50 YEARS OF BOND CARS

Top Gear

50 years of Bond Cars: A Top Gear special

Aired BBC2 29/10/2012:  9.00PM GMT

Available in the UK on BBC iplayer until 9:59PM 5/11/2012

Richard Hammond documented James Bond’s incredible line up of cars throughout each decade that MI6’s finest has been on screen, in a one off Top Gear special last night.

Hammond systematically went through every make and model to feature over the past 50 years using Top Gear’s exquisite approach to the style of filming automotive royalty.

Of course the Aston Martin brand featured heavily and I have my own personal memories to add to this, as I have sat in the very Aston that was used in the film Goldfinger.

Hammond spent time interviewing crew members of past Bond films in order to meticulously analyse the creativity, skill, technological wizardry and bravery of how the cars were utilised in certain action sequences. These scenes used many tributes to Fleming’s original approach within his writing of 007’s automotive experiences. Fleming would often describe specific manoeuvres, engine notes and the skill of Bonds' driving in great depth.

And great programming like this does get your creative juices flowing …

Obviously I want to be James Bond as I am a bloke and that's a bloke's parogative......

But for my James Bond car chase scene, I’ve often pondered my weapon of choice.

I now think, I have it:

I am left-field kind of guy and I don’t like to discount anything. In my mental storyboard I have visualised tractors, Russian jets, Lamborghini’s, Aston Martins, Bentley’s and Jaguars to name but a few.

But I think I’m going to go for the white Lotus, which first made an appearence in the 1977 Bond: 'The Spy Who Loved Me'.

Lotus cars to me are claustrophobia on four wheels. This is because I’m massive and don’t fit in them and therefore adding to the total unrealistic ever after of this fantasy that I am snow balling by the second.

So, the car: 1977 Lotus Esprit – Essex whiiiite

The Settinng: Naples – I’ve always wanted to go there: – Archaeology, the birth place of pizza AND volcanoes – who wouldn’t?!

The plot: A car chase starting through the busy streets and possibly through a busy market square. Its important to note that my Bond would be doing the chasing as he would be certainly going back to his harder than hard nails SBS routes just like the way Danial Craig portrays him.

The Lotus would be up against a modern car of around equal horsepower: Possibly the new Subaru BRZ, to add the Japanese sports car link to Bond's automotive heritage. There would probably be a fleet of badies to go after too. One would certainly be in an articulated lorry and this would involve the Lotus being strategicaly driven under the trailer at some point.

This Lotus will have no tech and feature me with a golden Desert Eagle gun, shooting my way through the henchman. The seventies references end there. I hate guns. But Desert Eagle’s are sexy -you can’t deny.

The white vibe is integral to this. Maybe it was an 80’s theme party a super villain was having on his yacht on the Naples harbour, with mount Vesuvius towering over the situation, menacing yet seductive in the background....

Oh man I’m in the wrong job...

The outcome:

….Any way as the chase progresses and the tundra starts to undulate somewhat, the lotus opens up. Then we can engage in some long fast corner panning style cinematography, mercilessly defining the timeless look of the Lotus brand whilst promoting the latest Japanese pseudo sports car.

Needless to say I win and kill everyone - the story’s got scope. And Lotus cars are brilliant.

http://www.lotuscars.com/

TURNING 2 TECH

I think it’s a sign of the times that I’m contemplating my tech needs around my career change plans.

I was at an antiques and collectables auction a couple of weeks ago and low and behold amongst a box of unexplained junk, artefacts and curios was a brown leather zip case that I thought would be the perfect retro addition for when my iPad mini may arrive.

I’m in my 30’s now, so what can I say… I’m at a time of my life when you feel all confused about blending old a new. In my mind things need to be offset, the equation of tech acquisitions needs to be balanced, to prevent serious glitches in the matrix of old and new.

Needless to say I didn’t bid, as I haven’t committed to my provisional purchase yet…

The context:

I would like to change my day job. I am interested in becoming a writer and journalist. My passion is the countryside and I really enjoy seeing new media used to report on country side issues and developments. I adore the wondrous variety outside has to offer and appreciate everything from HD video reviews of the latest tractor in the field to new ways of protecting expensive gadgets when you are climbing mountains. I also like to see new mobile apps to up productivity for farmers and country side practitioners alike.

For some reason though (insert relevant pop psychological condition here), I feel I would only be comfortable making this transition with the right tech.  

*This also includes associated logistics like relevant protective/retro/stylish carry cases.

As you can see, I am dabbling with my next step right now, teetering off the edge ready to jump, but my tech needs and indecisions are keeping me back

To an extent I already have some good tools for this work already. They are

• iPhone 4
• Lumix DMC-FS35
• Sony handicam HDR-sr12
• Macbook pro 15 inch 2 Ghz i7
• Tucano Work Out Bag carry case

The iPhone probably gets the most use. The muse hits me fairly often throughout the day and I am usually working on 2-3 different creative things at once. I find the notes app on the iPhone amazing for this. This app just seems to work for me. I had a similar app when using Android, but it wasn’t quite as simple and care free.

The only issue I have is typing: I have big fingers!

I like actual writing but taking electronic notes looks cool and can get you form A to B a lot quicker. The new iPad is quite heavy and just slightly too big. (Although the more powerful chip in 2012’s second variant could be useful). The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is five hundred quid and I really don’t want to go back to Android. So before I get out into the field this winter I deduce that I will need an iPad mini.

The smaller size shouldn’t affect the keyboard size. – It should be the same as its larger cousin. Not having Retina is a big deal for me though, but the battery performance should be a real plus for productivity when undertaking work tasks. My mobile journo computing right hand man needs to have the key functions of a bright colour screen in dark conditions and a good camera for impromptu tractor porn. What can I say, when I feel the urge you cant beat a bit of hi def agricultural voyeurism?

I literally won’t feel happy about taking the plunge until I have one of these

And a retro/vintage style case for it too.

Am I the only one who feels like this? Are there others stopping themselves form excelling due to their tech needs? What if a doctor refused to practice until he was at the rains of the latest MRI scanner?

I guess I will just have to man-up correct my typos shrink my thumbs and push on with my iPhone in the meantime.

And I'm not going anywhere  in the countryside until I get one of these.

HOW BRITAIN WORKED

How Britain Worked C4 Sunday Nights 8pm: 1/6

An absolute genius in the broadcasting media has realised that Guy Martin is going to make an exquisite addition to British television.

Martin 30, has done a similar series before for the BBC and also appeared in film TT3D observing his career as a road motorbike racer whilst he was competing in the 2010 Isle of Man TT races.

Episode 1 saw Guy Martin restoring a steam engine. His duties involved mending track, commentating on workplace photos of yesteryear depicting grafting in abundance and practicing some of the techniques involved with the whole process of restoration and preserving heritage.

He articulates well, and his broad Lincolnshire accent is extremely endearing as it evoked a sense of heartfelt motivation in me, as he immersed himself in the countries industrial heritage by taking on tasks head on and meeting younger workers who enjoy heavy engineering.

“That’s a grand shovel Guy.”

Practical work was depicted in abundance. Guy made a stoke shovel using some particularly complex metal craft techniques. He seemed to adapt well to these advanced skills.

He’s a truck mechanic by day as well a lunatic bike racer. The heavy-duty nuts and bottles of lorries juxtapose the intimate and delicate engineering process needed to maintain bespoke road racing motorbikes to produce results measured in milliseconds. Both these approaches produce a well rounded and capable individual, able to appreciate the complex maths, science and precision that were they key factors in the industrial revolution as well as the need to hit stuff in the right place with massive hammers.

OK, so the project wasn’t exactly a start to finish man versus metal death match that went the distance over 15 rounds. You got a tiny inkling that some of his appearances were a tad media constructed, but the lad has to  balance a day job and a motorsport career too. I really liked the over all vibe of the episode and I particularly liked the segments with like minded individuals who had a passion for making things to a perfect specification. It gave a real labour market insight and depicted young people working in engineering that were extremely skilled.

Merging history, working practices of the present, restoration projects and historical accounts into one hour of commercial television is extremely tricky.

 “I don’t think I’ve ever fried an egg.”

This extremely likable northern chap transcends an honesty to the audience that you rarely get in the media. His passion for mechanical engineering is clearly what drives him and his motivation and excitement was oozing from the television. I am excited too. The ability to get stuck in and appreciate the situation you have been put in, is a rare asset. I’m going to go out on a limb and say we have a new Fred Dibnah in the making. This is extremely important as Dibnah pretty much had the same way about him too and compelled millions to appreciate Britain’s true backbone.

Today is a good day for the memories of our industrial past, recognising the present day quality of channel four’s documentaries and for taking solace in the knowledge that some cool folk, want to preserve our heritage way into the future...