Die Another Day
20th Anniversary 2002-2022

The crew then filmed part of the sword fighting sequence between Graves and Bond at The Reform Club on London’s Pall Mall on May 26th (standing in for Blades Club), with an interior replica constructed at Pinewood for the more destructive parts of the combat, but let down by the artificially lit none-too-convincing garden set. The fight was co-ordinated by legendary Olympic fencer and renowned film sword fight choreographer Bob Anderson (1922-2012). The sequence also featured a cameo by Die Another Day title song performer Madonna as the incongruous fencing instructor Verity. Filming continued throughout June 2002 with the ice dragster sequence on the exterior set at Burford, and interiors of the ice palace on the ‘007 Stage’ at Pinewood Studios. The main filming wrapped on July 10th, 2002, which was effectively Pierce Brosnan’s final day as James Bond - although he later provided his likeness and voice of James Bond for the 2004 Electronic Arts videogame James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing. Pierce Brosnan did not sign a new contract, and in 2005 was told by co-producer Barbara Broccoli that his time as Bond was over.

Negotiations for a fifth film with Brosnan had already begun before the producers decided to reboot the series and film CASINO ROYALE, after recently acquiring the screen rights. Pierce Brosnan’s Bond career was one full of ups and downs. After securing the role in 1986, and then having to give it up due to contractual commitments on the Remington Steele TV series; then signing on again in 1994 to appear in GoldenEye (1995), and successfully reinventing the series for a whole new generation. His four Bond films ultimately grossed over $1 billion at the box-office, with Die Another Day the most successful of them all, which at the time of its release was the most successful film of the series (not taking inflation into account). It is ironic that the two films that held that record prior to the release of Skyfall (2012) were Moonraker (1979) and Die Another Day (2002) - both derided in their day by fans and critics alike, but clearly what the cinema-going audience wanted to see. As the fourth James Bond film to star Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan respectively, they both took the character to new heights of absurdity, and as far away from Ian Fleming’s original characterisation as possible. In both cases the producers realised that although hugely successful from a financial perspective, the series was in danger of becoming too unbelievable, and the next film saw a return to a more grounded storyline with realistic characters. Both For Your Eyes Only (1981) and Casino Royale (2006) had stories based for the most part on original Ian Fleming source material.

With filming on Die Another Day completed the film went into post production, with American Christian Wagner utilising a more modern editing style than had been previously seen in the series. The technique of ‘speed ramping’ - the gradual acceleration and/or deceleration of a piece of film was employed for several sequences, and gave a music-video style to the pacing of the film in several sequences. David Arnold’s music followed suit with a more techno/electronic based contemporary approach to the scoring. Madonna’s title song, whilst fitting cleverly with Daniel Kleinman’s visuals, was another divisive choice, and together with the CGI is another factor that dates the film more than others in the series.

To celebrate 40 years of James Bond in the cinema Die Another Day was launched with a lavish premiere held at London's Royal Albert Hall in Kensington on Monday November 18th, 2002. Die Another Day was also chosen as the Royal Film Performance, an event that has been held annually since 1946 in aid of the Film & Television Charity (formerly the Cinema & Television Benevolent Fund). The event is used to showcase a major film premiere and is attended by members of the British Royal Family. Proceeds from the event enable the charity to offer financial support to people associated with the screen industries. The Die Another Day premiere was attended by Her Majesty The Queen (her first James Bond premiere since You Only Live Twice in 1967) and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (his first Bond premiere since Moonraker). The exterior of the historic Royal Albert Hall was decorated with 54 giant icicles which surrounded the building, with the interior transformed into a replica of the ‘Ice Palace’ seen in the film.

EON Productions also invited many other significant alumni who had contributed to the James Bond films over the past 40 years; guests included three former James Bond's - George Lazenby, Roger Moore, and Timothy Dalton, alongside current 007 Pierce Brosnan and leading lady Halle Berry. Other former leading ladies also attending were Lois Chiles (Moonraker), Shirley Eaton (Goldfinger), Maryam d'Abo (The Living Daylights), Maud Adams (The Man With The Golden Gun and Octopussy). Die Another Day's Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike and Rick Yune were joined by former villains Richard Kiel (The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker) and Burt Kwouk (Goldfinger, Casino Royale [1967] and You Only Live Twice). John Cleese, Judi Dench, and Samantha Bond provided three links to Pierce Brosnan's tenure as 007; whilst Shirley Bassey (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker), Monty Norman (composer of ‘The James Bond Theme’), George Martin (Live And Let Die soundtrack composer) and John Barry (eleven-time James Bond composer) represented musical links to four decades of the James Bond legacy. Die Another Day main title singer Madonna also attended with her then husband, film director Guy Ritchie. Director Lee Tamahori was also presented to Her Majesty The Queen, alongside Die Another Day co-producers Michael G. Wilson & Barbara Broccoli, together with her mother Dana Broccoli (widow of original James Bond film co-producer Albert R. Broccoli).

Die Another Day then opened at the ODEON Marble Arch on Friday November 22, 2002, where it screened for eight weeks. Despite some less than positive reviews Die Another Day quickly became the most successful James Bond film to date (when not adjusted for inflation), taking £1.4 million across 457 cinemas in the UK in its opening weekend. Die Another Day also previewed at at the Empire Leicester Square (then part of the UCI chain of cinemas, and now part of the Cineworld group) on the same evening as the Royal Film Performance, and went on to play for thirteen-weeks from Friday November 22, 2002. Die Another Day was the first James Bond film since Thunderball not to screen at the ODEON Leicester Square during its premiere engagement in London, although it did later play at the adjoining five-screen ODEON Mezzanine complex for nine-weeks from Friday January 31, 2003.

James Bond's 40th Anniversary was also celebrated in London with a BAFTA Tribute hosted by Michael Parkinson on Sunday November 17th (the day before the Die Another Day premiere), which was later screened on BBC1 on Saturday December 28, 2002. The star-studded occasion was held in the presence of four incarnations of Ian Fleming's debonair spy - Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby who each discussed their own interpretations of the role, with Sean Connery adding his thoughts in a pre-recorded interview. Halle Berry, who played American agent Jinx in Die Another Day, talked about the re-creation of the iconic beach scene featuring Ursula Andress from the first James Bond film Dr. No in 1962. Christmas 2002 became the most profitable holiday release period for any James Bond film since the record-breaking debut of Thunderball in 1965. Londoner's could also see a spectacular tribute to the official James Bond films in special film-themed window displays (pictured above) showcased at the world-famous Harrods store in Knightsbridge. The window displays featured vehicles, costumes and props from 40 years of James Bond films, along with other expensive items then on sale at the prestigious Knightsbridge store.

Twenty years on from its original release, Pierce Brosnan’s swansong as 007 is still probably near the bottom of most fans list of favourite Bond films. In fact Die Another Day was the least popular entry of the series at the box-office when re-released in UK cinemas for the 60th Anniversary in 2022. Playing in 99 cinemas over its opening weekend, Die Another Day took just £6,225 (a site average of just £63), with audiences clearly voting with their wallets – a far cry from its opening weekend two decades earlier. Time has not been kind to the film, and its cutting-edge productions techniques, whilst very relevant in 2002, do it no favours in 2022. Perhaps the elements that have best stood the test of time are the ever-present stunt and action sequences, performed for real for the most part, and a testament to the talents of Vic Armstrong and his crew. For the first hour, and including the entertaining and well-choreographed fencing fight, Die Another Day is still watchable, but ultimately let down by an ineffectual villain, ridiculous script and dialogue, and with largely woeful special effects. Perhaps this is one occasion when it would have been better for many involved in the production to have run away, rather than live to die another day…

FACT FILES