24 replies to this topic

[Orion]

in From Russia With Love!

Couldn't find a thread on this so I though I'd start one. Following the success of their adaptations of Dr No and Goldfinger, BBC Radio 4 will be doing a third adaptation of Ian Fleming's Bond. Toby Stephens returns as James Bond with Martin Jarvis returning as the piece's director and as the voice of Ian Fleming. The play also stars Mark Gatiss, Eileen Atkins Julian Sands and Tim Pigott-smith.

Having Loved the first two I'm excited about this, especially as From Russia With Love is my favorite of the books.

Edited by Orion, 15 July 2012 - 12:30 PM.

[hcmv007]

Sounds cool!

[marktmurphy]

Yes, known about this for a while, as mentioned here:
http://debrief.comma...io/page__st__60

I wish they'd go for ones that the films hadn't adapted pretty closely already, though.

[mttvolcano]

Does anyone have recordings of his other ones by the way? I'd like to hear him as bond.

[Orion]

Yes, known about this for a while, as mentioned here:
http://debrief.comma...io/page__st__60

I wish they'd go for ones that the films hadn't adapted pretty closely already, though.

I thought it could do with it's own thread as it's on next Saturday.

I know what you mean - they could go for books relatively untouched by EON like Moonraker.

Does anyone have recordings of his other ones by the way? I'd like to hear him as bond.

You can probably find them on Youtube if you put it in to search.

[marktmurphy]

I don't think they've been made available to buy, have they? Which is odd: maybe there's an Eon stipulation in there.You'd think they'd sell okay.

[Jeff007]

Woohoo!!! Love these.

[Royal Dalton]

The play also stars Mark Gatiss

Which, presumably, clears this up: http://debrief.comma...iss-in-skyfall/

[marktmurphy]

Oh yes: I forgot about that- well remembered.

[hope]

hope this link still works for Goldfinger

http://www.mediafire.com/?uvovdmgmn1q

[Major Tallon]

I just listened to this. These have been good adaptations, and this one was no exception. Just some comments:
In order to simplify the meeting of the SMERSH conspirators, they made Kronsteen a colonel and had him participate fully.
They added a Moneypenny scene, with Janie Dee sounding like Samantha Bond (and borrowing her attitude, as well).
The performance by Olga Fedori as Tatiana struck me as rather flat.
The scenes in the gypsy camp, the killing of Krilencu, and the scene with Trempo were deleted, probably for time. Rather a shame.
Bond's killing of Grant was toned down a lot.
Unforgivably, they replaced the novel's wonderful final line with a montage of Bond recalling prior scenes from the adventure.

All told, however, an enjoyable listen.

[Orion]

I just listened to this. These have been good adaptations, and this one was no exception. Just some comments:
In order to simplify the meeting of the SMERSH conspirators, they made Kronsteen a colonel and had him participate fully.
They added a Moneypenny scene, with Janie Dee sounding like Samantha Bond (and borrowing her attitude, as well).
The performance by Olga Fedori as Tatiana struck me as rather flat.
The scenes in the gypsy camp, the killing of Krilencu, and the scene with Trempo were deleted, probably for time. Rather a shame.
Bond's killing of Grant was toned down a lot.
Unforgivably, they replaced the novel's wonderful final line with a montage of Bond recalling prior scenes from the adventure.

All told, however, an enjoyable listen.

The main Bond girls in all three have been a bit flat sounding, possibly an intentional direction choice so they sound different to the other characters. On the wholew very enjoyable, just like the rest, Toby Stephens voice suits the books Bond perfectly.

[Major Tallon]

Don't worry, Silhouette Man. Go to the BBC Radio 4 website and click on the schedule for today. Go to the program for Saturday Drama and click on "Listen Now." You'll pick up the tail end of the preceding program, but then FRWL will play. It'll be available for seven days. Hope you enjoy it!

[Guy Haines]

I like these Radio 4 adaptations of the original Fleming novels - just a pity we have to wait a year or two for them to emerge. And I do like Toby Stephens' portrayal of Bond - "Boy's Own stiff upper lipped throughout - more Pall Mall club member than the casino carouser he later became." (Taken from a Radio Times preview of FRWL.)

I do hope they get around to adapting "Moonraker" - if I never see the original story on screen, at least I might get to hear it!

[hope]

does anyone have a download of From Russia With Love available?

[Major Tallon]

I don't, but if you'll follow my directions in Post #14 above, you can download it yourself!

Or try this link.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01kxzr6/Saturday_Drama_From_Russia_with_Love/

[marktmurphy]

Fun stuff, although John Session's voice is distinctive enough to make it odd when Bond meets up with the Russian General at the end and starts conspiring with him- turns out Sessions was playing Mathis too!

[hope]

I don't, but if you'll follow my directions in Post #14 above, you can download it yourself!

Or try this link.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01kxzr6/Saturday_Drama_From_Russia_with_Love/

Thanks I've just actually realised that Amazon are officially releasing it on Audio CD on the 6th Sept -

http://www.amazon.co...42992365&sr=1-2

[K.O.P.]

Thanks I've just actually realised that Amazon are officially releasing it on Audio CD on the 6th Sept -

http://www.amazon.co...42992365&sr=1-2

If I'm not mistaken, that's not the BBC4 radio play but an audiobook, i.e. Toby Stephens reading the novel.

[zerominus]

Regarding post 17 - how does the download work? Can anyone elaborate on this?

[larrythefatcat]

Regarding post 17 - how does the download work? Can anyone elaborate on this?

The way I downloaded it was by getting the program "Radio Downloader" and finding the link under BBC>Drama>Saturday Drama and it was right there to download.

I'm also glad to see that BBC radio seems to be fully accessible from the US, very much unlike the majority of videos on the BBC site.

[marktmurphy]

Not sure there should have been a character called Q in it, should there?

I like that Stephens' Bond has a catchphrase that he seems to use in each story: "You bastard!"

[Major Tallon]

Not sure there should have been a character called Q in it, should there?

I like that Stephens' Bond has a catchphrase that he seems to use in each story: "You bastard!"

As for Q, there is no such character in Fleming, but they used his character to describe the briefcase, which made more dramatic sense than having Bond just refer to having been supplied with it. The real departure from the story was that they added an inuendo-laced Moneypenny scene. They also joked-up Bond's interview with M in a most uncharacteristic way. I still thought it was an enjoyable adaptation, and I hope they do more.

[hope]

Regarding post 17 - how does the download work? Can anyone elaborate on this?

The way I downloaded it was by getting the program "Radio Downloader" and finding the link under BBC>Drama>Saturday Drama and it was right there to download.

I'm also glad to see that BBC radio seems to be fully accessible from the US, very much unlike the majority of videos on the BBC site.

Thanks for that

http://www.mediafire...bk3c4uvfvm6dmz8

[marktmurphy]

They also joked-up Bond's interview with M in a most uncharacteristic way.

Yes, that was quite odd, wasn't it? Bond just plain never did that. He's not even that flippant in the films!