In 1989 Warner Home Video issued all of the James Bond 007 films (except the Columbia-produced "Casino Royale" from 1967) on retail VHS through local distributor Metronome Video. The Bond films had not previously been available on sell-through video in Denmark.
This initial retail series had specially designed cover art with raster graphics on a metallic grey background which was obviously meant to resemble Maurice Binder's famous gunbarrel design.
Below is the Danish cover art for the first Danish retail VHS of "Octopussy" (EON 1983):
Below is the cover for the first Danish rental videocassette of "Octopussy" (EON 1983), which Metronome Video A/S released on VHS in a pan and scan version in 1986.
"Octopussy" (1983) was released in Danish cinemas on August 15, 1983. This appears to have been the first time that United International Pictures' distribution office in Denmark produced a Danish teaser poster for an upcoming James Bond 007 film.
The Danish teaser poster for "Octopussy" was based on the American One Sheet Advance Poster (style A) painted by Dan Goozee with multiple Roger Moores marking the 13th of EON Productions' James Bond 007 films. The logline literally says: "Nobody does it better... for the 13th time."
● In the 1983 James Bond 007 film "Octopussy", Denmark is represented in graphic form on the animated map over Europe which adorns the wall of the Soviet Ministry of Defence. Our small kingdom fills up with red on the screen to illustrate the renegade general Orlov's (Steven Berkoff) dream of Communist supremacy over the continent, Scandinavia included. Time code (Blu-ray): 00:18:03-00:18:17
● The German diesel engine which in the film's climax pulls Octopussy International Circus Train towards the US air base in Berlin is actually a Danish locomotive. DSB Litra S 740 was built by A/S Frichs Maskinfabrik og Kedelsmedje in Aarhus, Jutland, in 1928 commissioned by DSB, the Danish State Railways. The S engine was in service on the branch lines on Sealand until DSB phased out their diesel locomotives during the 1960s. S 740 was subsequently used as an excursion train and eventually was handed off to DBS's railway museum in 1976.
Englishman Mike Bradley bought the discarded tender in the southern Danish town of Gedser in 1979 and had it transported to Wansford near Peterborough, England, where the S 740 was renovated for use on the preserved railway line Nene Valley Railway. This is where S 740 got a starring role in the production of "Octopussy" as all train scenes in the film were shot on this English piece of track in late 1982. The train has been painted with German signage and given the number 62 015. Shortly after the end of production, S 740 was taken out of active service. In the 1990s Northsealand Vintage Trains (Nordsjællandsk Veterantog) bought the locomotive with a view to restoring it. According to the club's web paghe S 740 is currently in Rungsted north of Copenhagen.
Additional trivia: In 2017 the Tikøb Foundry produced a DSB Litra S steam engine as a model train. Tidskoder (Blu-ray): 01:34:24; 01:35:40
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.
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.
