London Landmarks at the Movies
Standing tall on the central London skyline and the South Bank, we're immensely proud of our One Blackfriars tower and its exceptional apartments.
But did you know it has also been a fixture in a Hollywood blockbuster film? Just last year, One Blackfriars made its cinema debut in Mission Impossible: Fallout, appearing as Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt races across London and Blackfriars Bridge. In honour of this Hollywood debut, we thought we'd delve into some of the other iconic film locations that have taken place in the heart of the capital.
Skyfall
There have been plenty of Bond moments across the capital - after all, the smooth-talking, sharp-dressing super-spy operates out of London as an agent of the British secret service. With so many London landmark scenes to pick from, we went for the classic image from one of the best Bond films, Skyfall.
After the film's bombastic, explosive and ultimately emotional ending, Bond surveys his beloved London from a Whitehall rooftop as the camera moves to take in a myriad of famous sights. The rooftop is actually the roof of the Department of Energy and Climate Change, at Whitehall 55.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
While everyone's favourite, bespectacled, boy wizard is a frequent broom-flier, his trip to Hogwarts normally takes place on the Hogwarts Express. This fictional train travels through jaw-dropping British scenery, on a railway whose real-life counterpart is the West Highland Line in Scotland.
The journey, however, starts in London in the grand old departure halls of London King's Cross, at platform 9¾. While this isn't a real platform, the wall which is used in the film to access the line has attracted tens of thousands of potter fans from across the globe to see the spot where Harry runs through a magic wall to the train on the other side.
The Mummy Returns
1996's The Mummy was pure adventure that took the infectious archaeological hijinks of Indiana Jones and injected them with camp fun and bouncy humour. It still retains a special place in the hearts of many who grew up in the nineties.
The sequel retained that same verve and enthusiasm, and took Rick O'Connell (Brendan Frasier) and Evelyn O'Connell (Rachel Weisz) to the British Museum whose stunning 19th century halls and spectacular Greek Revival architecture form the memorable backdrop for the film's opening scenes.
Paddington Bear
Moving from one of the UK's top museums to another, we're accompanied by one of the country's most-loved teddy bears, the incorrigible, intrepid and ultimately adorable Paddington Bear. His 2014 cinematic outing captured international hearts and featured a visit to the British Natural History Museum.
The film's finale saw Paddington embark on a chase through the museum culminating in a showdown with Nicole Kidman's villainous taxidermist on the roof. It's a wonderful showcase for the natural history institution, whose Romanesque interiors and iconic exhibitions whirl by in a shower of lights.
Notting Hill
Taking a short left turn away from children's movies, we move now to Notting Hill, both the film and the London district. Notting Hill was the third film from acclaimed British director Richard Curtis, and features the unlikely coupling between all-round affable Brit William Thacker (Hugh Grant) and movie star Anna Scott (Julia Roberts).
This film's most memorable location is the famous Chelsea blue door that leads to William's flat in Notting Hill. The door has been left untouched since its Hollywood hey-day, and today attracts visitors from across the globe to pose in the porch.
London has long been an attractive prospect for filmmakers. If you want your own piece of cinema history at our One Blackfriars development, be sure to take a look at our stunning and contemporary apartments, boasting a convenient location in the heart of London and the fantastic views they afford across the city skyline.