James Bond & Friends

0150: There Is No Substitute

Is the GoldenEye 007 re-release everything we hoped it would be?

It's a time we thought we may never see: an official re-release of the revolutionary record-breaking James Bond videogame 'GoldenEye 007.' Originally published for the Nintendo 64 back in 1997, fans can now step back in time with a Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series S/X release that dropped on January 27th 2023. How did we get finally get here? What are the differences between the versions? Has the power of nostalgia papered over some of the cracks, or will new gamers genuinely enjoy this classic today? We also reveal the (alleged) story of how the title got greenlit back in the day. 

The recording took place on February 1st, 2023 in the USA and UK. 

You can contact the show at contact@jamesbondandfriends.com 

James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential

Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson

Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger 

This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2023

0149: Unmade Warhead

How crazy were Sean Connery and Kevin McClory's script ideas back in 1978?

Based on 'James Bond of the Secret Service' written in the 1950s, which would eventually become the novel 'Thunderball,' then a film of the same name, and years later even more script variations, 'Warhead' 1978 is the topic of this episode of our 'Unmade' season of episodes about James Bond films that never got filmed as intended. How much would survive in to the production that ultimately became 'Never Say Never Again'? Hold on to your hats for invisible cliffs, nuclear powered undersea cities, robotic sharks, underwater jetpacks, a fetish for building scale models, twin sisters, alien and time travel theories on the Bermuda Triangle, and many, many more bonkers plot ideas in a film where Blofeld was front and centre.

The recording took place on January 6th, 2023 in the USA and Spain. 

James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential

David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com

Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com

This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2023

0148: The Lost Daylights Tape

What treasures have we dragged out of the archive?

Pull up a comfy chair in front of the fireplace, pour yourself a drink, and sit back and enjoy this 1987 production of The Living Daylights as we ring in the festive season and wish everyone a happy new year. Originally performed by The Rainbow Theatre in the UK for an audio cassette and read-along book, the story of the film is condensed to just 17 minutes. Who played James Bond? If you know - drop us a line.

You can email the show at contact@jamesbondandfriends.com

This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

0147: Unmade Bond 24

What ideas were jettisoned from the script that ultimately became Spectre?

The creative path on the 24th James Bond film had more twists and turns than perhaps any of the 007 productions before it, and due to a massive Sony Pictures leak, some of those debates, decisions, and debacles were exposed. We run through the early 2014 state of the film before the serious work was done on getting the script tightened up for filming (months behind schedule) and run through the later drafts scene by scene picking out the changes that were made from the version we all saw on screen. A female villain, a stolen Heineken truck, the return of Irma Bunt, buckets of eyeballs, Moneypenny's redemption arc, 'dopey' passport documents, Tanner's dark fate, terrible one-liners, Q earning his stripes, African diamond mines.... and lots, lots more!

The recording took place on November 24th, 2022 in the USA and Spain. 

James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential

David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com

Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com

This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

0146: Happy Anniversary Mr. Bond

How well was the 60th anniversary celebrated?

We're back with our first regular episode in months (after wrapping the weekly 'Debrief' season) to share our thoughts on James Bond's cinematic 60th anniversary. We report from Christie's where there was an exclusive interview with producer Michael G. Wilson, review the 'Sound of 007' documentary and Royal Albert Hall concert, run through the box-office success of the UK cinema re-releases, and cast our eye over the plethora of merch.

YouTube playlist of the concert: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9LMzfbvwC9IRxYAyck-MyPDHdC9uslQK

The recording took place on October 19th, 2022 in the USA and UK. 

James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential

Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson

Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger 

Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr 

This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

0145: Debrief: No Time To Die

In this mission debrief for NO TIME TO DIE, we identify the iconic elements we would use to describe it as "the one with", shake the Bond cocktail and pick this film's most potent ingredients, toot the horn for underappreciated elements, round up our favourite trivia tidbits, and give our final top/middle/bottom rankings. 

James Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. But when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA asks for help, he finds himself facing off against a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

The recording took place on September 28th, 2022 in the USA and Australia.

James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential

Ben Eslinger (@CICSpypod) is co-host of the Central Intelligence Podcast 

Natalie Bochenski (@girlclumsy) is a writer, performer, and producer from Brisbane known for her Raven On series 

Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential 

This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

0144: Double Or Nothing

A couple of weeks ago, we were kindly invited by Ian Fleming Publications and Harper Collins to interview author Kim Sherwood on stage at the London book launch of 'Double Or Nothing.' Shortly before we went in front of the specially invited audience, we recorded this exclusive interview with Kim about her life with James Bond, how she landed the gig, what her approach to penning an expansion to the Double-O section was, and much, much more!

James Bond is missing…007 has been captured, perhaps even killed, by a sinister private military company. His whereabouts unknown. Meet the new generation of spies…Johanna Harwood, 003. Joseph Dryden, 004. Sid Bashir, 009. They represent the very best and brightest of MI6. Supremely skilled, ruthless, with a license to kill, they will do anything to protect their country. The fate of the world rests in their hands…Tech billionaire Sir Bertram Paradise claims he can reverse the climate crisis and save the planet. But can he really? The new spies must uncover the truth, because the future of humanity hangs in the balance. Time is running out.

Event report: https://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/event-literary-double-or-nothing-launch

The recording took place on August 31st, 2022 in the UK.

Kim Sherwood is a novelist and a Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Edinburgh. Her award-winning debut novel Testament was released in 2018, and in 2019, Kim was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. Double or Nothing is the first in a trilogy of Double O novels expanding the James Bond universe.

Vipul Patel is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential

This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

0143: Debrief: Spectre

In this mission debrief for SPECTRE, we identify the iconic elements we would use to describe it as "the one with", shake the Bond cocktail and pick this film's most potent ingredients, toot the horn for underappreciated elements, round up our favourite trivia tidbits, and give our final top/middle/bottom rankings. 

A cryptic message from the past sends James Bond on a rogue mission to Mexico City and eventually Rome, where he meets Lucia Sciarra, the beautiful and forbidden widow of an infamous criminal. Bond infiltrates a secret meeting and uncovers the existence of the sinister organization known as SPECTRE.

The recording took place on September 22nd, 2022 in the USA and UK.

James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential

Mark Edlitz is author of 'The Many Lives of James Bond' and 'The Lost Adventures of James Bond' 

Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com

Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger 

This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

0142: Debrief: Skyfall

In this mission debrief for SKYFALL, we identify the iconic elements we would use to describe it as "the one with", shake the Bond cocktail and pick this film's most potent ingredients, toot the horn for underappreciated elements, round up our favourite trivia tidbits, and give our final top/middle/bottom rankings. 

James Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her, and Bond's own doubts about his life and livelihood start to creep in. As MI6 comes under attack and Bond is sent to Shanghai to investigate, he must keep his focus on tracking down and destroying the threat - no matter how high the personal cost. 

The recording took place on September 15th, 2022 in the USA and UK.

James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential

Tom Butler (@TomButler) is host of the James Bond A-Z podcast 

Dr. Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Dean of Creative Industries at Mohawk College

Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential

This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

0141: Debrief: Quantum of Solace

In this mission debrief for QUANTUM OF SOLACE, we identify the iconic elements we would use to describe it as "the one with", shake the Bond cocktail and pick this film's most potent ingredients, toot the horn for underappreciated elements, round up our favourite trivia tidbits, and give our final top/middle/bottom rankings. 

Agent 007 and M's interrogation of Mr White proves no one can be trusted on James Bond's newest action adventure, "Quantum of Solace". Fueled by the betrayal of Vesper, the woman he loved, Bond's determination to track down the mastermind behind White's sinister organisation leads to Haiti, where he finds an unlikely ally in Camille, a beautiful but feisty stranger. The trail quickly leads to Dominic Greene but with the British Government and the CIA working against him, Bond must kill or be killed on his mission to uncover the truth and destroy 'Quantum'.

The recording took place on August 26th, 2022 in the USA and UK.

James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential

Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com

Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger 

Ben Eslinger (@CICSpypod) is co-host of the Central Intelligence Podcast 

This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022