52 replies to this topic

[Shrublands]

There is a ‘Shanghai Office’ set at Pinewood, apparently - Labelled as the 67th floor.
Now assuming that it’s for the interior of a real life building, there are only 2 towers in Shanghai with more than 60 floors, so it’s a fair bet it’s one of these 2.














Obviously the main focus is on the Shanghai World Financial Centre here

[d21089]

A fun, likely not relevant to Bond, story about the past of Duntrune Castle in Scotland... The ghost of a handless piper is said to haunt the castle.[5] According to one story, the Macdonald piper was sent into the castle as a spy, but was found out. He was imprisoned, but played his pipes to warn the Macdonalds that their 'surprise' attack was now expected. Alasdair Mac Colla ("Colkitto") retreated, and the piper's hands were cut off by the Campbells

[Captain Tightpants]

There is a ‘Shanghai Office’ set at Pinewood, apparently - Labelled as the 67th floor.
Now assuming that it’s for the interior of a real life building, there are only 2 towers in Shanghai with more than 60 floors, so it’s a fair bet it’s one of these 2.

That's interesting. I wonder which one will be used? I think I like the smaller one - the Jin Mao Tower - better; the other one seems a bit too dominant, and there's a whole empty space off to one side, so it looks weird to my eyes.

Just out of curiosity, how close are both these towers to this, the Bank of China tower?



I'm curious because the Bank of China tower was used in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 3. I've already seen plenty of people notice the similarities with SKYFALL, and while I doubt Bond will take cues from Ethan Hunt, I'm wondering if the film will be shot in such a way that the Bank of China tower does not appear to avoid comparison ...

[Pussfeller]

A fun, likely not relevant to Bond, story about the past of Duntrune Castle in Scotland... The ghost of a handless piper is said to haunt the castle.[5] According to one story, the Macdonald piper was sent into the castle as a spy, but was found out. He was imprisoned, but played his pipes to warn the Macdonalds that their 'surprise' attack was now expected. Alasdair Mac Colla ("Colkitto") retreated, and the piper's hands were cut off by the Campbells

I found that interesting as well. It would be fun if they incorporated the legend into the film in some small way, if only as an inside joke. Presumably Duntrune Castle will not be playing itself, but doubling as some other house with its own history, but that piper story is pure Julius No.

[The Shark]

There is a ‘Shanghai Office’ set at Pinewood, apparently - Labelled as the 67th floor.
Now assuming that it’s for the interior of a real life building, there are only 2 towers in Shanghai with more than 60 floors, so it’s a fair bet it’s one of these 2.

That's interesting. I wonder which one will be used? I think I like the smaller one - the Jin Mao Tower - better; the other one seems a bit too dominant, and there's a whole empty space off to one side, so it looks weird to my eyes.

Agreed. The Jin Mao Tower is damn impressive sight, both inside and out.

[Captain Tightpants]

That looks very Bondian. It's damn impressive.

[Vauxhall]

Good info on the Shanghai office set. Thanks for posting. Both those buildings are stunning.

[Matt_13]

That is such an epic skyline. They better be shooting there at night.

[Leon]

I have a strong suspicion that they will show us Bond's Chelsea flat.

[Captain Tightpants]

You know what I'm thinking when I see this?

Bond is investigating the office on the 67th floor, but gets made. The villain and his redshirts shut down the elevators, and start sweeping the tower floor by floor. Bond realises he doesn't have enough bullets for all of them (in fact, he may not be armed at all), but has to find a way past them as they systematically shut the place down. Seeing that they're all moving as one, he realises that the lower floors are clear - so he races around to the balcony in the top-left of that corner, climbs over the balustrade, and positions to drop himself down into one of those little alcoves, about twelve stories down. Of course, he doesn't have any safety equipment, so he dangles over the edge, holding onto the balustrade, and lets go. He drops one storey, and catches the next railing. Then he lets go, and catches the next. Catch, release; catch, release; all the way down to the alcove, and safety.

[Pussfeller]

I have a strong suspicion that they will show us Bond's Chelsea flat.

I hope so. I bet he won't have an espresso maker this time around.

[DaveBond21]

Is this another one for the spoiler forum?


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[Captain Tightpants]

If SKYFALL is going to places in China outside Shnghai, then I suggest the coastal city of Qingdao:





It's described as "China's Switzerland", because there are a lot of French and German influences in the city.

[Shrublands]

I’m starting believe that India was always a back-up plan.

Eon knew that China would be difficult to organise – potentially impossible, but they wanted to try. So, in tandem, they devised a way of doing it in India too. Filming permissions were sort there, as the clock would be ticking for both locations. They ultimately ‘cancelled’ India when China became locked – the back-up plan was no longer needed. The Indian press were blowing everything out of all proportion – reporting on every letter that passed between government departments! It’s interesting that the French Bond Club had information about planned motorbike stunts in China quite early on and we know India was to feature motorbike stuff – I can’t see them having two elaborate sequences with Bond on a motorbike.

[Captain Tightpants]

What motorbike stunt was that? THe supposed chase along the Great Wall?

I very much doubt that was legitmate - for one it would be tacky, but more importantly, the sequence planned for India was far more ambitious, original, and technically (in terms of a stunt) involved.

[Shrublands]

What motorbike stunt was that? THe supposed chase along the Great Wall?

I very much doubt that was legitmate - for one it would be tacky, but more importantly, the sequence planned for India was far more ambitious, original, and technically (in terms of a stunt) involved.

I know, and it’s a version of the sequence leaked to the Indian press that I would expect to see in the finished film, but in China. I think a bit may or may not see the bike on the Great Wall, but ultimately, it will jump onto a moving train etc, etc. The bike/China information came from The French Bond Club, who are very well connected. Over the years, for instance, I remember Eon inviting them to see early work-prints before anyone else.

Anyway, I simply don’t buy… “Oh dear, India proved too bureaucratic. As time is running out, let’s try China instead.”
No, if anything, they’d have had to start negotiating with China even earlier. We just knew little to nothing about those plans and every detail about India. This was thanks to talkative production staff, government ministers, everyone there… and the Indian press, who have long had an all-things-Bond fetish.

[Captain Tightpants]

I know, and it’s a version of the sequence leaked to the Indian press that I would expect to see in the finished film, but in China. I think a bit may or may not see the bike on the Great Wall, but ultimately, it will jump onto a moving train etc, etc. The bike/China information came from The French Bond Club, who are very well connected. Over the years, for instance, I remember Eon inviting them to see early work-prints before anyone else.

So ... what exactly did they - the French Bond Club - say?

[Shrublands]

I know, and it’s a version of the sequence leaked to the Indian press that I would expect to see in the finished film, but in China. I think a bit may or may not see the bike on the Great Wall, but ultimately, it will jump onto a moving train etc, etc. The bike/China information came from The French Bond Club, who are very well connected. Over the years, for instance, I remember Eon inviting them to see early work-prints before anyone else.

So ... what exactly did they - the French Bond Club - say?

They said, that if the person that told them this could not be trusted, than nobody could. They seemed very convinced. They were also one of the only fan organisations to get a direct invitation to the press conference.

As for the sequence, it was just that a bike and the Great Wall would be involved, but they were the first with anything on China. And that much has already proven true, over all the more detailed stuff pointing to South Africa and India.

Anyway...

My point is, that India has not been replaced with China, rather that China was the main choice in the first place. But Eon realised that this would be tricky – they have tried on a few occasions before but ended up having to go elsewhere – LTK being the most notable.

So, alterative plans were made to shoot in India should they be needed.
It simply seemed that India was first choice because of the daily updates being leaked and the Indian press’ preoccupation with Bond, whilst the China plan was going on all along, secretly in the background.

[Captain Tightpants]

It's a good theory, but I think you're overplaying the threat of losing permission to film in China. While the Chinese regime can be difficult to deal with, I get the sense that they don't mind too much if you stay away from politically- and culturally-sensitive issues. For example, Brad Pitt and Jean-Jacques Annaud were both banned from China for SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET, because it showed the occupation of Tibet as being a hostile invasion, when Beijing's official stance is that Tibet joined China peacefully. The film also showed Chiense military officials as arrogant and culturally-insensitive, and portrayed the Dalai Lama positively when Beijing consider him to be "the biggest threat to China's social and cultural security". But on the other hand, Tom Cruise and JJ Abrams were not banned from China for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III, despite the fact that it showed China as having developed a weapon that was implied to be anti-evolutionary in nature and not guarded particularly well.

So if SKYFALL is to shoot in China, I don't think the Chinese will receive it poorly. I very much doubt the plot will revolve around the Dalai Lama and/or Taiwan.

[Shrublands]

That’s a good point Captain. But I don’t think it completely dismisses the notion that Eon had India as a back-up plan.

[Captain Tightpants]

I suspect they were looking at both at the same time, knowing that both the Indians and the Chinse could be difficult. When the Indians started throwing out addendums and provisos and the Chinese were less resistant, China became the favoured location. EON would have concentrated on it first and India became the back-up. I can't really think of any other reason as to why EON would have negotiated so hard and for so long with the Indians if they already had their hearts set on China.

[Shrublands]

I can't really think of any other reason as to why EON would have negotiated so hard and for so long with the Indians if they already had their hearts set on China.

But all that we know about from India (and more) could have been going on in China for even longer and with more resolve. We just don’t know about it.

India Take One (the production company organising the filming permits and handling the location) talked to the Bond-hungry Indian press from the word go. Every government department involved had something to say publicly. All of that (and more) could have been going on in China more earnestly and with much more discretion.

[Captain Tightpants]

I suppose so; I have noticed that my Chinese residents can be particularly ... well, not so much discreet as reserved. They don't like drawing attention to themselves for fear of inconvenicing me, which is how you end up only finding out that one of your residents is sick when it's three in the morning and they've got a stiff neck, photosensitivity and flu-like symptoms.