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

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  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    I'd buy it.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    suavejmf wrote: »
    I'd buy it.

    Me too.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    And me !
  • Red_SnowRed_Snow Australia
    Posts: 2,493
    The radio adaptation of 'Moonraker' featuring Toby Stephens as James Bond will air on Saturday, 31st March, 2018 at 2:30PM on BBC Radio 4.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09x8sp7
  • DoctorNoDoctorNo USA-Maryland
    Posts: 754
    Thanks for the head's up. One of my favorite books. I haven't listened to any of these radio shows. Are they good?
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,099
    Oh, cool! I really enjoyed Thunderball so I can't wait to hear how this one turns out. Stephens is terrific.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,350
    This is, what, the seventh radio play? I never would have guessed ten years ago they would have adapted so many and so well.

    I really hope they get to complete the set.
  • Posts: 17,241
    Hope this broadcast will be available for listening outside the UK, as well!
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 23,102
    Hope this broadcast will be available for listening outside the UK, as well!

    I found the TB radio adaption on a podcast app, so at some point I would guess MR would also be available on a podcast app. I have looked at various podcast app's over the years and do random searches on Bond, it's amazing what you find.

    Also check on YouTube...

    Thunderball Radio play 2016

  • edited March 2018 Posts: 12,837
    I listened to DAF, DN and GF on youtube not long ago when the long gap was really getting to me and I liked them, so looking forward to this. Apart from the cringey chinese accent of the actor playing Dr No (a couple of the gangsters in the others were hammy too but that's how Fleming wrote them so I can forgive that), they were all very good. I've read a lot of people say that Toby Stephens could have been a good Bond but I always thought that he was too posh, bit poncey and toffey. Then I saw Black Sails and listened to these and I decided I was wrong. I only thought he was too posh because that's how he played Graves. He would have been great. If they ever make more video games I think he should do the voice. Also Peter Capaldi as Q/Boothroyd in DN was a nice surprise, loved getting to hear Malcom Tucker call Bond's Beretta a ladies gun.

    It also made me think that original stories on audio could be cool. Brosnan is probably too famous to be tempted back and Craig will be too, but I bet Dalton and Lazenby would be up for it.
  • Posts: 17,241
    Hope this broadcast will be available for listening outside the UK, as well!

    I found the TB radio adaption on a podcast app, so at some point I would guess MR would also be available on a podcast app. I have looked at various podcast app's over the years and do random searches on Bond, it's amazing what you find.

    Also check on YouTube...

    Thunderball Radio play 2016


    Thanks for the tip! I'll make sure to check out podcast apps and Youtube for radio adaptions! :)
  • Posts: 4,023
    Red_Snow wrote: »
    The radio adaptation of 'Moonraker' featuring Toby Stephens as James Bond will air on Saturday, 31st March, 2018 at 2:30PM on BBC Radio 4.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09x8sp7

    Thanks for the heads up. It’s so easy to miss these.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,099
    Also Peter Capaldi as Q/Boothroyd in DN was a nice surprise, loved getting to hear Malcom Tucker call Bond's Beretta a ladies gun.

    Oh, I must track this down!
  • Posts: 4,023

    It also made me think that original stories on audio could be cool. Brosnan is probably too famous to be tempted back and Craig will be too, but I bet Dalton and Lazenby would be up for it.

    Do you mean audio books? The original stories have been done already, if not by 007s, then by some famous actors.
  • Posts: 12,837
    vzok wrote: »

    It also made me think that original stories on audio could be cool. Brosnan is probably too famous to be tempted back and Craig will be too, but I bet Dalton and Lazenby would be up for it.

    Do you mean audio books? The original stories have been done already, if not by 007s, then by some famous actors.

    I meant original is in brand new sorry, in the same radio play format as these.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,099
    I meant original is in brand new sorry, in the same radio play format as these.

    I bet Big Finish could make a decent job of this if they were allowed.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,099
    Hm, Moonraker doesn't seem to have made it to iPlayer, unless I'm missing something? (I was out and about on Saturday afternoon.)
  • Posts: 520
    Agent_99 wrote: »
    Hm, Moonraker doesn't seem to have made it to iPlayer, unless I'm missing something? (I was out and about on Saturday afternoon.)

    PussyNoMore is pleased to report that it has Agent_99 and what a fine production it is.
    As he has previously proved and demonstrates yet again, Stephens makes a fantastic Bond and indeed, the whole cast are superb.

    The casino scene is fantastically written and directed. It is truly exciting - not easy on radio - and the whole thing made PussyNoMore pine for faithful screen adaptations instead of the current tosh. Oh how it could have been, if only eon had bothered to read the books !

    Let's hope the BBC release the whole set in a collectors edition.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,099
    Aha - I couldn't find it on the iPlayer website but it shows up if I look on the app on my iPad. Thank you! (iPlayer is a stellar service but it's not always easy to find stuff.)
  • timdalton007timdalton007 North Alabama
    Posts: 154
    Agent_99 wrote: »
    I meant original is in brand new sorry, in the same radio play format as these.

    I bet Big Finish could make a decent job of this if they were allowed.

    Big Finish tried to have a go a few years before Jarvis & Ayers and even got as far as having contracts ready to sign. Eon got cold feet, citing concerns over DVD sales being adversely effected as to why they didn't go through with the deal. It's perhaps rather telling that these haven't been made commercially available to date and can only be found by digging around online whereas Big Finish would have sold them presumably on CD and download.

    timdalton007
  • DoctorNoDoctorNo USA-Maryland
    Posts: 754
    EON railroaded these... more reason to be pissed at them
  • Posts: 520
    Agent_99 wrote: »
    I meant original is in brand new sorry, in the same radio play format as these.

    I bet Big Finish could make a decent job of this if they were allowed.

    Big Finish tried to have a go a few years before Jarvis & Ayers and even got as far as having contracts ready to sign. Eon got cold feet, citing concerns over DVD sales being adversely effected as to why they didn't go through with the deal. It's perhaps rather telling that these haven't been made commercially available to date and can only be found by digging around online whereas Big Finish would have sold them presumably on CD and download.

    timdalton007

    PussyNoMore thinks that this eon gang are more and more taking on the persona of Spectre.
    Their movies have so little to do with Fleming’s Bond you would have thought that they would have got over themselves by now.
    The Pussy has long thought that they could develop small screen, faithful adaptations of the original novels without effecting their movie franchise. They are quite different things.

  • Posts: 12,837
    Agent_99 wrote: »
    I meant original is in brand new sorry, in the same radio play format as these.

    I bet Big Finish could make a decent job of this if they were allowed.

    Big Finish tried to have a go a few years before Jarvis & Ayers and even got as far as having contracts ready to sign. Eon got cold feet, citing concerns over DVD sales being adversely effected as to why they didn't go through with the deal. It's perhaps rather telling that these haven't been made commercially available to date and can only be found by digging around online whereas Big Finish would have sold them presumably on CD and download.

    timdalton007

    How stupid. They'd be appealing to to a whole different, much more niche market than the DVDs. And now if it ever happens and they did want to use the film actors we've already lost Roger, who I bet would have been up for it.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,099
    Thanks for the info, @timdalton007 - I had no idea they'd got that far with it. Now I'm really annoyed it hasn't happened!
  • Posts: 4,023
    Agent_99 wrote: »
    I meant original is in brand new sorry, in the same radio play format as these.

    I bet Big Finish could make a decent job of this if they were allowed.

    Big Finish tried to have a go a few years before Jarvis & Ayers and even got as far as having contracts ready to sign. Eon got cold feet, citing concerns over DVD sales being adversely effected as to why they didn't go through with the deal. It's perhaps rather telling that these haven't been made commercially available to date and can only be found by digging around online whereas Big Finish would have sold them presumably on CD and download.

    timdalton007

    I wonder how the Radio 4 plays got the green light if Big finish were turned down.
  • timdalton007timdalton007 North Alabama
    Posts: 154
    vzok wrote: »
    I wonder how the Radio 4 plays got the green light if Big finish were turned down.

    Based on the research I did for the Radio Play History article now up on the MI6 page, three reasons:

    1. Lucy Fleming pitching the idea.

    2. The fact Dr. No was meant to be a one off initially before it became a series.

    3. The Jarvis & Ayers adaptations haven't been made available for purchase. Big Finish's entire model is selling them on CD & download, unlike the J&A Radio 4 ones which get a major broadcast and then the occasional re-airing if we're lucky.

    Incidentally, my review of Moonraker should be up on the MI6 page later this week from what I gather.

    timdalton007

  • Posts: 4,023
    Very interesting, thanks. Seems odd EON didn’t opt for the choice where something would end up being sold and probably make them money
  • timdalton007timdalton007 North Alabama
    Posts: 154
    Out a little later than planned but the Moonraker radio play review is now up on the MI6 page at last. :)

    https://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/review-moonraker-radio-play?id=04397

    timdalton007
  • Posts: 520
    Aficionados, PussyNoMore loves these adaptations and woulf love to discuss them.
    Unfortunately, this thread hasn't gained the traction it deserves because it's posted under "news".
    The Pussy thinks its natural home would be under Literary007 purely because they are true faithful adaptations of literary Bond.
    Could Red_Snow re-post it ?
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,099
    I should think a mod could move it?
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