#91 Dr. No - James Bond (BBC)

Bond, James Bond. Ian Fleming’s James Bond is licensed to kill (and thrill) in this BBC 4 production from 2008. Toby Stephens (Die Another Day) won't make anyone forget Sean Connery but he's passable as Bond in this fully dramatized adaption. If a comparison had to be made Stephens'  is probably most comparable to Timothy Dalton's version of Bond. Dr. No brings you action, adventure and a touch of romantic intrigue as James Bond is sent to the island of Jamaica to investigate the strange disappearance of British operative, John Strangways and his secretary Mary Trueblood. Overall this is a decent production but it could have been... better, much better.

Dr. No was Ian Fleming’s sixth James Bond book and first to be made as a film in the cinematic series.

Featuring Toby Stephens as James Bond, David Suchet (Hercule Poirot) as Dr. No, Janie Dee as Miss Moneypenny, Jordanna Tin as Miss Taro, John Standing as ‘M’, Samuel West as Pleydel-Smith,  Clarke Peters as Quarrel, Lisa Dillon as Honey Rider, Martin Jarvis as the Voice of Ian Fleming. Also in the cast Simon Williams, Peter Capaldi, Nicky Henson, Kobna Holdbrook Smith, Kosha Engler, Jon David Yu, Inika Leigh Wright and a special appearance by Ian Fleming’s niece Lucy Fleming as the Jamaican Institute Librarian. Original music was composed by Samuel Barbour and Mark Holden. Produced by Rosalind Ayres. Directed by Martin Jarvis. Written by Hugh Whitmore.

Dr. No apparently isn't available for purchase at this time as the BBC hasn't released this title yet. 


You Only Live Twice
http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/07/28-james-bond-you-only-live-twice-bbc.html

Goldfinger
http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/07/goldfinger-bbc.html
You Only Live Twice
http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/07/28-james-bond-you-only-live-twice-bbc.html

#66 And Then There Were None (BBC)

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatization of a classic Agatha Christie mystery, starring Lyndsey Marshal, Geoffrey Whitehead and John Rowe.

Ten guests travel to an island at the invitation of someone named U. N. Owen. All are strangers, but they have two things in common: they have all been responsible for someone's death, and none will leave the island alive.

Over the next two days and nights, each of the guests is killed off in a different manner in keeping with the nursery rhyme, 'Ten Little Soldier Boys'. As they are picked off one by one, who could possibly be responsible?

The killers are forced to turn detective so they can find the unknown murderer, but one by one they become victims...

Billed as 'the famous detective story without a detective', 'And Then There Were None' is one of Agatha Christie's darkest and most enduring tales.

http://www.amazon.com/Then-There-Were-None-Dramatisation/dp/1408467607

#40 Goldfinger (BBC)

The BBC brings you Toby Stephens as James Bond and Sir Ian McKellen as Goldfinger in Ian Fleming's GoldFinger. Martin Jarvis (Sherlock Holmes Theatre by Hollywood Theater of the Ear) narrates this tale as Ian Fleming. Goldfinger is an enjoyable Bond dramatization. Keep in mind it's based on the 1959 novel not the movie with Sean Connery.

Goldfinger ..... Ian McKellen
James Bond ..... Toby Stephens.
'M' ..... John Standing.
Col. Smithers ..... Ian Ogilvy
Pussy Galore ..... Rosamund Pike
Tilly Masterton ..... Lisa Dillon
Du Pont ..... Henry Goodman
Hawker ..... Alistair McGowan
Helmut Springer ..... Hector Elizondo
Jill Masterton ..... Anna Louise Plowman
Johnny Solo ..... Tim Pigott-Smith
Mr Strap ..... Tom Hollander
Felix Leiter ..... Lloyd Owen
Jed Midnight ..... Nigel Anthony
Oddjob ..... Jon David Yu
Alfred ..... Alan Shearman
Nigel ..... Matthew Wolf
Fleming ..... Martin Jarvis
Doctors and Pilot ..... Kyle Stoller
Nurse ..... Tracy Pattin

Not currently available for purchase.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rq1w3

For more James Bond see also:

Dr. No
http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/08/91-dr-no-james-bond-bbc.html\

You Only Live Twice
http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/07/28-james-bond-you-only-live-twice-bbc.html

#28 James Bond - You Only Live Twice (BBC)

Michael Jayston is James Bond and Clive Merrison is Tanaka in the BBC's full-cast production of Ian Flemings You Only Live Twice. By far the best of the three BBC James Bond radio dramas. The others being Dr. No and Goldfinger.

From the BBC:
In Japan, Bond is sent to infiltrate a mysterious fortress known as the Castle of Death – a place of nightmares with a poisoned garden that destroys all who go there – where he awakens an old, terrifying enemy. Bond’s final encounter with the insane mastermind Blofeld – one that could mean the end for 007. (Warning – may contain strong language)

http://www.bbcshop.com/audiobook-collection/you-only-live-twice/invt/9781408417485/

For more Bond see also:

Dr. No
http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/08/91-dr-no-james-bond-bbc.html\

Goldfinger
http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/07/goldfinger-bbc.html