GB
2012
2hrs 23mins
Dir: Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig and Judi Dench
Bond’s loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her
The 23rd Bond movie sacrifices story for excitement and is rather underwhelming. There is a scene where Bond, played by Daniel Craig, chases Javier Bardem onto the District Line of the Underground and pursues him from ‘Temple’ station, to ‘Embankment’. The station scenes largely used the disused Jubilee Line section of Charing Cross station and there are good shots of the 1996-built tube stock, including one from track level inside the tunnel. Vehicles 96069, 96269, 96469 and 96669 are all identifiable in the tense scenes filmed onboard. The ‘old’ Charing Cross is fast becoming a screen favourite that is now used for many modern day action sequences. Its appearance as Temple is unusual though because Temple is not a deep-level station. For the ensuing tube train crash, two full-size tube carriages, each weighing seven tons, were built for the sequence which was so risky it had to be filmed with remotely operated cameras, ten of which covered the stunt from various angles. A remarkably unscathed Bond finally emerges from Westminster Underground station but the scene whereby Bardem leaves the tube at Embankment, actually used Charing Cross again. As a footnote, the UK DVD release of Skyfall was advertised by a GNER Class 91 and Mk4 set covered in 007 vinyls. The Class 91 was No.91107, temporarily renumbered 91007 for the duration of the launch, and both it and the DVT were named Skyfall 007, a name which the Class 91 retained after the vinyls promoting the film were removed.
