Greetings, Spy Vibers! I'm back from my mission and will post stories and photos over the weeks to come. Now back in the Spy Vibe lair, my radar has an interesting blip -and it's called James Bond! A memorable 007 screening event is coming up for Spy Vibers in northern California. The Castro Theater in San Francisco is hosting a special James Bond day on Sunday, August 25th. The triple feature will include Goldfinger (55th anniversary), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (50th anniversary), and Moonraker (40th anniversary). All presentations will be digital DCP projection, so no 35mm prints this time around. But, fans WILL be treated to a display of Bond-related car models hosted by the Aston Martin Owners Club. Arrive early and check out a 1969 Aston DBS (OHMSS) and 2008 DBS V12 (Quantum) parked in front of the theater. More info and movie times at the Castro. Enjoy!
Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Dr. John R.I.P., Spy Vibe Radio: Lupin III, Lupin Ska, Spy Vibe Prime, Zigomar Translation, The Village: Part 1, Monkey Punch R.I.P., Bubble Girl 63, ITC Soundtracks, Spy Vibe Radio: Public Eye, UFO Prime, Spaceship to Mars, Modesty Blaise Companion, Spy Vibe Radio: Fantomas, George Day, Fantomas Blu, Dark Shadows Doc, Bedazzled Blu-ray, Mary Quant Exhibit, Laika Calypso, Lost in Space Japan, Spy Dust Calypso, Atomic Cafe, John Barry Mono, Interview: John Barry Book, Land of the Giants Score, Skyfall Concert, Dearest Emma, Spy Vibe Radio: Upperseven, Ogilvy at Elstree, Mabuse Propaganda, Bond Beatles Day, Spy Vibe Radio: Liquidator, Diabolik LP, Fab Dresses, Eurospy Music Collection, Beetle Bailey in West Berlin, Why Mort Walker?, Spy Vibe radio: The Beatles Help!, Avengers Critical Guide, The Spotnicks, Benny Spies, James Pond 0017', Satire Stones, Annette Andre Book, Cat Day, Spy Vibe Radio: Get Smart, Caine: My Generation, Interview: Ian Ogilvy, Horror of Party Beach, Sylvie Vartan Renown, Ringo At 78, Dark Shadows Strips, Spy Vibe Radio: Flint, Archie Batman 66, Paul at 76, Beatles Pac-Man, Spy Vibe Radio: Jerry Cotton, The Invaders, 007 Horowitz Book Tour, McGoohan/Prisoner Event at Elstree, The Prisoner Interviews Vol 1, British Underground Press, Interview: Fab4 Mania, Bond Cocktail Book, Bond at Bletchley, Spy Smasher, Spy Vibe Radio: Peter Gunn, Agent Zero M, New Prisoner Comic, Dr. No Villains Edition, Spy Vibe Radio: Danger Diabolik, Dr. No 60th, Oy-Oy-Seven, Spy Vibe Radio (UFO), Cold War Comic Strips, Thunderball Event, Mission to India, Mort Walker Celebration, Peter Wyngarde Celebration, Batman 66 Exhibit, Prisoner Fifty Event, Ian Fleming Publications 2017-2018, Interview: Ed Hulse Pulp, Avengers Audio Drama, Interview: Callan At 50, Interview: Playboys, Spies, Private Eyes, TWA Returns, Spy Vibe Radio 8, Interview: Ryan Heshka, Mid-Century Modern Schulz, Agent Werewolf, Johnny Sokko 50th, Interview: Trina Robbins, Eddie Izzard, The Prisoner Capt Scarlet 50th, Hugh Hefner R.I.P., Jack Good R.I.P., Interview: Shaken Not Stirred, Callan 50th, Spy Vibe Radio 7, The Prisoner 50th Event, Spy-Fi Event, Kaho Aso 007, Two Million, Bo Diddley, Carnaby Pop, Le Carre Events, Billy Bragg Skiffle, Elvis 68, Jack Kirby The Prisoner, Casino Royale Concert, Review: The Prisoner Vol 2, Interview: The Prisoner Essential Guide, Maud Russell Mottisfont, Spy Vibe Radio 4, Batman Gallants, Adam West R.I.P., Village Triangle, Roger Moore R.I.P., Spy Vibe Radio 3, Sgt Pepper 50th, Satanik Kriminal OST, 60s Overdrive, Make Love in London, Spy Vibe Radio 2, Spy Vibe Radio 1, James Bond Strips, Propaganda Mabuse, Interview: Police Surgeon, XTC Avengers, 1966 Pep Spies, Batman Book Interview, Exclusive Fleming Interview, Avengers Comic Strips, Robert Vaughn RIP, UNCLE Fashions, Thunderbirds Are Pop!, Interview: Spy Film Guide, Lost Avengers Found, The Callan File, Mission Impossible 50th, Green Hornet 50th, Star Trek 50th, Portmeirion Photography 1, Filming the Prisoner, Gaiman McGinnins Project, Ian Fleming Grave, Revolver at 50, Karen Romanko Interview, Mod Tales 2, Umbrella Man: Patrick Macnee, New Beatles Film, The Curious Camera, Esterel Fashion 1966, Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview, 007 Tribute Covers, The Phantom Avon novels return, Ian Fleming Festival, Argoman Design, Sylvia Anderson R.I.P., Ken Adam R.I.P., George Martin R.I.P., The New Avengers Comics, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review.
Event alert: Hitchcock. The Castro Theater in San Francisco will present two early espionage classics from the Master of Suspense this Sunday! This is my favorite Hitchcock era, when the director was still rooted in England and spun tales that often echoed the tradition of invasion-paranoia stories. Like Lang's films (but funnier!), the movies were populated with mysterious characters and secret agents. The Lady Vanishes (3:30, 7:00) is a great cocktail of comedy and suspense on the rails, where playgirl Margaret Lockwood uncovers a conspiracy involving the disappearance of an elderly passenger. Michael Redgrave, in his first major role, plays her only ally in the web of intrigue. (1938, 96 min, 35mm)." And in The 39 Steps (5:20, 8:50), Robert Donat plays the quintessential Hitchcockian innocent drawn into a deadly plot involving secret plans and foreign operatives. This classic thriller was one of Hitchcock’s first major international successes and introduced a number of his future hallmark elements. (1935, 86 min, 35mm). Spy Vibers in the Bay area should catch these gems of the big screen- projected in 35mm and with proper presentation of the original aspect ratio. Enjoy!
Selected Spy Vibe posts: Saint Interview: Ian Dickerson, Saint Doppelgänger, Fleming's Typewriter, Rare Fleming, Fleming's Music, Ian Fleming's Japan, Jim Wilson Corgi Interview, Fantomas Design, Jeremy Duns on Bond, John Buss interview, Diana Rigg eBook, Avengers Season 5 Titles, Saint Volvo, Mod Tales Interview, Agente Secreto Comics, Danger Man Comics 2, Danger Man Comics, John Drake Comics, Der Mann Von UNCLE, Golden Margaret Nolan, Man From UNCLE Rocksteady, Pussy Galore Calypso, Cynthia Lennon R.I.P., Edward Mann Fashion, Leonard Nimoy Tribute, Shatner at 84, Bob Morane series, New Saint Publications, The Saint Complete box set, Gerry Anderson Box Sets, Music For Spies, Thai Bond Design, Bond vs Modernism, Popular Skullture, Art of Modesty, Avengers Blu-ray update, Tokyo Beat 1964, Polaroid Spy, Feraud Mod Fashion, Green Hornet Manga, No 6 Festival, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.
Spy Vibe turned five yesterday! I'd like to say I was toasting champaign with Mrs. Peel and John Steed, but I was actually called away on a special mission for a much older hero. Spy Vibe began five years ago as a website. Saddened by the death of Patrick McGoohan (Danger Man/The Prisoner), I set out to celebrate the world of 1960s spy-style and the many artists who inspire me from the Cold War era. During these years, Spy Vibe relocated to its present blog location, where I've tried to share content as often as possible. My work as an art teacher and independent writer/artist demands most of my time, but I love the community we have all built together here around common interests. My favorite experiences so far on the blog have been those opportunities to interview artists and writers working in the field of mystery/adventures. We've talked with James Bond author Raymond Benson, Cinema Retro chief Lee Pfeiffer, Batman designer Shane Glines, designer Kevin Dart, 007 audiobook actor Simon Vance, comic creator Richard Sala, Ian Fleming bibliographer Jon Gilbert, spy author Jeremy Duns, and many others. We've shared rare Bond publications and uncovered the intriguing life of vintage book designs. Spy Vibers who collect vintage memorabilia, books, and props have contributed to our series, For Your Shelf Only. During these years, I have enjoyed exploring new topics and projects inspired by the blog, including my upcoming short novel about a Japanese fashion model and spy in 1965 named Miki Zero. Spy Vibe is nearing one million visits- thank you to all Spy Vibers for going on this adventure together. I look forward to hearing more about your collections and favorite designers and secret agents. Here's to our operations, old and new! I always like to give away gifts on our birthday- so stay tuned for details! Yesterday's mission debrief below.
About 1,500 people and I celebrated the centennial of Charlie Chaplin's first day on set as "the tramp" with a huge event at the Castro Theater. The San Francisco Silent Film Festival screened The Kid, Chaplin's moving comedy/drama co-starring little Jackie Coogan (Uncle Fester/Addams Family). As arranged by contract with the Chaplin family, the film was screened with his own score and performed by the SF Chamber Orchestra with Timothy Brock. We were also treated to the first tramp-short, Kid Auto Races, which was filmed on January 11th, 2014. Chaplin historian Jeffrey Vance introduced the evening with hilarious insights, and put to rest a common myth that Charlie once secretly entered a look-alike contest- and lost. We held a competition yesterday with Chaplins of all ages and I lost my heart to a tramp named Susan. Although I had seen both movies before, the large-screen experience was like seeing them for the first time. So much of the human quality and emotional impact of a film is translated through the cinematography- and in this case, size really does matter. The print was lush and gorgeous, and Brock led the orchestra in a seamless performance with the images. I'm hoping we'll see The Kid appear on Criterion's list of upcoming Blu-ray editions. Chaplin fled the US during the McCarthy era and moved to Switzerland. He sold off his shares of United Artists (a company he co-founded), and spent the last 20 years of his life making new pictures, organizing his legacy for future distribution, and raising his large family with Oona O'Neill (daughter of Eugene O'Neill). He released a romantic comedy in the 1960s called A Countess From Hong Kong (1967/Sophia Loren, Marlon Brando, Tippi Hedren). It was his first technicolor widescreen movie and sadly a box-office disappointment. Chaplin visited the US in 1972 for an honorary Oscar, where he was moved to tears by a twelve-minute standing ovation. Below is a limited-edition Castro event poster designed by artist Wayne Shellabarger. If you want to see silent movies with a spy-vibe, check out Fantomas, Judex, and Les Vampires by Louis Feuillade and the excellent Spies by Fritz Lang.
Recent Spy Vibe posts: Batman 66 Stories, David Bowie at 67, Kevin Dart talks Ringo & Powerpuff Girls, Sherlock Exhibit, Fu Manchu history panel, Andy Warhol box set, Six-Million Dollar Man, Striped Light Nude, Buckminster Fuller, Dylan at Newport, Jane and Serge, The Goldfinger Variations, Mod Tales Interview, Pete Seeger nominated for Grammy,Kraftwerk returns to US, Beatles BBC on Fresh Air, Steranko S.H.I.E.L.D. Artist Editions, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Modern Architecture LP, Julius Shulman, Shane Glines Batman, The Prisoner and Captain Scarlet, Diego Fortunato and Verner Panton, Saturday Morning Cartoons, Assassination Bureau on DVD, new Young Bond series, new Hercule Poirot novel, Early Beatles image archive, Julie Newmar, Erno Goldfinger, Hitchcock tribute.
Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.
