Ian Fleming's magical car is racing towards a 50th anniversary celebration! Candlewick Press will release a deluxe hardcover edition of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on August 5th. Fleming originally penned the story for his son Caspar, writing out the manuscript while convalescing after a heart attack. Sadly, the author died two months before publication- on Caspar's twelfth birthday. The novel told the exciting adventure about a family with a magical car and their narrow escapes from a band of baddies. You can bet the creator of James Bond made sure
the auto was fully loaded with gadgets and special abilities! 50th Anniversary edition below.
Ian Fleming Publications has produced a series of continuation novels by Frank Cottrell Boyce. The first three stories, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Race Against Time, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Over the Moon, have been released to good reviews. Candlewick Press published a new edition hardcover of Over the Moon today, so check your local bookshop. The paperback will follow in June. Doctor Who actor David Tennant has recorded audiobook editions of the series. His performance of the original Fleming story was recently rereleased on CD and digital download in the UK and US. Lucy Fleming chats with David Tennant about Chitty, cars, and comics in the clip below.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was filmed as a musical in 1968 with a script by Roald Dahl (You Only Live Twice/1967) and has gone on to become a family classic. A new Blu-ray edition was just released in January. The stage production of the musical was mounted in 2002 and continued with success on Broadway and with international tours. Spy Vibe's earlier coverage of the audiobooks here and here. Listen to Desert Island Discs interviews with Frank Cottrell Boyce, David Tennant, and Ian Fleming. Coverage of the 50th anniversary by Publishers Weekly here. Enjoy!
Spy Vibe is having a spring sale on eBay. New items added very few days and include rare Beatles autographs, James Bond, rare books, music, and comics. Details here.
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When Ian Fleming sat down to write a children's adventure about an imaginary race car, you can bet the creator of James Bond made sure the car was fully loaded with gadgets and special abilities. Fleming originally wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for his son, Caspar. Sadly, Fleming died on Caspar's birthday, two months before the book was published in 1964. But his magical car now lives on in a series of books by Frank Cottrell Boyce and audiobooks read by actor David Tennant (Doctor Who, Hamlet, Spies of Warsaw). Tennant's reading of the original Fleming novel was released in September. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again will be available on December 5th, followed by Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Race Against Time on February 6th, 2014. David Tennant gave an absolutely charming 8-minute interview with Lucy Fleming about the project last year, where he discussed Fleming's original book, the 1968 film adaptation and new books, and his own fantasies regarding magical cars and special super powers! Continues below. (nice shirt, David!)
As many Spy Vibers will remember, David Tennant took part in a recent Ian Fleming audio book series as a reader for On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Volume one of the series was released as a CD box set last year (US and UK). The remaining stories have now been recorded and released and the Volume 2 box set is now available here. Lucy Fleming herself reads 007 in New York! More info at the Ian Fleming website here. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Lucy Fleming interview with David Tennant below.
Author Frank Cottrell Boyce has published a number of books, including a novelization of his screenplay for Danny Boyle, Millions. Boyce was the writer for the 2012 Olympic Ceremony by Danny Boyle, famous for its James Bond sequence. Hear interviews with the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang creative team at BBC's Desert Island Discs: David Tennant here, Frank Cottrell Boyce here, and Ian Fleming here. Illustration from the original novel below by John Burningham. Ian Fleming Publications here. Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive here.
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