These December days slide faster than Clark W. Griswold on a snow saucer with experimental, industrial-strength lubrication. So last night when I realized it was Tuesday and I had no #Bond_age_ live tweet planned, I panicked and consulted the inner circle. Greg McCambley had this little Eurospy ditty in his back pocket, and I was certainly grateful for the reminder. I’ve thought about foisting this upon the Twatterverse for some time now. And if you’ve been waiting in eager anticipation for the #Bond_age_ version of a Eurospy B-side, you’re in for a treat.
The Second Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World Live Tweet
Aka Licensed to Kill, this 1965 spy caper stars Tom Adams as James Bond wannabee Charles Vine. The most notable thing about The Second Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World is the Sammy Davis, Jr. theme song which was regurgitated in 2011’s Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy. The “Second Best Secret” agent monicker actually proves to me more than just a tongue-in-cheek reference to James Bond. When a Swedish scientist invents an anti-gravity and his daughter hopes to offer the technology to the U.K., the government calls upon Agent Vine (a mathmetician/exterminator) because James Bond just happens to be indisposed. Nothing like being your country’s backup plan. And that’s rather fitting, because in many ways, Charles Vine was also a #Bond_age_ packup plan for when I failed to do my programming duties.
Wednesday at 9pm ET, #Bond_age_ live tweets The Second Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World! Follow #Bond_age_ hashtag.
We all love Greg. We love that Greg hops on the Interwebs and shares his wit and wisdom with us though this wonderful device called Twitter. After I cancelled the final ‘Year of the Spy – 1966’ Retrospective Live Tweet due to dwindling interest in the series, Greg asked if he could take over the evening with his own live tweet. Of course! By all means! Make the evening yours. And quite frankly if I’d known beforehand that it was his birthday I’d have just given him the night to begin with.
For his Happy Funtime Birthday Bash Live Tweet, Greg has chosen another edition of #Bond_age_ South of the Border. Your feature for this evening is the 1973 feature Karla contra los jaguares directed by Juan Manuel Herrera. Based on the small blurb I read about the film, it seems that this particular feature aims to clone the early Bond narratives! Viva la Mexico.
The embedding feature for this film has been disabled. Bummer. That means you’ll have to link on over to YouTube to view the film.
‘Year of the Spy – 1966’ rolls on into Week 4 after that brief hiatus to celebrate Roger Moore’s 89th birthday. Right then. Back to business. This confounding little ditty features a bevy of James Bond veterans — it’s as if the producers went out and called every idle Bond actor available (or future Bond actor). You’ll note the appearance of The Spy Who Loved Me villain Curd Jurgens, the Thunderball villain Adolfo Celi, and You Only Live Twice‘s Karen Dor. Additionally… YES THERE’S MORE! …additionally, the German madman himself, Klaus Kinski, pops up in a supporting role.
Our leading agent of espionage this evening, as it was for the our Week One feature, is Uncle Jimmy Bond — Stewart Granger. I’ve dubbed him Uncle Jimmy Bond because he was born James Stewart and he’s kind of like Bond’s less tactful Silver Fox uncle. A good time will be had by all.
The German title Das Geheimnis der gelben Mönche translates into The Mystery of the Yellow Monks, which as far as I’m concerned is a far superior title for this round of utter nonsense. Target for Killing is at once devoid of flavor and not at all indicative of the film. It may be pretty bad film, but this is a live tweet where quality does not equal quality. Screw the reflexive property.
‘Year of the Spy – 1966’ – Week 4:
TARGET FOR KILLING
Target for Killing was another choice selection from The Eurospy Guide. Stewart Granger makes his second ‘Year of the Spy – 1966’ appearance, which will excite fans of his Agent Silver Foxy Jimmy Stewart mojo.
I could talk at length about Granger’s performance in Target for Killing — which for some reason I find absurdly entertaining — but that’s not the attraction here… by a long shot. It’s not even the obscure shooting locations like Mahgreb and Yugoslavia or the director who’s not even famous enough to have his own Wikipedia page. The Austrian/German/Italian production co-stars three Bond vets. Curd Jurgens of The Spy Who Loved Me, Adolfo Celi (Thunderball, Danger: Diabolik) and Karen Dor (Helga Brandt in You Only Live Twice). Fun, right? Three #Bond_age_ villains together! Well the fun doesn’t stop there. Check out this next photo:
That’s right. THE Klaus Kinski makes his #Bond_age_ debut this Wednesday. Now you’re f’ing excited. SO MUCH CRAZY IN ONE PLACE! If you’re not excited yet, the killer title credit sequence appears below.
Join us Wednesday, October 26th @ 9pm ET for the #Bond_age_ live tweet of TARGET FOR KILLING! Follow the #Bond_age_ hashtag.
My Week 3 selection for ‘Year of the Spy – 1966’ represents perhaps the best of the “serious” Eurospy flicks from 1966. Lang Jeffries won’t wow anyone with his sunny personality — but he will make up for it in “smug” and “dour.” Potential “Beckett Affair” drinking game: #Shot! anyone Jeffries goes “super smug.”
Also note the very-Bond ways that The Beckett Affair shifts from Northern European locales to Nicaragua. Though there isn’t any skiing, there is a dusting of snow! It’s like bizarro-Die Another Day in form and function. I’ve also included the teaser reel trailer from the Something Weird DVD. Enjoy.
“The Beckett Affair plot seems a bit complex as it unravels, but as Coopers says, “Politics are full of mysteries,” and director Osvaldo Civirani keeps us guessing right along with the good guys. No Gadgets or raving madmen, but this one’s a winner.”
-David Deal, The Eurospy Guide
‘Year of the Spy – 1966’ – Week 3:
THE BECKETT AFFAIR
The Beckett Affair appeared on my radar only after checking out David Deal’s Top 10 Eurospy list tucked into the back pages of The Eurospy Guide. This one’s straight-faced and earnest espionage picture. Though the budget may be modest and the stars less than notable, The Beckett Affair provides competent thrills with a solid script. Unfortunately, the only copy of the film I could find looks like it’s been stored in a Miami Beach tanning salon.
You won’t recognize leading man Lang Jeffries unless you’re a dedicated Euro watcher. The veteran of the Korean War appeared in many spaghetti westerns, swords and sandals epics, and Eurospy movies during the 1960’s, none of them especially available. You will, however, have the pleasure of seeing Lang again in Week 4 of our 1966 Retrospective. He’s a solid screen presence, if not an especially memorable personality. Austrian Krista Nell, likewise, had a similar, if all too brief, Euro-circuit career. The stunning actress made her big screen debut in Godard’s Pierrot le Fou. The Eurostarlet died from leukemia at the age of 29.
Keep your earholes peeled for the gaggle of strong one-liners and a quintessential espionage score from Nora Orlandi. Orlandi has composed music for Boccaccio ’70, The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh and Kill Bill: Volume 2.
If none of that convinces you that this weeks’ offering is worth a viewing, let me sell you with the following bit of Lang Jeffries smug:
Join us Wednesday, October 12th @ 9pm ET for the #Bond_age_ live tweet of THE BECKETT AFFAIR! Follow the #Bond_age_ hashtag.
