A Second Unit Started Filming, in 1997...Day 18 of Bond 365

I have to say thank goodness for google search which led me to today's Bond 365...

So, today in 1997, director Vic Armstrong led out the Tomorrow Never Dies second unit to the Peyresourde Airport in the French Pyrenees. The mountainous locale represented some place along the Russian border where a who's who of wanted men had congregated to shop arms deals. One of the most wanted men was Henry Gupta played by Ricky Jay, who would make another appearance later in the film. Bond had been on a reconnaissance mission but a decision to launch a missile at the location sends Bond in so he can make a hasty escape before the missile takes out the entire airport. Cue Sheryl Crow's theme song...

I thought I would start collecting Bond stories and once a week providing a weekly news round up, so here goes....

01/12 - Dangerous Minds reports that Johnny Cash submitted an opening theme for Thunderball that was rejected. Audio file included.

01/13 – 2015 will herald a return to the spy genre with Spectre, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Kingsman: The Secret Service. Paul Feig and Melissa McCarthy has joined the ranks with Spy, a comedic spy spoof that will star McCarthy, along with Jason Statham, Jude Law and Allison Janney. The first trailer of this May film has been released.

01/14 – OSS HQ saved from the wrecking ball? It appears that the Office of Strategic Services building has been saved and plans are in the works to preserve the World War II building. 

01/14 – Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons’ six-issue comic book series The Secret Service was released this week in trade paperback from Marvel. The upcoming Kingsman: The Secret Service is based on this comic book. I reviewed the series in two parts: Part I and Part II.  

01/15 – MI6 reported on the upcoming Kingsman: The Secret Service film directed by Matthew Vaughn and stars Colin Firth, Michael Caine, and Samuel L. Jackson. The UK premier is slated for January 29. Article includes a movie clip.

One can hope that Project Petra will bring us one step closer to James Bond Jr

01/15 – A step closer to James Bond Jr as MI5 opens its doors to the British children’s show, Blue Peter. The project called Project Petra will select eight children to participate in a special spy school. This venture was prompted by the popularity of MIHigh in which children were writing in to ask how to become a spy.

01/15 – Spectre filming team is in Obertilliach shooting an intricate shooting sequence. The article included some set photos.

01/15 – NewStatesman’s Helen Lewis weighs on the black James Bond dialogue that has been ongoing over the years and rekindled by the recent Sony leaks.