IWM Bond Exhibit= WEAK!

Gebruder Gumbold · May 2008

I have just returned from the IWM Bond FYEO exhibit in London, and both myself and my Bond trip partner are both disappointed with the prop aspect of the exhibit. The Iam Fleming "This is Your Life" part was very well done, however no pics were allowed. It was very interesting to see his wartime achievements, and they spent about 60% of the exhibit on that. Fine, but get to Bond...
....Little Nellie (looking worn and tired) was there, as was a rocket belt from Thunderball. Both were displayed in a manner that you couldnt get close to see details. the rocket belt was up against a wall, so we couldnt see the back of it. prop makers beware- you'll get no info from this exhibit.

WHY didnt they contact any of us on this site? Hell, Zaritsky alone has more props and a better museum in his house than this professionally done exhibit. There was nothing there that one couldnt get on Ebay! Even some of the posters weren't first run!

You still cant go wrong with the rest of the IWM. When was the last time you saw, and could touch a Jagdpanzer, or a Spitfire?

The book is nice, but that was about it.
Will post pics from the rest of the Bond trip soon. GG

bondaholic007 · May 2008

I was also rather disappointed, I was in the for less than 3O mins

scaramangasgoldengun · May 2008

the book by ben macntyre seems to be better than the exhibition ? lol

Asp9mm · May 2008

It wasn't about Bond, it was about Fleming. IMO they put too much into displaying Bond props as an afterthought to the four rooms of Fleming leading up to them. I thought the exhibition was great and very well thought out, but if you wanted a 'Bond' exhibition then you woud be disapointed, that was not what it was intended to be.

The book was aimed more towards the Bond film franchise in terms of pictures and had only had about 1/2% of what was actually displayed in the exhibition.

If you are a Film Bond fan over Flemings literary creation, then you will be disapointed. If you are a fan of Fleming, you'll love it.

Pictures were taken on the launch night, as soon as the exhibition is over, I'm sure that loads will be on here for you to copy.

Asp9mm · May 2008

bondaholic007 wrote:

I was also rather disappointed, I was in the for less than 3O mins

And maybe that was the problem, you should have taken time to read the documents. A letter to Fleming from Stalin, Flemings corrections to his manuscripts giving more insight into Bond and his villains, and some great stuff between Fleming/Boothroyd and Flemings Eyes Only documents whilst working in Naval Intel are just superb. Some of the letters to fans querying his products and/or decisions are hilarious. Should have spent another hour at least in there.

7289 · May 2008

Being marooned in the States I am sorry not be able to take a look at the IWM Exhibit in person.

I can say that aspects of McIntyre's book are very poor and as pointed out, it concentrates on the film series and less on IF. IMO the book, "For Your Eyes Only, Ian Fleming & James Bond" is an indifferent effort of someone PAID for a write up, as opposed to being written by a person with a genunie admiration for Fleming and Bond.

scaramangasgoldengun · May 2008

a major mistake in the book and I dont know if its a mistake at the exhibition is Q's travel bag from licance to kill . it states is from A view to a kill come on it even had dentoninte toothpaste inside how more obvious can you get

Napoleon Plural · July 2008

Well I went along with Strangeways yesterday. We both quite enjoyed it, but SW said it wasn't as good as the Leeds one at the Imp War Museum a few years ago.

Typical of the exhibition is the lack of soundproofing. There was a kiddy roulette thing with a recorded voice saying 'Was he the inspiration for James Bond?' every few minutes. One excellent display screen giving the locations of the Bond novels with olde b+w postcards of the time. You do have to be prepared to be into Fleming more than Bond however. Loads of diff paperbacks of the novels on display, about 10 for each book, inclu the Never Say Never Again tie-in for Thunderball. Most of these I'd never seen before.

Some of it hard to concentrate on with the sound interference however and SW pointed out a big flaw: it says that Goldeneye inspired the name of Fleming's home and a short story - but there was no short story of that name.

IWM Bond Exhibit= WEAK!

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