The long-awaited return of the legendary James Bond to the big screen will be with the film “Heavy rain“, directed by Sam Mendes and starring Daniel Craig Thursday 1 November 2012.

Skyfall is not just the 23rd movie starring him 007. It is the film that coincides with fifty years of James Bond.  All it takes to make Ian Fleming's legendary agent the longest-lived bachelor in the history of cinema. Half a century after Dr. No (1962), with six actors having stepped into the shoes of the role, with countless girls and journeys to all corners of the planet and iconic rivals along the way, James Bond has seen a lot and done even more. And then, a golden anniversary deserves to be what,what does he want, from boring or glamorous to simply formal.

In the case of Skyfall, one thing is certain: that the whole team – old and new-  who worked for this film, took the opportunity to give a thorough account of this British phenomenon called Bond. So, Daniel Craig, who plays the role for the third time, dives, literally and not,  into the deep to find what this something is, beyond the chase and women,  which has determined him 007 until today. Something similar happens to Judi Dench, who returns after seven tougher films,  but also more vulnerable than ever. They are both tired, or to be precise, under the confident direction of Sam Mendes, they dare to be tired. And they have every reason,  with the first and best being the blistering opening action scene. With thousands of kilometers separating them (he is in Turkey, while she gives orders from MI6 headquarters in London) , M will make a decision that will tear them both apart. So, the femme fatale in the new James Bond film is none other than M, who thanks to her maternal dimension awakens various personal demons, including those of the evil Javier Bardem who does not attack to destroy the world, but because he wants to end a personal affair. Like the weapon young Q supplies to Bond, which is activated solely by its own fingerprints, so Skyfall ultimately tells personal stories.

Meantime, Adele's song has been dressed up in a dreamlike and highly encrypted underwater sequence, great lines - that will go down in history-  a host of sly references to his universe have also been made 007 has emerged from the most unexpected corners. This is definitely a positive report.

Summary:
Bond's latest mission in Turkey doesn't end well at all, and some of the world's most important secret agents are irreparably exposed. The MI6 offices are bombed and M (Judi Dench), under pressure and challenge from the new chairman of the Secret Service and Security Committee, Mallory(Ralph Fiennes), is forced to take drastic measures. MI6 is under threat from within and without, and M can trust no one else, except for Bond. O 007 plunges into the dark past, with Agent Eve as her only assistant, (Naomie Harris) to follow the trail of the mysterious Silva (Javier Bardem), whose motives he must discover.

“The Daniel Craig era comes of age with a tough Bond who takes risks for good. You know something; After all, you can teach old dogs new tricks". Neil Smith, Total Film

"They were needed 23 movies and 50 years to learn the truth about Bond,  but it was worth it… Without sacrificing the action, Mendes puts the actors in the spotlight, explores their wonderfully complex emotional world in ways that the show has never dared to do before”. Peter Debruge, Variety

“Dramatically riveting, but retaining its underground humor, this beautiful film will be loved by loyal fans around the world as one of the best Bond films ever". Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter

"Skyfall is a great British film. From the moment the orchestral sound pours in with Adele's voice and a nostalgic shiver runs down the audience's collective spine, we know this will be a triumphant return to classic Bond". Kate Muir, The Times of London

"Mendes doesn't hesitate to let the quieter dramatic moments breathe... and master cinematographer Roger Deakins makes the ambitious action scenes the most beautiful in Bond's fifty-year career" Robbie Collin, The Telegraph

Trivia/Fun Facts:
• Ο ρόλος του Q έχει τη δική του ιδιαίτερη ιστορία. Bond's right-hand man first appeared in 'Dr. no", where the role of Major Boothroyd was played by Peter Burton. He was followed by Desmond Llewelyn for 17 films between 1963-1999. Later, we had the opportunity to enjoy John Cleese who started as R, i.e. Q's sidekick in The World Is Not Enough to be promoted to Q's role in Die Another Day.
• Παρόλο που η αρχική σκηνή διαρκεί μόλις δώδεκα λεπτά, it took three months for rehearsals and two months for filming.
• Η πρώτη φορά που έπαιξε η Aston Martin DB5 πλάι στον Bond ήταν στην ταινία «Χρυσοδάκτυλος».
• Ένα μεγάλο μέρος της ταινίας γυρίστηκε στα ιστορικά Pinewood Studios, just outside London. There, after all, most of them have been filmed – with the exception of three- his movies 007.
• Για το Skyfall κατασκευάστηκαν 31 different scenes, among which are the underground offices of MI6, the interior of the Golden Dragon Casino, the exterior of Dead City (which is located on a deserted island near Macau and hosts the subchthonian Silva).
• Για τη σκηνή, where a subway train derails with dangerous results, the workshop built 2 wires of regular dimensions, that they weighed 7 tons each.  They had been placed on the stage 10 cameras with remote control, to capture the conflict from various angles, without having to endanger anyone.
• Για το εξωτερικό του Golden Dragon Casino, were recruited 12 craftsmen from China to manufacture 300 authentic Chinese lanterns.
• Πολλές εξωτερικές σκηνές γυρίστηκαν στο Λονδίνο, even those set in China. Specifically, the fourth tallest building in London, o Broadgate Tower, it was dressed and lit to look like a company building in Shanghai.
• Η National Portrait Gallery είναι ο τόπος συνάντησης του Bond με τον νέο Q, in one of Skyfall's most enjoyable performances.
• Σε συνεργασία με τις αρχές του Λονδίνου, the production managed to close Vauxhall and Milbank Bridge for a spectacular explosion scene.
• Τα γυρίσματα στο μετρό του Λονδίνου έγιναν στον σταθμό Charing Cross μέσα σε 4 Weekends.
• Στο προτελευταίο βιβλίο του Ian Fleming ("You Only Live Twice"), the author mentioned some facts about Bond's family roots, revealing that his father was from Scotland. This detail plays a catalytic role in the film, as one of Skyfall's most beautiful scenes was shot in the beautiful Scottish countryside.
• Η εισαγωγική σκηνή της ταινίας γυρίστηκε στην Κωνσταντινούπολη και στην Αντάνα. Bond, neither more nor less, pursues a dangerous rival in the Eminomu district, one of the old and beautiful areas of Istanbul, which is definitely one of the busiest spots. For the needs of this particular sequence, the production created a huge market, where they were housed over 250 benches.
• Η εντυπωσιακή καταδίωξη συνεχίζεται στις θεαματικές οροφές του Grand Bazaar, which, under normal conditions, hosts 400,000 visitors daily. Filming took place only on Sundays, when the bazaar was closed. For this reason, an entire business was set up for as many Saturday nights as it took, in order to clothe the bazaar.
• Ένας στόλος από 12 Land Rover Defenders and 16 Audi A5s were modified for this particular scene.
• Δεν είναι η πρώτη φορά που ο James Bond επισκέπτεται την Κωνσταντινούπολη. The first time was in the movie "From Russia with Love", where Ian Fleming himself accompanied producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman and the crew to the shoot. The second time was a short stint in The World Is Not Enough.
• “Take the Bloody Shot”. One of the film's most iconic lines is heard while Bond is fighting his adversary, on the roof of a moving train. This shoot was one of the most challenging and complex parts of the intro sequence. The specific scene that defines the plot of the film, takes part in the Varda Bridge, which has been built the 1912 and has height 100 meters . Important detail, considering that the scene ends with Bond falling into space. To achieve this, a crane had to be added to one of the wires from which the stuntman was tied by a very long rope.
• Η δική μας Τόνια Σωτηροπούλου, may have a brief appearance in the film, but enjoys special treatment, as her role, ensures her particularly intimate moments with the sought-after bachelor. The scene was shot on a remote beach in Turkey, where production had to negotiate with 613 landowners so he could return there.

Source : culturenow.gr