Wild Child (2008)

Emma Roberts (Poppy), Linzey Cocker (Josie), Sophie Wu (Kiki), Kimberley Nixon (Kate) and Juno Temple (Drippy) all dressed in fancy dress posing at the camera.

Emma Roberts (Poppy), Linzey Cocker (Josie), Sophie Wu (Kiki), Kimberley Nixon (Kate) and Juno Temple (Drippy) on the set of Wild Child. Giles Keyte: copyright: © 2008 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Directed by: Nick Moore

Written by: Lucy Dahl

Starring: Emma Roberts, Natasha Richardson, Aidan Quinn, Alex Pettier, Shirley Henderson

Production Company: Universal Pictures, StudioCanal, Relativity Media, Working Title Films

Kent Locations: Cobham Hall

Emma roberts soaking wet emptying water from a red shoe with her bed behind

Poppy (Emma Roberts) Giles Keyte Copyright: © 2008 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Emma Roberts and Kimberley Nixon in school uniform frowning at each other in a corridor full of students

Emma Roberts (Poppy) and Kimberley Nixon (Kate) in Wild Child Giles Keyte Copyright: © 2008 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Writen by Lucy Dahl, the daughter of literary giant Roald Dahl, “Wild Child” follows the antics of 16 year-old Poppy (Emma Roberts) on a search of self-discovery and maturity. Brought up in Los Angeles, Poppy has been living a selfish and spoiled existence. Fed up with Poppy’s attitude and behaviour, her father ships her off to an English boarding school where she’s faced with strict rules, curfews, school girl hierarchies and scary teachers. Will Poppy be able to remain the ultimate Wild Child?

Starring Emma Roberts (Hotel for Dogs, Nancy Drew), Natasha Richardson (The Parent Trap, Blow Dry), Aidan Quinn (Legends of the Fall, Unknown) Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike, I am Number Four) and Shirley Henderson (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Bridget Jones Diary Franchise).

Shot on location, “Wild Child” was mostly filmed at Cobham Hall, near Gravesend, in Kent. Already a boarding school for girls, the location was perfect for the film. The country house has become an increasingly popular filming location and has played host too many productions including The Great Fire (2014), the BBC’s adaptation of Bleak House (2005), and Agent Cody Banks (2003).

Laura Goldfinch as an extra on set - standing in school uniform on a field with cars parked behind

Laura Goldfinch as an extra on set © Laura Goldfinch

Local Kent girl Laura Goldfinch was lucky enough to be an extra on the film.

“On the fourth day of filming, two women approached me and revealed Kimberley Nixon, one of the young lead actresses, was absent and they needed a stand-in for three night shoots – me!!! I found myself whisked away into my very own trailer and travelled down to set in the same cars as Juno Temple, Alex Pettyfer and the amazing Shirley Henderson!”

“When the whirlwind rush of Wild Child was over, my life went back to normal, but my attitude towards my chosen career changed for the better. To this day I am grateful for having been given this opportunity and that Kent was chosen as the location for the Wild Child Production. Since Wild Child, I have gone on to have other successes working as a supporting artiste and actress in other Film and Television productions.”

Wild Child was released in cinemas in August 2008 and is available out on DVD.

 

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


Incendiary (2008)

Ewan McGregor getting out of a black car with people in a smokey background behind him

Ewan McGregor in Incendiary © Optimum Releasing

Writer/Director: Sharon Maguire

Stars: Ewan McGregor, Michelle Williams, Matthew Macfadyen, Sidney Johnston

Production Company: Aramid Entertainment Fund ,Archer Street Productions ,Capitol Films ,Film4 ,Incendiary ,Sneak Preview Films,UK Film Council, Wild Bear Films

Kent Filming Locations: Metropolitan Police Training Ground, Gravesend

Incendiary is the heartbreaking story of a young wife and mother whose family falls victim to a terrorist attack when a bomb explodes during a football match. Watching the horrific events unfold before her eyes on TV, her feelings of are intensified by guilt, because at the time of the blast she was with another man. Anguished, she rejects her lover and seeks comfort from the officer investigating the incident.

Adapted from Chris Cleave’s controversial novel, Incendiary caused furore at the time of its release: appearing in bookshops only a week after the 7/7 attacks in London, the story seemed chillingly close to reality, causing major retailers to pull their marketing campaigns for the novel.

Michelle Williams and Sidney Johnson running on the beach

Michelle Williams and Sidney Johnson © Optimum Releasing

The film visited the Metropolitan Police training facilities near Gravesend to shoot the scenes under the football stadium, after the bomb has exploded.

Incendiary was released in cinemas in October 2008 and is now available on DVD.

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


Canterbury Tales (2003)

Canterbury Tales DVD cover- montage of images from the film, with canterbury tales written in black above

Canterbury Tales DVD cover © BBC

Starring: Julie Walters, James Nesbitt, Billie Piper, John Simm, Keeley Hawes, Dennis Waterman

Production Company: Ziji Productions, BBC

Kent Locations: Rochester Castle, Cathedral, Chertsey Gate, the High Street and Esplanade, River Medway, Stangate Creek, Gravesend

Canterbury Tales is a BBC adaptation of a handful of Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th century stories of the same name which are still set along the traditional Pilgrims’ route to Canterbury, but in the 21st century.

The stories include themes such as love, adultery, jealousy and revenge.

The six single dramas feature an all-star cast including Julie Walters (Mamma Mia!, Calendar Girls Billy Elliot), James Nesbitt (The Missing, Murphy’s Law, Cold Feet), Billie Piper (Doctor Who, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Penny Dreadful), John Simm (Human Traffic, Life on Mars, The Village), Keeley Hawes (Death at a Funeral, The Bank Job, The Avengers) and Dennis Waterman (New Tricks, The Sweeney, Back in Business).

Rochester is the principal setting for The Pardoner’s Tale with the castle, Cathedral, Chertsey Gate, the High Street, Esplanade and various streets, pubs and restaurants featuring.

The river scenes in The Man of Laws’ Tale were filmed on the River Medway and The Medway Estuary.

Gravesend is the setting in The Seacaptain’s Tale where old waterfront warehouses, the pier and Town Pier Square feature.

Rochester is a historic city set on the River Medway offering a Medieval Cathedral and castle and cobbled streets with shops, pubs and restaurants. Rochester has previously featured in productions such as Jekyll and Hyde (2015), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012) and Great Expectations (1989).

The River Medway starts in Sussex and runs through Tonbridge, Maidstone and Medway before flowing into the Thames Estuary near Sheerness. Stangate Creek is part of the River Medway and has been used as a film location by productions such as Mr Turner (2014), Great Expectations (2012) and The Long Memory (1953).

On the south bank of the River Thames, Gravesend has a cast iron pier, promenade and high street as well as international links at the nearby Ebbsfleet International station. The area has previously been used as a film location in productions such as The Interceptor (2015) and Age of Heroes (2011).

The Canterbury Tales aired in 2003 and is now available for DVD purchase.

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

 


The Long Memory (1953)

The Long Memory film poster- a man and women hugging, the man is faced away from the camera. The Long Memory written in yellow

The Long Memory film poster © General Film Distributors (GFD)

Director: Robert Hamer
Starring: John Mills, John McCallum, Elizabeth Sellars
Production Company: J. Arthur Rank Organisation, Europa, British Film-Makers
Kent Locations Used: Gravesend, Stangate Creek

The Long Memory (1953) is a black and white 1953 film based on the 1951 novel of the same name by Howard Clewes. The crime thriller is about Philip Davidson (John Mills) who is wrongfully convicted for murder and given parole after 12 years. Will Philip choose revenge upon the witnesses who lied during the trial, or give himself a fresh start?

Directed by Robert Hamer (Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), The Loves of Joanna Godden (1947)), the film stars John Mills (The Big Sleep (1978), Dunkirk (1958)), John McCallum (Lady Godiva Rides Again (1951), The Loves of Joanna Godden (1947)) and Elizabeth Sellars (The Barefoot Contessa, Forbidden Cargo).

Queen Street and Granby Road in Gravesend feature in the film as the locations for the two Tim Pewsey residences.

black and white image of Stangate Creek, with a wooden fence in front

The Long Memory screenshot at Stangate Creek © General Film Distributors (GFD)

 Gravesend street at night with a man in a trench coat walking away from the camera down the middle

The Long Memory screenshot at Gravesend © General Film Distributors (GFD)

The marshes of the Medway Estuary around Stangate Creek and Iwade were used as the location where Phillip Davidson’s (John Mills) barge is moored.

The historic market town of Gravesend is on the south bank of the River Thames and boasts a cast iron pier, promenade and high street. The area is easily accessible with train links at the nearby Ebbsfleet International station and is close to the M25. The Gravesend area has previously welcomed film productions such as The Interceptor (2015), Babylon (2014) and Age of Heroes (2011).

Stangate Creek is part of the River Medway and has been used as a film location by productions such as Mr Turner (2014), feature film adaption Great Expectations (2012) and the BBC’s Great Expectations (1999).

The Long Memory (1953) was released on Friday 23rd January 1953 and is now available on DVD.

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