James Bond: Behind the scenes with the World's Favorite Secret Agent

ABOUT THE EVENT

For almost 50 years, the name Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli has been synonymous with the most prolific and longest running film franchise in cinema, Ian Fleming’s James Bond series. Beginning with Dr. No in 1962, Broccoli transformed Fleming’s novels into a groundbreaking and trendsetting pop-culture phenomenon.

Presented in celebration of the Cubby Broccoli centennial, this three-day festival will feature screenings, discussions and an exhibit examining the impact of the Bond series and the producer who brought it to the big screen. Film screenings will include at least one film starring each of the five actors who have played Bond, from Dr. No to Casino Royale. Panel discussions will feature key figures from the Bond franchise and the Broccoli family. Additionally, an exhibit featuring a wide array of gadgets and props from the films will be on display during the festival.

SCHEDULE OF SCREENINGS

7:00 P.M. — Dr. No (1962), 110 minutes
Written by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood and Berkely Mather
Directed by Terence Young
MAKE A RESERVATION

Bond’s first adventure starring Sean Connery sees him travel to Jamaica to investigate the death of a British agent. There, he joins forces with CIA agent Felix Leiter and the beautiful Honey Ryder as his mission leads him to the island home of the sinister Dr. Julius No. Confronting lethal assassins, femme fatales and poisonous spiders in his search for the truth, Bond uncovers Dr. No’s evil plans for world domination.

9:00 P.M. — Goldfinger (1964), 110 minutes
Written by Richard Maibaum and Paul Dehn, Directed by Guy Hamilton
MAKE A RESERVATION

Bond (Sean Connery) must investigate a powerful bullion dealer named Auric Goldfinger as he uncovers a plan to plunge the west into economic chaos. Bond’s mission takes him to Fort Knox, where he must team up with beautiful pilot Pussy Galore and stop the mastermind before it’s too late. First, however, Bond must come face to face with Goldfinger’s chief henchman – Oddjob.

12:00 P.M. — On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), 142 minutes
Written by Richard Maibaum and Simon Raven, Directed by Peter Hunt
MAKE A RESERVATION

Bond (George Lazenby) comes up against Blofeld once more as he tries to thwart his latest plan – unleashing a plague through a group of brainwashed “angels of death” unless his demands are met. As usual intelligence sources fail, Bond enlists the help of crime boss Draco as the trail leads to the mountains of Switzerland. Bond encounters many seductive women, but none so beautiful as Tracy di Vicenzo, Draco’s daughter.

2:40 P.M. — Live And Let Die (1973), 121 minutes
Written by Tom Mankiewicz, Directed by Guy Hamilton
MAKE A RESERVATION

When Bond (Roger Moore) travels to New York to look into the deaths of three fellow agents, he soon becomes the next target. Mr. Big aka Dr. Kananga is flooding the US market with free heroin with the intention of driving out competitors and creating millions of new addicts in a globally threatening scheme. Bond must work his magic on Kananga’s beautiful tarot card reader, Solitaire, in order to unravel the mastermind’s plan.

5:00 P.M. — Panel Discussion: James Bond Today
MAKE A RESERVATION

A conversation about James Bond in the 21st century, featuring Screenwriters Robert Wade and Neal Purvis (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace), Director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) and longtime Stunt Coordinator Vic Armstrong. Moderated by SCA Professor Rick Jewell.

6:45 P.M. — The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), 125 minutes
Written by Richard Maibaum and Christopher Wood, Directed by Lewis Gilbert
MAKE A RESERVATION

Bond (Roger Moore) teams up with beautiful Russian agent Anya Amasova to find the truth behind the abduction of several US and Russian submarines by a massive underwater craft. With global tensions heightened to the brink of war, Bond must foil the evil Karl Stromberg’s plan for nuclear holocaust before it’s too late. To complete this mission however, 007 must first battle one of his most challenging adversaries – the seemingly indestructible Jaws.

9:00 P.M. — The Living Daylights (1987), 130 minutes
Written by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson, Directed by John Glen
MAKE A RESERVATION

After Bond (Timothy Dalton) helps a Russian officer to defect, the intelligence community is shocked when he goes missing from his remote hiding place. 007 follows a trail that leads him to the gorgeous cello-playing Kara Milovy and to a complex weapons scheme with global implications. Bond’s mission culminates in an epic battle in the Afghanistan desert.

12:30 P.M. — GoldenEye (1995), 130 minutes
Written by Michael France, Jeffrey Caine and Bruce Feirstein
Directed by Martin Campbell
MAKE A RESERVATION

Bond (Pierce Brosnan) races to Russia to find the access codes for “GoldenEye”, an incredible space weapon that can fire a devastating electromagnetic pulse toward Earth. However, he has an opponent who anticipates his every move – Alec Trevelyan, formerly 006. 007 must battle Trevelyan’s deadly allies, the psychotic General Orumov and the lethal assassin, Xenia Onatopp. Bond calls upon his sharp wits and killer instinct as the horrifying extent of Trevelyan’s plans is revealed.

2:50 P.M. — Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), 119 minutes
Written by Bruce Feirstein, Directed by Roger Spottiswoode
MAKE A RESERVATION

Someone is pitting the world’s superpowers against each other. When a British warship is mysteriously destroyed in Chinese waters, the world teeters on the brink of World War III. Bond’s trail leads him to media mastermind Elliot Carver, who can influence world events as easily as changing headlines. In his way is Carver’s ruthless chief of security, Stamper, and an army of henchmen. Together with the stunning yet deadly Chinese agent Wai Lin, 007 (Pierce Brosnan) must race to stop the mastermind’s plans before the world descends into chaos.

5:00 P.M. — Panel Discussion: Cubby Broccoli, Producer
MAKE A RESERVATION

A conversation about legendary Bond franchise producer Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli in celebration of his centennial, featuring family members Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson, Actor Screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz (Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun), Actor Richard Kiel (“Jaws”, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker) and Actress Maud Adams (“Octopussy”, Octopussy, The Man With the Golden Gun). Moderated by SCA Professor Rick Jewell.

6:40 P.M. — Catered Reception in Queen’s Courtyard
NO RESERVATION NECESSARY

8:00 P.M. — Casino Royale (2006), 144 minutes
Written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Paul Haggis, Directed by Martin Campbell
MAKE A RESERVATION

In his first mission, newly-appointed 00, James Bond (Daniel Craig), must stop Le Chiffre, banker for the world’s terrorists, from winning back his money in a high-stakes poker game. Along with a beautiful Treasury agent and the MI6 man in Montenegro, 007 will discover not only the dangerous organization behind his enemy, but the worst of all truths: to trust no one.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

James Bond Today

Vic Armstrong

Marc Forster (Director), a BAFTA and Golden Globe-nominated director, made his directorial debut in 2000 with a psychological horror movie entitled Everything Put Together, which he also co-wrote. The film premiered at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival and Forster went on to direct a string of critically acclaimed blockbuster hits including, most recently, The Kite Runner, based on Khaled Hosseini’s best seller. Although born in Germany, Forster was raised in Switzerland where he attended the famous Institut Montana Zugerberg. However, his early ambition was to make films and in 1990 he moved to America to study film at New York University. Forster commented, “When you grow up like that and suddenly you decide you intend to make movies, everybody says it’s impossible, but here I am and I’m living my dream.”

Today, Forster’s impressive filmography includes Monsters Ball (2001), which received two Oscar® nominations with Halle Berry winning Best Actress, and Finding Neverland (2004); a film based on the semi-autobiographical story of the friendship between J.M. Barrie and the single mother who lived next door with her four boys. Finding Neverland, starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet, received seven Academy Award⪚ nominations, five Golden Globe nominations and eleven BAFTA nominations all including Best Picture. Forster was also nominated Best Director by his peers at the Directors Guild Of America. In 2005, Forster helmed the reality bending thriller Stay starring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts and went on to direct the hit comedy Stranger Than Fiction, with Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson and Queen Latifah, the following year.

Neal Purvis and Robert Wade (Writers) had their first success in 1991 with the screenplay of the controversial screen drama Let Him Have It, a true story about the killing of a policeman. The critically acclaimed film, directed by Peter Medak, was screened for Parliament and played a part in Derek Bentley’s eventual posthumous pardon. They have since worked in a variety of genres with screenplays such as The Wasp Factory, an adaptation of Iain Banks’ novel for director Stephen Daldry, and Plunkett & Macleane, starring Robert Carlyle and Liv Tyler.

Between writing James Bond films The World is Not Enough and 2002’s Die Another Day, they worked on The Italian Job, starring Mark Wahlberg and Edward Norton, and Johnny English, starring Rowan Atkinson and John Malkovich. They then wrote and co-produced Return to Sender for director Bille August and performed the same duties on Stoned for director Stephen Woolley, before writing the screenplay for Casino Royale. After delivering their screenplay for Quantum of Solace, they wrote Barbarella for director Robert Rodriguez, to be produced in 2009 by Dino DeLaurentiis, and have adapted John Le Carre’s latest novel, The Mission Song, for producers Simon Channing-Williams and Gail Egan. Their most recent collaboration is with director John Carney, on an adaptation of an M.R. James horror story, Casting the Runes. They are currently producing The Little Red Car, a comedy from their own script set in Paris and directed by Hattie Dalton.

Cubby Broccoli, Producer

Maud Adams (Actress, “Octopussy”)

Barbara Broccoli (Producer) has worked on the James Bond films for many years. Starting her career as an assistant director on Octopussy and A View to a Kill, Barbara worked her way up to become associate producer and then earning her first producer credit on GoldenEye, most recently producing Quantum of Solace with her brother Michael Wilson. In 2003, together with Dana Broccoli and Michael Wilson, Barbara produced the award winning stage version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which opened to rave reviews in London and later in New York. Barbara was awarded the OBE in the Queens New Years Honours 2008.

Richard Kiel (Actor, “Jaws”)

Tom Mankiewicz (Writer)

Michael G. Wilson (Writer, Producer) joined EON Productions in 1972 and was named Assistant to the Producer on The Spy Who Loved Me. He became Executive Producer on Moonraker and continued with that credit on the following two Bond films. He co-wrote For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View to a Kill, The Living Daylights and License to Kill. When James Bond returned to the big screen after an absence of six years, Wilson produced the hugely successful GoldenEye with his sister Barbara Broccoli, followed by the blockbuster releases Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, Die Another Day, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. He was awarded the OBE in the Queens New Years Honours 2008.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Rick Jewell is a professor in the School of Cinematic Arts where he holds the Hugh M. Hefner Chair for the Study of American Film. After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree from Vanderbilt University and Master’s Degree from the University of Florida, Dr. Jewell began his doctoral studies at USC in 1972, started teaching in 1974 and became a full-time faculty member in 1976. From 1985-1990, Dr. Jewell served as chair of the Critical Studies Program and from 1995 through 2004 he was the School’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Professor Jewell’s latest book is The Golden Age of Cinema: Hollywood, 1929-1945 (2007).

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT

The exhibit will feature noteworthy artifacts from the spy thriller series as well as additional films from Broccoli’s career. Some of the items on display include an early draft of the script for Dr. No, the metal teeth worn by assassin Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me, the Versace evening dress worn by Halle Berry in Die Another Day, the red velvet dress worn by Jane Seymour in Live and Let Die, the mock Fabergé Egg from Octopussy, the Algerian love knot necklace worn by Eva Green in Casino Royale, the golden gun from The Man with the Golden Gun, Sean Connery’s coat from Dr. No, among many other costumes, cinema artwork, film stills and Bond spy gadgets.

The exhibit will take place in the Hugh M. Hefner Exhibition Space in the George Lucas Building Lobby, East wing of the SCA complex.

ABOUT CHECK-IN & RESERVATIONS

All screenings are free of charge and open to all USC students, faculty, staff and alumni. The theater will be OVERBOOKED to ensure capacity and the RSVP list will be honored on a first-come, first-serve basis, with no reserved seating. Please bring a photo ID or print out of your reservation confirmation, which will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making an RSVP through this website. Doors will open at 30 minutes prior to showtime.

ABOUT PARKING

The USC School of Cinematic Arts is located at 900 W. 34th St., Los Angeles, CA 90007. Parking passes may be purchased for $8.00 at USC Entrance Gate #5, located at the intersection of W. Jefferson Blvd. & McClintock Avenue. We recommend parking in outdoor Lot M or V, or Parking Structure D, at the far end of 34th Street. Please note that Parking Structure D cannot accommodate tall vehicles such as SUVs. Metered street parking is also available along Jefferson Blvd.

For additional details, visit the official USC website.

Be sure to keep checking the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest James Bond-related news.

Project Pinewood comes to a halt

Plans for a 100-acre, £200 million expansion of Pinewood Studios—the home of James Bond—have come to a halt.

The plans were unanimously rejected by the South Bucks District Council (SBDC) planners after a mass demonstration this afternoon, according to the Bucks Free Press.

More than 100 protesters from the ‘Stop Project Pinewood’ group were at the South Bucks District Council building as the planning committee discussed the proposal to build new film sets along with 1,400 homes on Green Belt land in Iver Heath.

New features would have included permanent film lots—such as a row of New York brownstone apartments, a Parisian square and a Venice canal, reducing the amount of international travel filmmakers would have had to make in order to film at such locations. Pinewood was also planning to incorporate up to 1,400 new flats, which was forecasted to generate as many as 1,600 new jobs.

It has further been reported that Birmingham is being considered as a possible alternative for the controversial expansion.

Be sure to keep checking the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest James Bond-related news.

Operation Euro2010 James Bond film tour announced

OPERATION: EURO2010

Exclusive 11 Day Bus/Train tour of Europe, as seen and experienced through James Bond’s most famous films and visits to other film sites from The Bourne Identity, Star Wars, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Ronin, Charade, Mission Impossible, The Da Vinci Code, Moulin Rouge, Oceans 11 and more! A limited invitation event for the discerning James Bond traveler as well as an in-depth tour of Europe’s most requested vacation spots for non-agents.

Theme Party People, who created the sell-out “070707” Casino Royale Tour of Nassau and the Ocho Rios/Key West visits in the “LTK2009” Licence to Kill 20th Anniversary Tour have partnered with famed world travel company, GLOBUS TOURS, to provide an all-encompassing European vacation for film fans. Bond, Bourne and Beyond EURO2010 will provide luxury accommodations, multilingual tour guides to the film sites, sounds and tastes of Italy, France and Switzerland, along with the usual Theme Party People accent on the fun and lifestyle of our favorite film secret agents.

For general information and itinerary detail contact Theme Party People at [email protected].

Our Mission Itinerary Highlights*:

Day 1– 21 Aug/Sat- Board your overnight transatlantic flight

Day 2– 22 Aug/Sun Venice- Arrive Venice, Italy, luxury accommodations near St. Marks, Square. The day is yours to enjoy. An Evening James Bond Lifestyle Cocktail Reception at our hotel to officially begin our Operation: Euro2010 and then you are free to go explore Venice after dark.

Day 3– 23 Aug/Mon- Venice- Canal boat and walking tour of From Russia with Love, Moonraker and Casino Royale film locations. From the hotel, walk to the Fish Market (Pescheria); next, board a canal boat and travel to Ca’Rezzonico followed by Palazzo Pisani where you will enjoy a coffee break. It was this location that is featured in the finale of Casino Royale. Continue on to ST. MARK’S SQUARE and the byzantine BASILICA, lavish DOGES’ PALACE and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Also watch skilled GLASS-BLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. End with a late afternoon Gondola boat ride if you wish and the evening is on your own to enjoy the Square, Ernest Hemingway’s favorite watering hole, Harry’s Bar or dine along the Rialto Bridge.

Day 4– 24 Aug/Tue – Venice- Cortina d’Amprezzo-Board a private water-taxi and depart Venice for the mainland where you board a luxury “007” motorcoach. Begin your drive north to the jewel of the Dolomites; Cortina d’Amprezzo. After checking in to the hotel, tour the locations from For Your Eyes Only including the Piazza Venezia, where Bond and Melana fight off the motorcycle attack and the Olympic Ski Jump, the Ice Stadium and the Observation Terrace of Mount Tofana.

Day 5– 25 Aug/Wed – Cortina d’Amprezzo-Lake Como- An early departure takes you westward through the alpine regions of Italy. Upon arrival in Lake Como, tour two Villas; first view the Villa la Gaeta, Mr. White’s villa in Casino Royale on a BOAT EXCURSION on Lake Como. Next; enjoy a private tour of the VILLA DEL BALBIANELLO, as featured in Casino Royale as the recovery hospital for James Bond and is also featured in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. Look for George Clooney’s villa featured in Oceans 12. Next, enjoy a VESPER MARTINI RECEPTION LAKESIDE (weather permitting). The remainder of the day is at leisure to create your own.

Day 6– 26 Aug/Thu – Lake Como-Interlaken, Switzerland -After breakfast depart the hotel and drive through the Ticino countryside, through the Alps into Switzerland. The first stop is LOCARNO’S VERZASCA DAM; you will recognize this location from the opening bungee jump stunt of GoldenEye. Approximately 2 hours of leisure time will be provided for “007 Activities”. Continue on to Furka Pass, Andematt region for a photo-stop at the overlook from Goldfinger. Additional locations will be viewed as you proceed through the wondrous Gotthard Pass en route to your Interlaken hotel. This evening join your Tour Director for DINNER IN THE SWISS ALPS. After a stroll in lovely Interlaken, take the funicular railway to the Harder Kulm summit, where you will savor a delicious dinner at the panoramic restaurant while enjoying breathtaking views of Lake Brienz, Lake Thun and the surrounding countryside. (B,D)

Note: All activities at the Dam are independent of Globus or Theme Party People. Passengers choosing to participate in the activities do so at their own risk.

Day 7– 27 Aug/Fri- Interlaken- A day dedicated to the 1969 film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Visit the train station at LAUTENBRUNNEN, where Bond first is greeted by SPECTRE’s Irma Bunt and the areas used in the film for Bond’s escape with Tracy. Next, begin your CABLE CAR ascent up to the Jungfrau Alpine Range and to the famous “Blofeld lair”, the rotating mountaintop restaurant – Piz Gloria. While here, enjoy COCKTAILS and a PRIVATE SHOWING of highlights of the film in the 007 Theatre. Then a real treat; dine on the house specialty, “James Bond Spaghetti” in the main restaurant. Time for photos and souvenirs before returning to your Interlaken hotel.

Day 8– 28 Aug/Sat- Interlaken-Geneva-This morning board your luxury motorcoach and journey west for a visit to the SWISS BANKS OF GENEVA. The remainder of the day is at leisure; as this is the center of Switzerland’s watch making industry, Omega shopping along the boulevard is a must. There are clubs and casinos to enjoy on your own. An optional excursion to Castle Chillon, where Lord Byron was held prisoner is available.

Day 9– 29 Aug/Sun – Geneva-Paris, France- Board the TGV, the bullet train featured in Mission Impossible. While traveling at 200 mph, view the mountain regions of Chamonix, where Bond and Elektra ski in The World is Not Enough. Afternoon arrival in Paris; and transfer for a BATEAU MOUCHE LUNCH CRUISE on the Seine, as featured in A View to a Kill, Ronin and Charade. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore the City of Lights!

Day 10– 30 Aug/Mon – Paris-Chateau Country Excursion-Leave your hotel this morning and prepare to visit three famous chateaus. First, CHATEAU CHANTILLY, the residence of Zorin in A View to a Kill. Next, VAUX-LE-VICOMTE, the Drax castle of Moonraker and the grounds where Hugo Drax and Bond spend the day quail hunting. While here enjoy lunch at the restaurant L’ECUREUIL. Finally is the CHATEAU D’ANET, from the opening sequence of Thunderball, where Bond lifts off in his jet pack. The beautiful grounds and gardens of these locations are not to be missed. Tonight, MOULIN ROUGE, an exciting evening at the world-renowned Parisian cabaret. Dinner with half a bottle of wine is served during the show. A glass of champagne completes your evening in style.

Day 11– 31 Aug/Tue – Paris- Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Louvre, and Champs-Elysées. Stop for a photo at the SPECTRE headquarters from Thunderball. We follow river bank locations where scenes from The Bourne Identity, A View to a Kill and National Treasure 2 were lensed. Visit magnificent NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL, and for a panoramic view, take the elevator to the second floor of the EIFFEL TOWER. After enjoying the view, continue to RESTAURANT ALTITUDE 95 for lunch featured in A View to a Kill; be sure to avoid Mayday and her stinging butterfly. The afternoon is at leisure to rest, walk the bridges or shop for special keepsakes. This evening join fellow agents for Operation: EURO2010 Grand Finale evening cocktail reception and then the city is yours to enjoy once more.

Day 12– 01 Sep/Wed- Paris- After breakfast one group transfer to the airport will be provided for passengers departing. A second group transfer will be provided to Disneyland Paris* for those wishing to extend their stay. There will have post-tour options to Versailles or the Louvre for those wishing to add more to this exciting and fun packed adventure.

Operation: EURO2010
$3995.00 per person *

Visit ThemePartyPeople.com for full information, including booking and deposit details, registration forms and related information.

Keep watching the CommanderBond.net main page—and our Twitter feed—for all the latest on 007-themed events happening around the world.

Pinewood Studios to open world's largest drive-in

World’s Largest Cinema Screen At Pinewood’s Drive-In

007 Stage at Pinewood Studios

The home of the James Bond 007 films, Pinewood Studios, now hosts the world’s largest cinema screen for showing its series of Drive-In movies, starting with The Omen and The Shining this Halloween on Saturday 31 October 2009.

From The Bourne Ultimatum to Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Mamma Mia! to Superman, Pinewood and its sister studio Shepperton have helped create each film in the Drive-In series. Other titles being shown include Bridget Jones’ Diary, Slumdog Millionaire, Gladiator, Dr Strangelove and Batman Begins.

Pinewood has transformed its unique outdoor water filming facility into the world’s largest cinema screen, sized 73.1M wide x 18.3M in height. A delicious range of hot and cold refreshments will be delivered via waitress service directly to each car.

Pinewood’s Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Smith comments “Both Pinewood and Shepperton have played a part in some of the most iconic feature films ever made and we’re delighted to be able to showcase these in such a spectacular way for the British public to enjoy.”

Tickets available from www.seetickets.com
VIP tickets – £55 per car include premium parking and service.
Standard tickets – £35 per car.
All tickets limited to 4 persons per car.

To view the entire schedule of films to be presented, visit the official Pinewood Studios Group website.

Keep your browsers locked on the CommanderBond.net main page and our Twitter feed for all the latest news on James Bond-related events occurring around the world.

Double shot of 007 all month long on Universal HD

Tune in to Universal HD all month long in October and early November for a double dose of 007 every Thursday night.

Beginning this past Thursday, 1 October and running through 13 November, two James Bond films will play back to back. CommanderBond.net brings you the complete schedule:

Diamonds Are Forever

• Thursday, 8 October – 8:00pm:
• GoldenEye: James Bond teams up with the lone survivor of a destroyed Russian research center to stop the hijacking of a nuclear space weapon by a fellow agent believed to be dead. Starring Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean and Famke Janssen.

• Thursday, 8 October – 10:30pm:
• Tomorrow Never Dies: James Bond heads to stop a media mogul’s plan to induce war between China and the UK in order to obtain exclusive global media coverage. Starring Pierce Brosnan, Jonathan Pryce and Michelle Yeoh.

• Thursday, 15 October – 8:00pm:
• From Russia With Love: James Bond willingly falls into an assassination ploy involving a naive Russian beauty in order to retrieve a Soviet encryption device that was stolen by SPECTRE. Starring Sean Connery, Daniela Bianchi and Pedro Armendariz.

• Thursday, 15 October – 10:30pm:
• Diamonds Are Forever: A diamond smuggling investigation leads James Bond to Las Vegas, where he uncovers an extortion plot headed by his nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Starring Sean Connery, Jill St. John and Charles Gray.

• Thursday, 22 October – 8:00pm:
• Live And Let Die: 007 is sent to stop a diabolically brilliant heroin magnate armed with a complex organization and a reliable psychic tarot card reader. Starring Roger Moore, Yaphet Kotto and Jane Seymour.

• Thursday, 22 October – 10:30pm:
• The Man With The Golden Gun: Bond is led to believe that he is targeted by the world’s most expensive assassin and must hunt him down to stop him. Roger Moore, Christopher Lee and Britt Ekland.

• Thursday, 29 October – 8:00pm:
• Thunderball: James Bond heads to The Bahamas to recover two nuclear warheads stolen by SPECTRE agent Emilio Largo in an international extortion scheme. Starring Sean Connery, Claudine Auger and Adolfo Celi.

• Thursday, 29 October – 10:30pm:
• You Only Live Twice: Agent 007 and the Japanese secret service ninja force must find and stop the true culprit of a series of spacejackings before nuclear war is provoked. Starring Sean Connery, Akiko Wakabayashi and Mie Hama.

• Thursday, 5 November – 9:00pm:
• GoldenEye: James Bond teams up with the lone survivor of a destroyed Russian research center to stop the hijacking of a nuclear space weapon by a fellow agent believed to be dead. Starring Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean and Famke Janssen.

• Thursday, 5 November – 11:30pm:
• For Your Eyes Only: Agent 007 is assigned to hunt for a lost British encryption device and prevent it from falling into enemy hands. Starring Roger Moore, Carole Bouquet and Lynn-Holly Johnson.

• Thursday, 12 November – 9:00pm:
• The Spy Who Loved Me: James Bond investigates the hijacking of British and Russian submarines carrying nuclear warheads with the help of a KGB agent whose lover he killed. Roger Moore, Barbara Bach and Curd Jurgens.

• Friday, 13 November – 12:00am:
• The Spy Who Loved Me: James Bond investigates the hijacking of British and Russian submarines carrying nuclear warheads with the help of a KGB agent whose lover he killed. Roger Moore, Barbara Bach and Curd Jurgens.

For additional details, visit the Universal HD official website.

As always, stay tuned to the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest news from the world of 007. Be sure to check out our Twitter feed as well.

George Lazenby to attend New Jersey's Chiller Theatre Expo 2009

George Lazenby

Former James Bond star George Lazenby is set to make an appearance at the 2009 Chiller Theatre Expo in New Jersey at the end of the month.

The On Her Majesty’s Secret Service star is just one of many guests scheduled to attend the event, which runs from Friday, 30 October to Sunday, 1 November. Serena Scott Thomas, who is best known by 007 fans for her role as Dr. Molly Warmflash in The World is not Enough, is also on the guest list.

There are a variety of advance ticket sale options to choose from, but hurry as these must be placed by 16 October. Visit this page for full information.

This horror, sci-fi and fantasy convention will be taking place at the Hilton Parsippany, One Hilton Court, Parsippany, New Jersey 07054.

For further details about attending, phone 1-973-267-7373 or visit the official website.

Stay tuned to CommanderBond.net—and our brand new Twitter feed—for all the latest news on James Bond-related events occurring around the world.

Up for auction: James Bond first editions by Ian Fleming

Another Bloomsbury sale… another batch of elusive Ian Fleming-penned James Bond first editions.

Ian Fleming’s Goldfinger

007 collectors will have 22 tempting lots to choose between, from the more expensive first editions of early titles like Moonraker and Diamonds are Forever to the more affordable You Only Live Twice and Octopussy and The Living Daylights.

These 22 James Bond lots join the other 688 to make up the Bloomsbury Literature, Manuscripts and
Modern First Editions sale, which is scheduled to take place on Thursday, 15 October 2009.

Bloomsbury Auctions is located at: Bloomsbury House, 24 Maddox Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 1PP. For further details, phone +44(0) 20 7495 9494 or visit the official website.

Details on selected James Bond lots follow below:

Lot 597 – Moonraker

Moonraker, first edition , issue with ‘shoo’ on p.10 , and printed on the slightly thinner paper stock, small ink name on front free endpaper, original boards, dust-jacket, slightly dulled at spine, a few minor mark on lower panel, otherwise a very good example, from personal experience the scarcer of the two issues, 8vo, 1955.

Estimate: £1,500 – £2,000

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Lot 598 – Diamonds are Forever

Diamonds are Forever, first edition , original boards, fine, dust-jacket, rubbed at extremities, worn at corners, closed tear ascending into upper panel from lower fore-corner, 8vo, 1956.

Estimate: £600 – £800

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Lot 600 – From Russia with Love

From Russia, With Love, first edition , original boards, fine, dust-jacket, worn and split at corners, spine browned, rubbed at edges, 8vo, 1957.

Estimate: £250 – £350

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Lot 601 – Dr. No

Dr No, first edition, issue with plain boards, dust-jacket, chipped with loss at corners, 8vo, 1958.

Estimate: £350 – £450

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Lot 603 – For Your Eyes Only

For Your Eyes Only, first edition , original boards, fine, dust-jacket, usual slight discolouration to spine, slight rubbing and creasing, otherwise good, 8vo, 1960.

Estimate: £300 – £400

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Lot 611 – Octopussy and The Living Daylights

Octopussy…, first edition , original boards, dust-jacket, un-clipped but with price-sticker, fine, 8vo, 1966.

Estimate: £120 – £180

Keep your browsers locked on the CommanderBond.net main page—and our brand new Twitter feed—for all the latest news on James Bond-related events occurring around the world.

Breakfast with Bond marathon all month long on USA Network

Wake up with James Bond all month long on the USA Network.

From 5 October through 23 October, the USA Network will be running a marathon of 007 films featuring all the Bond stars from Sean Connery to Pierce Brosnan. CommanderBond.net breaks down the schedule so you know when to tune in:

From Russia with Love

• Monday, 5 October – 6:30am:
• Dr. No: James Bond’s investigation of a missing colleague in Jamaica leads him to the island of the mysterious Dr. No and a scheme to end the US space program. Starring Sean Connery, Ursula Andress and Joseph Wiseman.

• Tuesday, 6 October – 6:30am:
• From Russia With Love: James Bond willingly falls into an assassination ploy involving a naive Russian beauty in order to retrieve a Soviet encryption device that was stolen by SPECTRE. Starring Sean Connery, Daniela Bianchi and Pedro Armendariz.

• Wednesday, 7 October – 6:30am:
• Goldfinger: Investigating a gold magnate’s gold smuggling, James Bond uncovers a plot to contaminate the Fort Knox gold reserve. Starring Sean Connery, Honor Blackman and Gert Frobe.

• Thursday, 8 October – 6:30am:
• Thunderball: James Bond heads to The Bahamas to recover two nuclear warheads stolen by SPECTRE agent Emilio Largo in an international extortion scheme. Starring Sean Connery, Claudine Auger and Adolfo Celi.

• Friday, 9 October – 6:30am:
• You Only Live Twice: Agent 007 and the Japanese secret service ninja force must find and stop the true culprit of a series of spacejackings before nuclear war is provoked. Starring Sean Connery, Akiko Wakabayashi and Mie Hama.

• Monday, 12 October – 6:00am:
• On Her Majesty’s Secret Service: James Bond woos a mob boss’s daughter and goes undercover to uncover the true reason for Blofeld’s allergy research in the Swiss Alps that involves beautiful women from around the world. Starring George Lazenby, Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas.

• Tuesday, 13 October – 6:30am:
• Diamonds Are Forever: A diamond smuggling investigation leads James Bond to Las Vegas, where he uncovers an extortion plot headed by his nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Starring Sean Connery, Jill St. John and Charles Gray.

• Wednesday, 14 October – 6:30am:
• Live And Let Die: 007 is sent to stop a diabolically brilliant heroin magnate armed with a complex organization and a reliable psychic tarot card reader. Starring Roger Moore, Yaphet Kotto and Jane Seymour.

• Thursday, 15 October – 6:00am:
• The Man With The Golden Gun: Bond is led to believe that he is targeted by the world’s most expensive assassin and must hunt him down to stop him. Roger Moore, Christopher Lee and Britt Ekland.

• Friday, 16 October – 6:30am:
• The Spy Who Loved Me: James Bond investigates the hijacking of British and Russian submarines carrying nuclear warheads with the help of a KGB agent whose lover he killed. Roger Moore, Barbara Bach and Curd Jurgens.

• Monday, 19 October – 6:30am:
• For Your Eyes Only: Agent 007 is assigned to hunt for a lost British encryption device and prevent it from falling into enemy hands. Starring Roger Moore, Carole Bouquet and Lynn-Holly Johnson.

• Tuesday, 20 October – 6:00am:
• Never Say Never Again: A SPECTRE agent has stolen two American nuclear warheads, and James Bond must find their targets before they are detonated. Starring Sean Connery, Klaus Maria Brandauer and Max von Sydow.

• Wednesday, 21 October – 6:00am:
• Licence To Kill: James Bond leaves Her Majesty’s Secret Service to stop an evil drug lord and avenge his best friend, Felix Leiter. Starring Timothy Dalton, Carey Lowell and Robert Davi.

• Thursday, 22 October – 6:30am:
• GoldenEye: James Bond teams up with the lone survivor of a destroyed Russian research center to stop the hijacking of a nuclear space weapon by a fellow agent believed to be dead. Starring Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean and Famke Janssen.

• Friday, 23 October – 6:30am:
• Tomorrow Never Dies: James Bond heads to stop a media mogul’s plan to induce war between China and the UK in order to obtain exclusive global media coverage. Starring Pierce Brosnan, Jonathan Pryce and Michelle Yeoh.

For further details, visit the USA Network website.

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Rare James Bond novels signed by Ian Fleming hit the auction block

Ian Fleming

A first edition signed and inscribed copy of Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale, the book that introduced the world to its favorite secret agent, the one and only James Bond, headlines Heritage Auctions’ Rare Books auction, Oct. 16-17. The fact that the copy is signed by the renowned writer is reason enough to make it a desirable edition, but how Fleming tantalizingly inscribed the book may well make it the ultimate Bond collectible of them all:

“To M,” Fleming wrote, alluding to the enigmatic head of the British Secret Service. “These pages from my memoirs! Ian.”

It’s speculated by Bond experts that there are two possible sources behind Fleming’s inspiration for M, his soft-spoken spymaster. The first likely candidate is Maxwell Knight, a popular 1950s radio and television naturalist who led a secret existence as an MI5 spy runner. The second is thought to be Admiral John Godfrey, under whom Fleming served during World War II.

Heritage Auctions has estimated the book at $40,000+.

“We would normally be thrilled to have even one signed Ian Fleming first edition Bond book in any auction,” said James Gannon, Director of Rare Books at Heritage Auctions, “but here we have not only the first Bond book signed and inscribed, but also the second, Live and Let Die (estimate: $25,000+), the fifth, From Russia With Love (estimate: $22,000+), the seventh and ninth, Goldfinger (estimate: $14,000+) and Thunderball ($12,000+), and the eleventh, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service ($10,000+)—every one of them first editions and every one of them signed by Fleming.”

Ian Fleming’s Thunderball

Ian Fleming had the kind of success that most any writer in the world would die for, though it didn’t come easy to him. Born into a wealthy, respected British family, he struggled early on to distinguish himself, never successfully evading the shadow of his more successful father and older brother as he tried his hand at banking and journalism. It was during the war that Fleming found what was to become his passion in Naval Intelligence, the source for all his creativity, wealth and his lasting literary legacy to the world.

Fleming discovered a gift for creative thinking within the structured environment of intelligence work. His ability to plot ingenious intelligence operations became known as the “Fleming flair” within the military. During the final year of the war, Fleming was sent to Jamaica for a naval conference, where he fell in love with the locale and where he would return after the war to build his retreat, Goldeneye. Writing from this exotic location and drawing on his military experiences, he would create James Bond and return yearly to write all of the Bond novels.

While maybe not as glamorous as the globe-trotting exploits of a licensed-to-kill secret agent, first and second volumes of The Federalist Papers, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay, mark an equally interesting highpoint of the Heritage Auctions Oct. 16-17 event. Without a doubt The Federalist Papers were the most influential set of writings to come out of pre-Revolutionary War America, and were seminal in the establishment of the nascent American government.

Volume 1 is estimated at $25,000+, while Volume 2 is estimated at $20,000+.

“We’ve been fortunate at Heritage Auctions to become the go-to auction house for first and early editions of the Federalist,” said Gannon. “These two first edition copies add to the long history of offering the best examples of this most influential of American political works.”

Heritage Auction Galleries is the world’s third largest auction house, and by far the largest auctioneer of rare collectibles, with annual sales more than $700 million, and 470,000+ registered online bidder members. For more information about Heritage’s auctions, and to join and gain access to a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HA.com.

Keep watching the CommanderBond.net main page—and our brand new Twitter feed—for the most up-to-date literary James Bond coverage on the web.

The Music Is Bond… James Bond returns to Auckland on 5 November

007 fans in Auckland, New Zealand will have one last chance to attend the ‘Music is Bond… James Bond’ concert event before it heads to the United States.

Following its debut last year to mark the release of Quantum of Solace, one final performance has been scheduled at the Bruce Mason Centre on Thursday, 5 November 2009.

Full details follow in the press release below:

Final NZ Show before it heads to the States.

The Music is Bond James Bond’ performed successfully for the first time in Auckland last year is going to create fireworks at the BRUCE MASON CENTRE on November 5th 2009.

Produced by Tim Beveridge this exciting concert event will feature music that spans generations from Dr No in 1962 through to the latest Bond movie Quantum of Solace.

Tim will be joined on stage by a top line up of New Zealand’s most talented and versatile vocalists in the form of Tina Cross, Taisha, Jazz siren Caitlin Smith, newcomer Melissa Nordhaus and the 20-piece Neophonic Orchestra.

Beveridge says the reaction to the show last year was extremely positive and we wanted to give Aucklanders’ another chance to see it before we take it offshore to the United States where promoters have expressed an interest in touring the show.

“Just as everyone has their preferred Bond actor people also have their favourite Bond song whether it’s Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia with Love or Live and Let Die. They span generations and have proven to be timeless,” says Beveridge. Themes from the Bond films have been sung by some of the world’s leading artists including Tina Turner, Tom Jones, Paul McCartney and most recently Alicia Keys. Many were successful hits in their day with some nominated for Academy Awards.

“For fans of the Bond films it will be a fantastic night, with the combination of amazing voices and the 20-piece orchestra, it will be the event to die for!” concluded Beveridge.

Tickets will be available from Ticketmaster outlets (09) 970 9700 and online at www.ticketmaster.co.nz.

Keep watching the CommanderBond.net main page—and our Twitter feed—for all the latest on 007-themed events happening around the world.