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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
If you buy one James Bond mspoof starring David Niven..., 11 Sep 2004
By A Customer
This film is definetely the best James Bond spoof I've ever seen. Even better than Get Smart. The jokes are brilliant and spontaneous, the music is good.The film'slot is confusing as you mainly spend hours trying to decipher it. I felt that the first act was somewhat slow to get started, but some of the jokes had me rolling on the floor. Don't hesitate to buy this film. At this price you can't go wrong. And for those of you that don't expect 'the younger generation' to get it - I'm a teenager.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Utter madness, but I like it, 29 April 2006
First off, I do believe that this film is a waste of one of Ian Fleming's best novels. Having said that, it is a very enjoyable film in its own way. Some bit are rather poor, and Sellers is less funny than usual. David Niven really carries the picture and makes the film worth watching in many ways. The rest of the ensemble cast do well to make a confused plot seem slightly credible in some way. The film IS a mess, but if you watch it with the right attitude, you CAN enjoy it.
If you are a James Bond fan, like I am, watch this film, but beware that it is not a Bond movie. You have to watch it for what it is - A 60's comedy, and not a spy thriller.
One of the real pleasures of this film is the score by Burt Bacharach. It makes some of the scenes enourmously enjoyable even if you just close your eyes and listen. A good example is the milk float chase.
My favourite scenes are:
The lion riding on the roof of the car, as John Barry's theme for Born Free is played.
Bond and the Scottish guards 'warsling'.
Terence Cooper's 'anti female spy device' training.
The finale in the casino. The music is too too brilliant.
On to the DVD release itself. There are no special features aside from two trailers which is disappointing since the R1 release has the 1954 TV version of Casino Royale, starring Barry Nelson as Bond. The picture is on and off with regards to quality but on the whole is acceptable to my eye, mind you I'm not very fussy. Unfortunately there is some substantial print damage in certain scenes, notably the scene where Sellers is drugged. Still, it is not too distracting. And to answer the question of an earlier reviewer, the scenes you describe do not appear to be included on this DVD.
So buy this DVD, and watch it in the right way, expecting it to just be silly fun and you will have a good viewing experience. I give it three stars, but if I could give three and a half I would, but I made it three since I don't think it is quite a four star effort.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
So THAT'S where Mike Myers got the idea for "Austin Powers",, 11 Sep 2003
By A Customer
The opening sequence is a classic; the leaders of the British-US-French-Soviet spy rings come together to persuade James Bond (a well-cast Niven) to come out of retirement. What a cast of actors in this scene alone: John Huston, Bill Holden, Charles Boyer and Kurt Kazner! Later sequences are hit-or-miss: some side-splittingly funny, others limp. The best sequence involves a dapper Peter Sellers and the incredibly beautiful Ursula Andress romancing to the tune of Bacharach's "The Look of Love." A sequence with Joanna Pettit as Bond's daughter is amusing, as well. The Woody Allen moments are strictly for nebbish afficianados. The movie ends on a flat note, as Sellers walked off the film before his storyline could be resolved! Still, its a great way to spend a rainy afternoon -- reliving the swinging sixties, back when Bond meant something!
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