James Bond Weekend At USC Starts Tonight

The University of Southern California will host a weekend long Centenary tribute to legendary James Bond producer Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli this weekend in Los Angeles. The weekend will comprise screenings of many classic Bond films (including examples of every actor to play 007 in the official canon), panel discussions with key behind-the-scenes personnel and an exhibit of props and costumes used in Bond movies over the years. Tonight (Friday, November 6) is a Sean Connery double feature with Dr. No screening at 7PM and Goldfinger at 9. Saturday, November 7 is an all day event beginning with On Her Majesty's Secret Service at noon and continuing with Live and Let Die at 2:40, a panel discussion on "James Bond Today" at 5 featuring Bond franchise producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, screenwriters Robert Wade and Neal Purvis (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace), and Quantum of Solace director Marc Forster, The Spy Who Loved Me at 6:45 and The Living Daylights at 9. While Connery movies seem to play all the time on the revival circuit, Moores are much rarer and Daltons practically unheard of, so to me the Saturday evening line-up looks to be the highlight of the weekend. Sunday things kick off with GoldenEye at noon followed by Tomorrow Never Dies at 2:50, and a panel discussion on Cubby Broccoli featuring family members Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson, screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz (Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun), actor Richard Kiel (Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker) and two-time Bond Girl Maud Adams (Octopussy, The Man With the Golden Gun). That's followed by a reception at 6:40, and the weekend wraps up with a screening of Casino Royale (2006) at 8PM. Both panels will be moderated by USC professor Rick Jewell, who's probably familiar to film aficionad's from his contributions to DVD commentaries and documentaries. All events are free and, according to USC's website, "open to all," but you do need to RSVP in advance through the site. Sounds like a great weekend! Personally, I'm planning to attend both conferences and as many of the screenings as I can on Saturday and Sunday.