12 Comments
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Mark Ryan's avatar

I'm certainly going to watch it after that review! Can you one day, please, please review Sir Henry of Rawlinson End?

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Michael Patrick O’Leary's avatar

Old Scrotum the wrinkled retainer.

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Luke Honey's avatar

Excellent, re Lair. Hang on, do I know Sir Henry of Rawlinson End?

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Emma Renton's avatar

I’ve lived in Brentford for 38 years and had never heard the story of the Griffin Beast. Hmm went down the rabbit hole of research and am now on a mission to find out more - or not lol

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Eliot Wilson's avatar

It would have been an even better film set in County Durham, though: Penshaw Monument is right there for wannabe film-makers.

https://youtu.be/zUVWdGwVBw8?si=JdroqMdmjodESWoI

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Luke Honey's avatar

Perhaps- but at financial cost. Stocks Farm (Rickmansworth) is within the orbit of London, so more practical to film at- Union regulations, travel & hotel costs etc. It's why Hambledon (Bucks) is used as a location time and time again. Plus, Stoker's original novel of 1911 had the worm transferred to Derbyshire?

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Luke Honey's avatar

Interesting question too. And you are not the first to raise it. Why DID Stoker transfer his novel to Derbyshire and change the name to D'Ampton?

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Eliot Wilson's avatar

Overmighty unions shackling creativity at the height of Thatcherism! It’s a disgrace! Grumble. (Partly I have very little mental image of Derbyshire but grew up almost in sight of Penshaw Monument.)

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Luke Honey's avatar

It's the cost of having to put an entire film crew up in decent hotels? Rickmansworth location means that a London based crew can go home at night, I think. Remember that Scottish chapel in Four Weddings and a Funeral? Surrey, actually. Surprisingly effective stand in for Scotland.

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Tilly's avatar

My partner and I watched this about 20 years ago. He picked it and when we aren't certain about seeing something I say 'We don't want another Lair of the White Worm'.

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M.E. Proctor's avatar

I actually saw it recently. A lot of fun, although my husband snickered... he's in that "what a silly movie" category. Capaldi and Grant? Sign me in ... and Ken Russell is always a hoot.

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francisco arcaute's avatar

Lady Sylvia's E type Jag with yellow tinted front lights! Women's suspenders! Airline stewardess uniforms! And yes, that lair/cave does look like it came from the first season of Star Trek.

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