It was in 1964 that Sean Connery starred as James Bond in Goldfinger and Shirley Bassey belted out the classic title song. Now Connery and Bassey are reuniting for another film project: Sir Billi, animated movie set in the Scottish highlands. Connery, who is producing the film, will provide the voice of an elderly, skate-boarding veterinarian who comes to the aid of a beaver. (No jokes, please!) Bassey will sing the title song, Guardian of the Highlands, which was written with her in mind. The film, which has been in production for years, marks Connery's emergence from self-imposed retirement, though it is uncertain whether he intends to pursue more cinematic ventures. For more click here

In the 1970s, legendary photographer Helmut Newton took an erotic photo of actress Charlotte Rampling that quickly became a sensation. Now actress Eva Green (of Casino Royale fame),  in conjunction with photographer Ricardo Tinelli, has recreated the photo shoot for the UK magazine Tatler. 

There will be a concert of James Bond music at The Royal Albert Hall in London on Friday November 13. Honor Blackman will present the event. We caught this at Carnegie Hall last year and it's truly a wonderful evening of entertainment. (Click here for our review) Here is the official description:

The theme song of a James Bond film is as much a part of the ‘Bond Experience’ as the cars, the girls, the chases, the guns and the gadgets. Enjoy, for one night only, hit songs from the best of Bond movies.

Featuring classic songs Goldfinger, Licence to Kill, Dr No, Diamonds are Forever, Live and Let Die, From Russia with Love and many many more!

Special guest presenter, Honor Blackman, Pussy Galore!

Mary Carewe and Simon Bowman - vocalists

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Carl Davis - conductor

For more click here

With a major tribute to Albert R. Broccoli taking place in Los Angeles this month, the man known as Cubby is remembered by his daughter Barbara, his stepson Michael G. Wilson and James Bond screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz. Click here to read

By Lee Pfeiffer

When I read that Cinema Retro's old pal George Lazenby would be coming to New Jersey to attend the massive Chiller Theatre show, I couldn't resist inviting him out to toast the 40th anniversary of his classic Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Accompanying me was George Koodray, president of the Metropolitan Society, New Jersey's top private cigar club and a dyed-in-the-wool admirer of OHMSS. Finding Lazenby proved to be a mission worthy of Bond himself: the jam-packed Hilton hotel where the event took place was so chaotic I felt I was trying to get the last chopper out of Saigon.We finally found George, who was frantically signing autographs for Bond fans. The show was supposed to last until 11:00 PM, but George cut out early to join us in a pub on the premises. He was in fine form and regaled us with many hilarious stories about his life and career. Most most remain understandably private but there were a few gems we can share.

Speculation has been rampant among James Bond fans regarding when the next entry in the series will go into production. Daniel Craig, now starring with Hugh Jackman in the hit play A Steady Rain on Broadway, has a full schedule in the coming months. However, he confirmed that his next cinematic mission as 007 will begin shooting in late 2010, meaning there will be a three year gap between his Bond films (Quantum Of Solace was released in 2008). For more click here

Family and colleagues of the legendary James Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli will participate in panel discussions as part of the University of Southern California's tribute to the man known by one and all as "Cubby". The events run from November 6-8 in Los Angeles and will feature appearances by Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson, Richard Kiel, Maud Adams, Marc Forster, Robert Wade, Neal Purvis, Tom Mankiewicz and others. Additionally, there will be screenings of classic Bond movies and a display of Bond memorabilia from Broccoli's personal archives. Click here for more

Joseph Wiseman, who made screen history as the first 007 screen villain in the title role of Dr. No, has died at age 91. Wiseman was a distinguished name in both film and on stage, and remained active on Broadway in recent years. Only a few years ago,  he had a major role in the revival of Judgment at Nuremberg. Wiseman also had many other major films to his credit including The Night They Raided Minsky's, Detective Story and The Unforgiven. Wiseman rarely granted interviews, despite countless requests to discuss his role in Dr. No. On a personal note, back in the 1990s, I attended a New York film event at which Sean Connery was honored. To everyone's surprise, Joseph Wiseman was among the speakers and he reflected fondly on Dr. No. When a film clip was shown of Connery and Wiseman in the film, the audience went wild. He was a major talent and will be sorely missed. - Lee Pfeiffer

Author and Cinema Retro contributor Robert Sellers will be discussing his acclaimed book The Battle For Bond in Sheffield, England on October 31. The event will also include a screening of Thunderball. For details click here

Cinema Retro extends our best wishes to Sir Roger Moore, the recipient of the magazine's 2008 lifetime achievement award, on his 82nd birthday.We wish him many Moore happy birthdays.

Writer William Bradley points out that this month marks the 45th anniversary of the British premiere of the James Bond classic Goldfinger. He provides one of the most interesting and insightful tributes to the film we've ever read - and there are plenty of films clips accompanying it. Click here to read

In Cinema Retro's exclusive interview with Richard Johnson in issue #10, the distinguished actor recalls having been offered the role of James Bond in for Dr. No. Johnson turned down the role, admitting today the name didn't carry the resonance it soon would with the release of the first film. However, Johnson tells interview Ian Brown that he has no regrets because he feels his interpretation of the character would not have been as successful as Sean Connery's. Johnson says, "The producers, Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, asked me - at (director) Terence Young's instigation - and I turned the job down. I was under contract to MGM anyway, so that gave me a reasonable excuse to say no, because they told me I'd have to be under exclusive contract to them for seven years. Eventually they offered it to Sean [Connery], who was completely wrong for the part. But in getting the wrong man they got the right man, because it turned the thing on its head and he made it funny. And that's what propelled it to success."

Ultimately, Johnson did play a 1960s spy guy, Bulldog Drummond in the cult film Deadlier Than the Male.

The good news is that armchair secret agents can now buy authentic reproductions of the swim suit Daniel Craig wore in Casino Royale. The bad news is that we fear Seth Rogen might be the first in line to buy them. For more click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

Chris Clarkson, a resident of the UK, has an unusual passion: he likes entering still life contests in which he poses as a famous figure. The contests not only require entrants to resemble actual statues, but to maintain a complete lack of movement for as long as possible. Clarkson, 29, took nine months to create a James Bond image - and was rewarded with first place. He stood motionless for four hours, enduring a SPECTRE wiseguy who stamped out a cigarette on him. Clarkson advises potential still-lifers to stand motionless in front of their televisions for extended periods of time. Shouldn't be too hard, given the mind-numbing quality of most programs. We don't know if there is a viable future in all of this, but word has it that Clarkson is a hero to local pigeons. Also, if they ever do a remake of The Man With the Golden Gun, he's a shoo-in to get the role of the Roger Moore statue. For more click here

MGM is reported to be in the worst financial crisis it has experienced in decades. Deadline Hollywood Daily reports that bondholders are balking at the prospect of giving the studio money to finance future films and may look to bankruptcy in order to recoup as much as they can. If the studio does go into bankruptcy, it would free Eon Productions to bring the lucrative James Bond franchise to a different studio. MGM says it doubts it can survive without Bond, the one sure thing it has when it comes to an assured blockbuster film franchise. For more click here

The web site Movie Poster Forum has a discussion string on the worst movie posters of all time. Hands down, the winners are all from Ghana, which employs local artists to "immortalize" the stars of movies. Witness our favorite: Roger Moore and Barbara Bach in the 1977 James Bond flick The Spy Who Loved Me. The artist must have thought that Richard Kiel's Jaws was the female lead. Not even a mother could love spies who look like this! Check out the web site by clicking here. 

Daniel Craig is not helping to ease the impatience of James Bond fans who are eagerly awaiting news about his third cinematic mission as 007. It appears as though the next Bond film is still on the back burner, as Craig's dance card continues to fill up with other offers. He will open soon in A Steady Rain, the Broadway play that teams him with Hugh Jackman. Following that, he will begin shooting Dream House, a new dramatic film in which he plays a New York publishing executive who moves with his family into a seemingly charming New England home, only to discover it was the site of a brutal murder. Jim Sheridan, the acclaimed director My Left Foot and In the Name of the Father will helm the new flick. The film is slated for a January start. Craig also completed his scenes in Steven Spielberg's Tin-Tin. 

Over the weekend, Cinema Retro columnist Gareth Owen and his BondStars.com partner Andy Boyle organized yet another of their magnificent James Bond events at Pinewood Studios. This time the emphasis was on From Russia With Love and included a screening of the new digital print of the film. Cast and crew members from many Bond films mingled with fans from around the world, and Cinema Retro publisher Dave Worrall gave everyone a guided tour of the legendary film studio. Among those in attendance: Caroline Munro, Martine Beswicke, Honor Blackman, Tania Mallet, Shirley Eaton, John Glen, Lewis Gilbert, Eunice Gayson and many others. For a full report and exclusive photos click here

In a recent interview, Paul McCartney discusses some long-debated ambiguity in a line from his James Bond title song Live and Let Die. McCartney says he actually doesn't remember what the real line is - but our own columnist Craig Henderson has solved the mystery. Click here to read

The famous jet pack used by Sean Connery as James Bond in the pre-credits sequence of Thunderball is presently on display at New York's Aerospace Museum. The jet pack was actually flown by pilot Bill Suitor, who was one of only two men in the world qualified to fly the device. For more click here

There will be a rare appearance by Ursula Andress at the Autographica show in Birmingham, England on the weekend of September 12-13. The iconic first James Bond girl will be joined by other alumni of the 007 series including Edward Fox, who played M in Never Say Never Again. For more click here

A BBC report sent James Bond toy collector Stuart McKell to a British memorabilia fair where plenty of Bond collectibles and other movie and TV tie-ins were on display. The piece offers some tantalizing glimpses of Star Wars and Thunderbirds memorabilia and features McKell horse-trading with dealers over Corgi Aston Martin vehicles. Refreshingly, the piece plays it straight and doesn't seek out weirdos dressed like Darth Vader to represent the average collector. Click here to view. 

By Lee Pfeiffer

Actress Zena Marshall, who played the deceitful bad girl Miss Taro in the first James Bond film Dr. No, has died at age 83. Marshall's character was the first prominent villainess in a Bond movie, playing a sexy seductress who tries to set Sean Connery's 007 up for murder. Bond turns the tables - but not before he enjoys an evening in bed with her. Marshall, who was born in Kenya, appeared in many British films and TV series in the 1950s and 1960s, but like many of the Bond actresses, left the profession to concentrate on domestic life. She enjoyed a renaissance of popularity in recent years, appearing at autograph shows and Bond-related events, most of which were organized by the British based web site Bond Stars. (Click here for recent photo of her at the Bond Stars site) 

Former James Bond Timothy Dalton is in Wales to film a guest-starring role in the popular British Doctor Who TV series. Dalton played Bond in two films, The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill, succeeding Roger Moore in the role. For details click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have announced a heavy-hitting talent will be joining long-time James Bond screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade for the 23rd 007 film, as yet untitled. Peter Morgan, who wrote Frost/Nixon, The Queen and The Last King of Scotland will be part of the trio creating the storyline for the next Bond epic which will once again star Daniel Craig. It is anticipated the movie will be released in 2011. Apparently Oscar winner Paul Haggis will not be associated with the next film. He had contributed to the screenplays of Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace. Those two films have both grossed over $500 million each worldwide, making the Bond franchise hotter than ever even as it approaches the half century mark. Purvis and Wade are currently scripting The Brazilian Job, the sequel to the remake of The Italian Job. For more click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

I know I've sounded like a broken record over the years in declaring my disdain for the 1974 James Bond film The Man With the Golden Gun, Roger Moore's second outing as 007. It's got an infantile screenplay, grouchy leading characters and a heroine who makes Gracie Allen look like Madame Curie. While I've always admired Christopher Lee's "play-it-straight" portrayal of Scaramanga, it's a shame his efforts were wasted in this misguided film. However, a reader sent us a link to someone who feels differently, and in the spirit of fairness, we'll link to reviewer Colin Jacobson's defense of Golden Gun on the My Hollywood News website. See if it affects your personal opinion, one way or another. Click here to read.

By Lee Pfeiffer

We try to stay away from politics on Cinema Retro, but like Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part III, every time we think we're out, those politicians pull us back in. The constant blurring of show biz and government makes it a disservice to ignore some stories - especially when there are more boobs on display in Washington D.C. than there are in any ten strip clubs. Take, for example, the current state of the Republican party, which is in the worst straits since the dark days of Watergate. Frustrated by President Obama's consistently high approval ratings, the GOP has been floundering in its attempts to find an issue they can make work for them. With seemingly half the country out of work, the issues that have generally worked well for the party -gun control, abortion and the Bible - aren't high on most people's list of priorities. Thus, when the Democratic Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, became embroiled in a potential scandal recently, Republicans were understandably salivating at the prospect of capitalizing on it. Pelosi, whose own popularity ratings are generally very low, has been a constant critic of the Bush administration because of the use of waterboarding on terror suspects - a practice that Pelosi considers to be torture. Last week, however, the CIA indicated that Pelosi had been briefed by the agency years ago about the possible use of waterboarding - and Pelosi made no objection at that time. Faced with evidence of possible hypocrisy, the usually media savvy Pelosi gave a bumbling speech that rivaled that of Don Knotts in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.She denied ever having been told about waterboarding and blatantly accused the CIA of not only lying, but intentionally misleading Congress. Them's fightin' words and the debate over who's telling the the truth has been raging ever since. What does all this have to do with the world of retro cinema, you may ask? Keep reading.  

Smelling blood in the water, the GOP quite naturally wanted to keep the story alive so that Pelosi would suffer the daily drip-drip-drip of embarrassing questions from the media. (Her refusal to discuss the matter further after making the astonishing charge against the C.I.A. gave the GOP plenty of arrows for their quiver.) Then some genius working for the Republican party decided it would be funny to use the potential scandal as the basis of a James Bond-oriented spoof video based on Goldfinger. The ploy immediately backfired.The video opens with the familiar gunbarrel, and features the Speaker's face inside it while the blood drips down. This may be innocuous in the context of a real Bond movie, but it apparently never occurred to the person who put it together that centering Pelosi's face in the middle of a bloody gun barrel might strike some as sinister. Secondly, the video tries to make the connection between Pelosi and Honor Blackman's Pussy Galore - and actually uses both women on the same split screen. Now Bond girl names with sexual overtones is a long tradition, but in the politically correct world of politics, using the nation's most prominent female Congresswoman in the same sentence as "Pussy" in any context might just turn off women voters. Third, the implication is that Pussy Galore is an infamous Bond bad girl, but the video director obviously hasn't seen the film since it premiered. He doesn't realize that Galore turns out to be the heroine of the movie and saves the day by thwarting Goldfinger's plot to bomb Ft. Knox.

The result has been a major embarrassment for the GOP, which also used a Dr. No spoof in John McCain's campaign against Barack Obama - and we know how well that worked out. The GOP has not officially commented on the circular firing squad they've formed, but they have quietly taken the video down from their web site. However, you can see the uncut video on the liberal blog Taylor Marsh by clicking here. View a CNN story about the video by clicking here.

If you're a Republican and are distressed by these developments, just wait a few days. We're certain similar geniuses in the Democratic party are working on providing plenty of fodder for the next go-round.

In a powerhouse team up, James Bond star Daniel Craig will make his Broadway debut this fall opposite Hugh Jackman in a new play titled A Steady Rain about two police officers whose friendship undergoes a major strain. Barbara Broccoli will produce, according to an exclusive report by Michael Riedel of The New York Post. Broccoli is said to be in New York scouting for an appropriate theater. Although Broadway is in the economic doldrums, this is the kind of rarely seen star power that is likely to generate a lot of buzz and major box-office. Craig is said to be eager to start work on his third Bond film, but planning is only in the very formative stages for that production. For more click here

Actress Ingrid Pitt, best known for her horror flicks, posted her evaluation of the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service - and finds it to be a terrific entry in the series. Ingrid confesses that, like most people who haven't seen the film in ages, she was prejudiced by critics who lambasted George Lazenby simply because he had the nerve to take over from Sean Connery. Despite a personal, unpleasant encounter with Lazenby, she admits he's very good in the role and the film deserves the praise it has reaped in recent years. Click here to read. 

Producer Michael G. Wilson has revealed that preliminary work has begun on the 23rd James Bond film produced by Eon Productions. Wilson wouldn't specify any details, but said that star Daniel Craig was eager to get back into the role. He also said that Welsh singer Duffy and Amy Winehouse would be considered to sing the next title song. Craig has said recently that he would like to re-introduce Moneypenny in the series, but make her an in-depth character with an interesting past, instead of merely being the straight woman for Bond's puns. It stands to be a busy year for Eon Productions. The company is producing a non-Bond thriller as well as a remake of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  For more click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

If you thought it was a stretch accepting Denise Richards as a scientist in the 1999 James Bond film The World is Not Enough, wait until you hear her impersonate a singer. Richards was given the privilege of singing the national anthem at a recent Chicago Cubs baseball game - and while the practice is designed to be fun by having non-professional singers take a crack at the song, Richards went beyond the pale. The woman couldn't carry a tune if it had handles. What on earth was she thinking? Not since Roseanne Barr's notorious rendition of the anthem (followed by a crotch grab when the crowd started to boo her), has American dignity been so offended. Let's get a Congressional bill passed quickly that prevents Richards from singing again. To view the crime against our nation, click here.

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from the publishers of MI6 Declassified magazine:

It is my pleasure to inform you that issue #5 of MI6 Declassified is nowavailable to order!

"Quantum of Solace" divided some fans and critics over its style and substance,
but one fact is undeniable: 007 was back at the box-office in record-breaking
form. With opening weekend tallies smashing historical highs almost everywhere he
went, Bond Fever was rampant once again. MI6 Declassified #5 looks at how the
22nd film thrilled cities around the world and speaks to some of the creative
talent behind the movie... and keep an eye out for an exclusive cut scene still!

The fifth issue includes:
o   Premiere Bond - Coverage from Leicester Square for the "Quantum of Solace"
debut
o   Around The World With 007 - Following the worldwide launch of the latest
James Bond adventure
o   Box Office Bond - Bond Fever hits at cinemas as records are smashed
o   In Their Own Words - Cast and crew discuss making "Quantum of Solace"
o   Making Another Way To Die - Jack White and Alicia Keys talk about the title
song
o   John Gardner A Life In Literature - A tribute to the late continuation author
including his last in-depth interview
o   Giving Bond His Booms, Bangs & Beeps - Interview with Oscar-winning sound
editor Norman Wanstall
o   Zig Zag Comics - Uncovering the rare '60s series from South America
o   The Bond Connection - A unique look at the world through Fleming's eyes in
Thrilling Cities
o   The Last Word - Mya Harrison on singing and starring in Everything or Nothing

Issue #5 is now shipping around the world.

To order online, visit http://www.mi6magazine.com

David Smith
Editor
--
MI6 DECLASSIFIED
http://www.mi6magazine.com
Straight Up With A Twist

Daniel Craig says he's happy playing James Bond and will continue to do so as long as he's wanted in the role. This must be music to the producer's ears, as previous Bond actors have eventually proved contentious over issues of salary, typecasting, etc. Although Craig complains that the role of Bond has not produced any exciting roles for him outside of the series (he says he continues to be offered "crap"), it has elevated him to England's highest paid actor. For more click here

Corky Fornof is a name familiar to hardcore James Bond fans. He's the stunt pilot who flew the mini-jet vertically through the airplane hangar in the pre-credits sequence of Octopussy. He also doubled for Timothy Dalton in the scene from Licence to Kill in which Bond is lowered from one plane to another via a very thin wire. Click here for an interview with Fornof about his remarkable work on film. 

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Park Circus Films, the distributor of classic movie reissues to UK cinemas:

From 24 April, a restored version of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE is returning to cinemas nationwide, in celebration of the centenary of producer Albert R. ‘Cubby’ Broccoli.

Broccoli formed EON Productions and Danjaq, with Harry Saltzman, to make DR NO, launching James Bond onto the big screen in 1962. When Saltzman later sold his shares of the two companies to United Artists, Broccoli became sole producer of the Bond films.

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, originally released in 1963, has been digitally restored frame by frame by Lowry Digital Images, the world’s leader in digital restoration and image enhancement. The process involves taking moving pictures that show signs of age and wear, removing the fading, dirt, scratches and other defects that occur over time, and returning them to their original condition.

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, directed by Terence Young, and starring Sean Connery, Robert Shaw and Lotte Lenya, will be opening from 24 April at BFI Southbank (as part of a comprehensive Broccoli season), followed by special screenings at cinemas nationwide.

The great retro web site Starlet Showcase is a tribute to the cinema's loveliest sirens. In one section, there are some nice shots of Claudine Auger as she appeared in the 1965 James Bond epic Thunderball, memorably playing the role of Domino. Love that see through outfit she posed in for publicity photos for the film. A pity the costume designer couldn't work out a logical way for her to wear it onscreen.  Click here to visit the site

By Lee Pfeiffer

For the first time since Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 1968, the James Bond producers will be developing a new non-007 film property. Sony will team with Eon producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli to bring the forthcoming thriller Remote Control to the screen. The book by Mark Burnell centers on a British corporate intelligence analyst who uncovers a plot to undermine the Chinese economy. The premise certainly goes against the grain of popular opinion, given China's tendency to manipulate its currency to undermine other nation's currencies. Although Barbara Broccoli personally produced the acclaimed 1990s TV movie Crime of the Century, this marks the first non-Bond project she is teaming on with Wilson since they took control of the 007 franchise from their father Cubby Broccoli in 1994. Eon also has a long-rumored remake of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang planned for the big screen. That 1968 pic was the only non-Bond movie solely produced by Cubby Broccoli in the days following the screen debut of Bond in 1962. Although Cubby was interested in developing other stories for the screen, he cited the enormous logistics behind the Bond franchise as the reason he was not able to do so. The new plans by Eon probably mean a lengthy delay before production begins on the next Bond flick. As we reported last month, Wilson told the audience at the Bradford International Film Festival that absolutely nothing has been done in terms of preparing the next entry in the series. For more click here

The Nesquik chocolate drink company recently sponsored an amateur short film contest recently held a contest that allowed amateur filmmakers to submit entries that promoted Nesquik in creative ways. Mark Sieve of Florida was immediately inspired to create a James Bond-themed entry titled Quantum Of Nesquik. Considering it's a no-budget production, he managed to squeeze in a pretty impressive car chase, as well as a beautiful heroine and some dasterdly bad guys, all of whom happen to be his co-workers. The film runs a little over 4 minutes, but the credits are as long as the movie itself. Then again, that seemed to be the case with Kubrick's Spartacus. Let's hope Mark at least took his unpaid cast and crew out for some Bond-style bubbly when filming was completed. Click here to view. 

Congratulations to Hollywood's biggest villain (literally!): Richard Kiel's Jaws has been named in a poll as James Bond fan's favorite all-around character. The steel-toothed giant appeared in two Bond films, The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker. Read Richard's personal hilarious account of his early days in Hollywood in Cinema Retro issue #1. For more on the poll, click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

The terrific new website Spy Vibe asked me to submit a list of my five favorite spy movie sets. Granted, I only had time to write down what immediately sprang to mind, but unsurprisingly, four of the five are from James Bond movies - though one inclusion relating to 007 may surprise you. To read the list click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

Last Friday's tribute to the music of James Bond at Carnegie Hall was a magnificent evening of entertainment. The New York Pops, under the direction of conductor Carl Davis, did justice to the canon of great film themes that have characterized the 007 movies. To the relief of Bond fans, the Pops did nothing to "soup up" the arrangements of the familiar songs, opting instead to perform the traditional arrangements. The two hour-plus event managed to incorporate almost all of the main title themes which were played more or less in sequential order, and it was especially rewarding to hear Burt Bacharach's The Look of Love included, despite the fact that it derived from the mostly-detested 1967 slapstick version of Casino Royale. Carl Davis proved to be an amiable and entertaining emcee, as well as conductor, providing fun anecdotes in between every song. He did make one minor mistake however, by claiming that the first Bond song to hit the charts in America was A View to a Kill. Of course, almost all of the previous songs had charted to some degree and several were smash hits, with three earning Oscar nominations. Davis was aided and abetted by two superb talents who alternated singing the title themes: Mary Carewe and Simon Bowman. Both brought passion and excitement to their renderings of the songs, and I confess that even the weaker ones (i.e The Man With the Golden Gun) seemed to resonate better than they do in the actual films. Happily, Davis provided some much-appreciated "bonus" tracks including John Barry's Dawn Raid on Ft. Knox from Goldfinger and Marvin Hamlisch's Journey to Atlantis from The Spy Who Loved Me. The Pops' performance of the latter made me appreciate this particular theme more than I had in the past. Most intriguingly, Davis opted to perform an extended musical sequence from perhaps the least-popular score of the series, GoldenEye. Curiously, Eric Serra was the only composer not acknowledged by Davis in his introductions. (Could it be because it's been said that the music from this sequence- the tank chase- was actually inserted into the film by uncredited composers?)There were some omissions that were disappointing: Davis included We Have All the Time in the World from On Her Majesty's Secret Service but unfortunately did not include John Barry's brilliant main title theme for that film, which is arguably the best of the series.While Bond fans were probably grateful the Pops skipped Die Another Day, one wishes they had included Barry's beautiful theme song for Octopussy (All Time High). Similarly, the decision to close the show with the dreadful Quantum Of Solace theme proved that all the Pops' women and all the Pops' men couldn't make this sound like anything but the wail of a banshee. (The "composer" Jack White bragged that he came up with the song in twenty minutes, which makes one wonder what took him so long.) Among the encore tracks was a most-welcome performance of k.d lang's Surrender, the closing song from Tomorrow Never Dies. Davis correctly pointed out that this was to be the film's opening song until it was bumped by Sheryl Crowe's composition (of which it can be said that I seem to be the only person on earth who expresses admiration for her contribution to the series.)

I was a bit dubious that the Carnegie Hall regulars and season ticket holders wpuld be very responsive to the Bond tribute, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Three elderly women in front of me said it was one of the best evenings of entertainment they had witnessed in the legendary venue. I concur - and I will also say that it's one of the few times I was able to enjoy a major James Bond event without having to fly to London.

(For more on the New York Pops, click here to access the official web site)

The relationship between Corgi Toys and Eon Productions, producers of the James Bond films, extends back to 1965 and was the longest continuous licensing agreement in the history of the toy industry - until last year when it was disrupted and, for the first time, a new Bond film did not have a tie-in vehicle released. Now Corgi has sorted out the agreement and is back licensing Bond. A new car based on Quantum Of Solace will be released along with a range of cars based on other eras. For more click here

There's plenty of advantages to being President of the United States, but one of the drawbacks is that you lose virtually all control over how your image is used. There is a popular T shirt making the rounds in inner cities that capitalizes on President Obama's image as "Mr. Cool" by presenting him as James Bond. Not everyone is happy about the fact that the Prez is depicted holding a gun-shaped microphone while First Lady Michele Obama poses seductively like Pussy Galore. Some Obama supporters say the depiction is disrepectful of the first couple. Are they kidding? At least the Obamas are being presented as the epitome of cool. Didn't the critics ever see those "Good Bush/Bad Bush" T shirts that flooded the market during the the tenure of the last president? We doubt this art ever made it onto the White House Christmas card. For more click here

Many James Bond fans don't realize that 007's creator Ian Fleming also authored two notable non-fiction books: Thrilling Cities, a guide to some of the most exotic and exciting locations the adventurous author had personally visited, and The Diamond Smugglers, Fleming's recounting of actual intelligence operations against smuggers. Of the latter, writer Soheil Rezaee affords an interesting look at the structure of the book. To read click here

Leonardo DiCaprio's production company has optioned writer John Orloff's screenplay Fleming about the life of James Bond creator Ian Fleming. There is no word as to whether DiCaprio intends to play the role himself. For more click here

John McElwee's wonderful nostalgia movie site, the Greenbriar Picture Show features his personal memories of seeing the first James Bond movie, Dr. No - and how it has held up over the decades. McElwee analyzes the differences between this early characterization of Bond and those found in future entries in the series. To read click here

Author and spy movie expert Wesley Britton has conducted a recent interview with former James Bond George Lazenby for the Dave White Presents web program. Click here to listen.

Harry Saltzman was a world-class producer who knew a great deal about how to make financial blockbusters, but when it came to soundtracks to his own films, he had a tin ear. The HMSS Weblog has an interesting story about how Saltzman tried to veto the theme songs from Goldfinger, Live and Let Die and Diamonds Are Forever. The article includes interesting clips from a UK documentary about the Bond soundtracks. Click here to view.

An unproduced James Bond screenplay written by Sean Connery and mystery writer Len Deighton titled Warhead sold last week for $68,000 at a Christies pop culture auction. The script had been the brainchild of Kevin McClory, who served as a producer on the 1965 screen version of Thunderball. McClory had been granted remake rights to the film as the result of an early 1960's legal settlement with Ian Fleming, who he accused of stealing some of his ideas for his novel Thunderball. However, when McClory tried to get the Warhead project off the ground in the mid 1970s, he was kept in a legal stalemate by Eon Productions, the makers of the "genuine" Bond films. As the legal process dragged on, financing for the project dried up, though McClory and producer Jack Schwartzman did manage to eventually get a different script made into a remake of Thunderball in 1983. That film, Never Say Never Again, starred Sean Connery, who had said he had no intention of starring in Warhead. For more click here