20 Things You Didn't Know About From Russia With Love (1963)

9. The Accidental Titles Sequence

From Russia With Love
MGM/UA

Following a disagreement with Maurice Binder, who decided not to return as the main titles designer on the second Bond film, the filmmakers hired American graphic designer, Robert Brownjohn to replace him.

Brownjohn was inspired to film the titles being projected against belly dancers after his wife stepped in front of a slide projector. However, he was also influenced by the work of Hungarian artist, László Moholy-Nagy, who experimented with projecting light onto clouds in the 1920s.

Whilst the idea for the Bond titles sequences featuring scantily clad ladies is often attributed to Maurice Binder, who worked on many of the Bond films, it was actually Brownjohn who started this tradition in From Russia With Love, as Binder's titles for Dr. No had not taken that approach.

Brownjohn returned for his second and last contribution to the Bond franchise in Goldfinger, projecting images from that film and the previous two Bond pictures onto the gold-painted body of actress, Margaret Nolan, who stood in for that film's credited "golden girl", Shirley Eaton.

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I started writing for WhatCulture in July 2020. I have always enjoyed reading and writing. I have contributed to several short story competitions and I have occasionally been fortunate enough to have my work published. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I also started reviewing films on my Facebook page. Numerous friends and contacts suggested that I should start my own website for reviewing films, but I wanted something a bit more diverse - and so here I am! My interests focus on film and television mainly, but I also occasionally produce articles that venture into other areas as well. In particular, I am a fan of the under appreciated sequel (of which there are many), but I also like the classics and the mainstream too.