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DR NO (Terance Young, 1962).
NOTE: The following is an edited version of a review available in full on my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME. Check it out! Link below.
The film that launched the longest running franchise in movie history. Sean Connery stars as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 in this adaptation of the sixth novel in the series.
Investigating the disappearance of fellow MI6 operatives, Bond heads to Jamaica and is soon on the trail of the titular Dr No, an underground dwelling, Nemo-esq scientific genius with plans to wreck the US space programme. Fist fights, shoot-outs and car chases ensue!
In many respects, Dr No is Bond in its purest form. Before the over reliance on gadgets, before the campy, double entendre laden humour, before the over the top action set pieces. Connery is perfect in the role: suave yet cool, a lover and a fighter. He is surrounded by a classy supporting cast. As Island girl Honey Ryder, Ursula Andress set the standard for Bond girls, emerging like Venus from the ocean in a two-piece swimsuit and creating one of the most iconic images of the entire series. Jack Lord and John Kitzmiller make appealing allies for Bond, while Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell make their first appearances as Bond’s MI6 boss M and his flirtatious secretary Miss Moneypenny, respectively.
Director Terance Young never lets the pace flag. Dr No is one of the shorter Bonds but Young never wastes a second as he delivers a gripping, intelligent thriller.
Rewatching the movie almost 60 years after release it is fascinating to see how much of what we associate with the series is already present. Refinements were made to the formula over the coming films but I don’t think this series opener was ever bettered. Equalled maybe, but it has a certain economic, raw, unpolished appeal that box office success and bloated budgets would not allow for in the future. Six decades on this is still a fantastic piece of popular cinema. Intelligent in a way action movies rarely are today, shot through with streak of sardonic humour. If you are only familiar with later entries than this original classic should really be next on your Bond viewing list!
100+ movie reviews now available on my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME. Link below.
Da Vinci Code Alcroft AU
Mycroft Holmes, an Oxford symbolism professor, is suddenly involved in a murder case.
The victim? Sebastian Moran, the curator of the Louvre.
The prime suspect? Mycroft himself.
All gets more complicated when Albert Moriarty, a french cryptologist, gets involved.
Mycroft discovers that Albert has personal stakes in the case. Sebastian was his best friend and legal guardian.
He took Albert in after a car crash killed his parents and his three younger brothers.
But Sebastian left clues in the Museum about a secret society related to the Holy Grail, and it's their job to find it and find his murderer.
Ok, now I'm tired. A few more highlights:
James is Sebastian's partner and the one who raised Albert's younger brothers, William and Louis, in secret.
That's right, they didn't die. The parents and the original William did though.
The guardians are Fred Porlock, Jack Renfield and Vivian Moneypenny (let's pretend women can be guardians).
The crazy monk is Billy (don't worry, he lives), and the bishop is Zach Patterson.
Sherlock is the Holy Grail expert that they consult, and John is his loyal servant.
In this AU, he's not a villain. He and William are working together to protect the Grail from everyone, and Sebastian and the guardians were planning to divulge the secret, so they were killed.
Albert and Mycroft have to choose between their brothers and justice.
However, before they decide on anything, James reports that Sherlock and William ran away to America, to never be seen again.
Sebastian's and the guardian's memory lives on in Mycroft and Albert.
Also, big thanks to @neversleepingagain , for planting this idea rent-free in my mind.
Sebastian Moran has tired dad energy
I honestly can't stop imagining Moran being the tired dad of the Moriarty gang.
Like, not even big things.
Taking Fred shopping for disguise elements like wigs and makeup and helping him organize them and put them on later.
Taking James hot towels and chocolate when he's on his period, and taking his place in missions when he has heavy cramps.
Fetching tea for Moneypenny so she doesn't have to stop working on the paperwork the MI6 desperately needs.
Talking William to sleep after a heavy day so he'll have proper rest and not the three hours of sleep and sixteen cups of tea he normally runs in.
Taking up dinner when Louis is tired so he has a moment to himself to read a book or fill paperwork or just meditate a bit before going back to work.
Staying up all night with Albert gossiping and drinking to ensure his sleep will be heavy and empty, no nightmares on sight.
Just, dad Moran.
It would surprise his 21 year old self to see this.
But I think he really matured during the manga.
He doesn't show it very much, but I think that spending the last days with the Moriarty gang really set him straight.
How does Louis celebrate his birthday:
He doesn't want to make a big fuss about it. He and Liam lived in the streets for quite some time, so he's used to not celebrating.
Albert won't let it slide.
He always gets the coolest celebrations every year.
Sometimes it's just him and his brothers, sometimes it's Moran and Fred too, and sometime it's just him.
He stopped celebrating his birthday after The Final Problem. It was meaningless.
He gets all sorts of things for his birthday.
But one thing is never missing from the list of gifts:
A bouquet of flowers.
Specifically azaleas, his favourites.
It's also the symbol used for him in the Morigang's flower code.
Why? Because azaleas symbolize family and unity.
Fitting for the foundational stone of the family.
The ever dependable one.
Sometimes people ask for favors in his birthday. He always complies. William wouldn't like him if he didn't. Though it would be nice to get a favor done for him.
Fred invites him to pets his cats, Moneypenny brews tea for him, Jack takes care of cleaning and Bonde takes him out to dinner.
Maybe his birthdays aren't meaningless, even without his own brothers around to celebrate.
Flower symbolism in Yuumori:
We all know that some characters have assigned flowers in the manga (Liam and Sherlock) and others in the anime (Louis, Albert and John), but I've never felt they're quite right. They seem a bit lackluster, so I tried to make my own list complete with meanings!
Liam: lilies. They symbolize purity, and are commonly a symbol of mourning, often found on gravestones of family members.
Albert: roses. They symbolize love, and the added touch of sub rosa interacts nicely with their goals.
Louis: azalea. As I've mentioned before, they symbolize family and unity, so it's only fitting they'd go to the one keeping the family together.
Moran: forget-me-not. They symbolize undying love and loyalty, and past memories. Very fitting for a soldier.
Fred: edelweiss. They symbolize courage and devotion, two things Fred has a lot of.
James: belladonna. Not only do they symbolize beauty and confidence, they were also used by cosmetics by victorian women.
Moneypenny: jasmine. They symbolize grace and elegance, and are both used in tea and perfumes, making it a nice touch for her.
Herder: periwinkle. They symbolize friendship and new begginings, both things he heavily desires, if we are to go by chapter 12.
Sherlock: iris. They symbolize strenght and intelligence, both things he has a surplus of, and also have the additional meaning of wisdom, which he acquired in NYC.
John: violet. They symbolize loyalty and hope, both of which are always fitting themes for any Watson of any media.
Miss Hudson: zinnia. They symbolize affection and absence, a way to show how much she missed her boy during the timeskip.
Mycroft: nasturtium. They symbolize patriotism and conquest. Only fitting for the Queen's right hand man, isn't it?