SpyVibe

SEAN CONNERY AUTOGRAPH

2012-01-25T21:00:00.002-08:00

Spy Vibers looking for rare collectibles might be interested in an item I have re-listed on eBay: an elegantly framed display of the classic image below with a hand-signed autograph by the original 007 himself, Sean Connery! Check out auction details here.

BLU FOR BARBARELLA

2012-01-18T20:44:00.007-08:00

Paramount announced their upcoming Blu-ray titles today and we are pleased to see Roger Vadim's Barbarella (1968) set for a July 3rd release! This classic starring Jane Fonda and John Phillip Law is pretty stagey in its direction, but the costume designs and ongoing erotic theme of the story makes the movie fun to revisit. The plot: "Barbarella, a 41st century earthling, is sent on a mission by the president of Earth to find Duran Duran, a scientist who has disappeared with an all-powerful weapon." Fans should check out Roman Coppola's homage, CQ (2001), and Barbarella as a double feature.

DESIGN SALE

2012-01-15T15:26:00.005-08:00

Time to give your secret lair a makeover! Design With Reach is currently offering a sale on their living room pieces, including two faves: the Tulip Chair (designed in 1956 by Eero Saarinen for Knoll) and the Egg Chair (designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen- thought to be the first swiveling upholstered chair). Sale ends on January 31st. Details at Design Within Reach.

BOND BLU-RAY SET ANNOUNCED

2012-01-10T17:40:00.005-08:00

The breaking news today is that MGM has announced a 50th anniversary box set of every James Bond film on Blu-ray (including many that have not made it to the hi-def market yet). No street date has been set, nor news released about whether or not individual titles will be available at the launch for those of us who have already collected part of the series. I imagine that they will release as a run-up to the next 007 film debut in November. Check out this cool commercial! Pre-order on Amazon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOWIE

2012-01-08T10:20:00.021-08:00

Like many teenagers in the early 1960s, David Bowie was inspired by American jazz and blues music. He took up the saxophone and guitar and formed a string of bands that played blues and rock covers for parties and local entertainment. As a keen student of graphic design, art (and mime!), his Mod beginnings transformed over the years as his ever-changing work explored areas of musical and theatrical production that we can now recognize as era-defining (60s Mod, poet, 70s glam, soul, experimental, electronic, dance, 80s pop, 90s alternative, cyber punk, jungle, etc). Bowie stayed in the fast lane for forty years, releasing albums and pursuing his acting career, until a heart attack on stage in 2004 made him take stock. Bowie now enjoys the life of a stay-at-home dad for his eleven-year-old daughter, and for the quieter life-long pursuits of reading and following the Art world. He is currently writing Bowie Object, an art book that will chronicle his process and career through 100 images and reflections. BBC radio is broadcasting Mark Goodier's 2000 documentary, Golden Years, but listen quickly while the chapters are still available for streaming. For a space-age Bowie celebration, check out Spy Vibe's post, Space Camp. The British music publication, Uncut, has released an iPad APP version of its Bowie album-by-album guide, complete with embedded music and videos. David Bowie is 65 today- many happy returns, David!

For Spy Vibers who have never explored the fascinating career of David Bowie, you have a lot to look forward to! Although it is difficult to choose a short list of his work, here is our essential Bowie. Check out the Uncut iPad APP to read reviews and preview songs. If you are a fan of the more cabaret theatrics of Bowie's music, check out the remastered edition of his original Deram album from the mid-1960s and the Baal album.

Movies: The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), The Hunger (1983), Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence (1983), Labyrinth (1986), Basquait (1996), The Hunger (tv/1999-2000), The Prestige (2006).

Concerts/Videos/Docs: The Best of Bowie, Ziggy Stardust, Reality Tour, Storytellers, Under Review 1976-1979 The Berlin Trilogy.

Albums: Space Oddity (1969), The Man Who Sold the World (1970), Hunky Dory (1971), Ziggy Stardust (1972), Aladdin Sane (1973), Pin Ups (1973), Station to Station (1976), Low (1977), Heroes (1977), Baal (1981), Outside (1995), Earthling (1997), Bowie at the Beeb (2000), All Saints (2001), VH1 Storytellers (2001), Heathen (2002). Also, check out Bowie's song collaboration with John Lennon, Fame. A collector's edition of Bowie's 1999 album Hours will be released on January 31st.

THE LIQUIDATOR

2012-01-07T10:56:00.003-08:00

Spy Vibers who have Turner Classic Movies have a chance to catch an out-of-print film this Wednesday, The Liquidator (1965). Made during the spy boom by the talented Jack Cardiff (Girl On a Motorcycle), the film stars Trevor Howard, Rod Taylor, and Jill St. John. Screening on TCM is at 11:45 am (EST). Poster available from Movie Goods.

GEORGE MARTIN

2012-01-03T09:03:00.007-08:00

It's interesting to see how one person can make a difference in so many lives. For anyone who saw Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life again over the holidays, the idea is probably fresh in your mind. As a person can act as a catalyst for others in daily life, like a conductor of sorts, so can a person conduct mass culture over the course of their career. Sir George Martin is the man with the golden ear. Blessed with musical genius and a sense of humor, Martin is a bit like the Wizard of Oz- the man behind the curtain- whose work as a producer and arranger defined the music and humor of the last half of the 20th Century and beyond. The artists he worked with include Flanders and Swann, Peter Ustinov, The Goons, Peter Sellers, Sophia Loren, Beyond the Fringe (with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore), Matt Monro (of From Russia With Love), Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cellia Black, Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas, Jeff Beck, Elton John, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Paul Winter Consort, and America. In addition to multiple Grammys and other major awards, George Martin has scored 30 #1 hits in the UK and 23 #1 hits in the US. (See Spy Vibe's article Peter Sellers to John Lennon and Peter Sellers posts for more about comedy in the UK). Of special interest to Spy Vibers, Martin also produced two James Bond theme songs: Goldfinger (1965) with Shirley Bassey, and Live and Let Die (1973) with Paul McCartney.

George Martin is most famous as the producer/arranger behind The Beatles career. Legend has it that a shared sense of humor sealed the deal between Martin and the Fab Four. The band loved his records with Peter Sellers and The Goons. In their first meeting in the studio on June 6th, 1962, the group recorded four test songs that didn't quite measure up. Martin gave them a bit of talking to about what they needed to do in order to become recording artists. When he finished, he added, "Is there anything you don't like?" Without skipping a beat, George Harrison responded, "Yeah, I don't like your tie." Jokes and laughter followed. The producer appreciated their irreverent humor and committed himself to recording the band. Martin's expertise fostered musical experimentation throughout the 1960s, allowing The Beatles to push their songs into new territory. Martin often contributed as keyboard player in the studio, in addition to arranging the accompaniment to well-know songs like Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, and Penny Lane. George Martin recently worked with his son Giles to produce the soundtrack to the Cirque Du Soleil show, The Beatles Love.

Sir George Martin is 86 today. Happy Birthday, George! Below is one of my fave George moments. In 1997, he rallied Paul McCartney and an all-star line up to support disaster relief for the island of Montserrat. The concert climaxed in a powerful performance of the "opera" side of Abbey Road, "and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make." The DVD is available through Netflix and Amazon.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2012-01-02T09:52:00.004-08:00

Happy New Year from Spy Vibe! I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and made it back to your secret lairs and bachelor pads in one piece. Here is an odd image that circulated this weekend. It has an initial campy vibe that quickly wears off when you notice how cold these ladies look. Spy Vibers, don't try this at home unless you have consent (and very high ceilings!). Does anyone know the origin of this photograph? Thank you to everyone who entered to win Spy Vibe's many holiday prizes. Your packages were sent out on Saturday and should arrive early this week. Enjoy!

SEAN CONNERY AUTOGRAPH

2011-12-30T18:17:00.002-08:00

Only one day left in Spy Vibe's current auction, which features a framed 007 display hand-signed by Sean Connery! Details at eBay here.

SOUND DESIGN

2011-12-29T10:58:00.004-08:00

In concert with our previous post about Dieter Rams, we though Spy Vibers might be interested in exploring the new line of speakers from Libratone. Based in Copenhagen, the Libratone concept is to offer a single high-end speaker solution for any room that is both wireless and customizable in a variety of colors. Wrapped in beautiful Italian cashmere and carved wool, Libratone aims to make a flexible speaker for your wireless Hi-Fi that is also an integrated and stylish piece of furniture.

They have been selling in the European market and recently started to introduce their products at US Apple stores. If any Spy Vibers have used Libratone speakers, please comment and tell us what you think. Here is a cnet UK review and a recent cnet US announcement. Below is a promotional video from Libratone:

From Design Within Reach: As the creative director and co-founder of Designit Munich, Copenhagen-based Kristian Kroyer spent 10 years working with design and electronics brands including LG, Bang & Olufsen, Hitachi, Philips and JBL, before joining Libratone, an audio company whose products combine wireless technology, hi-fi quality, and Scandinavian design. The Libratone Live Speaker (2011) streams music wirelessly from your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch or Mac/PC using Apple’s new AirPlay technology; no extra remote is required, simply download the Libratone App to control the volume from your compatible wireless device. Its patent-pending FullRoom™ technology provides 360-degree sound, much like an acoustic instrument. High-end components such as ribbon-based tweeters, digital signal processing and digital amplification put out premium sound, all tucked away inside a minimal form covered in Italian wool (slate grey) or cashmere (all other colors). Made in Indonesia.

Great sound doesn’t have to come from a black box. Libratone is covered in acoustically transparent cashmere or wool.
This single unit has speakers on all three sides and packs a powerful punch with 150 watts of total output power, coming from five dedicated amplifiers.
The drivers inside are: one 5" bass, two 3" midrange and two 1" ribbon-based tweeters.
The Libratone Live allows for versatility due to its small size and built-in handle.

DIETER RAMS EXHIBIT

2011-12-28T10:06:00.018-08:00

If your secret lair or bachelor pad has a modernist vibe, employing minimal Ikea shelving systems or Apple computer products, your environment owes a lot to German industrial designer, Dieter Rams. Rams, who is recently retired, was the visionary behind decades of sleek and functional gadgets produced by Braun and home organization and furniture by Visoe. If you're like me, you might have grown up in a household filled with Rams-designed clocks, coffee grinders and coffee-makers, juicers, hair dryers, and electric razors. Rams also designed cameras, and my favorite, a long line of stereo components and speakers. The philosophy that tied his work together was the notion that objects should be created to be instantly understood and useful. His pieces had a beautiful simplicity and functionality that were a direct inspiration for Apple products. In his foreword to a new book about Rams, Apple designer Jonathan Ive said, “surfaces that were without apology, bold, pure, perfectly-proportioned, coherent and effortless. No part appeared to be either hidden or celebrated, just perfectly considered and completely appropriate in the hierarchy of the product’s details and features. At a glance, you knew exactly what it was and exactly how to use it (Examiner)."

The exhibit, Less is More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams, is currently running at SFMOMA until February 20th. If you are not in the Bay area, I encourage Spy Vibers to try to catch this show before it's gone. From SFMOMA: "Widely regarded as one of the most influential industrial designers of our time, Dieter Rams produced iconic works and innovative ideas (in particular his advocacy for "less but better" design) that have proved seminal for our contemporary design culture. For more than 40 years, Rams was the lead designer for the German household appliance company Braun. He has also been the active designer for German furniture company Vitsœ since his start there in 1959. This exhibition includes more than 200 models and objects by Rams and his team, as well as contemporary designs inﬂuenced by his Ten Principles of Good Design, such as Apple computers."

Here are some preview images I made at the museum to share with Spy Vibers. The piece that excited me most was his 1956 record player, the SK4 (image #6 below). When the original sheet metal hood rattled at higher volumes, Rams suggested using a transparent plastic lid- a material that only recently had appeared on the market. Detractors thought the plastic hood was too much in line with temporary fashion (see Spy Vibe's article Fear and Fashion), and the SK4 was nicknamed "Snow White's Coffin". Of course, the clear cover became ubiquitous around the world and changed the look of turntables forever. To learn more, check out the books, Dieter Rams: As Little Design as Possible, Less and More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams, Braun- Fifty Years of Design and Innovation. There is also a short video presentation with Rams at SFMOMA on Vimeo. Portrait above from the nice overview post, Who is Dieter Rams?

PHILLIP JOHNSON GLASS HOUSE

2011-12-26T10:37:00.004-08:00

The aesthetics of architecture and modern design are an integral element to the spy vibe of cold war mystery/adventure. While we celebrate luminaries like Ken Adam for defining the space-age, larger-than-life style of the James Bond universe, it's important to point out visionaries who pushed the envelope of environments in the real world. Over the hill from my own childhood house with giant glass walls, Phillip Johnson created his iconic glass house. Join New Yorker architecture critic, Paul Goldberger, for a look at the Phillip Johnson Glass House and property, filmed during a tour in September, 2011.

Conversations in Context: Paul Goldberger from The Philip Johnson Glass House on Vimeo.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

2011-12-25T11:25:00.009-08:00

Happy Holidays to all Spy Vibers! I hope everyone is enjoying the company of friends and family, with a little dash of secret agent fun thrown in. Perhaps some of you are watching 007 marathons, or catching the Bond Girls Are Forever documentary streaming on Netflix (that's gorgeous pre-Avenger Joanna Lumley below from On Her Majesty's Secret Service). Both Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and the new Mission Impossible are now playing in theaters. And Spielberg's Adventures of Tin Tin is quite fun!

The winners in our holiday contest were chosen in a random drawing this morning. Thanks to the many people who entered. Stay tuned for more contests in the future. The prize assignments are: For Bond Lovers Only- David L, The Persuaders- J Kraus, Secret Agent magnet- Bob D, and Tinker Tailor brochure- Matt B. Congrats to all! Your packages will be mailed out next week. Check out our current auction, which includes a framed 007 display hand-signed by Sean Connery and other collectibles.

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Diamonds Are Forever, Cinema Retro alerted us to this fun Christmas-time trailer. A perfect item for the day. Enjoy!

Bonus trivia: On this day in 1959, an eighteen-year-old Ringo Starr received his first drum kit as a present. You never know what is going to fire the imagination and expression in a kid. Here's to supporting creative exploration!

HOLIDAY PRIZES: LAST DAY

2011-12-23T22:33:00.008-08:00

Only one day left to enter to win Spy Vibe holiday give-away prizes: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy brochure, Danger Man/Secret Agent magnet, vintage Persuaders novel, and vintage book, For Bond Lovers Only. Just send e-mails to jason[at]spyvibe.com with your prize choices in the subject line, and your mailing address as the message content, by the end of the day, December 24th. Winners will be chosen at random and announced on the 25th! Also, check out our auction for cool collectibles like a Sean Connery hand-signed 007 display and vintage spy view master sets.

BRUCE SPIZER SALE

2011-12-22T20:57:00.016-08:00

Author Bruce Spizer has created the ultimate archive of reference books about The Beatles recording legacy. Each of his editions, painstakingly researched over years, are lavishly illustrated with color photographs and rare images. When editions from his library go out of print, they sell for upwards of $500. Spy Vibers interested in diving into Fab Four history should check out his books covering Parlophone, Apple, Capital, Vee-Jay, and Swan releases. Spizer is holding a holiday promotion on some of the few remaining editions he has in stock. Each book had a brief window on sale running up to the holidays, but now all are on sale. They're beautiful, don't miss them! Sale ends December 31st. Details at Bruce Spizer's website.

Also, be sure to check Spy Vibe's current auction for a hand-signed Sean Connery 007 display and other collectibles. Find out about Jason's experimental film for his winning re-mix for Yoko Ono at The Sun is Down website.

The Beatles Swan Song is on sale for $22 (down from $50). Sale also includes free bookmarks and a poster-like end-sheet. "It is the first book to accurately tell the stories behind the Beatles discs released by Swan, United Artists, Decca, MGM, Atco and Polydor. It also has an extensive section on Capitol Records in the 70s & 80s, which details the Capitol theme albums such as Rock ’N’ Roll Music, Love Songs and Reel Music, as well as The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl, Rarities and the unreleased Sessions LP. Additional sections cover dubious releases such as The Savage Young Beatles and the Star-Club album, the high-end Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab LPs and the record club albums."

The Beatles Are Coming is marked down to $15 (from $30). "The most thorough and accurate book ever published on how Beatlemania evolved in America, this book covers the Beatles first visit to the United States and the events leading up to their arrival on February 7, 1964. It details why Capitol Records turned the group down four times and tells the stories of two small record labels, Vee-Jay and Swan, who issued the group’s records without success in 1963."

Price Guide for The Beatles American Records is marked down to $22 (from $50). Slipcase edition is $45 (down from $75). "An exciting new publication with thousands of new listings. Unlike prior guides, all formats for a particular title will be listed together. Thus, the listings under Abbey Road will include vinyl records, 4-track tapes, 8-track tapes, cassettes and compact discs, all in one place. The book will also have color images throughout. Each page of listings will have color images of some of the items described on the page. Most pages have four images, with some having more. Another innovation is the adoption of the numbering system used in Bruce Spizer’s books. This will enable collectors to coordinate prices in the guide with images in Bruce Spizer’s books. The identification numbers assigned to items in this book are permanent and will not change in future editions. Each listing will have a checkbox so that collectors can mark the items in their collections."

The Beatles Solo on Apple is marked down to $22 (from $50) and includes rare bookmark. "And, if you still haven’t ordered The Beatles on Apple Records now would be a good time to do so as less than 40 copies remain available for sale. Sellers on the secondary market listed on Amazon are asking between $137.52 and $900.00 for a used copy! You can buy a new copy with a slightly nicked or dented cover from 498 Productions for the original sale price of $50. This followup to The Beatles on Apple Records chronicles the solo releases by John, Paul, George and Ringo issued from 1968-1975. At 310 pages with over 800 images, this book covers the Beatles solo releases on Apple, including Imagine, Band On The Run, All Things Must Pass and Ringo. The brilliance of John, Paul, George and Ringo didn’t die in early 1970 when the Beatles officially broke up, and this book highlights their later, often forgotten work."

GERRY ANDERSON UFO MOVIE

2011-12-21T17:50:00.004-08:00

When you create a cocktail of jazzy organ music, purple wigs, silver mini skirts, Nehru jackets, space-age vehicles and gadgets, and an international agency posing as a movie studio, you can see why Gerry Anderson's series, UFO, looms large on Spy Vibe. We announced quite a while ago that there is a feature film currently in the works based on this sci-spy classic. There have been few official updates, but the producers have announced that they plan on a summer 2013 release. They have also posted an initial design for the film's promotional poster. More news at it arrives. For those who have not see the show, here is a three-minute title sequence that sums up why it was so cool. UFO was Anderson's first series with live actors, following the success of Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, etc. Although the performances were sometimes wooden and puppet-like, there was a dark edge to the writing that continues to keep the interest of modern viewers.

Be sure to check Spy Vibe's holiday give-away prizes and current auction (see previous posts). Winners will be chosen on Dec 24th!

PRE-PYTHON SECRET SERVICE

2011-12-21T15:54:00.007-08:00

Before they formed Monty Python with the cast of Do Not Adjust Your Set, John Cleese and Graham Chapman starred with Marty Feldman in the 1967 series, At Last the 1948 Show. One skit from the first episode might be especially fun for Spy Vibers- a secret service spoof that kicks off with The Avengers theme song by Laurie Johnson! You might even spot the lovely Aimi MacDonald (from The Avengers episode, Return of the Cybernauts). The segment starts at 6:06, after a funny psychiatrist skit with John Cleese. The episode also includes an early version of 'the four Yorkshire men', a skit that became popular with Monty Python TV and stage performances.

Be sure to check Spy Vibe's holiday give-away prizes and current auction (see previous posts). Winners will be chosen on Dec 24th!

THE PHANTOM: HERMES PRESS COMIC SERIES

2011-12-20T10:30:00.009-08:00

Dan and the folks at Hermes Press have been busy putting together new publications that are sure to excite Spy Vibers. Hermes is committed to celebrating classic comic and pop culture with archival editions printed with high-quality papers, color, and resolution. They have already made a big splash with their re-prints of Gold Key comic book classics like Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Time Tunnel, Land of the Giants, and Dark Shadows. Today Hermes Press released the first in a new series of comic book reprints of the ghost who walks, The Phantom! Hermes has been releasing beautiful collections of the original Phantom comic strips and these new volumes add the many comic book editions to their catalog. More info at the Hermes Press website.

Amazon lists a number of Phantom titles from Hermes, including today's release of The Phantom The Complete Series: The Gold Key Years Volume One. I encourage Spy Vibers to take advantage of the low Amazon prices, by the way. These books traditionally have high cover prices (they're worth it!) and, like those rare Cinema Retro issues (see last post), they become quite collectible once they are out of print.

From Amazon: The 1960s comic book adventures of The Phantom return in full, glorious color! This series of collections, which consists of eight volumes, spans 15 years and starts by assembling all 17 Gold Key The Phantom comic books into two volumes. Featuring cover art by famed painter George Wilson with interior artwork by Bill Lignante and stories by Bill Harris, the Gold Key comic book version of the grand-daddy of costumed heroes, the Ghost Who Walks, is now available, digitally remastered! The Phantom The Complete Series: The Gold Key Years Volume One reprints issues #1-8.

Hermes Press will follow up with additional Phantom re-prints this winter. On January 10th, they will release The Phantom The Complete Series: The Charlton Years Volume One.

From Amazon: The late 1960s comic book adventures of The Phantom return in full, glorious color! Hermes Press is collecting, all 74 issues of The Phantom comic books which ran from 1962-1977, and this volume begins the Charlton years. Volume One of The Charlton Years picks up with The Phantom #30, the first Charlton issue, and features all The Phantom stories from issues #30-#40. Volume One of The Chartlon years features cover art by Frank Mclaughlin and Jim Aparo; interior art by Don Perlin, Jim Aparo, and Bill Lignante; and stories by Dick Wood and Jim Aparo. The Charlton comic book version of the grand-daddy of costumed heroes, the Ghost Who Walks, is available again, digitally remastered to look better than the original books.

And on February 14th, Hermes will release The Phantom The Complete Series: The King Years.

From Amazon: The mid-1960s comic book adventures of The Phantom return in full, glorious color! Hermes Press is collecting all 74 issues of The Phantom comic books which ran from 1962-1977, and this volume features the King years. This volume picks up with The Phantom #18, the first King issue, and features all The Phantom stories from issues #18-28. Featuring cover and interior art by Bill Lignante, the King comic book version of the grand-daddy of costumed heroes, the Ghost Who Walks, is available again, digitally remastered to look better than the original books.

Be sure to check Spy Vibe's holiday give-away prizes and current auction (see previous posts). Winners will be chosen on Dec 24th!

CINEMA RETRO: RARE ISSUES

2011-12-20T09:26:00.012-08:00

With in-depth articles covering such classics as Flint, Batman, Man From U.N.C.L.E., and Deadlier Than the Male, there are many sold-out issues of Cinema Retro that have become highly collectible. Cinema Retro never re-prints their publications, which has caused after-market prices to soar into the hundreds for a single magazine. But Spy Vibers who missed early subscription windows now have cause to rejoice. The magazine just launched a digital wing that enables readers to catch up with these holy grail editions on-line for the original cover price of $12.

Cinema Retro"Cinema Retro constantly gets requests from readers to reprint those issues of Cinema Retro that have sold out. However, as every issue is a limited edition collector’s item, we have to remain true to our word and never reprint these editions. However, we know that many of our dedicated readers were not even aware of the magazine until long after certain issues have sold out. Thus, we’ve partnered with our American distributor RCS to make sold out issues available as on-line digital editions. These sold out issues of the magazine now command big prices on the collector’s circuit (A reader advises he just sold two of his spare issues on eBay for $229 each!) Yet, the digital on-line versions are available for purchase at the regular cover price of $12.

These digital editions are exactly the same as the format of the original magazine. They are not edited in any way and contain every word and photo featured in the print edition.By viewing on line, you can browse through the pages and zoom in or out to increase or decrease the size of the print."

Digital Cinema Retro magazines available here. Avoid missing future issues by subscribing to the magazine. They are now taking orders for their next series of three issues. Details here.

Be sure to check Spy Vibe's holiday give-away prizes and current auction (see previous posts). Winners will be chosen on Dec 24th!

EAMES MOVIE TONIGHT

2011-12-19T16:34:00.004-08:00

The new documentary film, Charles & Ray Eames: the Architect and the painter, premieres tonight n PBS "American Masters presents the first film made about America’s most important and influential designers, Charles and Ray Eames, since their deaths in 1978 and 1988, respectively — and the only film that explores the link between their artistic collaboration and sometimes tortured marriage. Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey’s definitive documentary delves into the private world the Eameses created in their Renaissance-style, Venice Beach, California studio, where design history was born. Narrated by James Franco, Charles & Ray Eames: The Architect and the Painter premieres nationally Monday, December 19 from 10-11:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on PBS (check local listings) as the 25th anniversary season finale of American Masters." Looking for more Eames? Neflix has the full series of short films by Charles & Ray Eames for rent (including Powers of Ten/1977). Also, be sure to check Spy Vibe's holiday give-away prizes and current auction (see previous posts). Winners will be chosen on Dec 24th!

PYTHON'S DENTAL SPIES

2011-12-17T09:16:00.007-08:00

It's been Monty Python mania here at the Spy Vibe lair this week! I watched the excellent documentary Almost the Truth streaming on Netflix. For those looking for a comprehensive history of the Pythons, this series offers a great overview of each chapter in their history- from college humor groups and early TV work to Flying Circus and the later films. During the Life of Brian segment, I recalled a Python-themed Christmas one year, when I received the Brian screenplay and movie poster from my mom. Brilliant! Add some humor to your holidays with this classic Python sketch, Lemming of the BDA. And be sure to check our holiday give-away prizes and current auction (see previous posts). Winners will be chosen on Dec 24th.

HOLIDAY CONTEST 4: SECRET AGENT

2011-12-16T09:14:00.006-08:00

HOLIDAY CONTEST 3: TINKER TAILOR

2011-12-14T15:53:00.011-08:00

Happy Holidays to all Spy Vibers out there in the field. I hope that you get a break from your current missions to enjoy some time with friends and family. And because gifts are fun, too, we're giving away presents! Prizes will be listed each day this week and winners will be chosen at random on December 24th. All you have to do is send an email to jason[at]spyvibe.com with the prize name (Tinker, etc) listed as subject and your mailing address as content. Also, check out the Spy Vibe auction this week to see our listings of a Sean Connery 007 autograph and some vintage 007 and U.N.C.L.E. collectibles.

Prize #3: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
I recently saw a sneak preview of the new Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. The director and Gary Oldman were there for a Q&A afterwards, and it was interesting to hear their perspective on making this new film based on John Le Carre's classic novel. One amusing anecdote was that Oldman deliberated at length over which glasses to use for the role. He narrowed down his search once he found a vintage eyeglass specialist in Pasadena. So much of the film deals with his character's ability to make observations and to analyze the minutia- without projecting his own interior thoughts and emotions. In a film where visibility becomes theme, there are some beautifully shot moments that use the transparent and reflective nature of eyeglasses to echo what is happening in the narrative.

I was welcomed into the theater by a stylish usher who greeted me with, "For your consideration," as she handed me a film brochure. As I looked for a seat, I noted that most of the room was reserved for members of the Academy. The brochure is a well-designed piece that is broken down into various sections to celebrate and explain the various elements of the complicated espionage plot. I have two brochures to give away to Spy Vibers as today's holiday prize.

HOLIDAY CONTEST 2: PERSUADERS

2011-12-13T17:09:00.004-08:00

HOLIDAY CONTEST 1: BOND LOVERS

2011-12-12T17:18:00.006-08:00

SPY VIBE AUCTION

2011-12-10T10:04:00.008-08:00

Spy Vibe auction! Check out our eBay auction for an original hand-signed 007 autograph display by Sean Connery and rare Moonraker and Man From U.N.C.L.E. View Maters sets.

YELLOW SUBMARINE ITUNES

2011-12-08T21:55:00.007-08:00

On the heels of Rolling Stone's release of the digital Beatles Album Guide App last week, iTunes launched Yellow Submarine today. In this new iBook feature, fans can read the story of the classic 1968 animated film about the Beatles' journey to rescue Pepperland from music-hating Blue Meanies. The digital book includes sound files of Beatles songs and George Martin's score, as well as video clips from the film. iTunes currently offers the book for free. Yellow Submarine was released on DVD in 1999 and has since gone out of print. Discs are still available through second-market vendors on Amazon and other on-line shops. But for many fans, this digital book will provide a welcome opportunity to revisit the film. Robert Zemeckis was due to direct a remake of the movie, but the project was docked. The soundtrack was fully remixed in 1999 from the original masters, creating what many believe to be the most dynamic re-release of Beatles music. It was remastered from the original tapes in 2009 as part of the historic project to upgrade the CD catalog with detailed, digital discs.

As fans enjoy their ride on the Yellow Submarine, take a moment to remember John Lennon, who passed away today in 1980. Over fifty of my art students from Drew School contributed to the John Lennon Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland, where children's wishes for the world were added to the light between John's birthday, October 9th, and today- in one collective prayer for peace.

DEAL ALERT: 007

2011-12-07T07:30:00.003-08:00

Amazon is currently selling James Bond Blu-ray titles for $8.99. The sale ends at 8:30am (pacific), and includes Thunderball, From Russia With Love, Dr. No, For Your Eyes Only, and Die Another Day. Details at Amazon.

BABY YOU CAN DRIVE MY DB5

2011-12-05T19:03:00.007-08:00

Coys, automobile auctioneers-extraordinaire, have a number of rare beauties on the auction block this week. Among the many vintage Jaguar and Ferrari is this special gem. The Aston Martin DB5 is well-known among Spy Vibers for its appearance in the James Bond universe. I'm sure we've all wanted to own one. But, what about a DB5 once owned by George Harrison of The Beatles?

From Coys:

"Estimate: £225,000 - £260,000
Registration Number: EU Taxes Paid
Chassis Number: DB5/1896/R

To many observers the Aston Martin DB5 is the epitome of the company's models during the David Brown era, boasting both beauty and refined high performance. It is also perhaps the best known Aston Martin in the world, having starred in the James Bond films Goldfinger and Thunderball, complete with machine guns and other gadgetry.

In evolution terms the DB5 is a Series V DB4 but with a 4.0 litre rather than 3.7 litre engine, its coachwork embodying detail changes; it thus featured similar stunning styling from Touring of Milan, incorporating DB4 GT-style faired-in headlamps, with aluminium panels attached to a lightweight steel frame using Touring's Superleggera method of construction.

Underneath, the platform chassis used independent coil spring wishbone front suspension with a live rear axle located by Watt linkage and parallel trailing arms. Disc brakes were fitted all round, but the Girling items of the DB4 GT rather than the DB4's Dunlop discs.

The Tadek Marek designed twin overhead camshaft, straight six engine was enlarged to 3,995cc from the DB4's 3,670cc, power rising to 282bhp at 5,500rpm in standard trim; a 314bhp Vantage option, using triple Weber rather than SU carburettors, higher compression ratio and a different camshaft profile, was a rare and desirable option.

Initially, the all-alloy engine was mated to a four-speed David Brown gearbox with overdrive but later models featured a five-speed ZF unit. An automatic transmission was also offered for the first time.

Other changes over the DB4 included an alternator, four exhaust silencers rather than two, electric windows and variable intensity brake lights. Following its launch in July 1963 in saloon and convertible forms the DB5 received much praise, not least for its performance. A maximum of 148mph in standard trim, allied to 0-60 and 0-100mph in 7.1 and 16.9 seconds respectively, made the DB5 one of the fastest cars available and a match for the very best from Europe.

The particular Aston Martin DB5 on offer here is a most remarkable example, not only for its originality but also because of its very interesting provenance. Manufactured in late 1964, DB5/1896/R was supplied new on January 1st 1965 through Brydor Cars of Brooklands to Beatle George Harrison.

Painted in the attractive shade of Platinum silver with a black Connolly leather interior, the factory build sheet shows that non-standard equipment specified by Harrison included chrome wire wheels with Avon tyres, 3 ear hub caps, a heated rear screen, a radio, Britax safety belts, FIAM horns with changeover switch and a detachable passenger headrest. The build sheet also states that the timing chain was modified later that same year.

By the late 1980's the DB5 had found its way into a museum in Tokyo, Japan. In 1995 it was purchased by a Japanese collector resident in Germany, where it was exported to join the rest of his collection. Purchased for the collection in 2007, the DB5 has been maintained in a largely original and unrestored condition.

Chassis DB5/1896/R is now presented in very nice general order, with a recorded mileage of just over 22,000 miles. The paintwork has clearly received some attention over the years and is in good order. The delightful patina on the leather seating surfaces and the condition of the roof lining and carpets leads one to believe that they are the originals while the internal door trims appear to have been refinished to a high standard relatively recently.

The instrument panel and wood rimmed steering wheel likewise appear to be original. The engine compartment is also largely original and shows the signs of some recent maintenance. The DB5 starts and runs well and shows no signs of major mechanical maladies.

The provenance of chassis DB5/1896/R is confirmed by a letter from Aston Martin, the history file includes a copy of the original build sheet and documents relating to the importation of the car into Germany.

Coys are delighted to offer for sale Harrison's first “important” car, bought new and delivered to Harrison personally in 1965 at his Kinfauns estate in Esher, Surrey, England.

We are offering here the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire not only one of the most collectible of the David Brown Aston Martins produced, in very original condition, but one that has been owned by arguably one of the most influential musicians ever to grace The Earth.

Please note that this car is to be sold on Bill of Sale.

Estimate: £225,000 - £260,000"

No ejector seat? Maybe the engine purrs along to the beat of I Need You or Taxman. Find out more at the Coys website.

VINTAGE BOOK PRIZES

2011-12-04T22:28:00.002-08:00

It's the holiday season and Spy Vibe is giving away vintage books and other prizes! Stay tuned for details...

NEW APP: ROLLING STONE BEATLES GUIDE

2011-11-30T21:17:00.007-08:00

Wenner Media now offers a very cool App ported over from their book, Rolling Stone's Beatles Ultimate Album-by-Album Guide. The book is a 120-page, 60-image deep dive into every Beatles record. Taking full advantage of the new technology, the App will also feature 30-second clip samples of every song listed (with direct links to iTunes). I will be teaching a class next semester about the development of the Fab Four's music and the band's role as agents of social change, and I plan to use the App with my students. When I mentioned this to Rolling Stone founder, Jann Wenner, he asked that I let him know what we think of it. I hope Spy Vibers will check it out and send us your reviews, as well! If anyone is interested in the bound edition of the guide book, it is still available on news stands.

Rolling Stone, which has been cautious and thoughtful about its movement into digital media, has announced that it will launch a digital edition in 2012. The LA Times reports that Wenner has also signed a partnership with Swedish company Spotify to provide readers with direct links to songs listed in Rolling Stone. The integration will start with the magazine's year-end edition. It's an exciting time to be a music fan! Image: Jann Wenner with Daniel Elk of Spotify at a news conference (LA Times).

OSS 117

2011-11-29T22:32:00.003-08:00

A great OSS 117 graphic! Find out more about the French series and its modern incarnation at our fellow C.O.B.R.A.S. site, Double O Section.

CULT DVD SALE

2011-11-28T07:39:00.004-08:00

The Video Beat! has extended their holiday discount sale. Check out their line of hard to find DVDs that cover cult and retro genres like Rock n Roll, Jazz, beatniks, bikers, spies, monsters, surf, cars, Mods, fashion, commercials, and more! Here are the deals and sale codes: Buy 2, get 25% off (code: save25), but 3, get 30% off (code: save30), buy 4, get 35% (code: save35), buy 10, get 40% off (code: save40), buy 15, get 45% off (code: save45), buy 20, get 50% off (code: save50). See recent posts for video clips.

PREVIEW

2011-11-27T21:16:00.002-08:00

Sneak Preview: Boy, have I got images to show you! If San Francisco is not in your winter plans, it should be. Also, I have lots of cool holiday treasures to give away to Spy Vibers. Stay tuned!

VIDEO BEAT GEM

2011-11-25T17:30:00.005-08:00

Another gem from the Video Beat catalog, The Music of Lennon and McCartney 1965, opens with a fantastic performance by the George Martin Orchestra staged in modern, corporate architecture (see clip below). Very cool footage! For more info, see our last posts and visit The Video Beat.

VIDEO BEAT

2011-11-25T17:01:00.005-08:00

Grab your Go Go boots and get the band plugged in! A reminder to Spy Vibers to check the cool listings of rare treasures at Video Beat- a great place to build your library of 1960s Go Go Dancers and performances on shows like Beat Club, Beat Beat Beat, Big Beat '65, Shindig!, Ready Steady Go, Hollywood A Go-Go, The!!!! Beat, Shivaree, and Hullabaloo. Video Beat is offering black Friday sales today, and they also offer discount codes when you sign up. Visit The Video Beat. What do these shows look like? Here's one of my fave scenes from Hollywood A Go Go with Bo Diddley!

BLACK FRIDAY SALES

2011-11-24T13:06:00.008-08:00

Two black Friday sales that might be of interest to Spy Vibers: The cult video on-line shop, Video Beat, is offering discounts on orders until midnight Friday. Check out their line of hard to find DVDs that cover cult and retro genres like Rock n Roll, Jazz, beatniks, bikers, spies, monsters, surf, cars, Mods, fashion, commercials, and more! Video Beat website here. Here are the deals and sale codes: Buy 2, get 25% off (code: save25), but 3, get 30% off (code: save30), buy 4, get 35% (code: save35), buy 10, get 40% off (code: save40), buy 15, get 45% off (code: save45), buy 20, get 50% off (code: save50).

I suggest that Miles Davis fans sit down before reading this one. The brilliant box set, The Genius of Miles Davis, will be on sale tomorrow at Pop Market for one hour only from 3:00-4:00 (EDT). Here's what's inside:

The Genius of Miles Davis is the most comprehensive and lavishly packaged collection ever dedicated to a single musical artist. Packaged in a custom-built, limited-edition Martin trumpet case, a replica of the one Miles used during his career, and individually numbered to 1955, the year Miles signed to Columbia Records. The Genius of Miles Davis presents the artist's complete body of work recorded for Columbia Records in eight deluxe box sets (documenting every important phase of Miles' musical life), along with a fine art lithograph of one of Miles paintings, replica "Gustat" Heim 2 mouthpiece (the one Miles used), and exclusive t-shirt by Trunk Ltd. complete the collection.

Full Content List

Miles Davis and Gil Evans: The Complete Columbia Recording Sessions (6 CDs)
Miles Davis Quintet 1965-1968 (6 CDs)
The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions (4 CDs)
Miles Davis and John Coltrane: The Complete Columbia Recordings, 1955-1961 (6 CDs)
The Complete In A Silent Way Sessions (3 CDs)
The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions (5 CDs)
Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis, 1963-1964 (7 CDs)
The Complete on the Corner Sessions (6 CDs)

The set will be on sale for $299.99 (down from $550). Sign up to learn about all of their sales and discount offers. Pop Market website here. List of Friday deals on their blog here.

THANKSGIVING DISH

2011-11-24T09:14:00.004-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from Spy Vibe! Here are The Londonairs singing about our favorite dish, Dearest Emma.

Released April, 1966

Lyrics:

Dearest Emma
Darling Mrs. Peel
Dearest Emma
This is how we feel
(CHORUS)

We love all your kinky clothes
You dress fit to kill
We'd fight for the right to be
The guy with the bill.

Now since you have hit our lives
Our routine seems dull
Just throw us around to get us
Out of this lull

We go pale at the things you do
To red-blooded men
Now that just ain't right for us
But do it again.

CHORUS

We'd give up our Kingdom
To grab us a horse
To challenge this Steed you have
And take him by force.

And our love might be the thing
A good judo hold
We'd rather be rabbit-punched
Than out in the cold.

Though we faint at the things you do
The red-blooded men
Now that just ain't good for us
But do it again.

CHORUS

We'd take all that you can give
And come back for more
You'd find we look great piled up
In heaps on the floor.

The fun you could have with us
Would make laughters ring
We're fighting like angels
With each arm in a sling.

Yeah we'd like just to prove to you
We're red-blooded men
There's one thing that's wrong with that
We couldn't do it again.

Dearest Emma
Darling Mrs. Peel
Dearest Emma
That is how we feel
(x2)

Dearest Emma
Dearest Emma

Lyrics from the Dead Duck Avengers website here.

EAMES DOCUMENTARY

2011-11-23T09:08:00.005-08:00

A new film that is sure to interest design fans opens this December, Eames: the Architect and the Painter. IMDB Synopsis: "The husband-and-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames were America's most influential and important industrial designers. Admired for their creations and fascinating as individuals, they have risen to iconic status in American culture. 'Eames: The Architect & The Painter' draws from a treasure trove of archival material, as well as new interviews with friends, colleague, and experts to capture the personal story of Charles and Ray while placing them firmly in the context of their fascinating times." Narrated by James Franco. New York Times review here.

If you are in the Bay area, you can see a special screening at the San Rafael Film Center with the filmmakers! More here.

Official film synopsis: "The husband-and-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames are widely regarded as America’s most important designers. Perhaps best remembered for their mid-century plywood and fiberglass furniture, the Eames Office also created a mind-bending variety of other products, from splints for wounded military during World War II, to photography, interiors, multi-media exhibits, graphics, games, films and toys. But their personal lives and influence on significant events in American life – from the development of modernism, to the rise of the computer age – has been less widely understood. Narrated by James Franco, Eames: The Architect and the Painter is the first film since their death dedicated to these creative geniuses and their work." Connect with the film community on Facebook here.

MOD MOJO

2011-11-22T18:01:00.003-08:00

In celebration of the Director's Cut of Quadrophenia by The Who, the new issue of Mojo features articles about the band, the album, 1960s Mod culture and the Mod revival, and a cool CD compilation to get your Mod party moving. Check it out! Mojo is available at newsstands, bookstores, and on their website here.

MONDAY LUNCH CLUB: ROLLING STONES

2011-11-20T18:40:00.012-08:00

Happy Monday, Spy Vibers! Travel back with us to lunchtime clubs and performances of early 1960s England. Have a coffee and get your feet tapping- what better way to start the week? Today's attraction: The Rolling Stones. Their first number is What a Shame, an original tune recorded in 1964. US fans may remember the track from the 1965 album, Rolling Stones Now!, which collected songs from various UK releases. I love the cool vibe of Brian Jones' slide guitar, which achieved a hybrid of classic blues and mid-60s futuristic sound. Our era of Diva-like histrionics could learn a lot from his economy of notes. Here is a a 2002 remastered stereo mix:

The Rolling Stones continue with a second tune from the same album: Little Red Rooster by Willie Dixon (made famous by Howlin' Wolf). Watch out all you strange cat people!

NOEL GALLAGHER 007 THEME?

2011-11-20T11:03:00.006-08:00

Gifted songwriter Noel Gallagher (ex-Oasis) is currently meeting with the 007 team to discuss the possibility of writing and performing the title song for the upcoming James Bond film, Skyfall. Nothing is signed or official at this stage and the producers are meeting with other composers as well. Gallagher has been performing a song with his new band, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, called Freaky Teeth- a tune with classic Bond elements (see video below). It is possible that he might re-work the song or compose a new piece, but Spy Vibe has great faith in Noel's abilities to deliver the goods. Gallagher is on a world tour to promote his new album. Talking about his interest in the Bond franchise, he remarked to the press with his usual double-punch of wit and wisdom, "It's a bit of a piss-take that the greatest British agent of all time has to be sound-tracked by a bunch of Americans." The Sun's headline for this announcement added equal humor, linking Gallagher's Oasis hit, Wonderwall, with the film series, "And after all, you're my Thunderball." More at NME here. Image from the Guardian here.

ITC ESPIONAGE

2011-11-18T22:49:00.003-08:00

The rare ITC series, Espionage, is now available through the fab Network on-line shop. Discs are region 2/PAL- and only available through November 2012. Details here.

Unseen for over 40 years, Espionage is one of the rarest and most sought-after ITC series. Produced by George Justin (Twelve Angry Men) and Herbert Hirschman (The Zoo Gang), this anthology series of 24 plays covered everything from the then-current Cold War to 19th century China, from Johnson's London to intrigue in Kenya and Moscow.

Espionage is one of Lew Grade's first successes with a transatlantic production team, featuring both British and American writers and directors (including three plays directed by the Oscar-nominated Michael Powell (The Red Shoes). With one play, The Whistling Shrimp, actually shot in New York, it's no wonder that this series attracted talent of the calibre of Roger Livesey, Stanley Baxter, Anthony Quayle, Sian Phillips, Donald Pleasence, Dennis Hopper, Patrick Troughton, Barry Foster and others.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Script PDFs for Castles in Spain and Snow on Mount Kama
Extensive Image Galleries, including many in colour

BRUCE SPIZER SALE

2011-11-15T17:09:00.004-08:00

Author Bruce Spizer has created the ultimate archive of reference books about Beatles record releases. Each of his editions, painstakingly researched over years, are lavishly illustrated with color photographs and rare images. When editions from his library go out of print, they sell for upwards of $500. Spy Vibers interested in the topic should check out his books covering Parlophone, Apple, Capital, Vee-Jay, and Swan releases. Spizer is holding a holiday promotion on some of the few remaining editions he has in stock. Currently, the Swan edition is on sale for $22 (down from $50). Sale also includes free bookmarks and a poster-like end-sheet. It's beautiful, don't miss it! Sale ends November 29th. Details at Bruce Spizer's website here.

The Beatles Swan Song covers all of the group’s U.S. releases on labels that had the rights to only a limited number of Beatles recordings. It is the first book to accurately tell the stories behind the Beatles discs released by Swan, United Artists, Decca, MGM, Atco and Polydor. It also has an extensive section on Capitol Records in the 70s & 80s, which details the Capitol theme albums such as Rock ’N’ Roll Music, Love Songs and Reel Music, as well as The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl, Rarities and the unreleased Sessions LP.

Additional sections cover dubious releases such as The Savage Young Beatles and the Star-Club album, the high-end Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab LPs and the record club albums.

There are also sections updating the Vee-Jay, Capitol and Apple books with new and exciting information and images.

280 page. 9″ x 12″
full color-throughout

IT TAKES A THIEF

2011-11-15T16:44:00.004-08:00

The wait is over! It Takes a Thief was released yesterday on DVD. So far, Amazon has held the price at $98.99 (50% off). Details here.

GUITAR BEAT!

2011-11-14T18:06:00.025-08:00

We're now moving officially into a 50th year anniversary period in Beatles history. The band set major trends for the sights and sounds of the sixties, including a thriving Beat music scene around the world. Here are some of the main Gretsch and Hofner axes that established their early sound in Hamburg and Liverpool- all made fairly recently as re-issues by the manufacturers! Which early Beatles axe are you? Check them out and start your own Beat group. Two great sources for vintage-style instruments are Rock 'n Roll Vintage here and North Coast Music here. To learn more about these and other Fab instruments, see the excellent book, Beatles Gear here. Check out the Vintage Hofner website here for detailed info and images of old and new instruments. *added: by coincidence, the new issue of Guitar World magazine features a very lengthy article about every Beatles recording session and the gear they used. Details here.

Gretsch George Harrison 1957 Duo Jet (custom shop & signature editions)

Hofner 500/1 Electric Bass ('61, '62, '63, '64, German and Asian models available).

Hofner Club 40 John Lennon model (rare! only 120 produced)

Hofner President 500/5 Stuart Sutcliffe Electric Bass (just released!)
Which early Beatles axe are you?

NEW 1960s SPY DVDS

2011-11-11T22:58:00.009-08:00

Spy Vibers have waited years for the official release of the last remaining, major cult spy series from the 1960s. With these titles finally hitting the shelves, Amazon is offering low prices to sweeten the feast. The complete Girl From U.N.C.L.E. sets, as well as the Man From U.N.C.L.E. 8 Movies Set, are now $30.49. Amazon has also continued to maintain a 50% sale price for pre-orders of the complete It Takes a Thief series with Robert Wagner. Details below:

Man From U.N.C.L.E. (Release date: November 2nd)
To Trap a Spy (1965) Expanded version of the U.N.C.L.E. pilot (Solo aka The Vulcan Affair), includes the famous "too hot for TV" scenes shot with future Bond girl Luciana Paluzzi.
The Spy With My Face (1965) Expanded version of The Double Affair, in which a fake Solo wreaks havoc on an U.N.C.L.E. secret mission.
One Spy Too Many (1966) Expansion of season two's Alexander the Greater Affair, in which an ambitious industrialist (Rip Torn) sets out to conquer the world. With Yvonne (Batgirl) Craig.
The Spy in the Green Hat (1966) The Concrete Overcoat Affair gets the feature treatment, in which Thrush agent Louis Strago (Jack Palance) attempts to unleash climate change upon the world.
One of Our Spies is Missing (1967) Vera Miles, Yvonne Craig and James Doohan guest as Solo and Kuryakin head to London and Paris to foil a plot hatched by the nefarious fashion industry.
The Karate Killers (1967) The Five Daughters Affair feature version, with heavyweight heavies Telly Savalas and Herbert Lom providing the menace while Joan Crawford, Jill Ireland and Kim Darby make up the distaff side.
The Helicopter Spies (1968) Carol Lynley and Bradford Dillman lend their talent to the film version of The Prince of Darkness Affair.
How to Steal the World (1968) Leslie Nielsen joins Robert Vaughn and David McCallum for the film version of the U.N.C.L.E. series closer, The Seven Wonders of the World Affair.

Girl From U.N.C.L.E. (Release date: October 19th)
The United Network Command for Law and Enforcement has a new agent in its struggle with THRUSH: The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. The girl is April Dancer (Stefanie Powers) who, assisted by partner Mark Slate (Noel Harrison) and guided by chief Alexander Waverly (Leo G. Carroll), travels the globe on assignments, using her martial-arts and espionage prowess to combat foes. This spoofy 15-Episode Part One of the spy series in a 4-disc set includes a dossier of top-level guest stars. April Dancer (with Mary Ann Mobley playing the role) was first introduced to fans in the Moonglow Affair episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

It Takes a Thief (Release date: November 15th)
International locales, beautiful women, guest stars galore... It Takes a Thief: The Complete Series is now available for the first time ever on DVD featuring all three seasons of the hit show that Cinema Retro called "the coolest espionage series of the late sixties."

Smooth, suave and sophisticated, Alexander Mundy (Robert Wagner) is the world's greatest cat burglar. Now, he's plying his trade as the SIA's most debonair spy - traipsing the globe, seducing beautiful women and embezzling fortunes, all on behalf of Uncle Sam and the U.S. government.

18-DISC COLLECTOR'S SET INCLUDES:
All 66 Episodes Digitally Re-Mastered
Extended Feature-Length Version of the Pilot Episode "Magnificent Thief"
The King of Thieves: Interview with Robert Wagner
A Matter of Larceny: Interview with Glen A. Larson
Limited Edition Senitype (reproduced 35mm film frame)
It Takes a Thief Exclusive 4-Piece Coaster Set
Collectible Booklet with retrospective essay.

NUMBER 9

2011-11-09T19:03:00.007-08:00

50 years ago today, on November 9th 1961, NEMS record store manager Brian Epstein went to check out a popular local band at a club just down the street from his shop. Struck by their music and personal charm, he set out on a mission to manage the band to success. This famous meeting between Epstein and The Beatles was not the only time that the number 9 was significant to the band's founder, John Lennon. Lennon was born on Oct 9th (as was his son, Sean). Lennon met Yoko Ono at an Art gallery on November 9th, 1966. The first issue of Rolling Stone was printed with a November 9, 1967 date- Lennon was their first cover image. John Lennon composed the songs One After 909, Revolution No. 9, and #9 Dream (which appeared on his 9th solo LP, Walls and Bridges). When he passed away, it was December 9th in his hometown of Liverpool. When The Beatles catalog was finally digitally remastered, it was released on September 9th, 2009 (09.09.09). Read Mersey Beat founder Bill Harry's letter to the Examiner about Epstein's meeting with The Beatles here.

Below is an interview with Brian Epstein about his first encounter with The Beatles on November 9th, 1961, followed by the band playing One After 909 during the rooftop concert scene in Let It Be (released in 1970, 9 years after Epstein met them at the Cavern Club). The Let It Be film may be scheduled for DVD/Blu-ray release in 2013. It's interesting to see how much the culture, and The Beatles themselves, changed in those nine years.

There is new documentary film in the works about Beatles secretary Freda Kelly. The film reached its initial pledge amount today, November 9th. You can learn about it (and contribute to the project on Kickstarter) here. John Lennon portrait by Richard Avedon from MOMA here.

DR NO ITALY

2011-11-09T17:49:00.003-08:00

Italian movie poster design, available at Movie Goods here.

DR NO JAPAN

2011-11-08T21:28:00.002-08:00

PETER SELLERS SET 3

2011-11-07T20:01:00.004-08:00

Peter Sellers played a pivotal role in the history of comedy. His work as a character actor in The Goons, a group committed to thinking outside the box of convention, inspired a whole generation of English comedians and writers to shine a light on society and to push the boundaries of class and culture with a satirical edge. Sellers' gift for the surreal naturally linked him with what became a surrealism boom in the 1960s. Sellers' short film, The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1960), for surreal/comedy director, Richard Lester, helped to put the director on the Beatles' radar (George Martin produced records by Sellers and The Goons), and landed him the plum assignments, A Hard Day's Night (1964) and Help! (1965). Sellers continued to rise through the 1960s, playing lead parts in influential films like Dr. Strangelove (1964), Casino Royale (1967), The Pink Panther (1963), and Woody Allen's first feature script, What's New Pussycat (1965). He joined an all-star cast in 1966 to bring Alice in Wonderland to the BBC's Wednesday Play (which included a soundtrack by Ravi Shankar!).

During the mid-1960s, Peter Sellers explored a number of Beatles songs as spoken comedy records. Spy Vibe spotlights the great Peter Sellers' set of these classic renditions. Move over Shatner and Nimoy! Record 3: She Loves You (Dr. Strangelove version). This video is a wild concoction of Cold War-era imagination (note the Ken Adam war-room set design).

More on 1960s UK Surrealism and satire here. Peter Sellers.org here. To learn more about Sellers, check out the excellent bio-pic, The Life & Death of Peter Sellers (2004), starring Geoffrey Rush.

PETER SELLERS SET 2

2011-11-06T09:32:00.004-08:00

During the mid-1960s, Peter Sellers explored a number of Beatles songs as spoken comedy records. Spy Vibe spotlights the great Peter Sellers' set of these classic renditions. Move over Shatner and Nimoy! Record 2: A Hard Day's Night (Richard III version).

PETER SELLERS SET 1

2011-11-05T20:10:00.012-07:00

THE WHO MOD WEBSITE

2011-11-03T16:15:00.002-07:00

In conjunction with their release of the Quadrophenia Director's Cut CD set, The Who launched a new website today dedicated to the classic album and to the Mod culture that inspired it. Find out more about the Mods, The Who, and enter contests to win a Vespa and to make an official Who video here.

CLASSICS ON METV

2011-11-02T19:26:00.005-07:00

Spy Vibers with the MeTV Network now have a chance to see a number of rare and out-of-print 1960s classics, including Honey West, The Rogues, Peter Gunn, and Batman. Check scheduling details here.

FREDA KELLY FILM PROJECT

2011-11-02T18:15:00.003-07:00

Good ol Freda Kelly, secretary to The Beatles 1962-1972, is the subject of a new independent documentary film project. Info at the Examiner here. You can help by contributing on Kickstarter here. Only 9 days left!

ULF KRUGER DR NO

2011-11-01T19:20:00.008-07:00

Spy Vibers interested in the Beat music scene in Hamburg in the early 1960s may be familiar with musician Ulf Kruger. Kruger was a regular at the famous Star Club. He recorded with the king of Skiffle, Lonnie Donegan, and he produced CDs for Bear Family and museum exhibits over the last ten years to preserve a unique part of the 1960s cultural landscape. A matter of interest to spy fans, however, is that Kruger also recorded a curious tune called Dr No in the 1980s.

Speaking of the Hamburg scene, a very rare recording was just released by the estate of Stuart Sutcliffe, which claims is the former Beatle singing his signature tune, Love Me Tender. An interesting time capsule, the track is available on iTunes and Amazon and you can read more about it here. Many from the Hamburg scene have since chimed into investigation, shedding doubt on the identity of the singer. There is currently a popular musical playing in the UK about the period called Backbeat, and an official Sutcliffe fan club here.

HAPPY SPY VIBE HALLOWEEN

2011-10-31T21:13:00.003-07:00

Happy Halloween! What was your costume? Here's actor, Ray Danton, sporting the classic black mask in Secret Agent Super Dragon (1966).

HAPPY SPY VIBE HALLOWEEN

2011-10-31T20:59:00.003-07:00

Happy Halloween to Spy Vibers! I hope your holiday was filled with evil robots and... secret agent chimps? Here's a clip from one of my boyhood faves, Lancelot Link (1970). For those who haven't seen the series, you have to imagine a show based on Get Smart with chimpanzees dressed in spy costumes. Don't say I didn't warn you!

LES VAMPIRES

2011-10-29T22:42:00.004-07:00

Louis Feuillade's serial about a gang of master criminals, Les Vampires (1915-16), featured a strategist and operative known as Irma Vep. A silent-era femme fatale in the style of Emma Peel of The Avengers, Vep was the inspiration for the 1996 film, Irma Vep, about a director trying to re-make the French classic. The clips below show the original character from 1915, followed by Maggie Cheung's modern day (and experimental) Irma Vep.

QUARTER MILLION & BOND GIRLS

2011-10-29T09:01:00.005-07:00

Thank you to Spy Vibers around the world for exploring "1960 style in action" with us. Last week readers' hits silently passed the quarter-million mark! Let's celebrate this weekend with a few lovely Bond Girls. Check out LIFE magazine's list of the top-20 actresses here. Who are your faves from the world of 007?

MOD EXHIBIT & VESPA CONTEST

2011-10-28T07:57:00.006-07:00

In conjunction with the release of The Director's Cut of the Quadrophenia sessions by The Who, an exhibit has been launched at Pretty Green, the London flagship boutique for Liam Gallagher's fashion line. The exhibit Facebook page here. Even if you can't make it to this rare show, you can still enter to win a custom one-off by Vespa made to look like the scooter on the classic album's cover! Details here. Pretty Green offers a large collection of Mod fashion designed by Gallagher (Oasis, Beady Eye), Paul Weller (The Jam, Style Council), as well as pieces inspired by iconic gear from Swinging London. You can even find a Quadrophenia parka here. The Director's Cut will be released on November 15th. Spy Vibers interested in the Who should check out the excellent book, Won't Get Fooled Again, by music author Richie Unterberger. The film adapted from the Who's album is currently out of print. Below, Mods gather at the Who exhibit in London, Vespa's contest prize edition, and a video promo for The Director's Cut. It's a Mod Mod Mod world!

TINKER TAILOR PREVIEW Q&A

2011-10-26T18:11:00.008-07:00

Special Event: A preview screening of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy will be held at the San Rafael Film Center on November 15th- with Gary Oldman and director Tomas Alfredson on hand for a Q&A! Tickets just went on sale today at the center's box office at on-line here. I hope that Spy Vibers in the Bay Area can attend.

From the San Rafael Film Center: "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is the long-awaited feature-film version of John Le Carré's classic bestseller set in 1973 during the Cold War. Gary Oldman, who stars as career-spy George Smiley, and director Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In) will answer questions at this special advance screening. George Smiley works for British intelligence, nicknamed "The Circus," and when an Eastern European mission goes awry, he sets out to uncover a possible double-agent in the agency. Oldman has support from a terrific cast, including John Hurt, Colin Firth, Ciarán Hinds, Mark Strong, Toby Jones, Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Simon McBurney and Svetlana Khodchenkova. Already a hit in its current British theatrical release, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has earned high praise from John Le Carré himself, who calls it "to my eye a work of art in its own right." (UK 2011) 127 min."

The superb mini-series adaptations of Tinker Tailor and Smiley's People starring Alec Guinness have been re-released on DVD (old prints, new package) and are available for rent to Spy Vibers in the States from Netflix.

THE GUARDIAN'S SPY LIST

2011-10-24T17:53:00.007-07:00

The Guardian has posted a list of the top-6 Spy series of all time. Surprisingly, The Avengers is only an honorable mention -losing out to The Saint! Roger Moore always gets my support, but... Find out which shows made the cut here. They've included some fun video clips, as well. Thanks to Cinema Retro for the heads up. If you were pressed to make such a list, maybe by threat of laser beam while strapped to a table, what would Spy Vibers pick as the top-6 Spy series of all time?

SPECIAL EVENT: SAARINEN'S TWA

2011-10-23T17:55:00.004-07:00

Spy Vibe agent J Kraus alerted us to a special event that brought architecture enthusiasts flocking to New York. From Phaidon: "Last weekend a crowd descended upon the TWA Terminal at JFK, not because of flight delays, but because the building was open to the public again but for just three short hours. Designed by Finnish American architect Eero Saarinen in 1956 and finished in 1962 – a year after his death, this was the first time the public had been given access to the building since its closure in 2001." Read more here. Image below by Ezra Stoller via SFMOMA.

SPACE RACE- ROCKABILLY STYLE

2011-10-22T11:08:00.003-07:00

Before Richard Lester directed The Beatles in A Hard Days Night, this ex-pat was already making films with a focus on the fun and energy of youth culture and the music scene. One of his projects was It's Trad, Dad (1962), featuring this curious segment with rockabilly cat, Gene Vincent, who puts the 'rock' in rocket. The film also features Helen Shapiro, Del Shannon, Chris Barber's Jazz Band, and others.

THE PERSUADERS! BROCHURE

2011-10-21T15:51:00.004-07:00

Fans of The Persuaders! (1971-1972), starring Roger Moore and Tony Curtis, should check out the Network website for a cool collectible. In conjunction with their release of this classic series on Blu-ray, they have produced a limited-edition brochure (listed at $21.50). From Network: Created for The Persuaders! 40th Anniversary event, we have a limited stock available of these collectible brochures. Containing contributions from Roger Moore, Johnny Goodman and Barry Norman, with features on the series' fashion sense, cars and restoration in High Definition, this is one collectible piece of memorabilia that no Persuaders! fan can be without.

IT TAKES A THIEF DEAL

2011-10-17T21:17:00.007-07:00

Deal Alert: We were so excited to announce that Robert Wagner's It Takes a Thief (1968-1970) was finally being released on DVD. The high price tag was a bit discouraging for fans who have waited so many years, but as I hoped, a deal has arrived! Amazon is currently offering the box set of the complete series at a pre-order price of $99.99 (down from $199.98). Amazon page here.

International locales, beautiful women, guest stars galore... It Takes a Thief: The Complete Series is now available for the first time ever on DVD featuring all three seasons of the hit show that Cinema Retro called "the coolest espionage series of the late sixties."

GARAGE PARTY 4

2011-10-16T09:49:00.004-07:00

Stock up the fridge and warn the neighbors because Spy Vibe is having a 1960s garage party weekend. Track Four: The Kinks emerged from humble blues beginnings (see video #2 below) to define their sound in 1964. Here is their fourth single (the follow-up to You Really Got Me), All Day and All Through the Night -with some encouragement from stage dancers.

GARAGE PARTY 3

2011-10-15T13:27:00.003-07:00

Stock up the fridge and warn the neighbors because Spy Vibe is having a 1960s garage party weekend. Track three: Follow David Hemmings into Antonioni's Blow-Up and this iconic scene with The Yardbirds featuring Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page.

GARAGE PARTY 2

2011-10-15T08:30:00.002-07:00

Stock up the fridge and warn the neighbors because Spy Vibe is having a 1960s garage party weekend. Track two: early film footage of The High Numbers in 1964, a Mod band that would soon be managed by the film's producers and rechristened The Who!

GARAGE PARTY 1

2011-10-14T19:52:00.003-07:00

Stock up the fridge and warn the neighbors because Spy Vibe is having a 1960s garage party weekend. Track one is a gem from those psychedelic rockers from Texas, The 13th Floor Elevators with You're Gonna Miss Me (1966). One of my old band-mates used to rave about these guys and I finally get why. This goes out to John and my fellow Elevator Tribe musicians.

GET SMART

2011-10-14T19:41:00.000-07:00

ASTROSPIES

2011-10-11T21:08:00.004-07:00

Spy Vibers scanning their radar for Space Age espionage should check out a documentary with a great high-concept title, Astrospies. From Amazon: "Millions remember the countdowns, launchings, splashdowns and parades as the U.S. raced the USSR to the Moon in the 1960s. Few know that both superpowers ran parallel covert space programs to launch military astronauts on spying missions. In Astrospies, NOVA delves into the untold story of this top-secret space race, which might easily have turned into a shooting war in orbit.

In Astrospies, viewers meet the elite corps of U.S. military astronauts, several of whom have never before talked about their clandestine training missions during the 1960s. As seen in footage broadcast for the first time, they practiced in full-scale mock-ups of the spy station, complete with spy cameras capable of resolving three-inch objects on the earth below. While the Apollo astronauts enjoyed ticker-tape parades, their astrospy colleagues trained in total obscurity until cost overruns and the new satellite technology doomed the program. Meanwhile, in response, the Soviets actually built three manned spy stations named Almaz and flew five missions during the 1970s. NOVA gains first-time access to a surviving Almaz station in a restricted Russian space facility, where an ex-cosmonaut demonstrates the high-powered spy cameras that were trained on U.S. cities. With a cannon designed to destroy hostile satellites or attack American astrospies Almaz was probably the only manned spacecraft ever equipped for space war. Astrospies is co-produced by Emmy Award winning producer Scott Willis and investigative journalist James Bamford, acclaimed best selling author of The Puzzle Palace and Body of Secrets." This 56-minute film is also available for rent on Netflix in the States. Looking for more space docs? I recommend In the Shadow of the Moon and For All Mankind.

OCT 9TH EVENTS

2011-10-08T22:09:00.008-07:00

A special weekend for fans of 1960s Art and music. Birthday wishes to John and Sean Lennon, who share October 9th birthdays (and congrats to Paul McCartney on his wedding this Oct 9th!). To get us in the mood, here is an amusing video mash-up that places James Bond at one of the summer 1966 Tokyo Beatles concerts. The filming of You Only Live Twice started in July 1966, so it's fun to imagine these major pop-culture events coming together.

In honor of John Lennon, Yoko Ono is scheduled to relight the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland this weekend. The structure was conceived from an idea that Ono had in the 1960s about architecture built entirely of light and prisms. The Imagine Peace Tower uses fifteen searchlights and prisms to create a shaft of light that reaches upwards of 4,000 meters. Construction was finished in 2007, and it is lit annually between October 9th and December 8th (the date of Lennon's passing in 1980).

More info about how you can contribute to the event from Yoko: "Dear Friends, On 9th October 2011, I will be in Reykjavík, Iceland to relight IMAGINE PEACE TOWER at 8pm (9pm London, 4pm NY, 1pm LA, 5am Tokyo) in memory of my husband John Lennon. I hope you will join us at http://IMAGINEPEACETOWER.com for the live event where you can tweet, email & Facebook chat your wishes live to @IPTower and watch a live feed of the event."

A special John Lennon exhibit has been set up in NYC for the weekend, in honor of what would have been Lennon's 71st birthday. There is also an exhibit of Yoko Ono's work at Stoney Brook University through October 15th. More information at the New York Times here. Spy Vibe on 1960s surrealism and satire in the UK here.

My wish in celebration of John Lennon's 71st birthday, going out to the armed populations in the world- Camera Piece: carry a camera instead of a weapon for 1 day, then 1 week. Look at people through the lens until you see that you are one.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED

2011-10-05T20:44:00.007-07:00

Thank you to the many Spy Vibers from around the world who entered The 10th Victim Blu-ray contest. What a great turn out! As a life-long fan of the film, I'm pleased to see it get the hi-def preservation and release it deserves, and to see so many people interested in exploring the movie. I chose four readers in a random drawing to win copies of the new release. For the many people who were not chosen, I express my sincere thanks and hope that you will order a copy of the film to enjoy in your own Spy Vibe library and to support the preservation and release of classics like The 10th Victim (Amazon page here). Thanks to Blue Underground for having me on board for the special features on the disc and for providing comp-copies for Spy Vibers.

The winners are: Bill from Seattle, Stephen from Australia, Bob from St Paul, and Jack from Brooklyn. Your discs are already in the mail!

The 10th Victim appeals as both a cocktail of cool aesthetics and as biting commentary on violence-as-entertainment- qualities that ring as true today as they did in 1965. Here is the iconic scene where Ursula Andress dispatches her prey with her infamous gun-bra bikini at the Masoch Club.

10TH VICTIM CONTEST ENDS SOON

2011-10-02T11:36:00.004-07:00

Enter to win a Blu-ray edition of the Elio Petri cult classic, The 10th Victim (1965), starring Marcello Mastroianni and Ursula Andress. Contest ends October 4th! Details here.

From the New York Times review (9/30/11): "Petri won the foreign-language Oscar for his far superior 1970 film, “Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion,” but it’s “The 10th Victim” that lingers in the public imagination and has now been reissued by Blue Underground in an excellent Blu-ray transferred from the original negative. The playful production design, by Michelangelo Antonioni’s regular collaborator Piero Poletto, probably accounts for much of the movie’s continued appeal. His Rome of the future has been assembled out of the architecture of the Fascist past (Bernardo Bertolucci would return to some of the same locations for his 1970 period drama “The Conformist”) and festooned with the fetish objects of the Op-Pop 60s: inflatable furniture, Trim-line telephones."

AGENT WOODY

2011-09-24T08:29:00.008-07:00

Woody Allen transitioned as a gag-writer and stand-up comedian to become a prolific filmmaker with unprecedented freedom to write and direct his own projects. With a new movie out almost every year since 1965, Allen's body of work carries a unique voice that channels his interests in philosophy, music, and culture. Woody Allen directed his first feature film during the great spy boom when he re-mixed two Japanese films into a hilarious espionage yarn about egg salad, What's Up Tiger Lilly?, released in November 1966. In this clip, director John Badham (Dracula, Saturday Night Fever), talks about how the studio struggled to define the movie- as evidence in their chock-a-block "trailer from hell":

Woody Allen rode the spy wave into his next project, Casino Royale. Truly a kitchen-sink movie with multiple writers and directors, the film does have its moments. The costumes included female guards with machine guns in Paco Rabanne-like gladiatorial garb, and the colorful space-age sets made it to some of the top-five spy sets in Spy Vibe's guest set event. Peter Sellers and Ursula Andress share an iconic scene to the tune, The Look of Love. Woody Allen played Jimmy Bond, the megalomaniac nephew of James Bond, with his characteristic slant on the quintessential baddie (dressed in Nehru jacket, of course!). In this clip, James Bond (David Niven) talks about his sex-crazed namesake on TV and introduces his nephew as a rather disappointing secret agent.

Woody Allen then made a mockumentary, Take the Money and Run (1969), about a criminal with great ambition (but zero talent). I can't imagine our current culture of parody without this seminal work. Allen returned to this form in his fantastic story of a human chameleon, Zelig, in 1983. In this classic scene, the main character's attempts to rob a bank are severely challenged by poor penmanship. (Check out the new reality show by fellow C.O.B.R.A.S. writer, Paul Bishop, Take the Money and Run here).

Crime and morality have continued to appear as themes in his films over the years, and these early comedies from the spy-boom era should appeal to Spy Vibers. I showed What's Up Tiger Lilly? to my high school students a year ago and they are still laughing about some of the scenes and dialog. If you are interested in learning more about Woody Allen, I suggest these excellent books: Woody Allen On Woody Allen by Stig Bjorkman, Conversations With Woody Allen by Eric Lax, Woody Allen Interviews by Robert Kapsis. This year's Midnight in Paris has been Allen's greatest box office success. If you haven't checked in with his movies recently, I recommend a double feature of Midnight in Paris (2011) and Scoop (2006). Allen is famous for his use of magic realism, and these two contemporary films are absolutely charming.

BEATLES AUCTION CANCELLED

2011-09-23T19:54:00.009-07:00

Breaking news: Guernsey's has cancelled the bulk of a major Beatles auction that was scheduled for tomorrow. Astrid Kirchherr's photographs of the band's early years in Germany, as well as the intellectual property rights to the images, were originally planned to go on sale in a historic auction Saturday. But at the last hour, the company posted an announcement on their website stating that the entire lot has been sold in advance to an undisclosed buyer.

There is much speculation about the identity of the buyer. Many fans wonder if Paul McCartney has stepped in to preserve and manage the archives. Spy Vibe will update readers as soon as there is more information. In the meantime, the auction will continue tomorrow with many Beatles and other music-related treasures. One of the most notable items is Elvis Presley's first guitar!

Some Spy Vibers have been able to purchase Kirchherr signed photographs through Snap Galleries. They have a few Hamburg-era images listed in a current auction. Now that Kirchherr's archives have moved ownership, signed photos will certainly become quite collectible. I have a number of signed Beatles (and Spy TV/movie) items in my collection that I might list for auction in the future. Stay tuned!

MILES DAVIS 1967

2011-09-21T08:03:00.005-07:00

Sony has launched the Miles Davis Bootleg Series with Miles Davis Quintet Live in Europe 1967. The box set includes 3 CDs of these groundbreaking performances, as well as a DVD of all of the known film footage of the shows.

From Amazon: In the 1960s Miles Davis toured Europe several times with some of the greatest bands he ever led. As the first title in a projected series of boxed sets Sony/Legacy introduces MILES DAVIS QUINTET - Live In Europe 1967 - The Bootleg Series Vol.1 featuring Miles Davis Second Great Quintet featuring WAYNE SHORTER, HERBIE HANCOCK, RON CARTER and TONY WILLIAMS -- arguably the single greatest small group ensemble in jazz history.

The recordings from their 1967 European tour are some of the only existing documentation of the band performing compositions from the extraordinary series of studio albums they made between 1965-1967 -- E.S.P., Miles Smiles, Sorcerer and Nefertiti. Now fans can hear live versions of Agitation (from E.S.P.), Footprints" and "Gingerbread Boy ( from Miles Smiles), Masquelero" (from Sorcerer ) and Riot" (from Nefertiti); PLUS, Miles revisits some of the earlier classics he had been performing for years -- Round Midnight , On Green Dolphin Street , I Fall In Love Too Easily and No Blues -- all in strikingly different interpretations from the original studio versions. Seeing this band in action only further emphasizes their near supernatural rapport!

DVD Track listing:1. Agitation, 2. Footprints, 3. I Fall In Love Too Easily, 4. Walkin, 5. Gingerbread Boy, 6. The Theme, 7. Agitation, 8. Footprints
9. Round Midnight, 10. Gingerbread Boy, 11. The Theme

10TH VICTIM SHOTS

2011-09-20T18:23:00.004-07:00

The Blu-ray website posted a review today of the new release of The 10th Victim (1965). A mostly-positive response with the added bonus of some of their fantastic screen-shots. Here are Ursula, Marcello, and Elsa in three memorable scenes from the film. I always loved the shot of Marcello's apartment decorated with pop art and a display rack of classic Phantom and other comic books- a great pad! How would you decorate your fantasy lair? What would be on your display rack?

Don't forget to enter to win a Blu-ray edition of the Elio Petri cult classic, The 10th Victim (1965), starring Marcello Mastroianni and Ursula Andress. Contest ends October 4th. Details here.

KNOLL SALE

2011-09-20T17:11:00.006-07:00

Looking for an Eero Saarinen, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, or Harry Bertoia piece for your secret lair? Design Within Reach has just opened their pre-sale list of many cool items from Knoll, including the Barcelona Chair below- designed in 1929 and winner of the Museum of Modern Art Award in 1977. Image from MOMA. Sale details here.

Don't forget to enter to win a Blu-ray edition of the Elio Petri cult classic, The 10th Victim (1965), starring Marcello Mastroianni and Ursula Andress. Contest ends October 4th. Details here.

SEIJUN SUZUKI GOES BLU

2011-09-19T17:17:00.007-07:00

The Criterion Collection has announced their upcoming Blu-ray titles for December. In addition to a vintage Hitchcock film, The Lady Vanishes, Spy Vibers can look forward to two 1960s cult classics by Seijun Suzuki!

From Criterion: Tokyo Drifter (1966): In this jazzy gangster film, reformed killer Phoenix Tetsu’s attempt to go straight is squashed when his former cohorts call him back to Tokyo to help battle a rival gang. This onslaught of stylized violence and trippy colors got director Seijun Suzuki in trouble with Nikkatsu studio heads, who were put off by his anything-goes, in-your-face aesthetic, equal parts Russ Meyer, Samuel Fuller, and Nagisa Oshima. Tokyo Drifter is a delirious highlight of the brilliantly excessive Japanese cinema of the sixties.

From Criterion: Branded To Kill (1967): When Japanese New Wave bad boy Seijun Suzuki delivered this brutal, hilarious, and visually inspired masterpiece to the executives at his studio, he was promptly fired. Branded to Kill tells the ecstatically bent story of a yakuza assassin (chipmunk-cheeked superstar Joe Shishido) with a fetish for sniffing boiled rice who botches a job and ends up a target himself. This is Suzuki at his most extreme—the flabbergasting pinnacle of his sixties pop-art aesthetic.

Don't forget to enter to win a Blu-ray edition of the Elio Petri cult classic, The 10th Victim (1965), starring Marcello Mastroianni and Ursula Andress. Contest ends October 4th. Details here.

10TH VICTIM CONTEST

2011-09-12T21:34:00.006-07:00

Spy Vibe release party! I was fortunate to contribute to the new Blu-ray edition of one of my all-time fave films, Elio Petri's The 10th Victim (1965), starring Marcello Mastroianni and Ursula Andress. The Blu-ray from Blue Underground will be released tomorrow, and I have four copies to give away to Spy Vibe readers! I have to say, this edition looks very cool. After seeing the menu ported over the last couple of DVD editions, it is refreshing to see the film get a whole new package. The new menu is a celebration of the film's Masoch Club, the famous scene where Andress dispatches her prey with her gun-bra silver bikini. The folks at Blue Underground picked lots of great scenes to run during menu selection. There are many special features, including my collection of stills and posters. The inside of the case sports a French lobby card that really highlights the film's costume design. I think you all will enjoy it! I'm very happy to see the film preserved with style.

OK, the contest: Send an e-mail to jason[at]spyvibe.com with "10th Victim" in the subject line and include your address. I will pick 4 winners in a random drawing on October 4th. And for my recent poster contest winners, thank you for your patience. I've finally finished my move to the new pad and can ship your posters at last.

Thank you, Spy Vibers, and good luck!

10TH VICTIM RELEASE

2011-09-03T20:34:00.005-07:00

Blue Underground has moved the release date of The 10th Victim (1965) Blu-ray edition to September 13th due to manufacturing needs. Spy Vibe will have copies to giveaway soon- stay tuned!

THE MONKEES DVD

2011-08-31T20:36:00.006-07:00

The Monkees (1966-1968) television show spawned a media phenomenon and encapsulated a 1960s cocktail of Richard Lester/Beatles surrealism, Marx Brothers humor, improvisation, and catchy pop songs. After years of being out of print, the original series will be released on September 27th by Eagle Rock. Pre-order info at Amazon here. Spy Vibers in the States can still rent the original Rhino DVDs from Netflix. Three of the band members reunited recently for a tour, but the last nine dates were cancelled due to business conflicts. Here is a clip from one of my fave episodes, The Spy Who Came in From the Cool (covered at Spy Vibe here).

IT TAKES A THIEF

2011-08-26T13:30:00.004-07:00

Welcome back Spy Vibers! We just had a great series of poster contests, followed by the recent move of all operations to a cool 1966 pad! Yup, we're now located in a northern California lair with floor-to-ceiling glass walls, Hi-Fi, and the Spy Vibe library! Speaking of libraries, one of the last major spy shows from the 1960s waiting for release is finally coming out- It Takes a Thief- starring Robert Wagner as cat burger-turned-spy! The complete series will be released in a box set on October 11th by Entertainment One, and will include all three seasons, interviews with cast/crew, pilot episode, a collectible photo book, and more. The current price on Amazon is a bit high at $179.99, but we'll keep keep our eye out for deals. Amazon has often made The Man From U.N.C.L.E. box set, also a high-ticket item, available at a discount. Congrats to Entertainment One and to all of my fellow It Takes a Thief fans!

POSTER 3 WINNER!

2011-08-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the many Spy Vibers from around the world who entered to win the Goldfinger movie poster! One winner was drawn at random- congratulations to Thomas Tucker. Your prize will be mailed soon.

CRITERION DEALS TODAY

2011-08-16T07:57:00.005-07:00

Amazon is offering lightning deals on a number of Criterion Collection titles today, including the stylish and funny Mystery classic, Charade, starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn (Charade sale ends 10am pacific). Other titles include the Maysles brothers' The Rolling Stones Gimme Shelter and David Cronenberg's Videodrome. Details here. Spy Vibe's look at the Peter Stone penned films Charade, Arabesque, and Mirage here.

AMAZON SALE

2011-08-15T09:23:00.003-07:00

Amazon is holding its annual anniversary sale on Blu-ray discs. You can pick up James Bond collections for as low as $25, as well as other classic sets including the Bourne Trilogy, Oceans 11-13, Austin Powers, and The Twilight Zone. Sale ends August 20th. Details here.

POSTER 2 WINNER!

2011-08-13T20:51:00.001-07:00

Thank you to the many Spy Vibers from around the world who entered to win the Danger Diabolik movie poster! One winner was drawn at random- congratulations to Brad Wrolstad! Your prize will be mailed soon. Everyone still has a chance to win the Goldfinger poster. Details here.

SERGE GAINSBOURG TRIBUTE CONCERT

2011-08-10T19:09:00.006-07:00

Sean Lennon and Beck will headline a special tribute concert to the maestro of hip musique, Serge Gainsbourg, at 7pm on August 28th at the Hollywood Bowl. Lennon and his partner, Charlotte Kemp Muhl, recently released a limited blue-vinyl album, La Carotte Bleue, that featured Gainsbourg's classic Comic Strip (see Spy Vibe's announcement here). The tribute concert will also include Ed Droste (Grizzly Bear), Victoria Legrand (Beach House), Mike Patton (Faith No More), Zola Jesus, Lulu Gainsbourg, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and Jean Claude Vannier. Check out Amoeba records here for a chance to win free tickets!

Below is the whimsical lo-fi film for Lennon and Muhl's groovy version. It reminds me of William Klein's 1969 film, Mr Freedom. Serge Gainsbourg official website here. Gainsbourg was married to Jane Birkin from 1968-1980, following her three-year marriage to James Bond composer, John Barry. Check out the original 1968 promo film for Comic Strip with B Bardot here.

POSTER 1 WINNER!

2011-08-10T09:10:00.002-07:00

Thank you to the many Spy Vibers from around the world who entered to win the Barbarella movie poster. One winner was drawn at random, congratulations to Katrina Kelly! Your prize will be mailed soon. Everyone still has a chance to win the Danger Diabolik and Goldfinger posters. Details here.

MOVIE POSTER PRIZES

2011-07-26T09:46:00.008-07:00

While Agent J is away on a mission, enter to win one of these movie posters from Spy Vibe: GOLDFINGER, DANGER DIABOLIK, BARBARELLA. Winners will be picked in early August- see details and deadlines below.

It's reader appreciation time and we're giving away prizes! Prize #1: Barbarella poster style B, 11x17 poster originally purchased from Movie Goods. To enter, just send an e-mail to Spy Vibe (jason[at]spyvibe.com) with "Barbarella" in the subject line and your mailing address. The winner will be chosen from a random drawing on August 9th. Why we love Barbarella here.

Poster #2- Danger Diabolik, 11x17 Italian style B, originally purchased from Movie Goods. To enter, just send an e-mail to Spy Vibe (jason[at]spyvibe.com) with "Diabolik" in the subject line and your mailing address. The winner will be chosen from a random drawing on August 11th. Why we love Danger Diabolik here.

Poster #3 Goldfinger, 11x17 style E, originally purchased from Movie Goods. To enter, just send an e-mail to Spy Vibe (jason[at]spyvibe.com) with "Goldfinger" in the subject line and your mailing address. The winner will be chosen from a random drawing on August 15th. Why Cinema Retro's Lee Pfeiffer chose Goldfinger as #2 in his top-5 list of spy movie sets here.

Check out Spy Vibe's production set series, an event that gathered together many writers to celebrate the best spy sets from cold war-era film & TV. Guest Set Lists: Lee Pfeiffer, Jeremy Duns, Armstrong Sabian, Steve Bissette, Roger Langley, Matthew Bradford, Wesley Britton, David Foster, Matt Kindt. Spy Vibe's Set For Adventure here, Set Countdown #10, #9, #8 ,#7, #6, #5, #4, #3, #2, #1.

FAB GEAR

2011-07-24T22:12:00.003-07:00

Fab Gear, an in-depth book about Beatles fashion, is due for release on October 24th! From Amazon: "The Beatles knew how much image mattered in the 1960s, and whether it was Nehru jackets, skinny ties, granny glasses, or the Cuban heel boot-if John, Paul, George, or Ringo wore it, the rest of their millions of fans followed. Renowned music and fashion author Paolo Hewitt takes readers on a fashion tour of the Beatles' career and the trends they co-opted. From their Hamburg debut in sunglasses, leather, and black sweaters to the conservative suits they were ordered to wear by their manager Brian Epstein; from their infatuation with Pierre Cardin's collarless jackets to their more casual corduroy; from their Mod madness to psychedelic spaciness to faux-military attire to hippy-chic-each style is revealed as a reflection of the music they made and the world views they embraced. Filled with fabulous photographs and with an appealing retro feel, the book features numerous images, many of which have never been published before. It offers insights into how the band's meteoric rise and enduring success shaped their fashion choices. There's even a chapter devoted to their hairstyles. Fans of all ages, as well as anyone interested in fashion, will be enthralled with this first ever Beatles stylebook that proves the Fab Four were as timely as they were timeless."

PAOLO HEWITT began his career writing for Melody Maker and New Musical Express. He has contributed to newspapers and magazines as well as a series of books on sports, fashion, and music. He served as the official biographer for the groups The Jam and Oasis, runs his own Mod-style knitwear label in Italy, and has written a memoir, The Looked After Kid. He lives in London.

POSTER PRIZES: DANGER DIABOLIK

2011-07-22T13:33:00.009-07:00

It's reader appreciation time and Spy Vibe is giving away movie posters! Poster #1 is Barbarella, see details here. Poster #2- Danger Diabolik, 11x17 Italian style B, originally purchased from Movie Goods. To enter, just send an e-mail to Spy Vibe (jason[at]spyvibe.com) with "Diabolik" in the subject line and your mailing address. The winner will be chosen from a random drawing on August 11th.

Why we love Danger Diabolik (1968): Danger Diabolik came in at the top of our Top-10 Setlist of all-time! Imagine clicking your garage door opener on a mountain road, engaging a giant clam-shell door, and driving into a series of electronic hatches and elevators down (deep deep down) to a cavernous lair that sports a fleet of E-type Jaguars, Sci-Fi gadgets, a Habitrail-like network of tubes and chambers, glass "see-through" showers, and a giant revolving bed with futuristic technology and television monitors. I’ll give you a moment to recover. You’re right- it’s simply the coolest pad any spy, criminal mastermind, or lounge cat could crave (they had me at Jaguars). More of Danger Diabolik #1 in Spy Vibe's Top-10 Setlist here.

DEAL ALERT: MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.

2011-07-20T09:56:00.009-07:00

Deal Alert (Ended): Amazon's deal of the day is the complete series collection of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. 41 discs, four seasons, the pilot. the first film, and many bonus features priced at a low $84.99!

Famously housed in a cool briefcase, the set includes:
all four seasons (105 episodes)
color pilot "Solo"
theatrical feature One Spy Too Many
nine bonus features about the show, style, gadgets, etc
retrospective interviews w cast/crew
guest star celebration
tv award shows
design/photo galleries
Tom & Jerry's The Mouse From H.U.N.G.E.R.
& more!
Amazon page here. Review at DVDtalk here.

POSTER PRIZES: BARBARELLA

2011-07-19T15:14:00.007-07:00

It's reader appreciation time and we're giving away prizes! Prize #1: Barbarella poster style B, 11x17 poster originally purchased from Movie Goods. To enter, just send an e-mail to Spy Vibe (jason[at]spyvibe.com) with "Barbarella" in the subject line and your mailing address. The winner will be chosen from a random drawing on August 9th.

Why we like Barbarella (1968): Although Vadim's film has more camp and static composition than the original comic by Jean-Claude Forest, the film still delivers as a sexy sci-fi time capsule. The opening credits (which feature a space-age strip tease) and the promotional graphics are all fantastic! But the star of the film is really the fashion designer who inspired the costumes, Paco Rabanne. Rabanne was one of the inventive culprits chopping paper-dress patterns in the 1960s. Similar in construction to using plastics, the paper clothes could be cut in-form out of Vilbond and color cellophane tape without stitching. The dresses really took off in 1967, a year in which Rabanne also designed a line of Pacojamas (paper PJs) for Hilton hotels. Rabanne was celebrated for his experiments with creating clothing from sculptural components. The advantage of these NASA-inspired materials was that clothes held their shape, rather than being draped over the body. Synthetics, bright colors, black and white, and silver with geometric and zipper-accents created an architectural silhouette of angular lines- a sculpted form for a new generation focused on the Twiggy-thin youth market. Rabanne is credited along with Jacques Fonteray for designing the costumes for Barbarella. You can see similar costumes based on Rabanne's futuristic, gladiatorial armor in Casino Royale (1966) and The 10th Victim (1965). Spy Vibe was quoted in an article that offers further info about Rabanne here.