Moonraker (1956): The Lost James Bond Film

General Bond discussion from Sean Connery to Pierce Brosnan
Post Reply
User avatar
John P. Drake
Agent
Posts: 1658
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:42 pm
Favorite Bond Movie: Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, The Living Daylights, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies.
Location: Somewhere, strangling Barbara Broccoli.

Moonraker (1956): The Lost James Bond Film

Post by John P. Drake »

I'm just thrilled to have found this article while toying around a little information about Moonraker, I came across this.
Dr. Shatterhand’s Botanical Garden wrote:It began, simply, as a fun way of developing my web skills. My background is in fiction writing, and one thing I learned from my early reading of Ian Fleming is the technique of embroidering a rather far-fetched storyline with the right amount of authentic detail. The article certainly does have a strong basis in fact – the Rank Organization did hold the rights to Moonraker at this time – but also employs what you might call ‘creative extension of fact’. It’s also a kind of oblique form of film criticism. When I finally got tired of tinkering around with the Moonraker article and seeking out suitable photo material, I put it on the web. Not in any serious attempt to pull the wool over people’s eyes, but to try and gauge how much interest there might be in this whole topic of alternate cinema history. (Maybe the spirit of Orson Welles led me to leave the reader to make of it what he or she would…) I must admit that, although it’s been fascinating – and often flattering – to follow the various arguments on the web about the article’s veracity, I’m somewhat disappointed that people have tended to concentrate on the is-it-real issue, rather than its content. Ever since I first heard about the Rank Organization optioning the Moonraker rights back in the ’50s, I’ve tried to imagine the film that might have resulted. I do think Welles would have been a great choice as director – and an excellent Drax. And Dirk Bogarde, while perhaps not perfect casting for Bond, would have been a likely candidate, as he was Rank’s biggest star at the time, and 007′s screen image was not yet established. So anyway, thanks for your interest in the article, and I hope I’ve made things a bit clearer. I really do wish I could send everyone DVDs of the rediscovered Welles Moonraker footage…

Regards,
Simon
You've read nothing yet. That was just an introduction. For a full time article on the project, go to the link below:
http://iansadler.wordpress.com/2011/07/ ... bond-film/
Image
User avatar
Kristatos
OO Moderator
OO Moderator
Posts: 13053
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:26 pm
Location: St. Cyril's

Re: Moonraker (1956): The Lost James Bond Film

Post by Kristatos »

You do know this was a hoax, right? Albeit a very convincing one.
"He's the one that doesn't smile" - Queen Elizabeth II on Daniel Craig
User avatar
John P. Drake
Agent
Posts: 1658
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:42 pm
Favorite Bond Movie: Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, The Living Daylights, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies.
Location: Somewhere, strangling Barbara Broccoli.

Re: Moonraker (1956): The Lost James Bond Film

Post by John P. Drake »

Kristatos wrote:You do know this was a hoax, right? Albeit a very convincing one.
I know it's a hoax, took me a lot of time to finally realize it, the Bogarde comment on nudity made me realize it. Yes, it IS a hoax. I've contacted a lot of Bond scholars about this story and they all have explained it was a video made by using a lot footage from several low budget movies.
Image
User avatar
Kristatos
OO Moderator
OO Moderator
Posts: 13053
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:26 pm
Location: St. Cyril's

Re: Moonraker (1956): The Lost James Bond Film

Post by Kristatos »

John P. Drake wrote:
Kristatos wrote:You do know this was a hoax, right? Albeit a very convincing one.
I know it's a hoax, took me a lot of time to finally realize it
Me too, the first time I saw it. That's why I asked.
"He's the one that doesn't smile" - Queen Elizabeth II on Daniel Craig
Post Reply