Skyfall ticket stub

Skyfall ticket stub, 11/9/12, Regal Green Valley Ranch Stadium 10, Henderson, NV, $11.00.

The ticket says "advance" not because it was for an advance screening, but because it was purchased a day in advance.  11/9/12 was the theatrical wide release date for Skyfall in the United States and Canada; it opened exclusively in IMAX the day before.

Casino Royale Jove Paperback Printing

Casino Royale, Ian Fleming, Jove paperback printing, July 1980, U.S., originally priced at $1.95.

In February 1980, Jove became the new U.S. paperback publisher of Fleming's Bond books.  After having issued only the first 8 novels -- and non-sequentially, at that -- Jove's run abruptly came to an end about a year and a half later (Berkley quickly became the new U.S. paperback publisher).  The cover art, from illustrator Barnett Plotkin, is more reminiscent of a Bond movie poster than a Bond book cover, complete with a tagline.  Every cover features three characters: Bond (with one exception) in the center, a girl, and a villain, against a backdrop related to the storyline.  Roger Moore had been the on-screen Bond for 4 films over 7 years at this point, yet this Bond is clearly not Moore, although neither is he Sean Connery; he actually looks more like George Lazenby than either of then.  Nonetheless, the quality of Plotkin's illustrations is among the best from any Bond publisher.  I like his style, although I can't always say the same about the characters' clothing styles.  Although this was the 1980's, it was the early 1980's, and 1970's clothing styles were on their last leg.  

Casino Royale was the 6th Bond book that Jove published.  The main issue I have with this cover is not the depiction of Bond or the clothing styles (although Le Chiffre should not be wearing red pants with flared legs).  The issue I have is with the background and tagline.  The game played in Casino Royale is not roulette; it's baccarat.  It's one thing to have changed the card game to Texas hold'em in the movie.  But Texas hold'em is still a card game (and one that works better on screen than baccarat), and a card game is essential to the storyline.  It's essentially a character along with Bond, Vesper, and Le Chiffre.    I know -- I hope -- that roulette is only being used figuratively on the cover.  But the cover gives the impression that Jove and Plotkin never read the book they published and illustrated, respectively.  

Once Is Never Enough Bond Film Festival 2008 Brochure

Brochure for Once Is Never Enough, Bond film festival, spring/summer 2008, Rosslyn, Virginia, free admission.

Several months before the theatrical release of Quantum of Solace, the Rosslyn, Virginia, BID (Business Improvement District) held a Bond film festival in the spring/summer of 2008.  Every Friday at 8 pm from May 2nd-August 22nd (with the exception of July 4th), rain or shine, at the Gateway Park in Rosslyn, a different film was shown.  The schedule was as follows:
- 5/2: Dr No
- 5/9: From Russia with Love
- 5/16: Goldfinger
- 5/23: Thunderball
- 5/30: You Only Live Twice
- 6/6: Diamonds Are Forever
- 6/13: Live and Let Die
- 6/20: The Man with the Golden Gun
- 6/27: The Spy Who Loved Me
- 7/11: Moonraker
- 7/18: For Your Eyes Only
- 7/25: Octopussy
- 8/1: A View to a Kill
- 8/8: Goldeneye
- 8/15: Tomorrow Never Dies
- 8/22: Die Another Day

There were 21 Bond films at the time, with only 16 slots, so five films didn't make the cut: On Her Majesty's Secret Service, The Living Daylights, License To Kill, The World Is Not Enough, and Casino Royale.  We can understand why they passed on OHMSS, License To Kill, and TWINE.  But The Living Daylights and Casino Royale didn't make the cut while View to a Kill did?  Unfortunately, View to a Kill was the only film we were able to see at the festival.  Still, watching any Bond film -- even one of the two worst -- on the big screen is a worthwhile experience.

The most memorable part of the night was not the movie itself.  Before the movie started, we were treated to, among other things (including this brochure), Bond music -- and not just the theme songs.  That was the only time we've ever heard Nina's "Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown?" (from OHMSS) outside of the museum.  

From Russia, with Love 2nd Berkley Paperback Printing

From Russia, with Love, Ian Fleming, 2nd Berkley paperback printing, October 1982, U.S., originally priced at $2.75.

The cover art for these Berkley printings depict James Bond as a silhouette.  The silhouettes are a timeless and classic way to depict the character on the cover of one of his novels.  He isn't the actor currently playing him; he isn't not that actor.  He's James Bond.  Unfortunately, while these covers are not the ugliest -- they're not ugly at all -- they are among the most forgettable.  If it weren't for the title, the reader would have no idea which Bond novel he was looking at.  Bond is not depicted doing anything unique to that novel.  The only differences among the covers are precisely what position Bond is in and where he's pointing his gun.  You've seen one, you've seen them all.

For Your Eyes Only Soundtrack LP

For Your Eyes Only, soundtrack to the film of the same name, composed by Bill Conti, LP (33 1/3 rpm), Liberty Records, 1981.

LP was one of the three formats on which the soundtrack was released, along with cassette and 8-track (both of which will be covered in future posts).

The cover art is a cross between the U.S. teaser poster (which will be the subject of a future post) and the U.S. theatrical release poster.

The LP clocks in at 35 minutes, 58 seconds.  The 12 tracks -- half on each side -- are comprised of "For Your Eyes Only", the theme song song by Sheena Easton; "Make It Last All Night" sung by Rage; an instrumental track/reprise of the theme sung by Sheena Easton; and 9 instrumental tracks.  

OHMSS 3rd U.K. Paperback Printing

On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Ian Fleming, 3rd U.K. paperback printing, Pan, originally priced at 60c (intended for sale in Canada).  

In 1955, Pan became the first publisher to print the Bond books in paperback in the United Kingdom, and Pan was still the paperback publisher there during the height of Bondmania, when this printing was issued.

The Pan cover art during this time period consisted of a few images related to the novel.  Here we have the most effective example of this style, and one of the best Bond covers overall.  The cover depicts three simple images: a wedding ring, snow, and blood.  If a picture was ever worth 1,000 words, this is it.  A fitting cover to one of the two best Bond novels. 

This cover alone is better than the entire movie.