1967, MGM/Park Circus, 117 min. Trailer

Lewis Gilbert directs the fifth movie starring Sean Connery as 007. To give Bond a headstart on the opposition, his death is faked. He’s then sent to Japan to track down SPECTRE’s missile silo and liaison with Japanese secret service honcho Tetsuro Tanba and operatives Mie Hama andAkiko Wakabayashi (two of Toho Studios’ most charismatic contract actresses of the era). Karin Dor, veteran of numerous German-lensed krimis pictures, also appears as a villainess. To cap things off, the great Donald Pleasenceis Blofeld. With a script by Roald Dahl.

1969, MGM/Park Circus, 140 min. Dir. Peter Hunt. Trailer

Former male model George Lazenby plays Ian Fleming’s superspy in one of the most satisfying of the 1960s Bonds. Lovely Diana Rigg proves more than Bond’s match as the two team up to topple scar-faced Ernst Blofeld (Telly Savalas), who is conducting suspect “allergy research” on beautiful women from around the world. Scripted by 007 veteran Richard Maibaum.

1981, MGM/Park Circus, 127 min. Dir. John Glen. Trailer

In his fifth film as Bond (the 12th film of the series), Roger Moore battles villainous Kristatos (Julian Glover) in an effort to locate a weapons system after it sinks in the Ionian Sea. Carole Bouquet is the beautiful Bond girl here, and a stunning ski-slope chase is just one of the movie’s dynamic set-pieces.

1983, MGM/Park Circus, 131 min, Dir. John Glen. Trailer

After the death of a fellow agent, Bond (Roger Moore) is led to Octopussy (Maud Adams), the mysterious head honcho of an international “jewel-smuggling ring” – a cover-up for a planned nuclear attack.

1985, MGM/Park Circus, 131 min. Dir. John Glen. Trailer

In the final film in the franchise to star Roger Moore, Agent 007 goes up against wealthy industrialist and horse racer Max Zorin, who plans to corner the market on microchips by destroying Silicon Valley. Given the story’s setting, Bond gets to do a bit of San Francisco sightseeing – some of it while dangling from an airship! A VIEW TO A KILL features some of the best bad guys of the entire series, with Christopher Walken as the steroid-crazed Zorin and Grace Jones as his lethal assistant May Day. Imposing as those villains are, Bond has some pretty experienced operatives in his corner, among them Patrick Macnee (John Steed from TV’s “The Avengers”) and Lois Maxwell (in her final appearance as Miss Moneypenny).

1995, MGM/Park Circus, 130 min. Dir. Martin Campbell. Trailer

Following the collapse of the Soviet empire, a renegade Russian general commandeers a deadly satellite; in order to stop him, James Bond must go up against a fellow MI6 spy – who’s also licensed to kill. After a six-year hiatus, the world’s most famous secret agent returned to the screen in this successful reboot of the franchise for the 1990s. GOLDENEYE introduces a new Bond (Pierce Brosnan), a new M (Judi Dench), a new Miss Moneypenny (Samantha Bond) and even a new car (a souped-up BMW). And though it’s also the first of the series to utilize CGI effects, the film has plenty of good old-fashioned stunt work, including a breathtaking opening bungee jump and a chase sequence with 007 behind the wheel of a tank!

1997, MGM/Park Circus, 119 min. Dir. Roger Spottiswoode. Trailer

Released in Europe only in 70mm, with dashing Pierce Brosnan as Agent 007 battling media mastermind Jonathan Pryce, bedding ex-flame Teri Hatcher and sparring with fabulous Hong Kong action star Michelle Yeoh!

1999, MGM/Park Circus, 128 min. Trailer

When billionaire oil tycoon Sir Robert King – a personal friend of M’s – is assassinated, James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) is assigned to protect the man’s daughter from KGB-agent-turned-terrorist Renard (THE FULL MONTY’s Robert Carlyle). But the young woman is hardly the innocent she seems: Elektra King’s involvement in a plot to manipulate oil prices could get all of Istanbul vaporized. Helmed by veteran director Michael Apted (COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER, the UP documentaries), this action-packed thriller features such familiar faces as Denise Richards (playing a nuclear physicist), a pre-HARRY POTTER Robbie Coltrane and Desmond Llewelyn in his final appearance as that master of lethal gadgets, Q.

10th Anniversary! 2002, MGM/Park Circus, 133 min. Dir. Trailer

Caught on a mission in North Korea, 007 is imprisoned and tortured for more than a year before being freed in a prisoner exchange. Convinced he was betrayed by a double agent, Bond follows a trail of clues that leads back to the Korean peninsula – where he and sexy NSA operative “Jinx” Johnson (Halle Berry) are the only ones who can prevent a war between north and south. The 20th James Bond film also is the final one to star Pierce Brosnan as Ian Fleming‘s storied spy, and he certainly goes out with a bang. The film’s release coincided with the franchise’s 40th anniversary, so watch closely for subtle nods to previous Bond installments (and for a cameo from Madonna, who also sings the title song).

2006, MGM/Park Circus, 144 min. Dir. Martin Campbell. Trailer

This deadly-serious take on Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel opens as the British secret agent has just earned his double-0 status. After foiling a bomb plot, Bond follows the trail to terrorist financier Le Chiffre to challenge him in a poker game where the stakes couldn’t be any higher. Daniel Craig‘s portrayal of the iconic character as fallible but brutal won raves, and this relaunch of the movies’ most durable franchise became the highest-grossing Bond film ever. Co-starring Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsenand Judi Dench (the sole carryover from previous installments of the series).

2008, MGM/Park Circus, 106 min. Dir. Marc Forster. Trailer

The most recent installment of the James Bond franchise picks up right where CASINO ROYALE left off, with 007 (Daniel Craig) out for revenge against the men who killed his lover. The shadowy Quantum organization appears to be involved, and when Bond starts to track down its agents, the trail leads to Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), an environmentalist with an interest in the Bolivian countryside that’s hardly benevolent, and Camille Montes (Olga Kurylenko), the man’s lover, who is also on a mission of revenge.

Series compiled by Grant Moninger. Program notes by John Hagelston.

Co-Presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles in celebration of their 25th Anniversary. With thanks to MGM, Eon Productions and Park Circus.

June 8 – 24, 2012

Aero Theatre · 1328 Montana Ave at 14th St · Santa Monica, CA · 90403

General Admission: $11 · Student/Senior: $9 (At Box Office Only) · American Cinematheque Member: $7

Available September 25th, BOND 50 features all 22 films in high definition Blu-ray and comes with a dossier of more than 122 hours of bonus features.