Bond In Review # 01: Dr No (1962)

Dr No, being the first of the long running James Bond film franchise was released in 1962, starred Sean Connery as James Bond 007, licenced to kill. Being the first, Dr No has set the overall tone, style and convention not only for James Bond films, but spy movie as a general. We are all to well on how a Bond films will look like now, but when Dr No was first released in 1962, it was first of its kind and the reputation this franchise has now is not that easy to get.

Being the definitive Bond, how many actually knows that in all his Bond films, Connery was wearing a toupee all along?

The film starts with the iconic gun barrel sequence, but for the first few films, the 'Bond' in this sequence is not played by Connery, but his stunt double. This is not followed by an opening sequence, but jump right to the stylized opening montage and credits. After the credits, we get the story. The plot is simple, Bond is to investigate a certain attack to a British secret service base in Jamaica and over the events of the film, uncover the evil plot of Dr No.

Although Dr Evil from Austin Power is a direct parody of Blofeld, but in the first movie, one of his costume is a parody of Dr No.

The titular character, Dr No, being a high ranking officer of evil organization SPECTRE is not a typical mad scientist, but rather an intelligent, suave villain, that still can be physically dangerous, for he has a pair of ultra strong hands made of metal. This evil, intelligent and polite villain with a certain degree of physical imperfectness will be a based on almost all main Bond villain to come.

Dr No also operates in a highly secretive, protected based or lair which is design by the legendary Ken Adam. Unlike those cheap B-movie villain lair, Adam's design is so futuristic (for that time), simple, sleek and eerie in a classy way. He actually set the bar on how Bond films should looks like.

This film also introduce the concept of Bond girls, even though it is rather apparent that the filmmaker trying to give Bond a permanent love interest in the form of Silvia Trench. In fact, it can be said that it is Trench that inspired the famous line "Bond, James Bond". In their first encounter, when is asked for her name, Trench replied Bond with "Trench, Silvia Trench" which Bond follow suit. The most iconic Bond girl in Dr No is of course, Honey Ryder played by Ursula Andress, although her role has nothing to do or contribute to the overall plot. Just that her entrance to the film is so sexy and iconic and rouses the sexual fantasy of the viewers. Other than this two, there is another two Bond girls, which are the hench-women for Dr No. One is a clumsy photographer and another one is a Miss Taro which Bond promptly seduce and have sex with.

Halle Berry pays a homage to Andress entrance scene in Die Another Day, apart from the bigger boobs, Berry lose, pathetically.

Connery as Bond is the best Bond, although Daniel Craig is catching up. Apart from the look and physique, Connery before this film is nothing like Bond, and it is director Terence Young's effort and training that transform the rough Connery into this suave and classy cold blooded assassin. One this special about Dr No is it features one of the most cold blooded murder done by Bond. Before he have Craig as the blunt instrument, Connery's Bond cold-bloodedly shoot an armless (finished his ammunition) evil henchman after forcing some information from him at gun point. This scene actually reminds the viewers that regardless how glamorous and flamboyant Bond is, he is still a cold blooded secret agent who mission always comes first and there is really no room for mercy.

Dr No, no stupid gag like Moore, no invisible cars, no too dumb concept to destroy the world but yes to all elements that makes a spy movie, action thriller and fantasy adventure. If got the chance, watch this!