Blofeld back again (for the very first time)?

We are smack dab in the middle of the “silly season” for James Bond fans: that time between when a new 007 picture is shaping up for production, and the time when definite details are released by the studio. Rumors and speculation abound. This particular rumor got our attention, however. Latino Review.com is a site well-known and respected for its credibility. They don’t get everything right every time, but they get more things right more often

Telly Savalas as Ernst Stavro Blofeld in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE -- 1969. Graphic by Paul Baack.

than other movie news sites. (They were the first to review the Casino Royale screenplay, alerting the world that we had a new classic James Bond movie aborning.) They have deep and well-placed sources…

The title of Gig Patta’s article pretty much says it all: Bond 23 Scriptwriter John Logan Hints Blofeld as Villain in New Movie. Logan, brought in to polish-up Neal Purvis & Rob Wade’s script, hinted — or perhaps joked — to a BAFTA Screenwriters lecture that “Bond should always fight Blofeld.” Which, when you think about it, is an odd thing to say. The character of Ernst Stavro Blofeld has been missing from the Cinèma du Jamesbonderie since 1983 (1971 if you want to get all canonical on us,) and doesn’t have much resonance for the Brosnan/Craig generation of fans. So, in our humble opinion, his choice of words were oddly specific. And, since this is the rebooted series, there’s no logical reason the earlobe-less one couldn’t show up, SPECTRE in tow. It’s a fun idea to contemplate.

Donald Pleasance as Ernst Stavro Blofeld in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE -- 1967. Graphic by Paul Baack.

The HMSS Weblog… Your Source for Unfounded Rumors and Baseless Speculation! You’re welcome.

Diamonds Are Forever House for Sale

James Bond fans who might happen to have $14 million burning a hole in their pocket might be interested in the fact that Willard Whyte’s Palm Springs pied-à-terre is for sale. Known as The Elrod House, it was commissioned by the famous designer Arthur Elrod in 1968, but is more commonly known as the place where Sean Connery’s 007 got his butt kicked by Bambi and Thumper in the 1971 Bond caper Diamonds Are Forever.

The Elrod House

The 8,901-square-foot joint sits on 6 1/2 acres, which works out to $1,560 per square foot, and close to $2.2 million per acre — not bad for California real estate! You can get all the specs and info on the house’s Redfin listing. It’s been listed since November of 2009, so make your best offer!

(It also comes with a pool.)