Funeral in Berlin gets new U.S. DVD release

Len Deighton and Michael Caine

Funeral in Berlin, the second Harry Saltzman-produced film based on Len Deighton’s spy novels and starring Michael Caine, is now available in a new DVD release in the U.S. through Warner Bros.’s Warner Archives.

Saltzman, co-founder of Eon Productions, producer of the James Bond film series, had ambitions beyond the 007 movies. At the same time, Saltzman summoned 007 film veterans to work on his Deighton-based films.

With 1966’s Funeral in Berlin, Saltzman hired Guy Hamilton, who helmed Goldfinger, as director. Also on board was Ken Adam as production designer and Peter Murton as art director. Other films in the series employed John Barry, Peter Hunt and Maurice Binder.

Warner Archive specializes in “manufactured on demand” (or MOD); the DVDs are made as they’re ordered and the sets aren’t available in stores. Warner Bros. has used Warner Archive for home video releases of properties in the vast WB library, including THE GIRL FROM U.N.C.L.E. and THE FBI television series.

The price for Funeral in Berlin is $18.95 plus shipping and handling. For more information on ordering, CLICK HERE.

For more information, you can view the IMDB.COM pages for:

1965’S THE IPCRESS FILES

1966’s FUNERAL IN BERLIN

1967’s BILLION DOLLAR BRAIN

RE-POST: HMSS Weblog marks its 5th anniversary

Originally published Aug. 19. Re-posted (with a few updates) today, the actual anniversary

The HMSS Weblog, a spinoff of the Her Majesty’s Secret Servant Web site, this year marks its fifth anniversary.

The blog was originally envisioned as a way for HMSS to maintain a presence between issues of the e-magazine. HMSS Weblog took a while to find its own voice. The first post on OCT. 8, 2008, concerned an omnibus of three Raymond Benson James Bond novels.

For a time, posts relied on embedding YouTube videos. The problem with that is such videos are often yanked from the video-sharing Web site. So, over time, that has been de-emphasized. What’s more, longer posts began appearing on a regular basis. (Click HERE, HERE and HERE for an early three-part example.)

The turning point was a series of posts leading up to GOLDFINGER’S 45TH ANNIVERSARY in 2009. The Rap Sheet, a blog devoted to crime and detective fiction gave the series a nice (and unsolicited) shoutout in a post about Goldfinger. That encouraging word along with other feedback indicated there was an audience for the kinds of posts HMSS Weblog was doing.

There are many James Bond fan sites. The effort here is do something when the blog has something to say.

Sometimes it’s a reappraisal (essentially a re-review) of films such as QUANTUM OF SOLACE, LIVE AND LET DIE and OCTOPUSSY.

Sometimes, there are posts about major anniversaries of Bond films or other spy-related entertainment. And sometimes, it’s keeping track of new James Bond and spy-related entertainment in posts like THIS ONE or THIS ONE. And don’t forget THIS POST dubbed “Goodbye, old friend.”

Also, don’t forget posts about EFFORTS TO MAKE A MOVIE VERSION OF THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. and a recent series on FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY.

Meanwhile, Her Majesty’s Secret Servant is on extended hiatus for various real-life reasons. A planned issue “best of” issue including Skyfall reviews in late 2012 was scrapped. The Skyfall reviews WERE EVENTUALLY POSTED ON THE HMSS WEBLOG.

The HMSS Weblog is mostly a one-man band except with exceptions such as MARK HENDERSON’S INTERVIEW WITH CARTE BLANCHE AUTHOR JEFFERY DEAVER or posts like THIS ONE about Aaron Sorkin dropping James Bond refrences into some of his television scripts. The blog will continue on as long as it’s fun and there’s something to say.

Earlier posts:

THE `BANNED’ 007 COMMENTARIES: WHAT WAS THE FUSS? (JANUARY 2012)

PRICE OF ACCESS TO 007? (JANUARY 2012)

THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. CURSE (NOVEMBER 2011)

007 FIDELITY INDEX; HOW CLOSE ARE THE FILMS TO THE BOOKS? PART I

DR. NO’S 50 ANNIVERSARY CONCLUSION: LEGACY (September 2012)