How Big Of A Bond Fan Are You?
Sweepy the Cat
Halifax, West Yorkshire, EnglaPosts: 986MI6 Agent
I've just been wondering, be honest, how big a bond fan are you. I'm quite a bond fan as family and friends say I'm an expert (I may have met my match here) and I bought all the old tapes when I was younger. I upgraded to the SE DVD's and began muying reference books about the series, joining forums and surfing the web for info. I have watched CR at the cinema and have been purchasing and reading the fleming bond books. I've read most but not all. I've got old bond magazines/newspapers and the odd sideshow figurine, I have began writing fan fiction. I'm frequently surfing the net now while flicking through fact and fiction books while frequently surfing the net while counting down to bond 22. I don't like to show off but I'm probably one of the more info filled bond fans (For a 13 year old). I'm focusing on getting the bond antiques of eBay because I usually get stuff of Amazon. The problem is with my weekly wage of £5 and extra for xmas and b-day I'm quite slow behind. I'm more of a bond fan of the older connery bonds and hate being stereotyped to love brosnan. What about everyone else?
Comments
I watched my first film *For Your Eyes Only* all the way through ten years ago when my uncle Tom insisted upon it, and even to this day I blame him completely for all of this. I've bought almost every single info book there is, all the Flemming and Higson novels, I collect posters (my Goldfinger one is mis-printed, and i still got it for 8 bucks..shhh don't tell SunCoast*, and I write fan fictions (I've been working on one for a few years now, and I'm only 20 some pages in...mmm edits) all the time. I've seen all the films in theater since GE and I'm known throughout Boulder, Colorado as "that weird kid who is obsessed with Bond". My aunt's friend (who writes for a paper in new York *not the Times, something smaller* once called me because he needed facts for a story he was doing on the spy craze, and I got recognition for it in the article. my specialty is in weird trivia (for lots of series, not just Bond), and I delight in telling people off for thinking they know Bond because they have a Martini on their shirt, or because they know who "That new Blonde Guy" is. Also, the ill fated BBOQ II (older ajbers know what this is)requested me for my knowledge about the Dalton era specifically.
eesh. I hate to brag, but there it is...that's how big a fan I am (at the moment)
~Pen -{
mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com
BOOKS
My grandfather died when I was 8, in 1966, leaving me his books including the Pan paperbacks of the Bonds (not OP or TSWLM obviously, those not being out in paperback at that point; I picked them up later along with CS). I read them avidly, having already seen GF at the cinema, and was enslaved for life. I began buying Bond and Bond-related books then and still do, actively hunting for the rarer items in second hand shops. Over time I began collecting first editions and now have firsts of most of the Bond novels -alas not CR, my firsts begin with LALD and I'm still seeking DAF and DN- and nearly all of the related books eg "The James Bond Dossier", "The Bond Affair", "Bond And Beyond" to name but three. I live in a library, more or less: there are bookcases in every room in my house bar kitchen and bathroom plus bags and boxes of books in the attic. The majority of the content is Bond. I have several copies of each Bond book- hardback, paperback, different languages (primarily German)- although some of these are filed away rather than on display.
MUSIC
I was fascinated by the music in the films (this should come as no surprise to anyone who knows anything about me) and began collecting the appropriate records. Nowadays it's CDs, of course, and I have all the Bond soundtracks in the most up-to-date editions as well as many oddities and rarities, endless cover albums, singles, remixes etc. In the process I became a John Barry fan and own an extremely comprehensive Barry collection- I won't say complete, but it's over 98%. There's more to this aspect which I won't go into, but I've met John Barry and several other Bond figures (not all musical) through some work I carried out in the 90s and early 2000s.
Being a musician, I often play Bond music at a gig or just for pleasure. I once submitted a song for a Bond film (many years ago, wouldn't do it now!) and often title instrumental pieces after unused Fleming titles (Eg "The Belles Of Hell").
FILMS
In the 60s and 70s the Bond films were frequently being rerun in cinemas, often on double bills, and I soon caught up with everything that had been released to date. Once I was old enough (DAF), I began attending the 007 Scottish premieres and collecting the brochures, etc, available there. I'd then catch a given film again as it moved from cinema to cinema, and later on double bills.
I initially bought the Bond films on Beta, then changed to VHS, then DVD, and now Ultimate Editions. All watched within danger of wearing out, often with my family but even more often without.
SUNDRIES
I've never been strong on collecting Bond or other items apart from the above. I've got some Bond playing cards, most of the 007 magazines, some badges, and a few toys (a Corgi Moonraker, for example). Perhaps the only one I'm attached to is the Corgi Aston Martin I bought in 1965- yes, prior to reading the books- which is still in its display box.
Naturally I've recorded Bond-related programs, films, etc, as they come on TV and I've a huge pile of VHS tapes with eg Timothy Dalton talking to Barry Norman or Roger Moore talking to Terry Wogan (Wogan brings up the subject of Moore being too old for 007, and Moore deflects this by saying Fleming never tells us how old Bond is; nicely handled, Sir Roger, though not 100% accurate!).
My lower hall, stairway, and upper hall are decorated with Bond posters. I'm listening to the GF soundtrack as I type this.
So, am I a big fan then? ?:)
So that's er two then...?;)
A DVD only man - oh and i have about 9 tattered novels from my dad from the 60's - and ihave bought The essential Bond or something - the large one with the Gold cover - but essentially a movie man, don't ny figurines, clothes, props etc, not into it, nor have the space !
James Bond The Legacy by John Cork and Bruce Scivally.
Have been a member of the Fan Club since 1976 too.
Is that a bog fan or what?
5ft 9ins - sorry, couldn't resist ;%
Sweepy, you are on your way to being a huge Bond fan. At 13 I respect your dedication, and love the fact that your menial salary is dedicated to Bond...we should all be proud.
That's the one, Cheers Barbel, I remember I only bought that from Asda/walmart store when I popped into buy a sandwich and it was priced 16.99 instead of 35.00 - I believe I posted the good news on here at the time - it was / is a nice big heavu book tho'
~Pen -{
mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com
Toilet humour?
Aaaggghhh!
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I used to collect toys and memorabilia but I dont tend to anymore unless it is a really cool or unusual item.
I have only recently begun reading the books, I don't know why I hadn't read them earlier. I'm up to OHMSS.
I am currently deciding on a Bond themed tattoo.
I bought the Posters Coffee table book twice so I could cut out posters and frame them!!
Aw! You stole my joke, Sir M. I was going to write that!
Joke ?:) I am 5' 9" !!
Old, old gag - a bit like me
Charlie