SPY VIBE

ARCHIVE OF NEWS HIGHLIGHTS FROM SPY VIBE

AARNIO BALL CHAIR SALE

Spy Vibe received exciting news from the Regency Shop about a number of items currently on sale that will appeal to Mid-Century Modern enthusiasts (isn't that everyone?). The list includes an Eames Lounge Chair, a hanging bubble chair, and for those of us who always wanted to decorate the lair in the style of Number Two from The Prisoner, an Eero Aarnio Bubble Chair (on sale for $455!).

From their website: New Modern Eero Aarnio Ball Globe Ball Chair - Brand New! Retro-Futuristic, sit, turn, stretch, talk, rest, dream. Molded fiberglass shell featuring a polyester seating section and fully padded inner walls.The globe is attached to a reinforced steel lacquered base which also allows the chair to rotate. This is a high-quality redesign of the original while staying true to the original craftsmanship. The main Regency website is here. I have not shopped with them, but I've seen good reviews. If any SpyVibers pick up a futuristic treasure, leave a comment at this post at the Spy Vibe blogsite and tell us about your experience with Regency.

JASON'S SONG/FILM ON YOUTUBE

Spy Vibe Jason's winning song/film project with the Plastic Ono Band is now listed on Yoko Ono's YouTube Favorites. The visuals are black and white, experimental scenes of ocean creatures, but I think readers may enjoy the Lounge/Jazz approach of the music. You can read more about the project here. Before creating Spy Vibe, I have been composing music and making films for the international festival circuit. My previous film, I Was A Dancer -filmed in Japan- was short-listed for the Sundance Film Festival and screened around the world. Being a lifetime fan of 1960s revolutionary artists like Ono and The Beatles, I feel thrilled and blessed to have had a chance to collaborate with the Plastic Ono Band and to share the results. Thanks for checking it out!

JASON WINS REMIX COMPETITION

During the flurry of Beatles and Mod style-related posts in the fall, Spy Vibe announced that Yoko Ono released an exciting and richly artistic album with the Plastic Ono Band. Members included Sean Lennon, Yuka Honda, and Cornelius. The band, now on a US tour, held a remix competition in November for their song, The Sun is Down. Music has always been a big part of my life, including remixing, songwriting, guitar & bass, film scores, and many spy-sampled lounge tunes. I jumped at the chance to collaborate with these guys! Yoko provided a handful of vocal clips. It was up to the remixers/composers to interpret as we wished. I planned a number of solutions, but had a busy fall as Spy Vibers will know. In the end I completed a lounge/jazz song- which was chosen as one of the 20 winners of the competition! When I'm not teaching and writing films, fiction, and comics, I'm busy making short films. With my song on the award list, I made an experimental film to promote the track. See it here on YouTube. Remembering John Lennon's nickname for Yoko, Ocean Child, I shot black & white footage of dancing sea horses, jelly fish, and a dolphin on my iPhone. The film is dedicated to my brothers-in-film Kousuke Ono, Michele Civetta, and Jack Criddle. No stealthy spies or mini skirts in this one, but I hope Spy Vibers will check it out. More news about Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band at Yoko's website Imagine Peace. Information about Jason's films and projects at jasonwhiton.com.

007 MAGAZINE IS BACK

After a 3-year sabbatical as an online Internet publication only, 007 MAGAZINE is set to return with not one, but two separate titles. The sister publication will be entitled 007 MAGAZINE ARCHIVE FILES, and the first issue will feature articles and many never-before-seen images from the making of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, in the film's 40th anniversary year.

As stated on the official 007 Magazine website, each issue of 007 Magazine Archive Files spotlights various elements of one particular James Bond film featuring rare and never-before-seen imagery coupled with informative and definitive information. 007 Magazine Archive Files #1 examines the filming of the exciting and brutal beach fight that opens the sixth James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) starring one-time Bond George Lazenby, and the filming at The College of Arms in London. Featuring never-before-seen images from a scene cut from the final movie when Bond discovers the villainous Ernst Stavro Blofeld’s spy has infiltrated the college and is listening-in to 007’s top secret conversation with Sir Hilary Bray. Bond fans can purchase 007 Magazine Archive Files #1 at the official 007 Magazine website. Check out their list of back issues, too!

007 Magazine first appeared in print in April 1979 and premiered on the World Wide Web during 1997, while its more recent web persona evolved during September 2004. 007 Magazine publications and website feature the definitive work on the subject, covering everything relating to the James Bond phenomenon and spanning six decades from 1952 to the present day. During its 30-year history 007 Magazine & Archive has become the foremost worldwide focal point for countless inquiries relating to Bond, James Bond and provides the ultimate resource for James Bond enthusiasts worldwide, and a unique commercial picture agency & information centre for the world's media.

Thanks to agent Wes Britton for the heads-up and to the 007 Magazine website. Additional information and James Bond news at the excellent community and research site, Commander Bond Network.

GEORGE LAZENBY INTERVIEW TONIGHT

AGENT Wesley Britton has been busy with some fantastic projects, including a Best of The Decade compilation of essays that I am looking forward to reading. As many Spy Vibers will know, he is also behind many memorable interviews on Dave White Presents. As we leave 2009 and the 40Th anniversary of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, it is fitting that one of the most popular shows in the program was his chat with 007 actor, George Lazenby. For Spy Vibers who missed it, the full interview is being re-broadcast and will be available on-line. More from Dr. Britton's press release:

When DWP debuted in Aug. 2008, many of our interviews were broken up into parts and broadcast over several shows. Without question, the most popular was Wes Britton’s lengthy conversation with former 007 George Lazenby, which first aired on our Dec. 24, 2008 and Jan. 7, 2009 broadcasts. As a New Year’s gift to all our fans, and Bond lovers in particular, our Jan. 5, 2010 show will include that interview in its hour plus entirety from beginning to end. If you missed it the first time around, or would like to hear the conversation without interruption, here’s your chance to hear George’s memories in one go—and listening to George telling his story adds dimensions to the saga not always quite so poignant in printed versions of how On Her Majesty’s Secret Service came to be. It will debut Tuesday night, Jan. 5, at 7:30 p.m. Pacific Time, 10:30 EST at KSAV. Wednesday, Jan. 6, the broadcast will be available for 24/7 access at Audio Entertainment. More info at Spy Wise.

SECRET ORIGINS OF JAMES BOND

Wesley Britton presents an in-depth article by Spy author and C.O.B.R.A.S. ally agent, JEREMY DUNS. Announced today from Spy Wise: "Duns’ 16 page history and analysis traces the previously unexplored literary influences of novelist Dennis Wheatley on the James Bond books in character descriptions, scenes in the novels, and innovative writing techniques. It’s surprising no one has called attention to all this before- Duns has provided us all with a richly detailed window into what literary wells Ian Fleming drew from, most notably in Thunderball. Jeremy Duns is, of course, the author of the spy sensation of 2009, Free Agent. This article is his expansion and revision of an essay he posted on his 'Spy Novels' list serve. The Secret Origins of 007 is available as a PDF download in the 'James Bond Files' at Spy Wise."

WELCOME NEW C.O.B.R.A.S.

Busy with missions throughout the fall, I haven't had a chance yet to officially welcome all of our new C.O.B.R.A.S. agents. The HMSS WEBLOG is an editorial based magazine blog that covers James Bond and spy-related news. A current post reminds fans about one of my childhood faves, Lancelot Link Secret Chimp (mentioned in Spy Vibe's Spy Kids: Trench Coat review). Johny Malone's UNA PLAGE DE ESPIAS is a fantastic site that brings fans into the world of spy fiction in Spanish. Phillippe Lombard's QUANTUM OF BOND offers 007 and spy articles in French. This is a cool pad where you will find Spy Vibe faves like OSS 117, comics, spy fiction and more. Spy Vibers may remember that the C.O.B.R.A.S., a collective of blog writers about spies, formed early last year. Like agents responding to chalk marks on park benches, a core group found one another and has continued to grow internationally (check out this cool book cover from Johny Malone below). I'm pleased to welcome our newest members at last and I encourage readers to check in with all of the C.O.B.R.A.S. for your daily dose of espionage culture.

OUR MAN IN LONDON: ROB MALLOWS

Spy Vibers who have been reading Armstrong Sabian's wonderful series on Harry Palmer over at Mister 8 may also be familiar with The Deighton Dossier website and blog. Created by UK writer Rob Mallows, The Deighton Dossier is the most comprehensive and current resource about author Len Deighton on the Internet. Mallows offers spy fans a well-researched world to explore that goes beyond Deighton's life, books, and films, into a fascinating, broader world where Deighton's work meets historical/cultural aspects of espionage, news, art, and design. Spy Vibe welcomes The Deighton Dossier as a new C.O.B.R.A.S. member! Head over to the blog site to read current pieces about the influence of the Berlin Wall in literature and a Swinging 60s retrospective of Photography by Brian Duffy.

NORTH BY NORTHWEST BLU-RAY- OUT TODAY!

Spy Vibe fans of Alfred Hitchcock will be happy to hear that his classic North By Northwest is now available on Blu-ray. Although Hitchcock had already developed his trademark conventions (the maguffin, the wrong man, climax in an epic location), North By Northwest is remembered by many as the ultimate Hitchcock thriller. A suave, successful New York advertising executive finds himself mistaken as a spy and is embroiled in a web of intrigue, lost microfilm, seduction, and murder. Stars Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint (Grand Prix), James Mason, Martin Landau (Mission Impossible, Space 1999), Leo G. Carroll (The Man From U.N.C.L.E.), and Edward Platt (Get Smart).

Hitchcock set out to create a theme endearing to Spy Vibers in North By Northwest by accentuating the main character's isolation in the lap of mid-century modernist luxury. As Sandy MacLendon points out on JetSetModern, Hitchcock created a carefully crafted world of affluence that would be recognizable to a mass audience: The director himself chose Eva Marie Saint's wardrobe from Bergdorf Goodman and jewelry from Van Cleef. Chris from Clothes On Film discusses Grant's famous grey Kilgour suit, which has been recognized by GQ as an iconic look for men. Characters were put behind the wheels of the latest chic cars by Mercedes, Lincoln, and Cadillac. But where the film really shines for design fans is in its choice of locations: Plaza Hotel/New York, estate house/Long Island, UN Building/New York, Grand Central Station/New York, aboard the Twentieth Century Limited train to Chicago, and the piece de resistance- the modernist Vandamm home in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright. According to MacLendon, Wright had agreed to design a previous Hollywood film- for ten percent of the project's budget! Never to be thwarted, Hitchock had his design crew set to work on a Wright-style house that audiences would recognize, using Wright's signature materials and lines, and through matt photography, placed it atop Mount Rushmore. They added support beams for dramatic effect, providing a way for Grant's character to climb into the house undetected. MacLendon points out that "The living room set was dressed in the best of 1958’s furniture and art, and it makes a very interesting point. The furniture is largely Scandinavian Modern. There is Chinese art, and a Pre-Colombian statue figures prominently in the action. Greek flokati rugs are on the floors. Vandamm’s spying is meant to set the nations of the world at war, but it seems they co-exist peacefully enough under his roof!"

The title sequence by Saul Bass is also noteworthy. Bass had begun to design for Hitchcock on his previous film, Vertigo, and Bass pushed the theme of modernity further for North By Northwest. As the Design Museum describes: "In 1958’s Vertigo, his first title sequence for Alfred Hitchcock, Bass shot an extreme close-up of a woman’s face and then her eye before spinning it into a sinister spiral as a bloody red soaks the screen. For his next Hitchcock commission, 1959’s North by Northwest, the credits swoop up and down a grid of vertical and diagonal lines like passengers stepping off elevators. It is only a few minutes after the movie has begun - with Cary Grant stepping out of an elevator - that we realise the grid is actually the façade of a skyscraper." The use of bold fonts and animation based on perspective accentuated the geometric, sleek modern tone of the film.

According to John Patterson at The Guardian, "North By Northwest has been called the first James Bond movie (screenwriter Ernest Lehman called it "the ultimate Hitchcock picture" while he was writing it, but no matter). And the similarities are evident. In 1960 Hitchcock himself briefly considered directing Thunderball. Ian Fleming originally wanted Grant (who was a good friend of Bond producer Cubby Broccoli) to play 007 in Dr No, and North By Northwest surely had a lot to do with that (Grant turned down the part). 1959 was also the year Fleming published Goldfinger, the first truly ridiculous Bond novel (delightful though it is), which, as the third Bond movie, would perfect the NXNW-style template from which the series would barely deviate until the advent of Daniel Craig." Patterson's review of Goldfinger notwithstanding, the idea of a Hitchcock-directed Bond has been a point of discussion among 007 fans.

The film has been ranked #7 in the top-ten greatest mystery films of all time by the American Film Institute.

MASTER SPY ILLUSTRATORS & NEW COBRAS AGENT

Our Man in Vermont Steve Bissette is winding down a multi-part exploration of the career of master illustrator Frank McCarthy. In "McCarthy Does 007 (& nobody does it better), Steve offers up a fantastic review of McCarthy's spy images from the 1960s, including promotional art for Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, On Her Majsty's Secret Service, The Venetian Affair (Man From U.N.C.L.E.), and a discussion of McCarthy's collaboration with fellow artist Robert McGinnes. Head over to learn more and to check out some very cool 60s poster and album art. Steve adds praise for Peter's The Illustrated 007 blog as one of the best resources of Bond art on the Internet. Spy Vibers will be familiar with Peter's complete archive of 007 artwork and will be pleased to hear that he has recently accepted an invitation to join the COBRAS. Peter, welcome to our Spy Network!

Land of the Giants: The Complete Series

SCI FI ASSASSIN: LOGAN'S RUN

In this Cold War-influenced classic, Logan's Run is a cautionary tale about a post-nuclear society that copes with overpopulation by killing off its citizens at age 30 (the novel and 2010 re-make set expiration around 21). Humanity has been confined for generations in a shopping mall-like dome, allowing for some very cool futuristic set design by Dale Hennesy (In Like Flint, Fantastic Voyage, Dirty Harry) and Set Decorator Robert De Vestel (Batman, Green Hornet, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea). Spy Vibers will recognize a 70s slant on a number of elements we've explored here in 1960s design, including globe lamps and monitors and Kubrick-style white, minimal rooms. With its famous electronic score by Jeremy Goldsmith, its revealing (!) unisex wear and jumpsuit uniforms by Bill Thomas (The Black Hole), the tone of the future, like THX 1138 by Lucas and Fahrenheit 451 by Truffaut, is quite lulled into submission by consumerism and pleasure (in this case- sensual pleasure). At age 30, everyone enters a Colosseum-like chamber where they float up into an electric field that vaporizes them. To desire life and to run from this ritual is deemed deviant by society and punishable by death. Logan, the main character of the film, is indeed an assassin- a member of a sanctioned death squad that hunts down 'runners' and executes them with laser blasters. Logan is sent undercover on a mission to join the runners and expose what the government fears is an underground railroad to freedom in a place whispered about in dark alleys called Sanctuary. So begins Logan's Quest that brings him, and his community, toward self-awareness and survival. The film was released in 1976, just prior to Star Wars, and remains a stylish and evocative experience. Logan's Run is out today on Blu-ray and includes commentary by director Michael Anderson, star Michael York, and costume designer Bill Thomas. Additional cast includes Jenny Agutter, Farrah Fawcett, and Peter Ustinov. Movie trailer and score/photo video on the Spy Vibe website. We'll let the lovely Agutter guide us on a tour of the sets and costumes:

TARANTINO DIGS DEIGHTON

From the Commander Bond Network: It’s public knowledge that Quentin Tarantino has been interested in the James Bond film series for quite some time, despite not yet having the opportunity to direct one the films. Now, the Kill Bill director is considering creating his own spy series that would likely rival 007’s own big screen adventures.

The Guardian reports that Tarantino is particularly interested in a spy trilogy penned by Len Deighton: Berlin Game, Mexico Set and London Match. The books center on the cold war-era adventures of Bernard Samson, a jaded, middle-aged intelligence officer working for the fictional Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) in the 1980s.

"One of the things I enjoy musing about doing is the trilogy of Len Deighton books, Berlin Game, Mexico Set and London Match," Tarantino explained. "The story takes place in the Cold War and follows a spy named Bernard Sampson. What is attractive is the really great characters and the wonderful casting. I love England. It would be a wonderful life experience to have an excuse to work here for six or nine months," he added.

I note that Granada Television produced the trilogy in 1988 with Ian Holm. No talk of Tarantino picking up the Harry Palmer stories, which may be a blessing as they are so well-loved as Michael Caine classics at this point. Stay tuned.

NEW KATO FOR GREEN HORNET

News made the rounds today as The Green Hornet film announced their new Kato. From Dave McNary (Variety): Taiwanese singer-actor Jay Chou has joined the cast of Columbia's "The Green Hornet" opposite Seth Rogen in the role of sidekick Kato. Chou replaces Hong Kong actor Stephen Chow in the role, originally made famous by Bruce Lee in the 1966-67 TV series.

Col made the announcement Friday. "Hornet," directed by Michel Gondry, is slotted for a summer 2010 release and the project's moving ahead for a fall start date. "Jay is incredibly unique and charming and fights like a wild dog!" Gondry said.

Chou broke into film in Initial D in 2005 in China, starred opposite Chow Yun-Fat and Gong Li in Zhang Yimou's The Curse of the Golden Flower and Kung Fu Dunk Secret. He's also in the upcoming Chinese film Ci Ling and in Yuen Woo-Ping's True Legend. and made his directorial debut and starred in

The studio's in early talks with Nicolas Cage to play the gangster villain in The Green Hornet and Cameron Diaz is negotiating to play a reporter and love interest (Daily Variety, July 21).

NICOLA CONTE/SUPER FURRY ANIMALS

Two very cool shows at the Highland Ballroom in NYC on Sept 4th: Nicola Conte (mentioned during the first annual Spy Vibe Penthouse Party) at 8PM and the Super Furry Animals at 9PM. You can learn more about Highland shows on their blog and at their website.

SPY VIBE in VEGAS

I look forward to sharing news of our trip to see The Beatles Cirque du Soliel show LOVE in Las Vegas- Spy Vibers will enjoy some of the costumes and screen designs! In the meantime, I will post some of the Photographs I made during the trip with my iPhone especially for Spy Vibe.

SPY VIBE in VEGAS 2

Part Two of new Photographs made with my iPhone especially for Spy Vibe during our trip to Vegas to see The Beatles Cirque du Soleil show. As I'm currently writing new articles about the influence of the Space Race and Cold War anxieties on fashion and costume design, my eye was immediately drawn to this add for Barneys that juxtaposes the model with an astronaut. See? The 1960s Spy Vibe of futuristic style is still in orbit! The second image for today is an interior study of the Fin restaurant in The Mirage. I loved how they mixed exposed flagstone-style with glass-lit walls and hanging, metalic spheres.

SPIES ON DISC

News of upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases can now be found on our SPIES ON DISC page.

CINEMA RETRO

A heartfelt thank you to CINEMA RETRO magazine and Lee Pfeiffer for featuring SPY VIBE recently on-line. As IMDB now guides new readers to their magazine, so do their kind words bring new readers to SPY VIBE. If you have not discovered CINEMA RETRO yet, I urge you to subscribe today. Catch up with back issues. They are truly a treasure for fans of Film/TV of the 1960s and 1970s. The founders also have quite a back catalog of cool books (and other media releases) that are worth tracking down, and many new projects coming our way in the future. They also organize fantastic events- especially for 007 fans. Click for larger image. Grazie! - Jason

SPY VIBE MEETS JAWS

The highlight of Wondercon this year was meeting up with the wonderful Richard "Jaws" Kiel (The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, Wild Wild West), David Hedison (Live and Let Die, License To Kill, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea), and fellow Spy Blogger and writer Matthew Bradford (Double O Section). Jaws voted best Bond character! Check out the article on the Commander Bond Network.

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES LEGO SETS

NEW FROM CINEMA RETRO!

The Years of Loving Dangerously

Fellow C.O.B.R.A.S. blog, Permission to Kill, has intercepted an interesting Times article about espionage and sex in the Cold War. Honey traps, like the secret filming of Bond and Tatiana in From Russia With Love, were a common strategy to corrupt and manipulate agents and information. Times brief:

They were communist agents trained — and surgically enhanced — to seduce the West’s Moneypennys and Bonds. Lauren St John finds out what went on between the sheets behind the iron curtain. Times link here.

BOND MUSEUM OPENS TODAY!

April 5, 2009: Congratulations from Spy Vibe to Peter Nelson on the opening of his Keswick Bond Museum! As reported on the Commander Bond Network, the Keswick Bond Museum opened today. Collector/curator Peter Nelson has been an avid 007 fan since reading the Fleming novels as a kid. News & Star has posted an interview with Nelson to talk about James Bond, the collection, and the launch of the museum. You can see a list of some of the museum's highlights here.

NEW BOND MUSEUM

The fabulous Toyota GT2000 from the film You Only Live Twice remains one of the rarest of 60s sports cars. I've read that as few as 351 regular production cars were made, and only a couple of convertibles were produced for the 007 film. They are nearly impossible to find- especially if one is looking for one of the few in existence outfitted for the film with custom 007 gadgets and panels. Visitors to Keswick's James Bond Museum will see this rare bird- and more- when the museum makes its grand opening on April 5th. Other items on display include numerous Aston Martins, the Lotus/sub from The Spy Who Loved Me, and the Jet Pack from Thunderball. The exhibit list will take your breath away (and possibly cause drooling). Until we can actually see the original vehicles at the museum, I suggest we curb our cravings with Corgi's scale model below. Check the Commander Bond Network for full museum coverage.

THE GREEN HORNET FILM

I've finally had a chance to check out The Green Hornet (1966) and have become an instant fan. More to come on the fabulous Spy Vibe of this show, but in the meantime... this news from the official Press Release website for The Green Hornet film from Sony Pictures.

A Comedy?

Some readers have pointed out that the film will be a comedy. One of the reasons I enjoy the show so much is that they play it straight. hmmm. Could be another I Spy/Wild Wild West disappointment? As Matt Maranian mentioned in our chat, earnestness is what is missing from most re-makes, and producers quickly fall into parody with a movie designed for laughs. Dear Gondry, please keep the Green Hornet cool and adventurous. These characters are not winking at the audience- they are too busy fighting crime in their fantastic Bond-meets-The Dark Knight-meets-Bruce Lee fashion.

CULVER CITY, Calif., February 24, 2009 - Michel Gondry is in negotiations to direct Columbia Pictures' The Green Hornet, starring Seth Rogen and Stephen Chow, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach, presidents of Columbia Pictures. The screenplay is by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, who will also executive produce. Neal H. Moritz will produce the film through his Original Film production company. The film will begin shooting this summer and is set for release June 25, 2010. The film will also be executive produced by Michael Grillo. Commenting on the announcement, Tolmach said, "From the very beginning, Seth, Evan, and Neal wanted this film to stand out from the pack with its originality. You couldn't ask for a better director than Michel Gondry to bring that to life."

Moritz added, "We're huge fans of Michel Gondry. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and all his films are as daring as they are extraordinary, fueled by creative ideas that spring from his unique worldview. Our first rule, always, is to make the movie that we want to see, and that couldn't be truer than with Michel bringing his stylish and original touch to the helm." Said Gondry, "I'm very excited about The Green Hornet and all that I hope to bring to it. This story has always been close to me and now Seth & Evan have written a script that is both funny and real - the best of both worlds. I cannot wait to further collaborate with them on it."

Gondry, an award-winning film, commercial, and music video director, is set to release his most recent film, Tokyo!, a triptych film telling three stories about the iconic city, on March 6, 2009. Gondry recently released his film Be Kind Rewind, which inspired Gondry's debut book, You'll Like This Film Because You're In It: The Be Kind Rewind Protocol. Gondry's recent films include The Science of Sleep, Dave Chappelle's Block Party, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, for which Gondry received a 2005 Academy Award for original screenplay, for his contribution to the storyline alongside Charlie Kaufman. Gondry co-produced both Be Kind Rewind and The Science of Sleep through his production company Partizan Films.

JAWS AND BOND SCHOOL
An interesting article from Devin Zydel from the Commander Bond network, exciting events at the BFI, and a chance to see master set designer Sir Ken Adam in person!

TALKING JAMES BOND WITH RICHARD KIEL
When the topic of James Bond henchmen comes up for discussion, it is almost a sure bet that the character of Jaws will be mentioned more than once. Even though he starred in just two films that hit theatre screens roughly 30 years ago, Richard Kiel’s steel-toothed baddie-turned-goodie remains a favourite amongst fans. As a result, Kiel will be making an appearance this weekend for the BFI screening of Moonraker as part of the Albert R. Broccoli centenary celebrations currently taking place.

The Guardian’s Geoffrey Macnab had a chance to sit down with the 7’ 2” tall actor to discuss just what it was like to square off against Roger Moore’s Bond in The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker. As stated by Kiel, producer ‘Cubby’ Broccoli’s original idea for Jaws was a character who has ‘teeth like tools, maybe like a shark. They’ll be made out of steel and he’ll kill people with them.’

The teeth themselves resulted from a visit to a dentist near Pinewood Studios for a fitting. ‘The guy ended up successfully making one set. He told me he couldn’t make any more - it was just too difficult,’ Kiel said. During shooting, however, Kiel could only wear them for a few minutes at a time. He said: ‘They were nauseating. They were up in the roof of your mouth and gave you a gagging effect - you felt like you were going to be sick. It did add to the stoic part of my character - to keep from throwing up. They were kind enough to have a lady with a tupperware container with some cotton at the bottom. As soon as the director called cut, out they came. She would take them and rinse them with mouthwash and leave them to dry off for the next scene.’ Kiel also reveals that the teeth went into a safe each night throughout filming. However, their current whereabouts remain a mystery.