Thoughts please? To get the ball rolling, I’ll nominate the Willard Whyte penthouse. It’s not his grandest or the most iconic, but to me it is Ken Adam at the peak of his powers: a perfect blend of ultra modern and antiques to produce a set that could only exist in Bond’s world. What are your favs?
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I’d probably have to go for Blofeld’s volcano lair. I can’t think of set that has permeated the public consciousness more in relation to Bond.
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It’s certainly the most iconic one!
The volcano hands-down. But I think Adam’s Fort Know would push it close.
At the other end of the spectrum, I’m going to say the red leather door and M’s office. Nothing to do with the films themselves, but MI6 at Vauxhall Cross, while “accurate” doesn’t feel like M to me.
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Literary: smokey high stakes card table.
Movie…
Location: Alps.
Set: Everything by Ken Adams, but if I have to choose then it’s the volcano.
Though imho his best set is Dr Strangelove’s bunker.
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I love all of Ken Adams’ designs for DAF and the way he integrates them with the actual locations used. There is a seamlessness that reminds me of his work on BARRY LYNDON–in both movies an entire world–physically and culturally–is evoked. In fact, I think Adams work throughout the 1970’s is of the highest order.
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Drax’s jungle lair with the python pool is one of my favourites.
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Excellent taste sir!
Diamonds, Spy and Moonraker are all exquisite! For me Diamonds shades it as I just love the aesthetic… I would kill for my flat to be like that… but Moonraker, as my first ever Bond, is a very close second.
Yes, this is the high point of a stunningly designed film. I love Moonraker, warts and all and it shaped my view of what a Bond film should be. As a 9 year old I remember being distinctly underwhelmed by the more real world approach of For Your Eyes Only… though I love it now.
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I even love the funeral home!! I have always wanted to live in the house Bambi and Thumper stand guard over, and in earlier days thought it was the same house as the one in ZABRISKIE POINT.
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Piz Gloria. No question.
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Yes Elrod House is absolutely stunning and was born to be a Bond set. I think last time it sold it only went for something like 12 million: sadly way out of my league, but much less than I would have thought! That pool!!!
I was lucky enough to go there when I was 15 and it was just incredible… food was a bit ropey though! I’d love to go back now they have the Bond museum.
Atlantis from “Spy” – this is where Bond really met the 70’s style IMO – and the jungle hideout and satellite lair in “Moonraker” are my favorites.
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I’m a huge fan of the following:
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Bond’s balcony in Cortina, FYEO
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Lunch with Mathis in Montenegro, CR
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Gypsy camp, FRWL
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Scaramanga’s Island, TMWTGG
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I’ll add Scaramanga’s funhouse and his surrounding island. So mysterious and exotic.
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I have to add two: the laser location and the “rumpus room” from “Goldfinger”!
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The Venetian laboratory that becomes an elegant office overnight. The transformation of the space has a beautiful Bondian logic that mirrors the way a Bond film can go from one place to another with just a simple cut.
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Fort Knox.
Blofeld’s volcano base.
Piz Gloria.
The Liparus interior.
Alec’s base at the observatory.
Apart from the other two I’ve already mentioned, these would be my favourite final confrontation locations. I appreciated the crater base in SPECTRE being something akin to those lairs of the past.
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Scaramanga’s island and Drax’s jungle hideout for me.
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