I'm watching the 3rd Bond film right now, Goldfinger (after Dr. No and From Russia with Love). Nice way to spend a Sunday evening, have just gotten my old-style bigscreen TV running. I'm still unpacking and had to have help to lift it into the framework I built for it. Must way a good 250lbs. Two of us were pretty strong and it was not at all easy to move.
Love the Shirley Bassey soundtrack. AMC is showing it relatively uncut as far as I can tell (why I watch I don't know as I own the DVD - how stupid is that?). I only saw the first scene for the first time last year when I bought the DVD. The networks used to cut the films unmercifully when they first "premiered" them on TV. Typically, each movie had a long pre-title scene. In Goldfinger, it's a good five minutes long and introduces us to all kinds of Bond characteristics that would become iconic in the series.
His spy skills first, then his suave entry into the cafe, then his intelligence in avoiding being brained by the thug, then his ruthlessness in killing the thug. All in one minute, great sequence.
Sean was definitely at the height of his powers in this film. Every other Bond really does pale before these original portrayals. Even Pierce Brosnan doesn't have the magnetic presence on the screen that Connery did.
First-rate way to spend a Sunday evening.
Posted by artandscience at March 26, 2006 05:32 PM