‘All the world’s a stage,’ penned William Shakespeare.
And were he alive today, he’d surely agree that all of London is a movie set – a notion underscored by fascinating new book The Walking Guide to London Film Sites, written by Colin Tough and beautifully illustrated by David Richardson (and available exclusively on Amazon).
The tome takes readers on a ‘cinematic journey through the bustling streets of London’, inviting them to ‘explore the backdrop of beloved cinematic favourites’.
Some may be surprised at just how many silver-screen hits feature London backdrops, with the book highlighting that scenes for movies from Harry Potter to Thor and from Love Actually to Paddington were shot in the UK capital.
Colin writes: ‘Whether you’re a film buff, a history enthusiast, or an avid explorer, this guide promises an unforgettable adventure through the heart of cinematic London.’
The book features 50 illustrated film locations. Scroll down for a sneak peek at 10 of them…
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES, HAMPTON COURT PALACE: ‘Hampton Court Palace was used as a filming location for the fourth instalment of the Pirates of the Caribbean film series,’ explains Colin, ‘with the palace representing St James’s Palace, where Captain Jack Sparrow is arrested and brought before King George II.’ Colin adds that the palace was also used for scenes in Netflix spin-off Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story and the award-winning 2018 film The Favourite
THOR: THE DARK WORLD (2013), OLD ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE, GREENWICH: The Royal Naval College, explains Colin, ‘is where the final battle between Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) takes place, as Malekith lands his ship at the college and begins his attack designed to tear apart the universe.’ Other starring roles for the college, reveals the author, were for 1958 Cary Grant flick Indiscreet, 2012’s Les Miserables and 2011’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM (2007), WATERLOO STATION: Colin explains in the book that Waterloo station ‘is where Simon Ross (Paddy Considine), a journalist who is investigating Jason Bourne’s past, is assassinated’, adding: ‘Bourne (Matt Damon) attempts to protect the journalist from unseen gunmen as crowds bustle around them in the packed station.’ The author points out that the station, the first London terminus for Eurostar from 1994 to 2007, has also featured in Sliding Doors (1998), Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016) and Man Up (2015)
HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE (2001), AUSTRALIA HOUSE, ALDWYCH: ‘The interior of Australia House,’ writes Colin, ‘was used as the location for Gringotts Bank, which plays a significant role in the film. When Harry and Hagrid go to make a withdrawal from Harry’s parents’ vault, Hagrid removes the Philosopher’s Stone. The eccentrically angled exterior of Gringotts Bank is obviously a set, but the interior is the impressive Exhibition Hall of Australia House.’ Colin adds that a replica of the interior of Australia House was built at the film’s Leavesden Studios for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2010)
LEFT: FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL (1994), ST BARTHOLOMEW THE GREAT, WEST SMITHFIELD, BARBICAN: Explaining how the church fits into the plot of Four Weddings, Colin writes: ‘Over the course of five social occasions, a committed bachelor, Charles (Hugh Grant), begins to realise he’s fallen in love with an attractive American, Carrie (Andie MacDowell). St Bartholomew is the church where Charles is due to marry an ex-girlfriend, Henrietta.’ The church was also used, Colin notes, for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes (2009). Plus, it appears as Thor’s vision of Asgard in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), the author reveals. RIGHT: BRIDGET JONES’ DIARY, THE GLOBE TAVERN, 8 BEDALE STREET, SE1 9AL: How does this pub feature in the 2001 hit? Colin writes: ‘Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) is a single woman who is trying to find love and happiness. She lives in a small flat above the Globe Tavern and she often goes to the pub to meet her friends. The area around the Globe is also where Bridget’s boss Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) and Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) come to blows during a birthday party’
BATMAN BEGINS, GARRICK THEATRE, 2 CHARING CROSS ROAD: ‘The theatre was used to represent the Gotham Opera House, where a young Bruce Wayne and his parents are attending a performance of the Italian opera Mefistofele,’ writes Colin. ‘Bruce is scared by the bats on the stage and asks his father (Linus Roache) if they can go. After they leave the theatre, they are confronted by mugger Joe Chill (Richard Brake) and in the ensuing struggle both Thomas and his wife are killed. The events of that night set Bruce Wayne on a path that will lead to him becoming Batman’
LEFT: LOVE ACTUALLY (2003), GABRIEL’S WHARF, UPPER GROUND, SE1 9PP: ‘One of the many threads running through the film is the story of Daniel (Liam Neeson), who, following the recent death of his wife, Joanna, is trying to care for his stepson Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster),’ writes Colin. ‘A key scene between the two takes place on a bench overlooking the Thames at Gabriel’s Wharf, where the pair bond as they have a heart-to-heart about love.’ RIGHT: PADDINGTON, 30 CHALCOT CRESCENT, LONDON, NW1 8YD: ‘After finding Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) at the station,’ writes Colin, ‘the Brown family take the bear back to their large terraced home at 32 Windsor Gardens, just around the corner from the station. There is actually a real Windsor Gardens in London, but it has no connection to the books or films and Chalcot Crescent was the location used to film the Browns’ home’
LOVE ACTUALLY (2003), 27 ST LUKES MEWS, W11 1DF: ‘The famous scene from the Richard Curtis romcom where Mark (Andrew Lincoln) turns up on Christmas Eve armed with a boombox and a set of cards was shot at St Lukes Mews,’ explains Colin. ‘While her husband Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) watches TV, outside in the mews, cue card by cue card, Mark spells out his love for Juliet (Keira Knightley). As he walks off, she races after him and kisses him tenderly on the lips. In the scene, inspired by Bob Dylan’s video for Subterranean Homesick Blues, Andrew Lincoln actually handwrote the cards himself’
The Walking Guide to London Film Sites by David Richardson and Colin Tough is out now and available through Amazon for £14.99
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