Daniel Craig is now best known for histenure as James Bond, but his acting career before, during, and after his time as 007 is filled with interesting projects from talented filmmakers. Prior to making his debut as Bond in 2006’sCasino Royale, Craig acted in projects like Sam Mendes’Road to Perdition(2002) andLayer Cake(2004) from director Matthew Vaughn. In 2005,he also collaborated with Spielberg on an Oscar-nominated historical thriller.
In the early 2000s, Spielberg was coming off of an extremely strong decade in Hollywood filmmaking history. The ’90s saw the acclaimed filmmaker release three major titles inJurassic Park(1993),Schindler’s List(1993), andSaving Private Ryan(1998). Spielberg didn’t slow down in the new millennium, releasing movies likeMinority Report(2002),Catch Me If you may(2002), andWar of the Worlds(2005), working with major stars likeTom Cruiseand Tom Hanks. It was another 2005 movie, however, that saw him work with Craig for the first time.
Daniel Craig Recalls Filming Munich’s First Scene
Spielberg Started Production With A Complicated Shot
Craig candidly looks back on filming the complicated opening scene forMunichwith Spielberg. After tackling the horrors of World War II in several films, Spielberg turned his attention to another real-world tragedy with his 2005 thriller, whichchronicles a revenge mission set in the aftermath of the Black September massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Though Eric Bana leads the film’s cast as Avner, Craig plays a prominent role in the narrative as Steve, a South African driver.
Another film exploring the Black September massacre calledSeptember 5is set for limited release on December 13.
During a recent interview withVariety,Craig recalls that the first scene he filmed forMunichwas a tracking shot within and around a car. As Craig describes, the camera “came along the street, along the bonnet of the car, came to me and then around the back of the car and then kind of traveled away. And that was his first shot.” According to Craig, the complexity of this shot made for a memorable first day:
“It was like, ‘I’ve arrived, OK?’ And you’re just like, ‘Oh my God!' But what are you going to do? Sh-t or get off the pot. I mean, you’ve just gotta do it.”
Our Take On Craig & Spielberg’s Collaboration In Munich
The Film’s Legacy Explained
Spielberg is a director who is well known for his ability to devise and execute complex shots, and it’s clear thatMunichwas no exception. The movie isn’t widely considered among Spielberg’s best, but it was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director (though it walked away with none).
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Craig doesn’t take center stage inMunich, andit’s interesting to see an actor who is now widely known as a leading man play more of a supporting role. Craig adopts a South African accent for the movie, too, further setting the role apart from other characters he’s played. ThoughMunichoccupies an interesting position in the careers of both Spielberg and Craig in the sense that it’s not their most memorable work, the film nevertheless remains an interesting title to return to with some classic Spielberg camera moves.
Munich
Cast
Munich is a historical drama centered on the events following the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre. The film follows a group of Mossad agents, tasked by the Israeli government, to locate and eliminate those responsible for the attack carried out by the Palestinian group Black September.
