James Bond & Friends

We asked 100 James Bond fans...  Taking a break from our usual discussion format, we play Family Feud (or Family Fortunes, depending on where you're from) with two teams of Bond savants battling it out for the festive honours. Who can best guess the results of the top 100 answers from an MI6 survey? Play along and see how many you can get. Who will walk off with the star prize and who gets cold brussels sprouts? The recording took place on December 19th in the USA, UK, and Canada.  James Page is co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential  Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr  Ben Eslinger (@CICSpypod) is co-host of the Central Intelligence Podcast  Dr. Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Dean of Creative Industries at Mohawk College Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger  Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com Mark Edlitz is author of 'James Bond After Fleming', 'The Many Lives of James Bond' and 'The Lost Adventures of James Bond' This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC 2023

What do we think of the new 007-themed reality show? In a drought of James Bond action, an oasis appeared on the horizon: an officially branded streaming series! 007: Road To A Million is the first (and only, according to Barbara Broccoli) venture into spin-off territory. Will the budget of Amazon Prime, the deep lore of the Bond series, and the savvy of experienced producers create something fans and casual viewers can enjoy alike? We ask the panel to find out - and if not - how the show could be improved for the already commissioned second series. The recording took place on November 17th, 2023 in the USA, UK, and Spain.  James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger  Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2023

What has been going on with James Bond this summer? You wait around for news for months and then it all comes at once! We round up the latest developments on the 007 franchise with a new game, new books, new rumours on Bond 26, a 70th anniversary event for Casino Royale, and some continuation controversy. We round out with a discussion about the state of home media releases and whether or not we'll ever see a 4K Bluray boxset.  The recording took place on September 8th, 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

What was the second draft of Timothy Dalton's unmade third film like? Timothy Dalton's third James Bond film is one of the great 'what ifs' of the series, and over the years various incarnations have come to light. In episode 0151, we covered the first attempt to pen Dalton's third in 1990. In this episode, we pick up the writing several months later when William Davies and William Osborne delivered the next version of the story in 1991. Several key elements were added including Bond facing up to his age, elements from Diamonds Are Forever, a second act in Las Vegas that featured cowboys and a monster truck chase, as well as a different climax. We also stumble into the reasons why EON Productions probably backed away from this script after 'True Lies' came out in 1994 when 'GoldenEye' was in pre-production. Join us as we run through the story and discuss the characters, plot, killer robots, and ponder what this film could have been in the early 1990s.  The recording took place on April 19th, 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

How many James Bond stories are out of circulation or out of reach? Mark Edlitz is the author of two books about James Bond, but it wasn’t his intention to write them both. The product of years of research and carefully selected interviews, these books tell the stories in the subjects’ own words. ‘The Many Lives Of James Bond’ talks to as many people who have developed, drawn, played or voiced James Bond, to better understand the character and the various portrayers’ interpretations of the iconic spy. The second book, and the subject of this discussion, is something of a spillover from the meticulous research that went into the first. ‘The Lost Adventures of James Bond’ is all about the missed opportunities, forgotten instalments or adventures beyond the reach of fans. The properties he discusses span unmade films, out of print books, limited releases in a non-English territory, or in the worst cases – such as the South African ‘Moonraker’ radio adaptation or a POV motion adventure park ride – simply mislaid and likely gone, forever. This wide-ranging conversation touches on many of the subjects from the second book, but also what the loss or rejection of certain ideas tells us about our collective conception of James Bond and his world. The recording took place on January 6th, 2023 in the USA and New Zealand.  Paul Atkinson 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'  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2023

What was the very first draft of Timothy Dalton's unmade third film like? Timothy Dalton's third James Bond film is one of the great 'what ifs' of the series, and over the years various incarnations have come to light. Recently, we dusted off the first-ever draft of what could have been Dalton's follow-up to Licence To Kill. Dated July 7th, 1990, this rarely-seen script was penned by Michael G. Wilson and American writer Alfonse Ruggerio. Many of its elements would survive in later films for Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, but the locations and tech elements of this draft lend their own distinct flavour. Join us as we run through the story and discuss the characters, plot, killer robots, and ponder what this film could have been in the early 1990s.  For further coverage of Bond 17 (1990), check out this article on MI6:https://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/bond17-1990 The recording took place on March 16th, 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

Join us as we watch 1981's For Your Eyes Only together as a group experience. For this episode, don your flared trousers, grab some pistachios, and cue up your copy of For Your Eyes Only as the panel chats over the film in real-time with observations, trivia, insights, and irreverence. Along the way, we discover a quite interesting parrot, age gaps, a museum of Bond chairs, youthful red lighting, rare Canadians, ill-fated Notherners, a screenwriting class, and a Jim Steinman inspired arrangement of the song. The recording took place on May 8th, 2020 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Mark O'Connell catches bullets at markoconnell.co.uk Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Join us as we watch 2008's Quantum of Solace together as a group experience. For this episode, don your ripped suit, grab some bronzer, and cue up your copy of Quantum of Solace as the panel chats over the film in real-time with observations, trivia, insights, and irreverence. Along the way, we discover a bullet-deflecting IV stand, the sweepy brush man, Ben's embarrassing x-wind, alternate operas, another defunct airline, Greene's porn scandal, and the rock that always appears on TV channel hopping. The recording took place on May 1st, 2020 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Join us as we watch 1989's Licence To Kill together as a group experience. For this episode, don your baggy suit, grab a Bud with a lime, and cue up your copy of Licence To Kill as the panel chats over the film in real-time with observations, trivia, insights, and irreverence. Along the way, we discover a lighter Leiter lighter, a new idea for a Bond costume party, a corsage hidden in plain sight, talking to maggots, Dario's bad fighting, and Tim's time at Burger King. The recording took place on April 24th, 2020 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

But don't look back in anger, I heard you say.  We kick off discussion this week with the recent GoldenEye watch-along with Pierce Brosnan, hosted from his Hawaiian home. Inevitably we muse on his long association with the iconic part, dating back to 1981, together with the frustration of having Bond snatched away from you, twice: first by NBC contract option in ’86 and then getting dumped by phone in 2005. The second topic is the odd timing and tone of a new interview with Cary Fukunaga in which he reveals his comparatively short history with Bond, and the fact he might just have been reading the MI6 Community.  Along the way we stumble on vehicular spats, Uncle Bond, going ‘round Roger’s, ethereal instagram captions, the magic of pre-recording, hiring from the art house, Craig’s acting chops, missing Connery commentary, Burt Reynolds’ ‘tash, blooper reels, the curse of Bond, Nicolas Cage cash-ins, location stand-ins, Spock’s rocks, a spike in sales for Dan August DVDs, fan theories run amok, untimely endings, Bill’s interview technique, and another bold prediction from David.  The recording took place on April 22nd, 2020 in the USA, UK, New Zealand, and Spain. Paul Atkinson and James Page are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Phil Nobile Jr is Editor-in-Chief of Fangoria magazine, former Bond correspondent for Birth.Movies.DeathDavid Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Join us as we watch 1979's Moonraker together as a group experience. For this episode, don your shiniest space suit and cue up your copy of Moonraker as the panel chats over the film in real-time with observations, trivia, insights, and irreverence. Along the way we discover the perfect 007 theme park ride, rare POV shots, untapped prop replica potential, glued pigeon feet, stiffed tips, a furry convention, stealth jam jars, Hitchcockian casting, Drax Industries welcome baskets, and those 'missing' braces. The recording took place on April 17th, 2020 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Join us as we watch 2002's Die Another Die together as a group experience. For this episode, strap yourself in and cue up your copy of Die Another Day as the panel chats over the film in real-time with observations, trivia, insights, and irreverence. Along the way we discover Pierce Brosnan waving, a lack of Korean extras, a familiar-looking shooting target, emergency stairs, strategic use of cacti, cardboard in a car park, and how Moneypenny fantasizes about writing press releases. The recording took place on April 10th, 2020 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Join us as we watch 1962's Dr. No together as a group experience. For this episode, cue up your copy of Dr. No as the panel chats over the film in real-time with observations, trivia, insights, and irreverence. Along the way we discover Ben's encyclopedic knowledge of James Bond's wrong guns, things they glued on Connery's head, bad Uber rides, towel dresses, unfortunate spiders, the unique use of colour in the film, inflatable suits, and how things were done on the cheap. The recording took place on April 3rd, 2020 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

What was the impact and cultural context of GoldenEye's release in 1995? In this episode, we reflect on the release of GoldenEye back in 1995, the challenges it faced, and the lasting legacy it had on the series. Where was Bond fandom at the time? Is it fair to still frame the film as a critical judgment of the character? Did the film succeed in tackling the issues its publicity ran on? Did the videogame have more of an impact in creating a new wave of fans? Has GoldenEye taken on a brand of its own outside the film series? Why does Jack Wade ask about gardening? We attempt, in our own inimitable way, to try and answer all of these questions and more. The recording took place on March 19th, 2020 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

What just happened and how will 'No Time To Die' fare in November? In this episode to mark the one year anniversary of the podcast, we take a quick trip down memory lane and recount some of the standout moments before getting on to the big news of the week... On Monday, an open letter suggesting a delay to the release of No Time To Die went viral, and by Wednesday the franchise had officially postponed the film until November. James and David discuss their rationale behind the letter, and the panel bat around the ramifications of the delay. What could happen to Daniel Craig's final outing over the next seven months, and will the move pay off? The recording took place on March 6th, 2020 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How are we feeling about No Time To Die's marketing campaign? This week we round up the latest ‘No Time To Die’ news, and Bill reports from Toronto where he and a large group of Bond fans assembled for ‘Skyfall’ in Concert. We discuss the experience of seeing the film live with an orchestra and what other scores are ripe for the ‘in concert’ treatment before segueing to Billie Eilish’s UK chart success and the behind-the-scenes video narrated by Cary Fukunaga. We end on the long running time and whether this will be conducive to a satisfying close to the Craig era. Along the way we discover the O’Connell proximity effect, unfortunate honeymoons, unrecorded Bond themes by Rudy Vallée and Hoagy Carmichael, underground clubs pumping out Adele remixes, Cary Fukunaga’s outtakes, the cable guy on ‘No Time To Die’, a gun barrel intermission, an industrial dispute at MI6, a missed marketing opportunity for Dr. No, how best to wear your 007 trainers, how many Oscars the B-roll will win, redacted reminisces, and Hans Zimmer’s MasterCard. The recording took place on February 26th, 2020 in the UK, USA, and New Zealand. Paul Atkinson and James Page are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential Mark O'Connell's home base is markoconnell.co.uk This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How many times has James Bond died? In this episode, as rumours swirl about the fate of 007 in No Time To Die, we ponder how many times James Bond is assumed to be dead or pretends to be dead, and how effective was the ruse? Along the way, we walk around a SPECTRE shrubbery, mourn poor crater guy and Bond's blue-collar victims, discover a crocodile puppet show, the villains who must have left the oven on, Miss Moneypenny's grief counseling, and BBC photographers who are always in the right place. We end with deciding how we would want to see James Bond meet his maker. The recording took place on February 7th, 2020 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How was Billie Eilish's title song for No Time To Die Received? In this episode, we gather a mega panel to discuss the reaction to the new No Time To Die title song by Billie Eilish that was released yesterday. Joining host JAMES© Page this week are BILL® Koenig, LISA™ Funnel, WARREN℠ Ringham, DAVID© Leigh, PHIL® Nobile Jr, and JOE™ Darlington. Along the way, we ponder Bond's emotional state, the bookending of an era, stumble upon Lisa's grocery store litmus test, and raise an eyebrow at Esquire's bizarre rankings. You can contact the show via the Twitter hashtag #askbond The recording took place on February 14th, 2020 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Warren Ringham is the founder of Q The Music (qthemusicshow.com) David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Phil Nobile Jr is Editor-in-Chief of Fangoria magazine, former Bond correspondent for Birth.Movies.Death Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

What makes the Bond musical ‘sound’? This week Warren Ringham of Q The Music returns to the show to talk about the James Bond sound and his life as a performer dedicated to 007. We discuss the challenge of composing an original Bond-esque song as Warren has just completed his first composition. Along the way we tackle mainstream journalists writing about Bond music; Bond themes as a snapshot of their musical era and embracing the contemporary; melody replaced by rhythm and ambiance in much modern film scoring; Newman’s scores and where to from here with Zimmer; and the atmospheric scoring of Moonraker, Thunderball and From Russia With Love. We then transition to Warren’s personal story, growing up in a musical family, attending Music college and then 15 years of building the Q the Music tribute band. He notes the particular challenge of arranging the Bond music for his group and his commitment to creating an authentic Bond sound; Q the Music’s little flourishes or takes on some of the Bond themes; the buzz of the live performance; writing and performing a 20 minute medley for the 50th Anniversary event at Piz Gloria; and what might happen if he met his musical hero. The recording took place in the UK and New Zealand. Paul Atkinson is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Warren Ringham is the founder of Q The Music (qthemusicshow.com) This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How was EON's new film received and what lies in store for 007 after 2020? In this episode, Bill draws the straw to go to one of the first US screenings of EON Productions' new film The Rhythm Section and files his report. Back in the world of James Bond, we follow up on the Billie Eilish news and ponder what the Oscar ceremony may have in store (or not), and from one long production to another, debate the merits of a 3-hour runtime. Along the way, we worry about Ben Whishaw's comments, reach down the back of the couch to help Aston Martin's rescue deal, wonder what might be in store with a second trailer, and kick around preferences for an MGM takeover between Apple, Netflix, Amazon, and Disney. We round out by making a couple of bold predictions for the next ten years. The recording took place on January 31st 2020 in the USA and Spain. James Page is co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How will the music choices – and late changes – affect No Time To Die? This week we recap all of the music news hurriedly released after the press got wind of both composer Hans Zimmer and title-song artist Billie Eilish at work on No Time To Die. We talk about the integration of the title song with the score, plus the lacklustre attempts to do so on SPECTRE and Skyfall; the young age of Shirley Bassey, Sam Smith, Adele, Sheena Easton, and Nancy Sinatra at the time of their Bond themes; the perspective a young title-artist will bring to the Bond sound; directors’ choices of composer and artistic impact of key personnel; why Dan Romer was dropped; who proposed a Young Bond prequel television series and why it got nixed; and the possible three-hour running time. Along the way we stumble on listening to Wings without earmuffs, when good artists experiment and fail, flogging DB5 replicas to keep Aston Martin afloat, the missing melodies, Michael Wilson's naps, cross-dressing Felix, recycled scripts and set-pieces, foreign tax breaks, and why David would never buy the 4-door Aston. The recording took place on January 17th in the USA and Spain. James Page is co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Phil Nobile Jr is Editor-in-Chief of Fangoria magazine, former Bond correspondent for Birth.Movies.Death This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 'No Time To Die' end song by Catherine Cassell Music Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How will 2020 be remembered by Bond fans? This first episode of a new decade looks forward to what we can expect from a busy year of Bond - plus a number of question-marks that hang over the year and the future of the franchise. We discuss the marketing campaign for No Time To Die, the anticipation of the release, the key announcements to come (composer, albeit with Zimmer’s shop now looking more likely, and title song), avoiding spoilers in the week between UK and US release, and what the press will be talking about during and after the film’s premiere. We also delve into the dearth of Bond books and games and wonder whether the franchise will remain on autopilot or garner some fresh blood through new ownership? The recording took place on January 3rd in the USA and New Zealand. Paul Atkinson and James Page are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2020 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Reflecting on the people the James Bond franchise lost in 2019. In this end-of-year episode, we look back over 2019 and the people we lost from the James Bond franchise. From lesser-known names to world-famous stars, we reflect on their roles in the series and their careers in general. The recording took place on December 20th 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 Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Is James Bond a good cook? This week Edward Biddulph returns to the podcast for a special Mission Debrief episode all about the food of Bond. We discuss Bond’s heroic consumption of eggs, the novelty of an avocado in the 1950s, strange savoury desserts, Fleming (and consequently Bond’s) passion for rich French-style cuisine, touring Europe like 007, Bond novels as a travelogue, his kitchen and single-use gadgets, and the general dearth of food in the films when compared to the novels. The recording took place on December 8th in the UK and New Zealand. Paul Atkinson is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Edward Biddulph is author of Licence To Cook (buy now from Amazon) and the jamesbondfood.com blog This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Could Fleming's second novel be adapted faithfully in the 21st century? This episode we consider how Daniel Craig's reboot of the series could have continued with a faithful adaptation of Ian Fleming's second novel Live And Let Die to follow up the modern update of Casino Royale. Often easily waved away as an outdated story with race issues and bygone attitudes, we take a close look at how the essence of the book could have been kept for a 2008 adventure. What other problems would arise from making another film based on the book? What shadow would Roger Moore's 1973 outing cast? The recording took place on November 22nd in the USA. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

What can we learn from the No Time To Die trailer? What might be the reaction of a wider audience?  This week we assemble a large panel to dissect the No Time To Die teaser trailer that debuted on 4th December 2019. Each panelist offers their hot take to the first good look at the 25th James Bond film and we all concede this is no mere teaser trailer. Then we jump into the minutiae - dissecting the characters, sets, photography, and what we learned about the plot – before chatting through the launch strategy of Good Morning America. Along the way we discuss the villain’s lightsabers, the time that passed between SPECTRE and No Time To Die and pitching the trailer at a more general audience, where you might find the gun barrel, a grotesque villain in a politically correct era, a possible flashback in the snow, more homages to Dr. No, Blofeld’s preposterous age, Bond’s new reading habits, the nature of Safin’s scheme, films that don’t feel like Bond films, a missing wedding guest, para-military chic, and that Ken Adam vibe. The recording took place on December 4th 2019 in the UK, USA, Spain, and New Zealand. James Page and Paul Atkinson are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson Phil Nobile Jr is Editor-in-Chief of Fangoria magazine, former Bond correspondent for Birth.Movies.Death Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Has the creative team written themselves into a cul de sac? This episode we continue our round-up of all the latest news and interviews for No Time To Die since principal photography wrapped, digging in to some of the more contentious issues that have popped up in recent weeks. Along the way, we discuss an MIA composer, underscored scenes, Kitty Galore, bad dubbing options, a BMW switcheroo, retirement planning, Bill's Sisyphean task, and whether the attempts to appease sections of the audience may end up leaving everyone unsatisfied. The recording took place on November 15th in the UK, USA, and Spain.  James Page is co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential John Clark (AKA HaphazardStuff) runs the aptly named haphazardstuff.com Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

What's been happening since No Time To Die wrapped photography?  This episode we round up all the latest news and interviews for No Time To Die since principal photography wrapped, and welcome newcomer John Clark (AKA HaphazardStuff) to the panel. Along the way we discuss Daniel Craig's insistence that he's happy to be James Bond, a throwaway joke that enraged some fans, an emerging publicity campaign, keeping SPECTRE in the desk drawer, missing Greene, a not-so-big budget, and sketchy Italian truck drivers.  The recording took place on November 15th in the UK, USA, and Spain.  James Page is co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential John Clark (AKA HaphazardStuff) runs the aptly named haphazardstuff.com Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How much Bond continuity is successful? How much is necessary? This episode we consider the problem of continuity in a 57 year-old film franchise. We speculate why the Daniel Craig era leaned so heavily on connections to the past and wonder what could have happened to poor Sylvia Trench. Along the way we stumble on abandoned continuity opportunities, James Bond in a retirement village, alternate universes in the franchise, possible timeline strategies after Craig, David’s plan to drop Waltz’s Blofeld down a chimney stack, our hopes and wishes for No Time To Die, Cary’s Instagram account, Mathis’ AirB&B, what a Danny Boyle Bond could have looked like, and a composer compromise all culminating in a rare track from Sir Roger to play us out. The recording took place on November 1st in the USA, Spain, and New Zealand. Paul Atkinson and James Page are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Phil Nobile Jr is Editor-in-Chief of Fangoria magazine, former Bond correspondent for Birth.Movies.Death Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How did the character of Moneypenny evolve from page to screen? In light of the news that Naomie Harris has suggested an independent Moneypenny adventure, we delve into the character of M’s long-serving secretary and the other women of the MI6 offices – both in Fleming’s work and the film adaptations. We discuss the way the characters of Loelia Ponsonby, Mary Goodnight, and Miss Moneypenny merged to form the screen incarnation of the latter and Fleming’s grappling with the reception and characterisation of women in the workplace. Along the way we wonder where the other 00s have gone, stumble into Moneypenny’s wardrobe, and upon Desmond Llewelyn’s fridge, muse on Moneypenny’s missed opportunities, Rami Malek’s least-likely character name in No Time To Die, our Netflix spin-off that will never get made, catch up with Honey Ryder and her journey through the encyclopaedia, and return to the topics of unsurprising surprise castings, the attitudes of filmmakers and treating audiences with respect. The recording took place on October 25th in the USA, Spain, and New Zealand. Paul Atkinson and James Page are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Lisa Funnell (@CinemaOnFire) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

It is one of the world's largest collection of James Bond posters, and it's about to go under the hammer at auction on November 5th. Who better to chat about it than the man himself, Adam Carter-Jones, and the poster consultant for the auction Mike Bloomfield. We discuss how the collection started, some of the rarest and oddball items in the 460+ lots, personal favourites, and how the poster collecting scene has changed in recent years. You can check out the collection online at PropStore.com The recording took place on October 31st in the USA and UK. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Adam Carter-Jones is the founder of bondposters.com Mike Bloomfield is the James Bond poster consultant for propstore.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

We asked 100 James Bond fans... Taking a break from our usual discussion format, we play Family Feud (or Family Fortunes, depending on where you're from) with Universal Experts and Team Oddjob to see who can best guess the results of the top 100 answers from an MI6 survey of James Bond fans. Play along at home and see how many of the top answers you can guess. Who will walk off with the star prize? The recording took place on October 18th 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 Lisa Funnell (@CinemaOnFire) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How do the films most faithful to Fleming stack up against the best original adventures?  The panel selects their favourite film from the franchise that is closest to the Ian Fleming source material and - conversely - picks out their best wholly original adventure and we see how the two shortlists compare against each other in a theoretical boxset battle. Along the way, we credit Connery for his commitment, deep dive into a wasted title, discover a bargain book shop, and relive a white knuckle drive that only a true Bond fan would endure.  The recording took place on October 11th in the USA, UK, 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 Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Does the scale of the villain's plot affect the quality of the adventure?  We explore a hypothesis that the effectiveness of a James Bond film is related to the scale and stakes of the villain's plot. Along the way we discover a SPECTRE call centre, a firmware update to ATAC, MI6's station in Singapore doing overtime, Judi Dench's air miles, Bolivian oil changes, and why not just leave Scaramanga alone.  The recording took place on September 27th in the USA, UK, 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 Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Which two pictures make the best double feature? We explore the history of Bond double bills before pitching our ultimate double features to screen in our imaginary picture house. Our selections are designed to showcase some interesting tone, thematic or other connection amongst the 24 official films to date. Along the way we discover Frankenstein Moore, the odd pairing of non-Bond and Bond films, Pussy Galore's missing bikini, UA's selective amnesia, the dearth of faithful Fleming adaptations in the Moore era, retro Daniel Craig, hidden Fleming material in Licence to Kill, Della's consolation prize, reboots, murky chronology, and a series within series. The recording took place on September 22nd in the USA, UK, and New Zealand. Paul Atkinson is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Edward Biddulph is the author of 'Licence to Cook: Recipes Inspired by Ian Fleming's James Bond', and writes James Bond Memes Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How is America treated in the James Bond series? We kick off this week talking about the use of American locations in the James Bond novels and films, and quickly get detoured in to a deeper discussion about how the lense of Bond bends the relationship between the UK and the US through distortions and battles of power, culture, and sex. Along the way, we stumble upon rogue palm trees, 2 am commutes to Fort Knox, Welsh paddy fields, and banishing 007 from LA. The recording took place on August 29th, 2019 in the USA. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Lisa Funnell (@CinemaOnFire) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Who should cover a Bond song? We draft in new artists to perform cues for an imaginary 'Shaken And Stirred' album for the 2010s. With only our regular panelists' suspect musical taste and Q The Music's Warren Ringham to guide us, we make the case for some of our favourite performers to have a crack at a Bond song. Along the way Ben and David snipe each others' picks, and we stumble on Burt Bacharach's suspect vocal stylings, Sam Smith's falsetto, title songs as marketing, Dennis Waterman and his theme tune complex, creepy Goldfinger, Ringo's lost Bond theme, getting music recommendations from a computer, a musical theatre dark past, Queen's stealth hits, live podcast research, Wolverine on vocals, and the YouTube cover artist market. The recording took place on August 16th, 2019 in the UK, USA and Spain. Paul Atkinson is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Warren Ringham is the founder and manager of Q The Music David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.co Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Why do the origins of characters have to be explained? In part two of our recording with Joseph Darlington, Head of Section at Being James Bond, we cover some recent 007 news not related to Bond 25 and answer questions from listeners using the hashtag #askbond. Along the way, we stumble across the return of a non-biodegradable nemesis, strange audiences, speedy run-times, rogue audio effects, fake-out flops, clipboard wielding girls, life's loose threads, and bouncing pearls. Thanks to @SeekOutWisdom, @MediumAtomic, and @Stingray_travel for the questions. The recording took place on August 23rd, 2019 in the USA and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

What's in a name?  We welcome Joseph Darlington, Head of Section at Being James Bond, to the panel as we discuss the Bond 25 title drop 'No Time To Die.' Announced without much fanfare on an otherwise quiet Tuesday, we discuss how the new title fits in with the series. We also reveal the first news about the teaser trailer and what we can expect to see soon! Along the way we stumble across old fonts, Spectre's tiramisu, uncanny valley DB5s, dodgy timelines, and Mr White's diet. The recording took place on August 23rd, 2019 in the USA and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How much money does a Bond film really cost to make? With the news that one of Bond 25's distribution partners Annapurna is having some money troubles, we dive deep into the murky waters of the business of the movies, how much films really cost, and who pays for them. Ajay shares his professional expertise on film financing and Bill recounts the history of United Artists at the start of the Bond series. Along the way we stumble on Telly Savalas' hair, Cleopatra's expense account, Q-Branch pet food, Hai Fat's inspiration, Ian Fleming's animal rights, the James Bond goat, and the faded glory of a Wimpy hamburger. The recording took place on August 9th, 2019 in the USA, UK, New Zealand, and Spain. Paul Atkinson and James Page are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Ajay Chowdhury (co-author with Matthew Field) of Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the James Bond Films David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How have Bond’s key allies translated from page to screen? Observing the passing of David Hedison - two time Felix Leiter - we note how he became the first man to return to the role some 10 years later with the long-serving ally’s pivotal role in ‘Licence to Kill’. We continue by discussing Leiter and Bond’s relationship and how the re-casting has lead to some inconsistent characterisation. Along the way, we stumble on Leiter’s drinking habits, Felix’s faux pas, his Kennedy impersonation, Jack Lord’s moisturiser, Felicia Leiter, big livers, the martini olive scam, an ill-fated fishing trip, Le Chiffre’s undead exit, rewrites whilst boozing, and the Leiterverse. The recording took place on July 26th, 2019 in the USA, New Zealand, Spain, and Portugal. Paul Atkinson and James Page are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Marcos Kontze is creator and editor of jamesbondbrasil.com David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

In space, can you hear the James Bond screenwriters scream? Space has been a recurring element in the James Bond film series, appearing in 7 adventures so far, and it was almost 8! As the 50th anniversary of the moon landings is celebrated, we discuss how 007 on the big screen was influenced by the real-world space race and the bets producers took on future events. We are left with just one question: how the hell do we get those diamonds down again? We round out the episode with a look at the latest 007 news including new trademarks, special screenings, Bond 25 shipping containers, and everyone takes a punt on when the title will drop. The recording took place on July 19th, 2019 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Calvin Dyson can be found at youtube.com/calvindyson David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How much James Bond history is left to be discovered? Bill recounts his recent trip to the Lilly Library in Indiana where he looked at one of Ian Fleming's early Casino Royale manuscripts and shares some of the changes made to the final novel. As Formula 1 celebrated its 1,007th Grand Prix we look back at Bond's motor racing connections over the years and Ben reveals the story of the Aston Martin that probably influenced Ian Fleming's gadget laden car. Rounding out, we explore the state of James Bond research and what history still lays hidden. Along the way we cover the latest news including Ajay's location visit with Bond 25, bumping in to Bojo, SEO tabloids, firestorms on social media, into the Bondverse, Fleming in the public domain, and find a song about Blofeld. The recording took place on July 14th, 2019 in the USA and UK. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Ajay Chowdhury (co-author with Matthew Field) of Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the James Bond Films Lisa Funnell (@CinemaOnFire) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How has fandom changed over the years? It's so secret that we neglect to mention the name of the event! Mark and Calvin recount their amazing day at Secret Cinema's Casino Royale show (spoiler-free) and we ponder what other Bond films would make great interactive experiences. We also debate the current state of Bond fandom in 2019 and how things have changed over the past 20 years. At the end, discussion of the latest Bond 25 developments throw up some wild rumours that sound a little too familiar. The recording took place on July 4th, 2019 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Calvin Dyson can be found at youtube.com/calvindyson Mark O'Connell's home base is markoconnell.co.uk David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Who can defend the indefensible? We experiment with a new format for this episode where each guest takes a turn to 'defend the indefensible' and make their case for an unpopular opinion in the James Bond universe. Will anyone have their minds changed? We tackle changing the shooting order of the early films for better continuity, under-appreciation of a much-maligned Bond girl, exploring just how smart James Bond is, future actor choices, and going with a left-field composer. At the end, we round out with discussion of the latest Bond 25 developments including the Jamaica teaser video and London shooting. The recording took place on June 30th, 2019 in the USA, UK, and New Zealand. Paul Atkinson and James Page are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Did this ever happen to the other fellas? This week we dive into a retrospective of 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service.' As it celebrates its 50th anniversary, we look back on the film that's often dubbed the 'odd-one-out' by the media and assess how it is seen now by fans and the general public. Along the way, we muse on how American television audiences were left confused, restoration mistakes, changes to the final cut, and ponder a new way to judge George Lazenby's performance. At the end, we round out with a recap of the latest Bond 25 news and add another entry to the Bond cover song hall of shame. The recording took place on June 21st, 2019 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is the co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Ajay Chowdhury (co-author with Matthew Field) of Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the James Bond Films David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Have the recent Daniel Craig films regressed in their representation of women? This week we tackle the topic of diversity, representation of women and minority characters in Bond films, welcoming a new guest Associate Professor Lisa Funnell. We round out by discussing the curious appearance of an Aston Martin in Norway for Bond 25 and answering some listener questions. Along the way we muse on the times when James Bond’s licence to kill was inappropriately used, the fine distinction between murder and manslaughter, why academics find Bond fascinating, how to lose your tenure, when imitating Bond is a good thing, pitfalls of a choose-your-own Bond adventure, villains you root for, and killing Madeleine Swann. The recording took place on June 9th, 2019 in the USA, UK, New Zealand, and Spain. Paul Atkinson and James Page are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Lisa Funnell (@CinemaOnFire) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Has public opinion of the older films changed during the Daniel Craig years? After we round up the latest Bond 25 news and tabloid bumblings, we dive into dissecting how public opinion of every film in the James Bond series has changed over the past 15 years - from 2004 to 2019. Using a semi-scientific method, the results were surprising! Along the way, we stumble upon the next Uncle Bond, psych out John Wayne, ponder Dalton's dark prophecy, freeze frame Judi Dench, and downgrade some classics. The recording took place on May 23rd, 2019 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Calvin Dyson can be found at youtube.com/calvindyson Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command Mark O'Connell's home base is markoconnell.co.uk This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

How much of a Bond film is recycled from unused scripts? In the first segment, we wrap up some loose ends and dive in to the latest Bond 25 media coverage including Daniel Craig's injury and how Twitter would cover the production of early films. We welcome Ajay Chowdhury to the crew and discuss the reality of screenwriting for big franchises and how unused elements of scripts have popped up years later. Along the way, we trip over divorce Bond films, Connery's time-traveling bookshelf, running out of puff, talking porpoises, and falling snowflakes on ya body. The recording took place on May 17th, 2019 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command Ajay Chowdhury (co-author with Matthew Field) of Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the James Bond Films This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

What's with all the media negativity over Bond 25? In the first segment, we cover the latest Bond 25 developments including the wrap in Jamaica. We reveal a few tidbits about the production (no plot spoilers) and then exclusively announce the end of an era for the James Bond universe. Along the way, we trip over a governor's dinner party, Station J, 7777, a homeless MI6, lack of mobile phones, angry tabloids, and 007's social discomfort. Finally, we ponder what's up with the state of the literary continuation series. The recording took place on May 10th, 2019 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 ConfidentialDavid Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.comBen Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 ConfidentialBill Koenig would like to thank Comcast for cutting his cable during the recordingThis podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Which two Bond films could blend into a new recipe? In the first segment, we experiment with throwing two less-loved Bond films in a blender to come up with something better. We then cover the latest Bond 25 developments and along the way we trip over Monty's millions, not the James Bond theme, counting clapperboards, vindictive tabloids, Pryce's ham, missing memoriams, sunset dining, 2% survival rates, and selling London flats. Like 'Spectre,' just as you think it's wrapping up, there's another twenty minutes on the end speculating about Kincaid's private life, Skyfall's cow, and those pesky kids. The recording took place on May 6th, 2019 in the USA, UK, and Spain. Paul Atkinson and James Page are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 ConfidentialDavid Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.comBill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.comBen Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 ConfidentialWith #askbond questions from @f1daw and @Stingray_travel. This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

What can we read into the plot synopsis for Bond 25? With a little more time – and sleep – to reflect, we examine the plot synopsis that was released after the ‘Bond 25’ reveal event, asking questions about the significance and prominence of Jamaica, Italy and Norway, the mystery scientist, and how Malek’s ‘tech villain’ persona will break or conform to the mold of similar villains gone before. Along the way we discover the comedy stylings of Rory Kinnear, Craig’s USP, an absence of muscle in the Bond 25 supporting cast, SPECTRE’s awkward “fourth act”, wasted opportunities for Mr White, a curmudgeonly Felix Leiter, a bachelor party for Bond, Brosnan’s home automation nightmare, Bond’s retirement hobbies, and Honey Ryder’s Disney Princess routine.  The recording took place on April 26th, 2019 in the USA, UK, and New Zealand. Paul Atkinson and James Page are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 ConfidentialCalvin Dyson can be found at youtube.com/calvindysonBen Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 ConfidentialThis podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Dissecting the Bond 25 reveal event. In this special extended episode, we take apart the Bond 25 live reveal event. How did it all go down? What was expected and was surprising? Along the way we trip over a forgetful producer, the fate of an audio guy, fake tweets, a younger looking cast, why Naomie Harris was in Jamaica, the absence of Blofeld, Rami Malek's stare, Felix Leiter's precarious fate, the meaning of treachery, and why you should wear socks to avoid suspicion. The recording took place on April 25th, 2019 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 ConfidentialDavid Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.comBill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.comMark O'Connell's home base is markoconnell.co.ukBen Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 ConfidentialThis podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019Music credit 'Underneath The Mango Tree' cover by Cibelle

What were Bond's drinking habits across the books and how do they differ in the films? We discuss aspects of James Bond's drinks and along the way we mull over the loss of local flavour, drinks missing from the films, Bond's salad dressing recipe, chaining carte blanche's, following 007's trail in NYC, substitutions for illusive Kina Lillet (and how they blew a big marketing opportunity), how to mix a perfect Vesper, shaking versus stirring, brandless bourbon, Ian Fleming's gin, and when eleven is too many. We round out by discussing our favourite real-world Bond locations we've visited. Grab your free copy of 'The James Bond Cocktail Bar' e-book here. David's paperback book 'The Complete Guide to the Drinks of James Bond' can be found on Amazon US, UK, and France. The recording took place on April 19th, 2019 in the USA and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 ConfidentialDavid Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.comBill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com#askbond speed round had questions from @Stingray_travelThis podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

What films are most indicative of each actor's run at Bond? This episode of 'James Bond & Friends' is hosted by Paul Atkinson with guests David Leigh, Bill Koenig and James Page. With all quiet on the Bond 25 front, we assemble a panel to discuss a few timeless topics. Along the way we stumble on baby powder blue romper suits, film franchise formulas, MGM's 40-year financial slump, more licenced clothing suggestions, ageing 80s tech, clown suits, dated visual effects, drinking on the job, CGI meddling, the Moonrakerization of John Gardner, and a plan to bankrupt the New Zealand government. The recording took place on April 12th, 2019 in the USA, New Zealand and Spain. James Page and Paul Atkinson are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 ConfidentialDavid Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.comBill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com#askbond speed round had questions from @tommycomelately, @danielrisk and @AnoopsriThis podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

What's the deal with the 'traditional' Bond production press conference? This episode of 'James Bond & Friends' is hosted by Paul Atkinson with guests Mark O'Connell, David Leigh, Bill Koenig and James Page. We discuss the kind of Bond film we are hoping for from Craig and Fukunaga, and expectations of a kick-off press conference any day now. Along the way we spoil the plot to several classics, uncover 'stealth writers' in our midst, curse local papers' photo editors, highlight the dangers of impersonating the PM, run into a drag-queen doorman, muse on the leaky nature of past productions, banish Tarantino from the Bondverse and stumble on a machine learning Bond film. The recording took place on April 5th, 2019 in the USA, UK, New Zealand and Spain. James Page and Paul Atkinson are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 ConfidentialMark O'Connell's home base is markoconnell.co.ukDavid Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.comBill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com#askbond speed round had questions from @Mark_woodroffe, @danielrisk, @tommycomelately, and @DrawnOutDadThis podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

What will happen to the series after Daniel Craig departs? This episode of 'James Bond & Friends' is hosted by James Page with guests Calvin Dyson, Mark O'Connell, and David Leigh. We chat about the possible options the series faces after Craig steps down after Bond 25, including the idea of rebooting the series and filming the books in order as period pieces, and the crunch timetable for the 60th anniversary. Along the way, we stumble upon Bond-trainees for baton passing, flirting with the dreaded codename theory, defending Lee Tamahori, Odd Job's cousins, female agent spin-offs, unnecessary origin stories, sexual harassment training, journalists getting Bond wrong, left-field choices for new writers, and a conspicuous absence of children. The recording took place on March 21st, 2019 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 ConfidentialCalvin Dyson can be found at youtube.com/calvindysonMark O'Connell's home base is markoconnell.co.ukDavid Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com#askbond speed round had questions from @innovfest , @steve66myers , @LilFrank , @VinnieHarris94 , @will_south70 & @Stingray This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

All the latest Bond 25 news discussion. This episode of 'James Bond & Friends' is hosted by James Page with guests Calvin Dyson, Mark O'Connell, and David Leigh. We chat about the latest Bond 25 news including the new 'working title', Danny Boyle's reasons for departure, Norway, and electric cars. Calvin reports from the Q The Music concert and we also discuss the state of 007 merchandise and the potential for future Bond games. Along the way, we stumble upon fake title ideas, a Bond wedding, killing Funko Pops, and phallic swim shorts. The recording took place on March 21st, 2019 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 ConfidentialCalvin Dyson can be found at youtube.com/calvindyson Mark O'Connell's home base is markoconnell.co.ukDavid Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019 Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man

Is Bond 25 a make or break film for Daniel Craig's legacy? This episode of 'James Bond & Friends' is hosted by James Page with guests Paul Atkinson, Calvin Dyson, and David Leigh.Originally recorded along with Episode 001, we found ourselves descending into general banter about the franchise and the over-arching aspects of how Daniel Craig’s tenure may end and whether Bond 25 is a make or break film. Along the way, we consider watching the films from a different perspective, leaving during the credits, gunbarrel placement, Craig's unfinished business, whipping out a quiche, a budget-breaking third biscuit boy, possible composers and singers, anniversary films, and the disappearance of Colin Salmon. The recording took place on March 8th, 2019 in the USA, UK, Spain, and New Zealand. James Page & Paul Atkinson are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 ConfidentialCalvin Dyson can be found at youtube.com/calvindysonDavid Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.comThis podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019.Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man.

Is this thing on? The debut episode of 'James Bond & Friends' is hosted by James Page with guests Paul Atkinson, Calvin Dyson, and David Leigh. We catch up on the latest Bond 25 news and chat about the delays, script rewrites and how Craig's fifth and final outing may be shaping up. Along the way, we stumble upon the 007 sausage machine, official denials, Shatterhand double-bluffs, a musical, how to break up with a Bond girl, Netflix passwords, Italian overload, animated adventures, self-driving minibars, tech villains, a modern take on Moonraker, and disappointing your wife. The recording took place on March 8th, 2019 in the USA, UK, Spain, and New Zealand.  James Page & Paul Atkinson are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Calvin Dyson can be found at youtube.com/calvindyson David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2019. Music credit 'Spy & Die' by Jay Man.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In this mission debrief for CASINO ROYALE, 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 first "007" mission leads him to Le Chiffre, banker to the world's terrorists. In order to stop him, and bring down the terrorist network, Bond must beat Le Chiffre in a poker game at the Casino Royale. Bond meets a beautiful British Treasury official, Vesper Lynd, who is assigned to deliver his stake for the game and watch over the government's money. But, as Bond and Vesper survive a series of lethal attacks by Le Chiffre and his henchmen, a mutual attraction develops. The recording took place on August 31st, 2022 in the USA and Australia. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr  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

In this mission debrief for DIE ANOTHER DAY, 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.  When his top-secret mission is sabotaged, James Bond finds himself captured by the enemy, abandoned by MI6 and stripped of his 00-licence. Determined to get revenge, Bond goes head-to-head with a sultry spy, a frosty agent, and a shadowy billionaire whose business is diamonds... but whose secret is a diabolical weapon that could bring the world to its knees! The recording took place on August 25th, 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

In this mission debrief for THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, 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.  When the suave Agent 007 is assigned to protect an oil heiress, he is catapulted into a passionate, adrenaline-charged adventure that pits him against one of his most deadly adversaries: Renard, a ruthless anarchist whose total imperviousness to pain makes him a virtually unstoppable enemy. The un-relenting suspense, breathtaking action and sly wit never let up in this explosively entertaining thriller. The recording took place on June 24th, 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 Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for TOMORROW NEVER DIES, 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 deranged media mogul is staging international incidents to pit the worlds' superpowers against each other. Now 007 must take on this evil mastermind in an adrenaline-charged battle to end his reign of terror and prevent global pandemonium! The recording took place on May 31st, 2022 in the USA and UK.  James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr  Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger  Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for GOLDENEYE, 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.  Pierce Brosnan ignites the screen in his first adventure as the unstoppable James Bond. When a powerful satellite system falls into the hands of a former ally-turned-enemy, only 007 can save the world from an awesome space weapon that - in one short pulse - could destroy the earth! The recording took place on August 3rd, 2022 in the USA and UK.  James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr  Dr. Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Dean of Creative Industries at Mohawk College Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for LICENCE TO KILL, 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 takes on his most daring adventure ever when he turns renegade and goes head to head with one of the international drug cartel' most brutal and powerful leaders. This time, he's fighting not for his country, not for justice... but for revenge. The recording took place on July 4th, 2022 in the USA and Australia.  James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr  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

In this mission debrief for THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS, 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.  Timothy Dalton is suave and lethal as superagent James Bond in this turbo-charged acting/adventure that pulls out the stops for excitement. Armed with a gadget-laden Aston Martin and his licence to kill, Agent 007 must stop a terrifying weapons conspiracy that may be linked to the Soviet military high command! The recording took place on June 16th, 2022 in the USA and Canada.  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'  Dr. Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Dean of Creative Industries at Mohawk College Ben Eslinger (@CICSpypod) is co-host of the Central Intelligence Podcast  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for A VIEW TO A KILL, 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 races against time to stop a power-mad industrialist who plots to kill millions in order to corner the world's microchip supply. From the Eiffel Tower to the top of Golden Gate Bridge, James Bond can't be stopped! The recording took place on May 18th, 2022 in the USA and Australia.  James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr  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

In this mission debrief for OCTOPUSSY, 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 may have met his match in Octopussy, an entrancing beauty involved in a devastating military plot to destroy détente. From the palaces of India to a speeding circus train in Germany and a mid-air battle on the wing of a high-flying jet, only Agent 007 can stop the nightmarish scheme! The recording took place on June 24th, 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 Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, 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.  When a British ship is sunk in foreign waters, the world's superpowers begin a feverish race to find its cargo: a nuclear submarine control system. 007 is thrust into one of his most riveting adventures as he rushes to join the search... and prevent global devastation. Video: For Your Eyes Only at the 1982 Academy Awards. The recording took place on May 11th, 2022 in the USA and UK.  James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential (@jamesbondlive)  Dr Llewella Chapman (@LlewellaChapman) is the author of the new book Fashioning James Bond  Tom Butler (@TomButler) is host of the James Bond A-Z podcast  Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for MOONRAKER, 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 blasts into orbit in this action-packed adventure that takes him to Venice, Rio de Janeiro, and outer space. When Bond investigates the hijacking of an American space shuttle, he and the beautiful CIA agent Holly Goodhead are soon locked in a life-or-death struggle against Hugo Drax, a power-mad industrialist whose horrific scheme may destroy all human life on earth! The recording took place on May 20th, 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 Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, 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 and the beautiful Soviet Agent Anya Amasova team up to investigate missing Allied and Russian atomic submarines, following a deadly trail that leads to billionaire shipping magnate Karl Stromberg. Soon Bond and Anya are the world's only hope as they discover a nightmarish scheme of global nuclear Armageddon! The recording took place on June 16th, 2022 in the USA and Canada.  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'  Dr. Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Dean of Creative Industries at Mohawk College Ben Eslinger (@CICSpypod) is co-host of the Central Intelligence Podcast  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, 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 may have met his match in Francisco Scaramanga, a world-renowned assassin whose weapon of choice is a distinctive gold pistol. When Scaramanga seizes the priceless Solex Agitator energy converter, Agent 007 must recover the device and confront the trained killer in a heart-stopping duel to the death! The recording took place on April 22nd, 2022 in the USA, UK, 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 Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for LIVE AND LET 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.  With charm, wit, and deadly assurance, Roger Moore steps in as the suave, sophisticated - and lethal - Agent 007 in a thrilling, high-powered showdown with an infamous drug lord who's determined to eliminate Bond and conquer the world! The recording took place on May 30th, 2022 in the USA and UK.  James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr  Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger  Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, 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.  While investigating mysterious activities in the world diamond market, 007 discovers that his evil nemesis Blofeld is stockpiling the gems to use in his deadly laser satellite. With the help of beautiful smuggler Tiffany Case, Bond sets out to stop the madman - as the fate of the world hangs in the balance! The recording took place on May 20th, 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 Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, 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 the adventurous Tracy Di Vicenzo join forces to battle the evil SPECTRE organization in the treacherous Swiss Alps. But the group's powerful leader, Ernst Stavro Blofeld is launching his most calamitous scheme yet: a germ warfare plot that could kill millions! The recording took place on May 18th, 2022 in the USA and Australia.  James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr  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

In this mission debrief for YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, 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.  When U.S. and Soviet manned spaceships are hijacked in Earth's orbit, Agent 007 must race to prevent a nuclear war between the superpowers. His pulse-pounding missions takes him to Japan, where he battles the evil SPECTRE organization and its diabolical leader, Ernst Stavro Blofeld!  The recording took place on May 11th, 2022 in the USA and UK.  James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential (@jamesbondlive)  Dr Llewella Chapman (@LlewellaChapman) is the author of the new book Fashioning James Bond  Tom Butler (@TomButler) is host of the James Bond A-Z podcast  Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for THUNDERBALL, 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.  The thrills never stop as Agent 007 goes above the call of duty - and to the bottom of the ocean - to track down a villainous criminal who's holding millions hostage and threatening to plunge the world into a nuclear holocaust! The recording took place on May 6th, 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 Joseph Darlington is Head of Section at beingjamesbond.com Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for GOLDFINGER, 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.  Special Agent 007 has just come face to face with one of the most notorious villains of all time. And now he'll have to outwit and outgun this powerful tycoon to prevent him from cashing in on a devious scheme to raid Fort Knox - and obliterate the world economy. The recording took place on April 13th, 2022 in the USA and Australia.  James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Natalie Bochenski (@girlclumsy) is a writer, performer, and producer from Brisbane known for her Raven On series  Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr  Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, 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 squares off against the evil SPECTRE organization in a pulse-pounding race to seize the Soviet Lektor decoding machine. His mission thrusts him into a thrilling boat chase, a brutal helicopter attack and a deadly brawl aboard the Orient Express, proving once again that Agent 007 can't be stopped! The recording took place on April 22nd, 2022 in the USA, UK, 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 Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

In this mission debrief for DR. NO, 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.  His name is Bond, James Bond. And here, in his explosive film debut, Ian Fleming’s immortal action hero blazes through one of his most spectacular adventures. Sean Connery embodies the suave yet lethal cool of Agent 007 as he battles the mysterious Dr. No, a scientific genius bent on destroying the U.S. space program.  The recording took place on April 13th, 2022 in the USA and Australia.  James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Natalie Bochenski (@girlclumsy) is a writer, performer, and producer from Brisbane known for her Raven On series  Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr  Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

Join us as we watch the next two episodes of James Bond Jr together as a group experience.  For this episode, we resurrect an oft-forgotten relic of the canon - James Bond Jr - as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. Whether you grew up seeing it on TV, or have never watched it before, we over analyze the contents of the ninth and tenth episodes and ask the questions nobody has before. Warning: the ending of the tenth episode is rated M for Mature! You can watchalong with us via these YouTube videos:Episode 09 (The Eiffel Missile): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DGHsYV8lu0 Episode 10 (A Worm In The Apple): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPRO277hYPI  The recording took place on March 5th, 2021 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 Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger   Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

Join us as we watch the next two episodes of James Bond Jr together as a group experience.  For this episode, we resurrect an oft-forgotten relic of the canon - James Bond Jr - as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. Whether you grew up seeing it on TV, or have never watched it before, we over analyze the contents of the fifth and sixth episodes and ask the questions nobody has before. You can watchalong with us via these YouTube videos:Episode 05: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3CoUgQjp48 Episode 06: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDzpxtZSMSk   The recording took place on January 15th, 2021 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 Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger   Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr  Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

Are parts of the Bond film series becoming inaccessible to newer fans? As we gear up for the 60th anniversary, we reflect on the longevity of the series and ask if enough time has passed now that newer fans may no longer connect to the older films, especially as the cultural context of those productions is outside of living memory for average audiences. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Roger Moore taking over the role of 007, but the end of his tenure marks the mid-point of the film series! We try and get our minds around the fact that in 2028, GoldenEye will mark the half-way point in the franchise. As we head towards the day when there won't be anyone left from the early films, we also ponder how history will be written. You can now email the show at contact@jamesbondandfriends.com  The recording took place in the USA and Spain on February 18th, 2022.  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  David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

What is new in the world of James Bond? It has been a while since we rounded up the news from the 007 universe so the panel has quite a bit to catch up on. We start by exploring the power shifts in the UK studio space and how the next Bond film finding a new home may be a good thing, and explore a couple of kooky ideas for what may come next. We also catch up on the upcoming books, debate the pros and cons of the latest merchandise, and anticipate a return of GoldenEye.  You can now email the show at contact@jamesbondandfriends.com  The recording took place in the USA, UK, and Canada on February 11th, 2022.  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  Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential  Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma  Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

What changes or different decisions could have been instrumental in improving Licence To Kill's success back in 1989? Now undergoing a bit of a renaissance as James Bond fans rediscover Timothy Dalton's harder-edged 007, what could have been done differently back in 1989 to give Licence To Kill a better shot a box-office success? What if... The budget hadn't been a limitation? The aesthetic was popular with US audiences? First choices for cast had accepted? Della didn't die? MGM hadn't screwed up the marketing campaign? Our panel ponders these questions and more. You can now email the show at contact@jamesbondandfriends.com  The recording took place on December 10th, 2021 in the USA and UK. James Page is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential  Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr  Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma  Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential  Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger  Many thanks to John Glen.  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

What were the personal Bondian highlights of 2021 and what are we looking forward to most in 2022?  2021 was a huge year for Bond fans with the eventual release of 'No Time To Die,' but what were the other highlights of the past 12 months? We turn to our friends from around the world to look back on 2021 and also pick out what they are most looking forward to in 2022. Thank *you* for joining us and we look forward to creating a lot more content in the coming year. You can email the show at contact@jamesbondandfriends.com  The recording took place all over the world in the last week of December 2021. Host James Page was joined by guests Phil Nobile Jr, Dr Llewella Chapman, Bill Koenig, Tom Butler, David Leigh, Mark Edlitz, Henry Stephens, Emery Cormier, Ben Williams, Marcos Kontze, Sean Longmore, and Dr Lisa Funnell with our most avid listener.  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2022

Which team will claim victory in this festive James Bond trivia battle?  Play along as you listen to see if you can beat the two teams to the multiple answer questions as we dig into Bond's coverage of the US, debrief double-deckers, cringe at some dodgy effects, recount 007's colleagues, and pun our way to 2022.  The recording took place on December 17th, 2021 in the USA, UK, and Canada.  Paul Atkinson and James Page are co-founders of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential  Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr  Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma  Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential  Sean Longmore shares his artwork @ThatTallGinger  Mark Edlitz is author of 'The Many Lives of James Bond' and 'The Lost Adventures of James Bond'  Henry Stephens hosts The Bond Geek channel on YouTube  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2021

Join us as we watch 1954's live television production of Casino Royale together as a group experience.  James Bond is American, Leiter is British, Vesper and Mathis are combined into one character, and the story of Casino Royale is condensed into a 50-minute production broadcast live! If you have not seen this unique entry in the 007 series, why not join us and watchalong as we explore the creative decisions and ponder what could have happened to the franchise if Ian Fleming's hero had taken off on television. The version we watched is complete with the original ending that is missing from the MGM print. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KVoU-9gzqU We would love to hear your thoughts - please email the show at contact@jamesbondandfriends.com  The recording took place on November 20th, 2020 in the USA, UK, and Spain. James Page is co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond channel can be enjoyed at youtube.com/calvindyson Lisa Funnell (@DrLisaFunnell) is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Phil Nobile Jr is editor of Fangoria and shares his expertise at @PhilNobileJr David Leigh runs thejamesbonddossier.com  Bill Koenig runs the Spy Command at hmssweblog.wordpress.com Ben Williams writes for MI6-HQ.com and MI6 Confidential  This podcast is copyright Pretitles LLC © 2021