THN Visits Stoke Park In England To Celebrate The Launch Of 007 On Blu-Ray, And To Mingle With Some Bond Girls

On Friday of last week The Hollywood News was invited, along with a few other selected media outlets, to attend one of the most luxurious five star hotels in Europe, Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire,  for the official launch of the James Bond Blu-rays, and to celebrate 50 years of 007 on screen. The event was also part of the 007 days of Bond, a seven day event that was started by Sir Roger Moore last Monday in Scotland, climaxing (oops, pardon) with the first copies of the box-set arriving at HMV in London’s Oxford Street at 10.07am on the 24th September, delivered by none other than former Bond girl Britt Ekland and Richard Kiel, who famously played Jaws in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and MOONRAKER. The box set has been signed by Bond legend Sir Roger Moore, Eunice Gayson, Shirley Eaton, Tania Mallet, Academy Award-winning Costume Designer Lindy Hemming, Stunt Coordinator Paul Weston and legendary director John Glen, all of whom were involved in the country-wide event over the course of the last week.

Stoke Park is of course a major location that has been associated with Bond over the years, having been featured in GOLDFINGER and more recently TOMORROW NEVER DIES. You may also recognise the hotel from other films like BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY and LAYER CAKE, where future Bond star Daniel Craig was shot in the back by future Q Ben Whishaw (the forthcoming SKYFALL)…

The day started with us all making that famous approach to the famous white main building in a little less glamourous people carrier, but as soon as we entered those gates, we were immersed into the world of Bond. Ahead of us was the famous Rolls Royce Phantom from the aforementioned GOLDFINGER, completed restored to its former glory, stood proud in front of the main entrance, appropriately positioned right next to a flag pole flying the Union Jack at full mast.

As we were here at the location used in perhaps the best Bond movie of all time, GOLDFINGER, the showdown between him and Bond was the scene that were were treated to in the reception area as we arrived. The scene was projected in one of the conference rooms to rapturous applause and yes, the quality looks and sounds absolutely superb. I was even pleased to see that both Bond and I were also wearing the same brand of sweater, albeit in different colours, but both a Wolsey all the same. Pure coincidence, I will add.

Following the reception we were all whisked outside to the rear of the building for a photo call with Jaws himself Richard Kiel, a seven-foot plus giant of a man, and no less than three former Bond stars in Eunice Gayson (DR. NO), Tania Mallet (GOLDFINGER) and Britt Ekland (THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN).

If you think of Bond, you will think of a Walther PPK, a Bond girl, exotic location or perhaps an Aston Martin? The only other thing is potentially that very, very famous cocktail, the vodka Martini, obviously shaken rather than stirred. At 11.30 on a Friday morning, we had the opportunity to have a go at making our own. The Vespa Martini was originally mentioned in the novel of Casino Royale  all of the way back in 1953, and it’s as vintage Bond as it gets.

“A dry martini,” [Bond] said. “One. In a deep champagne goblet.”

“Oui, monsieur.”

“Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?”

“Certainly, monsieur.” The barman seemed pleased with the idea.

“Gosh, that’s certainly a drink,” said Leiter.

Bond laughed. “When I’m…er…concentrating,” he explained, “I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink’s my own invention. I’m going to patent it when I can think of a good name.”

— From Casino Royale, 1953

Film wise, the Vesper is not mentioned in any Bond film until QUANTUM OF SOLACE in 2008, when Bond got absolutely smashed on six of the bad boys, or indeed girls (the drink is named after the character of Vesper Lynd in CASINO ROYALE). So, just to clarify, it’s vodka, gin and Kina Lillet (not vermouth), and it’s finished off with a bit of lemon peel rather than an olive; and I made one… really quite well, and polished it off personally before lunchtime…

In a dazy haze, staggering through the grand walkways of the ground level of Stoke Park, I was given a few minutes to speak with the very first Bond girl, Eunice Gayson, who I interviewed over a poker table. An absolutely lovely lady, who played the character of Sylvia Trench in both DR NO and the second Bond movie FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. Eunice spoke about working on DR. NO and filming that classic scene where Sean Connery as Bond uttered the words, “the name’s Bond, James Bond,” for the first time on celluloid. Check out the video interview in full below…

The afternoon session of our Bond experience allowed me time to sit down with both Jaws himself Richard Kiel and Britt Ekland. I asked the pair about their time on the set of their respective Bond adventures, who their favourite Bonds were, and the single memory that lives with them from their experience. You can check out their interview in part two of the 50 Years Of Bond feature.

Finally, we closed the afternoon with a golfing lesson on the green that stood in for the 18th hole in the classic showdown with Goldfinger in the film of the same name. In the movie, Sean Connery as Bond toys with his arch rival as he switches balls as they approach the final green. With thousands of pounds resting on the final shot of the day, Bond misses and winner of the game is declared as Goldfinger… however, it appears that he has seemingly played the wrong ball all of the way up to the final green, and as they’re playing the proper rules, the hole is forfeited, leaving Bond to take home the cash. The dialogue went a little like this…

Bond: “This is a Slazenger 7.”

Bond shows Goldfinger his own golf ball.

Bond: “Here’s my Penfold Hearts. You must have played the wrong ball somewhere on the 18th fairway. We are playing strict rules, so I’m afraid you lose the hole and the match.”

On that putting green on a late summer’s day in September, THN learned how to putt like a pro. Resident golfing expert Jonathan Yarwood guided us through the techniques needed to sink a shot from ten yards away from the hole. With the sun poking its head through to perfectly illuminate the front of the main building, the gold bullion (see above) laying on the ground next to the hole and that Rolls Royce Phantom parked just behind us, we were transported back nearly fifty years to the Bond of yesteryear.

The enjoyment of the day and the feeling around the place assured us that Bond is alive as ever, its as current as ever and more importantly, as popular as ever, and I had a blast. The visit reignited my own passion for the franchise and I cannot wait for SKYFALL, the 23rd adventure. Between then and now, there’s only one thing to… dash on out to bag those Blu-Rays which have to be the essential purchase this year.

The James Bond 50 Blu-Rays are released on Monday 24th September 2012.

 

 

Bond 50 Blu-ray Collection – out 24 September

(c) 2012 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. TM Danjaq, LLC. All Rights
Reserved.