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Oscar-winning composer John Barry, the man behind many of the iconic James Bond theme tunes, has died at the age of 77.

It's still spy author vs. spy. Famed espionage writer John Le Carré remains no fan of James Bond, the martini-loving super spy created by Ian Fleming. "I dislike Bond. I'm not sure that Bond is a spy," the "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" author said in 1966, during a BBC interview that will be re-broadcast next week. Today, the 78-year-old Le Carré told the Radio Times that while he may have been harsh 40 years ago, he's still not sure Bond is much of a spy. "At the root of Bond there was something neo-fascistic and totally materialist," said Le Carré,...

Oceans of liquid diamond, filled with solid diamond icebergs, could be floating on Neptune and Uranus, according to a recent article in the journal Nature Physics. The research, based on first detailed measurements of the melting point of diamond, found diamond behaves like water during freezing and melting, with solid forms floating atop liquid forms. The surprising revelation gives scientists a new understanding about diamonds and some of the most distant planets in our solar system..

... "The choice of timing was particularly refined," Lavrov said sarcastically, referring to the fact that the arrests occurred after Obama met with Medvedev on Thursday for a visit widely seen as the latest step in the "reset" of relations between the former Cold War rivals. A source in Obama's administration said the president was not happy about the timing of the arrests, but investigators feared that some of their suspects might flee, The New York Times reported. The arrests might have been spurred by an FBI sting operation on Saturday in which one of the, Anna Chapman, was given...

BLENHEIM, Ontario—For more than 40 years, Jerry Lee, a Philadelphia-area radio station owner, kept a used car in a downstairs room in his house. He never drove it. The vehicle had only one previous owner. His name was Bond. James Bond. Mr. Lee's car, now here in a Canadian auto-restoration shop, was one of the original Aston Martin Silver Birch DB5s used in the early 007 films, "Goldfinger" and "Thunderball." It included "some rather interesting modifications," as the character known as Q explained in Goldfinger: revolving license plates, tire slasher, twin machine guns, rear oil sprayer, smoke screen, nail disperser,...

The most successful movie franchise of all time is the "Harry Potter" series, which recently edged out another famous Brit: James Bond. According to Box Office Mojo, the first six adaptations of J.K. Rowling's beloved books have earned a staggering $5.4 billion worldwide, not adjusted for inflation. The 22 films considered part of the official Bond canon (the 1967 spoof "Casino Royale" and the 1983 out-of-continuity "Never Say Never Again" don't count) have earned an estimated $5 billion globally. But even if the earnings of those two films were included, it still wouldn't be enough to put 007 on top....

Almost fifty years ago, in the film journal Sight and Sound for Winter 1964/65, critic Roger Hudson wrote that the talent of motion picture production designers “is often overlooked, except where it is the greatest element in a film’s success, as it is in Goldfinger.” The greatest element — that’s a bold claim, considering the hot competition among the movie’s other collaborators. But in hindsight, few would argue that the marvelous sets, vehicles, and spy gadgets of Goldfinger, masterminded by production designer Ken Adam, are any less iconic than Ian Fleming’s novel, Sean Connery’s performance, or John Barry’s musical score.

By Christmas of 1964, nowhere was safe for thirty-four-year-old Sean Connery. It started with the fan letters — fifteen hundred per week. Then came the mobs rushing gates at movie premieres and personal appearances — screaming, fainting, tearing at his clothes, all demanding time, autographs, kisses, and more. Soon, even walking down the street incognito or taking his family out to dinner became perilous endeavors.

James Bond fans are being urged to suggest the title of the 23rd blockbuster 007 film, scheduled to hit cinemas next year. Bosses at MGM have admitted that they are running out of names based on the best-selling novels of Ian Fleming.

Legendary actor Clint Eastwood has revealed that he has no regrets about turning down the role of James Bond, as he believes the 007 agent should be played by a British actor. Buzz up!Eastwood, 79, who had been approached by Bond bosses after Sean Connery quit the franchise, insists that he made the right decision, as he did not want the surperspy to be portrayed by an American. “I thought James Bond should be British. I am of British descent but by that same token, I thought that it should be more of the culture there and also, it was...

A couple spent four months and about £3,000 transforming their home into a James Bond film set complete with German soldiers and 007 crashing into their bathroom in a hang glider. Simon and Angie Mullane scoured the internet and travelled around the country to collect memorabilia for their New Year's Eve party in Poole, Dorset. The couple, both 44, transformed their home into a homage to the fictional spy created by writer Ian Fleming. Up to 40 guests were greeted at the roadside with a home-made checkpoint manned by one of several soldier mannequins dressed in authentic East German border...

An excellent 1 hour documentary on the real life exploits of WWII British double-agent, Dusko Popov -- a Serb who even conveyed information to J. Edgar Hoover on the imminent attack on Pearl Harbor four months before it happened --and who was used as the model for Ian Fleming's James Bond. (There are 6 10-minute videos)

Sam Mendes’ British publicist Sara Keene has confirmed to guardian.co.uk that the director is indeed in talks to helm the 23rd James Bond film.

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 2 minutes and 44 seconds. Pretitle Sequence “This Never Happened to the other Fellar” Maurice Binder’s Title Sequence The Real James Bond, George Lazenby (Born 09-05-1939) Diana Rigg (born 07-30-1938) as the Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo Telly Savalas (01-21-1922 – 01-22-1994) as Ernst Starvo Blofeld Rest of the Cast Gabriele Ferzetti as Marc-Ange Draco - Head of the Union Corse, a major crime syndicate and Tracy's father Ilse Steppat as Irma Bunt - Blofeld's henchwoman who takes part in his quest to try and eliminate Bond. Bernard Lee as M - Head of...

The stage and screen star was cast as the sinister title character in 1962's 'Dr. No'. Joseph Wiseman, a stage and screen actor who played the sinister title character in "Dr. No," the 1962 film that introduced Sean Connery as James Bond, has died. He was 91. Wiseman, who had been in declining health in the last few years, died Monday at his home in Manhattan, said his daughter, Martha Graham Wiseman. The Canadian-born Wiseman already had appeared on Broadway numerous times and in films such as "Detective Story" and "Viva Zapata!" when he was cast as the mysterious villain...

CHRIS MATTHEWS: You guys see Live and Let Die, the great Bond film with Yaphet Kotto as the bad guy, Mr. Big? In the end they jam a big CO2 pellet in his face and he blew up. I have to tell you, Rush Limbaugh is looking more and more like Mr. Big, and at some point somebodys going to jam a CO2 pellet into his head and hes going to explode like a giant blimp. That day may come. Not yet. But well be there to watch. I think hes Mr. Big, I think Yaphet Kotto. Are you...

What some guys won't say to get attention . . . Analogizing Rush Limbaugh to a James Bond villian, Chris Matthews today fantasized: "at some point somebody's going to jam a CO2 pellet into his head and he's going to explode like a giant blimp." View video here.

This just in from Hollywood sources, Barak Hussein Obama has been named the NEW James Bond for the up coming filming of "The Marxist With The Golden Tongue". Details to follow ...

Contrary to reports, MGM has yet to sell the marketing and distribution rights of the James Bond franchise to 20th Century Fox. Claiming to be contacted directly by the studio on the matter, Film School Rejects set the record straight by forwarding MGM's denial that the taking-over story is incorrect. An official source, as reported by the site, also mentioned the studio still owns the Bond property and will announce the release date and distribution strategy in due time. Another denial came from 20th Century Fox as well. To IGN, sources at Fox slammed the speculation. They also insisted people...

Fusing together entries on Fleming’s famous 00-agent and detailed information on cases of espionage, real-life spies, MI5, SIS, CIA, KGB, and others, Historical Dictionary of Ian Fleming’s James Bond asks the question: What proportion of Fleming’s output is authentic, and what comes directly from the his imagination?