ActionSequencesin“YouOnlyLiveTwice”

By Ryan Alford

Sequence OneThis sequence is at the beginning of the movie. The camera slowly zooms in

on an American spacecraft. Radio chatter is heard, the spacecraft “Jupiter” is requesting permission to get out of the craft and explore. Air levels are approved and one of the two astronauts opens the door. The astronaut is exploring near the shuttle, when all of a sudden the control centre signifies that there is an “Unidentified Object” closing in on them fast. The astronauts are confused and cant see this object. All of a sudden the astronaut sees another spacecraft closing in on them. “It‟s coming right at us. The front is opening up!”, says the astronaut. The foreign spacecraft is closing in on them and opening up its front like a claw, eating them up. Dramatic brass and drums play in the background, signifying the impending danger. The claw closes, successfully capturing the American spacecraft, and while it closes it snaps the hose that is supporting the exploring astronaut, leaving him for death in the dark space. The space controller angrily asks, “Are you receiving me?!”.

Sequence TwoJames is at Henderson‟s, trying to find out more information about the British

theory that the American spacecraft has landed in Japan. Henderson goes on to tell Bond that he suspects there is a big power behind this abduction. He mentions it is not Japan and not Russia. When all of a sudden his sentence is cut short by a knife in the back. James quickly gets up to investigate, realize Henderson‟s been assassinated and then breaks down the window in search for the killer. He runs after him, tackles the man, kills him after being threatened with a knife. He sees a car waiting and then realizes it is most likely an escape car, takes the dead assassins„ clothes and gets in without a problem, mainly due to the fact the assassin was wearing a mouth cover. He lays in the back, pretending to writhe in pain so the driver isn't suspicious, and then gets to the Osato Chemicals headquarters. He realizes that this must be the “big power” Henderson was referring to. The scene goes to an elevator, with Bond being held unconscious. He is now hostage.

Sequence 3James is wishing to do some reconnaissance work on Blofeld‟s “lair”. He

decides to take an armed helicopter up into the sky and look down for more clues. The helicopter is armed with two fixed machine guns, two rocket launchers, heat seeking missiles, two flame guns, mines, and two smoke injectors. This is one intense helicopter. He has lift offand begins to fly around to get a feel of it and test out the controls, although he is a natural. Bond is getting closer to the lair that sits under a volcano, and the music begins to speed up to a more rapid tempo.He doesn‟t know yet that the lair is under the volcano and reports to Tanaka via radio that there is nothing special to see. He looks down to the ground and sees shadows of other helicopters, realizing they are enemy helicopters once they shoot at him. The whole time the “James Bond” theme is playing in the background. In retaliation he sends back a flamethrower shot, destroying one of the four. With him versus the remaining three, he is forced to fly around with more movement. He gets above an enemy, and drops mines. He uses the rocket launcher on another. There is now one left. The enemy is right behind Bond, so he resorts to the heat seeking missiles. They curve around the bottom and obliterate the last helicopter. James is finally safe.

SummaryI enjoyed all of these action sequences for different reasons. The first

one is great in the way that it brings the audience in on what danger is

happening, and how crazy it is that an organization would abduct an

American spacecraft. It brings the audience into caring about the

story. The second action sequence is great in it‟s hand to hand

combat as well as the way it takes Bond to a place of interest, where

information might or might not be held. The third action sequence I

covered is interesting in the odds James has to overcome in order to

survive. Of course he is able to survive this. The third is also the

most impressive in how decent it looks for being a forty-three year old

action sequence. It is also cool to see all the different ways Bond can

destroy the helicopters. The last sequence is my favourite.