Raymond Benson is a familiar name among Spy Vibers who grew up with his famous book, The James Bond Bedside Companion. Out of print and highly collectible (I sold two mint copies to Spy Guys in the 90s- drat!), the classic volume is now available on Kindle. Benson's official James Bond novels were re-released in two handsome omnibus editions in 2008. Amazon currently has them listed at 60% off, so now is a great time to pick them up for your library. If you haven't checked out his new series, The Black Stiletto, pick up the Kindle edition of the first novel for free! The next in the series, The Black Stiletto: Black and White, will be released on May 30th. Raymond Benson is also a fellow film historian and buff, and he is a regular contributor to Cinema Retro magazine.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of 007, WGNTV talks with Bond historian and author, Raymond Benson. Benson is the writer of the classic James Bond Bedside Companion and six official 007 novels. His new book in the The Black Stiletto series, Black Stiletto Black and White will be released on May 30th. Watch Benson reflect on Bond at WGNTV here. Author photo below at Ian Fleming's desk at Goldeneye.
If you're looking for the original Avengers, Boom! Studios is currently re-printing the Steed And Mrs Peel comics by Grant Morrison. They have also announced new stories in the Avengers line that deal with the infamous Hellfire Club. Check out the news at my fellow COBRAS site, Double O Section. Additional series cover art below. The re-print series trade paperback is available for pre-order on Amazon for a December 4th release.
The first trailer for the upcoming James Bond film, Skyfall, has been released. Spy Vibers can see it at the official 007 website. Below is the quad edition of the teaser poster.
News emerged during Cannes that director Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code and son of David Bowie), will helm a biopic based on the life of Ian Fleming. According to the announcement by Deadline, the film will be based on the biography Ian Fleming:The Man Behind James Bond by Andrew Lycett. The project, which is said to have the support of the Ian Fleming estate, will go into production later this year. Fleming had an interesting and rich life leading up to the creation of James Bond in his mid-40s, including his own experiences in intelligence during WWII. From what I've seen of Jones' work, he seems able to craft narratives that stay at the heart of well-developed characters. Hopefully he will retain his knack for pacing and intimate portraits in this project, rather than pushing into the realm of possible Bondian gloss and big stars. According to Playlist, he has turned down various big-budget offers in lieu of Ian Fleming- a very good sign. I'm excited to see this one! As for actors, I agree with Ain't it Cool that Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) would be interesting. Who do you think would make a good Ian Fleming?
The FAB world of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's series UFO (1970-71) spawned some cool publications, including annuals, activity books, technical manuals, and behind-the-scenes guides. Episode novelizations appeared in England, the US, Germany and Italy. You can read PDF scans of the two UK novels on-line at the UFO Series website.
Spy and music fans lost a great guitarist and arranger during the winter. Billy Strange, famous for his work with Nancy and Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., the Beach Boys, the Everly Brothers and many more, passed away at the age of 80. Spy Vibers may remember him for his numerous soundtrack cover albums and for working on Nancy Sinatra's non-soundtrack version of You Only Live Twice. Here is one of Billy's many spy album jackets, followed by his cool version of the James Bond Theme to start your weekend!
John Lennon visited a Fluxus exhibit by Yoko Ono on November 9th, 1966 and he was struck by the playfulness and positive imagining in the work. Although Fluxus Art may seem bizarre to the uninitiated, it shares whimsical and conceptual qualities with Dada, the do-it-yourself aesthetic, a political avant-garde, and the philosophies of John Cage. Yoko's show was at the Indica Gallery, a gallery owned by Peter Asher, John Dunbar, and Barry Miles, and backed by Paul McCartney (group seen below at the opening of Indica with Marianne Faithfull).
Reflecting on his first meeting with Yoko, John Lennon said, "I got the humor in her work immediately. I didn't have to have much knowledge about avant-garde or underground art, the humor got me straightaway. There was a fresh apple on a stand - this was before Apple - and it was two hundred quid to watch the apple decompose. But there was another piece that really decided me for-or-against the artist: a ladder which led to a painting which was hung on the ceiling. It looked like a black canvas with a chain with a spyglass hanging on the end of it. This was near the door when you went in. I climbed the ladder, you look through the spyglass and in tiny little letters it says 'yes'. So it was positive. I felt relieved. It's a great relief when you get up the ladder and you look through the spyglass and it doesn't say 'no' or 'fuck you' or something, it said 'yes'."
Filmmaker Jeffrey Perkins is currently working on a new documentary film about the Fluxus art movement. He was also initiated into Fluxus by Yoko in the 1960s and she appears in the new film. With seven days left to fund production of the movie through Kickstarter, Perkins has already conducted interviews with such luminaries as Ono, Jonas Mekas, Jon Hendricks, Alison Knowles, Nam June Paik, and Peter Frank. Consider becoming a backer at the project's Kickstarter page. As a rich element in the history of art in the late 1950s and 1960s, Fluxus deserves the in-depth look that this documentary will provide. Plus, one of my former filmmaking students is working on the film! Spy Vibe has contributed to the production of the film. Read more about Fluxus and Jeffrey Perkins at Art in America.
Sony and Eon Productions released today the teaser poster for the upcoming James Bond film, Skyfall. Inspired by the classic gun barrel sequence that has opened every official film in the 50 years of the franchise, the design links Skyfall with the 50th anniversary of the movies and is a strong connection symbolically between Craig's Bond and the character's legacy. Fans wonder what the next outing may offer in terms of other links to past iterations. Will Craig bring Bond back into a tone of suave panache? If the poster is any clue, I expect a balance between modern grit and classic style. The teaser trailer is due out this Monday!
As the Yellow Submarine builds up steam for its hi-def launch in early June, a special screening has been scheduled with the director of animation, Bob Balser. Balser will present the film at the Grammy Museum in LA on May 29th at 7:30. From the Grammy Museum: "We invite you to join us at The GRAMMY Museum in a special screening of the monumental film. Yellow Submarine, based upon a song by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, is a fantastic tale brimming with peace, love and hope, propelled by Beatles songs, including Eleanor Rigby, When I'm Sixty-Four, Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, All You Need Is Love and It's All Too Much. When the film debuted in 1968, it was instantly recognized as a landmark achievement, revolutionizing a genre by integrating the freestyle approach of the era with innovative animation techniques. Inspired by the generation's new trends in art, the film resides with the dazzling Pop Art styles of Andy Warhol, Martin Sharp, Alan Aldridge and Peter Blake. Guests will return to "Pepperland," a place where music and happiness reign supreme, to relive the magic once again. Following the screening, Yellow Submarine Animation Director Bob Balser will take the stage for a discussion moderated by Executive Director Bob Santelli." Admission is $10. Doors open at 7:00. Find the new Blu-ray and other Beatles treasures in Spy Vibe's Amazon Associates Store. Also, only a few days left to back a new documentary film. Read about how Fluxus Art brought John and Yoko Ono together and how you can support a film project on Kickstarter. Details at our post here.
Looking for a new motor to park at your secret lair? What would you say to a brushed metal, futuristic concept car that was built to break the Amphibious World Speed Record? Well Spy Vibers, it's for sale! Dubbed the "Sea Lion", this beauty is capable of land speeds up to 180mph and is water-ready. Unlike James Bond's Lotus-sub, however, it operates above the surface. Perfect for an agent in Venice. Current price is $259,500. Check out the images and video tour below. More info at Gizmag.
Get through the middle of you week (and protect yourself from those cosmic rays) with this classic William Claxton photo featuring fashion by Rudi Gernreich. Need a larger dose of Moon Girls and Op-inspired threads? Check out the Rudi Gernreich Book by Peggy Moffitt and our article, Mods to Moon Girls. Find Swinging London treasures inSpy Vibe's Amazon Associates Store.
The cover designs for the new editions of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels have been revealed. The excellent blog, The Book Bond, has posted the complete set along with a statement about the design process. "The Vintage Classics covers are designed to emphasise the cool and clever reputation of Bond. We wanted to evoke the heritage and era without being dated. The bold, colourful, film poster feel was inspired by Saul Bass." Although I like the designs, they do resemble the animated title-sequence art by Bass, more than they feel like book jackets. Many of the lines feel as though they could continue running across a movie screen ala another modern take on Bass, Catch Me if You Can. As covers go, they don't quite say '007 adventure' to me. Maybe if they had mystery elements added, like on the new editions of the John Gardner Bond books. Little guns, skulls, and the like. That said, however, maybe I'll be won over when I see them in person. Read more of the publisher's statement and see all of the cover art at The Book Bond. Find out more about Saul Bass, the designer behind many Hitchcock graphics and who inspired the vintage 007 covers. Spy Vibers will enjoy the Saul Bass design site because it is presented in an animated style based on his title designs for North By Northwest. Find 007 books and other treasures inSpy Vibe's Amazon Associates Store.
Of the many books due out during the 50th anniversary celebrations of the James Bond, two will feature stories of the franchise by Bond actors themselves. Sir Roger Moore has penned a new memoir chock-full of photographs called Bond on Bond. From Amazon: "The Bond movies remain the longest continually running film series in movie history, and 2012 marks its fiftieth anniversary. To celebrate these universally adored films, their cultural history, and wide appeal, Sir Roger Moore, KBE, has written a book that features all the Bond movies, along with a wonderfully witty account of his own involvement in them. From the girls to the villains, the cars to the cocktails, and oh so many gadgets, Bond on Bond has it all. This sumptuous book is illustrated with over 400 hundred iconic images from all the films including many previously unseen photos from the Bond archive as well as photos from Moore's personal collection. And while there have been other actors that have taken on the coveted role of James Bond, Moore, the longest starring 007, is certainly one of the most renowned and beloved. Written with all the affection and good humor he brought to the role, his charming wit and charismatic personality come through on every page."
Film journalist Bill Desowitz has published the book, James Bond Unmasked, that chronicles the 50-year franchise. What makes this volume stand out from other James Bond books is that it features interviews with all six 007 actors to provide contact to the character and films. Although Amazon lists the publication date as May 9th, the official website announces June 1st as a release date. I have not read any reviews yet and I am mostly curious to learn how much the interviews make up the book itself. As first impressions go, the cover design is not terribly stylish. Maybe we'll hear from Spy Vibers who check it out.
From Amazon: "James Bond is the most powerful and enduring cultural hero of our time and the longest-running franchise in movie history. In James Bond Unmasked, veteran film journalist Bill Desowitz chronicles the 50-year evolution of Ian Fleming's iconic superspy on the big screen from the Cold War of the sixties to the current post-9/11 era. This insightful book comes direct from the source, as Desowitz interviews all six Bond actors: Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig." Bill Desowitz has a movie blog called Immersed in Movies. Find 007 books and other treasures inSpy Vibe's Amazon Associates Store.
