One of the most memorable locations in all of the James Bond movies is an island known locally as Ko Khao Phing Kan (and nicknamed “James Bond Island”) in Phuket, Thailand from The Man With The Golden Gun (1974).
You’ll remember the almost surreal rock formation jutting out of the ocean as we first arrive on Francisco Scaramanga’s island lair:
In case you missed it – the new Spectre trailer! Warning…major spoilers!
I may be biased since TND was the first James Bond movie I saw in theaters, but the remote control BMW scene is nothing but fun from start to finish. I distinctly remember smiling ear-to-ear just as Brosnan does at the end of the scene, and the theater’s collective ooh’s and aah’s as each new gadget appeared on screen. This was nothing short of action movie magic, and is a top-tier action scene in all of the James Bond movies. Who wouldn’t want to drive a car (BMW, nonetheless) remotely and look as cool as James Bond doing it?!
Something about this seemingly innocuous scene (where James Bond meets Tiffany Case in Diamonds Are Forever (1971)) elevates its notoriety in my book. Maybe it’s the loungey, daydreamy, nap-inducing version of the DAF theme, or the way Bond questions endearingly “Weren’t you a blonde when I came in?” Something about it makes me love it. And the Van Cleef & Arpels quip…classic! 🙂
