Almost 60 years ago, the most memorable underwater fight ever committed to film in one of the most popular installments in the James Bond film franchise was partially filmed at Silver Springs State Park.
Thunderball was filmed between February and July 1965. Starring Sean Connery, the film was released in theaters across the United States just over 59 years ago in December 1965.
The film follows the exploits of the international terrorist group SPECTRE and a villain, Emilio Largo, who hijacks nuclear warheads in exchange for 100 million pounds.
Bond is sent to recover the warheads from Largo’s compound in the Bahamas. En route to the lair, the secret agent gets into fights with several henchman and even sharks.
Perhaps the most memorable scene in the movie is the 4-minute long underwater fight, which was shot by Ivan Tors Films.
The scene was created through 18 underwater sequences comprised of 83 shots.
Although much of the scene was filmed in the Bahamas, parts leading into the sequence were filmed in Miami and several close-up, underwater shots were filmed in Silver Springs State Park.
Those underwater sequences were managed by Ricou Browning, who famously donned the Gill-Man suit in the Creature From the Black Lagoon series.
According to Movie-Locations.com, Browning recreated some of the all-purpose underwater shots at the park, where the clear waters greatly aid filming.
Thunderball would go on to become the highest-grossing Bond film for nearly a decade, until Live and Let Die passed it in 1973. It is still considered one of the best installments in the Bond franchise, which includes 25 films and 7 actors.
Just a few years after Thunderball, Moonraker, another film in the Bond series, would also film underwater scenes at Silver Springs State Park.
Do you have memories of Thunderball or other movies filmed in the Ocala area? Share your comments below or write a letter to the editor.