Posted 16 March 2012 - 12:35 AM
The 007 Magazine Diamonds Are Forever Archive File dropped through the door on Monday.
These Archive Files have dissected, and in some cases re-imagined, what until this issue have been some of the more widely considered better films of the series. One can understand why Dr No and OHMSS have been given the star treatment with Mr Rye's very able design skills. It is perhaps surprising then that Diamonds is next up bearing in mind it's less than widely perceived stellar quality.
The magazine is presented by the de rigueur minimalist approach to covers with a vividly coloured rendition of the poster artwork. And inside, Mr Rye introduces what is to follow with a wonderfully intelligent and gentle series of boyhood memories and facts as to what did and did not work in the day, and what works for him now with the film. He is even given to admitting that he would now add this film Diamonds to the other six earlier films he would run out of the house with, should he find it to be on fire!
At this point the reins are handed over to Jamie Beerman for a couple of articles, the first of which consists of some choice questions to one Lana Wood, and is illustrated with a series of photographs of her deleted scenes which would have helped clear up some of the story inconsistencies.
His second article is a personal 'take' on how one should now view this film based on his appreciation. It is a rapid fire piece that almost appears to have been dictated and transcribed verbatim; a series of random and haphazard points that pour forth, seemingly, from the mind of someone who is either on speed or is suffering from too much enthusiasm for his chosen subject. Undoubtedly it is meant well but I finished the piece breathless and was left wondering whether in fact, it might have been better received as a performance rather than having read it.
The article also contained a number of almost threateningly rhetorical questions that fairly dared one to disagree (What do you expect, it was an oil rig??), together with odd paragraphs that briefly bounced off so many fantastically disparate thoughts that even after repeated attempts to understand, I gave up, believing they could only possibly be connected in the mind of the author. Suffice to say, one paragraph on page 13 had something to do with;
1. Connery's reported fee
2. Sandals
3. Man Fu Kung
4. Patrick Allen
5. and Sandals again.
Perhaps the message is abundantly clear to some, but I had a headache.
I refer back to having this article performed to you. If you are listening to someone 'perform' a paragraph like this, the impact of not understanding it is lessened because the performer moves swiftly on to the next bon mot. That which you do not currently understand will be covered up by what follows. If you are reading it, you have the time to reflect and perhaps re-read, and wonder. There is a UK stand up comedian, Michael McIntyre, that I feel would do justice to this article. He is known for his rapid fire delivery and his more than energetic performances. I feel sure he would do this article the necessary justice and give it the entertainment factor that I feel was certainly in the mind of the author when he was dictating it, but that which does not really translate when reading.
Where Beerman does make a good point, and he does make many good points, is that Diamonds' negative receptions is perhaps due to it being a flamboyant film that immediately followed a down to earth powerhouse of a film. Usually, the Bond flamboyance and craziness creeps up on one over a period of several films and the known sequence is to follow crazy with down to earth. One is perhaps more used to that reining in of the flamboyance. Diamonds is perhaps the only film that turns the tables on that approach where it is the down to earth that has been 'reined in' in favour of flamboyance, and in retrospect, it doesn't sit easily.
There follow a couple of articles that cover a showgirl's memories of her time on Diamonds and also the memories of a motoring correspondent for a 'local' London paper who managed to take the moon buggy, in all its glorious unroadworthiness, for a spin round UK race track, Brands Hatch. Both these articles are fabulously written but the outstanding point for both pieces is, where on earth do 'they' find these people for such niche and underground memories? Hats off to people's contacts and for getting these memories committed to print.
As an aside, one of My Rye's old 007 magazines contained an article on his restoration efforts for this buggy. I am surprised this was not reprinted or given a facelift for this Archive File. Perhaps it is left for File #2.
Overall, another quality and superb magazine that deserves to be bought, an organisation that deserves to be supported.
