Review of Goldfinger (1964) by Jason N — 07 Feb 2011

This one is the one that turned everyone into a James Bond fan. Although, I think From Russia With Love is a better move, this one is the one that defined the franchise. This is the Bond that set the bar for top notch adventure, special effects, witty dialog, gadgets, gimmicks, sex appeal, bigger-than-life main villains, product endorsements, blah, blah, blah.

It's a shame this one couldn't have come out during the summer, or else it could be considered the first summer blockbuster here in the U.S. The story was bigger than just about any other movie up to its release, and carried that distinction until Thunderball.

This is the one that established the big budget opening titles. The previous Bonds had good openings, but this one had a more artsy feel, and a powerful theme that could only be sung my Miss Shirley Bassey (with Jimmy Page on guitar; true story).

The movie was just an overall explosive experience; truly one of the more bombastic of all the Bonds, but it retains a sense of class and immortality that most other films fail to capture.