Written by Heiko Lorson

BKD-members in front of the “Casino”: Udo Wöbking, Club President Wolfgang J. Thürauf, Sascha Braun and Oliver Bayan

With Casino Royale being filmed in the Czech Republic, a number of Bond fans from Germany used the opportunity to make short trips to Karlovy Vary to get first hand impressions of this beautiful location and maybe catch a glimpse of the action. German fan Heiko Lorson was extraordinarily lucky. Read his personal report and learn that a properly dressed man can get anywhere he wants. (Click images to enlarge.)

"On May 24th, I made a visit to Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic. In the afternoon, I first went to the Grand Hotel Pupp, which doubles as Hotel Splendide in Montenegro. On the way there, I passed the Mill Colonade, which will be the station in Montenegro and serve as background location when Bond and Vesper arrive there.

The hotel itself is a beautiful "Grand Hotel" and looks very majestic, especially with the "Hotel Splendide" signs that have been mounted anywhere on the hotel and the cafe that belongs to the hotel. On a nearby advertising column, one can see a poster announcing the poker tournament at Casino Royale. In the hotel car park, the movie’s two Aston Martin DBS can be spotted, and, next to a lot of lighting equipment, cables and trucks, the hotel’s Bentley that picks up Bond and Vesper at the station. Just around the corner, the "Kaiserbad" is located, decorated with a big sign "Casino Royale" above the entrance and brass signs and writings on the doors.

  

Bond’s car pool in Karlovy Vary

I returned to the hotel car park by 8.30 P.M. A "director’s stand" was set up, with chairs and monitors, and Martin Campbell was already there. The Aston Martin was in bright lights, and the ground in front of it was being sprinkled with water. That made it clear: there would be a night shooting today. I was lucky that the set hadn’t already ben closed for te public. I was earing my "North Face" jacket that night, as I had seen many crew members wearing similar ones on previois set pictures (e.g. Martin Campbell). I can tell it now: my "disguise" was perfect. I wasn’t kicked from the set, people may have thought that I’m a crew member.

 

Casino Royale and Hotel Splendide

At around 9.40 PM, Daniel Craig showed up and Mr. Bond himself stood right in front of me. I was standing within 2 meters distance from Martin Campbell all the time, and 3 or 4 meters away, Daniel Craig was shooting a scene with the Aston. I could watch twelve takes of a scene - absolutely fantastic. The scene which was shot: Bond is squat down, gets up, opens the door of the Aston and gets in (from the 7th take, he was already sitting in the car). He’s panting all the time, puts a stick into his mouth, spits out something, uses his mobile phone and… cut!

SPOILER: (Highlight to read)

I guess that’s the scene in which Bond gets poisoned.

Heiko Lorson with Daniel Craig

Can’t wait to see what makes it into the movie from that scene. I can imagine that the cut the "squat down" bit, as they didn’t do that any more after the sixth take and they didn’t seem to be really happy about it. After each take, Craig and Campbell were standing next to me, watching the camera monitors (4 different angles) and discussed the shots. Unfortunately, it was too risky too take pictures. Flashes were forbiden during the shooting, and they would have uncovered me and kicked me out. But when Daniel Craig went to the catering and came back with a cup of coffee, I asked him if I could take a picture. Immediately, he took the camera out of my hand, held it in front of us and pushed the button. After that, shooting was finished and - happy about what I just had experienced - I returned back to my hotel room.

The next day, I returned once again to make a visit at the Cafe Pupp / Splendide. Martin Campbell was there, discussing two storyboard pages with two crew members. They were later joined by Barbara Broccoli. At another table, Lindy Hemming was sitting and discussing with an assistant.

Sascha Braun with Lindy Hemming and her assistant

Oliver Bayan and Martin Campbell

All in all, it was a dream come true for a long time Bond fan, who’s been active since 1979 and never got this close before. The meeting on the second day with my old friends from Oliver, Wolfgang and Sascha from the BKD (Bondklub Deutschland, the German fanclub) was another highlight of two fantastic days in Karlovy Vary in May 2006."

Pictures used by permission of Bondklub Deutschland. Thanks to Heiko Lorson, Sascha Braun, Oliver Bayan, Wolfgang Thürauf, Udo Wöbking and Markus C. Breitfelder. Discuss the set visit in the CBn Forums.