Good taste hasn't totally vanished from the landscape even in the era of
Paris Hilton and Simon Cowell. On May 12, Cinema Retro was invited to attend
the Film Forum's New York screenings of the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's
Secret Service. The fact that there were impressive lines of ticket buyers
should not surprise true 007 fans. They have known since the film's original
release that this is one of, if not arguably, the best in the series. The superb
35mm print (the best this writer has seen) added to the afternoon's pleasures
as an appreciative audience enjoyed the many pleasures of George Lazenby's one
and only appearance as James Bond. At the end of the film, the audience applauded.
When was the last time you saw a contemporary film that elicited such
emotion from the audience?