Here’s something for the bachelor (or bachelorette) pad that has everything. Michael Gillette is the creative genius behind these unique covers of Penguin’s Ian Fleming James Bond novels that have instantly became iconic classics with every retro lover.
Much requested, they are now available as limited edition, signed and numbered prints in conjunction with Ian Fleming Publications Ltd. Printed to the highest standards by the Electric Works Gallery in San Francisco, they are exclusively available from their webstore.
The smaller prints (paper size 9″x 13⅜”) retail at $95 plus shipping and handling. Signed and numbered in an edition of 700. Sets of all 15 titles ($1200 plus s&h).
By Chris
February 4th, 2012
The name’s Binder, Maurice Binder.
You may not recognize the name but you’d know his work if you saw it. The opening sequence of James Bond looking down a gun barrel is one of the most iconic moments in film history. Through saturated colours and tantalizing silhouettes, Maurice Binder created the most memorable, eye-catching title credit sequences of the 20th century for the James Bond film franchise.
Binder spent the first half of his design career in New York as a graphic designer in advertising, eventually working his way up to Advertising Director for Macy’s department store. Seeking a challenge, Binder turned his attention to film. In 1958, he struck up a working partnership with director Stanley Donen, designing title sequences for Indiscreet, The Grass is Greener, and Charade.
February 21st, 2011
Ultra Swank – Your one stop blog for retro living, style and design
Ultra Swank takes you back in time into the kitsch, chic and swank living of the 50s, 60s and the 70s. We mainly focus on the design, architecture and the lifestyle of the happy-go-lucky and space-age-living mentality of that era – but also on the music and movies that takes you back to happier times. Ultra Swank is run by Chris, a Swede born in the wrong decade that currently resides in Barcelona. Read more
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One of my absolutely favorite composers of all time has passed away. John Barry, winner of five academy awards and numerous other awards. Many will remember him for his tremendous work of scoring 11 of the James Bond movies and co-authoring the famous 007 gun barrel theme, but that’s only part of his career. He also scored music to 100 other films and tv-shows.
His trademark sound of using lush strings and strong brass arrangements has created beautiful and emotionally strong songs to movies such as “High Road to China”, “Out of Africa”, “Dances with Wolves” and “The Lion in Winter” among many, many others. Barry started his career in 1957 and got his big break performing on the BBC show Drumbeat with his John Barry Seven band. A few years later he was offered to rearrange the 007 theme as the producers were displeased with Monty Normans work. The rest is as they say, history.
By Chris
January 31st, 2011
Check out this scanned article from Popular Science back in 1966 featuring the zany gadgets that was used in the 007 movie Thunderball. Thank you Royalton for the tip!
Some of the gadgets actually are buckled onto Connery’s famous back. One is the Bell jet-pack flying belt Bond uses in the beginning of the film to escape from a French chateau. Connery has to wear a special Dacron suit whose color won’t bleach out when touched by the belt’s highly concentrated peroxide fuel. The belt provides about 20 seconds of flight, but only 10 seconds is used for the upward flight. It would be disastrous to run out of power a couple of hundred feet up in the air.
By Chris
December 12th, 2008
