You Only Live Twice

(Lewis Gilbert, UK/US 1976, 117 min., 35mm)

If Goldfinger defined what a Bond movie should be, You Only Live Twice gloriously stretched that definition to its limits. From the time that 007 emerges from an underwater casket in a perfectly dapper naval uniform, the fifth Bond film fully embraces the more waggish and absurd possibilities of the franchise. Featuring a script by Roald Dahl and an exceptional Nancy Sinatra theme, You Only Live Twice sees 007 travel to Japan to investigate the disappearance of an American space capsule. With the aid of some fantastical gadgets and a bit of ninja training, he discovers another international conspiracy. As a testament to its legacy, You Only Live Twice is the source of most of the fodder for Bond parodies.