My Trip To The BARBICAN!

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  • Posts: 43
    Thanks for all the info jbondcollector! And for the photos too! Might be a few things to tempt me there. I've already paid for the 30 pound catalogue so I'll pick that up obviously. Don't know if I'd be tempted by the cars-I have a DB5 that I got for Christmas ages ago-I'd be more keen on some of the less popular cars in the series, that probably won't be on sale. The books might tempt me, but I already have a few a home, and will be travelling fairly light, so won't be bringing too much back. I might get a 50th poster, but I'd hold off on the teaser poster, though it's cool-I've got the theatrical (proper, double sided ones) posters from Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. The Algerian Love Knot sounds great, even though I'm a bloke and I assume the SPECTRE ring is the replica that was produced last year/2 years ago?

    Ha, I'll buy something though, the carrier bag is nice in itself!
  • MartinBondMartinBond Trying not to muck it up again
    edited July 2012 Posts: 860
    The thing I want to know, is if it's combine-able with BIM? I might go down to London this autumn, but it all depends on my holiday and bank account, as I was actually saving up for a mini rally-project car. But then again, this only happens once every 50 years.

    [edit]I just checked my college schedule, and I'm not in able to go before september 5th :(. Therefore, does anyone know where the exhibition will go after Toronto?
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    edited July 2012 Posts: 9,117
    The other glass cabinet had the algerian love knot in a range of jewellery although a full size one from the film will set you back £1500.

    Went with the missus on sunday and got stitched up with having to buy this.

    'Oh you should buy me that as its Bonds 50th'. My argument of 'Hey I'm the Bond fan round here love not you so shouldnt it be me getting something?' fell on deaf ears.

    Fortuitously I managed to find a cheaper version online for £150. Still a bit steep seeing as I get nothing out of it but better than £1500.
    Mind you it comes in a nice Bond case so if I can just manage to stop her ever wearing it it might be worth a bit as a collectable in a few years.

    And she also was banging on about Vespers dress and shoes while we were there as if I'm going to shell out for them as well. If only she had the account mumber to 100m of the treasurys money she might be worth all the earache.

    Insert any Bernard Manning style jokes about hoping she goes and tops herself at your own convenience.
  • Had a great visit to the Barbican a couple of weeks ago, booked the tickets in the morning for a visit late afternoon. It wasn't that busy. The layout is a bit confusing as the exhibition spans a few rooms of the cavenous Barbican Centre and we needed direction to the lift for the 'Ice Palace' bit in the basement.
    There's so much to see in this it's really worthwhile if you can make it before it ups sticks and moves on.

    Disappointed about the lack of photo's you can take although we had a good go. There are some nice quality ones' online though that some lucky people have managed to take, a quick Google sort them out.
    The ultimate way to enjoy pics of the exhibits is to fork out for the catalogue. It's nicely put together and almost justifies the hefty 30 quid. I went a bit mad and got that plus a really nice 50th Anniversary keyring and a couple of film poster postcards (60p each - bargain). Had to stop myself with the light and sound cars... at 18 quid a piece, the DBS, Lotus Esprit and DB5 were way over the top but having tried the buttons, they makes a lot of engine, gun, sounds and play the start of the Bond theme plus the headlights and stoplights work...I was so tempted! did anyone get any of these cars??? I've not seen these advertised anywhere else - anyone know anymore???

    Having narrowly avoided buying the 50th Anniv Monopoly at 40 quid(!) at the exhibition I have since found it online for 25 quid on eBay!!
    Having played it this morning with my Son, my advice is try to avoid buying your favourite film properties in the game and stick to the old Monopoly rule of buying a group of the same colour properties instead!!!
  • Posts: 1,492
    Just got back from that concrete bunker they call the The Barbican which has to be the most exhausting infuriating badly designed badly laid out messes in the city.

    The exhibtion was top notch though..

    I especially loved the obscure props that they had found and it brought back some great memories. Gettiing up close to the attache case, the walther ppks, the ATAC and the faberge eggs was terrific. You could tell they were authentic because pieces like the explosive keyring and the 'bomb surprise' were frayed around the edges which to me added to their authenticity.

    The costume part was probably the highlight with those costumes they cant get they replicated ie Sylvias evening gown and Tracys dress. But I was surprised how much original stuff they had there. I didnt expect Lazs' ski suit to survive or Rogs'safari suit. Even the replicated costumes had astonishing jewellry. I had completely forgotten about Andreas green pendant until I saw it there.

    The whole thing was given context with big screens showing the costumes on screen and in the villains section Strombergs slightly portly satin shirt and Sanchezs' silver shirt. Even the DAD dominated basement "snow and ski" bit wasnt too painful. Where else do you get to see the cello case that housed Maryams and Tims mutual arses all those years ago?

    I was surprised at the turnout and there were a party of six girls there I didnt expect to see lapping it up. But the highlight to me was the number of families and small boys walking around wide eyed.
  • Hey guys, finally my turn to go and see the exhibition is nearly here-will be seeing it at the end of the week! Just a few questions? Are the replicas labelled? I'd like to know when I'm up to close to something that been's on screen, and when I'm not. Is it easy to get to the 'courtyard' place in the Barbican that Tanner and M were seen in QoS from the exhibition itself? Also, slightly off topic, but anybody done the Thames speedboat tour-I see there's one that does a James Bond Tour, the guide points out facts and places and there's Bond music playing going up the Thames-is it worth doing? Hadn't planned on an overly Bond themed trip, but do plan to do some Bond things-I plan to visit or try and visit some of the Skyfall locations. I'm sure I'd figure it out when I was there, but what road is Bond running down in the Skyfall teaser trailer? You can see Parliament and Westminster Abbey behind him.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    scotty8692 wrote:
    Are the replicas labelled? I'd like to know when I'm up to close to something that been's on screen, and when I'm not. Is it easy to get to the 'courtyard' place in the Barbican that Tanner and M were seen in QoS from the exhibition itself? Also, slightly off topic, but anybody done the Thames speedboat tour-I see there's one that does a James Bond Tour, the guide points out facts and places and there's Bond music playing going up the Thames-is it worth doing? Hadn't planned on an overly Bond themed trip, but do plan to do some Bond things-I plan to visit or try and visit some of the Skyfall locations. I'm sure I'd figure it out when I was there, but what road is Bond running down in the Skyfall teaser trailer? You can see Parliament and Westminster Abbey behind him.

    Yes to the replicas and yes to the QOS courtyard.

    Personally I'd suggest getting a copy of James Bond's London (unless you have one) and sort your own little tour out. Much more fun.

    The road he runs down is Whitehall. If you go up to Whitehall Place you can also check out the building he's stood on in that already iconic shot.
  • Thanks RC7. Didn't expect such a quick response! Right, so it's a case of I won't be going round in circles trying to find it-I hadn't been in London since QoS was released and although it's hardly an iconic scene, a nerdy part of me wants to see it-especially when I'm at the Barbican for Bond in the first place.

    I do, buddy. Took it on my last trip to London to see a certain Mr Moore. I visited a few of the locations then, that were around me-Buckingham Palace, the door to the tub e station in DAD, MI6 HQ, etc. I'm not going to have too much time, so I thought bombing down the river in a boat would be a good way to spend some time, and be like Bond.

    I thought it might be but just wanted to make sure I was seeing it in the correct direction-I have visions of me walking down another road opposite for instance, and then seeing I was on the wrong road when I see the film. It'll be much easier to do a tour of the SkyFall locations when the film is actually released I guess. Even though we have a lot of info on them.
  • Posts: 154
    Really enjoyable exhibition! It really evokes a 60s atmosphere. Currently in the Martini Bar, forgot how potent the Vesper cocktail really is!

  • Posts: 12,526
    Matt wrote:
    Really enjoyable exhibition! It really evokes a 60s atmosphere. Currently in the Martini Bar, forgot how potent the Vesper cocktail really is!

    Lol! Glad your enjoying it! Keep the vesper's coming!!!!
  • St_GeorgeSt_George Shuttling Drax's lovelies to the space doughnut - happy 40th, MR!
    Posts: 1,699
    In short, terrific exhibition, perhaps one of the best of any kind I've visited - although, obviously as a Bond fan, I may be biased. ;)

    For what it's worth, here's my opinion in more detail...

    http://georgesjournal.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/00750-designing-007-fifty-years-of-bond-style-at-the-barbican-until-september-5/
  • Posts: 469
    [img][/img]bondexlondon.jpg

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    Took a trip to the Barbican yesterday.
    Good point was not having to wait to get in, bad points was the exhibition itself.
    Everyone has their own opinion on the exhibition, and mine is the following.
    Very badly laid out - good idea with the themed coloured rooms BUT not enough substance to them. The props were dotted all over the place - it felt like there was no flow to them. They could of done so much more with it !!
    Over the years the exhibitions I have been to, I would rate this the worse. The security in the rooms did not seem that bothered ( might be because it was finishing this week) and saw people taking a sneaky pic here and there.
    So my covert camera came out and hopefully I will have a few sneaky pics soon. Will not be good as it felt as my mate and I walked in we were being followed all the way round !
    One of the security team served us at the till and was also ready to meet us in zone 2 and 3. And as anyone knows zone 3 is a lift ride down to the ICE ZONE.
    If you had the choice to visit 1 of 2 then I would vote a trip to the New forest for a good day and a upclose look at some of the vehicles.
    The gift shop was naff and the brochure ( even though you have to get one ) is far to expensive for what it is.
    Good luck Canada and I hope it is better for you.
    Last note - how bloody hard was it to escape from the Barbican once you get outside the giftshop doors ???
  • Posts: 12,526
    Well it is all over now and has come to close at the Barbican! Enjoy Toronto and all who visit the exhibition!
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,402
    Was there a Toronto thread? I would like to see what people thought of it? I went in early January and was really impressed with what I saw. Loved the Casino Room and the Q section. It blew me away to see those Q gadgets in "real life". The costumes were interesting and you could sense and see the difference over the years.
  • edited January 2013 Posts: 1,370
    thedove wrote:
    Was there a Toronto thread? I would like to see what people thought of it? I went in early January and was really impressed with what I saw. Loved the Casino Room and the Q section. It blew me away to see those Q gadgets in "real life". The costumes were interesting and you could sense and see the difference over the years.

    Saw it a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed. We didn't have the Sean mannequin with the DB5 and we didn't have the "Ice Room". But fantastic to see the props with my own eyes - I couldn't believe how wrecked the FRWL briefcase was! The costumes were amazing, and as I've worked on a couple of films I should have known how different they can look in real life as opposed to on film. But it was great to see how some were made so much more beautiful by the camera, and how others looked even better in real life.

    And holy cow was Robbie Coltrane's costume huge!

    The big disappointment for me was that they were sold out of the souvenir guide book. But we also got to see some of the costumes and props from SF so that was a plus.

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