Announcement: Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the James Bond films

The Remarkable Story of the James Bond films

by Matthew Field & Ajay Chowdhury

Published October 2015

Hardback, £25

978-0-7509-6421-0

THE MOST IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE JAMES BOND FILMS. EVER.

The History Press is delighted to announce that it will be publishing Some Kind of Hero this October.

For over 50 years, Albert R. Broccoli’s Eon Productions has navigated the ups and downs of the volatile British film industry, enduring both critical wrath and acclaim in equal measure for its now legendary James Bond series. Latterly, this family-run business has been crowned with box office gold and recognised by motion picture academies around the world. However, it has not always been plain sailing.

Changing tax regimes forced 007 to relocate to France and Mexico; changing fashions and politics led to box office disappointments; and changing studio regimes and business disputes all but killed the franchise. And the rise of competing action heroes has constantly questioned Bond’s place in popular culture. But against all odds the filmmakers continue to wring new life from the series, and 2012’s Skyfall saw both huge critical and commercial success, crowning 007 as the undisputed king of the action genre.

Written by Bond scholars Matthew Field and Ajay Chowdhury, Some Kind of Hero is based on over 100 new interviews with the stars, directors, writers, filmmakers, studio executives and the men who played James Bond. The authors have also drawn upon archives of rare and unpublished material from around the world.

Some Kind of Hero is the culmination of many years researching and interviewing the talented Individuals responsible for bringing the James Bond films to the screen. Authors Field and Chowdhury commented: ‘As we delved deeper into the Bond mythos, we realised there were many untold tales from many unsung heroes who played key creative roles in the series. We hope that even the most devoted Bond fans will find fascinating facets to the franchise in these pages. We have gained a new appreciation of not only how the series was started but how that Rolls-Royce standard has been maintained. When SPECTRE is released later this year, we hope readers will gain some insight in yet another chapter in the remarkable story of the James Bond films.’

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

MATTHEW FIELD began his writing career with The Making of The Italian Job. He has since co-produced a feature length documentary about the film for Paramount Pictures. In 2008 he penned the autobiography of Oscar-winning film producer Michael Deeley, Blade Runners, Deer Hunters and Blowing the Bloody Doors Off! Field’s James Bond journalism has appeared in Mi6 Confidential, 007 Magazine, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Cinema Retro. In 2012, he served as editorial consultant on MGM’s feature length documentary, Everything or Nothing. Matthew currently works for a leading film-marketing agency. His most recent feature film credits include Stephen Frears’ The Program, Michael Winterbottom’s The Face of an Angel and the Australian period drama, The Dressmaker.

AJAY CHOWDHURY was born in London and read Law at university there and in The Netherlands. He has since provided legal advice on various motion picture, music, publishing, television and theatrical projects. He was the associate producer on two feature films, Lost Dogs and Flirting with Flamenco. In 2012, he penned the screenplay to the multi-award winning, Olympic-themed short, A Human Race. Ajay is the spokesperson for The James Bond International Fan Club, established in 1979. He edited their James Bond journal, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and for the last two decades has contributed to numerous books and magazines on the James Bond legacy. He is regularly called upon by worldwide media to commentate on all things 007.

For more information, please contact Rachel Jewitt at The History Press
Email: rjewitt@thehistorypress.co.uk
Tel: 01453 732505