Moonraker celebrates 30 years

The outer space extravaganza for James Bond—1979’s Moonraker—celebrates its 30th anniversary this month. Debuting at London’s Odeon Leicester Square on 26 June 1979, Roger Moore’s fourth 007 adventure proved to be the biggest Bond film yet.

With a US release following just a few days later on the 29th, Moonraker became an unstoppable success at the worldwide box office. With a grand total in excess of $202 million, it made the most of its $34 million budget and became the highest grossing James Bond film up to that point in time (inflation-unadjusted) and remained so for almost two decades, until 1995’s GoldenEye.

Taking into account the 30th anniversary of the film, CommanderBond.net asked our forum members to recall their first (or most memorable) time seeing Moonraker…

Remembering Moonraker by… David_M

I saw Moonraker at the age of 14, which in my opinion is pretty much THE age to experience Bond in general. To say I was blown away would be the understatement of the century; I thought it was the greatest film ever made, forget those fancy pants critics and their Citizen Kane crap.

I lived in the sticks back then and it was a good drive to Richmond to do just about anything, including see a movie. My 12-year-old brother and I got in late (thanks to my parents…I still haven’t forgiven them 🙂 ), just as Roger was getting shoved out of the plane. We tried to find seats while keeping our eyes on the screen and I remember some guy yelling “Hey!” because my brother had sat in his lap!

We finally did find two seats together, and enjoyed the heck out of the film, which had everything; action, comedy, spectacle, sex, great music, spaceships and Roger Moore, who for me was the coolest guy alive. The only downside was a guy in the row behind us who’d seen the movie before and spoiled a couple of moments. When Bond and Holly are lying on the ground after their close shave with the cable car, the ambulance crew shows up and Bond says, “Thanks, but we’re in great shape” and the guy behind us said, “Not for long!” before the bad guy on screen konked Bond on the head.

I remember the other film in the theater that day was The Muppet Movie. Not sure why that’s stuck with me; maybe the folks presented it to me as another option in the vain hope of keeping me from the dark side.

That year probably wasn’t as big a marketing blitz as ’77, but there was lots of Bond stuff to go around. I collected the bubblegum cards, bought the soundtrack and the Warren magazine devoted to the film (a handy checklist in the front of that mag helped me memorize the Bond film titles in proper order), and years later acquired the “advance” poster (the one with Roger alone in orbit), which remains one of my most treasured Bond possessions and favorite Bond image.

That October I went with my folks to see Meteor with Sean Connery and thought, “Wow, THAT guy used to be James Bond? They’re lucky they dropped him when they did!”

Remembering Moonraker by… The Ghost Who Walks

My first Bond film, seen first at the age of seven. Due to my love for Star Wars, my mom taped MR for me from TV and allowed me to see it (she’d later allow me to watch all the Moore films, since she felt they were much better suited for kids than the Connery movies). Watched it with my best buddy and my younger brother, and was completely enthralled by the sheer spectacle of it. The whole pre-credit sequence was the coolest thing I had seen since Luke finally defeated Vader in Return of the Jedi.

In short, it made me a Bond fan for life, so feel I owe it a lot.

Remembering Moonraker by… zencat

Tragically, I never saw Moonraker on the big screen. I was very partisan towards Frank Langella’s Dracula in the summer of 79 and resented Moonraker‘s success (I was a Bond fan, but not yet a fanatic). But I came to love Moonraker and have always wanted to see it projected with an audience.

So for my 40th birthday, Athena007 (with help from Bryce003) rented out the club Cinespace in Hollywood and threw me a surprise party where, yes, we screened Moonraker! All my friends and family where there. Great food. Cake. Open bar. By the end of the movie we were all in outer space. A truly incredible Moonraker experience.

Life has pretty much been downhill since then. 😉

Remembering Moonraker by… singleentendre

I have to say my most memorable experience is when I popped in the Blu-Ray. What a gorgeous gorgeous film. So under appreciated.

For the life of me, I can’t remember the first time I saw it.

Remembering Moonraker by… DaveBond21

Before I had even seen the movie, my grandparents bought me two of the official toys that came out in 1979 – a Drax space shuttle and Corinne’s helicopter. I remember playing with them a lot.

I finally saw Moonraker on ITV when I was 10 years old in 1985. It was shown after the Queen on Christmas Day that year.

I always remember loving the fact that Jaws was back in this one, and was looking forward to the stunts, the special effects and the baddies. Hugo Drax didn’t let me down with his sinister voice and great lines (“Make sure some harm comes to him”).

This has got to be one of the most fun 007 adventures and there are so many great locations – California, Venice, Rio, the Amazon rainforest and space! There are probably more action scenes in this entry than any other Bond film. The free-fall opening, the centrifuge, the hover gondola chase, the fight with Chang, the cable car fight with Jaws, falling out the back of an ambulance (an often forgotten scene), a fight with a python and a space battle. What more could you ask for as a 9 year old watching a movie?!

It’s still fun to watch today, 30 years on.

Remembering Moonraker by… Simon

I organised a trip for a few friends to take the bus into the nearest town to see this. I was 13 and this was a minor treat, such independence.

Superb stuff, beginning to end.

Couldn’t have imagined anything better in life.

Remembering Moonraker by… Nicolas Suszczyk

How did I first get in touch with Moonraker…

It was in 1999, after august, so I was nine years old.

I wanted to see the Bond film with featured Jaws, since I knew him from the GoldenEye for N64. I’d just seen GoldenEye, The Man with the Golden Gun and Live and Let Die.

So my dad bought me the film in a place where you can buy second handed VHS. I watched it and I liked it very much, and has became one of my favourite films because it’s directly connected with my childhood. Obviously, it’s not a film you have to take very seriously but, besides that, I’ve loved it.

Remembering Moonraker by… BoogieBond

It was my first Bond movie and I was 5 years old. My parents took my brother and I to the local cinema. The most memorable moment was the freefall PTS, that effectively sealed the Bond deal for me inside 5 minutes. I remember liking the Amazon boat chase and the cable car fight as well. Then I persuaded my parents to take me to see The Spy Who Loved Me the following week. Great times

Remembering Moonraker by… 00Twelve

I’d have to say that my most memorable experience has to be my latest viewing. Not having seen it in a year or two because of how much I despised its silliness, I popped it in and sat in awe of the brilliantly fun movie I’d been missing for years. I was totally blown away in surprise; where had I been?? Why in the world was I lamenting a lack of grit when there was this ridiculous, damn well-made spectacle right under my nose?

I’m happy to be able to enjoy Moonraker like a kid, or at least a loosened up adult. I feel like a kid who kept refusing to go to the pool party because I got splashed that one time. Never too late to learn to swim!

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Interested in sharing your own experience of seeing Moonraker for the very first time? Simply register for the CBn Forums and then visit this thread!

As always, stay tuned to the CBn main page for neverending James Bond coverage. Be sure to check out our Twitter feed as well.

Quantum of Solace Camille Map Pack due out soon

Back in April, CommanderBond.net reported that new downloadable content for Activision’s debut James Bond game, Quantum of Solace, would be released in the near future.

007 gamers will be pleased to know that release dates are finally available for the ‘Camille Map Pack’ DLC, which will include four new multiplayer maps inspired by the most recent Bond films, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. They are as follows:

• Xbox (North America): 30 June
• Xbox (Europe): 30 June
• PS3 (North America): 2 July
• PS3 (Europe): 16 July

The new maps include:

• Canals – a claustrophobic section of Venice where always being on the move is the key to winning
• Bags – a gloomy area of the Miami airport that will have players frantically trying to find cover from enemy gunfire
• Dam – an outdoor arena that requires teamwork and communication for victory
• Cisterns – the dark underbelly of Siena that presents ample opportunities for sneaky stealth attacks

When the ‘Camille Map Pack’ DLC does become available, players will be able to enter their access codes here on the official website.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page—and our brand new Twitter feed—for the most up-to-date coverage of Activision’s Quantum of Solace.

Hurricane Gold US paperback available for pre-order

Literary James Bond fans in the United States can now pre-order the paperback edition of Charlie Higson’s fourth Young Bond adventure, Hurricane Gold.

Originally released in 2007, Hurricane Gold didn’t arrive in the US until this past April as a hardback.

This edition of Hurricane Gold will be published by Hyperion and retail for $7.99. It is due on 6 April 2010. The Young Bond Dossier also reports that this edition will include a sneak preview of Higson’s following Young Bond novel, By Royal Command.

James Bond is on a much-needed vacation in Mexico at the home of ex-flying ace Jack Stone. But his holiday is cut short when a hurricane hits. As the storm ravages the community, a gang of thieves lies in ambush – they want Stone’s safe, and will kill for its contents. Stone’s children, Precious and JJ, are kidnapped, and James must embark on a perilous chase through the jungle to rescue them and retrieve the stolen items. The clues ultimately lead him to the island of Lagrimas Negras, a haven for deadly criminals, controlled by the ruthless El Huracan.

James will have to use all of his instincts and cunning if he’s going to outwit El Huracan and escape with his life. But the only way off the island is through a treacherous maze, La Avenida de la Muerte – the Avenue of Death. On this terrifying trail of greed and betrayal, only danger is guaranteed. Survival is not.

• Order the US paperback of Hurricane Gold from Amazon.com

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest Young Bond coverage.

Carl Davis shaken and stirred by the music of James Bond

After just recently overseeing the spectacular ‘Bond, James Bond’ concert with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra (read CommanderBond.net’s report here), conductor/composer Carl Davis is already preparing for his next date with 007.

The North Wales Daily Post reports that Davis will be conducting Welsh National Orchestra in the ‘Licenced to Thrill’ concert, which will take place on Sunday, 12 July as part of Llangollen 2009 in Wales. He’ll be accompanied by soloists Mary Carewe and Simon Bowman as well as Goldfinger Bond girl Honor Blackman, who’ll be hosting the event.

‘The music is terrific,’ enthuses Carl. ‘It’s very dramatic and very sensual with compelling tunes. You hear one and that’s fine. But when you hear the series and you see how it’s spot on the style of the time. They always wanted to be cutting edge.’

He continues: ‘So you had rather crooning songs at the start (such as From Russia With Love by Matt Monro), then it went rock and roll with Roger Moore (Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney and the Wings), then it got rhythm and blues with Timothy Dalton (Licence to Kill by Gladys Knight) and Pierce Brosnan and now it’s really raunchy and raw. So you can almost tell the history of music in the last 40 years. From the start of the Sixties to the moment Paul McCartney is writing a title song for them.’

Davis also spoke about working alongside Simon and Mary. ‘He’s fabulous. He’s a real theatre creature. He’s done Phantom, he’s done Les Mis, he’s done Miss Saigon. He brings a lot of characterisation to the songs. Simon and Mary are so good they really make you forget the originals.’

‘[Simon and Mary have] got to move with the styles. I think they’ll find it fun. And we will have come from doing it at Chichester Cathedral.’

Tickets for this Bond-themed concert vary in price from £16 to £39. The concert will begin at 7:45pm.

For further details on the ‘Licenced to Thrill’ concert, see this CBn article.

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

US James Bond Blu-ray prices discounted

The currently available James Bond films on Blu-ray have all gotten major price slashes on Amazon.com.

At the moment, 007 fans can order each of the three available triple-pack volumes at $49.99 each—down 44% from the $89.98 list price. The films are also currently available separately at $19.99 each (although the Casino Royale Collector’s Edition is only $14.99.

Furthermore, the three currently available triple-pack volumes (1-3) are set to be reissued on 1 September in the US at a lower $69.99 list price. Oddly, there is still no news regarding the release of the remaining nine Bond films that have yet to debut on Blu-ray.

The most recent releases were The Man with the Golden Gun and Licence to Kill (and these two have yet to even be released in the UK). When we hear more, we’ll let you know.

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

James Bond On Blu-ray
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Latest news, cover artwork, ordering details, worldwide release dates, special features, technical specifications, special collections and more.

Ernst Stavro Blofeld tops best Bond baddie poll

SPECTRE’s Ernst Stavro Blofeld has been named the best James Bond villain in a new poll conducted by DVD rental service LOVEFiLM.

According to Boxwish, LOVEFiLM asked their 1,000+ members to cast their votes for the best Bond baddie and the man with the white cat came away in first place with approximately 22% of the vote.

In a very close second place was Gert Frobe’s Auric Goldfinger from Sean Connery’s incredibly popular third 007 film. His villain came in with 21% of the votes. Christopher Lee’s Francisco Scaramanga from The Man with the Golden Gun followed in third place.

As a general note, no specific actor (such as Donald Pleasence or Telly Savalas) was cited for the Blofeld role in this poll.

In related news, Anthony Dawson’s portrayal of Blofeld in From Russia with Love (and voiced by Eric Pohlmann) earned him the #23 spot in a listing of the 50 greatest movie villains by The Times.

They said: ‘The Bond franchise has villainy aplenty and a rogue’s gallery that could have dominated the vast majority of this list. Blofeld is the best of the bunch and carries the torch for 007’s opponents. Why? As well as heading a sinister criminal organisation, Blofeld is the pin-up-boy for evil geniuses. Scar? Check. White cat for fiendish stroking? Check. Console of buttons guaranteeing a creative demise for those who cross him. Check.’

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.

Ian Fleming's Thrilling Cities and The Diamond Smugglers back In print

Ian Fleming Publications Ltd celebrates the man who created James Bond with the publication of two of his rarer titles – Thrilling Cities and The Diamond Smugglers. Unavailable for many years, these works of non-fiction are reissued with introductions by Jan Morris and Fergus Fleming. Publication date 25 June 2009.

“All my life I have been interested in adventure…”

Ian Fleming, Thrilling Cities, 1963

Ian Fleming’s richly fascinating life was not only the backdrop for the adventures of the world’s most famous spy, but also led him to travel through many of the world’s most exotic cities. After his wartime work in the Admiralty, where he drew up memos mapping out the creation of the CIA, Ian Fleming worked for Kelmsey Newspapers, perfecting the sharp journalistic style so evident in his much-loved Bond books. His carefully honed writing skills also led him to create these two books, both originally published in his lifetime, and now lovingly reprinted by the company he founded.

Thrilling Cities is a collection of travel pieces originally written in 1959 and 1960 for The Sunday Times. In it, Fleming turns his inimitable eye on 14 separate cities. The fleshpots of Macao, Tokyo and Hamburg feature alongside explorations of the Mafia culture in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. At every stop he uncovers fresh nuggets of interest. In Naples, for example, he wangles an introduction to Lucky Luciano, the notorious Chicago gangster of Capone-era fame. Written in the days when a De Havilland Comet took 12 hours to fly from London to Beirut, this is a rich and enjoyable tapestry of the world as it once was – a must for lovers of travel and great writing.

As Jan Morris writes, in a masterly introduction: “He travelled in the spirit of 007, with an eye always for the slinky and the significant, in places where martinis were shaken not stirred, and all life could be viewed with a cool raised eyebrow.”

Thrilling Cities gives you a glorious glimpse of the world as it once was – a must for lovers of travel and great writing.

The Diamond Smugglers is a book that starts with a phone call. ‘One day in April 1957,’ Fleming writes, ‘I had just answered a letter from an expert in unarmed combat writing from a cover address in Mexico City, and I was thanking a fan in Chile, when my telephone rang…” The voice at the other end asks if he’d like an assignment. Within weeks he is in Tangier speaking to “John Blaize”, an ex-MI5 agent now contracted by a diamond firm to break an international smuggling ring. Fleming picks up the trail in a unique piece of investigative journalism that combines treasure and travel, cunning and criminality – the elements that had always attracted the creator of James Bond.

This new edition is presented with an introduction by Fleming’s nephew, Fergus Fleming, himself an acclaimed writer of travel and exploration.

“As richly fascinating as a James Bond thriller” – the original strapline when the book was published in 1957 still holds true today.

Kate Grimond, Ian Fleming’s niece and Chairman of Ian Fleming Publications, comments, ‘It is great to see Thrilling Cities and The Diamond Smugglers back in print. Fleming’s writing never fails to provide enjoyment and readers will find much to enjoy in these two books.’ Corinne Turner, Managing Director of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, said ‘We are extremely proud to be able to continue the literary legacy of Ian Fleming, the creator of the world’s best-loved spy, with the publication of these non-fiction books. It is exciting to see Thrilling Cities and The Diamond Smugglers back in print and under Ian Fleming Publications’ own imprint as well. These two books are a tribute to the enduring style and sophistication of Fleming’s writing.’

CommanderBond.net recently took a ‘look back’ at both of these Fleming books: The Diamond Smugglers | Thrilling Cities.

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.

Time Out's open letter to Bond 23 scribe Peter Morgan

Following the recent announcement that Peter Morgan would be joining Neal Purvis and Robert Wade to pen the 23rd James Bond film, Time Out London‘s Tom Huddleston has decided to write and open letter to the latest 007 screenwriter.

The letter lays out some friendly dos and don’ts regarding how to create a successful Bond 23, such as giving the characters room to breathe, respecting the audience and not blatantly copying the Jason Bourne series.

Dear Peter,

While we at Time Out are thrilled that you, one of our country’s most talented and inquiring screenwriters, have accepted the challenge of penning the next James Bond movie, there are a few salient points we feel you might like to keep in mind while writing what will inevitably become one of 2011’s most important and, we hope, enjoyable movies. We trust you accept our advice in the friendly spirit with which it’s intended…

[Click Here To Continue Reading]

Do you agree with the points they make? Feel free to offer your own suggestions here on the CommanderBond.net Forums.

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

Daniel Craig in early talks for Dream House

Bond 23, The Adventures of Tintin and A Steady Rain are just a few upcoming projects for Daniel Craig and now the Hollywood Reporter has details on possibly another.

The paper writes that the James Bond star is in early talks to star in Dream House, a psychological thriller set up at Morgan Creek—though principals stress that the two sides have not reached a concrete deal.

In the script penned by David Loucka, Craig would play a man who moves his family to an idyllic small town, only to find his house haunted by its former inhabitants, who were murdered there. Jim Sheridan is signed on to direct.

Of Craig’s current projects, Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn is classified as being in post-production and set for a December 2011 release.

Work on Bond 23, which is also expected in 2011, is in the very early stages following the announcement of the screenwriters.

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.

A Quantum Of Complaints

Today saw the release of a new set of classification guidelines by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) in their annual report and it has been revealed that Quantum of Solace accumulated a select few complaints from the public.

According to a press release, the latest James Bond film was singled out mostly for the fact that ‘M’, portrayed by Dame Judi Dench, swears in the film.

Quantum of Solace, which received a 12A rating, prompted only one complaint about violence, the BBFC said in its report, and two from viewers who mistook a shadow on a woman’s leg for her genitalia.

‘The remainder were upset by the film’s language,’ the report said, ‘this may be attributed to the “Judi Dench factor”. This beloved actress plays M, Bond’s tough-talking boss. However, it was her tough talking which upset the viewers.

‘Even though ‘b*****d’ is comfortably placed at “12A”, it seems that she should not use such language. Almost every time Dame Judi swears in a film, regardless of its category, we can expect a number of complaints.’

In total, Quantum of Solace received a very moderate six complaints in total—a sum that pales in comparison to the 80+ complaints that Casino Royale received upon its release in 2006 (it was the most complained about film for the entire year).

For more on the BBFC, visit the official website.

Keep turning to the CommanderBond.net main page—and our brand new Twitter feed—for continued Quantum of Solace coverage.