Spend Sunday with 007 at the Lighthouse cinema
In celebration of the centenary of the birth of producer Albert R. ‘Cubby’ Broccoli, a season of classic James Bond films have been digitally restored and are returning to the big screen exclusively at Light House Cinema, Smithfield, Dublin, from June 14th.
During June and the first week of July, restored versions of four classic James Bond films, DR. NO, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, GOLDFINGER and ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE, will be screening on consecutive Sundays at Light House Cinema. Bond aficionados and younger fans who have yet to experience the excitement of witnessing these films on the big screen are expected to flock to these screenings.
The four classic films will be screened via digital projection at Light House, enabling audiences to enjoy the outstanding picture quality and improved sound offered by this technologically advanced format. The installation of digital projection equipment at Light House Cinema was funded by the Cultural Cinema Consortium, a strategic partnership between the Arts Council and Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board (IFB).
The Bond films in the Broccoli centenary season have been digitally restored frame by frame by Lowry Digital Images, the world’s leader in digital restoration and image enhancement. The process involves taking moving pictures that show signs of age and wear, removing the fading, dirt, scratches and other defects that occur over time, and returning them to their original condition.
Tickets for these screenings can be purchased online at www.lighthousecinema.ie, or by phone: (01) 879 7601.
Screening dates for each film are:
Sunday 14 June, 4.00pm: DR. NO
With Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman.
After a pending legal case scuppered plans to make Thunderball the first Bond film, Broccoli and Saltzman decided on Dr. No. Sean Connery was cast in the lead role and the film featured the usual Broccoli touch of exotic locations: this time Jamaica and surrounding waters, from which a bikini-clad Ursula Andress memorably emerged. A fast-paced colourful romp, the film became an enormous hit worldwide. (UK 1962. Dir Terence Young. 105min. New digital restoration.)
Sunday 21 June, 4.00pm: FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
With Sean Connery, Robert Shaw, Lotte Lenya, Daniela Bianchi.
Broccoli considered From Russia with Love as one of the best Fleming stories and the added bonus of location shooting in atmospheric Istanbul made it an obvious choice as the next film. Connery once again excelled and was well supported by a great cast including Robert Shaw, wonderfully menacing as a brutal killer; and Lotte Lenya as the Russian agent with the famous poison-tipped knife device in her shoe. The film also features many distinctive Bond motifs for the first time (a pre-credit sequence; iconic main titles; John Barry’s first score and a sweeping theme song; Desmond Llewelyn as Q etc) and its huge success firmly established the 007 films as a cultural phenomenon. (UK 1963. Dir Terence Young. 115min. Digital restoration.)
Sunday 28 June, 4.00pm: GOLDFINGER
With Sean Connery, Honor Blackman, Gert Fröbe.
To many, the quintessential Bond film and a brilliant third entry in the series following the terrific From Russia with Love. Here Bond gets his Aston Martin, spars with two statuesque British beauties (Honor Blackman and Shirley Eaton) and pits his wits against a memorable villain, Auric Goldfinger. Add the first Shirley Bassey theme song and some exciting action sequences and the result is an explosive cocktail. (UK 1964. Dir Guy Hamilton. 109mins. Digital restoration.)
Sunday 5 July, 4.00pm: ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE
With George Lazenby, Telly Savalas, Diana Rigg.
Connery’s decision to quit as Bond left Broccoli and Saltzman with a headache. The press went into overdrive speculating on Connery’s successor; while the producers chose good-looking Australian actor George Lazenby after successful screen tests. Avengers superstar Diana Rigg was brought in as an added lure and the resulting action-packed film ensured that the franchise would continue. (UK 1969. 140 mins. Dir Peter Hunt. Digital restoration. Cert: PG)