![]() Love it or hate it Product Placement is a part of modern movie making. From the minute that Sean Connery drinks a Martini with Smirnoff Vodka in Dr No right up to Daniel Craig getting a text on a Sony phone in Skyfall, there have always been real-life products sharing screen time with 007. Product Placement is a necessary evil for movie makers. In these days of credit-crunch and mega-million-dollar film budgets it is not surprising that money has to be found from somewhere. Companies who want their products to be associated with the suave secret agent pay millions of dollars to have their goods showcase in the film - even if it I just for a few seconds on film. It is advertising on a global scale, with everyone who goes to see a Bond movie as a potential customer. Now I don't mind product placement. After all, Ian Fleming liked to use brand names in his novels - such as Ronson Lighters, Morelands Special cigarettes, Bentley Motorcars and Floris toiletries to name but a few - so there's nothing new to it. It's just that some people think that the films sell out when the product placements have no bearing on the scenes in the film. There are a few examples however when marketing seems to take a grip on the film and it spoils the narrative of the movie. Take for example the above scenes in Casino Royale. I understand that Bond uses a hire car to travel to around the Bahamas in his search for the sender of the ELIPSIS text. But the scenes when he's driving the (at the time) new look Ford Mondeo is filmed like a car commercial - and even the soundtrack sounds like the soundtrack of a car commercial. So who'd have thought that this was a promotion for the soon to be launched car. This is so obviously a product placement it might have well have been edited as Bond Will Be Back After This Break! The car however does have the distinction of being the first car that Daniel Craig's 007 drives, and it is now on permanent loan to The Ian Fleming Foundation. And why we're at it when it's illegal in the UK to use a mobile phone when driving isn't it wrong and irresponsible of the film makers showing Bond using his phone whilst using the GPS on it to locate The One & Only Ocean Club. On the flip side of the coin one of the good things is that Product Placement often means that there are some TV adverts made to cross-promote products and the Bond movies at the time of their release. Here is a collection of some of them, but I would like to add that although the first advert is for a brand of cigarettes www.bondmisc.weebly.com do not advocate smoking. It's bad for your health. I know it. You know it. So don't do it! Now here's the adverts: So will Product Placement return when James Bond Returns? I think so as for as long as people will want to have products associated with 007 there will also be film producers needing to balance their accounting books.
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One of my recent regrets as Bond fan was that I didn't manage to visit the Bond in Motion exhibition at the Beauleiu National Motor Museum in Hampshire. But all is not lost as the exhibition is having another lease of life and is moving to the London Film Museum next month. I can't wait to go as this is THE largest collection of 007 vehicles! I just hope they don't leave the keys in the ignition of any of the cars - or I could be having a very interesting ride home! Prior to Fleming being premiered on Sky Atlantic on 12 February I tweeted Lucy Fleming, niece of one Mr Ian Fleming asking if she or any of Ian Fleming's relatives had been involved in the new show. Here was her reply: So as you can see the show does have quite a large element of fiction in it and the family had no involvement in the show. Footnote:
Yes I have finally figured out how to use Twitter. Follow us at: @bondmisc Author of Catching Bullets Mark O'Connel has just posted an early review of Fleming - the new Ian Fleming biopic TV show which airs on January 27 on Sky Atlantic, (and on BBC America 2 days later). As there is no Bond film scheduled for release in 2014 I'm relishing the release of Fleming. It's going to be great to have a look, with some artistic licence at the man who made 007. Thank you Mark O'Connell for sharing this with us here at Bond Miscellany. "Quantum" the third of the recently released James Bond 007 fragrance line has recently been released - no doubt eager to cash in on those few amongst us who are organised when it comes to purchasing Christmas gifts.
According to the website at http://www.007fragrances.com/ " For over fifty years 007 has captivated audiences with his mesmerizing confidence, unfailing composure and ability to keep cool under pressure – anytime, anywhere. Just as 007’s senses are awakened as he rises to the challenge, this intensely masculine fragrance invigorates body and mind allowing every man to harness fast-thinking and cool calm to accomplish the mission ahead with Bond-like confidence." Although truth be told I didn't walk out of my local Boots store feeling that more confident having had a liberal dose from the "Quantum" sample bottle - but I did smell nice and I did manage to accomplish the mission ahead - shopping with my 2 young children! Here's a look at some of the posters and window displays for "Quantum" that I've seen on my travels: ![]() On 9 October Ian Fleming Publications Limited (IFPL), announced that following on from the highly successful Young Bond series which covered Bond's exploits whilst at Eaton, Young Bond Will Return! However, Charlie Higson is passing the Young Bond Writing Baton to author Steve Cole. Cole's first Young Bond book will be released in Autumn 2014.: Cole is the author of a number of hugely successful children’s books – including the Astrosaurs series and several authorised Doctor Who novels. He is a lifelong fan of Fleming’s Bond novels: Whilst Higson’s five novels chart Bond’s childhood at Eton and his introduction to the world of espionage, Cole’s first title will pick up where By Royal Command (2008) left off and will follow teenage James in the aftermath of his expulsion from Eton. This period in Bond’s life has never been explored before and readers can expect all the thrills, action, glamor and tension that are the essential ingredients of a classic Bond adventure. Having read all of Higson's Young Bond books several times as well as having met the man himself at a book signing event a few years ago it was clear to me that Charlie really did have a passion and deep knowledge for 007,(so much so that it was his Chosen Specialist Subject on an episode of Celebrity Mastermind), and it really did come through in the books. I hope that Cole's Young Bond will be as faithful to Fleming's Bonds as much as Charlie Higson's were, and that Cole's love of Bond isn't just spin from the IFPL press department. Time, as they say, will tell. ![]() Steve Cole said: ‘I first encountered Bond in print as a teenager, when I read From a View to a Kill. Fleming´s writing was so vivid and authentic, Bond and the world he inhabited seemed suddenly real to me – and the danger and glamour led me through book after book. It´s both a thrilling privilege and an exciting challenge now to be shaping a new era in the life of such an iconic character – with many firsts and surprises to come as James´s life in the dangerous 1930s develops.’ Philippa Dickinson, Managing Director of Random House Children’s Publishing, says, ‘I’m absolutely delighted to be working with Ian Fleming Publications to publish a new quartet of Young Bond adventures. The period when James Bond would have been a teenager was an extraordinary time – a perfect setting for thrilling storytelling for young adults. Steve Cole is an exceptional storyteller with a wonderful ability to connect with his readers. A winning combination.’ Random House Children’s Publishing have acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in four titles from Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, the first of which will be published in hardback in Autumn 2014. Corinne Turner, Managing Director of IFPL, comments, ‘ Steve Cole is an imaginative and engaging author whose plots are addictive and gripping, so we were thrilled when he agreed to steer Young Bond through his mid-teen years. As publishers of Ian Fleming’s original Bond books and William Boyd’s new Bond continuation novel, SOLO, Random House are the perfect partner to work with us in bringing the next generation of Young Bond books to life. On behalf of Ian Fleming Publications and the Fleming family, I’d like to welcome Steve Cole to the exciting world of 007 – we can’t wait to see what scrapes James gets into next.’ Congratulations to Daniel Craig and his real life wife Rachel Weisz on their Broadway show Betrayal becoming the second best selling show of 2013! The show, about a woman who cheats in her husband with his best friend, raked in $17.5 million last year. It also set new records for non-musical shows. It was beaten into second place by Lucky Guy staring Tom Hanks - which had a longer run in a larger theatre. Congratulations to all involved! And Mr Craig, if you and your good lady wife want to do some theatre work on this side if the Atlantic I'm sure you both have lots of fans eager to see you tread the boards! ![]() Skyfall star Ben WhIshaw is to put the "Q" in Queen by playing lead singer Freddie Mercury in a soon to be filmed biopic. Whishaw, who recently married his long term partner composer Mark Bradshaw, is to replace Ali G and Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen decided not to take the lead after creative differences with the members of Queen that are still alive. ![]() I think that based on physical appearance alone Whishaw is an ideal actor for the role - but also he is an excellent actor and will be able to convey the complex character that Freddie Mercury was. I can't help but wonder though if he is going to be dubbed in any singing scenes or dare to add his musical talents to the film like Pierce Brosnan did (with mixed reviews) in Mamma Mia? Before I start to post articles in this section I thought I'd share some articles that I have had published elsewhere on the web. ![]() David Zaritsky's excellent The Bond Experience website published my article about when I attended the Regional Premier of Skyfall and got to sit behind the wheel of a Bond-Baddie-Mobile. I highly recommended this website and it's a great resource for those wanting to find out about items that were used in the Bond films, allowing us to all live like Bond - one moment at a time! To have a look at some extra photo's of the Bond-Baddie-Mobile look in the Photo Galleries section of this website ![]() David is a popular name for Bond fans as it's on the website of David Williams Bondpix that I have some other articles that I've written published:
I was said to hear that Wing Commander Wallis recently passed away on 1 September 2013, aged 97. I would like to share this article as a tribute to Wing Commander Wallis, and my sincere condolances are with his family, friends and loved ones. Bondpix is a great website featuring many behind the scenes photo's, images from Bond exhibitions and conventions and interviews with a lot of the James Bond stunt fraternity. |