Diamonds are forever and so too, it appears, is James Bond. For the past 50 years, no matter who he is played by Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig we want to sit in darkened movie theatres to watch him single-handedly (albeit with a few gadgets) save us all from being destroyed by an evil, cunning genius. Why is that? As part of the 007 Reloaded: Bond vs Bond retrospective, the Vancouver International Film Festival is hosting a series of events that probe our enduring fascination for all things Bond. Between screenings of Octopussy and Never Say Never Again on August 30, UBC professors Brian McIlroy and Ernest Mathijs give an academic perspective while on August 31, Canadas foremost James Bond expert, Murray Gillespie, who is sharing his Bond memorabilia for display, is hosting a quiz where you can compete for prizes as an individual or team. The 20-film retrospective kicks off on August 23 with a sexy Licensed to Party gala ($50) which includes a screening of Dr. No. Single tickets are $11 ($9 for students and seniors) or you can get a four-ticket pack for $32 or a six-ticket pack for $45. If you want to introduce Bond to the younger generation of fans, there will be matinees on Aug. 24, 25, 31 and Sept. 1. (The evening shows are for adults only.) Go to VIFF.org for details.
