Monday 29 August 2016

Where there only three double O's? 007, 008 and 0011


How many double O's would you say there is? Well if you watch the James Bond films made by Eon Productions you would say that there are many of them. But if you read the Ian Fleming books you might say that there are far less.

In the third James Bond novel by Ian Fleming titled MOONRAKER we do get an answer to this question.

As early as on page 12 it reads.
Bond had told her as much. often, and he and the two other members of the OO Section had at various times made determined assaults on her virtue.
On Page 14 it continues.
Oh, and the powder-wine says that 008's got out. He's in Berlin, resting. Isn't it wonderful!
And what about 0011? It was two months since he had vanished into the Dirty Half-mile in Singapore. Not a word since. While he, Bond, No. 007, the senior of the three men in the Service who had earned the double o number, sat at his comfortable desk doing paper-work and flirting with their secretary. 
So at this stage, in 1955 when MOONRAKER was first released their where only meant to be three Double O agents.  

And to me that sounds so odd. I believe that many of you have thought, just like me. That there must have been at least seven agents and that they started with 001 and went onwards to 007.
To have only three agents, and not in a numerical order, numbered 007, 008 and 0011 does not make sense and I am looking forward to learn more about why this is so.

After reading this blog post my wife tells me that she finds it possible that they were all agents from the start with just a number like Agent 8 but when he has made his second kill becomes 008 (since two kills are needed to become a double O. This is not a bad theory.  

Do you know? Please comment below and dont forget to mention your source.

Below you can see the Swedish first edition of MOONRAKER released in 1956 and titled ATTACK


Thursday 18 August 2016

Ask George Lazenby anything you want!


On September 1st there will be a big party held in Oslo, Norway celebrating James Bond and especially ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE.
And as special guest there is no other then the lead himself George Lazenby.

I am sure this will be an amazing evening with first a screening of the film (in 4K with an amazing picture quality like you have never seen the film before) and then a Q& A with George Lazenby and then a gala party all night long.

I am sure you have heard of Morten Staingrimsen. He is the Norwegian James Bond fan who have made this evening possible.

I will attend this evening and have been granted a one on one interview with George Lazenby. But I do not wish be the only fanatic, able to ask him whatever I like. I want the readers of this blog to come up with most of the questions. This is truly rare opportunity for us fans that no Bond fan can miss out on. If I know George Lazenby correctly he is the one actor to tell us the truth

So please comment below or on Facebook with your questions for the "One time Bond" and hopefully your question will be asked by me on September 1 st.

I know two questions I have for him: 

1. Do you still get paid in some way for your appearance in OHMSS by Epn Productions or Danjaq?

2. How does it feel to have your body swooped on official DVD/BD covers where they use your face but not your body. 

Below is a official but still very heavy photoshoped picture of Lazenby as Bond.


If you wish to attend this event and meet other James Bond fans as well there are just a few tickets left. You can buy them right here and also read more about the gala itself.


Friday 12 August 2016

My visit to Ian Fleming's grave


August 12 is not a day to celebrate since most of us know that on August 12, 1964 Ian Fleming passed away at age 56 after having his second heart attack the day before. At age 56 Ian Fleming passed away way too early.

So today I will honour his memory by sharing with you my trip to his grave that I made in May this year.

I woke up at a hotel in Whitstable, England after I had attended the Whitlit festival and there special Ian Fleming evening, A great event that I am glad I did not miss. I was in a hurry from early on that day. I had planed a trip to Ian Fleming's grave on the other side of England. I also had a plane to catch to take me back to Sweden later that day.

From Whitstable I took a bus to some other town due to a train station restoration taking place and from there I continued my trip to London. In London I changed trains and continued my journey to Swindon.
In Swindon I asked a cabdriver what it would cost me to first find a florist and then go to Sevenhampton. He said that he wanted to keep the taximeter running during our trip but insured me that it would not cost me over £55.

It took some time to actually find a florist that could provide me with great flowers. When we finally found a shop I decided on pink and white roses, nine of them.The pink colour meaning gratitude and white colour meaning sympathy. and then we were of to Sevenhampton.

The graveyard is not easy to find and there is actually no road all the way to it. It seems to be on private property. So I decided not to make a run for it but to ring the doorbell on the closest residence and ask for permission.
An older women opened the door and I was fortunate because her husband had been the British ambassador in Sweden and they had loved our country. I was therefore granted to go to the church and tomb where Ian and his wife Ann and their son Casper is buried.

The surroundings was totally quiet and in the background I could see a lot of cows enjoying their lunch. It was a very peaceful place and I was lucky to have good weather also. 

On the tomb there is one plaque for each member of the family.

Ian Fleming was the first to pass away, in 1964 and on his plaque it reads "In memoriam Ian Fleming" and on top of that it says "Omnia perfunctus vitae praemia, marces" which is a line by Titus Lucretius, a Roman philosopher and means according to the BBC "You are rotting away now after having had a good life". A bit to harsh if you ask me but Ian seems to have been just like that.

The second to pass away was Fleing's son Casper who suffered from mental illness and committed suicide in 1975 only 23 years old. Even more to early then his father.
On his plaque it reads "Casper Robert Fleming 1952 - 1975" and the quote used says "To cease upon the midnight with no pain". It is a poem by John Keats and is called "Ode to a Nightingale"

The last person in the family to pass away is Ann Fleming who passed away in 1981 after she had lost both her husband and son.
On her plaque it reads "Ann Geraldine Mary Fleming 1913-1981" the quote borrowed reads "There is none like her, none" This line comes from the poem "Maud" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

So to honour them all I placed seven flowers below Ian's plaque and one each on Casper's and Ann's plaque.

And then it was all the way back to London and Heathrow to catch my flight back to Sweden. I arrived to the gate just seven minutes before take off.

I have never seen great pictures from this place and therefore I took it upon me to try and change that. I therefore hope you enjoy the photos below. You can click on them to make them bigger.



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