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.

Ian Fleming's Goldfinger to be adapted for BBC Radio

Ian Fleming’s seventh James Bond novel, 1959’s Goldfinger, has been announced as an upcoming BBC Radio adaptation.

Ian Fleming’s Goldfinger

The Stage reports that independent production company Jarvis and Ayres will be behind this 007 production. It is owned and run by actors Martin Jarvis and Rosalind Ayres.

This Goldfinger adaptation will follow last year’s Radio 4 production of Dr. No (also produced by Jarvis), which was produced to mark the Fleming centenary in May.

Jarvis told The Stage he had initially been given approval from Bond film company Eon Productions to produce Dr. No on a ‘special one-off’ basis. However, he said they had been so impressed with the reworking of Dr. No, which starred Die Another Day baddie Toby Stephens as 007 and David Suchet as Dr. No, that they approached Jarvis and Ayres to ask them to make another.

Jarvis added that Goldfinger will be similar to the Dr. No production, which featured narrations from a Fleming character, played by Jarvis. Casting is yet to be confirmed, but he stated that he was keen to get Stephens back again for the role of Bond.

The production is expected on Radio 4 early next year.

Keep watching the CommanderBond.net main page and our Twitter feed for the most up-to-date news from the world of James Bond.

By Royal Command wins Oxfordshire Children's Book Award

Charlie Higson’s fifth Young James Bond adventure, By Royal Command, has been announced the winner of the 2009 Oxfordshire Children’s Book Award.

The Young Bond Dossier reports that the news was announced over this past weekend on the official Ian Fleming Publications website.

The winner of this award was decided upon by nearly 1,000 children in the Oxfordshire area.

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

Discuss this Young Bond news in this thread on the CBn Forums, the largest James Bond 007 forum in the world.

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CBn Reviews Young Bond #4: Hurricane Gold

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Dame Shirley Bassey to perform at BBC Electric Proms

Three-time James Bond title theme performer Dame Shirley Bassey has been lined up to perform at the 2009 BBC Electric Proms.

The BBC News reports that Bassey will be performing alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra at the London Roundhouse on Friday, 23 October. It will be her only scheduled live performance of the year.

The Welsh singer is planning to include several of her classic songs in the performance as well as debut some of the new tracks from her forthcoming album, The Performance (which is produced by current 007 composer David Arnold and includes a composition from John Barry and Don Black amongst many other notable names in the music business).

‘What I’m most looking forward to at the BBC Electric Proms is performing songs from my new album The Performance for the first time—it really will be a special moment for me,’ she was quoted as saying.

The show will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 2.

The Performance album is due for release on 9 November and can currently be pre-ordered online:

• Order Shirley Bassey’s The Performance from Amazon.co.uk

Keep watching the CommanderBond.net main page—and our Twitter feed—for more news on this exciting album.

US Young Bond tour with Charlie Higson in 2010

Earlier this week, we reported on the many different Young Bond-related releases scheduled to hit the US in May 2010. Now, The Young Bond Dossier features the exclusive news that author Charlie Higson will be embarking on a US tour the exact same month.

Designed to promote the release of By Royal Command, SilverFin: The Graphic Novel and the non-Bond horror adventure The Enemy, this will be Higson’s first tour stateside since the release of Blood Fever in 2006.

Specific times and dates are yet to be announced, but we’ll post the information up as soon as we hear more.

• Order the US hardback of By Royal Command from Amazon.com
• Order the US hardback of SilverFin: The Graphic Novel from Amazon.com
• Order the US paperback of SilverFin: The Graphic Novel from Amazon.com
• Order the US hardback of The Enemy from Amazon.com
• Order the US paperback of Hurricane Gold from Amazon.com

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

Discuss this Young Bond news in this thread on the CBn Forums, the largest James Bond 007 forum in the world.

SilverFin – Literary 007 Coverage

Blood Fever – Literary 007 Coverage

Double or Die – Literary 007 Coverage

Hurricane Gold – Literary 007 Coverage

By Royal Command – Literary 007 Coverage

The Charlie Higson CBn Interview

The Charlie Higson CBn Interview II

CBn Reviews Young Bond #1: SilverFin

CBn Reviews Young Bond #2: Blood Fever

CBn Reviews Young Bond #3: Double Or Die

CBn Reviews Young Bond #4: Hurricane Gold

CBn Reviews SilverFin: The Graphic Novel

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US James Bond Blu-ray 10-disc set arrives in November

Mixed news today for the many James Bond fans eagerly waiting for the remaining 007 films to debut on Blu-ray: we have news on a brand new Bond Blu-ray release coming in November… but it recycles all of the currently available titles.

James Bond 10-Disc Blu-ray Collection

Due for release in the US on 3 November 2009 is the James Bond 10-pack Blu-ray Collection. Retailing for $199.98, it includes the following already available Bond films: Dr. No, Live and Let Die, Die Another Day, From Russia With Love, Thunderball, For Your Eyes Only, Goldfinger, Moonraker, The World is not Enough and Quantum of Solace.

No new titles are present and the only omission from the official series is 2006’s Casino Royale.

As some fans will note, this exact same collection was available to purchase at Costco for a limited time earlier this year to mark the debut of Quantum of Solace on Blu-ray and DVD.

Amazon.com currently features this box set on pre-order for $139.99 (30% off retail). There are currently no listings for this item on the Amazon.co.uk webpage.

• Order the James Bond Blu-ray 10-Disc Set from Amazon.com

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated with complete coverage on all the latest James Bond Blu-ray news—be sure to check out our Twitter feed as well.

Search is on for best Bond girl inspired martini

Contest: Relais & Châteaux Searches for Best Bond Girl Inspired Martini

Everyone knows that James Bond loves his martinis – shaken, not stirred. But what kind of martini would a Bond Girl drink?

Relais & Châteaux, a collection of 480 celebrated boutique hotels and gourmet restaurants worldwide, wants to know. They’re holding a contest to find female mixologists to shake things up with style and sophistication and create a fabulous martini inspired by the Bond Girls.

“Relais & Châteaux and the Bond films have a lot in common,” said Jaume Tápies, international president of the Association. “Both use sophistication, a sense of mystery, gorgeous natural surroundings and the element of surprise to create memorable experiences and a celebration of the senses, so I think we have the expertise to judge the best Bond Girl inspired martini.”

To enter, send a link to video, 2 to 3 minutes in length, of yourself preparing the martini (Bond Girl attire optional) and explaining why your martini is one that Bond Girls like Honey Rider, Solitaire, Octopussy, Vesper Lind and Melina Havelock would imbibe. Like the Bond Girls, your martini recipe and video should be smooth, cool, and sophisticated.

Five finalists will be selected based on originality, showmanship, and your explanation of why your recipe is the best Bond Girl-inspired martini that deserves to be served at Relais & Châteaux properties. Finalists must be available to participate in a final round of judging at a cocktail event to be held at the Relais & Châteaux Maison in Manhattan on November 30. Bond Girl Carole Bouquet, who portrayed Melina Havelock in For Your Eyes Only, will attend the event.

The contest winner will receive a two-night stay for two at one of the fabulous properties to be selected as new U.S. members of Relais & Châteaux for 2010. In addition, the winner’s video and recipe will be featured on the new Relais & Châteaux Facebook page, and the cocktail will be served at select Relais & Châteaux resorts.

The November 30 black-tie event will feature a display of authentic, one-of-a-kind props from the major James Bond movies, including gadget props from 1962-2008, wardrobe from Casino Royale, the “golden gun” from The Man With the Golden Gun and assorted props from For Your Eyes Only, from David Zaritsky’s collection. Zaritsky is one of the foremost collectors of Bond memorabilia in North America.

The contest will run from Thursday, October 8, through midnight EST Wednesday, November 4. For information about contest rules and how to enter, please go to http://www.marstonpr.com/relaischateaux/contest.html.

About Relais & Châteaux

Relais & Châteaux is an exclusive collection of 480 of the finest hotels and gourmet restaurants in 56 countries. Established in France in 1954, the Association’s mission is to spread its unique art de vivre across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character. Relais & Châteaux is a family of hoteliers and Grands Chefs from all over the world who share a passion for, and a personal commitment to, ensuring their guests experience moments of exceptional harmony. For more information, go to www.relaischateaux.com.

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

Several Young Bond releases now available for US pre-order

The Young Bond Dossier alerts us that a wave of Young Bond titles available for pre-order have been added to Amazon.com today.

All of the following titles are due for release on 18 May 2010. Pre-order links follow at the end of the article.

Likely the most anticipated amongst these for US Bond fans in the hardback edition of Charlie Higson’s fifth novel in the series, By Royal Command. To be published by Disney/Hyperion Books, the novel will retail for $16.99. Cover artwork is yet to be revealed.

Also coming up is the US debut of SilverFin: The Graphic Novel (with illustrations provided by Kev Walker). 007 fans will the choice between a hardback and paperback edition, retailing for $19.99 and $9.99, respectively. Click here for your first look at the cover.

While not apart of the Young Bond canon, Higson’s horror adventure The Enemy (which just recently arrived on UK bookshelves) will also debut in the US. This hardback will retail for $16.99.

It’s safe to say that while there is still quite a wait for these releases, Young Bond fans in the US have plenty to look forward to.

• Order the US hardback of By Royal Command from Amazon.com
• Order the US hardback of SilverFin: The Graphic Novel from Amazon.com
• Order the US paperback of SilverFin: The Graphic Novel from Amazon.com
• Order the US hardback of The Enemy from Amazon.com
• Order the US paperback of Hurricane Gold from Amazon.com

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

Discuss this Young Bond news in this thread on the CBn Forums, the largest James Bond 007 forum in the world.

SilverFin – Literary 007 Coverage

Blood Fever – Literary 007 Coverage

Double or Die – Literary 007 Coverage

Hurricane Gold – Literary 007 Coverage

By Royal Command – Literary 007 Coverage

The Charlie Higson CBn Interview

The Charlie Higson CBn Interview II

CBn Reviews Young Bond #1: SilverFin

CBn Reviews Young Bond #2: Blood Fever

CBn Reviews Young Bond #3: Double Or Die

CBn Reviews Young Bond #4: Hurricane Gold

CBn Reviews SilverFin: The Graphic Novel

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Bond girl Olga Kurylenko headlines Campari promo calendar

Quantum of Solace star Olga Kurylenko has been lined up as the new face for the Campari Group.

Full details of the campaign featuring the latest Bond girl follow in the release below. For photographs of Kurylenko from the promotion, visit this Daily Mail article.

Bond girl Olga Kurylenko headlines Campari promo calendar

Olga Kurylenko

Drinks brand, Campari, has roped in the talents of Bond girl, Olga Kurylenko, for a new 2010 promotional calendar.

The top model and actress shot to international fame as the character ‘Camille’ in the most recent James Bond film, Quantum of Solace.

In keeping with its experimental approach to the arts, Campari chose the young up-and-coming Italian photographer Simone Nervi to immortalise Olga Kurylenko.

He is well known for working with images and bodies, moulding and changing them “to show the observer his deep passion for reality, its form and representation.”

The 2010 Campari Calendar will be printed to a limited run of 9,999 copies, to be distributed worldwide.

It is the eleventh annual calendar for the brand and aims to capture, “the simple but captivating, modern and sophisticated fascination of places, intriguing moments and the city’s most absorbing ritual: the aperitif.”

“Olga was a natural choice: an international actress, with great charm, grace, elegance and sensuality that represents the perfect incarnation of the Campari brand”, said CEO of Gruppo Campari, Bob Kunze-Concewitz.

Olga Kurylenko added that like her, the brand was, “dynamic, passionate and cosmopolitan.”

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated with all the latest James Bond-related news (be sure to check out our Twitter feed as well!).

In conversation with Sebastian Faulks at Cheltenham Literature Festival

Sebastian Faulks

While Young Bond author Charlie Higson is set to take the stage at the Cheltenham Literature Festival in roughly a week from now, literary 007 fans attending tomorrow will be treated to an appearance by Sebastian Faulks.

The author of James Bond centenary novel Devil May Care will be giving a talk tomorrow night, 9 October, at the Everyman Theatre.

Faulks will be discussing his critically acclaimed novels, including the just recently published A Week in December.

The event (#23) kicks off at 8:45pm and will last for 75 minutes. Reserved ticket prices are £8.00.

For full details on attending, visit the official Cheltenham Literature Festival website.

Keep watching the CommanderBond.net main page and our Twitter feed for the most up-to-date literary 007 coverage on the web.