Focus Of The Week: Jill Masterson

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Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton) makes a brief but memorable appearance in Goldfinger (1964). Bored, adventurous and fun-loving, she begins as an employee of Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe) but switches allegiances to 007 — much to her cost.

Bond meets Jill at the Fountainbleau Hotel in Miami. He is instructed by M (Bernard Lee), via Felix Leiter (Cec Linder), to investigate Goldfinger. Bond notices the crooked bullion dealer is having an incredible streak of luck during a game of gin rummy against Mr. Simmons (Austin Willis) and suspects cheating.

007 sneaks into Goldfinger’s suite to find Jill, lying on a sunbed, spying on Simmons’ hand with high-powered binoculars, relaying useful information about his cards to her boss through a radio and earpiece. Bond commandeers the radio and tells Goldfinger he will inform the Miami Beach police about his foul play unless he starts losing his ill-gotten winnings.

Impressed by Bond, Jill accepts 007’s invitation to dinner in his hotel suite, perhaps seeing a way out of her life with Goldfinger. Yet her feelings of optimism are tragically short lived. When Bond moves to the refrigerator to replenish the champagne (“(My dear girl, there are some things that are just not done, like drinking Dom Perignon ’53 above a temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit”), he is knocked unconscious by Goldfinger’s manservant Oddjob (Harold Sakata).

When he awakes he finds Jill dead in his bed, painted from head to toe in gold. Bond later learns that she has died from skin asphyxiation.

Focus Of The Week: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

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On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) was initially going to follow Goldfinger in the run of James Bond films until the team turned their attention to Thunderball (1965). At the start of filming You Only Live Twice, Sean Connery announced his retirement from the role, leaving the filmmakers the challenge of finding a new Bond. One idea considered was to have Bond undergo plastic surgery to fool his enemies but the notion was later discarded. Ultimately, the choice was narrowed down to a shortlist of five actors, who were presented to the public in Life magazine; Hans de Vries, Anthony Rogers, Robert Campbell, John Richardson and George Lazenby. After a lengthy screen testing process, Lazenby won the most coveted role in movies.

“I was actually being Bond in my own life, or trying to be in a similar sense,” recalled Lazenby. “I wasn’t a secret agent or anything but I was trying to be suave and smooth and cool and all that.”

The plot of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service sees Bond’s hunt for Blofeld interrupted by a relationship with Tracy di Vicenzo whom Bond saves from drowning. With the help of Tracy’s father Draco, head of the Unione Corse crime syndicate, Bond tracks down Blofeld to his mountain retreat in Piz Gloria in the Alps. Disguised as Hilary Bray of the College of Arms, Bond discovers Blofeld is brainwashing a group of women to act as his secret agents in biological warfare in order to blackmail world powers. When his secret identity is revealed, Bond escapes and meets Tracy who is later captured by Blofeld after being caught in an avalanche. Bond teams up with Draco and leads a rescue/attack on Piz Gloria. Bond battles Blofeld in a bobsleigh chase, seemingly killing him in the fight. Later, Bond and Tracy marry but Blofeld takes his revenge by killing Tracy in a hail of gunfire meant for Bond.

To play the crucial role of Tracy, the woman who becomes Bond’s wife, the filmmakers chose Diana Rigg, who could switch effortlessly between Shakespeare and action roles such as The Avengers. For Blofeld, director Peter Hunt wanted a more physically imposing actor than before. Telly Savalas, was cast.  Gabriele Ferzetti, an Italian actor who producer Harry Saltzman wanted to play Bond, became Draco. Rounding out the main cast, Ilse Steppat was brought into play Blofeld’s right-hand woman Irma Bunt. Production started in October 1968 but the complicated shoot — complex action sequences, difficult to reach locations and bad weather — saw the shooting schedule become the longest in Bond history. The overruns led to a foot chase across London rooftops being scrapped to save time.

Although the film was a success and time has been kind to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. The stunning action sequences and emotional sucker-punch have seen the film become of the most loved 007 films with fans and critics alike.

Focus Of The Week: Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas)

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Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas) in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), is a more physically robust presence. Adding to his brilliant criminal mind, he confidently fights, skis and chases 007 down a bobsled track. This mixture of intellect and aggression makes him one of toughest tests Bond (George Lazenby) has ever faced.

Posing as foppish genealogist Sir Hilary Bray, Bond infiltrates Blofeld’s clinical institute at Piz Gloria, an Alp in Switzerland, under the guise of verifying Blofeld’s claim to the title ‘Comte Balthazar de Bleuchamp’ – de Bleuchamp being the French form of the Blofeld surname. On arrival, Bond is greeted by 12 beautiful young women from all over the world. They are patients of the institute’s clinic, superficially undergoing unorthodox psychological treatments for food allergies and phobias. In fact, Blofeld is brainwashing the women to unwittingly spread a biological agent to globally render livestock and crops infertile if his demands are not met— collectively they are Blofeld’s Angels Of Death.

Blofeld’s henchwoman Irma Bunt (Ilse Steppat) captures him on a visit to the bedroom of one of the ‘Angels’. Bond escapes imprisonment and is chased by Blofeld and his enforcers on skis. Bond, meeting up with his lover Tracy (Diana Rigg), evades his captors until the following morning when Blofeld creates an avalanche, sacrificing some of his own men and capturing Tracy. Bond is buried under the snow, but manages to escape.

Blofeld holds the world to ransom with the threat of destroying its agriculture via his deadly Virus Omega. His price is amnesty for all past crimes and recognition of his ‘Comte Balthazar de Bleuchamp’ title. While the Prime Minister deems an assault on Piz Gloria too dangerous, Bond realises a smaller scale attack on Piz Gloria’s radio complex will foil Blofeld’s plot. Bond contacts crime boss and future father-in-law Draco (Gabrielle Ferzetti) to arrange a raid by helicopter to destroy the facility and rescue Tracy.

As Piz Gloria is destroyed by Draco’s attack team, Blofeld escapes in a bobsled with Bond giving chase. Bond leaps onto Blofeld’s bobsled after his own vehicle is destroyed by a hand grenade. In the ensuing fist fight, Blofeld is snared by the neck in overhanging tree branches, ripping him out of the bobsled and seemingly killing him.

Yet it is not the last of Blofeld. Following Bond’s marriage to Tracy in Portugal, the happy couple stop to remove wedding decorations from their car. A silver Mercedes sedan driven by Blofeld, now in a neck brace, drives past; Irma Bunt leans out of a rear window with a machine gun and shoots Tracy, killing her instantly. Blofeld speeds off to fight another day.

 

 

Focus Of The Week: Quarrel

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In the first 007 adventure, Dr. No (1962), Quarrel (John Kitzmiller) is the most expensive fisherman in Kingston Jamaica who provides Bond (Sean Connery) with vital help during his investigation of murdered secret service representative John Strangways (Timothy Moxon). Quarrel is an excellent seaman and good navigator, with an in-depth — if gullible — knowledge of local customs and myths.

Before Bond arrives in Jamaica, Quarrel helped Strangways collect rock samples from Crab Key — Quarrel believes the local legend suggesting the island is inhabited by a fire-breathing dragon after friends visited and never returned. Providing the agent with a link to Strangways, 007 visits him on his boat and recognises him as the man who followed him on his arrival in Jamaica. Quarrel evades Bond’s questions so 007 tails him to a restaurant. In a back room. Quarrel pulls a knife on the secret agent. Bond gets the upper hand in a tussle until CIA agent Felix Leiter (Jack Lord) steps in and explains they are all on the same side.

Quarrel shows Bond where he had put the rock samples he has collected with Strangways in his boat. The boat emits a high Geiger radiation reading and confirms Bond’s suspicions about Crab Key, the home of Dr. No. Bond asks Quarrel to take him to Crab Key. Quarrel is initially reluctant due to the folklore surrounding the dragon but ultimately agrees.

The following morning after a night time arrival, the pair meet Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) who is diving for rare shells. Quarrel hears a boat approaching so the trio hide as the patrol starts firing at Honey’s canoe announcing they will be back with dogs. Honey shows Bond and Quarrel a hiding place in the river. Quarrel cuts some hollow bamboo sticks so that they can breathe underwater and remain undetected by the dogs. After the boat has passed, they continue up river in a swamp until Quarrel comes face to face with his greatest fear; the dragon or in reality a swamp vehicle equipped with a flame-thrower which sends him to a grisly end.

 

 

 

Focus Of The Week: Paris Carver

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An old flame of James Bond (Pierce Brosnan), Tomorrow Never Dies’ (1997) Paris Carver (Teri Hatcher) is the sophisticated, cosmopolitan yet unhappy trophy wife of British media baron Elliott Carver (Jonathan Pryce). MI6 believes Carver is orchestrating a war between England and China to boost the ratings of his news outlets. M sends 007 to investigate, instructing him to play on Paris’ feelings for him to discover more about Elliott’s plans.

Bond and Paris re-meet at a party in Hamburg celebrating the launch of her husband’s new global satellite network. She slaps Bond hard across the face when she sees him again, to the shock of the guests. “Was it something I said?” he asks. “How about the words, ‘I’ll be right back,’” she retorts.

Paris has changed over the years but she remembers Bond very well, pointedly asking him if he still sleeps with a gun under his pillow. A jealous Carver asks his wife how she knows Bond. Thinking quickly on her feet, she lies, telling him Bond dated her room mate during her days in Zurich and she barely knew him. Through video footage at the party, Carver sees Paris deep in conversation with Bond from earlier in the evening and decides to keep tabs on his wife.

Later, Paris turns up at Bond’s hotel room, admitting she used to check the newspapers for his obituary. In turn, Bond reveals the reason he left the relationship was because it was becoming “too close for comfort”. The two spend a passionate evening together. Crucially, Paris helps Bond discover the location of her husband’s secret laboratory.

When he learns of this betrayal, Carver dispatches sadistic hitman Dr. Kaufmann (Vincent Schiavelli) to assassinate her. Bond returns to the hotel room to find Paris still in his bed — dead. Dr. Kaufmann then confronts Bond who turns the tables and uses his mobile phone to stun Kaufmann with 20,000 volts before shooting him with his own gun. 007 finally avenges Paris’ murder and completes his mission by killing Elliott Carver with a powerful sea drill.

 

Secret Cinema Presents Casino Royale

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Secret Cinema are creating a spectacular experience, around the critically-acclaimed film Casino Royale (2006) directed by Martin Campbell and starring Daniel Craig as James Bond. Opening on 15th May 2019 and running into the summer, a secret London location will be transformed into the glamorous and action-packed world of the iconic British spy. Blurring the lines between fiction and reality, the experience will bring-to-life awe-inspiring scenes and locations.

Tickets will go on sale at 12:00 (GMT) on 6th December 2018. The experience will run between Wednesday – Sunday each week, with tickets priced between £40 – £175 plus booking fees.

Secret Cinema Presents Casino Royale will see audience members recruited as part of ‘Operation Wild Card’. New recruits will join either Q Branch or M Branch. Prior to their mission, they will receive an alias, dress code and training suggestions to help them prepare for a night of high stakes, sophistication and deception. Do you have what it takes?

For over a decade, Secret Cinema has thrilled audiences with its ground-breaking event format that combines film, music, art, and theatre through the prism of iconic and beloved films. This production will be the largest and most ambitious indoor event that Secret Cinema has ever produced, with an audience of 1,500 taking part in the show each night.

Secret Cinema Presents Casino Royale will celebrate two British cultural institutions collaborating for the very first time, delivering a completely unique, immersive film experience that promises to be one of the highlights of the arts calendar during 2019.

Angus Jackson, Creative Director of Secret Cinema presents Casino Royale said:“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to bring-to-life such an iconic film franchise and character. Casino Royale is a rich territory for us to explore from the characters to the plot and locations. Our audience will be given the opportunity to understand what it takes to embody modern espionage – bringing them closer to the Bond experience than ever before.”

Martin Campbell, Director of Casino Royale said: “I’m excited that Casino Royale is going to be brought to life by Secret Cinema. I hear it’s a wonderful immersive experience, and judging by its past reactions, it’s going to present the film in a way that it’s never been seen before. I can’t wait!”

Secret Cinema Presents Casino Royale tickets will go on sale at 12:00 (GMT) on 6th December 2018. Prices start at £40 + booking fee with VIP packages from £125+ booking fee also available.

Full details and tickets can be found at tickets.secretcinema.org.Follow the story across social media using the hashtags #TrustNoOne

Focus Of The Week: You Only Live Twice Volcano Finale

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You Only Live Twice (1967) was the most epic 007 adventure to date, reflecting the increased global success of the franchise. With James Bond (Sean Connery) trying to foil Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Donald Pleasence)’s plot to orchestrate nuclear war between Russia and America, the climax sees Bond, Japanese secret service agents Tiger Tanaka (Tetsuro Tamba) and Kissy Suzuki (Mie Hama) plus a crack team of ninjas infiltrate Blofeld’s base hidden inside a dormant volcano. What follows is one of the most spectacular and influential action set-pieces in the series built around an iconic set by legendary Production Designer Ken Adam.

The filmmakers searched Japan for a coastal castle, inspired by the one in Fleming’s novel, to be the location for Blofeld’s lair. After considerable searching, a guide told the production team that there are no castles by the sea in Japan. Instead, they found a volcanic area on Kyushu, the Southern Island of Japan that contained the unusual dramatic feature of eight volcanoes all next to each other. A dinner that night among key crew decided that Blofeld’s base would be relocated inside an extinct volcano.

“The challenge appealed to me,” said Adam. “When I had done two or three sketches, Cubby said, ‘Looks interesting. How much is it going to cost?’ I knew it was going to be a gigantic set but I had no idea. I quoted about a million dollars. That was an enormous amount of money. Cubby didn’t blink an eye. ‘If you can do it for a million go ahead.’ And then my worries started…” When executives from United Artists came to visit they pointed out that this one set cost as much as DR. NO.

The statistics behind the set were impressive: 200ft across, 55 feet high on the side (rising on a slope to 125ft), 70ft in diameter. It comprised of 700 tons of steelwork and took 50 plasterers and 60 riggers working day and night. Ken Adam remembered they were working “under very dangerous conditions. It was wintry. They were working 120 feet in the air on the sloping lake, trying to fibreglass the whole structure. They had safety belts on but they were sliding all over the place. One night my wife and I climbed up with two bottles of brandy to keep them warm.”

The sheer size of the set provided other challenges beyond construction. Academy Award-winning cinematographer Freddie Young had to use practically every light at Pinewood studios to illuminate such a huge area for the wide shots. The space also created uncomfortable working conditions for the actors. “The volcano was absolutely freezing cold,” said Director Lewis Gilbert. “I thought ‘My God, we’re going to have a blue leading lady!’”

As the main unit shot in the control room, the stunt team would line up shots in the volcano. The script called for Tanaka’s ninjas to abseil from the top of the set, a 12-storey drop. 10 Japanese ninjas and 100 stuntmen made the descent. Future Bond second unit director Vic Armstrong became the first to make the drop.

“The roof was about four feet above the beams so you had to crawl along the beams bent over double with your backside sticking out over 125ft of nothing, get to your rope which you grasped very strongly, then wrap your hose pipe around it, and just launch yourself into space,” recalled Armstrong. “As you got near the bottom, you turned on the hose pipe like a brake shoe using both hands.”

The sequence also marked an important moment in 007 history. On December 2 1966, Sean Connery finished principal photography on You Only Live Twice shooting a fight with Blofeld’s henchman (Ronald Rich). It marked the end of his five-film run. Connery said goodbye to James Bond, if only briefly — as he returned for Diamonds Are Forever in 1971.

Ricky Jay (1946-2018)

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American actor and magician Ricky Jay has passed away. Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said: “We are sad to hear of the passing of the very talented and lovely Ricky Jay, who appeared as Henry Gupta in Tomorrow Never Dies. We send our condolences to his family friends and fans.”

Focus Of The Week: Die Another Day

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Die Another Day (2002) is a landmark James Bond film. Not only was it the 20th film in the series, it also marked the 40th anniversary of the very first cinematic 007 adventure Dr. No (1962).

For the first Bond film of the new millennium, Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli wanted to create an adventure similar to the grand scale of You Only Live Twice (1967). Screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade suggested the story could cleave close to Ian Fleming’s 1955 novel Moonraker which centred on a villain who transforms his identity, becomes a vaunted industrialist and plans to use a space weapon in a crazed act of vengeance.

The finished story sees Bond (Pierce Brosnan) captured in North Korea after killing Colonel Moon (Will Yun Lee), who has been trading weapons for African blood diamonds. Bond is imprisoned for 14 months and released in exchange for Moon’s henchman Zao (Rick Yune). Disavowed by MI6, Bond follows Zao to Cuba — Zao is having his appearance altered by DNA therapy — and joins forces with NSA agent Jinx Johnson (Halle Berry). The pair follow the diamonds’ trail to billionaire Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens) who unveils Icarus, a powerful laser satellite, in Iceland. Bond and Jinx discover that Graves is actually Colonel Moon — he didn’t die in Korea and has used gene therapy to alter his appearance. Moon’s plan is to employ Icarus to help North Korea invade the South. Bond and Jinx stow away on Moon’s cargo plane and kill him thus preventing the attack.

To direct, Wilson and Broccoli selected New Zealander Lee Tamahori, who had impressed with his film Once Were Warriors. As well as stage actor Toby Stephens and Halle Berry, the Producers cast newcomer Rosamund Pike as duplicitous MI6 agent Miranda Frost. On Christmas Day 2001, a small unit started shooting off Maui, Hawaii, where Laird Hamilton and his surfing team rode some of the world’s largest waves for the opening scene. The scene set the benchmark for the scope of action sequences that followed. The initial idea for the ending — set in an indoor Japanese beach — was upgraded to a fight in an out-of-control Antonov plane, the largest aircraft in the world. Tamahori also expanded a car chase in Iceland, starting on a frozen lake then moving into Graves’ melting Ice Palace, a magnificent set designed by Production Designer Peter Lamont at Pinewood Studios.

During the shoot, Halle Berry won the Best Actress Academy Award for Monster’s Ball. When she returned to the production after the ceremony, she shot Jinx’s dramatic emergence from the sea in an orange bikini deliberately echoing Ursula Andress’ iconic first appearance in Dr. No. The scene was shot in Spain (doubling for Havana, Cuba) during a cold but clear day after five days of heavy rain.

The nod to Honey Ryder’s introduction was one of a number of playful homages to 007 history to mark the 40th anniversary.  While some were obvious to most Bond fans — Graves arrives at Buckingham Palace via Union Jack parachute evoking The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Jinx is tortured by lasers suggesting Goldfinger (1964) — others were more difficult to spot: the Hong Kong hotel is called The Rubyeon Royale paying sly tribute to EON’s ruby anniversary and a Jet Pack is in the background of Q (John Cleese)’s Lab reminiscent of Thunderball (1965).

Composer David Arnold returned to score his third Bond film. Madonna wrote and performed the title song but also played Verity, a fencing instructor who proves a worthy foil to Bond. Madonna became the first title-song performer to play a role in a Bond film.

On November 18 2002, Die Another Day enjoyed its world premiere at London’s Royal Albert Hall in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The 3,000 strong audience also had the privilege of joining former James Bond actors George Lazenby, Sir Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton to mark the 40th anniversary. The film broke box office records for a Bond film and marked the end of an era as was to be Pierce Brosnan’s last outing as 007.

 

Focus Of The Week: Rosie Carver

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Live And Let Die’s Rosie Carver (Gloria Hendry) is an inexperienced CIA field agent operating on the Caribbean island of San Monique. Yet she has another job. She is also a double agent for Kananga (Yaphet Kotto), the prime minister of the Island who — under the alias Mr. Big — is looking to flood the US drug market with heroin produced on his own plantations. Naïve and superstitious, Rosie drip feeds Kananga crucial bits of intelligence, living in fear of displeasing him.

Bond (Roger Moore) first encounters Rosie when she brazenly checks into his San Monique hotel as Mrs. Bond and enters his room brandishing a Smith & Wesson. 38. She tells Bond this is only her second assignment, after previously being paired with Baines (Dennis Edwards), a British secret agent who has recently been murdered. Bond understandably has little confidence in her abilities.

Rosie later finds a voodoo sign in her bedroom — a small top hat with bloody feathers — and becomes frightened. Bond tries to make light of the situation but she begs him not to leave her alone that night. Next morning, Bond receives a Queen of Cups tarot card in an upside down position anonymously sent by Solitaire — it is a message that Rosie is not to be trusted. The pair are taken to Kananga’s plantation by Quarrel Jr. (Roy Stewart), Bond’s associate. Rosie discovers weapons in a secret compartment on board Quarrel Jr’s boat and mistakes him for a villain. When he appears behind 007 with a rope, she holds him at gun point. Bond soon clarifies the situation.

Bond and Rosie search the spot in the hills where the authorities discovered the body of Baines. Rosie appears afraid and confused, although her assignment from Kananga is clear: to lure Bond into a trap.

After a romantic picnic in a jungle clearing, Bond confronts Rosie with the incriminating tarot card. She says she dare not tell him anything, telling him, “They’ll kill me if I do.” When Bond aims his gun at her, Rosie runs in panic. She is shot by a gun hidden in one of Kananga’s scarecrows.

Focus Of The Week: 007 Elements

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Built 3,048 metres above sea level inside the summit of the Gaislachkogl Mountain in Sölden, Austria, 007 ELEMENTS is the ultimate celebration of James Bond. Housed in a striking architectural structure, each of the galleries explores a key element from the series, from music to characters, to glamorous locations, gadgets, and action sequences.

The concept was designed by Creative Director Neal Callow (Art Director on Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre) together with the team at Optimist Inc. lead by Tino Schaedler. Callow and Schaedler collaborated with Obermoser Architects to create the bespoke structure the installation is housed in; a large futuristic space built into the side of a mountain. With the angular architecture of the open-air Plaza, and the use of concrete, steel and glass, it is an homage to legendary 007 production designer Sir Ken Adam. The immersive James Bond experience invites visitors into the world of 007 and reveals how that world is made.

The location was a key backdrop for Spectre (2015). Just metres away lies the impressive futuristic glass restaurant ice Q, which became the Hoffler Klinik, the private clinic where LéaSeydoux’s Madeleine Swann works as a psychologist. The winding glacier road where the unique mountain chase was set in the film involving an aeroplane and 4x4s can be seen from the large windows in the exhibition.

Visitors pass through the entrance to the installation and into The Barrel of the Gun which shows a unique cut of the Spectre title sequence. They then emerge onto the open-air Plaza with spectacular views across the Tyrolean Alps. The Lobby resembles the type of antechamber found in a villain’s lair and an exclusive film, narrated by Skyfall and Spectre director Sam Mendes, reveals the history of the franchise. Visitors then move into the Lair, where a larger-than-life film highlights the iconic characters from the series.

In the cylindrical Briefing Room, Naomie Harris, who plays Moneypenny in Spectre and Skyfall, narrates an insightful film about the way screenwriting, locations and set design influence each other throughout the series, with a special focus, on Spectre’s Austrian sequences.

The Tech Lab includes interactive bays relating to Spectre and other Bond films. Visitors can scan their arm and create a secret agent ID, and see legacy props such as the Snooper Dog from A View To A Kill (1985) and the golden gun from The Man With The Golden Gun (1974). The spectacular mountain chase sequence from Spectre is explored further in the Action Hall. The front portion of the BN-2 Islander plane that Bond gives chase in before crashing through a barn is on display, along with detailed models showing how the scene was shot. A state-of-the-art screening room shows the actual snow chase sequence from Spectre which visitors can watch with a deeper understanding of how it was created.

007 ELEMENTS is accessed via the Gaislachkoglbahn Gondola in the resort village of Sölden. Open daily from 09:00 to 15:30, tickets are available online or from the Bergbahnen Sölden ticket offices and cost €22 for adults, €12 for children. For further information or to book tickets, please visit: 007elements.com

Focus Of The Week: Dominic Greene

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By turns smooth-talking and vindictive, sophisticated but ruthless, Quantum Of Solace’s Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) is a man of many colours. As the CEO of utilities company Greene Planet, he masquerades as a legitimate, committed conservationist, performing philanthropic work by purchasing large tracts of land for environmental purposes.

Yet he has a darker streak too, revealed when, aged 15, he burned the face of one of his mother’s piano students who crushed his unrequited feelings for her. As an adult, Greene is a high-ranking member of sinister organisation Quantum and plots with deposed Bolivian Dictator General Medrano (Joaquin Cosio) to stage a political coup in exchange for a barren piece of land. The seemingly worthless territory is pivotal in Greene’s carefully crafted plot.

Green’s ex-lover and employee Camille Montes (Olga Kurylenko) attempts to buy reports from one of the environmentalist’s top geologists regarding the stretch of land known as the Tierra Project. Greene commands the geologist to be killed and sends assassin Edmund Slate (Neil Jackson) to kill Camille. James Bond (Daniel Craig) kills Slate before he can get to Camille.

Greene and Medrano meet, the former turns Camille over to the Bolivian dictator to sweeten the deal over the land — he coldly tells Medrano to “throw her over the side” when he’s finished with her. Greene subsequently negotiates a deal with CIA South American Section Chief Gregory Beam to ignore the Bolivian coup in exchange for rights to oil discovered in Greene’s land. Greene also commissions Beam to remove a “pest” — 007.

In a high-level Quantum meeting in Austria, concerns are raised over the Tierra Project yet Greene counters that Bolivia must be the organisation’s top priority. Bond and Camille investigate the Project and discover Greene has been inhibiting the delivery of fresh water, holding it in a vast underground reservoir. Greene and Quantum want to control Bolivia’s water supply, convinced that whoever owns the natural resource will be more powerful than the government.

At the Perla de las Dunas Hotel in Bolivia, Greene informs Medrano that the country’s already expensive water costs will double when Greene Planet becomes the sole provider. Medrano is faced with a tough choice: to agree to Greene’s demand or face certain death. Bond tracks Greene to the hotel and, after an explosive clash, Bond extracts information from Greene about Quantum before leaving him in the desert with just a can of motor oil — perhaps a nod to the murder of Agent Fields (Gemma Arterton) who Greene previously had drowned in pitch black oil.

M (Judi Dench) later informs Bond that Greene has been found with motor oil in his stomach and two bullets in the back of his skull. The environmentalist was executed for leaking secrets by the very organisation he previously served.