Win Bond! I have a new, unopened copy of the audio book/cd edition of Octopussy by Ian Fleming up for grabs. Octopussy contains three fantastic 007 short stories, Octopussy, The Living Daylights, and Property of a Lady, all read by Simon Vance. I love these Fleming audio books. As I've mentioned in the past, they are like radio shows in that they create a wonderful "theater of the imagination." Cool summer listening from Spy Vibe!
What do you have to do? Just send an e-mail to me at jason[at]spyvibe.com with "007 CD" in the subject heading, along with your name and address, and a brief answer to the following: What is your favorite James Bond novel or short story and why? One e-mail per Spy Viber. Do you already have Octopussy? Write and tell me your answer anyway so I can share everyone's stories here on Spy Vibe. I will pick a random winner after I return from a mission east on August 2nd. Until then, have a great week and send me those entry e-mails.
Local author and design historian Heather David of Silicon Valley Modern will be talking about and showing examples of mid-century modern design and architecture in the Bay Area, dating from the '30s to the '70s, and signing copies of her new book, "Mid-Century by the Bay." The book portrays the Bay Area during its years of transition from the post WWII-era to an emerging center of technology, roughly 1945 to 1965. Light hors d'oeuvres, cocktails and other refreshments will be served. July 24th, 6-8pm.
Design Within Reach is located at 1913 Fillmore St (between Bush and Pine). Check out their main website for more information about sales, design contests, events, the DWR blog, and more. You can even pick up a Primary Pouf for as low as $149.50!
With Network's release of the rare spy show, The Corridor People, Spy Vibe explored the larger context of the satire and surrealist boom in 1960s England. Yesterday we looked at key figures in the movement, including Peter Sellers, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, John Lennon, and Richard Lester. Their work challenged traditional conventions and became a major influence on the cultural landscape of the second half of the 20th Century and beyond. Today I thought it would be fun to see The Prisoner in this context. As Tanner mentioned the final Prisoner show "Fallout" in his review of The Corridor People at Double O Section, let's take a look at the preview and an excerpt from the episode.
"Fallout" has been controversial among Prisoner fans since its debut. I remember my own reaction. After recording the synopsis of each show in my own home-made episode guide as a kid, I was utterly confused and somewhat outraged by the show's conclusion. What did it mean? Why was it so crazy? I thought I liked "out-there" work- certainly by the slightly surreal and cartoony standards of The Avengers and A Hard Days Night. What I was missing was the larger context Spy Vibe looked at yesterday and the degree of chaos that the episode embraces. "Fallout" doesn't flow beautifully from watching other spy shows of the period. Of course it looked crazy compared to James Bond or Mission Impossible. But next to satirical and outwardly surreal work like The Bed Sitting Room, How I Won the War, and Magical Mystery Tour, McGoohan's social satire is a special feast and a surreal revolution. John Lennon returns to the conversation once again as an influential voice. Although the music of The Beatles and Lennon has rarely been licensed for TV or film, Lennon's All You Need is Love is featured prominently in the climax of The Prisoner.Look through the clips from the last two days. Hopefully within the context of yesterday's post, Spy Vibers will see "Fallout" with a new appreciation.
The rare spy show, The Corridor People (1966), is now available on DVD from Network. As Tanner wrote in his excellent review at Double O Section, the show's four episodes draw on elements of the theater of the absurd, and things can get pretty weird! If you wonder just how "far out" it gets, Tanner mentions the final episode of The Prisoner, Fallout, as an example. Press releases for The Corridor People often mention similarities to The Avengers and Monty Python. But looking at the promotional clip below, I think it will help viewers to appreciate The Corridor People more by taking a quick look at the larger context of the surrealism and satire boom in 1960s England. We'll save the preview of The Corridor People for the end. No peeking!
Satire Boom With the rise of youth culture and a questioning of traditional class roles, social satire became the new frontier in late 1950s/early 1960s British humor. Following in the footsteps of Peter Sellers and The Goons, who offered a wild send-up of British characters and institutions, young comedians like Peter Cook and Dudley Moore of Beyond the Fringe and the future members of Monty Python became the acerbic voice of the generation. Some of the popular targets included class, the generation gap, authority, official media, media styles/conventions, education, family, and the job market. Comedy fans may recall Beyond the Fringe skits like The Great Train Robbery, Sitting on the Bench, and my fave below, One Leg Too Few. Film fans may remember John Schlesinger's Billy Liar (Tom Courtenay/1963) for its blend of satire and fantasy. John Lennon played a key role in this satirical climate, with his James Thurber-like published books of cartoons and poetry, In His Own Write (1964) and A Spaniard in the Works (1965).
Surrealism Boom Surrealism experienced a rather major renaissance in the early-mid 1960s. Long before the mind-altering psychedelia that we associate with the 1960s was introduced, influential artists like John Lennon were already thinking outside the box. Inspired by the surrealism of Lewis Carroll, Lennon and others challenged the status quo with a playful and eschewed view. One figure who loomed large in this movement was an American ex-pat in London named Richard Lester, who had worked with the Goons on television projects. At the dawn of the sixties, he collaborated with Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan on a short film called the Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1960). John Lennon, a fan of The Goons, loved the movie and kept Lester in mind when it came time for The Beatles to make a motion picture. Seeing a clip from Running Jumping below, I'm sure Spy Vibers will recognize a gag which echoed through Monty Python skits years later. Fish-Slapping dance anyone?
Richard Lester was picked to direct The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night (1964), also groundbreaking for its surreal segments, and he continued to helm the films, Help! (The Beatles/1965) and How I Won the War (Tom Courtenay/John Lennon/1967). Lester also teamed with James Bond composer, John Barry, in two major pieces for the 1960s, The Knack... and How to Get it (Rita Tushingham/1965) and Petulia (Julie Christie/1968). Fans of The Monkees might recognize a scene inspired by The Knack, where the characters wheel a bed through traffic.
Lewis Carroll As I mentioned, the surreal and whimsical work of Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) resonated throughout the Arts in early-mid sixties England. John Lennon often listed the author as a big influence on his own imagery (see I am the Walrus below). A notable celebration of Lewis Carroll came in 1966 with the BBC's production of The Wednesday Play. With a soundtrack by Ravi Shankar, this surreal Alice film starred a who's who of British talent, including Peter Sellers, Wilfrid Brambell, Leo McKern, Sir Michael Redgrave, Eric Idle (Monty Python), Sir John Gielgud, and all four members of Beyond the Fringe, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Alan Bennett, and writer/director, Jonathan Miller. Spy Vibers will recognize a number of actors in the film for their appearances in the satirical/surreal spy shows, The Avengers and The Prisoner.
The 4th Wall An element that is pointed out when discussing the performance style of The Corridor People is the breaking of the fourth wall, or when actors speak directly to the audience. This was not a new technique. Eugene O'Neill is one playwright who employed it in his play, Strange Interlude. This was parodied in the 1930s by the Marx Brothers, where Groucho actually speaks of "corridors." The convention was also seen in the wartime and post-war comedies of Bob Hope and Warner Brothers animation studio. The sudden, snappy interplay between character and viewer was hip again in the 1960s and seen often in British films. This convention of storytelling had an element of participation that I believe created a deeper level of engagement with the largely young audience. Where we watched Truffaut's Julie Christie interact on-screen with a TV soap opera in Fahrenheit 451 (1966), films like Alfie (1966), How I Won the War (1967), and The Knack...and How to Get it (1965) actually put the movie-going viewer right into the action.
Additional Viewing Essential faves from the satire/surrealism boom also include The Wrong Box (Michael Caine/Peter Cook/Dudley Moore/1966)Monty Python's Flying Circus(1969-1974), Not Only But Also (Peter Cook/Dudley Moore/1965-1970), Bedazzled (Peter Cook/Dudley Moore/1967), The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (Peter Cook/1970), and below: The Bed Sitting Room (Richard Lester/Peter Cook/Rita Tushingham/1969) and Magical Mystery Tour (The Beatles/1967).
The Corridor People Now that you have a larger context of the satire/surrealism boom in 1960s England, take a look at the promo trailer for The Corridor People below. With an appreciation for the satirical and surrealist approach, I think Spy Vibers will also enjoy the added spy elements in the show. I particularly enjoy the silencer in the baby carriage! Again, the complete four-episode set is available from Network here. Linked words in this post will lead to related video clips and media.
The exploration of Surrealism continues here with a look at The Prisoner and Fallout.
Amazon has a number of games in their lightning sales today. Advance notice is often in the form of a brief clue. The 3pm (pacific) sale will be: "The first modern day spy role-playing game." Spy Vibe gamers, check it out!
The Corridor People is now available from Network. From the description on their website, which includes talk of stylized set design, off-beat dialog, striking Photography, and a dash of Monty Python, this sounds like a must-see. From Network: "A surreal crime/fantasy adventure series in the mold of the The Avengers, The Corridor People ran for only four episodes yet has garnered considerable cult devotion.
A host of unlikely characters include Kronk, a paternal CID agent, his henchmen Inspector Blood and Sergeant Hound, and American, Bogart-worshiping private eye Phil Scrotty; each episode sees them pitched against the avaricious schemes of Syrie Van Epp, a beautiful, treacherous Persian millionairess.
Written by Edward Boyd (The Odd Man), the series stars larger-than-life character actor John Sharp and Elizabeth Shepherd, the actress originally cast as Emma Peel; guest stars include Windsor Davies and Pauline Collins. With wildly inventive storylines, offbeat, often humorous dialogue in which characters frequently break the fourth wall, strikingly original photography and heavily stylised sets, it’s no surprise to find it described as ‘the Twin Peaks of its day’, or akin to ‘a lost Harold Pinter play with an added dash of Monty Python’..! This unique series, unscreened since its original transmission in 1966, is now available on DVD for the very first time." Discs are region 2 PAL format.
Happy Saturday to all Spy Vibers! I'm certain everyone knows that I'm a big fan of Patrick McGoohan's Danger Man/Secret Agent. We recently looked at Johnny Rivers' famous tune during our weeks of Go Go Dancers and the 1960s club scene. What you might not know, however, is that your host, Agent J, is a former Air Guitar winner! Before you start imagining me as Gert Wilden or Nino Rota, however, know that I had three costume changes that included yellow radiation suits, red flower-pot hats, and black bike shorts. Yes, I convinced my college pals to join me on stage as Devo. Ha! Cats out of the bag, now. Here is a Saturday treat, the real Devo performing their wonderful and quirky version of Secret Agent Man. Enjoy!
The UK mail order company, Movie Grooves, has long been a fantastic resource for collectors of rare soundtracks. Think of them as the Criterion Collection of sound, dedicated to bringing cult-classic scores back to your Hi-Fi. If you're looking for Eurospy, crime, Hammer Horror, Gerry Anderson, sexploitation, Sci Fi, etc, on CD or vinyl, this is the place to park your Vespa and stock up. You can browse their shop by genre as well as by composer. Movie Grooves is currently running a summer sale (up to 50% off!) that includes some Spy Vibe faves like the Beat at Cinecitta series from Crippled Dick Hot wax. Check them out. You're sure to find some treasures.
Open channel D! The complete Man From U.N.C.L.E. DVD collection is in Amazon's gold box sale today. For the next 16 hours, Spy Vibers can pick up this 41-disc treasure for $85.49. This is one release that really pulled out all the stops. Packaged in a spy briefcase, each season slides into a stylish slipcase with cool graphics. You get every season, the pilot episode, the first feature film (the other films are not included), and extra discs packed with bonus material. A must-have! Completest should also pick up back issues of Cinema Retro for its U.N.C.L.E. coverage, the many soundtrack volumes from Film Score Monthly, and the U.N.C.L.E. book for some serious, swinging sixties spy satisfaction!
A little treat for Spy Vibers today to get through the mid-week. One of my fave mashups ever, The Kinks vs The Beatles vs LCD Soundsystem, is a wonderful piece with major themes from You Really Got Me and Get Back. Enjoy!
Minimal stage design and London-banker style fashion give this mid-60s clip of The Supremes some Spy Vibe cool. Diana Ross and the gals made a whole album of Mersey side covers (tunes by The Beatles, Dave Clark Five, etc) in 1964 called A Bit of Liverpool. Lennon's You Can't Do That was the standout song from the record due to its bluesy solo. The song was originally released in 1964 by The Beatles as a B side to Can't Buy Me Love. The Beatles filmed a performance of it for the film A Hard Days Night, but is was dropped in the final edit. Fans can see the segment in DVD editions of the film (and below!).
Paul McCartney's current tour opens with a slide show collage of (mostly) 1960s pop culture. Images of The Beatles, Twiggy, and assorted buttons and scrapbook ephemera scroll by to Macca remixes and many Motown covers, including this one by the Supremes. The collage features video loops of 1960s dance-club scenes. Imagine arena-size screens alive with moves & Motown! It's a great reminder to us that The Beatles themselves were great music fans, and that McCartney was a big Motown fan. The whole slide show does a great job establishing the times in a broader scope beyond the Fabs themselves. In a way, McCartney leads you through his own private scrapbook of his life in the Swinging Sixties. I will post the slide show here if I can find it. Did any Spyvibers see Paul at one of his recent shows?
Whether it is the great writing and characterizations or the mid-century modern design, it's a sure bet that Mad Men is a hit with many Spy Vibers. The first three seasons of Mad Men are in the daily deal at Deepdiscount.com. The sets are priced around $19.98 each. Doh! Spy Vibers who missed the window will now find the Complete Little House on the Prairie on sale :)
The first three seasons of Mad Men are in the daily deal at Deepdiscount.com. Hopefully some Spy Vibers will see this in time. The sets are priced around $19.99 each.
Look out for The Zombies! In this clip, the group performs "She's Not There" on Hullabaloo (1965). Rather than the Go Go dancers of old, this next wave of the British Invasion included a minimal set- dressed with models draped over Victorian furniture and classic antiques! Apart from the ironic glance from the keyboardist, the band plays it pretty straight. The visuals point to the kind of 1960s isolation aesthetics seen in Antonioni's films (Blow Up/1966 and L'avventura/1960).
It's hard to believe that Michael Caine's The Ipcress File is once again out of print in the states. Unless you are after the UK Blu-ray edition (which I believe is region free, fellow Cobras?), there is a great sale going on this week at Network for the special DVD edition (see Spy Vibe Jan '09). This set is packed with cool bonus features! Maybe it's time to finally buy that multi-region player? The special edition Ipcress File is marked down to 14.99 pounds. More info from Network:
Multiple Oscar-winner Sir Michael Caine stars in the first leading role of his career as Harry Palmer, a stubbornly insolent sergeant working for the Ministry of Defence who is transferred to an elite counterintelligence unit. Palmer is less than thrilled when he finds out he is replacing a murdered agent but he has no choice other than to take the job when his boss effectively blackmails him with knowledge of his previous indiscretions in Berlin. Twist follows twist as Palmer and the rest of the unit follow the trail of the missing scientist, and when he finds a piece of tape marked “IPCRESS” in an abandoned warehouse he suddenly becomes a marked man…
A stylised and compelling Cold War spy movie, THE IPCRESS FILE won multiple awards and nominations on its theatrical release and is presented here in a digitally-remastered format with exclusive special features making this the definitive release of this film. • New exclusive interview with Sir Michael Caine • New exclusive interview with production designer Sir Ken Adam • Commentary with director Sidney Furie and film editor Peter Hunt • The Ipcress File - Michael Caine Goes Stella - exclusive new comedy sketch starring Phil Cornwell • 1969 documentary Candid Caine, featuring Sir Michael Caine talking frankly about his career • Original theatrical trailer • Original US radio commercials • Stills gallery • Original Len Deighton novel • Soundtrack CD by composer John Barry, OBE • Dual-sided IPCRESS FILE movie poster • Introductory booklet written by Christopher Bray, author of Michael Caine: A Class Act
Heads up to all Spy Vibers on the east coast. The Super Megashow is being held this weekend, July 9-11, at the Crowne Plaza in Fairfield, NJ. In addition to the usual comic-related stuff that will appeal to convention-goers, the event will include appearances by some fave personalities from the 1960s-1970s. Top of my list are original Beatles drummer, Pete Best, and Denny Laine (Moody Blues/Wings)!
Also attending will be Billy J Kramer (recorded many McCartney/Lennon hits and managed by Brian Epstein), Joe Walker (Walker Brothers), Andy White (Beatles session drummer), Fred Seaman (Lennon assistant), May Pang (Lennon assistant and partner), Tony Bramwell (Beatles tour manager/CEO Apple), Lindsey Wagner (Bionic Woman), Shirley Jones (Partridge Family), and a Monkees reiunion with Peter Tork and Mickey Dolenze. Also on view will be classic vehicles like the Black Beauty (Green Hornet) and TV's Batmobile.
A hearty Happy 70th Birthday from Spy Vibe to the still-swinging Ringo Starr! I've seen Ringo a number of times (he's currently on tour) and I think that he quite possible could have been the original model for Tigger. A great drummer (and a father of great drummers), Ringo literally bounces on stage with positive vibes. Ringo, in true Beatles fashion, continues to work for Peace. Visit his website to contribute your wishes. He is seen here sporting a rather Jason King look. Groovy, Ringo!
Great writing and filled with many of our favorite 1960s actors, The Outer Limits will be Amazon's lightning sale today at 2pm (pacific). The Sci Fi format allowed its creators to explore cold war anxieties and the fascination and fear of new technologies. A must-see! In "The Chameleon" episode (via Hulu), the Army suspects the defection of an agent (Robert Duvall) sent to infiltrate the crew of a crippled alien ship.
The Beatles set up Apple in part to offer a friendly label for upcoming artists. The Beatles website has announced that the back catalog of Apple releases will now be available for download. Although the Beatles songs are not included, many rare albums that various band members produced and played on will be included. The official press release:
Apple Records catalogue remastered and reissued on CD and digital download - Classics Set For Release on October 26th
Launched by The Beatles in 1968, as the new outlet for their own recordings as well as the music of an eclectic roster of artists - James Taylor, Badfinger, Billy Preston, Mary Hopkin, Doris Troy, and Jackie Lomax among them - who were all personally brought to the label by The Beatles (individually and/or collectively), Apple Records made popular music history from the very moment it opened its doors.
Four decades later, Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI Music raise the curtain on remastered CD and digital download releases of 15 key albums from the Apple Records catalog. All 15 titles will be released on October 26th, 2010. Most of the physical CDs will include bonus material. Together, the 15 albums represent the first ever Apple Records releases to be available via digital download.
In the revolutionary spirit of 1968, The Beatles' explosive musical output (characterised by their double-LP White Album) was only exceeded by their fascination with what they saw and heard going on around them. Five years into The Beatles' reign, Apple Records afforded them the unique opportunity to sign new (and established) artists who appealed to each of them. In turn, the introduction of an artist on The Beatles' record label was an imprimatur taken very seriously by fans across the universe.
Apple Records' utopian artist-orientated mission immediately set it apart, as the first operation of its kind in the major-label sphere. Diversity was celebrated, and artists were encouraged to record and release their music in a friendly creative environment. Apple developed a distinctive graphic aesthetic, from its legendary 'apple-core' logo to its advertising and merchandising, in the process setting a subtle new benchmark for the industry to follow.
From 1968 to 1973, Apple Records bedazzled the world with a rainbow spectrum of releases - and fans were unusually well-informed about individual involvements of The Beatles with nearly every project. 1968's self-titled debut album by Boston-based singer-songwriter James Taylor, for example, features Paul McCartney and George Harrison on "Carolina In My Mind". Paul was instrumental in bringing the Welsh chanteuse Mary Hopkin to Apple, and produced her debut single, "Those Were The Days". Badfinger, also from Wales, was still known as The Iveys when they recorded "Come And Get It", written and produced by Paul (for The Magic Christian movie soundtrack).
The Beatles had been fans of Billy Preston ever since seeing him in Little Richard's band in Hamburg in 1962. George went on to produce and play on Preston's Apple debut, That's the Way God Planned It. Harrison was one of the producers and played (along with Ringo Starr) on Doris Troy's self-titled Apple album. George also produced and played (with Paul and Ringo) on Jackie Lomax's debut album, Is This What You Want? featuring the Harrison composition, "Sour Milk Sea".
John was much taken with the music of The Modern Jazz Quartet, who released the only two jazz albums in the Apple catalogue. Ringo was intrigued by the music of contemporary British classical composer John Tavener, and his Apple album, The Whale has become one of the most sought-after Apple collectibles of all time.
Each of the 15 albums in this bumper batch of Apple Records releases has been digitally remastered at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London by the same dedicated team of engineers behind The Beatles' recent remastered catalogue releases of 2009.
Sale alert! Spy Vibers might remember that there was a big wave of Ian Fleming re-releases back in January 2009 from Blackstone Audio, who re-packaged the Simon Vance recordings with those cool, retro book jackets by New York artist Richie Fahey. I've been a long-time fan of the audio book editions of the James Bond novels. I've spent many flights, train rides, and commutes behind the wheel with Vance's steady narration. I often return to the short story, "From a View to a Kill" (For Your Eyes Only), which begins with Fleming's incredibe description of an assasination from the back of a motorcycle. Vance's readings have given me a kind of "theater of the imagination", radio drama-like experience over the years that, in some cases, have created stronger mental images than the films. Browsing through my local Borders bookshop today, I found four of the audio books in the clearance rack for only $4.98 each. I picked up Octopussy, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, and The Spy Who Loved Me (read by Nadia May). Check your local shops if you are looking to add titles to your audio collection. Happy treasure hunting!
