On Thursday June 10th, three girls from Royal Docks
Community School were treated to a day out at the world-famous Pinewood Studios
on the outskirts of London, England. They were greeted by Julia Hillsdon, Head
of Marketing at the studio, who gave them a tour of the mansion building
originally known as Heatherden Hall, which the studios have been built around.
Julia took them through the picture gallery and explained the studio’s
illustrious history, films made there, and the many famous stars that have
walked its corridors during the past 50 years or so.
This was followed by a tour of the vast garden area, this time
given by Dave Worrall, co-publisher of Cinema Retro magazine, who explained to
the girls how the gardens were used in various James Bond and other major films
over the years, including Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang, the Hammer Horrors and Harry
Potter. This was followed by a very interesting tour of Technicolor. Hosted
by Chris Smith, the girls were given an overview of how the laboratory
operates, including a preview of their new 3D technology in their luxury
screening room.
(Photo copyright Georgia Landers/All rights reserved)
By Matthew Field
Photos by: Georgia Landers
Fountainbridge in Edinburgh welcomed back its most famous son, Sir Sean
Connery, at a special event celebrating his legacy to the area, on Thursday
(June 17). Cinema Retro was present as Sir Sean returned to the street on which
he was born 80 years ago to unveil a plaque in his honour, and to meet local
community organisations and businesses involved in the regeneration of the
area.His ‘homecoming’ was sparked by
the need to reinstate the plaque originally erected by the Scottish Film
Council to celebrate the Centenary of Cinema in 1996. It was taken down four
years ago as work began on the Springside development currently transforming
the former Scottish & Newcastle bottling site in Fountainbridge. Now, as work on the first development phase is completed, the plaque has
been restored, with Sir Sean’s blessing. It’s now been erected at the entrance
of Springside on Fountainbridge - just yards away from the site of the original
tenement building in which Sir Sean started his life.