Ray Aghayan, costume designer of Flint movies, dies at 83

Ray Aghayan, who designed costumes and wardrobe for Our Man Flint and In Like Flint, has died at 83.

The New York Times, in an obituary you can read BY CLICKING HERE, says Aghayan had a noteable career.

Mr. Aghayan was nominated for the Academy Award three times, and in 1967 he and (his partner Bob) Mackie shared the first Emmy ever awarded for costume design, for their partnership in the TV movie “Alice Through the Looking Glass.”

The partners received Oscar nominations for the 43 ensembles worn by (Diana) Ross in “Lady Sings the Blues,” the 1972 Billie Holiday biopic, and for the 1930s-style dresses, hats, gloves and shoes worn by Ms. Streisand in “Funny Lady,” the 1975 sequel to “Funny Girl.” Mr. Aghayan received his first Oscar nomination for “Gaily, Gaily,” a 1969 comedy set in Chicago in 1910.

Some of Aghayan’s costume design work can be seen in the trailer for Our Man Flint:

007 Magazine’s new issue focuses on the Dalton era

Graham Rye’s 007 Magazine has a new issue on the short-lived Timothy Dalton era of Bond films. The publication looks at The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill.

For more information, YOU CAN CLICK HERE. The magazine costs 9.99 British pounds, $15.99 or 11.99 euros.

While it was only two films, the Dalton period was eventful. It included composer John Barry’s 007 finale (one of the articles in the magazine) and Licence’s box office numbers ($156 million worldwide, but less than $35 million in the U.S.) caused producer Albert R. Broccoli to re-evaluate his options. The co-founder of Eon Productions ended his long association with screenwriter Richard Maibaum and decided five 007 films was enough for director John Glen.

Broccoli also for a period considered a sale of his interest in Bond. But he opted against it. Instead, he ended up in a legal fight with the then-owners of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (which then, as now, controls half of the franchise) and a six-year hiatus ensued. Licence was Broccoli’s last credit as producer of a Bond movie. He got the usual “Albert R. Broccoli presents” credit on GoldenEye, but stepson Michael G. Wilson and daughter Barbara Broccoli did the heavy lifting.

Dalton also divides 007 fans, with fans saying he comes closest to the literary Bond of Ian Fleming’s novels while detractors not caring for his portryal.

Bond 23 to begin filming Nov. 7, The Sun says

Bond 23 is start production on Nov. 7, according to a report in U.K. newspaper, The Sun. The story is brief but contains this passage:

When shooting starts on November 7, the actor will have to switch from a Range Rover to a Jaguar – with both motors on the move.

Jaguar and Land Rover were part of product placement in 2002’s Die Another Day in a deal meant to show off Ford Motor Co.’s European luxury offerings. Gustav Graves was driven to receive his knighthood (after making a showy parachute jump) in a Land Rover while Graves henchman Zao drove a tricked-out Jaguar in a car chase with an Aston Martin driven by Bond (Pierce Brosnan).

Ford sold off Aston Martin in 2007 and Jaguar and Land Rover in 2008. Jaguar and Land Rover are now owned by India’s Tata Motors Ltd.

To read the entire story in The Sun, JUST CLICK HERE.