20 Things You Didn't Know About SPECTRE (2015)

8. Día De Los Muertos

Sir Sam Mendes is a big fan of Sir Roger Moore’s debut as James Bond, Live And Let Die. As such, the flamboyant opening to SPECTRE, set during Día de los Muertos in Mexico City, recalls the distinctive funeral parades that featured in the earlier Bond film.

To create it, the production hired 1,500 extras who were then multiplied using CGI to make it appear that the event honouring the dead was much larger in scope. They were complemented by 170 make-up artists, 10 giant skeletons, and 250,000 paper flowers, making for a truly breathtaking onscreen experience.

However, no parades have historically been held to mark the Day of the Dead in Mexico City; the release of SPECTRE popularised the idea so much that Mexico City held its first Día de los Muertos parade in 2016, the year after the 24th Bond film was released.

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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.