Tag: interview

Happy 70th Birthday Pierce Brosnan: The Venice interviews (2012)

Next Tuesday, May 16th 2023, Pierce Brosnan will turn 70.

Upon approaching his 60th birthday back in 2012 the Irish James Bond star reflected that 60 was not just another number but a sharp corner that made him stop and think:

"I cruised in over 50, and I was good. 51, 52, 53, a little bit of turbulence. Psychic turbulence. Then you creep up the ladder there, and ... The body, the mind, the judgment of life. You have to stay alert. You become more passionate about being alive and being present with your children. You don't have the same nerves about acting. You still get nerves. Wednesday will be the first day on the set of my next movie with Toni Collette and Imogen Poots, I'm caught between this world and that. But I still have the passion and drive to try to be great."

Pierce Brosnan aired his views on aging at a press junket during the 69th annual Venice International Film Festival. Bond•O•Rama.dk was in attendance and had the good fortune to meet the then 59-year-old actor in an intimate two-on-one session as well as at a larger conference for the European press. Brosnan was in town to promote Danish director Susanne Bier's dramedy "Love is All You Need" (original Danish title: "Den skaldede frisør" = The Bald Hairdresser) which he had enjoyed making. The full transcripts of the two interviews have never before been released but are now made available for free in celebration of Pierce Brosnan's 70th birthday.

I am also quoted in a one-page profile on Brosnan which will appear in the Danish daily Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten on Tuesday May 16, 2023.

● The edited and published Pierce Brosnan interviews (2012) can be found here

One small anecdote: To this day I regret that I missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity when I met Pierce Brosnan in Venice. Before the actual interview, which took place in a large white tent, I was waiting around wearing a cream-coloured suit which happened to exactly match the leather couch that Brosnan and I were both standing next to. Pierce, who seemed relaxed and amiable while killing time like me, noticed the similar colours and cheerfully remarked that I was dressed for the occasion. If only I had had the good sense to capture that moment for posterity! Instead you will have to settle for this grainy snapshot of the younger Brosnan arriving at the Odeon Leicester Square for the London gala premiere of "GoldenEye" in 1995 where I was standing behind the barricades in a crowd of cheering fans, all stretching our necks to catch a glimpse of the celebrity guests.

Pierce Brosnan at the London gala premiere of "GoldenEye" at Odeon Leicester Square, London November 21, 1995 - credit © Brian Iskov/Bond•O•Rama.dk

DEN SKALDEDE FRISØR (Love is All You Need)

Danish junket, Venice Film Festival 2012 - 17 mins

Q: Your character in "Love is All You Need" says that he hates our bloody country. What was your impression of Denmark?
Pierce Brosnan: Mine was that I enjoyed your country. Copenhagen I really adored, I had the most fantastic time. Loved the country, loved the artists that I met. I started my career as a painter, as an artist so I was fascinated by the work that was going on there. Susanne's films had intrigued me enormously. The Dogma of it all, when those films came on the stage years ago, that was quite fascinating. There was a challenge in my mind to start with, of how I was gonna fit into this whole scenario. But Susanne just said, don't worry about that. And we *were* fine.

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“GoldenEye”: Tv interview with Pierce Brosnan from “Bogart” (1996)

In this excerpt from the film programme "Bogart" shown on DR (Danish national television) in January 1996, the show's host Ole Michelsen reviews the latest James Bond 007 film "GoldenEye" in Danish and interviews Pierce Brosnan who visited Hotel d'Angleterre in Copenhagen on his promotional tour. The interview clip is in English with Danish subtitles and shows a somewhat defensive Brosnan countering a slightly condescending question from Michelsen regarding the "shallowness" of the Bond character.

Please note that the clip is transferred from a VHS recording of the original broadcast and that this edit does not include the clip from the opening scene of "GoldenEye" which was part of the original broadcast.

Extra:

On page 167 of Ole Michelsen's book "Film skal ses i biografen" [Movies should be seen at the cinema], published by Aschehoug in 1997, he gave yet another reason for Pierce Brosnan's grumpy appearence in the interview clip:

"I accidentally insulted him when he told me he was about to do a new version of Robinson Crusoe. I responded: Which part will you be playing?"

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“The World is Not Enough”: Behind the scenes (1999)

VIDEO

 
Around the time of the Danish theatrical release of "The World is Not Enough" in December 1999, local cable channel DK4 broadcast this special in which Michael Sandager talks to Ulrich Thomsen and director Michael Apted. The show also includes B-roll footage from the set of "The World is Not Enough" and footage form the Danish gala premiere at the Imperial theatre in Copenhagen.

Please note that only the Michael Apted interview has English audio (with Danish subtitles). The video has been sourced from a VHS recording.

● Watch more rare James Bond 007 videos at Bond•=•Ramas Vimeo page

“OHMSS50”: Exclusive chat with Vic Armstrong (2019)

INTERVIEW

 
On Monday October 5, 2020, Vic Armstrong turns 74. The legendary English stunt performer began his Bond career at the age of 20 when he was the first ninja to slide down a rope into Blofeld's volcano lair in "You Only Live Twice" (EON 1967).

Vic Armstrong since doubled for George Lazenby in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (EON 1969), Roger Moore in "Live and Let Die" (EON 1973) and Sean Connery in "Never Say Never Again" (Taliafilm 1983) before graduating to second unit director and stunt co-ordinator on three of Pierce Brosnan's Bond films: "Tomorrow Never Dies" (EON 1997), "The World is Not Enough" (EON 1999) and "Die Another Day" (EON 2002).

> Read our previous interview with Vic Armstrong from "Bond in Motion" (2014)

Bond•O•Rama.dk met up with Vic Armstrong again in Switzerland in June 2019 during the "OHMSS50" anniversary celebration at Piz Gloria/Schilthorn. We had a chat about Vic's second unit work on "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" back in 1969 and some of the other exotic Bond locations he has had the privilege of working on.

Vic Armstrong at Piz Gloria, June 2019. Photo credit: Brian Iskov/Bond•O•Rama.dk

Of all the filming locations you've worked on for the Bond films, which one is your favourite?
They're all fantastic, but this [Piz Gloria and Schilthorn] is iconic. I was here for three-four months [for "OHMSS" in 1969]. It just went on and on with the second unit. We stayed through. The snow came, and it melted while we were still shooting. Fabulous.

I'd only been in the business about five years when I got the call to come here, and I was one of the second group of stuntmen to arrive. We came here basically to do the attack at the Schilthorn where the helicopters come in and we jump out with the flamethrowers, jump into the snow, then run up and attack Blofeld. So we did that. Then we did the car chase down in Lauterbrunnen, and then I stayed up with the second unit and we did all the rest of it. I remember the first night I arrived it was dark when I got here, and they sent us down to Stäger [the local sporting goods store] to get fitted for ski equipment. They said, "Would you mind learning to ski?". Fine, well, I am paid to do that, you know! So they kitted us out with all the ski gear and I walked back to the hotel. It was a moonlit night in the winter, and it was absolutely stunning. I was looking across at the Eiger ... Ah. It was bright as daylight. Just amazing. I've never forgotten that.

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“OHMSS50”: Exclusive John Glen interview (2019)

During this summer's unofficial OHMSS 50 celebration for "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" at Piz Gloria, James Bond•O•Rama.dk had the pleasure of meeting long-time EON associate John Glen.

The 87-year-old Englishman edited "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" and directed the second unit on location in Switzerland back in 1968-69. John Glen later performed the same duties on "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977) and "Moonraker" (1979) before graduating to director on every EON-produced Bond film during the 80's: "For Your Eyes Only" (1981), "Octopussy" (1983), "A View to a Kill" (1985), "The Living Daylights" (1987) and "Licence to Kill" (1989).

In this exclusive chat with Bond•O•Rama.dk John Glen discusses some of his favourite Bond locations as well as the editing techniques of "OHMSS" and other tricks of the trade.

● "OHMSS 50": Pictures from Piz Gloria
● "OHMSS 50": Pictures from Mürren, Lauterbrunnen and Bern

John Glen being interviewed at Piz Gloria on June 1, 2019. Photo credit: Schilthorn Canbleway

John Glen, what would you name as your favourite Bond location?
I think Piz Gloria [would be at number one]. The Bernese Oberland is probably one of the best locations we've ever had. It's such a vast scene, it's very James Bond in its aspects. [The Bond connection] is the history of this place, isn't it.
I believe Piz Gloria and Schilthornbahn is the only Bond film location ever to write in their contract that they had unlimited means of promoting it as an official Bond location. And apparently EON Productions are not very happy about that.
It's indirectly free publicity, it's still 007, isn't it. And that's the important thing. It's an amazing franchise. Everyone says, how long can it go on for. I remember Lewis Gilbert saying to me that he thought it would probably come to an end after "Moonraker", "maybe that's the end of the series". It cost a lot of money, "Moonraker". Subsequently, of course, all of these new markest have opened up.

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James Bond concert in Tivoli: Interview with Adrian Prabava (2017)

EVENT

On Friday 07.07.2017, Tivoli Copenhagen Phil performs "The Hunt for 007 - an Evening with James Bond" at Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen. James Bond•O•Rama.dk attended the first rehearsal and interviewed the conductor, Adrian Prabava.

The iconic date 07.07.2017 has inevitably given rise to several James Bond 007-themed events in Copenhagen. On this very Friday, Tivoli Concert Hall presents "The Hunt for 007 - an Evening with James Bond" as part of Tivoli's annual music festival SommerKlassisk.

Indonesian-born German conductor Adrian Prabava will be conducting the Tivoli Copenhagen Phil (formerly known as Tivolis Symfoniorkester) in a full programme of music from the James Bond 007 films. The programme was provided by European FilmPhilharmonic Institute.

At the initial rehearsal that James Bond•O•Rama.dk was invited to on Tuesday 4th July, The Tivoli Ensemble and vocalist Pernille Rosendahl were not yet in attendance. The Tivoli Ensemble will support the orchestra with drums and electric instruments at the concert; they might also fill in the iconic guitar riff (if Prabava so chooses) during the "James Bond Theme". Rosendahl, who is slated to sing four songs, has previous Bond experience from her band Swan Lee whose single "Tomorrow Never Dies" in 1997 was a contender for the title theme in the eponymous film.

During rehearsal, the conductor and the orchestra go through the entire programme for the first time. Prabava halts the music several times in order to fine-tune specific note lengths and polish any rough corners. Part of Michael Kamen's "Licence to Kill" score is repeated for string section only and then with strings and woodwinds until Prabava is satisfied with the result. It is like hearing the familiar 007 soundtracks being remixed and deconstructed live.

The percussionist gets a proper workout during Thomas Newman's busy action cues from "Skyfall". Afterwards, Adrian Prabava describes this suite as the "most challenging" part of the programme. The orchestral sound will be overdubbed with live synthesized effects and timed exactly to the sound effects in the accompanying scenes from the film which will be shown on a screen behind the musicians. Furthermore, modern composing for films is generally more complex than in the 60s, says Adrian Prabava.

"You can tell that film music has developed a lot the last ten years. Orchestral writing for cinema is getting more specialized, with greater possibilities of sampling and using the orchestra. There is kind of a new genre of composing for film, and this is also an aesthetic you can hear in "Skyfall"."

The disparity between Thomas Newman's hectic contemporary score and the luxurious, pop- and jazz-inflected John Barry sound from the sixties is particularly apparent when performed in direct sequence. Adrian Prabava senses that the melodic style of film composing might be coming back, though:

"Nowadays, if I listen to contemporary pop music, many pieces don't have this depth of composition we used to have in pop music in the 60s. I'm talking about harmony, about rhythm. Very often is it reduced to a simple rhythm and bass, with a lot of repetition, less melody. This is the music of our time. So this is reflected in the movie compositions as well. Many people go home without being able to sing along to what they heard in the cinema, it's very rare now. I think there is a turning back, with musical films like "La La Land", this longing for the ... emancipation of melody, going back to the fullness, a full-bodied composition."

Dirigent Adrian Prabava - pr-foto © Ulrike von Loeper

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“The World is not Enough”: Danish TV interviews and review (DR2 1999)

In December 1999, the film programme "Bogart", broadcast on national Danish TV channel DR2, featured a lengthy segment on the newly released James Bond 007 film "The World is Not Enough" (Eon Productions 1999).

First, actor Ulrich Thomsen talks to journalist Søren Høy about his role as Davidov in the film. This part is in Danish.

Next, director Michael Apted and Pierce Brosnan (James Bond 007) discuss the film in junket interviews with Søren Høy. These interviews are in English with Danish subtitles.

The segment ends with a capsule review of "The World is not Enough" in Danish by the show's host, Ole Michelsen.

● Watch more rare James Bond 007 videos on Bond•O•Rama's Vimeo page