FAHRENHEIT 451 50TH

New release: Universal Studios Home Entertainment will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Francois Truffaut's Fahrenheit 451 this summer. Adapted from the original novel by Ray Bradbury, Truffaut's 1966 film starred Oskar Werner (Spionage, Jules and Jim, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold), Julie Christie (A For Andromeda, Billy Liar, The Saint, Doctor Zhivago, Petulia), and Cyril Cusack (The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, Where the Spies Are, 1984). The crew also included creative giants of the era, such as composer Bernard Herrmann (Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho), cinematographer Nicolas Roeg (Petulia, Performance, Walkabout, The Man Who Fell to Earth), and production designer/art director Syd Cain (Billion Dollar Brain, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, The New Avengers, Our Man in Havana, Lolita, Goldeneye, Live and Let Die, From Russia With Love, Dr. No, The Road to Hong Kong). I've always loved the film, although the pacing and dynamics can feel somewhat sleepy at times. As a fan of 1960's aesthetics, the movie stands as a beautiful time capsule of the period- especially for its stunning design and use of stark blacks and reds. It's interesting to compare the film with Goddard's Alphaville, in that both French New Wave directors chose to create sci-fi atmospheres by photographing minimal geometric shapes, lights, and modernist architecture as a way to imply futurism, or in the case of Fahrenheit, to accentuate the notion of uniformity and conformity in a society that would fear books and the potential chaos of ideas. From the press release: "Ray Bradbury's best-selling science fiction masterpiece about a future without books takes on a chillingly realistic dimension in Fahrenheit 451. Montag (Oskar Werner), a regimented fireman in charge of burning the forbidden books, meets a revolutionary school teacher (Julie Christie) who dares to read. Suddenly, he finds himself a hunted fugitive, forced to choose not only between his rebellious mistress and his pleasure-seeking conformist wife (also played by Julie Christie), but between personal safety and intellectual freedom. Directed by one of the most important screen innovators of all time, Francois Truffaut, this classic film is an eerie tale where mankind becomes the ultimate evil." The Blu-ray will be released on June 6th and will include bonus features: the making of Fahrenheit 451, a discussion about the novel with Ray Bradbury, the music of Fahrenheit 451, commentary with Julie Christie, and more! Pre-Orders are now available on Amazon for $14.99. With recent screenings of Orwell's 1984, current discussions in the culture about privacy and ideas, Bradbury's tale about protecting human creative and intellectual output may be as relevant as ever. Enjoy! By the way, have folks heard Spy Vibe's new radio segments on Cocktail Nation? More info HERE.

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: 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, Trina Robbins Interview, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review, David McCallum novel, Andre Courreges R.I.P., Who's Talking on Spy Vibe, UFO Blu-ray, Avengers Pop Art 

ALFRED HITCHCOCK TRIBUTE

Happy Birthday to Alfred Hitchcock. The master of suspense was born on this day in 1899. In one of his celebrated talks on filmmaking (see below), the director illustrated the difference between horror and suspense. In this era of gritty shock value, contemporary storytellers could learn much from this two minutes of wisdom.

Hitchcock is still celebrated for a long career that spanned from the silent era to the 1970s. His stories often centered around individuals who were wrongly accused and who were thrown into adventures to clear their names. He was also adept at walking a fine line between suspense, epic action, and humor. Hitchcock's famous wit became a trademark in the late 1950s with his TV program, Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1961), and with record albums like this 1958 release, Music to Be Murdered By (see clip below).

Take a look at Criterion Collection's "3 Reasons" to watch The 39 Steps (see below). You will notice they include "the original MacGuffin." This was a story element popularized by Hitchcock. The idea was to establish a vague, but vital, goal that all of the characters would be invested in. Once that element was planted in the viewers' minds, it would serve as an engine to fuel the entire saga. A McGuffin could be anything, from secret blueprints and information to missing persons and evil plots. The details of the McGuffin were never as important as the dramas that unfolded around them. By the way, The Criterion Collection has released three early Hitchcock spy thrillers on glorious Blu-ray: The 39 Steps, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and The Lady Vanishes.

With 67 directorial credits, most of which are celebrated classics, it's difficult to choose a short-list of Hitchcock's movies. But if I had to pack a desert island care package for my fellow Spy Vibers, I would suggest the following titles. Being a fan of spy movies, the list is weighted heavily to Hitchcock's earlier works that show the influence of Fritz Lang's crime thrillers. Incidentally, I believe Cary Grant's performance in North By Northwest inspired a screen image of James Bond for author Ian Fleming. 

Here is your homework: Blackmail (1929), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), The 39 Steps (1935), Secret Agent (1936), Sabotage (1936), The Lady Vanishes (1938), Foreign Correspondent (1940), Suspicion (1941), Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Notorious (1946), Strangers on a Train (1951), Rear Window (1954), To Catch a Thief (1955), Vertigo (1958), North By Northwest (1959), and his later classics around horror conventions, Psycho (1960) and The Birds (1963). Hitchcock below with Cary Grant.

Still need to enter Spy Vibe's summer contest to win vintage prizes? The deadline has been extended to August 16th. Details here. Get ready to meet MIKI ZERO, a Japanese fashion model and spy from 1965! I've written a novel inspired by Spy Vibe. More info at my website here.

HITCHCOCK SALE

[Ended] Deal alert: The Alfred Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection Blu-ray set is Amazon's deal of the day. For $119.99 (down from $299.99), the set includes the following feature films with bonus materials: Saboteur, Shadow of a Doubt, Rope, Rear Window, The Trouble With Harry, The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho, The Birds, Marnie, Torn Curtain, Topaz, Frenzy, and Family Plot. More details at Amazon here. 

NEW 007 COVER ART

The cover designs for the new editions of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels have been revealed. The excellent blog, The Book Bond, has posted the complete set along with a statement about the design process. "The Vintage Classics covers are designed to emphasise the cool and clever reputation of Bond. We wanted to evoke the heritage and era without being dated. The bold, colourful, film poster feel was inspired by Saul Bass." Although I like the designs, they do resemble the animated title-sequence art by Bass, more than they feel like book jackets. Many of the lines feel as though they could continue running across a movie screen ala another modern take on Bass, Catch Me if You Can. As covers go, they don't quite say '007 adventure' to me. Maybe if they had mystery elements added, like on the new editions of the John Gardner Bond books. Little guns, skulls, and the like. That said, however, maybe I'll be won over when I see them in person. Read more of the publisher's statement and see all of the cover art at The Book Bond. Find out more about Saul Bass, the designer behind many Hitchcock graphics and who inspired the vintage 007 covers. Spy Vibers will enjoy the Saul Bass design site because it is presented in an animated style based on his title designs for North By Northwest. Find 007 books and other treasures in Spy Vibe's Amazon Associates Store.

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

Happy Birthday to Frank Lloyd Wright, born today in 1867. Perhaps the most celebrated and well-known architect, his works and influence can be seen by movie fans in the set designs of North By Northwest, The International, and others. What might be less well-known about the artist is that Wright was also an avid collector and dealer of Japanese woodblock prints (Ukiyo-e). I was interested to learn that, after he visited Japan in 1905, he helped to mount the first major exhibition of Hiroshige at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1906. Among his many projects, Hiroshige created numerous illustrations of classic adventure tales of revenge and assassination, like Chushingura, so Spy Vibers may find more than elegant designs in this story. Did anyone see the recent film, 13 Assassins?


In 1912, Wright penned a book, The Japanese Print: An Interpretation. The influence of Japanese Art, which often emphasizes the integration of natural soundings, on his work was explored in Frank Lloyd Wright and Japan by Kevin Nute in 2000, and Frank Lloyd Wright and the Art of Japan by Julia Meech in 2001. Learn more about this influential artist at the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation here, at Wright in Japan here, and Frank Lloyd Wright's Japan here.



Feeling crafty? Check out the official LEGO sets to build Wright's Guggenheim Museum and Falling Water. Wright was, in my opinion, the star of The International (above). Movie poster available at Movie Goods here. Read more about Wright's influence on Hitchcock's North By Northwest (1959) on Spy Vibe here. Wright passed away on April 9, 1959, three months before the release of Hitchcock's film.