007: Sean Connery 6-Film Collection • Frame Rated

Ian Fleming based James Bond on various men, including his own brother, who went behind enemy lines in Norway and Greece during World War II, although the “ordinary” name came from the author of Birds of the West Indies. Fleming was a keen ornithologist. He’d also served in the British Naval Intelligence Division, where he planned to become an author and use his experiences to write the “spy story to end all spy stories.” He started working on Casino Royale in 1952 and it was published the next year, to be followed annually by a succession of increasingly popular espionage adventures for secret agent 007.

Of course, while Fleming’s Bond stories remain popular and even continued after the author’s untimely death in 1964, James Bond himself became a household name thanks to the original run of movie adaptations by Eon, starring former amateur bodybuilder Sean Connery as the iconic British spy. Fleming disapproved of the Scottish actor’s casting, to begin with, having envisioned a suaver gentleman like David Niven (who eventually played the part in 1967’s Casino Royale parody), but even he admitted Connery had made the role his own after seeing From Russia With Love in 1963.

Over six films, released between 1962 and 1971, Sean Connery established the foundation for a character who’s endured for over as many decades since. He was once everyone’s favourite Bond actor, but while it’s fair to say the top spot is hotly contested by Daniel Craig today, it’s undeniable his interpretation of James Bond is the archetypal one. And also, let’s face it, Sean Connery enjoyed the lion’s share of Ian Fleming’s original stories, so if you’re after classic Bond you’ll always revisit his run in the ’60s…

Dr. No (1962)

A resourceful British government agent seeks answers in a case involving the disappearance of a colleague and the disruption of the US space program.

Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and Harry Saltzman introduced James Bond (Sean Connery) to filmgoers with Dr. No, and unwittingly launched the world’s longest-running film franchise. But while it swiftly established some core traits of the series—“Bond, James Bond”, the ‘gun barrel’ opening shot, Monty Norman’s unforgettable theme tune, and the character’s questionable interactions with beautiful women—it’s nevertheless a peculiar viewing experience today.

The producers decided to adapt Fleming’s sixth Bond story instead of the first, Casino Royale, as it was modest in its demands for director Terence Young and had a smaller scale that only required a budget of $1M. They’d also faced a legal battle trying to get Thunderball made (the most recent Bond novel at the time) due to a dispute over who actually owned it. More on that later. And while the series would become synonymous with globe-trotting productions, Dr. No’s shoot only took place in Jamaica and at London’s Pinewood Studios.

Connery’s performance is decent but not fully-formed. He’s effortlessly charming in the part but his attempts at more intense emotions can feel wooden. Still, he’s suitably debonair in the role that brought him worldwide fame, with his iconic hangdog look ( cigarette dangling from his lower lip, one eyebrow raised ) that oozes a sense of confidence. Or arrogance? This James Bond is an unshakeably suave and nonchalant man of the world, secure in the knowledge that whatever crazy thing happens to him… it will turn out okay in the end. Of course, one could argue this reduces any sense of danger whenever Bond’s around, but Dr. No is admittedly rather quaint in terms of the jeopardy it puts 007 through . A nighttime encounter with a tarantula in his bedroom is about the worst of it.

The plot finds MI6 agent Bond dispatched by ‘M’ (Bernard Lee) from London to the then-British colony of Jamaica to investigate the murder of a fellow British spy. There, he uncovers the mysterious Dr Julius No (Joseph Wiseman), whom we eventually learn is attempting to disrupt America’s Project Mercury space rocket launches at Cape Canaveral. The scientific explanations for Dr. No’s plans, involving a nuclear reactor pool, are completely glossed over, likely due to the public’s limited understand of nuclear weapons in the early-’60s. They’re bad news, so there’s no nuance beyond that. It’s also interesting that Dr. No has prosthetic metal hands, having lost his own to radiation (in Fleming’s book, a Chinese gang cut them off), so spends the movie seeking to control finger-like missiles and prove his ability to manipulate the world around him.

The film’s geopolitics and the treatment of foreign characters is uncomfortable through modern eyes and likely caused some raised eyebrows in 1962. The local Jamaican population are portrayed as “disposable,” with men who interact with Bond winding up dead—most unforgivably, Jamaican ally Quarrel (John Kitzmiller), who’s unceremoniously incinerated by a flame-throwing mechanical “dragon.”

The climax, involving the destruction of Dr. No’s nuclear reactor on Crab Key island (which would in reality result in long-term radioactive contamination), is here presented as a victory for the US and its expensive rocket project. This is likely a product of its time, pre-Chernobyl Disaster, as the ramifications of nuclear catastrophes were abstract concepts to ordinary filmgoers. Alternatively, it could be argued there’s a lack of concern for faraway islanders, living somewhere that gained its independence from the UK the same year Dr. No came out.

More unforgivably, Dr. No and other Asian characters are played by white actors in yellowface. While this practice was sadly commonplace back then, it’s even more uncomfortable to see in the 21st-century. The only saving grace is that neither Wiseman as Dr No, nor Zena Marshall as corrupt secretary Miss Taro, lean into overtly stereotypical portrayals of Chinese people. I didn’t even know they were supposed to be of Asian heritage when I saw this film as a boy.

Ultimately, Dr. No is a solid debut for James Bond but a curious birth of a cinematic legend in retrospect, being so full of dated moments, lazy racism, and a nonchalant sense of pace. And if you grew up with the fizzier Roger Moore era and beyond, it’s almost amusing how lo-fi everything is — with Bond placing hairs across closet doors to detect if someone opened them in his absence. But you may also find Dr. No’s focus on old-fashioned spycraft refreshing, as Bond movies have long since become big-budget spectacles full of wild stunts and epic action. Dr. No, in contrast, has our hero mostly walking around talking to the locals for information, dining with English civil servants, arranging dates with women he fancies, and only occasionally getting into an exciting car chase or fist-fight.

It also contains its fair share of iconic moments, particularly bikini-wearing Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) emerging from the sea singing “Underneath the Mango Tree.” So, despite the film’s antiquated elements and Sean Connery still finding his feet at times, Dr. No successfully introduced an iconic character whose blend of charm and goofiness has never stopped entertaining the masses.

From Russia With Love (1963)

James Bond willingly falls into an assassination plot involving a naive Russian beauty in order to retrieve a Soviet encryption device that was stolen by the organisation SPECTRE.

From Russia With Love isn’t just a fantastic Bond movie; it’s a meticulously crafted spy thriller that subverted expectations and redefined the burgeoning series. Far from being an addendum to Dr. No, this second instalment establishes a darker, more dangerous world for 007 to contend with, where the stakes are higher and even the line between friend and foe is blurred.

The film wastes no time asserting these new rules. The chilling opening scene, featuring assassin Red Grant (Robert Shaw) choking someone who appears to be James Bond (a precursor to Mission: Impossible’s rubber mask disguises?), immediately signals a departure from Dr. No’s perceived invincibility of the British agent. This masterful misdirection sets the stage for a narrative where Bond’s familiar playbook proves inadequate against the cunning multinational terrorist organisation SPECTRE.

Bond’s mission to retrieve a Soviet Lektor decoding device, facilitated by the captivating Russian defector Tatiana Romanova (Daniela Bianchi), initially seems like a standard Cold War operation. However, as his Turkish contact Ali Kerim Bey (Pedro Armendáriz) aptly warns, the game’s played differently in the Balkans. What Bond, and audiences, expect to be a predictable tug-of-war with the Soviets quickly spirals into a complex web of deception orchestrated by SPECTRE. This shadowy organisation cleverly manipulates both sides, using Bond as a pawn in their scheme to trigger international conflict and profit from the chaos.

Shaw’s portrayal of Red Grant is a major highlight, embodying a thuggish yet calculating adversary who relentlessly pursues our hero. The climax, a claustrophobic train compartment fight between Bond and Grant, is a visceral and brutal confrontation that underscores the movie’s departure from the escapism and exoticism of Dr. No. Here, intelligence and brute force collide, leaving behind any pretence of gentlemanly combat. It’s the best scene of the film and remains a delightfully intense encounter even to modern audiences.

The film mostly prioritises a grounded, realistic approach to global espionage, but From Russia With Love does have time to introduce Q— here credited as Boothroyd (Desmond Llewelyn) — and his famous gadgets. But even then, the technology on display is less fantastical and more practical, like Bond’s multi-functional briefcase that can be primed to explode or eject a knife. It focuses on a spy’s tools of the trade rather than the more improbable gizmos the Bond franchise would often come to rely on, to its detriment.

From Russia With Love also expertly navigates the ‘Bond Girl’ trope with Miss World runner-up Daniela Bianchi’s nuanced performance as Tatiana Romanova. While undeniably alluring and part of a seductive trap set by SPECTRE, Tatiana’s portrayed with a surprising vulnerability and a welcome hint of tragedy. Her mission to seduce James Bond, which involves orchestrating a scandal by having their lovemaking secretly filmed, highlights the script’s willingness to “weaponise sex” as a thematic element, intertwining lust, violence, and politics. Even M’s secretary, Miss Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell), gets closer to the action this time, as her playful office flirtations with Bond reach a new peak.

But what truly sets From Russia With Love apart is its remarkably constructed plot. Unlike many spy thrillers that prioritise atmosphere over narrative coherence, this movie delivers a clear and well-motivated story. SPECTRE’s chief strategist, chess grandmaster Kronsteen (Vladek Sheybal), initially seems to account for every variable, but the film brilliantly demonstrates how human arrogance, love, and sheer good luck can defeat even the most meticulously crafted of plans.

From Russia With Love transported audiences into the gritty glamour of fictional 1960s espionage. It’s a ferociously untamed and exciting adventure that, with its unexpected complexity and depth, transcended the limitations of the genre. And it’s also a clear precursor to the raw and visceral James Bond we’d see with Daniel Craig’s interpretation decades later.

Goldfinger (1964)

While investigating a gold magnate’s smuggling operation, James Bond uncovers a plot to contaminate the Fort Knox gold reserve.

Goldfinger is the gold standard of Bond movies, forgive the pun. It’s the film against which all others are measured. After two adventures of slightly opposing tones, it perfected a formula that captivated audiences for years to come, striking a perfect balance between action, humour, and truly memorable characters. Chief amongst these is beloved gold magnate Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe), who cheats at cards and golf, and who plans to detonate an atomic bomb inside Fort Knox and profit from the ensuing economic chaos.

Goldfinger also brought us the unforgettable henchman Oddjob (Harold Sakata), the small Korean with a steel-rimmed bowler he uses to decapitate people —or at least garden statues, as the film never goes through with the gruesome threat his headwear poses. And of course, there’s Bond’s iconic ride, his Aston Martin DB5, equipped with a smokescreen, oil slick, machine guns, and an ejector seat. This classic British sports car is right up there with the best of fantasy vehicles on the big screen.

But what sets Goldfinger apart is the newfound confidence with the comedy, a crucial ingredient that was less prominent in the more serious-minded Dr. No and particularly From Russia With Love. Here, the filmmakers leaned into the sillier elements of a pulp Bond adventure, but were still careful not to take things too far. This delicate balance made the film a real crowd-pleaser and more entertaining than the previous movies, leading producers Broccoli and Saltzman to realise they’d cracked the 007 code.

Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman), famously pronounced “Pooshy” in Connery’s lisping Scottish brogue, is the lesbian pilot with a double entendre for a name, cementing a comic tradition that continues to this day. Despite a funny name and the script’s requirement for her to yield to Bond’s masculinity, Blackman portrays Pussy with remarkable poise.

Director Guy Hamilton even allows Pussy to judo-throw Bond at one point, perhaps aware Blackman was known to audiences as tough Cathy Gale on TV’s The Avengers (1961–69) and they expected some degree of physical capability from her. That said, 007 counters with more throws of his own, as if to prove Pussy simply caught him unawares the first time. There also follows an awkward moment when Bond physically subdues Pussy to plant a kiss on her lips, against her will, which magically turns her heterosexual, or at least bisexual. It hasn’t aged well. Neither has the sight of Bond slapping the arse of a girl at a hotel swimming pool, dismissing her with a curt explanation: “man talk.”

Bond isn’t totally infallible this time, either. In previous adventures, he always looked so confident everything would go to plan, and that subconsciously made audiences think there’s never any real chance of him losing. But in Goldfinger, he’s often inept at his job, getting both Masterton sisters killed (one suffocated by gold paint, the other murdered by Oddjob), before famously ending up strapped to a table about to be bisected by a red laser in arguably the most iconic moment in Bond history.

Like many Bond villains, Goldfinger is more of a frustrated host than a despot, eager to reveal his elaborate secret hideaways to his own enemies, which is largely his undoing. He flies Bond over to his Kentucky horse farm, where Bond overhears the plot to gas the military personnel that protect Fort Knox. Later, in a casual chat, Goldfinger foolishly answers all of Bond’s remaining questions about his plans, even what he intends to do with the gold reserves. The idea of narcissist villain monologuing all their secrets away was born in Goldfinger, and it’s become an enduring supervillain trait ripe for parody.

Amusingly, Goldfinger also gathers the heads of American Mafia families at his farm for an elaborate presentation. He explains his dastardly plan to irradiate the gold bullion and then the crooks are all killed with poison gas. Why make such an expensive presentation if they’re going to be killed after seeing it? And it’s never explained why Bond doesn’t simply alert the US authorities to Goldfinger’s plans and ensure the Fort Knox personnel wear respirators the next day so they don’t all fall asleep. I know mobile phones weren’t a thing in the 1960s, but he can’t get an urgent telegraph to anyone?

And once Bond is caught by Goldfinger, the true heroics fall to Pussy Galore, who, perhaps swayed by 007’s charms, has a change of heart. Even during the climax, Bond fumbles while trying to disarm the atomic bomb, only for a hitherto unseen CIA agent to calmly step in and disable it. Nevertheless, Goldfinger works better by making its hero more “human” and fallible. So much of what audiences consider ‘Bondian’ is present and correct in this third instalment (including the tradition of a pre-credit action sequence unrelated to the main story), making it one of the best Bond movies ever made — and certainly the peak of Connery’s tenure.

Thunderball (1965)

James Bond heads to the Bahamas to recover two nuclear warheads stolen by SPECTRE agent Emilio Largo in an international extortion scheme.

Thunderball is a polarising Bond movie. Following the gritty realism of From Russia with Love and the iconic grandeur of Goldfinger, Thunderball capitalised on its colossal $9M budget ($6M more than Goldfinger), by offering audiences more extravagant set-pieces. This is particularly evident in the many underwater battles and gadgets — such as a famous jet-pack escape scene, which once looked amazing but is too brief and superfluous to register today.

Thunderball was intended to launch the Bond film franchise instead of Dr. No, but a legal battle arose over the rights. Ian Fleming had written the novel based on an original screenplay he’d co-written with collaborators Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham. This legal dispute later allowed for a non-Eon adaptation of the same book, Never Say Never Again (1983), in which Connery reprised the role during the Roger Moore era. Rude of him.

The film’s premise of criminal organisation SPECTRE hijacking two NATO bombers laden with nuclear warheads and demanding a $100M ransom, threatening to detonate the nukes over the UK or US , feels threadbare and struggles to sustain a bloated 130-minute runtime. This was the first Bond film to last longer than two hours, and the pacing is a significant issue because it feels like the slim story could have been told in half the time.

The antagonists of Thunderball are also unmemorable. Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi) is defined primarily by his eye patch and lacks the charisma of his predecessors. His interactions with 007 are more a series of incidental meetings than true confrontations too, while his sense of humour also isn’t as insinuating. Largo struggles to establish himself as an effective SPECTRE “number two,” often relying too heavily on his minions.

Fiona Volpe (Luciana Paluzzi) initially shows promise as a seductive and defiant femme fatale who isn’t easily swayed by Bond’s charms, a la Pussy Galore. However, she’s swiftly dispatched, shifting focus back to the blander Domino Derval (Claudine Auger), and despite Auger’s striking good looks, her portrayal lacks effervescence, particularly in some pivotal emotional scenes.

The structure also feels like a blueprint for the worst excesses of the Bond series, so intent is it on copying the Goldfinger formula. But despite its narrative shortcomings, Thunderball was a resounding commercial success, grossing $141M worldwide (adjusted for inflation, that’s a remarkable $1.4BN in 2025). It even had two official premieres in the UK due to overwhelming public demand for them. Its colossal marketing campaign was unprecedented back then, also serving as a precursor to the blockbuster era that bloomed in the 1980s.

Terence Young, returning to direct his third Bond movie, clearly embraced the newfound creative freedom afforded by playing within the established template. Everything is bigger but also longer, with a spectacle or skirmish every 10 minutes. Thunderball is undeniably grand and audacious, intent on putting every penny of the $9M budget on screen.

Ken Adam’s impressive sets, such as SPECTRE HQ (evoking his incredible War Room from Dr. Strangelove), and John Stears’ revelatory underwater action scenes are undeniable highlights. A quarter of the runtime is taken up by cutting-edge underwater photography, with Bond and various henchmen brawling in the watery depths. Sequences of this quality and length were a major innovation at the time. Sadly, today’s they’re more wearisome and repetitive, although the amazing visual fidelity of every underwater shot often makes the terrestrial cinematography look comparatively dull and faded.

The array of fantastical, yet believable, maritime vehicles and propulsion units, including Largo’s iconic yacht, the Disco Volante, further showcases the film’s commitment to visual splendour. And who can’t enjoy the use of sharks as a means for a Bond baddie to dispatch his foes?

Sean Connery is still enjoying himself as James Bond, though this would be the last time he convinced audiences of that. His portrayal is confident but closer to smug, with 007 effortlessly overcoming various challenges and his libido running wilder than ever. And there’s the now-expected sexism and problematic moments, like Bond essentially threatening a woman with the sack unless she gives in to his sexual advances.

Bond’s interactions with Q provide the expected sparring and exasperation, while the film is heavily laden with gadgets, including a mini-breathing device and an underwater jet-pack, adding to the gleefully camp sci-fi appeal. The Aston Martin DB5 also returns with a few new tricks, although its return makes it feel like Thunderball is coasting by on the success of Goldfinger.

This time, Rik Van Nutter takes on the revolving-door role of CIA agent and Bond’s friend Felix Leiter, providing a dependable presence and ultimately arriving with the US Navy Aquaparas for the requisite final battle. This climactic underwater confrontation, orchestrated by SFX expert John Stears and underwater choreographer Ricou Browning, delivers fun carnage on both a grand and intimate scale.

John Barry also delivers one of his best film scores, deftly weaving variations of the new “Thunderball” theme throughout the movie and providing moody suspense cues inspired by the shadowy depths of the sea. The titular song, which famously caused singer Tom Jones to pass out, was a last-minute replacement for the unreleased “Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” — a decision driven by the producers’ desire to maintain the trend of songs that use the film’s title. A trend that, with some exceptions, continues to this day.

Thunderball was a high-water mark for the franchise as overhyped, concept-heavy event entertainment, retaining the elements that made earlier films such classics. While a sense of weariness would creep into the series going forward, Thunderball still showcases bravura action and confident direction, with Connery delivering a performance that, for perhaps the last time, assured us he was having a great time.

You Only Live Twice (1967)

James Bond and the Japanese Secret Service must find and stop the true culprit of a series of space hijackings, before war is provoked between Russia and the United States.

By the late-1960s, the phenomenal success of the Bond movies meant the franchise was facing stiff competition from other spy thrillers it had inspired. So, 007’s producers embraced a grander vision and a sense of showmanship, which had only been hinted at previously (even in Thunderball), with added sci-fi elements for good measure.

Hoping to keep the series at the cutting-edge of entertainment, after the disappointing malaise of Thunderball, Broccoli and Saltzman hired Lewis Gilbert (Alfie) to direct You Only Live Twice, author Roald Dahl wrote a screenplay that departed from Ian Fleming’s book, and Academy Award-winning cinematographer Freddie Young (Lawrence of Arabia) was brought in to ensure it looked spectacular in widescreen. Sadly, Sean Connery was tiring of playing James Bond and his departure was announced during what he found to be a challenging time filming in Japan.

You Only Live Twice opens with SPECTRE launching a spacecraft from a hidden volcano lair, capturing US and Soviet capsules to incite war. Bond’s death is then faked in a Hong Kong hotel room—all of this happens pre-titles!—before he secretly boards a submarine and is tasked by M to investigate events in Tokyo. There’s definitely a sense that Dahl’s natural mischievousness and dark humour resulted in a movie that’s distinct from what audiences had come to expect. The plotting is also decent, and Dahl ensures that Bond does some actual spycraft in-between the big stunts and crazier moments, like a terrific aerial dogfight with Bond in his gadget-laden autogyro, ‘Little Nellie’.

You Only Live Twice is certainly one of the better Bond movies, and a welcome adjustment after the excessive length and resulting tedium of Thunderball. It feels like a fun blend of Dr. No, From Russia With Love, and Goldfinger, but with the budget to give audiences a cinematic experience its rivals couldn’t yet afford . Ken Adams’ incredible volcano lair a definite highlight, too, as you can just imagine children going home to try and make one themselves out of cereal boxes, with a bottle for a rocket ship.

SPECTRE boss Blofeld (Donald Pleasence) also shows his face, after being teased as an unseen manipulator stroking a fluffy white cat (played by different actors) since From Russia With Love. These days, Blofeld’s scarred appearance and crème boiler suit evoke memories of Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers spoof trilogy, of course, but he’s such an iconic template for supervillains.

Bond embodies the title’s suggested theme as a true survivor too; a man who, despite his personal losses, remains focused on his mission for Queen & Country. He finds a strange self-recognition in Japanese culture, even transforming into a Japanese man, thanks to makeup, in order to infiltrate a fishing community —although Connery’s resulting ‘yellowface’ marks a series low in terms of controversial moments. A Japanese character even says “ah so” a few times. Those racist missteps are a particular shame because, unlike Dr. No, they at last cast Asian actors in all the supporting roles.

John Barry’s music score is amongst his best for Bond, with Nancy Sinatra’s wonderful theme song a long-standing favourite of the series too. You Only Live Twice ultimately delivers on its promise to fans, and even foreshadowed Hollywood’s martial arts craze of the 1970s. It’s such a shame Connery skipped the next canonical instalment from Eon—On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) —which is a fantastic film in almost every way, but one his presence instead of George Lazenby would have made an undeniable masterpiece.

Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

A diamond smuggling investigation leads James Bond to Las Vegas where he uncovers an evil plot involving a rich business tycoon.

Sean Connery was lured back to play James Bond for a sixth time, after George Lazenby stepped aside following his sole outing in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. United Artists paid Connery a then-record $1.25M salary, but it was nevertheless the Scottish actor’s final outing as 007—well, for Eon Productions at least.

Diamonds Are Forever was an attempt to return to the creative peak of Connery’s run with Goldfinger, bringing back director Guy Hamilton and even Shirley Bassey to sing the theme song. But it’s goofier than any Bond adventure that had come before, feeling almost like a pastiche of the now firmly established formula. To modern eyes, its resemblance to an Austin Powers comedy is perhaps most prevalent thanks to this overtly sillier, campier tone. The focus on glitzy but sleazy Las Vegas and another return for Blofeld (Charles Gray)—now presented as a more flamboyantly evil mastermind, complete with a “clone” of himself and penchant for disguises—further adds to the feeling that Diamonds Are Forever is intent to entertain audiences at the expense of seriousness.

This tonal shift clearly presented a challenge for Connery, who seems unable to calibrate his performance. Maybe his heart just wasn’t in it, although he seems to be having fun — or thinking of the money while spending a lot of time in casinos? But he sometimes feels too serious for the humorous nature of the material, and despite only being 41 years old (often considered the perfect age for a Bond today), Connery looks closer to 50 and had noticeably aged since You Only Live Twice four years ago. This lends a slightly creepier feel to his liaisons with various younger women, like Tiffany Case (31-year-old Jill St. John) and Plenty O’Toole (25-year-old Lana Wood, whom Connery dated in real-life).

Tiffany isn’t considered a top-tier ‘Bond Girl’, but my problem is that she’s successfully introduced as a sexy but capable woman (charming Bond while getting his fingerprints off a glass tumbler), but somehow ends the movie as a blithering idiot (reversing Bond’s cassette tape switch) who can’t even fire a machine gun without the recoil knocking her off the edge of an oil rig.

Still, we’ve come a long way from Goldfinger, when Pussy Galore was only allowed to physically overcome Bond once, as here we get female bodyguard duo Bambi (Lola Larson) and Thumper (Trina Parks) — who clearly dominate 007 in hand-to-hand combat for an extensive period of time. Although their scene still ends with him effortlessly holding both of their heads underwater in a pool, as they gasp for breath and mercy.

The storyline itself is convoluted and, frankly, uninteresting taken as a whole. It feels like most of the early Bond plots revolve around nuclear weapons and space, which were understandably on people’s minds in the 1960s and ’70s. Therefore, Diamonds Are Forever is best enjoyed for its various situations and stunts along the way, which include a terrific car chase through the neon streets of Vegas (even if the general public can be seen lining the streets and gawping at the stunts being filmed), and an entertaining climax involving helicopters attacking an oil rig off the coast of California.

Gray’s portrayal of Blofeld is surprisingly good, despite it being pitched in a more comedic manner than ever before. But he chews his dialogue and steals scenes, which is what you want from these early “supervillain” turns in Bond adventures. But the most memorable villains turn out to be two side characters—assassins Mr Wint (Bruce Glover) and Mr Kidd (Putter Smith) — who drift in and out of the movie doing despicable deed, while referring to each other formally and finishing each other’s sentences. It’s clear they’re also gay, holding hands after blowing up a helicopter, which adds a further level of intrigue to them. They feel surprisingly modern in their unnerving vibe, and one can see echoes of them in a lot of villains that came after at the movies.

Ultimately, while not a great movie or a particularly suitable way to bid adieu to Sean Connery, Diamonds Are Forever is mostly fun and entertaining. It’s certainly not a chore to sit through like Thunderball and manages to deliver a good time, even if it marked a tonal shift into self-parody and camp that the next Bond era —led by Roger Moore as 007—would embrace to become its defining quality.

*Click image to buy through our Amazon affiliate link*

6-Film Collection [Steelbook] 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Special Features:

The new James Bond 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray masters, reportedly from the original camera negatives, offer native 4K presentations in their original aspect ratios (1.75:1, 2.35:1, 2.39:1). All films also feature Wide Color Gamut (WCG) complete with Dolby Vision and HDR10.

Visually, all six movies share similar characteristics for the period. Detail is excellent, showcasing intricate textures on items of clothing and faces. While the bluescreen and optical effects slightly thicken the image in later instalments, this also preserves an authentic “analogue” film look. Grain is largely natural and a significant improvement over previous Blu-ray releases, though some digital noise reduction (DNR) is subtly present at times, particularly in Dr. No. Overall, these restorations maintain a strong sense of celluloid-based filmmaking, with Diamonds Are Forever offering the most consistent and impressive presentation of detail and grain.

The remixed Dolby Atmos tracks also offer a modern, high-fidelity experience with crisp highs, rich bass, and a wide soundstage. While front-focused for the most part, they include engaging surround and overhead effects for specific moments like helicopters flying by. Dialogue generally remains clear, even during the busier scenes. However, a notable issue exists: dialogue is cut short or reduced due to the extraction process from the original mono tracks. While minor and potentially only noticeable to purists, these instances are present.

The original mono tracks provide an authentic, albeit less refined, listening experience. Early films like Dr. No and From Russia with Love have a thick, midrange-heavy sound. Fidelity improves with Goldfinger, offering a slightly crisper presentation. And while these tracks sound true to their age and are more natural, some argue they’ve still undergone processing. The dynamics are limited and music can be quieter compared to the remixed versions.

Despite the unfortunate dialogue issues, I preferred the remixed Atmos tracks for their enhanced scale and fidelity, especially noticeable in the opening theme songs. However, purists might opt for the original mixes to avoid any dialogue alterations.

Ultimately, both audio options come with minor criticisms, and the inclusion of both the modern Atmos remixes and the authentic mono tracks should satisfy most listeners. Note that Thunderball includes two slightly different sets of audio tracks (both in mono and Atmos) due to original release variations in dialogue and music.

Dr. No:

Audio Commentary with director Terence Young and members of the cast and crew.
Declassified: MI6 Vault—vintage featurettes “The Guns of James Bond” and “Premiere Bond: Opening Nights” (18 mins.)
Exotic Locations—retrospective about the locations used in the film (3 mins.)
Mission Dossier—vintage featurettes: “Inside Dr. No”, “Terence Young: Bond Vivant” & “Dr. No 1963 Featurette” (96 mins.)
Ministry of Propaganda—collection of trailers, TV spots, and radio ads.

From Russia With Love:

Audio Commentary with director Terence Young and members of the cast and crew.
Declassified: MI6 Vault—vintage featurettes “Ian Fleming: the CBC Interview”, “Ian Fleming and Raymond Chandler” * “Ian Fleming on Desert Island Discs”, plus an animated storyboard sequence (20 mins.)
Exotic Locations—retrospective about the locations used in the film (3 mins.)
Mission Dossier—vintage featurettes: “From Russia with Love” and “Harry Saltzman: Showman” (60 mins.)
Ministry of Propaganda—collection of trailers, TV spots, and radio ads.

Goldfinger:

Audio Commentary with director Guy Hamilton.
Audio Commentary with cast and crew.
Declassified: MI6 Vault—vintage featurettes “Sean Connery from the Set of Goldfinger”, “Theodore Bikel Screen Test”, “Tito Vandis Screen Test”, “On Tour with the Aston Martin DB5” & “Honor Blackman Open-Ended Interview” (29 mins.)
Exotic Locations—retrospective about the film’s locations (3 mins.)
Mission Dossier—vintage featurettes: “The Making of Goldfinger” and “The Goldfinger Phenomenon” (55 mins.)
Ministry of Propaganda—collection of trailers, TV spots, and radio ads, plus Sean Connery radio interview.

Thunderball:

Audio Commentary with director Terence Young.
Audio Commentary with cast and crew.
Declassified: MI6 Vault—vintage featurettes “The Incredible World of James Bond—Original 1965 NBC TV Special”, “A Child’s Guide to Blowing Up a Motor Car—1965 Ford Promotional Film”, “On Location with Ken Adam”, “Bill Suitor: The Rocket Man Movies” & “Thunderball Boat Show Reel” (88 mins.)
Selling Bonds—TV adverts for Bond merchandise (2 mins.)
Exotic Locations—-retrospective about the film’s locations (3 mins.)
Mission Dossier—vintage featurettes: “The Making of Thunderball”, “The Thunderball Phenomenon” & “The Secret History of Thunderball” (62 mins.)
Ministry of Propaganda—collection of trailers, TV spots, and radio ads.

You Only Live Twice:

Audio Commentary with director Lewis Gilbert and cast and crew.
Declassified: MI6 Vault—vintage featurettes “Welcome to Japan Mr Bond”, “Whicker’s World—Highlights from 1967 BBC Documentary” & “On Location with Ken Adam” (62 mins.)
Mission Dossier—vintage featurettes “Inside You Only Live Twice”, “Silhouettes: The James Bond Titles”, “Plane Crash: Animated Storyboard Sequence” & “Exotic Locations” (60 mins.)
Ministry of Propaganda—collection of trailers, TV spots, and radio ads.

Diamonds Are Forever:

Audio Commentary with director Guy Hamilton and cast and crew.
Declassified: MI6 Vault—vintage featurettes “Sean Connery 1971: the BBC Interview”, “Lesson#007: Close Quarters Combat”, “Oil Rig Attack”, “Satellite Test Reel” and “Explosion Tests” (16 mins.)
Alternate & Expanded Angles (33 mins.)
Deleted Scenes (8 mins.)
Mission Dossier—vintage featurettes “Inside Diamonds are Forever”, “Cubby Broccoli – the Man Behind James Bond” & “Exotic Locations” (70 mins.)
Ministry of Propaganda—collection of trailers, TV spots, and radio ads.

Cast & Crew

directors: Terence Young (No, Russia, Thunderball) • Guy Hamilton (Goldfinger, Diamonds) • Lewis Gilbert (Live).
writers: Richard Maibaum (No, Russia, Goldfinger, Diamonds) • Johanna Harwood & Berkely Mather (No) • Paul Dehn (Goldinger) • John Hopkins (Thunderball) • Roald Dahl (Live) • Tom Mankiewicz (Diamonds) (Based on novels and characters by Ian Fleming).
starring: Sean Connery, Bernard Lee & Lois Maxwell • Desmond Llewellyn (Russia, Goldfinger, Thunderball, Live, Diamonds) • Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman & Jack Lord (No) • Pedro Armendáriz, Lotte Lenyam, Robert Shaw, Daniela Bianchi (Russia) • Honor Blackman, Gert Fröbe, Shirley Eaton (Goldfinger) • Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi (Thunderball) • Akiko Wakabayashi, Tetsurō Tamba & Donald Pleasence (Live) • Jill St. John, Charles Grat, Lana Wood, Jimmy Dean & Bruce Cabot (Diamonds).