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For me 1983 was the year when I was properly introduced to James Bond. Before then, I had caught James Bond occasionally on ITV.

In May 1983 I saw 'James Bond The First 21 Years' on HTV West. In June I saw 'Octopussy' at the Weston super Mare Odeon. Later that year I also saw with my family 'Never Say Never Again' at the Weston Playhouse.

Since then I have seen each Bond film at the cinema - seeing both 'A View To A Kill' and 'The Living Daylights' twice.

I collected the Shredded Wheat stickers, the TV advert for that promotion was the most exciting advert I'd ever seen! I continued with the collections down the line - the Smiths crisps posters for 'A View To A Kill' and the Trio stickers for 'The Living Daylights'.

This page is my own collection and memories of James Bond from the 80's (all clippings / covers etc. are my own unless otherwise stated).

 

"The world 21 years ago. A time of deepening crisis. Political unrest throughout the globe, and just over the horizon were even more awesome perils. To the profits of doom, the conclusion was obvious - planet earth was spinning rapidly towards a terrifying end. It was at this critical moment in our history that the leaders of the western world turned to one man...a man of action...a man of style...a man who could succeed where other men would fail...a man who could say then, just as he does today...'My name is Bond, James Bond.'"

TV Times

Original ITV network broadcasts (1983-1989)

For Your Eyes Only

Sunday 31st August 1986 (Premiere)

Never Say Never Again

Thursday 25th December 1986 (Premiere)

Octopussy

Saturday 30th January 1988 (Premiere)

Boxing Day 1988? / 1989? (1st repeat)

Specials

James Bond - The First 21 Years

Friday 27th May 1983

Happy Anniversary 007 - 25 Years of James Bond

Saturday 29th August 1987

Singles

Shredded Wheat

shredded wheat octopussy advert
Recorded via microphone from my Dad's Amstrad stereo so not the best quality
wav [4.69MB]

(Does anyone have any of the packaging or the code card from this Shredded Wheat promotion? Any scans would be very gratefully appreciated)

Smiths Crisps

Chipsticks scan thanks to Dave Hinett

Trio

Third sticker and packaging scans thanks to Dave Hinett

Videos

Games

The Living Daylights (Domark - 1987)

Licence To Kill (Domark - 1989)

Flyers

Magazine articles

 
Injunctions and MFI furniture - 'lucky bloody you'
On the 28th April 1976 Kevin McClory announced his intention to make 'James Bond of the Secret Service', later 'Warhead', based on the original 'Thunderball' storylines. This had followed a 10 year term the High Court in London had set before any new production could commence on the original Fleming-Whittingham-McClory material.

McClory had attracted Sean Connery - the two being involved in scripting, with Len Deighton. Filming was to start in February 1977, planned for New York, Japan and the Bahamas. But the project fell through after Cubby Broccoli took out an injunction to stop the production. McClory had also taken out an injunction to stop filming of 'The Spy Who Loved Me' after it was discovered it was to feature SPECTRE (which McClory was claiming he had co-created). Over six years later, 'Never Say Never Again', the second unofficial Bond picture, was produced.

It opens promisingly with a top theme song sung by Lani Hall and an original title sequence with Bond on a training exercise. It is without the planned pre-title sequence which was to have been set at a medieval pageant with knights on horseback and Bond steeplechasing an assassin through a car park. But it doesn't continue as strongly as it starts and the quality of the film can be summed up by Petachi's Ford Cortina and the presence of the M.F.I. Furniture Group in its credits.

It does feature excellent performances from a not-so-serious Sean Connery, a superb Rowan Atkinson as the British agent abroad (maaaaarvellous), Alec "lucky bloody you" McCowen as an alternative 'Q' and Klaus Maria Brandauer as 'Maximillian Largo'. The film does have its highlights including the Monte Carlo chase sequence - "don't touch him, he's mine". Ricou Browning returned to undersee underwater filming (after sterling work on 'Thunderball').

Forgettable elements? The fight at Shrublands, the 'human torpedo capsules' and Kim Basinger. The script had also caused problems, with writers continuing to work on it during production. There was also continual delays with filming - a monsoon in the Bahamas put filming back by a week, Irvin Kershner (the director) "was not the fastest guy in the world" according to Jack Schwartzman (the producer) and re-shoots were necessary by the end of the planned production date. Sean Connery was surely wondering if he should have said 'never'.

Distribution rights for 'Never Say Never Again' were acquired from Taliafilm by MGM in December 1997.

Nurse: Mr. Bond, I need a urine sample. If you could fill this beaker for me?
James Bond: From here?

(A homage to the TV series Porridge, written by Ian Le Frenais and Dick Clement, uncredited script associates on 'Never Say Never Again')

Never Say Never Again

cast
Sean Connery.................................. James Bond
Klaus Maria Brandauer................... Maximilian Largo
Max Von Sydow.............................. Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Barbara Carrera.............................. Fatima Blush
Kim Basinger.................................. Domino Petachi
Bernie Casey................................... Felix Leiter
Alec McCowen................................ Q 'Algy' Algernon
Edward Fox..................................... M
Pamela Salem................................. Miss Moneypenny
Rowan Atkinson.............................. Nigel Small-Fawcett
Valerie Leon.................................... Lady in Bahamas
Milow Kirek..................................... Kovacs
Pat Roach........................................ Lippe
Anthony Sharp................................. Lord Ambrose
Prunella Gee................................... Patricia Fearing
Gavan O'Herlihy.............................. Jack Petachi
Ronald Pickup................................. Elliott
Robert Rietty.................................... Italian Minister
Guido Adorni................................... Italian Minister
Vincent Marzello............................. Culpepper
Christopher Reich........................... Number 5
Billy J. Mitchell................................ Captain Pederson
Manning Redwood.......................... General Miller
Anthony Van Laast.......................... Kurt
Saskia Cohen Tanugi...................... Nicole
Sylvia Marriott................................ French Minister
Dan Meaden.................................... Bouncer at Casino
Michael Medwin............................. Doctor at Shrublands
Lucy Hornak.................................... Nurse at Shrublands
Derek Deadman.............................. Porter at Shrublands
Joanna Dickens.............................. Cook at Shrublands
Tony Alleff........................................ Auctioneer
Paul Tucker..................................... Ship's Steward
Brenda Kempner............................. Masseuse
Jill Meager...................................... Health Spa Receptionist
John Stephen Hill............................ Communications Officer
Wendy Leech................................... Girl Hostage
Roy Bowe........................................ Ship's Captain
Roy Alon.......................................... Prison Guard Thrown into Sea (uncredited)
Tony Cyrus....................................... Arab Buyer (uncredited)
Rocky Taylor.................................... Hostage Guard (uncredited)
figures
Budget (at the time) - $36 million
35mm Panavision (anamorphic) - aspect ratio 2.35 : 1 - Dolby sound mix / 70mm 6 track (70mm prints) - Technicolor
UK premiere - December 14th 1983
US premiere - October 6th 1983
Gross worldwide (at the time) - $160 million
song lyrics
Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman
Performed by Lani Hall
"You walk in a room
A woman can feel the heat
One look is a guarantee
Nights could be long and sweet
The message is clear
Like nothing I've ever known
But the more that I hear
Forget about long-range plans
'Cause this man's got his own

To get mixed up with a man who says never
May be big trouble, but then
I just could be the woman to take you
And make you never say never again

Never, never say never again
Never, never say never again
Never, never say never again
Never, never say never again

You've got all the moves
Ah, but baby I've got them too
No matter your attitude or your mood
I'll come through
The touch of your voice
The feel of your eyes on me
You leave me no choice
Though I know there's danger there
I don't care, let it be

To get it bad with a man who says never
May have no future, but then
I just could be the woman to reach you
And teach you to never say never again

I'll beg you - I'll get you - I'll reach you - I'll teach you - I'll take you - I'll make you"

   

 

Octopussy

cast
Roger Moore................................... James Bond
Maud Adams................................... Octopussy
Louis Jourdan................................. Kamal Khan
Kristina Wayborn............................ Magda
Kabir Bedi....................................... Gobinda
Steven Berkoff................................ General Orlov
David Meyer................................... Twin One
Tony Meyer..................................... Twin Two
Desmond Llewelyn......................... Q
Robert Brown.................................. M
Lois Maxwell.................................. Miss Moneypenny
Michaela Clavell............................ Penelope Smallbone
Walter Gotell................................... General Anatol Gogol
Vijay Amritraj................................. Vijay
Albert Moses.................................. Sadruddin
Geoffrey Keen................................. Minister of Defence (Sir Frederick Gray)
Douglas Wilmer.............................. Jim Fanning
Andy Bradford................................. 009
Philip Voss..................................... Auctioneer
Bruce Boa....................................... U.S. General
Richard Parmentier........................ U.S. Aide
Paul Hardwick................................ Soviet Chairman
Suzanne Jerome............................. Gwendoline
Cherry Gillespie.............................. Midge
Dermot Crowley.............................. Kamp
Peter Porteous................................ Lenkin
Eva Rueber-Staier........................... Rublevitch
Jeremy Bullock............................... Smithers
Tina Hudson.................................... Bianca
William Derrick............................... Thug with Yo-yo
Stuart Saunders.............................. Major Clive
Patrick Barr..................................... British Ambassador
Gabor Vernon.................................. Borchoi
Hugo Bower.................................... Karl
Ken Norris....................................... Colonel Toro
Tony Arjuna..................................... Mufti
Gertan Klauber................................ Bubi
Brenda Cowling............................... Schatzi
David Grahame............................... Petrol Pump Attendant
Brian Coburn.................................... South American V.I.P.
Michael Halphie.............................. South American Officer
Mary Stavin..................................... Octopussy Girl
Carolyn Seaward............................ Octopussy Girl
Carole Ashby.................................. Octopussy Girl
Cheryl Anne.................................... Octopussy Girl
Jani-Z............................................... Octopussy Girl
Julie Martin...................................... Octopussy Girl
Joni Flynn........................................ Octopussy Girl
Julie Barth....................................... Octopussy Girl
Kathy Davies................................... Octopussy Girl
Helene Hunt..................................... Octopussy Girl
Gillian De Terville........................... Octopussy Girl
Safira Afzal..................................... Octopussy Girl
Louise King..................................... Octopussy Girl
Tina Robinson................................. Octopussy Girl
Alison Worth.................................... Octopussy Girl
Janine Andrews.............................. Octopussy Girl
Lynda Knight.................................... Octopussy Girl
Susanne Dando............................... Gymnast Supervisor
Teresa Craddock............................ Gymnast
Kirsten Harrison.............................. Gymnast
Christine Cullers............................. Gymnast
Lisa Jackman................................. Gymnast
Jane Aldridge................................. Gymnast
Christine Gibson............................. Gymnast
Tracy Llewellyn............................... Gymnast
Ruth Flynn....................................... Gymnast
Roberto Germains.......................... Ringmaster
Richard Graydon............................. Francisco the Fearless
The Hassani Troupe....................... Circus performers
The Flying Cherokees.................... Circus performers
Carol Richter................................... Circus Personnel
Josef Richter.................................. Circus Personnel
Vera Fossett................................... Circus Personnel
Shirley Fossett................................ Circus Personnel
Barrie Winship................................ Circus Personnel
Ravinder Singh Reyett.................... Thug
Gurdial Sira..................................... Thug
Michael Moor.................................. Thug
Sven Surtees.................................. Thug
Peter Edmund................................. Thug
Ray Charles..................................... Thug
Talib Johnny.................................... Thug
R.J. Bell........................................... German man in circus (uncredited)
Ken Burns....................................... East German body guard (uncredited)
Ishaq Bux........................................ Fakir (uncredited)
Sally Dewhurst............................... Circus Personnel (uncredited)
Reg Harding.................................... Fisherman in Boat (uncredited)
Eugene Lipinski.............................. Head VOPO (uncredited)
Derek Lyons.................................... US Air Force Base Officer (uncredited)
Ingrid Pitt......................................... Galley Mistress (voice) (uncredited)
Lenny Rabin..................................... Bidder at Sotheby's (uncredited)
Gary Russell.................................... Boy Teen in Car (uncredited)
Nicola Stapleton.............................. Little Girl at Circus (uncredited)
Michael G. Wilson........................... Soviet Council Member / Man on Tour Boat (uncredited)
figures
Budget (at the time) - $27.5 million
35mm Panavision (anamorphic) - aspect ratio 2.35 : 1 - Dolby sound mix / 70mm 6 track (70mm prints) - Technicolor
UK premiere - June 6th 1983
US premiere - June 10th 1983
Gross worldwide (at the time) - $187.5 million
song lyrics
Lyrics by Tim Rice
Performed by Rita Coolidge
"All I wanted was a sweet distraction for an hour or two
Had no intention to do the things we've done
Funny how it always goes with love, when you don't look, you find
But then we're two of a kind, we move as one

We're an all time high
We'll change all that's gone before
Doing so much more than falling in love
On an all time high
We'll take on the world and wait
So hold on tight, let the flight begin

I don't want to waste a waking moment; I don't want to sleep
I'm in so strong and so deep, and so are you
In my time I've said these words before, but now I realize
My heart was telling me lies, for you they're true

We're an all time high
We'll change all that's gone before
Doing so much more than falling in love
On an all time high
We'll take on the world and wait
So hold on tight, let the flight begin


So hold on tight, let the flight begin
We're an all time high"