Port of Dover

Albert’s Memorial (2010)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
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. 

Missing (2009)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Pauline Quirke and Mark Wingett looking through a white wooden window, the sea can be seen behind them

Pauline Quirke and Mark Wingett in Missing © BBC

Director: Laurence Wilson 

Writers: Roy Boulter, Matt Leys, Ann-Marie Di Mambro, Karen McLachlan

Starring: Pauline Quirke, Felix Scott, Pooja Shah, Mark Wingett, Adjoa Andoh

Production Companies: Leopard Films

Kent Filming Locations: Maidstone and Dover – Port and White Cliffs.

Mark Wingett, Pauline Quirke, Pooja Shah and Felix Scott near the Port of Dover with signs and a bridge behind them

Mark Wingett, Pauline Quirke, Pooja Shah and Felix Scott near the Port of Dover © BBC

Missing is a new daytime crime about a small and under-sourced Missing Persons Unit (MPU) based in Dover which is headed up by DS Mary Jane Croft.

The 5 part drama was made to accompany the second series of

Missing: Live 

which examines real life cases and attempts to reunite people with their love ones.

Starring 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).

The production visited Kent where they transformed the old Maidstone Borough Council offices on the London Road into their Police Headquarters. The programme also filmed at various locations in and around Maidstone as well as visiting Dover including the Port and White Cliffs.

The county town of Kent, Maidstone boasts shopping areas, bars and restaurants and is home to The Maidstone Studios which is the UK’s largest independent High Definition TV studio facility. Productions which have filmed in the area include Children in Need – The Rickshaw Challenge (2015)Later… with Jools Holland (2015) and Couples Come Dine With Me (2014).

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 (2015) and Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows (2011).

The first episode aired on BBC One on the 16th March 2009 at 14:15.

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

Johnny English (2003)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Johnny English Movie Poster - Rowan Atkinson in a suit and bow tie holding his fingers in a gun shape. Johnny English written in white. He knows no fear he knows no danger he know nothing written above.

Johnny English © Universal Pictures

Directed By: Peter Howitt

Written By: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade & William Davis

Starring: Rowan Atkinson, Ben Miller, Natalie Imbruglia and John Malkovich

Production Company: Universal Pictures,StudioCanal,Working Title Films

Kent Locations Used: A2 Carriageway (leading to Jubilee Way) and the Port of Dover

After an unexpected bomb attack on the MI5, incompetent spy Johnny English is the only agent left alive when the crown jewels are stolen. English and his sidekick Bough (Ben Miller) are assigned to the case. For English, the prime suspect is mysterious French Entrepreneur Pascal Sauvage (John Malkovich). They soon learn the horrifying plan behind the theft, for Sauvage intends to wear them when he is crowned King of England.

The film is directed by Peter Howitt (Sliding Doors, Antitrust) and written by writing duo Neal Purvis and Robert Wade (SS-GB, Spectre), who met at University of Kent alongside William Davis (Puss in Boots, Ignition).

Rowan Atkinson (Bean, The Lion King) takes the feature role with a supporting cast of Ben Miller (Death in Paradise, The Armstrong and Miller Show), Natalie Imbruglia (Neighbours, Closed for Winter) and John Malkovich (RED,  Dangerous Liaisons).

Johnny English soon meets Interpol Agent, Lorna Campbell (Natalie Imbruglia). After his case is taken away from him, she tracks him down and together they vow to stop Sauvage’s plan. As English and Campbell race to France they drive down the familiar A2 carriageway leading to Jubilee Way. Kent’s brief cameo continues as we see the car drive down Marine Parade past the sign for the Port of Dover.

 

The cameras would not have been a strange sight to local Dover residents. The town and surrounding landmarks have played host to many productions over the years. The famous Dover Castle alone has starred in many feature films. The site can be seen replicating another iconic British landmark like the Tower of London in the films Lady Jane (1987) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008).

Johnny English is not the only spy to have visited the Port of Dover. In the famous 1971 film Diamonds Are Forever (1971), Sean Connery stars as the suave spy 007. The Port makes its appearance as 007 foils diamond smuggler Peter Franks and boards a hovercraft bound for Amsterdam.

Johnny English was released in cinemas in April 2003 and can now be purchased on DVD.

 

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

Inspector Morse – Deceived by Flight (1989)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Inspector Morse with his hands in his pockets looking at the camera with the port of dover queue behind him.

Inspector Morse (John Thaw) © ITV

Starring: John Thaw, Kevin Whatley, Nathaniel Parker, Peter Amory, Norman Rodway

Directed by: Anthony Simmons

Production Company: Zenith Productions, Central Independent Television

Kent locations used: Port of Dover, Dover Priory Station

Deceived by Flight is episode 3, from series 3, of the well-known Inspector Morse series based on the novels by Colin Dexter where Morse is investigating the murder of a member of the old boys’ cricket team, who have reconvened before starting their European tour. However, after a second murder, it soon becomes clear that some members of the cricket club have another agenda when it comes to the tour. Detective Sergeant Lewis agrees to go undercover as a member of the team in an attempt to reveal the murderer.

As well as regulars in the franchise; John Thaw (The Sweeny, Chaplin), and Kevin Whatley (Auf Wiedersehen Pet 1983) this episode also features Amanda Hillwood (Die Hard 2),  Sharon Maughan (Holby City, Shes out of my league),  Norman Rodway (Mother Night) and Nathaniel Parker (The Bodyguard, Haunted Mansion).

Dover Priory Station and the Port of Dover both feature towards the end of the episode when the cricket team arrive in Dover, with the intention to catch a Ferry, to begin their European tour.

The Port of Dover in Kent is the UKs busiest passenger Port and the coastline is well known for its white cliffs. Dover’s Port has previously featured in Johnny English (2003), Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows (2011) and more recently in Sky Atlantics drama, The Tunnel (2013).

Deceived by Flight first aired on the 18th January 1989 and is now available to buy on DVD.

 

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

À nous les petites Anglaises (1976)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Movie Poster - cartoon character of woman wearing swimming costume. A Nous Les Petites Anglaises! written on top

Movie Poster © Les Films Galaxie

Director / Writer: Michel Lang
Starring: Rémi Laurent, Stéphane Hillel, Véronique Delbourg
Production Company: Les Films Galaxie
Kent Locations Used: Ramsgate, Kingsgate Bay, Botany Bay, Port of Dover

À nous les petites Anglaises (1976) is a French coming-of-age film set in England in the summer of 1959. Two French boys Alain (Rémi Laurent) and Jean-Pierre (Stéphane Hillel) who have failed their English exams are sent to the South of England, in the hope to improve their English. However, the boys find it is easier to flirt with the other French schoolgirls.

The film is directed by Michel Lang (Tous vedettes, On n’est pas des anges… elles non plus) and stars Rémi Laurent (La Cage aux Folles, Les Plouffe), Stéphane Hillel (Le nouveau protocole, Á chacun son enfer) and Véronique Delbourg.

The film was filmed mainly in Ramsgate, the arcades, the Foy Boat, Royal Harbour and the main sands feature throughout the film. King George VI park in Ramsgate is used for the scenes where the boys take their dates to the park. Botany Bay and Kingsgate Bay features as the beach where the students and their dates have parties and go swimming. The Port of Dover is the place of arrival at the start of the film when Alain and Jean-Pierre arrive in the UK.

Ramsgate is a historic coastal town with beautiful beaches, cliff top walks, the only British Royal Harbour as well as a port. The town has been used as a film location for projects including Restoring Britain’s Landmarks (2015), True Love (2012) and Contraband (1940).

Kingsgate is a sandy bay surrounded by chalk cliffs that connects at low tide through Whiteness cliff arch to the beautiful Botany Bay. The beaches have featured in many different productions such as Mr. Selfridge Series 4 (2016) Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites (2015) and Whistle and I’ll Come To You (2010).

The Port of Dover is one of the UK’s busiest Port, with cruise-liners, fright and cargo. This location has featured in Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows (2011), Albert’s Memorial (2010) and Diamonds Are Forever (1971).

À nous les petites Anglaises (1976) was released on Wednesday 7th January 1976 and is now available to purchase on DVD.

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

Doctor Who – Mind of Evil (1971)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Doctor Who (Jon Pertwee) in a suit sat in front of a tiled wall

Doctor Who (Jon Pertwee) © BBC

Director: Timothy Combe
Starring: Jon Pertwee, Nicholas Courtney, Katy Manning, Richard Franklin, Roger Delgado, Pik Sen Lim
Production Company: BBC
Kent Locations Used: Whitfield, Dover Castle, Former RAF Swingate, Manston Airport

The Mind of Evil (1971) is a six-part story of popular sci-fi show, Doctor Who, starring Jon Pertwee. The Doctor and his companion, Jo, arrive at Stangmoor Prison for the demonstration of a machine that has been created by Professor Keller to pacify criminals. However, when the Doctor discovers that his enemy, the Master, is involved he does everything to stop him before it is too late.

Jon Pertwee (Worzel Gummidge, Jackanory) stars as the third Doctor alongside Katy Manning (Gloria’s House, Evil Never Dies), Roger Delgado (First Man Into Space, The Road to Hong Kong), Nicholas Courtney (The Sarah Jane Adventures, Downtime), Richard Franklin (Emmerdale, Twilight of the Gods) and Pik Sen Lim (Emergency-Ward 10, Mind Your Language).

The production filmed in Kent where they visited Dover Castle which doubled as the exterior of Stangmoor Prison the junction of Archer’s Court Road with Pineham Road in Whitfield which was the location where the Master’s troops ambush the missile convoy. The hangar at Former RAF Swingate was used as the Master’s hiding place for his deadly missile and Manston Airport was the base for the helicopter company providing the choppers and aerial footage in the series.

Dover Castle was founded in the 11th century and defended the coast of Britain for almost 500 years. It is now run by English Heritage as a tourist attraction and is a very popular filming location having welcomed productions such as The Apprentice (2015), Wolf Hall (2015) and To Kill a King (2003).

Dover is a coastal town, home to the infamous White Cliffs of Dover, Dover Castle and Europe’s busiest passenger port, the Port of Dover. The Dover area has welcomed filming from productions such as Mr Selfridge Series 3 (2015), Great British Railway Journeys (2014) and Missing (2009).

Manston Airport is currently awaiting development and boasts a runway and warehouse space. It has been used for James Bond’s Die Another Day (2002).

Doctor Who: The Mind of Evil (1971) originally aired on BBC1 between Saturday 30th January 1971 and Saturday 6th March 1971. It is now available to buy on DVD.

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