George Lazenby’s sole outing as James Bond is to celebrated in a 76-Page 007 Magazine limited edition special.

“On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the sixth James Bond film in the enormously successful series produced by Albert R. Broccoli & Harry Saltzman, and the first not to star Sean Connery, was vilified by much of the media and general public alike on its original cinema release in 1969,” notes Graham Rye, Editor and Publisher of 007 Magazine.

“Mostly thanks to the media, it’s looked upon as the ‘poor relation’ in the series for over 30 years; nothing could have been further from the truth!

“Starring the then 29-year-old acting novice, Australian George Lazenby, director Peter Hunt crafted a film around Lazenby which is without doubt the ‘David Lean’ epic of the series, and drew out a charismatic and very physical performance from Lazenby that few seasoned actors could have replicated then – or now,” Graham argues. “With stellar support from world-class acting talent like Diana Rigg, Gabriele Ferzetti, and Telly Savalas as James Bond’s arch nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld – the head of the infamous criminal organisation SPECTRE (SPecial Executive for Counterintelligence Terrorism Revenge and Extortion), On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is the Bond film to see – especially if you’ve avoided it because of decades of negative publicity.

“In recent years, and due as much to 007 Magazine tirelessly championing the film at every opportunity as anything, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is now heralded by many as one of – if not the – finest Bond film ever made,” Graham continues. “OHMSS even influenced top British film director Christopher Nolan during shooting Inception.”

(Interviewed in The Daily Telegraph, Nolan acknowledged  Inception‘s heist-style theme, albeit a mind-heist, and white-knuckle action sequences, he also liked a James Bond film. “That’s true, especially On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, which is a wonderful balance of action and romanticism. I guess this is my 007 film.”)

“Adhering faithfully to Ian Fleming’s original 1963 novel as much as possible was Peter Hunt’s plan from the beginning,” notes Graham, “as he felt it was important to show the journey Bond takes from being an experienced cold-blooded and sometimes brutal secret agent to a man softened by love and ready to marry for the first and only time in his life, a marriage that is cut tragically short.”

The 007 Magazine On Her Majesty’s Secret Service 76-page Limited Edition special publication features the filming of the exciting and brutal beach fight that opens the sixth James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) starring one-time Bond George Lazenby; the filming at the College Of Arms in London – featuring rare images from a scene cut from the final print of the movie when Bond discovers the villainous Ernst Stavro Blofeld’s spy has infiltrated the college and is listening-in to 007’s top secret conversation with Sir Hilary Bray (George Baker); exclusive comments from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service director Peter Hunt (1925-2002); official press releases; Call Sheets; Production Designer Syd Cain colour portrait; sets; production painting; George Lazenby’s Bond screentest photographs; behind the scenes photographs; George Leech – Stunt Co-ordinator; OHMSS promotions; Mr. & Mrs. James Bond – the wedding photographs; Piz Gloria location photographs; Blofeld’s ‘Angels Of Death – The Piz Gloria Girls (Joanna Lumley and Jenny Hanley among them); includes over 200 rare images relating to the film, many of them exclusive to the 007 Magazine Archive.

• Priced at £19.99 (plus p&p internationally), limited Edition copies can be pre-ordered via this link up to and including 31st March 2015: http://www.007magazine.co.uk/007_magazine.htm#ohmss

• Website: www.007magazine.com

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.

Categories: Film, Magazines, Other Worlds

Tags: 007 Magazine, George Lazenby, Graham Rye, James Bond