Andrew Yee[_1_]
April 22nd 08, 08:13 PM
ESO Education and Public Relations Dept.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Text with all links and the photos are available on the ESO Website at URL:
http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/press-rel/pr-2008/pr-07-08.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Immediate Release: 25 March 2008
ESO Release 007/08
A Giant of Astronomy and a Quantum of Solace
Blockbuster shooting in Paranal
Cerro Paranal, the 2600m high mountain in the Chilean Atacama Desert that
hosts ESO's Very Large Telescope, will be the stage for scenes in the next
James Bond movie, "Quantum of Solace".
Looking akin to Mars, with its red sand and lack of vegetation, the Atacama
Desert is thought to be the driest place on Earth. Cerro Paranal is home to
ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), which, with its array of four giant 8.2-m
individual telescopes, is the world's most advanced optical observatory. The
high-altitude site and extreme dryness make excellent conditions for
astronomical observations.
"We needed a unique site for a unique set of telescopes, and we found it at
Paranal," said Andreas Kaufer, ESO's Paranal Director. "We are very excited
that the Bond production team have also chosen this location."
The excellent astronomical conditions at Paranal come at a price, however.
In this forbidding desert environment, virtually nothing can grow outside.
The humidity drops below 10%, there are intense ultraviolet rays from the
sun, and the high altitude leaves people short of breath. Living in this
extremely isolated place feels like visiting another planet.
To make it possible for people to live and work here, a hotel or
"Residencia" was built in the base camp, allowing them to escape from the
arid outside environment. Here, returning from long shifts at the VLT and
other installations on the mountain, they can breathe moist air and relax,
sheltered from the harsh conditions outside. The Residencia's award-winning
design, including an enclosed tropical garden and pool under a futuristic
domed roof, gives its interior a feeling of open space within the protective
walls -- this is a true "haven in the desert".
It is this unique building that serves as the backdrop for the James Bond
filming.
QUANTUM OF SOLACE producer, Michael G. Wilson said: "The Residencia of
Paranal Observatory caught the attention of our director, Marc Forster and
production designer, Dennis Gassner, both for its exceptional design and its
remote location in the Atacama desert. It is a true oasis and the perfect
hide-out for Dominic Greene, our villain, whom 007 is tracking in our new
James Bond film."
In addition to the shooting at the Residencia, further action will take
place at the Paranal airstrip.
The film crew present on Paranal includes Englishman Daniel Craig, taking
again the role of James Bond, French actor Mathieu Amalric, leading lady
Olga Kurylenko, from the Ukraine, as well as acclaimed Mexican actors,
Joaquin Cosio and Jesus Ochoa. This cast from across Europe and Latin
America mirrors the international staff that works for ESO at Paranal.
After leaving Paranal at the end of the week, the film crew will shoot in
other locations close to Antofagasta. Other sequences have been filmed in
Panama and, following the Chilean locations, the unit will be travelling to
Italy and Austria before returning to Pinewood Studios near London in May.
QUANTUM OF SOLACE will be released in the UK on 31 October 2008, and in the
US and internationally on 7 November 2008.
Visit the new Bond at Paranal web site,
http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/bond/
More information on the Paranal Residencia, including many pictures, is
available in ESO 05/02.
National contacts for the media:
Belgium: Dr. Rodrigo Alvarez, +32-2-474 70 50
Czech Republic: Pavel Suchan, +420 267 103 040
Denmark: Dr. Michael Linden-Vornle, +45-33-18 19 97
Finland: Ms. Riitta Tirronen, +358 9 7748 8369
France: Dr. Daniel Kunth, +33-1-44 32 80 85
Germany: Dr. Jakob Staude, +49-6221-528229
Italy: Dr. Leopoldo Benacchio, +39-347-230 26 51
The Netherlands: Dr. Marieke Baan, +31-20-525 74 80
Portugal: Prof. Teresa Lago, +351-22-089 833
Spain: Dr. Miguel Mas-Hesse, +34918131196
Sweden: Dr. Jesper Sollerman, +46-8-55 37 85 54
Switzerland: Dr. Martin Steinacher, +41-31-324 23 82
United Kingdom: Mr. Peter Barratt, +44-1793-44 20 25
USA: Dr. Paola Rebusco, +1-617-308-2397
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESO Press Information is available on Receive email notification
the WWW at about important news from
http://www.eso.org/outreach/press-rel/ ESO - subscribe to the
ESO-NEWS Mailing List.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright ESO Education & Public Relations Department
Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, D-85748 Garching, Germany
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Text with all links and the photos are available on the ESO Website at URL:
http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/press-rel/pr-2008/pr-07-08.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Immediate Release: 25 March 2008
ESO Release 007/08
A Giant of Astronomy and a Quantum of Solace
Blockbuster shooting in Paranal
Cerro Paranal, the 2600m high mountain in the Chilean Atacama Desert that
hosts ESO's Very Large Telescope, will be the stage for scenes in the next
James Bond movie, "Quantum of Solace".
Looking akin to Mars, with its red sand and lack of vegetation, the Atacama
Desert is thought to be the driest place on Earth. Cerro Paranal is home to
ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), which, with its array of four giant 8.2-m
individual telescopes, is the world's most advanced optical observatory. The
high-altitude site and extreme dryness make excellent conditions for
astronomical observations.
"We needed a unique site for a unique set of telescopes, and we found it at
Paranal," said Andreas Kaufer, ESO's Paranal Director. "We are very excited
that the Bond production team have also chosen this location."
The excellent astronomical conditions at Paranal come at a price, however.
In this forbidding desert environment, virtually nothing can grow outside.
The humidity drops below 10%, there are intense ultraviolet rays from the
sun, and the high altitude leaves people short of breath. Living in this
extremely isolated place feels like visiting another planet.
To make it possible for people to live and work here, a hotel or
"Residencia" was built in the base camp, allowing them to escape from the
arid outside environment. Here, returning from long shifts at the VLT and
other installations on the mountain, they can breathe moist air and relax,
sheltered from the harsh conditions outside. The Residencia's award-winning
design, including an enclosed tropical garden and pool under a futuristic
domed roof, gives its interior a feeling of open space within the protective
walls -- this is a true "haven in the desert".
It is this unique building that serves as the backdrop for the James Bond
filming.
QUANTUM OF SOLACE producer, Michael G. Wilson said: "The Residencia of
Paranal Observatory caught the attention of our director, Marc Forster and
production designer, Dennis Gassner, both for its exceptional design and its
remote location in the Atacama desert. It is a true oasis and the perfect
hide-out for Dominic Greene, our villain, whom 007 is tracking in our new
James Bond film."
In addition to the shooting at the Residencia, further action will take
place at the Paranal airstrip.
The film crew present on Paranal includes Englishman Daniel Craig, taking
again the role of James Bond, French actor Mathieu Amalric, leading lady
Olga Kurylenko, from the Ukraine, as well as acclaimed Mexican actors,
Joaquin Cosio and Jesus Ochoa. This cast from across Europe and Latin
America mirrors the international staff that works for ESO at Paranal.
After leaving Paranal at the end of the week, the film crew will shoot in
other locations close to Antofagasta. Other sequences have been filmed in
Panama and, following the Chilean locations, the unit will be travelling to
Italy and Austria before returning to Pinewood Studios near London in May.
QUANTUM OF SOLACE will be released in the UK on 31 October 2008, and in the
US and internationally on 7 November 2008.
Visit the new Bond at Paranal web site,
http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/bond/
More information on the Paranal Residencia, including many pictures, is
available in ESO 05/02.
National contacts for the media:
Belgium: Dr. Rodrigo Alvarez, +32-2-474 70 50
Czech Republic: Pavel Suchan, +420 267 103 040
Denmark: Dr. Michael Linden-Vornle, +45-33-18 19 97
Finland: Ms. Riitta Tirronen, +358 9 7748 8369
France: Dr. Daniel Kunth, +33-1-44 32 80 85
Germany: Dr. Jakob Staude, +49-6221-528229
Italy: Dr. Leopoldo Benacchio, +39-347-230 26 51
The Netherlands: Dr. Marieke Baan, +31-20-525 74 80
Portugal: Prof. Teresa Lago, +351-22-089 833
Spain: Dr. Miguel Mas-Hesse, +34918131196
Sweden: Dr. Jesper Sollerman, +46-8-55 37 85 54
Switzerland: Dr. Martin Steinacher, +41-31-324 23 82
United Kingdom: Mr. Peter Barratt, +44-1793-44 20 25
USA: Dr. Paola Rebusco, +1-617-308-2397
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESO Press Information is available on Receive email notification
the WWW at about important news from
http://www.eso.org/outreach/press-rel/ ESO - subscribe to the
ESO-NEWS Mailing List.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright ESO Education & Public Relations Department
Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, D-85748 Garching, Germany
----------------------------------------------------------------------------