38 replies to this topic

[zencat]

The first piece of promo art for Bond 16. The provocative title (the first non-Fleming title) suggested "License Revoked" would be a very special Bond movie indeed.

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[zencat]

Every effort was made to come up with a fresh new ad campaign that told the audience LICENSE REVOKED would be a different kind of Bond movie.

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[zencat]

It looked like this poster by Peak -- of TSWLM and Star Trek fame -- would be the teaser, but then

[zencat]

The "License Revoked" campaign is junked in favor of a teaser poster reminiscent of The Living Daylights. Nice poster, but the title change suggested trouble ahead

[zencat]

Trouble indeed. MGM/UA implodes and the Bond marketing campaign is handed off to the guys at Kinko

[zencat]

International distributor UIP goes their own way and creates their own campaign -- which is not really much of an improvement.

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[zencat]

But then there's this variant poster used in the UIP campaign that I think is pretty sharp.

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[zencat]

Outside of the UK Bond is dressed in a tux in the UIP campaign. It's an improvement, I think.

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[zencat]

What was supposed to be a very special, groundbreaking Bond film looks like the most generic of the batch when it reaches DVD. And isn

[Blue Eyes]

Ah Licence Revoke, an ad campaign that I love simply because it had so much promise. I adore Peaks teaser poster just for its uniqueness.

Zencat, the series of 6 concept teaser posters. Do you know if any of them are available to buy at all? Do they ever pop up on eBay?

[zencat]

Originally posted by Blue Eyes
Zencat, the series of 6 concept teaser posters. Do you know if any of them are available to buy at all? Do they ever pop up on eBay?

I believe these are all one-of-a-kind concept posters used in developing the campaign. I don't think you'll find any for sale or on eBay. I took these images from an article in Premier magazine called "The Campaign That Wasn't."

This looks great on the main page, Blue Eyes! Thanks.

[zencat]

An extra... Might make a good avatar?

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[PaulZ108]

Most of those concept posters are new to me. I've always hated the LTK campaign and it's interesting to see how good it could have been.

Anyway I've enjoyed these campaign evolutions so far. Any more on the way?

[Hardyboy]

Beyond changing the title of the film (as John Glen said, it's ironic that the only film in which Bond doesn't have a licence to kill is called. . .well. . .), the real problem is that this campaign junked the painted posters and initiated the era of photo montages. None of the LTK-on posters have been memorable or distinctive. Please, EON, give us a painter for the DAD ad!

[PaulZ108]

That's exactly how I feel. The painted posters took much more skill than the photo montage posters do. They also do a better job of capturing the whole feel of the film.

However, I don't mind a photo montage if it's done well (like GoldenEye), but when it's just a cut and paste job as seen above it's just ugly.

[zencat]

Originally posted by PaulZ108
Anyway I've enjoyed these campaign evolutions so far.  Any more on the way?

Thanks Paul. Afraid I can't do anymore right now. I'm having my apt. painted and I don't have access to my collection. These images I already had on my computer. Maybe when I can get to my stuff I'll do a MOONRAKER (this could be very good), FYEO, and GE.

[Blue Eyes]

There is hope for Die Another Day getting some great artwork with the new advertisers at MGM, so don't fear! Also I noticed that the Crocodile Hunter (ugh) film has a painted art piece. I pray Die Another Day will too! In fact, I want to see a lot of posters. Variety is the spice of life and will bring in the audience!

[Blofeld's Cat]

What a fantastic thread, zencat. Rates 5 stars as far as I'm concerned.

I am a huge fan of Bob Peak and I absolutely agree that his teaser is a standout.

I never thought of it before, that Licence To Kill started the demise of the painted format for the Bond posters. I hope they go back to that format as a sort of homage to the 40 years.

As to the name change. I've always suspected that Eon were made to change the title because it resembled John Gardner's first Bond novel published 8 years earlier, and that this could have started the unconfirmed, but certainly apparent, rift between Eon and Glidrose.

Originally posted by zencat

Thanks Paul. Afraid I can't do anymore right now. I'm having my apt. painted and I don't have access to my collection. These images I already had on my computer. Maybe when I can get to my stuff I'll do a MOONRAKER (this could be very good), FYEO, and GE.

I was wondering, zencat. Was there ever any early concept art for For Your Eyes Only before Moonraker was later chosen to follow The Spy Who Loved Me? Now, that would be very interesting to look at.

[zencat]

Originally posted by Blofeld's Cat
I was wondering, zencat. Was there ever any early concept art for For Your Eyes Only before Moonraker was later chosen to follow The Spy Who Loved Me? Now, that would be very interesting to look at.

Now that would be something! As far as I know, they decided on Moonraker pretty quickly so I don't think there every was anything with the FYEO title, but you never know.

[Xenobia]

I like the idea of painted posters, and yes, they do take more skill, but there are certain "Tricks" shall we say that can only be done with photography.

Think about the conversatins we have had about the DAD teaser poster. Could that have been done with a painting?

Paintings tend to soften the startling images...and DAD will be full of startling moments. I think DAD should be a black and white photos...emphasizing the shadows and lights of Bond's life.

If someone were to paint that...the fine details would surely be lost in mass production.

-- Xenobia

[Donovan]

I recall reading that the red & black campaign that reads "Dismissed, Disgraced, etc." was immediately axed by the producers who said, "Bond would never be disgraced." A very astute observation. It's a good thing that they've always genuinely cared about Bond as a character and were careful as to how he was presented in the films.

Also, the early American version of the final teaser poster design had the title spelled "License To Kill" instead of "Licence". Subtle variation.

In addition to someone's point about a possible "FYEO" campaign in the 70s before "Moonraker" was chosen, wouldn't it be interesting to discover a poster or promotion with the title "From A View To A Kill"?

While we're one the subject, same goes for "Doctor No" instead of "Dr." and "From Russia, With Love" instead of "From Russia With Love" and I suppose even "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" starring Sean Connery in 1965...I've seen something to this end in the DVD of OHMSS.

-Joe

[Tedley King]

I actually don't mind that they used a TLD picture for the LTK DVD. I think that picture is quite good and let's be honest, who apart from a Bond fan would notice. Not many. Besides, what kind of picture was quite what was needed for the LTK front cover?

[Red Grant]

Nice to see yet more unused concept teasers. I wish I'd known about these when I did my concept page!
There is also this alternate version...

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[freemo]

To talk about the DVD cover for a moment, I don't think its over the top to call it the laziest, most bland and unimaginative half-hearted effort in the history of man.

What makes it worse is the fact that theres an awesome alternative. The cover of the booklet if I'm not mistaken. Why, oh why, didn't they make this one the cover....

[zencat]

Originally posted by freemo
What makes it worse is the fact that theres an awesome alternative. The cover of the booklet if I'm not mistaken. Why, oh why, didn't they make this one the cover....

I couldn't agree with your more, freemo! That would have made a far better cover, especially as Cary Lowell has become a somewhat popular TV star in America. You would think her image would be a selling point. I really don't understand those marketing folk over at MGM.

[zencat]

Just found this LTK concept art over at The Art of James Bond
This is a truly AWSOME Bond website, BTW. I'd suggest linking and bookmarking ASAP.

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[PaulZ108]

I've had The Art of James Bond bookmarked for at least a year and it really is excellent.

However, all the pictures at the site come up as red x's now. Does anyone else have this problem?

[zencat]

Originally posted by PaulZ108
However, all the pictures at the site come up as red x's now.  Does anyone else have this problem?

I was just there 10 mins ago and the pics were all coming up fine for me.

[PaulZ108]

I figured it out. It had something to do with my ad-blocking software and turning it off let me see it just fine.

Whew...

[Turn]

Hey Zencat, I remember that Premier article and have it in my Bond scrapbook stuff somewhere. They listed reasons United Artists or whoever rejected the concepts, also. One was said to be too much like Dirty Harry, the other was too much advertisement for an island getaway, etc.

I like the eventual teaser poster and the ad copy. The final U.S. poster was horrid though. Ever notice in the Dalton posters that the girls are never around him the way they were with Moore. In the final U.S. poster, Lowell and Soto look like they were added almost like an afterthought, which makes that other concept one all the more interesting.