The 007th Chapter: Icebreaker – Rivke

A literary meditation by Jacques Stewart

 

 

 

 

 

 

A famous episode of Hancock’s Half Hour is “The East Cheam Drama Festival”. Hancock, Hattie Jacques, Bill Kerr and Daniel Craig Sid James grapple “Look Back in Hunger” and “The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven and the songs that made him famous” and, titweepingly magnificently, “Jack’s Return Home.” In a coruscating exposure of the zeitgeist, poverty-stricken Joshua (Hancock) and wife Martha (Hattie) are menaced by landlord Jasper Stonyheart (Sid). It’s complex. Their son Jack is presumed dead – impaled by “the Zulus” – but Martha claims she insured his life, so all is well. Inopportunely, Jack (Bill) returns home, penniless. So Martha shoots him. ©BBC Worldwide, amongst others (prob’ly).

 

Hancock: Aha, me old darlin’, you’ve shot Jack.

Hattie: Yes, and I took out a policy on you as well, so watch it.

Hancock: Wait a minute, I have a surprise for you. For thirteen years, you have thought I am Joshua, your husband.

Hattie: Well, aren’t you?

Hancock: No; stand back while I take my wig off. There…

Hattie: Good heavens! Frederick!

Hancock: Yes, Frederick. What do you say to that, Jasper Stonyheart?

Sid: I’m not Jasper, I’ve been wearing this wig and pretending to be Jasper. This is who I really am. There!

Hancock: Good heavens! Jonathan!

Sid: Yes, Jonathan. I didn’t trust either of you, especially you, Martha.

Hattie: And you were right not to, Jonathan, for you see, I am not Martha!

Hancock: Not Martha?

Hattie: No! There, now do you recognise me?

Hancock: Gad! It’s Gladys.

Hattie: Yes, Gladys, the girl you wronged.

Hancock: Then who pray is the poor wretched we’ve killed?

Bill: Fear not! You didn’t kill me! I was saved by my silver cigarette case. There! Do you not recognise me without the wig?

Sid: Yes, I should have guessed – Ronald!

 

Welcome to Icebreaker.

 

We’re in a hotel room. Again. A formula emerges.

 

Some label Bond “formulaic”, usually to disparage the films and/or books as poorer endeavours than ventures that would assault their Gran to grab a tenth of Bond’s money attention money. Optimistic rivals occasionally claim to better 007 with “reality” or “pop music”, then implode into obscurity whilst Bond rumbles on, chiselling the best ideas from their lukewarm corpses but otherwise as untroubled in its way as a triple-hulled supertanker is by one sickly anchovy. “Formula” – the disdain clinging to 007 films for decades, grot from the Bond factory family, complacent and undeserving of serious critique or awards. Populist with a capital Pee, consumer goods as soulful as a hubcap in a hedge, made for a stunningly plebby denominator that can’t do hard Italian neorealist cinema and sneered at as anti-artistic crap. F’rexample, every decade Sight & Sound conducts a poll of the greatest films of all time: A View to a Kill’s never on it. Some say that’s their loss (the same some who can’t have seen any other film ever made, mind), but indicative of an attitude as lofty as the hillock of cash sat upon by those making 007.

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Title of new “Young Bond” novel revealed

“Heads you die” is the title of the second YOUNG BOND novel penned by Steve Cole.  It will be published in paperback by Red Fox in the UK on 5th May 2016.

Following series creator Charlie Higson, Steve Cole published his first Young Bond novel “Shoot to kill” in November 2014.

Homme de lettres complet – Ian Fleming’s James Bond Correspondence

In his day Ian Fleming used to be not just a journalist and author, he also was – little surprise there – an avid writer of letters. Over the years he corresponded with famous contemporaries and friends – amongst them Raymond Chandler, Somerset Maugham and Noël Coward – as well as with editors, readers and fans all over the globe. Ian Fleming’s nephew Fergus Fleming now compiled and edited a volume of Ian Fleming’s Bond-related letters that Bloomsbury publishes this Thursday, October 8th. On 400 pages readers will catch a backstage glimpse of Fleming’s writing process, on the thought process that went into many curious details of the original Bond novels, and also on the effect the Bond phenomenon had on his creator.

You can order the book at Amazon UK and of course also at your local bookstore. Fans in the United States will have to be patient until November 3rd.

 

The 007th Chapter: Licence Renewed – King of the Castle

A literary meditation by Jacques Stewart

In my youth (that’s not a location update) I set a “quiz” for my College. Brain-mashers like “Abbreviations excluded, name the only U.S state written using one line of typewriter keys” (Alaska; no-one knew (no-one cared)) and “Name the only country written using one line of typewriter keys”. Peru, but some “body” said Eire (fair point), another that “it’s Republic of Peru, actually, I know thart, actually, because I gap-yeared tharh, actually, licking yurts, communing with my spirituality, yah, and photocopying for my uncle at KPMG Lima.” There was such a fight. I encouraged it. Ectually.

I also had a round on “James Bond”. This was 1993 (hence “typewriter”), with 007 as relevant and welcome as anything else dead for four years that sane folks hoped would never return, like Eastern European communism, that Dr Who children’s programme or the Ayatollah Khomeini (give him time). Select questions went:

 

1. Which two Bond films to date do not feature a helicopter? (Child-like optimism to say “to date”, but child-like I was (rather than current lifestyle choice of childish), and brilliant. Precocious, smackable little weasel)

2. Why is A View to a Kill unique amongst the Bond films? (Keep it clean. In early 2015, this answer still holds)

3. Which author has written the most James Bond novels?

 

There were others, such as Q’s I.Q. to the nearest five points (it’s five; trick question), something something watches something (it really doesn’t matter) and Anne Fleming’s inside leg measurement (loads of people knew it; some reputation, that) but I’ve forgotten the rest.

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Trigger Mortis pulls Bond back on track – racing track

With the various news and goings-on around the latest cinematic James Bond adventure – mainly speaking about the musically side of affairs here, see below official announcement – another main event for fans is today’s release of Alex Horowitz’s brand new 007 adventure Trigger Mortis.

 

Horowitz launched the book yesterday evening at a special event at Waterstones Piccadilly where he talked about the book, his writing experience and his connection to 007 and Ian Fleming. Huge stacks of copies were signed and our spotters report a fun evening filled with exciting details about Bond’s latest adventure, the first continuation effort to include material by Ian Fleming himself.

 

As such Trigger Mortis is without a doubt a unique entry into the official canon, offering a splinter of Fleming’s idea for a – never realised – James Bond TV series. The idea, centred around the Grand Prix car race at classic German racing track Nürburgring, remained a fragment Fleming had no chance to use in further works. But so far reviews seem to indicate the original tallies nicely with Horowitz’s full-length novel and the overall verdict of the critics seems to be favourable (see the BBC’s overview here).

 

The die-hard Fleming buffs are of course not satisfied by the media buzz and will want to judge for themselves. Once you’ve read the book you’re welcome to discuss your impressions in this thread of our forum.

Some Kind Of Hero

From the overbrimming vaults of The History Press tidings reached CBn of an intriguing upcoming project of theirs, due to hit shelves this October. While so far we’ve had no chance to take a peek at the book, their press release speaks probably best for itself.

Follows the original text:

 

 

 SOME KIND OF HERO

The Remarkable Story of the James Bond films

By Matthew Field & Ajay Chowdhury

Published October 2015

Hardback, £25

978-0-7509-6421-0

THE MOST IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE JAMES BOND FILMS. EVER.

 

 

The History Press is delighted to announce that it will be publishing Some Kind of Hero this October.

 

For over 50 years, Albert R. Broccoli’s Eon Productions has navigated the ups and downs of the volatile British film industry, enduring both critical wrath and acclaim in equal measure for its now legendary James Bond series. Latterly, this family-run business has been crowned with box office gold and recognised by motion picture academies around the world. However, it has not always been plain sailing.

 

Changing tax regimes forced 007 to relocate to France and Mexico; changing fashions and politics led to box office disappointments; and changing studio regimes and business disputes all but killed the franchise. And the rise of competing action heroes has constantly questioned Bond’s place in popular culture. But against all odds the filmmakers continue to wring new life from the series, and 2012’s Skyfall saw both huge critical and commercial success, crowning 007 as the undisputed king of the action genre.

 

Written by Bond scholars Matthew Field and Ajay Chowdhury, Some Kind of Hero is based on over

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The 007th Chapter – The Ebook Edition

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Ian Fleming’s 007th birthday, CommanderBond.net today releases the ebook edition of “The 007th Chapter, Volume One: Happenstance”, a series of literary musings by Jacques I. M. Stewart, aka “Jim”. Volume One concentrates on the James Bond novels and short stories written by or “as” Ian Fleming.

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New Bond Novel is “Trigger Mortis”

The press release from Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.:

JAMES BOND RACES AGAINST A COUNTDOWN TO TERROR IN

 

TRIGGER MORTIS

 

Anthony Horowitz lifts lid on title of new 007 novel and announces “Pussy Galore is back!”
 
Anthony Horowitz reveals today (28th May), on what would have been James Bond creator Ian Fleming’s 107th birthday, that his forthcoming official 007 adventure is to be titled Trigger Mortis. In a move that will whet the appetite of fans worldwide and is unprecedented among recent Bond novels – the contents have always been shrouded in mystery until publication – Horowitz divulges that the secret agent’s new adventure begins in 1957, two weeks after the events of Fleming’s Goldfinger. Horowitz places Bond in the middle of the Soviet-American Space Race as the United States prepares for a critical rocket launch, and brings back the most famous Bond Girl of all: Pussy Galore!
 
Horowitz is the latest contemporary novelist to tackle literature’s greatest action hero, and the first to place his work directly within Fleming’s original canon. As well as Pussy Galore, the book features: brand new Bond Girl Jeopardy Lane; Jai Seung Sin, a sadistic, scheming Korean adversary hell-bent on vengeance; and breathless, globe-trotting adventure. Uniquely among latter-day Bond authors, Horowitz has included original Ian Fleming material: a treatment for Murder on Wheels, an episode of a television series that was never made. Fleming’s text sees Bond in the high-octane world of motor racing and it is his never-used plot that kicks off the action of Trigger Mortis.
 
Anthony Horowitz said: “It was always my intention to go back to the true Bond, which is to say, the Bond that Fleming created and it was a fantastic bonus having some original, unseen material from the master to launch my story. I was so glad that I was allowed to set the book two weeks after my favourite Bond novel, Goldfinger, and I’m delighted that Pussy Galore is back! It was great fun revisiting the most famous Bond Girl of all – although she is by no means the only dangerous lady in Trigger Mortis. I hope fans enjoy it. My aim was to make this the most authentic James Bond novel anyone could have written.”
 
Trigger Mortis will be published on 8th September by Orion Publishing.

 
IFP have also released both the UK (left) and the US (right) cover art:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information, visit the book’s website www.triggermortis.co.uk/

Announcing The 007th Chapter – The Ebook Edition

Like the previously released The 007th Minute, it won’t be a real ‘e-book’ but a downloadable PDF. And again, it will be available for free. All we ask for is that, if you download this ebook, please make a donation to UNICEF or any other cause of your personal choice.

The 007th Chapter: Colonel Sun – Not-So-Safe-House

A literary meditation by Jacques Stewart

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kingsley Amis, with six double whiskies inside him, sat in the final departure lounge of Acapulco airport and thought about killing James Bond with a bazooka. It could have happened…

 

Apologies if you sacrificed a disappointing child to ensure that this had ended. Can’t claim that continuation 007^thChapters match the originals (for good or ill) and even a sympathetic reader filled with milky sap will conclude that I’ve exhausted an idea of debateable sustainability, given the knotweed of ennui throttling the initial run. You go spot a parallel, you clever old you.

 

I recently acquired a 1970 paperback Colonel Sun for 25p, coincidentally its price at the time and, like all books, more expensive in Australia. Why does it cost so much to stock a prison library? I suspect the bookmonger involved rejects decimalisation, and soap, but troglodytes have their uses: the book is in good condition and worth the princely sum. Second-hand bookshop for second-hand Bond: fitting. He (probably a he) muttered, through a greasedribbled beard / nest, “It’s not a real one”. I replied that he was therefore fencing counterfeit goods and I would report him to the Bizzies. Cracking him across the for’ead with me alabaster swordstick, cape a-twirl I sashayed from the emporium, the gay applause of other customers a-ringing like a peal of church bells heralding savage war, and my way festooned with seasonal blooms. Ectually, I didn’t do any of that and, in shuffling out into the drizzle, tripped over a pile (apposite collective noun) of Clive Cusslers meeting their natural fate by stabilising a table. The truth in this escapade is only in what he said, this “person” who – in principle – would be assumed to “know” books. Unrealistic to expect he had read all his wares (and, with the Cusslers, heartless to require it), but an interesting attitude. He didn’t try “Kingsley Amis wrote that”, suggesting he didn’t know / care and his ignorance / apathy had cheated him of, ooh, another five pence (max). I assert not that this is the approach of all booksellers but since in five years’ time the World’s only bookshop will be a warehouse staffed by exhausted dead-eyed polo-shirted slaves on six-hundred hours per week, I can’t expect knowledge going for’ard.

 

What is it – that the Flemings are “real” and the “not Flemings” are…imaginary? Imagining Colonel Sun I can accept, but dreaming up High Time to Kill? Jee Harvey Christ; must lay off the Moldovan Wait Wayne. Such examples cause pause. Colonel Sun. High Time to Kill. Same “thing”, ostensibly. Wow. OK, the Flemings fluctuated, and the films “vary”, but as widely as that? A hell of a chasm right in one’s face. I do feel it in my face. It’s hurting my nose. Perhaps I shouldn’t turn it up so high.

 

My purchase contained an insert from 1968 for “the Companion Book Club”, promising members a saving of 14/6 on Colonel Sun’s price (if reading in “American”, five trillion dollars). Further discounts were available upon introducing a friend (unlikely) to the cabal, who could claim a gift of a “Horrockses set” (not a clue), a Food Can Opener (canned food? For humans? Is that really a thing?) or the LP “It’s Easy to Remember” by George Shearing, even if it’s not easy to remember George Shearing. An insight into the persons at whom these books are aimed, or thrown. There’s a list of members – including Major R. G. H. Savory (mmm) – and mugshots that would now be silhouetted in a tabloid. N.J. Prentice of Drumadd, Co. Armagh, says he “enjoyed” the club’s choices, his photo betraying that N.J. Prentice of Drumadd, Co. Armagh’s concept of enjoyment is swallowing a whole Mars bar sideways whilst being told that his doggy is dead. A. Phillips of Pitlochry congratulates “a high standard of diverse yarns”, quaint, like his “face” and Mr T.B. Vadge (I’m not making this up) of Burton-upon-Trent (surely he’s suffered enough?) says “…your books are the envy of all”, but only because he introduced reading to Burton-upon-Trent but, considered a fad, it never caught on.

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