Bond Retrospective: "You Only Live Twice"

Released: 1967



Actor: Sean Connery



Villain: Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Donald Pleasence)



Henchman: Mr. Osato, Ms. Brandt



Allies: "Tiger" Tanaka



Bond Girl: Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi), Kissy (Mie)



First Appearance: Blofeld in the flesh



Precredits sequence: A US spacecraft is captured by an unknown opponent ship, and the US blames the Russians, but evidence shows that it was launched from Japan. MI-6 has Bond in Hong Kong, who's suddenly killed.



Plot: Bond's funeral was a ploy, and his death was faked. Bond is sent to Japan to investigate the rocket, and is sent to find a Mr. Henderson, who dies shortly into their meeting. Aki, an ally, eventually leads him to the head of Japan's secret service, Tiger. Bond shows him a picture of a suspicious boat, likely obtained from briefing with M, and they discover an island which is suspicious. Q arrives with little helicopter Little Nellie, and Bond surveys the islands to no avail. Later, leads point again to the island, so with his cover and agent fake wife intact, he finds the volcano is a SPECTRE base, with Blofeld inside aiming to turn the US against Russia to obtain world domination. Tiger and his ninjas come to the rescue, and Bond stops Blofeld from destroying the recently launched second American spacecraft; Blofeld escapes. We are promised Bond's return in OHMSS.



Thoughts: Finally, the big reveal of Blofeld! Good makeup, and good character design. It's obviously where Dr. Evil came from. Shame that his appearance keeps changing over the next couple of films, rather inexplicably if I remember right. A bit of a less convoluted plot than Thunderball, and a nice change of scenery, with aspects of Japanese culture. A bit chauvinistic, too, with men coming first in Japan, supposedly. Overall, a nice way to temporarily end Connery's bond career.

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