We live in a private gated retirement village. It is set in 400 acres of woodland and gardens, all tended by groundsmen. It's a really nice place in which to spend our retirement.
It has been the setting for several movies over the years, and Sky are making one here over the next month or so. Village life goes on as normal as they shoot outdoor scenes, and we have seen the actors from a distance.
On Friday, ourselves and a few other residents were invited on to the set when they were filming in our village hall. It was a wonderful experience, and we were rubbing shoulders with the actors and chatting to them.
You will all no doubt have heard of Patricia Hodge, Lulu, and a real cinema legend, Diane Keaton. Also there was Boy George, and a "drag star" in the shape of Lawrence Chaney. We had a long chat with Lulu, who it is hard to believe she is 76. A really lovely lady. A hello from Patricia Hodge, and my knees buckled when a smiling Diane Keaton said hello. Boy George sang, guess what, Karma Chameleon of course. Lawrence was in drag, and was the life and soul of the proceedings.
We were not allowed to take any photos, and have been asked not to say what we have seen being shot. So I can't elaborate on that.
They will all be heading out to Los Angeles and Las Vegas to shoot the rest of the scenes in about two weeks time. Unfortunately, they haven't invited us to go along with them.
We have lovely memories of the day, perhaps until old age erases them?
Seeing stars.
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Re: Seeing stars.
Wow, you are a very lucky person to have mingled with all those actors/singers. Your retirement village sounds just the place we would like to live.
We did have a look at some modern flats that were built up in Scarborough some for retirement but one thing that put us off and that was a charge for maintenance which has spiralled upwards over the years, also some of the flats are let out for holiday makers and that is a definite put off but to wake up and view the sea everyday would be great.
Could not hide my smile when you wrote that Boy George sang, Babs and I many years ago went to Grimsby Auditorium to see him sing. OMG!! It was awful, the group that played were overly loud so much so that they drowned out Boy Georges' voice, but even through that he could not sing. It was nothing like you hear on the radio or when he sang, or rather mimed to his songs on Top of the Pops.
Besides that, it really sound as though you enjoyed the whole experience.
In Lincoln we get film companies here and one of the well known films produced at Lincoln Cathedral was the Da Vinci Code, Tom Hanks and Sir Ian McKellen. I was on duty most nights on C.C.T.V. when they both returned from filming to the hotel they were staying at and noticed that when Tom Hanks arrived he went straight into the hotel ignoring all the people outside waiting to speak or take photographs of them but when Sir Ian McKellen arrived he spent several minutes with the crowds!!
Regards
Nigel.
We did have a look at some modern flats that were built up in Scarborough some for retirement but one thing that put us off and that was a charge for maintenance which has spiralled upwards over the years, also some of the flats are let out for holiday makers and that is a definite put off but to wake up and view the sea everyday would be great.
Could not hide my smile when you wrote that Boy George sang, Babs and I many years ago went to Grimsby Auditorium to see him sing. OMG!! It was awful, the group that played were overly loud so much so that they drowned out Boy Georges' voice, but even through that he could not sing. It was nothing like you hear on the radio or when he sang, or rather mimed to his songs on Top of the Pops.
Besides that, it really sound as though you enjoyed the whole experience.
In Lincoln we get film companies here and one of the well known films produced at Lincoln Cathedral was the Da Vinci Code, Tom Hanks and Sir Ian McKellen. I was on duty most nights on C.C.T.V. when they both returned from filming to the hotel they were staying at and noticed that when Tom Hanks arrived he went straight into the hotel ignoring all the people outside waiting to speak or take photographs of them but when Sir Ian McKellen arrived he spent several minutes with the crowds!!
Regards
Nigel.
I used to be an optimist but with age I am now a grumpy old pessimist.
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Kevin Farnell
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Re: Seeing stars.
When I read the title, I thought that you were talking about astronomy. I know of most of the names that you mention and Patricia Hodge and Lulu were stunningly beautiful in their younger years.The two that I didn't know, were Diane Keaton (had to 'Google who she is) and Lawrence Chaney (no way I'm 'Googling that, I absolutely hate drag artists - that would have been enough to have me get up and walk away).
Stratospheric traces, of our transitory flight.
Trails of condensation, held in narrow paths of white...
Trails of condensation, held in narrow paths of white...
Re: Seeing stars.
I'm with you on drag acts Kevin, but this was more like a pantomime dame character. Acceptable in my eyes.
Re: Seeing stars.
EricTNow at the age where I know I like girls but can't remember why!
Re: Seeing stars.
We were asked to take part in filming yesterday, and we might get a few moments of screen time. The scenes were shot in our woods, with the stars of the film. These were younger versions of the main stars.
The story is of older ladies living in retirement who find a recipe for the elixir of youth, and revert to being young again. Sadly, it doesn't work in real life, so we woke up this morning still octogenarians.
The film is called Arthur's Whisky, and will be released on Sky in November. It's expected to be in cinemas next year.
The story is of older ladies living in retirement who find a recipe for the elixir of youth, and revert to being young again. Sadly, it doesn't work in real life, so we woke up this morning still octogenarians.
The film is called Arthur's Whisky, and will be released on Sky in November. It's expected to be in cinemas next year.