The eleventh James Bond film and the fourth starring Roger Moore was produced by Eon Productions. Production began on August 14, 1978, and due to high taxes in the UK, the main filming was moved to France. Grandiose sets were built for the film, designed by production designer Ken Adam. These structures became the largest ever created in France and required over 222,000 man-hours — an average of about 1,000 hours per crew member. Drax's castle, according to the plot, was located in California, but was filmed in France. The majestic Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, located about 55 kilometers southeast of Paris, served as the location for the exteriors and the Grand Salon of Drax's mansion. The film was also shot in various locations around the world, including London, Paris, Venice, Palmdale (California), Port St. Lucie (Florida), Rio de Janeiro, and Paraguay. Initially, India and Nepal were also considered, but after reconnaissance trips, these options were rejected due to logistical difficulties and limited production time.

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Airport

In the Movie

Scene where James Bond boards a helicopter piloted by Corinne Dufour.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at LAX - the fourth busiest airport in the world (2nd in the US), covering over 3,500 acres on the coast between Westchester and El Segundo. The airport first opened in 1930 as Mines Field, and received its current name in 1949. The airport is served by four parallel runways, the longest of which is nearly 13,000 feet. LAX has nine passenger terminals with 128 gates, as well as a cargo terminal and a helipad. The distinctive Googie-style theme building at the center of the terminal complex was designed in 1961 by architect Paul Williams. The arched structure houses a panoramic retro-futuristic restaurant with views of the airport.

Drax's Mansion (Interior)

In the Movie

In Reality

Drax Industries Plant (Office)

In the Movie

In Reality

The Dock

In the Movie

In Reality

St. Mark's Square

In the Movie

In Reality

Venini Glass (Entrance)

In the Movie

In Reality

Venetian Hotel

In the Movie

In Reality

Rio de Janeiro Cable Car

In the Movie

In Reality

Business Airport

In the Movie

In Reality

Ruins

In the Movie

In Reality

Spacecraft

In the Movie

Scene where the orbital space shuttle 'Moonraker', developed by Drax Industries and leased to the UK, was hijacked mid-air while being transported aboard a carrier aircraft. The aircraft itself was destroyed, and no debris of the shuttle was found.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the Épinay Studios, located in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. This is one of the oldest and most famous film studios in the country, actively used in the 1970s due to its large production capacity. During the filming of 'Moonraker', massive sets were built here, including complex interior scenes featuring the main characters. The studio was chosen in part because of the tax incentives in France, which allowed the main filming to be moved outside the UK.

Airplane

In the Movie

Scene where on the way to England aboard a plane, James Bond is attacked by a hired assassin nicknamed Jaws. During the struggle, he throws Bond out of the plane without a parachute. However, Bond manages to catch up with and neutralize another parachutist in mid-air, taking his parachute and landing successfully.

In Reality

The scene was filmed over the Napa Valley in California — a famous wine region with hilly landscapes, vineyards, and clear blue skies. The local conditions were ideal for spectacular parachute jumps: open space, good visibility, and low air traffic allowed a series of complex aerial stunts to be performed.

Amazon Jungle

In the Movie

Scene where Bond manages to escape. He discovers that the deadly toxin is produced from a rare orchid that only grows in the Amazon jungle. The hero embarks on an expedition along the river, but encounters numerous attacks from Drax's men along the way. Overcoming all dangers, Bond finally reaches the villain's hidden base in the heart of the tropical forest.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the impressive Iguazu Falls — one of the greatest natural wonders of the world, located on the border of three countries: the Brazilian state of Paraná, the Argentine province of Misiones, and Paraguay. This region is famous for its dense tropical forest, rushing streams of water, and powerful cascades reaching up to 80 meters in height.