| The Best of James Bond: Agent
007
http://www.myspace.com/americancinematheque
An Aero Theatre Exclusive!
The year was 1963. John F. Kennedy was President, TOM JONES won Best Picture
and "Combat" was the top action series on ABC. With little fanfare, United
Artists launched, in wide release, a spy movie called DR. NO with an unknown
British actor in the leading role. Theater owners grumbled that it starred "that
limey truck driver" and if you had called a theater in Los Angeles that week and
asked what was playing, a manager might have mispronounced him as "Seen
Connery." They might have grumbled at the lack of star power and marquee value, but
they couldn’t argue with the box office returns, which reached new heights at
Christmas 1965 when THUNDERBALL brought in the type of numbers we see today for
SPIDER-MAN and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN. Since then, Bond has endured through multiple
interpretations and against a changing global-political landscape, right up to his
hard-edged current incarnation as played by Daniel Craig. The American Cinematheque will
present four Sean Connery Bond classics, as well as a double feature of the
best Roger Moore Bond films. Bond expert Steven Jay
Rubin to introduce the screenings. Bond drawing for prizes!
Friday, May 1 – 7:30 PM
Double Feature:
DR. NO, 1962, MGM Repertory, 111 min. Dir. Terence Young.
Now almost taken for granted, this initial adaptation of Ian Fleming’s spy novels was
a subversive breath of fresh air, depicting for the first time a secret agent who was an
unapologetically suave, promiscuous -- not to mention homicidal hero. Sean Connery
proved amazingly popular as the ultimate sexy beast, James Bond, ushering in the entire
1960s spy film craze. One of the best of the Bond films, with its Caribbean locale,
Ursula Andress’ sensual presence as the feral nature girl and Joseph Wiseman
as the evil mastermind with black metal hands. Trailer
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, 1963, MGM Repertory,
118 min. Dir. Terence Young. Sean Connery’s second 007 outing more than
lives up to expectations with Bond scouring exotic Istanbul for an elusive Lektor decoding
machine. He’s helped by sly Pedro Armendariz and seductive Russian spy Daniela
Bianchi, as well as hunted by Aryan super-killer Robert Shaw and sinister,
butch Lotte Lenya as stiletto-toed Rosa Kleb. The nerve-shredding fist fight
between Connery and Shaw aboard the Orient Express is not to be missed. Bond expert Steven Jay Rubin will introduce
the screening. Trailer
Saturday, May 2 – 7:30 PM
Double Feature:
GOLDFINGER, 1964, MGM Repertory, 111 min. Dir. Guy
Hamilton. "Do you expect me to talk, Goldfinger?" "No, Mr. Bond, I
expect you to die …" cackles homicidal villain Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe),
as he prepares to re-arrange 007’s secret equipment with a laser beam, in what is
widely considered to be the best of the classic Sean Connery Bond pictures and a
high point in 1960s pop culture. (Dig the Aston Martin! the Shirley Bassey-sung theme
song!) Co-starring the saucy Honor Blackman as Bond’s nemesis-turned-partner
Pussy Galore, with Shirley Eaton as the gold-painted girl, Harold Sakata as
mute assassin Oddjob, and the venerable home office team of Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell
and Desmond Llewelyn. Terrific production design by series veteran Ken Adam. The
film’s mod zeitgeist credentials are underscored by Bond’s priceless
observation: "Drinking Dom Perignon ’53 above a temperature of 38 degrees
Fahrenheit? That’s as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs …" Trailer
THUNDERBALL, 1965, MGM Repertory, 130 min. Dir.
Terence Young. We have to admit this is one of our favorite Bonds, with three of the
most dynamic Bond women ever: Claudine Auger as Domino, compromised heroine and
mistress to eyepatch-wearing villain Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi); fiery Luciana
Paluzzi as Fiona Volpe, an extremely lethal femme fatale; and Martine Beswick
as Paula, Bond’s assistant. Bond has his therapeutic rest cure cut short when a
British bomber with two A-bombs aboard is hijacked by SPECTRE and secreted below the
waters of the Caribbean. Winner of the Oscar for Best Special Effects (John Stears). Bond expert Steven Jay Rubin will introduce the screening. Trailer
Sunday, May 3 – 7:30 PM
Double Feature:
THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, 1977, MGM Repertory, 125
min. Dir. Lewis Gilbert. Easily the best of the 1970s Bond films, SPY stars the
impeccable Roger Moore as 007, teamed with icy Russian agent Barbara Bach against
underwater kingpin Curt Jurgens and his lethal arsenal – which includes
metal-toothed hitman Jaws (Richard Kiel) and femme fatale Naomi (Caroline
Munro). Terrific stunts, a sharp, witty script by Christopher Wood and sexy,
world-saving adventure courtesy of Moore & Co. Everything a Bond film should be. Trailer
LIVE AND LET DIE, 1973, MGM Repertory,121 min.
Dir. Guy Hamilton. In his first outing as James Bond, Roger Moore takes on
heroin magnate Yaphet Kotto and romances the gorgeous Jane Seymour.
Blaxploitation meets elegant spy thriller in this chase-filled roller-coaster ride, which
places Bond in a world of Caribbean gangsters and voodoo. The classic title song is by Paul
McCartney. Trailer |
