Duran Duran in “A View to a Kill”

13 Sunday Dec 2015

Posted by Piotr Zając in A View to a Kill, Duran Duran

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007, A View to a Kill, Dom Brown, Duran Duran, James Bond, John Taylor, music, Simon Le Bon, soundtrack

“A View to a Kill” title song performed by Duran Duran has been one of the biggest hits among James Bond songs. It was John Taylor, co-founder of the band and James Bond fan, who came to the producers with a proposal of writing a song for 007 movie. Duran Duran wrote it together with John Barry and recorded it at Maison Rouge Studio and CTS Studio in London with a 60-piece orchestra. At first the band has been recorded and than the orchestra was put on top of the track. This is still the only James Bond song that reached number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was also number 2 in UK. Although “Writing’s on the Wall” from “Spectre” performed by Sam Smith was number 1 in UK, it was not that popular in USA. In 1986 Duran Duran and John Barry were nominated for for the Golden Globe Award for the Best Original Song.

In 2012 the band performed in Wroclaw, Poland. It was a great feeling to stand as a photographer right at the stage and listen to “A View to a Kill” song. Below you can see some of my pictures taken during that concert. It is worth to notice that guitarist Dom Brown was not in the band when they were recording James Bond song, he played with Duran Duran for the first time in 2004.

John Taylor and Simon Le Bon

John Taylor

John Taylor and Dom Brown

Dom Brown

Information sources:
– http://www.duranduran.com
– The Bond Sound: The Music of James Bond. Directed by John Cork, United Artists Corporation and Danjaq, LLC, 2000

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‘Octopussy’ in Berlin

11 Friday Dec 2015

Posted by Piotr Zając in Berlin, Germany, Octopussy

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007, Acrostar, Behind the Scenes, Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie, Cold War, filming location, Germany, James Bond, James Bond location, Kurfürstendamm, movie location, Octopussy

James Bond visited Berlin in ‘Octopussy’. The filming began in 1982 during Cold War, when the city was divided with the Berlin Wall. The film crew didn’t get a permission to enter East Berlin therefore they were working in West Berlin only. They left ‘007 WAS HERE OCTOPUSSY’ sign on the wall.

James Bond arrived to Berlin from India. He was sitting with M in a Mercedes driving on Kurfürstendamm street. He got from M new ID in order to get into East Germany. There was Kaiser Wilhelm Church seen in background (see photos below).

Kaiser Wilhelm Church in Berlin — – Kurfürstendamm street in Berlin.

Kurfürstendamm street with in background Kaiser Wilhelm Church in Berlin - filming location of " Octopussy " — – Kurfürstendamm street in Berlin.

In the next picture I managed to capture double-decker bus parked on the Kurfürstendamm street almost in the same place as similar bus in the film scene.

In the next scene (that was filmed as the first one, on August 10th 1982) they arrived at Checkpoint Charlie, best known crossing point between West Berlin and East Berlin during Cold War. Currently the Checkpoint Charlie is a tourist attraction.

Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin - filming location of " Octopussy " — – Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin.

M got out of the car. James Bond entered East Berlin. The camera showed close the sign warning that you were about to leave the American Sector of Berlin written in four languages. Currently there is a replica of the sign (see photo below).

The film crew didn’t get a permission to go through the Checkpoint Charlie so the car with Roger Moore had to turn around in no man’s land and return to West Berlin. Nowadays everybody can freely walk around that place.

Very close to Checkpoint Charlie there is a BACK-FACTORY CAFE with “Octopussy” memorabilia. A model of Acrostar BD-5J Micro Jet known from pre-credits is hanging from the ceiling. There are also many film posters and photos from “Octopussy” on the wall.

Model of Acrostar BD-5J Micro Jet from " Octopussy " in BACK-FACTORY CAFE in Berlin

Photos from " Octopussy " in BACK-FACTORY CAFE in Berlin

Sources:
– Inside „Octopussy”. An Original Documentary. Directed by John Cork, United Artists Corporation and Danjaq, LLC, 2000
– Octopussy Audio Commentary, Octopussy Special Edition, Danjaq, LLC and United Artists Corporation, 2006

What has “Bridge of Spies” in common with James Bond films?

25 Wednesday Nov 2015

Posted by Piotr Zając in Die Another Day, Mikhail Gorevoy

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actor, Amy Ryan, Berlin, Bridge of Spies, Die Another Day, Mikhail Gorevoy, premiere, Red Carpet, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks

On November 13th I was taking pictures of actors playing in “Bridge of Spies” at the international premiere in Berlin, Germany. One of them was Mikhail Gorevoy, Russian actor who was best known internationally for playing Vladimir Popov (Vlad), a villain working for Gustav Graves in ‘Die Another Day’.

Mikhail Gorevoy attends "Bridge of Spies" premiere in Berlin

In next pictures Mikhail Gorevoy (first from right) is standing next to Tom Hanks, Amy Ryan and Steven Spielberg.

Tom Hanks , Steven Spielberg , Amy Ryan , Mikhail Gorevoy attend " Bridge of Spies " premiere in Berlin

Tom Hanks and Mikhail Gorevoy attend " Bridge of Spies " premiere in Berlin

Those films have more in common. At the beginning of “Die Another Day” James Bond was captured and imprisoned in North Korea. After 14 months he was traded for Zao in a prison exchange on a bridge. That was inspired by real event that took place on a bridge between Berlin and Potsdam in Germany. The same story was presented in “Bridge of Spies”.

It is also worth to notice that composer Thomas Newman scored “Bridge of Spies” as well as “Skyfall” and “Spectre”.

Information sources:
– Die Another Day Audio Commentary, Die Another Day Special Edition, Danjaq, LLC and United Artists Corporation, 2006.
– http://www.filmweb.pl

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‘From Russia with Love’ in Venice

08 Sunday Nov 2015

Posted by Piotr Zając in From Russia with Love, Venice

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007, filming location, From Russia with Love, Italy, James Bond, James Bond location, movie location, travel, Venice

For the first time Venice made a brief appearance in James Bond film at the end of ‘From Russia with Love’. James Bond (Sean Connery) and Tatiana Romanowa (Daniela Bianchi) kill Rosa Klebb (Lotte Lenya) in a hotel room with a view at San Giorgio Maggiore. In the next scene Bond and Romanova are in a boat under the Bridge of Sighs (photos below).

They turn right. 007 throws the film of him and Romanova into the water. A few seconds later there is only his waving hand visible with the Doge’s Palace in background. Piazzetta San Marco (picture below) leading to Piazza San Marco is a background for end credits.

All scenes in Venice were filmed using rear-projection technique. There was only film director Terence Young in Venice who filmed the city in one day only. Actors were filmed in Pinewood studio.

Venice will return in “Moonraker”.

Source:
– „James Bond. Szpieg którego kochamy” Michał Grzesiek, Wydawnictwo Bukowy Las 2011

“Skyfall” premiere in Berlin

02 Monday Nov 2015

Posted by Piotr Zając in Barbara Broccoli, Clemens Schick, Daniel Craig, Juergen Tarrach, Ludger Pistor, PORTRAITS, Sam Mendes, Skyfall, Veruschka von Lehndorff

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007, actor, actress, Barbara Broccoli, Berlin, Clemens Schick, Daniel Craig, director, James Bond, Juergen Tarrach, Ludger Pistor, portrait, premiere, producer, Red Carpet, Sam Mendes, Skyfall, Veruschka von Lehndorff

On October 30th 2012 I was in Berlin as accreditated photographer for German premiere of “Skyfall” that took place in Stage Theater am Potsdamer Platz. Red carpet at " Skyfall " premiere in Berlin On the red carpet there were several actors known from other James Bond movies, such as Ludger Pistor who appeared in “Casino Royale” as the Swiss banker Mendel.
Actor Ludger Pistor attends " Skyfall " premiere in Berlin Juergen Tarrach (in picture below together with his daughter) in “Casino Royale” was playing the role of Schultz, who was a hotel guest in the Ocean Club at Nassau. He asked James Bond to park his Range Rover, but 007 crashed the car to distract the security.
Juergen Tarrach with his daughter attend " Skyfall " premiere in Berlin Clemens Schick played Kraft, who was Le Chiffre’s right-hand henchman in “Casino Royale”. It was difficult to recognize him in the movie, because Kraft was bold and not smiling like Schick in a picture below. Veruschka von Lehndorff (first from right in the same picture) played Grafin von Wallenstein taking part in the poker match in the same film.
Clemens Schick and Veruschka von Lehndorff attend " Skyfall " premiere in Berlin About one hour before the film start Daniel Craig appeared on the red carpet together with the producer Barbara Broccoli, director Sam Mendes and actress Berenice Marlohe. Before standing in front of photographers Craig was signing autographs. Actor Daniel Craig attends " Skyfall " premiere in Berlin Producer Barbara Broccoli was interviewed. Producer Barbara Broccoli attends " Skyfall " premiere in Berlin Director Sam Mendes standing in front of photographers didn’t know yet that he would be back as director of next James Bond film “Spectre”.
Film director Sam Mendes attends " Skyfall " premiere in Berlin Most expected person of the evening was Daniel Craig. Actor Daniel Craig attends " Skyfall " premiere in Berlin

Actor Daniel Craig attends " Skyfall " premiere in Berlin He was also posing together with Bond girl Severine played by Berenice Marlohe. Daniel Craig and Berenice Marlohe attend " Skyfall " premiere in Berlin They were also posing all four together (from the left): Berenice Marlohe, Sam Mendes, Barbara Broccoli and Daniel Craig.
Daniel Craig, Barbara Broccoli, Sam Mendes and Berenice Marlohe attend " Skyfall " premiere in Berlin