FROM CULVER WITH LOVE: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
45th Anniversary 4K Screening presented by To Live and Let Die in L.A. and the Culver Theater
Q&A hosted by Matthew Field
Special guest appearances by Lynn-Holly Johnson and Bill Conti
March 24, 2026
The Culver Theater
Los Angeles, USA
(NOTE: this is not a concert review. It is a report on a film screening and post-screening Q&A featuring film composer Bill Conti)
PART 1: MY FIRST BRUSH WITH FILM MUSIC
The very first piece of film music I remember ever listening to is an instrumental version of Bill Conti’s “For Your Eyes Only.”
I must have been five or six years old at the time, and I distinctly remember having a white cassette of instrumental Bond theme covers that I would listen to on the family cassette deck.
Of all the themes on the cassette it was the flute-led instrumental arrangement of “For Your Eyes Only” that made the biggest impression. Of course, I wasn’t mature enough at the time to be able to describe why I liked the piece so much, but there was something about it that made me want to listen to it again and again.
You could say then that Bill Conti was my introduction to film music even though I didn’t know who he was or the title of the piece I was listening to. It was only many years later after starting to watch Bond films that I heard and recognized that piece again – but this time, I could finally put a name to it, and that name was Bill Conti.
PART 2: FROM CULVER WITH LOVE
Almost forty years after I first heard Conti’s music on my family’s cassette deck, I can now proudly state that I have met legendary film composer Bill Conti.
This happened through an ongoing film screening event put on by To Live and Let Die in L.A. called FROM CULVER WITH LOVE, an event showcasing James Bond films on the big screen at the Culver Theater, which is a few blocks up the road from Sony Pictures in Culver City.
On March 24 they celebrated the 45th anniversary of FOR YOUR EYES ONLY with a gorgeous 4K screening of the film followed by a Q&A and signing session with actress Lynn-Holly Johnson, who played figure skater Bibi Dahl in the film, and composer Bill Conti who wrote the film’s score and title song.
At their next event in May, they’ll be screening LICENSE TO KILL.
For information about future screenings, check out the To Live and Let Die in L.A. website here: TO LIVE AND LET DIE IN L.A.
PART 3: PRE-FILM ENTERTAINMENT
Before the screening we were treated to about fifteen minutes of archival interviews, making of videos, TV commercials starring Roger Moore, and movie trailers. The official music video for “For Your Eyes Only” starring Sheena Easton was also shown.
The trailer they played for Lynn-Holly Johnson’s THE SISTERHOOD is comedy gold – check it out:
And who could beat this commercial for Banks’s Bitter starring Roger Moore?
PART 4: LYNN-HOLLY & BILL ARE IN THE HOUSE
Q&A moderator and renowned James Bond expert Matthew Field then came out to welcome the audience and introduce the night’s special guests: Lynn-Holly Johnson and Bill Conti.
After Johnson and Conti took their seats, the screening promptly got started.
PART 5: A GLORIOUS 4K PRESENTATION
The 4K presentation of FOR YOUR EYES ONLY looks and sounds amazing.
The picture is clear and filmic, and that sound quality… crystal clear! The sound effects, dialogue and music truly sound like they were recorded yesterday.
The film itself is something else.
Unfortunately, it is not a great movie. Despite opening strongly and featuring some amusing one-liners and exciting action set pieces, the movie starts to drag from the middle and never really recovers. Even Conti’s melodic and spirited score cannot save the film…
And speaking of Conti’s score, it sounded fantastic from the theater speakers – it was dynamic, crisp, and just brimming with hummable melodies in that inimitable Conti style.
But what really distinguishes Conti’s score from the Bond music of the past is its strong disco vibe which I absolutely adore. One example of this style is the cue “A Drive in the Country,” which to these ears can only be described as fun “disco matador” music.
The influence of legendary Bond composer John Barry also creeps into the score, with “Cortina” being a prime example with its longing and romantic strings recalling some of Barry’s work for romance films like OUT OF AFRICA and SOMEWHERE IN TIME.
Another favourite in the film is the lounge-inspired cue “Take Me Home,” which features a lovely flugelhorn solo, gentle acoustic guitar and a smooth as silk bass line – perfect music to accompany a late-night drink with the missus.
PART 6: Q&A WITH LYNN-HOLLY & BILL
When the film came to an end, Johnson and Conti made their way to the front of the theater for a 40-minute Q&A.
During the Q&A Conti talked about the following:
How he got involved with Bond
- He was invited to lunch with Cubby Broccoli in London
- After all that was spent on flying him there and putting him up in a hotel suite, there was no way he could refuse despite finding “weaknesses in the script”
The lyrics to “For Your Eyes Only”
- Conti wanted Barbra Streisand to do the lyrics, but she couldn’t because she was busy doing YENTL
- The record company suggested Sheena Easton, but Conti wasn’t interested initially
- As everyone he wanted fell through, he finally agreed to use Easton and did not really care who did the lyrics
- Conti was immediately impressed with Easton’s vocal range
- Over lunch Maurice Binder told Conti how much he loved how the GOLDFINGER theme song opened with the word “Goldfinger,” so Conti instructed the lyricist to open the song with “For Your Eyes Only” and that he “doesn’t care what you say after that”
The musical style of FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
- John Barry established the musical signature of Bond
- Conti wondered how much he should imitate Barry’s sound or use his own sound – they told him to “be you”
A discarded THE DUKES OF HAZZARD-style piece
- Cubby Broccoli suggested that the scene showing the “silly French car” driving through the countryside should feature music that “sounds like THE DUKES OF HAZZARD,” to which Conti replied with a direct and simple “no.”
- Despite this, the London Symphony Orchestra performed Conti’s THE DUKES OF HAZZARD-style piece while thinking “what are we doing playing this stupid tune?”
- Upon hearing the final piece, Broccoli promptly changed his mind.
The floor was then opened to the audience who asked about the following:
Conti responding about the future availability of his unreleased score to the 1978 TV movie, THE PIRATE
- “I can’t help you (with that)”
Choosing when to use the Bond Theme when scoring the film
- It was left to the Bond professionals – John Glen and Cubby Broccoli – when Conti would use the Bond Theme in the film
His score to THE RIGHT STUFF
- Conti was asked to score the film after the previous score was thrown out
- He had only 3 weeks to write the music for the film
His inspiration for the music: the script or the shots from the movie?
- It’s safest to look at the movie (i.e. the visuals) because the script will change when the film is shot
Conti was honest, articulate and deadly funny throughout the Q&A – I’m certain I wasn’t the only one that would have stayed a few more hours to hear him regale us with his stories of Hollywood and beyond!
PART 7: MEETING A LEGEND
On the days leading up to the event we were told that Conti would be signing autographs and posing for photos. We were also notified that we could get only one item signed and that this would be strictly monitored.
Not knowing about the 1-item limit beforehand, I had brought the CD jackets for ROCKY, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, and THE RIGHT STUFF with me to be signed, but finally went with ROCKY as I thought it would look best signed.
And here I am with the great man himself:
PART 8: BILL JOINS THE LIST
I became a die-hard fan of soundtracks a little over thirty years ago.
In that time, I’ve gone to many film music concerts and even had the pleasure of meeting some of the composers.
Unfortunately though I was never able to see in concert Bond composers like Michael Kamen (LICENSE TO KILL) and Michel Legrand (NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN). This is simply because I discovered their brilliance long after they had passed.
However, I have had the privilege of seeing in concert and/or meeting other Bond composers including John Barry, David Arnold, Hans Zimmer, and Eric Serra.
And now, thanks to the Culver Theater and To Live and Let Die in L.A., I can proudly add the legendary Bill Conti to that list.
PART 9: OVER TO YOU
Did you attend this event too? How did you like it?
And what did you think of my report? Feel free to comment below or reach out to me directly in the “Contact Me” section.
