Based on Ian Fleming's 1961 novel, THUNDERBALL is 007 at his best. The fourth film in the Bond series finds the super spy (Sean Connery) battling a powerful organization named S.P.E.C.T.R.E. and its nefarious Number Two, Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi), who has threatened to destroy Miami with an atomic weapon unless a huge ransom is paid. Of course, James Bond has something else in mind: a full-on infiltration of Largo's boat, the Disco Volante. With double the Bond girls (with Claudine Auger as the luscious Domino and Luciana Paluzzi as the villainous Fiona Volpe), this favored Bond outing features captivating underwater action sequences that hold up to this day. THUNDERBALL was nominated for a Best Special Effects Academy Award in 1965 and is not be confused with the "unofficial" 1983 James Bond film NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN, which also stars Connery and is based on the same novel.
In the fourth James Bond film, agents from the deadly SPECTRE organization have stolen two atomic bombs during a NATO training mission and demand a ransom from Great Britain of $280 million or they will drop them on two unnamed cities, killing millions of innocent people.
Color by Technicolor; shot in Panavision.
Film was remade and updated in 1983 as "Never Say Never Again."
Budget was an estimated $5.5 million.
Additional cast: Rik Van Nutter (Felix Leiter) and Molly Peters (Patricia).
The Deluxe Collector's Edition spreads the 130 minute movie onto 5 sides in CAV. It includes two alternate audio tracks with commentary by members of the cast and crew. The score was remixed for stereo, and a bit of the image was shaved from the sides, leaving the aspect ratio slightly narrower than the original. Sides six and seven, in CLV, include:
"The Incredible World of James Bond"
(dir. Jack Haley, Jr., 1965, 50 min.)
two additional documentaries
Side eight, in CAV, includes:
trailers and commercials
still photos and posters
licensing paraphernalia
Excerpt: "Do you mind if my friend sits this out - she's just dead." -- James Bond (Sean Connery) to a couple at a table when his dance partner is killed with a bullet meant for him.
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
Anamorphic Widescreen - 2.35
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Dolby Digital Mono - French
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - Terence Young - Director
- Members of Cast and Crew
Documentary - THE MAKING OF THUNDERBALL
Documentary - THE THUNDERBALL PHENOMENON
Featurette - INSIDE THUNDERBALL
Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical
2. Television
3. Radio Spots
Text/Photo Galleries:
Behind-the-Scenes Still Gallery with Over 100 Images
Additional Products:
Collectible "Making-Of" Booklet
Cinematographer
Ted Moore: British Diretor of Photography
Story
John Hopkins: British TV/Film Writer
Story
Richard Maibaum: American Screenwriter/Producer
Production Designer
Ken Adam: British production designer, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE/IN & OUT
Review 1:
"...Connery's Bond was never better than this..."
Source: Total Film
p.101 10/01/2000
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