5 replies to this topic

[Atticus17F]

During the "Making of" documentary on TMWTGG DVD, Christopher Lee mentions that he played golf with Fleming shortly before he died.
As he speaks, there is a brief piece of film in which three men stroll across a golf course and then a closer shot of Fleming (or someone who looks remarkably like him). The shot, which looks as though taken in the 50s, is in colour but very dark and grainy.

Does anyone know if this is actually Fleming himself? And if so, is it part of some documentary available to the public?

[philbowski]

I know the shot you're talking about and I believe that it is Fleming. Not sure where it came from although it must be listed somewhere in the credits.

[philbowski]

There is lots of Fleming footage in the new DVD set. Not all has Fleming himself speaking, mostly just shown while the narrator talks about him. If you have the set, check the 'Behind the Scenes' and the 'Making of:' documentaries. They are all very interesting as well as containing great photos and video of Ian Fleming. One DVD, The Living Daylights I believe but could be wrong, has a documentary specifically on Fleming. It's titled 'Ian Fleming: 007's Creator' or something like that.

Edited by philbowski, 03 March 2004 - 02:48 PM.

[Atticus17F]

Yep, the main Fleming documentary is on the Living Daylights DvD. It's very well put-together, though I was a little disappointed not to find the entire 1969 Omnibus programme as some magazines and websites had claimed would be included on TLD.

As philbowski says, throughout the entire set of DvDs there are little pieces of footage here and there and you'll find them mainly on the "making of" documentaries.

One of the best programmes I ever saw was a Channel 4 production, called "The Real James Bond" which aired a couple of years ago in the UK. There was tons of Super-8mm footage which included his homes at Sevenhampton, Joyce Grove, Ebury Street, White Cliffs and Goldeneye; Fleming winning the steeplechase at Eton; and other snippets of him, relaxing and chatting with friends, waving to the camera, etc. It was fascinating stuff, but I've no idea where you'd obtain a copy of the programme now. I recorded it onto video and I've tried to have it converted to DvD but the companies I've spoken to are reluctant as it is copyrighted material.

It's worth taking a day to yourself and sitting through the DVD "making of" programmes, though. I'm pretty sure they've used short clips from almost every source available.

[Atticus17F]

Yes, I managed to get a copy of the James Bond Story on DVD also. I think it was part of a promotion, with some film or other. Can't remember.

If it's strictly radio and press interviews you're looking for, I'm not sure I'd be able to add much to the list you already compiled. There's quite a bit of footage available on the DVDs but unfortunately no mention of their source. The most frequent clips are of Fleming's interview with the Canadian Broadcasting people at Goldeneye.

I noticed one not on your list was from the Dec. '64 issue of Playboy. You can read the full piece at Art of James Bond. I think it costs a couple of quid to join, but it's a pretty good site anyway and well worth the money.

Edited by Atticus17F, 06 March 2004 - 03:25 AM.

[Atticus17F]

In the documentary, do you think they use the Fleming BBC Radio interview over some of the footage, when it cuts to the reconstruction film they use?

Which interview - and which documentary - do you mean? I think he did quite a few for the BBC alone, not counting Desert Island Discs and the Raymond Chandler conversation.

Just found, on p.345 of the Lycett biography, that Fleming appeared on the "Right of Reply" and "The Bookman" tv programmes, sometime in 1958. If I find mention of any others, I'll post them here.