Monty Norman, the composer behind the iconic James Bond theme, has died at the age of 94.
A statement posted on his official website said, “It is with sadness we share the news that Monty Norman died on 11th July 2022 after a short illness.”
Norman most famously composed the score for “Dr. No,” the 1962 James Bond film starring Sean Connery. His theme for James Bond, as arranged by fellow Englishman John Barry, would go on to become the theme for the entire franchise.
As Norman said on his site, “We recognized we needed a fresh, contemporary sound for the main theme, and in the up-and-coming young John Barry we found a wonderful arranger, so the whole thing worked very well.”
But controversy erupted decades later when Barry claimed authorship of the theme, resulting in Norman suing the Times of London for libel over a 1997 story (“Theme Tune Wrangle Has 007 Shaken and...
A statement posted on his official website said, “It is with sadness we share the news that Monty Norman died on 11th July 2022 after a short illness.”
Norman most famously composed the score for “Dr. No,” the 1962 James Bond film starring Sean Connery. His theme for James Bond, as arranged by fellow Englishman John Barry, would go on to become the theme for the entire franchise.
As Norman said on his site, “We recognized we needed a fresh, contemporary sound for the main theme, and in the up-and-coming young John Barry we found a wonderful arranger, so the whole thing worked very well.”
But controversy erupted decades later when Barry claimed authorship of the theme, resulting in Norman suing the Times of London for libel over a 1997 story (“Theme Tune Wrangle Has 007 Shaken and...
- 7/11/2022
- by Jon Burlingame and Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
In 1963, the Beatles became the biggest band in Britain. Here are some authentic slices of the hysteria that greeted their concerts, courtesy of the British Pathé newsreel archive
Along with much of the mainstream British media, Pathé came to the Beatles comparatively late in 1963. Its October feature Tribute to Disc Stars is the first clip I've found that mentions the group, and that's in the context of a Variety Club bash at the Savoy – a 60s equivalent of today's BPI awards.
Here is the British music establishment of the day. The run-down of the guests gives you an idea of what the Beatles were up against in 1963: Frank Ifield, Joe Brown, Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson, Acker Bilk, Cyril Stapleton, Anne Shelton, Eddie Calvert, Charlie Drake, Dickie Valentine. Apart from Joe Brown and Frank Ifield, nary a hint of pop flash among the lot of them.
The point of...
Along with much of the mainstream British media, Pathé came to the Beatles comparatively late in 1963. Its October feature Tribute to Disc Stars is the first clip I've found that mentions the group, and that's in the context of a Variety Club bash at the Savoy – a 60s equivalent of today's BPI awards.
Here is the British music establishment of the day. The run-down of the guests gives you an idea of what the Beatles were up against in 1963: Frank Ifield, Joe Brown, Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson, Acker Bilk, Cyril Stapleton, Anne Shelton, Eddie Calvert, Charlie Drake, Dickie Valentine. Apart from Joe Brown and Frank Ifield, nary a hint of pop flash among the lot of them.
The point of...
- 11/28/2012
- by Jon Savage
- The Guardian - Film News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.