JAMES BOND FACT FILES

After the enormous success of Moonraker (1979), EON Productions returned to earth with the For Your Eyes Only (1981), the first film of the series to be based on two of Ian Fleming's short stories, with unused elements from his 1954 novel LIVE AND LET DIE thrown in for good measure. Aiming to return the series to a more adult audience, many of the promotional tie-ins were linked to expensive holidays and the various luxury vehicles featured in the film. CORGI did produce two toy versions of the gadget-free Citroën 2VC, unusually the models did not feature in their catalogue for 1981, although the Moonraker Shuttle, Drax Jet Ranger, Lotus Esprit and Aston Martin were pictured as part of Gift Set No. 22 released in 1980. Only a handful of the products licenced to tie in with the release of For Your Eyes Only (1981) were illustrated in the United Artists Exhibitors’ Campaign Book for the film, but are pictured below in their final form.

On addition to the toy version of the Citroën 2VC, the Exhibitors’ Campaign Book suggested tie-ins with Citroën Cars to promote the 300 specially imported yellow 2CVs as featured in For Your Eyes Only. The cars were distributed across dealerships in the UK. Citroën produced special transfer kits of stickers featuring the ‘007 Logo’ and bullet holes to mimic the version seen in the film.

Roger Moore, Director John Glen, Lynn-Holly Johnson (Bibi Dahl) and some of the ‘Poolside Bond Girls’ featured in the For Your Eyes Only, appeared with a Citroën 2CV customized with the bullet-hole stickers at the Vendome Plaza in Paris on October 9, 1981 to promote film which had been released in France in August.

As a cross-promotion with Japanese manufacturer Yamaha, whose motor-cycles featured prominently in For Your Eyes Only, the company produced point-of-sale materials including a poster (24" X 34") with an illustration of the XT500 model seen in the film.

Following their successful collaboration with EON Productions on The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), British luxury sports car manufacturer Lotus provided two more Esprit models for use in For Your Eyes Only (1981), although this time with no gadgets or special features apart from an anti-theft device which basically blew up the car! Lotus produced their own pack of promotional materials including production notes detailing their involvement with the James Bond films, and publicity photographs and film stills featuring the two versions of the Esprit.

For the first time in the EON Productions James Bond series, the original soundtrack album was not released on the United Artists Records label. In 1978, United Artists executives Artie Mogull and Jerry Rubinstein had bought the record company from Transamerica for $43 million with a loan from EMI, who took over distribution of the label. The company name was changed to Liberty/United Records, but the United Artists Records name was retained under license. ‘For Your Eyes Only’ singer Sheena Easton's 45rpm single of the title song was also released on the Liberty Records label and reached number 8 in the UK chart. The single was also the first to be issued with a picture sleeve in the UK. Bill Conti's original soundtrack album was promoted via a colour poster (16" X 20") featuring the Brian Bysouth poster artwork.

Roger Moore's James Bond wears a Seiko watch for the third time in For Your Eyes Only (1981). Following their successful campaigns to tie in with the release of The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979), Seiko promoted their Duo Display watch with a simple newspaper competition where entrants had to match the names of the characters in photographs from For Your Eyes Only (1981). Seiko also produced point-of-sale display materials for jewellers to promote For Your Eyes Only in store.

Although the Exhibitors’ Campaign Book listed an attractively boxed “James Bond Automatic Pistol” featuring For Your Eyes Only artwork, this was not illustrated. The 100-shot rollup pistol from the Crescent Toy Company Ltd. was a die-cast metal toy with the name ‘Walther’ on the left-hand side of the gun barrel.

Similarly, merchandise from Phoenix Publications was listed in the Campaign Book but unavailable at the time of printing. A 16-page Official Souvenir Brochure, Official Film Poster Magazine and five metal pin badges were all available at Rank cinemas during the release of For Your Eyes Only in the Summer of 1981.

Zeon Watches produced a “James Bond Quartz Chronograph Watch” with a melody alarm that played the ‘James Bond Theme’ to tie in with For Your Eyes Only (1981). The campaign was backed up by a colour poster (11½" X 8½") and promoted via TV advertising.

Marvel Comics released two publications to tie in with For Your Eyes Only (1981). The first was a 64-page hardcover ‘Special’ similar in style to the 1960 annuals. The second was a 68-page For Your Eyes Only Special Magazine, which featured a comic strip adaptation of the film with art by Howard Chaykin, with a 12-page behind-the scenes feature on the making of the film. The second publication [pictured below right & bottom] was not illustrated in the Exhibitors’ Campaign Book.

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