Category: Films

“Goldfinger” (1964): Danish theatrical posters

POSTER

 
In December 1964, United Artists released the third James Bond 007 film from EON Productions, "Agent 007 contra Goldfinger" (Goldfinger), into Danish cinemas.

An unnamed designer created this simple one-sheet for the Danish market with artwork culled from existing materials.

Renato Fratini's illustration of Sean Connery as James Bond was recycled from the 1963 release poster for "Agent 007 jages" (From Russia with Love). The horizontal image of the golden girl, Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton), was adapted from a still photograph owned by The Everett Collection (Eaton's left arm is missing on the Danish poster).

● See the original photo of Shirley Eaton (via New York Daily News)

Danish theatrical poster for "Agent 007 contra Goldfinger" (1964)

Read More

“From Russia with Love” (1963): Danish b&w theatrical poster

"From Russia with Love", the second James Bond 007 film from EON Productions, was released into Danish cinemas on 20 December 1963 by United Artists.

This striking monochrome theatrical poster was based on Renato Fratini's artwork for the UK Double Crown poster, in turn based on a promotional photo by David Hurn.

The name of the original Bond novelist, Ian Fleming, has been danicized into Jan Fleming in concordance with the spelling on the books' first editions in Denmark.

The film's Danish title, "Agent 007 jages", translates as "Agent 007 is being hunted".

“Dr. No”: Danish theatrical poster (1963)

FILM POSTER

 
On 5 April 1963, United Artists released EON Productions' "Dr. No" theatrically in Denmark. The film's Danish title reads "Agent 007 mission: drab" [Agent 007 Mission: Kill].

The theatrical poster pictured below, measuring 83x62 cm, was produced for the first Danish cinema release of "Dr. No.". The poster was clearly inspired by the UK campaign, with the addition of a striking yellow-black-white color scheme. The uncredited artist who traced Mitchell Hooks' artwork of the four Bond girls from the UK poster might have been an employee at United Artists' distribution office in Denmark.

Ian Fleming 's name is Danicized to Jan Fleming on the poster, concordant with the first Danish editions of his James Bond 007 novels. The director's name, Terence Young, and EON Productions are both misspelled.

“From Russia With Love”: Aktuelt’s film review (1963)

Film review, 21 December 1963

 
Several Danish film critics expressed their dislike of the James Bond 007 films during their original release in the early 1960's. The highly regarded Bjørn Rasmussen, M.A., who reviewed films for the Danish daily Aktuelt and hosted the film programme "Filmorientering" on national Danish television during the 60's, dismissed the Bond films as "sensationalist entertainment marked by poor taste" in his reference book "Filmens Hvem-Hvad-Hvor" (1967). He did however note that "From Russia with Love" (1963) was "the best in the series".

When EON Productions' "From Russia with Love"  was released into Danish theatres in December 1963, Bjørn Rasmussen was markedly less kind in his scathing review for Aktuelt:

”Agent 007” returns

Christmas programming at Nørreport Cinema is brutal entertainment

With the pulp thriller ”From Russia with Love” (1963), Nørreport [Cinema] picks up from ”Dr. No”. This is a coarsely brutal, sensational serial based on Ian Fleming's vulgar novels, issued in Denmark by [Sven] Hazel's publishing house (of all!). The films, as well as the novels, are brimming with straightforward suspense, devoid of probability and based on the spectator not having time to detect the obvious gaffes.

This time, a so-called ”Lektor” is to be smuggled out and change hands from Russian to English ownership. We are not dealing with a lecturer [”lektor” in Danish, ed.] but a decoding machine. Fights, murders, sex, and speed is mobilized as well as all kinds of spies for all kinds of nations. They are secretly spying on each other nonstop. The most repulsive of them all would be Lotte Lenja [sic], the widow of Kurt Weill, evil incarnate and an efficient member of the international crime organization ”Spectre” who are also out to get the Lektor.

In the middle of all this nonsense, a glimmer of something truly cinematic shines through as is often the case with rudimentary pulp thrillers such as this. But [the film] is dreadfully simple and unpleasant to watch.

Written by Bjørn Rasmussen
Translation by Bond•O•Rama.dk

Read More