You Only Live Twice
1967 · Directed by Lewis Gilbert
Original language: English
- action
- thriller
- adventure
The story
A mysterious spacecraft captures Russian and American space capsules and brings the two superpowers to the brink of war. James Bond investigates the case in Japan and comes face to face with his archenemy Blofeld.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated 1960s colour with a glossy, studio-polished finish: volcanic crater lairs lit in hard orange and red, Tokyo streets of neon signs and paper lanterns, and sunlit Japanese gardens and seaside cliffs shot wide. Compositions are big and widescreen, with sweeping helicopter shots, rocket-launch spectacle and set-piece gadgetry framed for scale. John Barry's brassy, swinging score carries most of the energy, punctuated by sudden jolts of percussion and surf-guitar chase cues, while quieter passages drift into exotic lounge textures. The mood is playful, self-aware and fizzy with glamour rather than grim, a lightly ironic escapist caper. Pacing is brisk and episodic, moving between locations with the momentum of a travelogue. Violence is frequent and stylised, with gunfights, fistfights, a helicopter assault and a few cartoonish deaths, but there is no gore and little real menace, and romance stays flirtatious and light. Best suited to a fun, undemanding evening, a retro-fan night in, or anyone who likes classic action with polished visuals and a wink. Not for those seeking gentleness or a quiet, low-stakes watch.
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