BOND IN MOTION – NO TIME TO DIE EXHIBITION, NATIONAL MOTOR MUSEUM, BEAULIEU
REPORT & PHOTOS (APART FROM THREE IMAGES FROM THE NATIONAL MOTOR MUSEUM, AND INDIVIDUALLY CREDITED) COPYRIGHT CHRIS ADAMSON, WHO ATTENDED…
Film fans visiting that National Motor Museum at Beaulieu will be hoping to be stirred rather than shaken by a new big screen inspired exhibition.
‘Bond in Motion – No Time To Die’ features iconic cars, motorcycles, gadgets, props and costumes from the latest edition of the 007 franchise.
The movie related display, which was opened by Lord Montagu and the film’s special effects supervisor Chris Corbould, follows in the footsteps of the original ‘Bond In Motion’ exhibition, which was staged at the museum ten years ago showing 50 original vehicles from 50 years of Bond.
Lord Montagu commented: “Exhibiting Bond cars in the National Motor Museum is a great way of combining our subject – the history of motoring right up to the present day – with one of the best known themes from the world of entertainment. I am delighted that Eon have given us the opportunity to stage this exhibition as I feel sure it will be very popular with our visitors.”
Chris Corbould said: “The Bond in Motion – No Time To Die exhibition sums up everything we did in the film. The original vehicles are all there in one place to see – from the classics to up-to-date and even state-of-the-art cars. It’s a wonderful collection.’’
Picture from the National Motor Museum, and by Chris Moorhouse.
Picture from the National Motor Museum and by Chris Moorhouse.
Centre stage, as ever, is taken by a Silver Birch Aston Martin DB5 – one of ten that were used in the film. This one comes from the headline grabbing, trailer promoting, sequence where James Bond is surrounded by baddies firing machine guns from all directions, peppering the car with bullets before, as ever, 007 turns the tables and releases his own fusillade of firepower from the rotating DB5.
This is recreated by the revolving multi barrel twin machine guns popping out of the headlights which for the latest movie replace the traditional single barrel guns first seen in Goldfinger.
If you don’t want your film fantasies to be shattered don’t get too close to the car as most of the windscreen bullet impressions are actually stick-on vinyl as are the deceptive scrape lines down both sides of the car – so that’s how they do it!
Another innovation that the eagle-eyed will spot is that Bond’s DB5 has gone high-tech, the old revolving number plate having been replaced by an LED licence plate that changes on a regular basis.
Avid Bond aficionados will also note that one of the international registration plates from the original DB5 is missing – it turns out in the past the film-makers relinquished the rights to one of the numbers so can no longer use it.
Suspended above the DB5 is the folding-wing submersible glider from the film (designed by Tim Browning and which they say took quite an effort to get into place) and alongside it is the Triumph Scrambler motorcycle that features in what has been described as one of the most spectacular and dangerous stunts to feature in a Bond movie.
Also on display in the compact exhibition space is the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, driven in the film by new agent Nomi, the No Time To Die Aston Martin V8 – which was last seen in The Living Daylights (1987) – and a classic Chevy Bel Air that also appears in the movie.
Fans of four-wheel drives will enjoy Bond’s rather battered Land Rover Series III and the Land Rover Defender 110, while a Royal Alloy Scooter adds to the two-wheel display.
To enhance the experience a series of touch-screens put the vehicles into context with short clips from No Time to Die featuring the individual vehicles in action.
Visitors are also able to view a range of gadgets from the Secret Intelligence Service Q Branch, including Bond’s enhanced Omega Seamaster Diver 300M watch, alongside technical plans for vehicle designs various DB5 weapons, movie props and costumes.
A range of Bond merchandise, some directly linked to the new film, is on sale in the museum shop; Beaulieu gift shop or the 007store.com
There is much more to enjoy there too, and The National Motor Museum advises:
“Enjoy Bond in Motion – No Time To Die until November 2022, as part of a marvellous day out to Beaulieu that all the family will enjoy together. See over 280 cars in the National Motor Museum, World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars and ride on a ‘skytrain’ monorail. Have big fun in Little Beaulieu’s adventure play area, discover life ‘upstairs and downstairs’ in Palace House, walk in the footsteps of monks at Beaulieu Abbey, find out about special agents in the Secret Army Exhibition and explore the beautiful grounds and gardens – all in one ticket to Beaulieu. For tickets and details see www.beaulieu.co.uk or call 01590 612345.”