Locations
The shooting of ‘007. Die another day’ was altered by the rain and the bad weather. Halle Berry herself recounted later that the water was frozen while shooting the famous scene of her coming out from the sea wearing a bikini. In addition, it was a very windy day and she had to shoot it several times, suffering from hypothermia and a little infection.
Halle Berry was close to lose an eye during the shooting in Cadiz and was also close to choke with a fig during the seduction sequence with Pierce Brosnan, because the actor didn’t stop making jokes and, due to the laugh, it nearly happened.
The only spy with a license to kill was defeated by the tortillitas de camarones (little shrimp tortillas) in Cadiz. The first shooting day of ‘007. Die another day’, the actor Pierce Brosnan went by surprise to have lunch to a famous restaurant, where he tried the typical gastronomy from the coast of Andalucia: cazón en adobo (marinated dogfish), gambas (shrimps), pargo a la sal (salty snapper)… The actor, who kept his reservation of the very same table during the whole shooting time, became a devoted fan of the tortillas de camarones, to the point of making his mother learn how to cook them.
Whether it was due to the literary success of Reverte’s saga or the warm reception of a great Spanish shooting of a period film, thousands of men and women volunteered to act as extras in this production. The extras that participated in the battles received military training in the use of 17th-century weapons (harquebus, musket and pike), as well as in close order formation (pike squadron), march and other military tactics typical of that time.
The script was written by the director himself, in collaboration with the writer Arturo Pérez-Reverte, author of the series of five novels on which the film is based: ‘El Capitán Alatriste'(1996), ‘Limpieza de Sangre’ (1997), ‘El Sol de Breda’ (1998), ‘El Oro del Rey’ (2000), and ‘El Caballero del Jubón Amarillo’ (2003). Reverte had discarded an initial American script where Alatriste had an affair with the Queen of Spain, in line with the approach to the typical musketeer films made in Hollywood.
Combat scenes were designed by Bob Anderson, creator of all great sword films, from those starring Errol Flynn to “Barry Lyndon” or “The Lord of the Rings”. The fencing master asked Yanes: “In this film, do people get killed or not?”, referring to the sword combats characteristic of the genre. Yanes’ reply was a conclusive “They certainly do”.
The Italian costume designer Francesca Sartori made up around 10,500 outfits. The art director is Benjamín Fernández, who built the sets and a 17th-century Spanish galleon which was 50 yards long and 10 yards wide.
The film soundtrack was composed by Roque Baños, except for the music in the final battle, in which an Easter march is played. The original soundtrack CD does include the theme Baños originally composed for that battle.
At the end of the shooting, Viggo Mortensen gave the extras some t-shirts he designed featuring the chequered flag of the Third Regiment of Cartagena (Tercio de Spinola), Alatriste’s symbol on the sleeve and the motto “No pain” on the back, followed by a list of all the places where the film was shot. The actor from New York exuded congeniality during the shootings, coming out at sundown to sign autographs after an exhausting day just to please his fans.
The weapons used in the film were manufactured in Spain, in important centres such as Caudete. The lead’s sword and dagger were forged in Toledo by Francisco Manzano, forger of black swords used for training in historical fencing and recreational associations.
Viggo Mortensen set out to become Spanish, visiting museums and buying books. He phonetically corrected his Argentinean-sounding Spanish and learnt Spanish swear words from Yanes and company, while he also attended bullfights and football matches.
Before the filming of ‘Camarón’, the actor who embodied him, Óscar Jaenada, knew nothing about the “cantaor”. However, he grew his hair and steeped in Camarón knowledge, to the point that he walked, talked and smoked like him. In fact, many people in San Fernando used to call him José, the singer’s first name.
‘Camarón’ was filmed in San Fernando, the singer’s hometown. Many neighbours of the city were present at the filming. Such was their presence that, as Jaime Chávarri said in an interview, “the people of San Fernando have opened their hearts to us.” There have been times when someone has approached me and told me, with great respect, that Camarón would not say some things like that because it sounded very ‘payo’ (non-gypsy), and we changed it.”
In ‘La ley del deseo’, there are several references to the work of the painter Edward Hopper (1882-1967). One of them in one of its most mythical and, at the same time, most dramatic scenes: when Juan (Micky Molina) dies at the hands of Antonio (Antonio Banderas). The lighthouse appearing in the background, to which they went in the middle of the night, is the Trafalgar Lighthouse, in Barbate.
The beaches of the province of Cadiz are a real treasure that stands out for its natural beauty and diversity. From the dunes and crystal clear waters of Bolonia to the historic charm of La Caleta, each beach offers a unique experience. Zahara de los Atunes fascinates with its unspoiled and quiet environment, ideal for relaxation. In Tarifa, the beaches of Los Lances and Valdevaqueros are perfect for kitesurfers and offer breathtaking landscapes. The variety of its coasts, with golden sands and turquoise waters, makes Cadiz an essential destination for sea and nature lovers. Paradisiacal corners that have not only captivated visitors, but also filmmakers looking for authentic and dazzling locations.
“The people from Cadiz was marvellous and we spent a great week”
