Time Tunnel – James Bond In History

Step back in time with the Time Tunnel feature series at MI6. Discover how the media viewed James Bond, and how the world received the movies and books in a snapshot in history. From reviews and opinions to on-set reports and news, Time Tunnel looks back at the legacy and popularity of the worlds most famous secret agent.

1962 No, No, A Thousand Times No MI6 takes a look back at how the world’s media viewed Ian Fleming’s James Bond days before Dr No hit cinemas

1954 You Asked For It MI6 looks back at how America was introduced to James Bond when Ian Fleming’s debut novel Casino Royale was unleashed upon the masses

1965 On The Brink of Bondmaina Casino Royale may be breaking all the box-office records, but back in 1965 the world was on the brink of Bondmania

1973 The Roger Moore Era Begins After switching between actors on the three previous films, James Bond fans were introduced to Roger Moore as the new 007 in 1973

1963 Filming From Russia With Love In April 1963, Ian Fleming and intrepid reporters were on location in Istanbul to report on James Bond’s latest big screen adventure

1962 Fleming Turns The Tables MI6 looks back to the year of 1962, and the press reaction to Ian Fleming’s surprising James Bond novel "The Spy Who Loved Me"

1964 Connery Offbeat In Hollywood MI6 looks back to 1964 and the effect Sean Connery had on the movie business in Hollywood as Agent James Bond 007

1963 Setting The Formula MI6 looks back to 1963 and the observations of the press whilst the world awaited 007’s return in "From Russia With Love"

1963 Saved By The Bells MI6 travels back to 1963 for the release of Ian Fleming’s epic novel "On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” and the press reactions to Mrs. Bond

1958 The Upper-Crust Low Life MI6 travels back to 1958 for the release of Ian Fleming’s sixth 007 novel "Dr No”, when critics were still struggling with his mix of sex, sadism and snobbery

1977 Jottings From The Screening Room 30 years on, how do notes taken from advanced press screenings of The Spy Who Loved Me stack up against modern reviews?

1975 All That Glistens Isn’t Gold According to reviewers in 1974, the only thing golden about James Bond’s ninth cinematic adventure was Scaramanga’s gun. MI6 looks back at the critical mauling

1976 The ABC TV Edit of O.H.M.S.S. MI6 looks back on the controversial edit of OHMSS that was broadcast by ABC TV in the USA thirty years ago

1966 The Real Story of Ian Fleming MI6 looks back to October 1966 with America Life Magazine, and what John Pearson had to say about Ian Fleming

1979 007 Goes Into Orbit MI6 looks back to 1979 and the observations of the press when outer space belonged to James Bond

1965 The Bond Market MI6 steps back in time to 1965 to witness the first wave of James Bond toys and merchandise that took the world by storm

1965 Larger Than Life MI6 dives in to the deep end to find out what the reviewers thought of Sean Connery’s fourth outing "Thunderball" back in 1965

1964 Knocking Off Fort Knox MI6 travels back to December 1964, a week before Goldfinger was released in the USA to look at how the press were hyping 007’s next adventure

1983 007 Head To Head MI6 looks back to 1982 when Octopussy and Never Say Never Again were both in production, with Moore and Connery preparing to duel at the box office

1966 Barry On The Bondwagon MI6 looks back to 1966, when John Barry’s film scores were chart topping albums and his rise in stardom was inextricably linked to Bond Mania

1971 Review Rewind MI6 trawls the archives to see how critics of the day received Sean Connery’s return to the role of James Bond in the 1971 film "Diamonds Are Forever"

1962 007 v. SMERSH Just before his hero made the leap to the silver screen, Soviet press outlets went on a propaganda offensive against Ian Fleming’s adventures

1994 The Passing Of A Legend MI6 looks back to the media coverage in 1994 when director and Bond-maker Terence Young passed away

1973 Review Rewind MI6 trawls the archives to see how critics of the day received Roger Moore’s debut as James Bond in the 1973 film "Live And Let Die"

1977 Review Rewind MI6 trawls the archives to see how critics of the day received Roger Moore’s third outing as James Bond in the 1977 film "The Spy Who Loved Me"

1983 Review Rewind MI6 trawls the archives to see how critics of the day received Roger Moore’s ‘all time high’ outing as James Bond in the 1983 film "Octopussy"

1979 Review Rewind MI6 trawls the archives to see how critics of the day received Roger Moore’s fourth outing as James Bond in the 1979 film "Moonraker"

1985 Review Rewind MI6 trawls the archives to see how critics of the day received Roger Moore’s final outing as James Bond in the 1985 film "A View To A Kill"

1979 People "Moonraker" People magazine featured "Moonraker" in August 1979 with interviews from Roger Moore, Lois Chiles and Richard Kiel

1981 Review Rewind MI6 trawls the archives to see how critics of the day received Roger Moore’s down to earth outing as James Bond in the 1981 film "For Your Eyes Only"

1989 Review Rewind MI6 trawls the archives to see how critics of the day received Timothy Dalton’s second and final outing as James Bond in the 1989 film "Licence To Kill"

1995 Review Rewind MI6 trawls the archives to see how critics of the day received Pierce Brosnan’s very first outing as James Bond in the 1995 film "GoldenEye"

1983 People: "Bond’s Babes" Shortly after "Octopussy" hit the big screen in 1983, People magazine covered the release with a feature on the James Bond girls…

1969 Review Rewind MI6 trawls the archives to see how critics of the day received George Lazenby’s one and only outing as James Bond in the 1969 film "On Her Majesty’s Secret Service"…

1999 Review Rewind MI6 trawls the archives to see how critics of the day received Pierce Brosnan in the 1999 adventure "The World Is Not Enough"…

1994 Bailing On Bond MI6 looks back to 1994 and the day that Timothy Dalton announced his retirement from the James Bond role…

2002 Review Rewind MI6 trawls the archives to see how critics of the day received the 40th anniversary 007 outing, "Die Another Day"…

1964 Review Rewind MI6 trawls the archives to see how critics of the day received Sean Connery’s second outing as James Bond in "From Russia With Love"…

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