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Five James Bond film screenings at Quentin Tarantino's cinema

Quentin Tarantino’s New Beverly Theater in West Hollywood has been showing rare 35MM IB Technicolor prints of Connery’s classic Bonds at matinees throughout the month of July. At 6 US dollar a ticket, it’s the one true bargain in LA!

This week’s gem was Thunderball (1965). The print was in great shape, with clear image quality and vibrant colors. (Rumor has it these prints are from Tarantino’s personal collection.) I hadn’t seen Thunderball in a theater since the late 1980s and the film is still a masterpiece. The young Sean Connery turned in a first rate performance, full of his trademark mix of humor, simmering sexuality and sudden danger that made him a star and Bond a household name in the 1960s.

A wonderful surprise was that Fiona Volpe herself, Luciana Paluzzi, her husband Michael and assorted grandkids were there for the screening. After the show, Luciana was invited to talk about making the movie. She praised Connery as good humored and easy to work with. Luciana also praised producers Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and Harry Saltzman for creating a luxurious, stress-free set. “There was Dom Perignon for us all the time,” she recalled. “They were relaxed because they knew it was going to be a hit.” (How true that was – Thunderball was, indeed, “The Biggest Bond of All”, grossing over 63 Million USD – over half a BILLION dollars today!)



The actress also got teary-eyed saying, “I made this movie 55 years ago and now my grandchildren can see it on a big screen.” The audience applauded. After she made her brief remarks, Luciana was embraced by her teenaged grandkids in the aisle – which made for a truly lovely ending to a rare chance to see Thunderball on a big screen.


Luciana Paluzzi attends Thunderball screening at New Beverly Cinema. Photo by Mark Cerulli.

All James Bond film screenings at New Beverly Theater in July 2019

• Wednesday, July 3 at 2:00 pm
From Russia with Love starring Sean Connery (IB Tech Print)

• Wednesday, July 10 at 2:00 pm
Goldfinger starring Sean Connery (IB Tech Print)

• Wednesday, July 17 at 2:00 pm
Thunderball starring Sean Connery (IB Tech Print)

• Wednesday, July 24 at 2:00 pm
You Only Live Twice starring Sean Connery (IB Tech Print)

• Wednesday, July 31 at 2:00 pm
On Her Majesty's Secret Service starring George Lazenby (IB Tech Print)

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#film_screenings

#luciana_paluzzi

#mark_cerulli

#sean_connery

#thunderball

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