Focus Of The Week: Rosa Klebb

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From Russia With Love’s Colonel Rosa Klebb (Lotte Lenya) a.k.a SPECTRE Number 3, is the former head of operations for SMERSH. She relishes the mechanisms of authoritarian structure with a sadomasochistic delight.

Klebb defected from the Soviet Intelligence apparatus to run operations for SPECTRE. She implements SPECTRE’s Director of Planning Kronsteen’s scheme by selecting assassin Donald Grant and recruiting Soviet cipher clerk Tatiana Romanova to entice Bond to steal a Lektor decoder. She also guides Grant to commit acts of sabotage and murder to heat up the Cold War in Istanbul. When Bond survives Grant’s attempt to kill him on the Orient Express, Klebb, under personal orders from Blofeld, goes after Bond in Venice.

Disguised as a hotel maid, she tries to steal the Lektor and assassinate Bond, attacking him with the poison tipped blade hidden in her shoe. But Tatiana shoots Klebb before she can fatally kick Bond.

Focus Of The Week: Max Zorin

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Max Zorin’s (Christopher Walken) boundless ambition leads him to create a plot to corner the world’s microchip market. Zorin built a fortune in oil and gas trading and then expanded into electronics. Gaining a reputation as a staunch anti-Communist and a penniless refugee who made good, Zorin acquired influential friends in European governments.

Zorin’s success proves a perfect cover for his second life as a KGB agent who, working for General Gogol, funnels important technology into the Soviet Union. Zorin also works behind the KGB’s back, providing technology to a group of microchip manufacturers whom he hopes will join him in a microchip production and distribution cartel. M becomes suspicious of Zorin when a microchip recovered by 007 in Siberia matches a chip impervious to electromagnetic pulse damage developed by a Zorin Industries company. Zorin plans to trigger a massive double earthquake that will flood the entire San Francisco Bay area, including Silicon Valley, home of 80 percent of world microchip production. Calling his plan Operation Main Strike, he foresees that his cartel’s chips will then rule the market.

Zorin has a questionable obsession with horse racing. Zorin and Dr. Carl Mortner, the steroid scientist formerly known as Hans Glaub, use remote-triggered microchips to inject steroids in racehorses during competition. This draws attention to his activities and compels him to order his accomplice May Day to murder two investigators in France and attempt to kill 007.

As operation Main Strike nears, Zorin severs all ties with the KGB and commits grander crimes. He even machine guns his own employees at his mine and betrays May Day. This final act proves the undoing of Operation Main Strike. May Day sacrifices her life to remove the detonator from the tons of explosives set to trigger the fateful earthquake.

When Zorin attempts to escape in his airship, Bond grabs onto the mooring line and ties it to the vertical struts of the Golden Gate Bridge, where Zorin and Bond battle. Bond gains the advantage, and Zorin falls to his death.

Focus Of The Week: Timothy Dalton

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Timothy Dalton approached the role of Bond with the desire to bring the character of 007 as written by Ian Fleming to the screen. Dalton made the role his own by rereading all the Fleming novels and emphasising the undercurrent of bitterness and ruthlessness that he felt defined the literary Bond while still embracing Bond’s élan and extraordinary skills and determination.

Dalton began his acting training at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in 1964 and spent his summers studying at the National Youth Theatre. He made his debut on stage in Shakespeare’s Coriolanus at the Queen’s Theatre. He left RADA after almost two years and joined the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

It wasn’t long before movie producers came calling. He made his film debut in 1968’s The Lion In Winter, starring Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn, and went on to star in such films as Wuthering Heights (1970), Cromwell (1970) and Mary, Queen Of Scots (1971).

In 1987, after being cast as Bond, Timothy Dalton spoke about his long path to slipping on the shoulder holster. “When I was about 25, Mr Broccoli kindly asked me if I would be interested in taking over from Sean Connery who was about to relinquish Bond,” he recalled. “It was not a firm offer, but an expression of interest. Frankly, I thought it would have been a stupid move for me. I was too young – Bond should be between 35 and 40 years old.” Dalton continued acting, playing a wide variety of roles. “Then, several years ago, when Roger Moore was uncertain about continuing as 007, I was approached again. The situation was very vague, there wasn’t a script yet, and I had already been asked to do Flash Gordon. But I was pleased to have been considered.” Dalton was unavailable to sign in early 1986 so the producers agreed to delay the start of production of The Living Daylights until his current movie, Brenda Starr, had wrapped. Dalton accepted, becoming the fourth man to play James Bond. He went on to star in one more Bond film, Licence To Kill (1989) and announced from the set of TV series Scarlett (1994) that he would not be playing Bond for a third time.

Focus Of The Week: Honey Ryder

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Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) stands as the archetypal Bond woman: strong, resilient, and beautiful. Searching Caribbean beaches for seashells, she gets swept up in 007’s mission to stop Dr. No destroying US rockets.

Before encountering James Bond, Honey travelled the world with her marine zoologist father. He disappeared during a trip to Crab Key with local authorities claiming he drowned, but Honey believes Dr. No is responsible.
Honey meets Bond on Crab Key where they are quickly captured by Dr No’s guards who kill Bond’s ally, Quarrel. By visiting Crab Key, Bond and Honey have been exposed to radioactive waste from No’s nuclear generator. They are cleansed before being taken to their rooms. Bond and Honey then pass out after drinking drugged coffee.

At dinner, Bond tells Dr. No that Honey has nothing to do with his mission, but the villain senses Bond’s protective feeling for Honey and uses her to provoke 007. Dr. No’s men manacle her in a chamber that slowly fills with water, but Bond rescues her. They escape in a boat seconds before Dr. No’s nuclear reactor explodes, obliterating Crab Key. Honey ends up in Bond’s arms.

Focus Of The Week: Lewis Gilbert

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Lewis Gilbert brought scope and an incredibly wry sense of humour to the James Bond films, injecting his 007 adventures with a layer of elegant and exotic fantasy.

Born into a family of music-hall performers, Lewis Gilbert began his career as a child actor. British producer Alexander Korda offered to send him to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, but Gilbert had his sights set on directing. In 1939, he worked as an assistant on Alfred Hitchcock’s Jamaica Inn.

When WWII broke out, he joined the RAF. Attached to the US Air Corps film Unit, he directed several documentaries. He continued to write and direct documentaries after the war, before directing low budget features. He eventually graduated to bigger productions, making a name for himself with ALFIE (1966), which in turn made an international star of Michael Caine.

Bond producer Cubby Broccoli was able to persuade Gilbert to direct You Only Live Twice (1967). Gilbert brought a fresh eye to the series and returned a decade later to direct The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), capitalising on Roger Moore’s 007 persona in the process. The immensely profitable Moonraker (1979) followed, after which Gilbert returned to making contained dramatic comedies.

Find out more about Lewis Gilbert in his autobiography: www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Flashbacks-Autobiography-Lewis-Gilbert-Sixty-Years-Director/1904674240

Focus Of The Week: Daniel Craig

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Daniel Craig redefined the character of James Bond, stepping out of the shadows cast by his predecessors in the role and making 007 feel new, fresh and dangerous. Craig brought a physical rawness, emotional focus, and darkly seductive air to Ian Fleming’s creation; critics, fans and moviegoers around the world embraced his interpretation, which has helped to make his Bond films some of the highest-grossing in the franchise.

At 16, Daniel Craig applied to study at the National Youth Theatre in London. There he earned a reputation as a diverse and dedicated actor. Craig appeared in numerous television productions, including the BBC’s Our Friends In The North. After winning critical acclaim for his role in Love Is The Devil he went on to work with Steven Spielberg (Munich) and Sam Mendes (Road To Perdition). The lead in the underworld thriller Layer Cake (2004) brought Craig worldwide acclaim.

With the decision in early 2004 to recast the role of James Bond, the filmmakers’ thoughts soon turned to Daniel Craig and when they had a script in place they sent it to him. “Once I sat down and read the story, I just thought that I wanted to tell this story,” recalled Craig. “I’m a big Bond fan.”

On October 14, 2005, Daniel Craig arrived at the banks of the River Thames, stepped onto a rigid raider boat piloted by a Royal Navy escort, and raced across the water to HMS President for his introduction to the world’s media.

Just over 14 months later, Craig became the only 007 actor to have starred in a Bond film which took over $593 million in worldwide box office (Casino Royale). He has played Bond in three films since, Quantum Of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015). Craig’s portrayal of Bond has the sense that beneath the veneer of 007’s implacable outer shell exists a dark, damaged, and extraordinary man. His remarkable transformation of the character has brought a new sense of emotional reality to the Bond films.

Focus Of The Week: Dario

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Dario (Benicio Del Toro) works as a key enforcer for Franz Sanchez, a Central American drug lord. Sanchez treats Dario, the youngest member of his inner circle, like a younger brother.

Dario demonstrates his skill with a Bowie knife when he arrives in Cray Cay with Sanchez to retrieve the drug lord’s girlfriend, Lupe Lamora. Dario removes the heart of her illicit lover, Alvarez, and provides Sanchez with a “little valentine.” After DEA agent Felix Leiter, who has been hunting Sanchez for years, finally captures him, Dario exacts revenge by stabbing Della, Felix’s bride. Dario then helps Sanchez lower Leiter into a shark tank.

Dario acquires Leiter’s secret files and eliminates all of Leiter’s contacts in his investigation of Sanchez except one, Pam Bouvier. Dario travels to the Barrelhead Bar in Bimini to kill her and shoots her in the back as she speeds away in boat with 007. Dario thinks she is dead, unaware that her Kevlar vest stopped the bullets.

When Bond participates in a tour of Sanchez’s drug processing plant, Dario recognizes him. His cover exposed, Bond sets the lab ablaze, but Sanchez captures and interrogates him. When Bond refuses to speak, Dario throws him onto a conveyor belt leading to a pulveriser. Before Dario can kill Bond, Pam appears through the cocaine mist and Dario momentarily thinks she is ghost. Pam shoots Dario, and Bond hurls him into the pulveriser.

Focus Of The Week: Tanner

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In Quantum Of Solace (2008), Tanner (Rory Kinnear) is M’s right-hand man. He plays by-the-book, leading M to explain that things aren’t always what they seem. In Skyfall (2012), Tanner helps M and Bond identify Patrice, protects M during Silva’s attack on the Board of Inquiry, and assists Q in leaving a digital “breadcrumb trail” for Silva to follow.

Spectre was Kinnear’s third instalment as Tanner. He keeps Bond updated with the new head of the Centre for National Security, C’s plans and escorts Bond to receive a smart blood tracking device, an “insurance policy” after Bond’s rogue mission to Mexico. Tanner teams up with Moneypennny and Q to help Bond and M bring down C and Blofeld.

Focus Of The Week: Sir Ken Adam

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Born in Berlin in 1921, Ken Adam left Germany with his family in 1934. After training as an architect at London University, he joined the RAF and took part in the Battle of Normandy. In 1946, Adam landed a job as a junior draftsman at Riverside Studios. Over the next decade, he became known as one of Europe’s best film designers, earning his first Academy Award nomination for Around The World In 80 Days (1956).

When Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman started working on Dr. No (1963), they asked Adam to join the team. Adam set out to design imaginative sets using the very latest techniques and materials, setting the tone for the whole James Bond series.

Adam was unable to work on the second 007 film (From Russia With Love) but returned for the next three, surpassing himself each time. Blofeld’s hideout inside a volcano in 1967’s You Only Live Twice resulted in a massive $1 million set on the Pinewood backlot.

Greatly in demand, Adam only contributed to one of the next four Bond films, 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever. After winning an Academy Award for his work on Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon (1975), he returned for two more 007 assignments. His supertanker set for The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) required a space so huge that a special stage had to be constructed to house it. The resulting structure was christened the 007 Stage. Adam’s designs for The Spy Who Loved Me earned him his third Academy Award nomination.

Continuing to work on films in the 80s and 90s, Adam earned his second Academy Award win in 1994 for The Madness Of King George. In 2003, he was knighted. Adam sadly passed away on March 10th, 2016.

Discover a range of Ken Adam’s most iconic Bond production sketches at 007Store.com.

Focus Of The Week: John Barry

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John Barry created the musical sound of James Bond. His arrangement and orchestration of Monty Norman’s “The James Bond Theme” combined his own twangy-guitar signature with a jazz big-band kick. Recurring throughout Dr. No (1962), it guaranteed Barry’s subsequent involvement with 007.

Barry’s innovative approach combined pop, jazz and classical styles to create a genre of movie music that was exciting, romantic and suspenseful. Barry scored the next Bond film, From Russian With Love (1963). He then went on to both score and write the title song for Goldfinger (1964), the first of many Bond films where he would compose both.

Barry composed the scores for 11 Bond films (and with Dr. No, contributed to 12). He continually updated his style and collaborated with top vocalists and bands, establishing a musical framework that Bond composers follow to this day.

Beyond Bond, Barry’s film career encompassed many significant films. He won five Academy Awards among many other awards and nominations. He sadly passed away in 2011.

The Royal College of Music and Mrs Laurie Barry established the John Barry Scholarship for Film Composition, with the aim of helping talented future film composers reach their full potential. http://www.rcm.ac.uk/johnbarryscholarship/

Focus Of The Week: Baron Samedi

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The legendary figure of Baron Samedi is a mischief-maker who both tempts and punishes humans. In Live And Let Die, the host at a show for tourists in San Monique describes Baron Samedi as the “voodoo god of cemeteries and Chief of the Legion of the Dead, the man who cannot die.” Dr. Kanaga employs a man who claims to be the Baron (Geoffrey Holder) to instill fear in his minions and to protect his thousands of acres of poppy fields. He crosses Bond and Solitaire’s path several times before Bond throws him into a coffin filled with poisonous snakes, apparently killing him. But nothing is certain where the God of Cemeteries is concerned, and Baron Samedi sits mockingly on the front of the Crescent train at the film’s end.

Focus Of The Week: Cubby Broccoli

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Albert R. Broccoli, known to film fans as “Cubby” Broccoli, is one of the most legendary of all Hollywood producers; the man behind the James Bond series.

In 1961, Canadian producer Harry Saltzman had all but given up on Ian Fleming’s idea of bringing Bond to the silver screen when Cubby entered the picture. Together they founded Eon Productions and Danjaq, LLC, seeing the Bond films develop from relatively low budget origins to large-budget, high-grossing spectacles, enjoyed by film fans globally. For more than 30 years, Broccoli devoted almost all his efforts to making Bond movies. From Dr. No (1962) to GoldenEye (1995), Broccoli championed the series, creating some of the world’s best-loved films. Not only did he create the Bond franchise, but the big-event action-adventure picture itself, changing the film business forever.

At the 1982 Academy Awards, Broccoli was honoured with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for his work in film. In 1990, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Broccoli passed on the mantle of Bond series with GoldenEye (1995) to his daughter Barbara Broccoli and stepson Michael G. Wilson. He passed away in 1996 aged 87.

To find out more about Cubby Broccoli, his autobiography is available here:

www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/When-Melts-Cubby-Broccolis-story-Autobiography-Broccoli/0752211625/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484307599&sr=8-1&keywords=cubby+broccoli