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[quantumofsolace]

The best 007 film from each of the actors who have played the iconic James Bond character. Oxford April 21-26

http://www.oxfordmai...x_Picturehouse/

[quantumofsolace]

oxfordmail 20 april 2013

The name is Bond... the best of

STAFF at Oxford’s Phoenix Picturehouse admit to being shaken and stirred by the thought of its Best of Bonds film festival opening tomorrow.

In fact, Joseph Hutton, bar manager of the Walton Street cinema said: “I’ve already briefed my staff on our mission to host the best – and certainly most sophisticated – Bond party we can. And naturally that’ll mean Martinis.”

The Oxford Mail film festival, now in its eighth year, is always staged at the Phoenix and according to manager Stuart Jarvis, this year’s promises to be the most spectacular.

“How can you argue with more than 50 years of sheer escapism?” he said.

“There can’t be anyone, anywhere, who hasn’t at least once or twice hummed The James Bond theme. And as for the films themselves, not only have they remained gloriously entertaining but astonishingly timeless too.

“So it’s no surprise we’re all excited about the next six days.”

Jeremy Smith, entertainment editor of the Oxford Mail, said this year’s festival would probably be a record breaker.

He said: “Not only have we got six great films to watch but also a whole A-to-Z of Bond goodies to give away each night, including meals for two at some some of Oxford’s finest restaurants, books, free tickets to one of the country’s top Bond exhibitions, bottles of champagne, mugs, graphic novels and an Aston Martin too – albeit a very small one."

All the films start at 8.45pm, and they’re half-price for anyone carrying a copy of that day’s Oxford Mail (and yes, for tomorrow night’s opening of Skyfall, today’s edition of the paper will be fine). Half-price tickets range from £4.10 to £4.35.

After Skyfall, Daniel Craig’s third outing as Bond, Monday sees a showing of Goldeneye; on Tuesday it’s The Living Daylights; Wednesday it’s The Spy Who Loved Me; Thursday On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and closing is that most beloved of Bond outings Goldfinger on Friday.

Jeremy said: “This is meant as a celebration, so please, if you feel so inclined, do come dressed to impress. And if you can say Miss Moneypenny with a convincing Scottish burr, you may well win a prize”.

 

http://www.oxfordmai...___the_best_of/

 

[quantumofsolace]

Fans strike gold at James Bond film festival oxfordmail 30th April 2013

THE spectacular closing night screening of Goldfinger on Friday, marking the end of this year’s eighth annual Oxford Mail film festival, left movie goers and Bond fans alike both shaken and stirred.

It proved once and for all that the magic Disney wields for children is no different to the catnip James Bond provides for adults.

Staged every year at the Phoenix Picturehouse cinema in Walton Street, Oxford, this year’s festival focused on the six actors who have played Britain’s most celebrated export.

Those who attended were treated to a spectacular 50-year celebration of glamour, gadgets, car chases and megalomaniacs.

And if you made sure you were carrying a copy of that day’s Oxford Mail, you got in for half price. It was a fact that did not escape Bond aficionado Luka Milkovic and his friend James Gillespie from Headington who watched Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye. James said: “It’s such an excellent deal to get in half-price, we thought it was too good to miss.”

As the festival continued, it was clear more and more of those attending were being emboldened by the idea of fancy dress.

During Friday’s closing speech by Oxford Mail features editor Jeremy Smith, himself armed with a suspiciously ‘mechanical’ white cat, it became immediately clear that competition for Daniel Craig’s current defence of the title might be sorely threatened.

Jim (James) Walker, aged 64, together with his wife Tricia Walker from Whitecross, near Abingdon, dressed up for the occasion.

Mr Walker said: “I grew up reading all the James Bond books in Glasgow. I distinctly remember going to see Dr No in 1962, and for me Sean Connery is unquestionably the best Bond. It was impossible not to dress the part for an event as special as this.”

The audience agreed and the couple walked away with a Champagne dinner for two at the Randolph Hotel.

During the six-day festival, prizes of Bond collectables, dinners for two at Brasserie Blanc and bottles of fizz courtesy of The Big Bang restaurant were given away, as well as family tickets to see the Bond-in-Motion exhibition at Beaulieu.

Mr Smith said: “We thought if we’re celebrating Bond, we’d better make sure our prizes matched his reputation.”

http://www.oxfordmai..._film_festival/