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007,

Bond Legends gather to launch the Bond in Motion Exhibition at The London Film Museum, we bring you an inside look Part 1 - FILM EXHIBITION

A couple of weeks back I was privileged to attend an absolutely brilliant preview of the outstanding Bond in Motion Exhibition right in the heart of London at the London Film Museum. I'm trying not to lay it on too thick but as a Bond fan - the day was a definite Bond milestone for me personally and the Bond in Motion exhibition is absolutely magnificent! As much as I dislike it I have had to split my write up over 3 posts, sorry, I hate it when other people do it so I know how it feels but I wanted to fit as much in as possible. There are many more pictures from the day over here! and part 2 of my write up can be found here! and part 3 here!

Earlier that morning full of anticipation I headed out into the sunny but crisp morning crossed the bridge, swerving out of a little Chelsea square into King's Road, pushing fast up Sloane Street pointed in the direction of Covent Garden. As usual I passed 22b Ebury Street, today this had extra significance, as I made my way into Central London - the space between Covent Garden and Strand to be exact. Once I located the fairly discrete (by London standards) London Film Museum at 45 Wellington Street - I paused to savour the moment.


I have a long relationship with the London Film Museum, I was a regular visitor at their previous Waterloo location and for a few hours I could be lost in the magical world of film that I love, find inspiration, be blown away by the varied and incredible props on display or just relax with a coffee next to a piece of film history next to me as well as on occasion bump into one of my heroes browsing the museum. For any film fan it is a must visit. Seriously I don't want to bang on about it but, the guys behind the London Film Museum deserve serious kudos and thanks for turning a film lovers fantasy world into a reality everyday. When I heard that Bond in Motion was coming to the London Film Museum I was over the moon finally I could immerse myself in  the world of Bond at an accessible location.

I knew it was being billed as the largest (and most up to date) official collection of original James Bond vehicles (cars, bikes, sleds and boats), miniature models, action sequence boards, vehicle concept art and props from all of the James Bond films on display for the first time in London - but I had not looked into too much detail of what delights the Bond in Motion exhibition had in store for me - so as not to ruin all the surprises. But I did have chats lined up with four Bond luminaries that would be visiting to support the launch of the Bond in Motion exhibition. You can read my chat with Bond stunt precision driver Ben Collins here!, my chat with special effects master Chris Corbould here! and my chat with legendary stuntman Vic Armstrong here!. During the chats whenever a Bond film scene is referenced any I try show pieces from the Bond in Motion collection so you'll get an idea of what to expect.

But wait Craig that's only 3/4 chats I hear you say. Yea I also had a chat lined up with Ms. Caterina Murino the first Bond lady of the Daniel Craig era - or Solange Dimitrios, from Casino Royale. But as the day wore on I finalised a decision that pained me and may well haunt me moving forward. I decided not to chat with Ms. Murino, the reason is simple I am a huge Bond fan, I love delving into the elements behind the magic. The craftsmen & women that turn fantasy into screen reality but I now draw the line at ruining the mystique of the Bond Ladies, for me they are for the most part still rare, exotic, complicated creatures, that add depth and weave to the story, throw wrenches in the works, or sometimes sadly just devices to move the narrative along, or break hearts or have their hearts broken. And for now that is how Caterina Murino / Solange Dimitrios will stay for me - forever etched as an ethereal fantasy. But you can catch more of Caterina Murino in XIII: The Series currently on Sky 2.


 BOND TIP:  Solange's name is a reference to a character in Ian Fleming's short story 007 in New York and her backstory was merged into Eva Green's Vesper Lynd character story arc.

I make my way past the uniformed Bond girls checking people in, through the large glass doors and pleasantly surprised at the vast triple volume height and modern clean design of the LFM foyer. To my left a bank of TV screens showing scenes from Bond films and dark suited security men, talking into their sleeves. To my right a counter wo-manned by more smiling Bond girls (I'm beginning to suspect a Bond Villain may have planned the day) high above us the 1/3 scale model AgustaWestland helicopter from Skyfall, which for the first time is being publicly displayed.


A young lady comes over, she does not say - we have been expecting you, but rather tells where to go and hands me a pack that includes a very glossy keepsake guide to the museum. My understanding is that on opening visitors will be able to obtain an audio guide to the Bond in Motion exhibition narrated by Bond stunt driver Ben Collins. Too be honest all I heard was something about a cloak room, everything else was a blur of anticipation, excitement and giddiness of where I was and what was about to happen, I would expect any Bond fan to have felt the same.

Bond in Motion at The London Film Museum This exciting family exhibition will transform the entire London Film Museum space in Covent Garden and will allow Bond fans and members of the public to see the most up to date collection of  James Bond cars Where:  London Film Museum Covent Garden 45 Wellington Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 7BN  Exhibition Dates: Fri 21 March 2014 + Opening Hours: Mon - Sun : 10am - 6pm Sat: 10am – 7pm For tickets and more info: head here or here RELATED Vic Armstrong talks Stunts of Bond Chris Corbould talks Bond Special Effects Ben Collins talks Bond in Motion Sam Mendes, Daniel Craig Bond 24 Designing 007 50 Years Of Bond  Style

The Bond in Motion exhibition is split over 3 floors connected by stairs and a lift, I immediately head up the stairs on the left to the higher smaller display area dedicated to mostly conceptual gems; storyboards, concept art and models as well as some pieces from production of Bond films. Including some never before publicly displayed artefacts like Ken Adam's concept art for the Q craft & Drax vehicles from Moonraker and Roger Deer's Tanker chase storyboards from Licence to Kill.



From the stairs leading up, you can get a really good View to a Kill - er close up of the AgustaWestland AW101 Skyfall helicopter. I promise the bad puns end here.
From the top floor you can take the lift down or stairs back down past the ground level to the underground main lair area, which is where the bulk of the exhibition is housed. Eager not to miss a thing I take the stairs.

 BOND TIP:  Going down the final stretch of stairs, look up or you'll miss James Bond's (Pierce Brosnan) Switchblade Glider and oxygen helmet from Die Another Day.


As you enter the underground you are greeted by Cubby Broccoli's 1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II used by Roger Moore's James Bond in A View to a Kill, when he is chauffeured by Sir Godfrey Tibbet (Patrick McNee) to Max Zorin's Château.


Behind CUB 1 a large screen shows scenes in which the car was featured, as a reference many of the displays have their own scenes displayed along with imagery from their films, interactive tablets or small information plaques/stands with facts about the car or film. To get the best out of the experience I'm guessing this should be complemented by the narrated audio guide.


 BOND TIP:  Although there is no mention of it Cubby's Rolls-Royce also had a small cameo in the Sean Connery era Thunderball, as a guests car in the Shrublands health clinic parking lot. Am I the only one who thinks the guy lurking behind it looks a lot like Odd Job? Enlarge the pic below to get a better look at the Rolls-Royce on the right.

Thunderball parking lot Cubby Broccoli 1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II ZOOM

To the right the aforementioned cloakroom (it made sense now) and in a nook Auric Goldfinger's (Gert Fröbe) Rolls-Royce Phantom III on the left James Bond's (Roger Moore) Acrostar BD-5J Jet from Octopussy, glimpsed in Q's Die Another Day lab.









To read Part 2 of my day at the Bond in Motion exhibition at the London Film Museum head over here! Part 3 can be found here!


Bond in Motion Exhibition at The London Film Museum
When:
21 March onwards

Where:
The London Film Museum Covent Garden is located at 45 Wellington Street, Covent Garden London, WC2E 7BN.

Exhibition will be open 7 Days a Week* 10am - 6pm (last entry 5pm) Saturday - 10am till 7pm (last entry 6pm).

The Museum Shop and Cafe is open during Museum opening hours. Tickets can be purchased at the venue on the day but to avoid the queues, we recommend purchasing your ticket in advance from www.londonfilmmuseum.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk