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 

FOLIO SPIES

The Folio Society was founded in 1947 by Charles Ede and has continued to follow their mission to enhance the reading experience by paying close attention to the book itself. As they state on their website, typography, paper, illustration, slipcase, printing and binding are all chosen carefully to create a harmonious whole. The Folio books are sold individually, as well through subscriptions. There is a marketing aspect to their company that reminds me a bit of all of those variant editions that publishers hook us with, although Folio does not produce multiple versions of titles. They are editions made for book lovers and collectors, and I admit that I really enjoyed looking at their designs and choice of titles. As you might imagine, Folio has their hands in great classics from Greene, Conrad, Bradbury, Ambler, le Carre, and anthologies featuring The Strand, Conan Doyle, Ian Fleming, H.G Wells. They also printed a number of espionage memoirs and historic studies. I recently searched their listings and back-catalog and found some attractive editions that may appeal to fellow Spy Vibers. Best designs? I'm partial to Fahrenheit 451 and Enigma. What do you think?

Many of these titles are out of print, but you can still find copies easily. Books to check out: The Human Factor by Graham Greene, Memoirs of a British Agent by Bruce Lockhart, Mission to Tashkent by F.M Bailey, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad, Adventure Stories From The Strand (featuring Conan Doyle, Kipling, H.G Wells, Somerset Maugham, Graham Greene, Sapper, others), The Spy's Bedside Book (featuring Ian Fleming, Graham Greene, John Buchan, others, and intro by former MI5 head), The Mask of Dimitrios by Eric Ambler, Crime Stories From the Strand, The Double Cross System by J.C Masterman, Enigma by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore, Smiley's People, The Honourable Schoolboy (not pictured), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carre, SOE by M.R.D Foot, and No Cloak No Dagger by Benjamin Cowburn. Photos below are from The Folio Society and Juniper Books. 

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Check Spy Vibe for recent posts about our discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, my review of SKYFALL, tributes to Donald Richie and Tony Sheridan, the Les Vampires serial on Blu-ray, Lucy Fleming, The Beatles first record session, Ian Fleming's desert island interview, new Ian Fleming book designs, Fantomas, Spy Smasher, Barbarella tv show, British spy comics, Piper Gates retro designs, Cinema Retro, and more. 

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