When an American spacecraft disappears from orbit the United states immediate suspects the Soviet Union. However, since the British tracked the craft to the Sea of Japan they decide to dispatch James Bond to Tokyo to investigate.
James Bond, assisted by Tiger Tanaka, as well as Bond girls Aki and Kissy, uncovers a plot by SPECTRE to start World War III by hijacking American and Russian spacecraft, while making it look like the work of the other side. 007 must prevent Blofeld’s plan before it is too late.
You Only Live Twice marks a turning point in the series, as it is the first James Bond film that was not based on an Ian Fleming story.
While Fleming’s novel of the same name is set in Japan and features Blofeld, little else remains apart from the characters Tiger Tanaka and Dikko Henderson – and while he is a colourful character in the book, Henderson is completely wasted in the film.
It is notable that the same basic story was reused in The Spy Who Love Me and slightly less obviously in Moonraker,both with Roger Moore.
What we say
While there are some good moments, You Only Live Twice just isn’t in the same league as the previous Bond films and paved the way for the over reliance on gadgets and excessive humour.
Locations
Original release
Premiere: 12th June 1967 at the Odeon Leicester Square
UK: 13th June 1967
US: 13th June 1967
Principal crew
|
Director
|
Lewis Gilbert |
| Screenplay | Roald Dahl |
|
Producer
|
Albert R Broccoli and Harry Saltzman
|
|
Music
|
John Barry
|
|
Editor
|
Peter Hunt |
|
Production Designer
|
Ken Adam |
|
Cinematography
|
Freddie Young
|
Cast
| Sean Connery | James Bond |
| Akiko Wakabayashi | Aki |
| Mie Hama | Kissy |
| Tetsurô Tanba | Tiger Tanaka |
| Teru Shimada | Mr. Osato |
| Karin Dor | Helga Brandt |
| Donald Pleasence | Blofeld |
| Bernard Lee | ‘M’ |
| Lois Maxwell | Miss Moneypenny |
| Desmond Llewelyn | ‘Q’ |
| Charles Gray | Henderson |
| Tsai Chin | Ling, Chinese Girl in Hong Kong |
| Peter Fanene Maivia | Car Driver |
| Burt Kwouk | Spectre 3 |
| Michael Chow | Spectre 4 |
| Ronald Rich | Hans, Blofeld’s Bodyguard |
| Jeanne Roland | Bond’s Masseuse |
| David Toguri | Assassin in Bedroom |
| John Stone | Submarine Captain |
| Norman Jones | Astronaut – 1st American Spacecraft |
| Paul Carson | Astronaut – 1st American Spacecraft |
| Laurence Herder | Astronaut – Russian Spacecraft |
| Richard Graydon | Astronaut – Russian Spacecraft |
| Bill Mitchell | Astronaut – 2nd American Spacecraft |
| George Roubicek | Astronaut – 2nd American Spacecraft |
Drinks
- Sake (served at 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Siamese vodka
- Dom Perignon ’59
- Suntory whisky
Vehicles
“Little Nellie” – Wallis WA-116 Agile autogyro
Quotes
- “You have a lot of energy for a dead man.”
- “Oh the things I do for England.”
- “Well, if I’m gonna be forced to watch television, may I smoke?”
” Yes. Give him his cigarettes. It won’t be the nicotine that kills you, Mr. Bond.” - “If you’re Tanaka, then how do you feel about me?”
” I… love you.”
“Well, I’m glad we got that out of the way.”
Buy You Only Live Twice DVD/Blu-Ray from Amazon
Poster Art
Buy a You Only Live
Twice poster or print.
Soundtrack
Read more about the You Only Live Twice Soundtrack or buy it online.
Thunderball | On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
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