Film.  One Film.

This is On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the lone Film that represents the Bond Career of one George Lazenby.

Was it too much too soon?  Was he a jerk?  Was he just impulsive?  Did the Studio clearly not have any confidence after a while?

One or more of those things is likely true, so let's just see what we get.

The Plot is a follow-up to You Only Live Twice and Bond is still after Blofeld.  As mentioned in that Review, his motivation comes from THIS Story though.
Can it work on its own?

Lazenby is joined by some big names here, such as Diana Rigg (aka Vincent Price's Daughter in Theatre of Blood) and Telly Savalas (aka Kojak).

Peter Hunt is the Director and he's moved up in the World.  He was the Editor on the first few Films, as well as Bob Hope's Call Me Bwana, which was referenced via billboard gag in From Russia with Love.

When he took over Editing for the last Film (after working Second Unit), he was given this gig as a reward.  This would be his only Bond Film- he'd turn down many- and he'd work steadily until 1991.

How did his career turn out better than our Star's?  To find out, read on...

That leads our new Bond to go full Deadpool and break the 4th Wall.

Bond goes to work and is called out for not catching Blofeld in the last 2 years (implying a real timeline for this Film).  

After meeting back with the woman, sparks fly.
He's 'convinced' to meet Dad, who wants Bond to marry and 'tame' his Daughter.

This was almost Timothy Dalton?!?

She's reluctant, but the two do fall for each other.

Bond has to go undercover as a genealogy expert hired by Blofeld.

Anyone else getting Benoit Blanc vibes?

He learns that Blofeld (now Savalas) is kept up on a private mountain and wants the guy (actually Bond) to say that he has Royal Blood and that he could 'earn a Title.'

In the meantime, Bond sleeps with one of the ladies- Blofeld has a full dozen (a first for a Bond Film).

Thankfully, he didn't try to do an accent.

Blofeld has a very complicated plan involving a virus that will somehow stop population growth.

He also tries to kill Bond, but he gets away on skis (sometimes convincingly and other times in front of an obvious screen).

Fleeing into Town, Bond runs into...Rigg?!?

We get a fun Stock Car chase/shoot-out as a result.

Unfortunately, the pair can't outrun (stock footage of) an avalanche and she's captured.

As Blofeld prepares to release his ladies (including Joana Lumley!) to spread the virus, he keeps Rigg as a hostage.

Bond and Dad bring a small, private army to attack the base.  You know, kind of like that last Film did.

The villain is standing up when they hit a branch and that's the end of him.  

In the aftermath, Bond marries Rigg and they live happily ever after.

Aw...The End.

A Film that is honestly way better than you would think if you only know it by reputation.  I'll say it...

Let it not be said that Lazenby's Bond never looked like a bad ass though...

Damn!

Next up, let's wrap up Connery's run as he returns one last time.  Will his swan song be his best yet?  Stay tuned...

 What happens when Connery returns for the last time?

This is You Only Live Twice, the 5th Bond Film and one that was marketed as the last with its Star.  Anyone with Google can tell you that this doesn't exactly happen, but I'll get there soon enough.

This time we got a break between Films, since the plan to shoot On Her Majesty's Secret Service next was cancelled due to an unseasonably warm winter, making the snowy mountains not ideal.

They just jumped ahead then and did the third Film in the Blofeld as the 2nd. 
Why not?

The Plot is very loosely based on the Book, keeping the Setting and Blofeld as the Villain, but changing almost everything else.

Is this a good, definitely real send-off for Connery?  To find out, read on...

Bond...dies in the Intro?

He died as he lived- in bed.

Of course, this is just a ploy.

So, now that he's famously dead, let's have Bond...hang out in public and attend a sporting event?!?

He sees a man about some exposition, as Bond has never been to Japan.

Charles Gray- of Rocky Horror fame- gives him some information and is then immediately killed.
Remember this face for later.

Bond tracks him down to a Japanese Corporate Office and a fight breaks out.

Epic.

Bond works with the head Japanese spy- Tiger Tanaka- and learns all about Japanese Culture...by way of 2 different Brits.

Some of this is accurate, but Shogun this is not.

Our mandatory Q Scene is here and he's onsite yet again in this one.

He gives Bond some fake cigarettes (that fire a single bullet) and this gyrocopter...which (like the jetpack) is real.

Also a real guy lost a leg flying this!

Lots of stuff happens, including Bond pretending to be a Businessman and escaping death a few times.

Bond eventually breaks into Blofeld's Volcano Lair and comes face to face with the man.
We finally see him...92 minutes into the Film.

His plan to trick the USSR and America into a War is foiled when Bond presses the self-destruct button on his fake Russian probe.
Why install that?

He still has a quip ready anyways.

'Oh no- he's been eliminated from the Royal Rumble!'

Everyone- including Blofeld- escapes the exploding Volcano Lair.

The End.

A Film that feels like a unique Bond Film- in both good and bad ways.

Oh, and its Screenwriter is far more famous for Children's Books...

Next up, we jump ahead 2 years and to a new Bond.  I hear this Lazenby fella is here for the long haul!  Stay tuned...

 A Film that asks the question 'What the hell is a Thunderball?'

Thunderball is the 4th Bond Film in the Series.  Sean Connery is back yet again and he's got a new locale to enjoy.

Seriously though- I'm with Tom Jones here: what is a Thunderball?

The Plot involves some missiles, Bond seducing some ladies and the last time that people would bring missiles to Miami until True Lies.

Can Bond get away from his vacation to save the day?  Will that somehow be a big plot point in the Film?

To find out, read on...

And yes, that is the only use of said Jet Pack.
And yes, it was the bulk of the Film's Marketing.

Our 'dead' Spy was also the original 'Guy who shoots gun' in the Intro.

We see that SPECTRE is still very much a thing.

Blofeld- with a different Actor and voice dubber- has a numbered list of Agents in the field.
This includes a very timely reference to the Great British Train Robbery, which wasn't even fully solved at this point.

We also get the first of many bits lifted directly by Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.

Blofeld decides that his 2 American Agents didn't get enough money and kills one via a device on his chair.

SPECTRE is up to no good.

He's rescued by the masseuse and...yeah, there's that Connery 'charm that turns into creepy' I was waiting for.

'No' means 'Yes, but with protest?'

SPECTRE's plan involves spending TWO YEARS to get a guy to become his double and then take his place on a Training Flight...that is also transporting Nuclear Missiles.

This double does his job well...and is immediately betrayed.

All of the 00 Agents are called in, but we only see 007.

That would have meant a Cameo from Peter Graves, Bill Cosby, David McCallum and others.
Someone then realized that this gag would cost them the Budget of a second Film and scrapped it.

There is a Lady in the group, so suck it, haters!

Bond happened to be at the Spa where the switch took place and follows that lead.

It's confusing. 

Fortunately, Bond also befriends the Sister of the guy who was killed and replaced- named Domino (below)- and she helps him figure out that Largo is transporting the nukes to, well, Largo.

Actually Miami, but I wanted the pun.

It all leads to a big, vibrantly scored underwater battle choreographed by Ricou Browning aka the guy who played The Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Bond takes the Sky Hook (4 Decades before Christopher Nolan used it) and we're out.

A fun Bond Film, if one with a bit odd pacing.

Lastly, this Film is the first one to use the Actor playing Bond in the Intro with the gun barrel.  It only took 4 Films...

Next up, my Bond odyssey continues with Sean Connery's final Bond Film.  When in doubt, let's rehash an earlier Bond Film.  Stay tuned...

 One last Bond before October spirits take over!

This is Goldfinger, the 3rd and arguably the most famous of Sean Connery's Bond Films.

It has it all- a Shirley Bassey Theme, a great Intro, that one lady covered in that stuff, Pussy Galore and more.

Guy Hamilton takes over the Directing Duties for the first of FOUR Bond Films (with more planned, but I'll get to that later).  Does he make things even better?

The Plot involves Auric Goldfinger and his elaborate plan to get even wealthier via an atom bomb in Kentucky.  It will make sense- mostly- later.

Is this the new peak of Bond?
To find out, read on...

Afterwards, he hits on a lady, fights some guys and kills a guy with a lamp.

After the iconic Opening, we get lovely shots of the Fontainbleau Hotel in Miami (still open btw) and...some less than convincing Rear Projection Shots of our Actors (since Connery and Gert Frobe were never in Miami!).

Bond is hired to observe Goldfinger, but makes him lose a game of cards AND sleeps with his Assistant instead.

The next morning, Bond is knocked out by a stealthy guy (which gets sillier when you realize who did it) and his new lady is smothered to death in gold paint.

Yes, Snopes- we all know that this didn't really happen and couldn't happen.

Enjoy the Austin Powers-style Nudity blocking though.

Back at Base, we get a double whammy of Bond Requirements.

Bond meets with Q in his lab, where we see many gadgets in the background.
We also see Bond's iconic Aston Martin for the first time, which is outfitted with spy gadgets.

Thanks for inspiring Spy Hunter.

Bond meets up with Goldfinger again when the Government learns that he's up to something evil.

Until then, Bond will force a fat, orange guy who is bad at Golf (and cheats) to lose.

Bedminster is nice these days, eh?

If I'm being honest, this whole Subplot involving the Sister of the lady killed via gold paint is pretty pointless- in the Film version.

Bond is captured and we get the famous Laser Scene, at least.

Bond negotiates his life by acting like he is too dangerous to kill, since 008 would have all of his intel.

She seems to resist his charms and keeps him under control (or so she thinks) while Goldfinger plans his big mission.

His plan involves getting lots of money for tech from some mobsters...and then killing them.

Bond is left to die with the bomb and fights Oddjob, going for what looks like a Jumping Tornado DDT from this still frame.

It's sadly not that cool.

He eventually defeats Oddjob (not easily though) and the bomb is defused with 3 seconds to go...I mean 7 seconds (changed in post-production for a fun 007 gag).

The End.

A very enjoyable Bond Film that seems to hit all of the right notes.

Now...I just have to explain to Bond why I have to skip his next Film for a month or so...

He didn't take it well.

Next up, it is October and Horror takes focus.  Let me start with...oh right, there's an Elm Street Film I've missed.  Stay tuned...

 We're off to the races with Bond Films now!

This is From Russia with Love, the first Bond Sequel.  It is actually the 5th Book.
Thankfully, I'm not insane enough to do these Reviews in BOOK Release Order.

(I might do an alternate compilation of it later)

In any event, Bond is back and now he's fully targeted by SPECTRE, who he made an enemy of by killing Dr. No.  This differentiates itself from the Book's Plot, which is actually about SMERSH and connected to Russia.

This is similar to how Marvel made the first Captain America Film about him fighting Hydra, as opposed to, well, you know.

Will this Film give us the final Bond Tropes we need?  Is this really the best one?
To find out, read on...

This turns out to be a double, as this is a SPECTRE training mission.

After the Credits, we learn that Bond is targeted by SPECTRE and its #1- Blofeld.

He's actually played by the same Actor who was Dr. No's Henchman last Film, but we don't see his face and he's dubbed, so whatever.

The plan involves luring Bond to meet with a Russian Agent who wants to break away to the West with their codes and a decoder.

In spite of that, he's as sure to go as this Film is to cut all but the most subtle of lesbian subtext from the Book...

Our first Q Scene!

I've missed you.

Right after that, we get the first Bond and Moneypenny Flirt Scene.

There was a hint last Film, but it is here for us to enjoy in full now.

Bond goes on his mission and meets up with the woman.

It's a good thing, since...

Throughout the Film, Shaw keeps an eye on Bond, even killing a guy to save him earlier.

He gets close to him by pretending to be Bond's contact, but ends up being choked out by his own petard...I mean, garotte.

Bond and his lady escape the Orient Express (which literally changed it route in 1962) and danger follows.

He has to take out a chasing helicopter (an homage to how Cary Grant nearly played Bond!) and then a bunch of SPECTRE boats in pursuit.

They go to Venice (conveniently where Blofeld also is) and all seems well...until the Russian Agent takes one last shot.

The End.

A really good Bond Film that ups the ante!

Dated aspects taken in stride, this one works so good.  Now if only I could explain why Bond chose NOT to shoot this one bad guy (before and after shooting around a dozen folks).

Boop.

Next up, Goldfinger makes his debut.  Will we get the final form of a Classic Bond Film now?  Stay tuned...