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The BBC Radio 4 Literary James Bond Adaptations (starring Toby Stephens)

DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
edited September 2021 in News Posts: 18,281
Please see the details at the link below:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b042cq8f

On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
First broadcast: Saturday 03 May 2014 James Bond seems more interested in gambling at the Casino Royale than tracking down elusive SPECTRE chief Blofeld. Then he meets Tracy, emotionally disturbed daughter of mafia boss Draco.
Now he has a double motive: seek and destroy Blofeld, and prevent Tracy killing herself.

Impersonating a College of Arms official Bond infiltrates Blofeld's Swiss mountain-top lair. He learns that Blofeld and aide Irma Bunt are brainwashing young women. Why? Is biological warfare involved? Backed by 'M' and Draco, Bond mounts an air assault. But can he pin down monstrous Blofeld? And what will happen to Tracy?

Toby Stephens is on top form as 007. A stellar cast includes Joanna Lumley, Alfred Molina, Alex Jennings, Lisa Dillon, John Standing, Janie Dee, Lloyd Owen, Joanna Cassidy, Clare Dunne and Julian Sands, with Jarvis himself as the voice of Fleming.

Specially composed music: Mark Holden and Michael Lopez
Dramatised by Archie Scottney

Director: Martin Jarvis
Producer: Rosalind Ayres
A Jarvis & Ayres Production for BBC Radio 4
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Comments

  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    Posts: 5,080
    It's nice that Joanna Lumley is taking part in this, with her role in OHMSS film. I see that she is voicing Irma Bunt, who is one of my favourite Bond characters!
  • MrSilvaMrSilva
    Posts: 33
    Gustav Graves voicing James Bond?! Impossible! :P
  • dramaticscenesofQOSdramaticscenesofQOS
    Posts: 1,282
    Thanks!
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    MrSilva wrote:
    Gustav Graves voicing James Bond?! Impossible! :P

    It's not the first time either!
  • mirandafrostmirandafrost
    Posts: 368
    I'm just listening to it... Very nice. Like it. :)
  • WillyGaloreWillyGalore
    Posts: 6,396
    It's odd hearing Toby as Bond. Hope he lives to die another day by the end. ;-)
  • OnlyManWhoCanOnlyManWhoCan Greater London
    Posts: 202
    It's frustrating that once they're gone they're gone forever, unless there's a link to the other adaptations somewhere? I've got Dr No and Goldfinger saved to Mini Disc when I recorded them off the radio (they're the only reason I haven't chucked my Mini Disc recorded!)
  • PurplecipherPurplecipher
    Posts: 53
    While I found Toby Stephens's sneering Gustav Graves a compelling character in DAD, I'm dismayed he's brought this same aloof and sneering persona to the role of James Bond himself in his two BBC Radio 4 outings, 'Goldfinger' and now 'O.H.M.S.S.' (For all I know, maybe this is Stephens's character in real life.) Moreover, for me, both dramatisations have erred too greatly towards lighthearted treatments and lack the grittiness of Fleming's originals. With another actor cast as Bond, perhaps the excellent David Rintoul, these BBC radio adaptations could have been so much better. I do hope that Stephens is not pencilled in to be a permanent fixture in future Radio 4 bank holiday dramatisations of the Bond novels.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    ^^

    Toby Stephens also played Bond in Dr. No and From Russia with Love on BBC Radio 4.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    I've got his audiobook of FRWL.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    BAIN123 wrote:
    I've got his audiobook of FRWL.

    There was a radio play for BBC Radio 4 that he did too.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    OnlyManWhoCan wrote:
    It's frustrating that once they're gone they're gone forever, unless there's a link to the other adaptations somewhere? I've got Dr No and Goldfinger saved to Mini Disc when I recorded them off the radio (they're the only reason I haven't chucked my Mini Disc recorded!)

    For you or anyone who missed the OHMSS radio play on Saturday, you can listen at this link here:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b042cq8f

  • grunthergrunther
    Posts: 158
    I missed this, thought it was on a week later than what it was.
    Hopefully an MP3 will turn up somewhere
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    grunther wrote:
    I missed this, thought it was on a week later than what it was.
    Hopefully an MP3 will turn up somewhere

    They have mostly turned up on You Tube after a while which is good news.
  • grunthergrunther
    Posts: 158
    thanks, i'll have search
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited June 2014 Posts: 18,281
    grunther wrote:
    thanks, i'll have search

    Let us know if you find anything.
  • grunthergrunther
    Posts: 158
    drawn a blank so far but FRWL and GF are on there
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    grunther wrote:
    drawn a blank so far but FRWL and GF are on there

    Yes, I thought that some of them were on there. OHMSS will no doubt turn up there eventually do. Almost everything does these days!
  • grunthergrunther
    Posts: 158
    it's surfaced!
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    grunther wrote: »
    it's surfaced!

    Great news! Thanks for providing the link!
  • timdalton007timdalton007 North Alabama
    Posts: 155
    This of course was just re-broadcast on Radio 4 so you can listen to it via the website again: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b042cq8f

    timdalton007
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    timdalton007 wrote: »
    This of course was just re-broadcast on Radio 4 so you can listen to it via the website again: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b042cq8f

    timdalton007

    Never knew it - thanks for the link!
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Yes, caught it yesterday on BBC radio 4. :D and I'll give it another listen on the
    BBC radio player.
  • timdalton007timdalton007 North Alabama
    Posts: 155
    The 2012 BBC Radio 4 adaptation of From Russia With Love is being rebroadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra. It will air three times at 06:00 and 16:00 GMT on 17 December and then again on the 18th at 04:00. More details here:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01kxzr6

    timdalton007
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Love the BBC Bond plays, just heard Thunderball, so will check this out.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Cool. Thanks.
  • PussyNoMorePussyNoMore
    Posts: 520
    These productions are fabulous and make you yearn for faithful screen adaptations.
    Shame they aren't available for purchase.
  • Red_SnowRed_Snow Australia
    Posts: 2,539
    Will it be available for download or as a podcast? Is there anyway to put them on an iPod?
  • timdalton007timdalton007 North Alabama
    Posts: 155
    PussyNoMore wrote: »
    These productions are fabulous and make you yearn for faithful screen adaptations.
    Shame they aren't available for purchase.

    Indeed. I spoke with Jason Haigh-Ellery of Big Finish (the company famous for their Doctor Who audio dramas) and he talked about how about 12-15 years ago they pursued the Bond novel rights. Turns out adaptations of them as dramas or whatever have to be cleared through EON and that EON and Big Finish came VERY close to a deal. EON backed out at the last minute due to "concerns over DVD sales being adversely affected". I suspect that the Jarvis & Ayers versions not being made commercially available might be exactly WHY they keep getting made.

    timdalton007

  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    I spoke with Martin Jarvis and he would like to release all the plays as a set but it's down to the BBC. I imagine that once all are done, and I see no reason why not, they will release something.
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