CLIMAX! – Casino Royale Live Tweet
by Greg McCambley
Hello, one and all!
I am proud to announce the official start of the #Bond_age_TV Live Tweet sessions!
What is #Bond_age_TV, you may ask?
Well, on a basic level, it’s an examination and celebration of the spy shows from the 60’s and 70’s, with special focus on those which managed to capture the spirit of James Bond. In particular, we’ll be going through the adventures of James Bond’s little brother, The Man From UNCLE. That will have to wait for a bit, though, as this week’s Live Tweet is rather special, as it involves the first ever portrayal of Bond in any medium. Back in 1953, Ian Fleming released Casino Royale, which introduced the world to the cultural phenomenom we know today. In 1954, CBS television in the US adapted it for live broadcast as part of their television series Climax! Subtle changes were made for American audiences (see if you can spot them), but Bond made it to screens for the first time. This alone makes Climax! Casino Royale worthy of celebration.
Join #Bond_age_TV at 9pm EST on Wednesday, February 26th for the festivities! We’ll be using the hashtag #CR54. The episode can be found on YouTube. We’ll post the embed on the #Bond_age_ site on the day of the live tweet.
Just for the hell of it, here’s the opening titles to the 2006 version of Casino Royale, which to my mind is one of the best ever.