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Casino Royale Exhibition at the University of Illinois


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#1 Major Tallon

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Posted 20 March 2013 - 01:54 AM

The University of Illinois Rare Book and Manuscript Library is sponsoring an exhibition to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the publication of Ian Fleming's Casino Royale.  Details are published here:

 

http://illinois.edu/...621&skinId=6641

 

Micahel van Blaricum, president of the Ian Fleming Foundation, will present a lecture on April 12 at 3:00, the exhibition's opening day, with a reception to follow.  I plan to attend, and other CBn'ers may also be interested.

 

The exhibition runs from April 12 to July 1.

 

In addition, the University's Spurlock Museum is featuring an exhibition on "Unconventional Bond:  The Strange Life of Casino Royale on Film."  This exhibition runs from April 16 to June 16. Details are published here:

 

http://illinois.edu/...0202&skinId=914



#2 Major Tallon

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Posted 29 March 2013 - 02:20 PM

More information about the exhibitions is provided here:

 

http://news.illinois...mes_bond60.html

 

For literary Bond fans, it looks like an amazing series of events.



#3 Dustin

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Posted 29 March 2013 - 03:02 PM

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing, Major Tallon!  



#4 Major Tallon

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Posted 12 April 2013 - 01:22 PM

If anybody's around today, I'll be the tall guy wearing a dark blue "Casino Royale Montenegro" shirt.



#5 Dustin

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Posted 12 April 2013 - 03:46 PM

Wish that I could be there.

#6 Major Tallon

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Posted 15 April 2013 - 06:43 PM

I had an extremely interesting weekend at the Casino Royale 60th Anniversary Exhibitions at the University of Illinois.  Things began Friday with a lecture by Michael van Blaricum, president of the Ian Fleming Foundation.  He presented an overview of Fleming's life and spoke about many of the influences on Fleming's development of the James Bond character.  The lecture was followed by a reception in the Rare Book Library, where the exhibition has been set up.  There's quite a nice display of the first editions of the British Bond books, along with a selection of various editions from the UK, US, and other countries.  It was particularly nice to see the manuscript of Casino Royale, on loan from the Lilly Library, together with a facsimile of the first page of the original manuscript, showing Fleming's struggles with the novel's opening line.  Bond continuation author Raymond Benson was also in attendance, and he's a friendly and interesting fellow to talk to.

 

I also visited the University's Sousa library, where there's a display of Bond music.  Of particular interest here is David Arnold's personal score for the "Casino Royale" recording sessions.  On Saturday, Benson was present at a book signing at the University bookstore, and he again established himseslf as a really nice guy.

 

On Saturday evening, I was at the Spurlock museum for a Bond music concert by the Illinois Jazz Band.  Benson was also present here.  He introduced the performances from three pieces from the Bond novels:  "After You've Gone" (TMWTGG, Ch. 6), "Feuilles-Mortes" (DAF, ch. 5), and, of course, "La Vie En Rose" (CR, ch. 14).  Benson himself took the keboard for a medley of Bond film tunes that was a highlight of an outstanding concert.  The Spurlock also has a display of Bond film memorabilia, to include the Aston-Martin from "The Living Daylights" and costume items from Bond and Fatima Blush from NSNA.  There's also Bond's bloody tuxedo from "Casino Royale" and various items from Vesper's purse, including a handwritten letter from her mother that was prepared by the studio art departent but never shown in the film.

 

Altogether, it was a very special weekend.  For those who couldn't attend these events, the exhibitions are still available for viewing and still well worth a visit.  Moreover, in two weeks, the Spurlock is going to host showings of the three versions of "Casino Royale", plus "Thunderball" and NSNA.  Noted film historian John Cork, who worked on the commentaries for the video special editions, will lecture on the background to "Casino Royale" on the evening of April 26 and on "Thunderball" at 1:00 on August 28.  i'm planning on attending the latter.