Now on Netflix: Everything or Nothing - The Story of 007

This new doc on James Bond is now available for streaming:

Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007

He's the greatest secret agent in the world, but who are the men behind Agent 007? This engrossing documentary goes inside the James Bond legend to uncover how a series of spy stories became one of the most iconic franchises in cinema history.

What's for lunch? Memphis Soul Stew!

With King Curtis:


Trailer for film adaptation of Jack Kerouac's Big Sur


New picture from Superman: Man of Steel


Rare pics: John Lennon with saxophonist King Curtis

Here are a couple of shots of sax player King Curtis with John Lennon. Curtis, who played on loads of sessions, including "Yakety Yak" with the Coasters and "Reminiscing" by Buddy Holly, played on Lennon's Imagine album.



Fabulous John Byrne art: Batman, Batgirl, Batmobile!

Via Byrne Robotics, I love this!




Video find: The Merry-Go-Round on The Dating Game

Also via Mojo magazine: Emitt Rhodes' sunshine pop band on U.S. TV!




Video find: 1960s pop parody "I Can't Sing But I'm Young"

Via Mojo magazine:


New pictures from Star Trek: Into Darkness












BBC Radio this week: Stream comedy, drama and music documentaries

Click the links to stream the following shows:

Dusty Springfield at the BBC Johnnie Walker introduces a portrait of the queen of white soul, from the BBC archives.

 

The Casbah: Birthplace Of Merseybeat celebrates the somewhat neglected and hugely significant venue where The Beatles enjoyed a residency prior to their later and more often recognised success at the Cavern Club. The documentary is presented by original Beatles' drummer Pete Best.

The Thrill of it All: Roxy Music Jarvis Cocker celebrates Roxy Music and reflects on their legacy.

A Little Twist of Dahl Five darkly comic tales by the master of the bizarre: Roald Dahl. Starring Charles Dance. 

Agatha Christie: The Dressmaker's Doll A creepy doll with a mind of its own causes alarm along London's catwalks. Mike Walker's revamped whodunnit with Juliet Aubrey.

Doctor Who The journey home for Christmas leads to major revelations for the Time Lord's companion.

The Goon Show Driving a piano on the Great North Road, Neddie must seek Bloodnok's assistance. From 1958.

Journey to the Center of the Earth Ancient runes spark a geologist's exploration of an impossible realm. Jules Verne's adventure stars Nathaniel Parker.

Lewis Carroll's Adventures in Russia Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) only went abroad once, but the trip inspired a sequel to 'Alice in Wonderland'.

Modesty Blaise: A Taste for Death Peter O'Donnell's hero takes on a mission involving a young girl with ESP, a desert location and a villain intent on murder.

Patricia Highsmith: The Cry of the Owl Patricia Highsmith's intriguing tale of obsession, starring John Sharian.

A Year in the Life: Beatles 1962 Roger McGough narrates the pivotal breakthrough year for the mop-topped Fab Four.

Vicki Wickham's 60s A first-hand account of the sixties from Vicki Wickham, who edited Ready Steady Go!
 
 

Review: Donald Duck - A Christmas for Shacktown

What a nice way to spend my holiday break: reading this new volume in Fantagraphics' ongoing re-publishing of the great Carl Barks' Donald  Duck and Uncle Scrooge comics.

The title story, of course, has a Christmas theme and a number of the other stories also feature a holiday and winter setting, making it perfect for this time of year.

But, then, anytime is perfect for Barks. He was the perfect cartoonist. He was so good at nearly everything: Humor, adventure, dialogue, visual storytelling, plot, lovely artwork, etc. He could do wonderfully funny one-page humor strips or 30-plus page adventure stories with equal aplomb.

This volume features some great stuff: The heartwarming title story, in which Donald and his nephews run themselves ragged trying to get cheap old Uncle Scrooge to donate a few bucks to the needy, the debut of Scrooge's money pit, and a couple of great adventure-quest stories: "The Golden Helmet" and "The Gilded Man."

This stuff is so much fun and stands up very well. My 9-year-old daughter had a great time breezing through it, too.

It's also the best value among the current treasure trove of comic and comic strip reprints. For under $20 (online), you get a lovingly designed hardcover featuring 200-some pages of Barks comics in fabulous color on durable, non-shiny pages. Plus, there's a nice overview of stories, placing them in historical context and a bio of Barks in the back. I love DC's Archives and Marvel's Omnibus volumes, but I wish their reprints were more like this.

Don't miss this opportunity to collect the Complete Barks!


Video find: Paul McCartney and band, outdoor rehearsal


The real-life model for Superman?

Interesting story in the New York Times:

In 1945, some seven years after he had been regularly illustrating Superman adventures written by his partner, Jerry Siegel, Shuster encountered a young man who looked exactly like the Superman character as he imagined him. He asked the man, named Stanley Weiss, if he could draw him, resulting in some sketches that have gone largely unseen for nearly 70 years, as well as some insights into the origins of this long-lived American champion.

"Blandings" mini-series on way from BBC

Good news for fans of P.G. Wodehouse and British comedy, the BBC has a six-part mini-series in the works based on his "Blandings" books. Hopefully, it'll get picked up by PBS in the states.

The series, occupying a BBC1 Sunday evening slot from January, represents the biggest commitment to adapting Wodehouse's work for television since ITV's 23-episode Jeeves and Wooster, starring Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry, in the early 1990s. It also takes the public obsession with the prewar and the posh into entirely new terrain.

Forever in search of peace and quiet, Lord Emsworth spends most of his life under siege from members of his unlovable household, who will be played by an all-star cast including Jennifer Saunders, Jack Farthing and David Walliams.

And in an echo of Downton Abbey, which is filmed at Highclere Castle, the Berkshire home of Lord and Lady Carnarvon, the show was filmed at the 400-year-old Crom Castle, near Newtownbutler in Northern Ireland, home of Lord Erne.
 

New comics Jan. 2, 2013: Complete Dick Tracy 14; Wally Wood - Woodwork; Nova Classic vol. 1; Flash Gordon!

Click the links to order discounted items from Amazon.


Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume 14


Woodwork: Wallace Wood 1927-1981


Nova Classic - Volume 1


Flash Gordon: The Tyrant of Mongo: The Complete Flash Gordon Library 1937-41





Video find: Pink Floyd - Point Me at the Sky promo


Preview of Fantagraphics' Barnaby by Crockett Johnson Vol. 1

As a fan of Crockett Johnson's children's books, such as "Harold and the Purple Crayon," I've been looking forward to this one for a long time: A collection of Johnson's newspaper strip, Barnaby, from the excellent folks at Fantagraphics.

You can get a preview and some behind-the-scenes details on the first volume, out in March or April, here.




Trailer for Doctor Who season 7, part 2


New music releases Jan. 1, 2013: Beatles; Psychedelic Sound of Memphis; John Cale; Flamin' Groovies, more!

Click the links to order discounted CDs, LPs or downloads from Amazon.


The $100 Guitar Project by Various Artists


Early Years - The Beatles



Feeling High: The Psychedelic Sound Of Memphis


Helen of Troy - Paper Sleeve - CD Deluxe Vinyl Replica by John Cale


Flamingo - Paper Sleeve - CD Deluxe Vinyl Replica by The Flamin' Groovies


Teenage Head - Paper Sleeve - CD Deluxe Vinyl Replica by The Flamin' Groovies


Supersnazz - Paper Sleeve - CD Deluxe Vinyl Replica by the Flamin' Groovies


Church of Anthrax - Paper Sleeve - CD Deluxe Vinyl Replica by John Cale and Terry Riley

 
Jerk & Twine: The Complete Chess Recordings by Jackie Ross