you only live twice (1967)

7/30/2019 You Only Live Twice (1967)

1/4

You Only Live Twice (1967)

Lewis Gilbert

Figure 1. Film Poster


2/4

You only Live Twice is the fifth instalment in the popular James

Bond series, its directed by Lewis Gilbert and stars Sean Connery

as James Bond. The film is very far-fetched and different from

previous films in the series, this might be down to the fact that it

was the first one to deviate from the plot of the book, its sets

are elaborate and though it might to have been taken seriously ithad worldwide success, even with the parodies the James Bond

franchise wasnt tarnished, as the series is still ongoing to this

very day.

The plot for each instalment for James Bond can be a lot to take in

at ones, but the underlying plot behind the series is simply another

adventure for the superspy 007, with every film a new Villain and

a different motive; In this film Bond is sent to investigate the

Japanese as the British believe they are behind the hijacking of an

American spacecraft.

Even with the over the top theatrical plots and environments LewisGilbert made this Bond reflective of its time its infused with

both the technological optimism of the 1960s, and the general

anxiety that came out of the Cuban missile crisis(Mark, 2011), this

is portrayed well with the Gadget filled Villain Lair inside a

Volcano, its very ridiculous and seems inaccessible but at the same

time realistic and vaguely possible, as viewers watching the film

the perspective at the which the lair is introduced displays

enormity and is almost intimidating, this particular set for the

Villains lair seem to play on the viewers fear of events like the

Cuban missile crisis, little things like the placement of the rocket

goes very far for overall feel it.

You Only Live Twice was the definition of an epic, excluding the

fact that the film has aged and there are some minor issues in the

plot and quality, the film is ascetically beautiful; the fact that

the film is set in one country and is filmed in various locations

around the world really shows, viewers are presented with action

filled set pieces and rarely is there a dull moment, though its

Figure 2. Blofeld's lair


3/4

evident that You Only Live Twice isnt perfect, the minor issues of

plot and quality arent big enough to affect the film negatively.

There are some intimates moments in the film where bond isnt being

chased and for a moment, the only focus is the well-designed set, a

scene that stood out was when Bond was blending in with Japanese

culture and was sleeping with his lover Aki when an assassin

attempted to murder Bond with poison, this scene was important

because it showed that, the film wasnt constantly at a high pace

and didnt need explosion of fights to create suspense within a

scene, the room which he stayed in clearly displayed Japanese

culture and even though the set might not have been in Japan the

designers were able to create an interior set which set the mood and

tension for what was about to happen and was fitting for the place

the main character was meant to be in.

Sean Connerys Bond in You Only Live Twice is very much like the

character youll expect, but what makes him very different and stand

out from the rest is the storyline, he goes through a lot of thing

in a space of one movie, though at times the film shows that it can

be slowed down and not lose any quality this is a fast paced film,

there is a lot of information to take in within two hours; Roald

Dahl's script requires such a suspension of belief(Barclay, 2001)

and this is because the film took itself seriously and attempt to

bring the fantasy of the superspy to life, in a way it made it the

perfect film to be parodied. In comparison to the Modern take on

James Bond this film has more of a cartoonish feel, in the sense

that only cartoons really get away with outlandish plot lines and

elaborate sets like this.

There is a direct correlation between the environment the set pieces

take place and the pacing of this film, the fact that various

locations are used shows how much information the director tried put

into the film, and to be able to show all these sets from various

locations there had to be a very big elaborate bond film, and it was

just that. There may not be much logic at play, but it's a wild,

exotic movie that has spectacle and ambition(ONeil, 2012), and

this is what made this instalment in this series a good one, it was

just simply a spectacle and showed the ambition of the director,though his idea might not have been fully realised; weather by

Figure 3. Assassination scene


4/4

accident or intention Lewis Gilbert created a very comical James

Bond, although it was the film that stopped James Bond from being

taken seriously, it helped popularise the franchise.

Bibliography

Illustrations

Figure 1:

http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_poster/you_only_live_twice_1967.htm

Figure 2: http://tasteofcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/you-

only-live-twice-3.jpg

Figure 3:

www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p

6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-

bondage-bonded-by-

blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/

2012/10/3%2520-

%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-

CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&

hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=

263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87

Quotes

Mark. (2011) its infused with both the technological optimism of

the 1960s, and the general anxiety that came out of the Cuban

missile crisis. In: undesirablenumber1.blogspot [online]

http://undesirablenumber1.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/blogalongabond-you-

only-live-twice.html?m=1(Accessed on 12/11/2012)

Barclay, A. (2001) Roald Dahl's script requires such a suspension of

belief. In: BBC [online]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/06/27/you_only_live_twice_1967_revie

w.shtml(Accessed on 12/11/2012)

ONeill, P. (2012) there may not be much logic at play, but it's a

wild, exotic movie that has spectacle and ambition. In: guardian

[online]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2012/oct/04/favourite-bond-

you-only-live-twice(Accessed on 11/12/2012)
http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_poster/you_only_live_twice_1967.htmhttp://tasteofcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/you-only-live-twice-3.jpghttp://tasteofcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/you-only-live-twice-3.jpghttp://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://undesirablenumber1.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/blogalongabond-you-only-live-twice.html?m=1http://undesirablenumber1.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/blogalongabond-you-only-live-twice.html?m=1http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/06/27/you_only_live_twice_1967_review.shtmlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/06/27/you_only_live_twice_1967_review.shtmlhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2012/oct/04/favourite-bond-you-only-live-twicehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2012/oct/04/favourite-bond-you-only-live-twicehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2012/oct/04/favourite-bond-you-only-live-twicehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2012/oct/04/favourite-bond-you-only-live-twicehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/06/27/you_only_live_twice_1967_review.shtmlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/06/27/you_only_live_twice_1967_review.shtmlhttp://undesirablenumber1.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/blogalongabond-you-only-live-twice.html?m=1http://undesirablenumber1.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/blogalongabond-you-only-live-twice.html?m=1http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=p6aUnaOdkf8AWM:&imgrefurl=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/10/twitch-in-bondage-bonded-by-blood.html&docid=m_Q1RTB7BjWZ_M&imgurl=http://twitchfilm.com/assets/2012/10/3%2520-%2520YOU%2520ONLY%2520LIVE%2520TWICE.JPG&w=329&h=173&ei=O-CgUIPfDOfU0QWqu4HQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=333&dur=26&hovh=137&hovw=263&tx=93&ty=62&sig=117488507344691939645&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=263&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:87http://tasteofcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/you-only-live-twice-3.jpghttp://tasteofcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/you-only-live-twice-3.jpghttp://www.moviegoods.com/movie_poster/you_only_live_twice_1967.htm

you only live twice (1967)

Documents