderfully innocent charm for most of the picture, it’s this streak of darkness that makes Domino an interesting character, especially compared to many of the Bond Girls that came before her.
It also helps to add to our hatred of Adolfo Celi’s Largo. Sure, he’s a Bond Villain and he’s trying to help S.P.E.C.T.R.E. take over the world, but we’ve seen that before. It’s his sadistic treatment of Domino, a true evil that’s really more hinted at than anything else, that makes us hate him personally and makes him such an effective nemesis for Bond. Largo’s such an intense and terrifically evil villain that I believe even in today’s more realistic movement for the 007 series he could make a viable heavy.
Where the movie does lack a bit is in the henchmen department. The closest we get is Luciana Paluzzi as Fiona Volpe; a S.P.E.C.T.R.E. agent who sets the malevolent plan in motion by seducing a NATO officer who ends up giving up the nuclear missiles, and then sets her sights on seducing Bond. Now don’t get me wrong, Paluzzi is awesome here and is an amazing female specimen, even managing to stay evil after sleeping with 007, but the movie doesn’t have the imposing Jaws or Oddjob-like villain we usually get. Still, this is a minor quibble in the long run.
In its favor the movie has some of the most exciting action of the whole series. The opening teaser sequence has Bond fighting it out with a cross-dressing heavy in a surprisingly brutal sequence that ends with 007 making his escape in a real life jetpack. Bond also must face S.P.E.C.T.R.E. in several scuffles throughout, but the ultimate action sequence of the film, and really of any Action film of the era, is the final shark-filled undersea battle between American soldiers and terrorist forces. We’re given small armies on both sides fighting it out with Bond in the lead, eventually taking his fight to Largo himself for the film’s dramatic, tension-filled conclusion.
After the success of Goldfinger it’s possible that the Bond series could have gone too cartoonish in its exploits or tried to simply make a carbon copy of the hit it had on its hands. Thunderball is not that at all. Feeling more akin to being a larger version of From Russia with Love, Thunderball manages to make Bond’s exploits fantastic, and yet not completely ridiculous other than the jetpack-centric opening. Relying less on gadgets and more on Bond’s wit, charm, and tenacity, Thunderball is a worthy successor to the celebrated best film of the entire franchise and a classic of the 007 series all on its own.
These Bond Blu-ray discs just won’t quit when it comes to quality. Just as with Dr. No and From Russia with Love before it, the image and sound quality on this disc is absolutely stunning, as if the movie were virtually brand new. Honestly, this film looks better on BD than a lot of new films I’ve actually seen on the format. The lusciousness of the Technicolor photography comes through loud and clear, with the Bahamas looking better on this disc than it probably does in real life.
The sound quality is also beautiful, especially considering the movie is as old as it is, and surpasses that of even the previous 007 BDs.
Audio Commentary Featuring Terence Young and Others – Just as with the first two Bond BDs, this is a multi-person commentary track “hosted” by John Cork of the Ian Fleming foundation, who introduces every speaker on this track. Many tidbits are from clips, interviews and other tracks featuring these guests, including the late Terence Young. Cork has a wealth of information to share himself, even giving detailed info about the smallest cameos in the movie.
Audio Commentary Featuring Editor Peter Hunt and Screenwriter John Hopkins – This track is even better, as the clips and interviews with these two are quite personal and have some terrific anecdotes about their careers as well as the making of this movie. What I really love too on this track, is that the opening credit sequence actually features the alternate and seldom heard theme for the movie, Mr. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. It’s something like that, that you don’t often get on a DVD audio commentary and its awesome to have it here for Bond aficionados.
The Incredible World of James Bond – Original 1965 NBC Television Special – This hour-long TV special is a pretty neat behind the scenes of the production of this movie and also tries to go deep into the Bond mythos, even talking about the history of the character in the book series. We’re also given tons of montages and clips from the previous Bond flicks up to this point.
A Child’s Guide to Blowing Up a Motor Car – 1965 Ford Promotional Film – This little Featurette is a vintage piece about a kid who gets to hang out on the Bond set while the effects team gets to do its thing.
On Location With Ken Adam – This behind the scenes footage was shot by the legendary Adam while on the set of Thunderball and features some candid interviews.
Bill Suitor: The Rocket Man Movies – This is a cool look at the man who actually flew the jet pack at the beginning of Thunderball as he gives his recollections from the shoot.
Thunderball Boat Show Reel – This is a more comedic take at the final underwater battle.
Selling Bonds – Original 1965 Television Advertisements – These commercials are awesome, from vintage commercials selling Bond coats and slacks to a cool kids’ spy set.
“007 Mission Control” Interactive Guide Into the World of Thunderball – This feature is like a highlight reel from the movie, allowing you to go to specific events.
The Making of Thunderball – Just as with the previous Bond Blu-rays, this making-of documentary is carried over from the very first Special Edition of the movie on DVD, and just as it was on that DVD, this doc is awesome. It’s also been upgraded to HD and the thing looks absolutely beautiful. You can tell that Bond is MGM’s crown jewel, and again on these Blu-rays you can see how these movies get a treatment that virtually none of the rest of its catalogue gets.
This thing tackles the long story of Thunderball, from its origins as a failed screenplay up through its evolution as a novel and then finally as the fourth Bond picture. There’s tons of info here, whether talking about how a shark almost attacked Sean Connery on the set or how an explosion caused all of the windows in the local town to blow out. I do wish that this would have talked a little bit about Never Say Never Again, which is a remake of Thunderball, but there’s still a ton of info here. Awesome stuff again from MGM.
The Thunderball Phenomenon – This is a detailed Featurette about all the merchandise and other craziness surrounding the release of Thunderball that happened at the time. We get glimpses at tons of merchandise from all over the globe from promotional posters and artwork to games and action figures from the era.
The Secret History of Thunderball – This little doc goes over the different versions of the movie that have appeared over the years, and how different voices from actors had to be changed or dubbed because of language barriers and accents.
Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery and Radio Communication
Of all the Bond Blu-rays so far, this one has the most extensive extras list and looks fabulous on this format, better than the film has ever looked before. Oh yeah, and you also get one of the greatest of all 007 adventures, with Sean Connery giving an iconic performance as Her Majesty’s greatest Secret Agent. If you’re just going to buy one of these Blu-rays to check out the quality of these movies, make it this one.
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MGM/20th Century Fox presents Thunderball. Directed by Terrence Young. Starring Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi, and Rik Van Nutter. Written by Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham, Ian Fleming, Jack Whittingham, Richard Maibaum, and John Hopkins. Running time: 130 minutes. Rated PG. Released on Blu-ray: October 21, 2008. Available at Amazon.
