James Bond in Italy

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At the risk of being accused of blatantly returning to the same well, please can I humbly make mention of the new On The Tracks of 007 book? Italy.

This will be launched at the Matera Film Festival on 7th October. We launch at the Casa Cava, an event ‘room’ inside a beautiful looking cave. There will be a live stream.

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Promotions start today via Instagram. #simonjamesfirth #onthetracksof007 #matera_film_festival Other areas of social media will be swept up courtesy of Martijn Mulder and his higher state of connectedness.

So says the blurb on the back.

Home to some of the world’s most eye-wateringly beautiful cities, architecture, colours and landscapes, it is only since 2006 that the James Bond films have returned time and again to the European country of Italy. A land where the people are as colourful as the land which they inhabit. The only surprise is that in the James Bond films’ 60 year history it has taken as long as it has for the country’s charms to be recognised and filmically utilised.

With Daniel Craig’s James Bond having contributed to the righting of wrongs in Italy in fully four of his five Bond films, Sir Roger Moore having contributed his share daring do in three of his Bond films, Simon Firth charts each of the films’ locations along the length and breadth of the country.

Speaking to more than 20 people on both sides of the Productions, location owners and those who help prepare the location for filming, and together with the history of the land, Simon asks;

  • How was it ever possible to bring four industrial cranes into the tiny streets of Siena for Quantum Of Solace
  • What was filmed in Malta for The Spy Who Loved Me?
  • What town was also considered as a location to film the majority of Italian sequences for No Time To Die?
  • Is it possible to buy Mathis’ coastal villa from Quantum Of Solace?
  • What was Ian Fleming’s post war view of Italy? Did his James Bond visit Italy?
  • What is Cubby Broccoli’s heritage in Italy?

Illustrated with images from both the archives of On The Tracks of 007 and those interviewed from the films’ productions, ITALY is the definitive work charting James Bond in film and book as his adventures take you through the beauty and romance of this stunning country.

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With advance warning of, and apology for, the shameless self promotion, one of the great things about writing this book was the number of people I interviewed for the personal memories and stories.

One such chap was the erudite John Fenner, art director on all of Roger Moore’s Bond films and the rest of his filmic CV reading like a world’s top 100 Movie List.

With an alacrity of mind, and an utterly sharp memory, he recounted numerous stories for the sections on Cortina, Sardinia, and Malta! (I make a case for Malta’s inclusion)

I saw John at the Royal Standard in Beaconsfield for a drink, a Thank You, and to present him with his hardback book. And of course, more stories.

Thank you John.

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