James Bond Headliners of 2003



Lotus To Axe Esprit

January 2, 2003 - Orange Today

Sports car maker Lotus is to end production of its Esprit model at the end of this year. The Esprit was made famous when it was used in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me as a 'submarine car'.

It has been produced at Lotus's headquarters near Norwich for more than 25 years. A Lotus spokesman said the company planned to create a new Esprit which would be unveiled in a few years' time. The company plans to concentrate on the development of the Elise sports car.

Around 10,000 Esprits have been built since 1976 and the company expects about another 140 to roll off the production line. It is thought that around 30 people working on the Esprit production line will be redeployed within the Lotus group.

Deep sixed again!





The Power of Film: A Bond That Unites Koreans

January 2, 2003 - by James Brooke for The New York Times

SEOUL, South Korea, — In real life, President Bush wrestles with policies to force North Korea to stop selling missiles and making atom bombs.

On the big screen, at movie theaters here today, James Bond wrestled with a crazed North Korean colonel who was using a space-based laser to burn a massive hole in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.

"The U.S. put North Korea in 'the axis of evil' and then the director merely followed the plot," said Kim So Won, a 19-year-old student taking a break from a New Year's Eve anti-American rally.

As her girlfriends nodded, she added, "We won't go see the movie."

The new 007 movie, "Die Another Day," opened here on New Year's Eve to a fledgling boycott. But reflecting the love-hate relationship with the United States — the fact that James Bond is British is a fine point lost on many people here — there were long lines of people waiting to see the film at the Seoul Theater.

Min Kyung Woo, a 28-year-old pacifist, lined up too, but on a picket line. "This is Hollywood's strategy toward Northeast Asia," said Mr. Min, who had not been converted by a pre-release showing of the movie intended by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to head off a boycott here.

"The movie industry is related to politics," he said.

Indeed, the boycott has been fueled by rising anti-American sentiment and the feeling among many here that North Koreans are replacing Colombians as Hollywood's current international bad guys.

"North Korean criminals in the movie are no different from Iraqi, Cuban or Russian terrorists, who easily commit mass murders in Hollywood action movies," the newspaper JoongAng Ilbo said in apparent surprise at the Bondian depiction of state-sponsored torture in North Korea, a nation that ranks high atop many "worst" lists compiled by international human rights groups.

While North and South Korea remain bitterly divided, judging by such reviews and those of some moviegoers here, the two sides have finally found common ground when confronting 007.

"I think there is plenty for Koreans to complain about in this movie," Doug E. Shin, a Korean-American pastor from Los Angeles, said as he walked in a jostling, and largely merry, flood of young South Koreans leaving a showing tonight. "Half the North Koreans were speaking with South Korean accents. That ox looked like it was from the Philippines. That shack at the end looked like it was from Japan."

"I guess the director didn't care," he continued. "But if the movie was about Japan, would they have treated the Japanese that way?"

A recurring complaint here is about a final scene where befuddled Korean farmers, goading an ox, look at luxury cars that James Bond has dropped, upended, in a rice paddy. While North Korean agriculture plods along on ox power, South Koreans say the only ox carts seen here are in museums.

The correct image of South Korea, people say, is a nation with among the world's highest rates of cellphone ownership, high-speed Internet access and college-educated youth.

Then there is a scene where an American officer orders a South Korea military mobilization, which prompted someone to write in an Internet chat room that "Korea in the movie is viewed as America's colony."

After watching the movie today, Kim Yu Min, a 24-year-old office worker, said, "My girlfriends said, `At least James Bond doesn't go to bed with a Korean girl.' "

20th Century Fox, which distributes the MGM movie, has worked hard to try to smooth ruffled feathers here, a nation of 43 million people that is now the 10th-largest foreign box office territory for American movies.

Lee Joo Sung, president of 20th Century Fox Korea, told opinion makers at one showing here: "It's a movie. Not reality. Viewers must understand that it's fiction."

The movie, which stars Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry and is already expected to be the most lucrative Bond movie yet, ran into early controversy when a South Korean actor, Cha In Pyo, turned down the bad-guy role, normally a coveted ticket to Hollywood stardom. He became a local hero last fall when he told reporters that the script was "demeaning."

Rick Yune, the Korean-American actor who stars as the movie's crazed North Korean officer, has found himself at news conferences here parrying hostile questions from reporters concerned about South Korea's image. In one burst of patriotism, Lee Jung Hyun, a pop singer, declined an invitation to appear alongside Mr. Yune on a popular talk show, "Happiness Channel."

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency has obligingly given MGM free publicity by playing true to character.

Two weeks before the release here and well before pirated copies could have made their way to reviewers in North Korea, the news agency denounced the film as a "dirty and cursed burlesque" that clearly proved that the United States was "the root cause of all disasters and misfortune of the Korean nation."

Where in the film does it say that Bond and Halle are making love in Korea? It could be a coastal part of Japan. But who cares? This is the best kind of free publicity any film could wish for.





South Korean Cinema Pulls James Bond Film

January 8, 2003 - Japan Today

SEOUL — Bowing to public pressure, a cinema outside Seoul has canceled the showing of the latest James Bond movie, which South Korean critics say unfairly depicts their communist neighbor as a diabolically evil regime.

Only days after its opening, Broadway Cinema decided last Friday to halt the showings because of low audience turnout and sour public sentiment, theater worker Shin Sun-im said Monday. The film was scheduled for a two-week run at the movie house.

"Die Another Day," which features a North Korean villain, has come under attack throughout South Korea since its New Year's Eve premiere here. On Monday, a small group of South Korean students and civic activists in Seoul called for a nationwide boycott of the film. Before the film's release, North Korea slammed it as the latest example of "corrupt sex culture" in the United States.

In the movie, Bond is sent to North Korea to investigate a rogue communist officer who is planning an invasion of South Korea. The British spy is caught, imprisoned and subjected to torture. Later, the North Korean officer uses a satellite-based laser to burn a swath through the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas. His plot is foiled by Bond and an American agent.

Despite calls for a boycott, many South Koreans are watching the movie. Local media reported Monday that the movie ranked fifth in audience draw.

Too bad, now the film will be made into an illegal DVD or VHS and sold on the Korean streets. This is what they call 'free market'.





OSCAR Snubs OO7 Special Effects And Sound

January 9, 2003 - Variety

It's definitely the year of the digital character as a cast of computer-generated beings are featured prominently in the seven pictures tapped to compete in February for the visual f/x Oscar nomination. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences on Wednesday revealed its f/x and sound editing selections, with George Lucas (news)' Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound having plenty of reason for celebration.

The f/x behemoth once again dominated the list, snaring four of the seven slots with "Harry Potter (news - web sites) and the Chamber of Secrets," "Men in Black II," "Minority Report" and "Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones." While ILM was the lead house on "Harry Potter," British f/x shops Mill Film, Cinesite and Moving Picture Co. also provided visuals for that picture.

Sony Pictures Imageworks received a nod for its work on "Spider-Man" and for its contributions to "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," though the main f/x studio for the fantasy sequel was once again New Zealand-based WETA Digital.

WETA walked away from last year's Oscar ceremony with the best f/x trophy for its work on "The Fellowship of the Ring."

The seventh picture in the running is "XXX," whose computer-generated visuals were created by Digital Domain. The picture is the only one on the list dominated by physical rather than digital f/x.

The seven selections signal a year in which live-action pictures starring digital characters in digital settings clearly impressed voters. WETA's work in creating the character of Gollum in "Rings" has been particularly celebrated, with its amalgam of a digitally made-over human actor, but "Spider-Man," "Potter," "MIB II" and "Star Wars" also extensively feature digitally created characters with significant roles.

Among surprise omissions in the list were "Stuart Little 2," a live-action pic that featured three major digital characters, including the lead mouse, and "Die Another Day," the latest James Bond actioner from MGM, which boasted considerably more effects than any of the previous 19 outings.

Leaders of the f/x teams on the seven movies in contention will put together 15-minute reels of their work for the Feb. 5 "bakeoff" at the Academy, where the f/x branch will choose three Oscar nominees. Oscar nominations are announced Feb. 11.

Meanwhile, in the sound editing category, "Potter," "Rings," "Report," "Spider-Man" and "XXX" made the semifinalist list. They were joined by "Road to Perdition" and "We Were Soldiers." Skywalker Sound worked on three of the pictures -- "Potter," "Rings" and "Report."

As with f/x, each picture's sound team will compile a 10-minute reel for a bakeoff to be held Feb. 4. Voters select the three nominees for Oscar consideration.

Typical when it comes to OSCAR. They have snubbed the Bond series for years. Only offering best sound for Goldfinger and best special effects for Thunderball. Diamonds Are Forever was nominated for best sound and lost. The Spy Who Loved Me had the most nominations and didn't win one award. Moonraker had competition with Star Trek and Alien. And the last time Bond was nominated was for Best Song in For Your Eyes Only. However, Cubby Broccoli did receive the Thalberg Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1982.





Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Manuscript Soars at Sale

January 10, 2003 - Reuters

Rare original manuscripts for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, one of the best-loved childrens' stories of all time, fetched a sky high price at auction in London Thursday.

"They sold for 29,290 pounds ($46,250) in very competitive bidding," a spokeswoman for auction house Sotheby's told Reuters. The presale estimate for the documents was 12-15,000 pounds. The buyer's identity has not been revealed.

The novel of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the flying car with the bubbly personality, was originally penned by James Bond author Ian Fleming in 1961 as he recovered after a heart attack and is based on stories he used to tell his son.

The work prompted Fleming to complain to his publishers they never gave him a moment's rest.

Originally written as three stories but published in 1964 under the name of Ian Lancaster as one, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was an instant success.

It was made into a classic children's film in 1968 with Dick Van Dyke (news) and Sally Ann Howes in the leading roles, and 34 years later has had a new lease of life as a hugely popular London stage musical.

Fleming manuscripts are extremely rare. The major Fleming collection held by the Lilly Library at Indiana University does not even include typescript of Chitty, Sotheby's said.

Fantasmagorical!





DVD Pirates Add Extra Credit To Die Another Day

January 15, 2003 - Reuters

Taiwan's Justice Minister has warned video compact-disc pirates not to underestimate the government's resolve to root out rampant piracy after counterfeiters taunted him by tagging pirated movies with this credit: 'Come and catch me, Chen Ding-nan!'

ON A TV news footage recently, a DVD player was shown playing the credits of the latest James Bond thriller Die Another day (above), but the pirates had added a sub-credit onto the video which read: "Come and catch me, Chen Ding-nan!" This was an open challenge to Mr Chen, Taiwan's Justice Minister.

'This is an open challenge to government authority. If you have guts, don't run away,' said an outraged Mr. Chen in comments broadcast on a cable news network yesterday. 'It is unbelievable and unforgivable. If these pirates believe that they will never be caught, they are dreaming,' the minister said.

The minister's warning came after pirated VCDs seized by police featured the challenge at the beginning of the movies. A television news report on Monday had said that the pirated editions of many new movies, such as Die Another Day and Hero, were now available on both VCDs and DVDs at the price of NT$100 (S$5) each at night markets.

Die Another Day, the latest James Bond thriller, is officially scheduled to start showing in Taiwan theatres on Jan 31 while Hero by Chinese director Zhang Yimou is scheduled to start showing on Friday. Its mainland distributor said that vigilant steps to prevent piracy, including requiring viewers to pass through metal detectors at early screenings, were a key factor in the movie's success.

Assistant US trade representative Joseph Papovich said during an October visit that Taiwan was considered one of the largest producers and exporters of pirated CDs, DVDs and other optical discs in Asia and one of the largest producers in the world.--Reuters, AFP

And to prove that theory just log onto Ebay and check out how many DVDs are sent from Taiwan.





NightFire Comes To GameBoy Advance

January 20, 2003 - by Tommy Craig for VideoGameCity

Product Description Get deep into the excitement and intrigue of the most complete James Bond game yet. All-new scenarios and gameplay complement a completely original storyline that delivers all-out Bond-style intensity on the handheld systems.

James Bond 007: NightFire for the Gameboy Advance video game system promises to take players higher and deeper than ever before. As Bond, players will operate in the Austrian Alps, a Japanese highrise, an island in the South Pacific, and even in a zero-gravity space station to defeat the evil criminal mastermind Raphael Drake.

NightFire will offer a deep gameplay experience that will stay true to the Bond universe. For the first time on a handheld system the Bond game is seen through a first person perspective. Adding to the legacy of the Bond universe will be the use of Pierce Brosnan's image for the Bond character. NightFire will feature a variety of missions filled with action and stealth, gorgeous women, and spy-craft gadgetry that Bond fans expect.

Each of the various locations in NightFire will contain challenging missions and objectives. The game will feature new and familiar characters from the Bond universe, including Zoe Nightshade (from EA's previous Bond game, James Bond 007 in... Agent Under FireTM). Players can blast through each level using weaponry or rely on tricks and gadgets to accomplish objectives and maximize scores.

Key Features: Go higher and deeper than any previous Bond game both in locales and gameplay. Original single-player storyline with new and familiar characters from the Bond universe. Features Pierce Brosnan's likeness as Bond. First person perspective. Various exotic locations worldwide filled with challenging missions and objectives. Nine levels of single-player action. New upgradeable Q-lab gadgets, some exclusive to console versions, advanced camera system, and original missions including zero-gravity assignments.

Well when it comes to this game you've got to hand it to EA.





Elton Says Madonna Will 'Kill Him' For Slamming Her Bond Theme

January 23, 2003 - by Darryl Morden for Launch

Elton John thinks Madonna will "kill him" for slamming her James Bond theme song from 2002, "Die Another Day."

As we previously reported, last year the music legend called the 007 theme "the worst Bond tune ever," telling the U.K.'s Sky News, "It hasn't got a tune. I don't think it's the best Madonna record and I'm a big fan."

"She's probably going to kill me after that," Sir Elton told the TV program Access Hollywood. "Like a dagger through the heart. But you know what, she's an amazing talent and great writer, so you know, I love her to death."

Madonna was scheduled to appear at Sunday's (January 19) Golden Globe Awards and would have sat at the same table as Elton John, but cancelled her appearance at the last minute.

Don't worry Elton. I don't consider that a total loss. But the real winner nowadays is Lulu who can say that her song from "THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN" is no longer the worst in the series.





The Name Is Law, Jude Law

January 27, 2003 - BBC News

Film star Jude Law has been narrowly picked as British film fans' choice to replace Pierce Brosnan as the new James Bond. The star took 28% of the votes in a poll by magazine Total Film.

His biggest rival was Scottish Trainspotting star Ewan McGregor, who got 26%. Christian Bale, star of Empire Of The Sun and American Psycho, took third place with 24% support.

Law, 30, is best known for his roles in The Talented Mr Ripley and Steven Spielberg's AI. Hugh Grant got only two per cent of the votes.

Pierce Brosnan has already committed himself to his fifth Bond film, the follow-up to last year's Die Another Day. But he has said he may be too old to film a sixth.

"It takes stamina to play this role. I would like to get off the stage with grace," he said last year.

The list of actors and celebrities linked with Brosnan's job is a long one. They range from Russell Crowe to singer Robbie Williams. New Zealander Crowe was reported to be the choice of former Bond director John Glen. Robbie Williams said he relished the chance to take up the role, even spoofing the character in the video for his single Millennium. But casting director Debbie McWilliams said: "Robbie Williams, bless him, I don't think is quite what we're looking for." And Comedian Richard Blackwood even offered his services as the franchise's first black James Bond.

In 2001 Scottish actor Gerard Butler, who appeared in Wes Craven's Dracula 2000, was tipped for the role by the Daily Record newspaper, while English star Clive Owen, who was recently in Gosford Park and The Bourne Identity, has also been tipped to be Brosnan's replacement. Welshman Ioan Gruffudd, however, ruled himself out of the running last year when he said he was "too young".

It will be at least another three years before a new search gets started so let's all get use to the fact that Mr. Brosnan is playing the part for now.





Is There A Psychopath In OO7's Future?

January 28, 2003 - IC Wales.co.uk

The small town of Haverford-west, known best for its Norman castle, could soon have another claim to fame - the birthplace of the next James Bond.

Pembrokeshire-born actor Christian Bale, star of American Psycho, has just been voted as one of the favourites by film fans to become the next 007 when Pierce Brosnan hands in his licence to kill.

If he wins the role, he would be the second Welsh Bond after North Wales-born actor Timothy Dalton's two-film outing in the 1980s. News that a local boy could take over the Bond mantle has left towns-folk stirred, if not shaken, but more than ready to do their bit to help him get the role.

"It would be wonderful if it happened, really great for Haverfordwest," said town councillor Barbara Shone yesterday. "It could bring in a lot more visitors to the town.

"James Bond has got such a cool image it would help bring us into the 21st Century instead of the 18th."

Pembrokeshire film buff Keith Worthing said he would be pleased to see another Welshman take on the role and hoped he would improve on the "disappointing" Timothy Dalton.

"It would be fantastic if he got the role and let's hope that he would put back the oomph that Sean Connery left behind.

"Without a doubt Sean Connery was the greatest Bond. He had that sense of menace. You knew he could give someone a good hiding and you wouldn't like to meet him after dark, although women would."

Christian Bale was born in Haverfordwest on January 30, 1974. His father who became a commercial pilot, is believed to have been serving at RAF Brawdy. The theatre was however in the young boy's blood. His mother was a circus dancer and both grandfathers were actors - one even stood in for John Wayne on two occasions - as was his great uncle, Rex Bale.

The family, however, only spent a few years in the town before moving to Bournemouth and then Portugal before returning to England. The young Christian first found fame as an actor when he won a child's role in Stephen's Spielberg's Empire of the Sun and then successfully made the transition to adult star, starring in Captain Correlli's Mandolin and the more recent dragon epic, Reign of Fire.

He was voted third choice to play Bond with 24% of the vote in a recent poll of move buffs asked by Total Film Magazine who they wanted to be the next 007 star.

Heart-throb Englishman Jude Law was first choice polling 28% of the votes, followed by Scotsman Ewan McGregor with 26%.

But although only voted third, Bale has already shown that he could take on the Bond mantle and play the required tough action scenes. He beefed up for his role as violent yuppie Patrick Bateman in American Psycho and also embarked on intense fitness training for two earlier films Newsies and Swing Kids.

While a host of adoring fan sites on the web - fans are known as Baleheads - show that he is no slouch when it comes to raising the temperature of the opposite sex either. But if he wanted a helping hand then there would be plenty on offer in his old home town. Pauline Turner, manager of the local authority-run Haverfordwest sports centre, where membership at £170 a year is probably a lot cheaper than Hollywood gyms, said he could train for the role with them.

"We could give him all that Hollywood could give him," she said. "If he wanted to pop in we have a fully-equipped gym and run a variety of activities such as pilates, aerobics and yoga. We can't guarantee he will end up looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger but he'd certainly be fit."

And Neil Phillips, manager of Hylton John men's outfitters, said they could fit him out with the traditional Bond evening suit.

"If he gets the role and needs to wear a suit he can always pop in," he said. "We do a lot of evening suits and have just had our busiest time of the year with the Pembrokeshire Hunt Ball. We hire or sell, so if he's got any posh dos or dances to go to, we can kit him out."

It is truly amazing how so many actors are out to get this role. Or should I say how many merchants from the actor's hometown are out to increase their sales.





Tamahori Defends His Film

January 29, 2003 - Reuters

Dozens of South Koreans who held rallies outside theatres in Seoul to demand that movie-goers boycott the latest James Bond film have prompted authorities to pull the film early from 10 out of 50 cinemas in the South Korean capital.

The 20th Bond film, "Die Another Day", opened on December 31 to inflamed passions on both sides of the Korean border because of scenes that protesters say vilify communist North Korea and offend the South's national pride.

While much of the world worried about North Korea's pullout from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), a dozen young protesters at a cinema in central Seoul, chanted slogans against the film and called for the reunification of Korea. They carried banners saying "Stop Running 007," "Be Alert, Arrogant America," and "Let's not see the 007 film which stirs up a war crisis in Korea."



"America's Hollywood films chose other countries as bad guys enemies -- such as U.S.S.R. during the Cold War days, Muslims immediately after the Cold War era, and now they have selected North Koreans, our brothers, as a symbol of evil," said Min Kyeong-woo, director of the Unification Alliance Peace Committee, which organised the rally.

In the film James Bond, played by Irish actor Pierce Brosnan, saves the world from a megalomaniacal North Korean military officer. The movie starts with a spectacular hovercraft chase through a minefield in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separating the Koreas.

North Korea, embroiled in a nuclear standoff with Washington, has called the film a "dirty and cursed burlesque" that showcased U.S. enmity for the North, whose leader Kim Jong-il is a cinema buff and reportedly a fan of James Bond films.

North Korea's official news agency has slammed the film as proof of the hostile U.S. intentions towards a country Washington believes is building nuclear weapons. North and South Korea, bitter foes for a half-century on the Cold War's last frontier, have found a common enemy in James Bond and the latest 007 adventure.

"Die Another Day" lured 426,200 viewers on its first weekend and about 700,000 during three weeks amid criticism and the mounting boycott. "The Lord of the Rings - Two Towers" and "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" have attracted about four millions of South Korean film-goers each in a month.

The MGM film starring Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry has been given venomous reviews after Internet chat rooms spread the word about scenes deemed offensive in South Korea. A head of the 20th Century Fox Seoul Branch has a different idea.

"If anybody sees this film as a political approach, it could be a burden and the joy of seeing this film will be reduced by half," said Jesse Lee, representative director of the 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Korea.

In Japan, "Die Another Day" director Lee Tamahori and Bond girls Jinx, or Halle Berry, and Frost, Rosamund Pike, addressed reporters on Tuesday (January 28) to promote the Bond film - the 20th in the 007 series.

Tamahori defended his film saying that the script was written long before the recent tension caused by North Korea's pullout from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

"It's important to remember that in this movie, the villain is a North Korean, North Korea itself is not the villain. The individual who plays our villain is a western-educated villain with a lot of money who has his own programme, but he loves fast cars, fast women and all the trappings of the west and if you look carefully at the movie, you will find the voice of reason in this movie comes from his father, who is a North Korean general, who spends most of the movie trying to tell his son that whatever he is up to is going to cause chaos," he told reporters.

Despite the criticism, however, the Bond girls have gone down exceptionally well. Talks are underway to spin-off the character Jinx in movie of her own.

"As far as the Jinx spin-off we are in talks about that right now, that could really possibly be a reality. I know I'm really excited about that prospect happening. my only concern is that I would have to have Lee direct it," said Halle Berry, the academy award winning actress who plays the part of Jinx.

The film has caused controversy in South Korea at a time when emotions have been stirred up over the U.S. military presence after two teenage girls were killed by a U.S. military vehicle in a June road accident. South Korea is the 10th biggest foreign box office territory for U.S. pictures.

Obviously this person, Min Kyeong-woo, director of the Unification Alliance Peace Committee, has not seen too many OO7 films if he thinks that some Bond villains, after the end of the Cold War, were Muslims. On the other hand, Mr. Kyeong-woo knows how to get his agenda on the front pages of newspapers. By staging rallies on the fears and emotions of other people. Not by the truth.





"Of Coursh I Really Am Sean Connery, Honesht"

January 29, 2003 - Edinburgh Evening News

When you have one of the most famous voices and best known faces in the world, you have to face a problem that no-one else ever even thinks about. So many people do impressions of you that when you do make a call it is possible to find no-one believes it’s really you. That’s exactly what happened when Lynsey Mackay picked up the receiver and heard the burr of one of the world’s most famous actors on the other end - she was convinced she was the victim of just another prankster.

"This is Sean, Sean Connery," the caller drawled, to Ms Mackay’s disbelief. Little did the college student know, it really was the superstar on the other end of the line.

There was a stunned silence as thoughts about falling victim to a wind-up (or prank) merchant flashed through the 23-year-old’s brain. Unperturbed, Sir Sean proceeded to explain that he wouldn’t be able to open St Thomas of Aquins High School’s new building because of filming commitments.

Ms Mackay, a social work student at Stevenson College, who was filling in as receptionist at the school , managed to regain her composure in time to take a message for the head teacher. But it was only when the movie superstar carried on talking so calmly that she realised it was no joke.

She said: "He sounded exactly like James Bond. That’s when I thought this has to be a wind-up. I’d been listening to Real Radio all morning and they’re always doing wind-ups."

But as the conversation continued and the punchline never came, Mackay realised that it must be true.

"He asked to speak to the headteacher. I said she wasn’t in and that the school was closed for the Easter holidays. It was only as the conversation continued I realised that it must be true. It was him." Ms Mackay added: " I think [my disbelief] was partly because he took the time and phoned in. You’d expect someone to phone for him or a letter to be written. I think that really says something about him."

Headteacher Marian Docherty had invited the celebrity by letter to attend the official opening of their new £14 million building this autumn because of his links with the Tollcross community.

But school officials were certainly not prepared for the actor’s personal response. Mrs Docherty said: "I was really pleased he had taken the time and explained why he couldn’t do it. It was because he was filming in the Czech Republic. I’m just disappointed I wasn’t there to take the call. It should have been me."

Sir Sean may have the most distinctive Scottish brogue in the world, but he still has a hard time convincing people of his identity. The children of Sir Sean’s brother Neil were once students at St Thomas of Aquins. Neil confirmed: "It happens all the time. It’s either him or it’s not."

Real Radio Breakfast Show presenter Robin Galloway tried out his best Connery impression on an unsuspecting Englishman a few months ago.

Mr Galloway said: "We phoned a guy who was selling an Aston Martin and he actually thought he was selling the car to Sean. We were asking questions like does it have machine guns on the front and a cocktail bar in the back. The guy was really taken in by it. Mind you, if you phone somebody south of the Border, they think that anyone with a Scottish accent is Sean Connery."

Next time try flashing your American Express Card.





Roger Moore Presents And Receives Awards

February 3, 2003 - Sky News

Roger Moore presented producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson with the Evening Standard Film Special Achievement Award for 40 years of OO7. Actress Rosamund Pike was also there for the festivities.

Heidi Klum and Rosamund Pike arriving.



Meanwhile, Roger Moore will be honored by the German government for his work with the U.N. Children's Fund. President Johannes Rau will present the Federal Service Cross, 1st Class to Moore at a Feb. 10 ceremony in Berlin's Bellevue Palace, the president's office said Friday. Moore, 75, serves as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF's efforts to help children living in poverty in developing countries, including campaigns against the sexual exploitation of minors.

Congratulations to all.





Thunderball CD Reissue Track Listings

February 4, 2003 - DSBG

CapitolMusic.ca has listed the THUNDERBALL reissued CD and here are the tracks as well as the added ones. You will note that there seems to be some music still missing. This listing may be incomplete since THUNDERBALL is the only reissued CD, as of this writing, that has a track listing posted at Capitol so far and no where else.

1. Thunderball (Main Title)
2. Chateau Flight
3. The Spa
4. Switching The Body
5. The Bomb
6. Cafe Martinique
7. Thunderball
8. Death Of Fiona
9. Bond Below Disco Volante
10. Search For The Vulcan
11. 007
12. Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
13. Gunbarrel / Traction Table / Gassing The Plane
14. Bond Meets Domino
15. Street Chase
16. Finding The Plane
17. Underwater Mayhem
18. Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Looking forward to it.





Ex-Bond Star Roger Moore Takes on Real Criminals

February 10, 2003 - Reuters

British actor Roger Moore said on Monday his real-life fight against child traffickers as a UNICEF ambassador was far more rewarding than battling fictitious villains in his signature role as spy James Bond.

The British actor, who starred as agent 007 in seven of the Bond films, was awarded the German Federal Service Cross from President Johannes Rau for his work as special representative to the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF).

"This award is much more important than receiving an Academy Award," Moore, 75, said after the ceremony at Rau's office in Berlin, where an international film festival is taking place this week.

"As James Bond, the villains were easily recognizable. Now the villains are not so visible and the fight is uphill," said Moore, who first played Bond in the 1973 film "Live and Let Die." His final Bond outing was "A View to a Kill" in 1985.

Moore, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador since 1999, announced details of a campaign against child trafficking. During his trips around the world to film the James Bond films during the 1970s and 1980s, Moore said he was aware of poverty but had done nothing about it.

"I was more concerned about what I had for lunch or that my shirts were ironed," he said.

I have said this before and I'll most likely say it again. This man will most likely be remembered as a Saint.





Razzies For Madonna

February 10, 2003 - Backstage.com

Nominees for the 23rd annual Razzies, organized by the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation, were to be announced Monday, a day before Oscar nominations. Razzie "winners" will be announced March 22, the eve of the Oscar ceremony.

Madonna personally had four nominations: Worst actress for "Swept Away," directed by her husband, Guy Ritchie (a nominee for worst director and worst screenplay); worst screen couple, paired with Adriano Giannini in "Swept Away"; worst supporting actress for the James Bond adventure "Die Another Day"; and worst song for the "Die Another Day" title tune, which she co-wrote.

No surprise here.





'Bond Girl' Formula Revealed

February 15, 2003 - Ananova

Mathematicians have worked out the scientific formula for the perfect Bond girl. Experts at the Science Museum say she is brunette, brown-eyed, British, 5ft 7ins and boasts the vital statistics 35-23-34. Researchers looked at 20 spy films for the Bond, James Bond exhibition at the Science Museum in London. Over the years 007 has fallen for 21 brunettes and just 12 blondes, five women with dark hair and three red-heads.

No girl has fitted all the demanding categories but a shortlist of six came closest and among them was Diana Rigg in the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Others include Sylvia Trench, played by Eunice Gayson in Dr No and Solitaire played by Jane Seymour in Live and Let Die. Caroline Munro's Naomi in The Spy Who Loved Me and Serena Scott-Thomas's Dr Molly Warmflash in The World is not Enough also featured.

Were there any mathematicians whose specialty was geometry?





Missing 007 Film Adviser: Body Found

February 26, 2003 - By Antony Stone for PA News

Rescuers have called off a major search operation for a man missing on a mountain summit for two days after discovering a body, police said today.

Richard Marsh, 33, of Romsey, Hampshire, sent out an emergency call on his mobile phone from the summit of Mount Snowdon, in north Wales, on Sunday. His distress call launched a major operation involving up to 60 rescuers which was halted after the discovery of a body early this afternoon. A North Wales Police spokesman said rescue crews had found a body at the Fan Tail Gully, in Swondonia, at 1.22pm today.

Earlier it had been revealed Mr Marsh worked as a movie industry safety adviser on films such as the latest James Bond, Die Another Day. He is a diver by trade who gave water safety advice during potentially dangerous film scenes, working most recently on the 007 blockbuster.

Mountain rescue crews and a police helicopter restarted a major search operation at first light this morning. Yesterday they had been forced to abandon their search at nightfall and had failed to re-establish contact with Mr Marsh on his mobile phone. Constable Rob Owen, of North Wales Police, said Mr Marsh is seen as a methodical, well-prepared man who would not take unnecessary risks.

"His family describe him as an old head on a young pair of shoulders," he said today. Every time he did something he would always be well prepared and methodical. He is a diver by profession who also worked as a safety adviser on films such as Die Another Day. Basically, whenever there were any instances in a film connected with water safety he would be called in."

Before losing contact with the emergency services Mr Marsh had said that he planned to make his way down the mountain. But he had told rescuers that he was engulfed in thick cloud and was unsure of his exact location.

Sincere condolence to his family.





Region 2 Highlights For DIE ANOTHER DAY DVD

February 27, 2003 - DSBG and Playserver2.com

Look up, look down, look out, here comes the BIGGEST Bond DVD of all. Actually two DVD disc version of DIE ANOTHER DAY is scheduled to hit the Region 2 stores in early May 2003. The discs contains the following:

Disc 1:

Widescreen 2.35:1 Anamorphic feature film
Audio Commentary with stars Pierce Brosnan and Rosamund Pike
Audio Commentary with director Lee Tamahori and producer Michael G. Wilson
'MI6 Datastream': an on screen trivia track with seamless integration to 19 behind the scenes featurettes

Disc 2:

'Inside Die Another Day' featurette (77 mins)
'Shaken Not Stirred On Ice': a car chase documentary (23 mins)
'From Script To Screen': a Region 2 exclusive documentary (53 mins)
Mission Briefings: Intro and surfing / Hovercraft chase / Cube / Quatermaster / Ice palace / Car battle
'Evolution Of A Scene': storyboard to finished film comparison including the hovercraft chase, car battle, blades and Antonov fight
'Inter-Action Sequences': a multi-angle exploration of action sequences including the hovercraft chase and car battle
'Equipment Briefing': a series of 5 vignettes about gadgets and weapons from the film
Image database of over 250 stills including: Poster campaign / Cast portrait / Special shoot / Sets and locations / Stunts and special effects / Vehicles and gadgets
'Title Design': an inside look at the visual elements of the opening credits
'Digital Grading': before and after comparisons of digitally altered footage
2 teaser trailers
Theatrical trailer
James Bond Special Edition DVD trailer
TV spots
Madonna 'Die Another Die' music video
Trailer for the '007: Nightfire' PS2 game
'The Making Of 007: Nightfire PS2 Game' featurette

The only thing that is missing is the DELETED SCENES segment. Perhaps that will be covered in the INSIDE DIE ANOTHER DAY featurette. Otherwise, it looks to be a great DVD when it is released.





Actor Sean Connery Bankrolled Scottish Freedom Movement For Six Years

March 7, 2003 - By Annika Breidthardt for Reuters

The original Hollywood James Bond, Sir Sean Connery, was so keen on independence for his native Scotland that he bankrolled the radical Scottish National Party (SNP) for six years. The star said he deposited $1.20 million in a Bank of Scotland offshore account in 1995 and donated the monthly interest -- about 5,000 pounds -- to the party.

``I have never told anyone before about the 750,000 deposit,'' the 72-year-old actor told Glasgow's Herald newspaper.

Connery, who is domiciled in the Bahamas, continued to transfer the interest to the SNP until legislation in 2001 stopped parties accepting money from people not on Britain's electoral register. Connery has a London address but the Herald said he was omitted from the register because of an oversight -- the registration form dropped through his letter box when he was away. It said that according to the SNP this had now been rectified and the actor planned to make another donation.

``I haven't made the donation yet because I have to clarify how much you can make,'' Connery was quoted as saying. The SNP was not immediately available for comment.

Connery's relations have been strained with the mainstream Scottish press, which have scathingly queried how someone who lives in the Bahamas can be such an ardent nationalist. He himself asked for the Herald interview to head off criticism before Scottish elections due in May in which Connery plans actively to support the SNP, the leading advocate of Scottish independence and the main opposition party in the devolved Scottish parliament. He would not appear at their rallies in person, Connery said but he planned to support the SNP with audio and video tapes he had already recorded.

``In the recordings, I say that for me the big picture of Scotland is nothing less than equality with England: a Scotland that makes her own decisions, a sovereign state that will be a voice in Europe and around the world,'' he said.

On Thursday, the first of three days of interviews in the newspaper, Connery hit back at claims his tax haven status undermined his support for the SNP and revealed he had paid 3.7 million pounds in British tax since 1997. He also claimed Britain's governing Labour party initially denied him a knighthood back in 1997 because of his SNP links. Connery played secret agent 007 in seven films, including the first three: Dr No, From Russia with Love and Goldfinger. He was eventually knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2001.

The press and anyone else involved or affected are forgetting one important fact. The money is Sean's and he can do with it what he wants providing it is legal.





Kansas Dealership With The Golden Car

March 11, 2003 - By Darrin Stineman for The Salina Journal

For just $43,995, you can own the 007 Edition of the 2003 Ford Thunderbird, a replica of the one Halle Berry drove in the latest James Bond film, "Die Another Day." Ejector seat, pop-up machine guns and smoke-screen-maker are extra.

The gleaming, copper-colored convertible (the color's actual name is coral metallic) graces the showroom at Long McArthur, 3450 S. Ninth Street, Salina, Kansas. At least it did Monday morning. Derek Lee, business development manager at Long McArthur, said he doubts it will still be there by week's end. Ford made just 700 of the cars, making it a collector's item, and it costs only about $3,000 more than the standard 2003 Thunderbird.

"Someone will figure out what it is pretty quick," Lee said after pulling a protective plastic coating off the car's white leather seats Monday morning. "I think it'll be gone by the end of the week. I would bet money on it."

Long McArthur probably could've inflated the 007's price and still made a fairly quick sale, Lee said, but the dealership decided to stick with the sticker price.

"A lot of dealerships are listing it well over the sticker price," Lee said. "We decided to sell it at this price because you will offend more people by selling it over the sticker price. We're still a hometown dealership."

With Long McArthur competing against other Ford dealerships -- including 4,214 in the United States alone -- Lee was taken aback that Long McArthur received one of the 700 coveted cars in the company's lottery.

"We went in and requested one, not thinking Ford would give us one," Lee said. "Just by luck, we got one. There are dealerships much larger than us that will never see one of these. It's really kind of a coup that we got one."

The car's buyer might feel the same way. The 007s are likely to be valuable for a long time.

"We knew collectors worldwide would want one," Lee said. "It's the rarest of all T-Birds. If a guy had 44 grand and wanted to set aside a car for 20 years, this would be the car. Some people have estimated this might be a million-dollar car in the future."

The 007s also are the only cars in the world painted Ford's coral metallic.

"If you ever see one this color," Lee said, "you'll know what it is."

The 007 has a 3.9-liter V8 engine, a five-speed automatic, chrome-spoke aluminum wheels and heated seats. The wheels, which have a Thunderbird logo in the middle, are unique to the Bond edition, as is the white interior and the "007" insignia on the dashboard. Would love to buy it

Terry Case of Phillipsburg figures to get an eyeful of those features today when he receives pictures of the 007 sent to him by Long McArthur. He plans to come to Salina later in the week to see it in person. Case, 59, loves his red 2002 Thunderbird, but he might trade it in for the Bond car.

"I always wanted one of those kinds of Thunderbirds when I was a kid back in the '50s," Case said. "They were about $3,500, $3,700, and you could've bought a house with that."

Case found out about the 007s through a Ford magazine he has received since buying his T-Bird. He checked several dealerships in the area before finding out Long McArthur had one. Case said there's a good chance he'll buy the Bond -- if nobody beats him to it. And although he sees the purchase as an investment, he won't toss a cover over it and stick it in storage. He'll have fun, fun, fun with his T-Bird -- unless someone takes it away.

"I think I'd drive it," he said. "Someone told me if you put miles on it you'd just kill the value, but I think a person ought to enjoy that kind of stuff. You only live once."

Having a Halle of a time in it.





Sean Connery Against War In Iraq

March 12, 2003 - Associated Press

Actor Sean Connery added his name to the many stars who are criticising possible military action against Iraq. During a four-day visit to Panama, the former James Bond said he did not support a possible war, joining such well-known names as Martin Sheen and Sean Penn.

"I don't know who could be in favour of it," he said. "But it can't be stopped. It is inevitable."

Hours later, President Mireya Moscoso presented the Scottish actor with a Manuel Amador Guerrero award, named after the country's first president.

She said Connery was given the award for his "talent and versatility."

Connery travelled throughout Panama, visiting the canal, one of Moscoso's private coffee plantations, and the isolated Darien province along Panama's border with Colombia. The star of "Finding Forrester" and "Entrapment" said he was fascinated with the country's natural beauty.

It sure is a crazy world when the names of Martin Sheen and Sean Penn are mentioned in the same sentence with Sean Connery.





In Face of Threats, America and Britain are Neither Shaken Nor Stirred

March 12, 2003 - By Dexter Ingram for The Heritage Foundation

It sounds like -- and could be -- a plot from a James Bond movie.

The dictator of a hermetic kingdom amasses a weapons stockpile that makes his otherwise desperately poor country the scourge of its region. The dictator finances his extravagant lifestyle and relentless weapons research and development by selling previous generations of weapons to many of the world’s most unstable countries. The freedom-loving peoples -- the United States and Great Britain -- must stop him to save the world.

Unfortunately, this plot is all too real, and it’s one battle not even the resourceful Mr. Bond can win. North Korea, the hermetic kingdom, secretly has shipped ballistic missiles and material to make nuclear bombs to rogue states, such as Syria, Yemen, Iran and Iraq. There, the weapons become part of the arsenal of terrorists who threaten western interests around the globe. It’s blackmail in front of the entire world.

Of course, if this were a Bond adventure, we’d know from the familiar music that it’s only a matter of time before the sleek, suave, secret agent who foils all international criminals without wrinkling his suit or spilling his martini (shaken -- not stirred, mind you), prevailed. Success is carefully scripted and takes long enough only for Bond to employ all his new gadgets, cars and powers of seduction.

In the real world, though, things rarely go so smoothly. The villains, such as North Korea’s Kim Il-Jong and Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, may be just as detestable as the Soviet-era foils in many Bond movies. But they are less predictable, more volatile and far more threatening. They command states. They can marshal -- in the case of North Korea -- more than a million active soldiers to their cause. They control weapons of mass destruction that threaten their neighbors for hundreds of miles in each direction.

That’s the bad news. The good news is, though we have no super agents to match the exploits of 007, America and Britain are blessed with a leadership teams that won’t take the decisions on war and peace -- with their life-and-death consequences -- lightly.

Secretary of State Colin Powell has witnessed combat first-hand and felt the loss of men and women under his command. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has ordered soldiers onto the field of battle before. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, now a veteran hand on security matters, functions as the eyes and ears of President Bush. Vice-president Richard Cheney, who has served as secretary of defense and White House chief of staff, is a voracious reader of intelligence reports and valued adviser to the president. Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw have constantly gone against the grain of traditional European allies when it comes to protecting our world’s security.

What these individuals lack in Bond charm and flash, they more than make up for in skill, experience and intellect. They understand the gravity of their decisions, particularly those decisions that could mean the lives of the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who would be placed in harm’s way.

Those of us who have donned a military uniform appreciate the care and expertise these people bring to their jobs. They understand the importance of doing what needs to be done today instead of paying a larger price for freedom and security tomorrow.

Sometimes it’s tough to do the right thing. It’s even tougher when people on the sidelines, whose concept of war is limited to what they’ve seen on television, call you a hawk or charge that you want to make war to appease special interests.

At the end of the day, what draws us to Bond are not his gadgets, his martinis or his beautiful women; it’s that we realize the sacrifice he makes when he has to drop all this to put his life on the line in defense of the free world. We should remember that Bond is the fantasy character, that few soldiers enjoy a life anything like his and that those in charge -- President Bush, Prime Minister Blair and their extremely qualified advisors -- realize the gravity of the situation and the decisions they are called upon to make.

We must trust these leaders have pursued all options before opting for war. Most importantly, once this decision is made, we must support the men and women in uniform who make our freedom possible. Bond is a fictional character, but the fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters on the front lines are all too real. They give their time, their honor, their intellect, their skill and, sometimes, their lives in the name of freedom.

They’re the real James Bonds. They’re the heroes. Politics aside, whatever happens, they deserve our support.

************************************

Dexter Ingram, a former U.S. Navy Flight Officer, is a threat assessment specialist & database editor in the Heritage Foundation’s Center for Media and Public Policy. This article originally appeared in Townhall.com and The Boston Herald, January 17, 2003.

I could not have said it better.





Whatever Happened To Kabir (Gobinda) Bedi?

March 12, 2003 - Rediff.com

I cannot stick in one place for too long," says Kabir Bedi. "I did films like Sandokan and Octopussy, the James Bond film, abroad. It was great to be there at the time. Over the last five years, I took a break, went to Italy and other places. I am happy to be back for my third innings here. I feel more connected to Bollywood now."

Asked how he feels about these long breaks, he says, "I feel good because, whenever I come back, people are willing to sign me on for their films. Bollywood has been very good to me. But let me make it clear, I will stay for a longer period this time."

Bedi is hoping that The Hero, his film with Sunny Deol that is scheduled for an April 10 release, will change the face of the industry. "Every crisis turns into an opportunity and I am sure this crisis [faced by the industry] will turn into an opportunity for everyone. Soon, we will see something good come up," he promises.

Bedi plays a non-resident Kashmiri businessman who believes in Kashmir's freedom struggle. He also has a weakness -- his daughter. "I like my role. I am hopeful and confident about this film. I don't want to reveal more because the thrill of the film will be lost," he explains.

He is full of praise for Sunny Deol's extraordinary stunts: "We were shooting at Jungfrau Heights, Switzerland, and I was stunned to see Sunny do his own stunts despite the fact that there were doubles ready. The temperature was –15 degree Celsius. Sunny has done a commendable job."

Bedi also has Sanjay Khan's Taj Mahal, where he plays Shahjahan, coming up. Then there is Rudraksh, where he plays a role of a tantrik, besides, "one more film in which I play a peacenik; the experimental film Tanman.com and, of course, Marigold with Salman Khan."

This actor had the honor of having the best double take in the series when Louis Jourdan, as Kamal Khan, orders Gobinda to go outside their airbourne aircraft and kill Bond.





Halle 'Heads For Catwoman Role'

March 14, 2003 - BBC Online

Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry is in talks about playing the lead role in the new movie Catwoman, according to reports. Berry has had preliminary meetings with the producers, although no deal has yet been reached, according to Daily Variety.

The movie will be directed later this year by French filmmaker Pitof, best known for his work on visual effects in 1997's Alien: Resurrection film. It will follow the character played by Michelle Pfeiffer in the Tim Burton-directed Batman Returns.

The role has been considered a dream project for actresses since Batman Returns and Ashley Judd was, at one point, rumoured to be lined up for the part. Berry has proved herself in action roles in several films, most notably as female spy Jinx in the latest James Bond, Die Another Day. She has also reprised the superhero character Storm in X2, the X-Men sequel, which is due out in the US in May.

A preliminary meeting was held on Thursday between Warner Bros and Berry's agents and manager, Variety said. If a deal was made, Berry would follow in the footsteps of Eartha Kitt, who took on the role in the 1960s Batman TV series.

Purr-fect!





Meet The New OO7

March 26, 2003 - DSBG

Dubya O Bush.





TNN, CBS Acquire Right to Air 'Die Another Day'

March 26, 2003 - Reuters

Cable TV network TNN and broadcaster CBS have jointly acquired the rights to air the newest James Bond film, "Die Another Day" with TNN winning the world television premiere planned for 2005.

In a statement issued late on Monday, TNN said as part of a package, it acquired the rights to broadcast three other films about the fictional British agent code-named 007, "The World is Not Enough," "License to Kill" and "A View To a Kill." One source who knew of the deal between TNN, CBS and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc studio that distributes the Bond movies put the package's value between $25 million and $30 million.

"Die Another Day," which stars Pierce Brosnan (news) as Bond and Halle Berry (news) as U.S. agent Jinx, is the highest grossing movie in the history of the Bond franchise with over $400 million in global ticket sales. TNN, which promotes itself as a network aimed at men, can begin broadcasting "The World is Not Enough" in the fourth quarter of 2003 with "License to Kill" and "A View To a Kill" to follow in 2004. TNN and CBS are owned by Viacom Inc . Together with sister network UPN in April last year, they acquired the rights to air 15 other classic Bond titles. TNN's "Bond 007 Days of Christmas Marathon" was its highest rated week in 2002.

Correction, it was TNN's 'All Time High'.





Forget The Movies, Real OO7 Is Fighting Saddam

March 30, 2003 - Sky News

Operation James, named after James Bond, involved a major force of Royal Marines, backed up with two tank squadrons and Commando-trained Royal Engineers. The Marines moved into an area to the east of Abu al Khasib, leaving what is believed to be a brigade-sized Iraqi force trapped in the middle. The operation to take the suburb of Abu al Khasib began in the early hours of Saturday. Up to 1,000 troops were involved in the attack while heavy artillery pounded the surrounding area in a huge bombardment. Around 30 Iraqis died in the assault and hundreds captured, military sources said.

Now this is what I call 'keeping the British end up'.





At 50, 'Casino Royale' Shows Bond Staying Power

April 13, 2003 - By Roger K. Miller, Special to The Denver Post

How time flies when we're having fun: James Bond is 50. He first saw the light of day April 13, 1953, when "Casino Royale," the first "Bond book," was published in England.

Bond's prenatal history is intriguing. He was conceived, apparently, around the middle of January 1952 at Goldeneye, the Jamaican retreat of his creator, Ian Fleming. The gestation was amazingly short - Fleming completed the manuscript in eight weeks, or maybe as few as four - though the delivery was long, more than a year later and thousands of miles away. Fittingly heroic obstetrics for one of the most durable heroes of our time.

Like all proud papas, Fleming had high hopes for his offspring and helped it make its way in the world by getting involved in all aspects of its publication and promotion, including lining up potentially helpful reviewers. But he never foresaw the immense worldwide phenomenon it would become - especially after 1961, when President Kennedy said he liked the books - and remain for more than 40 years.

Many Bond fans consider "Casino Royale" to be the best Bond novel, just as others consider "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (published in 1963, the 11th in the series of 14) to be the best film version.

Interestingly, "Casino Royale" is the only Bond novel that has never been "properly" filmed, if such a term can be attached to the usual process by which Hollywood makes hash of literary properties. It was filmed in 1967 as a comedy spoof starring David Niven, Peter Sellers and a host of others, and bears even less resemblance to the printed original than do the other Bond movies.

Actually, "Casino Royale" provided the first nonprint appearance of Bond 13 years before that, on Oct. 21, 1954, in a live, hourlong TV adaptation on CBS's "Climax," starring Barry Nelson and Peter Lorre. Naturally, liberties were taken here, too: Bond was transformed into an American agent, and Felix Leiter, his American CIA comrade in the book, became British.

On one thing all fans would agree: The Bond that sprang from Fleming's typewriter in the early 1950s was not the one that leaped onto the silver screen in the early 1960s.

Here Bond is not the charming, witty sophisticate that Sean Connery, Roger Moore and other actors have made him. "Casino Royale" is noticeably lacking in humor, and Bond is equally noticeably cold and ruthless, yet at the same time a romantic susceptible to love's pangs. In fact, the novel is as much a love story - with a sad ending - as an espionage thriller.

Fleming said he saw Bond as being in the tradition of "romantic tough guys" like Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe. Fleming particularly admired Raymond Chandler, and Chandler returned the favor.

This is not your stereotypical spy tale of furtive meetings in dark alleys and intrigue in high places, though there is some of that. Basically, the novel revolves around a high-stakes, high-tension baccarat game in a French casino between Bond and an enemy agent known only as Le Chiffre (The Cipher), who works for SMERSH, the Soviet anti-spy agency.

Le Chiffre is gambling in a desperate attempt to make money to repay debts he owes SMERSH. The British secret service, using its best gambler, Bond, hopes to out-gamble Le Chiffre and thus destroy him in the eyes of his employer.

Bond wins and along the way takes up with a beautiful woman named Vesper Lynd. He is then captured and tortured - beaten around the genitals - by Le Chiffre, but eventually gets free, albeit severely injured.

Bond fears that the torture may have left him impotent, "and a scar had been left on his mind that could only be healed by experience." He need not have feared; Vesper was happy to provide that healing experience.

The rest should remain unexplained, so as not to spoil the ending for those who haven't read the book. Suffice it to say that all of this peaks early, and the remaining 50 pages in which Bond has a torrid affair with Vesper begin to seem anticlimactic, until there is a shocking final twist.

"Casino Royale" is a quite well-made book, though its English is not always the king's. "As a woman, he wanted to sleep with her," Fleming writes, dangling his modifier. And, "'Shtop,' had said the voice, quietly," which a backward manner of writing is.

Like the others, the book reflects the time in which it was written, just as the movies did that were made from them in a different time. There is, of course, the sexist attitude toward women, a complaint that has been made against what we might call the whole "Bond industry."

"Women were for recreation," Bond thinks, when he is told he must work with Vesper. "On a job, they got in the way and fogged things up with sex and hurt feelings and all the emotional baggage they carried around."

Similar complaints have been made about representations of violence and snobbery, the first of which is in considerable evidence here, the second less so than in later books.

It also reflects the moral ambiguity of the postwar world, exemplified by such traitors as Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean. In the concluding section, beset by his own moral confusion, Bond questions his job and the nature of evil, and decides to resign.

At the end, though, he realizes how sophistic his reasoning has been. He determines to "take on SMERSH and hunt it down." Which he has done, to SMERSH and its successors, in 13 further Fleming books, in several by other writers who joined the franchise, and in 22 movies. And counting.

Now I know why I am a BIG Bond fan. My birthday (April 14) is just one day after the first publication. Of course I am OO7 years younger.





At 50, A Look At The Character Of James Bond

April 14, 2003 - Pokermag.com

Who is James Bond? He’s seemingly the main character as the novel opens, but what do we know let alone learn about him in this first adventure? The story opens and we are quickly, yet vaguely, brought up to speed on this man Bond who is gambling for high stakes in a casino in the south of France and it is very late.

We learn, through the narrative, that Bond works in London yet has established himself as a representative for a Jamaican newspaper and that he receives cables and monies from there, yet his true superior in London is a man with the monogram “M”.

Bond is clearly an operative of some sort but on which side of the law is unclear. He’s also suspicious and experienced enough to know that elevators can be dangerous late at night or in the wee hours of the morning and, presently, he would not be surprised to discover his room has been searched.

In fact, he has set small “tells” throughout his room to detect just that – a random strand of hair, talcum powder on handles and locks and then it is established: “He was a secret agent, and still alive thanks to his exact attention to the detail of his profession.”

So, we know his profession and that it is in the service of the United Kingdom and that it has the potential to be dangerous. He is using his name but under the guise of a high stakes gambler from Jamaica... and he sleeps with a gun under his pillow.

Aside from the job, number 007 is Bond’s apparent rank in the service and “double-0’s” are very highly regarded, he (like anyone) does have some particular likes and sense of both style and taste. The first of these (which will continue to be a staple of the character’s personality in subsequent adventures) is that he enjoys a good breakfast and that he smokes custom made cigarettes.

It is the details of such things that make the man real and intriguing. Bond takes his work seriously. His conversation with Mathis establishes this as they go through the motions of putting on a show for the benefit of the transmitter in Bond’s room. Bond expresses no apparent anger at the situation but takes it in stride.

However, when Mathis reveals that London is sending a woman to work with him, Bond reveals his chauvinism. It’s not that he dislikes the company of ladies (far from it) but within his profession, they are best and only suited for office work or as a distraction, either for himself or his opponents in the “secret world”.

We then discover Bond’s other personal passion: His car. A 1933 4.5 litre Bentley convertible which he has had since before the War and it soon appears to be one his favorite personal possessions and he truly seems to enjoy driving it. His first meeting with Vesper Lynd finally reveals how he viewed by others.

Mathis mentions the fact after Bond leaves that Bond is serious and does not have a habit or reputation of being easily “melted” by a woman but seems to sense that Vesper has the potential to do so. Vesper, in turn, finds Bond to be “very good looking” but notices something cruel about him.

Before she can continue, the attempt on Bond’s life occurs with a devastating blast from an explosive charge which he survives but only through luck. Later, after a few solid drinks and lunch, he seems hardly phased by the attempt, once again taking it in stride as a part of the job. It is however important to note that Bond’s first reaction is to vomit after the blast, not from shock, but rather from the stench of roasted flesh.

He is human and that again lends itself to the reality of the character. Details such as these are what Fleming created for just this effect. The next detail of Bond is destined to be his trademark. The martini of his “own invention”. Bond explains to another new character, Felix Leiter, why he prefers it made to the exact specifications.

“I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made.” And hence, another personal detail is revealed and later to become perhaps the first element of Bond to make it’s way into popular culture throughout the world and the world’s bartenders.

During his dinner with Vesper, Bond’s rank as a Double-O is very flatly laid out as basically being an assassin and that in the world they both operate in, one simply follows orders. He is not proud but conveys a sense of duty in his fulfilling his assignment by taking the required actions. Vesper herself recalls her briefing on Bond, which warns her of becoming involved in anything but the job at hand.

He’s an expert and there are not many in the field as dedicated as himself. The Head of S. even admits that Bond’s “good looking” but probably doesn’t have much heart for emotion. Bond’s understanding of gambling is first class, yet is unclear as to how he became such an expert. It is established through the events at “High Table”, that he does take risks and even failure as part of the task.

Such dedication does establish again that he is a professional with his life on the line. Literally. So when he finds a barrel in his back and countdown to ten unless he removes his bet. He does manage to escape this through a highly risky move by toppling himself and his chair thus wrenching the “deadly tube” from the hands of his assailant. Upon regaining his composure, he is soaked with “the sweat of fear” again being quite human.

He is by no means anything but an experienced operative who is willing to take a chance in a given situation. Part luck, part skill but all human. The game plays out and ultimately (although not naturally as we later come to expect of Bond) he manages to clean out Le Chiffre in an incredibly suspenseful sequence which is engrossing to the end.

The stakes are then “upped” by Vesper’s kidnapping and Bond’s pursuit ending with his beloved Bentley wrecked and himself at the mercy of Le Chiffre. We now have Bond in a most vulnerable situation of being tortured in perhaps the cruelest manner a man can be. The villain wants information (the location of the cashier’s check for the winnings) and Bond will not give it.

Bond knows how torture works, but this by no means promises survival. He actually knows he won’t reveal anything and likely will be killed. He will win by sacrifice and that this is once again, a part of his job. Once again though, fate (with simple luck) saves Bond from death and he does survive although certainly injured and having not had the requisite satisfaction of dispatching Le Chiffre himself and through luck, not being killed by the SMERSH assassin sent to kill Le Chiffre.

It seems that spies the world over do (at this point in time) have a code of only following the specific orders given them. Bond awakes in the hospital and we then get a glimpse into his outlook at his chosen path during his debriefing with Mathis. Bond has concluded that he is not certain if he is in the service of good or evil and therefore will resign upon his return to London.

We finally learn the specifics of how Bond earned his Double-O in an almost confessional manner yet with no trace of particular emotion. He and Mathis debate the issue of good and evil in their work but it does again prove that Bond is a human and has his doubts as any of us do from time to time.

We then see the “secret agent” truly humanized by the strongest emotion of all. Love. His recovery and holiday with Vesper shows us a very different side to Bond. He is romantic, doting and looking to a future with this girl. A far cry from the man who does not “melt easily”. Given the extreme events and torture that he has survived he becomes grateful and respectful of life and the ability to live it.

He’s even ready to both love and commit (he plans to propose to Vesper after their first night at the inn) which are hardly qualities that he would have expressed in his initial introduction to us and based on his reputation within the service and among those he has worked with.

It is with Vesper’s suicide that Bond seems to suddenly abandon his vulnerable side and realize that he is a professional and in being one, he can never truly live a normal existence but he does now understand the evil in his profession and that he must strive to do battle against it.

So to go back and restate my original question “Who is this guy?” it’s almost simple to answer but with a certain degree of understanding now that we have seen him go almost a full emotional circle. He’s what he started out as. A secret agent but only in title. He is a man that can love, hate and is capable of living his life by his own standards yet is accepting of the world around him and that he chooses to be a part of in his profession.

And all this time I thought he was just a moneymaking franchise.





Halle Berry Finds Herself Ugly

April 16, 2003 - Ananova

Halle Berry has revealed that she finds herself ugly. She was voted one of the world's sexiest women after her role in Bond film Die Another Day. But the Oscar-winning actress says she still doesn't see herself as a big star.

"To be totally honest, most of the time I think I'm ugly," she told German magazine Journal fur die Frau.

"I see myself without make-up every morning and that's why I don't have illusions any more. I certainly don't feel like a big star."

Berry, who won her Oscar for Monster's Ball, added that her skin colour still hindered her progress in Hollywood.

She said: "For many film studios and directors skin colour remains a problem. They don't believe that the audience will accept a black actor in the main role. These narrow-minded people underestimate the public and prevent advancement in the industry."

Berry will soon be seen in the sequel to X-Men, released in cinemas across the UK from May 1.

Seems like Hollywood is still suffering from an acute case of color blindness.





Aishes to Aishes, Dust to Dust

April 16, 2003 - Rediff.com

Recent reports of Aishwarya Rai being cast opposite Pierce Brosnan in the next James Bond flick appear to be unfounded.

Indian actress Aishwarya Rai.



Catherine McCormack of Eon Productions, which looks after the Bond franchise, said there never was talk of Rai or any other Indian actress being in the reckoning for the role. Sources in Los Angeles confirm, "The next Bond film is far from production. Besides Pierce Brosnan, nothing else has been decided. Not even the script. How would they know if they require an Indian girl?"

A prominent Mumbai filmmaker reasons, "Why is so much fuss being made about Aishwarya Rai being in a James Bond film? What do Bond heroines have to do except show skin and get into Bond's bed with a gasp of gratitude? Would a Bond film do more for her than [Sanjay Leela Bhansali's] Devdas? Why are our stars so Hollywood fixated?"

Rai's first assignment outside India is Bride And Prejudice, the British film which will be directed by Gurinder Chadha The Bend It Like Beckham director has reportedly signed Kiwi actor Martin Henderson (The Ring, Windtalkers) to play opposite Rai. She has Rituparno Ghosh's Bengali Chokher Bali. In Mumbai, she has leading roles in Rajkumar Santoshi's Khakee, opposite Akshay Kumar, and in debutant Samir Karnik's Kyun? Ho Gaya Na Pyaar, with Vivek Oberoi. She also has a cameo in Ketan Mehta's Aamir Khan-centric historical, The Uprising, which has Rani Mukerji as the heroine. Roland Joffe's The Invaders, in which she stars with Oberoi, has not gone beyond the announcement stage. The filmmaker is looking at Mumbai producers like Pahlaj Nihalani for finance.

Well, there goes Bond #21 - rumour #1 out the window. Any day now we should be hearing what kind of automobile Brosnan will be driving and whether George Lazenby will be playing his Dad. Stay tuned.





Bond Goes Bollywood

May 1, 2003 - Sky News

Three Bollywood beauties are being courted as possible Bond girls in the next 007 film. But will they allow their traditional Indian family values to be shaken and stirred for the role?

Bollywood has been hitting mainstream cinemas across Britain big time since last year. Three-hour epic movies, filled with song, dance and colour, filmed against spectacular sets in India and around the world, have been capturing the public's imagination.

Bollywood's PR machinery has been in full gear, spending money on marketing and promotions to generate mass appeal.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage musical Bombay Dreams, based on the Indian movie industry, has helped spark interest in all things Bollywood, winning plaudits and enjoying an extended run in London before moving to Broadway. And Bollywood star Dilip Tahil is taking time off the big screen as head of the Ferreira's, an Asian family soon to join the cast of EastEnders.

Such is the attention on the Bollywood scene, that producers of the next James Bond adventure have reportedly turned to the Indian film industry to find a leading lady to feature opposite 007. Bond's production team EON is keeping things close to their chest, denying every reported fact thrown at them. But it appears three former beauty queens from India have been relishing the thought of being the next Bond girl.

Each has said they have been approached by casting agents on behalf of the Bond production team. So who's in contention? The three in question are Priyanka Chopra, crowned Miss World in 2000, the 1994 winner Aishwarya Rai and Miss Universe 2000, Lara Dutta.

In true Indian tradition, those who have made it big in the world of glamour, and there are several from India over the years, turn their attention to the movie business. Aishwarya Rai is the most talked about star in Bollywood right now. She is the first Indian actress to be on the judging panel for the coveted Palme d'Or best movie award at the Cannes Film Festival next month, where she will be joined by Meg Ryan. One of Aishwarya's recent films, Devdas, was shown at last year's festival and just missed out on being nominated as Best Foreign Film at this year's Oscars. This summer she is to start filming a Bollywood version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, but called Bride and Prejudice an all singing, dancing movie by the director of Bend it Like Beckham, Gurinder Chadha.

But while Aishwarya has begun knocking on Hollywood's doors for work in the US, she has reportedly said bed scenes are totally out of the question for her. Will this scupper her chances to be the next Bond girl?

There are certain ingredients of a Bond movie that 007 cannot dispense with. Bed scenes are mandatory, kissing obligatory and beauty paramount. In Indian films, bed scenes are out, nudity is a no go area and kissing is only just becoming acceptable. Bond will have a problem here.

Priyanka, 20, and 25-year-old Lara have both embarked on a Bollywood film career having just made their debut movies together in a love triangle set in Cape Town. And both have no illusions of doing a Bond film.

Priyanka, who turned her back on a career in engineering for modelling when she won Miss India and then Miss World, says she would not mind bed scenes or kissing for the sake of the film but is adamant that nudity, semi or full, is not going to happen.

"I was offered a role opposite Steven Seagal in Hollywood last year, but flatly turned it down because it required a lot of full nudity," she says. "I am just not comfortable with nudity. If I were to do a Bond movie, I know from the start what I am getting into. I would think about doing the bed scenes but particular about the shots even though I wouldn't be fully comfortable. I wouldn't do a bed scene in an Indian film at all because the public mindset is different to the west. When people watch a Bond movie, their mindset is totally different. They know what to expect. There are elements, however, I will do and others not at all and nudity is certainly a no no. In Indian films, kissing is becoming more acceptable and I wouldn't give it a second thought."

On who will get the coveted Bond role, she says she is just happy to even be considered. "I feel flattered to even be thought of as a possible Bond girl working opposite Pierce Brosnan. Who wouldn't be? The thought of an Indian girl getting the key Bond part really excites me."

Currently working on six Bollywood projects in between a correspondence course in psychology in Mumbai, she says whoever the producers choose and discussions are at an early stage she would be proud if it were an Indian girl.

"Even if it were not me, and Aishwarya or Lara get the part, I'd go and watch the film over and over again. It'll just make me proud that an Indian girl has won the part, Bond is just a phenomenon around the world."

But maybe Priyanka has a slight edge with insider knowledge in the work of a secret agent. Her debut film, The Hero, India's most expensive movie to date cast her opposite an Indian spy who dices with death on his global travels.

Personally I feel this is just a bunch of Bollywood propaganda. It is too early for the producers to be considering any actress when a script has not been submitted yet.





Open Wide Here Comes JAWS!

May 7, 2003 - Sideshow Toys

Jaws, the indestructible steel-toothed assassin, was one of Bond's most memorable nemeses. He was hired to provide lethal services, on two separate occasions, by billionaires with plans of world domination and a general dislike for 007. Jaws presented a huge challenge for Bond until, realizing the error of his ways, he joined forces with him to defeat the billionaire Hugo Drax.

The 7' 2" tall Richard Kiel is best known for his portrayal of this steel-toothed assassin that plagued Bond in Moonraker' and 'The Spy Who Loved Me.' A little known fact notes that Mr. Kiel was also the original choice for The Incredible Hulk in the TV series of the same name.

Sideshow Collectibles is proud to introduce this limited edition 14 inch Jaws figure. It is a U.S. domestic exclusive and can be purchased through SideshowCollectibles.com. He comes with over 30 points of articulation allowing for full human movement. He is outfitted in his tie, dress shirt, trousers, shoes, a hand-altimeter, parachute pack and goggles.

Don't miss your opportunity to own one of the most menacing figures we have ever produced!

You can 'drop in for a quick bite' by clicking on the Sideshow Toys banner found near the bottom of the Main Menu page.





Roger Moore Collapses

May 8, 2003 - Sky News

Roger Moore is recovering in hospital after collapsing on stage in New York. The 75-year-old was playing a cameo role in the Morecambe and Wise tribute The Play What I Wrote on Broadway.

The James Bond star fell to the floor during a song and dance number halfway through the second act of the show yesterday. The curtain came down for a short time but the performance resumed and Moore battled on through the last 10 minutes of the show. Immediately afterwards Moore was taken to a Manhattan hospital surrounded by paramedics with an oxygen mask over his mouth. He is currently being treated for respiratory problems.

Moore's assistant said the Live And Let Die star had been working too hard. "He had breathing difficulties but he carried on with the show," Gareth Owen said. "Then he was taken to hospital. They kept him in overnight. They took him in to be sure he was going to be fine. He is very comfortable and doing well. I've spoken to his agent and he's fine. It's just one of those things."

The London-born actor was a celebrity guest in the show directed by fellow Brit Kenneth Branagh.

Here's hoping for a speedy recovery.





Moore Released From Hospital

May 9, 2003 - by Tara Burghart for Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Roger Moore, the suave star of seven James Bond movies, was released from a hospital Friday after being fitted for a pacemaker, according to a spokeswoman. Moore, 75, collapsed during a Wednesday matinee performance of the Broadway comedy "The Play What I Wrote" but finished the show after a 10-minute break.

Moore was fitted for a pacemaker Thursday, according to Mary Cahill, a spokeswoman for UNICEF, the U.N. children's agency for which Moore has served as a goodwill ambassador for 12 years. Jerry Pam, Moore's agent in the U.S., also said Moore received a pacemaker.

"He's feeling absolutely fine," said Cahill, who spoke to Moore after he was discharged from the hospital.

Moore plans to keep a previously scheduled engagement Friday night, accepting an award on behalf of UNICEF from the French-American Aid for Children organization at a benefit dinner in Manhattan.

"He's very gallant. He's a real trooper," she said. "He does so much good work for us. The fact that he's making an effort to go there for us tonight is indicative of Roger's efforts for children."

Moore was playing the part of the mystery guest star, a rotating cameo role filled by celebrities, when he fainted toward the end of the second act of "The Play What I Wrote." He was taken to the hospital after the show. Moore's agents originally said he had breathing problems on stage and was diagnosed with dehydration and exhaustion. But Moore had been told in the past that he would eventually have to get a pacemaker, Cahill said.

Pacemakers help maintain a normal heart rhythm, and Cahill said Moore's was inserted at Beth Israel Medical Center. Hospital officials did not immediately return a call for comment on Moore's surgery.

Moore is best known for his movie roles as the British agent 007. His first James Bond film was "Live and Let Die" in 1973, and he went on to star in six other Bond movies: "The Man with the Golden Gun" (1974), "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977), "Moonraker" (1979), "For Your Eyes Only" (1981), "Octopussy" (1983) and "A View to a Kill" (1985). He also played the hero Simon Templar in the TV series "The Saint."

Nice to see that Roger still can out pace death defying moments.





Museum Owner Snaps Up Bond Car

May 10, 2003 - Ananova

A car used in the Bond film Die Another Day has sold for nearly a quarter of a million pounds at auction. The Aston Martin V12 Vanquish was snapped up by motor-museum owner Peter Nelson for £210,500. It was sold at the annual Bonham's sale, at Aston Martin's Newport Pagnell Works Service, Buckinghamshire. Mr Nelson's Cars Of The Stars museum in Keswick, Cumbria, houses 25 Bond vehicles - the largest collection in the world.

He said: "I have a number of James Bond vehicles, but this really is the most fabulous thing I've ever been in. I sat in it and it fit me perfectly.

"I can't wait to take it for a drive and my children are desperate for me to pick them up from school in it. But I'm a bit shaken and stirred because it's not a cheap car."

The vehicle is just one of three 'hero cars' driven by 007 Pierce Brosnan on the Icelandic set, and featured extensively in close-up shots of Bond in pursuit of villain Gustav Graves. Bond fans will be able to see the car for themselves at the Edinburgh Cars Of The Stars museum from May 17, before it is whisked back to Keswick. The auction also saw registered number plate 007 01 bought by property developer Mark Evans, from north Wales, for £16,675.

Do they take American Express?





More Video Games Of OO7 Coming Your Way

May 14, 2003 - Ferrago.co.uk

EA today announced a brand new agreement with MGM Interactive and Danjaq LLC, that will see more James Bond games coming from the world's largest games publisher in the future. The new deal covers the rights to all future Bond films until 2010, and also opens up the back catalogue of 007 movies, which total twenty.

The latest game using the licence, James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing will be out on all console formats in the autumn, and will see her majesty's top spy combating terrorism across the globe with adventures in such exotic locales as Peru, Moscow, New Orleans and Egypt.

"EA produces some of the most popular and exciting video game titles on the market today," said MGM’s Travis Rutherford. "There's no better partner to carry on the Bond legacy in the interactive space."

The name's Bond, CGI Bond.





Double O Birthdays for May 15th

May 15, 2003 - DSBG

Actor Joseph Wiseman is 85. (Born 1918) He starred as James Bond's first nemesis Dr. No. His other credits include the films Detective Story and The Valachi Papers.

Director and former film editor John Glen is 71. (Born 1932) he is the only director to do five consecutive Bond films - For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View to a Kill, The Living Daylights and Licence To Kill. He also was the editor for On Her Majesty's Secret Service, The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker.

Happy birthday!





Condom Ad Posters That Urge 'Roger More' Banned

May 21, 2003 - Reuters

Advertising posters for a brand of condoms urging the public to "roger more" were banned on Wednesday after they were deemed offensive.

"Rogering" is British slang for copulating, and the phrase in the advert plays on the name of actor Roger Moore, best known for playing ladykiller secret agent James Bond.

Britain's advertising watchdog judged the phrase to be unacceptable for such public display. Condom maker Durex said the poster, which featured inflated condoms that spelled out "roger more" was intended to be humorous.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled the advert should be used in a more targeted medium or that a different approach be taken on posters in the future. The watchdog refused to uphold a complaint that the poster advert was sexist or encouraged people to have casual sex.

He always did have an inflatable opinion about himself.





Miss Moneypenny Speaks

May 26, 2003 - Ian Fleming Publications Ltd

Miss Moneypenny of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd recently sent out an email to all newsletter recipients. Here is what she had to say:

As many of you will know from our news service (www.ianflemingcentre.com), Special Agent Raymond Benson is going to be concentrating on new activities in the future. We have been conducting a top-secret review of the way in which the missions of 007 will be reported from now on. Results of that review are, at the present time, classified in order to protect 007 who is currently working undercover. Miss Moneypenny will not, therefore, be responding to any further enquiries on this subject, but we will inform you of new developments as soon as it becomes appropriate to do so.

A number of field operatives have contacted us recently wishing to put themselves forward as candidates for the role of recounting the missions of James Bond in print. Miss Moneypenny would like to thank those operatives for their enquiries, but we will not be accepting any such offers and our policy on unsolicited manuscript material remains unchanged: we always return it unread.

Unless you enjoy writing for a living and don't mind having a committee looking over your shoulder, it would be easier to come up with an original character and story than to tackle an established icon.





Rosamund Pike Speaks Out About Bond Girl Image

June 2, 2003 - The Age

Former Bond girl Rosamund Pike today spoke of her terror at taking on the spy film's swashbuckling role. The actress played spiky fencing champion, Miranda Frost, in the last James Bond film, Die Another Day.

She told the Independent on Sunday's Sunday Review magazine that the prospect of getting "seriously fit" was terrifying. Pike said: "People don't give you credit for nerves when you're done up to look completely sophisticated and cool."

She is now performing in a play, Hitchcock Blonde, in which there is a 10-minute nude scene. Of that role, Pike said: "I don't know what kind of emotions it conjures up in the audience. Whether it's titillating or disturbing or embarrassing ... or shamemaking."

Quite revealing.





'WHAT IS YOUR SPY NAME' Contest

June 4, 2003 - SideShow Collectibles

You have just entered the most dangerous and elite profession ever known: espionage. The world will soon learn of you, and your name will become legend. But what name will that be? Are you a good agent, a master villain, a femme fatale or a henchmen?

Send Sideshow your best secret agent name that would rival the characters in the world of James Bond. Sideshow will choose three of the most creative names and reward the winners with a set of our 'The Man with the Golden Gun' figures (James Bond and Scaramanga). Are you up to the challenge? Then click on the banner below.

Who knows? Maybe your suggestion might end up as a potential character in a future Bond movie or novel.





'Die Another Day' Captures Record As MGM Home Entertaiment's Best-Selling Title Of All Time

June 4, 2003 - Biz Ink

Marking yet another explosive entry by the celebrated James Bond franchise, MGM Home Entertainment expects a record-breaking shipment of more than 16 million units of the "Die Another Day" Special Edition DVD worldwide. "Die Another Day" enters the record books as MGM's best-selling title of all time, further reinforcing the Bond series' position as the most successful franchise in motion picture history. The 20th installment in the James Bond film series, "Die Another Day" is also the Studio's top-grossing theatrical film ever, garnering nearly $430 million at the worldwide box office.

"Sell-off of 'Die Another Day' product released in numerous European markets has been extraordinarily strong and we expect the same results domestically and in other foreign territories," said David Bishop, president and COO of MGM Home Entertainment. "The Bond films have always been a tremendous hit with consumers and given the highly anticipated arrival of this Special Edition DVD, we are confident the title will fly off shelves at retail."

Recently celebrating the 40th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise, the movies have spawned legions of fans across the globe. Based on characters created in the famed Ian Fleming novels, "Die Another Day" stars Pierce Brosnan, in his fourth outing as Agent 007, Academy Award(R)-winners Halle Berry, Judi Dench and John Cleese. The Bond series is cumulatively the most profitable franchise on video and DVD, boasting sales of well over $1 billion worldwide.

Once again living up to it's title.





Two OO7 Characters Appear On AFI List

June 4, 2003 - Associated Press

Atticus Finch from “To Kill a Mockingbird” beat out an army of swashbuckling idols for the top spot on the American Film Institute's list of top screen heroes. Hannibal Lecter from “The Silence of the Lambs” chewed up the competition to lead the list of film villains.

The institute unveiled its ranking Tuesday night of the top good and bad guys in American film on the CBS special “AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Heroes & Villains.”

Finch, played by Gregory Peck in the 1962 classic, was a faultlessly noble widower raising a daughter and son amid Southern racial unrest as he defended a black man accused of raping a white woman.

“I think Atticus Finch just represents the goodness all of us want to see in others and feel in ourselves,” said Jean Picker Firstenburg, the institute's director. “This is a hard time in human history, and we look for the bright spots that show us the way.”

Indiana Jones from “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was No. 2 on the heroes list, and James Bond from “Dr. No" through "Die Another Day” came in third. At No. 49 was the villain Auric Goldfinger from "Goldfinger".

The top 100 heroes and villains were chosen from 400 character nominees on ballots sent to 1,500 actors, directors, critics and others in the movie industry. Host Arnold Schwarzenegger was the only actor to make both lists. He was No 22 on the villains list for his portrayal of the T-800 in the original Terminator movie and No 48 on the heroes list for playing a reprogrammed T-800 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

Arnie said: "I am absolutely ecstatic about it. To say you are one of the 50 favourite villains and one of the 50 favourite heroes is unbelievable, and I feel very honoured."

The Top 10 heroes are:

1: Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird)
2: Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark)
3: James Bond (Dr No - Die Another Day)
4: Rick Blaine (Casablanca)
5: Will Kane (High Noon)
6: Clarice Starling (The Silence of the Lambs)
7: Rocky Balboa (Rocky)
8: Ellen Ripley (Aliens)
9: George Bailey (It's a Wonderful Life)
10: Colonel TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia)

The Top 10 villains are:
1: Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs)
2: Norman Bates (Psycho)
3: Darth Vader (The Empire Strikes Back)
4: The Wicked Witch of the West (The Wizard of Oz)
5: Nurse Ratched (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)
6: Mr Potter (It's a Wonderful Life)
7: Alex Forrest (Fatal Attraction)
8: Phyllis Dietrichson (Double Indemnity)
9: Reagan MacNeil (The Exorcist)
10: The Queen (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

Personally I feel James Bond should had received 2nd place since he has 40 years and 20 films to Indy's 3 films.





Former Bond Stuntman Performs High Wire Act

June 10, 2003 - Reuters

Suspended 160 metres (525 feet) above the Rhine, two German tightrope artists have made a spectacular record-breaking motorcycle crossing of the river near the western town of St Goar.

Johann Traber, 50, and his son Johann junior, 19, spun like a giant propeller 14 times around the 581-metre long highwire while crossing the river in about five minutes before a crowd of some 15,000 late on Sunday, breaking their previous record of 12 revolutions.

The pair were held together by a contraption linking the motorcycle, which had its front tyre replaced with a grooved wheel, to a trapeze dangling beneath the 16-mm thick highwire. Traber sat on the trapeze while his son rode the motorbike and they spun around the axis of the wire using movements in their weight to keep them revolving.

"I'm simply delighted," Johann Traber senior told Reuters Television. "It was a lot of work to prepare this. I'm a bit exhausted right now, but totally happy."

Shipping on the Rhine, one of the world's busiest waterways, was temporarily halted as a precaution for the stunt. Multiple-record breaker Traber senior has collaborated with U.S. stunt legend Evel Knievel and worked on such films as the 1979 James Bond hit "Moonraker".

Traber, from Breisach, hails from a family steeped in the highwire tradition -- his forebears were dicing with death as early as 1512. Yet despite having tightropes in his blood, Traber admits he can still get nervous.

"Obviously I know what I'm doing, but if I think about it too much, I start to worry it might go wrong," he said.

Giving their 'all time high'.





Roger Moore: Double-O Heaven

June 13, 2003 - by Bob Chaundy for BBC News

Roger Moore's career has gone a long way since he first appeared on television as a knight called Ivanhoe. Last month he appeared on stage in West End hit The Play What I What I Wrote, but it was not his acting that hit headlines.

"I seem to have fainted, old boy," he said, as he came round after collapsing on stage.

Within hours, he had been fitted with a heart pace-maker. It was the kind of English understatement, doubtless delivered with his trademark raised eyebrow, that typified his portrayal of the secret-agent, James Bond.




But the cut-glass accent belies modest beginnings. Roger Moore was born in 1927 in the London suburb of Stockwell. The son of a policeman, he left school at 15 in the hope of becoming an artist. But a chance opportunity to become a film extra began his love-affair with the silver screen. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada) in London, but, initially, found acting roles hard to come by.

He had a short-lived marriage to a fellow Rada student, Doorn van Steyn, whom he left for the singer, Dorothy Squires, popular on both sides of the Atlantic. Squires took him to the United States where he made his film debut with Elizabeth Taylor in The Last Time I Saw Paris. He was also Lana Turner's leading man in Diane.

But it was in television back home in England that Roger Moore got his real break. After Ivanhoe came The Saint. As its hero, Simon Templar, Roger Moore developed the debonair character, with a propensity towards violence if necessary, that was a blueprint for his subsequent Bond character.

Indeed, Moore was considered for the first James Bond film, Dr No, in 1962, but was judged too pretty. But when Sean Connery tired of the role, Moore picked up the reins, and gave the character a more humorous side.

Roger Moore confounded the critics and was readily accepted by audiences everywhere, breaking all box-office records. Moore made his Bond debut with Gloria Hendry in Live and Let Die. In all, he starred in seven Bond films, from Live and Let Die in 1973, to A View To a Kill in 1985.

After an acrimonious split with Dorothy Squires, Moore lived with Italian, Luisa Mattioli. They were unable to marry until 1969 when Dorothy Squires finally agreed to a divorce. The couple had three children but, after 38 years, they too split up and, last year, Moore married his fourth wife, Kiki Tholstrup.

In the meantime, Roger Moore became a tireless campaigner against cruelty to children in his role as a special ambassador to the United Nations Children's Fund, Unicef. Roger Moore believes his Unicef experience has brought new meaning and purpose to his life.

On learning of his impending knighthood, he said: "I accept this title on behalf of the many thousands of volunteers and workers at Unicef who dedicate their lives to helping the millions of children in need around the world today."

Well, that leaves George, Timothy and Pierce who have yet to be knighted too.





'Q' Coming Next Week

June 26, 2003 - Sideshow Toys

Is that a watch? No! It's a high-powered industrial magnet! Everyone's favorite gadget super-genius 'Q' is coming to Sideshow Collectibles as an exclusive 12 inch James Bond collectible figure. Our figure captures the likeness of the original 'Q' played by actor Desmond Llewlyn and will have a limited edition run to be determined at a later date.

Grow up, 007!





It's Everything Or Nothing For Brosnan

July 1, 2003 - Gamefaction

Electronic Arts announced today the cast for the upcoming videogame James Bond 007TM: Everything or NothingTM under the EA GAMES brand. Pierce Brosnan as James Bond 007 leads a stellar cast of talent that includes both actors reprising their Bond film roles and actors creating new roles specifically created for the game.

Returning along with Pierce Brosnan in their film roles are John Cleese as "Q", Dame Judi Dench as "M", and Richard Kiel as legendary henchman Jaws. In the role of Bond's new nemesis Nikolai Diavolo is Willem Dafoe, joined by Shannon Elizabeth as new cyber Bond girl Serena St. Germaine and Heidi Klum as the malevolent Katya Nadanova. All cast members will contribute voiceover for their roles as well as accurate likenesses provided through EA's electronic "cyberscanning" process.

"I look forward to returning as James Bond in Everything or Nothing," said Mr. Brosnan. "Playing the role in the interactive realm lets me bring my interpretation of the character to a new generation of Bond fans."

In James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing, players will answer the question: "What would James Bond do?" as they encounter classic villains, exotic locations, beautiful women, fast cars, and high-tech gadgetry. The original script from veteran Bond screenwriter Bruce Feirstein immerses the player in the world of James Bond with missions that span exotic locales in four continents, all set in a third person view that showcases the Hollywood cast playing out a real-time cinematic action adventure.

Let the mayhem begin.





Connery's Accent Untouchable

July 1, 2003 - News.com.au

SCOTTISH actor Sean Connery created the worst accent in the history of cinema in the 1987 movie The Untouchables, according to a poll conducted by British film magazine Empire.

His attempt at pulling off an Irish twang in his Oscar-winning performance as a cop was voted worse than US actor Dick Van Dyke's bid at playing a cockney chimneysweep in Disney's classic family film Mary Poppins (1964).

US actor Brad Pitt came third in the poll, for his role as an Austrian mountaineer in the 1997 film Seven Years in Tibet.

Although James Bond star Connery won a supporting actor Oscar for his role as Jim Malone in Brian de Palma's film The Untouchables, a jury of industry professionals crowned him top of their bad accent list, which appears in the magazine's July issue.

"Whether he's a Russian sub captain (The Hunt For Red October) or even an English King (First Knight and Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves), always that baritone Highland burr remains," the verdict read.

In seventh position, Hollywood icon Julia Roberts was singled out for her linguistic performance in the 1996 movie Mary Reilly.

Meryl Streep came 10th for her work in Out of Africa in 1985, where she played the role of South African author Karen Blixen, alongside Robert Redford.

Certainly Connery's accent was accurate when he played an Arab in THE NEXT MAN.





From Bond Girl To God's Girl

July 7, 2003 - Associated Press

Six years ago, she was clad in a sexy black outfit, playing a Bond girl. Today she wears a curate's robe.

Shannon Ledbetter, 39, who appeared in the 1997 hit film Tomorrow Never Dies starring Pierce Brosnan as James Bond, has been ordained a curate in the Church of England. The German-born cleric, who lectures in theology and religious studies at Liverpool Hope University College, will be the new curate at St Mark's Church in the city's Knowsley district.

"I really don't see myself as some stuffy vicar type ... stuck in a quiet rural village," Ledbetter said. "It's important that the church has representatives from all different backgrounds so it can appeal to as wide an audience as possible."

Ledbetter said she had enjoyed her career, which also included modelling, but tried to persuade some of her fellow performers against doing drugs.

"They knew I didn't approve and that I had religious beliefs because on Sundays I didn't work as I went to church," she said.

I would assume that her sermons probably have a large male turnout.





Brosnan Gets OBE

July 15, 2003 - Sky News

James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan is to receive an honorary OBE in recognition of his contribution to drama and the British film industry. The 50-year-old Irish star, most famous for his role as British spy 007, will be given the accolade at a ceremony on Saturday, July 19th. The award will be presented by the British Ambassador in Dublin, Stewart Eldon.

Brosnan, whose other films include The Thomas Crown Affair and Dante's Peak, said: "I feel privileged to have been recognised by Her Majesty The Queen with this award. I am touched by this unexpected honour. In my life, I am fortunate to be surrounded by passionate and courageous individuals whose tireless efforts are an inspiration to me both personally and professionally. I hope I will continue to fulfil their expectations for many years to come."

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said: " Pierce Brosnan has captivated audiences at home in Ireland, here in the UK and across the world. In his portrayal of 007 in the last four Bond films, he has added style and glamour to the image of Britain overseas. But he has also worked very hard behind the scenes in supporting an array of charitable causes. This award celebrates a truly remarkable achievement".

Mr Brosnan also serves as Ambassador for Women's Health Issues for Permanent Charities of the Entertainment Industry. In December, 2001 he was made a Special Patron of Unicef Ireland.

Definitely keeping the British end up.





Early James Bond Artwork Goes Onto Chopping Block

July 15, 2003 - by Penny Parkin for 24 Hour Museum

Rare artwork by Richard Chopping, whose book covers defined the image of Ian Fleming’s super spy James Bond, is to go under the hammer at Sotheby’s on Thursday July 10.

The sale also includes sought-after first edition copies signed by Ian Fleming of ‘Thunderball’ (set to raise between £400 and £600) and ‘From Russia With Love’. A copy of ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’, the only limited edition Bond novel, is also up for grabs.

Sotheby’s expert Peter Selley describes the first edition proofs as ‘an important part of British literary history and dust jacket design.’

Found at the bottom of the drawer after almost 50 years in storage the artwork was immediately put on the market after 86-year-old Chopping stumbled across it recently at his home in Wivenhoe, Essex.

Chopping was reported as describing Fleming as ‘charming, but horrid’. Consequently he is happy to get rid of his remaining link with the books, for which he believes his artwork was underpaid.

The designer also claims that he has found it difficult to find work following the success of the 007 films due to his distinctive Bond style. He also takes issue with the gun-toting plotlines of some of the novels!

“I was quite fond of doing the early work, but it became a bore and I hate the books. I don’t like the violence. There is enough violence in the world without needing to make it glamorous,” he said, speaking to The Scotsman.

In fact Chopping felt such resentment towards Fleming that he sold several autographed Bond first editions for onl