99 replies to this topic

[DaveBond21]

Looking at the trailer and also hearing about production, it is nice to see a Bond film using real locations again.


Especially for people living in the UK, it was a bit strange seeing recognisable British places doubling for foreign locales.

I am now living in Australia, but during the Brosnan era I was living in the UK, and it was always a bit strange to see places like the following in Bond movies:-

GE - when Bond meets Wade, I recognise the street in London and it makes me think = "That's not Russia!!".

TND - Brent Cross Shopping Centre car park. The car chase was filmed there. Mind you, it certainly made shopping there more exciting!!

TWINE - Swindon was used for the crowd scenes in Kazakstan. Just recognising the place, as well as always thinking that the crowd behind Bond and Elektra are local Wiltshire extras takes the gloss of that scene for me!!

DAD - I think it was Aldershot used for the Korean scenes, especially for the hovercraft chase. It looks like January in the British countryside to me, not North Korea!

Also - fairly obviously Cornwall at the beginning for the beach scenes, as well as the inside of Grave's dome in Iceland.


So, it's nice to see there will be real locations this time. Anyone else feel the same way????

[MarcAngeDraco]

I always love the real locations, and (judging by the pics I've seen) the locations for CR look incredible!!

[marktmurphy]

Definitely agree- always hated the lack of locations in DAD. Even if Casino is using lots of doubled locations rather than the ones they've set the film in it will at least look exotic- and Montenegro and Madagascar aren't really places that many will know the difference between them and the doubled locations- unlike Cuba.

[FLEMINGFAN]

Looking at the trailer and also hearing about production, it is nice to see a Bond film using real locations again.


Especially for people living in the UK, it was a bit strange seeing recognisable British places doubling for foreign locales.

I am now living in Australia, but during the Brosnan era I was living in the UK, and it was always a bit strange to see places like the following in Bond movies:-

GE - when Bond meets Wade, I recognise the street in London and it makes me think = "That's not Russia!!".

TND - Brent Cross Shopping Centre car park. The car chase was filmed there. Mind you, it certainly made shopping there more exciting!!

TWINE - Swindon was used for the crowd scenes in Kazakstan. Just recognising the place, as well as always thinking that the crowd behind Bond and Elektra are local Wiltshire extras takes the gloss of that scene for me!!

DAD - I think it was Aldershot used for the Korean scenes, especially for the hovercraft chase. It looks like January in the British countryside to me, not North Korea!

Also - fairly obviously Cornwall at the beginning for the beach scenes, as well as the inside of Grave's dome in Iceland.


So, it's nice to see there will be real locations this time. Anyone else feel the same way????

I totally agree.

However, I do wish they would only use one or two spots and really showcase them, rather than the intense globe-hopping. Also, it would be nice for them to use that actual country, when possible (for me the Bahamas will look like the Bahamas).

[Mr Malcolm]

Definitely real locations. That's one of the reasons why I love the films so much; they make you want to get out and see the world!

[Shrublands]

Also, it would be nice for them to use that actual country, when possible (for me the Bahamas will look like the Bahamas).

Well for quit a bit of the time the Bahamas will be the Bahamas in Casino Royale, so that’s alright.

Also, when it is standing in for Madagascan terrain , it tends it be on large-scale outdoor sets, (the shanty town, the building site, the embassy) that just needed to be constructed against a tropical back drop. Better than the Pinewood back-lot and much more convincing in terms of climate and background view.

Edited by Shrublands, 02 June 2006 - 03:37 PM.

[Whalltt]

The more real to me, the better.
One of the things that made Bond movies so appealing to me was the exotic locations.
And I'm excited about CR because it has a TB vibe from the Bahamas and also some FRWL from the Czech locations. They have classic Bond written all over.

[Simon]

Always the preferable solution, but to be fair (or if not fair, then to play devil's advocate) the British locations in DAD probably only really made the British suffer during the film.

Afterall, for all the real locations in past and current films, where places have doubled for another country, for the most part, the general cinema goer will neither know nor care where it was filmed.

More concerning are the crappy attempts to portray an external location in the studio - of which DAD is majorly culpable. Just awful. Hopefully this is being done to a minimum on this film.

As a side note, as devotees of this film series, we will now always be aware of filming locations due to the internet. Pre GoldenEye, was anyone truly aware of locations and doubling?

[JimmyBond]

Allow me to be naive here. But where in DAD did they shoot in studios and intend for it to be outside? The only locations I can think of are the Iceland sequences, since Brosnan never went there.

As for your last point, that's true. I still don't know where most of the early Bond films were shot, nor do I care. But it is interesting reading reports of these new films and finding out that they double locations so much.

[Dmitri Mishkin]

Absolutely - real locations almost always enrich the picture, unless of course, it can be faked so well that it's nigh-on indistinguishable what is and what isn't.

I've always been a little disappointed that the modern Bond pics either lack them or fail to make adequate use of them. I say, don't just use a location in a superficial manner (i.e. for a "tropical" backdrop that includes citizens), but incorporate the culture and feel of the location into the story. I also agree with FLEMINGFAN who prefers the use of one or two locations as opposed to "intense globe-hopping."

CR looks to be on a much better track than previous films, but let's not forget that another UK location, Dunsfeld Aerodrome, is standing in for Miami this time around.

[FLEMINGFAN]

I've always been a little disappointed that the modern Bond pics either lack them or fail to make adequate use of them. I say, don't just use a location in a superficial manner (i.e. for a "tropical" backdrop that includes citizens), but incorporate the culture and feel of the location into the story. I also agree with FLEMINGFAN who prefers the use of one or two locations as opposed to "intense globe-hopping."

CR looks to be on a much better track than previous films, but let's not forget that another UK location, Dunsfeld Aerodrome, is standing in for Miami this time around.

I do not know if the new film is more on track, as they still seem to want to continue the cheat of using one locale to sub for another.

However, it is still better than making up a fictional country, as is LIVE AND LET DIE.

[marktmurphy]

CR looks to be on a much better track than previous films, but let's not forget that another UK location, Dunsfeld Aerodrome, is standing in for Miami this time around.

I think it's mostly used at night- and it ain't exactly standing in for a galmorous location, so I don't think you'll be able to tell the difference.

[Simon]

Allow me to be naive here. But where in DAD did they shoot in studios and intend for it to be outside? The only locations I can think of are the Iceland sequences, since Brosnan never went there.

DAD - The initial sandy sequences in the PTS with Brosnan. The Hong Kong bit where JB jumps ship and then climbs up to the HK Yacht Club. A couple that come to mind.

GE - The Cuba sequence after the plane crash.

I'm sure there are others...

[Dr Nobody]

Hi all,

new here, but long time observer of the site. About time I came out of the shadows There's nothing like a real location. Especially those you can actually visit. CR reminds me of OHMSS in that respect as that used location filming to fantastic effect. Talking of locations, I once sat on the beach that the Lotus exited the sea onto in Sardinia. Anyone else visited Bond locations?

[Qwerty]

Welcome to the CommanderBond.net Forums, Dr. Nobody!

[Double-0-Seven]

Welcome to the forum, Dr. Nobody.

I agree that there is nothing like the real locations. All of the locations for Casino Royale look fantastic. So far all of them have given me a classic Bond vibe.

[DaveBond21]

Hi Dr Nobody....

Yes, I have visited some Bond locations.

In 1999, I went to "James Bond Island" from TMWTGG in Thailand, while on holiday in Phuket for the first time. It was great to stand on the beach where Bond & Scaramanga began their duel, although less fun to see all the tourists and shops on the other side of the island.

I have also been to Meteora in Greece, where the final scenes of FYEO were filmed. More recently, I've been to the "secret door" of the abandoned tube station in DAD where Bond meets M, just off Westminster Bridge. There were workmen inside and I got my wife to take a photo of me walking down the steps, as Brosnan did.

Then there are more general ones, like St Mark's Square in Venice and also the Eiffel Tower, Paris.

[FLEMINGFAN]

Hi all,

Talking of locations, I once sat on the beach that the Lotus exited the sea onto in Sardinia. Anyone else visited Bond locations?

A few: Piz Gloria, James Bond Island (Thailand), Goldeneye, Bahamas stuff......

[DaveBond21]

Hi FLEMINGFAN,

What is Piz Gloria like????

Did you feel like 007 on "James Bond Island"? I know I did!!!

[FLEMINGFAN]

Hi FLEMINGFAN,

What is Piz Gloria like????

Did you feel like 007 on "James Bond Island"? I know I did!!!

The first time at Piz Gloria, the building was all just like you see in the film. Also, when they served the food, the paper placemats and napkins were made from the poster-art from the film. On recent visits, they got rid of the 007 placemats and changed some of the interior around. It is still nice to be at, though, and I do reccomended a visit there.

James Bond Island was great to be at. Truely one of the most exoctic real locations used in a Bond film.

[DaveBond21]

Yes, James Bond Island is really beautiful. I always felt like 007 while travelling on those long boats too.

I felt like Bond when seeing a show in Tunisia, with lots of people dancing and riding horses. It felt like a cross between the Gypsy camp in FRWL and the sumo wrestling in YOLT!!

[Barman]

For me the worst example of a doubled location is from the pre-titles of "Octopussy". It's an entertaining sequence but it's SO obviously flimed somewhere in England that the attempt to pass it off as another country is laughable.
I'm not sure where it's supposed to be (Cuba or thereabout I think) but it's very obviously British countryside with British roads, British fences, British cloud cover etc... sticking a few fake palms tree here and there ain't fooling no one.
Makes me chuckle every time I watch it!

[cletus van damme]

Some BOND films always make me think of the Carry ons with their obsession with saving money

e.g on product placement and dodgy location doubling...(Wales as the Kyber Pass springs to mind in a Carry on)...Austin POwers took the p*ss out of the whole thing by having LA double as England complete with Yellow lines on the road and Desert back drop...you think they would have learned but then we got DAD and that awful Korean Sequence.....

there has to be an argument that they nearly ran the franchise in to the ground...I was so disheatened and then DC came along...

oh and EMPIRE magazine was always pretty good at ruining location doubles pre internet days...I can't watch Cliff Hanger without thinking of the Dolomites which is where it was filmed!!!!

[pgram]

The worst case of a doubled location has to be Arecibo, in GE. It is so famous that it is impossible to think that it was anything other than Arecibo. It was like taking Eiffel tower and pretend it is a space shuttle base or something.

About CR: I 've always thought it would be great to film in some central European country, so that the film would have a classic feel, so that just by watching the sets you are not able to tell if it was made in the sixties or any other era (like M.I. 1, in Prague). And I have to say, I trust Campbell on this. He is not a great director, but he can always give this touch to his films. In fact, GE was accused of being a little old fashioned, which I think in CR will work very well for the film.

[Colonel Moon]

Some BOND films always make me think of the Carry ons with their obsession with saving money

e.g on product placement and dodgy location doubling...(Wales as the Kyber Pass springs to mind in a Carry on)...Austin POwers took the p*ss out of the whole thing by having LA double as England complete with Yellow lines on the road and Desert back drop...you think they would have learned but then we got DAD and that awful Korean Sequence.....

there has to be an argument that they nearly ran the franchise in to the ground...I was so disheatened and then DC came along...

oh and EMPIRE magazine was always pretty good at ruining location doubles pre internet days...I can't watch Cliff Hanger without thinking of the Dolomites which is where it was filmed!!!!

Have you been in North Korea?

[onthetracksof007]

Pre GoldenEye, was anyone truly aware of locations and doubling?

Oh yes.. some people have been spending half their life to track down the real locations and the fake doubles.. Some actually traveled all around the globe to photograph them and wrote an online travel guide about them..

Hard to believe, but sadly true..

Edited by onthetracksof007, 05 June 2006 - 03:51 PM.

[MarcAngeDraco]

Pre GoldenEye, was anyone truly aware of locations and doubling?

Oh yes.. some people have been spending half their life to track down the real locations and the fake doubles.. Some actually traveled all around the globe to photograph them and wrote an online travel guide about them..

Hard to believe, but sadly true..

Definitely not sad... Keep up the amazing work!!

[cletus van damme]

Some BOND films always make me think of the Carry ons with their obsession with saving money

e.g on product placement and dodgy location doubling...(Wales as the Kyber Pass springs to mind in a Carry on)...Austin POwers took the p*ss out of the whole thing by having LA double as England complete with Yellow lines on the road and Desert back drop...you think they would have learned but then we got DAD and that awful Korean Sequence.....

there has to be an argument that they nearly ran the franchise in to the ground...I was so disheatened and then DC came along...

oh and EMPIRE magazine was always pretty good at ruining location doubles pre internet days...I can't watch Cliff Hanger without thinking of the Dolomites which is where it was filmed!!!!

Have you been in North Korea?

NO. But the sequence looked like what it was.....A disused airfield in January and not very exciting at that. I don't need to have been anywhere to know whether a depiction of it is real or not. I have never been to MARS but the Rover camera images look pretty convincing...you're probablyaware that techology allows us to become familiar with places without actaully being there....DAD was an example of how the franchise cuts costs at the expense ofmaking a decent film...

I thought i was making that clear but maybe for somew reason you didn't get it. ....

I live in MOSCOW and the BOURNE sequences are sheer joy cos they make full use of the city and locations. BOND?find a cheap airfield somewhere and race a hovercraft.!!! which is the better film?

[Colonel Moon]

Most people doesnt see the difference betwen the real locations, only a few hardcore fans.

Do You really think that EON spend millions dollars for some fans?

[FLEMINGFAN]

I live in MOSCOW and the BOURNE sequences are sheer joy cos they make full use of the city and locations. BOND?find a cheap airfield somewhere and race a hovercraft.!!! which is the better film?

Bond, of course.

Pre GoldenEye, was anyone truly aware of locations and doubling?

Oh yes.. some people have been spending half their life to track down the real locations and the fake doubles.. Some actually traveled all around the globe to photograph them and wrote an online travel guide about them..

Hard to believe, but sadly true..

That has been going on since the first films inthe series. I know of friend that went to the locales in Jamaica just after DOCTOR NO came out.

It was not too "sad" as they had a great trip revolving around an interesting theme. I think there are sponsored tours like that today, especially here in New York, from time to time.