CREATOR CHAT

Movie London

Tony Reeves

We chat with author and life-long movie enthusiast Tony Reeves about Movie London and the fast growing popularity of film tourism.

1. What first got you interested in film tourism?

I've always been a big cinema fan and, when I took a holiday in the States several years ago, I was knocked out by how many of the cities I visited were familiar from movies. I was also amazed that there was no guide for film fans who wanted to visit movie locations, in the way that there were - say - literary or architectural guides. I compiled the Worldwide Guide but, by the time it was published, I had unearthed so much fascinating info that certain cities deserved more thorough coverage. My home city of London was the obvious first choice for its own guide book.

2. What methods of research did you use for compiling Movie London?

It's different for every film. Modern movies tend to be accompanied by fairly comprehensive press notes, detailing the locations, but for older films, it meant trawling through records in the BFI (British Film Institute) library, locations reports in old film magazines or, where possible, contacting people who'd worked on the films. Sometimes it simply involved getting on my bike and cycling round the streets. It's the detective work that I particularly enjoy.

3. Being a film fan, were there any particular movie locations which you were most excited to see around London, and did they live up to your expectations?

I loved unearthing locations for older films, such as The Long Good Friday or 60s classics. I wanted to find Mick Jagger's Notting Hill house from Performance - which is one of my all-time favourite films. It's much more gentrified now than it was on-screen. And most of Shaun of the Dead was filmed near my home in north London. There's still a buzz in seeing places I know well on screen. Researching the guide has been a terrific way to find the best pubs and restaurants in the capital. The Holly Bush, which featured in Robert Aldrich's The Killing of Sister George, has become my regular watering hole.

4. Do you have a favourite movie walk in London?

They all have their high points. The Notting Hill walk probably has the greatest concentration of locations - Alfie, The Italian Job, The Red Shoes, About A Boy, Performance, Withnail & I, Love Actually and - of course - Notting Hill itself. The East End, around Spitalfields and Brick Lane has some of the most striking and atmospheric locations.

5. Are there any other cities which you’d like to write a movie tourism guide for?

I have so much info overflowing from the Worldwide Guide that there are quite a few other cities I'm thinking about. Los Angeles and New York, obviously, but maybe Paris - which has a great cinematic history from the 60s New Wave to Amelie.

6. Why do you think many Hollywood studios choose to shoot in London, even if the film’s storyline is not necessarily set in the city?

London has recently become a much more film-friendly city than in the past - The Bourne Ultimatum, V for Vendetta, 28 Weeks Later, National Treasure: Book of Secrets... have really opened up the city for filming. There's a respected tradition of craftsmanship in the UK, which is why the likes of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg make films over here. Robert de Niro filmed much of The Good Shepherd in London - even some of the Harvard scenes. With films based at Pinewood (like the Bond movies) or Elstree, the sheer diversity of the city offers a wealth of locations. It has appeared as Berlin (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), St Petersburg (GoldenEye), Manhattan (The Hunger), Beverly Hills (Bride and Prejudice), Venice (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider) and even Gotham City (Batman Begins and The Dark Knight).