Review: BOND BY DESIGN is a Revealing Look Into The Art of The James Bond Franchise
When I think about James Bond movies, a few things immediately come to mind: action, one-liners, women, and which actor is portraying the man himself. But if I really stop and think about it, I don't think any of those things truly define what a Bond movie is as much as the production design. These movies are largely about style and attitude, and while that can come across in slick tailored suits and the performances of the man playing the part, it's also manifested in the larger than life lairs of the franchise's villains, the iconic gadgets used to get out of sticky situations, and the awe-inspiring vehicles that have left an indelible mark on popular culture.
These are the elements on display in Bond By Design: The Art of The James Bond Films, a gorgeous hardcover book that features tons of concept art, storyboards, costume sketches, and blueprints for locations like You Only Live Twice's volcanic compound and props like Thunderball's jet pack and Goldfinger's Aston Martin DB5.
Perhaps no one has contributed more to creating the look of the James Bond films than original production designer Ken Adam. Being able to explore his concept art (and that of future designers Syd Cain, Peter Lamont, and more) is a gift for any fan of the Bond franchise, and author Meg Simmonds (EON's archivist) rounds out their artwork with detailed captions contributing to the Bond lore. Simmonds' writing style isn't exactly flowery (I'd call it "academic"), so I can see how some people might get bored poring over all of the details about creating the schematics, building the sets, figuring out locations, and other aspects of pre-production.
But this book is big (as in, its pages are much larger than a normal book's), and the real selling point here is all of the amazing artwork that gives us a look into the minds of the people who dreamed up all of the things that came to life in the films. Even if you don't read a single word of text in the entire thing, it's still an awesome coffee table book that shouldn't be for diehard fans' eyes only.
Bond By Design is on sale now, and you can purchase it right here.