“Names is for tombstones baby!” Bond meets Solitaire (Jane Seymour) and Mr Big (Yaphet Kotto) for the first time in Live And Let Die which had its Royal World Premiere in London on this day in 1973. Kotto’s Mr Big disguise was designed by special effects make-up artist supremo Rick Baker.
Bond V Patrice From Skyfall
Bond interrupts Patrice’s assassination of a target in Shanghai in Skyfall (2012). Stunt coordinator Gary Powell said: “The set was made of panes of glass that were sometimes invisible and at other times threw reflections, so the most difficult part of the stunt was actually getting through the set without banging into the glass.”
Bond Meets Onatopp in GoldenEye
Pierce Brosnan delivers the iconic “Bond, James Bond” line for the very first time in GoldenEye (1995). Brosnan was originally offered the role of 007 in 1986 but his commitments to TV show Remington Steele meant he couldn’t take up the Walter PPK until 1994 when he started filming the 17th Bond film.
You Only Live Twice’s Giant Magnet
In today’s clip Bond gets a helping hand from a giant magnet in You Only Live Twice (1967). Associate producer William Cartlidge said: “I remember script conferences where the idea was to think of as many outrageous suggestions as you could and this was one of them.”
Renard’s Death In The World Is Not Enough
“She’s waiting for you…” Bond puts an end to Renard’s plans in The World Is Not Enough (1999) by skewering him with a plutonium rod. To give the appearance of the submarine sinking, it was flooded by lowering the whole set slowly into the water tank at Pinewood.
Quantum Of Solace Plane Chase
007 and Camille (Olga Kurylenko) take to the air in a vintage DC-3 in Quantum Of Solace (2008) to escape Dominic Greene’s men.
Bond Bids A Final Farewell To Q
Watch Desmond Llewelyn’s last scene as Q from The World Is Not Enough (1999) where he introduces his new assistant (John Cleese) to Bond. Cleese said: “Desmond decided about three movies ago that he needed a deputy and he finally got his way.”
Spectre’s Record Breaking Explosion
On this day in 2015, the scene from Spectre where Blofeld’sbase is destroyed was filmed in the Moroccan desert. The stunt used 2223 gallons of fuel, 72lbs of explosives and was all captured in one take – it became the biggest explosion in film history and a Guinness World Record holder.
Bond Takes Out Dent In Dr. No
“That’s a Smith & Wesson and you’ve had your six.” James Bond ruthlessly dispatches Professor Dent in Dr. No (1962). Three versions of this scene were written; in the first Dent fires an empty gun and then Bond shoots him dead, the second had Dent fire at Bond, miss and Bond fire in retaliation, the third had Bond shoot Dent before Dent could get to his gun. The first option was the one used in the final film.”
Moonraker’s Space Station Battle
Moonraker had its Royal World Premiere today in 1979 at the Odeon, Leicester Square in London. Today’s clip is the attack on Hugo Drax’s space station, which was designed by Ken Adam with ex-NASA’s Harry Lange (who worked with Stanley Kubrick on 2002: A Space Odyssey) supplying the detailing to make it look as authentic as possible.
Thunderball’s Electrocution of Spectre Agent
On this day in 1965, the scene from Thunderball where Number 9 is electrocuted for embezzlement, was filmed. The agent’s chair sinking into the floor was production designer Ken Adam’s idea. He said: “I felt by this time that a Bond film needed a moving set, so it didn’t just become a tableau. And it was also quite funny.”
From Russia With Love Helicopter Attack
Bond is attacked by a SPECTRE helicopter in From Russia With Love (1963). The scene was filmed in Lochgilphead in Scotland where shooting was hampered by bad weather.
