Author: Kent Film Office

Age of Heroes (2011)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Age of Heroes cast members standing in a row in uniform with guns. Snowy mountains can be seen behind.

Age of Heroes cast L-R John Dagleish as Rollright, Danny Dyer as Rains, William Houston as Mac, Guy Burnet as Riley, Sean Bean as Jones, Askel Hennie as Steinar © Age of Heroes Ltd.

Director: Adrian Vitoria

Writers: Ed Scates, Adrian Vitoria

Starring: Sean Bean, Danny Dyer, Aksel Hennie,  James D’Arcy

Production Company: Atlantic Swiss Productions/Cinedome/Cinema Five/Giant Films

Kent Filming Locations: Connaught Barracks, Dover, Gravesend Civil Defence Bunker, Pluckley

Sean Bean laying on the dirt staring into a gun looking at the camera

Age of Heroes Sean Bean as Jones © Age of Heroes Ltd.

Age of Heroes is a film based on the real-life events of Ian Fleming’s 30 Commando during the Second World War; a team that was one of the most secretive and exclusive Special Forces regiments and created the mould for the modern day SAS.

The film captures the mentally and physically gruelling training endured by the men before they are assigned to a highly dangerous mission behind enemy lines in occupied Norway.  The mission doesn’t go to plan and they find themselves in a deadly situation, outnumbered by enemy soldiers.  It’s then that they rise above being normal soldiers and become heroes.

Adrian Vitoria (The Crew Hollyoaks: Crossing the Line) directs as well as co-wrote the screenplay alongside Ed Scates. Sean Bean (The Lord of the Rings, The Martian), Danny Dyer (Doghouse, Eastenders), Aksel Hennie (Headhunters, Hercules) and James D’Arcy (Master and Commander, Cloud Atlas) star.

In 2010 film crews arrived in Kent to shoot the action packed thriller – local village Pluckley, famous as the setting for the popular TV programme The Darling Buds of May, were used in several driving shots with actor Sean Bean.

James D'Arcy as Ian Fleming sitting at a wooden desk with a map of the united kingdom pinned to the wall behind him

James D’Arcy as Ian Fleming © Age of Heroes Ltd.

The Gravesend Civil Defence Bunker, built in 1954 as an underground command post to be used in the event of nuclear attack during the Cold War, features in the film. It was used to represent the Cabinet War Rooms in London’s Whitehall.  Nearby Cobham Hall, currently a boarding school for girls is a firm favourite for filming in the district of Gravesham. The site was the perfect location to feature as a boarding school in the 2008 film Wild Child (2008).

Another Ministry of Defence location, the Connaught Barracks were also used for filming as a WWII training base. Situated in the district of Dover, the Connaught Barracks are not the only location to have been used for filming in recent years. The historic Dover Castle is a Kent film location favourite as it has been the star location in a number of productions from Lady Jane (1987) to The Other Boleyn Girl (2008).

Age of Heroes was released in 2011 and is now available on DVD.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides (2011)

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Movie poster. Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow holding smoking guns in each hand with burning ships behind him.. Pirates of the Caribbean on stranger tides is written in a white panel in front,

Pirates of the Caribbean on Stranger Tides Poster © Disney

Directed by: Rob Marshall

Produced by: Jerry Bruckheimer

Starring: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane, Kevin R. McNally, Geoffrey Rush

Production companies: Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films

Kent Filming Locations: Knole

In the fourth instalment of the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean series, Johnny Depp returns as the lovable rogue Captain Jack Sparrow. On a quest to find the fabled Fountain of Youth, he is joined by veteran pirates Geoffrey Rush (returning as Captain Barbossa) and Kevin R. McNally as Captain Jack’s long time comrade, Joshamee Gibbs. Ian McShane makes his pirate debut as the murderous Blackbeard.

In this action packed tale, Jack is lured on board the ship of the notorious Blackbeard by the mysterious Penelope Cruz, a long lost love from his distant past. Racing against the Spanish and English Naval fleets to reach the Fountain of Youth; Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is a whirlwind story of adventure, revenge and dangerous mermaids.

Directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago, Into the Woods), the film stars a host of acting talent including Johnny Depp (Sleepy Hollow, Alice in Wonderland), Penélope Cruz (Volver, Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Ian McShane (Lovejoy, Hercules), Kevin R. McNally (Legend, Dad) and Geoffrey Rush (Shakespeare in Love, The King’s Speech).

Knole Park near Sevenoaks was the Kent location used in the film. The large inner courtyard was filled with gallows intended for Gibbs.

Set in the heart of the only remaining medieval deer park in Kent, the beautiful 18th Century house has been shown off to visitors for the past 500 years. Family home to the Sackvilles’, the house was also the setting for Virginia Woolf’s novel Orlando. Within its thirteen rooms, the stately home, it contains the world renowned Stuart furniture, paintings by Gainsborough and Many 17th Century Tapestries.

Pirates of the Caribbean is not the only Hollywood film to recognise the beauty of Knole as a filming location. Costume Drama The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) was filmed there in 2006; it was the setting for many of the London night scenes. The inner courtyard was used to replicate the famous Whitehall Palace where grand arrivals and departures were depicted. The courtyard was also transformed for 2010 film Burke and Hare (2010) into a crowded market square complete with extras and stars Simon Pegg and Isla Fisher.

The film was released in cinemas in May 2011 and is now available to buy on DVD.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

The Crimson Petal and The White (2011)

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Romola Garai smiling away from the camera in a dark dress, two candles sit in front of her.

Romola Garai The Crimson Petal and The White @ BBC

 

A four-part adaptation of Michel Faber’s international best-selling novel about Victorian Life.

Starring: Romola Garai, Chris O’Dowd, Gillian Anderson, Richard E Grant, Shirley Henderson, Amanda Hale and Mark Gatiss.

Production Company: Origin Pictures, Cité-Amérique

Kent Filming Locations: Eastgate House, The Historic Dockyard Chatham

In this four-part tale of love, lust, desire and rage, Victorian life is revealed in a way never seen before on screen.

The tale takes viewers into a hidden world in which a young prostitute and a prominent businessman embark on a dangerous relationship with epic consequences.

This version of Michel Faber’s novel, The Crimson Petal and The White, has been adapted by acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Lucinda Coxon (Wild Target, The Danish Girl) and directed by Marc Munden (Touching Evil, Utopia).

The four part series stars; Romola Garai (Atonement, Suffragette), Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids, This Is 40), Gillian Anderson (The X-Files, The Fall), Richard E Grant (Withnail & I Downton Abbey), Shirley Henderson (Trainspotting, Bridget Jones’s Diary), Amanda Hale (Bright Star, Persuasion) and Mark Gatiss (Match Point, Sherlock).

The production visited Kent where they filmed on location at The Historic Dockyard Chatham and Eastgate House in Rochester.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a popular filming location in Kent due to its authentic period backdrops, including cobbled streets and Georgian as well as Victorian architecture. Victor Frankenstein (2015), Grantchester (2014), and The Golden Compass (2007) have previously filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

Eastgate House, situated on Rochester High Street, was formerly a large private town house. Built by Sir Peter Buck; it has now been restored and is owned by Medway Council. Productions such as Jekyll and Hyde (2015),  BBC’s The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012) and Great Expectations (1989) have previously filmed in Rochester.

The Crimson Petal and The White will be shown on BBC Two on Wednesday 6th April at 21.00 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

Island (2011)

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Natalie Press sitting on a rock with sea and hills behind her.

Natalie Press in The Island sitting on a rock © Hopscotch Films

Director: Elizabeth Mitchell, Brek Taylor
Starring: Natalie Press, Colin Morgan, Janet McTeer
Production Company: Finite Films and TV, Hopscotch Films, Tailor-Made Films, Tailormade Productions
Kent Locations Used: Gravesend, Somerhill Independent School

Island (2011) is a psychological drama based on the acclaimed novel of the same name by Jane Rogers. Incapable of love and desperate for revenge, Nikki Black embarks on a journey to a remote island to seek out the mother who abandoned her at birth.

Directed by Elizabeth Mitchell and Brek Taylor, the film stars Natalie Press (Wasp (2003), Suffragette) as Nikki Black, Colin Morgan (Merlin (2008), Humans – Series 2 (2016)) as Calum and Janet McTeer (The Honourable Woman (2014), Me Before You) as Phyllis.

Filming took place at a private house in Gravesend, which doubled for Nikki’s old house, and at Somerhill Independent School in Tonbridge. A scene was also filmed on Gravesend Promenade however this did not make the final cut.

Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent on the south bank of the Thames. The town’s pier is the oldest remaining cast iron pier in the world, with an unspoilt promenade, high street and two shopping centres. Other projects to have filmed in Gravesend include Canterbury Tales – The Seacaptain’s Tale (2003), The Interceptor (2015) and The Escape (2018).

The Schools at Somerhill are a family of schools within the Tonbridge and Malling district of Kent. Features include a sports hall, swimming pool, spacious dining hall, treehouse complex and a state-of-the-art music building with a large performance area.

Island (2011) debuted in UK cinemas on Friday 22nd April 2011 and is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Whistle and I’ll Come To You (2010)

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John Hurt wearing a dressing gown with one arm holding the dirty wall behind. Looking slightly distressed,.

John Hurt stars as James Parkin in Whistle and I’ll Come To You © BBC/Laurie Sparham

Starring: John Hurt, Gemma Jones, Lesley Sharp
Kent Filming Locations: Botany Bay, Kingsgate Bay and the Sea Pavilion at Walpole Bay

BBC2 drama Whistle and I’ll Come To You is a modern adaptation of M R James’ Edwardian ghost story which stars John Hurt (Merlin, Hellboy) as James Parkin who after leaving his wife in a nursing home travels to their favourite destination, a quiet seaside town. On a deserted beach he has an encounter with an apparition which continues to haunt him for the rest of his stay.

The one off drama was written and adapted by Neil Cross and explores the themes of ageing, supernatural with a psychological element throughout.

The drama also stars Gemma Jones (Bridget Jones Diary, Sense and Sensibility) and Lesley Sharp (Scott & Bailey, The Full Monty). 

Kingsgate Bay is a small sandy bay surrounded by white chalk cliffs with it having some of the best sea caves in the country and has been used by Sulphur and White (2019) . Nearby Botany Bay which also has a white cliff backdrop is a popular filming location and has been used for productions such as True Love (2012) and Hunderby (2012).

Whistle and I’ll Come To You was shown on BBC TWO 24th December 2010 at 22:00. 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

 

Veer (2010)

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Zarine Khan walking in the snow holding a book with a bike behind her.

Zarine Khan as Princess Yashodhara © Eros International

Director: Anil Sharma

Writers: Salman Khan

Stars: Salman Khan, Mithun Chakraborty and Jackie Shroff

Filming Locations: The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Rochester Castle

Set in 1875 and starring Bollywood legend Salman Khan as Veer, this is the love story of an Indian warrior under the British Raj. With the arrival of the British, Indian Kings and Nawabs entrust their treasured kingdoms to the foreigners. Not so Veer. Being a member of the Pindari, he prefers death to dishonour and decides to fight the invaders.

Salman Khan as Veer walking down a street with horse and carriages, white buildings are either side

Salman Khan is Veer © Eros Entertainment

The stakes are raised when he falls in love with Princess Yashodhara (Zarine Kahn), daughter of a British collaborator and his sworn enemy, played by Jackie Shroff.  Veer takes on the might of the British Empire and its allies not only for justice, but also to win his true love.

Salman Khan, who wrote the story for the film, gained one and half times his body weight to fit the role.  Over 20 years in the making, Khan’s hard work and determination finally paid off when he completed his ‘dream project’.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham provided the perfect period location for Director, Anil Sharma, to stage a funeral sequence, a winter scene and a Victorian Street, all within its grounds.

Rochester Castle became the romantic backdrop for a musical sequence complete with horse and carriage.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is set over 80 acres on part of the site of the former royal/naval dockyard at Chatham. The site boasts 100 Georgian and Victorian buildings, cobbled streets and a Cold War submarine and Victorian ropery. Previously filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham include The Crown (2016) and Great Expectations (2012).

Rochester Castle is a 12th Century Castle which prides itself on being one of the best preserved castles in England. The castle is set in beautiful gardens and overlooks the River Medway and has been used for filming by  The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012).

Veer is out on DVD.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

Missing Series Two (2010)

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The cast of missing standing facing the camera with the view of the seaside behind

The Missing Team in Dover © BBC

Starring: Pauline Quirke, Felix Scott, Pooja Shah, Mark Wingett, Adjoa Andoh, Brooke Kinsella, Gary Lucy, Roy Hudd

Production company: Leopard Films

Kent Filming Locations: Dover – Port, White Cliffs, and St Margaret’s Bay, Tonbridge

Following the success of the first series, Pauline Quirke returns in her role as MJ – Head of the police’s Missing Persons Unit for a further 10 episodes of the critically acclaimed programme.

Pauline Quirke sat at a computer desk staring at her computer. windows with blinds can be seen behind her.

Pauline Quirke in Missing © BBC

It is a year on from the first series and MJ is still struggling to live with her sister, who was found in the first series but that’s the least of her troubles as soon her estranged father shows up. Has he really changed or is there more family trouble on the horizon? Things are not easy at the office either, as Amy and Jason’s affair comes to an end when one of them sets their sights on promotion.

Returning for the second series is Pauline Quirke (Broadchurch, Birds of a Feather), Felix Scott (Inception, Blitz Blitz), Pooja Shah (EastEnders, Bend It Like Beckham), Mark Wingett (The Bill, Snow White and the Huntsman) and Adjoa Andoh (Invictus, Casualty). There are also guest appearances from Brooke Kinsella (Eastenders, Kid in the Corner), Gary Lucy (The Bill, Hollyoaks) and Roy Hudd (Coronation Street, Purely Belter).

Missing was filmed on location in Dover including the Port, White Cliffs, and St Margaret’s Bay. They also visited Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.

Dover is best known for the world famous White Cliffs of Dover along with the Port of Dover and Dover Castle. The Dover area has previously featured on screen in The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016), Wolf Hall (2003) and Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows (2011).

Tonbridge is a West Kent market town with a rich cultural heritage and spectacular scenery. The area is surrounded beautiful countryside and boasts castles, stately homes, gardens, farms, as well as sports and leisure facilities. The Tonbridge area has been used by previous productions including Queens of Mystery (2019).

The new series starts on BBC1 from Monday 15th March at 2.15pm.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

The Long Lonely Walk (2010)

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Actor walking down the street towards a red double decker bus, There is police tape behind him

Scene from The Long Lonely Walk © Third Light Films

Kent Film maker Leon Chambers returns with a new film

Director & Writer: Leon Chambers

Production Company: Third Light Films

Kent Filming Locations: Mid Kent College

The Long Lonely Walk follows the a bomb disposal expert, a young boy and an elderly woman as they reach a life defining moment. The cast includes Jeremy Sheffield (Holby City and contestant on Dancing On Ice 2010), Tessa Peake-Jones (Only Fools and Horses) and Sylvia Syms (The Queen).

Close up of Christian Lees staring at the camera in school uniform. Another actor can be seen looking at him behind,

Christian Lees in The Long Lonely Walk © Third Light Films

The film cost just £23,500 to make and was shot both at Mid Kent College in Maidstone and at Pinewood Studios. The Long Lonely Walk was partly financed by the Cranbrook Film Society and by those who attended a premier of the film at the Curzon Cinema in London in January.

Last year, Leon Chambers’s short film entitled ‘Stolen Youth’ received critical acclaim by winning Best UK Short at the Canary Wharf Film festival and making the official selection at Sundance and Palm Springs among others.

The Long Lonely Walk is now available on DVD and was shown at the following festivals.

The Crystal Palace Film Festival – 19th July
 The Sacramento Film and Music Festival  – 25th July  
 LA Shorts Fest – July 28th. This prestigious festival is recognised by the Academy Awards.
 
The film has also been awarded the following at the Accolade Competition Award of Merit: Short Film Award of Excellence: Sound – Overall Impact

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

The Calling (2009)

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Close up of Emily Beecham standing in front of a window staring off camera

Emily Beecham in The Calling © Meave Films

Written and Directed by: Jan Dunn

Produced: Elaine Wickham

Production Company: Medb Films

Kent Filming Locations: Ramsgate, Broadstairs, University of Kent Canterbury Campus, Wingham Wildlife Park, The Churchill Tavern, Barnsole Vineyard, St Lawrence College, Salmonstone Grange, Viking Bay

The Calling is a film about Joanna (Emily Beecham), a university student in her final year chooses to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a nun, despite strong opposition from her family, friends and boyfriend. Arriving at the convent, a closed Benedictine order, she discovers an eccentric community of nuns  Joanna begins her spiritual journey under the guidance of  progressive Sister Ignatious (Brenda Blethyn). All seems well until an unexpected secret is uncovered, which puts Joanna’s future at the convent at risk. Only her bond with Sister Ignatious can guide her to fulfill her own destiny in a surprising twist of the plot…

Directed by Jan Dunn and produced by Elaine Wickham, of Kent based Maeve Films (formerly Medb Films) the same team who created the critically acclaimed ‘Ruby Blue’.

Susannah Harker, Brenda Blethyn, Rita Tushingham and Jan Dunn on the set of The Calling in a church holding bibles open in front of an alter

Susannah Harker, Brenda Blethyn, Rita Tushingham and Jan Dunn on the set of The Calling © Meave Films

Emily Beecham (Hail, Caesar!,Into the Badlands) stars as the protagonist Joanna, alongside Brenda Blethyn (Atonment, Pride & Prejudice, Secrets & Lies) as Sister Ignatious.  The supporting cast includes, Susannah York (Superman 1978, A Man For All Seasons).

The film was shot entirely on location in Kent in the districts of Canterbury and Thanet. In Ramsgate, St Lawrence College  was used for the nuns quarters whilst The Churchill Tavern featured as Joanna’s local pub. Salmonstone Grange in Margate,a beautiful 14th Century retreat, was used as the setting for St Bertha’s Priory. Various external scenes were filmed . In Broadstairs various external scenes were filmed in popular locations such as Viking Bay. The Thanet area has previously been used for filming  including Not Going Out  (2013) and Whistle and I’ll Come To You (2010).

In Canterbury the University of Kent Canterbury Campus doubled as Joanna’s university, whilst Barnsole Vineyard was the used for St Bertha’s Vineyard. Wingham Wildlife Park also featured doubling as Africa in the final scenes of the film. Rustom (2016),  Boomers (2014) and Only Fools and Horses: The Jolly Boys Outing  (1989) have previously filmed in the  Canterbury area. 

The Calling will open the fifth edition of the London Independent Film Festival (LIFF) on April 15th. Writer/director Jan Dunn is a previous winner of the prestigious ‘Best Feature’ award at LIFF with her 2008 Kent based film Ruby Blue . She was able to use the £50,000 prize money, towards fund this new project.

The film was the first to benefit from Kent County Council’s Development Fund, the initial investment of £75,000 was then match funded by other Kent Businesses including Courtyard Studios, Screen South, Maidstone Studios and The Hop Farm. The investment secured more than £500,000 spend into the local economy and also provided training for six young people from Kent on the production.

The Calling was released in 2009 and is now available for DVD purchase.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

Albert’s Memorial (2010)

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David Jason and David Werner stood on a road leant against a black cab, white cliffs and lorries behind them

David Jason and David Werner in Albert’s Memorial © ITV

Director: David Richards

Starring: David Jason, David Warner, Judith Hoersch, Micheal Jayston

Production Company:  ITV
Kent Filming Locations: Port of Dover

Three old comrades reunite as Albert (Michael Jayston) is taken into hospital and calls on his two old friends to visit him before it’s too late. After his passing, Harry (David Jason) and Frank (David Warner) set out to fulfill their old friend Albert’s (Michael Jayston)  dying wish; to be buried in Heidelberg where he fought as a solider and last felt alive. 

Harry and Frank kidnap Albert’s body from the undertakers  and set off on their journey across Europe. After picking up a German hitchhiker, Vicki (Judith Hoersch), the two men begin to come to terms with an old trauma that has driven a wedge between them since the war. 

The series is directed by David Richards (Messiah 2: Vengeance Is Mine, Reckless; The Movie) and stars David Jason (Only Fools and Horses, A Touch of Frost), David Warner (Planet of the Apes, Titanic), Judith Hoersch (Mein Leben & Ich) and Micheal Jayston (Nicholas and Alexandra, Emmerdale).

Filming in Kent took place at the Port of Dover. It was the location where the two men smuggled Albert’s body into a van and then boarded a ferry on their way to Germany.

Dover is home to the infamous White Cliffs of Dover, Dover Castle and the Port of Dover, Europe’s busiest passenger port. Productions which have previously filmed in the Dover  area include Marcella (2016), Great British Railway Journeys – Series 7 (2016) and On A Clear Day (2005).

Albert’s Memorial was first aired on  ITV  in September 2010 and is now available to buy on DVD. 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.