"Inside 'Dr. No'" is one of several documentaries written and directed by John Cork back in 2000 for the famous James Bond series. This one here runs for 42 minutes and the focus is on the very first James Bond film "Dr. No" (if you don't count the television episode also mentioned early on in this documentary). Well what can I say. It's all done right here. Early on the film gives a good summary of the cinematic invention of James Bon and the rocky road from turning him from a beloved book character into a beloved film character. We get interviews with all the right people from cast and crew who actually have interesting stories to tell from their time on the set of this first Bond film starring Connery. This includes Andress especially, but also the other minor actors get their chance. I am 100% sure that this documentary is packed with facts and information that may have been lost otherwise. There is really too much to tell when asked what I find most interesting. I liked the information about the director's approach, about Wiseman's nervousness, about the failed crab experiment, about the sets in general. Basically everything about the shooting was highly informative and entertaining. It is a bit of a shame this documentary really isn't that easy to find these days (just like the others by Cork, for example the one on Diamonds are Forever). I also liked that they never made the mistake of just telling the story when showing scenes (an error many making-of documentary filmmakers make), but always elaborated on it way beyond the obvious. Anyway, it's almost impossible for me to find fault here. If I had to say something, I maybe would have liked some comments about the "Three Blind Mice" scene early on as this is one of my favorites from the film. But yeah, that is of course just subjective. These slightly over 40 minutes here are a must-see for any Bond lover like myself and a good watch for everybody else. Also a really good watch for everybody to pick as a double feature together with the actual "Dr. No". Highly recommended.
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Horst_In_Translation16 August 2017
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Goingbegging28 March 2019Not many films are good enough to have films made about them.
The creation of 'Dr. No' is a vivid piece of social history, full of the brutal irreverence of the 60's, yet with its roots in a social scene about as remote as you could get from the antics of 007.
At 44 (not 41 as they state), Etonian journalist Ian Fleming had to do the decent thing, after breaking up the marriage of Lady Rothermere by making her pregnant. Profoundly jittery about the prospect of marriage, he decided to soothe his nerves by sitting down and producing the great spy novel he'd always boasted about, but had never got round to writing. The first James Bond story sold only moderately, but attracted a core of readers who asked about the next one. Each Bond sold more than the last, and two film producers, Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, felt so certain they were looking at a future hit-series that they didn't offer the part to their first choice Cary Grant, because they knew he would never commit to more than one film.
So they changed tack and interviewed actors who were experienced but unknown, selecting Sean Connery, apparently because Broccoli's wife said he would pack-in the female audience. Fleming had a poor first impression of street-kid Connery, who could see the other man only as a patronising snob. But both were professional enough to change their attitude, as they started to see the possibilities. The key factor was director Terence Young as a one-man finishing-school, who would convert Connery into a polished sophisticate. Connery's upper-class accent is a very good try, but may have encouraged the casual one-liners that would not place it under too much of a test. These would become a favourite stylistic of 60's spy films.
And so, the cast took off for Jamaica on a schedule so tight that they often had to work on Sundays. For her iconic beach scene, emerging from the surf, Ursula Andress had to be plastered all over in makeup, as she had no suntan, and cut herself badly on the coral. Her German accent was also too heavy, so her speech had to be dubbed. But one besotted admirer was Fleming himself, by then a dying man, who lived half the year in Jamaica, and had a deep knowledge of the country. This would add authentic local touches to the production.
To this day, that opening logo, with Bond viewed through the rifled barrel of a revolver, retains its impact, along with the immortal John Barry theme tune that went with it. Audiences knew they were watching something entirely fresh and inspiring in cinema history - except Fleming, who loathed the film, and was heard muttering about it as he left. -
pixrox129 November 2014. . . already had messed up her head-to-toe make-up job running along the beach from Dr. No's approaching gunboat on "Crab Key" BEFORE emerging nearly as bare as Venus-from-the-sea. Honey actress Ursula Andress discloses here that the predominantly male crew filming her beach romp with Sean Connery (as James Bond) invaded her Pre-shoot, hour-long make-up session as every inch of her totally naked body was "painted" front and back with the skin tone demanded by her role (or at least ordered up on the behalf of all her kibitzing male superiors). Once she crammed into her infamously tight white bikini, this garment tripped her up, causing her to slice open a leg on the sharp coral (requiring another make-out . . . oops, make-up session). No one asks the more elderly Miss Andress here about another scene filmed a month later at a studio in England, in which she is nakedly paraded full-frontal off DR. NO's decontamination conveyor belt (unlike Sean Connery, who follows just behind her, shown from only his waist up). No doubt Sean was whispering in Ursula's ear, "Don't worry, Honey, it's not as if guys will be able to pause and zoom in on this movie scene 50 years from now!"
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This insightful and engrossing documentary covers everything from the casting to the shooting of the trend-setting initial James Bond outing "Dr. No." Earlier attempts at adapting Ian Fleming's Bond novels proved fruitless, with only an instantly forgettable TV adaptation of "Casino Royale" getting made prior to "Dr. No." The original script had to be revised. Both Cary Grant and Richard Johnson were also considered to play the world's greatest secret agent, but of course the part ultimately went to a then unknown Sean Connery. Director Terence Young was hired because he had the right sense of style. Bond's suits were tailer made. Ursula Andress wasn't cast until two weeks before principal shooting began in Jamaica. Andress had to have make-up applied to her whole body in order to look tan and wound up being dubbed by another actress. Moreover, she posed for a photo shoot with legendary glamour photographer Bunny Yeager. As for Ursula's indelible introduction coming out of the sea in a white two piece bikini, well that's one of the all-time great moments from the movie. Noel Coward was offered the part of Dr. No, but turned it down; Joseph Wiseman was cast instead and played the main villain with complete calmness. Director Young and Connery gave Bond a very distinctive sense of dry and dark humor which became one of the character's beloved trademarks. Ken Adam's impressive set designs set the high standard for future 007 entries. Maurice Binder came up with the classic opening shot from the point of view of a gun barrel which shows Bond pointing his gun and firing right at the camera (stuntman Bob Simmons doubled for Connery in this particular shot). John Barry used lots of reverb for the signature theme. Editor Peter Hunt expertly created a constant rush of motion. Naturally, the film proved to be a massive international smash. Patrick Macnee does the perfectly suave narration. Essential viewing for fans of the movie.