 A SERIES of events are being held in October to mark the 50th anniversary of the James Bond films, the iconic spy saga that helped define half-a-century of cultural, political and technological upheaval. The suave British agent, code name 007, appeared on the silver screen for the first time in the 1962 classic “Dr. No,” introducing himself with the immortal line “Bond... James Bond” over a high-stakes game of baccarat. The 23rd official Bond film, which has its royal world premiere in London on Tuesday, brings together Daniel Craig on his third outing on Her Majesty’s secret service with British director Sam Mendes making his franchise debut. Bond has been played by six different actors over the 22-movie franchise, but has always maintained his obsession with fast cars, beautiful women, high-tech gadgets and vodka Martinis — shaken, not stirred.  “For all the attempts at change, the core of the Bondian world remains the same: obsessed with sex and violence, hypermasculine, simplistically nationalistic and addicted to conspicuous consumption,” said Christoph Lindner, editor of “The James Bond Phenomenon: A Critical Reader.” Worldwide events to celebrate Global Bond Day include an online charity auction, a survey to discover the favorite Bond film by country, a film retrospective at New York’s Museum of Modern Art and a Music of Bond night in Los Angeles. London’s Barbican Center marked the occasion with an exhibition showcasing the design and style of “the world’s most influential and iconic movie brand.” It has moved on to Toronto where it opens Friday. Britain’s tourist agency has joined forces with the iconic spy for the first time, launching a campaign across 21 countries based around the slogan “Bond is GREAT Britain.” A new feature documentary “Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007” was unveiled Oct. 5, focusing on producers Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and Harry Saltzman and author Ian Fleming, the three men most responsible for building the brand.  The release of “Skyfall” caps a busy year for 007, who provided one of the highlights of the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony by “parachuting” into the event with Queen Elizabeth II. Few would have believed that Bond would become a global institution when “Dr. No,” an adaptation of Fleming’s 1958 novel, was released Oct. 5, 1962. Critical reaction to the film saga’s first installment was mixed, with Time magazine calling Sean Connery’s Bond “a great big hairy marshmallow.” Critics have noted that Craig’s muscular and moody performances are in sharp contrast with Roger Moore’s light-hearted portrayals and Connery’s old-fashioned machismo, mirroring changing social conventions. “The 007 series now presents a male hero who is emotionally vulnerable, fallible and in many ways psychologically broken,” explained Lindner. “Ironically, this is much closer to the ‘screw-up’ Bond of the original novels. As well as evolving Bond’s personality, the franchise has also adapted to shifting geopolitics. “We went from Cold War villains to post-Communist villains, to post-9/11 terrorists and so on,” said Lindner. Stephen Watt, professor with Indiana University, said this ability to reflect the changing political world was crucial to the brand’s survival. But Bond chiefs face a delicate task in staying loyal to Fleming’s original vision and meeting the demands of the modern moviegoer, argued Watt. (SD-Agencies) | 