More 'Quantum of Solace' Siena Tidbits
Daniel Craig attends
the Palio di Siena in August 2007
WARNING: Possible spoilers
Following up CommanderBond.net’s overview of the Siena, Italy filming sequence for Quantum of Solace, more details have been revealed in local newspapers about what James Bond fans can expect.
A recent press conference held by line producer Guido Cerasuolo of Mestiere Cinema, the Venitian production firm that previously worked on Casino Royale revealed several key dates for the forthcoming filming.
The 007 crew is expected to arrive in Siena on 31 March, with the rooftops chase commenceing on 4 April and lasting until the 12th. Then, as earlier pointed out in this CBn article, they head off to Lago di Garda, the largest and deepest lake in Italy, for a further two weeks of filming.
Daniel Craig is James Bond in Quantum of Solace
Two weeks in the Tuscan city of Carrara at the beginning of May will follow and then the Bond crew heads back to Siena to film at the Piazza del Campo from 13 to 17 May.
Additionally, a separate Quantum of Solace unit will be filming in Talamone at the end of April.
According to Cerasuolo, the Italian sequence will roughly last a total of 15-20 minutes on screen, with the seven to eight minutes in Siena ‘among the most spectacular.’
Daniel Craig attends
the Palio di Siena in August 2007
Speaking specifically about the major chase sequence, Cerasuolo also added that the Bond production has renounced an initial idea of concluding the sequence in the Duomo di Siena cathedral because they deemed the scene would be disrespectful of the sacred monument.
Palio di Siena
As an alternative, Daniel Craig’s Bond will instead ‘pop out’ of the bottini (a tangled network of underground tunnels) at the fountain of Piazza del Campo right at the moment the Palio di Siena horse race ends.
The estimated budget of the sequence in Siena is about € 500,000 – 600,000 (roughly $870,000 / £430,000). 2,000 local extras, as chosen by the Scoutit agency in Firenze, will be used for the sequence (1,000 of those will be situated at the Piazza del Campo for the Palio race).
For further, in depth details about Quantum of Solace Siena action sequence, click here for CBn’s overview.
We’ll keep you updated as more details are revealed.
Stay tuned to the CBn main page for the most up-to-date and complete coverage of Quantum of Solace.