Category Archives: FILM LOCATION

List of James Bond film locations described in the blog

‘Octopussy’ in Berlin

11 Friday Dec 2015

Posted by in Berlin, Germany, Octopussy

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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.

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


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).

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photos 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

 

‘From Russia with Love’ in Venice

08 Sunday Nov 2015

Posted by in From Russia with Love, Venice

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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).

The Bridge of Sighs in Venice

Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy

The Bridge of Sighs in Venice

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.

Piazza San Marco in Venice


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

“Spectre” in Rome – part 2

26 Monday Oct 2015

Posted by in Aston Martin DB10, Jaguar C-X75, Rome, Spectre

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Aston Martin DB10 at Tiber river on " Spectre " film set in Rome

" Spectre " film set at Tiber river in Rome

On March 10th the car chase scene for “Spectre” film with Aston Martin DB10 and Jaguar C-X75 was shot at the Tiber river in Rome. Cars were riding on a road next to the river as seen in a picture below.
The crew occupied for the film the street along the river between Umberto 1st bridge and Sisto bridge and there were crew trucks at Ponte Umberto 1st bridge. I was surprised checking that place in Google Street View. In September 2014 when pictures for google were taken, there were trucks of another film crew in the exactly same place!

Castle of the Holy Angel in Rome

Film lamp on " Spectre " set in Rome

"Spectre" film set at Tiber river in Rome

Filming " Spectre " in Rome

Aston Martin DB10 on " Spectre " film set in Rome

Jaguar C-X75 on " Spectre " film set in Rome

Aston Martins DB10 on " Spectre " film set in Rome

Jaguars C-X75 on " Spectre " film set in Rome

Jaguar C-X75 on " Spectre " film set in Rome

Jaguars C-X75 on " Spectre " film set in Rome

Jaguar C-X75 with cage for a stuntman on a roof on " Spectre " film set in Rome

Tracking vehicle with cameras on " Spectre " film set in Rome

" Spectre " clapperboard

Along the river there were film lamps prepared for night shooting. One of them is presented in a picture below with the Castle of the Holy Angel in background. In next picture the lamp is on.After sunset all city lamps and film lamps were on as seen in a picture taken from Ponte Sisto bridge.The crew has started preparations for shooting. There was motorboat and jet ski on Tiber river and tracking vehicle with cameras riding both ways. During the day at the Ponte Umberto 1st bridge there were only crew truck parked. In the evening several Aston Martins and Jaguars appeared on a street at the river.In the movie there was only one Jaguar chasing one Aston Martin, however on the set there were 3 Aston Martins DB10 and 5 Jaguars C-X75 from … 5 existing in the world (according to information i.e. from Wikipedia). 4 Jaguars were standing in one row next to each other, but the last one was parked a few meters from them with sheet of paper by wiper with „FLAME PROOFED DO NOT TOUCH NON TOCCARE” written on it. Two Aston Martins had paper sheets by wipers with „NO SMOKING” written on them. So we could expect flames on the set that night.All Jaguars on the set had the same license plates numbers: “ROMA860K”. I was a bit surprised when I have noticed that all of them had steering wheels on the left side.There was one Aston Martin and one Jaguar with remote drive POD system mounted on roofs. Using such system, stunt driver can drive a car sitting in metal cage on a roof of the car, while actor is sitting inside, pretending steering.

Besides Aston Martins and Jaguars there was another interesting car – tracking vehicle with several cameras on it.On the platform of the tracking vehicle there was clapperboard with the title of the movie “Spectre” written on it.

" Spectre " clapperboard

Around 10 p.m. the car chase began.

Aston Martin DB10 at Tiber river on " Spectre " film set in Rome

Jaguar C-X75 at Tiber river on " Spectre " film set in Rome

Final sequence:

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“Spectre” in Rome – part 1

25 Sunday Oct 2015

Posted by in Aston Martin DB10, Jaguar C-X75, Rome, Spectre, VEHICLES

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Car chase scene in Rome with Aston Martin DB10 and Jaguar C-X75 seems to be one of most exciting scenes in new James Bond film “Spectre”. Although such scenes in movies usually last no more than a few minutes, it takes a few days or weeks to shoot them. It was similar in this case. “Spectre” film crew was working on the scene for several nights in a row. In example on March 2nd 2015 they were filming on Via della Conciliazione (photo below) with St. Peter’s Basilica in background.Via della Conciliazione with Saint Paul Basilica in the middle , Rome , Italy - " Spectre " filming location

On March 8th I was lucky to see the car chase filming on Via Nomentana. All the cars were located at Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Transporti where the film crew built temporary fence (photos below). 

Cars at Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Transporti on James Bond " Spectre " film set in Rome Cars at Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Transporti on James Bond " Spectre " film set in Rome There were only two cars – one Aston Martin DB10 and one Jaguar C-X75 in the scene, however there were more of them on the set.

About 10 p.m. everybody on a street could hear engines running – the sound was like on a pit lane on a race track. At first the car with cameras left the parking lot.

Tracking vehicle with cameras on James Bond " Spectre " film set in Rome Some time later Jaguar C-X75 with license plate “ROMA 860K” appeared and drove away on Via della Conciliazione street.
Jaguar C-X75 in Rome on James Bond " Spectre " film setJaguar C-X75 in Rome on James Bond " Spectre " film setAnd finally the Jaguar DB10 left the parking lot and the filming began.

Aston Martin DB10 in Rome on James Bond " Spectre " film setVisit LOCATIONS GALLERY on top of the page to see locations photos compared with movie scenes.

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