 |
| |
Earlier this month MI6 persuaded Sarah Donohue to
take some time out of her hectic schedule and talk
Bond...
| |
Interview - Sarah Donohue (Part 2)
8th January 2004
European Champion powerboat racer Sarah Donohue took a short
break from her busy schedule to talk to MI6. In this two part
interview we chat about her work on the opening sequence of "The
World Is Not Enough" and how she got into the world of stunts...
|
Making A Wake
This is one of the best opening sequences of the 90’s,
what was you favourite stunt maneuver in the sequence?
My favourite sequence was destroying the pier. There were
loads of stunt people in it and I took it right to the limit
as I hit it. The shots looked awesome. Every camera angle
was superb and both Simon and Vic were over the moon, which
was what I wanted. The stunt guys in the pier said they
really thought I’d screwed up, they thought I was going
to plough into them……na!! They haven’t seen
me race, I touch all the turn buoys! I keep things nice
and close!
Was there any portions of the chase missing from the
final print you remember film?
Yes, two. One was all the depth chargers, which were bloody
hard to dodge! And the other was going up to the Dome. Maria
[me] shot passed, saw the dome, did a perfect 180 back towards
the Dome, then a perfect 90 and hit the railings at an exact
point, all of which was a fairly difficult maneuver to get
accurate in a boat. Visually coming from me who has been
around boats a long time. That must have looked spectacular
from an aerial view and I was really looking forward to
seeing it. I was gutted when they cut it. But hey what do
I know…..I just drive the boat.
You injured yourself on the shoot, how did this happen?
I broke a couple of ribs at the lake during practice.
I turned the boat in a 180 at full tilt and had no idea
the G-Force would be so immense. Both me and one of the
stunt guys got thrown big time and I slammed into the side,
no laughing for me for a while…..I’ve been in
boats a lot and I really did not expect it. I can’t
say I should’ve known better, because I do and I would
still put my money against it not happening!
|
|
DVD Timecode
"The World is Not Enough"
3. Blazing Boat Chase
|
Above: Sarah Donohue
|
Vic Armstrong is a legend in the stunt world and the Bond
"family". What was it like working with him on the Bond
project, and Simon Crane?
Both Vic and Simon are incredible. They are so easy to work
with and also they had 100% confidence in me because I'm a specialist
so they knew it would get done as per requested with no problems
or questions. They are like working with family, I was so at home
with everything and not a care in the World apart from what they
asked of me.
|
Above: Sarah Donohue speeding down the river Thames, London
|
|
How do you feel about the advances computer imagery
is making into cinema? Do you feel the days of the stuntwoman
are numbered, or will there always be a need to have a person
in the midst of the action for real?
I think computer imagery looks shit and makes things look
ridiculous. Completely unbelievable if you take the incredible
"Hulk” for example. What was wrong with getting
a bodybuilder like the original?
The whole reason for watching movie stunts is to say ‘wow..look
at that!’, now you here people saying ,"that looked
shit!" because it’s just so NOT believable. If
it is used continuously in the film world, I will eventually
stop watching movies. Especially if they start to take over
Bond. Bond is a ‘classic’. They could kill it.
It’s the most famous name in the world and they need
to keep it real. There will always be need for stuntmen.
Stuntdriving/stair falls/falls/knockdowns/burns/even falling
off a push-bike or tripping up, the list is endless. Stuntmen
will be needed forever more. Even for the simplest of things
and trust me, it’s the simple things that can sometimes
be the hardest to get right!
|
What is your next project?
My next venture is BBC’s “SAS - Are You Tough Enough?”
If you look on BBC web site it will tell you about the show but
I got down from 1000 to 100 people for a selection weekend where
we had to mountain trek 20k up the mountains with 25kg on our
backs! Then they picked 24 people to go through. We film in Namibia
in November and train with the SAS, apparently it a horrible experience
and very painful.. full interrogation the lot!!
|
00-Seven Questions
How were you involved in the Bond series?
Stunts.
What was your first ever Bond experience?
I’ve watched Bond since I was a child with my parents.
It was the only time they let me stay up late because it
was a family thing. I used to sit on my dad's knee.
What did you think of the last film, "Die Another
Day"?
I haven’t seen it, I’ve heard some bad reviews
about imagery, and why they recreated the Bond Girl coming
out of the sea complete with bikini exactly the same as
all those years ago, I’ll never know. She must have
trained her ass off and she still doesn’t look like
the original beauty. Never try to recreate a masterpiece,
as failure is always inevitable!
What is your favourite Bond film?
OCTOPUSSY!
Who is your favourite Bond?
Tough question. Until I worked with Pierce I would have
said Sean, but Pierce is such a lovely guy. He really is
the nicest company to be with and easy going, and on top
of that he probably is the ALL TIME BEST BOND!
Which Bond girl should come back?
I don’t have a favourite Bond girl but I would say
skip the last four Bond Movies and there you will find all
the ‘Original’ beauties. None artificial. They
are classic beauties with naturally gifted beautiful genetics.
When I hear ‘Bond girl’, I never think of any
of the new girls….they just aren’t the same. Wow!
The old girls are just incredible. Every man’s dream!
Proper hourglass, and it’s all theirs…
What is your favourite Bond moment from the series?
Favourite moment, I have two. Jaws on the cable cars in
"Moonraker", I used to always be so upset if Jaws
wasn’t in the films. He really made the film sometimes.
And New Orleans in "Live And Let Die" when there
is what appears to be a funeral, but the coffin isn’t
full till they kill someone then it turns into a carnival!
|
Many thanks to Sarah Donohue and good luck with her latest
SAS endeavor.
 |
|
MI6 Biography
Name: Sarah Donohue
Portfolio
"The World is Not Enough" - Stuntwoman
|
|
Related Articles:
Interview
- Sarah Donohue (Part 1)
MI6 "The World is
Not Enough" Coverage
Sarah Donohue's
Official Website
|
Sarah Donohue Autographs to be Won!
Sarah Donohue in association with SarahDonohue.com
are kindly giving away twin sided autographs (as pictured
left) to lucky MI6 readers.
COMPETITION CLOSED - 18/01/04
|
|
Above: Sarah Donohue autograph
|
Terms & Conditions
The competition closes at midnight on 18th January
2004. MI6 will choose the winners at random from the correct answers
received.
The winners will be contacted via the email address supplied
and their postal address will be requested. If a winner fails
to respond within 7 days of prize notification, another winner
will be chosen until all prizes are allotted.
Competition is open to international MI6 readers.
MI6 is an unofficial non profit website that
is in no way associated or linked with MGM, United Artists or
EON Productions. James Bond 007 are registered trademarks of DANJAQ,
LLC, a Delaware corporation in the United States and/or other
countries. Original content is copyright mi6-hq.com © 1998-2003.
