December 31, 2015

WHO'S TALKING ON SPY VIBE

As we enter our seventh year, I'm so grateful to our community for making Spy Vibe such a fun place to meet and share our passion for 1960s Style in Action. When my schedule has allowed, I've had the pleasure to chat with a number of fellow writers, artists, and collectors. In celebration of the New Year, I'd like to spotlight some of our best interviews and give our new readers a chance to catch up. This is also a time of year when I have to invest in the various costs of running the site: domain names, web forwarding, etc. If you can contribute even a few bucks, it will help this high school art teacher continue the website and I'd be so grateful. There is a Paypal donation link at the top left of the page. Thanks to everyone for being a part of Spy Vibe! Now, look who's been talking in the lair.


Fergus Fleming on his uncle Ian Fleming and editing the James Bond Letters.
Jaz Wiseman on producing many 1960s spy series DVD and Blu-ray releases.
Jon Gilbert on his Ian Fleming Bibliography.  
Alan Stephenson on his world-class James Bond collection. 
Mike Richardson on writing the ultimate history of The Avengers.
Shane Glines on designing for Batman animated shows. 
Raymond Benson on collecting and writing James Bond. 
Richard Sala on classic spies, pulps, and his Super Enigmatix graphic novel. 
Bunny Deana on the London Playboy Club in the 1960s. 
Trina Robbins on Honey West, Wonder Woman, and women in pop culture. 
Ian Dickerson on The Saint and writing the Leslie Charteris biography.
Jeremy Duns on collecting Ian Fleming. 
Ralph Garman and Ty Templeton on Batman 66 Meets the Green Hornet.
Rodney Marshall on writing about the history of The Avengers
Win Scott Eckert on writing Honey West, T.H.E. Cat, and Green Hornet
Kevin Dart on Yuki 7. 
Bosko Hrnjak on Tiki art. 
Richard Sala on classic spy/pulp conventions, The Avengers, Dick Tracy & more!
Set Designs w Lee Pfeiffer, Wesley Britton, Stephen Bissette & others.
John Buss on his world-class collection of spy TV memorabilia. 
Peter Lorenz on collecting James Bond books and art. 
Mike Richardson on writing The Making of Casino Royale
Alan Hayes on writing the early history of The Avengers
Odysseas Constantine on designing The Avengers Pop Art collection.
Rob Mallows on collecting Len Deighton. 
Jim Wilson on Code 3 Corgi toys.
Piper Gates Design on designing with retro cult TV. 
Katharine Boyd on Mod Tales comic #1.
Ryan Heshka about his pulp and sci-fi-inspired art.   
David Foster on collecting spy and pulp books.
Kevin Dart on designing Powerpuff Girls and working with Ringo. 
Roger Langley on collecting Danger Man/The Prisoner.
Big Fun Columbus on vintage toys. 
Craig Arthur on collecting classic spy fiction.   
Matt Maranian on 60s style and writing Pad
Matt Sherman on collecting rare James Bond books and props. 


Selected Spy Vibe Posts: UFO Blu-rayAvengers Pop Art InterviewFritz Lang SpiesFergus Fleming Interview, Avengers: Alan Hayes InterviewJaz Wiseman Interview, 007 SPECTRE ComicsCasino Royale FolioNew James Bond ComicDiana Rigg BFI InterviewCallan Documentary and SetCasino Royale Interview: Mike RichardsonEarly Saint Box SetLost Diana Rigg InterviewDiana Rigg EventIan Fleming LettersNew Gillette 007 CoversPirate RadioSpectre Advanced PosterHonor Blackman at 90UNCLE SchoolIan Fleming MemorialRadiophonic ExhibitPortmeirion PhotosDoctor Who ExhibitFarewell SteedPussy Galore ReturnsDiana Rigg birthdaySherlock at 221BInvisible AgentSaint Interview: Ian DickersonSaint DoppelgängerFleming's TypewriterRare FlemingFleming's MusicIan Fleming's JapanJim Wilson Corgi InterviewFantomas DesignJeremy Duns on BondJohn Buss interviewAvengers Season 5 TitlesSaint VolvoMod Tales InterviewAgente Secreto ComicsDanger Man Comics 2Danger Man ComicsJohn Drake ComicsDer Mann Von UNCLEGolden Margaret NolanMan From UNCLE RocksteadyPussy Galore Calypso, Cynthia Lennon R.I.P.Edward Mann FashionLeonard Nimoy TributeShatner at 84Bob Morane seriesThai Bond DesignBond vs ModernismArt of ModestyTokyo Beat 1964Feraud Mod FashionGreen Hornet MangaNo 6 FestivalAvengers Interview: Michael RichardsonIan Fleming: Wicked GrinJane Bond Hong Kong RecordsRyan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.Comics Week: ArchieComics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMANComics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Shakespeare Spies: Diana RiggShakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny InterviewThe 10th Victim Japanese and KindleU.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, Trina Robbins InterviewCatsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

December 29, 2015

BLU MANCHURIAN

New release: The Criterion Collection recently announced their March titles, which include the original Manchurian Candidate (1962/John Frankenheimer). Their edition will be a 4K digital transfer with an uncompressed mono soundtrack on Blu-ray. Special features include director commentary, Angela Lansbury interview, Erroll Morris tribute, 1988 discussion between the director, screenwriter, and Frank Sinatra, and a new interview with historian Susan Carruthers about the Cold War brainwashing scare (this is right up my alley!), and the original trailer. Street date is March 25th. I didn't see this film until about six or seven years ago and I was really blown away by its visual style and emotional impact. The Manchurian Candidate is one of the most powerful cold war films ever produced. Although many movies and spy-style shows of the period reflected a then-current fear and fascination with brainwashing, none could hold a candle to this classic. The character development and meaty performances by Frank Sinatra and Laurence Harvey brought a palatable weight that continues to hold up for modern viewers. Although real brainwashing is said to be quite different, this tragic movie plays on the familiar device of the evil manipulation of an individual to become a weapon against their own circle under the power of hypnotic suggestion. I recommend the film highly, though Spy Vibers should be prepared for its dark message. It would sit rather well with the John le Carre films if anyone is interested in having a chilly cold war marathon. I'm still haunted by some of the scenes! It will be interesting to re-explore it and especially dive into the academic content in the bonus features. About the film: "The name John Frankenheimer became forever synonymous with heart-in-the-throat filmmaking when this quintessential sixties political thriller was released. Set in the early fifties, this razor-sharp adaptation of the novel by Richard Condon concerns the decorated U.S. Army sergeant Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey), who as a prisoner during the Korean War is brainwashed into being a sleeper assassin in a Communist conspiracy, and a fellow POW (Frank Sinatra) who slowly uncovers the sinister plot. In an unforgettable, Oscar-nominated performance, Angela Lansbury plays Raymond's villainous mother, the controlling wife of a witch-hunting anti-Communist senator with his eyes on the White House. The rare film to be suffused with Cold War paranoia while also taking aim at the frenzy of the McCarthy era, The Manchurian Candidate remains potent, shocking American moviemaking." Amazon page here.







Selected Spy Vibe Posts: UFO Blu-rayAvengers Pop Art InterviewFritz Lang SpiesFergus Fleming Interview, Avengers: Alan Hayes InterviewJaz Wiseman Interview, 007 SPECTRE ComicsCasino Royale FolioNew James Bond ComicDiana Rigg BFI InterviewCallan Documentary and SetCasino Royale Interview: Mike RichardsonEarly Saint Box SetLost Diana Rigg InterviewDiana Rigg EventIan Fleming LettersNew Gillette 007 CoversPirate RadioSpectre Advanced PosterHonor Blackman at 90UNCLE SchoolIan Fleming MemorialRadiophonic ExhibitPortmeirion PhotosDoctor Who ExhibitFarewell SteedPussy Galore ReturnsDiana Rigg birthdaySherlock at 221BInvisible AgentSaint Interview: Ian DickersonSaint DoppelgängerFleming's TypewriterRare FlemingFleming's MusicIan Fleming's JapanJim Wilson Corgi InterviewFantomas DesignJeremy Duns on BondJohn Buss interviewAvengers Season 5 TitlesSaint VolvoMod Tales InterviewAgente Secreto ComicsDanger Man Comics 2Danger Man ComicsJohn Drake ComicsDer Mann Von UNCLEGolden Margaret NolanMan From UNCLE RocksteadyPussy Galore Calypso, Cynthia Lennon R.I.P.Edward Mann FashionLeonard Nimoy TributeShatner at 84Bob Morane seriesThai Bond DesignBond vs ModernismArt of ModestyTokyo Beat 1964Feraud Mod FashionGreen Hornet MangaNo 6 FestivalAvengers Interview: Michael RichardsonIan Fleming: Wicked GrinJane Bond Hong Kong RecordsRyan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.Comics Week: ArchieComics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMANComics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Shakespeare Spies: Diana RiggShakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny InterviewThe 10th Victim Japanese and KindleU.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, Trina Robbins InterviewCatsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

December 28, 2015

MAKING CASINO ROYALE

Mike Richardson's new book, The Making of Casino Royale, is now available via Amazon UK and Amazon. To celebrate, let's take another look at my recent discussion with Mike about the project. UK author Mike Richardson has been on the forefront of spy-vibe scholarship for many years. He ran the popular magazine Action TV, founded the annual spy location tour, Dead Man's Treasure (this summer will be the 30th tour!), and he most recently published an extensive history of The Avengers based on years of research and access to company files. Now Mike has focused his research on James Bond to produce an in-depth history of Casino Royale (1967). He joined me in the Spy Vibe lair last week to discus the book. Welcome back, Mike!


For the uninitiated, can you describe Casino Royale and some of its best features?


The sixties Casino Royale is a psychedelic, multi-storylined extravaganza packed with star names, including Peter Sellers, Woody Allen, David Niven, Ursula Andress and Orson Welles, which included some James Bond 007 content. Based on Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel, the film came about when the movie rights passed to American film producer Charles K. Feldman and after a couple of years of negotiating with Eon Productions and United Artists, he failed to come to an agreement to make it as a co-production. This resulted in Feldman decided to spoof Bond and he recruited seven directors (including two second unit directors), working from a screenplay credited to three writers, although known to have had input from at least nine other people including Peter Sellers and Woody Allen. These writers were encouraged to write and almost constantly rewrite the screenplay, with the film coming across as an extravaganza of epic proportions featuring several storylines and set pieces that converge towards the conclusion of the movie. 

Most of the jokes and the humour in the movie still stand up today, with the leads in the form of Sellers, Allen, Niven, Andress and Welles giving excellent performances. The highlights for me are Evelyn Trimble’s (Sellers) confrontation with Le Chiffre (Wells) over the Baccarat Table in the casino, where despite the fact that their dialogue fails to match up (because they were filmed on different days) the scene plays well in a surreal way. Other highlights: the sequence where Little Jimmy Bond (Allen) held The Detainer (Daliah Lavi) prisoner in his underground headquarters prompting their humorous exchanges of dialogue; the whole Scottish storyline where Sir James Bond visits the McTarry Castle. Another is when Vesper Lynd (Andress) scolds Trimble, who is pretending to be James Bond: “James Bond does not wear glasses!” To which he replies, “It’s just I like to see who I’m shooting.’ Likewise, more amusing dialogue when Little Jimmy Bond is being escorted to his apparent execution, Woody Allen came up the brilliant line to his jailers, “My doctor says I shouldn’t have bullets entering my body at any time!”




When did you first see the film? Were you a fan growing up?

The first time I can remember watching Casino Royale (1967) was in 1987 and I have to admit I wasn’t that impressed. I think I made the same mistake that a lot of people do, which is I tried to make it fit into the Eon Productions world of James Bond. When it failed to conform to what I considered to be a James Bond film, I dismissed it. However, several years later the movie was screened on UK television again, once in 1990 and again in 1991. When visiting my friend Andrew Pixley, he mentioned the movie and we started attempting to work out the various storyline threads. Researching further, we discovered how the production had endured various problems, including how difficult Peter Sellers had been while he worked on the film. 

Yes, I can image the movie becoming more interesting when one starts to uncover the story behind it! How was Casino Royale reviewed at the time?

I don’t think this film has ever had a great deal of good press. However, it has gained cult status and almost 50 years after being produced the elements that originally worked against the sixties Casino Royale, such as the lack of a coherent storyline and the sending up of James Bond, are now considered to work in its favour and have assisted in making it a cult movie.

Tell us about how the project started. What inspired you to research the film's history?


Andrew and I became very interested in the movie. At one point we used to watch it every week and then telephone each other to discuss what new revelations we had discovered about it. This in turn led to additional research and my searching out and collecting more and more information on the film for a period of about 25 years. When I had completed my book on The Avengers and The New Avengerstelevision series, Bowler Hats and Kinky Boots, I already had a production schedule in place for Casino Royale (1967) and I began writing.

That must have been so fun to compare notes with Andrew every week. You had access to a lot of company records when you wrote your history of The Avengers TV series. What kind of resources did you draw on for this book?


Unfortunately, all my emails to Sony/Columbia Pictures, including their archive department, were ignored. They did not even acknowledge me and so there was no access of any official paperwork, with the exception of a daily call sheet I managed to obtain for a day’s filming at Shepperton Studios (dated 22nd February 1966). However, I have over the years obtained a large amount of detailed information from other sources regarding Casino Royale (1967). Further to which, I also exchanged a number of faxes and spoke with Val Guest regarding the movie some years ago. 



What are some of the things you learned about Casino Royale that fascinated you?



Having failed to come to an agreement with Eon Productions regarding a co-production, I was amazed at the lengths Charles K Feldman was prepared to go when obtaining the services of Peter Sellers for the movie. Having previously worked together on What’s New Pussycat, which had gone onto become the most successful comedy film up to that time, Feldman obviously saw Sellers' involvement as essential when putting together the Bond spoof. The producer approached Sellers on various occasions before finally getting him to sign a contract only weeks before filming. Hence, when Sellers wanted Joe McGrath, a director who had only worked on videotaped television productions for the movie, Feldman allowed him to take control of a multi-million dollar feature film. When Sellers wanted Terry Southern brought on board as a gag writer to mainly furnish him with funny lines, Feldman agreed. Likewise when Sellers wanted comedy writer Michael Law brought on board because he considered the screenplay was not funny enough, Feldman agreed. 

Feldman believed that Sellers would weave his magic like he had on What’s New Pussycat and make Casino Royale a tremendous hit. When Sellers began being absent from filming and then playing mind games with Orson Welles, Feldman dispatched associate producer John Dark to deal with the problems, rather than taking the responsibility personally. In short Feldman did not wish to risk offending Sellers, who was given a free hand to do more or less whatever he wanted and he took advantage of that.


Based on my viewing of The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, starring Geoffrey Rush, Sellers seemed like a real handful. Were there other big surprises?

Various dates for the start of filming came and went, with the beginning of production being delayed before principal photography on the movie finally got underway in January 1966 at Shepperton Studios. Actress Shirley MacLaine was responsible for one of these when she simply up and flew back to the United States, without informing anyone only days before filming was due to have begun. On What’s New Pussycat, Feldman did not get his main cast to actually sign contracts until partway through filming, thus, its thought that he had nothing more than a verbal agreement with MacLaine. There were various big names from both sides of the Atlantic who were lined up to appear in the film, but for one reason or another failed to do so, Frank Sinatra, Bridgette Bardot and Avengergirl Honor Blackman to name three. Other directors such as Blake Edwards were approached and declined to become involved for various different reasons.   
  


I've always loved the costume design, which is linked to Paco Rabanne and his (then) contemporary experiments with moulded plastics and linked metal fashion. Some of the women wear gladiator-style outfits in the movie. Did Rabanne play a direct role or were the costumes just inspired by his designs and the zeitgeist of the time?


Not only did Paco Rabanne design the Guard Girl gladiator outfits, but he also attended MGM Borehamwood Studios in Hertfordshire during the filming there, working together with costume designer Julie Harris. 


The Casino Royale soundtrack has been a long-time favourite among audiophiles. Does your book go into the score, as well?

Yes, during August 1965 Burt Bacharach was given a complete Casino Royalescreenplay to assist in him composing the incidental music. However, by April 1966 the screenplay had changed so much that the songs Bacharach and lyricist Hal David had written failed to fit the film and were written off. Filming dragged on so long that it was October 1966 before Bacharach and David returned to London and attended a meeting with Feldman, where the composer informed him that it would take ten weeks to write all the incidental tracks. This effectively scuppered the proposed Christmas release date. The book also outlines the various singers who were considered to sing the theme song, before a decision was made to go with an instrumental version. 




What else can you tell us about your book?

Chapter one begins with Fleming getting his novel Casino Royale published and then how he sold both the television and film rights, and how, after the Dr Nofeature film, these rights became extremely valuable. The book then proceeds to outline various attempts to bring a straight Bond/Casino Royale to the cinema screen, amidst years of development and the writing of a huge amount of scripts and adaptations. Initially, Feldman wanted to make a co-production, but two years of negotiations failed to reach an understanding. 


Realising that he would have to proceed without Bond actor Sean Connery, Feldman crammed his picture with as many famous names as possible: Peter Sellers, Woody Allen, David Niven, Ursula Andress, Orson Welles, Deborah Kerr, Daliah Lavi, Joanna Pettet, Barbara Bouchet, William Holden and Jean Paul Belmondo to name but a few. The cast also included several unbilled cameos such as: Peter O’Toole, Caroline Munro, Dave Prowse, John Le Mesurier, Fiona Lewis and ex- Formula 1 racing driver Stirling Moss. Further to this I have also managed to identify over a hundred unbilled extras who appear on screen, plus a further forty-five who documentation proves were involved.  




All aspects of the production are explored, including subsequent screenplays, the casting choices, pre-production, filming at three British film studios, location filming in England, Ireland, Scotland and France, plus publicity and merchandising. This gives an overall picture of how this strange psychedelic pop art movie was assembled from several different storylines that evolved to include a connecting plotline and work practices that made for extremely slow progress. The book also pieces together what material was filmed and then discarded from the movie, by using reference sources such as production stills, portions of scripts and anecdotes about the making the film. Overall this outlines the story of a major blockbuster movie, which got out of control to become one of the most complicated productions ever filmed and the most bizarre James Bond film ever.

Interesting story, Mike! I can see why you and Andrew became so fascinated with the move. Casino Royale is such a rare bird in terms of production, it reminds me a bit of Douglas Adams traveling the world to track down odd, endangered species in Last Chance to See. Where can readers find your new book?



At the moment The Making of Casino Royale (1967) is available to pre-order (paperback and e-book editions) from Telos Publishing via their website. Publication date is October 31st. However, upon publication it will also become available from Amazon.

Great! I will let Spy Vibers know when the Amazon links are up. In the meantime, folks can order it directly from Telos. Thank you Mike for spending time in the Spy Vibe lair to tell us about your project! Mike and I (and Andrew) spent many days together last summer traveling with fellow fans and scholars to many spy TV locations around Elstree and Borehamwood. Stay tuned for some of my photographs from the trip. Relates posts: Avengers Interview: Mike RichardsonUK Satire/Surrealism: Sellers to LennonFear and FashionAgent Woody. Enjoy!


Selected Spy Vibe Posts: UFO Blu-rayAvengers Pop Art InterviewFritz Lang SpiesFergus Fleming Interview, Avengers: Alan Hayes InterviewJaz Wiseman Interview, 007 SPECTRE ComicsCasino Royale FolioNew James Bond ComicDiana Rigg BFI InterviewCallan Documentary and SetCasino Royale Interview: Mike RichardsonEarly Saint Box SetLost Diana Rigg InterviewDiana Rigg EventIan Fleming LettersNew Gillette 007 CoversPirate RadioSpectre Advanced PosterHonor Blackman at 90UNCLE SchoolIan Fleming MemorialRadiophonic ExhibitPortmeirion PhotosDoctor Who ExhibitFarewell SteedPussy Galore ReturnsDiana Rigg birthdaySherlock at 221BInvisible AgentSaint Interview: Ian DickersonSaint DoppelgängerFleming's TypewriterRare FlemingFleming's MusicIan Fleming's JapanJim Wilson Corgi InterviewFantomas DesignJeremy Duns on BondJohn Buss interviewAvengers Season 5 TitlesSaint VolvoMod Tales InterviewAgente Secreto ComicsDanger Man Comics 2Danger Man ComicsJohn Drake ComicsDer Mann Von UNCLEGolden Margaret NolanMan From UNCLE RocksteadyPussy Galore Calypso, Cynthia Lennon R.I.P.Edward Mann FashionLeonard Nimoy TributeShatner at 84Bob Morane seriesThai Bond DesignBond vs ModernismArt of ModestyTokyo Beat 1964Feraud Mod FashionGreen Hornet MangaNo 6 FestivalAvengers Interview: Michael RichardsonIan Fleming: Wicked GrinJane Bond Hong Kong RecordsRyan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.Comics Week: ArchieComics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMANComics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Shakespeare Spies: Diana RiggShakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny InterviewThe 10th Victim Japanese and KindleU.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, Trina Robbins InterviewCatsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.