Les Misérables (2013)

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Kent Film Office

Les on horses going through the streets through a tunnel

Les Misérables © Universal Pictures

Director: Tom Hooper

Screenplay: William Nicholson

Composer: Claude-Michel Schönberg

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, Amanda Seyfried

Production company: Relativity Media, StudioCanal, Working Title Films, Cameron Mackintosh Ltd.

Kent locations used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Les Misérables is based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel and Cameron Mackintosh’s popular musical. It is directed by Oscar award winning director, Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech, The Damned United) and features an ensemble cast of A-List actors, faces including: Anne Hathaway (Dark Knight Rises, One Day), Oscar-winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator, Beautiful Mind), Hugh Jackman (X-Men Series, The Prestige), Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech, Alice in Wonderland) Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat, Hugo) and Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia, In Time). The actors sung live during filming, instead of using pre-recorded tracks, making it more like a musical than any other film.

Anne Hathaway as Fantine working in a factory

Anne Hathaway as Fantine © Universal Pictures

Set in 19^th century France, it tells the story of Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) an ex-prisoner who has broken his parole. Hunted by ruthless policeman Javert (Russell Crowe), he is forced to make decisions that will transform his life forever. It is a dramatic tale of broken dreams, unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption.

Les Misérables is the world’s longest-running musical and has been performed on Broadway and the West End, visiting 42 countries in total. It received 70 major theatre awards including an Olivier, a Tony and a Grammy and features classic songs by Claude–Michel Schönberg like “I Dreamed a Dream,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More” and “On My Own”. For the first time in movie history, the actors sang live during the filming, instead of using pre-recorded tracks.

The Historic Dockyard in Chatham was used to double as a factory, a court room and various streets. It is a popular and unique filming location, having previously welcomed Sherlock Holmes (2011), The Golden Compass (2007) and the BBC adaptation of Oliver Twist (2007).

Les Misérables was released in cinemas on 11th January 2013 and is now available to buy on DVD.

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

Wild Child (2008)

Posted on February 4, 2008 by Kent Film Office

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

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

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.

The Bank Job (2008)

Posted on February 4, 2008 by Kent Film Office

Jason Statham standing behind an open train door staring away from the camera

Jason Statham in The Bank Job © Lionsgate Films

Writer: Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais

Director: Roger Donaldson

Production Company: Mosaic Media Group , Relativity Media, Skyline, Atlas Entertainment, Omnilab Media

Kent Filming Locations: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Starring Jason Statham (The Italian Job, The Transporter) and Saffron Burrows (Boston Legal, Enigma), The Bank Job is inspired by true events. When Martine, an attractive model from Terry’s old neighbourhood, offers information on a bank, Terry finds that it is too tempting to resist.

By tunnelling their way into the bank, the crew not only walked away with a jackpot of over £3 million, but more importantly, stumbled upon scandalous Royal secrets. Almost as soon as the daring heist hit the headlines, the government fearing the release of the uncovered secrets put in place a gagging order that has shrouded the true nature of this crime for over thirty
years.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham provided the ideal double for a London railway station of the 70’s, as well as the post office scene in the closing stages of the film.

Set over 80 acres, The Historic Dockyard Chatham contains over 100 Georgian and Victorian buildings as well as cobbled streets and dock spaces. The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a poplar location for filming having previously featured in Rustom (2016), Downton Abbey (2013) and The World is Not Enough (1999).

The Bank Job was released in cinemas on 29^th February 2008 and is now available on DVD.

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

The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)

Posted on February 4, 2008 by Kent Film Office

Scarlett Johansson standing behind Natalie Portman, both looking out of the window in front of them

Director: Justin Chadwick

Writer: Peter Morgan

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, Eric Bana, Kristin Scott Thomas, David Morrissey, Benedict Cumberbatch

Production Company: Columbia Pictures, Focus Features, BBC Films, Relativity Media, Ruby Films, Scott Rudin Productions

Kent Filming Locations: Knole House, Dover Castle, Penshurst Place


The screen adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s best selling novel The Other Boleyn Girl is a dramatic story of love, passion and ambition set in the cut-throat court of Henry VIII. Mary (Scarlett Johansson), considered the more beautiful sister, gains the young king’s (Eric Bana) attention and, though married, becomes his mistress. When it becomes politically adventageous, Mary is cast aside for her dazzling young sister Anne (Natalie Portman) and can only watch as Anne’s ruthless pursuit of the crown propels her towards her doom.

The Boleyn family had extensive connections with Kent; the family lived in Hever Castle while Henry VIII adored Knole. With this connection in mind, filming took place at three fantastic locations across Kent.

Filming in Kent began at Knole in Sevenoaks, a grand house set in a deer park that Henry VIII was so impressed with; he demanded that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer give it to him. In the film, Knole was the setting for many of the film’s London night scenes and the inner courtyard doubles for the entrance of Whitehall Palace where the grand arrivals and departures were staged.

Filming of The Other Boleyn Girl at Knole © Photo Credit : Alex Bailey © 2006 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Mary Boleyn (Scarlett Johansson) in the Grounds of Penshurst Place © Photo Credit : Alex Bailey © 2006 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Behind the scenes at Dover Castle © Dover Castle Behind the scenes at Penshurst Place © Penshurst Place

Production then moved to Penshurst Place near Tonbridge, which was also once owned by Henry VIII and where the unspoiled estate and gardens still bring the Tudor era to life. The Baron’s Hall was transformed into the interiors of Whitehall Palace to film the scenes of Henry’s extravagant feast. The Tudor Gardens were also used for the scene where Anne (Natalie Portman) and the King (Eric Bana) talk about their relationship.

As England’s oldest fortress at the shortest sea crossing to Continental Europe, Dover Castle was a vital strategic centre in the Tudor era and able to provide the ideal setting for the final and climatic scenes in The Other Boleyn Girl. Dover Castle was transformed into the Tower of London for the execution scenes of George Boleyn (Jim Sturgess) and Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman).

Knole Park is nestled in a medieval deer-park . The area has welcomed filming from productions such as Rush (2013) and Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides (2011).

Historic house Knole is set in a medieval deer-park in Sevenoaks. Now a National Trust property, it is over 500 years old and was once the palace of archbishops and royal property of the Tudor dynasty. Knole has previously featured in productions such as Great British Railway Journeys – Series 7 (2016), Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows (2011) and Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides (2011).

Medieval and Tudor style manor house, Penshurst Place is set in gorgeous parkland and boasts period rooms and formal Elizabethan gardens. Penshurst Place is a popular film location, having previously welcomed productions such as Wolf Hall (2015), The Great Fire (2014) and The Hollow Crown – Henry V (2012)

Situated on the White Cliffs of Dover, overlooking the English Channel is the stunning medieval fortress – Dover Castle. A popular film location, Dover Castle has featured in Into the Woods (2015), Poirot “The Clocks” (2009) and Hamlet (1990).

To celebrate the cinematic release and the locations that were used in the film, the Kent Film Office and Kent Tourism Alliance in association with Universal, National Trust, English Heritage, Penshurst Place, Hever Castle and the Heart of Kent released a movie map in 2011 to highlight the Kent locations to the world! You can download your own The Other Boleyn Girl movie map and to find out more about the Kent Campaign at: https://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/kent-movie-map/austens-in-kent/

The Other Boleyn Girl features in the Kent Film Office Tudor(ish) Trail, released in May 2016, celebrating Kent’s Tudor history and film connections.

The film was released on 7^th March 2008 and is now available on DVD.

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

Kent's Premier Film Commission