Once again, Cinema Retro is proud to bring you behind the scenes on a world-class retro movie event.
By Matthew Field
It seemed only appropriate that Octopussy, the only James Bond film with a tenuous link to
Wimbledon, should be the theme of BondStars’ summer barbeque on the very day
Andy Murray became champion. (Octopussy
actor and former tennis player Vijay Amritraj was semi-finalist in the men’s
doubles in 1976!)
On a sweltering summer’s day, OCTOPUSSY AT 30, re-united cast and crew from the 13th
James Bond movie at Pinewood Studios where the movie was made back in 1982/83.
The day kicked off with a screening of the Blu-ray
master (kindly lent by Eon Productions) in Theatre 7. Director John Glen, assistant
director Anthony Waye and stars Maud Adams and Kristina Wayborn, were on hand
to introduce the film to fans at the sold out event. Glen told the audience that
Octopussy was his favourite pre-title
sequence along with The Spy Who Loved Me.
He also remarked with a smile how gorgeous his actresses were still look today
– and they certainly were!
Later in the day guests were also joined by twins David
& Tony Meyer, Carole Ashby, Jeremy Bulloch, production designer Peter
Lamont and stunt arranger Paul Weston. Cinema Retro’s Dave Worrall, our very
own veteran tour guide, led guests around the studio, pointing out of
particular note, the entrance to the manor house which doubled for the British embassy
where 009 turns up dead with the Faberge egg in Berlin.
On stage the Meyer twins recalled the filmmakers first
approached them after John Glen had seen twins in France performing a knife-throwing
act. But the French duo had turned the film down on the grounds that jumping
off of trains wasn’t really their sort of thing! Maud Adams said how proud she
is to be associated with the Bond franchise while Kristina Wayborn recalled her
first day at the studios in 1982 where she met not James Bond in the Pinewood restaurant
– but Superman actor Christopher Reeve. Ipads and smart phones were running the
Murray match throughout the day and there was a huge cheer as the young Scot
secured the trophy while Kristina and Maud were being interviewed on stage.
The Octopussy
theme ran throughout the day. Circus acts entertaining guests in the Pinewood
gardens during lunch while specially designed cupcakes were served with
afternoon tea. An Octopussy special
was put together by Mi6 Confidential Magazine to accompany the event featuring
many interviews and behind the scenes photographs from the personal archives of
those who worked on the film. Sir Roger Moore wrote a wonderful introduction to
the day also.
Yet another great day for 007 fans and a new “All Time
High†for BondStars!