Elstree Studios

[tgunnell]

Its a strange place elstree studios from the outside the only place i have seen it ,a collection of buildings that must have been build at different times to different designs.But i would suppose it is the home of british cinema and thankfully it survived the property developers ,unlke the place to the side which houses the tesco supermarket

[Merton Park]

The site that Tesco is built on used to be part of the ABPC Studios.

[Merton Park]

Another good link to the same person's website about Elstree.

Elstree Calling | Elstree Film Studios - Past, Present & Future

[harryfielder]

Originally Posted by Merton Park The site that Tesco is built on used to be part of the ABPC Studios.

I remember working there in the 60s 70s 80s and 90s where to the front of the studios were the offices and behind them were studios 1-5 and behind them was the back lot including a lake.

Now you can get milk and bread...?????

Aitch,

[tgunnell]

I live a a few miles away and don't get to boreham wood very often but i get a buzz everytime i pass the studios

[harryfielder]

Borehamwood Times - Paul Burton's Articles

Aitch,

[Moor Larkin]

That's probaly the best local 'paper in the world, Mr. H.

[smudge]

Originally Posted by Moor Larkin That's probaly the best local 'paper in the world, Mr. H.

Sure is, because you get Paul Welsh's excellent 'the stars at first hand' type feature articles as well.

The local museum's worth a visit also - no great film exhibit, but the curators know all about the local industry and are more than willing to chat. I went in 'briefly' last summer and ended up leaving Mrs. Smudge outside in the car for well over an hour...

Smudge

[harryfielder]

http://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/features/elstreefilmstudios/display.var.2054549.0.years_of_the_young_ones.php

[harryfielder]

Nice to get a mention....

http://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/features/elstreefilmstudios/display.var.2081072.0.the_spirit_of_the_sixties.ph p



Aitch,

[image45]

Originally Posted by tgunnell I live a a few miles away and don't get to boreham wood very often but i get a buzz everytime i pass the studios

Yes so would I too

[harryfielder]

Bump 1st thread....

Aitch,

[harryfielder]

My old mate ''Daft Ada''

Turning To The Darth Side (from Borehamwood Times)

Aitch,

[DaveLlandudno]

When you look at the decline of Elstree, you really have to point the figure at one company, EMI.

EMI back in the 1970s, like Rank, was a vertically integrated film company - owning the studios, cinemas, production and distribution companies - everything that was needed to produce and release a film in the UK. Despite this, EMI's track record in producing hits was pitiful - it's the same old story, one of incompetent, weak and short-sighted management. Even after the merger with Thorn to become Thorn-EMI, there was still little in the way of real investment in the business.

And, of course, in the end, Thorn-EMI decided that the film business was far too scary to be involved with and Thorn-EMI Screen Entertainment (TESE) was sold off on the cheap to the Go-Go twins at Cannon, then sold on to Alan Bond, then onto the dreaded Brent Walker, who decided to demolish half of the studio complex and sell it to Tesco. Why was there no company or person in the UK prepared to put their hand in their pocket and save one of the last major major vestiges of the British film industry?

Elstree could so easily have been saved in its entirety...but no-one cared.

Dave

[orpheum]

Originally Posted by DaveLlandudno When you look at the decline of Elstree, you really have to point the figure at one company, EMI. EMI back in the 1970s, like Rank, was a vertically integrated film company - owning the studios, cinemas, production and distribution companies - everything that was needed to produce and release a film in the UK. Despite this, EMI's track record in producing hits was pitiful - it's the same old story, one of incompetent, weak and short-sighted management. Even after the merger with Thorn to become Thorn-EMI, there was still little in the way of real investment in the business. And, of course, in the end, Thorn-EMI decided that the film business was far too scary to be involved with and Thorn-EMI Screen Entertainment (TESE) was sold off on the cheap to the Go-Go twins at Cannon, then sold on to Alan Bond, then onto the dreaded Brent Walker, who decided to demolish half of the studio complex and sell it to Tesco. Why was there no company or person in the UK prepared to put their hand in their pocket and save one of the last major major vestiges of the British film industry? Elstree could so easily have been saved in its entirety...but no-one cared. Dave

I dont know if you were around in those times,but i have to say that what you are saying is not borne out by the sorry state of the British film industry in the 1970s and 80s.MGM closed down.Rank stopped production and Pinewood went 4 wall,Shepperton nearly went the way of Elstree when a property developer bought British Lion to get control of the studio for development purposes.Cinema audiences were down to 65 million per annum.Multiplexs had not come over so cinemas were still closing down and being demolished at a great rate.It was a bad time and i doubt if anyone looked at Elstree for anything other than its development value.