22 Apr 2018

The Orient Express Station - Sirkeci station


In From Russia With Love, when Bond and Tania arrives on the Orient Express in Belgrade, one of Kerim's sons is waiting for Bond at the platform. All the scenes in the Zagreb, Belgrade and Istanbul train stations were filmed at the same railway station in Istanbul, namely the Sirkeci Station in the Fatih district, from where the Orient Express departs on its journey to Paris.



The Sirkeci station doubled for the other locations in the Balkans, with scenes just shot at different platforms on the station. The building in the background is recognisable from earlier in the film when Bond and Tania arrive at the Istanbul station, catching the Orient Express.


The distinct windows are recognisable from the film and can still be found on location.

8 Apr 2018

Bond escapes Largo's men - Bay street, Nassau

East Street and Bay Street in Downtown Nassau

After escaping from Fiona Volpe and Largo's men in Thunderball, Bond manages to blend in with the Jankanoo parade which is marching through Nassau. The Jankanoo street parade is the little less commonly known Bahamian Mardi Gras, and the equivalent of the Carnival in Rio, which is celebrated every year on 26 December and 1 January.




The previous scene where Bond escapes from Fiona Volpe and Largo's men by setting rum on fire in the car, was actually filmed at the same location on the same street crossing. This is apparent in the picture below where you see the letter B (in Burns) on the building to the right.

The same street crossing where Bond later comes out through the crowd.


The action sequence was filmed on East Street where it intersects with Bay Street in Downtown Nassau.



Largo's men chasing Bond was filmed on the large Bay Street, which runs in an east-west direction through Nassau. A few of the old colonial buildings can be found along Bay Street. I have yet to identify which part of Bay Street that actually were used in the film. None of the houses seen on screen can be identified with certainty. Central Nassau and more of Bay Street will be covered later.


3 Apr 2018

Menton motorcycle chase - the tunnel


In Never Say Never Again, the motorcycle chase through Menton comes to a brief halt in a tunnel, as Bond is lured into the tunnel by Fatima Blush and her henchmen. Bond is captured but manages to escape and continues the chase of Blush.


Bond escapes from the tunnel

A large part of the motorcycle chase, which has been covered earlier, was filmed in Menton on the French Riviera. Menton is the last village before the Italian border. The tunnel seen in the film is called the Pascal Molinari Tunnel and is located right next to Square Victoria, which contains a monument dedicated to Queen Victoria. 

Bond chased into the tunnel along Quai Bonaparte

Menton in October 2015


Bond is captured inside the tunnel but manages to escape, using the tailgate lift of a lorry as a ramp to jump over the henchmens' cars with the motorbike.



Bond then continues to pursue Fatima Blush along the beach road, Quai Bonaparte, in Menton, before arriving in Villefranche-sur-mer where the chase ends at Port de la Darse, in an old warehouse. The building along Quai Bonaparte with its red and yellow wall, seen in the picture below, can still be found on location.  


Quai Bonaparte along the beach in Menton in October 2015.