Which James Bond Book to Buy?

For fans of the James Bond 007 series, it’s not just about collecting the novels, short stories, and novelizations, but all the other books that are written about the famous British secret agent. A great many have been written over the years, and CBn looks over a selection of them and gives you a brief review of what’s in store…

James Bond Movie Posters: the Official Collection

Buy: Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

One of the relatively newer James Bond books focusing on the many poster images that have accompanied the series films over the years. “It is a very large format book, the dustjacket is a matt finish with a tactile feel to it, it is suitably heavy, the reproductions of the posters are top notch (save a DAF reproduction). It is without doubt a coffee table book for a flicking through type of reference.” – Read the entire review here.

James Bond’s London

Buy: Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

A must for any Bond enthusiast’s shelf. “One of the problems with being a James Bond fan and collector is the overwhelming amount of Bond-related material released. For those of us on a limited income, it can be difficult to decide what to buy and what to pass up. However, there is that rare occasion when something is released that you just can’t pass up. James Bond’s London is definitely one of those items.” – Read the entire review here.

Be sure to also check out A Glimpse At James Bond’s London and How London Does It.

The Complete James Bond Lifestyle Seminar

Buy: Amazon.com

“The Complete James Bond Lifestyle Seminar isn’t a book for everyone. It’s definitely not aimed at the female market but it is aimed at a broad market of people who wish to improve their lifestyle. And I don’t think it quite matters if they’re James Bond fans or not, but lets face it, which male doesn’t wish that at least a part of Bond’s life was a part of their own?” – Read the entire review here.

James Bond: The Legacy

Buy:
Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Recently, one of the most in-depth and largest James Bond 007 books was released. Full of information and covering many areas, it’s a definite must. “James Bond: The Legacy is a must buy for all James Bond fans and anyone interested in 20th century popular culture. Again, if you buy just one book about James Bond, make it this one.” – Read the entire review here.

“There is an assortment of books that every Bond aficionado should have in their respective collection, of course the list is headed by Ian Fleming’s literary adventures and expands to include such works as Raymond Benson’s The James Bond Bedside Companion. A new book has now entrenched itself of the list of ‘must haves’, James Bond: The Legacy by John Cork and Bruce Scivally.” – Read the entire review here.

Bond On Set

Buy: Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

“The most recent James Bond films have had ‘making of’ books published to coincide with the films cinematic release, and it seemed that Die Another Day would be no different. However, Greg Williams Bond On Set isn’t quite a ‘making of’ book, it’s something more special.” – Read the entire review here.

Martinis, Girls and Guns: 50 Years of 007

Buy: Amazon.co.uk

“The books title is apt as it covers fifty years of James Bond, almost to the day. The first chapter deals with Ian Fleming sitting down to write Casino Royale in 1952 and the last chapter highlights the start of production on the 20th James Bond film, Die Another Day, with details from the press event at Pinewood Studio’s on January 11, 2002. These two events are spaced 50 years apart, bar one day. In approaching the book in such a fashion the authors have presented a history of the world of James Bond, both literary and cinematic. With Fleming’s works overshadowed by James Bond’s cinematic incarnation, it is refreshing to find a book that still deals so heavily with Fleming.” – Read the entire review here.

Bond Films: Virgin Film

Buy: Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

“The most interesting sections, and those which make this a successful book, are those which discuss scenes cut from the film, source to screen information, real world influences and parallels, product placement details, critics responses to the film and social references in the film. It is the latter which may prove to be the most interesting to Bond fans as they summarize information which hasn’t previously been made readily available.” – Read the entire review here.

The Spy Who Thrilled Us

Buy: Amazon.co.uk
or Amazon.com

“And I knew, while I couldn’t necessarily say this book must be on every Bond fan’s bookshelf, I can easily say The Spy Who Thrilled Us should be in the pocket of every Bond fan when meeting other fans.” – Read the entire review here.

Bond Girls Are Forever

Buy: Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

“For author John Cork the hardest book to follow on from must have been James Bond: The Legacy. And with Maryam d’Abo as co-writer he has done that with Bond Girls Are Forever, but only to an extent. Legacy was such a brilliant work that it is almost impossible to follow on from, especially when trying to generate the same sort of impact.” – Read the entire review here.

James Bond: The Secret World of 007

Buy: Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

James Bond: The Secret World of 007 (picture of cover) offers readers a chance to look at the films by selecting certain scenes in the films up to The World is not Enough and acting some of them out, showing you where the actors and actresses move. It also provides information on the characters, gadgets and other items.

The Essential Bond: The Authorized Guide to the World of 007

Buy: Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

This James Bond book by Lee Pfeiffer and Dave Worrall gives fans an overview for the James Bond films, breaking each of them down into sections such as Villains, Music, Product Placement and more. There are some behind-the-scenes photographs included as well. While more for a beginning Bond fan rather than one looking for hard-to-find information, this book would be a welcomed addition to any fan’s shelf.

LEG007 Model 003 – The Rolls Royce Phantom III

Building what seemed a simple Lego model, my quest to build a Lego version of Goldfinger’s Rolls Royce turned out have some unexpected difficulties. It took countless rebuilds, a few instance of needing new colours of existing parts, and one small car chase.

Like the Moon Buggy model, the inspiration to build the Rolls Royce Phantom III came from a single Lego model. In this case it was the Scorpion Tracker car from Lego’s Adventure series. Or to be more specific, it was the grille from the Scorpion Tracker. Unlike the Moon Buggy, I didn’t immediately tear the Scorpion Tracker apart to build the Rolls. It was a year or so later after the original model’s parts had all found their way in to the various bins that house my Lego parts.

On a rainy weekend afternoon while digging through my parts I came across the grille again, that’s when I seriously started to attempt to build Auric Goldfinger’s Rolls Royce.

And as is usual for my Lego models, the Rolls went through several stage before it was completed. Even a partial rebuild after I started working on this article.

Again like the Moon Buggy, not many parts of the Scorpion Tracker are actually in the final model. Not even the original grille survived; a dark grey version of the part was substituted. The only survivor were the axles and windscreen. The tan spoked wheels were also replaced with their dark grey counterparts and the tyres replaced with the slick tyres that Lego sets used in the late ’60s and early ’70s.

The Rolls model itself turned out to be more complicated than its outer looks would have one believe. Although it is for the most part built with fairly standard Lego pieces, within the model the body of the car switches from 3-studs wide to 4-studs wide with the middle section using tiles turned on their sides in order to accommodate a right-side steering wheel within a area not normally wide enough for the steering wheel piece. All of the support for changing widths and directions of the bricks need to take place within the hidden parts of the car.

The most difficult part of the Phantom III for me to build was the boot. It wasn’t as much that it was difficult to model (though the final version did take a bit of trial and error), it was more that I had difficulty finding good pictures of the rear of the true Rolls from the movie. The day after spending a quite unproductive evening searching the Internet for a proper picture of the back end, I came upon an extraordinary stoke of good fortune, driving back to work from lunch I noticed pulling out of the car detailer in the building next to my work was one Rolls Royce Phantom III. I had never actually seen one of these before in real life and here is one just a block from me. Just as I got excited and started to get a look at an actual boot of a Phantom III, a Metro Bus turned on to the street.

The chase was on.

Deciding not to count the traffic violations I was about to break, I shifted my Jeep Libety down, floored the accelerator pedal, and sped down the street. I took the passing lane to get past the bus. Just as I had just pulled even with its back end, a light blue VW Golf turned on to the road in front of me, next to the bus. I was blocked from passing the bus and getting a good look at the Rolls. At that moment, the Rolls turned on to a cross street and I was in the wrong lane to follow. Again downshifting, allowing the Liberty’s whining engine to slow it, I cleared the bus and some other Oldsmolbuick that had taken station behind it just at the last possible second to make the turn the Phantom had without smashing into the cars in the oncoming lanes.

I sped around a custom Mini Cooper that I normally would have slowed to look at and finally pulled safely behind the Rolls. And finally got a decent look at the back of the masterpiece brought to life the Rolls Royce company nearly 70 years ago. I thought about trying to get in front of the Rolls and get a good look at the rest of the car but then thought those that drive Rolls Royces most likely don’t like strange cars chasing them and then circling them.

In hindsight, the chase didn’t bring as drastic of a change to my Lego model as was worth the effort and the laws broken since my whole goal on my Lego models is to capture the spirit of subject rather than attempting to match every detail. It did however bring me satisfaction with the boot on my next rebuild. And it did help me capture the spirit of the Phantom.

The instructions are in PDF format and can be viewed with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Hopefully anyone attempting to build the Rolls will find the instruction booklet self-explanatory, and as always a complete parts list is on the last page. Just as a note: Because of a limitation of the program I use to generate the instructions, some of the yellow bricks may appear to some to be a slightly darker yellow. Rest assured there is only one colour of yellow used.

To discuss this model visit this thread of CBn’s Forums.

The instruction booklet was created with the help of Mac Brick CAD just one of the many fine, free Lego Computer Aided Design programs that use the LDraw format.

LEGO® and TECHNIC® etc. are trademarks or registered trademarks of the LEGO Company, which does not sponsor, authorise, or endorse this site.

Bruce Feirstein To Pen Next EA Bond Game!

It’s never too early to start talking about the next Bond… game that is!

In what is exciting news, CBn has learned that Bruce Feirstein is writing the next James Bond videogame from EA (Electronic Arts). This new game is due for release in late 2005.

No other details have been revealed, but with Feirstein onboard we can presume this new game will be a “classic Bond game” in the vein of EA’s 2003 hit Everything or Nothing. (EA recently released GoldenEye: Rogue Agent, a game that follows the adventures of a Bond villain instead of 007.)

Feirstein is no stranger to the world of 007. The author and journalist cut his Bondian teeth on 1995’s GoldenEye. Called in to rewrite Michael France’s original screenplay, it was Feirstein who first proposed the idea of a female M, and is responsible for the “sexist misogynist dinosaur” scene between Pierce Brosnan and Judi Dench, which has become a Bond classic. It was the inspired idea of making the villain a media baron that landed Bruce a sole writing credit on the next Bond film, 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies. Feirstein then returned to polish the work of Neal Purvis and Robert Wade on 1999’s The World Is Not Enough.

With Purvis & Wade flying solo on 2002’s Die Another Day, EA wisely snatched up the services of Feistein to create the Bond game to end all Bond games. The result was 2003’s Everything or Nothing, which proved to be a hit with fans and the biggest selling Bond game of them all.

Feirstein, now considered an “a-list” Hollywood screenwriter, recently landed the job of writing the big screen adaptation of the 80s TV hit, The A-Team.

CBn will provide details on the new Bruce Feirstein scripted James Bond videogame from EA as they become available.

MAJOR UPDATE! Jan. 25, 2005:
Spong.com has revealed that the new EA Bond game will be titled James Bond 007: From Russia With Love, and will be based on the 1963 Sean Connery classic. CBn confirmed that EA’s plan to do an original game in 2005 was shelved when it was learned Pierce Brosnan would not be returning to the role of 007.

"New Bond, New movie, New sound."

The talented David Arnold has taken some time to mingle with his fans in the forums located on his official web-site. He’s been very kind in answering some questions regarding 007 and more specifically Bond 21.

In a thread titled: New music for new Bond actor? a fan posts…

06/01/2005 : 22:02:30 : Jimmy wrote:

My comment/question is this–each time a new actor has put on the tux, a different ‘sound’ has been used for the Bond theme. Brassy with guitar for Connery, that unforgettable bass guitar drop and the synthesizer for Lazenby, (mostly) strings, strings, and strings for Moore (though even in LALD George Martin had a new sound for the new Bond), different synthesizers for Dalton (with Kamen throwing in a different sound). The Brosnan era began with some risky Serra moves, but it was undeniably different, which brings us to Mr. Arnold’s interpretation. Each new Bond was greeted with a new sound, even when composed by John Barry.

Now that Brosnan has sadly left, I wonder if Mr. Arnold has a new sound for the new bond planned. Very early to think about it, but it could warrant discussion. Part of me hopes not because I love the recent scores…

Then, David Arnold responds. In his response, he appears to offer further confirmation that Pierce Brosnan will not be returning to the role of James Bond.

20/01/2005 : 01:10:37 : david wrote:

I think it is time to move on, the Brosnan scores were written for the Brosnan pictures, and that is why they are the way they are. New Bond, New movie, New sound.

Keep watching CBn for the latest news on Bond 21.

To discuss this news visit this thread on the CBn Forums.
Thanks to Dmitri Mishkin (CBn member) for the heads up.

Related Articles

• David Arnold Tunes In For Bond 21

'SilverFin' Print Run To Number 150,000

Recently CBn provided a preview of Puffin Books massive UK promotion for SilverFin, the first Young Bond novel by BBC comedy writer and thriller novelist Charlie Higson. Today CBn is able to provide the first details of the U.S. promotion by Miramax/Hyperion.

Not to be outdone by Puffin’s £50,000 launch, Miramax/Hyperion promises a $200,000 marketing campaign with national media, select author appearances, a 20-city TV and radio satellite tour, print features in children’s and main stream publications, national print advertising including The New York Times and The New Yorker and, as with the UK editions, large in-store floor displays.

But the most telling revelation is that the U.S. edition (which, unlike the UK edition, will be a hardcover) will receive a print run of 150,000 copies. This is a far cry from the 30,000 copy print runs (5,000 and sometimes less in the UK) of the John Gardner and Raymond Benson novels.

In an interview on CBn, author Benson noted that while all his Bond books sold out of their first printing, a book has to sell at least 100,000 copies to even chart on the NY Times bestseller list. A 150,000 copy print run will give SilverFin a shot at the best seller lists mathematically denied to Benson and late-term Gardner.

The U.S. advertising material also features a new story summery/tease that will appear on the book jacket.

His name is Bond, James Bond. And he’s…14 years old.

In this thrilling prequel to the James Bond dynasty, young James is at boarding school at Eton in the 1930’s. His first adventure takes place at the home of his uncle in the Highlands of Scotland. There James unwittingly stumbles upon a clue to a mystery–Alphie Kelly, a young boy his own age, has gone missing. But that’s just the tip if the iceberg…[MAJOR PLOT SPOILER OMITTED]. Set on the eve of World War II, this page-turning adventure is a brilliantly crafted tale that creates a whole new audience for one of the most iconic literary heroes of our times.

Acclaimed British writer and Bond fanatic, Charlie Higson, with the Ian Fleming Estate, writes an edge-of-your seat thriller that will appeal to young adults and serious Bond fans alike. He ingeniously uncovers the unknown story of how an average boy becomes history’s most formidable and suave super-spy.

Miramax Books, the publishing arm of film production company Miramax (makers of the films by Quentin Tarantino and this years Oscar favorite The Aviator), acquired the U.S. literary rights to the first two Young Bond adventures in June (book two will be released in November). Who will handle publishing duties in the U.S. on the remaining Young Bond titles in unknown. Miramax recently announced a split with parent company Walt Disney, throwing the future of the company and it’s publishing division in doubt.

Keep watching CBn for the latest news on SilverFin and the Young Bond series.

To discuss this news visit this thread in the CBn forums.

Pre-order the UK edition of SilverFin (March 3, 2005)

Pre-order the U.S. hardcover edition of SilverFin (April 27, 2005)

Pre-order the SilverFin audio book (March 3, 2005)

"It's a Done Deal."

While it’s yet to be officially announced, CBn has learned that Martin Campbell has agreed to direct Bond 21. “It’s a done deal,” says a source familiar with the negotiations.

This will be welcome news to James Bond fans who consider Campbell’s 1995 GoldenEye the best Bond film of the Brosnan era, and one that is credited with “reviving” the James Bond franchise.

Campbell is currently in post-production on The Legend of Zorro (a sequel to his 1998 hit The Mask of Zorro). Sony is due to release Legend in Nov. 2005. Campbell will then move onto Bond 21 as his next project. Bond 21 is aiming for a January ’06 production start, although this could change.

This will be the first time a director has made a return appearance since John Glen helmed five consecutive Bond films in the 1980s.

Still unclear is whether Pierce Brosnan will return (there is a hot rumour that Brosnan is back in talks) or if Eon and Campbell will go ahead with plans to introduce a “younger” 007 in this 21st installment. As CBn first reported in July, Bond 21 is based on Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel Casino Royale.

Keep watching CBn for the latest news on Bond 21.

To discuss this news visit this thread in CBn’s Bond 21 Forums.

Related Articles:

• Campbell Close to Signing Aboard Bond 21
• Martin Campbell To Helm Bond 21?
• Bond 21 on Hold, MGM Confirms No Bond in ’05
• Campbell Not Available For Possible 2004 Shooting!
• Martin Campbell to Return for Bond 21?

Cinema Retro #1 Arrives

The first issue of Cinema Retro — a 64-page subscription only magazine devoted to the movies of the 60’s and 70’s — has just been released and features some choice James Bond-related articles and contributions by 007 notables. This terrific new magazine is the brain child of authors Dave Worrall (The Most Famous Car in the World, The James Bond Diecasts of Corgi) and Lee Pfeiffer (The Essential James Bond, The Incredible World of 007).

Here’s a look at the Bond-related material inside issue #1.

007 PHOTO GALLERY: THUNDERBALL – we’ll say it up front – our passion for the James Bond films will ensure that Mr. Kiss-Kiss-Bang-Bang has a notable presence in every issue of Cinema Retro. We don’t expect to hear many complaints, especially after 007 fans view six full pages of previously rarely seen photographs taken on location at the French chateau for the pre-credits sequence of the film. Rare shots of pilot Bill Suitor practicing flying the Bell Textron jet pack, Sean Connery holding court with the press and dining with stuntman Bob Simmons (still in drag as the deadly SPECTRE “widow”!) and many other fantastic shots designed to make even the most die-hard Bond clamour for more.

BARBARA’S A STARR – Before she became Mrs. Ringo Starr, the sultry Bach raised temperatures with her eye-popping appearances in a wide range of low-budget Italian films, leading up to her memorable starring role in The Spy Who Loved Me. Tim Greaves, our resident expert on all female sex-bombs of the 1960’s and 1970’s, takes the first in-depth look at Bach’s remarkable career (and for the record, Greaves’ job is not open to other candidates!)

THE TIES THAT BOND – Mac McSharry and Terry Hine discover producer Euan Lloyd’s connection to 007.

This début issue also features the first column by former James Bond continuation author Raymond Benson (Benson Turns Back The Clock), a report on the John Barry tribute at Carnegie Hall, Richard Kiel‘s début column Tall Tales, a review of the Goldfinger soundtrack by Jamie Beerman, an obituary of Julius (“Tee Hee”) Harris, a terrific article about The Great Escape by Steven Jay Rubin (The James Bond Films, The James Bond Encyclopedia), and a report on the sale of MGM to Sony.

Issue #2, coming in May 2005, promises a “very revealing in-depth feature” on Goldfinger‘s Margaret (“Dink”) Nolan by Tim Greaves, and a full report on Dave Worall’s recent luncheon with Sir Roger Moore at the Cinema & Television Benevolent Fund’s 80th Birthday celebration (also attended by Lewis Gilbert and Michael G. Wilson).

Visit www.cinemaretro.com to sign up for a subscription and see the amazing lineup of writers and contributors that will be working on the magazine.

Pierce Brosnan's 'After The Sunset' Arrives On DVD

New Line Home Entertainment has announced the Region One DVD release for Pierce Brosnan’s latest film, the Brett Ratner-directed After The Sunset.

Yet to be released theatrically in many territories (the IMDb offers a full list of release dates), After The Sunset sees Pierce Brosnan playing master thief, Max Burdett. After one last job, he retires to an island paradise with his accomplice, Lola (Salma Hayek). However, FBI agent Stan Lloyd (Woody Harrelson) is adamant that the move is a ruse for his biggest heist yet.

The film will be released to both fullscreen and widescreen edition DVD as part of New Line’s Platinum Series, along with a number of special features…

• Deleted/alternate scenes – with optional director commentary
• Blooper reel
• Feature commentary with director Brett Ratner
• “Before, During And After The Sunset” documentary
• “Interview With A Jewel Thief” documentary
• And more

Artwork for the two Region One releases is available at DVDAnswers.com.

Stay tuned to CBn for release dates and details for Regions Two and Four DVDs of After The Sunset.

To discuss this DVD release, visit this thread on the CBn Forums.

Related links

• After The Sunset – Official Website

'Diamonds Are Forever' Screening in Hollywood

American Cinematheque at The Egyptian Theatre is proud to present a “Sir Kenneth Adam Tribute” on February 5, 2005. To celebrate, The Egyptian Theater will be showing Diamonds Are Forever, the classic Bond film staring none other than Sean Connery.

Saturday, February 5th — 8:00 PM

Diamonds Are Forever (1971, MGM/UA, 120 min) Director Guy Hamilton. James Bond (Sean Connery) goes from Amsterdam to Las Vegas on the track of missing diamonds. Ken Adam’s sleek production design was an integral part of the Bond films’ success.

The Egyptian Theater
6712 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028

Validated Parking located at: 1735 Las Palmas, 1720 McCadden, 1735 Highland and Hollywood & Highland.

General Admission $9.00

Advanced tickets are available in person at the Egyptian Theatre box office Tues-Sun 1pm-4pm and right before the desired show.

Advanced Tickets also available by fax — 323-467-0163 — for an additional $1 for each pre-ordered ticket (Fax must be received at least 2 days in advance of the event date). Include the date, time & name of the film[s], number of tickets, your full name & signature, mailing address, phone number, e-mail, credit card # and exp date, card type and your name as it appears on the card. (Make sure you include all the asked for information as incomplete orders can not be processed)

To discuss this event visit this thread on the CBn Forums.
Thanks to Ry for the heads up.

Bond 21 Delayed Again?

The British Mail On Sunday and Contactmusic.com report today that the next James Bond film, Bond 21, has been further delayed after a series of rows between producer Barbara Broccoli and distributors MGM/Sony.

According to these two sources, Broccoli is keen to return the spy franchise to the more serious, plot-driven films. CBn reported in July 2004 that the next film is based upon Ian Flemings "Casino Royale", the only novel that has not been turned into an official EON movie yet. CBn has also heard rumours about a more character-driven script lately.

However, MGM is determined to generate as much money as possible by sticking to the film’s "well-established formula of gadgets, breath-taking stunts and big-budget special effects". The dispute as well as the Pierce Brosnan question, which dominated last year’s Bond news, have already delayed the 21st James Bond film, originally scheduled for a November 2005 release.

The Mail On Sunday adds that a Hollywood insider says, "It does not bode well. There is a lot of ego, money and belief at stake – no one is backing down. The Broccoli camp believe they are the keepers of an untouchable tradition, and the money men want their megabucks."

The newspaper also says that the new release date is anytime in "early 2006". CBn reported a while ago that EON was considering an Easter 2006 release for Bond 21.

CBn will keep you informed!

To discuss this news visit this thread in the CBn Forums.