James Bond and the sixties spy craze
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"Of all the novel cultural confections to appear during the 1960s, one of the more peculiar was the nearly insatiable hunger of audiences for spy stories. Bubbling with sex and violence, and marrying pop-culture cool with a funhouse-mirror vision of Cold War geopolitics, the obsession with spy stories found its most popular and lucrative outlet in the James Bond franchise. But beyond 007, there were a host of competing movies and television programs that ranged from inspired to hopelessly derivative-among them the Flint and Harry Palmer movies, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Mission: Impossible, The Avengers, and countless others. James Bond and the Sixties Spy Craze delves into the cultural trends that produced such a flowering of interest in spy stories, from the Cold War and JFK's enthusiasm for Ian Fleming's novels to the unexpected success of the five original Bond movies by Eon Productions, all of them starring Sean Connery. Covered here are the cinematic spin-offs and television take-offs on the genre, as well as the explosion of merchandising in the form of toys, comic books, and model kits. The book also features interviews with some of the key players of the sixties spy trend who are still with us, such as Lana Wood, Caroline Munro, Martine Beswick, Madeline Smith, George Lazenby, and others. Packed with behind-the-scenes anecdotes and illuminating insights, this is a loving tribute to a venerable pop-culture genre"--,Provided by publisher.