|
By
NICK ZEGARAC
Instructed to update the
Bond franchise for contemporary and American
sensibilities, Guy Hamilton's "Diamonds Are
Forever" (1971) is perhaps the most deglamorized
of the vintage Bond films. It stars reluctant Sean
Connery, agreeing to come back for one last outing
after the disastrous response to George Lazenby's
one picture stint in On Her Majesty's Secret
Service. A South African diamond smuggling ring is
cause for concern on this occasion. Not up to
Bond's usual assignments, you say? Well, no…if it
weren't for the fact that everyone associated with
these sparkling gems turns up dead. After killing
the next link in the smuggling chain, Peter Franks
(Joe Robinson) Bond assumes the smuggler's
identity to get to the bottom of things. What he
discovers is that his old arch nemesis, Blofeld
(on this occasion played by Charles Gray) is
running the show, this time from the bachelor pad
of a reclusive Las Vegas millionaire, Willard
Whyte (sausage king, Jimmy Dean).
On reflection, the best thing about this film is
its no nonsense Bond girl, Tiffany Case (Jill St.
John). She represents a definite shift in the
definition of 'Bond girl' from sultry young
plaything to fast thinking, sharp-shooting
accomplice. The worst thing about the film is its
inclusion of, what can only be classified as the
most politically incorrect coupling; Mr. Kidd
(Putter Smith) and Mr. Wynt (Bruce Glover) a pair
of homosexual tongue-in-cheek assassins. The rest
of the plot and staging is pretty much par for the
course while deglamorizing Bond in something of
the vein of Smoky & the Bandit. Lana Wood makes a
brief but memorable cameo as crapshooter, Plenty
O'Toole. Trina Park and Lola Lawson briefly appear
as two acrobatic assassins, Bambi and Thumper, who
are easily foiled by James in a reflecting pool
outside Whyte's desert home.
The anamorphic widescreen transfer from MGM/UA DVD
is fairly appealing. Despite several inexplicable
occasions where an obtrusive amount of film grain
suddenly appears in a single shot, then just as
inexplicably disappears, the overall film elements
of Diamonds Are Forever are smooth and free of
digital or age related anomalies. Colors are
somewhat dated but overall nicely balanced. Flesh
tones are rarely accurate -- appearing too pink or
too orange and pasty. Blacks are velvety deep and
solid. Whites are generally clean. The audio is
Dolby surround but lacking in any bass and with a
very frontal sound. Dialogue never sounds natural.
Special effects are often shrill and strident.
Extras include two documentaries, two audio
commentaries, the film's original trailer and some
promotional junket materials. |
