Remy

I've lived in Belsize Park, north west London for the past 21 years and I'm very curious to know which films have used the area for locations. I can name two, SMASHING TIME and GEORGY GIRL. The former used Belsize Terrace and the latter used the old town hall on Haverstock Hill.

Before you reply, no, LES BICYCLETTES DE BELSIZE wasn't filmed in Belsize Park. Strictly speaking, it was more like abutting Belsize Park

Does anyone know of any more Belsize Park locations used in films?

Also, I can remember clicking on a link on this website which took me to a fantastic British films locations website. I've used the search facility in vain to try and find it. Can anyone do the honours and point me in the right direction. There may be a few but the one I'm looking for is one where if you know a location not on the site and you photograph it you get a tenner. What with Christmas I'm a bit strapped at the moment so I could do with the lolly.

Many thanks.

Remy

Steve Crook

The IMDb Location Tree (takes a while to load) shows a few films with locations in Belsize Park.

"Changing Rooms" (1997 - ?) did a programme in a house there
The Boy Who Turned Yellow (1972) used Chalk Farm tube station
Michael Jackson's Ghosts (1997) had some scenes shot in that area, as did
Doorstep Delivery (2003) and Shooting Shona (2004)

Steve

Remy

Thanks Steve

I can think of another though it's a blink-and-you'd-miss-it location. At the begining of TELL ME LIES as the man walks up to the house I can make it out to be the southern end of BELSIZE PARK GARDENS, not far from the Washington pub.

MarcMorris

We shot seven Mario Bava DVD intros in that amazing neo-gothic deconsecrated church just up the hill last year - it was bloody freezing! The church interior is amazing.

Nucleus Films:
DVD Releasing + Extras Production

Remy

I've always wanted to know what it feels like to be inside that church with an amazing exterior. I've seen pictures of the interior and It looks impressive. When I passed it a month or two ago I saw Arri light rental trucks and a catering van so I guess the church must have been used for a location. It's a shame it has fallen into disrepair. I gather the foundations were moving to such an extent that it made it unsafe and it closed in the late 70s/early 80s.

For anyone who's interested, click on the link below to the see a website dedicated to this amazing building.



St Stephen's

brotun

Hi Steve,
You could always take a couple of pictures, both slightly different.
Give one to Reelstreets and get your Tenner, then keep the other one for yourself.
Kindest regards
Reelstreets.

Geoffers

I could be badly wrong (I'm not a Londoner) but when I saw It Happened Here (1966) on TV, there were some locations that looked very similar to the Belsize Park area.

Remy

Thanks, I'll have to check that one out.

Another that springs to mind is a public information film which, I'm guessing, dates back to the early 80s. It's one where David Calder plays a crime prevention officer going on about locking your doors and windows. A segment of it is filmed on Belsize Park Gardens.

Steve Crook

Hello John, nice to see you here.
Interesting idea, but no thanks. Its the giving away the right that I'm not keen on.

Steve

jonpsych

Will need to check my copy of the film tonight but didn't the Jack Rosenthal film The Chain use locations in Belsize Park.

I may be wrong so treat me gently if I am

Best regards

Jonathan

Remy

Hi Jonathan,

The Chain did use a location in the area but not Belsize Park,Hampstead to be more precise. Nigel Hawthorne's character moves into his new house (owned by Billie Whitelaw's character) on Christ Church Hill. The house is on the corner with a very small road which is hard to make out the name of on the A-Z. I'd have to go and check it out. Anna Massey's character makes a phone call on this small road in a telephone box which is actually a prop. I think the house number is something around 40 and it hasn't changed a bit in 20 years.

Best wishes,

Remy

Nicholas

The Galloping Major (1951) was made in the area. My mother recalled seeing them filming it. I was born in the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Maternity Home at 40 Belsize Grove (now demolished) a couple of years before the film was made. I recently got hold of a US video of the film.

AdrianTurner

Some of the exteriors of William Wyler's rather underrated, undershown The Collector, based on the John Fowles novel, was shot in the Belsize Park area. I have a distinct memory of a brief shot of the Belsize Park cinema - the name of which I forget - which was showing William Wyler's Ben-Hur!

filmandpubfan

Re Smashing Time: I lived in Belsize Village in 1976-1980 and Rita Tushingham lived opposite me. She told me that she fell in love with the area during the filming of Smashing Time. Co-incidently, re other comments, I also got married, in 1975, in St Stephens Church. Following my unhappy divorce, I have no wish to ever see the inside of it again.

dylan

Sebastian Shaw's house was in Belsize Square.

D.