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2012 sees the 50th anniversary of the most enduring film franchise in cinema history.  By the golden anniversary of 1962’s Dr No, there will have been 23 James Bond adventures featuring six 007s, countless Bond villains, hundreds of beautiful Bond girls and almost two dozen of the most instantly recognisable theme songs in cinema history. […]

When production of the 23rd movie in the James Bond series began, many made the not unreasonable assumption that long time collaborator David Arnold would once again provide the score.  Having worked with the franchise for 14 years and provided the soundtrack for five 007 adventures, Arnold seemed like the obvious choice to compose the […]

After the excellent reaction to Daniel Craig’s first outing as 007 in Casino Royale, much was expected of the follow-up, Quantum of Solace.  An original story following on directly from the end of the previous instalment, the 22nd James Bond movie once again turned to an old hand to provide the soundtrack. Unlike the accelerated […]

The James Bond franchise has seen regular changes in actors, style and direction over the years.  And, after Pierce Brosnan’s final appearance as 007 in Die Another Day, the series underwent arguably its greatest reinvention to date. Whilst being the 21st film in the series, Casino Royale took James Bond back to his roots, as […]

Now firmly established as the James Bond franchise composer after his excellent scores for Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough, David Arnold returned for this third Bond outing on what would become Pierce Brosnan’s final appearance as 007. Initially, Arnold turned once again to lyricist Don Black with whom he had collaborated […]

After the warm reception for his soundtrack to Tomorrow Never Dies, the producers had a relatively simple choice when deciding who to select to score the next instalment in the 007 series.  So, in September 1998, David Arnold became the first person to be invited to score a second Bond film since John Barry when […]

After Eric Serra’s score for Goldeneye met with a less than positive response, the producers of the next instalment of the 007 series, Tomorrow Never Dies, once again had to search for a new composer.  And, thanks to a recommendation from the man whose name will forever be associated with the music for 007, an […]

After a six year absence due to legal issues, it was once again all change for the James Bond series.  The end of the Cold War, a new Bond, a new, female M and the first Bond film not to take any story elements from Ian Fleming’s books, Goldeneye introduced 007 to a new generation. […]

The sixteenth Bond film was to be, in many ways, a watershed in the long running franchise.  Not only did it mark the end of Timothy Dalton’s brief tenure as 007 but it also marked the last contributions of actor Robert Brown (M), title designer Maurice Binder, producer Cubby Broccoli and director John Glen. Licence […]

Having become the first film series to reach its 25th anniversary, the Bond franchise had to yet again reinvent itself after Roger Moore’s decision not to return for the fifteenth 007 adventure.  Whilst Timothy Dalton became the fourth actor to take on the role of James Bond, after the series’ recent success the producers were […]

For Roger Moore’s seventh and final outing as James Bond, he was once again reunited with director John Glen and composer John Barry.  1985’s A View To A Kill was the fourteenth 007 movie and, once again, the series followed a pattern of turning from serious spy movies (For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy) to […]

After the success of James Bond’s twelfth adventure, For Your Eyes Only, Roger Moore and director John Glen were reunited in 1983 for Bond’s new adventure, Octopussy. And, for the first time since 1979’s Moonraker, legendary composer John Barry was able to rejoin the team to provide the score for the thirteenth 007 adventure. Octopussy […]

The Bond series frequently follows the same pattern.  Films get ever more action-packed and begin to feature increasing numbers of gadgets and explosions.  That is, until a director decides to change direction and revert back to a more subdued affair, more faithful to Ian Fleming’s books.  It happened with On Her Majesty’s Secret Service as […]

Due to a high level of taxation in the UK at the time, the production of James Bond XI was primarily moved to France.  In addition to the construction of some of the biggest ever sets that France had seen, the relocation of Moonraker to the continent also meant that John Barry could return to […]

By the time the next instalment of the James Bond series was due to be released, much had changed. Despite the relative success of Live and Let Die and The Man With The Golden Gun, 007 was in danger of being overtaken by new, spectacular summer blockbuster films including cinema’s latest phenomenon: Star Wars. With […]

After the success of Roger Moore’s debut as James Bond in Live and Let Die, the English actor returned in 1974 to film the ninth instalment of the 007 series, The Man With The Golden Gun.  Based on Fleming’s novel – the last written before his death in 1964 – Bond heads to Asia to […]

Part of the charm of the Bond series is that although the basic ideas and characters have remained consistent throughout, aspects of the films have changed during its unprecedented forty year success. This was certainly the case in 1973.  Not only did the Bond series welcome a new lead actor in Roger Moore, but for […]

James Bond producers Harry Saltzmann and Cubby Broccoli decided to change direction for the seventh movie in the series, Diamonds Are Forever.

With Sean Connery having already announced that he was leaving his role as James Bond, and with a new director, Peter Hunt, on board, it was clear that the sixth film in the Bond franchise was going to differ markedly from the previous efforts. John Barry, who had by this time won an Oscar for […]

After the stunning commercial success of Thunderball, Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman initially turned to Ian Fleming’s novel On Her Majesty’s Secret Service for the fifth instalment in the film franchise. However, problems with finding suitable locations for the book’s wintry setting led them to turn to Fleming’s twelfth novel, You Only Live Twice. With […]

The success of the first three James Bond films in the early 1960s had led to a huge array of copycat spy thrillers. In an attempt to ensure the Bond franchise remained at the forefront of the action genre, Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman decided to make Thunderball, Fleming’s ninth James Bond book. With a […]

By the time the production started on the third James Bond film, the 007 character was a box office sensation. Dr No and From Russia With Love had catapulted the secret agent to the top of the box office charts the world over, the movie going public expectantly awaited the release of the third film […]

After the huge commercial success of the first Bond film, Dr No, producers Harry Saltzman and Cubby Broccoli could not wait to get back on location to start the filming of the second instalment. Selecting Fleming’s fifth Bond novel, From Russia With Love (partly, it is said, as it was identified by President John F […]

At 7.35am on 14th January 1962, a tired and eclectic group of British artistes assembled at London Airport for a gruelling twenty-hour flight to Jamaica. Amongst them were film producers Harry Saltzman and Cubby Broccoli, stuntmen, technicians and a talented young Scottish actor named Sean Connery. Also part of the group was a composer who […]