Vic Armstrong and John Richardson remember Michael Apted

By: FSWL team

Published:
2021-01-14

Vic Armstrong and John Richardson on Michael Apted

FSWL friends and supporters Vic Armstrong and John Richardson share their memories of The World Is Not Enough (1999) director Michael Apted (1941-2021) exclusively for our readers.

We were very sad to report the passing of Michael Apted on 7th January 2021 with tributes pouring in from all over the world now including stunt coordinator Vic Armstrong and Academy Award winner John Richardson.

Stunt Maestro Vic Armstrong on director Michael Apted:

“Michael Apted was a great friend and I was shocked to hear of his passing. I first met Michael in the 1970’s on a movie called “Trick or Treat” starring Bianca Jagger. We were shooting the movie in Rome and after a few weeks it got cancelled for various reasons. It was the first movie made by Enigma Films, David Puttnam’s new company, I believe.

I kept in touch with Michael over the years and there was some talk of me joining him in Africa to work on Gorillas in the Mist which sadly never came to fruition.

We next worked together again on the 007 movie The World is Not Enough. This was an action packed movie and Michael was always so patient and receptive of my ideas. We had a wonderful time shooting the movie.

Although he was not a director with an action background he loved our collaboration devising and choreographing all the action sequences so that they were not gratuitous and that they really motivated the characters and the story. He then left me alone to shoot them and I would meet him occasionally in the editing suite to go through the cut.

He will be sorely missed as a very inventive, compassionate and collaborative film maker.”

SFX Maestro John Richardson on director Michael Apted:

“I first worked for Michael on Triple Echo - his first feature film - and although my work on it was limited to a few bullet hits I had always remembered him as a good Director who knew what he wanted.

Coming onto TWINE after Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) it was a joy to work with someone who could tell you what he wanted but also ask for your help and opinion at the same time. Consequently, I think all our work on that Bond film stands out and it is certainly one that I am most proud of. Michael collaborated with his team and drew out of us our best work.

I was delighted when he asked me to work on his next film, 2002's Enough, which I set up for him.

He was a terrific Director but more importantly a lovely human being and he will be sadly missed by all who knew him and were fortunate enough to work with him.”

Michael Apted photo by Joel Villy

Michael Apted on location in Chamonix for The World Is Not Enough in March 1999. Photo by Joel Villy. All rights reserved.

Photo on top:
Michael Apted, John Richardson and Vic Armstrong during the production of The World is Not Enough. Photo by Keith Hamshere. © 1999 Danjaq LLC. & Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). All rights reserved.

Tags:

#in_memoriam

#james_bond_directors

#joel_villy

#john_richardson

#the_world_is_not_enough

#vic_armstrong

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Vic Armstrong and John Richardson remember Michael Apted

Stunt Maestro Vic Armstrong on director Michael Apted:

SFX Maestro John Richardson on director Michael Apted:

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