BLU FOR BARBARELLA

Paramount announced their upcoming Blu-ray titles today and we are pleased to see Roger Vadim's Barbarella (1968) set for a July 3rd release! This classic starring Jane Fonda and John Phillip Law is pretty stagey in its direction, but the costume designs and ongoing erotic theme of the story makes the movie fun to revisit. The plot: "Barbarella, a 41st century earthling, is sent on a mission by the president of Earth to find Duran Duran, a scientist who has disappeared with an all-powerful weapon." Fans should check out Roman Coppola's homage, CQ (2001), and Barbarella as a double feature.

DESIGN SALE

Time to give your secret lair a makeover! Design With Reach is currently offering a sale on their living room pieces, including two faves: the Tulip Chair (designed in 1956 by Eero Saarinen for Knoll) and the Egg Chair (designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen- thought to be the first swiveling upholstered chair). Sale ends on January 31st. Details at Design Within Reach.

BOND BLU-RAY SET ANNOUNCED

The breaking news today is that MGM has announced a 50th anniversary box set of every James Bond film on Blu-ray (including many that have not made it to the hi-def market yet). No street date has been set, nor news released about whether or not individual titles will be available at the launch for those of us who have already collected part of the series. I imagine that they will release as a run-up to the next 007 film debut in November. Check out this cool commercial! Pre-order on Amazon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOWIE

Like many teenagers in the early 1960s, David Bowie was inspired by American jazz and blues music. He took up the saxophone and guitar and formed a string of bands that played blues and rock covers for parties and local entertainment. As a keen student of graphic design, art (and mime!), his Mod beginnings transformed over the years as his ever-changing work explored areas of musical and theatrical production that we can now recognize as era-defining (60s Mod, poet, 70s glam, soul, experimental, electronic, dance, 80s pop, 90s alternative, cyber punk, jungle, etc). Bowie stayed in the fast lane for forty years, releasing albums and pursuing his acting career, until a heart attack on stage in 2004 made him take stock. Bowie now enjoys the life of a stay-at-home dad for his eleven-year-old daughter, and for the quieter life-long pursuits of reading and following the Art world. He is currently writing Bowie Object, an art book that will chronicle his process and career through 100 images and reflections. BBC radio is broadcasting Mark Goodier's 2000 documentary, Golden Years, but listen quickly while the chapters are still available for streaming. For a space-age Bowie celebration, check out Spy Vibe's post, Space Camp. The British music publication, Uncut, has released an iPad APP version of its Bowie album-by-album guide, complete with embedded music and videos. David Bowie is 65 today- many happy returns, David!


For Spy Vibers who have never explored the fascinating career of David Bowie, you have a lot to look forward to! Although it is difficult to choose a short list of his work, here is our essential Bowie. Check out the Uncut iPad APP to read reviews and preview songs. If you are a fan of the more cabaret theatrics of Bowie's music, check out the remastered edition of his original Deram album from the mid-1960s and the Baal album.

Movies: The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), The Hunger (1983), Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence (1983), Labyrinth (1986), Basquait (1996), The Hunger (tv/1999-2000), The Prestige (2006).

Concerts/Videos/Docs: The Best of Bowie, Ziggy Stardust, Reality Tour, Storytellers, Under Review 1976-1979 The Berlin Trilogy.

Albums: Space Oddity (1969), The Man Who Sold the World (1970), Hunky Dory (1971), Ziggy Stardust (1972), Aladdin Sane (1973), Pin Ups (1973), Station to Station (1976), Low (1977), Heroes (1977), Baal (1981), Outside (1995), Earthling (1997), Bowie at the Beeb (2000), All Saints (2001), VH1 Storytellers (2001), Heathen (2002). Also, check out Bowie's song collaboration with John Lennon, Fame. A collector's edition of Bowie's 1999 album Hours will be released on January 31st.

THE LIQUIDATOR

Spy Vibers who have Turner Classic Movies have a chance to catch an out-of-print film this Wednesday, The Liquidator (1965). Made during the spy boom by the talented Jack Cardiff (Girl On a Motorcycle), the film stars Trevor Howard, Rod Taylor, and Jill St. John. Screening on TCM is at 11:45 am (EST). Poster available from Movie Goods.

GEORGE MARTIN

It's interesting to see how one person can make a difference in so many lives. For anyone who saw Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life again over the holidays, the idea is probably fresh in your mind. As a person can act as a catalyst for others in daily life, like a conductor of sorts, so can a person conduct mass culture over the course of their career. Sir George Martin is the man with the golden ear. Blessed with musical genius and a sense of humor, Martin is a bit like the Wizard of Oz- the man behind the curtain- whose work as a producer and arranger defined the music and humor of the last half of the 20th Century and beyond. The artists he worked with include Flanders and Swann, Peter Ustinov, The Goons, Peter Sellers, Sophia Loren, Beyond the Fringe (with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore), Matt Monro (of From Russia With Love), Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cellia Black, Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas, Jeff Beck, Elton John, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Paul Winter Consort, and America. In addition to multiple Grammys and other major awards, George Martin has scored 30 #1 hits in the UK and 23 #1 hits in the US. (See Spy Vibe's article Peter Sellers to John Lennon and Peter Sellers posts for more about comedy in the UK). Of special interest to Spy Vibers, Martin also produced two James Bond theme songs: Goldfinger (1965) with Shirley Bassey, and Live and Let Die (1973) with Paul McCartney.


George Martin is most famous as the producer/arranger behind The Beatles career. Legend has it that a shared sense of humor sealed the deal between Martin and the Fab Four. The band loved his records with Peter Sellers and The Goons. In their first meeting in the studio on June 6th, 1962, the group recorded four test songs that didn't quite measure up. Martin gave them a bit of talking to about what they needed to do in order to become recording artists. When he finished, he added, "Is there anything you don't like?" Without skipping a beat, George Harrison responded, "Yeah, I don't like your tie." Jokes and laughter followed. The producer appreciated their irreverent humor and committed himself to recording the band. Martin's expertise fostered musical experimentation throughout the 1960s, allowing The Beatles to push their songs into new territory. Martin often contributed as keyboard player in the studio, in addition to arranging the accompaniment to well-know songs like Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, and Penny Lane. George Martin recently worked with his son Giles to produce the soundtrack to the Cirque Du Soleil show, The Beatles Love.


Sir George Martin is 86 today. Happy Birthday, George! Below is one of my fave George moments. In 1997, he rallied Paul McCartney and an all-star line up to support disaster relief for the island of Montserrat. The concert climaxed in a powerful performance of the "opera" side of Abbey Road, "and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make." The DVD is available through Netflix and Amazon.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year from Spy Vibe! I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and made it back to your secret lairs and bachelor pads in one piece. Here is an odd image that circulated this weekend. It has an initial campy vibe that quickly wears off when you notice how cold these ladies look. Spy Vibers, don't try this at home unless you have consent (and very high ceilings!). Does anyone know the origin of this photograph? Thank you to everyone who entered to win Spy Vibe's many holiday prizes. Your packages were sent out on Saturday and should arrive early this week. Enjoy!

SOUND DESIGN

In concert with our previous post about Dieter Rams, we though Spy Vibers might be interested in exploring the new line of speakers from Libratone. Based in Copenhagen, the Libratone concept is to offer a single high-end speaker solution for any room that is both wireless and customizable in a variety of colors. Wrapped in beautiful Italian cashmere and carved wool, Libratone aims to make a flexible speaker for your wireless Hi-Fi that is also an integrated and stylish piece of furniture.


They have been selling in the European market and recently started to introduce their products at US Apple stores. If any Spy Vibers have used Libratone speakers, please comment and tell us what you think. Here is a cnet UK review and a recent cnet US announcement. Below is a promotional video from Libratone:

From Design Within Reach: As the creative director and co-founder of Designit Munich, Copenhagen-based Kristian Kroyer spent 10 years working with design and electronics brands including LG, Bang & Olufsen, Hitachi, Philips and JBL, before joining Libratone, an audio company whose products combine wireless technology, hi-fi quality, and Scandinavian design. The Libratone Live Speaker (2011) streams music wirelessly from your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch or Mac/PC using Apple’s new AirPlay technology; no extra remote is required, simply download the Libratone App to control the volume from your compatible wireless device. Its patent-pending FullRoom™ technology provides 360-degree sound, much like an acoustic instrument. High-end components such as ribbon-based tweeters, digital signal processing and digital amplification put out premium sound, all tucked away inside a minimal form covered in Italian wool (slate grey) or cashmere (all other colors). Made in Indonesia.

• Great sound doesn’t have to come from a black box. Libratone is covered in acoustically transparent cashmere or wool.
• This single unit has speakers on all three sides and packs a powerful punch with 150 watts of total output power, coming from five dedicated amplifiers.
• The drivers inside are: one 5" bass, two 3" midrange and two 1" ribbon-based tweeters.
• The Libratone Live allows for versatility due to its small size and built-in handle.

DIETER RAMS EXHIBIT

If your secret lair or bachelor pad has a modernist vibe, employing minimal Ikea shelving systems or Apple computer products, your environment owes a lot to German industrial designer, Dieter Rams. Rams, who is recently retired, was the visionary behind decades of sleek and functional gadgets produced by Braun and home organization and furniture by Visoe. If you're like me, you might have grown up in a household filled with Rams-designed clocks, coffee grinders and coffee-makers, juicers, hair dryers, and electric razors. Rams also designed cameras, and my favorite, a long line of stereo components and speakers. The philosophy that tied his work together was the notion that objects should be created to be instantly understood and useful. His pieces had a beautiful simplicity and functionality that were a direct inspiration for Apple products. In his foreword to a new book about Rams, Apple designer Jonathan Ive said, “surfaces that were without apology, bold, pure, perfectly-proportioned, coherent and effortless. No part appeared to be either hidden or celebrated, just perfectly considered and completely appropriate in the hierarchy of the product’s details and features. At a glance, you knew exactly what it was and exactly how to use it (Examiner)."


The exhibit, Less is More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams, is currently running at SFMOMA until February 20th. If you are not in the Bay area, I encourage Spy Vibers to try to catch this show before it's gone. From SFMOMA: "Widely regarded as one of the most influential industrial designers of our time, Dieter Rams produced iconic works and innovative ideas (in particular his advocacy for "less but better" design) that have proved seminal for our contemporary design culture. For more than 40 years, Rams was the lead designer for the German household appliance company Braun. He has also been the active designer for German furniture company Vitsœ since his start there in 1959. This exhibition includes more than 200 models and objects by Rams and his team, as well as contemporary designs influenced by his Ten Principles of Good Design, such as Apple computers."

Here are some preview images I made at the museum to share with Spy Vibers. The piece that excited me most was his 1956 record player, the SK4 (image #6 below). When the original sheet metal hood rattled at higher volumes, Rams suggested using a transparent plastic lid- a material that only recently had appeared on the market. Detractors thought the plastic hood was too much in line with temporary fashion (see Spy Vibe's article Fear and Fashion), and the SK4 was nicknamed "Snow White's Coffin". Of course, the clear cover became ubiquitous around the world and changed the look of turntables forever. To learn more, check out the books, Dieter Rams: As Little Design as Possible, Less and More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams, Braun- Fifty Years of Design and Innovation. There is also a short video presentation with Rams at SFMOMA on Vimeo. Portrait above from the nice overview post, Who is Dieter Rams?

PHILLIP JOHNSON GLASS HOUSE

The aesthetics of architecture and modern design are an integral element to the spy vibe of cold war mystery/adventure. While we celebrate luminaries like Ken Adam for defining the space-age, larger-than-life style of the James Bond universe, it's important to point out visionaries who pushed the envelope of environments in the real world. Over the hill from my own childhood house with giant glass walls, Phillip Johnson created his iconic glass house. Join New Yorker architecture critic, Paul Goldberger, for a look at the Phillip Johnson Glass House and property, filmed during a tour in September, 2011.

Conversations in Context: Paul Goldberger from The Philip Johnson Glass House on Vimeo.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Happy Holidays to all Spy Vibers! I hope everyone is enjoying the company of friends and family, with a little dash of secret agent fun thrown in. Perhaps some of you are watching 007 marathons, or catching the Bond Girls Are Forever documentary streaming on Netflix (that's gorgeous pre-Avenger Joanna Lumley below from On Her Majesty's Secret Service). Both Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and the new Mission Impossible are now playing in theaters. And Spielberg's Adventures of Tin Tin is quite fun!


The winners in our holiday contest were chosen in a random drawing this morning. Thanks to the many people who entered. Stay tuned for more contests in the future. The prize assignments are: For Bond Lovers Only- David L, The Persuaders- J Kraus, Secret Agent magnet- Bob D, and Tinker Tailor brochure- Matt B. Congrats to all! Your packages will be mailed out next week. Check out our current auction, which includes a framed 007 display hand-signed by Sean Connery and other collectibles.

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Diamonds Are Forever, Cinema Retro alerted us to this fun Christmas-time trailer. A perfect item for the day. Enjoy!

Bonus trivia: On this day in 1959, an eighteen-year-old Ringo Starr received his first drum kit as a present. You never know what is going to fire the imagination and expression in a kid. Here's to supporting creative exploration!

HOLIDAY PRIZES: LAST DAY

Only one day left to enter to win Spy Vibe holiday give-away prizes: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy brochure, Danger Man/Secret Agent magnet, vintage Persuaders novel, and vintage book, For Bond Lovers Only. Just send e-mails to jason[at]spyvibe.com with your prize choices in the subject line, and your mailing address as the message content, by the end of the day, December 24th. Winners will be chosen at random and announced on the 25th! Also, check out our auction for cool collectibles like a Sean Connery hand-signed 007 display and vintage spy view master sets.

BRUCE SPIZER SALE

Author Bruce Spizer has created the ultimate archive of reference books about The Beatles recording legacy. Each of his editions, painstakingly researched over years, are lavishly illustrated with color photographs and rare images. When editions from his library go out of print, they sell for upwards of $500. Spy Vibers interested in diving into Fab Four history should check out his books covering Parlophone, Apple, Capital, Vee-Jay, and Swan releases. Spizer is holding a holiday promotion on some of the few remaining editions he has in stock. Each book had a brief window on sale running up to the holidays, but now all are on sale. They're beautiful, don't miss them! Sale ends December 31st. Details at Bruce Spizer's website.

Also, be sure to check Spy Vibe's current auction for a hand-signed Sean Connery 007 display and other collectibles. Find out about Jason's experimental film for his winning re-mix for Yoko Ono at The Sun is Down website.


The Beatles Swan Song is on sale for $22 (down from $50). Sale also includes free bookmarks and a poster-like end-sheet. "It is the first book to accurately tell the stories behind the Beatles discs released by Swan, United Artists, Decca, MGM, Atco and Polydor. It also has an extensive section on Capitol Records in the 70s & 80s, which details the Capitol theme albums such as Rock ’N’ Roll Music, Love Songs and Reel Music, as well as The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl, Rarities and the unreleased Sessions LP. Additional sections cover dubious releases such as The Savage Young Beatles and the Star-Club album, the high-end Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab LPs and the record club albums."

The Beatles Are Coming is marked down to $15 (from $30). "The most thorough and accurate book ever published on how Beatlemania evolved in America, this book covers the Beatles first visit to the United States and the events leading up to their arrival on February 7, 1964. It details why Capitol Records turned the group down four times and tells the stories of two small record labels, Vee-Jay and Swan, who issued the group’s records without success in 1963."

Price Guide for The Beatles American Records is marked down to $22 (from $50). Slipcase edition is $45 (down from $75). "An exciting new publication with thousands of new listings. Unlike prior guides, all formats for a particular title will be listed together. Thus, the listings under Abbey Road will include vinyl records, 4-track tapes, 8-track tapes, cassettes and compact discs, all in one place. The book will also have color images throughout. Each page of listings will have color images of some of the items described on the page. Most pages have four images, with some having more. Another innovation is the adoption of the numbering system used in Bruce Spizer’s books. This will enable collectors to coordinate prices in the guide with images in Bruce Spizer’s books. The identification numbers assigned to items in this book are permanent and will not change in future editions. Each listing will have a checkbox so that collectors can mark the items in their collections."

The Beatles Solo on Apple is marked down to $22 (from $50) and includes rare bookmark. "And, if you still haven’t ordered The Beatles on Apple Records now would be a good time to do so as less than 40 copies remain available for sale. Sellers on the secondary market listed on Amazon are asking between $137.52 and $900.00 for a used copy! You can buy a new copy with a slightly nicked or dented cover from 498 Productions for the original sale price of $50. This followup to The Beatles on Apple Records chronicles the solo releases by John, Paul, George and Ringo issued from 1968-1975. At 310 pages with over 800 images, this book covers the Beatles solo releases on Apple, including Imagine, Band On The Run, All Things Must Pass and Ringo. The brilliance of John, Paul, George and Ringo didn’t die in early 1970 when the Beatles officially broke up, and this book highlights their later, often forgotten work."

GERRY ANDERSON UFO MOVIE

When you create a cocktail of jazzy organ music, purple wigs, silver mini skirts, Nehru jackets, space-age vehicles and gadgets, and an international agency posing as a movie studio, you can see why Gerry Anderson's series, UFO, looms large on Spy Vibe. We announced quite a while ago that there is a feature film currently in the works based on this sci-spy classic. There have been few official updates, but the producers have announced that they plan on a summer 2013 release. They have also posted an initial design for the film's promotional poster. More news at it arrives. For those who have not see the show, here is a three-minute title sequence that sums up why it was so cool. UFO was Anderson's first series with live actors, following the success of Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, etc. Although the performances were sometimes wooden and puppet-like, there was a dark edge to the writing that continues to keep the interest of modern viewers.

Be sure to check Spy Vibe's holiday give-away prizes and current auction (see previous posts). Winners will be chosen on Dec 24th!

PRE-PYTHON SECRET SERVICE

Before they formed Monty Python with the cast of Do Not Adjust Your Set, John Cleese and Graham Chapman starred with Marty Feldman in the 1967 series, At Last the 1948 Show. One skit from the first episode might be especially fun for Spy Vibers- a secret service spoof that kicks off with The Avengers theme song by Laurie Johnson! You might even spot the lovely Aimi MacDonald (from The Avengers episode, Return of the Cybernauts). The segment starts at 6:06, after a funny psychiatrist skit with John Cleese. The episode also includes an early version of 'the four Yorkshire men', a skit that became popular with Monty Python TV and stage performances.

Be sure to check Spy Vibe's holiday give-away prizes and current auction (see previous posts). Winners will be chosen on Dec 24th!

THE PHANTOM: HERMES PRESS COMIC SERIES

Dan and the folks at Hermes Press have been busy putting together new publications that are sure to excite Spy Vibers. Hermes is committed to celebrating classic comic and pop culture with archival editions printed with high-quality papers, color, and resolution. They have already made a big splash with their re-prints of Gold Key comic book classics like Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Time Tunnel, Land of the Giants, and Dark Shadows. Today Hermes Press released the first in a new series of comic book reprints of the ghost who walks, The Phantom! Hermes has been releasing beautiful collections of the original Phantom comic strips and these new volumes add the many comic book editions to their catalog. More info at the Hermes Press website.

Amazon lists a number of Phantom titles from Hermes, including today's release of The Phantom The Complete Series: The Gold Key Years Volume One. I encourage Spy Vibers to take advantage of the low Amazon prices, by the way. These books traditionally have high cover prices (they're worth it!) and, like those rare Cinema Retro issues (see last post), they become quite collectible once they are out of print.


From Amazon: The 1960s comic book adventures of The Phantom return in full, glorious color! This series of collections, which consists of eight volumes, spans 15 years and starts by assembling all 17 Gold Key The Phantom comic books into two volumes. Featuring cover art by famed painter George Wilson with interior artwork by Bill Lignante and stories by Bill Harris, the Gold Key comic book version of the grand-daddy of costumed heroes, the Ghost Who Walks, is now available, digitally remastered! The Phantom The Complete Series: The Gold Key Years Volume One reprints issues #1-8.

Hermes Press will follow up with additional Phantom re-prints this winter. On January 10th, they will release The Phantom The Complete Series: The Charlton Years Volume One.


From Amazon: The late 1960s comic book adventures of The Phantom return in full, glorious color! Hermes Press is collecting, all 74 issues of The Phantom comic books which ran from 1962-1977, and this volume begins the Charlton years. Volume One of The Charlton Years picks up with The Phantom #30, the first Charlton issue, and features all The Phantom stories from issues #30-#40. Volume One of The Chartlon years features cover art by Frank Mclaughlin and Jim Aparo; interior art by Don Perlin, Jim Aparo, and Bill Lignante; and stories by Dick Wood and Jim Aparo. The Charlton comic book version of the grand-daddy of costumed heroes, the Ghost Who Walks, is available again, digitally remastered to look better than the original books.

And on February 14th, Hermes will release The Phantom The Complete Series: The King Years.


From Amazon: The mid-1960s comic book adventures of The Phantom return in full, glorious color! Hermes Press is collecting all 74 issues of The Phantom comic books which ran from 1962-1977, and this volume features the King years. This volume picks up with The Phantom #18, the first King issue, and features all The Phantom stories from issues #18-28. Featuring cover and interior art by Bill Lignante, the King comic book version of the grand-daddy of costumed heroes, the Ghost Who Walks, is available again, digitally remastered to look better than the original books.

Be sure to check Spy Vibe's holiday give-away prizes and current auction (see previous posts). Winners will be chosen on Dec 24th!

CINEMA RETRO: RARE ISSUES

With in-depth articles covering such classics as Flint, Batman, Man From U.N.C.L.E., and Deadlier Than the Male, there are many sold-out issues of Cinema Retro that have become highly collectible. Cinema Retro never re-prints their publications, which has caused after-market prices to soar into the hundreds for a single magazine. But Spy Vibers who missed early subscription windows now have cause to rejoice. The magazine just launched a digital wing that enables readers to catch up with these holy grail editions on-line for the original cover price of $12.


Cinema Retro"Cinema Retro constantly gets requests from readers to reprint those issues of Cinema Retro that have sold out. However, as every issue is a limited edition collector’s item, we have to remain true to our word and never reprint these editions. However, we know that many of our dedicated readers were not even aware of the magazine until long after certain issues have sold out. Thus, we’ve partnered with our American distributor RCS to make sold out issues available as on-line digital editions. These sold out issues of the magazine now command big prices on the collector’s circuit (A reader advises he just sold two of his spare issues on eBay for $229 each!) Yet, the digital on-line versions are available for purchase at the regular cover price of $12.

These digital editions are exactly the same as the format of the original magazine. They are not edited in any way and contain every word and photo featured in the print edition.By viewing on line, you can browse through the pages and zoom in or out to increase or decrease the size of the print."

Digital Cinema Retro magazines available here. Avoid missing future issues by subscribing to the magazine. They are now taking orders for their next series of three issues. Details here.

Be sure to check Spy Vibe's holiday give-away prizes and current auction (see previous posts). Winners will be chosen on Dec 24th!

EAMES MOVIE TONIGHT

The new documentary film, Charles & Ray Eames: the Architect and the painter, premieres tonight n PBS "American Masters presents the first film made about America’s most important and influential designers, Charles and Ray Eames, since their deaths in 1978 and 1988, respectively — and the only film that explores the link between their artistic collaboration and sometimes tortured marriage. Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey’s definitive documentary delves into the private world the Eameses created in their Renaissance-style, Venice Beach, California studio, where design history was born. Narrated by James Franco, Charles & Ray Eames: The Architect and the Painter premieres nationally Monday, December 19 from 10-11:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on PBS (check local listings) as the 25th anniversary season finale of American Masters." Looking for more Eames? Neflix has the full series of short films by Charles & Ray Eames for rent (including Powers of Ten/1977). Also, be sure to check Spy Vibe's holiday give-away prizes and current auction (see previous posts). Winners will be chosen on Dec 24th!

PYTHON'S DENTAL SPIES

It's been Monty Python mania here at the Spy Vibe lair this week! I watched the excellent documentary Almost the Truth streaming on Netflix. For those looking for a comprehensive history of the Pythons, this series offers a great overview of each chapter in their history- from college humor groups and early TV work to Flying Circus and the later films. During the Life of Brian segment, I recalled a Python-themed Christmas one year, when I received the Brian screenplay and movie poster from my mom. Brilliant! Add some humor to your holidays with this classic Python sketch, Lemming of the BDA. And be sure to check our holiday give-away prizes and current auction (see previous posts). Winners will be chosen on Dec 24th.

HOLIDAY CONTEST 4: SECRET AGENT

Happy Holidays to all Spy Vibers out there in the field. I hope that you get a break from your current missions to enjoy some time with friends and family. And because gifts are fun, too, we're giving away presents! Prizes will be listed each day this week and winners will be chosen at random on December 24th. All you have to do is send an email to jason[at]spyvibe.com with the prize name (Tinker, etc) listed as subject and your mailing address as content. Also, check out the Spy Vibe auction this week to see our listings of a Sean Connery 007 autograph and some vintage 007 and U.N.C.L.E. collectibles.

Prize #4: SECRET AGENT/DANGER MAN
Every secret lair needs a top spy, and you can't find a better one than Patrick McGoohan's John Drake (Secret Agent/Danger Man). Classic still magnet, cool for kitchen operations!