Lake Como/Lake Garda

Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,308MI6 Agent
in Quantum of Solace - Bond 22 (2008)
This is something I don't understand. QoS is meant to take place right after CR, where Bond shoots Mr White. This is, I've found at a villa by Lake Como, the lake where Bond convalesces earlier.

Yet the new film is meant to feature a chase on the banks or on Lake Garda. This is also in north Italy but not too close, Como is close to the border of Switzerland while Garda is near Verona. Surely they can't have two lakes mixed up? Or have I got it wrong?
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

Roger Moore 1927-2017

Comments

  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,308MI6 Agent
    Anyone? Anyone? :)


    http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2luAeK0Tuu8
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • darenhatdarenhat The Old PuebloPosts: 2,029Quartermasters
    Are you certain that the lake at which Bond convalesces is meant to be the same lake where he meets Mr. White? I know that the two scenes were shot at Lake Como, but I wasn't sure that it was actually supposed to be Lake Como in the film.
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,308MI6 Agent
    Quite possibly. Is there a caption on the DVD saying where it is (or meant to be) for the final scene?
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • MailfistMailfist Posts: 241MI6 Agent
    Its quite common in movies for scenes to be filmed at two or three different locations and then cut to make it look like the action happened in one place. Look at the Harry Potter movies where Hogwarts was filmed at Durham Cathedral, Alnwick Castle and several other locations.
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,993Quartermasters
    To my knowledge, the lake is never named in CR; I imagine the producers (or location scouts) just found the area surrounding Lake Garda to be more conducive to the chase scene they want to shoot...I wouldn't be surprised if a Lake Como establishing shot (taken during CR) is intercut with newer Lake Garda footage to make it as seamless as possible.

    I'm looking forward to what they do with this...
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • AlessandraAlessandra Lake Garda, ItalyPosts: 633MI6 Agent
    Ahhh how did I miss this. Guess where yours truly lives??? :D You guessed it, on Lake Garda. And you guessed it, I'm obviously gonna go and have a look when they're here at the end of April (they're gonna be here from end of April and then move to Tuscany. They will stay in Italy until May 12, reported today on Corriere della Sera).

    Ok first off.. Lake Garda and Lake Como have got absolutely NOTHING in common in terms of scenery. Lake Como is between mountains and very narrow, Lake Garda is the biggest lake in Italy, has "macchia mediterranea" and looks like seaside. Macchia mediterranea is mediterranean type of trees and flowers. There are lemon, orange and tangerine trees and olive trees. Garda oil is very famous and extremely expensive because the quality is extremely high and the production is very limited.

    This said A)Verona province is the smallest part of Lake Garda, the biggest is Brescia. (Which is where I live). And B) the best scenery for the movie is definitely on the Brescia side, not Verona. The Gardesana Occidentale is a very famous panoramic road on the lakeside, and it looks like Cote D'Azur in some points. I am almost sure that is why they are coming over here to film. There are places to film for example a car chase scene that are absolutely fantastic. Also, Garda is much bigger a lake than Como, providing them with a lot more alternatives for shooting locations than Como does. It's much easier to get things moving around here..

    The Gardesana Occidentale also is famous for having a long series of tunnels (the road was built going straight through the mountains on the lakeside), so that too would provide a perfect scenery for action scenes. Not sure what their plan is though, if they're instead looking for a peaceful place to set up some sort of private meeting, my guess is they will use either Torri del Benaco, which is a lovely sort of paeninsula on the Verona side of the lake, or better yet, some places around the Vittoriale in Gardone Riviera. The Vittoriale is where Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio used to live, it is now a museum and it is still the place where in the summer concerts and theater shows are held in a beautiful open air arena. AND it's a 10-15 minutes drive from my house, so very convenient! :))

    I will try and find some photos to post for you guys of the places I mentioned, so that you have an idea.

    Whatever the case, you can stay assured yours truly will go wherever they are shooting and try and get something! There's also a chance I might actually do work, as in go to do interviews on set. If that's the case, I'll obviously keep all of you posted. In any case, I will go and investigate (well, I'll do what I can, seen as normally they don't exactly let people nearby, but who knows...my charms may work :)) :)) ).

    Expect reports on this, I'm going to investigate with local sources on where they are staying. My guess is since the need to accommodate all those people, that they're gonna stay in either Salo'/Gardone Riviera (where I live) or Desenzano/Sirmione. These are the places where most hotels are. The most luxurious resort nearby is Villa Feltrinelli in Gargnano, but I doubt they'd be willing to spend THAT much just for crew accommodation.

    Anyway, it's kind of weird to know they'll be basically out of my doorstep... why didn't this happen when PIERCE was Bond??!?! I guess this is divine punishment for me disliking Craig :))
    "Are we on coms?" (if you don't know where this is from... you've missed some really good stuff! :D)
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,738MI6 Agent
    Alessandra wrote:
    Ok first off.. Lake Garda and Lake Como have got absolutely NOTHING in common in terms of scenery.

    Well, the briefest of picture research tells me that they're pretty similar. I've never been to either (and I'd love to, I know they're both beautiful) but if you put photos of views of the two next to each other they're obviously close enough to double for one another in at least part. It's hardly like one's in the Arctic and one's desert! :)
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,308MI6 Agent
    Cheers, Alessandra, that's very helpful, I'm writing a feature on locations, hence my question. Do you think that Como and Garda will just be one generic lake then, in the film? Unlikely that they're two separate scenes altogether.

    Could you find out the best/most luxurious hotel in the Garda area you mentioned? I could recommend it in the piece. Of course, you mentioned one...

    NP
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • AlessandraAlessandra Lake Garda, ItalyPosts: 633MI6 Agent
    emtiem wrote:
    Alessandra wrote:
    Ok first off.. Lake Garda and Lake Como have got absolutely NOTHING in common in terms of scenery.

    Well, the briefest of picture research tells me that they're pretty similar. I've never been to either (and I'd love to, I know they're both beautiful) but if you put photos of views of the two next to each other they're obviously close enough to double for one another in at least part. It's hardly like one's in the Arctic and one's desert! :)

    Well no not that much difference!! :)) But it is indeed a very, very different scenery in terms of both surroundings, nature and climate. Como is extremely narrow, not much light, mountains. Garda is very wide, lots of light, mediterranean plants and in some places it does look like seaside, you can't even see the other side of the lake because it's so big. So it is very different from Como. And the nature is very, very different. I live on one (Garda) and know the other one very well as I have friends there and have been many times.. I guarantee that there's no way any person who has seen can mistake one for the other. It looks very different in terms of general scenery, and the roads are totally different.

    I'm not saying this doesn't make sense for the movie, to start from here when they were in Como. I'm just saying they're very different places. They haven't shown anything about Como, just the villa they were at, so it's not like it's gonna pose a big problem. Of course most people abroad don't even know what Garda is, so they'll assume it's Como just because of George Clooney.. and this will really annoy me!! Mainly because really, nature-wise and as far as places to go, climate etc Garda is really a lot better than Como. Como has a pretty sad side to it in some places because of the lack of light etc.. Garda doesn't. Of course on the other hand there are villas on lake Como that they can dream about here.

    Napoleon Plural, the place I mentioned, Villa Feltrinelli is by far the most exclusive resort on lake Garda. Saying it is beautiful is really an understatement. There's also another very exclusive, popular beauty farm where even Marcello Mastroianni went. It's called Villa Paradiso. Villa Feltrinelli is in Gargnano, Villa Paradiso is in Fasano (they're a few kilometers apart, some 15 km or so).

    If you need any specific information, PM me and I'll happily provide anything you may need :D
    "Are we on coms?" (if you don't know where this is from... you've missed some really good stuff! :D)
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,738MI6 Agent
    edited February 2008
    Alessandra wrote:
    [I guarantee that there's no way any person who has seen can mistake one for the other. It looks very different in terms of general scenery, and the roads are totally different.

    Well we're talking about onscreen, here. I'm sure anyone who's been to Epsom racecourse wouldn't think that the Russian airport it was supposed to be in GoldenEye was the real thing, or the chalk pit in Sussex in A View To a Kill was really in San Francisco! I'm imagining that for someone who's never been there it's not much of a problem...?

    And, as these photos are on a screen, I'd be amazed if you couldn't quite easily cut between them on film without anyone noticing:

    lake-garda-villa-gargnano.jpg
    Villa3(1).jpg

    One's Garda, the other Como- pretty easy to believe that they're different parts of the same area, I'd say.
  • MoniqueMonique USAPosts: 696MI6 Agent
    Seeing as Alessandra lives there, I think I'll take her word for it!

    Both places look stunning regardless..this should be a beautifully shot film.
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,738MI6 Agent
    Yes, it will be beautiful- it's gorgeous.

    And I'm not saying that Alessandra's wrong about them being different in reality, just that film can do anything. I've been to the airfield they shot the Miami Airport sequence in CR, and you couldn't get more different to a bustling metropolitan airport- it's a leafy deserted bit of runway in the middle of Surrey. And these two places really aren't different enough to make it tricky, that's all I'm saying; I'm sure you can trust your own eyes on that.
  • AlessandraAlessandra Lake Garda, ItalyPosts: 633MI6 Agent
    edited February 2008
    Emtiem, yes I agree about the house setting etc... that's one thing. I said in fact in my previous post that since they ONLY showed a villa and nothing else about Como, it's not like that's gonna pose a big problem. It's all the rest surrouding. E.g. you can't mistake a road on Lake Como from a road on Lake Garda with a car chase.. it's a completely different scenery. And it is in general, though of course if you limit it to a house, once you have the Mediterranean lake setting (for example the northern part of lake Como is pretty much like a mountain lake so it wouldn't work) the house can be just about on any lake, including Lago Maggiore here and possibly even one of the Swiss lakes. So indeed Emtiem, once you film and limit the shot to certain parts, it poses no problem at all.

    It's really very different though in practice. And that's why I say if they, as it seems, are filming an action scene, then there's no way to mistake one for the other as you see the whole surrounding. And it's a very different one. Lemon trees and maritime pines on one side (Garda), pine trees on the other just to mention one. Just not the same. All I'm saying is that for someone who goes, it's two very, very different places. And to film an action scene they'd definitely look very different. Garda in some places very much looks like Cote D'Azur, Como just doesn't. I will try to find a photo of the places I have in mind.. :D

    Monique, hi!!! :D And yes I guarantee the scenery is beautiful in both Como and Garda lakes.. but... and not because I live here, it is better on Garda. There really is no comparison, we were talking about this with my family over dinner and my brother who's just been to Como and toured around recently said that as much as he liked it, our surroundings are much more varied and beautiful. This is not to say Como isn't beautiful... it's a comparison between beautiful and even more beautiful :D

    Actually, how did I forget!! I have photos that I took at the beach where I always go in Toscolano (right before Gargnano, which is where I think they would film the car chase scenes.. from there on on the road).

    Here comes:
    DSCN0032.jpg

    This is another one of the same place:

    DSCN0033.jpg

    Lake Como doesn't look like this at all.. it's very narrow, and with different scenery. This can even look like seaside... Como doesn't.

    Even the next one I'm posting, which is one of the narrowest parts of Garda, doesn't resemble Como...there are hills here, while Como is surrounded by steep mountains and in the northern part it's Alps.

    DSCN0034.jpg

    So what I'm saying is that while when it's about a house on the water and the image is limited to that, there's no problem, when you are doing an action scene there's no way to mistake one for the other. I wouldn't mistake one for the other even with a villa, but living here I of course have a different knowledge of the subject. Anyway.. just so you guys have an idea :D :D

    Also, given emtiem put up a photo of it, if you're interested this is more about Villa Feltrinelli, which is the exclusive hotel (definitely the most exclusive on the lake) I was talking about. I think they may shoot there if they need to, but if not, I doubt they'll have the crew staying there given the costs!! :))

    Link: http://www.villafeltrinelli.com/home/030416.html
    "Are we on coms?" (if you don't know where this is from... you've missed some really good stuff! :D)
  • Asp9mmAsp9mm Over the Hills and Far Away.Posts: 7,485MI6 Agent
    Alessandra, you need to invest in a telephoto lense and a top quality camera. Plus some directional microphones may come in handy ;)
    ..................Asp9mmSIG-1-2.jpg...............
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,738MI6 Agent
    edited February 2008
    Alessandra wrote:
    So what I'm saying is that while when it's about a house on the water and the image is limited to that, there's no problem, when you are doing an action scene there's no way to mistake one for the other.

    Lovely pics- it does look wonderful there (you're very lucky :) ) but they can shoot an action scene pretty much anywhere and stitch it together. Don't forget that the London chase in TWINE was partially shot in a town called Chatham and as a resident of London I could quite easily say that the roads in Chatham are nothing like London, but they managed it. The buildings in London don't look like St Petersburg, but they doubled for quite a few in GoldenEye; London even doubles for Venice in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (with, admittedly, not so successful results! ;) )- if I could find two pictures of the lakes looking similar in ten seconds, I doubt it's beyond a huge Hollywood film's location manager to do it; that's all I'm saying. The lake may look wider if you look to the middle of it, but point the camera at the shore and that's the issue dealt with! :)

    I can show you pictures of the Miami Airport location looking nothing like Miami Airport, but the film's what matters.

    Funny that I found a pic of the hotel you were thinking of! Yeah- you definitely need to do some spy work of your own now! :D Keep 'em peeled!
  • AlessandraAlessandra Lake Garda, ItalyPosts: 633MI6 Agent
    Yes, point well taken emtiem. I think it'll be like that London/Venice thing.. results won't be great but for someone who doesn't know the places, probably not a big deal. What annoys me is that then people will think the beatiful scenery is lake Como and IT IS NOT!! So you guys better advertise!! :)) :))

    I am very lucky indeed to live here.. especially in the summer it is lovely. And stay assured I will do all the spy work of the case.. I'm betting my hairdresser will get visits from the actors in their spare time :)) :)) (kidding obviously, but he always works with celebrities when they're around here). Seriously, I'm going to ask questions around tomorrow... people who own restaurants/hotels/shops are always the first ones to know, and I know where to ask :D

    Of course if then it ends up I work and do interviews, totally different business. In that case, you guys will get all the dirt directly.. I will keep you posted anyway! :D
    "Are we on coms?" (if you don't know where this is from... you've missed some really good stuff! :D)
  • AlessandraAlessandra Lake Garda, ItalyPosts: 633MI6 Agent
    Asp9mm wrote:
    Alessandra, you need to invest in a telephoto lense and a top quality camera. Plus some directional microphones may come in handy ;)

    No need, I'm going there directly with crew :)) :))
    "Are we on coms?" (if you don't know where this is from... you've missed some really good stuff! :D)
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,993Quartermasters
    Hello, Alessandra my dear... :x

    Lovely pics you've got there; I want to go! :D
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • AlessandraAlessandra Lake Garda, ItalyPosts: 633MI6 Agent
    edited March 2008
    Loeffelholz wrote:
    Hello, Alessandra my dear... :x

    Lovely pics you've got there; I want to go! :D

    Loeffs darling, always a pleasure to see you around! :x

    Why do I get the impression you want to go mainly because you can spy on Daniel Craig and the new Bond girl?? :)) :))

    I promise I will try and find out the more as possible.. we go to a very famous cheese shop here where even Princes (no kidding) come to get specialties.. the owner who is a dear friend of ours always knows EVERYTHING about big things happening around here.. I think I will interrogate (yeah that's the right verb) him tomorrow. And anyway on Monday I'll be on the phone with the main town councils around here.. No way if they're hosting a Bond movie set they're not gonna tell... especially since I'm not only a journalist but also a local. :)) (yes my Bond special agent investigative skills are at work already :)))

    I have more photos, some that my brother took that are absolutely amazing (he is a very good photographer), including Villa Feltrinelli.. I'll get them tomorrow and post a couple. I was actually trying to find some of the place where I think they'll be filming the chase scene, some photos of the road by the lake, but I couldn't find them tonight. I promise I will dig them up tomorrow... if I'm right you guys will have seen it before even Daniel Craig himself has :)) :))
    "Are we on coms?" (if you don't know where this is from... you've missed some really good stuff! :D)
  • AlessandraAlessandra Lake Garda, ItalyPosts: 633MI6 Agent
    Ok here are a couple of fresh photos of Villa Feltrinelli (I took them on Sunday).

    VillaFeltrinelli006.jpg

    VillaFeltrinelli007.jpg



    Looks like total Bond setting to me.. but more than that, the higher part of the street that gets to the place, by the lakeside, is absolutely ideal to shoot a car chase scene. Also, if they need to shoot a chase scene on water, setting is ideal as well, Garda is famous for sailing and boating contests. Basically, I'm wondering how it is that they never came here BEFORE! :D
    "Are we on coms?" (if you don't know where this is from... you've missed some really good stuff! :D)
  • AlessandraAlessandra Lake Garda, ItalyPosts: 633MI6 Agent
    Just so you guys know.. I have found out the exact location where they are filming. And my first guess was right... the narrow, curvy road overlooking the lake, looking very much like Cote d'Azur. I can't give out name and stuff yet, wouldn't want anyone to publish it before I do! But you'll have photos as soon as I'm given the OK. You'll see the setting before Daniel Craig does! :)) :))
    "Are we on coms?" (if you don't know where this is from... you've missed some really good stuff! :D)
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,993Quartermasters
    Alessandra wrote:
    Just so you guys know.. I have found out the exact location where they are filming. And my first guess was right... the narrow, curvy road overlooking the lake, looking very much like Cote d'Azur. I can't give out name and stuff yet, wouldn't want anyone to publish it before I do! But you'll have photos as soon as I'm given the OK. You'll see the setting before Daniel Craig does! :)) :))

    Your work is worthy of an MI6 agent, my dear. Please keep us posted!
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • AlessandraAlessandra Lake Garda, ItalyPosts: 633MI6 Agent
    Loeffelholz wrote:

    Your work is worthy of an MI6 agent, my dear. Please keep us posted!

    Why thank you Loeffs darling :x

    I'm very flattered being compared to an MI6 agent... and more than that, I have the evil eye for having found out the secret! :v I was looking for a photo for you guys, just so you start having an idea, but couldn't find one that suits. I promise I'll have more tomorrow. :D
    "Are we on coms?" (if you don't know where this is from... you've missed some really good stuff! :D)
  • Asp9mmAsp9mm Over the Hills and Far Away.Posts: 7,485MI6 Agent
    You live in one beautiful part of a beautiful country. Can't wait to get your updates, and don't forget to look out for what firearms are present on set ;)

    Loeffelholz, stop flirting you tart :v
    ..................Asp9mmSIG-1-2.jpg...............
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,993Quartermasters
    Asp9mm wrote:
    Loeffelholz, stop flirting you tart :v

    Never! :v :D
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • 72897289 Beau DesertPosts: 1,691MI6 Agent
    Asp9mm wrote:
    You live in one beautiful part of a beautiful country. Can't wait to get your updates, and don't forget to look out for what firearms are present on set ;)

    ASP9mm,

    Given the area, I would expect to see a Beretta in Bond's shoulder holster.

    ;)
    Bond’s Walther PPK
    Bond’s Beretta
    The Handguns of Ian Fleming's James Bond
  • AlessandraAlessandra Lake Garda, ItalyPosts: 633MI6 Agent
    edited March 2008
    Asp9mm wrote:
    You live in one beautiful part of a beautiful country. Can't wait to get your updates, and don't forget to look out for what firearms are present on set ;)

    I won't! I will keep you guys posted, I promise! :D
    Loeffelholz, stop flirting you tart :v

    :)) :)) :)) :))
    Never! :v :D

    :)) :)) :))

    As far as weapons, there is not only Beretta, but also Tanfoglio which is a very famous arm producer. They were those who provided most of the arms used in Miami Vice back at the time (Loooved Miami Vice). The daughter of the owners was a High School classmate of mine, which is why I know about Tanfoglio, never would've otherwise! :D

    I am absolutely NO expert though, I HATE arms so don't expect my reports to be particularly accurate, what I will do is I'll try to take photos because I'm afraid my descriptions would be of NO use :)) :))
    "Are we on coms?" (if you don't know where this is from... you've missed some really good stuff! :D)
  • AlessandraAlessandra Lake Garda, ItalyPosts: 633MI6 Agent
    Update: yours truly is going to work with the Bond stuff.. as in press conference and possibly interviews on set. Get ready for inside news! :D

    Meantime, since Loeffs gave me MI6 agent status, I had to live up to it. I have just found out the exact route for the car chase (yes it is a car chase scene) they are filming. I can tell you the route they chose is around.. 23 km long! :O :O :O And I must add no more, or I'll have a Beretta next to my head courtesy of Bond soon!! :))

    Seriously, I will tell you where to read all about it as soon as they OK it. I'm SOOO excited!! Car chase scene basically in my back yard! :))
    "Are we on coms?" (if you don't know where this is from... you've missed some really good stuff! :D)
  • matthewarmitagematthewarmitage Posts: 37MI6 Agent
    Ciau,
    Wow.. its been about time that this beautiful place was chosen.. I spent a great vacation here in 2007 and then went off to the Dolimiti and spent some time on the Via Ferrata.. Awesome, maybe they could even do some climbing and then hit Cortina for the skiing!!! Just as FYEO did some time ago.... If you Agents get the chance visit this place.. The locals in and around Lake Garda have a genetic anomally and live a long life!!
    -{
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