Pinewood - 007 Stage
The 007 Stage at Pinewood was built to house massive Liparus supertanker set for 'The Spy Who Loved Me'. After a search across Europe, the producers failed to find a stage large enough to house the three submarines the scene required, so they decided to build a new stage and tank specifically for that film. Designed by the Academy Award-winning production designer Ken Adam, the stage enabled massive sets to be constructed under cover and away from prying eyes. For the earlier James Bond adventure 'You Only Live Twice' the scaffolding exterior of the setfor Blofeld's volcano base was an eyesore, and resulted in numerous complaints from nearby residents.
The 007 Stage was officially opened on December 5th, 1976, with a dedication ceremony attended by then British Prime Minister Sir Harold Wilson.
The stage has been destroyed by fire twice; in 1984 just after Ridley Scott's 'Legend' had finished shooting, and again in 2006 (after 'Casino Royale' had wrapped).
The newly reopened stage is now 59,000 sq feet in area.
As well as appearances in most of the James Bond films since 'The Spy Who Loved Me', the stage was also the stunning set for the Fortress of Solitude for 1978's 'Superman: The Movie' (and the sequel). It was recently used for the Universal musical 'Mamma Mia' where the entire set of buildings on top of the Greek mountain was built inside the stage, and surrounded by a bluescreen.
Link to the Official 007 Stage website
See also The Richard Attenborough Stage
