61 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

Now on the CBn main page...

Ian Fleming's Goldfinger to be adapted for BBC Radio

Adaptation to follow last year's Fleming centenary production of Dr. No

Radio production of Ian Fleming's Goldfinger to feature Ian McKellen and Toby Stephens

To be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 over Easter weekend 2010

Ian Fleming's Goldfinger radio production preview clip online

To be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 3 April

Radio 4 production of Goldfinger now online

Listen now to the adaptation of Ian Fleming's seventh James Bond adventure

[jrcjohnny99]

I never heard the Dr No adaptation;
was it good? does anyone have a copy they can share?

[Jeff007]

This is really good news. I love the BBC adaptations as they always do such a good job.

[Major Tallon]

I never heard the Dr No adaptation;
was it good? does anyone have a copy they can share?

It was a bit eccentric, as David Suchet really hammed it up as Dr. No. I thought Stephens was good as Bond, and Quarrel was well portrayed. I liked the concept of having Ian Fleming narrate the action.

I've got a copy, but it's pretty poor. I taped it on a Saturday morning when everyone in the neighborhood decided it was time to mow the lawn, and the background noise is unbelievable.

Hopefully someone else will have a decent copy.

Edited by Major Tallon, 14 October 2009 - 09:21 AM.

[Gabriel]

I'm surprised they didn't release the Dr No play on CD (then again the Michael Jayston You Only Live Twice wasn't either.) Maybe these recordings can finally see the light of day with Goldfinger arriving!

[Mr. Blofeld]

Goldfinger drags a great deal in the middle; it would have probably been more constructive (both for character and pacing reasons) to do a faithful adaptation of Moonraker, instead.

[Tybre]

Goldfinger drags a great deal in the middle; it would have probably been more constructive (both for character and pacing reasons) to do a faithful adaptation of Moonraker, instead.

Things may be trimmed or changed, remember. Nothing is to say this follows the book to a T.

[Peckinpah1976]

Thought the version of Dr.No was terrific, so I'm really looking forward to this - shame they couldn't have picked a better book (FRWL or OHMSS) but you can't have everything.

Both the previous Radio 4 Bond adaptations can be found online (unofficially) if you look hard enough.....

[Kangch]

I never heard the Dr No adaptation

Neither do I. If they release an "official" CD adaptation, I would try to have it. (I think it's better to work on that to learn English than working on old scholars books )

[marktmurphy]

Excellent news. Slightly odd choice of book, but it should be fun.

[Jim]

Should be fun; would be nice to have the lot done (in the vein of the magnificent BBC Sherlock Holmes complete set).

[Tybre]

I'm hopeful this means they have the go-ahead to adapt other James Bond stories, and that EON & Co didn't just decide it's alright to do two instead of one. I'd love to hear an adaptation of Live and Let Die in the vein of the Dr. No adaptation. Also hoping Toby Stephens returns for this one. The man was quite good.

[marktmurphy]

Should be fun; would be nice to have the lot done (in the vein of the magnificent BBC Sherlock Holmes complete set).

Of course Bond doesn't really suit radio as well as Holmes, sadly. Holmes has Watson to tell what's happening: the problem with Fleming is that Bond spends huge swathes of time on his own not actually talking, whether that be a marathon night time swim or just some reflections in a DBIII- and if you're not talking, us listeners don't know what you're up to. So they have to bring in Bond narrating (which feels sort of un-Bondy, somehow- it seems wrong for the listener to have a relationship with Bond himself as if we're sitting on his knee around the fire while he tells us a story) or a totally external narrator completely, which isn't the most satisfying form of drama.

[Gabriel]

Maybe they could pick some stories with large input from Felix to get around that!

[Gabriel]

Maybe they could pick some stories with large input from Felix to get around that!

[Qwerty]

Radio production of Ian Fleming's Goldfinger to feature Ian McKellen and Toby Stephens

To be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 over Easter weekend 2010

[TheSaint]

Suchet ruined Dr.No for me.

I wonder how hard it would be to get Roger or Pierce to do Bond for radio?

[Major Tallon]

Suchet's intonations were certainly most odd. I think Roger's voice sounds too old for Bond these days. Brosnan could do it, but I doubt that he wants to continue an association with Bond.

[[dark]]

This is a superb cast! Ian McKellan - what a coup!

[Jim]

Some cast, that. Looking forward to this a lot.

[marktmurphy]

Ian Ogilvy! What fun: looking forward to this one.

Bit of a Batman and Robin moment to see James Bond demoted to second place in the cast list!

[Guy Haines]

Goldfinger drags a great deal in the middle; it would have probably been more constructive (both for character and pacing reasons) to do a faithful adaptation of Moonraker, instead.

I'm looking forward to the Radio 4 adaption of Goldfinger, but I agree, I think an adaptation of Moonraker would also be most welcome. I would particularly relish the scene when Drax reveals his true identity. I have two audio book versions of MR the novel, and in both it is a really OTT part for the narrator.

[zencat]

Great photo of the cast now on the IFP site.

http://www.ianfleming.com/

[Qwerty]

Great photo of the cast now on the IFP site.

http://www.ianfleming.com/

Very cool.

[Guy Haines]

This is a superb cast! Ian McKellan - what a coup!

Never mind radio, Sir Ian McKellan might make a good Bond villain on screen, if the next adversary is an older, cerebral type, as opposed to the younger villains we have seen over the past decade.

[Orion]

Anyone know where to find a copy of the version of Dr No they did. I listened to it when it aired and really enjoyed it, but would like to hear it again so any help finding it would be great.

[Qwerty]

Ian Fleming's Goldfinger radio production preview clip online

To be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 3 April

[TheSaint]

Couldn't get the clip to work.

[David Schofield]

Just heard the clip.

Sadly, like DN, it all comes across as overacting night at your local amateur dramatics club.

Shows how OTT even a talented cast can sound on radio. Particularly when they are up against immaculately scripted, cast and performed EON film versions of the same stories.

Perhaps Jarvis and co should have adapted the less authentically filmed Fleming novels.

[hope]

Anyone know where to find a copy of the version of Dr No they did. I listened to it when it aired and really enjoyed it, but would like to hear it again so any help finding it would be great.

Here's the link to download it -

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=15NCIW58