James Bond in Venice
with
James Chapman
Professor of Film Studies, University of Leicester
"Then, in the temporary state of euphoria that a first night in Venice engenders, however high and serious the purpose of the visitor, James Bond walked back to the Gritti and had eight hours of dreamless sleep.”
Ian Fleming, author of James Bond series
Monday 30 June 2025
Lecture and Drinks Reception:
6.30-8pm
Member’s event – Registration essential
At The Italian Cultural Institute of London
39 Belgrave Square
London
SW1X 8NX
The James Bond films are the longest-running continuous series in the history of cinema and three of the 25 films have taken the secret agent to Venice: From Russia With Love (1963), Moonraker (1979) and Casino Royale (2006). Join film historian James Chapman for a cinematic exploration of Agent 007’s memorable escapades from a gondola chase in Piazza San Marco to the submerging of Palazzo Pisani.
Drawing upon anecdotal and archival sources – including hitherto unseen correspondence from the papers of Venice in Peril Fund’s founder Sir Ashley Clarke – the lecture will reveal the behind-the-scenes stories of the making of the films, as well as examining how the films employ Venetian locations for suspense, action and visual spectacle. The lecture will also cover Bond creator Ian Fleming’s love affair with Venice and will reflect upon how the Bond films contrast with other cinematic imaginings of this unique city.
James Chapman is Professor of Film Studies at the University of Leicester.
A cultural historian specialising in the history of British film and television, his books include Licence To Thrill: A Cultural History of the James Bond Films (Bloomsbury Academic, third edition 2024), Inside the Tardis: The Worlds of ‘Doctor Who’ (I. B. Tauris, second edition 2013) and Screening Sherlock: A cultural history of the Great Detective in film and television (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2025).