31 replies to this topic

[marktmurphy]

He's on Jonathan Ross' show this morning. No idea if he'll talk about Bond or not.

Go to www.bbc.co.uk and click on radio player. Go to Radio 2 and listen live.

[Roebuck]

''Shame on them and shame on you.''

Jonathan's comment on IFP and Higson sums up my feelings perfectly.
Ross has a point, for once. They should set fire to the bloomin' manuscript and forget the whole idea.

[marktmurphy]

Nothing particularly of interest: only that it seems Higson has finished the book. He is fairly confident that it works and they talk about his other thriller writing experiences. He is mainly in to promote a DVD of a movie version of one of his novels (did Benson ever get a movie made..?).

If you want to listen to the interview the 'listen again' feature should be up and working by the end of the day. He appears 50 mins in.

[marktmurphy]

Worth listening to for the bit at the end where Jonathan admits he previously fell asleep whilst interviewing Charlie!

[DLibrasnow]

LOL....I'll have to check it out, thanks for the info.

[zencat]

Thanks for the tip, marktmurphy. I missed it, but I'll try and catch it on the replay.

[Athena007]

a wave file and a bit of transcription... From CBn's Main Page: Higson on BBC2

ThanX marktmurphy

[Qwerty]

Well, he does seem confident in his work, so at least that's a good sign.

[DLibrasnow]

I really don't think this book will hurt anyone and it may bring some new fans into the fold which can only be a good thing.

[Triton]

The question though is will it create new fans of what? A child-friendly thirteen- year-old boy named James Bond? How will this character be the same as the Ian Fleming literary character and the cinematic character and still be marketed to nine to eleven year olds?

[MrDraco]

Is it just me or does Higson think he's the cats ?

[zencat]

This interview is GREAT! That sound clip is priceless.

Higson certainly has wit on his side. Maybe he should be writing the films?

[thuffner]

Hilarious indeed. Can't wait to see what comes of all this...

[marktmurphy]

Is it just me or does Higson think he's the cats ?

Yeah, just you. He is displaying what's called a 'sense of humour'.


And Zencat, if you can get hold of it, it's worth checking out Higson's 'Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)' series which aired here about three years ago. It's him writing for the screen in a comedy adventure series. With music by David Arnold (!).

[marktmurphy]

There's a few clips on this old site: Talk to a Dead Man (try and spot Higson making a cameo).

And you can watch the groovy (and Bond-style) title sequence here: BBC I Love TV

It was a remake of an old 60's series which I think was sold as 'My Partner The Ghost' in the US. Season 2 of the Higson version is probably the better of his two.

[Mister Asterix]

If the book is done, why wait until 2005?

[Roebuck]

Season 2 of the Higson version is probably the better of his two.

The programme got better when Higson stopped reworking episodes from the sixties series and just did his own thing.
Nice looking show as well, considering it was done on the usual miserly budget British television gives to fantasy series. The home of Wyvern (Tom Baker's character), with it's constantly rearranging walls, was a terrific visual.

[marktmurphy]

He didn't rework any episodes from the sixties. His series had a fantasy angle which the original never had.
Unfortunately the episodes I find the most successful were those he didn't write, such as the Gareth Roberts one.

[Roebuck]

He didn't rework any episodes from the sixties.

Remember the hypnotism episode guest starring Hugh Lawrie? Remake of a story from the Mike Pratt /Kenneth Cope series.

[marktmurphy]

Really? Any others? That all hinged upon Marty's possession skills though didn't it? I don't remember that in the original.

[Roebuck]

There were a few but, as I own neither the original or the Vic & Bob version, I can't be precise. It was definitely something that Kenneth Cope commented on when the BBC series was shown.

[The Silver Beast]

In one of the other threads someone poo-pooed fan complaints, pointing out that IFP isn't releasing these books "for the fans," but trying to attract a new generation of readers. I believe that's true. But I think this interview illustrates something that the IFP doesn't seem to "get" -- and that

Edited by The Silver Beast, 11 April 2004 - 05:51 PM.

[daman3755]

I can't say I've ever heard of this guy before, being American and all, but after hearing and reading that interview he comes across as a total (censored) who thinks he know what is best forBond. Here is an interesting interjection. Okay, so say this new Young James Bond series goes over well with the kiddies. Frankly, I feel that doing this is a waste to begin with, but hey if that's what they want, knock 'em dead. (I grew up on James Bond Jr. and loved it because it wasn't associated with the the movie or book timeline. Now, if this new series has ramifications on either timeline, I can promise you I will be very upset and will come running with a pitchfork.) Anywho, kids love it, the series sells like mad crazy. Won't introducing kids to some Bondian elements give them ideas a bit too early? I guess I can't really talk anyway, since I've been catching PG-13 flicks since I was 8 years old. (God bless "Batman Returns.") I understand that all this is aimed at, what, 13 and 14 year olds? I'm just a bit up in the air on bringing this idea back. You know what they say, third time's the charm. Then again, they also say spies (problems) come in three's. Either Bond gathers more steam and more demand for new hardcover releases or Bond starts hitting a slowdown. NOW is a bad time for a slowdown with the new 007 flick slowly on the way.

[Tanger]

If the book is done, why wait until 2005?

I was thinking the same thing. If he's already written it then why can't it be released this year? Unless this is still very much a first draft and they are using the time for editing and tweaking.

[daman3755]

Unless this is still very much a first draft and they are using the time for editing and tweaking.

Maybe it really is that bad after all!

[INTREPID]

Charlie Higson is a pretty great comedy producer as far as I can see. He's the main force behind Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, it's just too bad nobody in North America has ever heard of any of them. Why he's turned to writing fiction for children I cannot fathom.

[Brix Bond]

The book will probably be released in conjunction with the film to make the most of the Bond publicity wagon.

Did someone say "Ka-ching!"?

[daman3755]

Charlie Higson is a pretty great comedy producer as far as I can see. He's the main force behind Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, it's just too bad nobody in North America has ever heard of any of them. Why he's turned to writing fiction for children I cannot fathom.

COMEDY?! I dunno about this...I wish I could read some of his work to qualm this fear in me. I've got a bad feeling about this.

[INTREPID]

Charlie Higson is a pretty great comedy producer as far as I can see.  He's the main force behind Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, it's just too bad nobody in North America has ever heard of any of them.  Why he's turned to writing fiction for children I cannot fathom.

COMEDY?! I dunno about this...I wish I could read some of his work to qualm this fear in me. I've got a bad feeling about this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...ie_higson.shtml

That doesn't link to much of his work... You'll find most of that by searching on Reeves & Mortimer.

[daman3755]

Reeves and Mortimer? What's that, like a book store or a publisher? Can't say I've ever heard of 'em.