Tagged: Japan
You Only Live Twice: Bond’s Blue Suit in Japan
Sean Connery as James Bond in You Only Live Twice (1967)
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, sophisticated British MI6 agent
Tokyo to Miyazaki, Japan, Summer 1966
Film: You Only Live Twice
Release Date: June 13, 1967
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Wardrobe Master: Eileen Sullivan
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
Sean Connery’s wardrobe as James Bond is remembered for its timeless sophistication, developed for his first appearance as the character in Dr. No. The elements of Connery’s Bond style generally differed from Ian Fleming’s literary vision, with Connery often sporting gray suits rather than blue, long-sleeve shirts rather than short-sleeved, and derby shoes rather than non-laced casuals.
However, there are a few occasions where Connery’s 007 sartorially overlapped with Fleming’s vision. His dark blue suit when visiting Osato’s Tokyo office in You Only Live Twice thus serves as an appropriate post for the 00-7th of May, Ian Fleming’s birth month. Continue reading
You Only Live Twice: Bond’s Pink Shirt in Japan
Sean Connery as James Bond in You Only Live Twice (1967)
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, sophisticated British MI6 agent
Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, Summer 1966
Film: You Only Live Twice
Release Date: June 13, 1967
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Wardrobe Master: Eileen Sullivan
Background
Yesterday was the 86th birthday of the original cinematic James Bond, Sean Connery, so BAMF Style is celebrating with a Casual Friday examination of one of Sir Sean’s final outings as agent 007.
Dr. No and From Russia With Love had been nearly page-to-screen adaptations of the source material. The Bond formula was perfected for Goldfinger and Thunderball, incorporating dazzling cinematic elements and moments reasonably into the intact plot of the novel. You Only Live Twice marked the first major deviation from the source, keeping the general story while removing the more human elements of Ian Fleming’s plot and replacing them with gadgets and spectacle. Continue reading
Bond’s Casual Brown Linen in Japan
Sean Connery as James Bond in You Only Live Twice (1967)
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, sophisticated British MI6 agent
Miyazaki, Japan, Summer 1966
Film: You Only Live Twice
Release Date: June 13, 1967
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Wardrobe Master: Eileen Sullivan
Background
For the 00-7th of July, I’m revisiting one of my least favorite films in the James Bond franchise: You Only Live Twice. This movie polarizes Bond fans; some enjoy it for the spectacular action and adventure elements and Donald Pleasance’s iconic turn as Blofeld while others feel as bored as Sean Connery himself seems to look by the formulaic and over-the-top plot.
Even YOLT fans can’t deny that this marked the first major departure from Ian Fleming’s original plots, keeping the Japan setting and several characters intact while replacing Bond’s fatalistic revenge-driven quest with a conventional action piece. You Only Live Twice evidently provided much of the fodder for spy parodies, most notably the Austin Powers franchise, which featured another scarred, Mao-suited villain in his volcano lair full of identically-dressed henchmen and poor marksmen. Continue reading