15 April 2013
William Boyd, whose James Bond continuation novel is set to be one of this year’s publishing highlights, has today announced that his book will be called SOLO.

The announcement came on the opening day of The London Book Fair, where Boyd is Author of the Day.

He explained his choice of title:
‘Sometimes less is more. For me as a novelist the simple beauty of SOLO as the title of the next James Bond novel is that this short four-letter word is particularly and strikingly apt for the novel I have written. In my novel, events conspire to make Bond go off on a self-appointed mission of his own, unannounced and without any authorization - and he’s fully prepared to take the consequences of his audacity.  FULL STORY

22 March 2013
Session trumpeter Derek Watkins, who played on every official James Bond movie soundtrack from Dr. No (1962) to Skyfall (2012), has died at the age of 68.

Five-time James Bond composer David Arnold posted on his Facebook page today: "Dear Derek, if you don’t mind, I'll keep the chair open for you, I don’t think anyone else could fill that place."

Thomas Newman, who succeeded Arnold as the composer of the score for Skyfall, also recently praised Watkins' status in Bond history: "When Sam Mendes went out on to the podium after we'd finished recording and acknowledged Derek, you should've heard the orchestra. He had to take two bows because people kept applauding him".

17 March 2013
American artist and illustrator Mitchell Hooks renowned for his artwork for paperback books and magazines has died at the age of 89.

Hooks painted the iconic image of Sean Connery as James Bond 007 used on the UK Quad poster for Dr. No in 1962. The US 1-Sheet poster followed in 1963 using the same design, but added small line drawings of scenes from the film.

James Bond: The New Mission
1969. A veteran secret agent. A single mission.
A licence to kill. James Bond returns.

The title and plot may remain a closely guarded secret, but Ian Fleming Publications have announce that William Boyd’s new Bond novel will be published in the UK by Jonathan Cape on 26th September 2013, and will be available from HarperCollins in the United States and Canada from early October.

Visit www.jamesbondthenewmission.co.uk to hear all the latest news as it is released.

16 February 2013 - London
Today, a train named after James Bond film Skyfall was unveiled at King’s Cross Station. It’s the first time a film has permanently given its name to a train. The East Coast London to Edinburgh service, train number 91007, has been renamed Skyfall with each of its eleven carriages wrapped in Skyfall artwork.

Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, actress Naomie Harris (Eve Moneypenny) and writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade were on the train’s maiden journey which departed from platform 007 at King’s Cross at 8.33am.

Full story and more pictures

8 February 2013 - BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Dame Shirley Bassey will make a special appearance on the Oscars®, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.

"We are thrilled to welcome the legendary Dame Shirley Bassey to our Oscar show," said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. "Her association with film music is world renowned and we are proud that she will be making her first Oscar appearance on our telecast.

Bassey is this year celebrating her very own "Diamond Jubilee" with a career spanning over six decades. She has recorded over 44 albums, sold over 135 million records and has sold out concert halls across the world. In June 2012, she was one of a number of esteemed artists, including Elton John, Paul McCartney and Annie Lennox, who performed at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert. In the United States, Bassey is best known for recording the theme songs for the James Bond films Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker."

Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network.

BOND 50 has arrived…  
…so what’s good, what’s bad, what’s ugly, what’s new, what’s missing?

KEVIN HARPER runs his expert ears and eyes over the new BOND 50 Blu-ray sets from both sides of the Atlantic to give 007 MAGAZINE readers the most comprehensive review available.

3 October 2012 - Croatian special edition of Ian Fleming’s DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER presented at a gala event in Zagreb.

“I knew you all expected Mr. Bond to show up for his promotion,” said David Slinn, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia, “but he is currently at an undisclosed location, performing undisclosed duties.” His excellency was addressing an audience of some hundred people, gathered in good cheer at the Café Kinoteka in Zagreb on September 19th for the unveiling of the first Croatian edition of Ian Fleming’s DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, joining numerous Olympic and Paralympic athletes freshly returned from their successes at the 2012 London Games.
 

FULL STORY AND MORE IMAGES

In the week that 007 fans celebrate 50 years since the release of Dr. No, LUKE WILLIAMS reviews Stevan Riley's documentary Everything Or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007, and finds it a refreshingly candid account of the history of the world's greatest film franchise.

LUKE WILLIAMS also chatted with acclaimed film-maker Stevan Riley exclusively for 007 MAGAZINE.

Everything or Nothing review

Exclusive interview with director Stevan Riley

Ahead of the much-anticipated 50th anniversary of the release of the first Bond film, Dr. No on October 5th, an international survey of 007 MAGAZINE readers has rated On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), starring George Lazenby and directed by Peter Hunt, as the greatest Bond film of all time.

POLL RESULTS & EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

007 MAGAZINE was in attendance this week as legendary photographer Terry O'Neill launched his new exhibition and book All About Bond at the Proud Gallery on Chelsea's Kings Road.

Given that Ian Fleming's James Bond lived in a flat just off the Kings Road, it is somehow appropriate that Proud Chelsea is the location for a stunning exhibition of some of photographer Terry O'Neill's huge collection of 007 focused photography, which opened on 12th September with a signing event with the great man himself.

Full story and more images

Proud Chelsea | 161 King’s Road | London | SW3 5XP
t: 020 7839 4942 w. www.proud.co.uk
Open Monday – Sunday, 10am – 7pm.

1 September 2012 - Hal David, the lyricist who worked with Burt Bacharach on an unparalleled canon of songs for film and television has died at the age of 91.

David's James Bond connection began in 1967 when he added lyrics to Bacharach's 'The Look of Love', which had originally been intended as an instrumental piece. The Oscar-nominated song was performed in Casino Royale (1967) by Dusty Springfield.

In 1969 he wrote the lyrics for 'We Have All The Time in the World' composed for the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service by John Barry. The late composer cited it as one of his favourites. He thought it was the finest piece of music he had written for a Bond movie, and because of the pleasure of working with Louis Armstrong. Hal David also wrote the lyrics to 'Do You Know How Christmas Trees are Grown?' which was sung by Nina Van Pallandt in the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969). David was re-united with John Barry in 1979 when he wrote the lyrics for Moonraker, sung in the film by Shirley Bassey.

 Marvin Hamlisch (1944-2012)

The composer Marvin Hamlisch, who wrote the score for the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me and co-wrote (with Carole Bayer Sager) it's Oscar-nominated title song 'Nobody Does it Better', has died in Los Angeles, aged 68.

Hamlisch wrote more than 40 film scores including The Way We Were (1973), The Sting (1974) and A Chorus Line (1985).

In total he won three Academy Awards, four Emmys, a Tony and three Golden Globes.
 

July 8 2012

Designing 007: Fifty years of Bond Style
The Barbican marks the 50th anniversary of the James Bond franchise, from 1962's Dr. No to this year's Skyfall, with a unique exhibition showcasing the inside story of the design and style of the world's most influential and iconic movie brand.

In collaboration with EON Productions and with unprecedented access to their archives, Designing 007 is a multi-sensory experience, immersing audiences in the creation and development of Bond style over its auspicious 50 year history.

FULL STORY AND IMAGES FROM THE EXHIBITION

Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style runs at The Barbican from 6 July - 5 September 2012

May 5 2012

If one photographer can be said to have defined the swinging showbusiness scene of the 1960s then that photographer is the East End born Terry O’Neill, who has photographed every James Bond from Connery to Brosnan (including David Niven!) 007 MAGAZINE’s LUKE WILLIAMS was at the opening of O’Neill’s new exhibition INFAMOUS in Mayfair this week ahead of his eagerly anticipated book ALL ABOUT BOND, which will be published later this year.

Terry O’Neill INFAMOUS is at Alon Zakaim Fine Art, 5-7 Dover Street, London W1S 4LD until 8 June 2012.

FULL STORY