More Love Found, This Time Online

A few weeks ago I found a Jonathan Cape first edition of Ian Feming's "The Spy Who Loved Me" for sale online.  The hardback was published in 1962 and was one of only 30,000 copies printed.  It also features a really nice dust jacket by Richard Chopping.  For the "Buy It Now" price being asked I couldn't let it go, and the book arrived in the post today just in time for Christmas.

The strange thing is this is the second Jonathan Cape copy of this novel I've purchased in the last five months.  The previous was a 1963 fifth impression purchased in August.  

I'm hoping instead of another "The Spy Who Loved Me" the next Jonathan Cape I purchase is an earlier one in the series, preferably a "Casino Royale" first edition... well we can all dream anyway.

Have a great Christmas and New Year everyone and may you have a successful year of Bond collecting next year.

007 Posters & Film Memorabilia Found

I visited the Chapel Street Bazaar this afternoon and came across a number of nice James Bond related original posters and promos.  If anyone in Melbourne is looking for some last minute Bond gifts this is the place to go.

Australian Daybills

One Sheet Poster

Lobby Cards

Promo Advertisement

Cardboard Cutout

"No Time To Die" With The Family

This afternoon I went to the cinema with my wife, Mum, Dad and brother to see the latest James Bond film and the last starring Daniel Craig.  It's not often we all go to the cinema together but the release of a Bond film is a big event in my family.  We had to show our vaccination passports and it was the first time we'd been to an actual cinema since June.  Afterwards I got everyone to rate the film and add a short comment:

Mum - 4/5 - Very entertaining.

Dad - 4/5 - You can't beat a Bond film.

Wife - 3/5 - Film was a little long but good to be back at the cinema.

Brother - 3.5/5 - Good Bond film, loved the "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" references throughout, good action scenes, interesting ending. But Bond will be back.

My own rating - 4/5 - A very different Bond film and a fitting swansong for Daniel Craig.

Now I will just add a few further notes below which may contain ** VERY MILD SPOILERS **:

Negatives: I found the film a tad long and was disappointed that the villain was introduced late in the film and in my opinion underused.  I was also annoyed at the ease of the death of some SPECTRE agents.

Positives: The continuation and conclusion of the Daniel Craig / Bond arc was great.  I enjoyed the pre-credit sequence.  The main titles harked back to many previous Bond films, most notably for me the "dancing dots" from "Dr. No".  The acting by everyone was great and I think my favourite sequence was the Cuba shoot-out.

Interesting Facts: As far as I recall this is only the second time there's been a flash-back sequence in a Bond film (the first with Bond looking out a window in "OHMSS"), but the first flash-back of a character other than Bond.  The scenes featuring portraits of previous incarnations of "M" linked Daniel Craig's Bond to many previous Bond actors which was fascinating; for instance Timothy Dalton and Daniel Craig share the same universe.  And finally, I'm also curious (and excited) now Daniel Craig has left the role how they will continue the series but as it says at the end of the closing titles "JAMES BOND WILL RETURN".

"No Time To Die" (Finally) Released In Oz

Today marks the official release date of "No Time To Die" in Australian cinemas.  The film's release here was delayed, compared to the rest of the world, due to recent Covid outbreaks and lockdowns.  Now as we've reached some major vaccination milestones our cities, and lives, are starting up again.

There were preview screenings earlier in the week but the official screenings began at some venues overnight at 12:01am for the die hard fans.  This is easily the biggest film released in our cinemas since Covid hit us around March 2020.  

The hardest part of our delayed release has been avoiding spoilers and reviews that litter social media and the web.  Fortunately I've only been following Australian James Bond sites and posts about the film as most have followed the #NoTimeForSpoilers standard.

I'm hoping to see the film with my wife, Dad and perhaps even brother over the weekend.  My Mum on the other hand, who has seen all the other Daniel Craig - James Bond films at the cinema, has decided she's not interested in seeing this one just yet.

Fingers crossed Aussies brave public places again and visit the cinemas to make this film a box office success.  The film promises to be a great swansong for the Daniel Craig - James Bond era.

"No Time To Die" Premieres In The UK

Yesterday in the UK the latest James Bond film, "No Time To Die", had its premiere screening in London.  The film has had many postponed release dates due to Covid, and in Australia we still have to wait until November 11 to see Daniel Craig's swansong as Bond.

I've accidentally read some first impressions of the film on Facebook from people who attended the premiere.  Apparently it's excellent.  But now, like many other Aussies, I'm going to try and avoid all social media spoilers, reviews and perhaps even interviews to ensure I enter the cinema open-minded and ready for a new 007 adventure. 

November is looking very exciting in Australia; finally we'll be out of lockdown, be able a visit a local cinema again... and view a new Bond film.

Love Found In Mornington

I visited Mornington again a couple of weeks ago and it turned out to be very fortunate.  First stop was the secondhand store Books By The Bay.

After a bit of a wander through the store I found two Bond paperbacks; a copy of Ian Fleming's "From Russia With Love" and a copy of Anthony Horowitz's "Forever And A Day".

Then after speaking to the store owner, Leonid, I was introduced to a Jonathan Cape copy of "The Spy Who Loved Me".  The hardback was a fifth impression printed in 1963.  There was some slight silverfish damage on the back of the dustjacket but that only momentarily deterred me from purchasing it.

And here's some photos of the book at home.

After bidding farewell I then visited Charter House Secondhand Books, but wasn't as fortunate here with the Bond novels.  I will return again though.

Limited Edition Video Set

Back in 1998 MGM Home Entertainment released an Exclusive Limited Edition Video Set for "Tomorrow Never Dies".  The set was only available in the UK and included a VHS copy of the Pierce Brosnan movie, a strip of film, and a paperback book.  

The book was a promotional paperback copy of Raymond Benson's first James Bond novel "Zero Minus Ten", first published in 1997 by Coronet.  This is the first (and only) promo paperback I'm aware of that accompanied a home cinema release of a Bond film*.

Many years ago I managed to acquire a copy of the same promo paperback sans cassette container, and now I'm stoked to have acquired the complete set.  

I'll hopefully add a post for another promotional paperback set soon...

Note: * Strange really as you'd expect the Movie Tie In paperback, also written by Raymond Benson in 1997 and published by Coronet, to have been a more logical inclusion with this set.

Canterbury Books Visit

A few weeks ago I visited Canterbury Books.  It was my first visit in almost two years and after all the lockdowns it was great to see the store still going strong.

I spoke to Helen, one of the owners, asking permission to take these photos and discussing the fate of several secondhand book stores around Melbourne during the past year.  I then enquired if she had any James Bond novels and she pointed me toward a copy of Anthony Horowitz's "Trigger Mortis" (for just $2 !!!).  There were plenty of other quality books for sale at great prices too but currently no other Bond's. 

Before I left, Helen said I had to have a look at a gift left on her store windowsill by a local artist.  She was chuffed to find this book a few days earlier and open it at the bookmarked page.  Very impressive.

Market 3196 Visit In Chelsea

On Monday my wife and I visited Market 3196 near Chelsea for the first time.  Basically it's a large warehouse containing heaps of small stalls.  We only realised the market existed when we saw a sign while driving along the Mornington Peninsula Freeway.

The stalls sell art, clothes, dog food, toys, LPs, knick-knacks etc and lots of books.

Unfortunately I didn't manage to find any James Bond novels however I wouldn't be surprised if there were some in the past, and future.  And the books I saw were really good quality.

I'll definitely be visiting again.  Here's a link to the website: https://market3196.com.au/ 

Coronet Movie Tie-In Variants

Back in 1995 when "Goldeneye" premiered at the cinemas I purchased the accompanying Coronet movie tie-in paperback by John Gardner.  A few months later I noticed the same MTI paperback on the shelves but this time Bruce Feirstein's name was given credit on the cover for the screenplay the book was based on.

Roll forward to 1999 and it turns out exactly the same issue occurred again, but somehow I didn't realise until last week when I discovered a second version of the Coronet paperback by Raymond Benson for "The World Is Not Enough" for sale online.  Today I received this second version in the mail.

This version also gave credit to Bruce Feirstein for the screenplay where it was missing on the first edition.

Strange how this issue could occur twice in four years.