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When Bond film producer Albert Broccoli decided to adapt 007 creator Ian Fleming's most disparate work (a series of children's books inspired by his dislike of Beatrix Potter's work), he hedged his bets by hiring many of the talents who'd made the Bond series a mega- success: actor Gert Frobe (title character in
Goldfinger); famed production designer Ken Adam; and children's author/screenwriter
You Only Live Twice Roald Dahl. Broccoli teamed them with three of the musical stars (the songwriting Sherman Brothers and actor-singer-dancer Dick Van Dyke) who'd help make Mary Poppins one of the '60s' most successful screen musicals.
The result often strayed from Fleming's original plot, and it was only a modest success at the time of its release in 1968. However, its charms have won over successive generations, largely by the Sherman Brothers' Gilbert-and-Sullivan-for-the-knee-sock-set sophistication. --Jerry McCulley
From the Label
Based on Ian Fleming's original story, this children's musical classic about a nutty single dad inventor, his two kids, and their amazing flying car is MGM's most requested soundtrack. The title track was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Song, while unforgettable tracks like "Toot Sweets" and "Hushabye Mountain" sung by Dick Van Dyke, Lionel Jeffries, and Sally Ann Howes (among others) rounding out this delightfully charming collection. The arrangements are performed by a 90 piece orchestra who add the zany flourishes so perfect for the film. Irwin Kostal, who is highly regarded among soundtrack aficionados, produced hits for well-known films like The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, and West Side Story. Lyricists the Sherman Brothers were masters of the tongue-twisting lyric, and coined the word "fantasmagorical" especially for this movie.
