The Long Tentacles of the Law

Dr. No referred to SPECTRE, his shady employers, in Bond's first film, but From Russia with Love continues doling out references to the organization without truly revealing their leader's identity or motivations. It's like they're hiding behind a cloud of ink. Or is that squid?

When Kronsteen receives a note on a coaster, you might notice a little octopus logo in the corner. Either the bar has a sponsorship deal with Kraken rum, or that's SPECTRE's logo making its first appearance. It's a sketchy little octopus with only four tentacles. Either SPECTRE is half the organization of criminal masterminds it used to be, or those other four tentacles are secretly up to no good.

Those tentacles suggest that SPECTRE wants us to think that they're everywhere; if you think you've escaped, think again. They can reach you anywhere. Plus, back in 1963, no one thought octopi were adorable. They were scary. They were coming to get you.

Later in the film, we get a glimpse of SPECTRE's mastermind—Number One. We only see his hand, which is sporting a ring featuring the same little logo.

That's it for SPECTRE in this film. They'll sit out Bond's next adventure, Goldfinger, but re-surface in the fourth film, Thunderball. They must need a break after Bond makes sushi out of them in From Russia with Love. Mmm, that gives Tako Tuesday a whole new meaning.