Tags
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).
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Producer Barbara Broccoli was interviewed.
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”.
Most expected person of the evening was Daniel Craig.
He was also posing together with Bond girl Severine played by Berenice Marlohe.
They were also posing all four together (from the left): Berenice Marlohe, Sam Mendes, Barbara Broccoli and Daniel Craig.
