Ringing in the New Year with 'Dr. No'!

Dr. No (1962) at the Shin Bungeiza in Ikebukuro. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight (Monday, January 1), I went to the Shin Bungeiza to catch a screening of Dr. No (1962) in 4K. I'd seen the film once before -- sometime in 2015 when I decided to watch all the Bond films I hadn't yet seen, which was most of them. I remember more or less liking the movie at the time, but it didn't leave a big impression on me.

So I was enthusiastic about seeing the picture the way it was meant to be seen. It looked excellent in 4K, which was never in doubt. 

Dr. No at the Shin Bungeiza in Ikebukuro. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Overall, I liked the movie, but I will confess that the first half of the movie is far superior to the second. The first half contains many lush Jamaican locations and fun action set pieces. The second half? Well, they're either stuck on Crab Key or Dr. No's lair. I wouldn't say the second half is bad, but it just can't hold a candle to the excitement of the first. 

Kaiju figures on display at the Shin Bungeiza. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Dr. No himself may not be the series' best villain, but he's certainly a cut above the forgettable baddies of the late '70s and beyond. The last great Bond villain I can remember is Christopher Lee as Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974). After that, even if I remember the actor who played a particular bad guy, I can't for the life of me recall anything about what he actually did in the movie. As the series went on, the bad guys seemed to get more bland and generic. 

More kaiju figures on display at the Shin Bungeiza. Photo by Brett Homenick.

As for Bond himself, nobody is in the same building as Sean Connery. He is by far the best Bond. Based on my 2015 viewings, I'd say From Russia with Love (1963) and Diamonds Are Forever (1971) were my favorite Bond outings.  

Gamera flies at the Shin Bungeiza! Photo by Brett Homenick.

Despite the criticism he gets (and he certainly overstayed his welcome in the role), I'd name Roger Moore my second-favorite Bond. I do remember enjoying The Man with the Golden Gun and For Your Eyes Only (1981) quite a bit, though the two movies he made after that were indeed pretty bad, as I recall.

Manda and King Ghidorah guard the soda machine. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I went a bit off-topic, I suppose, but I really don't have much else to say about Dr. No. It was good, but I just wish it maintained its original level of energy into the second half. What a nice way to kick off the New Year!

SPENDING AN AFTERNOON WITH A TOHO LEGEND! The Famed Actress Discusses Art and Culture!

With actress Mie Hama. 

On November 19, I was privileged to attend another event with actress Mie Hama. Hama-san is best known around the world as Kissy Suzuki from the James Bond thriller You Only Live Twice (1967), but for us Toho fans, nothing will top her roles in such films as King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) and King Kong Escapes (1967). I've also been fortunate to see her acting in a myriad of other films, such as various Crazy Cats comedies.

The event had nothing at all to do with movies, and it was centered on gosho ningyo (palace dolls). As the only American in attendance, I stood out rather easily, and Hama-san called on me during her presentation, asking me several questions in Japanese. I did my best to answer, which was still quite lacking, but it was a memorable (and fun) experience indeed.

After her talk ended, we took a few photos together. It's always a great experience to see Hama-san, and I hope to have another chance next year.

GODZILLA VS. JAMES BOND! A "SPECTRE" Is Haunting Shinjuku!

"Godzilla vs. 007"? Sounds good to me! As the latest James Bond spy thriller SPECTRE (2015) prepares to be released in Japan, this was the scene yesterday in Shinjuku. All I can say is, I can't wait!