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Boondocks Film Society will show the 1969 James Bond film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” starring George Lazenby as Bond and Diana Rigg as the Bond Girl who becomes his wife, on Jan. 30.
Most readers of this newspaper are sufficiently seasoned that they have chosen a favorite James Bond — either Roger Moore or Sean Connery. Perhaps some younger readers might throw in a vote for Daniel Craig or Pierce Brosnan.
But it’s entirely possible that our youngest generations might ask innocently, “Who is James Bond?”After all, it’s been five years since the most recent film in the franchise (the relatively forgettable “Spectre,” in 2015; a new entry, “No Time To Die,” might be out as soon as April of this year).
Don’t scorn those youngsters; envy them. After all, they get to discover the James Bond films and books with new eyes; it’s like being a teenager and discovering that there was a band called The Beatles, and having the chance to hear their songs for the first time. How fresh! How thrilling!
Taking stock of all the Bonds
Anyone who would like to begin Bond Binging can find many of the films on streaming services such as Amazon Prime and Hulu. The first of the films, and a good place to begin, is “Dr. No,” which introduced the suave spy to moviegoers and also introduced young Sean Connery in the lead role.
From there you could continue on sequentially but you’ll have to make an important decision at several junctures, and that decision will involve whether you watch some of the minor, one-shot Bonds or only stick with the main canon.
In other words, do you skip David Niven in “Casino Royale,” which was a parody and not an actual spy thriller (but which has theme music by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass)? Do you watch the two Timothy Dalton entries (“License to Kill” and “The Living Daylights,” which had Maryam D’Abo and her cello as the somewhat ridiculous love interest)?
A Bond like no other (except Austin Powers)
And then of course … there is the 1969 George Lazenby single entry into the world of Bond: “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.”
Even many ardent Bond fans have never seen this one — or haven’t seen it since it aired occasionally on network television back in the 1970s.
But this film has a lot to offer in this day and age.
For one thing, its plot centers around Ernst Blofeld’s efforts to destroy England’s agricultural economy through germ warfare.
This is one of the few Bond films that is actually based on an Ian Fleming novel; it’s the second in the “Blofeld Trilogy,” which began with “Thunderball” and ended with “You Only Live Twice” — although Blofeld and his white cat appeared onscreen many more than three times. He was played by actors including Donald Pleasance, Charles Gray, Max von Sydow, Christoph Waltz (most recently) and was parodied by Mike Myers in the Austin Powers films.
If you like the Austin Powers films, it’s a safe bet to say you’ll like the outrageous grooviness of this particular Bond film. Bond wears ruffled shirts and, at one point, a kilt. There are shaggy flokati rugs. There are bosomy girls with bouffant hairdos.
If you’re a fan of 1970s kitsch you’ll also get a chance to see an icon from that era, Telly Savalas, playing the bald Blofeld.
And yet, it’s pretty elegant
Unlike many of the other Bond films, which got frankly a little tacky and a little wacky, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” is still a relatively elegant and understated production.
The Bond Girl is Diana Rigg, famous not only for her catsuit in “The Avengers” but also, many years later, for her plummy intros to British television programs on PBS and a turn on “Game of Thrones.”
Bond in this film (and the novel) is a more fully sketched out character, who mourns a lost love (Vesper Lynd) and then eventually marries Rigg (although she is shot to death shortly after the wedding, at the end of the film; Bond must always be a free agent).
Elegance aside, there is still plenty of shooting and skiing and gadgets and discreet sex.
In other words, on a cold quarantine winter you could find worse things to do than enjoy this film.
Boondocks Film Society at Four Brothers
Where to see it? Conveniently, Boondocks Film Society (based in West Cornwall, Conn.) resurfaces this month with its first film screening in many months. The film is: “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.”
Boondocks organizer Jeff Palfini has chosen the Four Brothers Drive-In in Amenia, N.Y., as the site for the screening. Traditionally, Palfini tries to find a venue that in some way reflects the movie plot, but in this COVID-19 winter, the drive-in is one of only a few screening options available.
“On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” will be shown on Saturday, Jan. 30, at 6:30 p.m. The drive-in will open at 6 p.m., not only so you can get there early and get a choice parking spot but also so you can sample the themed foods and craft cocktails that always accompany a Boondocks screening.
The menu hasn’t been announced yet but, since this film is set in Switzerland, perhaps it will include fondue and chocolate. You can either have food delivered to your car or truck, car-hop style; or you can pick up food at the Four Brothers restaurant.
As for heat on a cool evening, you have the option of course of keeping your engine running during the film, but most groups will find that they only need to restart a few times during the showing. There is also expected to be an intermission.
Tickets are $14 for person in each vehicle and should be ordered in advance. To find out more and to get the ticket link, go to https://boondocksfilmsociety.org/now-showing.
AMENIA — A number of projects achieved forward momentum at the regular meeting of the Town Board on Thursday, August 1, whether by unanimous vote of approval or by report and discussion.
The project to construct a new town garage saw unanimous approval of a resolution to use the services of Hudson Cultural Services to complete an archeological and environmental study of the intended Lakeville Road garage site. Eight bids were received. The Town Board agreed to award the contract to Hudson Services, the lowest bidder, at $5,620.
The area to be studied measures 5 acres, but the focus will be on the area to be disturbed by the construction of the town garage and salt storage shed to determine environmental impact. The archeological phase of testing will dig test pits to determine presence of artifacts that if found, will be sent for laboratory testing and dating.
Also important to the town garage project was the opening of the six bids received from engineering firms hoping to be selected to complete the design phase. Copies of the bid packets were distributed to board members for their review and future discussion.
Architect Tracy Salladay presented her plans for renovations to improve the function of the Beekman Park Pavilion, under consideration since December 2023. Finding the present covered seating area to be adequate in size, Salladay suggested improved lighting and perhaps enclosing the seating area.
Options that would affect the cost of changes to the food preparation area are driven by whether the kitchen will prepare food on site or offer prepared foods that are pre-packaged.
To gain kitchen space, Salladay suggested closing one of the two concession windows.
The restrooms and equipment storage room would need significant changes. Plumbing does not meet current code requirements, Salladay said.
For the building’s exterior, Salladay recommended replacing the current vinyl siding on the gables with corrugated metal.
To councilwoman Rosanna Hamm’s question about who would be expected to use the renovated pavilion, Recreation Director Katie Sterk-Grassi replied that it would be used by the soccer and baseball programs, with those programs paying fees for use. She pointed out the importance to the community of vital recreation programs.
Summarizing responses to a recent survey he had created to measure residents’ impressions of the town’s official website, finance director Charlie Miller told the Town Board that comments have been coming in over the past two years.
There were 67 responses to the on-line questionnaire, with 45% of respondents indicating that they visit the town website at least once a week. 76% of those responding said that they use the town’s events calendar. 91% of users said that they experience difficulty in using the current site, with 50% finding it hard to navigate. 82% said that they would be likely to sign up if the town offered an alerts/announcements feature.
In general local people want an easy search function, emergency notices, and a simplified menu. Some asked for summaries of current projects and a more detailed calendar of events.
The next step, Miller said, would be for him to create a “scope of work,” an outline of the skeletal framework and then to obtain quotes from vendors.
Miller said that it will be important to select the vendor in the next 60 days before the present contract with Dutchess County, the current provider, expires.
“If we had a better website, we could reach a wider audience,” Town Supervisor Leo Blackman observed.
Presenting a brief report on options for a new Town of Amenia Town Hall sign, Miller reviewed alternative design options for a new LED electronic sign to be placed close to Route 22 just south of the Town Hall driveway near the southern parking lot.
The sign itself with installation would be estimated to cost between $39,000 and $45,000, depending on the size variables and desired resolution. The LED electronic component would allow for messages to be posted on the sign, including upcoming meetings.
Noting that funding is already in place for the needed engineering study, Miller said that funds for the engineering aspect are already in place in the town’s engineering budget.
The 6th annual Harlem Valley flamenco festival visited Millbrook winery Friday, Aug. 2. Peter Basil, left, Ricardo Sanchez, center, and Hector Marquez, right, performed flamenco music on their guitars and drums while visitors drank wine and ate oysters. Creative Director Anna Librada said the Flamenco Fest’s next event is September in Hyde Park.
AMENIA — Families of any size who are seeking to introduce a bit of fun into their summer memories are invited to attend the annual Family Fun Night to be held at Beekman Park on Thursday, August 15, between 5 and 7 p.m.
The event is sponsored by the Amenia Recreation Department and the Amenia Free Library. Admission, as always, is free.
A variety of activities will include face painting, The Bubble Bus, an ice cream truck, bounce houses, fire trucks and a great chance to visit with friends and neighbors while the children are occupied. Food will be available for purchase from Webutuck Little League volunteers.
For more information, phone 845-373-8273 or go to www.ameniany.myrec.com
AMENIA — By an official unanimous vote, the Town Board passed a resolution formally accepting the historic gift of Wassaic’s restored twin charcoal kilns on Deep Hollow Road at their meeting on Thursday, August 1. The gift preserves an important part of Amenia’s history for the benefit of present and future generations.
The beehive wood-fired kilns, located near the intersection of Route 22 and Deep Hollow Road, were built around 1825 to serve the thriving iron industry. The massive stone kilns have been painstakingly restored to their original condition by Bernie Leighton, and once restored, were offered to the town as a gift from the present owner, Alan Shope.
Situated on a fenced parcel measuring slightly less than one-third of an acre, the kilns stand as monument to the dawn of the industrial revolution, creating charcoal to fire the Reed, Gridley and Co. iron works furnaces in operation until the 1920s.
Information about the kilns, published on the town website, indicates that three weeks of slow burning was essential to create Sulphur-free charcoal, Sulphur being harmful to iron.
For more information about the kilns, go to www.ameniany.gov or contact the Amenia Historical Society.